http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/mammals/ Mammals in the news, wild mammals, mammal conservation efforts, and domesticated mammals. en-us Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:05:01 EST Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:05:01 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/2009/11/091118120307.htm Not just birds, but also a few species of bats face a long journey every year. Researchers have studied the migratory behavior of the largest extant family of bats, the so-called "Vespertilionidae" with the help of mathematical models. They discovered that the migration over short as well as long distances of various kinds of bats evolved independently within the family. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118120307.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124121429.htm The last remaining population of Siberian tigers has likely declined significantly due to the rising tide of poaching and habitat loss, according to a new report Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124121429.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124113608.htm Rocket science is opening new doors to understanding how sounds associated with Navy sonar might affect the hearing of a marine mammal -- or if they hear it at all. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124113608.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119101048.htm Rodent, reptile and ant lion species behave differently on either side of the Israel-Jordan border. Researchers found that Israeli gerbils are more cautious than their Jordanian friends, and the funnel-digging ant lion population in Israel is unmistakably larger than in Jordan. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119101048.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019123118.htm A shocking decline in the Russian Federation's wild tiger population highlights the importance of eliminating trade in and demand for tiger parts, the International Tiger Coalition has said.  Research shows that Siberian tigers may have suffered a serious drop in numbers over the past four years. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019123118.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131831.htm Recording hundreds of thousands of individual uplinks from satellite transmitters fitted on penguins, albatrosses, sea lions, and other marine animals, the Wildlife Conservation Society and BirdLife International have released the first-ever atlas of the Patagonian Sea -- a globally important but poorly understood South American marine ecosystem. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131831.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123606.htm The most extensive DNA study to-date of Africa's rarest monkey reveals that the species had an intriguing sexual past. Of the last two remaining populations of the recently discovered kipunji, one population shows evidence of past mating with baboons while the other does not, says a new study. The results may help to set conservation priorities for this critically endangered species, researchers say. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171748.htm Zoo Atlanta recently became the first zoological institution in the world to obtain voluntary blood pressure readings from a gorilla. This was made possible by the Gorilla Tough Cuff developed by Georgia Tech students. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171748.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194741.htm It sounds like a classic horror story -- eyeless, mouthless worms lurk in the dark, settling onto dead animals and sending out green "roots" to devour their bones. In fact, such worms do exist in the deep sea. They were first discovered in 2002 by researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, who were using a robot submarine to explore Monterey Canyon. But that wasn't the end of the story. After "planting" several dead whales on the seafloor, a team of biologists recently announced that as many as 15 different species of boneworms may live in Monterey Bay alone. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194741.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111092053.htm Predators with experience of skunks avoid them both because of their black-and-white coloration and their distinctive body shape, a new study has found. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111092053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106103510.htm Remains of one of the oldest known marsupials have been recovered in Charente-Maritime, France, by palaeontologists. This discovery raises a new hypothesis about the dispersal route of the earliest marsupial mammals. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106103510.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121050.htm Despite their fearsome fangs, male sabertoothed cats may have been less aggressive than many of their feline cousins, says a new study of male-female size differences in extinct big cats. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121050.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143708.htm Scientists have decoded the genome of the domestic horse, revealing a genome structure with remarkable similarities to humans and more than one million genetic differences across a variety of horse breeds. In addition to shedding light on a key part of the mammalian branch of the evolutionary tree, the work also provides a critical starting point for mapping disease genes in horses. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111839.htm New insights into the biology of the platypus and echidna have been published, providing a collection of unique research data about the world's only monotremes. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111839.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085823.htm A global collaborative has produced a first draft of the genome of a domesticated pig, an achievement that will lead to insights in agriculture, medicine, conservation and evolution. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085823.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171204.htm The legendary "man-eating lions of Tsavo" that terrorized a railroad camp in Kenya more than a century ago likely consumed about 35 people -- far fewer than popular estimates of 135 victims, according to a new analysis. The study also yields surprises about the predatory behavior of lions. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171204.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121449.htm Ever since the Falklands wolf was described by Darwin himself, the origin of this now-extinct canid found only on the Falkland Islands far off the east coast of Argentina has remained a mystery. Now, researchers who have compared DNA from four of the world's dozen or so known Falklands wolf museum specimens to that of living canids offer new insight into the evolutionary ancestry of these enigmatic carnivores. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121449.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085819.htm Moose eat plants; wolves kill moose. What difference does this classic predator-prey interaction make to biodiversity? A large and unexpected one, say wildlife biologists. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091031002314.htm Paleontologists Mark Goodwin and Jack Horner have dug for 11 years in Montana's Hell Creek Formation in search of every dinosaur fossil they can find, accumulating specimens of all stages of development. Their new report on the growth stages of dome-headed dinosaurs shows that two named species are really just young pachycephalosaurs. They say that perhaps one-third of all named dinosaurs may not be separate species, but juvenile or subadult stages of other known dinosaurs. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091031002314.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028140043.htm Researchers are using a remotely operated vehicle and satellite-linked data loggers to learn more about turtle behavior in commercial fishing areas and to develop new ways to avoid catching turtles in fishing gear. This marks the first time an ROV has been used to follow turtles in the wild to learn about their behavior and how they interact with their habitat Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028140043.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026162542.htm When wild boar and deer, traditional menu items in the fall, eat genetically modified corn, do transgenic residues accumulate in their meat? Do they spread GM corn via their feces? The answer in each case is no, according to scientists. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026162542.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152812.htm Despite a 30-year lifespan that gives ample time for cells to grow cancerous, a small rodent species called a naked mole rat has never been found with tumors of any kind -- and now biologists think they know why. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026132930.htm What do a West African drummer and a sperm whale have in common? According to some reports, they can both spot rhythms in the chatter of an ocean crowded with the calls of marine mammals -- a feat impossible for the untrained human ear. