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

[ramonmercado]

Being purrsued in the courts.


Stornoway women's row over cat headed for court
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-h ... s-15271927


A sheriff will be asked to decide who should own the black and white cat
A row between two women over a cat is to be heard in court so a sheriff can decide who should own the pet.

Della Macdonald is suing Nicola Dempster for the return of the cat which she claims Mrs Macdonald looked after for six months and called Oscar.

Ms Dempster claims the black and white cat she calls Smudge belongs to her and her partner. Both women live in Stornoway on Lewis.

The case is due to be heard in Stornoway Sheriff Court next month.

In papers lodged at the court, Mrs Macdonald said the cat turned up at her house on 6 March this year and was thin and hungry.

She said she tried to trace its owner through appeals on local radio, in a newspaper and in supermarket notices, but no-one came forward.

Alleged row
Mrs Macdonald's claim said the cat had been a great comfort to her and her husband Neilson, a former marine engineer who is disabled.

However, on the evening of 31 August, the animal went missing.

The next day Mrs Macdonald organised searches with friends and again appealed on local radio for his return.

A friend then told her that Ms Dempster had written on social networking site Facebook that she had found her long-lost cat Smudge nearby and was thanking whoever had looked after it.

Mrs Macdonald said she went to Ms Dempster's home to ask for the cat back but there was then an alleged row which resulted in the police being called. The officers offered words of advice but took no further action.

'Cannot sleep'
In her court papers Mrs Macdonald said she was heartbroken, cannot sleep well and has other health problems which she believes were because of the stress of losing the cat.

She said her 15-year-old dog Hamish, not a cat lover until Oscar's arrival, would cuddle up to and slept with the cat.

Hamish was also said to be "inconsolable", according to the court papers.

Mrs Macdonald said she had looked after the cat longer than Ms Dempster and had demonstrated she could look after him better.

Ms Dempster has declined to comment.

 

[rynner2]

There was a bird strike on my bedroom window today. Although not obviously bird-like, there's a big mark on the outside of the window. There's also a bunch of grey feathers on the nearby lawn, which suggests the victim may have been stunned by the collision, and then despatched by one of the cats that patrol the area. (Or maybe a rook, or a fox, etc.) The victim may even have been pursued by another bird, and been trying to escape 'through' my window.

(I didn't hear this happen, so it probably happened this morning, when I was watching the Grand Prix or the Rugby on the big communal TV.)

PS: It was a pigeon - it's outside, dead on the lawn, and fairly intact, apart from some scattered feathers. (Perhaps some cat had a go at it, got a mouthful of feathers, and decided to go home for some Whiskas or Felix instead!)

 

[rynner2]

When I tried to photograph the window mark from outside, I got a clue as to why these bird hits happen - in the morning the garden, etc, is well illuminated, but the rooms in my flat are not. This means that reflections of the outside world in the window appear to be real holes-in-the-wall from the birds' POV.

But if a bird approaches the window directly, it will see its own reflection and attempt to veer off (hence the partial strikes, where a dazed bird will fly off.)

 

[rynner2]

Diver balances shark VERTICALLY in palm of her hand... after putting it in a trance
By Wil Longbottom
Last updated at 2:49 PM on 17th October 2011

This is the jaws-dropping moment a scuba diver literally holds a 10ft shark in the palm of her hand.
Italian diver Cristina Zenato can clearly be seen doing what many would believe unthinkable - stroking, touching and holding a large ocean predator in tropical Caribbean waters.
The animal is so at ease with her it goes into a trance state, allowing Ms Zenato to hold it vertically in the water with its nose in her hand.

