Exotic Animal Newsflash:

Flag of Papua New Guinea

Scientists from the United States, Great Britain and Papua New Guinea stumbled upon one of the greatest wildlife discoveries ever.

They identified 40 new species of animal never before scientifically recorded in a 1 km deep volcanic crater on Mt. Bosavi in Papua New Guinea.

Among these amazing finds were a species of fanged frog, possibly the largest rat species in the world (Bosavi woolly rat) that had absolutely no fear of humans, the Henamo grunter (a grunting fish that makes noises from it’s swim bladder), a new bat, 2 other fish species, and 15 other frog species.

Animals of the world’s rain forests are proving to be extremely diverse and unique, especially ones that have been in any type of isolation. In this particular area, this crater is 4 km wide and 1 km deep with a volcano that hasn’t erupted 200,000 years ago.

In this “Lost World” there are no big cats or monkeys as the top predators. Instead, at the top of the food chain are giant monitor lizards.

Kangaroos have adapted to living in the trees. Another new species, the Bosavi silky cuscus is a marsupial creature that lives up trees and eats fruits and leaves, had no fear of humans either and came right down to sit on one of the scientists shoulders.

Currently, the rainforest of Papua New Guinea is being destroyed at an alarming rate of 3.5% per year! It’s truly time to stop this destruction to save such endangered species that are not found anywhere else on Earth.

* For more information on this scientific discovery, check out: Lost world of fanged frogs and giant rats discovered in Papua New Guinea

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I hope you enjoyed this Indonesian Animal post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information on the amazing scenery and wildlife of Papua New Guinea, check this out:

Lonely Planet Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea (Lonely Planet Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea) Lonely Planet Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea (Lonely Planet Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea)

Technorati Tags: fanged frog, Papua New Guinea, bushwalking, Mt. Bosavi, Bosavi Crater, woolly rat, grunting fish, Henamo grunter, rainforest, rainforest animals, new species, scientific discovery

News of a Fanged Frog and Other New Species in Papua New Guinea is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Exotic Animal Newsflash:

Seven brand new species of deep ocean worms were discovered that actually cast green glowing body parts when they’re disturbed or attacked.

The team was led by Karen Osborn of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.

Thought to be used as a defense mechanism to confuse predators, which are unknown as of yet, the  appendages glow green when they’re cast by the worm, and they will actually continue to be “let go” as they’re more and more disturbed.

It’s hypothesized that fish would be their predators as is the case with other swimming worms.

Living between 5900 – 12000 feet below sea level, these species are difficult to find only because it’s difficult to get to. These worms were, then, discovered by remotely operated submarines.

In fact, the worms seem to be very plentiful, often numbering in the hundreds when seen. So, they’re no a rarity deep below the ocean in the northeast and western Pacific Ocean.

They’re thought to have evolved from worms that burrow into the sea floor at deep places in our Earth’s oceans, who also have a bioluminescing attribute.

Their new scientific name is Swima bombiviridis.

Makes you wonder what else is lurking in the great, wide and deep oceans of our planet!

For more information on this discovery and a photo, go to: New species of worms release ‘bombs’

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I hope you enjoyed this Exotic Animal News on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information about bioluminescence, check out this awesome book about our strange friends in the oceans:

The Winking, Blinking Sea: All About Bioluminescence

Technorati Tags: Swima bombiviridis, ocean worms, bioluminescense, animals that bioluminesce, green bombers, deep sea worms, worms, exotic animal news, Karen Osborn, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, new species

Brand New Species of Deep Sea Worms – The Green Bombers is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Exotic Animal Newsflash:
Scientists have finally discovered where the heck those basking sharks go during the winter months.

Previously thought to be a cold water fish, this shark will migrate from New England in the Western Atlantic all the way down to the Bahamas!

They even recorded one of the sharks they tracked hanging out for 1 month at the mouth of the Amazon River.

Animals are just full of surprises, arent’ they?

What was most intriguing about basking sharks is that no one has ever seen a baby or a pregnant female or a basking shark giving birth.

