Front Page   

Kangaroo rat’s habitat in focus

A Giant Kangaroo Rat

FRESNO: Scientists plan to use satellite photographs to count Giant Kangaroo Rats, in the first-ever monitoring of an endangered species from outer space.

Scientists will examine images taken from the same satellite used by Israeli defence forces to find the circular patches of earth denuded by the rats as they gather food around their burrows. From that they plan to get the first-ever accurate population count of the rodents, a bellweather for the health of a parched plains environment.

By comparing the photos to 30 years of satellite images being released by the U.S. Geological Survey, researchers hope to understand how the population has fluctuated in response to climate change and as the arrival of canal water turned the arid San Joaquin Valley into a patchwork of intensely cultivated farms and forced Giant Kangaroo Rats to concentrate on higher ground. — AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

No return of POTA, says Dasmunsi
No cause for alarm: Chidambaram
India, China hold boundary talks
Chidambaram sees no reason to halt financial sector reforms
Karnataka offers 1,000 acres for Nano project
“Public-funded institutes vital to higher education”
Indian editions of foreign news magazines allowed
First part of Godhra report submitted
Markets rebound on FM’s soothing comments
World gold extends biggest-ever gain
Integrated leather park to be set up in Chennai
Inflation inches up to 12.14%
U.S. stocks make smart recovery
Railways planning new terminal at Tambaram
“Asia’s growth depends on India, China”
Livni poised to be Premier
Anil breaks 80m barrier in javelin
Challenging series ahead: Tendulkar
Restoration time at the Madurai Meenakshi temple
New creatures found on Australian reefs
Kangaroo rat’s habitat in focus
Plants want aspirin, too
IR demand: IAS officers’ panel formed
Harassment charge against principal
Campaign to woo IT firms planned
Railway cushion materials gutted
Exemption on SEZ norms unlikely
Court seeks records of Lavalin probe
22 injured in Assam bomb blast
Mozart music score discovered
Integrated leather park for Chennai
Kuala Lumpur flight from November 1
Share market loss: family ends life
BJP faces Opposition ire over attacks on churches
World’s oldest man turns 113 in Japan
CoD probe ordered
BJP-AGP tie-up may be finalised by month-end

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu