Animals Evolved

Although most dogs are docile and loving, particularly towards their family, some dogs can be aggressive towards other dogs and even towards humans who aren’t a part of their pack. This sort of aggression can cause problems for both dog and human if not corrected. Although most interventions designed to stop aggression in dogs centers around behavior training, a study shows that the problem could be at least partially physiological. One proposed cause of aggression in dogs may be a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids.

Although much has been written about the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in terms of human health, less is known about its effects in dogs. These fatty acids, found most commonly in fish oil, have been shown to lower triglyceride levels in humans as well as play a role in reducing the risk of heart disease. What’s less known is that a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids may play a role in some forms of human psychological illnesses such as depression, illustrating the importance that omega-3’s play in brain health.

A study published in a veterinary journal in 2007 looked at blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in dogs that were known to be aggressive compared to those who didn’t exhibit aggressive behavior. To the surprise of the researchers, it was found that dogs who manifested aggression had lower levels of omega 3’s in their blood compared to well behaved, less aggressive dogs. Could low levels of omega 3’s be a correctable cause of aggression in dogs? Interestingly, studies of aggressive human prisoners have also shown deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids. It’s thought that omega-3 fatty acids may play an important role in the function of brain cells by stabilizing the cell membrane.

While it may be premature to attribute all cases of aggression in dogs to an omega 3 deficiency, increasing the amount of these fatty acids your dog receives in his diet could have a positive impact on both his behavior and his health. Because the dose to potentially stop aggression in dogs hasn’t been well established, it’s best to check with your vet to find the amount that’s right for your particular dog. Not only can the addition of fish oils possibly stop aggression in dogs, it may also have beneficial effects on your dog’s heart and can reduce the pain and inflammation of arthritis.

Many pet stores and pet supply catalogs carry special fish oil supplements for dogs. If the right dose is selected, you could also use fish oil supplements designed for humans, but always check with your veterinarian first.

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A cow at Jilin province, China is different from other cattle.  This cow owned by Wang Zhenmin had a Chinese character on its body.  The word has different meaning, which are “year, age or harvest”.  It looked like a calligrapher brushed the word on it.  The word was about 60 centimetres high and 45 centimetres wide.  Wang thought that this cow would bring him good lucks.

Source: 163 via Cina Pig

Mountain Gorillas are endangered species and the Central African highlands are home to some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas.

Congolese Wildlife Authority had identified 10 gorilla babies were born at the Virunga National Park since August 2007.  President Joseph Kabila’s administration and insurgents had made a deal late last year, making the soldiers and rebels away from Virunga National Park.  The mountain gorilla was overrun since then.  Currently there are 81 mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park, and about 720 mountain gorillas left worldwide.

Source: ABC News

China’s wild camel population is increasing at former nuclear test zone.  It is estimated there are about 400 wild Bactrian camels in a national nature reserve in Xinjiang’s Lop Nur region.  There are also 400 of them in Mongolia at that time.  Due to decreasing poaching of camels, Yuan the director at the camel reserve said that the number of camels is increasing as shown in a survey last spring.  The increasing amount of wild camels has rugged the scarce water and they developed the ability  to survive by drinking briny water on the salt flats.  Currently China’s western Xinjiang territory has half of the world’s population of the wild camels.

Source: msnbc

A 35-year-old Bavarian woman from Mindelheim thought of a new way of making money — providing match-making service for depressed parrots.  However match-maker was just a guise, her real method of making money was convinced the parrot owners across Germany that their pets were feeling blue and should sent to her to find a soul partner.  She claimed that she had a flock of potential parrot partners and the parrots had the freedom to choose their own spouse.  The owners from the Augsburg area, Günzburg, Nuremberg, from Baden-Württemberg and even all the way from Berlin were convinced and sent her their pets.  She sold the received parrots, which was more than 40 of them, for a price between €400 and €2,000 each. She had made more than €20,000 in this fake match-making service.  The birds did not find their true love, and the woman was arrested.

Source: The Local

Researchers used a new dung piles counting method to estimate the population of endangered Asian elephant in the Malaysia’s biggest national park, Taman Negara National Park in Pahang.  New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society and Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National Parks estimated that there are 631 endangered elephant in the park according to the dung piles counted in 2006 and 2007.  The national park is a 4,343 square kilometers protected rain forest jungle, and it is called “Green Heart” by Malaysian.

Source: The Associated Press

A 9-kilogram lobster was was caught off the coast of Canada roughly two weeks ago and purchased by City Crab and Seafood for US$100.  The lobster then became the mascot of the restaurant and it became popular.  The manager Mr Keith Valenti said that the age of the lobster can be worked out from its weights, with each pound counting for 7 to 10 years.  An animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) found out that the lobster was estimated to be 140 years old.  The restaurant then released the old lobster into the ocean after a short service at the restaurant.

Source: ABC News

A rare species of tree kangaroo twins were born at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Nebraska last month.  Matschie’s tree kangaroos Milla and her mate Noru were the parents of the new born twin joeys.  The twins were found by the Nebraska zookeepers in Milla’s puch last month.  The joeys are expected to be showing their heads or feet as early as May.

Matschie’s tree kangaroo is also known as Huon Tree-kangaroo.  This kangaroo is endangered species that lives in the Huon Peninsula of North Easten New Guinea.

Source: Newsvine