New Article: Snowy Owls & Climate Change (1 Viewer)

New Article: Snowy Owls & Climate Change

Hi All,

Please check out: Snowy Owls May Provide Early Indications of Climate Change

Owls are great favorites of mine, and I’ve had the good fortune to work with and observe many species in both captivity and the wild (please see articles below). One of my most memorable wild owl experiences occurred, surprisingly, in the Bronx, when I was but 6 years old. A huge Snowy Owl perched on the roof of my home for 4 hours, awing me as had nothing else. I quickly learned that Snowy Owls travel south from their Arctic haunts when their primary prey (a small rodent known as the Lemming) is in short supply. Now biologists are finding that the close ties between Lemmings and Snowy Owls may provide important information concerning climate change. Read article here: http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatb...-provide-early-indications-of-climate-change/

Comments and questions appreciated,

Thanks, Frank
http://twitter.com/#!/findiviglio
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000972624553
Bio: http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatr...logist-frank-indiviglio-to-that-reptile-blog/

findi said:

New Article: Snowy Owls & Climate Change

Hi All,

Please check out: Snowy Owls May Provide Early Indications of Climate Change

Owls are great favorites of mine, and I’ve had the good fortune to work with and observe many species in both captivity and the wild (please see articles below). One of my most memorable wild owl experiences occurred, surprisingly, in the Bronx, when I was but 6 years old. A huge Snowy Owl perched on the roof of my home for 4 hours, awing me as had nothing else. I quickly learned that Snowy Owls travel south from their Arctic haunts when their primary prey (a small rodent known as the Lemming) is in short supply. Now biologists are finding that the close ties between Lemmings and Snowy Owls may provide important information concerning climate change. Read article here: http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatb...-provide-early-indications-of-climate-change/

Comments and questions appreciated,

Thanks, Frank
http://twitter.com/#!/findiviglio
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000972624553
Bio: http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatr...logist-frank-indiviglio-to-that-reptile-blog/

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Unfortunately, some of those ideas seem to be contradicted by up to date facts. Newer studies have shown that there has been no increase in the mean temperature of the earth the last three years, in fact there has been a slight decline. Some of the climate scientists think at this point in time that there is a significant link to earth temperatures and cycles of solar activity, and further that the next cycle should be much cooler possibly sending temperatures to lower levels not seen since "the little ice age" late 1800's/early 1900s. There has also been an overall cooling of Pacific Ocean waters. My take is that the rise and fall of species populations is often due more to fluctuations in the food chain but not based on climate change. If I look in my own "neighborhood", rising temperatures would have likely meant more food supply and increased population for the main predators in my area (Great Horned Owls and Redtail Hawks). Anyway, interesting points in the article, I think we need to be open to all relevant sources of data and make common sense decisions based on all of the data available.
Clyde