Animal World

Some have argued that fishing is a cruel sport because it causes the fish pain, but how true is this ?Researchers now believe that fish aren"t actually capable of feeling pain because they lack the brain power for it. The fish"s reaction to having a hook through its mouth is said to be subconscious and not a response to pain stimuli. Unlike in humans, the "nociceptors" in a fish simply trigger an unconscious reaction to a threatas oppose to actual physical discomfort."Anglers care passionately about the protection of fish stocks and do more than any other group to protect and improve freshwater and marine environments," said Anglers" Trust head Mark Lloyd.

"Modern fishing tackle and techniques mean that fish which are released have an excellent survival rate and if fish are to be eaten, then angling is by far the most sustainable way of catching them." A study has found that, even when caught on ahook and wriggling, the fish is impervious to pain because it does not have the necessary brain power.  

View: Full article |  Source: Telegraph  

A science team has managed to capture footage of a giant squid in its natural habitat for the first time.Researchers from Japan"s National Science Museum have succeeded in filming one of the most elusive creatures on Earth, the giant squid, 900m below the surface of the ocean in its natural habitat. Using a submersible vehicle, special cameras and a lot of patience the team recorded over 400 hours of footage across100 missions to the depths before capturing one of the animals on film."It was shining and so beautiful," said team member Tsunemi Kubodera.

"With this footage we hope to discover more about the life of the species." The video is due to be broadcast as part of a Discovery Channel documentary called "Monster Squid: The Giant Is Real" which will premiere on January 27th as part of its "Curiosity" series. A team from Japan’s National Science Museum has capturedwhat’s considered the first ever film footage of a giant squid in its natural habitat, about 900 metres below sea level.  

View: Full article |  Source: CBC.ca  

The last Javan rhinoceros living in Vietnam has died meaning that the subspecies is now extinct.Back in 2010 there were reports of a large female rhino aged between 15 and 25 being shot and killed by poachers for the purpose of removing its horn, now it appears that this individual was in fact the last of its kind. This is the second subspecies of Javan rhino to be driven to extinction,the third and final subspecies exists in limited numbers in Indonesia with only 35 individuals remaining."The Javan rhino is only the tip of the iceberg," said conservationist Sarah Brooke.

"Many other species are declining rapidly in Vietnam and remain in only fragments of their former ranges with very small populations." It"s official: There are no more rhinos left in Vietnam. A large female Javan rhino, estimated to be between 15and 25 years old, was shot and killed in late April 2010, and had its horn removed by a poacher.  

View: Full article |  Source: Live Science  

A remarkable photo of a shark attempting to eat another shark has gone viral since appearing on-line.The picture was taken off Kaiteriteri Beach near Nelson in New Zealand by a Reddit user who goes by the name "Mancubus". The image shows a small school shark caught on a fishing line while underneath the lower part of its body has been caught in the jaws of a much larger blue shark. It"s an unusual and fascinating image and one that has gained a hugeamount of attention since appearing on the Internet."Blue sharks often steal fish off people"s lines at this time of year and they also commonly eat other shark species," said shark expert and marine scientist Clinton Duffy.

While both species are common to the waters around New Zealand the blue shark is becoming more of a rarity in the region due to the practice of shark-finning. A spectacular photo believed to have been taken off Kaiteriteri Beach near Nelson in New Zealand proves it"s ashark-eat-shark world out there – and that you should always watch your tail.  

View: Full article |  Source: Daily Mail