#33 Wild animals, Punk turtle and an unexpected birth

Discover 3 recent science news in our #PeerusWhatsNew, now on Medium.

1 Tigers, lions and pandas are everywhere on our screens but these animals would be in danger, according to a new study.

According to lead author Franck Courchamp, director of research at the CNRS, these animals are so common in culture and marketing elements that they create a “virtual population” in people’s minds.

“If we do not act to save these species, it may be the only way we will see them”: virtually, said study co-author William Ripple, professor of forest ecology Oregon State University.

2 The turtle Mary River, often adorned with a crest of algae that gives it the punk-like appearance, has joined the list of threatened reptiles of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

The turtle of the Mary River has organs which serve not only to urinate or lay eggs, but also to breathe under the water through the skin. This turtle spends so much time underwater that some find themselves covered with seaweed and can end up with quite impressive cuts.

This turtle suffered from its popularity as a pet in the 1970s and 80s. Its natural habitat was also destroyed because of the construction of dams. Its eggs are collected for the animal trade, while its sexual maturity is late, sometimes not before 25 years.

3 A baby was born in China four years after the death of his parents, his grandparents were able to recover an embryo implanted in a surrogate mother, a Chinese media reported.

Since surrogacy was illegal in China, they had to travel to Laos to find a surrogate mother.

This extraordinary birth sparked a debate on Chinese social networks, where many commentators called for the legalization of surrogacy by highlighting the drama experienced by many parents of single child when it disappears.

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