North Carolina's Offshore Shipwrecks Have Surprising New Tenants-Tropical Fish

North Carolina isn’t known as a hotspot for tropical fish, but a new study suggests scuba divers should give the waters off the state’s coast a second look. A new study published in the journal Nature Communications Biology finds that shipwrecks and other structures serving as artificial reefs in deeper waters provide habitat for tropical fish in the northern reaches of the range, and may give these species some refuge as climate change alters reefs to the south.

Scuba-diving research ecologists from NOAA and Duke University conducted species counts at 30 natural and artificial reefs off the coast of North Carolina four times a year between 2013 and 2015. They found that the number and diversity of both tropical and subtropical fish was greater deep in the artificial reefs. At the naturally-occurring reefs, which are typically found in shallow water, temperate species were common.

It’s the depth of the artificial reefs that matters, says Avery Paxton, a marine ecologist at NOAA and Duke University Marine Laboratory, in a press release.

“We didn’t see these patterns on artificial reefs at shallow or intermediate depths, we only saw them on deep reefs, located between 80 to 115 feet below the surface, where water temperatures often experience less seasonal change,” says Paxton.

Why the fish are attracted to these deep artificial reefs is hard to say at the moment. “It could be that the zooplankton and smaller fish these species eat are more plentiful on artificial reefs,” study co-author J. Christopher Taylor, a NOAA marine ecologist, says in the release. “Or it could be that human-made reefs’ complex structures give the fish more nooks and crannies where they can evade predators. We’re still trying to figure it out.”

Whatever the case, the finding could have big implications for how conservationists prepare for climate change. Many studies have found that as ocean temperatures tick up, fish are moving towards the poles, with tropical fish beginning to colonize temperate waters. That trend is expected to continue as climate changes. The artificial reefs in North Carolina and other places could act as refuges or stepping stones for tropical species as they move northward.

Carrie Arnold at National Geographic reports that artificial reefs are actually quite common. Since the 1800s, people have dumped junk in the ocean to create structures for fishing. More recently, humans have deployed structures intentionally to create artificial reefs, including old cars and outdated military equipment — after scrubbing them of any potentially harmful chemicals, of course.

In fact, North Carolina has a program dedicated to creating artificial reefs that has 42 artificial reefs in the ocean and 22 in estuaries. Besides those reefs, North Carolina’s coast is known as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic,” with around 2,000 shipwrecks strung along its coast. Many of those wrecks serve as artificial reefs as well. Just last month, another study showed that those shipwreck-reefs are important to sand tiger sharks, an endangered species that might use the wrecks during its annual migration.

But building artificial reefs is becoming more sophisticated than just scuttling an old ship. Some researchers are experimenting with plastic and silicon reefs that mimic some of the coral species that are disappearing due to ocean temperatures in places like the Mediterranean to give some of the fish species that rely on them a place to survive. Studies like this one could help researchers decide where exactly to deploy new reef technologies.

Ethically Fraught Experiment Has Produced Monkeys With Added Human Brain Genes

In a bid to learn more about the way the human brain develops, scientists in China have added a human brain gene to the genome of rhesus monkeys. It's called MC HP 1, or microcephalin, and it's involved in regulating the foetal growth of the brain.

The addition does seem to have made the monkeys smarter. The transgenic animals' brains took longer to develop - more like those of human children - and they also exhibited better memory skills, and faster reaction times, compared to their unmodified peers.

"This was the first attempt to understand the evolution of human cognition using a transgenic monkey model," geneticist Bing Su of the Kunming Institute of Zoology told Technology Review.

Transgenic organisms are nothing new. The first was published in 1974, when Staphylococcus aureus genes were spliced into Escherichia coli. The first transgenic monkey, inserted with jellyfish genes, was created in 2001.

Human genes have been added to monkeys to study diseases and conditions such as autism, and mice have been modified with human cognition genes, including altered microcephalin. But the researchers believe that this is the first time researchers have used transgenic monkeys to look into the genetic origins of the human brain.

