Day Of The Animals: Tales Of Man Vs Beast (And Man Suffers)

[ramonmercado]

'Ninja' terrapin evades capture

Red-eared terrapins can live for up to 40 years
The RSPCA is attempting to rescue a large terrapin which has been spotted in the River Tamar in Cornwall.
The creature, thought to be a red-eared terrapin, was seen in the river at Polson, near Launceston.

Two officers from the Environment Agency (EA) tried unsuccessfully to catch the 12in (30cm) animal, but it managed to evade capture.

Their popularity as pets grew with the 1990s Ninja Turtle television series, but many are now being abandoned.

It is illegal to abandon these creatures, but people get bored and they end up dumping them

Doug Herdson, National Marine Aquarium

Paul Gainey, from the Environment Agency, said the officers had been able to establish it did not appear to be distressed.

He told BBC News: "The decision was later made not to try to catch it, given that it was in a rather wide and deep part of the river and it seemed to be absolutely fine. How it got there is the key question."

Red-eared terrapins are an alien species which can live up to 40 years.

Doug Herdson from the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth said: "Unfortunately, terrapins can attack the fish population and they can also carry salmonella.

"It is illegal to abandon these creatures, but people get bored and they end up dumping them.

"If people don't want their terrapins they should contact the British Chelonia Group, but they shouldn't release them."

Last year the group, which looks after terrapins, turtles and tortoises released about 40 of the creatures in a specially created lake in Italy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 302824.stm

 

[PeniG]

Terrapins are land critters (hence the name). What's it doing in the middle of a river?

 

[ramonmercado]

Mice snub cheese says academic

Dr Holmes claims mice prefer foods high in sugar
The cartoon image that mice love cheese is a myth, an academic has claimed.
Dr David Holmes, from Manchester Metropolitan University, said that mice would be more likely to be lured into a trap by cereal.

He said: "Mice respond to the smell, texture and taste of food and cheese is something that would not be available to them in their natural environment."

The findings were part of a wider study into what foods attract and repel animals.

Researchers found a mouse's diet is primarily made up of grains and fruit.

Unlike the cartoon character Jerry , a real mouse would turn its nose up at something as strong in smell and rich in taste as cheese.




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 319210.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Charity will trace 'mouse biter'

The incident was posted on the YouTube website
An animal welfare group has said it is hopeful of tracing a man who can be seen on an internet website biting the head off a live pet mouse.
About 2,000 people have viewed the incident on the YouTube site.

The incident is believed to have happened at a party in the Turf Lodge area of west Belfast.

"We've had a couple of leads which my staff will be running down today," the Ulster Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.

USPCA spokesman Stephen Philpott said: "If the USPCA in this instance can prove unnecessary suffering, which is the key phrase under the Welfare of Animal Act, we will certainly be taking it further."

Mr Philpott said the organisation had already had a "great response" from the public after appealing for help to identify the man.

The two-minute video shows the man, referred to as Johnny, drinking from a can of beer before biting the head off the mouse and chewing it, egged on by other party-goers.

He then spits it out saying it is impossible to swallow. The man is heavily built, in his 20s, with short hair.

Mr Philpott said he was worried by the trend of people being recording carrying out acts of cruelty against animals.

"We have become alarmed in the last year at how many of these incidents we have been asked to have a look at," he said.

"Unfortunately, this is like a type of happy slapping against animals where people record themselves doing depraved things and then show that footage to the rest of their colleagues."

Mr Philpott said the acts being carried out were designed to be as shocking and "grotesque" as possible.

"Singling out a defenceless animal like this just simply to glorify yourself or publicise yourself just can't be done," he said.





http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/nort ... 322532.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Fish enlisted in US terror fight

Bluegills are very hardy and are plentiful in the US
One of the most common types of fish in America has been enlisted in the fight against terrorism.
San Francisco, Washington and New York are using bluegills - also known as sunfish - to safeguard their public drinking water.

A small number of fish are kept in tanks which are constantly filled with water from the municipal supply.

The computerised system registers changes in the fishes' vital signs and sends an alert when something is wrong.

Since 11 September 2001, the US government has taken the threat of attacks on water supplies seriously.