They measure up to 35 m long and are the 2nd largest fish in the world behind the whale shark.

They are slow moving and generally harmless in nature. Even though they’re sharks, this species is a filter feeder.

They are labeled a threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Cetorhinidae
Genus: Cetorhinus
Species: C. maximus

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I hope you enjoyed this Fish post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Exotic Animal Lover Updates are Just 1 Click Away!

Technorati Tags: basking shark, sharks, shark, fish, marine animals, North American animals, South American animals, ocean animals

Basking Shark Mystery Migration Solved is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Some of you work for Parks & Wildlife commissions or something similar to that.

Some of you are simply ATV enthusiasts for the recreation of it, or for the ability to get out into the wild to see fabulous animals!

What you all need to be aware of is the inherent danger of ATV rollovers, which usually occurs due to a high center of gravity on the machine and a narrow wheel base.

Rollovers can cause serious injury or even a fatality because of their sheer size and weight and the fact that you are not covered and often don’t have doors to protect you if a rollover occurs.

In particular, the Yamaha Rhino Rollover has resulted in numerous lawsuits, which further resulted in Yamaha recalling more of it’s Rhino Side by Side (SxS) ATV vehicles because of this risk.

Riders were experiencing serious injuries such as broken legs, arms, serious spinal cord and head injuries.

Many of these Rhinos didn’t have doors, so when a rollover was occuring, the driver or passenger would try to put their leg down to stabilize or prevent it from happening. However, their legs would often get crushed because the vehicle or the momentum was too heavy and forceful.

Please, be aware of these risks, especially if you have a child with you.

Go slow, especially over terrain you are unfamiliar of and exercise good common sense.

It’s not a race…It’s recreation!

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I hope this was a helpful post in Animal News on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Subscribe for Exotic Animal Lover Updates!

Technorati Tags: ATV rollover, ATV, all terrain vehicles, recreation vehicles, rollover dangers, rollover injuries, Yamaha Rhino, Rhino Side by Side, Rhino SxS

ATV Rollover Dangers is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Exotic Animal Newsflash:

As of yesterday, January 18th, 2009, the leatherback sea turtle has been moved to the critically endangered list from being only a vulnerable species in Australia.

Photo left: baby leatherback sea turtle

The leatherback sea turtle is the fourth largest reptilians in the world behind 3 crocodilians.

What is most sad about this fact, is that the leatherback is the only species of animal in the genus Dermochelys. Once they’re gone, there’s none left! NONE!

Why Are They In Peril?
Because the eggs and meat are being harvested in waters outside of Australia, which is causing this animal to seriously decline in numbers.

What’s cool about the leatherback is that it doesn’t have a bony shell, it’s covered by skin and oily flesh. That’s why it’s called the leatherback.

Adults are between 1-2 meters long, and weigh anywhere from 250-700 kg! Wow! That’s huge!

The largest one ever recorded was 3 meters long and 916 kg! Crazy huge!

The interesting thing about this turtle is that it has a huge chance of survival as it can inhabit most of the waters on the planet.

It goes to show you what a state our planet is in if they are suffering to such a degree for survival!

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I hope you find this Turtle post informative on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. To find out more about the Threat to the Leatherback Turtle, check out this book:

Threat to the Leatherback Turtle $25.06

Technorati Tags: leatherback sea turtle, sea turtle, turtle, leatherback turtle, endangered animals, endangered species, animal news

Leatherback Sea Turtle Placed on Endangered List is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I like to “give back” to my readers and feature your pets…

Your exotic pet, dog, cat, bird, fish in their very own post…Their name in lights, so to speak!

Simply email me @:
exoticpets@exoticanimallover.com

Please Include:
1. A small write up about your pet – why you love them, tricks, what they look like, what you feed them, anything you’d like!

2. Attach a photo – if you have one – with expressed permission to use it on ExoticAnimalLover.com

If your pet is chosen, I’ll email you back and let you know when the post will run.

It’s as Simple as That!

This is a wonderful way to celebrate your love for your pet, or to share with the world the pets you’ve lost and want to remember forever!

