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

13 years of solitary living for a social creature like a bottle nose is unlikely to have helped her mental health.
 
Kennet and Avon grass snakes take to the canal to cool down

[Video: Lock keeper at Caen Hill in Devizes says he has never seen so may grass snakes swimming in the canal.]

A lock keeper at a canal in Wiltshire has said he has never seen so many grass snakes swimming in the water during the recent hot weather.
Alan Giddings has worked at Caen Hill on Kennet and Avon canal for almost 36 years and said it was "truly amazing".
He said: "I've never seen them just come across the towpath and plop into the lock."

Oda Dijksterhuis, of the Canal & River Trust, said warm weather had made them "take to the water more than usual".

Mr Giddings said it happened over two days during the hot spell at the end of July.
He said: "Normally you don't see them or maybe you'll get a glimpse. But during those two hottest days, they came straight out of the undergrowth.
"I saw five separate snakes - and the size of them. I then filled up the lock with water and opened the lock otherwise it would have been difficult for them to get out."

Ms Dijksterhuis said: "Grass snakes are one of a number of reptiles we see on the Kennet and Avon canal, along with the likes of slow worms and the common lizard.
"They're fairly numerous along our canal but it's pretty rare to spot them, so it's amazing that Alan was able to get such close-up video footage."

She said the creatures were normally found in the long grass and among the reed fringes along the waterside.
"Mature grass snakes can grow up to two metres long. They are beautiful, elegant creatures and no danger to humans."

Naturalist and BBC Natural History presenter Brett Westwood said: "Because snakes and other reptiles regulate their body temperatures by basking in sunshine or moving into shade to cool down, it's likely that these snakes are cooling off by swimming.
"Another possible explanation is that they are cashing in on a glut of young frogs or toads which can be very common near the water's edge in early to mid-summer as they begin to emerge on to land.

"It's a very encouraging sighting as grass snakes suffer from having their habitat disrupted by roads, and development, so much so that they can be quite rare now in some areas."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-23599362
 
This piece in the Yawniad suggests that dogs' yawns are a sign of empathy

I may have misunderstood my dog's yawns.

These would typically follow one of our intense conversations. At the time, I thought it was unique or unusual - but I see from Youtube that many owners and their canine chums enjoy AwowrorowowooWoaroooo! type conversations. It was hard to avoid the impression that those gutteral tones meant something.

On several occasions, I found the conversation ended with a wide yawn on the side of my furry companion, followed by a sharp nip to my nose.

What I had said to offend her, I know not. But the yawn gave warning of it.

edit: Moved from new thread in wrong forum where it was posted last night. I must have been yawning! :)
 
You know you've made a real connection with your pet dog when they admit "I ruv roo!" in conversation.
 
Badger Unearths Medieval Graves, Leads Archaeologists To Warrior Burial Site In Germany
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/1 ... 49763.html
The Huffington Post | By Sara Gates
Posted: 08/13/2013 5:39 pm EDT | Updated: 08/14/2013 10:20 am EDT

Archaeologists may often rely on research or hunches to lead them to a discovery. But it seems two archaeology hobbyists in Germany needed only the assistance of a helpful badger.

In a striking find last autumn that was publicized this week, a badger unearthed medieval graves in the eastern state of Brandenburg.

According to Germany's The Local, researchers from the University of Göttingen said the Slavic burial site contains the remains of at least eight people -- several warriors and two lords.

(Story continues below)
medieval skeleton

Lars Wilhelm, who lives on a property near the site, explained to Spiegel Online that he first realized the badger had uncovered something of significance when he spotted what appeared to be a pelvic bone jutting out from the ground near the animal's den.

"It wasn't exactly surprising to us because a whole field of ancient graves had been found on the other side of the road in the 1960s," Wilhelm told the publication. "So we pushed a camera into the badger's sett and took photos by remote control. We found pieces of jewelry, retrieved them and contacted the authorities."

Among the 12th-century findings, archaeologists discovered two well-preserved skeletons, one of which was likely a warrior because of the condition of his bones and the placement of a sword at his side. Researchers also believe two of the graves belong to noblemen, since bronze bowls were found at their feet.

