A força-tarefa de combate à doença de Newcastle intensificou as ações de vigilância e controle sanitário no oeste de Santa Catarina.

Até quarta-feira (28), três focos da doença haviam sido confirmados em criações comerciais de aves nos municípios de Nova Itaberaba, Coronel Freitas e Nova Erechim.

Coordenada pelo Coezoo (Centro de Operações de Emergência Zoossanitária), a operação reúne 124 profissionais de diferentes instituições, incluindo 90 agentes da Cidasc (Companhia Integrada de Desenvolvimento Agrícola de Santa Catarina), além de equipes do Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária (Mapa), da Secretaria da Agricultura, Pecuária, Produção Sustentável e Irrigação (SEAPI), do Icasa e da Polícia Civil.

A estrutura conta com cinco barreiras sanitárias para desinfecção e controle do trânsito de veículos nas áreas afetadas.

O primeiro foco foi confirmado em 18 de outubro, em Nova Itaberaba. A depopulação das aves, a limpeza e a desinfecção da propriedade foram concluídas, e o local entrou em período de vazio sanitário no dia 23.

Em Coronel Freitas, onde o segundo foco foi detectado em 24 de outubro, a retirada e o enterrio das aves, da cama e da ração foram finalizados. A propriedade passa pelas etapas de limpeza e desinfecção das instalações e dos equipamentos.

O terceiro foco foi confirmado em 26 de outubro, em uma propriedade comercial de perus de corte em Nova Erechim. As equipes iniciaram a depopulação das aves na quarta-feira, com instalação de uma barreira sanitária no acesso ao estabelecimento.

Mais de 400 propriedades vistoriadas

A vigilância também foi ampliada nas propriedades rurais da região. Na quarta-feira, 51 equipes realizaram inspeções em 362 propriedades com criações de subsistência e em 57 estabelecimentos comerciais.

As informações sobre a ocorrência sanitária são comunicadas continuamente à OMS (Organização Mundial de Saúde Animal).

Além das medidas de contenção, a força-tarefa iniciou ações educativas para orientar produtores rurais e moradores sobre a prevenção da doença e a importância da notificação de casos suspeitos.

Nas visitas às propriedades, os técnicos reforçam práticas de biosseguridade, como restringir o acesso de pessoas e veículos, higienizar e desinfetar equipamentos e materiais e adotar cuidados no manejo das aves.

A orientação é que produtores comuniquem imediatamente à Cidasc qualquer sinal ou situação suspeita, para permitir a investigação e a adoção das medidas sanitárias necessárias.

A força-tarefa também esclarece que, conforme as orientações sanitárias oficiais, o consumo de produtos de origem animal provenientes de estabelecimentos submetidos à inspeção sanitária oficial e identificados com o selo correspondente não representa risco à saúde do consumidor.

In the Buffalo Zoo in New York, the arrival of autumn brought a specific seasonal task for staff and a novel puzzle for two of its most powerful residents: the Amur tiger Sungari and the polar bear Sakari. Both animals received bright orange pumpkins, a standard enrichment tool, but their interactions with the object revealed distinct behavioral drives that separate the species' evolutionary histories from the anthropomorphic stories often attached to them. When observing a tiger's interaction with a pumpkin, viewers often interpret the action as playful mimicry of a house cat. However, the underlying mechanism is physiological rather than imitative. As noted in the source material, domestic cats and Amur tigers share more than 95% of their DNA. This genetic proximity results in identical behavioral algorithms for hunting and play, regardless of whether the subject weighs ten pounds or 200 kilograms. When Sungari bat at the pumpkin or rolls it with its paws, the animal is not acting "cute”; it is executing a predatory motor pattern that is genetically conserved across the Felidae family. The behavior is an instinctive response to a novel, mobile object, triggered by the same neural pathways that govern a kitten's interaction with a ball of yarn. The polar bear Sakari's response to the same stimulus was functionally different. Where the tiger treated the pumpkin as a prey item to be chased and manipulated, the bear approached it as a structural obstacle to be dismantled. Using its powerful jaws, Sakari crushed the vegetable into pieces. For a polar bear, this action engages different physical systems than the tiger's rapid, agile movements. Crushing hard objects mimics the natural behaviors required to access food or investigate the environment, utilizing jaw strength and persistence. The contrast highlights how two apex predators process the same object: one through agile, pincer-based manipulation, the other through brute force and dental application.

