I love to travel, mainly to Africa where I was born, I enjoy reading and playing bridge. I go for rambles in the countryside. I collect stamps and go to T'ai Chi classes. I love my two cats and my garden birds. I adore the African wildlife and try to help Conservation groups.
Wildlife crime crackdown pledged.
A spate of poisonings has prompted the Scottish Executive move. A hard line on bird poisoning and wildlife crime has been promised by Environment Minister Mike Russell. Convictions could result in the removal of firearms licences or cutting farm aid payments under measures being considered by the Scottish Executive. Mr Russell confirmed the government was looking at such moves after a recent spate of poisonings. In particular, he said he had been "absolutely appalled" by the killing of a golden eagle in Peeblesshire.
Mr Russell made his statement while shadowing two of Scotland's wildlife crime officers in the Borders. "Birds of prey are magnificent creatures and wonderful assets for Scotland's biodiversity and tourism industry," he said. "Their welfare is the responsibility of all of us.
"Like everyone else in Scotland I was absolutely appalled by the recent spate of poisonings, especially that of the golden eagle in Peeblesshire." The minister said that while work was going on to tackle the problem, there was more that could be done. He said one possibility was the loss of a firearms licence for anyone who had poisoned an animal which Mr Russell said could be a "potentially huge disincentive to anyone working in the countryside."
"I will also look, with the justice secretary, at how best to use the new offence of knowingly causing or permitting the unlawful killing or injuring of a bird," he said. "Another sanction which I would like looked at is cutting the Single Farm Payment for estates implicated in bird poisonings. "There should be no doubt that the Scottish government is determined to stamp out this shameful and barbaric practice which has no place in a modern, civilised and environmentally friendly country."
Labour's environment spokeswoman, Sarah Boyack responded warily to the proposals. She said: "We back calls for greater use of financial penalties against landowners, however we would caution against targeting gamekeepers. "Responsibility and accountability should lie with the estate and not with individual workers."
Conservative spokesman John Scott agreed wildlife crime was a serious matter but warned of the danger of being "heavy-handed". He said: "In particular, the proposition that Single Farm Payments might be cut is not one that we could agree to, although we accept that all these suggested measures are to form the basis for further discussion and are not necessarily definite commitments." The call to look at how such crimes are punished has been backed by the Animal Concern Advice Line.
Secretary John Robins said it was important to hold landowners or shooting syndicates responsible for the action of their employees. "Those people who pay gamekeepers to kill protected birds should risk going to prison along with their criminal keepers," he said. "Raptor persecution has gone on for centuries but Mike Russell could put an end to it now if he takes decisive action and doesn't just double the fines levied on the monkeys. "He has to jail the organ grinders."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Spanish beach shut as shark seen.
The first shark sighted this summer became a hit with tourists. A shark has been sighted off the coast of south-eastern Spain, the second such sighting in as many weeks. The shark, which is said to measure around 1.5m (5ft), was spotted off the coast near Murcia on Wednesday and on Thursday. Its type is not known.
Several beaches have been closed as a result of the sighting. Another shark was seen earlier this month in north-eastern Spain, near Tarragona. It was captured and later died at the Barcelona aquarium. A team of biologists is trying to locate the Murcia shark to examine it and, if it is in good health, plans to lead it away from the shore.
"It's very rare to see a shark so close to the beach, now we're trying to find out if he's ill," said Luis Gestoso, the head of civil protection in Murcia. The first shark died at the Barcelona aquarium because its dorsal fin had been perforated by a harpoon. That shark was a 2m (7ft) female sandbar which swam regularly into view and became a novelty for tourists, reports say.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Texan spiders spin 'monster web'.
Park officials say the web is a big attraction… for some. An enormous spider web has been found at Lake Tawakoni State Park, Texas, US. It is not the work of one giant spider - rather, millions of small ones have been spinning away and now it is twice the size of a football field.
Park rangers are not sure why the spiders have joined forces - they describe it as a rare occurrence. Texas A&M University entomologist Professor John Jackman told Associated Press that there were reports of similar webs every couple of years. The web covers a 180m stretch of trees and shrubs in the park.
Although it was initially described as "fairy-tale" white, it has turned brown from all the mosquitoes caught in its trap. Experts say the web is either the work of social cobweb spiders that work together, or it has been created by spiders spreading out from a central point. The park superintendent, Donna Garde, has invited entomologists to the park to study it first-hand.
Rangers said they expected the web to last until the autumn, when the spiders will start dying off.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Rare dolphin 'sighted' in China.
The critically endangered Yangtze River dolphin, or baiji, has been sighted in eastern China, Chinese media report. Scientists had recently declared that the baiji was probably extinct. An international team of researchers spent six weeks looking for the creature last year without a single sighting.
But earlier this month the baiji was spotted and filmed by a local man, and confirmed by Chinese biologists, says official Xinhua news agency. "I never saw such a big thing in the water before so I filmed it," Zeng Yujiang from Anhui Province told Xinhua. "It was about 1,000 metres away and jumped out of the water several times."
Wang Kexiong from the Institute of Hydrobiology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said experts from the institute had confirmed the footage was of a baiji.
Wang Ding, also from the Institute of Hydrobiology and a leading authority on the species, said that the sighting could not be confirmed 100% because of the distance, but that it looked and acted like a baiji. Wang Ding said a team of scientists would visit the area to see if they could find the creature.
Although the sighting provides a small cause for hope that the creature could survive in the wild, the outlook is not good, says the BBC's East Asia editor Steve Jackson. In the 1950s there were thousands of Yangtze River dolphins, but numbers have declined drastically due to industrial pollution, heavy river traffic and over-fishing.
A survey by researchers in 1997 found only 13. If any wild baiji are found scientists will try to capture them and move them to a reserve where they would try to breed them if possible, Wang Ding said.
The last previous sighting of a wild baiji was in 2004, while the last captive baiji, Qi Qi, died in 2002.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Lucky dog inherits $12m fortune.
Trouble will one day be buried alongside his doting owner. New York hotelier and real estate billionaire Leona Helmsley has left $12m (£5.97m) to her pet dog, Trouble. The pampered pooch received the largest bequest from Mrs Helmsley's will. The will also says that when Trouble dies, she is to be buried alongside Mrs Helmsley, who died last week, and her late husband in their mausoleum.
But some human members of Mrs Helmsley's family fared less well, with two of her four grandchildren cut out of the will entirely. Mrs Helmsley, who died last week, was dubbed the "Queen of Mean" by the US media, and was known for her tough approach to business.
