My Science School

As much as 98% of colonies of this penguin species is at risk of extinction by 2100. So, the U.S. has listed the bird as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. There's still hope to save them.

Where do emperor penguins live?

Different species of penguins are found in different parts of the Southern Hemisphere. The emperor penguins are found only in Antarctica, where they live and breed. Emperor penguins thrive on Antarctica's coastlines in icy conditions any human would find extreme. The penguins breed on fast ice, which is sea ice attached to land But they hunt for food within the pack ice-sea ice floes that move with the wind or ocean currents and may merge. Sea ice is also important for resting, during their annual moult, and to escape from predators.  

The U.S. lists them as "threatened".

If current global warming trends and government policies continue, Antarctica's sea ice will decline at a rate that would dramatically reduce emperor penguin numbers to the point that 98% of all their colonies would become quasi-extinct by 2100, with little chance of recovering, a new study has shown. That's why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalised a rule listing the emperor penguin as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, effective November 25, 2022. The director of the service said the listing "reflects the growing extinction crisis". The U.S. Endangered Species Act has been used before to protect other species that are primarily at risk from climate change, including the polar bear, ringed seal, and several species of coral, which are all listed as threatened.

But, these penguins don't even live in the U.S.!

Sure, these penguins don't live on US. territory, so some of the Endangered Species Act's measures meant to protect species habitats and prevent hunting them don't directly apply. Being listed under the Endangered Species Act could still bring benefits, though. It could provide a way to reduce harm from U.S. fishing fleets that might operate in the region. And, with expected actions from the current administration, the listing could eventually pressure U.S. agencies to take actions to limit greenhouse gas emissions. However, the Bureau of Land Management has never acknowledged that emissions from oil and gas extraction on public lands and waters could harm climate-imperiled species. It issued more than 3.500 oil and gas drilling permits in New Mexico and Wyoming on public land during the first 16 months of the Joe Biden administration.

What's harming the birds?

The greatest threat emperor penguins face is climate change. It will disrupt the sea ice cover they rely on unless governments adopt policies that reduce the greenhouse gases driving global warming. If there's too much sea ice, trips to bring food from the ocean become long and arduous, and their chicks may starve. With too little sea ice, the chicks are at risk of drowning. Climate change is now putting that delicate balance and potentially the entire species at risk. Emperor penguins are adapted to their current environment, but the species has not evolved to survive the rapid effects of climate change that threaten to reshape its world. Major environmental shifts, such as the late formation and early loss of sea ice on which colonies are located, are already raising the risk.

How can we save them?

Decades of data since the 1960s are now helping scientists gauge the effects of anthropogenic climate change on the penguins, their sea ice habitat and their food sources. Meeting the Paris Agreement goal could still save the penguins. The results of the new study showed that if the world meets the Paris climate agreement targets, keeping warming to under 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 F) compared with pre-industrial temperatures, it could protect sufficient habitat to halt the emperor penguins decline. But the world isn't on track to meet the Paris Agreement goals. The future of emperor penguins, and much of life on Earth, including humanity, ultimately depends upon the decisions made today.

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Several species of agricultural crops depend on bats for pollination. In addition, fruits bats help in the dispersion of seeds, keeping several species of fruit-bearing trees alive. Some species of bats consume insects, considered agricultural pests. This not only prevents the use of billions of dollars worth of pesticides annually but also allows the soil to remain free from harmful chemicals.

The fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans causes white-nose syndrome in bats, and "is responsible for the deaths of over six million bats in North America". This is one of the reasons for the decline in the population of bats globally. And, scientists say that this decline is of concern. What causes the plunge in their numbers, and why should we be worried? Come, let's find out. Often labelled blood suckers and disease carriers, bats seem to get short shrift. Pop culture portayals of vampires and the endless speculation over the origins (often pointing to bats, albeit scientifically unproven) of the ongoing pandemic make it even worse for the world's only flying mammals. Add to the fact that these nocturnal creatures usually do their work under the cover of darkness, their role in healthy ecosystems may not be appreciated by laypeople. Several species of agricultural crops such as banana, mangoes, avocadoes, and figs are said to depend on bats for pollination. In addition, fruit bats help in the dispersion of seeds, keeping several species of fruit-bearing trees alive. Some species of bats consume insects, considered agricultural pests. This not only prevents the use of billions of dollars worth of pesticides annually but also allows the soil to remain free from harmful chemicals. In fact, guano - the excrement of bats - makes for excellent manure. Found in all continents except Antarctica, bats are a part of different types of ecosystems - from rainforests to deserts. Irrespective of the region they inhabit, they play crucial ecological roles, keeping alive the biodiversity and the health of their ecosystems.

While the population of bats in North America has taken a huge hit due to the white-nose syndrome, there's a general decline in their population in other parts of the world too. The reasons for this include climate change, invasive species, loss of habitat due to urbanisation and agriculture, lack of food, especially when pesticide is used to kill the insects they feed on, etc. There's still a lot to be studied about bats. But an aspect of concem in studying bats is that they "roost in lots of different places, from caves to barns to attics, and scientists can't monitor bats in all places at all times".

