Australian wildfires may have killed half a billion animals and plants

As apocalyptic wildfires continue to rage across Australia, the loss of life in the region is reaching staggering numbers. Ecologists at the University of Sydney now estimate that nearly half a billion animals and plants have been wiped out since the fires began several months ago.

The "mega blaze" has destroyed homes and sent thousands of people fleeing to the shoreline from New South Wales and Victoria. About 12.35 million acres of land have burned nationwide over the past few months. At least 17 people have been killed, The Associated Press reports.

Approximately 480 million mammals, birds and reptiles have been lost since the fires intensified in September, the university said in a statement, but the actual number is likely to be substantially higher. Devastating images and videos from the area show kangaroos trying to flee burning forests and charred bodies of koalas lying on the ground.

Koalas, which were already under threat due to significant habitat loss, have been hit particularly hard. Ecologists said nearly 8,000 koalas —about one-third of the population in their primary habitat — are believed to have died since the fires began.

"Up to 30% of their habitat has been destroyed," Australia's environment minister, Sussan Ley, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "We'll know more when the fires are calmed down and a proper assessment can be made."

While animal hospitals are taking in as many animals as possible to treat burns and nurse them back to health, services have overall struggled to keep up with the amount of care needed. And the animals that have survived will have trouble finding food and shelter among the ongoing flames.

"We're getting a lot of lessons out of this and it's just showing how unprepared we are," Science for Wildlife executive director Dr. Kellie Leigh told parliament during an urgent December hearing regarding the koala population, News Corp Australia reports. "There's no procedures or protocols in place — even wildlife carers don't have protocols for when they can go in after fire."

"The fires have burned so hot and so fast that there has been significant mortality of animals in the trees, but there is such a big area now that is still on fire and still burning that we will probably never find the bodies," Nature Conservation Council ecologist Mark Graham said during the hearing. 

Koalas "really have no capacity to move fast enough to get away" from the flames, he said.

Associate Professor Dieter Hochuli from the University of Sydney said it isn't just the well-known species, such as kangaroos and koalas, that are at risk. Insects that are key to services like pollination and nutrient cycling also suffered massive losses, and it is not clear how those populations and ecosystems will recover. Additionally, many rare plant species are feared to have disappeared completely. 

Nearly two dozen llamas are missing from an exotic animal farm

About two dozen llamas are missing from an exotic animal farm in Southern California, and investigators believe it's a break-in.

The incident happened early Monday at the 14-acre private facility in Perris, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department told CNN affiliate KMIR.

"We received a call about 6:30 a.m. regarding numerous llamas and emus walking on Orange," Deputy Robyn Flores said in a statement to the affiliate. "During the investigation, it was learned that a lock on the fence had been cut, which allowed the animals to leave the property."

Deputies and animal control officers gathered the fleeing animals but not all were accounted for. Investigators determined between 20-30 llamas were ferried away from the facility, authorities said.

The facility has been under fire on social media by animal rights activists who alleged abuse and neglect of the llamas and other animals, KMIR reported.

The Riverside County Animal Services Department said it inspected the farm several times following the accusations but found no evidence of animal abuse.

"We have actually had full cooperation from the custodians, they've allowed us to do a walk through and they see plenty of food," said John Welsh, a spokesman for the Riverside County Animal Services Department. "We have never walked across an animal that's abused or neglected, certainly not emaciated, we deal with this type of stuff all of the time and the animals seem to be of good weight."

Brownfield animal control officer seizes dog

A dog that reportedly mauled another dog outside the Brownfield Public Library on May 7 was seized under court order by the local animal control officer last Saturday.

Edgardo Lozano’s pitbull mastiff mix, Blaze, had been cited for allegedly attacking a dog near the library at 216 Main St. by Animal Control Officer Cynthia Eaton, who covers both Brownfield and Denmark, Maine.

According to Eaton, Blaze jumped in a car and attacked a Lab owned by Judy and Jay O'Brien of Brownfield in the parking lot of the library.

Paperwork from the O'Briens provided by Eaton indicates they seek restitution of $143 for care provided by Fryeburg Veterinary following the incident.

Lozano, of Brownfield, was charged with animal trespass, license necessary, reimbursement for damage done by animals, keeping a dangerous dog and dog at large. He was given a July 9 court date.

Meanwhile, Eaton and Assistant Oxford County District Attorney Richard Beauchesne sought to have Blaze temporarily removed from Lozano’s custody. Their request was approved by Bridgton District Judge Peter Darvin last Friday.

“Animal control officer or other authorized town official may immediately seize, detain and confine the animal,” Darvin wrote in his order.

