http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/mammals/ Mammals in the news, wild mammals, mammal conservation efforts, and domesticated mammals. en-us Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:05:01 EST Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/mammals/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140200.htm Global warming is having an effect on the dive behavior and search for food of southern elephant seals. Researchers have discovered that the seals dive deeper for food when in warmer water. The scientists attribute this behavior to the migration of prey to greater depths and now wish to check this theory using a new sensor which registers the feeding of the animals below water. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140200.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101730.htm Horseflies are unpleasant insects that deliver powerful bites and now it seems that zebras evolved their stripes to avoid attracting the unpleasant pests. New research show that zebras have the least attractive hides for horseflies. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101730.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208220210.htm Tarsiers' ultrasonic calls -- among the most extreme in the animal kingdom -- give them a "private channel" of communication, says an anthropologist. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208220210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132711.htm Exposure to low-frequency ship noise may be associated with chronic stress in whales, according to a new study. The study, conducted in Canada's Bay of Fundy, has implications for all baleen whales in areas with heavy ship traffic, and for the recovery of the endangered North Atlantic right whale population. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132711.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202620.htm Mapping the ancestry of sheep over the past 11,000 years has revealed that our woolly friends are stars among domestic animals, boasting vast genetic diversity and substantial prospects for continued breeding to further boost wool and food production for a rising world population. An international research team has provided an unprecedented in-depth view of the genetic history of sheep, one of the world's most important livestock species. The study maps out how humans have moulded sheep to suit diverse environments and to enhance the specialised production of meat, wool and milk. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202620.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203102414.htm They are tiny, ugly, disease-carrying little blood-suckers that most people have never seen or heard of, but a new discovery in a one-of-a-kind fossil shows that "bat flies" have been doing their noxious business with bats for at least 20 million years. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203102414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202150825.htm The Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Peru program recently announced the discovery of 365 species previously undocumented in Bahuaja Sonene National Park in southeastern Peru. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202150825.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201173222.htm Humpback whales on both sides of the southern Indian Ocean are singing different tunes, unusual since humpbacks in the same ocean basin usually all sing very similar songs. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201173222.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131150834.htm Conservationists working in Central Africa to save the world's rarest gorilla have good news: the Cross River gorilla has more suitable habitat than previously thought, including vital corridors that, if protected, can help the great apes move between sites in search of mates. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131150834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131135414.htm Volunteers working in northeast China have cleared 162 illegal wire snares in an ongoing effort to protect the nation’s remaining population of critically endangered Amur (Siberian) tigers. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:54:54 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131135414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130172408.htm Wildlife health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society have published evidence which supports the conclusion that Mongolian gazelles -- one of the most populous large land mammals on the planet -- are not a reservoir of foot-and-mouth disease, a highly contagious viral disease that threatens both wildlife and livestock in Asia. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130172408.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171911.htm It took about 10 million generations for terrestrial mammals to hit their maximum mass: that's about the size of a cat evolving into the size of an elephant. Sea mammals, such as whales took about half the number of generations to hit their maximum. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171909.htm Scientists have for the first time measured how fast large-scale evolution can occur in mammals, showing it takes 24 million generations for a mouse-sized animal to evolve to the size of an elephant. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129232818.htm Killer whales are the top marine predator. The increase in hunting territories available to killer whales in the Arctic due to climate change and melting sea ice could seriously affect the marine ecosystem balance. New research has combined scientific observations with Canadian Inuit traditional knowledge to determine killer whale behavior and diet in the Arctic. Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129232818.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126142908.htm Fish biologists conducted one of the first studies of deep-sea fish sounds in more than 50 years, 2,237 feet under the Atlantic. With recording technology more affordable, fish sounds can be studied to test the idea that fish communicate with sound, especially those in the dark of the deep ocean. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126142908.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126100633.htm It comes as a surprise to many that male house mice produce melodious songs to attract mates.  Unfortunately for us, because the melodies are in the ultra-sonic range human ears cannot detect them.  Through spectrographic analyses of the vocalizations of wild house mice, researchers have found that the songs of male mice contain signals of individuality and kinship.  Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126100633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091059.htm Each year around 20,000 people are infected by nematodes of the genus Anisakis and suffer from illnesses ranging from gastrointestinal diseases to serious allergic reactions as a result. For the first time, parasitologists have gathered data on the occurrence of the parasitic worm and have modeled the worldwide distribution of individual species in the ocean. The resulting maps not only enable statements to be made on the occurrence and migration behavior of certain hosts of the parasites, such as Baleen or toothed whales,  but also provide conclusions on the risk of human infection. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124151945.htm The fate of the world's great whale species commands global attention as a result of heated debate between pro and anti-whaling advocates, but the fate of smaller marine mammals is less understood, specifically because the deliberate and accidental catching and killing of dolphins, porpoises, manatees, and other warm-blooded aquatic species are rarely studied or monitored. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124151945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123152528.htm A 33,000-year-old dog skull unearthed in a Siberian mountain cave presents some of the oldest known evidence of dog domestication and indicates that modern dogs may be descended from multiple ancestors, with advancing glaciers thwarting early domestication efforts. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123152528.