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