Killing Birds Research Articles

Combating illegal wildlife trade and conserving biodiversity in Bangladesh through legal provisions

Abstract Despite numerous domestic legislations, international treaties, agreements, conventions, and protocols to curb wildlife crimes, Bangladesh’s illegal wildlife trade (IWT) crime rate has increased significantly in recent years. The provision of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012 sets the highest seven and lowest two years punishment for killing tigers and elephants, a maximum of two years, and a minimum of six months imprisonment for killing birds. Nevertheless, the country has only 17% forest land; in this small area, wildlife crime increased 28 times in 2020, and nearly 4,000 live wild animals have been rescued, while more than 300 cases have been registered in the last ten years. We suggest that ineffective legal enforcement is the main reason for the illegal transaction of wild species through insecure border areas. Hence, successfully controlling the IWT problem in Bangladesh requires reducing the demand for wild animals, stopping the route of supplies, and combating global transnational wildlife crime.

A Comparative Histomorphological and Histochemical Study of the Ventriculus between Iraqi Adult Geese (Anser anser) and Guinea fowls (Numidia meleagris)

The present study aimed to describe and compare the histomorphological and histochemical structures to ventriculus in Goose(Anser anser) and Guinea fowls (Numidia meleagris). The work was carried out on twenty apparently clinically healthy birds obtained from a supplier in Baghdad city. They were allocated in two equal groups of each type of bird. The two groups were utilized for histological and histochemical investigations of their ventriculus organ. After anesthesia and killing birds, their abdominal cavity was dissected, their ventriculus was identified and proper specimens from its walls were prepared. The samples designated for histochemical staining were fixed in a solution of bruin's fixative, while the others for general histological examination were fixed in (10%) neutral buffered formalin. After processing, the sections were stained with (2.5 PH) Alcian- PAS combination, periodic acid Schiff, Masson Trichrome, and Hematoxylin and Eosin stains. This study elucidates that the microscopic construct of the ventriculus was similar for the two species. The ventriculus consists of three tunicates (serosa, muscularis, and mucosa), whereas the submucosa is absent. The wall showed some significant differences in morphometric measurements. The mucosa of the ventriculus is coated with a thick layer of cuticles organized as a wavy clear pink line parallel to the mucosal surface and mucosal folds. The simple cuboidal-columnar epithelium covered the mucosa, which showed many folds. The proprial glands (simple tubular type) are lined by simple cuboidal epithelium, which opens into the crypts between the folds. A well-developed muscular comprised of smooth muscle fibers as two layers of inner circular and outer longitudinal. Serosa is composed of loose connective tissue coated by mesothelium. The Mean thickness of Cuticle, length of folds, mucosa and muscular in goose were significantly higher than that in guinea fowl; these differences may be due to variation in their diet. PAS and AB-PAS combined (2.5-PH) stains, cuticle layer, epithelium lining, and gastric glands showed a positive reaction with these stains. This study aimed to Study the normal histomorphological histochemical and structure of Gizzard in two avian species, local male guinea fowl (Numidia meleagris) and male geese (Anser anser). Also aimed to Comparative histomorphological, histomorphometric measurements and histochemical study of the Gizzard of two different local male avian species (Guinea fowl and geese). Keywords: Histomorphological, Histochemical, Ventriculus, Guinea fowls, Geese

Fall migration of radio-tagged Broad-winged Hawks (Buteo platypterus) in California

Little is known about migration patterns of Broad-winged Hawks (Buteo platypterus) in the western United States apart from small numbers that have been recorded at migration monitoring sites. To better understand their movements in coastal California, we radio-tracked 5 juveniles (1 in 1994, and 4 from 2012 to 2015) during fall migration from the Marin Headlands (near San Francisco) to the US–Mexico border. One hawk died near the Headlands within 2–3 d of release and the other 4 crossed into Baja California in 4–6 flight days with no stopovers beyond the Headlands. Daily straight-line flight distances ranged from about 110 to 265 km (mean = 189 ± 47 km SD). Migration began 2.5–3 h after sunrise and ended a similar amount of time before sunset. Flight paths along mountain ranges, and radio signal patterns, indicated slope-soaring was a primary strategy. The detailed flight paths we identified will be helpful to better evaluate proposed renewable energy facilities, given their current rapid development and potential for killing birds. More study is needed to determine complete migration routes and breeding and wintering grounds of Broad-winged Hawks on the Pacific coast.

Anatomical Pathology, Behavioral, and Physiological Responses Induced by Application of Non-penetrating Captive Bolt Devices in Layer Chickens.

We evaluated three models of non-penetrating captive bolt devices, Zephyr-E, Zephyr- EXL, and Turkey euthanasia device (TED) for time to loss of sensibility and degree of brain damage during euthanasia in four age groups of male and female layer chickens (10–11, 20–21, 30–35, 60–70 weeks respectively). Latencies to onset of insensibility and cardiac arrest were assessed to detect whether killing birds via these devices was humane and effective. Both gross and microscopic pathology evaluations were conducted to score skull and brain trauma post mortem. All three NPCB devices induced loss of breathing, pupillary reflex and nictitating membrane reflex within 5 s after application in most chickens. Latencies to loss of jaw tone and neck muscle tone were longer in 60–70 weeks old roosters (p < 0.05). Younger birds (10–21 week-old) demonstrated the longest time (p < 0.0001) to onset of tonic convulsions, time at last movement, cloacal relaxation and cessation of heart beat. A positive correlation (p < 0.0001) was found for all three devices between time of cardiac arrest and times to onset of tonic convulsions, last movement, and cloacal relaxation. More than 80% of birds had skin lacerations with external bleeding following application of all 3 devices. Device type did not affect the incidence of skull fractures but higher skull fracture scores were noted in 10–11 week-old birds compared to other ages. Regardless of device type and age, microscopic SDH was most apparent in the brain and proximal spinal cord of all birds. In summary, all three devices caused significant trauma to the midbrain and spinal cord. Results demonstrated that all three devices induce rapid insensibility after application and can be used as a single-step method that results in a humane death in all age groups of layer chickens.

REFLEXIONES Y PROPUESTAS DE SOLUCIÓN SOBRE LA CRISIS AMBIENTAL: EL CASO DE LA ENCRUCIJADA, CHIAPAS

This article is intended to outline the environmental crisis worldwide,&nbsp;the degradation of biodiversity in Mexican territory, and the degradation&nbsp;of the crossroads sparks reserve. For the first two levels, we performed&nbsp;a documentary review, in order to explain the causes of this, which&nbsp;manifests itself in the loss of forests, global warming, and pollution&nbsp;of air, soil, rivers, seas and lakes. The first attempts to try to solve this&nbsp;environmental crisis worldwide, conducted UN organizing international&nbsp;summits from 1972, 1992, 1997 and 2002. Although during this period,&nbsp;also the model of sustainable development, environmental economics&nbsp;and ecological economics, however unfortunately the degradation of&nbsp;ecosystems continues to grow. As for the crossroads, the problem addressed&nbsp;documentary and empirically, resulting in that the causes that&nbsp;they degrade the mangroves, wetlands and pollute water bodies, killing&nbsp;birds, mammals and fish, as well as the generation of diseases in Some&nbsp;people living on the coast; they are the lack of sustainability of activities&nbsp;agricultural, livestock, mining and industrial, fire, the siltation of&nbsp;the estuaries, the low efficiency of environmental policies, and the lack&nbsp;of environmental awareness of the social and political actors.

REFLEXIONES Y PROPUESTAS DE SOLUCIÓN SOBRE LA CRISIS AMBIENTAL: EL CASO DE LA ENCRUCIJADA, CHIAPAS

This article is intended to outline the environmental crisis worldwide, the degradation of biodiversity in Mexican territory, and the degradation of the crossroads sparks reserve. For the first two levels, we performed a documentary review, in order to explain the causes of this, which manifests itself in the loss of forests, global warming, and pollution of air, soil, rivers, seas and lakes. The first attempts to try to solve this environmental crisis worldwide, conducted UN organizing international summits from 1972, 1992, 1997 and 2002. Although during this period, also the model of sustainable development, environmental economics and ecological economics, however unfortunately the degradation of ecosystems continues to grow. As for the crossroads, the problem addressed documentary and empirically, resulting in that the causes that they degrade the mangroves, wetlands and pollute water bodies, killing birds, mammals and fish, as well as the generation of diseases in Some people living on the coast; they are the lack of sustainability of activities agricultural, livestock, mining and industrial, fire, the siltation of the estuaries, the low efficiency of environmental policies, and the lack of environmental awareness of the social and political actors.

New bird flu strain brings death and questions.

H5N8 is killing birds around Europe and the Middle East but appears harmless to humans.

