Toy Kills Gator

A 9-foot gator in the Florida Keys died after eating a plastic toy turtle, which lodged in its digestive tract. (News source.)

Snake Stories

A Chinese man was bitten by his pet cobra. Antivenom had to be flown from Shanghai to Beijing. (News source.)

While trying to flush out a snake from a shed, an Australian man accidentally shot and killed the woman helping him. (News source.)

Desert Tortoises Killed

23 relocated desert tortoises have been killed by coyotes after being displaced from the Ft. Irwin expansion area. (News source.)

Cane Toads vs Dogs

Five dogs have died in a week in the Northern Territories from cane toad poisoning. (News source.)

Sea Turtle Fatality

A sea turtle dish was eaten by several minors in the Philippines, ending in one fatality and 10 or more in the hospital. (Bacterial toxin?) (News source.)

Australian Turtle Parasite

Murray River freshwater turtles are dying from infestations of a marine bristle worm. (News source.)

Boats More Dangerous to Sea Turtles than Plastic

There's some controversy over in Australia over the threats toward sea turtles and other wildlife. While plastic bags have been commonly heralded as a danger (and certainly, they can be), some conservationists are saying that danger is overhyped, while greater threats (like boats) are underplayed. (News source.)

Investigation Continues

The gharial deaths in India are still a mystery, though the colder weather recently may have helped abate the problem a little bit. (News source.)

Green Turtle Death

A large female green turtle died after being rescued off an Australian beach, apparently from having swallowed a plastic bag. This isn't an uncommon occurrence, as the turtles mistake floating plastic bags for their jellyfish prey. (News source.)

Fish Poisoning Gharials?

A crocodile expert suggests that toxins accumulating in the skin of tilapia are poisoning India's gharials. (News source.)

Gharial Investigation Continues

Live gharials are been captured and tested to acquire baseline data, so that researchers can figure out what's killing the species in India. (News source.)

"Post mortem analysis of dead Gharials found ulcerated lesions in the stomach and some inflammation in the intestine. Absence of external injuries rules out accidental death or poaching. Toxicological and pathological examination of the organs of the dead gharials by the IVRI, Bareilly, and ITRC, Lucknow found lead concentrations between 0.7-1.4 ppm. Liver and kidney tissues indicate degenerative changes. Presence of various stages of protozoan parasite was also detected. Autopsies conducted on 4 dead gharials on 27th January, 2008 revealed significant gout – both visceral and articulate. Even the feet and tail joints had uric acid deposits. Gout is indicative of kidney failure as a result of toxic poisoning or disease. However, the gharials seemed in good health condition with fat deposits."

Toads Kill Crocodiles

Ten freshwater crocodiles were found dead after eating cane toads, "on Auvergne Station near the Northern Territory and Western Australia border." (News source.)

Gharial Deaths Continue

The Indian gharial epidemic continues, with over 100 dying on the Chambal river in the last 6 weeks. The cause is still unknown, but lead traces have been found in some bodies. (News source.)

Sea Turtle Deaths in 2007

The Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network notes that sea turtle deaths increased in some zones along the Florida coast in 2007, mostly due to red tide. (News source.)