Here we document 47,381 individuals from 38 species, including 31 protected species sold between May 2017 and November 2019 in Wuhan’s markets. We note that no pangolins (or bats) were traded, supporting reformed opinion that pangolins were not likely the spillover host at the source of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Continue ReadingThe construction of the Ellis Park wildlife sanctuary in Sumatra is progressing well following a positive response to donation call-outs. Victorian-based co-founder Lorinda Jane (also the founder of the Palm Oil Investigations watchdog/consultancy) said the funding is half-way there for the facility designed for animals too handicapped or traumatised to be returned to the wild.
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I recently came across a paper entitled, A loss-of-function mutation in RORB disrupts saltatorial locomotion in rabbits. What struck me was not saltorial locomotion (the hopping gait of rabbits and kangaroos) but the image of a rabbit walking on its forelimbs while the hindlimbs are lifted from the ground. I remembered seeing a photo of […]
Continue ReadingToxoplasma gondii is hypothesized to manipulate the behavior of warm-blooded hosts to promote trophic transmission into the parasite’s definitive feline hosts. A key prediction of this hypothesis is that T. gondii infections of non-feline hosts are associated with costly behavior toward T. gondii‘s definitive hosts; however, this effect has not been documented in any of […]
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Tasmania’s farmed salmon industry has been under scrutiny since the publication of Tasmanian award-winning writer Richard Flanagan’s book Toxic earlier this year. The recent release of Right to Information documents by the Tasmanian government’s Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment has provided further cause for concern about the aquaculture industry’s three main players, […]
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