It is, scientists say, an experiment with concerning ethical implications.

The team exposed the monkey embryos to a virus carrying human microcephalin. This generated 11 transgenic rhesus monkeys carrying the human gene, only five of whom actually survived.

"Our findings demonstrated that transgenic nonhuman primates (excluding ape species) have the potential to provide important - and potentially unique - insights into basic questions of what actually makes humans unique, as well as into disorders and clinically relevant phenotypes," the researchers wrote in their paper.

But not everyone agrees. In fact, a 2010 paper expressly condemns the entire concept of editing apes with human brain genes (although not necessarily monkeys), calling such potential studies "ethically unacceptable" due to the elevated risk of harm to the animals.

But using monkeys could be a step down that path.

"The use of transgenic monkeys to study human genes linked to brain evolution is a very risky road to take," geneticist James Sikela of the University of Colorado, who co-authored that 2010 paper, told Technology Review.

"It is a classic slippery slope issue and one that we can expect to recur as this type of research is pursued."

In addition, one of the researchers of this latest study, computer scientist Martin Styner of the University of North Carolina, noted that there were aspects of the study that would not be allowed in a country with stricter regulations, such as the US. In fact, the research was unable to find a publisher in the West.

Chinese genetic research is already being side-eyed after the work of geneticist He Jiankui, who claimed to have edited the germline of human twins. His American collaborator, Michael Deem of Rice University, has also come under fire.

It's difficult to know whether Su's new research would receive the same reception were it not under Jiankui's shadow, but the geneticist is not letting it slow him down. He is already at work making new transgenic monkeys.

But Styner said he considered taking his name off the paper.

"Now we have created this animal which is different than it is supposed to be. When we do experiments, we have to have a good understanding of what we are trying to learn, to help society, and that is not the case here," he said.

"They are trying to understand brain development. And I don't think they are getting there."

The research has been published in National Science Review.

Leopard strikes up friendship with mare at Gujarat farmhouse

A young leopard has forged an unlikely bond with a mare at a farmhouse in Gujarat.

The one-year-old leopard has been visiting the farmhouse, located near a forest at Virod village on Vadodara’s outskirts, for the past four to five days apparently after taking a liking to the mare kept tied there to a tree.

The farmhouse and the mare belong to villager Jagdishbhai Patel, who said the leopard had been coming to his field everyday during the night time.

“The leopard rolls on the grass and plays near the mare, who has not resisted the big cat’s move and keeps standing near the tree without any sign of panic,” he told PTI over phone on Wednesday.

He said while his family was worried about the unusual visitor in their field, the other villagers were flocking to the place to catch a glimpse of the camaraderie between the two animals.

“The leopard has been coming to the farmhouse, located just about 25 metres from my house, after sunset and sits near the mare for some hours before disappearing. The carnivore has not attacked any human being though it bit a dog a couple of days back,” Patel said.

He said his farm labourers were scared of going near the mare to feed it and as a precaution he has shifted his other cattle behind the house.

He also requested the forest department to catch the spotted animal.

Arvind Pawar of the city-based NGO Wildlife Rescue Trust said they had installed two night vision cameras to capture the leopard’s images.

The district forest department’s rescue team member, Nitin Patel, said the young leopard’s mother was also seen near the farmhouse in a video footage.

“While the young feline sits in a water pit dug up near the spot where the mare is tied, its mother was seen climbing a nearby tree,” he said.

A cage along with a bait was placed nearby, but the leopard was yet to be caught, he added.

A red fox family in Yellowstone

Many of the stories I write in this space come from my background in biology, generally information about a specific species. But occasionally I want to share what I've learned about individual animals I've gotten to know. Because I am both a wildlife scientist and a filmmaker, I spend hours and hours in the field watching animals, sometimes the same individuals for days. Over the years I have come to realize how unique animals are, with their own distinctive personalities, likes, dislikes, and quirks.

