With great originality, they named it "Chippy"
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/story.shtml?id=28189
Hix
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/story.shtml?id=28189
Hix
Albino Chipmunk released into the wild
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geckodan
Very Well-Known Member
It should have fun for the 12 1/2 minutes before some bird of prey picks its lilly white butt off a branch.
herptrader
Very Well-Known Member
Chipmonks are way Kewel! On the rock where trader and I first started courting, (beside a lake in Manitoba, Canada), there was a small colony of chimpmonks who would scamper about and grab the peanuts we would leave for them. They have just the two speeds, flat out and motionless. Fascinating to watch and Kewell as!
I never saw one in a tree.
(Actually I find most of the squirrel family cute little critters.)
I never saw one in a tree.
(Actually I find most of the squirrel family cute little critters.)
JeffHardy
Active Member
Why do herpers get soft and fuzzy about an albino rodent - don't they feed them to their pets on a regular basis?
Shouldn't there be some respect for animals that are "born in the wild, to die in the wild", whether that death be by predator, climatic conditions or old age. It lived in its natural envirnment for sometime in the order of twelve months, so why will it now survive for only 12 1/2 minutes if released near where it was captured? It knows how to survive and avoid predators despite its perceived "handicap".
Why do people get hot about an animal that is a little different - I suspect it is only to satisfy selfish human needs. The wellbeing of the wild animal in its natural environment, with all the natural inherent risks, should be the at the forefront of the thoughts of anyone with a legitimate respect for wildlife.
Shouldn't there be some respect for animals that are "born in the wild, to die in the wild", whether that death be by predator, climatic conditions or old age. It lived in its natural envirnment for sometime in the order of twelve months, so why will it now survive for only 12 1/2 minutes if released near where it was captured? It knows how to survive and avoid predators despite its perceived "handicap".
Why do people get hot about an animal that is a little different - I suspect it is only to satisfy selfish human needs. The wellbeing of the wild animal in its natural environment, with all the natural inherent risks, should be the at the forefront of the thoughts of anyone with a legitimate respect for wildlife.
herptrader
Very Well-Known Member
Re: RE: Albino Chipmunk released into the wild
I am missing the "warm and fuzzies" in this thread?
As an aside my son in Canada used to catch and BBQ squirrels but there would not be much meat on a chipmonk (which is a small squirrel) for man or serpent, albino or not ;-)
JeffHardy said:
I am missing the "warm and fuzzies" in this thread?
As an aside my son in Canada used to catch and BBQ squirrels but there would not be much meat on a chipmonk (which is a small squirrel) for man or serpent, albino or not ;-)
herptrader
Very Well-Known Member
Re: RE: Albino Chipmunk released into the wild
... when they would normally be hibernating. My guess is that the little guy would die of they cold not having had the chance to save away is winter food store.
Hix said:Yeah, they should have waited until December, when it's snowing - it would have had a much better chance!
Hix
... when they would normally be hibernating. My guess is that the little guy would die of they cold not having had the chance to save away is winter food store.
Re: RE: Albino Chipmunk released into the wild
I know that Daavid - I was simply alluding to the fact it would be better camouflaged at that time of the year! :lol:
Hix
herptrader said:Hix said:Yeah, they should have waited until December, when it's snowing - it would have had a much better chance!
Hix
... when they would normally be hibernating. My guess is that the little guy would die of they cold not having had the chance to save away is winter food store.
I know that Daavid - I was simply alluding to the fact it would be better camouflaged at that time of the year! :lol:
Hix
No doubt it's an educated decision by chipmunk expert taking into account predators, it's habitat and behaviour. I can see it may even be an advantage to him in some situations so all evens out in the long run.
Go like the wind little chippy.
Go like the wind little chippy.
G
Guest
Guest
re Albino
Uncle jeff said
Uncle jeff said
It gos on about selfish human needs and i suppose we have to be grateful we didnt get battered by the sav orcaught with hands in pockets.These animals were caught in a housing area and were to be relocated to what?Another area that has its own population of the species,there by making shelter and food more scarce for the existing population.Reptiles,mammals and birds and others have territorys in which they are familiar with other animals of their species,shelter,food water and etc.There is increasing need for land throughout the world for human use but to get the various animals and put them in wild areas that are already inhabitted is irresponsible.The warm and fuzzy thing to do is to let them go in nearby bushland and the sensible thing would be to keep the albino for exhibition.NPWS likes warm and fuzzy media type solutions :wink:
G
Guest
Guest
re Albino
Nuthn2do said
Nuthn2do said
PMSL thats GOLD
Re: re Albino
oldfella,
That's a nice argument, but there are a few flaws in it.