For decades, the waters off the coast of Baja California and the Mexican Gulf offered a nightly spectacle that defied casual observation. Fishermen called them "red devils,” a name earned by the flickering, reddish bioluminescence of Humboldt squid as they surfaced in massive aggregations. These cephalopods, capable of reaching two meters in length and weighing up to 45 kilograms, were not merely large for their species; they were structural pillars of the ecosystem. Their presence supported commercial fisheries and provided the primary sustenance for sperm whales, which depended on their bulk for survival in these waters. Today, that structure has collapsed. The giant squid remain, but they are no longer giants. The shift represents a measurable change in biological strategy driven by sustained environmental stress, with cascading effects on human economics and marine predation dynamics. From Abundance to Miniaturization The transition was not gradual in the way a slow population decline might be, but rather a sharp demographic shift visible in catch data and satellite records. Tim Frowley, a researcher at Stanford University, noted the stark contrast when working in the Gulf of California. The familiar sight of massive individuals filling fishing nets has been replaced by a prevalence of juvenile-sized specimens. These smaller squid are often too undersized for industrial processing, rendering the traditional economic model of the fishery obsolete. The species has not vanished, a distinction critical for understanding the current state of the ecosystem. Instead, the average size has dropped dramatically, signaling a fundamental alteration in the life history of Dopidona pealeii in this region. This miniaturization is the result of a specific oceanographic driver known as an "oceanographic drought.” For much of the last century, the local environment was regulated by the oscillation between El Niño (warming) and La Niña (cooling) phases. The cooling phases were biologically essential, allowing the squid population to recover, mature, and restore the trophic balance. However, recent years have seen a dominance of prolonged El Niño conditions. The water in the Gulf of California has remained anomalously warm for extended periods, a state that disrupts the physiological rhythms required for the squid to reach their former massive sizes. This persistent warmth acts as a chronic stressor, forcing the population to alter its reproductive and growth strategies to survive.

In Inner Mongolia, a fossilized skull and skeleton preserved for over 160 million years have offered a rare, unbroken view into the early architecture of a mammal. The specimen, identified as Megacauda sungei, weighs an estimated one to two kilograms, placing it in the same size range as a modern platypus. Researchers described the find in the journal Nature, noting that the animal lived during the Jurassic period in what is now China. Using micro-computed tomography, the team analyzed the internal structures of the skull and skeleton without disturbing the fragile ancient bones, revealing a creature that defies simple categorization. A Chimeric Anatomy The anatomical profile of Megacauda sungei presents a mosaic of traits that, in modern fauna, belong to entirely different groups. The animal possessed a robust, flexible tail resembling that of an otter, a structure that likely provided significant maneuverability in water. Its jaws featured cutting teeth similar to those of a seal, indicating a predatory lifestyle. Furthermore, the architecture of its pelvis shared specific characteristics with primitive egg-laying mammals, linking its evolutionary lineage to the monotremes. Together, these features suggest that Megacauda sungei was a semi-aquatic hunter that preyed on small creatures in the freshwater ecosystems of the Jurassic era. The Mechanics of Nursing While the external morphology is intriguing, the study's most significant contribution lies in its insights into the physiological roots of mammalian care. Researchers focused on the bony structures within the oral and throat regions, areas that in living mammals support the complex musculature required for suckling and swallowing liquids. The presence of these specific anatomical supports in a 160-million-year-old fossil indicates that the physical machinery necessary for nursing was already established during the mid-Jurassic period.