While badgers are known for their excellent digging skills, this may be the first time one of the striped mammals has actually "helped" excavate a tomb. Last year, badgers-turned-grave-robbers became a big problem for one British cemetery after the creatures burrowed under coffins, upset graves and toppled headstones.
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Swan brings traffic to a halt on road bridge
7:42pm Friday 16th August 2013 in News

A SWAN caused a flap on a its namesake bridge in the middle of Weymouth.
The bird brought traffic to a standstill when it landed on the Swannery road bridge over Radipole Lake.

Motorists watched as the creature waddled along the carriageway before Andy Cross decided to come to its rescue and help it across the road.
Leanne Cross, who took pictures of the drama, said: “We were driving over the bridge when I noticed this.
“No-one wanted to move over or stop to help it across the road so as I drove closer I slowed to a stop to hold back the traffic and my husband got out and guided it over to the side so it could join its mates.
“There are some caring people left in the world.”

http://www.thisisdorset.net/news/106188 ... ge/?ref=ms

With photos. (My parents used to live in Weymouth, so I know that bridge.)

I had a similar experience in Hayle, last year, which I posted here:
http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewt ... 53#1258753

My pics are also here, somewhat larger, about half-way down the page:
http://haylenewbridgenext.weebly.com/sep-2.html
 
Seized Brazil pet monkey back with family
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23774696

Capuchin monkeys are native to South America and protected by Brazilian law

A pet monkey seized by environmental police in Brazil, after living for nearly 40 years with a family, has been returned after an injunction order.

The capuchin monkey named Chico was taken to a nature reserve two weeks ago, following an anonymous complaint.

Thousands of Brazilians signed online petitions asking for it to be returned to its owners in Sao Carlos.

Biologists have now told the family to adapt the monkey's diet and living conditions to specific requirements.

They have also discovered that despite the fact it was named and treated as a male, it is in fact a female monkey.

'Looks like a boy'
However Chico's 71-year-old owner, Elizete Farias Carmona, said she would not change the way she treats "her son" nor use the female name, Carla, that biologists have given the animal.

"After all, it looks like a boy doesn't he?" she told Brazilian Globo TV moments after an emotional reunion.

The animal jumped out of a cage straight into the arms of its owner, after travelling some 300km (190 miles) from a nature reserve in the city of Assis.

In Mrs Carmona's house, Chico has his own bed and was fed with milk, fruits and his favourite Brazilian dishes.

But specialists will now keep now keep an eye on the family to make sure the monkey only gets fruits and appropriate rations.

Mrs Carmona said she had been given the animal in 1976 by a family friend who worked as a lorry driver.

In her injunction, the Brazilian judge Gabriela Muller Carioba Attanasio argued that there was no point in trying to change the monkey's environment when it was close to the end of its life expectancy.

"Some studies suggest that animals kept in captivity for long years cannot feed themselves nor fend for themselves," the judge wrote.

Campaigners say Brazilian law is flawed, as it allows wild animals from other parts of the world, such as tigers, lions and many types of birds, to be kept at home. But wild native animals cannot be kept as pets.
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Lost pet posters blamed for helping spread Brighton and Hove tree disease

Clumsy drivers and pet owners pinning up missing notices are damaging trees - with some being chopped down.

Tree experts have warned that pet owners pinning up missing dog and cat posters puts the city's trees at risk to pests and diseases.

Residents are being advised to tie notices on to trees using string instead of using pins or staples, which create tiny holes that make the trees more susceptible to parasites and diseases.

And Brighton and Hove City Council said three trees in Springfield Road, Brighton, and several in Shaftsbury Road, Brighton, had been removed because of “excessive bark damage by vehicles”.

Cabinet maker Bert Buri said: “I have lived on Springfield Road since 1967 when there were only four or five cars in the whole street.

“Gradually over time the street has become more congested but as the trees have always been here I believe it is the fault of drivers for hitting them.”

Company director Dominic Margles, 29, from Shaftesbury Road, said: “The council could paint the bottom metre and a half of trees white to increase their visibility to drivers.”

A spokeswoman for charity Trees for Cities said: “Many of the most significant trees in our towns and cities were planted more than a century ago, so although this living legacy is wonderful, it is under serious pressure and in steep decline.”

Tree campaigner Millie Ferguson, who led the campaign to save the elm tree in Vernon Terrace in Brighton, said: “I think people have to recognise the bigger picture, that everything is a living thing and is deserving of consideration.”