Early warning system

Under federal law, nearly all community water systems must be assessed for their vulnerability to terrorism - and water supplies are constantly monitored and tested for chemical and biological agents.

"It's like an early warning system - it acts as another line of defence," said Bill Lawler, co-founder of Intelligent Automation Corporation, the San Diego-based company that makes the anti-terror apparatus.

Bluegills - a hardy species - are highly sensitive to a wide number of toxins. When they are exposed to such substances they experience the fish version of coughing, flexing their gills to expel unwanted particles.

At the first sign of stress in the fish, the computer system will send an alert by email, pager or mobile device, also known as "fish phones".

New York City's bluegills were put to work recently when the system caught traces of a diesel spill before any of the Department of Environmental Protection's other devices.

The bluegills do have limitations however. They cannot reliably detect germs and are no use against other sorts of attacks - the bombing of a water main, or computer hackers attacking the systems that control the flow of water.





http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5360612.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Max the stork achieves animal record under satellite watch Tue Sep 19, 1:13 PM ET



A stork called Max has achieved a world record after spending more than seven years under satellite surveillance, the longest ever duration for an animal, scientists in Switzerland said.

Every movement of the female White Stork has been tracked since July 5, 1999, beating the previous record duration held by an American Bald Eagle, according to the Natural History Museum in the Swiss city of Fribourg.

"Currently it is the only living animal which has been carrying an Argos satellite beacon on its back for more than 2,628 days," Andre Fasel, curator of the museum, told AFP.

The duration was recorded by the satellite firm, he added.

Max's record coincided with her arrival for autumn and winter in Morocco this week, after she left her summer nest in the southern German village of Tuefingen on September 1.

The stork was born in capitivity in Switzerland after her exhausted mother was taken under the wing of ornithologists nine years ago.

After nesting, Max eventually flew off equipped with the solar-powered beacon, allowing scientists to plot the bird's migratory habits between central Europe, Spain and north Africa.

Fasel said the project that initially involved 26 storks was aimed at identifying dangers for the migrating birds.

The scientists discovered that water towers and reservoirs in southern France were sometimes death traps, as well as power lines near Barcelona and a toxic waste dump near Seville in Spain.

"In France measures were taken to make water towers safe," Fasel said.

The bird's daily movements can be followed on the museum's website. Max spent Monday night 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

Max was named prematurely after a male Swiss ornithologist, although scientists have difficulty telling the sex of newborn storks.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060919/od ... ndwildlife

 

[Min Bannister]

A timely reminder of the perils of calling your dog "Deefer".

BBC

A Nottingham man says his pet dog's penchant for ladies' underwear left the animal needing emergency surgery.

Cliff Hall of Stapleford said his pedigree Bull Mastiff Deefer has eaten around 10 pairs of knickers in the past 12 months.

But the latest two pairs, belonging to Mr Hall's daughter Stacey, 15, became lodged in the dog's small intestine.

The dog could not drink, eat or move properly and a vet had to remove the blockage at a cost of more than £1,000.

Mr Hall, said: "He's had a bit of a penchant for them in the past, this isn't the first time he's eaten a pair.

"If people have left them on the bathroom floor when they have had a bath he will typically wander in afterwards and steal them.

"Normally they go straight through him but on this occasion it agitated his intestine and left him in a bit of a state."

He said that the dog's strange habits had prompted the family to take out pet insurance, which covered the cost of the operation.

The dog had to stay at the vets for several days but has now been given a full bill of health.

Mr Hall added: "We've got a new house rule that underwear goes into the washing machine where Deefer can't get at it."

 

[Quake42]

Fish egg 'miracle' needs cracking

Biologists at the University of Manchester want help in cracking their "miracle" discovery of three fish inside a sealed egg.

The group found the duck egg in a small pond on a field trip to the French Alps and noticed something moving inside it.

When they cracked open the shell, three live minnows were inside.

They have enlisted the help of other experts, but despite their extensive combined knowledge, the biologists admit they are "baffled".

Dr Matthew Cobb, a lecturer in animal behaviour at the university, said: "As 21st century scientists rather than 17th century antiquarians we think it's unlikely this represents a hitherto unknown mode of fish reproduction.

Predatory attack

"Perhaps the egg fell into the pond following some kind of predatory attack but we're baffled as to how the minnows got to be inside.