She and her late husband, Harry, built a company which managed some of New York's most prestigious addresses, including the Empire State Building, as well as hotels across the country.
The money for Trouble's upkeep was left in the hands of her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, who himself inherited $10m.
Two grandchildren, David and Walter Panzirer, were left $5m each on condition that they visit their father's grave at least once a year.
Their father, Mrs Helmsley's son Jay Panzirer, died in 1982.
But grandchildren Craig and Meegan Panzirer received nothing - "for reasons which are known to them", according to Mrs Helmsley's will.
Mrs Helmsley left her chauffeur $100,000. She also set aside $3m for the upkeep of her and her husband's final resting place.
Proceeds from the sale of Mrs Helmsley's residences and belongings will go to a charitable trust.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
"LIBERTY MEANS RESPONSIBILITY.
THAT IS WHY MOST MEN DREAD IT" !
Hedgehogs join 'protection' list .
Tidier gardens and urbanisation are blamed for hedgehogs' decline. Hedgehogs and house sparrows have been included on an updated list of species and habitats which need protection. The new Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) has identified 1,149 species and 65 habitats in the UK as being in need of conservation and greater protection.
When the action plan was launched in 1997, it listed 577 species - half the number included in the updated version. Wildlife experts said this was a result of wider research and not necessarily down to more habitat being destroyed. Other animals added to the list for the first time include the grass snake and the garden tiger moth; while otters, bottlenose dolphins and red squirrels are deemed to remain in need of habitat protection.
BAP PRIORITY SPECIES
Birds - 59 species
Fish (freshwater) - 14 species
Herptiles - 10 species
Lower plants and fungi - 337 species
Marine fauna and flora - 88 species
Invertebrates - 411 species
Terrestrial mammals - 18 species
Vascular plants - 212 species
(Source: UK Biodiversity Action Plan 2007)
But the latest BAP shows that a number of species have benefited from being featured on the original list 10 years ago. The numbers of ladybird spiders and lady's slipper orchids are at a 50-year high. The BAP is considered to be one of the most authoritative reference sources for the state of the UK's wildlife. The result of more than two years of research by more than 500 wildlife experts and a large number of volunteers, it brings together key scientific data on all the listed species in one document.
As well as outlining the state of British species, it also contributes to global conservation commitments, outlined in the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Biodiversity Minister Joan Ruddock said the updated action plan would help shape the government's conservation policy. "Conserving biodiversity is essential if we are to pass on a healthy environment to the next generation," Ms Ruddock said. "The new list will help us target our resources and efforts where they are needed, and demonstrates our commitment to publish new priorities, targets and plans for halting biodiversity loss by 2010."
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said that as well as the house sparrow, the starling was another familiar garden bird to feature on the BAP list of 59 bird species. "The fact that the bird list now includes more than a fifth of all the UK's regularly occurring birds is a cause for alarm, " said Mark Avery, the RSPB's conservation director. "We will have to act fast if we are to meet obligations of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010."
But Dr Avery added that the BAP had focused efforts on stemming the decline in a number of vulnerable species. "To its credit, we have seen dramatic increases in key species, like bittern, stone-curlew, corncrake, nightjar, cirl bunting and woodlark."
A separate study, also published on Tuesday, also highlighted the decline in the UK's hedgehog population. The study by the University of London for the People's Trust for Endangered Species and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society listed tidier gardens and urbanisation as key factors affecting the fall in the number of the small mammals.
Nigel Bourne, chairman of the Wildlife and Countryside Link's biodiversity working group, welcomed the updated list and called it a "major boost". "The list will focus efforts on the real, shared conservation priorities in the UK. "The conservation charities that make up Link... look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the government," Dr Bourne added. "Together we can turn the list into targeted action to deliver the conservation of our very special habitats and species."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Flu grips Australia's horse world.
An outbreak of equine influenza has hit Australia's multi-billion dollar horse-racing industry, causing meetings to be cancelled across the country. The highly contagious flu, which rarely kills adult horses but can be lethal for foals, was found at stables in the country's largest city, Sydney. Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran said the thoroughbred industry was facing its biggest-ever risk.
It is the first time equine influenza has appeared in Australia. The government banned the movement of horses for 72 hours after flu was found in 16 animals at two sites in Sydney. Only the Northern Territory has been spared the indefinite ban on horse racing, under which severe penalties will be imposed on anyone caught transporting horses.
"There could be no more serious situation, to be frank," Mr McGauran said on Australian TV. "But we're still optimistic. Nobody is panicking. The industry has not hesitated for a moment to bring in unprecedented measures of a kind that might be financially devastating but will give the containment strategy the best chance of succeeding."
Racing is one of Australia's great national pastimes, the BBC's Nick Bryant reports from Sydney. Horse-breeding has also been disrupted by the outbreak of a virus which kills about 40% of foals which come into contact with it. People are immune from the virus.
The suspension of racing will cost millions, not just to the horse industry but to the bookmakers as well, our correspondent notes. When equine influenza hit South Africa, it led to a five-month cessation of racing and if that happened in Australia it would lead to the cancellation of the Melbourne Cup - the fabled race that stops the nation.
The ban on horse movement could also affect the policing of the Apec meeting next month - a summit of more than 20 international leaders including US President George W Bush. With major protests planned on the streets of Sydney, mounted police units were due to be drafted in from other parts of the country.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Mystery deaths hit Saudi camels.
Nearly 2,000 camels have died in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to suspected poisoned animal feed. So far this month 1,982 camels have died. Symptoms include sweating, excitability, vomiting and fainting.
The country's Agriculture Ministry has said tests suggested the deaths were caused by animal feed which was contaminated by insecticide. Owners have been promised compensation by King Abdullah. Camels are big business in Saudi Arabia.
The animals began dying in the Dawasir Valley south of the capital Riyadh but other camel deaths have been recorded from Mecca to the border of Yemen. Camels are traded by Bedouin tribes for thousands of dollars each. The animals are used for racing and are also eaten.
Agriculture Minister Fahd Bilghoneim told a news conference: "Veterinary experts say the symptoms indicate cases of poisoning and not an infectious disease, and this accords with what camel owners have said about animal feed they bought."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Diary: Protecting mountain gorillas.
On 22 July, armed men entered the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga National Park and killed five critically endangered mountain gorillas at point-blank range, leaving the bodies where they fell.