I can’t wait to see your submissions! How exciting!

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I hope you take part this Exotic Pet feature opportunity on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Subscribe to this Blog.

Technorati Tags: exotic pets, unusual pets, featured pets, your pet’s name in lights, pet contest

Want Me to Feature Your Pet? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I asked her to fill us in on having a Canadian Lynx as a pet.

This is her account:

Firstly, his name was Snaggletooth, and I rescued him from a breeder in Iowa. I found his information online and called him to find out more about owning a lynx.

I had always thought how wonderful it would be to own a big exotic cat. I went with a lynx because he would mature around 65lbs., which is equal to that of a medium sized dog.

With a smaller cat there are a lot of advantages. First off, the amount of food involved…I fed little Snaggletooth Zoopreem, a Purina dry pellet food, mixed in with raw turkey. This cost me less than $10 per week to keep him fat and happy.

Also, a cat of that size is not considered a lethal cat. Since I was new to exotic cat ownership, I certainly didn’t want to jump off and get something that would chew me up in the middle of the night. I did my homework before I picked up little Snaggletooth from the airport.

I made sure he had a large litter box (2) in each room of the house and removed anything from the shelves/tops of tables or cases that I didn’t want knocked off and broken. I also made sure to provide him with a fully enclosed outside run where he had access to trees and grass and plenty of space to play.

Now, most domestic cats learn to use the litter box by following what their moms do. Since Snaggletooth’s mom was an outside lynx (outside in an enclosure) and taken from her at 2 weeks of age, he never had a mother lynx showing him where to use the bathroom.

It is natural for a cat to want to dig and bury their eliminations, however a lynx doesn’t mind urinating on your floor or couch and doesn’t feel the need to dig and cover anything up. This was the case for little Snaggletooth.

So…I went and purchased a special clay cat litter that has an attractant in it to lure cats to the litter box. He got the idea almost immediately when I replaced the litter. This didn’t mean he never had an accident after that point, but in general, he knew where to go when he needed to eliminate. I had to provide him with 2 litter boxes (side by side) because it is normal for an exotic cat to want to defecate in one and urinate in the other.

He had a favorite toy and I used that toy to get him to come when called and as a reward for when he was being good. I never fed him treats as a reward since he had a tendency to be too interested in food and very possessive of it. When I would feed him, I would have to place his food down in the room and close the door and leave him alone. If I didn’t, he thought I was going to steal his food and would hiss and growl at me.

We had a system that worked well and we just stayed with it. Now I did try different things to get him to be less possessive with his food but each one of them failed. Trust me, an exotic cat acts nothing like a dog or domestic cat. So…he taught me a lot on how to be patient and compromise.

Snaggletooth is no longer with us, and of course I miss him quite a bit. If I had to pick again for an exotic cat to own I would own a Canadian Lynx again hands down. They are very personable. Snaggletooth would lay on the couch with me and watch TV. He also followed me all over the house during the day.

He had moments of boundless energy and would literally run on the sides of the walls. He also tested out the curtain’s strength, several of my free standing lamps and of course anything I left out for him to get to. I learned quickly that if I wanted to drink anything I had to put it in a bottle with a lid. Otherwise I could expect to find it all over the floor just minutes after setting it down.

Lynxes are not raised to be pets for the general public. Mostly, they are bred for the fur trade. This means that there are a lot of breeders out there who do not care about the health of these cats, since they are just interested in a nice fur for later use.

Some have serious health problems and don’t live past 1 year. So, you need to do your homework if you are looking for a breeder to purchase a lynx for yourself.

Some points to also consider before you run out and get a lynx for yourself is do you have other pets?

Snaggletooth got along with my large Akita and my Great Pyrenees, but a domestic cat he would have killed. In fact, any pet smaller than him was prey…This also includes small children. So, if you have children, or small pets, a lynx isn’t for you.