She induces the 'tonic' state in the shark using a little-known technique of rubbing the ampullae of Lorenzini - the name given to hundreds of jelly-filled pores around the animal's nose and mouth.
A 'tonic' state is where a shark enters a natural state of paralysis, often by being turned upside down, for up to 15 minutes.
The pores act as electroreceptors detecting prey moving in the electromagnetic field around the shark - but also for some reason rubbing them turns 'Jaws' into a sleeping baby.
Ms Zenato uses her ability to put the sharks in a sleepy state to educate other divers, remove parasites and even take fishing hooks caught in their mouths out.

Photographer Matthew Meier, from San Diego, U.S., captured the moment she brought a Caribbean Reef shark under control.
The 42-year-old said: 'My first time to witness Cristina feeding the sharks was amazing. I expected an adrenaline rush, but the dive was so peaceful and calm.
'It was totally relaxing to watch the sharks swim slow circles around us in hopes of being fed by Cristina. I was in awe and could not keep the smile off my face.
'Sharks are the apex predator of the ocean and it is a privilege to be near them and observe them in their world.'

Ms Zenato has been working with sharks for more than 15 years, but still wears a chain link suit in case one of the animals is tempted to bite.
Mr Meier, a commercial photographer who specialises in underwater, nature and travel, said he hoped to raise awareness of the plight of sharks.
He said: 'We kill millions of sharks every year, with the majority of those having their fins cut off while still alive and then thrown back into the water to die a slow, agonising death.
'If this were happening to dolphins or something cute and cuddly, the world would be up in arms.
'We must fight to save these amazing creatures, as they keep the balance within the ocean and without them the entire ecosystem will be thrown off and forever damaged.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1b7a3WIAE

 

[Philo_T]

Sounds like a real 12 Monkeys situation in Ohio today:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap...zLH5Tw?docId=02e3fbe831d94838a0c570aeec22b691

Exotic animals escape Ohio farm, owner found dead

(AP) – 3 hours ago

ZANESVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Dozens of animals escaped Tuesday from a wild-animal preserve that houses bears, big cats and other beasts, and the owner later was found dead there, said police, who shot several of the animals and urged nearby residents to stay indoors.

The fences had been left unsecured at the Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville, in east-central Ohio, and the animals' cages were open, police said. They wouldn't say what animals escaped but said the preserve had lions, wolves, tigers, giraffes, camels and bears. They said bears and wolves were among 25 animals that had been shot and killed and there were multiple sightings of exotic animals along Interstate 70.

"These are wild animals that you would see on TV in Africa," Sheriff Matt Lutz warned at a press conference.

He called the escaped animals "mature, very big, aggressive" but said a caretaker told authorities the animals had been fed on Monday. He said police were patrolling the 40-acre farm and the surrounding areas in cars, not on foot, and were concerned about big cats and bears hiding in the dark and in trees.

"This is a bad situation," Lutz said. "It's been a situation for a long time."

WBNS-TV in Columbus reported (http://bit.ly/q93F3p) the body of the farm's owner, Terry Thompson, was found Tuesday evening outside his home on the farm property.

Staffers from the Columbus Zoo were on the scene hoping to tranquilize and capture the animals.

Lutz said people should stay indoors and he might ask for local schools to close Wednesday. He said his main concern was protecting the public.

"Any kind of cat species or bear species is what we are concerned about," Lutz said. "We don't know how much of a head start these animals have on us."

A spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which usually handles native wildlife, such as deer, said state Division of Wildlife officers were helping the sheriff's office cope with the exotic animals.

"This is, I would say, unique," spokeswoman Laura Jones said.

In the summer of 2010, an animal caretaker was killed by a bear at a property in Cleveland. The caretaker had opened the bear's cage at exotic-animal keeper Sam Mazzola's property for a routine feeding.

Though animal-rights activists had wanted Mazzola charged with reckless homicide, the caretaker's death was ruled a workplace accident. The bear was later destroyed.

This summer, Mazzola was found dead on a water bed, wearing a mask and with his arms and legs restrained, at his home in Columbia Township, about 15 miles southwest of Cleveland.

