Dolphin-Baby Die-Off in Gulf Puzzles Scientists

"Everybody wants to jump to that conclusion ... but at this point in time, it's too early to tell," said Blair Mase, coordinator of the Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Network of the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA).

Since January 1, 80 dead dolphins have been discovered along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, according to the latest NOAA figures.

Forty-two of the dead were calves. Most of the juvenile dolphins are washing up in Mississippi and Alabama, because dolphins typically give birth and raise calves along the shallow shores of those states.

The normal gestation period for the dolphins is one year, and mothers usually give birth in March and April, so scientists think the affected calves are either being aborted, stillborn, or born prematurely.

"That's one part of the investigation that we're going to be looking at very carefully," Mase said.

"We'll methodically score each animal that has come ashore to determine if, in fact, it was an aborted calf or an animal born alive."

BP Oil Spill "a Factor We Need to Consider"

Dolphin die-offs—which scientists call unusual mortality events—occur every few years. But this one stands out, because young dolphins appear to be hardest hit, marine biologist Moby Solangi said.

"Usually in a stranding, you have a mixture of animals—males, females, adults, calves—but this one is distortedly focused on neonates," said Solangi, director of the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) in Gulfport, Mississippi, which is helping to investigate the deaths.

Also unusual: Only dolphins appear to be affected so far. No mass deaths of turtles, fish, or birds have been reported for this die-off. (Also see "Why Are Birds Falling From the Sky?")

Known causes of dolphin die-offs include unusually cold waters, ocean biotoxins, and diseases.

NOAA's Mase said scientists are investigating all of these factors and are not ruling out a possible connection to the BP oil spill.

"It's something that we are including in our investigation," Mase said.

IMMS's Solangi agreed that the BP oil spill "is a factor that we need to consider."

"The oil spill lasted several months, and it covered tens of thousands of square miles and much of the habitat of these animals."

IMMS scientists are currently performing necropsies on the dead dolphins to try to determine causes of death. The process—including analyzing tissue samples for signs of diseases, viral infections, and toxins—could take several weeks or months, Solangi said.
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How To Train Wild Horses

As can be expected, the training required when dealing with wild horses is far different from the training done when the horses involved are raised and bred by humans. If you want to train wild horses as well, read the following tips below for assistance.

    * Get the wild horse to trust you. Before the wild horse can work with you during training, you must first gain his trust. If you don’t have his trust, you would not be able to make him cooperate with. Let the wild horse remain in an accessible pen that you could visit from time to time. Do not forget to feed and water him. Also, it would be helpful if you talk to him using a calm and gentle voice as much as possible. When you do this, he will eventually get the feeling that you mean no harm and that you only want to care for him. If you think that he already trusts you, try entering inside the pen. If he does not make any violent move, continue going inside and rub or brush him.
    * Get the wild horse used to ropes. When he already lets you touch him, the next step is to try making him used to the sight and feeling of ropes on him. You can do this by making him smell it and rubbing it on him. When he doesn’t shy away from the feeling of ropes on him, lay it on his back and place the halter. While wearing it, guide him while letting him walk inside the pen.
    * Get the wild horse to trust you more. This can be done by working with him on the ground. This will allow you to let him know that you would not hurt him and that you are there to lead and teach him things. Continue brushing him to make him feel good and try picking up his hooves. Present new things to him from time to time but make sure that it will not totally scare him away.
    * Get the wild horse used to saddles and saddle pads. The next time you visit his pen, bring saddles and saddle pads with you and let him smell them. Try to put it on him but make sure that he is tied before you do so.  When he gives no violent reaction, tighten the saddle’s girth so it won’t fall off while you guide him inside the pen while wearing it. Do this for a few days. The next thing that you should do is place in his mouth a bridle. Make him get used to it.
    * Mount the wild horse. When he is already used to having a saddle on him, try mounting the wild horse. It is advisable that you have someone with you the first time you do this. Walk him inside the pen while you are mounted so that he will get used having someone riding him. After a week, try a pace that is faster than walking and teach him to respond to cues. Only after doing these steps that it’s safe to ride the horse.

Wild horses are not used to the touch of men that is why it takes a longer period for them to be well trained by humans. All it takes is the perseverance and patience coming from the trainer.
For more info- http://www.howtodothings.com/how-to-train-wild-horses