Monitoring large oil slick dynamics with moderate resolution multispectral satellite data

Accidental release of crude oil into the sea due to human activity causes water pollution and heavy damages to natural ecosystems killing birds, fish, mammals and other organisms. A number of monitoring systems are used for tracking the spills and their effects on the marine environment, as well as for collecting data for feeding models. Among them, Earth observation technologies play a crucial role and moderate spatial resolution satellite systems are able to collect images with a very short revisit time or even daily. This paper describes the use of Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data for monitoring large oil slicks with the fluorescence/emissivity index and object-based image analysis. Two case studies are presented: the Deepwater Horizon (2010) and the Campos Basin (2011) oil spill accidents. Results show that it is possible to track the dynamics of the slick both for massive and long-lasting accidents and for smaller and very quick accidents. The main advantages of the method proposed are a straightforward implementation, a fast and semi-automated data processing and the capability of integration of daytime and nighttime acquisitions, as well as its adaptability to different sensors.

Gospodarka łowiecka jako przesłanka uzasadniająca polowanie na ptaki

In Poland, the list of hunting animals contains 13 species of wild birds. Every year, hunters obtain from 2 to 12% of the population of birdlife – circa 120 thousand of birds. The killing of these animals is justified by the implementation of wildlife management. According to art. 4(1) of Hunting Law Act “game management” means “activities for the conservation, breeding and raising animals”. Opponents of hunting, however, argue that in relation to birds hunters do not carry the typical wildlife management. Firstly, from the natural and economic point of view there is no reason to reduce number of birds and secondly, non-selective methods of killing birds may result in hunting accidents of people and accidental killing of protected species. The purpose of this article is to draw attention to the legal controversy related to the hunting of birds. Game management is proclaimed as the justification of killing birds, both in the light of the principles of the system of protection of animals, as well as hunting law, and because of that game management should be taken under close scrutiny. Another such legal controversy is the lack of humane standards of killing animals. Furthermore, certain natural issues related to the exercise of birds hunting are also discussed in the article.

Killing rats is killing birds

Killing rats is killing birds

Relationship between Body Water and Lipid in Three Seabird Species: Leach's Storm-Petrel, Rhinoceros Auklet and Black-Tailed Gull

Abstract Measuring the individual body conditions of living birds is essential for understanding tradeoffs in life-history studies, especially in long-lived species. The aim of this study was to further develop a method for measuring body condition (lipid content), without killing birds. In theory, the lipid content mass in the body should have a close inverse relationship with water mass. Using this relationship, body condition can be evaluated without killing because the amount of water in the body can be estimated in live birds. However, the inverse relationship has only been shown to exist in a few studies of bird species. In this study, significant inverse relationships between water and lipid contents of three seabird species, Leach's Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa, Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata and Black-tailed Gull Lams crassirostris, were shown. These facts highlight that body condition (lipid content) , can be estimated from the water content of the body.

Public Perceptions of Feral Cats within an Urban Conservancy on a Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal

The Howard College Campus (HCC) of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is a registered Conservancy and houses the Msinsi Nature Reserve. A resident population of feral cats (Felis catus) resides on campus. There are two opposing views about these animals; one is that, by killing birds, lizards and small mammals, they negatively affect native wildlife, another is that management efforts, such as feeding and sterilization, minimize predation on wildlife and control cat numbers. The outcome of this debate is crucial in developing long-term management goals for the campus Conservancy. This study represents an assessment of stakeholder perceptions regarding the feral cat population. Participants observed feral cats in areas with feeding stations. Feeding was the main activity observed. Feelings towards the cats were generally positive. There was strong opposition to the eradication of the entire population; respondents did not consider feral cats an Invasive alien species, rather a benign exotic species. The management Implications of these findings are significant and these views should be considered in developing a management strategy. Further research should explore the use of feeding stations and sterilization, but additional research is necessary to determine the Impact of feral cats on wildlife in and around the Conservancy.

Effect of Hurricane Katrina on Arboviral Disease Transmission

Effect of Hurricane Katrina on Arboviral Disease Transmission

Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Visual Culture in American Conservation History