Firstly, you're assuming that the area they would release the chipmunk in is already at carrying capacity for chipmunks. Most habitats are not at carrying capacity. Many species stop breeding when the habitat is full. introducing one chipmunk into an environment like that isn't going to have a marked effect on the residents. As for competition for shelter, chipmunks dig burrows, so there's no problem there.
Scientists studying chipmunks (such as Jackson, Lacher, Elliott and Banfield) have found that their home ranges vary from about 0.02ha up to 0.5ha and although ranges may overlap, territorial fighting only occurs in the immediate vicinity of the burrow. Elliott found that the Eastern Chipmunk in the Adirondacks rarely ventured more than 45metres from the burrow. Densities vary between 5 and 15/ha depending on the time of year and location.
The reason I mention all this is because I believe the government authorities in Thunder Bay are in a better position to decide what should be done than we are. No doubt their biologists have access to more information than we do, and there's a good chance that Thunder Bay (or somewhere else in Ontario) has it's own rescue/rehab organisation that has probably released dozens of chipmunks into the forests in the past, and knows the correct ways and best places to do so.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Hix
oldfella said:
oldfella,
That's a nice argument, but there are a few flaws in it.
Firstly, you're assuming that the area they would release the chipmunk in is already at carrying capacity for chipmunks. Most habitats are not at carrying capacity. Many species stop breeding when the habitat is full. introducing one chipmunk into an environment like that isn't going to have a marked effect on the residents. As for competition for shelter, chipmunks dig burrows, so there's no problem there.
Scientists studying chipmunks (such as Jackson, Lacher, Elliott and Banfield) have found that their home ranges vary from about 0.02ha up to 0.5ha and although ranges may overlap, territorial fighting only occurs in the immediate vicinity of the burrow. Elliott found that the Eastern Chipmunk in the Adirondacks rarely ventured more than 45metres from the burrow. Densities vary between 5 and 15/ha depending on the time of year and location.
The reason I mention all this is because I believe the government authorities in Thunder Bay are in a better position to decide what should be done than we are. No doubt their biologists have access to more information than we do, and there's a good chance that Thunder Bay (or somewhere else in Ontario) has it's own rescue/rehab organisation that has probably released dozens of chipmunks into the forests in the past, and knows the correct ways and best places to do so.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Hix
JeffHardy
Active Member
RE: Re: re Albino
Well said Hix. So there, Oldfella. :lol:
Well said Hix. So there, Oldfella. :lol:
G
Guest
Guest
re Albino
8) You said they stop breeding when they reach carrying capacity for an area,then say another one wont hurt :lol: Wheres the logic.In reality the numbers of dispaced animals such as prairie dogs etc are quite high these days and putting them back into habbitat that is always fragmented these days is not a good idea(although its warm and fuzzy :lol: )In reality even habitats that are huge are fragmented especially if your a bison.There is an absolute plethora of studies on small mammals in North America,Lauren Rule and Tom Nelson from Eastern Illinois University Department of Biological Sciences,Demographics and movements of chipmunks in fragmented landscape demonstrates population dynamics present in small lots vs larger lots and the juvenile to adult ratio varies considerably.Basically the answer is simple and is proven science if a carrying capacity is reached to the satisfaction of a chipmunks environmental processes why tip it. And letting an albino ''Chippy" go is definetly a waste of an animal,but easy fodder for a predator.
8) You said they stop breeding when they reach carrying capacity for an area,then say another one wont hurt :lol: Wheres the logic.In reality the numbers of dispaced animals such as prairie dogs etc are quite high these days and putting them back into habbitat that is always fragmented these days is not a good idea(although its warm and fuzzy :lol: )In reality even habitats that are huge are fragmented especially if your a bison.There is an absolute plethora of studies on small mammals in North America,Lauren Rule and Tom Nelson from Eastern Illinois University Department of Biological Sciences,Demographics and movements of chipmunks in fragmented landscape demonstrates population dynamics present in small lots vs larger lots and the juvenile to adult ratio varies considerably.Basically the answer is simple and is proven science if a carrying capacity is reached to the satisfaction of a chipmunks environmental processes why tip it. And letting an albino ''Chippy" go is definetly a waste of an animal,but easy fodder for a predator.