Information from: WBNS-TV, http://www.10tv.com/

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

 

[ramonmercado]

Swiss far-right party mascot goat found painted black
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15358955

Zottel is still "a bit in shock", owner Ernst Schibli says

Related Stories

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The far-right party Swiss People's Party (SVP) has said its mascot goat which was reported missing over the weekend has been found safe and well.

The animal, named Zottel, and fellow dwarf goat Mimo were found in the Zurich-Witikon area, said the party.

They had been tied to a tree and smeared with black paint by "extremist delinquents", they said.

Members of a group called Anti-Fascist Action claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

Provocative campaign
The animals have now been returned to their owner, SVP parliamentarian Ernst Schibli.

"At the moment he (Zottel) and his friend Mimo are a bit in shock, but mostly exhausted and probably happy that they're home," Mr Schibli told Reuters news agency.

The 10-year-old Zottel has been the SVP's mascot since the 2007 elections, when the party ran a poster campaign across Switzerland depicting three white sheep kicking a black sheep off the Swiss flag.

The party then secured nearly 30% of the vote after the provocative campaign.

According to the SVP's website, "Zottel saves Switzerland" and is "against mass immigration".

For next week's legislative elections, the SVP has centred its campaign around the issue of immigration which it believes is out of control.

 

[rynner2]

Cornish choughs spread towards Devon border

The Cornish chough has expanded its range into mid Cornwall and in the next decade the species could be breeding in Devon, the RSPB has said.
Choughs that were born in west Cornwall are now living on cliffs between Perranporth and Padstow, it said.
The species returned to Cornwall in 2001. About 21 choughs currently live in the county.

The RSPB said it expected birds from populations in Cornwall and Wales to re-establish the species in Devon.
Claire Mucklow, from the RSPB's Cornwall Chough Project, said it was difficult to predict when the population would cross the Cornwall-Devon border.

She said it depended on how well the population in south Wales was doing and when the birds would start to search for nest sites further afield.
The species was historically found at a number of locations in Devon, including Morte Point, Ms Mucklow added.

The chough, a rare member of the crow family, has distinctive red legs and a long red bill.
There were more than 100 pairs in Cornwall but the bird vanished after its food source dried up because of a decline in cliff-top grazing and the use of pesticides.
It eventually disappeared from the county in 1973.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15357028

 

[rynner2]

There was a bird strike on my bedroom window today. Although not obviously bird-like, there's a big mark on the outside of the window. There's also a bunch of grey feathers on the nearby lawn...

Pretty insignificant compared to this one, though:

Here comes Halloween: Owl leaves ghostly imprint after slamming into window

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1bsfb3lNy

 

[los_grandes_lutz]

Zimbabwean man claims prostitute turned to donkey

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... onkey.html

A Zimbabwean man has told a court that he hired a prostitute who during the night transformed into a donkey, and that he is now "seriously in love" with the animal, according to state media.

"I think I am also a donkey. I do not know what happened when I left the bar, but I am seriously in love with (the) donkey," Sunday Moyo told the court, according to The Herald newspaper.

Moyo, 28, was arrested in the town of Zvishavane, about 185 miles south of the capital Harare on Sunday.

He said he had paid $25 for a prostitute, and was surprised Sunday morning when he heard people accusing him of having sex with a donkey.

Moyo has been charged with bestiality and remanded in custody. The court has ordered him to undergo a mental examination, The Herald said.

 

[rynner2]

Meet my fantastic family of foxes: Pensioner who shares her home with bushy-tailed 'Minette', 'Chico' and 'Billy''
By Jessica Satherley
Last updated at 1:21 AM on 27th October 2011

You'd have thought those living in the country would prefer to hunt foxes rather than invite them into their home and let them watch TV.
But that's just what Jane Shepherd, 64, has done and whether it's going about her household chores such as laundry and washing up or spending time in the garden there is always a fox or three nearby.
For the pensioner from Whittlebury in Northamptonshire has opened the doors of her three-bedroom bungalow to three bushy-tailed friends now calls family.

'At the moment I live with Minette, Chico and Billy,' explains Jane.
'They are very affectionate - Chico loves to cover my face with kisses. They are actually a lot like cats rather than dogs.
'Foxes are very independent, wilful and curious creatures. They are very quiet and great at sneaking up on you when you're not looking.
'Hide and seek is a favourite game of theirs - they think it's hilarious. Foxes can be naughty animals to live with but they are so delightful at the same time. You just can't get angry at them.'

Jane lives with the two females, Billy and Minette, and one male fox, Chico.
Minette and Chico, six-years-old, were both young pups abandoned by their mother when they were found by local people.
Billy was rescued as an adult after a car accident when Jane took her in, so her age remains a mystery.

"Foxes usually revert quickly to their natural behaviour after they've been in contact with humans," said Jane.
"But despite best efforts, because of their friendly personalities, some foxes just want to stay close to people.
"This means it’s not appropriate for them to be returned to the wild. They would approach people and possibly make a nuisance of themselves.
'Chico is happier indoors than outdoors and it's better for everyone if they live here at home with me.'

Since moving in with her, Jane has even created a three-story living quarters for her beloved fox family.
She can’t help spoiling her foxes with household treats either. 'I feed Billy cooked chicken, dog food but most of all she loves flapjacks," said Jane.

'And the little rascals love stealing from me as well. They live in a special den I've had built for them in my garage.
'No matter how comfortable they are there it's still not enough. Each night they insist on a kiss and a cuddle before bedtime.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1byQjXhBU

Cute little beggars! 8)

 

[rynner2]

Eagle brings down paraglider over Himalayas
Incredible footage from a helmet camera shows the moment two eagles attacked a paraglider over the Himalayas only for one to become tangled in the cables, causing both bird and man to come crashing down to earth.

[video]

10:20AM GMT 01 Nov 2011

Vladimir Tsar'kov was paragliding over the Indian Himalayas when the two birds of prey swooped, one flying below him and the other continuing up into his parachute and becoming entangled.
With his chute rendered ineffective, the 25-year-old Russian was forced to deploy his reserve parachute as he struggled to regain a modicum of control and began to plummet to the ground.

Fortunately the experienced thrillseeker had the skill to bring himself down in a clearing, although he did not come to a complete halt until he had been dragged through some uncomfortable looking undergrowth.

After confirming his own wellbeing, Mr Tsar'kov turned his attention to the still trapped eagle.
It took him nearly ten minutes to untangle the bird, which then flew off apparently unscathed.

The Himalayas are popular with paragliders and flights often take place close to the eagles, which gliders use to guide them to columns of warm air that help them soar higher.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildli ... layas.html

 

[songhrati]

Motorists spot lion near Darwin crossing the Stuart Highway

From the Herald Sun http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-n ... 6187748355

AUTHORITIES in Darwin are on the lookout for a feral lioness, after three reports of a big cat being spotted crossing the Stuart Highway.
The sightings about 9pm (CST) last night sparked a quick police search and a check at Crocodylus, a local wildlife park just a few minutes from the scene.

According to the NT News, three cars pulled over while the animal crossed the highway in front of them at Pinelands, a small suburb about 20km from Darwin.

"I often get reports of dingoes in the area, which are a similar colour but a completely different size," said a spokeswoman for NT Police.

Police found no trace of the creature.

Chief scientist at Crocodylus, Charlie Manolis, said he took the sightings seriously, but both lions at the park were found to be secure.

He said that "not in a gazillion years" could a lion have escaped its enclosure and then voluntarily returned and been present when checked.

Mr Manolis said because three different people had reported seeing a lion, it was likely something was roaming around.

"Whether there is a large dog or a beastie out there that looks like a lion, we would like to find out any information about what it really is," he said.

