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The Predominance of Wild-Animal Suffering Over Happiness: an Open
The Predominance of Wild-Animal Suffering over Happiness: An Open Problem Abstract I present evidence supporting the position that wild animals, taken as a whole, experience more suffering than happiness. This seems particularly true if, as is possible if not very likely, insects1 can suffer, since insects have lifespans of only a few weeks and are orders of magnitude more preponderate than other animals. I do not know what should be done about this problem, but I propose that further work on the subject might include • Continued study of whether insects are sentient, • Investigation of the effects (negative and positive) of various types of environ- mental destruction on wild-animal welfare, and • Research on ways to alleviate the pain endured by animals in the wild, especially that of insects and other small animals. Of course, even if wild-animal lives are generally worth living, efforts to reduce their suffering may still be worthwhile. I encourage readers to contact me with any insights into these issues: webmaster [\at"] utilitarian-essays.com 1 Introduction The fact that in nature one creature may cause pain to another, and even deal with it instinctively in the most cruel way, is a harsh mystery that weighs upon us as long as we live. One who has reached the point where he does not suffer ever again because of this has ceased to be a man. |Albert Schweitzer [31, Ch. 3] Many advocates of animal welfare assume that animals in the wild are, on the whole, happy. For instance, the site utilitarian.org includes a proposal to create a wildlife reserve, the main \Utility value" of which would come from \The value of life over death for the animals who will live there" [62]. -
Ecuador's Biodiversity Hotspots
Ecuador’s Biodiversity Hotspots Destination: Andes, Amazon & Galapagos Islands, Ecuador Duration: 19 Days Dates: 29th June – 17th July 2018 Exploring various habitats throughout the wonderful & diverse country of Ecuador Spotting a huge male Andean bear & watching as it ripped into & fed on bromeliads Watching a Eastern olingo climbing the cecropia from the decking in Wildsumaco Seeing ~200 species of bird including 33 species of dazzling hummingbirds Watching a Western Galapagos racer hunting, catching & eating a Marine iguana Incredible animals in the Galapagos including nesting flightless cormorants 36 mammal species including Lowland paca, Andean bear & Galapagos fur seals Watching the incredible and tiny Pygmy marmoset in the Amazon near Sacha Lodge Having very close views of 8 different Andean condors including 3 on the ground Having Galapagos sea lions come up & interact with us on the boat and snorkelling Tour Leader / Guides Overview Martin Royle (Royle Safaris Tour Leader) Gustavo (Andean Naturalist Guide) Day 1: Quito / Puembo Francisco (Antisana Reserve Guide) Milton (Cayambe Coca National Park Guide) ‘Campion’ (Wildsumaco Guide) Day 2: Antisana Wilmar (Shanshu), Alex and Erica (Amazonia Guides) Gustavo (Galapagos Islands Guide) Days 3-4: Cayambe Coca Participants Mr. Joe Boyer Days 5-6: Wildsumaco Mrs. Rhoda Boyer-Perkins Day 7: Quito / Puembo Days 8-10: Amazon Day 11: Quito / Puembo Days 12-18: Galapagos Day 19: Quito / Puembo Royle Safaris – 6 Greenhythe Rd, Heald Green, Cheshire, SK8 3NS – 0845 226 8259 – [email protected] Day by Day Breakdown Overview Ecuador may be a small country on a map, but it is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of life and biodiversity. -
Caribbean Ornithology
The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology RESEARCH ARTICLE Vol. 31:38–47. 2018 New sightings of melanistic Green Herons (Butorides virescens) in the Caribbean suggest overlooked polymorphism Jacob R. Drucker Ruth E. Bennett Lila K. Fried Mona L. Kazour Darin J. McNeil, Jr. Photo: Ruth E. Bennett The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology jco.birdscaribbean.org ISSN 1544-4953 RESEARCH ARTICLE Vol. 31:38–47. 