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FLORA AND FAUNA
Dispel your spider fears in New York on July 4
by Staff Writers
New York (AFP) July 03, 2014


Fish and Wildlife Service may take manatees off endangered species list
Tallahassee, Fla. (UPI) Jul 3, 2013 - Manatees have been on the federal government's endangered species list since it was first published in 1967 -- a mainstay of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) conservation efforts and regulatory protections.

But now the lovable, slow-moving sea mammal may find itself unprotected by the feds, or at least upgraded, or reclassified, to simply "threatened" instead of endangered. That decision won't come for at least another year, as federal wildlife officials will take 12 months to review the recovery and population numbers of West Indian Manatee and its two subspecies, the Florida manatee and Antillean manatee.

Regardless of the time frame, conservationists are concerned about any possibility of less stringent manatee protections.

"Essentially all of the elements of their habitat are at really high risk going forward in the future," said Patrick Rose, executive director of the Save the Manatee Club. "If you look at the warm water that the manatees depend on in the winter time, whether it's now from the power plants or from the natural springs, there's no security in that."

Florida wildlife officials say manatee numbers are at least stable and in some places up; but taking an accurate count of the mammal, which only emerges momentarily for air, is difficult. Because the hefty creatures are so slow, they're often hit by boats.

FWS spokesman Chuck Underwood said a reclassification wouldn't undermine current protections.

"Reclassifying from endangered to threatened really focuses more on where they stand towards recovery," Underwood said. "They either lean closer to extinction or closer to being recovered. So threatened would be a better status to be."

But the local group Save Crystal River, whose petition and lawsuit has forced the FWS to act, is adamant that the manatees classification reflect science and reality -- not an emotional attachment to a creature they say is now thriving.

"Our lawsuit was necessary because environmental policy has to be kept honest," argued Christina Martin, an attorney that represents Save Crystal River, in a recent blog post. "Changing the manatee's status from endangered to threatened won't change the protections for the species."

"But not changing that status -- when the science says it should be changed -- will undermine the credibility of environmental oversight, and that's bad news for all species and all environmental concerns," Martin added.

Before officials with FWS embark on their year-long fact finding mission, there will be a 90 day comment period, so citizens can voice their concerns or opinions on the prospective of the manatee being reclassified.

Terrified of spiders? Then get down and personal with the venomous beasts at one of New York's top museums as it debunks the Hollywood myth that they're dangerous.

Arachnophobia, the excessive fear of spiders, is one of the most common animal phobias -- felt by millions of people worldwide.

And yet scientists say eight-legged creatures, tarantulas and scorpions included, pose no threat to humans, keep insects at bay and may even help cure disease.

Twenty species star in the exhibition "Spiders Alive!" at the American Museum of Natural History, which houses the world's largest research collection of spiders.

Visitors can watch demonstrations of live spiders, tarantulas and scorpions, ask questions and have their fears assuaged when the exhibition opens on Independence Day and runs through November 2.

Curator Norman Platnick, a world-renowned arachnologist, encourages all New Yorkers to get up close and personal.

"I think the fears are a learned thing, and it is basically irrational," he told AFP, blaming parents and the media.

"We all have this Hollywood image of a tarantula crawling across James Bond's chest, and we're led to believe that he's in dire peril -- and the only thing he's in danger of is itching a little.

"That animal is not going to be able to hurt him in the slightest," laughed Platnick, referring to 1962 spy film "Dr No," in which Sean Connery escapes death by tarantula.

"Spiders Alive!" presents its subjects as -- in the words of Platnick -- "handsome, fascinating creatures that are extremely beneficial to humans."

- A cure for epilepsy? -

By killing so many insects, Platnick said spiders have allowed humans to flourish. Without them, human populations would be much smaller, if not non-existent, he said.

Older than dinosaurs, spiders evolved more than 300 million years ago.

On display at the exhibit is a spider trapped in resin 20 million years ago and a limestone fossil from 100 million years ago.

Among the live critters are four Black Widows, a venomous spider endemic in North America that can be found on roadsides and in suburban gardens -- famous for occasionally eating males after mating.

But fewer than one percent of more than 43,000 documented species have venom dangerous to people, the museum says.

Nor are spiders biters or confrontational. Platnick said many are too small to penetrate human skin and, even among those that can, their bite will have almost no effect.

Arachnids can also help bring advances in human medicine.

For example, some compounds in spider venom, valuable to neurological research, could provide potential cures for diseases such as epilepsy.

A protein in the Chilean rose tarantula can also help regulate heartbeat, which could be useful in treating heart disease.

"We know, at best, half of what's out there," Platnick told AFP.

"Every morning I can come in and look through my microscope and see something that I've never seen before.

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