"Certainly, we didn't see any crack in the egg."

Dr Cobb and his colleague, Henry McGhie, head of natural sciences at the Manchester Museum, have written to the New Scientist magazine in the hope readers will help solve the mystery.

Minnows are small freshwater fish, often used as bait by anglers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manc ... 367432.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Hideaway hamster finds new home
A hamster that went on an incredible journey from Devon to Gleneagles in Scotland has been given a new home after travelling too far to get back.
Fudge accidentally ended up north of the border after flying there from Devon hidden in his owner's golf bag.

He was put in a box but on the last day of the holiday he escaped only to be found again, hidden in a hire car.

By then owner Kingsley Moyle, 42, was back home in Kingsteignton, and too far away to collect the pet.

He's probably acclimatised to life up there

Kingsley Moyle
Luckily the woman who found him has taken him in herself.

Mr Moyle said: "Amazingly he has been found, a lady in Scotland used the same hire car after us and suddenly he appeared.

"At the end of the day he is in Scotland and by now he's probably acclimatised to life up there.

"I've been told that this lady is happy to keep him and that's fine, hopefully it won't turn into a tug of love."




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 380058.stm

 

[GNC]

Are there no pictures of Fudge?

 

[ramonmercado]

Are there no pictures of Fudge?

Here ye go:

 

[GNC]

He looks a bit frazzled. Understandable, I suppose.

 

[original_fLeebLe]

Dog starts car after eating chip

A breakdown patrol man who came to the rescue of a woman motorist has managed to get her car started using her dog.
Juliette Piesley, 39, had changed the battery in her electronic key fob but was then unable to start her car.

When AA patrolman Kevin Gorman arrived at the scene in Addlestone, Surrey, he found its immobiliser chip was missing.

Ms Piesley said her dog George had eaten something, and realising it was the chip, he put the dog in the front seat and started the car with the key.

Mr Gorman said: "I was glad to get the car started for the member.

"They will now have to take George [the dog] with them in the car until things take their natural course.

"It is the first time that I have had to get a dog to help me to start a car."

and i thought i carried way too much on my keyring :lol:

link

 

[Quake42]

'Tarantulas' flee charity store

Anyone who sees one of the spiders is asked to call police
Two giant spiders, believed to be pet tarantulas, are on the loose after escaping from a glass tank which was given to a Worcestershire charity shop.
The palm-sized spiders, which are not thought to be venomous but may inflict a painful bite, went missing from the British Heart Foundation in Redditch.

The creatures and their tank were among nearly 100 bags which were given to the shop in Market Place on Friday.

The shop manager said people need to be aware not to put spiders in bags.

Contact police


Pauline Thorne, the manager of the charity shop, said: "We are extremely grateful for the support and donations we receive.

"But people need to be aware not to put things like this into the charity bags which are handled by our helpers."

An assistant spotted them running loose when she opened a bag. The bag, which by then contained one spider, was put in a bin outside the shop but it disappeared.

Anyone who spots one of the spiders is asked to contact police so they can arrange for it to be removed.

'Rinse off'

Adam Richardson, who looks after spiders at the West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley, near Kidderminster, said that from the description, he believed the escapees were Chile rose tarantulas.

"They have fangs and could bite if you picked them up, but it would be more painful than destructive.

"If they feel threatened, they are more likely to rub their abdomen and release barbed hairs into the surrounding air that can produce irritation if they get on to the skin or into the eyes.

"If that happens, people should rinse them off with hot water without rubbing or in the case of eyes, use water or eye wash."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/here ... 384410.stm

I particularly liked:

The shop manager said people need to be aware not to put spiders in bags.

Er... no sh1t!!

 

[ramonmercado]

'Grieving' elephants on rampage

India's elephant population suffers from human encroachment
Villagers in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand have fled their homes to escape a rampaging and grief-stricken elephant herd, officials say.
They say the animals are agitated because one of their herd disappeared.

Officials say the missing animal became disorientated, and fell into a ditch and drowned over the weekend.

Residents of the village of Banta gave the 17-year-old female a quiet burial three days ago, but marauding elephants have raided the village ever since.