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123094758.htm The survival of the endangered snow leopard is looking promising thanks to scientists who have, for the first time, produced embryonic stem-like cells from the tissue of an adult leopard. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123094758.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184235.htm Researchers were stunned to rediscover one of the rarest primates in Borneo, the grizzled langur, thought by many to be extinct. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184235.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183044.htm Scientists have found one of the rarest and least known primates in Borneo, Miller’s Grizzled Langur, a species which was believed to be extinct or on the verge of extinction. The findings confirms the continued existence of this endangered monkey and reveals that it lives in an area where it was previously not known to exist. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118111036.htm A new study suggests that the impact of predation on juvenile Steller sea lions in the Gulf of Alaska has been significantly underestimated, creating a "productivity pit" from which their population will have difficulty recovering without a reduction of predators. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118111036.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112193438.htm A new study on African bats provides a vital clue for unraveling the mysteries in Australia's battle with the deadly Hendra virus. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112193438.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112134321.htm A team of geneticists and computational biologists have reveal how an ancient mechanism is involved in gene control and continues to drive genome evolution. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:43:43 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112134321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111133948.htm Every year, anti-whaling groups spend millions of dollars on activities intended to end commercial whaling. And every year, commercial whaling not only continues, but grows. While protests, education, lobbying and dangerous confrontations on the high seas have saved some whales, the whaling industry shows no sign of shutting down -- or slowing down. Now, an economist and two marine scientists suggest a new strategy that they believe could save whales by putting a price on them. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111133948.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110192938.htm A new study examines the first extinct North American primate with a toe bone showing features associated with the presence of both nails and a grooming claw, indicating our primate ancestors may have traded their flat nails for raised claws for functional purposes, much like pop icons Adele and Lady Gaga are doing today in the name of fashion. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110192938.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120107151247.htm Biologists have discovered a new primate species in the Sahafina Forest in eastern Madagascar, a forest that has not been studied before. The name of the new species is Gerp’s mouse lemur (Microcebus gerpi). Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120107151247.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105164740.htm Scientists have shed new light on how early embryonic stem cells develop and take part in formation of the primate species. The research has also resulted in the first successful birth of chimeric monkeys -- monkeys developed from stem cells taken from two separate embryos. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105164740.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105145712.htm If they didn't have enough to worry about from dodging poachers, snow leopards, and landslides in Central Asia's rugged mountains, a population of endangered markhor -- a majestic wild goat species -- has contracted pneumonia. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105145712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105131641.htm Researchers have produced the world's first chimeric monkeys. The bodies of these monkeys are composed of a mixture of cells representing as many as six distinct genomes. The advance holds great potential for future research as chimeric animals had been largely restricted to mice. The report also suggests there may be limits to the use of cultured embryonic stem cells. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105131641.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104174810.htm Warming in the North Atlantic over the last 32 years has significantly reduced winter sea ice cover in harp seal breeding grounds, resulting in sharply higher death rates among seal pups in recent years, according to a new study. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104174810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104153745.htm The toothiest prehistoric predators also had beefier arm bones, according to results of a new study. Saber-toothed tigers may come to mind, but these extinct cats weren't the only animals with fearsome fangs. Take the false saber-toothed cats -- also known as nimravids -- and their catlike cousins, a family of carnivores called the barbourofelids. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104153745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104115055.htm Researchers have made a new discovery into the complex world of spiders that reflects what some might perceive as similar behavior in human society. As male wolf spiders go searching for a mate, it appears they eavesdrop, match and even try to outdo the mating dances of their successful rivals, a behavior seen mainly in vertebrate animals. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104115055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229091638.htm Scrapie is a neurodegenerative disease which can function as a model for other diseases caused by an accumulation of proteins resulting in tissue malformations (proteinpathies), such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Many questions regarding these diseases still remain unanswered. A new study has uncovered a number of factors relating to the uptake of the prion protein (PrPSc) associated with the development of this disease and how this protein interacts with the immune cells in the intestines. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229091638.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229091634.htm Winters in the Gobi desert are usually long and very cold but the winter of 2009/2010 was particularly severe, a condition Mongolians refer to as "dzud". Millions of livestock died in Mongolia and the re-introduced wild Przewalski's horse population crashed dramatically. Researchers have used spatially explicit loss statistics, ranger survey data and GPS telemetry to provide insights into the effect of a catastrophic climate event on wild horses, wild asses and livestock that share the same habitat but show different patterns of spatial use. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229091634.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227210718.htm Small monkey groups may win territorial disputes against larger groups because some members of larger, invading groups avoid aggressive encounters. Scientists show that individual monkeys that don't participate in conflicts prevent large groups from achieving their competitive potential. Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:07:07 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227210718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221151721.htm How do marine mammals, whose very survival depends on regular diving, manage to avoid decompression sickness or "the bends?" Do they, indeed, avoid it? Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221151721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221140710.htm On the 15th anniversary of the return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park, a quiet but profound rebirth of life and ecosystem health is emerging, scientists conclude in a new report. Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:07:07 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221140710.