Snake from Ethiopia identified as new viper species, Bitis harenna

A team of scientists led by Museum researchers have identified and named a new species of viper, Bitis harenna, that lives in Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains National Park.

These snakes are mostly black with narrow pale markings, and they are thought to grow to about a metre in length.

All other species of Bitis have potent venom, making it likely that this newly discovered species is capable of giving a lethal bite to their prey or in defence.

A single sighting

Museum zoologist Dr David Gower, who led the study, says: 'As far as we know, biologists have only once seen this snake in the wild.

'It is not yet clear whether the species is extremely rare, or is simply secretive and rarely encountered. The only photos were taken as it was disappearing into the undergrowth - at the time, the team that chanced upon it didn’t realise it was such an important sighting.'

The study involved researchers from the UK, Germany and USA. They have previously worked closely with Ethiopian colleagues, logging hundreds of hours of fieldwork studying the reptiles and amphibians of the Bale Mountains.

Despite the many hours the team have spent searching the area, both at night and during the day, the new species is known only from a single museum specimen, which was collected in the late 1960s.

Until the latest research, this specimen was thought to be an unusually patterned example of Bitis parviocula, a similar Ethiopian viper.

The sighting of the snake in the wild, in 2013, prompted the team of scientists to re-examine the historical museum specimen.

Micro-CT scanning carried out in the Museum’s Imaging and Analysis Centre revealed details of the skull that enabled the team to confirm the viper as a separate species.

It is distinguished by its unique colour patterns, the structure of its skull, and differences in its head proportions and number of scales.

A threatened habitat

The new species is named Bitis harenna after the Harenna Forest, the part of the Bale Mountains National Park where it was observed.

 Harenna Forest, the part of the Bale Mountains National Park

This globally important National Park is a biodiversity hotspot, home to many species that are found nowhere else on the planet. It is also known as the last remaining stronghold of the Ethiopian wolf.

Sadly, the habitats of the Harenna Forest and other parts of the Bale Mountains National Park are under threat from cattle grazing and deforestation, with serious repercussions for the wildlife living there.

In another recent study, also led by Museum researchers, four frog groups unique to the region were discovered to have plummeted in number.

Dr Gower says, 'The discovery of the new viper further highlights the importance of protecting the natural environment in Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains.'

Unlike the elusive new species, Bitis parviocula is traded as a pet in Europe and North America. But it is also still poorly understood, with only three museum specimens known worldwide.

The new viper species was seen in the Harenna Forest, which lies on steep slopes in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia

Dr Gower concludes: 'Much more research is needed to locate populations of Bitis harenna and to learn about the biology of these two viper species`.

Tiger dad: Rare family portrait of amur tigers the first-ever to include an adult male

Source:

Wildlife Conservation Society

Summary:

Biologists have released a camera trap slideshow of a family of Amur tigers in the wild showing an adult male with family. Shown following the “tiger dad” along the Russian forest is an adult female and three cubs. Scientists note this is a first in terms of photographing this behavior, as adult male tigers are usually solitary. Also included was a photo composite of a series of images showing the entire family as they walked past the a camera trap over a period of two minutes.

The Wildlife Conservation Society's Russia Program, in partnership with the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve and Udegeiskaya Legenda National Park, released a camera trap slideshow of a family of Amur tigers in the wild showing an adult male with family. Shown following the "tiger dad" along the Russian forest is an adult female and three cubs. Scientists note this is a first in terms of photographing this behavior, as adult male tigers are usually solitary. Also included was a photo composite of a series of images showing the entire family as they walked past the a camera trap over a period of two minutes.

WCS Russia Director Dr. Dale Miquelle said, "Although WCS's George Schaller documented sporadic familial groups of Bengal tigers as early as the 1960s, this is the first time such behavior has been photographed for Amur tigers in the wild. These photos provide a small vignette of social interactions of Amur tigers, and provide an evocative snapshot of life in the wild for these magnificent animals."

 

The photos resulted from a 2014-2015 project establishing a network of camera traps across both Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve and Udegeiskaya Legenda National Park (adjacent protected areas). The goal of the effort is to gain a better understanding about the number of endangered Amur tigers in the region. Although results are still being examined, the biggest surprise was a remarkable series of 21 photographs that showed the entire family of tigers passing the same camera trap (cameras activated by motion) in the span of two minutes.

Svetlana Soutyrina, a former WCS Russia employee and currently the Deputy Director for Scientific Programs at the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve, set these camera traps and conveyed her elation at the discovery: "We have collected hundreds of photos of tigers over the years, but this is the first time we have recorded a family together. These images confirm that male Amur tigers do participate in family life, at least occasionally, and we were lucky enough to capture one such moment."

In 2005, the last time a range-wide survey of Amur tigers was conducted, it was estimated there were 430-500 tigers estimated remaning in the wild in the Russian Far East

The exact population size of Amur tigers is difficult to estimate. Every ten years an ambitious, range-wide survey is conducted that involves hundreds of scientists, hunters, and volunteers. The results of the most recent of these surveys, undertaken in February 2015, will be released by summer. In 2005, the last time a range-wide survey of Amur tigers was conducted, it was estimated there were 430-500 tigers estimated remaning in the wild. The WCS Russia Program plays a critical role in monitoring tigers and their prey species in the Russian Far East and minimizing potential conflicts between tigers and human communities. WCS works to save tiger populations and their remaining habitat in nine range countries across Asia.

 

This program has been supported by the Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation, the Columbus Zoo Conservation Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Rhinoceros & Tiger Conservation Fund, the AZA Tiger Species Survival Plan's Tiger Conservation Campaign, and the US Forest Service International Programs.

Full-annual-cycle models track migratory bird populations throughout the year

Central Ornithology Publication Office

Summary:

Many birds spend only a few months of the year in their breeding range before leaving to spend the winter in another region or even on another continent, and models that only make use of data from one season may not paint a complete picture. For this reason, researchers have written the first comprehensive review of the different types of full-annual-cycle modeling approaches available to ecologists.

Ignoring the wintering ranges of migratory birds when studying their populations is like doing a puzzle with half of the pieces missing. In a new Review published this week in The Auk: Ornithological Advances, Jeffrey Hostetler and his colleagues show how statistical analysis can fill in those missing pieces.

Many birds spend only a few months of the year in their breeding range before leaving to spend the winter in another region or even on another continent, and models that only make use of data from one season may not paint a complete picture; climate change, in particular, is likely to affect breeding, migratory, and winter ranges in different ways. For this reason, Jeffrey Hostetler, T. Scott Sillett, and Peter P. Marra of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center have written the first comprehensive review of the different types of full-annual-cycle modeling approaches available to ecologists, including suggestions for potential improvements and the best model types for different situations. This Review highlights the importance of incorporating data from all parts of migratory birds' annual movements when developing demographic models to study changes in their populations.

"In discussions over the past several years, biologists repeatedly have expressed the need for full-annual-cycle models that would enable decisions about how best to target strategic conservation action," explains Hostetler. "Writing this paper provided an opportunity for me to explore both models that I was very familiar with and those that I was less familiar with, as well as share my own thoughts on what full-annual-cycle modeling techniques are most useful for conservation and ecological research." He adds that much of the work in this area so far has been theoretical due to the lack of real-world data tracking bird populations as they move between different parts of their range. "As scientists' ability to track migratory animals throughout the year continues to improve, we expect that these models will increasingly be applied."

"As our knowledge of interactions between different components of avian annual cycles rapidly grows, it is critical that we integrate this knowledge into how we model population dynamics," according to Ohio State University professor Chris Tonra, an expert on migratory birds' seasonal interactions who was not involved with the paper.

"This Review marks a giant step forward applying the basic science of full annual cycle studies to understanding the nature of population limitation and regulation necessary for managing and conserving migratory birds."

Journal Reference:

1. Jeffrey A. Hostetler, T. Scott Sillett, Peter P. Marra. Full-annual-cycle population models for migratory birds. The Auk, 2015; 132 (2): 433 DOI: 10.1642/AUK-14-211.1