DAILY QUICK READ - JUNE 2, 2016

Culture driven genetic variation in orcas.

Killer whale genomes may have evolved in much the same way as human genomes.  The co-evolution of genetic variation has been considered to be a human trait.  Not so much, apparently.

Human genomes have evolved in response to our cultural behaviours: a classic example is the way that some human populations gained genes for lactose tolerance following the onset of dairy farming.

But whether genomes and culture co-evolve in other animal species has been unclear.

Andrew Foote at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and his colleagues suspected that killer whales might follow a similar pattern to humans.

Killer whales, like people, are widely dispersed from the tropics to the poles. But many populations seem to remain in a single area where they have carved out a specialised niche, hunting a particular target through a sophisticated hunting strategy.

Genetic difference driven by culture.

The genomes fell into five distinct groups that exactly mirrored the five cultural niches. Some genes that may have specific functions in diet, for example, seemed to have diverged between the different cultural groups.

In other words, even though killer whales shared a common ancestor as recently as 200,000 years ago, individual cultural groups have become genetically distinct – so killer whale genomes and culture have co-evolved.

“This is an extremely important piece of research,” says Hal Whitehead at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. “The results are fascinating. We now see how in killer whales, as in humans, culture is not only an important factor in the lives of the whales, but also [helps drive] genetic evolution.”

Tough “shrimps” teaching material scientist how to make super-strong composites.

Researchers are now one step closer to developing super-strong composite materials, thanks to the mantis shrimp – a marine crustacean strong enough to cut a finger.

The mantis shrimp is an impressive creature and generally speaking, they come in two varieties: the “crushers” and the “spearers”. The first category crushes the shells of its prey using a fist-like appendage called a dactyl club. Its crushing ability is so strong that at least one man has had a finger amputated after a mantis shrimp strike.

According to their latest study, published in the journal Advanced Materials, mantis shrimp use a unique herringbone structure, not previously reported in nature, within the appendage’s outer layer. This very tough herringbone structure allows the shrimp to not only inflict terrible damage to the prey, but also protect their own structure during impact.

UPDATE - Harambe Update - Jane Goodall Weighs In

…the world's most famous primate expert is speaking out about the issue, expressing empathy to zoo officials for the tough decision but saying Harambe may not have had violent intentions. The Jane Goodall Institute released an email Goodall sent to Thane Maynard, the director of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. Here's the full text:

Dear Thane, I feel so sorry for you, having to try to defend something which you may well disapprove of. I tried to see exactly what was happening — it looked as though the gorilla was putting an arm [around] the child — like the female who rescued and returned the child from the Chicago exhibit. Anyway, whatever, it is a devastating loss to the zoo, and to the gorillas. How did the others react? Are they allowed to see, and express grief, which seems to be so important? Feeling for you, Jane

UPDATE – Tiger Temple Revelations Get Worse

Still trying to figure out what was going on here.  Hard to reconcile Buddhism with the behavior of monks here.  If these cubs were stockpiled to sell later – then let’s hope there is a special hell in for these men.

Forty dead tiger cubs have been found in a freezer at a Thai Buddhist temple accused of wildlife trafficking and animal abuse.

Police and wildlife officials started an operation on Monday to remove all the living tigers at the Tiger Temple.

Pictures from journalists at the scene posted to social media showed the 40 cubs lined up on the floor.

The dead cubs "must be of some value for the temple", Adisorn Nuchdamrong, from Thailand's Department of National Parks, told Reuters news agency. "But for what is beyond me."

Tiger bones and body parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Hard to ascribe anything but exploitation and illegal behavior to explain the existence of these dead cubs.

The discovery of dead animals proves that the Tiger Temple has been engaged in illegal breeding and smuggling activities, said Edwin Wiek, head of the Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand.

"Under the CITES [Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species] treaty, no wildlife farm or sanctuary can engage in the breeding of protected species," Wiek told DPA news agency by phone.

"These animals were bred and hidden away. I believe that they were stored to be sold for parts on the black market."

Something You Can Do!

Illegally killing an elephant, tiger, or other endangered animal is a heinous crime, but right now these criminals are often slipping through the cracks. If we're serious about saving tigers, elephants, and other endangered species, we have to address this.

These defenseless creatures can't protect themselves from the bullets, poisons, and traps of the humans stalking them. But we can help them.

Tell your senators to crack down on the illegal killing of wildlife by supporting Senate passage of the END Wildlife Trafficking Act.

Have a good day and Just Save One.