One such example is a red fox family I got to know fairly well several years ago when they decided to build their den and have their kits,  in a very public place: under a large Douglas fir tree right next to the Yellowstone Picnic Area on the north side of Yellowstone National Park. From a photographer's view point, it was almost as if we had put up a sign in fox language reading, "Free home to any fox family who doesn't mind having us photograph their every move"! A pair of foxes took us up on that offer and moved in.

You might think that since there were right next to a picnic area they would become habituated to humans and learn to beg for food. Surprisingly that didn't happen, but we never had the foresight to see was what actually did happen. They knew we were there, but they went about their foxy business as if we didn't exist. We kept a respectful distance from them, they understood we meant them no harm, and everyone was happy, especially the 50+ photographers that snapped their pictures every day for about ten days.

We first became aware of their presence when we saw the male digging for a ground squirrel across the road from their den site. That fox knew exactly where the squirrel was. It would repeatedly dig furiously, stop, listen carefully, and then dig some more. At one point it tore a large sagebrush out of the ground, tossed it aside and kept digging. He was on a mission. He finally emerged from the hole, looking quite proud, with a mouth full of ground squirrel and triumphantly crossed the road. It was then that we saw his mate and two of the cutest little kits I've ever seen.

From that moment on we were there every day for hours recording their every move like proud grandparents. They had a routine. The vixen and the month-old kits hung around the den while the male went hunting. Every few hours he came back with a mouth full of several ground squirrels and gave them to the female.

The kits were still nursing but they used the squirrels in their tug-of-war games. Occasionally the female left for a little while, presumably to go hunt, but only when the male was there to babysit. The kits didn't care whether their mom or their dad was there, although they did seem more respectful of their dad. They climbed all over their mom, but they usually kept a little distance between themselves and their dad, who was rather aloof.

On the tenth day a badger suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Badgers have a reputation for being fairly tough, and this one probably had kits to feed as well. The male was out hunting but the female was there. She and the badger fought. The kits went into their den and it was obvious the female was trying to keep the badger away from the den. Every time she lunged and bit, the badger lowered its head and took the brunt of the bites on the back of its head. A little blood was visible, but the badger was determined. The fox fought hard but the badger got into their den. The vixen stared down into the den and dug around the opening, but it was obvious she didn't know how to get the badger out, and the male wasn't there to help. We all had visions of the badger down there killing the kits.

We stood there quietly for about 20 minutes and hoped for the best. After what seemed like hours, the badger came out and then, miracle of miracles, the kits emerged untouched. We don't know this for a fact, but we believe the badger was down there eating their stash of ground squirrels. The female fox and the badger fought again, and again the badger went into their den, but this time the kits stayed above ground.

That evening the female dug a new den about 50 yards to the west of the old one. The old one had at least two exit holes; the new one was shallow, and only had one opening. The next day, when the female had been without food for over 24 hours she left to go hunt. She had never left the kits alone, but I assume her hunger overcame her caution. As soon as she left the kits went into the new den. Then a few minutes later the badger emerged from their old den and went to the new one, silently disappearing down the only entrance/exit hole. There was suddenly dead silence from all the photographers. We knew a second miracle wasn't likely. After what seemed like a long time the female fox returned. She immediately knew the badger was in the new den with her kits and she began to dig, and dig, and dig. The badger finally came out and quickly disappeared. There was no fighting. It just left. The female went down the hole and after a minute or so came out with the small remains of one of the kits.

Then she did the most remarkable thing. She put the remains on the ground and slowly walked around in a circle pushing dirt over them. She was burying her kit.

That's when I lost it.

She did such an unbelievably human-like act. I'm purposely avoiding the use of the word "anthropomorphic" because I don't believe in that word. Of course, humans do things similar to other animals, especially other mammals who we are most closely related to. If we all evolved from common ancestors, it makes sense that we have a bunch of things in common, including the way our brains function. I've watched wolves mourn the loss of one of their pack, bison females mourn when their baby is stillborn, and many other examples of animal feelings. Do I think they grieve the way we do? I don't know. But I do know they show some of the same behaviors we would exhibit in similar situations.