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111220102536.htm Researchers have found out why the African naked mole-rat, one of the world's most unusual mammals, feels no pain when exposed to acid. The animals have an altered ion channel in their pain receptors that is inactivated by acid and makes the animals insensitive to this type of pain. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111220102536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216112901.htm Any multicellular animal, from a blue whale to a human being, poses a special challenge for evolution. Most of the cells in its body will die without reproducing; Only a privileged few will pass their genes to the next generation. How could the extreme degree of cooperation required by multicellular existence actually evolve? Why aren't all creatures unicellular individualists determined to pass on their own genes? Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216112901.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216084212.htm Large mammals living in temperate climates frequently have difficulty finding food during winter. It is well known that they lower their metabolism at this time but does this represent a mechanism for coping with less food or is it merely a consequence of having less to eat? The puzzle has now been solved – at least for the red deer. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216084212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215141615.htm Any multicellular animal poses a special difficulty for the theory of evolution. Most of its cells will die without reproducing, and only a privileged few will pass their genes. Given the incentive for cheating, how is cooperation among the cells enforced? Evolutionary biologists suggest the answer is frequent population bottlenecks that restart populations from a single cell. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215141615.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214102854.htm People and giant snakes not only target each other for food -- they also compete for the same prey, according to a new study. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214102854.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214094849.htm A new study of the mating habits of mountain goats reveals the vastly different strategies of males in different populations and could shed light on the unseen impacts of hunting. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214094849.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213203319.htm Studying how the orangutans cope with a harsh environment may offer a glimpse into what early human ancestors faced, new research suggests. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213203319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213203317.htm New research examining how endangered Indonesian orangutans – considered a close relative to humans -- survive during times of extreme food scarcity might help scientists better understand eating disorders and obesity in humans. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213203317.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213110527.htm Scientists tracked a southern elephant seal for an astonishing 18,000 miles -- the equivalent of New York to Sydney and back again. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213110527.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209105326.htm A new study examines the complex and dynamic interactions between white sharks and Cape fur seals in False Bay, South Africa; Offers new insights on physical and biological factors underlying predator-prey interactions in marine environment. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209105326.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208142017.htm The emotions of rats and mice and the mental infrastructure behind them promise to illuminate the nature of human emotions, including empathy and nurturance, a neuroscientist says. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208142017.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208141933.htm The first evidence of empathy-driven helping behavior in rodents has been observed in laboratory rats that repeatedly free companions from a restraint, according to a new study by University of Chicago neuroscientists. The observation, published today in Science, places the origin of pro-social helping behavior earlier in the evolutionary tree than previously thought. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208141933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205140519.htm Recent camera trap images from the rocky terrain of Afghanistan's central highlands have revealed a surprise: A Persian leopard, an apex predator long thought to have disappeared from the region, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205140519.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111204144700.htm Life scientists have produced the most comprehensive mathematical model ever devised to track the health of populations exposed to environmental change. Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111204144700.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201142752.htm A study of the wolves of Yellowstone National Park has improved predictions of how these animals will respond to environmental changes. The study, which is part of the Yellowstone Wolf Project, involved tracking changes in various characteristics of the wolves of Yellowstone National Park ever since these animals were reintroduced to the park in 1995. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201142752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128120944.htm By placing real and virtual objects in the flight paths of bats, scientists have shed new light on how echolocation works. The researchers found that it is not the intensity of the echoes that tells the bats the size of an object but the 'sonar aperture', that is the spread of angles from which echoes impinge on their ears. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:09:09 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128120944.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128120534.htm The elusive snow leopard lives high in the mountains across Central Asia. Despite potentially living across 12 countries the actual numbers of this beautiful large cat are largely unknown. New research has used genetic analysis to show that the numbers of snow leopards in the central Himalayas is actually much lower than suggested. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128120534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111124150355.htm Researchers have produced the first clear evidence that textiles made by the indigenous population of the Pacific coast of North America contained dog hair. Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:03:03 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111124150355.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123133520.htm A new study involving bat skulls, bite force measurements and scat samples collected by an international team of evolutionary biologists is helping to solve a nagging question of evolution: Why some groups of animals develop scores of different species over time while others evolve only a few. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:35:35 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123133520.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123132937.htm Researchers say they have found further proof that the wolf ancestors of today's domesticated dogs can be traced to southern East Asia -- findings that run counter to theories placing the cradle of the canine line in the Middle East. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123132937.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122112123.htm Ecological tourism has no effect on the presence of large mammals in the Amazon, according to a study that for the first time compares the biological diversity of ecotourism zones with that of protected areas. Furthermore, it can help to protect the biodiversity of areas that are not officially protected yet are vital in the ecological framework. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:21:21 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122112123.htm