Is It Time to Release the Whale Sharks?

Is It Time To Release The Whale Sharks?...

from the Georgia Aquarium? We have just read the report of the death of a second whale shark (Rhincodon typus) - Norton - at the acclaimed aquarium. To preserve this gentle giant, should they not begin a cloning procedure(s) and/or release these creatures back to the wild where they belong before they accidentally kill more of them?

Note: for an astounding selection of images of whale sharks, go to http://flickr.com/search/?q=whale+shark.

New Suriname Species for Preservation?

Is Cloning Needed to Preserve these New Species from the Republic of Suriname?...

We think so...see the Planetcatfish site and the Operation Atelopus site. For example, until now, we know of no other frog specie with fluorescent purple rings. And the dwarf, "Big Mouth" catfish is of the guayancistrus genus. For more, see: "Scientists find 24 species in Suriname".

We think that, possibly, that discovery might be especially dangerous for the two new species above. That is, hobby aquarists will doubtless want their specimens of the new catfish and herptile fans/terrarists will want their specimens of the new (already endangered) atelopus specie.

The Invasion of the Vampire Moth

Straying even further from our original mission...

We recently read of the invasion of this moth - the vampire moth (Calyptra Thalictri) into Finland. Reports say that they have actually been videotaped feeding on human blood. How many vampiric species or genuses are really out there? Do we want these creatures preserved? We don't think so. Apparently this invasion is another result of global warming.

Lake Monster Videos (New?) - from Turkey and Scotland

Is this the purported Lake Monster of Lake Van (Turkey) ?...

Is it truly an ichthyosaur or plesiousaur, or something else altogether? Click here for video link. You can also locate the video at CNN INteractive. (We think the second reference actually has a better view of the 'monster's "eye"').

Updated 6/02/07:

Our editors have come up with another potential animal for the Lake Van Monster - a squid. (We took a hint from the shape of the head combined with the shape of the apparently lidless "eye"). We did ask ourselves how did a squid (or other mollusc of the same shape and size) find itself in Lake Van???

And...did this man really video recently the Loch Ness Monster?...

Click here for video link.

Also, please visit Adrian Shine's Loch Ness Project Site and The Fortean Times (photo credits to The Fortean Times).

We're not sure if this video's quality is sufficient to demonstrate the presence of a monster or even an animal. We think it is possible - without being experts on the wildlife of Loch Ness or Lake Van - that the thing in question is a turtle (of unknown type?) or lake sturgeon (or possibly some other large fish) or even sightings of both.

And some more wild speculation...perhaps these things are even related to the sea serpent of the previous post.