Vengeance

"We have not slept for three days and the few of us left are lighting huge bonfires to keep the elephants at bay without success," villager Sambhu Mahato told the Reuters news agency in Banta, 78 km (49 miles) west of the state capital, Ranchi.

The dead elephant is believed to have had strayed out of nearby forests on Saturday. It became disorientated, fell into an irrigation ditch and drowned.



Officials say crops and homes have been destroyed by the animals and that "thousands of farmers and their families" have been forced to leave the area.

They are now being provided with accommodation by friends and relatives or are being looked after by local officials.

"We have now formed a team of 30 people armed with crackers to try and chase away the elephants as they are out to avenge the death of their mate," UR Biswas, Jharkhand's leading forests official, told Reuters in Ranchi.

Experts say that human encroachment has led to a lack of forest cover in eastern India, forcing elephants and other animals regularly to leave their homes in search of food, which in turn triggers conflict with locals.




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6036591.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Free health checks for tortoises

Tortoise owners often fail to feed their pets properly
Tortoises are being given free inspections including checks for pneumonia, mouth ulcers and anorexia.
Edinburgh University's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is offering the health checks before the tortoises go into hibernation.

A free clinic is being held at the university's Hospital for Small Animals, Easter Bush, next week.

Difficulties often arise because tortoise owners do not keep their pets warm enough or feed them properly.

Gidona Goodman, from the exotic animal service, said: "We hope as many owners as possible will bring their tortoises along, and that the session will give owners an opportunity to ask us any questions related to their pet."

Tortoises can hibernate for up to 20 weeks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scot ... 065784.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Rare dolphin family group spotted

A Risso's dolphin calf spotted swimming off Bardsey island.


Enlarge Image

Researchers have spotted a rare family group of Risso's dolphins off Bardsey Island at the tip of the Lleyn peninsula.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society said it was the first time such a group had been seen in the area.

Little is known about Risso's dolphins which can be up to 12ft long (3.6m).

Bardsey is one of the few places along the UK coast where they can be seen from the shore.

Simon Keith, from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, said: "The work we do on Bardsey is providing a better understanding of the distribution, numbers and behaviour of Risso's dolphins and harbour porpoises around the island."

'Bearing fruit'

He said the information could be used to develop conservation plans. "This is the first time we have see so many young calves in the same pod, which is incredibly exciting and emphasises the need for ongoing research," he added.

The work is funded by the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), who say it is important for the long-term future of the dolphins.

CCW's marine mammals ecologist Dr Mandy McMath said:"I am delighted that this project is bearing fruit, and gathering much needed information so that the marine environment is managed in a way that ensures Risso's dolphins long-term conservation."




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wale ... 065910.stm

 

[Min Bannister]

Pelican necks pigeon! :shock:

Families and tourists in a London park were left shocked when a pelican picked up and swallowed a pigeon.

The unusual wildlife spectacle in St James's Park was caught on camera by photographer Cathal McNaughton.

He said the Eastern White pelican had the unfortunate pigeon in its beak for more than 20 minutes before swallowing it whole.

An RSPB spokesman said: "It is almost unheard of for a pelican to eat a bird. Their diet should be strictly fish."

Mr McNaughton, from the Press Association, said: "The pelican was on the towpath preening itself, and there were a lot of tourists watching it.

"Then the bird got up and strolled along until it reached one of the pigeons, which it just grabbed in its beak.

"There was a bit of a struggle for about 20 minutes, with all these people watching. The pelican only opened its mouth a couple of times.

"Then it managed to get the pigeon to go head first down its throat. It was kicking and flapping the whole way down."

There are currently five pelicans living near Duck Island in St James's Park - four Eastern Whites and one Louisiana Brown.

Pelicans were introduced into the park during King Charles II's reign as a gift from the Russian ambassador.

Thats one way to deal with excess pigeons I suppose..

 

[FelixAntonius]

Pelican makes a meal of a pigeon!!!!!

From todays Daily Telegraph:-

Aren't you meant to eat fish? Pelican makes a meal of a pigeon.

A wonderful bird is the pelican
His bill will hold more that his belican.

So wrote Dixon Lanire Merrith, an American newspaper editor and humorist, in his much-quoted limerick. However, he made no mention of a pigeon – like the one that this Eastern White Pelican, which originates from northern Russia, was seen eating in St James's Park, central London yesterday.

