Last week, USDA APHIS published their final rule to regulate all birds in captivity not used in research. The rule stems from a part of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) that passed in 2002 where Congress added that birds were covered by the AWA. Then in 2004 APHIS finalized a rule to cover birds but the standards were not written up. So, for two decades, USDA APHIS had birds covered by the AWA but had no written directions for license holders to follow.
The "new" regulations require that licensees provide the birds with environmental enrichment, breeders can only sell weaned chicks (with specifications), plus other rules for transport and animal welfare. The USDA has set up an informational website to help licensees and applicants navigate the new rules which go into effect March 23rd, 2023.
By now we have all heard of the train accident turned ecological disaster in East Palestine, Ohio. The cars were carrying dangerous toxins like vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylene glycol, ethylhexyl acrylate, and benzene. Since the leakages were set on fire to burn up quickly, there is still worry that those byproducts, like dioxene, will travel with the weather across the eastern US. Within the first 24 hours of the derailment, people started to find dead fish floating in nearby streams. Then, residents began to report deaths and illnesses of their chickens, dogs and other livestock. The death toll has risen even more since the incident - on the 23rd of February, the new estimate is 43,700 dead animals, both aquatic and terrestrial.
According to the EPA information on vinyl chloride, the greatest risk is for the gas to seep into soil and get into the groundwater where it cannot dissipate. It will evaporate from water quickly, but it will not break down. Since it is a gas, it dissipated soon after the incident into the surrounding air, and the remainder was incinerated. The air contamination concerns were for the first night, when low temperatures and light winds would have kept any remaining gas close to the ground.
Unfortunately, it is still too early to tell the long-lasting effects of the spill and fire. The most casualties found have been minnows, since the streams close to East Palestine are small enough that large fish do not live in them. Other affected wildlife are amphibians, which are used as indicator species of environmental quality due to the fact that they absorb water through their skin. Overall, environmental experts say that this will take a very long time to heal.
Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) showing signs of white patch disease, also known as white pox or patchy necrosis. This specimen was observed in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary by NAIA Advisory Board member and wildlife consultant Art Parola. Photo credit: Art Parola.
Tropical coral reefs are some of the most important and diverse ecosystems on earth, both for humans and the environment overall. They provide buffers against storms in coastal areas, act as nursery grounds for some food fish species, as habitat throughout the entire life cycle for others, and are important assets for tourism and recreation across the globe. Tropical coral reefs also harbor an outsized share of marine biodiversity.
Unfortunately, tropical coral reefs today face numerous challenges. In some areas, particularly in regions impacted by significant human development, stony coral populations have seen dramatic declines. Since the 1970s and 1980s, the Florida Reef Tract has experienced a decrease in abundance of 97% for Acropora corals, which are the Florida Reef Tract's main reef-building stony corals.
The decline of this magnitude of keystone species has cascading impacts on every species that depends on the ecosystem, including Homo sapiens. However, some zoos and aquariums are conducting research to identify strains of corals and genes that may be more impervious to environmental stressors and disease. Others, such as the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, are directly raising corals for reintroduction into the wild.
While healthy tropical coral reef ecosystems will ultimately rely on alleviating stressors in their natural habitat, the ex-situ conservation programs of zoos and public aquariums are a critical component to ensure the continued existence of stony corals and the vast biodiversity, and humanity, that depends on tropical coral reefs for survival.
