Extremely Rare Fiji Petrel Spotted: Needs Protection

A sea-going bird that is has been seen about a dozen times in the past 150 years was seen recently signaling the need for protective action.

News.com.au

"Known for its elusiveness, it was first identified on Fiji's Gau island by British surveyors in 1855 and was not seen again for 130 years.Since 1984 there have been a handful of reports of petrels injured after crashing into village roofs on Gau but never have the birds been seen at sea until now."Finding this bird and capturing such images was a fantastic and exhilarating experience," Hadoram Shirihai, who led the two-week search by the British Ornithologists' Club, said. A paper published this week is the first ever to detail how the species behaves, with the team hoping it could hold the key to the bird's survival. 'The present evidence is that very few Fiji petrels survive and that immediate efforts to find the nest sites are needed,' expedition member Tony Pym said." See full article.

Twenty "Strange" Endangered Species That Need More Attention

Global warming is such a broad threat to the survival of wildlife that it helps to keep a broader view of what species need to be safeguarded. Here is a website that lists some fascinating creatures from around the world that are generally not getting high profile attention in the media.

The WebEcoist reports:

"The ugly redheaded stepchildren of the animal kingdom don’t get much attention compared to the perennial endangered animal favorites like pandas, polar bears, and owls. These are the cute, majestic, and otherwise emblematic creatures of the endangered species list. But there are hundreds more animal species on our wondrous planet that are critically threatened and need both publicity and support. From bats the size of bees to poison-slinging mammals, lizards that don’t eat for a decade to seals with giant inflatable faces, here are the 25 strangest, most bizarre, unusual and important endangered species living on the 'EDGE.'" See full listing.