The moment was caught on camera by Cathal McNaughton, a Press Association photographer. He said: "There was a bit of a struggle for about 20 minutes, with all these people watching. The pelican only opened its mouth a couple of times. Then it managed to get the pigeon to go head-first down its throat.

"It was kicking and flapping the whole way down."

An RSPB spokesman said "It is almost unheard of for a pelican to eat a bird. Their diet should be strictly fish."

Source, with rather disgusting pictures, (I supposed they will be blamed on global warming):- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... peli25.xml

 

[morningstar667]

I used to work in a zoo and actually witnessed Penguins eating Ducklings...Grim!

 

[ramonmercado]

Rogue Elephant Kills Five In Eastern Nepal

Habitat destruction and migratory route disruption could be reasons the elephant has started killing people, Subba said.
by Staff Writers
Kathmandu (AFP) Oct 26, 2006
A rogue elephant in eastern Nepal has killed five people and injured three others by trampling houses in night-time attacks in remote villages during the past week, officials said Thursday. "The elephant, which came from a jungle along the Nepal-India border, killed a 55-year old man in Pakali village on Thursday," said police officer Tej Bahadur Basnet from Sunsari district, 350 kilometers (220 miles) east of Kathmandu.
On Wednesday, the elephant killed a woman in neighboring village of Barmatole in the district.

"The animal goes on the rampage at night before disappearing in the jungle," the police officer said.

Three other people were trampled to death and three were injured in nearby Dharan district on Sunday, he said.

"We burnt jute sacks while the locals set off firecrackers to drive the elephant away," the officer said.

Locals had done nothing to provoke the attacks, Basnet said.

Elephants are protected as an endangered species under Nepali law, but there have been instances in the past of tuskers being killed after causing human fatalities.

There are four populations of elephants in Nepal, with a total of around 100 animals, according to the most recent survey undertaken by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 1998.

Two of the populations migrate between northern India and Nepal, said Basanta Subba, a WWF official in Kathmandu.

Habitat destruction and migratory route disruption could be reasons the elephant has started killing people, Subba said.

"In eastern Nepal the traditional migration route that they used to take has been decimated. Also their habitat is getting degraded, that's why they are forced to raid crops which put them in conflict with people," the official said.

www.terradaily.com/reports/Rogue_Elepha ... l_999.html

 

[ramonmercado]

Lifeboat crew rescue lost sheep

The sheep, from a farm in Rhuddlan, was taken down river by lifeboat
A lifeboat crew were called out to an unusual emergency - to rescue a lost sheep.
A farmer became stuck in mud trying to reach the sheep in the River Clwyd, as it drifted towards the harbour in the seaside resort of Rhyl.

The farmer, who was up to his knees in mud, dialled coastguards who called out Rhyl's RNLI boat crew to rescue him.

The crew then rescued the sheep, which had drifted a quarter of a mile further down river.

Paul Frost, of Rhyl lifeboat, said: "The sheep seems to have fallen in from a bank but the crew was called out to help the farmer, who was stuck in mud.

"He was pulled out with the help of a rope but was concerned for his sheep and so the crew went after it."



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wale ... 096730.stm

 

[rynner2]

Charging bull closes carriageway

One of the busiest roads in Devon was closed on Sunday afternoon after a bull was found loose on the carriageway.
The A30 through Okehampton was closed by police in both directions for just under an hour while officers attempted to catch the bull.

It is unknown how the animal ended up on the road, but a spokesperson said it was charging at cars.

The closure sparked long tailbacks along the eastbound carriageway for several miles.

Earlier this week, the M5 in Exeter was closed during rush hour while the emergency services caught escaped cattle.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6096626.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Otter 'escorts' mate to hospital

The two otters approach the door of the hospital
Hospital staff were amazed to see an otter appear to escort its injured mate to the front door of their building.
The animals paused at the door and one appeared to look up at an intercom, according to staff at Broadford Hospital on the Isle of Skye.

The otters eventually ran away, leaving bloody footprints where they had been.

Charge nurse Chrisann O'Halloran said the night shift could not believe what they were seeing on the hospital's CCTV cameras on Thursday morning.

She said: "We have got CCTV inside the hospital and at the front door.