This brought this year's gorilla death toll to nine, and three of the great apes are still missing.
Rangers Diddy and Innocent monitor and protect the remaining gorillas in the war-torn region. In this weekly diary, they describe life on conservation's frontline.
FRIDAY 24 AUGUST - THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
It has been a very long week that began with the arrival of a UN team, who were here to investigate the July killings.
On the evening of their arrival, one of the rangers came back from patrol with the remains of one of the missing adult females, Macibiri, from the Rugendo Family. It confirmed our worst fears and brought the family's death toll to five. Her missing infant, Ntaribi, is too young to look after itself and we are now sure she is dead, too. The next morning we trekked in silence to where the killings had taken place.
Three-and-a-half weeks had passed since the attacks, but still the vegetation was flattened and torn from where the bodies had struggled in those last few minutes.
Our job this week has been to identify and monitor the status of all habituated gorilla families within the Gorilla Sector.
By filming Mutazimiza, the rangers can show the footage to vets. We spent from Saturday until Monday with the Kabirizi Family, and were concerned about the group's only infant, Mutazimiza. Her mother went missing after an attack on 8 June, and we have noticed that the skin on the palms of her hands and feet is sore and she is having problems eating and moving around. Dr Jacques from the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) is now accessing her health.
Tuesday brought better news and lifted the hearts of all those who work here. The birth has been described as significant for the speciesThe female from the Munyaga Family, Bilali, had given birth to a boy. After everything that has happened, this is an incredibly important event for us, and we were pleased to see that international newspapers had picked up the story.
We're new to blogging on WildlifeDirect, and are encouraged by the comments and financial support we receive from those concerned with helping the remaining gorilla families.
We are now also aware of the wider implications that our blog posts may have. Just a few hours after posting on the remains of the missing gorilla, the BBC reported the story, which then made its way around the world. Eastern Congo is still a volatile area and we have to be careful about what we say on our blog.
Rebels and poachers already make our work very dangerous, and so we need to be sensitive towards the political situation as it could put the lives of those who work here in even greater danger.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Profile of the rangers:
Innocent
Head of gorilla monitoring in the Mikeno sector. He has worked in Virunga National Park for nine years. His father was a patrol post chief and his brother was also a high-level ranger, but was killed in the line of service in November 1996.
Diddy
Head of tourism in the southern sector of Virunga National Park. He has been a ranger for 16 years and started working with the gorillas in the Mikeno sector in 1991. He was forced to flee from his work from 1997-2001 during the nation's civil war.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Monkey misery for Kenyan women villagers.
By Juliet Njeri
BBC News, Nachu, central Kenya.
A troop of vervet monkeys is giving Kenyan villagers long days and sleepless nights, destroying crops and causing a food crisis. Earlier this month, local MP Paul Muite urged the Kenyan Wildlife Service to help contain their aggressive behaviour. But Mr Muite caused laughter when he told parliament that the monkeys had taken to harassing and mocking women in a village.
But this is exactly what the women in the village of Nachu, just south-west of Kikuyu, are complaining about. They estimate there are close to 300 monkeys invading the farms at dawn. They eat the village's maize, potatoes, beans and other crops.
And because women are primarily responsible for the farms, they have borne the brunt of the problem, as they try to guard their crops. They say the monkeys are more afraid of young men than women and children, and the bolder ones throw stones and chase the women from their farms.
Nachu's women have tried wearing their husbands' clothes in an attempt to trick the monkeys into thinking they are men - but this has failed, they say. "When we come to chase the monkeys away, we are dressed in trousers and hats, so that we look like men," resident Lucy Njeri told the BBC News website "But the monkeys can tell the difference and they don't run away from us and point at our breasts. They just ignore us and continue to steal the crops."
In addition to stealing their crops, the monkeys also make sexually explicit gestures at the women, they claim. "The monkeys grab their breasts, and gesture at us while pointing at their private parts. We are afraid that they will sexually harass us," said Mrs Njeri.
The Kenyan Wildlife Service told the BBC that it was not unusual for monkeys to harass women and be less afraid of them than men, but they had not heard of monkeys in Kenya making sexually explicit gestures as a form of communication to humans. The predominantly farming community is now having to receive famine relief food.
The residents report that the monkeys have killed livestock and guard dogs, which has also left the villagers living in fear, especially for the safety of their babies and children. All the villagers' attempts to control the monkeys have failed - the monkeys evade traps, have lookouts to warn the others of impending attacks and snub poisoned food put out by the residents.
"The troop has scouts which keep a lookout from a vantage point, and when they see us coming, they give warning signals to the ones in the farms to get away," said another area resident, Jacinta Wandaga. The town has been warned by the Kenya Wildlife Service not to harm or kill any of the monkeys, as it is a criminal offence.
Running out of options, residents are harvesting their crops early in an attempt to salvage what they can of this year's crop. Unfortunately, this only invites the monkeys to break into their homes and steal the harvested crops out of their granaries. Even the formation of a "monkey squad" to keep track of the monkeys' movements and keep them out has failed. The area is simply too large for the few volunteers to cover, they say.
Some residents have lost hope and abandoned their homes and farms, but those who have stayed behind, like 80-year-old James Ndungu, are making a desperate plea for assistance. "For God's sake, the government should take pity on us and move these monkeys away because we do not want to abandon our farms," he said. "I beg you, please come and take these animals away from here so that we can farm in peace."
BBC NEWS REPORT
New arrival for DR Congo gorillas
By Mark Kinver
Science and nature reporter, BBC News
The birth has been described as significant for the species. Conservationists in DR Congo are celebrating the birth of a baby mountain gorilla in a group of great apes in the Virunga National Park. The new arrival was discovered on Tuesday by rangers during a routine check of the group, known to researchers as the Munyaga family.
Wildlife groups described the birth as "a key step toward the survival of this critically endangered species". Since January, nine gorillas in the region have been killed by gunmen. The worst attack happened in late July, which resulted in four apes being shot dead inside the national park, located in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Conservationists described the killings as "executions" because the bodies were left at the scene, whereas poachers would have sold the carcasses as either food or trophies.
Norbert Mushenzi, a local director for the Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), said the birth was very welcome news in what has been a grim period. "Despite the slaughter of the gorillas in July that shocked the whole world, we can see that they are fighting to survive," Mr Mushenzi said. "ICCN is collaborating with all conservation NGOs to intensify the protection of the gorillas with additional guards and reinforced patrols."
