idk guys maybe we should try calling the amazon rain forest “sovereign indigenous lands” more often because i’m still seeing people talk about it like some sort of vast terra nullis where there are only animals–you know, like a colonialist
There are lots of indigenous people and tribes here, and their culture is shared a lot in my hometown — I’m from Manaus which is a city literally in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. So, yeah, people need to stop talking like that.
Thanks I had no idea how misinformed I am, this is really important to know
As the world’s average
temperatures creep higher, marine animals are far more vulnerable to
extinctions than their earthbound counterparts, according to a new
analysis of more than 400 cold-blooded species.
All five sawfish species
are threatened with extinction despite having once spanned the tropical
and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans in
large numbers.
the other day I had a look at this cold forest spring in upstate NY
where within a very short time I was able to locate the holy trifecta of stream salamanders
——
Two- lined salamander (Eurycea bislineata):
the smallest and most common, this lad can be found almost anywhere with cool, flowing water. This individual is kind of dull, but they’re immediately recognizable by their yellowish coloration and yellow belly.
My favorite thing about these guys is their eggs, which have strikingly white embryos.
(not my photo)
Frog eggs are typically black to absorb heat and speed their growth, but most salamanders require cold temperatures- hence why cold springs are some of their favorite habitats. Twolines breed in summer, so they have white eggs to reflect heat.
There’s actually two nearly identical species in the region. Based on the shape of its tail, this one appears to be the rarer of the two, ochrophaeus.
Duskies are fast, powerfully built and hard to catch. They can jump with their muscular hind legs and are quick to burrow into mud and gravel. This one is a small, probably young individual- they can grow over 5”.
–
annnnd finally, the one I’d never seen before, the northern spring salamander (Gyrinophilusporphyriticus):
First, notice that it already dwarfs the other two salamanders. Indeed, it’s the biggest plethodontid (lungless) salamander I’ve ever seen. Now have a look at those gills- this thing’s just a baby at 4”. Adults can reach 9” and have a particularly strong habit of eating smaller salamanders.
(not my photo- it’s eating a dusky salamander)
The genus name, Gyrinophilus, means “tadpole lover”, referring to the 3-4 years they spend as larvae before losing their gills. It’s probably because the adults also spend most of their time in the water, so no need for a hasty metamorphosis.
Spring salamanders are usually only found around the cold, pristine water of springs, and are rather rare as a result. All three of these salamander species belong to the family Plethodontidae, all of which lack lungs and breathe entirely through their skin and cannot live outside of very moist, oxygen- rich habitats. Some species are adaptable, but they are believed to have originally evolved in the well- oxygenated mountain streams of the Appalachians in the late Cretaceous. The mountains of the southeastern US is still where the overwhelming majority of the 380 species of plethodontids are found. Most of these species have limited ranges and very specific habitat requirements. They’re threatened by pollution, climate change (salamanders need it cold!) and the potential introduction of the deadly fungal disease Batrachochytriumsalamandrivorans, similar to the fungus which decimated frogs in the western US and neotropics.
If you live somewhere that has clean flowing streams and a variety of cool salamander species, I recommend going to see them before you can’t anymore.
unhappy reminder that amphibians are going through a pandemic right now and anything you can do to support conservation efforts would be greatly appreciated by literally everyone in the world
and for those of you who don’t click links here’s a summary of the scale of the issue as of march 28 2019:
basically a pathogen is affecting and killing off amphibians at an alarming rate globally
it’s been spread through trade of frog meat and pets primarily
its already done more damage to biodiversity than cats and rats
the pathogen can affect at least 695 species to varying degrees
90 species either confirmed extinction or assumed extinct in the wild
124 species undergoing a decline of over 90%
501 species in decline which means about 1 in 16 of every species known to science is affected
it has “has damaged global biodiversity more than any other disease ever recorded.” which is fucking terrifying
efforts to curve the effects include urging governments to crack down on the trade of amphibians, protecting their natural habitats, combatting invasive species, and supporting breeding programs
“People can face even overwhelming odds with good spirits if they feel part of a community dedicated to a common purpose. What’s terrible is not facing great threat and long odds — what’s terrible is facing them alone. Happily, those working to address climate change are not alone. There are more people involved and more avenues for engagement every day. There’s plenty of fellowship to be found”
— David Roberts, The case for “conditional optimism” on climate change
man, I have very little sympathy for people who’re like “I gotta let them play in traffic, my cat WAILS and acts MISERABLE unless I let them outside!”
because like……….so does mine? at a certain point each day Grim decides she wants out, and until that happens she a) follows me about SCREAMING, and b) sits atop whatever I’m doing and bites my hands. this is not an exageration
wanna know what I do? I take her out. either supervised in my backyard or on leash in the front
she naps in the sunlight, eats copious amounts of grass, rolls in dirt, and murders butterflies. after 15-30 minutes (equivalent to the time you’d spend on a neighbourhood dog walk) I take Grim back in, and she happily sleeps/plays/cuddles indoors for the remainder of the day
and that wasn’t the first time, either – the EXACT same situation played out in the UK in 1990 because so many pet cats were dying in “safe neighbourhoods”
ifesbob 