If you have heirloom furniture in your home you don’t need a lynx. Trust me they love wood furniture to scratch on. We purchased a large cat tree complete with scratching areas. It looked like a jungle gym covered in swizzle rope. Well he did enjoy scratching it, but he still managed to find furniture he liked just as much to kill.

You need to check with your state or province to see if you are even able to own a Lynx. Once you do, you will need to contact your state Vet to see what requirements are needed to keep a lynx. Some states require permits while others not only require permits but also a double fence system to keep your lynx from getting loose.

Also, you need to purchase insurance just in case your exotic cat does get loose and hurts someone.

In conclusion, if you think you would love to own an exotic cat, please think it through very carefully.

Owning an exotic cat isn’t like owning a dog or domestic cat. As you can see, there is a lot of homework that you need to do before you settle on a lynx to own. I actually advise most people not to purchase an exotic cat.

Several rescue organizations are overloaded with exotic cats that people saw and thought, “Oh man, I would love to own a lynx or tiger.” They either weren’t honest in their abilities or they didn’t do their homework. This isn’t fair to the pet, nor is it fair to the rescue organization that you will expect to clean up the mess you made.

Actually, if you want something exotic, I would recommend a Savannah cat. These are Serval (exotic cats) crossed with domestic cats. They are large cats and have beautiful exotic cat looks. They are a recognized breed by TICA and there are several reputable breeders out there who produces healthy Savannah cats. These cats do not require permits or any restrictions on ownership.

Well that is about it…I really want to stress to your readers that owning a Lynx isn’t for everyone, and of course to do your homework before you purchase one.

Running a rescue organization like the one you are thinking of would include getting exotic animals that were once thought of as a unique pet. Big Cat Rescue in Florida (I am a member there) has nothing but large exotic cats. 3 are retired cats from the circus (and they paid big bucks for these guys to keep them till they passed away) but the rest are cats that they rescued from breeders who didn’t provide proper housing or again, people who had illusions that an exotic cat made a great pet.

They have to turn away over 50 cats per year…Where do these cats go? Either to other rescue places or they are euthanized. Its a sad, cold fact of life, but it just shows you as humans, we need to be responsible and govern ourselves and not expect someone else to come clean up our messes.

BTW…I am not an animal rights activist. In fact, I do not believe animals have rights. I believe humans have rights, and with those rights comes the responsibility to do the right thing. LOL! You can never expect an animal to be responsible.

I donate annually to the ASPCA, however I never donate to PETA, who has made a mockery of what taking responsible care of animals is. (I’ll get off my soap box now)…LOL

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I hope you enjoyed this Unusual Pet post from Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this beautiful Canadian Lynx Print from the 1899 Zoological Gardens:

Technorati Tags: Canadian lynx, lynx, big cat, exotic cat, unusual pet, exotic pet, Canadian animal, North American animal, mammal, cats

A Canadian Lynx as an Indoor Pet? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

If you haven’t already heard, there is a brand spankin’ new Bigfoot sighting!

Two Georgia trackers claim they found the corpse of the notoriously mysterious Bigfoot in the northern woods and brought it home to stash it in a freezer for the past month.

They have provided a photo of the beast in their freezer and apparently, have turned over DNA to researchers to prove that it is indeed the real bigfoot!

As of yet, the trackers have not revealed much, except the photo and 3 DNA samples. So far, one sample was clearly human, one was of an opossum, and one could not be identified due to technical difficulties. More tests will be underway immediately.

With all of the justified skepticism, the pair of men have changed their story significantly 3 times, apparently, but they still stick to the story that Bigfoot is in their freezer.

These newly titled Bigfoot trackers have started offering weekend Bigfoot search expeditions in the Northern Woods of Georgia for $499.00.