Brighton and Hove City Council's member for environment Councillor Pete West said: “We are not aware of any trees being lost as a direct result of fixing posters, but we would advise the public to avoid damaging the bark with nails or pins as this can introduce fungal or bacterial disease.

“However, three trees have been removed from Springfield Road and several from Shaftsbury Road due to excessive bark damage by vehicles.

“In addition several trees have been lost in the city as a result of road traffic accidents and have been replaced.”
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Alaska feline mayor Stubbs the cat suffers dog attack

A cat which was elected mayor of an Alaskan town 15 years ago has been badly injured in a dog attack.
Stubbs the cat, mayor of Talkeetna - which has no human mayor - is receiving veterinary care.
The cat, aged 16, was elected in a write-in campaign 15 years ago.

In the wake of Saturday's attack, Stubbs has been left with a punctured lung, bruised hips, a long deep gash on his side and a fractured sternum, the AP news agency reports.

Talkeetna, 115 miles (185km) north of the state's main city, Anchorage, is dotted with artist shops and is said to be the inspiration for the US TV series Northern Exposure

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23971537
 
A bit of Forgotten (Animal) History:

Urinating WWII Great Dane's medal sold

A medal awarded to a dog in World War II for extinguishing a bomb by urinating on it has been sold at auction for £1,100.
The 1941 Blue Cross medal was found in a property clearance in Bristol along with a painting of Great Dane Juliana.
A plaque on it describes how the dog put out an incendiary bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe on her owner's home.

"This was clearly a Great Dane with a great bladder," auctioneer Philip Taubenheim said.
Mr Taubenheim, of Wotton Auction Rooms, in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, said it was a "remarkable story".
He said the medal had been found at a property which had belonged to a relative of Juliana's owner.
"Rarely is there such an interesting story behind items we handle," said Mr Taubenheim.

"People usually like to hang on to things like this. It's only because the family became estranged that this piece came on to the market."

The plaque also revealed that Juliana was awarded another Blue Cross medal for alerting her owner to a fire which broke out in his shoe shop in 1944.

Mr Taubenheim said that despite Juliana's two great acts of courage, she met a sad end in 1946.
"Tragically the poor animal was poisoned," he said.
"Someone put it through her owner's letterbox and she died."

The Blue Cross medal was originally awarded to military horses in World War I.
The honour was later widened to include other animals who committed acts of bravery.

Mr Taubenheim said the medal and portrait sold at auction for more than 18 times the pre-sale estimate of £60.
The identity of the buyer is not known.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-23985116
 
Man puts lion in the back seat of his car after finding it wandering streets of city


A MAN lured a runaway lion roaming an upmarket suburb of Kuwait into his car and then called the police for help.

A video posted on LiveLeak shows the beast glaring out of the back of a police car after it had been transferred from the passerby's own vehicle.

The lion, which police said was a young adult, filled the back seat.

"(The passer-by) sat inside the car with the lion and then it became dangerous so the citizen called police who came and took it from that car to their car," a police source said.

The lion was picked up as it wandered the streets of Kuwait's Bayan district, south of the capital, on Saturday.

Police are seeking the owner of the lion, believed to be someone who was illegally rearing it as a pet in a country where such animals are sometimes considered status symbols by the rich.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/man-p ... z2eLsUx0fe
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Ah, the healthy pleasure of a day walking in the country!

Delabole couple trapped between 'aggressive bulls'

[Video: 'The "snorting, bellowing and aggressive" bulls were filmed by the trapped couple]

Two walkers have described their terror at being trapped between two aggressive "snorting bulls" in Cornwall.
Jennifer O'Malley and Dave Alden, from Delabole, were walking near Altarnun when the incident happened.
"I've never encountered anything like it - I was absolutely terrified," Miss O'Malley told BBC News.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) said while it must have been a traumatic experience, this type of incident was "mercifully very, very, rare".
Ian Johnson, regional spokesman for the NFU, said the smaller of the two South Devons in Mr Alden's video footage appears to be a bullock [castrated male] or a female heifer - which the bull might have been trying to reach.

Miss O'Malley said her boyfriend was head butted by one of the animals which started to charge each time he made an attempt to get past.
"We think the bulls were trying to get to each other, but they were snorting, bellowing and pawing the ground and we were stuck in the middle with nowhere to go," she said.
"It really was quite awful... and so terrifying it's put me off walking."

