News Round-Up

Fish Feel Pain like Humans

Mounting evidence and new research has suggested that fish are far more intelligent that they’re given credit for. They can recognise themselves and others and cooperate and reconcile with one another.  “Although scientists cannot provide a definitive answer on the level of consciousness for any non-human vertebrate, the extensive evidence of fish behavioural and cognitive sophistication and pain perception suggests that best practice would be to lend fish the same level of protection as any other vertebrate,” says Culum Brown of Macquarie University in Australia, who published his findings in the journal Animal Cognition.

Fish Thrive in Abandoned Thai Mall

A mall in Bangkok has become a new home to hundreds of talapia fish after it the roof was destroyed by a fire. After becoming flooded, the mall became infested with mosquitoes. Locals introduced the fresh to help kerb the problem, and now they thrive in this abandoned mall, swimming happily around rusty elevators.

Spiders Dwelling Near Water Eat Fish

According to the University of Basel in Switzerland and Pusey from the University of Western Australia, there have been several spiders documented eating small fish. These semi-aquatic spiders are capable of swimming, diving and walking on the water surface, to catch fish that are twice as big as them and will last them several hours.

Aquarium Fish Collecting Battle in Hawaii

Activists have launched a campaign against the collecting of aquarium fish from the coast of Honolulu, Hawaii. While the area is one of the best managed in the world, questions are beginning to be asked about its appropriateness. Fish from this area are flown all over the world from Berlin to Boston, and the activists argue that this practice is destroying the coral reef.

However, the activists, known as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, have been countered by local fisherman, state regulators and local environmentalists, who have evidence that fish stocks in the area are rebounding.

Shark Swims Beneath the Streets in Mexico City

To help improve the culture of marine conservation, Latin America’s largest aquarium has been built beneath the streets of Mexico City. With shark tank glass eight inches thick and a promise that it can withstand a 10.00 Richter earthquake, it’s supposed to be safer than houses, but we’re still not convinced we’d want to be there when an earthquake hit.