Animals articles from November 1997

Animals archives from November 1997

An ounce of prevention. (many pet owners neglect routine veterinary care for their cats such as vaccinations)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 1, 1997... When I began practicing veterinary medicine, dogs far outnumbered cats as patients at the MSPCA/AHES's Angell Memorial Animal Hospital. While many clients sought emergency care for their feline friends, a routine appointment for a checkup...

Finding a future for elephants. (preservation of the African elephant is a controversial issue involving cultural and economic concerns)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 1, 1997... Most residents of the developed world can't imagine sharing their habitat with a large mammal whose herds dominate vast landscapes. But it wasn't long ago that the American buffalo roamed U.S. plains in great numbers. Today--thanks to...

Female chimps play power games, too. (University of Minnesota researchers say female chimps are not as aggressive as males, but do have social hierarchies)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... Unlike male chimpanzees, female chimps were thought to be an equable group. Now, however, researchers have discovered that female chimps form subtle but powerful social hierarchies that drastically affect the primates' lives. Female...

Point Reyes tule elk to get birth control. (the California park's tule elk population increased 33% from 1995 to 1996)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... Although they were once near extinction, tule elk now need birth control. "Benign winters and lots of rainfall caused phenomenal growth," says on Neubacher, superintendent of the Point Reyes National Seashore in California. Since the early...

Kemp's ridley release set for 1998. (the Cayman Island Turtle Farm plans to release 200 captive-reared ridley turtles onto beaches near Rancho Nuevo, Mexico)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... More than 200 captive-reared Kemp's ridley turtles are scheduled to be released onto Mexican shores early next year. But not all researchers fully support this conservation method for the world's most endangered sea turtle species. "The...

Is pollution behind a massive fish kill? (Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina have all experienced outbreaks of Pfiesteria piscida that harms fish populations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... Maryland Governor Parris N. Glendening temporarily closed part of the Chicamacomico River, a Chesapeake Bay tributary, to fishing and recreational uses because a normally harmless microbiotic organism is killing tens of thousands of fish. The...

The sarcoma scare: making sense of feline vaccines. (although there is some evidence that vaccines can cause skin cancer, most vets still recommend that cats be vaccinated)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... Are the vaccines that protect against deadly diseases putting your cat a risk for skin tumors? You're a caring cat owner. You take your feline to the veterinarian religiously at the same time each year for a thorough annual examination....

The mating game, snake style: for just a few weeks each year, thousands of snakes slither in search of mates. (red-sided garter snakes; the Narcisse Wildlife Management Area near Winnipeg, Manitoba)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... For just a few weeks each year, thousands of snakes slither in search of mates. For most of the year, the limestone sinks that pock the aspen prairie at the Narcisse Wildlife Management Area, located 60 miles north of Winnipeg, Canada,...

Animals photo contest: fifth annual. (Eberhard Brunner won the grand prize for his photograph of a mother cheetah and cubs)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 1, 1997... Winners of this year's contest traveled to exotic locales and explored the familiar with new eyes. Grand-prize winner Eberhard Brunner journeyed to Kenya and patiently waited to capture a mother cheetah guarding her young. Gene Putney...

Ghost of a monk seal: has the Caribbean monk seal barked its final good-bye? (wildlife biologists fear that the seal is extinct; the last sighting of living monk seal was in 1952)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... Has the Caribbean monk seal barked it final good-bye? The Caribbean monk seal once reigned throughout many of the Antilles, the Bahamas, and the Florida Keys. It was among the first mammals Christopher Columbus saw on his second voyage to...

Of elephants and men: some see profit, others see a creature worth protecting at any cost. What does the future hold for Africa's elephants?(Special Report)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... Some see profit, others see a creature worth protecting at any cost. What does the future hold for Africa's elephants? When the world gets to be just too much for Clive Stockil, he steers the four wheels of his perpetually dirty Land Rover...

Dearly departed. (many bereaved pet owners inter their pets in pet cemeteries)(includes list of sources)(Special Report)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... What's bereaved pet owner to do? Pet cemeteries are among a growing number of resources that help when a treasured companion dies. "Oscar was the only dog we ever owned," says Patsy Telesco. "And he was more than just an animal; he was a...

A hawk's-eye perspective: to Brian Woodbridge, saving rare hawks is a family affair. (the British biologist is an expert on Swainson's hawk)(Special Report)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1997... To Brian Woodbridge, saving rare hawks is a family affair. "We were having tea at a British family's farm when we looked up and saw the sky filled with hawks," recalls Brian Woodbridge. He is a soft-spoken man, but you can hear the thrill...