Sydney Pet Rescue & Adoption, has launched the Animal Flood Victims Emergency Appeal, and together with various other rescue groups, they are working hard to raise funds to support animals affected by the recent devastating floods in Qld. The Wildlife Protection Association of Australia is one of the organisations they have chosen to support with the Appeal. We will be using the funds they raise to support foster carers in the worst affected and priority areas, with financial support to assist with the rescue and foster care of wildlife. ……….We thank SPRA and all the rescue groups who are working hard with them, for their support…..
Please click on this link to find out more about the appeal: SPRA Flood Animal Appeal Here!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
Spiders 7/12/10
Spiders
Most people associate this hairy, eight-legged fellow with a stabbing sense of fear not a relief from pain. But Queensland scientists are now studying spider venom for its potential use as a painkiller. Brisbane researcher Glenn King was granted $550,000 by the Australian Research Council over four years to probe compounds within spider venom for pain-relieving properties. His research follows the discovery of a family in Pakistan who have a defective gene, or SCN9A, which eliminates the ability to feel pain. The SCN9A gene has become a target for pharmaceutical companies keen to develop new drugs for chronic pain sufferers, a market worth about $34 billion worldwide a year. Professor King, of the University of Queensland's Institute of Molecular Bioscience, said spider venom contained compounds that knocked out the function of a similar gene in insects, pointing to the venom's potential as a painkiller for humans.
He is searching for molecules in spider venom that may block a protein produced by the SCN9A gene in humans to effectively silence pain signals throughout the body. He said UK scientists were alerted to the Pakistani family by stories of a boy who performed dangerous stunts during street performances, apparently without feeling pain. Meanwhile, other researchers are studying a molecule in the venom of the Brazilian wandering spider for its potential use as "the next Viagra''. *Courier Mail
Most people associate this hairy, eight-legged fellow with a stabbing sense of fear not a relief from pain. But Queensland scientists are now studying spider venom for its potential use as a painkiller. Brisbane researcher Glenn King was granted $550,000 by the Australian Research Council over four years to probe compounds within spider venom for pain-relieving properties. His research follows the discovery of a family in Pakistan who have a defective gene, or SCN9A, which eliminates the ability to feel pain. The SCN9A gene has become a target for pharmaceutical companies keen to develop new drugs for chronic pain sufferers, a market worth about $34 billion worldwide a year. Professor King, of the University of Queensland's Institute of Molecular Bioscience, said spider venom contained compounds that knocked out the function of a similar gene in insects, pointing to the venom's potential as a painkiller for humans.
He is searching for molecules in spider venom that may block a protein produced by the SCN9A gene in humans to effectively silence pain signals throughout the body. He said UK scientists were alerted to the Pakistani family by stories of a boy who performed dangerous stunts during street performances, apparently without feeling pain. Meanwhile, other researchers are studying a molecule in the venom of the Brazilian wandering spider for its potential use as "the next Viagra''. *Courier Mail
Spider Photography 7/12/10
Spider Photography
I know a photographer who loves spiders. She found a lovely big huntsman, and purchased a glass photo box to put her in so she could take some spider photos. Then she realised that the spider might be hungry, so she tootled off to the local pet shop and bought a box of crickets to feed the spider on. She dropped one cricket into the glass box, and was so upset watching the spider eat the cricket, that she let the rest of the crickets go in the backyard, where they happily whistled and sang for some weeks. She hurriedly photographed the spider, then released it down the road away from the crickets in the backyard.
I suspect she now may be thinking about starting up a "save the crickets" campaign. So then she found a couple of redbacks, and put them in the glass box in her office to take some redback photos. One escaped. Now she is asking me to come and catch all the little redbacks that are hanging off her computer monitor, living under the bookshelves, and beneath her office chair. But I'm not that fond of redbacks, so I'm stalling. But now she tells me she needs some snake photos..........
I know a photographer who loves spiders. She found a lovely big huntsman, and purchased a glass photo box to put her in so she could take some spider photos. Then she realised that the spider might be hungry, so she tootled off to the local pet shop and bought a box of crickets to feed the spider on. She dropped one cricket into the glass box, and was so upset watching the spider eat the cricket, that she let the rest of the crickets go in the backyard, where they happily whistled and sang for some weeks. She hurriedly photographed the spider, then released it down the road away from the crickets in the backyard.
I suspect she now may be thinking about starting up a "save the crickets" campaign. So then she found a couple of redbacks, and put them in the glass box in her office to take some redback photos. One escaped. Now she is asking me to come and catch all the little redbacks that are hanging off her computer monitor, living under the bookshelves, and beneath her office chair. But I'm not that fond of redbacks, so I'm stalling. But now she tells me she needs some snake photos..........
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
New Spider Found 4/3/10
A new and previously unknown species of spider has been discovered in the dune of the Sands of Samar in the southern Arava region of Israel by a team of scientists from the Department of Biology in the University of Haifa-Oranim. Unfortunately, however, its habitat is endangered. "The discovery of this new spider illustrates our obligation to preserve the dune," says Dr. Shanas, who headed the team of scientists. The Sands of Samar are the last remaining sand dune in Israeli territory in the southern Arava region. In the past, the sands stretched across some 7 square kilometers, but due to the rezoning of areas for agriculture and sand quarries, the sands have been reduced to fewer than 3 square kilometers. During a course of studies that Dr. Shanas's research team has carried out in the region, they discovered this new spider, a member of the Cerbalus genus. Since it has been found in the Arava, it has been given the name Cerbalus aravensis.
The researchers say that this spider's leg-span can reach up to 14 cm., which makes it the largest spider of its type in the Middle East. Even though details are still lacking to enable a full analysis of its biology and of its population in the sands, the scientists know that this is a nocturnal spider, mostly active in the hottest months of the year, and that it constructs an underground den which is closed with a "lifting door" made of sand particles that are glued together to camouflage the den. The scientists' excitement is indeed mixed with apprehension. According to Dr. Shanas, the Israel Land Administration intends to renew mining projects in the Sands of Samar in the near future, which will endanger the existence of the newly discovered spider. He adds that it is possible that there are additional unknown animal species living in the sands, and therefore efforts should be made to preserve this unique region in the Arava."The new discovery shows how much we still have to investigate, and that there are likely to be many more species that are unknown to us. If we do not preserve the few habitats that remain for these species, they will become extinct before we can even discover them," Dr. Shanas concludes. ScienceDaily
The researchers say that this spider's leg-span can reach up to 14 cm., which makes it the largest spider of its type in the Middle East. Even though details are still lacking to enable a full analysis of its biology and of its population in the sands, the scientists know that this is a nocturnal spider, mostly active in the hottest months of the year, and that it constructs an underground den which is closed with a "lifting door" made of sand particles that are glued together to camouflage the den. The scientists' excitement is indeed mixed with apprehension. According to Dr. Shanas, the Israel Land Administration intends to renew mining projects in the Sands of Samar in the near future, which will endanger the existence of the newly discovered spider. He adds that it is possible that there are additional unknown animal species living in the sands, and therefore efforts should be made to preserve this unique region in the Arava."The new discovery shows how much we still have to investigate, and that there are likely to be many more species that are unknown to us. If we do not preserve the few habitats that remain for these species, they will become extinct before we can even discover them," Dr. Shanas concludes. ScienceDaily
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