Re: re Albino
My apologies for not being clear, and looking back at my post I can see that what I typed was not what I was meaning. I added the line about species stopping breeding when carrying capacity is full to qualify that the habitat is not at carrying capacity (as Chippy is still young and recently bred). Therefore, adding him to the wild will not have a marked effect on the population.
True. The larger the species and the larger the home range, then the larger an area needed. Chipmunks are tiny. As already stated, they're home range varies from 0.02ha up to 0.5ha, and some even larger (0.9ha in one location), with a density of up to 15/ha in some areas. Obviously a large protected habitat is better, but populations will survive in smaller reserves. (Note I used the word smaller, not small).
True, again. Chippy was released into the wilderness of Ontario - a vast wilderness of thousands of hectares. Introducing an animal that spends most of it's life within 45 metres of it's burrow will not have a marked effect on the resident population.
Agreed. But Chippy is a juvie and proof that carrying capacity has not been reached.
And all these arguments do not negate my final point in my last post: That in this instance the wildlife authorities in Thunder Bay are in a better position to know what is best than a group of reptile fanciers on the other side of the planet.
Hix
oldfella said:
My apologies for not being clear, and looking back at my post I can see that what I typed was not what I was meaning. I added the line about species stopping breeding when carrying capacity is full to qualify that the habitat is not at carrying capacity (as Chippy is still young and recently bred). Therefore, adding him to the wild will not have a marked effect on the population.
oldfella said:
True. The larger the species and the larger the home range, then the larger an area needed. Chipmunks are tiny. As already stated, they're home range varies from 0.02ha up to 0.5ha, and some even larger (0.9ha in one location), with a density of up to 15/ha in some areas. Obviously a large protected habitat is better, but populations will survive in smaller reserves. (Note I used the word smaller, not small).
oldfella said:
True, again. Chippy was released into the wilderness of Ontario - a vast wilderness of thousands of hectares. Introducing an animal that spends most of it's life within 45 metres of it's burrow will not have a marked effect on the resident population.
oldfella said:
Agreed. But Chippy is a juvie and proof that carrying capacity has not been reached.
And all these arguments do not negate my final point in my last post: That in this instance the wildlife authorities in Thunder Bay are in a better position to know what is best than a group of reptile fanciers on the other side of the planet.
Hix
G
Guest
Guest
re Albino
Gday hixy,i seen them on tv catching what i think was prarie dogs gy memory on a housing estate and i cant remember exactly what they did with them but i think it was release.Immagine having to kill some of these animals it would be distressing for all involved so release it is in most cases.They hadparts about bears and mountain lions that come into contact with humans through encroachment on habbitat.All the best to little chip i reckon ,they could use "just for chipmunks" and dye him back to a natural chip and dale colour so he could blend in with the others. :idea: 8)
Gday hixy,i seen them on tv catching what i think was prarie dogs gy memory on a housing estate and i cant remember exactly what they did with them but i think it was release.Immagine having to kill some of these animals it would be distressing for all involved so release it is in most cases.They hadparts about bears and mountain lions that come into contact with humans through encroachment on habbitat.All the best to little chip i reckon ,they could use "just for chipmunks" and dye him back to a natural chip and dale colour so he could blend in with the others. :idea: 8)
herptrader
Very Well-Known Member
Re: re Albino
But is must be true - "I read it on the Internet!!!!"
Hix said:.....And all these arguments do not negate my final point in my last post: That in this instance the wildlife authorities in Thunder Bay are in a better position to know what is best than a group of reptile fanciers on the other side of the planet.
Hix
But is must be true - "I read it on the Internet!!!!"
G
Guest
Guest
re Albino
8) chippey is deemed to of had a complete makeover and visit by queereye for the straight chipmunk and predators were seen wandering around confused at the site of a bison collecting nuts 8)
8) chippey is deemed to of had a complete makeover and visit by queereye for the straight chipmunk and predators were seen wandering around confused at the site of a bison collecting nuts 8)
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