Save carnivorous mammals

This video is about wild cat species.

From the BBC:

Save ‘special’ carnivores plea

Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News

Giant otters, monk seals, walruses, spectacled bears, giant and red pandas and the odd-looking fossa are among the carnivores most in need of conserving.

That is according to the most-detailed study yet of the evolutionary history of carnivores and their relationships.

It examined 222 carnivore species including big cats, wolves, bears, seals, otters and their relatives.

It found that some species are so distinctive that special efforts should be made to ensure their survival.

Details of the research are published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. …

The new study supports the split of carnivores into two main evolutionary groups: dog-like carnivores called Caniforms and cat-like carnivores called Feliforms.

But it did throw up a few surprises (see Confused carnivores), which the researchers say will need further research to resolve.

As well as unpicking the relationships between carnivores, the study enabled the team to identify those species that are unusually distinct.

Among these unique carnivores are the monk seal, giant otter and sea otter, giant and red panda , spectacled bear, Liberian mongoose, otter civet, Owston’s palm civet, the fossa of Madagascar, which looks much like a dog that climbs trees, and the binturong of south-east Asia, which is also called the Asian bearcat. …

CONFUSED CARNIVORES

The new study generally supports the traditional carnivores groups. However, it also finds that:

The kinkajou [see also here] of South America is not related to raccoons as thought

The red panda may actually be most closely related to dogs and their relatives

South American jaguars are more closely related to Asian leopards and snow leopards than other big cats …

In a separate but related effort, the Zoological Society of London runs an EDGE (Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered) of Existence programme that highlights the precarious conservation status of a range of animals beyond the carnivores.

On that list is 100 of the rarest animals including the Chinese giant salamander, Bactrian camel and blue whale.

A report reveals that female giant pandas use chirp calls to inform male pandas exactly how fertile they are: here.

A Somerset wildlife charity has taken in a record number of otters this winter as higher than normal river levels have threatened their habitat: here.

Genome mapping showing that [giant] pandas may prefer a bamboo-based diet because they can’t taste meat could unlock secrets to ensuring the survival of the endangered species: here.

Giant panda genome reveals new insights into the bear’s bamboo diet: here.

California sea otters cross over to the forbidden zone”: here.

Hawaii considers strict law to halt killing of endangered monk seals: here.

Grey wolf hunt creates bitter row in US: here.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rejects Montana’s request for a wolf hunt: here.

The Saharan Conservation Trust’s ‘Saharan Carnivores project’ continues to shed new light on the amazingly diverse community of small canids and felids harboured by the Termit ecosystem of Niger. Since last August, Oxford University’s Wild-CRU researcher, Seamus Maclennan, has been capturing and collaring fennec, Rüppell’s and pale foxes to better understand their ecology so they can be properly conserved: here.

Fossas are the largest carnivores in Madagascar: here.

The ‘weird’ predatory fossa of Madagascar is threatened: here.

Risky Raccoon Roundworms Found In Pet Kinkajous: here.

Is the Ringtail a Cat? A Raccoon? Or Something Entirely Different? Here.

Raccoon dog: here.

Charismatic, vocal, unpredictable, domestic, and playful are all adjectives that aptly describe the giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), one of the Amazon’s most spectacular big mammals. As its name suggest, this otter is the longest member of the weasel family: from tip of the nose to tail’s end the otter can measure 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. Living in closely-knit family groups, sporting a complex range of behavior, and displaying almost human-like capricious moods, the giant river otter has captured a number of researchers and conservationists’ hearts, including Dutch conservationist Jessica Groenendijk: here.

Weasels live alongside humans only in Cairo. Carolyn King from Waikato says the find proves Egyptian weasel is unique: here.