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026132930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026125539.htm Although most wolves in Yellowstone National Park live to be nearly six years old, their ability to kill prey peaks when they are two to three, according to a new study. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026125539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922123935.htm It is well documented that brown (grizzly) bears prey on major runs of salmon, charr and trout. In 2007, researchers were surprised to spot a brown bear caching whitefish near a stream in the Mackenzie Delta region of the Northwest Territories. This sighting has researchers advising increased care in petroleum extraction and infrastructure development within the area. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922123935.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023104702.htm A Spanish researcher has analyzed the preferences of wolves from the north east of the Iberian Peninsula to demonstrate that, in reality, their favorite prey are roe deer, deer and wild boar, ahead of domestic ruminants (sheep, goats, cows and horses). Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023104702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020094100.htm Genetic information from an extinct species of bison preserved in permafrost for thousands of years could help improve modern agricultural livestock and breeding programs, according to researchers. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020094100.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122647.htm Over-expressing a gene that lets brain cells communicate just a fraction of a second longer makes a smarter rat. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903064444.htm Discovered only in 1992, the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) that inhabit remote valleys along the border of Lao PDR and Vietnam are fast approaching the point of extinction. An emergency meeting of wildlife biologists, government agencies and other key organizations from four countries in Lao PDR urged prompt action to save the rare Asian animal. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903064444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014122051.htm The "vegetable lamb" plant -- once believed to bear fruit that ripened into a living baby sheep -- produces substances that show promise in laboratory experiments as new treatments for osteoporosis, the bone-thinning disease. Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014122051.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013201754.htm After 15 years of research in the waters of the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, scientists have unveiled the largest genetic study of humpback whale populations ever conducted in the Southern Hemisphere. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013201754.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727191908.htm Scientists have found that orangutans move through the canopy of tropical forests in a completely different way to all other tree-dwelling primates. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727191908.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009120839.htm The secret lives of some of Africa's iconic carnivores, including big cats, are revealed in a new study. The results shed light on how different habitats are used by some of Tanzania's most elusive meat eaters, such as the leopard. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009120839.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008143001.htm An international team of paleontologists has discovered a new species of mammal that lived in China's Liaoning Province 123 million years ago. This remarkably well preserved fossil offers important insight into how the mammalian middle ear evolved. Such exquisite dinosaur-age mammals provide evidence of how developmental mechanisms have impacted the evolution of the earliest mammals. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008143001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006201350.htm Scientists from the UK and Japan have recorded the first observations of how albatrosses feed alongside marine mammals at sea. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006201350.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002093803.htm Human activities have meant invasive species have been able to populate parts of the world to which they are not native and alter biodiversity there over thousands of years. Now, an international team of scientists has studied the impact of the black rat on bird populations on Mediterranean islands. Despite the rat's environmental impact, only the tiny European storm petrel has been affected over time by its enforced cohabitation with the rat. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002093803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929194207.htm The origin of the "Celtic fringe" of genetically and culturally distinctive people in the Northern and Western British Isles is the source of fierce academic controversy. But new research into the movement of small mammals, such as voles and shrews, at the end of the last Ice Age, could provide important new clues to resolve the debate. Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929194207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001164102.htm The catastrophic decline around the world of "apex" predators such as wolves, cougars, lions or sharks has led to a huge increase in smaller "mesopredators" that are causing major economic and ecological disruptions, a new study concludes. Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001164102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002100714.htm Using sheep to control leafy spurge works best if it's done in the spring every year, according to a new study. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002100714.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001091807.htm New research is aiming at developing new dietary sources of long-chain omega-3 oils in grains and lamb. They are now developing oilseed crop plants that synthesize EPA and DHA in their oils. Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001091807.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928131032.htm Spotted hyenas may not be smarter than chimpanzees, but a new study shows that they outperform the primates on cooperative problem-solving tests. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928131032.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095347.htm Scientists in Canada have found a way to reduce bat deaths from wind turbines by up to 60 percent without significantly reducing the energy generated from the wind farm. TransAlta has already applied the low wind mitigation strategy to the 38 turbines identified in the study area. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927145354.htm The retroviruses which gave rise to HIV have been battling it out with mammal immune systems since mammals first evolved around 100 million years ago -- about 85 million years earlier than previously thought, scientists now believe. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927145354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927151724.htm A bird-eating fanged frog, a gecko that looks like it's from another planet, and a bird which would rather walk than fly -- these are among the 163 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year that are now at risk of extinction due to climate change, says a new report. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927151724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915154901.htm Scientists recently completed a study showing the link between personality, survival and reproductive success in male bighorn sheep. In addition to being a significant advance in our knowledge of these mammals, the research offers insight into personality differences in animals and humans, from an evolutionary perspective. Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915154901.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924185533.htm A comprehensive study that builds on previous phylogenetic research on cetaceans and that combines morphology, genetics, and behavior confirms that the closest living relative is the hippo and demonstrates that the closest fossil relative is Indohyus. These evolutionary relationships imply that stem whales adapted to water first, and then to carnivory. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924185533.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095810.htm Researchers in Spain have shown for the first time the close space-time relationship between the presence of the griffon vulture and transhumant sheep farming in mountain passes. Transhumance -- the seasonal movement of people with their livestock -- has fallen in some parts of Spain by up to 80 percent over the past four years. The scientists say that traditional livestock farming practices are crucial for the preservation of mountain ecosystems. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921091601.htm When a whale dies, it sinks to the seafloor and becomes food for an entire ecosystem. Researchers have discovered previously unknown species that feed only on dead whales -- and have used DNA technology to show that the species diversity in our oceans may be higher than previously thought. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921091601.htm