Check out the original articles I saw if you like here: Georgia men claim hairy, frozen corpse is Bigfoot, All A-Buzz About Bigfoot

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I hope you enjoyed this Unidentified Mysterious Animal post from Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this amazing DVD from A&E on Bigfoot:

Ancient Mysteries Bigfoot DVD Ancient Mysteries Bigfoot This AE documentary uncovers hidden facts and reveals possible explanations for the controversial ape-like legend known as Bigfoot. Listen to experts who have researched the beast the American Indians called Sasquatch and who have found new perspectives on this centuries-old mystery. With all of the supposed sightings of this creature and of the commercialization of keeping the mystery alive, it is hard to tell what is fact and what is fiction. This documentary, narrated by Leonard Nimoy, sets out to find the truth through the use of archival footage, eyewitness videotape, and computer analysis, which has made it possible to learn more about this legend than ever before. Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide Cast Leonard Nimoy Studio AE Home Video Format DVD $24.95

Technorati Tags: latest bigfoot sightings, bigfoot, real bigfoot, bigfoot body, bigfoot captured, bigfoot freezer, sasquatch, bigfoot sighting, unidentified mysterious animal, UMA, yeti, cryptozoology

Bigfoot in a Freezer? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I watched on TV tonight that the deadly “Red Tide” algae is toxic and killing animals of all sorts in the St. Lawrence River system in Canada.

Belugas, birds, porpoises, fish, mollusks…you name it, it’s affected.

It moves up the food chain, and in the case of whales, like belugas, they feel it affects their brain and makes them slower and confused, making them more likely to collide with boats.

The red tide algae are common in this area, but usually wash away by this point of the year, whereas this year, it is lingering too long!

Why?

Well, it is believed that it’s lingering due to the serious rain we’ve been having in this region.

What’s Being Done?

Researchers are being diligent to figure out all of the particulars, and there has been a ban on all fishing of mollusks for consumption by humans to ensure local residents are not affected by the red tide toxicity!

Sheesh! What a shame!

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I hope you found this Exotic Animal Newsflash interesting from Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. If you are a whale lover, like I am, check out this great spot for amazing nature gifts:

Technorati Tags: red tide, red algae, algae, belugas, St. Lawrence Seaway, St. Lawrence river, ocean animals, environment, mammals

Red Tide Algae Kills Marine Animals on St. Lawrence Seaway System is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Ahhh…My favorite species of animal is the Red Panda…

Unfortunately, they are extremely endangered. However, thankfully, there are a number of breeding programs in the world that are doing their best to ensure the survival of this species.

Edmonton’s Valley Zoo just had the 2nd arrival of twin baby red pandas! Yeahhh!!! They were born May 26th in captivity, and were named Tai (female) and Pip (male).

The babies are no longer with their mother, as she began to groom one of the babies too aggressively, but are in great hands with surrogate, human caretakers.

At this point, their eyes are still sealed shut and they are very furry. Sleeping most of time curled up together, the twins are fed puppy formula by bottle, after graduating from stomach tubes.

There are roughly only about 2000-4000 wild red pandas in the world, but the cyclone in Myanmar greatly disturbed their habitat, and the numbers are now unknown.

There were only 4 red pandas born last year in captivity in North America, including these twins other twin brother and sister. In fact, the other 2 pandas were also born in Canadian zoos.

A total of 45 red pandas are in captivity in North America now, and every one of them is crucial to the species’ survival!

To read the original article @ Yahoo, click here.

Unlike the Giant Panda, the Red Panda is not a bear…It actually belongs in the same superfamily as skunks, weasels and raccoons.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Eutheria
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Caniformia
Superfamily: Musteloidea
Family: Ailuridae
Genus: Ailurus
Species: A. fulgens

There are 2 subspecies of red panda:
1. Western Red Panda
2. Styan’s Red Panda – somewhat larger

Interestingly, although they are in the Carnivorous order, they actually are mainly herbivores eating mostly bamboo, although are known to supplement their diets with other plants, berries, grasses, insects, fish, eggs, young birds and small rodents. In captivity, it has been shown that they will readily eat red meat.

Conservation Status:
As I mentioned earlier, they are considered Endangered.

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I hope you enjoyed this

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S.

Technorati Tags: red pandas, pandas, lesser panda, exotic animal, Edmonton zoo, breeding program, animal twins, animal news, mammals, Asian animals, herbivore

Furry Arrival of Twin Red Pandas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover