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Rare Chinese alligators sent to China Wildlife Conservation Society May 17, 2006 BALANCING THE U.S.-CHINA TRADE DEFICIT — WITH ALLIGATORS A dozen rare Chinese alligators, born and raised in the U.S., are shipped to China The U.S. made a slight dent in the trade deficit today when a dozen rare Chinese Alligators were shipped from the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) headquarters at the Bronx Zoo directly to China, as part of an international effort to restore populations of these highly endangered reptiles. "We are delighted that the Chinese Government will receive these 12 alligators in an effort to help bolster numbers of the critically endangered species" said WCS conservationist Dr. John Thorbjarnarson, who is helping oversee the program. "Given the chance, these animals will grow in number and roam in areas where they haven't been seen in many years." The Chinese alligator is just one of two alligator species in the world. Unlike the American alligator, which has increased in numbers due to conservation efforts, Chinese alligators have been virtually eliminated from their native habitat in China due to conversion of wetlands for agriculture over the past several thousand years. Perhaps a few dozen remain in the wild.
Chinese alligators are relatively secretive animals, feeding on small fish and aquatic birds. They are not known to attack people. RELATED ARTICLES Python explodes after swallowing 6-foot alligator in Florida Everglades The National Park Service released photos that show the carcass of an American alligator that was almost swallowed by a Burmese python. Park officials discovered the animal carcasses in a remote part of Everglades National Park, in south Miami-Dade, Florida, on Monday, Sept. 26, 2005. It appears that the 13-foot long Burmese python attempted to swallow the six-foot alligator before its stomach ruptured, resulting in the deaths of both animals. Crocodile blood shows anti-HIV activity SCIENTISTS in Australia's tropical north are collecting blood from crocodiles in the hope of developing a powerful antibiotic for humans, after tests showed that the reptile's immune system kills the HIV virus. The crocodile's immune system is much more powerful than that of humans, preventing life-threatening infections after savage territorial fights which often leave the animals with gaping wounds and missing limbs. This is a modified news release from the Wildlife Conservation Society. News index | RSS | Add to MyYahoo! Advertisements: Organic Apparel from Patagonia | Insect-repelling clothing |
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