"Night staff continually monitor it and were looking at it when they saw two otters running up to the door.

"By the time the staff got to the door they had gone, but there were little bloody footprints where they had been."

The charge nurse added: "It's really funny to watch because one looks up at the door and then turns to the other as if talking to it.

"I thought the animals are very, very shy, but they crossed a big open tarmac with staff cars parked in it to get to the front door."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scot ... 110176.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

999 rescue for runaway lizard Rex

A rather cold Rex was revived in a warm bath
A pet lizard sparked a 999-emergency after escaping from its owner and running up a tree in plunging temperatures.
Debbie Davies' pet iguana Rex wriggled free from his leash during a walk in the front garden of her Swansea home.

He scuttled up a tree and Ms Davies was forced to call the RSPCA and fire brigade for help.

Rex was eventually found by firefighters and revived in a warm bath after suffering from the cold.

Ms Davies said she had taken Rex out to collect dandelion leaves from the front garden.

"Within seconds he had wriggled free and just legged it up my neighbour's tree," she said.

I never take him out but he absolutely adores dandelion leaves and there aren't many about at this time of year,

Debbie Davies

"It was still light when he got away but because of his colour he was perfectly camouflaged in the dense tree.

"I knew where he was - I just couldn't see him, and as it got colder I became panic stricken. I knew the temperature had gone down."


After hours of searching for he reptile, she eventually called the RSPCA who in turn drafted in the help of a local fire crew.

They quickly located Rex and he was brought back to his frantic owner.

But the lizard was suffering from the effects of the cold and had to be plunged into a warm bath to be revived.

"I never take him out but he absolutely adores dandelion leaves and there aren't many about at this time of year," said Ms Davies.

"Now he is fine stretched out in his vivarium where he has his own ultra violet light and a sleeping area with a heated mat."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wale ... 130686.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Court to review nuisance monkeys

Court to review nuisance monkeys
By Damian Grammaticas
BBC News, Delhi

Hundreds of monkeys have been captured recently
India's Supreme Court is to review the fate of 300 monkeys captured roaming on the streets of the capital, Delhi.

The court had ordered that the monkeys be relocated to forests in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

But the animals are proving unpopular there and locals there have lodged an official objection to the plan.

Thousands of monkeys roam Delhi, mostly around government offices, and are considered a public nuisance.

For years the wild animals have caused havoc, riding on the city's metro trains, roaming through parliament.

They have invaded the prime minister's office and the Defence Ministry, helping themselves to top secret military files.

They cannot be killed because many Indians see them as sacred.

Instead they have been captured, their fate decided by a bench of Supreme Court judges headed by India's Chief Justice.

Some 250 monkeys have already been relocated by a court order to forests in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

But many people there are now objecting, saying the animals are bringing with them their hooligan habits learnt in the city and are terrorising rural villages.

So the Supreme Court has been asked to find another solution. The monkey menace is proving a tricky issue, exercising some of India's most eminent legal minds.




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6128210.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Tubby tabby slims to collar prize

Buttons is now more playful after losing so much weight
A tubby Aberdeenshire cat has shed about a third of her weight to be named Scotland's best pet slimmer.
Buttons, who lives with the Jamieson family in Mintlaw, managed to lose more than 2kg, about 30% of her 8kg frame.

Her owners had been advised by a vet that she was at risk of developing diabetes if her weight was not lowered.

Four-year-old Buttons has now been named Hill's Pet Nutrition's Scottish pet slimmer of the year, and goes forward to the UK finals.

Buttons dropped normal cat food and went on a special prescription diet, slimming down to her target weight of 5.5kg.

This has made a huge difference - we can lift her now

Donna Jamieson
Buttons' owner

Owner Donna Jamieson said: "This is a great achievement for Buttons. When she was overweight she was so lethargic and couldn't even manage to go for a walk. She was going to be ill.

"She was happy on the diet and now she is fit and back to an active lifestyle, she seems much younger.

"This has made a huge difference - we can lift her now."

Linsey McKeown, the veterinary nurse who ran the weight management programme Buttons attended, said: "I'm so proud of Buttons.

"She and her owner were really motivated to get her weight down and their results have been fantastic.

"Everyone at the Mintlaw Veterinary Surgery will be rooting for her throughout the national finals - we're sure she'll come home with the trophy."




