Images of the Week

August 29, 2008

The last seven days have been jam-packed with news events covering every possible emotion. Here are a few reminders of the week that was:

The Democratic National Convention wrapped up. (I doubt a dog could vocalize "McCain," but maybe "Palin" would be possible? Surely someone has a dog that can howl "Biden.")

Dolphin protector and city councilor Lawrence Makili, who monitors the Solomon Island tuna industry to ensure that catches are dolphin safe, was abducted and severely beaten this week. Earth Island Institute, an organization that Makili is associated with in the states, reported that eight men in two cars forcibly drove him outside of his town and attempted to kill him before he fought back and escaped. The below photo shows Makili from his hospital bed. Be aware that such advocates daily risk their lives for the sake of animals and human safety.

(Credit: Mark Palmer, Earth Island Institute)

A great white shark made its public debut at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. The great white will only be on exhibit for a few months (before it's returned to the wild), so try to visit the aquarium soon.

University of Basel scientists Flore Mas and Mathias Koelliker studied the complex family lives of bugs. It turns out that insect parents face many of the challenges that human parents do, including pushy, begging kids. Here, a female burrow bug feeds dinner to her hungry brood.
(Credit: Patrick Alexander)

University of Calgary and Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology scientists found a 75-million-year-old fossil of a pregnant turtle. It's the first known fossil of its kind.
(Credit: Ken Bendiktsen/University of Calgary)

To end on a very upbeat note, the World Conservation Society just announced that it's discovered two unexpectedly huge populations of two globally threatened primates. The monkey mother lode consists of 42,000 black-shanked douc langurs and 2,500 yellow-cheeked crested gibbons, all observed in a protected area of Cambodia. Further conservation measures are needed, however, to safeguard these species.
(Credit: Allan Michaud)

Comments

[Joe]

It wasn't a pregnant turtle and HER nest of eggs - the nest and turtle were discovered 6 years apart.

[Jen Viegas]

Thanks, Joe.

[Keri Hulme]

You know, I'm not a dog (or cat) person, but Lucy? - well. go girl!
There's a huge number of us out here, in the wider world, who really hope the USA
will opt for - well, Lucy's party!

[Jen Viegas]

The international attention on the U.S. presidential election has been amazing and indicative of how well informed so many of you are. Thank you, Keri, for stopping by Born Animal too.-Jen