The walkers claim they were on a public footpath when the incident happened.
"We were crossing through a field with cows and calves, so we were sticking close to the hedge when I heard a noise - which sounded like someone snoring really loudly," Miss O'Malley said.
"When we turned round this massive bull was pawing the ground and snorting and then it started charging at us, so we ran to the stile."

The couple were about to enter the field on the other side of the stile when the second "aggressive" beast charged at them - effectively trapping them. :shock:
Mr Alden said he was "extremely angry" that a farmer could put aggressive animals on a public right of way, contravening the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Mr Johnson said while most farmers take their responsibilities and obligations very seriously, things very occasionally can go wrong.
"We don't know the exact circumstances about how the animals ended up in the fields, but what happened sounds traumatic," he said.
"I've seen and heard bulls bellowing at each other and I wouldn't want to be anywhere near that.
"There is no excuse why any farmer would knowingly have stock in a field which has a public right of way, but it is possibly they could have escaped."

Mr Johnson said no matter how awful the incident, it was important to contextualise it in a county which had nearly 3,000 miles (4,500km) of public rights of way and hundreds of thousand of cattle.
"The number of incidents are very rare and thankfully the couple were not seriously hurt," he said.

After nearly an hour, the couple "escaped" by climbing through thick bramble hedges.
"It was nearly impenetrable and we got scratched to bits, but it was the only option we had," Miss O'Malley added.
Mr Alden has reported the incident, which happened on Saturday, to the authorities.

Devon and Cornwall Police said it was not a police matter, but Cornwall Council confirmed it was investigating the matter "as a priority" and would take action "where appropriate."

"We've got cuts and bruises and I'm pretty traumatised... I suppose it could have been worse, but it'll be a long time before I go walking through fields again," Miss O'Malley added.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-24014463
 

Boozy feral pig steals beer, gets drunk and starts fight with a cow

Belligerent porker went on bender after drinking three six-packs of beer


A booze-pilfering drunken feral pig has caused chaos by running amok at an Australian campsite and starting a fight with a cow.

The belligerent porker went on a drunken bender after stealing and drinking three six-packs of beer that had been left out by campers at the DeGrey River campsite in Port Hedland, Australia.

In the predictable series of events that followed the animal went on to ransack rubbish bin bags to find some late-night snacks before starting a fight with an innocent eyewitness cow.

Following the boarish rampage the pig decided to swim out into the middle of a river before collapsing drunk under a tree and falling asleep.

One camper named Merida recounted the tale to the ABC network: "It was in the middle of the night and it was these people camping opposite us and they heard this crunching of the can and they got their torch out and shone it on the pig and there he was scrunching away at their cans."

"Then he went and raided their rubbish that they had sort of covered over with a bin as well.

"And then there was some other people camped right on the river and they saw him running around their vehicle being chased by a cow.

"It was going around and around and then it went into the river and swam across to the middle of the river.

"The people that were camped on the river went across and crept up on it and it was hiding and sleeping under a big log right on the edge of the water."

"It was sort of coming from there for a couple of days but we didn't see it this morning or last night."
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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 05312.html

Ace.
 
This is rather less funny... :shock:

Monkey bites off and eats baby's testicle at wildlife park

A baby has had a testicle ripped off and eaten by a wild monkey at a Chinese wildlife park.

The child’s mother was changing his nappy in a grassed area when a monkey attacked the eight-month-old. It tore off one of his testicles and ran a short distance before dropping it.

An elderly male zoo visitor chased the animal and tried to retrieve the testicle, but the monkey snatched it back and started eating it as it retreated out of reach.

The child is now recovering in hospital. A doctor said that while the injuries aren’t life threatening, his future reproductive abilities may be affected.
Advertisement

The incident occurred at Guiyang Qianling Wildlife Park in Guìyáng, the capital of the Guizhou province.

The park’s wild monkey population has exploded from around 70 animals to 500 over a few years. Although the animals are fed three times a day by keepers, they often accost visitors for food.

The situation is exacerbated by members of the public who deliberately hand feed the monkeys, despite warnings not to.

Footage by a local station, filmed at the zoo, shows another monkey biting a young girl’s hand as she reached to pat it.