Crocodylus is the only wildlife park in the Northern Territory that houses lions.

 

[rynner2]

Lion sighting reports disrupt rail service

Passengers were not allowed to leave a train at a West Yorkshire village after reports a lion and a cub had "jumped on the tracks".
West Yorkshire Police said they had received two separate reports of a lion and or lion cub in the area of Shepley, close to Huddersfield.
The 16:50 GMT service from Retford to Huddersfield stopped at Shepley where passengers got on but not off.

A police helicopter was scrambled to search the area but found nothing.
Twelve officers also searched the area on foot.
A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "We had two unconfirmed reports of a lion and or lion cub in the Huddersfield area at 15:30.
"We searched the area with the assistance of a helicopter but have not located anything as yet.
"Enquiries are ongoing."

Train operator Northern Rail said passengers were allowed on to the train when it called at Shepley at 16:52 GMT, but those on the train were not allowed off.
A spokeswoman said the company took the action after being advised by Network Rail that a lion and a cub had been spotted on train tracks in the area.
A spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies said: "Someone called West Yorkshire Police to say there is a lion that's just jumped on to the train tracks."

The Northern Rail spokeswoman said police were treating the incident as a hoax - but West Yorkshire Police said they did not wish to add to their earlier statement.

Northern Rail could not confirm how many people were on the train at time or whether an announcement had been made to passengers. She said no delays were caused.

National Rail had earlier tweeted: "Passengers are currently unable to alight from trains at Shepley due to reports by police of a lion in the area."
At 17:00 GMT National Rail said services had returned to normal at Shepley.

Police said the search would resume on Monday if there were any more reports of sightings

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-15614294

 

[uair01]

I'm reading this great art book: http://www.thegreenbox.net/de/node/431

And it has this weird story (among many others):

Well, this happened on the Isle of Lewis; we were on a kind of ill-fated summer holiday. Um, and on [the first] evening we went for a walk along the spectacular cliffs and we were wandering along and it's quite a kind of blowy night and there's a lot of sheep around, as you might imagine - there's loads and loads of sheep. And as we wandered along on the cliffs, the sheep started to gather around us and follow us. And they got closer and closer, and we thought nothing of it; we thought they were just kind of curious. And then we got to a certain point when the sheep became quite aggressive as a group, and it seemed as if they wanted to kind of push us off the cliffs. And it got quite scary. There were a few moments where literally we sort of broke into a half run. And there was a little, almost like an Indiana Jones moment, there was a little sort of rock bridge, I'm not exaggerating, there's a rock bridge which took us about six foot across this little precipice and we had to run across this precipice to escape these vicious Lewis sheep. But we thought definitely they were after us. I mean it was a kind of once in a lifetime kind of 'killer sheep' experience. I've had a lot of experience of sheep over the years and I've never, I've never experienced such aggression in any sheep at all. And even my name, I mean Ramsey, it's kind of, you know, it's the Anglicized version of some sort of Gaelic sheep-related speaking kind of thing. So yeah, I know, it was totally out of the blue and it was quite freaky and the light was low and it did feel genuinely threatening ...
(Graham, male, interviewed for Radio Animal at Lanercost Priory, July 2010)

Snæbjörnsdóttir/Wilson: Uncertainty in the City is a result of a research project in which Bryndis Snæbjörnsdóttir and Mark Wilson investigated the margins of tolerance in the fraught relationship between humans and other animals. Uncertainty in the City is a guidebook that looks at the human response to the other, to the animals that surround us.

 

[rynner2]

Crane lift for eel as 'love congers all' in Macduff

An operation to release a 6ft conger eel to the wild so he can find love is due to get underway.
Rip will leave Macduff Marine Aquarium in Moray to swim to the Atlantic.
Rip has become restless, leading staff to recognise typical signs meaning time had come for a 2,000-mile migration to the Atlantic.