The rangers who made the discovery said the baby gorilla, a male, was born on Tuesday. His mother, Balali, is the only female in the Munyaga family. The other members are made up of three silverbacks (dominant males) and a blackback. "Every birth is important, but given the fact that we lost 1% of the world's population in July alone this latest birth is even more significant," said Robert Muir from the Frankfurt Zoological Society.
"We are doing everything we can to try and keep the gorillas safe and ensure there is not a repeat of last month's slaughter."
The ICCN and conservation groups, including WildlifeDirect, Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), are funding a £50,000 ($100,000) three-month crisis management programme following the recent series of attacks. The programme aims to increase the number of rangers patrolling the sector and the frequency of these patrols.
The slaughter of four gorillas in July shocked the world. A census of the remaining mountain gorilla families is also being carried out. Dr Richard Leakey, chairman of WildlifeDirect, said the news did not hide the fact that gorilla conservation in the region was still facing a crisis, possibly one of the worst for more than 35 years. "We must not forget the Rangers who face constant threats from poachers and the illegal charcoal trade in Virunga to protect this endangered species for all of us."
As well as the July killings, two silverback male gorillas were shot dead earlier this year, while a female was killed in May.
A census carried out in 2004 estimated that 380 mountain gorillas, more than half of the world's population, lived in the national park and surrounding Virunga volcanoes region.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Pet camel kills Australian woman.
A woman in Australia has been killed by her pet camel after the animal may have tried to have sex with her. The woman was found dead at the family's sheep and cattle ranch near the town of Mitchell in Queensland. The woman had been given the camel as a 60th birthday present earlier this year because of her love of exotic pets.
The camel was just 10 months old but already weighed 152kg (336lbs) and had come close to suffocating the family's pet goat on a number of occasions. On Saturday, the woman apparently became the object of the male camel's desire. It knocked her to the ground, lay on top of her and displayed what the police delicately described as possible mating behaviour.
"I'd say it's probably been playing, or it may be even a sexual sort of thing," the Associated Press news agency quoted Queensland police Detective Senior Constable Craig Gregory as saying.
Young camels are not normally aggressive but can become more threatening if treated and raised as pets. Camels were brought to Australia in the 1840s for transportation.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Florida student mauled by shark.
A US college student has been bitten by a shark in Florida, leaving her needing more than 100 stitches to 17 wounds. Andrea Lynch, 20, told how she was attacked as she floated in the sea during a boat trip off Sarasota Bay.
Doctors said the shark's teeth got close to her lungs during the attack, on Wednesday night, but missed all major organs.
Ms Lynch said local shark experts told her the animal that bit her was likely to be a 6ft (2m) bull shark. "I got on the boat and my friend was like, 'Do I need to call 911?'", she told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune newspaper. "I reached back with my hand and felt all these gashes on me, and there was blood running down my body and pooling in the boat," she added.
The newspaper reported that it was only the seventh reported unprovoked shark bite in Sarasota County since 1882 - but the second one this year.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Missing DR Congo gorillas 'dead'
By Mark Kinver
Science and nature reporter, BBC News
A female gorilla and its infant that were part of a 12-strong group attacked by gunmen last month are dead, say conservationists in the DR Congo. Rangers patrolling the area of the Virunga National Park where four of the great apes were killed discovered the remains of the female, called Macibiri.
Conservation group WildlifeDirect said it would continue searching the area to locate the body of the infant, Ntaribi. The latest casualties brings this year's gorilla death toll to nine. Earlier this year, two silverback male gorillas were shot dead in the same area of the park in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, while a female was killed in May.
A census carried out in 2004 estimated that 380 mountain gorillas, more than half of the world's population, lived in the national park and surrounding Virunga volcanoes region.
The pair had been missing since the attack in July, which resulted in four members of the group, known to researchers as the Rugendo family, being shot dead. At the time, conservationists in the area described the killings as "executions" because the bodies were left at the scene, whereas poachers would have sold the carcasses as either food or trophies.
Breaking the news on his Gorilla Protection blog on Thursday evening, WildlifeDirect's Paulin Ngobobo wrote: "Macibiri, the female adult who went missing the day of the attack, is dead. "Just 20 minutes ago, the guards came back from their patrol with her remains. "Her infant, Ntaribi - born 26 January of last year, has not been found. But now that the mother has been found, we are sure that the infant is dead too."
Robert Muir, project manager for the Frankfurt Zoological Society, said the news confirmed his worst fears. "Seeing the bones being brought back today is equivalent to seeing the dead gorilla; it is a massive tragedy for everyone," he told BBC News. "We had indeed hoped to find them alive; it is very sad that we have not."
The body of the 18-month-old infant has not been located, but Mr Muir said no-one held out any hope of finding it alive. "It is just the case of finding the bones, or what is left of the baby's body, and bringing it back to the station for burial with the others. "There is no way it would it would have survived without its mother."
As for the welfare of the remaining six members of the group, he said the gun attack was unprecedented and had left conservation groups uncertain about the family's future. "We have absolutely no idea to how the family is going to respond. In the absence of a silverback (dominant male), the family unit has been destroyed.
"It is quite likely that a wild silverback will try to take over the group, which will cause a fair amount of stress for the family. "But we just don't know because it has never happened before, we have never seen a family of mountain gorillas torn apart in this way."
The news comes on the same day that conservation groups launched an appeal to raise funds to increase the protection of the remaining gorillas. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), working with other organisations, has developed a three-month emergency action plan.
The strategy includes providing round-the-clock monitoring, increasing the number of patrols and funding an investigation into the July killings. Dr Noelle Kumpel, ZSL's Bushmeats and Forests Conservation Programme Manager, said: "Shockingly, this is not the first time that gorillas in the park have been slaughtered in this way. "We are calling on the public to support our appeal for funds to help us ensure that it does not happen again."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Down on animal pharm.
Fiona Roberts
Producer, BBC Radio Science Unit
Since the birth of Dolly the sheep 11 years ago, cloning technologies for animals have been getting better and better. But are we ready to clone our pets or eat meat or other products from cloned livestock or their offspring? Well, the BBC Radio 4 series Peas in a Pod has taken a look at the current state of animal cloning and where it might be heading.
Animals are already being cloned commercially. It's on a small scale and mostly for producing copies of individual animals of very high value - whether emotional or commercial. But a ruling by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the end of this year could change that. If the ruling, as expected, allows animal products from clones and their offspring to enter the human food chain then agricultural cloning is set to take off.