It’s reported that hundreds of park visitors are harmed by the monkeys every month.
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http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/ba ... ign=monkey
 
Yowch! The Chinese really have to sort out their attitudes to animals. They make us look like saints and we're not that.

I like this one for the headline

Dragon given oxygen after Dudley house fire rescue

It's a nice story.

Firefighters rushed to the rescue of a ‘dragon’ in distress - and gave it oxygen to revive him when his den burst into flames.
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http://www.expressandstar.com/news/emer ... re-rescue/
 
Probably not so funny if you have to work there, unless the staff are all kinky and just wanted a deniable excuse to wear the collars! :p

New Zealand casino staff forced to wear flea collars

Workers at the SkyCity casino in Auckland are having to spray themselves with insect repellent and wear flea collars to keep from being bitten on the job. Employees have complained about infestations on the casino floor for years and, despite the carpet and areas around gaming machines being cleaned regularly, the problem has persisted.

Unite Union national director Mike Treen said workers had been complaining to SkyCity management, as well as the union, for years. He knew of a number of workers who attached flea collars to their ankles to stop being bitten.

"Some of them have them on to try and prevent being bitten. Some people react quite badly - [they] get really bad spots and it can affect their health and then result in time off. It's definitely a health and safety issue." Mr Treen said workers were also provided with cans of flea repellent - if they wanted them - so they could spray themselves before starting work.

The union said part of the ongoing problem was that casino management were unwilling to shut the floor down for a day because they would lose too much money. "It's just about 24-hour, seven-day business," Mr Treen said. SkyCity said that the casino floors were cleaned every day.
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Arbroath blogspot

Casinofleacollar_zps43e2d115.jpg
 
The news 100 years ago:

Monday, September 6, 1913

A DOG’S LOYALTY: Royton Man’s Death

A remarkable example of a dog’s loyalty for its master happened in Royton today.

A man named Edward Cave (60), who resided in a caravan in Booth Hill Lane, Royton, was having a walk with his fox-terrier dog, and stopped to talk to a friend near Haslam’s quarry in Edge Lane Road, Royton. Suddenly Cave fell forward dead.

The police were informed, but the dog, on their arrival, refused to leave its masters body, and for a considerable time kept the constables at bay. At last the latter obtained a piece of rope and made it into a lasso, and by that means were able to drag the dog away and eventually reprieve Cave’s body to the mortuary to await an inquest.
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http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ve-6021931
 
http://www.macon.com/2013/09/17/2668977/cow-that-wandered-near-freeway.html

Cow that wandered near freeway is corralled
Published: September 17, 2013
The Associated Press

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. — A cow with a history of wandering into traffic on busy freeways south of Atlanta has been corralled.

Authorities say the animal was captured around 3:30 p.m. Monday, after it wandered into a pen built to ensnare it.

Georgia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jill Goldberg tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (http://bit.ly/17EyhID) that authorities corralled the cow and then tranquilized it.

The cow, known locally as "Kevin the Cow," sometimes grazed in the median of Interstate 675 and showed up from time to time near the highway in Clayton and Henry counties. Henry County police say 911 switchboards were lit up when the animal came out of the woods to graze by the freeway.

Police suspect it was responsible for at least one traffic accident near I-675, so they warned motorists to be on guard.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/09/17/2668977 ... rylink=cpy
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Chessington bans 'baffling' animal print clothing

Animal print clothing has been banned from a wildlife park in Surrey because it is confusing the animals.
Chessington World of Adventures Resort has hired bouncers to make sure visitors are following the new rule.

It follows the launch of the park's African experience Zufari, which allows guests to take an off-road "safari".
Spokeswoman Natalie Dilloway said a lot of animals were "becoming baffled" by what seemed to be zebras and giraffes on their terrain.

The 22-acre trail is modelled on the Serengeti plains, enabling guests to interact more closely with the animals.
Keepers said animal prints could cause the animals to try to communicate with those wearing them, or to run away in fear.

It has also banned such clothing from elsewhere on the site.
Anyone seen wearing animal print is being supplied with a grey boilers suit by the bouncers.
Banned prints include zebra, giraffe, leopard, cheetah, tiger, spotted hyena, striped hyena and African wild dog.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-24240527
 
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