The eels are known to congregate in deep water, where they spawn before dying. A crane will be needed for Operation Rip Tide on Monday afternoon.
Rip has been at the aquarium since 2004.

The aim is to use a large bag to catch the conger eel in and a crane to hoist him out, lowering him into sea, where divers will open the bag.
Claire Matthews, the aquarium manager, said: "We have everything in place for operation Rip Tide - divers, a lifting bag, crane and a high tide.
"We just hope that Rip realises we're helping him and is cooperative.
"We hope Rip makes it to the Azores, but of course the sad part of the story is that he will die after it all - but at least he'll be happy."

In 2001, Chippie the conger eel was released at the aquarium for the same journey in Operation Amour.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-n ... d-15679138

 

[rynner2]

Beehives stop elephant crop-raids in Kenya, Africa
By Ella Davies, Reporter, BBC Nature

Innovative beehive fences have helped a community in Kenya to successfully protect crops from elephants, according to research.
Scientists found the hives to be a very effective barrier; elephants turned away from them in 97% of their attempted raids.
Conservationists suggest that elephants' natural fear of bees could settle ongoing conflicts.
The hives' honey also produced additional profits for farmers.
...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/14106484

Elephant and bee researcher nets green prize
By Richard Black, Environment correspondent, BBC News

A British scientist has won a coveted environment research prize for showing how bees can be used to reduce conflict between people and elephants.
Lucy King's work proved that beehive "fences" can keep elephants out of African farmers' fields or compounds.
The animals are scared of bees, which can sting them inside their trunks, and flee when they hear buzzing.
Dr King received the award during a ceremony at the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) meeting in Norway.

"Her research underlines how working with, rather than against, nature can provide humanity with many of the solutions to the challenges countries and communities face," said Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (Unep).
"Dr King's work spotlights an intelligent solution to an age-old challenge, while providing further confirmation of the importance of bees to people and a really clever way of conserving the world's largest land animal for current and future generations."

The African-born scientist, whose research was supervised at Oxford University, said she was delighted and surprised to receive the prize, which is given every three years to a particularly outstanding PhD thesis in the conservation field.
"I just couldn't believe it when I heard - it was such a boost, and a wonderful thing to be recognised at that level," she told BBC News.
"Especially after spending five years out in the bush bouncing around in a landrover - it was wonderful."

Part of Dr King's prize was giving a lecture at the CMS meeting in Bergen, telling the assembled scientists and government delegates about the project.

Working in Kenya, she and her team showed that more than 90% of elephants will flee when they hear the sounds of buzzing bees.
Subsequently, they also found that elephants produce a special rumble to warn their fellows of the danger.

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15836079

 

[ramonmercado]

Santa's reindeer missing in Mullingar
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ire ... 99888.html
EOGHAN MacCONNELL

Wed, Nov 23, 2011

A SEARCH is on for a reindeer that escaped on arrival at a children’s Christmas event in Co Westmeath.

Arthur O’Meara, of O’Meara’s Garden Pavilion in Gaybrook, Mullingar, is hoping the public might be able to help.

“We asked Santa for a loan of a couple of his reindeer and his helpers were delivering them on Saturday evening last,” said Mr O’Meara.

However, “just as we relaxed, one got a fright and just bounded out of the pen like a rocket and . . . into the woods”.

Although unsure of the exact pedigree of the animal, he said: “It looks like the type you see in the North Pole.

“A little bit smaller than a donkey, but they can certainly jump.

“There is a lot of farmland around the garden centre so we are hoping that if we are lucky she settles down with some cattle or sheep.”

The public is advised not to approach the animal but instead to leave down some hay and call the centre, whose staff will send out professionals to bring the deer back.

The loss of the deer shouldn’t affect Santa’s Christmas plans, however, as the animal was part of a back-up sleigh team.

Anyone who sees the deer is asked to call the pavilion on 044-934 2088.

