Comments on: More New Species and Subspecies Announced

By: kittenz

kittenz — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:51:33 +0000

Whether the news about the newly recognized tiger subspecies is “new” or two years old, it was new to me … and I hold out hope that living tigers of the “extict” subspecies may yet be found, perhaps even languishing in captivity somewhere.

Sightings of Bali, Caspian, and especially Javan tigers are occasionally reported, and some livestock carcasses are found from time to time in Java with wounds cosistent with tiger predation. Javan authorities have a management plan in place, with provision for relocating people and creating refuges, if concrete evidence can be found of their tiger’s continued existence.

Given the more enlightened views towards predators in general, and tigers in particular, maybe there is still room for hope, however faint.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 11:16:40 +0000

An updated revision has been made to reflect the fact that despite the report on the tiger subspecies being published as “new” in one location on December 12, 2006, detective work by Craig Heinselman shows the primary information is from a report that is now two years old.

By: peteHZ

peteHZ — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 21:02:43 +0000

Good stuff there. Just wondering about the tiger story, as Wikipedia has it that the Malayan tiger has been accepted since 2004. Is it a case of the media being a couple of years behind science?

By: Mnynames

Mnynames — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 20:10:22 +0000

For better or for worse, I can assure you that Bigfoot is far less elusive than world peace…may we at least find something we’re looking for in this coming year…

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 19:38:40 +0000

The posting has been updated to reflect Chad Arment’s observation that, of course, salamanders do not have scales and the genus name Tropidophorus given is that of a kind of skink. The newspaper or a translator apparently confused the word “lizard” with “salamander.” Thanks to Dale Drinnon for bringing this to my attention while I was dealing with Christmas family activities.

By: kittenz

kittenz — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 17:46:27 +0000

Merry Christmas to All!

My wish list for 2007 includes (but is not limited to) discovery of living thylacines, positive identification of the black (or whatever color) mystery cats in America, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, and living, breathing indisputable Bigfoot to study in the wild.

Oh, and world peace!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May all of you and your families be blessed with peace, health, prosperity, and curiosity during the coming year.