2018 www.birdscaribbean.org New sightings of melanistic Green HeronsButorides ( virescens) in the Caribbean suggest overlooked polymorphism Jacob R. Drucker1, Ruth E. Bennett2,3, Lila K. Fried4, Mona L. Kazour5, and Darin J. McNeil, Jr.2,6 Abstract Intraspecific variation in animal coloration arises from the expression of heritable genes under different selection pressures and stochastic processes. Documenting patterns of intraspecific color variation is an important first step to under- standing the mechanisms that determine species appearance. Within the heron genus Butorides, plumage coloration varies across space, among distinct taxonomic groups, and within polymorphic populations. The melanistic Lava Heron (B. striata sundevalli) of the Galápagos has been the subject of considerable taxonomic confusion and debate, while an erythristic morph of Green Heron (B. virescens) has been largely overlooked in recent literature. Here we report a new sighting of three melanistic individuals of Green Heron from Útila, Bay Islands, Honduras, in February 2017. In light of our discovery, we conducted a review of aberrantly plumaged Green Herons and present evidence for the existence of two previously unrecognized color morphs, both primarily found in coastal mangroves of the western Caribbean region. We are the first to formally describe a melanistic morph of Green Heron and discuss the widespread and highly variable erythristic morph within the context of a color-polymor- phic Green Heron. -
Assam Extension I 17Th to 21St March 2015 (5 Days)
Trip Report Assam Extension I 17th to 21st March 2015 (5 days) Greater Adjutant by Glen Valentine Tour leaders: Glen Valentine & Wayne Jones Trip report compiled by Glen Valentine Trip Report - RBT Assam Extension I 2015 2 Top 5 Birds for the Assam Extension as voted by tour participants: 1. Pied Falconet 4. Ibisbill 2. Greater Adjutant 5. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon 3. White-winged Duck Honourable mentions: Slender-billed Vulture, Swamp Francolin & Slender-billed Babbler Tour Summary: Our adventure through the north-east Indian subcontinent began in the bustling city of Guwahati, the capital of Assam province in north-east India. We kicked off our birding with a short but extremely productive visit to the sprawling dump at the edge of town. Along the way we stopped for eye-catching, introductory species such as Coppersmith Barbet, Purple Sunbird and Striated Grassbird that showed well in the scopes, before arriving at the dump where large frolicking flocks of the endangered and range-restricted Greater Adjutant greeted us, along with hordes of Black Kites and Eastern Cattle Egrets. Eastern Jungle Crows were also in attendance as were White Indian One-horned Rhinoceros and Citrine Wagtails, Pied and Jungle Mynas and Brown Shrike. A Yellow Bittern that eventually showed very well in a small pond adjacent to the dump was a delightful bonus, while a short stroll deeper into the refuse yielded the last remaining target species in the form of good numbers of Lesser Adjutant. After our intimate experience with the sought- after adjutant storks it was time to continue our journey to the grassy plains, wetlands, forests and woodlands of the fabulous Kaziranga National Park, our destination for the next two nights. -
Western Birds
WESTERN BIRDS Vol. 49, No. 4, 2018 Western Specialty: Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Second-cycle or third-cycle Herring Gull at Whiting, Indiana, on 25 January 2013. The inner three primaries on each wing of this bird appear fresher than the outer primaries. They may represent the second alternate plumage (see text). Photo by Desmond Sieburth of Los Angeles, California: Golden-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysogenys) San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico, 30 December 2016 Endemic to western mainland Mexico from Sinaloa south to Oaxaca, the Golden-cheeked Woodpecker comprises two well-differentiated subspecies. In the more northern Third-cycle (or possibly second-cycle) Herring Gull at New Buffalo, Michigan, on M. c. chrysogenys the hindcrown of both sexes is largely reddish with only a little 14 September 2014. Unlike the other birds illustrated on this issue’s back cover, in this yellow on the nape, whereas in the more southern M. c. flavinuchus the hindcrown is individual the pattern of the inner five primaries changes gradually from feather to uniformly yellow, contrasting sharply with the forehead (red in the male, grayish white feather, with no abrupt contrast. Otherwise this bird closely resembles the one on the in the female). The subspecies intergrade in Nayarit. Geographic variation in the outside back cover, although the prealternate molt of the other body and wing feathers Golden-cheeked Woodpecker has not been widely appreciated, perhaps because so many has not advanced as far. birders and ornithologists are familiar with the species from San Blas, in the center of Photos by Amar Ayyash the zone of intergradation. Volume 49, Number 4, 2018 The 42nd Annual Report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2016 Records Guy McCaskie, Stephen C. -
Species List
Naturalist Journeys and Caligo Ventures Galapagos Birding and Wildlife Tour Species List – May 29 – June 5, 2017 With note from Ecuador (Puembo/Antisana National Park 1 day-pre-trip) Guides Carol Simon & Howard Topoff, with local experts and 18 participants Galapagos Islands Birds (40 species): Anatidae: Ducks, Geese, and Swans (1) White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis— seen Tuesday on Floreana Phoenicopteridae: Flamingos (1) American Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber— Several in brackish lagoon at Punta Cormorant, Floreana Island seen on Wed Spheniscidae: Penguins (1) Galapagos Penguin Spheniscus mendiculus— seen near Punta Cormorant Wed; Bartolome on Fri Procellariidae: Petrels and Shearwaters (1) Galapagos Shearwater Puffinus subalaris— Open water bird seen near San Cristobal Mon/ Espanola Tues/ Floreana Wed / South Plazas Sat Hydrobatidae: Storm-Petrels (1) Elliot’s Storm Petrel Oceanites gracilis— Common throughout Galapagos, skittering across the water Phaethontidae: Tropicbirds (1) Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus— Tues flying near Espanola/on nest off Champion Island near Florana Wed/ South Plazas Sat Fregatidae: Frigatebirds (2) Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens— Seen toward beginning, San Cristobal, Sun/ following our boat on Mon / Off Espanola Tues / Floreana on Wednesday . Santa Cruz Thursday /off Bartolome Fri / North Seymour Sat / on the boat Sun Great Frigatebird Fregata minor— on Punta Pitt off San Cristobal Monday / on North Seymour Sat Sulidae: Gannets and Boobies (3) Nazca Booby Sula granti— Seen on bridge -
Pair Formation Behavior of the Galapagos Lava Heron
VUson Bull., 95(l), 1983, pp. 118-121 GENERAL NOTES Pair formation behavior of the Galapagos Lava Heron.-The Lava Heron (Butorides striatus sundeualli) is a small ardeid endemic to the Galapagos Islands (Harris, Birds of Galapagos, Collins, London, England, 1974). Th ’ IS h eron is characterized by its dark plumage and rather sedentary habits (Hancock and Elliott, The Herons of the World, London Editions, London, England, 1978). The birds occur along lava rock shorelines in the Galapagos, where they occupy permanent territories containing their nest-sites (Snow, Living Bird 13:15-72, 1975). This herons’ breeding behavior is poorly known. In the only previous study of this species, Snow (1975) noted several differences between Lava and Green-backed herons (B. s. virescens), and she did not observe several pair bonding behaviors typical of herons. These findings suggested that the breeding behavior of the Lava Heron might be atypical compared to other populations of B. striatus. During a study of Lava Heron territoriality, I was able to examine some aspects of pair formation. Although the study period was short, I observed a number of displays and followed one pair through courtship. In this paper I compare the pair formation behaviors of Lava Herons with those of Green-backed Herons and with the observations of Snow (1975). I especially consider how the sedentary habits and the permanent residency of this bird might have influenced the development of various courtship displays. Study sites and methods.-My study was conducted on three sites in the Galapagos Islands in December 1978 and January 1979: Academy Bay on Isla Santa Cruz (14 days), James Bay on Isla Santiago (10 days), and Cartago Bay on Isla Isabella (2 days). -
Lava Heron Fishing Success: the Impact of Water Depth
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day Undergraduate Research 4-26-2018 Lava Heron Fishing Success: The Impact of Water Depth Ellen Munshower College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University, [email protected] Brianna Westendorf College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/ur_cscday Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Munshower, Ellen and Westendorf, Brianna, "Lava Heron Fishing Success: The Impact of Water Depth" (2018). Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day. 47. https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/ur_cscday/47 This Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Lava Heron Fishing Success: The Impact of Water Depth Ellen Munshower and Brianna Westendorf Abstract: The Galápagos Lava Heron (Butorides striata sundevalli) is a small bird that is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. It is territorial and primarily preys on small fish. Currently, there is little research on these herons, so any information will be helpful in better understanding their ecological processes. During a biology course on the islands (July 2017), we observed the hunting patterns of herons specifically their strike patterns. We hypothesized that Lava Heron’s fishing practices would differ depending on water depth. We predicted the successful strike rates would be higher in shallower water, and herons would more likely to hunt standing in the water in shallow water versus standing on rocks when hunting in deeper water. -
Wildlife of the Galapagos Ebook
WILDLIFE OF THE GALAPAGOS PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Julian Fitter | 288 pages | 14 Jan 2016 | HarperCollins Publishers | 9780008156732 | English | London, United Kingdom Wildlife of the Galapagos PDF Book Prickly Pear Cactus. The marine iguana is also extremely unusual, since it is the only iguana adapted to life in the sea. Galapagos hermit crabs. Reptiles While most of the world finds that mammals are the predominant land animals, the Galapagos Islands' land animals are dominated by reptiles. The vast majority of such rafts would have sunk well before they ever reached Galapagos, but it would have only taken a handful of successful rafts to wash ashore to explain the present reptile diversity in Galapagos. Galapagos Sea Lion Photo by Reinier Munguia These are one of the more common animals that can be found on the islands, either splashing and diving through the ocean or basking on sandy beach shores. With bodies up to 45 inches long and a massive wingspan, they can usually be seen soaring aloft often on wind currents created by boats , never touching the water. On the other hand, there are many mammal species, mostly sea mammals such as whales , dolphins and sea lions. At night they come out to hunt a variety of insects, including moths, flies, true bugs, beetles and cicadas. Talk with an expert Ask a Question. They have an endangered species status, as there are less than 2, of them on the islands. Explained briefly, the concept of the evolution of species is based on a number of characteristics of survival and reproduction. Cetaceans of Galapagos. -
Melanistic Green Herons (Butorides Virescens) in Cuba
Copyright © 2011. McLachlan, A. 2011. Melanistic Green Herons (Butorides virescens) in Cuba. Journal of Heron Biology and Conservation 1:1 [online] www.HeronConservation.org/ JHBC/vol01/art01/ Melanistic Green Herons (Butorides virescens) in Cuba Andrew McLachlan Thornton, Ontario, L0L 2N2, Canada; [email protected] Abstract Small herons of the genus Butorides are known to have populations showing polymorphic plumage, most notably on the Galapagos. Black-plumaged individuals were observed and photographed in Cuba, in the Jardines del rey archipelago, on the island of Cayo Santa Maria. That more than one individual was observed suggests the possibility that this may be a polymorphism, the first suggested for the Green Heron (Butorides virescens). Key words: Atlantic Ocean; color morph; Jardines del rey; melanism; plumage; UNESCO World Bios- phere. Introduction plumage being an apparent adaptation for forag- ing out in the open on a dark surface (Kushlan The herons of the genus Butorides are small birds 2009). For the Green Heron (Butorides virescens), found in a variety of habitats, ranging from small there is much variation geographically in neck streams, ponds and marshes (Kushlan and Han- color, but few reports of overall plumage devia- cock 2005). Those with surrounding cover are tion (Kushlan and Hancock 2005). In this paper, I most suitable. In such habitats, these herons for- report and document photographically apparently age for a variety of prey such as small fish, frogs, melanistic Green Herons in Cuba. and crustaceans (Davis and Kushlan 1994). The plumages of these herons make them rather cam- ouflaged within such feeding sites, being variably Methods dark above and striped below. -