Finding out exactly who is doing what and where in the world of cloning is not easy. The sensitive nature of the science and the extreme ethical views of some have made cloning, like genetic engineering, a highly controversial technology.
While Scotland, once home to Dolly the sheep, may once have been the heart of cloning science, it's now clear that the centre of activity has moved to Texas where a combination of academic and commercial laboratories are providing a service for a growing number of clients. ViaGen, a commercial cloning company in Austin, Texas, is now charging $15,000 (£7,500) to clone a bull and $3,000 (£1,500) for a pig.
Its customers are the owners of elite breeding stock - not animals for slaughter - and the company believes it has now improved the cloning technology to a point that makes it commercially viable for agricultural animals. Blake Russell, vice president of sales and business development at the company, said: "The technology is currently in a rapid state of development and will meet the needs of large agricultural numbers around the world very, very soon."
Another commercial use of cloning being pioneered at Texas A and M University is cloning endangered and domestic animals. They created the first cloned domestic cat, Copy Cat or CC, and the first successful cloning of a white-tailed deer.
The actual cloning process involves taking the nuclear genetic material out of a skin cell of the animal you wish to clone, implanting it into an egg that has had its own genetic material removed and using an electrical impulse to start the development of a whole new genetically identical embryo. But in the same way that genetic engineering was a technology ahead of its regulatory framework, the same is true of cloning.
There is nothing different about clones than there is any animal which is out there in the regular The omission of cloned livestock from the food chain is voluntary, and almost definitely not being observed by everyone. In the US, the FDA has carried out a protracted risk assessment with a public consultation to decide whether or not products from cloned animals or from the progeny of cloned animals should enter the human food chain.
They will make their decision by the end of the year. But most cloning organisations and livestock breeders are confident their decision will give the go ahead for unlabelled cloned food products to fill US supermarket shelves. Charles Long, creator of CC from Texas A & M University, says: "There is nothing different about clones than there is any animal which is out there in the regular population. "Therefore the FDA can really only come to one decision, which is to allow cloned animals to go into the food chain without labelling."
The situation in the UK and Europe is less clear. Clones or products from clones are classed as novel foods, alongside genetically modified organisms, with each example being looked at on a case-by-case basis. Not that there are many examples - yet. The one case that hit the headlines in the UK last year was that of a young heifer, Dundee Paradise, who is the daughter of a cloned dairy bull.
A debate raged as to whether her milk should be allowed to enter the normal supply chain. She's still a little way off producing milk, and the Food Standards Agency is currently in discussions with the EC and hopes to have definitive regulations and rules on clones very soon. It looks like Europe and the UK will not follow the example of the US, Brazil and China, who are forging ahead with cloning animals for the commercial market, but will continue to class clones and the products from the offspring of cloned animals as novel foods.
How this then affects international trade remains to be seen.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
'Godzilla' croc hunted in Ukraine.
By Helen Fawkes - BBC News, Kiev.
Emergency workers are hunting a crocodile which has escaped from a travelling circus in southern Ukraine. It went missing in the sea at Mariupol, close to Ukraine's border with Russia. There have been a number of sightings of the animal, including a photo in a local newspaper, but all attempts to capture it have so far failed. The crocodile, named Godzilla, was being paraded on a beach in Mariupol on the south coast of Ukraine when it suddenly ran into the Azov Sea. But despite its name, the creature has been keeping a low profile.
Godzilla, who is only is one metre long, is said to be scared of humans. More than two months after its escape, a local newspaper in southern Ukraine has printed a picture of what it says is Godzilla. The photo appears to show a small crocodile resting on a rusting boat.
Emergency workers are now trying to catch the animal. But Godzilla is proving elusive and has not been tempted by slabs of meat left on the shore. A Russian news agency has claimed that the team is planning to use live guinea pigs to lure the crocodile out of the water.
However, a spokeswoman for Ukraine's emergency ministry denied this and said the workers are just going to sit and wait for Godzilla to wander onto the beach.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Fish can fight malaria mosquitoes.
Kenyan researchers have hailed a humble fish as the latest weapon in the battle to curb the spread of malaria. Nile tilapia, a fish more usually seen on Kenyan dinner tables, was introduced to several abandoned fishponds in the west of the country. By consuming mosquito larvae it managed to reduce numbers of two of the main malarial mosquitoes by more than 94%.
The BMC Public Health study noted the fish could prove critical as mosquitoes are becoming resistant to pesticides. Nile tilapia's taste for mosquitoes has been known since 1917 but this is the first time field data has been published detailing their use in mosquito control, the researchers from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology said.
Malaria, spread by the single-celled parasite Plasmodium, is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, and central and south America.
The organism is passed to humans through the bite of a mosquito. Each year it makes 300 million people ill and causes a million deaths worldwide. Some 90% of cases are in sub-Saharan Africa, where a child dies of malaria every 30 seconds. The authors suggested that for Kenyans, the fish could prove a win-win investment. In addition to limiting mosquito populations they could also be used for food, and even generate income, too.
Joanne Greenfield, malaria advisor for the World Health Organization in Kenya, was more circumspect, while describing the findings as "positive". "This method may well work in a defined area of water, but mosquitoes spread in all sorts of places - including small pools in the mud and puddles - where you obviously can't introduce fish," she said. "It just wouldn't work for many areas." But she added: "We recommend a spectrum of methods to combat malaria, and this could certainly be a useful tool."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Lost forest reveals new species.
Six new animal species, including this frog, were found in the forest. An expedition to a remote forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo has uncovered six new animal species. Conservationists discovered one new bat species, a new rodent and two new species each of shrews and frogs.
The region, which is in eastern DR Congo, near Lake Tanganyika, has been off limits to researchers since 1960 because of instability in the area. The survey, led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), was carried out between January and March 2007.
WCS researcher Dr Andrew Plumptre said: "If we can find six new species in such a short period it makes you wonder what else is out there." The conservationists believe they might also have found several new plant species in the forested region, which includes the Misotshi-Kabogo Forest.
The expedition's botanists were unable to identify about 10% of the new plant samples they collected. The specimens will now be examined by specialists to confirm if they represent new species. The team added that the area was extremely rich in biodiversity, despite the years of conflict that have plagued the region.
The scientists found one new bat species.
The survey found that many species of birds, reptile and amphibians were living in the forest. It also revealed larger mammals including chimpanzees, buffalo, elephants, leopards and several species of monkey were present, although at lower numbers than expected, possibly because of poaching.
