Hey, if you can’t fight climate change, have more sex:
Scientists have discovered the world’s first hybrid sharks in Australian waters, with multiple generations of the new creature found along the nation’s east coast.
Scientists say the discovery of interbred sharks could signal the presence of new “tropical” sharks in waters as far south as Sydney, The Australian reported.
“Wild hybrids are usually hard to find, so detecting hybrids and their offspring is extraordinary,” said Jennifer Ovenden from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
Fifty-seven of the marine animals were found along a 1,243-mile (2,000-km) stretch between northern New South Wales and far north Queensland, with Ovenden calling the discovery “unprecedented.”
The new shark is a hybrid of the genetically distinct Australian blacktip, whose range extends north from Brisbane, and the larger common blacktip found in southeastern coastal waters.
The scientists say interbreeding between the two shark species is a sign the animals are adapting to climate change and they also warn that hybridization could make the sharks stronger.
“Hybridization could enable the sharks to adapt to environmental change as the smaller Australian blacktip currently favors tropical waters in the north while the larger common blacktip is more abundant in sub-tropical and temperate waters along the south-eastern Australian coastline,” Ovenden said.
How soon until polar bears figure this one out, too?
"If you can’t fight climate change, have more sex"
Hey, I hadn't thought of that line before.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt would be nice if they would explain just WHY climate change would cause the sharks to interbreed. Evolution and common sense dictates that if one species is better suited to a new environment then the weaker species dies out .... Why would the stronger species mate with the weaker ? It makes no sense ...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSee wattsupwiththat. Original study said nothing about global warming. Pure spin.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePolar bears have already figured it out. I was in Alaska this past fall and a trail guide mentioned the "Pizzlie" a cross between a Grizzly and a Polar Bear. No indication if the Pizzlie is a new separate species, ie the offspring may not be able to reproduce.
Which raises the question the article sidesteps, are these sharks actually different species, like horses and donkeys, which can produce mules, but mules are sterile, or are these sharks just in a different subspecies. They say "genetically different", but not sure what that means.
Scientific articles should be more specific.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI've always heard them called Grolar Bears.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBut I digress.
I agree.
It is a common practice of the movement to ignore the action of evolution that they love and embrace when it fits a political means, like every thing else they to.
So, are we supposed to believe that "climate change" is going to destroy the planet because having the wrong environment is going to kill all the animals or are we supposed to believe that "climate change" is going to destroy the planet because strong, hybrid sharks are going to eat everything in the ocean then climb out on the land and eat everything else too?
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Gee. Animals are adapting to changes in their environment -- JUST LIKE THEY'VE DONE EVERY TIME THE ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED BEFORE.
In among all the "insert oppressed group here" History Weeks, can't we teach people just a tiny bit of geology and paleontology too? Just a few days out of the school year to give kids a glancing familiarity with the 4.5 billion years of geological processes and 3 billion years of life interacting with those processes couldn't possibly seriously interfere with making sure they're exposed to every possible reason that western civilization is the most evil force in that entire span of time, could it?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"The scientists say interbreeding between the two shark species is a sign the animals are adapting to climate change"
Well actually NOT. The researcher's (Jessica Morgan) words were "environmental change" not "climate change".
When asked about this the researcher responded "Quote not correct – I have now stated numerous times that it is extremely unlikely that climate change caused the hybridization event".
(SEE: External Link
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