In the murky depths of the Amazon basin, the arapaima (Arapaima gigas) moves as a silent, submerged monument to biological engineering. This freshwater giant, which can reach lengths of up to 4.5 meters and weigh nearly 200 kilograms, possesses a physical trait that has captured both scientific and popular imagination: its scales. While internet folklore often circulates claims about the fish's resistance to shotgun blasts, the documented reality is far more precise and biologically significant. The arapaima's integument is not merely a thick skin; it is a sophisticated bio-composite material that serves as a critical shield in one of the most competitive aquatic ecosystems on Earth. The primary function of this armor is not defense against human weaponry, but against the predatory pressures of its native habitat. In the dense waters of the Amazon, competition is intense, and even a fully grown adult must contend with threats such as piranhas. Research into the structure of arapaima scales reveals a dual-layered design: a hard, rigid outer surface paired with a flexible internal structure. This combination allows the scales to dissipate impact forces effectively, rendering the teeth of smaller predators ineffective against the giant's body. The result is a biological mechanism where the aggressor's weapon breaks against the defender's armor, leaving the arapaima unharmed. The Mechanics of the Hunt and Growth Beyond its defensive capabilities, the arapaima is a highly efficient predator that relies on tactical precision rather than brute force alone. The fish utilizes the dense vegetation of the river as cover, remaining motionless until a prey item enters its strike range. The attack is instantaneous; the arapaima opens its massive mouth rapidly, creating a powerful suction flow that draws the victim inward. This hydrodynamic capability is supported by the species' rapid developmental trajectory. Despite its eventual massive size, young arapaima grow at a remarkable rate, capable of gaining approximately 10 kilograms of body weight in a single year. By the age of five, individuals typically reach a length of 1.5 meters, transitioning quickly into the adult form that dominates the upper trophic levels of the local food web.

The typical image of a domestic rabbit is one of a small, fluffy creature weighing only a few pounds. However, the Flemish Giant-often referred to as the Belgian Giant-challenges this perception. These animals can reach weights of up to 12 kilograms, placing them in a size category more comparable to a medium-sized dog than a traditional house pet. From Agricultural Utility to Companionship The Flemish Giant is not a product of modern genetic manipulation but is one of the oldest recognized breeds. While formal records date back to 1860, evidence suggests the breed has existed for approximately 400 years, originating in the historical region of Flanders in present-day Belgium. Historically, these rabbits were bred for the production of meat and high-quality fur. Over time, their utility in commercial agriculture declined due to specific biological constraints. They exhibit lower fecundity compared to smaller breeds and are predisposed to several health complications. Their massive frame makes them susceptible to joint dysplasia and heart failure, while their weight often leads to the development of pododermatitis-painful calluses on the soles of their paws. Additionally, their size makes them particularly sensitive to overheating during hot weather.

Uma menina de 8 anos foi hospitalizada com ferimentos graves após ser atacada por um lobo dentro do recinto de um zoológico na Alemanha.

A menina estava com outras duas crianças e um funcionário quando pelo menos um lobo a atacou na manhã de quarta-feira no Parque de Vida Selvagem Johannismühle, ao sul de Berlim, informou a polícia em um comunicado divulgado no mesmo dia.

O local estava promovendo um evento especial para crianças no momento do incidente, segundo a agência de notícias Associated Press (AP), que citou autoridades do distrito de Teltow-Fläming.

O tratador de animais interveio antes que as outras duas meninas, que estavam no recinto dos lobos-do-ártico, fossem atacadas, de acordo com a AP.

A menina ferida foi transportada de helicóptero para o hospital, enquanto as outras duas aparentemente não sofreram ferimentos, informou a polícia, que investiga o caso.

Segundo o site do zoológico, o local permanecerá fechado até pelo menos 2 de novembro.

O ataque é o mais recente de uma série de incidentes envolvendo animais em cativeiro que ganharam destaque nos últimos meses.

Um tratador de animais na Holanda morreu na terça-feira, três dias depois de ser atacado por um leopardo no parque de safári onde trabalhava.

No início deste mês, um homem morreu após ser atacado por um tigre ao entrar no recinto do animal em um parque de vida selvagem no Reino Unido.

Em setembro, um tratador de tigres ligado a Joe Exotic, conhecido pela série Tiger King, morreu após ser atacado por um dos felinos na reserva de animais em Oklahoma onde trabalhava.

Enquanto isso, uma mulher foi mordida por um lobo em uma área comercial de Hamburgo no início deste ano, informou a AP, citando autoridades. Acredita-se que tenha sido o primeiro ataque desse tipo desde o retorno dos lobos à Alemanha, em 1998.