The researchers believe the forest contains such rich animal life because of its isolated nature and few inhabitants. WCS said there was now a real need to protect the area. Dr James Deutsch, director of the wildlife organisation's Africa Program, said: "The survey has found that the Misotshi-Kabogo region is biologically important enough to conserve in the form of a protected area.
"Since few people live there, it would be relatively easy to create a park while supporting the livelihoods of people who live in the landscape."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Rare river dolphin 'now extinct',
A freshwater dolphin found only in China is now "likely to be extinct", a team of scientists has concluded.
The researchers failed to spot any Yangtze river dolphins, also known as baijis, during an extensive six-week survey of the mammals' habitat.
The team, writing in Biology Letters journal, blamed unregulated fishing as the main reason behind their demise. If confirmed, it would be the first extinction of a large vertebrate for over 50 years.
The World Conservation Union's Red List of Threaten Species currently classifies the creature as "critically endangered".
Sam Turvey of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), one of the paper's co-authors, described the findings as a "shocking tragedy". The Yangtze river dolphin was a remarkable mammal that separated from all other species over 20 million years ago," Dr Turvey explained.
"This extinction represents the disappearance of a complete branch of the evolutionary tree of life and emphasises that we have yet to take full responsibility in our role as guardians of the planet." If confirmed, it would be the first extinction of a large vertebrate for over 50 years.
The species (Lipotes vexillifer) was the only remaining member of the Lipotidae, an ancient mammal family that is understood to have separated from other marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and porpoises, about 40-20 million years ago.
The white, freshwater dolphin had a long, narrow beak and low dorsal fin; lived in groups of three or four and fed on fish.
The team carried out six-week visual and acoustic survey, using two research vessels, in November and December 2006. "While it is conceivable that a couple of surviving individuals were missed by the survey teams," the team wrote, "our inability to detect any baiji despite this intensive search effort indicates that the prospect of finding and translocating them to a [reserve] has all but vanished."
The scientists added that there were a number of human activities that caused baiji numbers to decline, including construction of dams and boat collisions. "However, the primary factor was probably unsustainable by-catch in local fisheries, which used rolling hooks, nets and electrofishing," they suggested.
"Unlike most historical-era extinctions of large bodied animals, the baiji was the victim not of active persecution but incidental mortality resulting from massive-scale human environmental impacts - primarily uncontrolled and unselective fishing," the researchers concluded.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Fat cats facing soaring diabetes.
Cat owners have been urged to watch the waistlines of their pets as a rising number of felines are diagnosed with obesity-related diabetes. A study by Edinburgh University has shown that one in 230 pet cats in the UK is now diabetic. Overweight cats are said to be more than three times as likely to suffer from diabetes, which develops when the body has problems making insulin.
Neutered males that do not get adequate exercise are particularly at risk. Cat lovers have been warned to crack down on treats for their pets if they are to avoid the risk of them developing the potentially fatal condition.
Professor Danielle Gunn-Moore, from Edinburgh University's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said: "This is the first study of its kind to try to quantify diabetes among cats in the UK and the results show extremely worrying levels. "To reduce your cat's risk of developing this often fatal disease you need to keep them active, and not allow them to gain too much weight."
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells use glucose from starchy and sweet foods for energy. The condition has topped overactive thyroid disease as the most common hormone problem in cats. The number of diabetic cats is almost five times higher than a previous study carried out in the US in the 1970s.
Between 85% and 95% of diabetic cats suffer from type II diabetes, which is commonly associated with obesity. More than two million people in the UK have the condition. Prof Gunn-Moore said: "The lifestyle of cats, just like their owners, is changing. "They are tending to eat too much, gain weight, and take less exercise. "Unfortunately, just like people, cats will overeat if they are offered too much tasty food, particularly if they are bored and have little else to do.
"While cats would naturally exercise outside, many cats are now housebound - perhaps because they live in a flat or because their owners feel that it is too dangerous to let them out - so they have little to do all day but eat, sleep, and gain weight." The research, published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, was based on an analysis of more than 14,000 cats whose owners had taken out private pet insurance.
Burmese cats were found to be three times more likely to develop diabetes than any other pedigree breed.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Whale fears silence US Navy sonar.
Campaigners fear military sonar harms marine mammals. The US Navy has been ordered not to use mid-frequency sonar equipment during training exercises off the coast of California until the end of 2009.
A federal judge ruled in favour of campaigners who argued that the devices harmed marine mammals in the area. They said noise pollution from sonar disorientated whales, causing them to become stranded on beaches.
A navy spokesman said they would appeal because the injunction jeopardised the nation's safety and security. The legal action was brought by a coalition of animal welfare groups, led by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
"The court's order confirms that during sonar testing and training, the navy can and must protect whales and other marine life in the extraordinarily rich waters off our southern Californian coast," said Joel Reynolds, a senior lawyer for NRDC.
The group, in a statement following the ruling, said the federal judge had recognised that even the Navy's own assessment concluded that the sonar exercises would "cause widespread harm to nearly 30 species of marine mammals, including five species of endangered whales".
US District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper issued the temporary sonar ban following the navy's request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the NRDC in March, which alleged the widespread use of high-intensity sonar during training exercises breached environmental legislation.
The US Navy's Third Fleet commander, Vice Admiral Samuel Locklear, said they would appeal against the injunction. "This court decision prevents us from using active sonar," he told the Associated Press. "It potentially puts American lives and our national security at risk." In a statement, the navy said it already took steps to minimise risks to marine mammals. It added that it had monitored the waters off southern California for 40 years, and had not seen any whale injuries resulting from the use of sonar equipment.
In 2006, a UK government-commissioned report called for more research into the effects of noise pollution on marine animals. It concluded that there were many noise sources in the seas, including seismic surveys for oil and gas, shipping, offshore wind farms, military sonar and scientific research.
The study by the Inter-agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology (ICMST) identified 13 cases of strandings by whales and dolphins that appeared to be linked to noise; adding that most of the cases did involve naval vessels.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Young ospreys make first flights.
Staff at a nature reserve are celebrating as two osprey chicks born there have made their first flights. The youngsters now have to hone their flying skills around Rutland Water in Leicestershire before they embark on a 2,500-mile migration to West Africa.
The birds of prey first bred in Rutland in 2001 when one healthy chick was raised. Tim Mackrill, from Rutland Water, said the osprey breeding project aimed to increase the species population. He said: "The long term aim of our project is to establish a self-sustaining osprey population not just at Rutland Water but in central England generally. "We want the birds to colonise Rutland Water then to spread out into all of the other fantastic habitat that there is for the birds in England."