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scot ... 136762.stm

 

[Anonymous]

Dolphins sing 'Batman' theme
Jennifer Viegas
Discovery News

Scientists have taught dolphins to combine both rhythm and vocalisations to produce music, resulting in an extremely high-pitched, short version of the Batman theme song.

The findings, outlined in two studies, are the first time that nonhuman mammals have demonstrated they can recognise rhythms and reproduce them vocally.

Dolphin article posted in ForteanTimes Breaking News


Wasn't the first time at all - When I was a kid I was outside and was whistling at birds to see if they would whistle back.

I whistled "Hitler, has only got one ball"

The bird whistled the same tune back.




Added -

Oh, and my wife had a parrot that could sing gospel songs and did whenever it heard them. Not an approximation, it pronounced the words properly and sang in tune and everything.

Also, dogs have been known to howl when they like to 'sing' along to music.

 

[ramonmercado]

Mice star as Olympic food tasters

China is determined the Olympic Games will pass off smoothly
White mice are to take part in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing - their task to protect international athletes from food poisoning.
The mice will be fed milk, alcohol, salad, rice, oil and seasonings, the city's health inspectors said.

Mice show adverse reactions within 17 hours, while laboratory tests take much longer, they said.

Poor hygiene in food handling and low standards in distribution have made food poisoning rife in China.

The move is part of the huge effort the Chinese are making to ensure the showpiece event passes off smoothly.

24-hour guard

All the food and ingredients to be prepared in Olympic kitchens will fed to the mice a day before they are served to athletes, state news agency Xinhua quoted Zhao Xinsheng of the Beijing Municipal Health Inspection Bureau as saying.

Infected food can then be traced and destroyed in time.

More than 10,000 competitors will be staying at the athletes' village during the Games.

The kitchens will also have 24-hour guards, storage will be constantly monitored and transportation will have global positioning systems.

Zhen Xiaozhen, of the Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, said the food served would be Western, complemented by Chinese dishes.

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Beijing says nothing is being allowed to stand in the way of the perfect Olympics.

Stray cats and dogs will vanish from the streets, he says, and anti-aircraft guns, small planes and rockets will be used to disperse rain clouds, ensuring there will be blue skies over Beijing for the duration.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6153382.stm

 

[ramonmercado]

Obese dog sent to fat dog rehab

Prince weighed 11st 8lb (75 kg) when he started rehab
An obese eight-year-old black Labrador has lost nearly half a stone in weight by running on an underwater treadmill at a fat dog boot camp in Dawlish.
Prince attends the rehab centre during the week where he is placed on a diet which includes fasting one day a week.

Other techniques veterinary clinic Linhay uses to slim down pets include Pilates, trampolining and acupuncture.

Meanwhile an RSPCA spokeswoman warned pet owners that overfeeding an animal is just as cruel as under-feeding them.

Health risks

Arthritis
High blood pressure
Poor liver function
Diabetes

"Owners should not give in to puppy-dog eyes, but should remember they have a duty of care to their pets to keep them healthy," said the spokeswoman.

Prince became overweight when his owners moved away to America for two years and left him with their parents who fed him a diet which consisted of biscuits, chocolate and crisps.

Linhay vet Kate Rew said owners should not feel guilty but should give their pets a new lease of life by exercising and putting them on a diet.

"Prince loves being here, he is already starting to show signs of being a Labrador again as he's chasing pheasants and he can run a lot further.

"His owner says he doesn't want to go home at the weekends," she said.


The water helps supports dogs limbs as they exercise

In the first week of his new regime, Prince's weight dropped from 11st 8lb (75 kg) to 11st 25 lb (71.5 kg). His target weight is 5st 5 lb (35kg).

As Prince is morbidly overweight, he has had to have surgery for ligament disease in his knees which he developed due to his weight. He now has acupuncture to control the pain and to enable him to exercise.

Other health problems Prince has include poor cardiovascular fitness and the inability to control his body temperature.

Meanwhile, Shamrock, a Rottweiler from Plymouth, is to be crowned Hill's Pet Slimmer of the Year for the south west on Tuesday.

He shed 40kg in puppy weight by swimming 10,000m in the family pool.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 187014.stm