Eaton said there will be a hearing June 4, when Lozano can argue that Blaze should be returned to him.

Blaze is being held at the Harvest Hills Animal Shelter.

Blaze is the second of Lozano’s dogs to have trouble with the law.

A German shepherd named Shadow had to be moved out of nearby Denmark, Maine, under court order.

The issue with Shadow first came to light in March, when Brownfield Administrative Assistant Megan Witt sent notices to residents within a half-mile of the new Main Street address in Brownfield for Shadow.

The letter cites a Sept. 11, 2018, Bridgton District Court order saying that Lozano “shall keep Shadow in an enclosure of at least 6 feet tall to prevent young children from entry.” The enclosure, the notice said, would serve to “confine a dangerous dog.”

"The defendant was sentenced to 14 days in the Oxford County Jail," wrote Assistant District Attorney Richard Beauchesne in a second motion for contempt dated April 30. However, he added, "the court suspended this sentence and allowed the Defendant to purge this contempt by removing the dog, Shadow, from the Town of Denmark no later than April 1, 2019."

The court also decided that Lozano needed to confine the dog as per the order of Sept. 11, 2018.

The court-ordered enclosure was to have a top, bottom and sides. It was to be completed by Nov. 11, 2018; however, that didn't happen and last Dec. 5, the District Attorney's Office filed a motion for contempt that was issued in February.

As of April 30, the enclosure remained "in violation of the Court's order," said Beauchesne in his motion for contempt.

Parties involved in the second contempt charge regarding Shadow were in Bridgton District Court on May 14.

After speaking privately with both the prosecution and defense attorneys for about 30 minutes, Judge Maria Woodman deliberated and eventually issued a handwritten order stating the motion for contempt (regarding Shadow) was being withdrawn by the state.

While at the Bridgton courthouse, Eaton told the Sun that Shadow won't live long and is already partially paralyzed.

She noted: “It’s unfortunate to have to go through this process over again with Lozano and another dog, but we have to put the safety of the dog and everyone around it, first.”

How to stay safe around wild animals

With summer being the busiest season for most U.S. national parks, the potential for run-ins with wildlife increases—and so do visits to the emergency room.

Though most people imagine bears or bison are the animals to watch out for, even small mammals can pose a risk.

“At the Grand Canyon, the number one reason people end up at the clinic is from squirrel bites,” says Kathy Kupper, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Park Service.

It’s illegal to approach, harass, or feed any type of wildlife in national parks, adds Kupper. “No matter the size, no matter how harmless or safe they appear.”

Between 2008 and 2015 in the United States, 1,160 people died in animal encounters, mostly due to domestic animals such as dogs, followed by venomous species such as hornets, bees, and snakes.

Though such incidents are rare, they can be made even rarer by following a few basic guidelines. The first and perhaps most important is to give wildlife a lot of room.

“If your actions cause a reaction from the animal, then you’re too close,” says Kupper. “And if you can take a selfie with wildlife, then you’re definitely too close.” (Why people risk their lives for the ultimate animal selfie.)

Know before you go

Many problems with wildlife can be solved simply by doing a little bit of research before entering an unfamiliar area.

For instance, the American alligator, which can be found from South Carolina to Florida to Texas, can reach up to 15 feet long and weigh around a thousand pounds. These apex predators are capable of inflicting great bodily harm to their prey, and they have been known to kill humans from time to time.

It may seem obvious, but don’t approach an alligator or get in the water with one. Certain behaviors, like splashing at the water’s edge, are also a no-no for this particular animal, says Rolf Olson, project leader for the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.

“You can be within 10 to 15 feet as long as you’re up on dry ground,” Olson says. “Alligators can charge really fast and move really quickly, but they’re most dangerous in water.”

Predators are also not the only animals that should be given a wide berth: Large herbivores like bison and hippos can be just as deadly. In Alaska, more people are injured by moose than bears each year. (Read why a bison attacked a tourist in Yellowstone National Park.)

In general, Kupper says remaining at least a hundred yards away from large animals like bears, wolves, and cats. For smaller wildlife, 25 yards is usually a good buffer.

Please don’t feed the animals

In addition to knowing your surroundings and keeping a distance, one of the best things you can do to prevent negative wildlife encounters is to keep your food to yourself.

This is because when animals come to associate humans with food, it can create situations that put both parties at risk. (See National Geographic's tips for photographing wildlife.)

In fact, Kupper says even small mammals with a taste for human food can be surprisingly harmful. (Here’s how to get kids to respect wildlife.)

A fed bear is a dead bear

Of course, larger animals can do even more damage, which is why Olson, of the Florida refuge, says he and his team work tirelessly to keep people from feeding the alligators.