The birds of prey were all but wiped out in England in the 19th Century but they did survive in Scotland. Since 1997 a dozen six-week-old ospreys have been relocated every year from Scotland to Rutland Water.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Tabby cat terror for black bear.
Jack the cat is possessive about his territory, his owners say. A black bear got more than it bargained for after straying into a family garden in the US state of New Jersey. The unwelcome intruder was forced up a tree - twice - by the family pet, a tabby cat called Jack. The terrified bear was only able to make its escape when owner Donna Dickey called the hissing cat into the house.
Ms Dickey said Jack liked to keep a close watch on his territory and often chased away small animals, but one of this size was a first. "We used to joke, 'Jack's on duty', never knowing he'd go after a bear," Donna Dickey told local newspaper The Star-Ledger. "He doesn't want anybody in his yard," she added.
The bear was first spotted in the tree by neighbours who thought the 15lb (7kg) cat was just looking up at it. They then realised the bear was afraid of the cat. After some 15 minutes, the bear descended, but was chased up another tree, before finally making its escape when Jack was called indoors.
Bear sightings are not unusual in the area of West Milford in New Jersey, which experts say is one of the state's most bear-populated areas.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Bear confronts Whitesnake singer.
Rock star David Coverdale has been confronted by a black bear at his home in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Writing on his website, the Whitesnake singer said the bear broke into a guest bedroom on Wednesday morning. Coverdale, 55, recounted how he ran at the animal with an air horn canister and scared him into the garden. The British singer, formerly of Deep Purple, said bear attacks had become a "daily worry" and that authorities had warned he may have to move out.
His first face-to-face encounter with a bear came in July, as he was "rinsing a cup or two at the kitchen sink". "I don't mind telling you I almost succumbed to an involuntary bowel movement," Coverdale told fans online. The singer said he could feel the animal's breath on his hand as he closed the kitchen window, before he "ran around" the house to make sure all the other entrances and exits were secure. "I'd like to think it was the smell of my fab cooking that seduced him," said Coverdale, "but it was only a slightly charred bagel!"
Black bears have increasingly become urbanised. The most recent incident saw a different bear break into the house though a sliding glass door, which had been left ajar by a guest. The animal also took the opportunity to swim in the singer's pool. "We now have a big bear trap in the garden," said Coverdale. "For some reason, I don't think these guys care for rock!"
The Lake Tahoe area, on the border of California and Nevada, is experiencing a rise in bear home invasions. The animals, which can weigh as much as 400lb (180kg), have become less wary of humans after years of being fed and finding scraps in dustbins. Authorities in the area say a drought last winter has exacerbated the problem, with bears coming down from higher ground to search for water.
Whitesnake scored a string of hits in the 1980s with songs like Here I Go Again and Is This Love.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Minke whale escapes from harbour.
The whale drew large crowds in Fraserburgh Harbour. A young minke whale stranded in Fraserburgh Harbour for three days has made it back out to sea. The whale is thought to have become separated from its mother after following a fishing boat.
Members of British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) used small boats to try to move the whale using noise. The same method had been used without success on Thursday. Hundreds of people lined the quayside as rescuers tried to guide the whale back to sea.
MINKE WHALES
Adult minke whale are usually between 7m and 10m long
They weigh about 350kg at birth and between five and 10 tonnes when adult
They can be quite solitary animals and can stay under water for 20 minutes
Minke whales can have black, brown or grey backs
Minke whales do not have teeth, but plates which sieve food such as fish and crustaceans
Minke whales have a double blowhole
Information courtesy of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)
Local people were urged to leave rescue attempts to the experts amid fears that the creature may become distressed. Minke whales are regularly spotted in the Moray Firth but are not known to venture into port.
The team from BDMLR led the efforts to reunite the young whale with an adult which had been spotted outside the harbour. Tony Woodley, of BDMLR, told the BBC Scotland news website that they had not wanted the whale to be there too long. He said it had not seemed distressed but had probably not been feeding very much. The minke whale was in the harbour for three days
He said previously: "Attempts by a separate local group to use small boats to herd the young animal only pushed the whale further into the harbour after trained marine mammal medics from BDMLR had requested they should not attempt this risky action."
On Thursday afternoon a ship left from the inner harbour with underwater sonar turned on. The whale followed the ship - but not out to sea.
Do you have pictures or video of this incident? Send them to the BBC news website Click here to send an email. If you want to send your picture from your mobile phone, email them to newsonlinescotland@bbc.co.uk. You can send them from any network or phone. Please send the large full size images (usually 640x480 pixels) taken by the mobiles otherwise they are too small to publish.
Please ensure when filming or photographing an incident that you make your safety and the safety of others a priority.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Actor's dogs 'kill his caretaker'.
Rhames has starred in all three Mission: Impossible films .Dogs belonging to Mission: Impossible actor Ving Rhames have apparently mauled a man to death at the star's home, authorities have said. The 40-year-old victim, who lived on the property and worked as a caretaker, has not been named.
He was found dead on the front lawn of Rhames' gated Los Angeles home covered in dog bites, a police spokesman said. Three Bull Mastiffs and an English bulldog were taken away by animal services following the discovery.
"Two of those dogs appeared to be responsible for the tragic death," said police officer Jason Lee, adding that "several" dogs remained at the property.
Police were alerted to the incident by a phone call early on Friday morning by someone reporting a dead body at Rhames' house. "It appeared that the person suffered a number of injuries as a result of the dog mauling," said Sergeant Lee Sands. The body was discovered on the lawn of Rhames' home. "There were numerous dog bites all over his body, but the exact cause of death is pending the coroner's ruling."
An autopsy is expected to be performed Monday, said Captain Ed Winter of the Los Angeles coroner's office. "It's premature to say how he died," said Winter. "We don't know if he was attacked by the dogs and suffered a heart attack." It is thought that the victim's responsibilities included taking care of the animals.
Representatives for Rhames said he was not in the country at the time of the incident. The 46-year-old actor is best-known for starring alongside Tom Cruise in all three Mission: Impossible films. He also appeared as Marsellus Wallace in Pulp Fiction, and received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for playing boxing promoter Don King in a 1997 TV movie.
The actor told Time magazine in 2001 that he had "eight Fila Brasileiro mastiffs - the national dog of Brazil, also used by US Marines in jungle warfare."
