Two isolated and taxonomically unassigned populations of short-tailed shrews (Blarina) exist in Texas, 1 in the Lost Pines region including Bastrop County and 1 at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast. Molecular and morphological methods were used to determine the systematic status of the 2 disjunct Texas populations. Multivariate analyses of size-influenced cranial measurements w...

increasing in concentration of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium and zinc cause considerable harmful effects on soil and environment. these elements are also hazardous to health of humans and wildlife. petrochemical plants and refineries pollution increase the amount of carcinogenic and tratogenic compounds in environment. the main goal of recent paper is the studying of soil...

We examined whether host traits influenced the occurrence of avian influenza virus (AIV) in Anatidae (ducks, geese, swans) at wintering sites in California's Central Valley. In total, 3487 individuals were sampled at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge and Conaway Ranch Duck Club during the hunting season of 2007-08. Of the 19 Anatidae species sampled, prevalence was highest in the northern sho...

An overview of the efficacy of anti-predator netting (APN) used by the shellfish industry is presented. There is little support that the currently favored APN effectively protects farmed clams from predators. Evidence does suggest that APN leads to impacts and pollution. APN is an attractant for predators, e.g., crabs, by providing a refuge within Ulva sp. which attaches onto the surface of APN...

I analyzed 28 fecal samples from Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) collected between 2003 and 2007 from the Laquipampa Wildlife Refuge and Yanachaga Chemillén National Park, Peru. I used the direct faeces test and spontaneous sedimentation tube technique to detect cysts, ova, and larvae. To detect intestinal coccidia, I applied acid stain using the Ziehl–Neelsen modified method. I detected para...

Two new species of the genus Rissoella Gray, 1847 are described from Venezuela, one from the National Park Morrocoy, Rissoella morrocoyensissp. n. and the other from the Wildlife Refuge Isla de Aves, Rissoella venezolanicolasp. n.Rissoella morrocoyensissp. n. has a deep umbilicus (partly closed), preumbilical cord, black head, hypobranchial gland marked by a pale yellow boomerang-shaped ribbon ...