‘Rarely seen' bottom-dwelling sea creature washes up on beach in Australia
A 'rarely seen' marine creature — nearly 6 feet long — washed up on a beach in northern Australia, attracting the attention of wildlife enthusiasts.
Rhynchobatus australiae, commonly known as a bottlenose wedgefish, was found stranded on Casuarina Beach in the Casuarina Coastal Reserve, according to a May 29 news release from Australia's Northern Territory Government.
Officials said the 'distinctive' bottom-dweller is known for it's wide wedge-shaped snout and is typically found at depths of about 200 feet.
'They don't often wash up on beaches, making sightings extremely rare,' officials said.
The wedgefish was dead with no signs of injury, according to the release.
Researchers from the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory collected data and a tissue sample, which will be used to analyze 'the species' genetic makeup and population diversity,' officials said.
The species is listed as 'critically endangered' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
Wildlife officials said the species is targeted for their fins that are highly valuable in the international fin trade.
Casuarina Beach is in Australia's Northern Territory.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Prehistoric creature known for its distinct appearance makes remarkable comeback: 'Huge territory'
Saiga antelope — known for their distinctive large snouts — have had a turbulent existence on this planet. They once walked the Earth alongside woolly rhinos and mammoths; early humans painted them in rock art 19,000 years ago. But within just the last 100 years, due to overhunting and climate-exacerbated disease outbreaks, their population has plunged to a fraction of their earlier numbers. Fortunately, dedicated conservation efforts have allowed the saiga population to stabilize and rebound, CNN reported. The saiga once were found everywhere from Canada to France; today, they live only in Kazakhstan, with some small populations in Uzbekistan, Russia, and Mongolia. Their numbers were decimated by hunting in the mid-20th century, when both Chinese and Soviet poachers killed them for their meat, hides, and horns. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, this resulted in approximately 150,000 antelope killed each year in the 1950s and '60s, and the species was labeled as critically endangered in 2002. To save the beloved species, Kazakhstan's government banned hunting the saiga in 1999, implementing education and training to help border guards crack down on poachers and smuggling. Additionally, the country's Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative was founded in 2006 in order to help conserve the wildlife of the Kazakh steppe, including saiga antelope. Since then, it has been able to secure an area the size of Denmark in protected land. Daniyar Turgambayev, chair of the forestry and wildlife committee at Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, told CNN that the government was committed to increasing that area by designating up to 30% of the country as a protected area for wildlife. "Naturally, given that Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world, this is a huge territory," he said. Between the hunting bans, the crackdown on poaching, and the conservation efforts, there has been a dramatic rebound in the saiga's population, up from 21,000 in Kazakhstan in 2003 to 2.8 million in 2024. The species' threat level has been downgraded to "near threatened" on the IUCN Red List. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Saiga are still susceptible to disease, however. Four major outbreaks have slashed their numbers in the last 15 years, including in 2015 when over half the global population died in a span of three weeks. IUCN specified that this bacterial infection was likely triggered by warmer-than-usual temperatures during calving season. Considering that temperatures aren't on track to drop anytime soon, groups like Altyn Dala are hoping to keep saiga safe by regularly monitoring for disease outbreaks. Because of their prolific birthing rate — 60% of saiga give birth to twins — the species is able to rebound quickly. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
‘Rarely seen' bottom-dwelling sea creature washes up on beach in Australia
A 'rarely seen' marine creature — nearly 6 feet long — washed up on a beach in northern Australia, attracting the attention of wildlife enthusiasts. Rhynchobatus australiae, commonly known as a bottlenose wedgefish, was found stranded on Casuarina Beach in the Casuarina Coastal Reserve, according to a May 29 news release from Australia's Northern Territory Government. Officials said the 'distinctive' bottom-dweller is known for it's wide wedge-shaped snout and is typically found at depths of about 200 feet. 'They don't often wash up on beaches, making sightings extremely rare,' officials said. The wedgefish was dead with no signs of injury, according to the release. Researchers from the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory collected data and a tissue sample, which will be used to analyze 'the species' genetic makeup and population diversity,' officials said. The species is listed as 'critically endangered' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Wildlife officials said the species is targeted for their fins that are highly valuable in the international fin trade. Casuarina Beach is in Australia's Northern Territory.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
'Windswept' red-listed bird visits county garden
A red-listed bird, which has seen declining numbers in the past decades, has appeared in a Herefordshire garden. Posting on the Hereford Times' 'Birds spotted in Herefordshire' group, Jackie Partridge said she had received a visit from a "slightly windswept" Mistle Thrush in her garden on Monday morning (May 26), with several of the birds around, as a nest is nearby. According to the RSPB, the birds can be identified by their pale bodies and black spots, along with tails with "whiteish" edges. The British Trust for Ornithology describes the thrushes as "handsome" birds, with a brown back, greyish nape and crown and spotted breast and belly. ALSO READ: Pair of UK red-list birds spotted in Herefordshire Rarely seen crested bird from Eurasia spotted in back garden 'Excessively rare' war medal goes up for sale in county shop for £40,000 The birds are usually around 28cm in length and weigh between 100 and 150 grams. Known as Britain's "largest songbird", the species was added to the Red List in 2015, after its population declined from the 1970s onwards. The trust says that although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, it may be linked to the degradation of farmland habitat. The Woodland Trust links the species' demise to increased infant mortality. The Trust says the birds feed off seeds, berries, and fruit, as well as worms and insects. The species is believed to have been named after its love for mistletoe berries. "It is fiercely territorial when it comes to food, guarding its food sources (such as holly bushes or rowan trees) closely, often with two birds defending the same area," the trust says. Mistle Thrush's nests are generally formed from mud, leaves and grass, with the bird laying between three to six eggs, which hatch after 15 to 20 days. Describing how to identify the birds, The Woodland Trust said: "Listen out for the sharp chattering noises these birds make when disturbed – they are particularly prone to making these warning calls during strong winds. "As they are garden visitors, adding seeds and fruit to your bird feeder is a good way of attracting them. "Or, if you have any berry bushes nearby, chances are these birds might be guarding them!"