Geographic Variation, Hybridization, and Taxonomy of New World Butorides Herons
Geographicvariation, hybridization,and taxonomyof New WorldButorides herons FloydE. Hayes devallias specifically distinct. Departmentof LifeSciences In a criticalreanalysis of specimensfrom the Panamaniancontact zone Universityofthe West Indies betweenB. virescensand B. striatus, Monroe and Browning (1992) concluded St.,A, ugustine thatinterbreeding between the two forms was limited and recommended that Trinidadand Tobago theybe recognizedas distinct species. This conclusion was accepted by the (email:[email protected]) AmericanOrnithologists' Union (1993,1998), which resplit Butorides into threeseparate species. ABSTRACT Giventhe existence of individualsappearing intermediate between these •o eNew World B•torides herons comprise three distinct forms whose tax- formsin theareas where their ranges meet and the debated taxunomic signif- nomyhas been debated: the rufous-necked Green Heron (B. virescens) of icanceof suchindividuals, the followingreview is offeredto synthesizecur- North America,Central America, and the WestIndies; the gray-necked rentknowledge and to stimulatefurther study of the geographicvariation, StriatedHeron (B. striatus)of SouthAmerica and the Old World; and the hybridization,taxonomy, and identification of NewWorld Butorides herons. darkLava Heron (B. sunderalii) of theGal•pagos Islands. An extensiveanaly- sisby Payne(1974) concluded that they interbreed freely where their ranges MOLTSPLUMAGES, AND SOFT PARTS meetand should be considered conspecific. However, Monroe and Browning A soundanalysis of geographicvariation and taxonomy in birdsis premised (1992)alleged that Payhe's voucher specimens used as a hybridindex for B. uponcomparisons of individuals of likeage, which in turn requiresa thor- virescensand B. striatus included juveniles and did notrepresent a continuous oughunderstanding of molts and plumages. Although Butorides herons are series;they concluded that B. virescensand B. striatusrarely interbreed and widespreadand relatively common, the sequence of theirmolts and plumages werespecifically distinct. -
Green Heron Preys Upon Hummingbirds Michael C
NOTES GREEN HERON PREYS UPON HUMMINGBIRDS MICHAEL C. LONG, 6128 N. Reno Ave., Temple City, California 91780; [email protected] KIMBALL L. GARRETT, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los An- geles, California 90007; [email protected] On 5 February 2017, William Peebles photographed an adult Green Heron (Bu- torides virescens) capturing two separate hummingbirds at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia, Los Angeles Co., California. The encounter took place at the waterfall created in the south-central portion of the grounds. Peebles’ written descrip- tion of the encounter is paraphrased in this note. As Peebles approached the waterfall, he noticed a Green Heron standing on top of the falls. The heron seemed preoccupied, and Peebles noticed that several hum- mingbirds seemed to be harassing it. He watched for a minute or so and noted a hummingbird hovering a few feet in front of the heron. The heron, clearly agitated, twisted its head to follow the hummingbirds as they flew around it. To obtain a closer view Peebles moved to a position above the falls. There he immediately noticed that the heron had captured an Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by the tail (Figure 1), though he did not witness the actual capture. The hummingbird escaped this encounter with the heron. Peebles repositioned himself to get closer and found that the heron had captured a second hummingbird, this time an Allen’s (Selasphorus sasin). Again he did not witness the capture, but photographed the event until the heron had completely swallowed the hummingbird (Figure 2). Davis and Kushlan (1994) did not mention birds among the foods reported for the Green Heron in the primary literature on the species.