Hybrid "Superpredator" Invading California Ponds

A "supersize" hybrid salamander is gulping down smaller amphibians—such as Pacific chorus frogs (F, the frog in its larval stage) and California newts (E, the newt in its larval stage)—in ponds throughout California's Salinas Valley, a June 2009 study found.

The voracious hybrid (D, the largest variety, and C, the smallest) is a blend of the native California tiger salamander (A, the largest variety, and B, the smallest) and the invasive barred tiger salamander (not pictured).

Albino Baby Turtle

A Thai Navy sailor holds a baby albino green sea turtle at a nursery for the reptiles, which are considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

About 15,000 green turtles and hawksbill turtles are hatched and housed at the navy's conservation center annually until the animals are old enough to be released into the sea.

French Pilot & a Flock of Cranes

French microlight pilot Christian Moullec shares the sky with a flock of cranes, which he has trained, during an air show in central Germany.

Moullec, 46, has spent ten years raising orphaned geese and cranes, which "imprint" on him as their parent and follow his microlight—a hang glider with an engine—the Daily Mailnewspaper reported.

LEOPARD PICTURES: Rare Snow Cats Caught by Camera Traps

Tail raised, a snow leopard, likely marking its territory, is caught in the act by a camera trap on April 14, 2009, in easternAfghanistan's mountainous Wakhan Corridor.

Four of five traps placed throughout the rugged region--a narrow strip that straddles Tajikistan to the north and Pakistan to the south--photographed different snow leopards on several occasions The relatively large number of sightings are promising for the animal, which is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Once found throughout the high altitudes of Central Asia, the cats are thought to number only about a hundred in Afghanistan, conservationists say.

Pig Poop Helps Power Netherlands

Methane-rich pig excrement on a large Netherlands farm is being turned into electricity and partially fed into the national power grid.   This man in The Netherlands is combining farming and science to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as generate extra revenue from these livestock.

He uses the waste from 2,700 pigs at Sterksel Research Centre to produce electricity.

 John Horrevorts, Manager of Praktijkcentrum Pig Farm: "At this moment we are producing enough electricity at our bio-gas installation for 1,500 households and for that we are using all the pig muck from our farm. So in total we produce about five-thousand mega watts a year."

Battling Termites? Just Add Sugar

If you've ever had to battle the tenacious termite, sweet revenge may be near.

A substance derived from glucose has been shown to weaken the insects' immune systems, making them vulnerable to infections from lethal microbes, a new study says.  The findings could give rise to a whole new class of safer pest-control treatments, the authors say.

"We wanted something environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and [that] does not play a toxic role," said study co-author Ram Sasisekharan, a biological engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Boat Alarm Could Save Manatees

Manatees can't hear the low sounds of boat engines, which is why the animals are frequently injured, a researcher says. A high-pitched alarm could solve the problem.