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Articles on animal numbers dwindling may often include hunting as one of the reasons. Over the last few centuries, several creatures - large and small, and marine and land dwelling have been pushed to the brink of extinction due to mindless hunting. But here's a species whose killing has been actively taken up and encouraged. Why? Come, let's find out.

Among the largest of snakes, Burmese pythons are native to Asia. However, in the 1990s, thanks to the pet trade, thousands of them found homes in the U.S. It is said that over the years, many either escaped into the wild or were released there by the pet owners themselves who found it difficult to keep the snakes. When Hurricane Andrew stuck Florida in 1992, it is believed that several snakes escaped a python-breeding facility and found refuge in Everglades, a massive wetland in southern Florida. And, today they've turned into an invasive species. Large as they are - growing up to 20-odd feet, they feed on large mammals such as pigs and goats. Famously, or rather infamously, way back in 2005, a python tried "to swallow an alligator and exploded in the park, leaving both the predators dead". In the last few decades, the snakes have decimated native wildlife populations of foxes, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, deer, etc., and are irrevocably altering Everglade's ecosystem.

Considering how vast Everglades is - about 20,000 sq km, and that there are thousands of pythons out there, the authorities are constantly looking for ways to capture the snakes or control their population. In fact, cash is rewarded to those who hunt them. Even a month-long competitive hunt has been organised in the hope that the wetlands would be rid of these non-venomous reptiles.

Though Burmese pythons continue to wreak havoc in another continent, back in their native range, the story is different. They face several threats, and their numbers are declining due to habitat loss, pet trade, and use in traditional medicine. Sadly, they are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Did you know?

A few years ago, two Indians - Masi Sadaiyan and Vadivel Gopal - belonging to Tamil Nadu and from the Irula tribe known for its exceptional snake-catching skills, were flown to Everglades. Within a month, the duo had caught 27 pythons. This is an impressive number considering a month-long python hunting competition in 2016 comprising 1,000 hunters managed a haul of only 106!

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Researchers are working to bring back Tasmanian tiger, the marsupial that went extinct about a century ago.

After almost 100 years since its extinction, the world may get to see the Tasmanian tiger once again. Researchers in Australia and the U.S. have embarked on a multi-million dollar project to revive the striped carnivorous marsupial, officially known as a thylacine, which used to roam the Australian bush.

Genetic blueprint

The scientists will be using advances in genetics, ancient DNA retrieval, and artificial reproduction to bring the marsupial back from extinction. The marsupial raises its young in a pouch.

The project will involve several measures incorporating cutting-edge science and technology such as gene editing and building artificial wombs. The scientists plan to take stem cells from fat-tailed dunnart, a living marsupial species with similar DNA. They will then use gene-editing technology to "bring back the extinct species- or an extremely close approximation of it.

Funding

The ambitious project is a joint venture with Colossal Biosciences founded by tech entrepreneur Ben Lamm and Harvard Medical School geneticist George Church. The company is also working on a $15-million project to bring back the woolly mammoth which vanished 4.000 years ago, in an altered form.

Last of the species

About the size of a coyote, the thylacine vanished about 2.000 years ago from everywhere except the Australian island of Tasmania. The last thylacine living in captivity named Benjamin died in 1936 at Tasmania's Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart. This was shortly after the tiger was granted protected status.

It was the only marsupial apex predator that lived in modern times. It also played a key role in its ecosystem.

 The European settlers on the Australian island in the 1800s had accused thylacines for the loss of their livestock. This resulted in the shy semi-nocturnal Tasmanian tigers being hunted down to the point of extinction.

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An ampersand (&) is a symbol that represents the conjunction 'and'. An alteration of 'and per se and', this sign is simply the product of combining the letters e and t, Latin (et) for the conjunction. It was first used in Roman cursive writing dating back to the first century A.D.

First historical record

Author Keith Houston in his book Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols & Other Typographical Marks claims that this symbol made its first appearance in historical records after being found on an unearthed graffiti from the ruins of Pompeii - a city in ancient Rome which was buried in volcanic ash following the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius in 79 A. D.

Repetitive recitation

In 19th Century Britain, school children reciting the alphabet would include the ampersand as the 27th letter.

At the time, it was customary to recite the Latin phrase 'per se' (which means by itself) before any letter that could also be used as a word in itself (like A, I and &). So their daily alphabet rendering would end with: X, Y, Z and per se and. Over time this phrase was slurred to ampersand and it entered the common vocabulary around 1837.

National Ampersand Day

This day was established by American author, designer and typographer Chaz Desimone in 2015, due to his preception of the ampersand sign as an art form. He introduced this day to pay homage to the illustrious history of this symbol, which is also a central motif in his fun art projects and initiatives. Therefore, September 8 is annually celebrated as National Ampersand Day in the U. S.

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