reptiles | Common News Update

Baby crocodiles found living in a remote region of Nepal give hope for the future of one of the rarest and strangest reptiles on earth.With its distinctive long thin snout, the gharial is unique but critically endangered, with fewer than a thousand adults remaining in the wild.The discovery of 100 hatchlings is a boost for the potential recovery of the species, according to scientists.The crocodile is clinging to survival in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.Revealing details of the find, researcher Rikki Gumbs of ZSL (Zoological Society of London) said it was amazing to find the baby crocodiles basking on a sand bank in Bardia National Park. "Given the species is limited to around five populations across its entire range, this is such...

Sept. 4 (UPI) -- New analysis of fossil teeth have offered scientists new insights into the impacts of sea level rise on Jurassic food chains. Sea levels rose considerably over the course of the Jurassic period, the 56 million years between the Triassic and Cretaceous periods. As revealed by the fossil record, some species thrived, while others were pushed to the margins. To better understand the dynamics of this upheaval, scientists studied the shapes and sizes of teeth found among Jurassic strata along the coasts of England. All of the teeth were sourced from marine sediments representing an 18-million-year period when sea levels fluctuated dramatically. The owners of the ancient teeth belonged to a diverse food chain called the Jurassic Sub-Boreal Seaway. The analysis suggests the Jur...

Tag: reptiles

New hope for one of world’s most endangered reptiles

Jurassic reptiles were forced to adapt to sea level rise