On the night of March 23-24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez veered out of its shipping lane and ran aground on Bligh Reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound. Eleven million gallons of oil contaminated the sound and coated twelve hundred miles of shoreline, killing birds, mammals, fish, and shellfish. More than fifteen years later, Exxon Valdez and images of oil-soaked seals, birds, and fish dead or gasping for life remain ingrained in the American collective memory and serve as a signal reminder of nature's fragility and the human capacity to devastate the physical environment at a point when further advances on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Alaskan oil reserves have become a key point of controversy in American politics. Another, less universally remembered oil spill afflicted the Pacific coast of Oregon, when the New Carissa ran aground near Coos Bay on February 4, 1999. The spill was far less severe--only seventy thousand gallons-but newspapers up and down the coast printed photographs of the beached Japanese tanker emitting flames and plumes of black smoke as rescue crews desperately tried to burn as much oil as possible before it seeped into the sea. In all, before the ocean ripped the New Carissa in two, two hundred thousand gallons of bunker and diesel oil had been burned, considerably reducing the potential extent of the damage to the sea and sea life. Ironically, in 1989, in the hours immediately following the Valdez's grounding and before the oil began to disperse, the suggestion of burning the oil was dismissed; Exxon could not afford to be seen to be acknowledging their responsibility for the spill and feared that images of the tanker engulfed in fire would constitute a public relations nightmare. The nightmare came anyway, as news reports showed countless images of nature in jeopardy, prompting public outrage and Congress's swift passage of the 1990 Oil Pollution Act.1 Exxon's reluctance to ignite the tanker stemmed from a visual idea of politics, public relations, and memory. Their public relations experts mistakenly

Derek Almey Ratcliffe, 1929–2005

Derek Almey Ratcliffe, 1929–2005

Rabbits killing birds revisited

We formulate and study a three-species population model consisting of an endemic prey (bird), an alien prey (rabbit) and an alien predator (cat). Our model overcomes several model construction problems in existing models. Moreover, our model generates richer, more reasonable and realistic dynamics. We explore the possible control strategies to save or restore the bird by controlling or eliminating the rabbit or the cat when the bird is endangered. We confirm the existence of the hyperpredation phenomenon, which is a big potential threat to most endemic prey. Specifically, we show that, in an endemic prey–alien prey–alien predator system, eradication of introduced predators such as the cat alone is not always the best solution to protect endemic insular prey since predator control may fail to protect the indigenous prey when the control of the introduced prey is not carried out simultaneously.

Robert S Desowitz, Federal bodysnatchers and the New Guinea virus: tales of parasites, people and politics, New York and London, W W Norton, 2002, pp. x, 262, £19.95 (hardback 0-393-05185-4).

Robert S Desowitz, Federal bodysnatchers and the New Guinea virus: tales of parasites, people and politics, New York and London, W W Norton, 2002, pp. x, 262, £19.95 (hardback 0-393-05185-4).

A Floating Platform: a Solution to Collecting Pellets When Cormorants Roost Over Water

Abstract Wintering roosts of Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) on Lake Como, northern Italy, are often inaccessible. We describe an easy-to-build, cheap and efficient technique to collect pellets at inaccessible roosts, which enabled us to study the diet of cormorants without causing disturbance, or killing birds. A floating platform was built using iron bars, sea-plywood panels and plastic tanks which was placed on the lake’s surface, to collect pellets ejected by cormorants using a roost on the eastern shore of the western basin of Lake Como. During two winter periods (February 2001-March 2001 and December 2001-March 2002) 106 samples were retrieved from the platform, measuring 17.5 m2.

In brief

A US Federal Judge ruled in March 2002 that the US Navy is illegally killing songbirds (in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act) by bombing (for practice) Farallalon de Medinilla, a small Pacific island north of Guam (http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/press/military2-20-02.html). The Navy had been dropping 2000-lb bombs and firing missiles and rockets at the island regularly, without any permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In defense of the Navy, US Justice Department lawyers argued that the plaintiffs had suffered insufficient injury because, by killing birds, the Navy was making those birds rarer, and bird-watchers get more pleasure from spotting a rare bird than a common bird. Hence, bird-watchers should be happy with Navy's program for rarifying birds.

Short-term effects of tartar emetic on re-sighting rates of migratory songbirds in the non-breeding season

Forced regurgitation by oral administration of tartar emetic has been used frequently to examine avian diets because it does not require killing birds directly, but indirect (delayed) mortality by this technique is not well studied. We examined the effects of tartar emetic on re-sighting rates of insectivorous migratory songbirds in Jamaica during the non-breeding season. The re-sighting rate of Black-throated Blue Warblers (Dendroica caerulescens) experimentally treated with tartar emetic was significantly lower than for control birds. The re-sighting rates of American Redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla), Black-and-white Warblers (Mniotilta varia), and Prairie Warblers (Dendroica discolor) treated with tartar emetic were also lower than those of birds that were banded and released without treatment. Pre-release mortality rates were low (<3%), but two treated Black-throated Blue Warblers were found dead up to 22 h after release. Our results suggest application of tartar emetic is an effective but invasive method for collecting diet samples from birds. Researchers should consider alternatives, and future administration of tartar emetic should be conducted conservatively and with acknowledgment of its occasionally lethal results.