Cute Overload

Baby Whale Shark.

Click the link for adorable copyrighted photo.

A local whale shark "interaction officer" cradles what is likely the smallest known wild example of the world's biggest fish on Saturday in San Antonio, Philippines (map). (See video below for baby-adult size comparison.)

The discovery of the baby whale shark could help protect these rare giants by shedding light on where whale sharks are born.

Early on March 7 a project leader from the international conservation organization WWF and others in the town of Donsol heard that a live whale shark was being offered for sale at a nearby beach. Expecting a stranded giant, the rescuers found instead a 15-inch (38-centimeter) shark leashed to a stake in the mud like a neglected puppy.

Gliman Intersection Fix

This would be a great idea. That is one hell of an intersection and something needs to be done. EBV likes!

Pink Dolphin

An albino dolphin found in a Lake in Louisiana.

New Additions

You may now notice two new addtions to the right hand bar. First is a Twitter Widget. Follow our twittering for the latest on new arrivals, live tweets from shows, and helpful reminders. Follow us at East_Bay_Viv.

Second is a sign-up for our new monthly e-mail newsletter. Our newsletter will contain featured animals, deals and specials, new products, new animals, herping stories, photographs and other musings. You can opt out at anytime. We will not sell or trade your e-mail addresses either.

We hope these two things help us communicate with you better and we all have a little fun too.

Obama Reverses Bush to Protect Endangered Species

Good news.

President Obama on Tuesday overturned a last-minute Bush administration regulation that many environmentalists claim weakened the Endangered Species Act.

The regulation, issued a few weeks before George W. Bush left office, made it easier for federal agencies to skip consultations with government scientists before launching projects that could affect endangered wildlife.

By overturning the regulation, Obama said during an enthusiastic reception at the Interior Department, he had restored "the scientific process to its rightful place at the heart of the Endangered Species Act, a process undermined by past administrations."

Under the Bush administration rule, there was no need for a federal agency to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Services if that agency determined that no harm would come to an endangered species as a result of its project.

I would way that listening to scientists on scientific matters is a good thing

Photo of the endangered Eastern Indigo snake

Beached Whale Rescue

An incredible story of mass whale beaching in Tasmania and the effort of the locals to save as many as possible.

Rescuers used jet skis, backhoes and human muscle to save dozens of whales and dolphins stranded on a beach in southern Australia on Monday, officials and news reports said.

The 194 pilot whales and half a dozen bottlenose dolphins became stranded on Naracoopa Beach on Tasmania state's King Island on Sunday evening — the fourth beaching incident in recent months in Tasmania.

Strandings happen periodically in Tasmania as whales pass by during their migration to and from Antarctic waters, but scientists do not know why it happens. It is unusual, however, for whales and dolphins to get stranded together.

Chris Arthur, of Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service, said 54 whales and seven dolphins were still alive when the rescue effort began. By late Monday, 48 animals had been returned to the sea by officials and more than 100 King Island residents who had volunteered to help.

Photo by Flickr user scotproof used under a Creative Commons License.

Another Awesome New Fish

Psychedelica

Friday Photo Blogging

I don't know who "Steve took it" is but he takes some amazing photographs. Make sure to visit his Flickr page and take a look at all of them.

Photo used under a Creative Commons License

California Drought

Gov. Arnold Shwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in California due to the past three years of drought and the likely fourth year to come. A good reminder that even though it has been raining for what seems like everyday this month that we still need a lot more water.

The governor signed the proclamation Friday. Among other steps, it directs state agencies to provide assistance for affected communities and businesses.

The move encourages urban water agencies to reduce water use by 20 percent and says mandatory conservation is an option if other measures are insufficient.

Schwarzenegger called the drought a crisis as severe as an earthquake or wildfire.

Photo by Flickr user Jason-Morrison used under a Creative Commons License.

More Barreleye Fish of Monterey Bay

Another article and more information on the awesome barreleye fish on Monterey Bay

Fish with See-through Head

This is a pretty awesome looking fish courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.

h/t Ryan G.

Congratulations Cate!

Cate Whalen, a good friend of the store from back in her Cafe Rouge days was named by the SF Chronicle as one of the 5 best bartenders in the Bay Area. And if you know the Bay Area well, you know we take our drinks and our bartenders very seriously.

Three years behind the buzzing bar at Berkeley's Cesar infused her with a deep knowledge of wine and spirits. "I started to appreciate the culture of sharing that with food," she says.

Then it was out of the frying pan into Slanted Door's fire, where she spent three hectic years under Thad Vogler (see this page, above), whose recent gigs include Beretta and Oakland's Camino.

"Thad has the most integrity in the choices he makes - in who makes the spirit and how it's made and how it's consumed as well," says Whalen. She paid attention.

After such fast-paced stints, Pizzaiolo, with its tiny seven-seat bar and a wine-friendly rustic Italian menu, might seem an odd next step. A little like finding a fortified Italian wine, rum and an herbal Cognac-based liqueur in the same cocktail (see recipe). But Whalen makes a convincing case.

