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Biology: Atlantic Molly fish of Mexico survive high hydrogen sulfide acid. There is hope for the future of fish as the world is polluted more every day. Some fish can live in extreme toxic, acidic environments. For example, the Atlantic Molly fish of Mexico can survive high levels of hydrogen sulfide acid. They are the only fish in volcanic freshwater springs. Mollies do not filter out the toxin. They turn on certain genes that do the filtering job for them. Of the fish's 35,000 genes 170 are enhanced in the process: these linked genes are all involved in removing hydrogen sulfide. If things get serious and species of fish begin to die out, this group of genes could be "spliced" into the gene structure of endangered fish. They would not be the same fish, but at least some vestige of the evolutionary sequence of dying fish would live on. ◆ Biology by Ty Buchanan   ◆ Adventure Australia Funny Animal Photos Funny Weird Things Articles News Reviews ●

Australia is again ignoring advice and is pushing an endangered bird to extinction. There are fewer than 2,000 swift parrots left. Most are taken by sugar gliders. However, destruction of habitat is a major threat. They could be extinct in 15 years. Logging is being allowed in the bird's breeding areas. They do not nest if their natural environment is changed. People have lobbied the Tasmanian government with no success. There is high unemployment in Tasmania and job creation takes priority over birdlife. The swift parrot is already on the endangered list. This does not guarantee any work to save it. If it is put on the critically endangered list something will be done. An application has already been submitted to the federal government. It will take time to get this through the government bureaucracy. ✴ Conservation by Ty Buchanan ✴ http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/ http://www.tysaustralia.blogspot.com/ http://adventure--australia.blogspot.

There is no way that Australia can prevent the extinction of some native animal species. Some can  be preserved with a national gene bank. Though a seed bank has already been set up to save native flora, nothing is planned for fauna. Present debate is centered on the loss of the northern and southern gastric brooding frog. If a gene bank had existed the frog would have been preserved. Australia has the worst record of native animals going extinct than anywhere else, not something to be proud of. Over 40 birds and mammals have disappeared since European settlement. Because government has been slow in allocating resources, private organizations have started gene banks. Indeed Taronga Conservation society Australia has stored genes from 20 native animals. This is far from adequate. Over 2,000 species need preservation. With the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, the Animal Gene Storage and Resource Centre of Australia at Monash University has a total of 100 endangered sp

Endangered species in Australia tend to be those that do not fair well in human affection. Plenty is spent on koalas because they are seen as cuddly. In reality though they are not. Indeed, if one attempts to pick up a wild koala it goes on an all out attack if it cannot get away. Some endangered animals are not exactly ugly. The grey-headed flying fox, a bat, is quite cute as shown in the photo.  It is just not in the mainline thinking of people. The average person knows very little about it. Many cringe when the word "bat" is mentioned. They do carry some diseases, but cases where bats pass these on to humans are quite rare. The grey-headed bat is Australia's largest and is responsible for pollination of many plants, mostly trees. There are more than 19,000 threatened species in Australia, 1,000 of them mammals. Some species that could be saved with a small amount of money are not helped, while others such as koalas get too much money. Koalas are being pampe

Australia's slaughter of wildlife continues despite warnings from CSIRO. Nearly half of Australian mammals will end their existence very soon. Zoologist Fred Ford said 11 extinctions have occurred in recent years in the south-eastern forests of Australia. The reserve system is not working. They are just for show. Plants are doing well because they are surviving outside and inside reserves. Nothing is being done to protect small native mammals. Reserves are havens for introduced feral animals and invasive weeds. Rangers are not being trained to look after the endangered species. Money should be allocated more efficiently. With all the money put into reserves there must be more positive outcomes. Native animal need to be researched and the data must be analyzed. Records should be kept to formulate action. An astounding 65 per cent of reptiles in Australia have been discovered in the last 35 years. The public has not been adequately informed of this. http://www.adventure--australia

Though there are worries over extinction of all animals, it is reptiles who are in most danger. Some reptiles are pretty, but for the most part they are seen as ugly. Because of this they lose out on conservation funding. This is serious with one in five reptile species predicted to die out. People are moving into previously pristine regions of the tropics to log valuable trees and to practice logging. The conclusion about endangered reptiles has been reached by 200 of the world's scientific experts. Funding is not enough. We need to change human behavior. This of course means changing human needs, which is more challenging. Concentrating on saving turtles is good for them. Other reptiles, however, remain at risk. The living and reproductive systems of many reptiles is still unknown. Out of sight, out of mind leads to extinction. Reptiles tend to live in the toughest of environments. Such specialization does result in their demise when humans change the habitat. Tho