“People have brought filet mignon down here,” he says.

Food-habituated animals sometimes have to be trapped, relocated, or euthanized by wildlife managers because of the threat they pose to humans. This is why those in the know say “A fed bear is a dead bear.”

Black bears have an incredible sense of smell, and will easily track down any human food that's left out or improperly stored. Not only are bears habituated to people more dangerous, they have shorter life-spans than bears that steer clear of us. (Here’s how to do wildlife tourism right.)

In the end, Kupper says that we need to remember that seeing wildlife is a privilege.

“You’re in their home,” she says. “We all need to do our part to make sure that they are safe so that others can enjoy them as well.”

Researchers Study How An Elephant Does Math

Some captive elephants create paintings or even smash and consume giant pumpkins in Halloween kickoff events, but what about their mathematical abilities? Three Asian elephants named Artit (a 15-year-old male), Surya (an 18-year-old female), and Authai (a 14-year-old female) are the stars of a recent elephant math study published in the Journal of Ethology. The trio of pachyderms live in Japan's Ueno Zoo in facilities approved by the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Authai was the breakout performer of the group in this study, which "provides the first experimental evidence that nonhuman animals have cognitive characteristics partially identical to human counting," the study's lead author Naoko Irie noted in a news release. (Artit was removed from the study when his accuracy for the final training stage of the experiment was 49.73%, which is "below chance level," while Surya was dismissed from the study because she wasn't cooperating with the experiment after two sessions of the final training stage.)

Here's how the researchers probed Authai's math abilities and what they found.

The training stage

First, the team trained Authai how to use touch panel apparatus, according to the paper. The apparatus consisted of a liquid crystal display with touch panel, which was connected to a laptop. All of those components were mounted stabilized by a dolly. (All three elephants were involved in this training stage.)

The training sessions were held on an outdoor playground and were timed to occur right before the elephants' third meal of the day. These sessions were held outside of the view of other elephants and the training order was random for each day.

First, Authai was rewarded for touching the tip of her trunk to the screen. In the next step, she was rewarded if she touched a red start button within 30 seconds of it appearing on the screen.

The stakes were higher for the final training stage. With the zookeeper standing three meters away from Authai and facing in the opposite direction, the stage was set. Here, the elephant had to make some choices without taking cues from her keeper...

When the start button appeared on the screen, this was the keeper's cue. The touchscreen device was pushed towards Authai until it was two meters away from her. The trial began when she used her trunk to push the start button. Two images of fruits (bananas, watermelons and apples) appeared on the screen and the elephant was to choose one of them. If she chose the one with the larger number of items (either three or four things, depending on the trial), this triggered a neutral sound and image, followed by a fruit reward for Authai. If she chose the figure with the smaller number of items, the result was a three second beeping sound, five seconds of a blank screen and no treat for the elephant.

In each of the 132 training trials, the researchers varied the sizes of the fruit images, which screen side contained the image with the larger quantity of fruit and "the percentages of the total areas (of the screen) covered by the items," they note in the study. (One training session consisted of six training trials and four of these sessions were held each day. The touchscreen device was removed between sessions.)

The team's analysis revealed that Authai's accuracy was above the chance level for the two types of trials in the training stage (one with three objects versus zero and a second with four objects versus one, in which she was 72.2% accurate and 64.1% accurate, respectively). So, she was moved forward into the test trials.

An elephant math test

The testing trials had the same setup as the final training stage, except that each figure presented to Authai could contain images of between zero and 10 fruit pieces. These image combinations presented in a random order, although "each session included the comparison 1 vs 4 (case) at least once at the beginning to raise Authai’s motivation level," the researchers wrote.

In 181 cases (out of 271), Authai chose the correct response. That's a 66.8% accuracy rate, which is more often than chance. What's more, the Asian elephant's performance "was unaffected by distance, magnitude, or the ratios of the presented numerosities," Irie stated in the news release. While Authai needed more time to compare the two figures when they were smaller distances apart, this is "consistent with observations of human counting," Irie added.

Aside from the fact that the conclusions of this study are based on testing trials conducted on just one animal (so they may not generalize to other Asian elephants), there's also the matter of the two species of African elephants. Since the species diverged more than 76 million years ago, there's a high likelihood that their cognitive abilities differ from those of Asian elephants, the news release notes.

Still, it's exciting to picture elephant mathematicians, whether wild or captive, possessing math sense that's closer to that of humankind than other animals.

More dead seals wash ashore as rescuers try to save sick animals

Several more dead seals washed ashore in York County on Tuesday, adding to an unusual die-off that has local and federal experts searching for an explanation.