I will refrain from posting pictures of her passed out at home plate at an EBV sloshball tournament and post this beautiful cocktail photo instead :)

Photo by Flickr user Jeremy Brooks used under a Creative Commons License

Ha!

Anti-science creationists often tout a list of somewhere around 200 Ph.D's who do not believe in evolution. To fight back the National Center for Science Education put together a list of 200 scientists who accept evolution. The kick is every one of them is named Steve or Stephanie. Well, they just added their 1000 Steve, a way too coincidental Prof. Steve Darwin of Tulane University.

But seriously this should tell one something about the consensus around the acceptance of evolution as a valid scientific theory. There are 5 times as many Dr. Steve's (and Stephanie's) that believe in evolution than Dr. "Shouldn't Really be a Scientists" that don't.

Animal Rescue Training

I do not know a lot about Noah's Wish but they are having a 2-day in-field training for volunteers and the community in Dublin, Ca. on March 7th & 8th.

According to their website:

Since we were established in 2002, we have been there to support animals during disasters. For example, we responded to:
-Katrina and the Gulf Coast hurricanes.
-Lake Tahoe fires.
-Southern California fires.
-Iowa Floods and many others.

Sounds like a great cause so head on over and sign up if you have the time to help some needy animals.

Sustainable Food

A really interesting history of Niman Ranch meat and where it goes from here now that it is owned and controlled by a large Chicago Company and the founder will no longer eat it's products.

Photo by Flickr user revolute used under a Creative Commons License.

Mystery Solved

The mystery deaths of hundreds of seabirds in Monterey Bay was a normally non-toxic algae.

But after water testing, the researchers found no indication of excess oil, pesticides, acids or commercial products that might have caused the foam and gooey coating on the birds. All told, 207 birds were found dead and 550 were stranded.

Then the slime disappeared.

Now, the "mystery spill" has been solved. It wasn't the Cosco Busan oil spill in nearby San Francisco Bay or a controversial aerial pesticide spraying along the Central Coast. It was harmless-looking foam from an ordinarily nontoxic algal bloom churned up by November waves, according to a study coming out in PLoS ONE on Monday.

This unassuming foam looks like "if you beat egg whites into a meringue and sprinkle a little dirt in with it," study co-author Kudela tells ScientificAmerican.com. Although the protein-rich froth didn't contain toxins, it acted as a surfactant, which lowers the surface tension of water—especially where it comes into contact with oil. This disabled the natural water-repellent coating on the feathers of floating loons, grebes, northern fulmars and other birds in the bay, soaking them through and rendering them susceptible to the chilly autumn Pacific water.

Borneo Monster Snake

This one is new to me! There was a sighting of the mysterious Nabau snake, a 100-foot snake living in the rivers of Borneo. Like any good Cryptozoological sighting there is a grainy photo to go along with it.

An aerial photograph that appears to show a gigantic snake swimming along the remote waterway has emerged, sparking great concern among local communities.

But it is not clear whether the photograph is genuine, or a clever piece of photo-editing. Some suggested the 'snake' was in fact a log or a speed boat and others complained the colour of the river in the photo was too dark.

The most common theory is that the photo has been manipulated on a computer.

The image has even stumped the New Straits Times newspaper in Kuala Lumpur, which suggested readers decide for themselves.

However, on the banks of the river, villagers are convinced of the massive serpent's existence and have even given it a name, Nabau, after an ancient sea serpent which can transform itself into the shapes of different animals.

Shark attacks down due to the economy?

Interesting theory and while I imagine it will be hard to prove, but makes common sense.

Shark attacks are on the decline due to the current economic downturn, a biologist speculated today.

In 2008, attacks worldwide dipped to their lowest level in five years, a sign that Americans may be forgoing vacation trips to the beach, said ichthyologist George Burgess of the University of Florida.

Burgess is the director of the International Shark Attack File, a compilation of all known shark attacks that is administered by the American Elasmobranch Society and the Florida Museum of Natural History, on the UF campus.

The total number of shark attacks declined from 71 in 2007 to 59 in 2008, the fewest since 2003, when there were 57, said Burgess, who works at the museum.

"I can’t help but think that contributing to that reduction may have been the reticence of some people to take holidays and go to the beach for economic reasons," Burgess said. "We noticed similar declines during the recession that followed the events of 2001, despite the fact that human populations continued to rise."

Photo by Flickr user g-na used under a Creative Commons License

Friday Photo Blogging

San Gabriel Mountains Slender Salamander
Batrachoseps gabrieli
Found in my garden in Aptos, California

Desert Wildflower Outlook

Looks like this year may end up being another decent year with the rain the desert just got this past week.

Here is a great website for tracking flowers in the California Desert. If anyone knows of any others please pass them on.

Also any book reviews out there for Introduction to California Desert Wildflowers (California Natural History Guides)

Photo from EBV Desert Trip 2008 by myself