<p>
	<span style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; ">Rare Whales Frolicking, New Family of Spider, Ocean Health Index, Moose Conservation, and Other News</span></p>
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		<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Whale Watching Bonanza-Captain David Andersons Dolphin and Whale SafariAssociated Press-shadow.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 320px; " /></p>
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		Photo credit: Captain David Anderson&#39;s Dolphin and Whale Safari/Associated Press</p>
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		Species Conservation</h2>
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			<strong><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/endangered-whales-invade-california-coastal-waters-drawing-tourists-but-colliding-with-ships/2012/08/21/e20c63b2-eb63-11e1-866f-60a00f604425_story.html">Rare and endangered whales and dolphins</a></strong>&nbsp;have been swimming off the coast of California.&nbsp;</li>
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			New technology -- called DTAG -- is allowing whale researchers to study&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/science/earth/close-to-cape-cod-shore-humpback-whales-are-far-from-safe.html?partner=rss&amp;emc=rss">whale behavior</a></strong>&nbsp;in new and exciting ways that help to devise conservation strategies (video included). &nbsp;There&#39;s also a follow-up&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/a-whale-a-tag-a-mission/?partner=rss&amp;emc=rss">blog post</a></strong>.</li>
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			&quot;Maternal presence&quot; plays the biggest role in&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120823175350.htm?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Ftop_news%2Ftop_environment+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Top+News+--+Top+Environment%29&amp;utm_content=Google+Reader">moose calf survival</a></strong>. &nbsp;&quot;...The survival of orphan calves was about 8 times lower than those with mothers.&quot; &nbsp;The authors note policy implications for moose hunting.</li>
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			The US has set aside 838,000 acres of &#39;critical habitat&#39; for&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/52882/">endangered jaguars</a></strong>&nbsp;in southern Arizona and New Mexico.</li>
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			A breathtaking photo journal of wildlife in the Republic of Congo&#39;s&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/19288117">Conkouati national park</a></strong>.</li>
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			Illegal logging has been eliminated in western Mexico where&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/science/earth/mexico-reports-success-saving-butterfly-habitat.html?partner=rss&amp;emc=rss">monarch butterflies</a></strong>&nbsp;overwinter.</li>
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