The discovery of at least 35 dead harbor seals on southern Maine beaches in the past two days, including 11 found Monday in Saco, comes amid an unexplained surge in the number of dead and stranded live seals in both southern Maine and New Hampshire in the past two weeks, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. NOAA researchers are analyzing tissue samples taken from dead animals found in both states to try to determine if avian flu, harmful algal blooms or some other cause is behind the increase in the number of dead and sick seals.

"It's obviously a cause for concern," said Jennifer Goebel, a NOAA spokeswoman.

So far this month, 84 harbor seals have been found dead or stranded on southern Maine beaches, far out-pacing the 10-year average of 38 strandings in the entire month of August, NOAA said. Many of the dead and stranded seals have been pups.

Whatever is killing the seals also may be leaving others sick or weak.

Maine rescuers took in two live stranded seals Tuesday, putting a midcoast rehab facility at capacity at a time when similar facilities across New England also are filled with an unusual number of sick or weak seals found stranded along the coast.

Goebel said scientists are looking for possible pathogens that have caused seal die-offs in the past, including avian flu and harmful algal blooms. In 2011, more than 160 seals were found dead on the coast from northern Massachusetts to Maine between September and December. Tests conducted on five animals showed they suffered from a bacterial pneumonia caused by a strain of avian influenza – H3N8 – that can be transmitted to seals through contact with seabird guano.

Lynda Doughty, executive director of Harpswell-based nonprofit Marine Mammals of Maine, which responds to seal strandings, said her organization is working with NOAA to investigate the seal deaths. That work includes thinking about different types of sampling to do on the seal carcasses and who else to bring into conversations about what is happening to the harbor seal population in the area, she said.

"We're making sure we're not leaving anything out," she said.

Answers about the cause of the die-off are not likely to come quickly. Goebel said it will be several weeks before results are received from the tests being done by NOAA scientists.

Saco officials were first notified about multiple dead seals on the beach early Monday morning and lifeguards arriving for duty found a total of 11 carcasses on Bayview and Kinney Shores beaches.

Most of the seals found in Saco were harbor seal pups, though the ages of the seals varied widely, Doughty said. The seals were in various stages of decomposition and none of the carcasses were fresh, which makes it more difficult to determine when the animals died, she said.

The seal carcasses removed from the beaches in Saco were taken to Benson Farm in Gorham, which composts sea animals, including whales.

By Tuesday morning, Marine Mammals of Maine had responded to reports of four more seal deaths along the southern coast, including in Saco and Harpswell. The organization also took two live juvenile harbor seals found stranded on beaches to its facility in Harpswell for treatment.

Doughty said the arrival of those two seals put the facility at full capacity. The facility can accommodate four animals for long-term care and triages seals out to facilities in other states. But those out-of-state facilities are now also full.

"For this time of year, that's unusual," Doughty said.

Doughty said it is normal for the facilities to be full in late May during harbor seal pupping season, but less common later in the summer when juvenile seals are more independent.

Harbor seal pups can swim at birth and can dive for up to two minutes when they are only 2 or 3 days old. Mother harbor seals raise their pups in nurseries that help protect the pups from predators. Historically, about 30 percent of all harbor seal pups born in any year die that year, according to the New England Aquarium.

Delta Animal Shelter takes in 45 new animals

 Gladstone Public Safety and Delta Animal Shelter worked together to rescue 45 animals from a home in the 1300 block of Delta Avenue on Thursday. The animals owner reached out for help tending to the animals before agreeing to hand them over to the shelter.

"This person spoke to the animal shelter and they were saying that they were concerned about the animals and they wanted to do something with them," Ryan Peterson, a Public Safety Officer involved in the rescue, tells TV6. "The animal shelter people were able to convince her that it would be in their best interest to surrender the animals."

Both the animal shelter and Public Safety office said the animals seemed well cared for and in good condition at the time.

"This was a situation that was very sad, but the person did the right thing by contacting the shelter and asking for help," Director of the Delta Animal Shelter, Susan Gartland, said. "The animals were surrendered willingly to the shelter."

Gartland also reminds the public if they are in a similar situation, that reaching out to a shelter is the best option.

All dogs and puppies have been since visited by a veterinarian for vaccines since being brought in. They will soon be neutered and spayed before they go up for adoption. The shelter will also work to socialize the more shy pups before they become available. The animals are all looking at spending a few more weeks at the shelter before that happens.

During their time there, the shelter is reaching out to the public for help taking care of their newest residents.

"Right now, the greatest way to help the animal sheltor is financial, to do donations, or our second greatest need is supplies," Gartland said.

Those supplies include cans of wet dog food, puppy pads and garbage bags.