Here Are the Best Dog-Friendly Restaurants and Bars in Dallas

In May 2008, Parigi’s chef/owner Janice Provost led the charge to legalize dogs on patios in the city of Dallas. Today, it’s hard to imagine dining without doggies. It’s practically an American right. Just don’t let them off-leash: restaurants and dog owners have a list of simple rules they must follow, but your best dog won’t care as long as they’re leashed and by your side.

With patio season upon us, here’s a list of top dog-friendly spots for Spot within the Dallas city limits—sorry greater DFW—where people and their furry friends alike can sit, stay, and play all day.

Parigi

The mutt movement all started here, so there’s no way this Oak Lawn bistro wasn’t going to make the list. Dogs of all shapes and sizes can be found mingling with their humans at lunch, brunch, and dinner under the bright yellow umbrellas on the friendly patio for the laid-back vibe of a Parisian sidewalk cafe.

Perfect patio pairing: Escargot and a Veuve Clicquot French 75

Wild Salsa

This mural-clad downtown patio has a colorful Mexican flair (perfect for selfies with your pup) that’s semi-enclosed so the little furry ones won’t be distracted by everything that walks by. Another plus among the city’s dog-friendly restaurants: it’s right across the street from Main Street Garden if he needs a little exercise and potty break.

Perfect patio pairing: Gulf shrimp taquitos and an avocado margarita

Mutts Canine Cantina

It’s not unusual for dogs to outnumber people at this Uptown dog park/outdoor eatery. If you needed to know how this ranks among our pet-friendly bars and restaurants, there are three separate areas for big dogs, small dogs, and well-behaved homo sapiens. In addition to being able to run free and splash around in pools with fellow four-legged friends, dogs have the added perk of their own menu items, including pupsicles and mini beef franks.

Perfect patio pairing: Original chicken sandwich and a bourbon-spiked pecan praline milkshake

Trinity Groves

In addition to offering more than a dozen culinary options, this ever-popular restaurant incubator complex features a massive covered dog-friendly patio shared by all the Singleton Boulevard-facing eateries. So not only can you pop back and forth between restaurants, so can your dog. And you can both log plenty of steps across the street on the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge.

20 Feet Seafood Joint
The name may sound like some sort of nautical depth to fit the seafood theme, but it’s actually a nod to the owners and their four dogs for the most fun algebra equation of your day: (4 dogs x 4 feet) + (2 people x 2 feet) = 20 feet!) The picnic-table clad patio even features pics of pooches on the napkin holders, so they’ll feel extra welcome. Cold water and roasted salmon skin doggie treats take the hound hospitality one step further.

Perfect patio pairing: Fried Ipswich whole belly clams and 16 bottles of wine (it’s BYOB, so why not?)

Royal Blue Grocery
Get Fifi in her classiest canine couture for a stint on the cozy sidewalk patio of this Highland Park Village market under the shade of blue-and-white striped umbrellas.

Perfect patio pairing: A turkey Reuben (with a side of habanero sauce for a little kick) and an Arnold Palmer from the coffee bar

 Kozy Kitchen

The early bird may get the worm, but early visitors also get the best patio seats at this new addition Lakewood with great big breakfasts to start the day. The wrap-around covered patio makes it a welcoming respite from the heat any time of day.

Perfect patio pairing: The four-egg-and-venison-sausage “Monster” omelet with a spicy Bloody Mary

Truck Yard

Everyone loves to frolic around in the great outdoors at this Lower Greenville beer garden and hangout that’s almost one big outdoor patio entirely. With old truck beds turned into seating, occasional live music, a bar made out of an Airstream trailer, a cheesesteak kitchen, happy hour specials, and an ever-rotating parade of food trucks, this destination just off Greenville Ave. couldn’t be more perfect for pets.