BBC NEWS REPORT
Concern over Nepal wildlife seizures.
By Navin Singh Khadka - BBC Nepali Service.
Big cats have been poached for their pelt and bones. Conservationist in Nepal say they are concerned that former Maoist rebels have not yet returned wildlife products they had seized during the nation's 10-year conflict.
Wildlife officials are calling for any items taken off poachers and traffickers to be handed over, especially as a number of the Maoist Party leaders are now members of the coalition government. No official records exist of the confiscated animal products, but a number of conservationists say they have documents listing seizures.
The Maoist forestry minister said he was not aware of any wrongdoing by party members, but added he would launch an investigation if information was presented of goods being withheld. Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN), which has been involved in undercover operations to identify poachers and wildlife traffickers, said it has records of an incident that took place in April 2006.
"Three people with two tiger skins and three leopard pelts were caught by locals in the southern town of Birgunj, bordering India," said Prasanna Yonjan, the head of WCN. "The three were then handed over to the Maoists' People's Liberation Army, which seized the wildlife contrabands from them but has never returned them to the government." Mr Yonjan added that the three traffickers were freed after lobbying by a poacher who himself was later arrested.
Red pandas are among the species being targeted by poachers/ Another conservationist working for an international organisation in western Nepal said two people that were caught with tiger bones were taken away by Maoists in June 2004. "The two, one of them a retired policeman, were taken to the mountain district Jumla by the Maoists," the conservationist added. "The Maoists later freed the two but the tiger bones were never returned."
The Bardia incident was confirmed by a Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation official, who asked not to be named. "Many such incidents took place during the 10-year conflict," said Mangal Man Shakya, head of Wildlife Watch Group, an organisation affiliated to the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
"But the Maoists have never returned to the state the wildlife products they had seized. "We have been asking the Maoist leaders to do so but there has been no response." Forestry Minister Matrika Prasad Yadav, a Maoist leader, told the BBC that he was not aware of any wildlife products seized by party members. "If any organisation or individual provides us information in this regard, I can launch an investigation within our party," he said. Conservation groups suggested that Mr Yadav may not have be aware of the problem because he spent the majority of the decade-long conflict in prison.
One of the Maoist army's deputy commanders, Nanda Kishor Pun, also known as Pasang, acknowledged that seizures had taken place within lower levels of the party. "But that was clearly against our party policy and we hope that this BBC report will help us probe into such issues," he said.
Wildlife groups are concerned that an increase in poaching and trafficking has led to a decline in the population of a number of endangered species. Figures from the Department of National Parks show that 150 rhinos have been killed by poachers in the past eight years. Department officials were able to record these deaths because the animals' carcasses were left behind after the horns had been removed.
The level of poaching of other endangered species, such as tigers, leopards and red pandas, is much more difficult to track because poachers remove the whole animal. Although there has been no detailed study into the number of animals killed, officials say initial reports show animal sightings in some national parks have gone significantly down. Nepal has 16 protected zones that cover almost 20% of the country's land area.
These areas had been protected by the government's army but the Maoist insurgency, which began in 1996, saw many soldiers being redeployed elsewhere to fight the rebels. Maoist leaders have denied any involvement in wildlife poaching or trafficking. "Our party never had the policy of making income through such means," said Minister Yadav.
The Maoist Party's youth wing, the Young Communist League, recently won praise from conservationists after its members seized huge amount of red sandal wood that was being smuggled from India to Chinese controlled Tibet via Nepal. Several reports have suggested that Nepal is increasingly becoming a transit point for wildlife trafficking, particularly between India and China.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Orangutans use 'charades' to talk.
Orangutans intentionally modified their gestures to get what they wanted Orangutan communication resembles a game of charades, a study suggests. Researchers from St Andrews University have shown that the animals intentionally modify or repeat their signals to get their messages across. The scientists said they believed all great apes could have this capability, suggesting that the skill may have evolved millions of years ago.
The study, which is published in the journal Current Biology, involved six orangutans living in two zoos. Richard Byrne, an evolutionary psychologist and an author on the paper, said: "We were interested in the intentions behind communication. "When humans communicate, we routinely use our knowledge of what our audience knows and what they don't know automatically. "We wanted to find out whether the great apes, that have so much flexibility with their communication, do the same thing."
To find this out, the researchers set up a situation where six captive orangutans were presented with a keeper who had treats, such as bananas, and blander food, such as leeks or celery. The animals gestured to attract the keeper's attention so the tasty treat would be passed to them.
However, once the orangutans had done this, the keepers did one of three things: they either handed them the treat, handed them the bland food or handed them half the treat. The scientists then recorded their reactions.
"When the keeper gave the orangutan the really nice food, understandably, that was the end of it," explained Professor Byrne. "But when the keeper pretended to fail to understand the original gesture and gave the wrong food, the orangutans stopped using the gestures they had used before and started using some different gestures," he explained."And when the keeper half understood and gave the orangutan part of the treat, the orangutans started to repeat the same gestures that they had used, but they would repeat them even more enthusiastically."
Professor Byrne likened it to a game of charades. He said: "Part of the skill is to do the miming and the gesturing in the cleverest way - but also you are paying attention to what your team is guessing, and you tailor what you do next to what they are doing." Effectively, the orangutans were able to take into account the states of knowledge, ignorance and partial knowledge of the keeper and react, said Professor Byrne.
Given that orangutans are the most distantly related great ape to humans, the scientists believe that all great apes would prove to have this skill. "This ability to take into account how much individuals have understood you, and to modify what you do next, is probably quite an ancient one in the human lineage," explained Professor Byrne.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Orangutans use 'charades' to talk.
Orangutans intentionally modified their gestures to get what they wanted. Orangutan communication resembles a game of charades, a study suggests. Researchers from St Andrews University have shown that the animals intentionally modify or repeat their signals to get their messages across.
The scientists said they believed all great apes could have this capability, suggesting that the skill may have evolved millions of years ago. The study, which is published in the journal Current Biology, involved six orangutans living in two zoos.
Richard Byrne, an evolutionary psychologist and an author on the paper, said: "We were interested in the intentions behind communication. "When humans communicate, we routinely use our knowledge of what our audience knows and what they don't know automatically. "We wanted to find out whether the great apes, that have so much flexibility with their communication, do the same thing."
To find this out, the researchers set up a situation where six captive orangutans were presented with a keeper who had treats, such as bananas, and blander food, such as leeks or celery.