Perfect patio pairing: A loaded Wagyu cheesesteak and a frozen trash can punch

Cane Rosso

Cane Rosso may mean “great pizza” to many in Dallas, but it literally translates to “red dog” in Italian. Founder/owner Jay Jerrier’s first dog was a red-haired Hungarian Vizsla and became the restaurant’s namesake and also the inspiration for Cane Rosso Rescue, which translates to lots of extra dogs at Jerrier’s home while they await adoption. Each location’s patio has a different vibe, but the common theme is a lively place for people of all ages and their mutts to hang out over a shared meal. Visit the Deep Ellum original and take a walk around the neighborhood afterward.

Perfect patio pairing: The signature Cane Rosso pie with an ice-cold Miller Lite draft

Wheelhouse

Dog lovers have it made in the shade in the Design District at this massive covered patio highlighted by artist Daniel Arsham’s “Moving Figure” sculpture. Dogs are so welcome here that “Bark and Brunch” happens regularly (the next edition is this Saturday, April 13 from noon to 3:00 p.m.) with cold water and treats for the well-behaved K-9 set. Help yourself to a few craft beers.

Perfect patio pairing: A house-made, quinoa-based veggie burger with a Salty Dog (natch)

La La Land Kind Cafe
Everything’s feel-good about this coffee shop & cafe in an old house, from the employment of older foster kids to the “dog parking” area in the backyard, which features string lights and plenty of comfy furnishings.

Perfect patio pairing: Honey strawberry toast and an iced strawberry fields matcha latte

Eno’s Pizza Tavern

The infinitely walkable Bishop Arts District is a dog owner’s dream, but when it’s time to take a load off, the sidewalk patio makes a great place for the pups to nap under the canopy of trees while you fuel up on food and quench your thirst with a variety of beverage options.

Perfect patio pairing: Arthichoke fonduta and a seasonal cider from local Bishop Cider Company

Flora Street Cafe

Chef Stephan Pyles’ fine-dining gem in the Dallas Arts District has gone to the dogs—but only at Sunday brunch. The newly expanded patio will feature a champagne and oyster cart, as well as “pooches on the patio” programming during brunch with snacks and water bowls for the dogs. There’s always plenty to do nearby on Sunday afternoons, including the Klyde Warren dog park that only takes a few minutes to reach.

Perfect patio pairing: Pulled pork BBQ eggs Benedict and a spicy blood orange mimosa

Bonus classics: You can’t go wrong with Lee Harvey’s in the Cedars or the Katy Trail Ice House in Uptown. They’re two of the city’s most prominent patios, so they probably need no introduction. We just felt like we couldn’t leave them off.

Celebrities urge the Government to protect animal rights post-Brexit

Celebrities including Jilly Cooper, Joanna Lumley and Mel C of the Spice Girls have backed a campaign demanding the Government strengthens animal rights laws post-Brexit.

More than 20 well-known figures including Bill Oddie and Ben Fogle called for existing EU laws to be maintained and built upon in a letter to The Sunday Telegraph.

Under the Lisbon Treaty, animals are recognised as sentient beings that can feel and understand pain.

The Better Deal For Animals campaign, run by 36 prominent animal charities, wants the Government to keep this legislation within a new act, which also eliminates some practices currently allowed by the EU.

“The welfare of billions of animals is at risk if the Government does not put in place a new law to replicate current EU animal protections,” the group wrote.

“Losing these would mean that British governments would no longer be bound to ensure good standards of animal welfare when creating laws and policies.”

Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who is set to attend an event at Parliament hosted by the campaign group on Tuesday, insisted animal sentience would be recognised.

He said: “Animals are sentient beings who feel pain and suffering, so it is absolutely right that we recognise this in UK law after we leave the EU.

“Our plans to increase protections for animals include raising the maximum sentence for animal cruelty from six months to five years and banning third-party sales of puppies and kittens.

“I will continue to make sure we have the strongest legal protections in place for our animals.”