 

[rynner2]

Free as a bird! How lucky hawk was rescued without a scratch from Lexus grille after 60mph collision
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 10:24 AM on 28th November 2011

A car mechanic was expecting the worst when the owner of a Lexus SUV asked him to remove a hawk from her vehicle’s grille.
The customer told mechanic Matt Whitehead at the Lexus dealership in Grapevine, Texas, that she had been driving at more than 60 miles an hour when the bird of prey crashed into her car.

Mr Whitehead wasn’t optimistic about the outcome - his dealings with animals usually mean removing the bodies of various wildlife - ‘small birds, rodents, squirrels, reptiles - anything but fish’ - from vehicles.
‘Every bird we’ve ever seen hit a car has died,’ Mr Whitehead said.

The red-tailed hawk’s body was wedged between the partitions, with only its wings and a single talon visible. Its entire body – head and all – was inside the grille. ‘He was not moving,’ Mr Whitehead said.
He and the other mechanics were shocked when the bird stirred. ‘I looked in there and the hawk had his head turned kind of sideways. I could see his eye and he blinked.’

Mechanics reached for their cameras and started taking pictures of the rescue.
After some careful manoeuvring on the part of Mr Whitehead and fellow mechanics at Park Place Lexus, the hawk was freed from the grille.
Mr Whitehead was amazed that the bird appeared to be free from injury. ‘Nothing was broke,’ he said. ‘He wasn’t even missing a feather that I’m aware. I never even saw any feathers.’
However the hawk was obviously suffering from shock, and, according to Mr Whitehead, was flapping its wings but couldn’t fly.

To be on the safe side,he took the traumatised bird to local vet Greg Moore, who said he was confident the bird could recover from internal injuries and a concussion.
The vet said the hawk would in all likelihood be able to fly again.
Mr Moore [thanked] the mechanics for the way they handled the bird. ‘They did a good job – handled the bird well.’
Mr Whitehead said: ‘I wish that every day would end that happy,’ he said.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1ezkSwguT

 

[rynner2]

Family dog stolen five years ago returns on the 37 bus
A family's dog which was stolen five years ago from outside their home has come home on a number 37 bus.
By Andy Bloxham
7:09AM GMT 29 Nov 2011

Pat Oates, 48, took a call saying her Staffordshire bull terrier had been found safe and well riding the Birmingham City Centre to Solihull route.
Mrs Oates and her three children had all but given up any hope of ever seeing their red Staffordshire bull terrier, T-Bone, after he was taken from their drive in September 2006 during a powercut.
They feared he had been stolen to order by gangs looking to use the good-natured dog as a weapon.

But after the 12-year-old dog was dumped, after he developed a cyst, he got onto the No. 37 bus undetected.
It was only when the bus driver spotted him in his rear view mirror that he was taken to a bus depot, before being checked over by a local vet.
After his micro-chip was scanned, staff were able to reunite T-Bone with his owners.

Mrs Oates, a mother-of-three, from Solihull, West Midlands, said she wasn't surprised that T-Bone was found on a bus as he loves to travel.
Mrs Oates, who works as a cleaner, added: "He always loved going on car journeys and would come along with us on long journeys all the time.
"He could sit gazing out of the window all day long."

The family now have to pay expensive veterinary bills after T-Bone was badly neglected by the thieves who stole him.
He has developed a large, painful cyst on his leg as well as severe hearing problems.

Leigh Fisher, from 608 Vets where T-Bone was first taken, said: "This case highlights the importance of getting your dog microchipped.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/petsh ... 7-bus.html

 

[rynner2]

Huge stag 'could be UK's biggest'

A huge stag on Exmoor, which is 9ft (3m) tall, could be Britain's biggest wild land animal, an expert claims.
The red stag, dubbed Emperor by the few people who have seen him, is thought to weigh about 300lb (136kg).

Peter Donnelly, a retired deer manager on Exmoor, told BBC News it was possible the stag was the largest wild land animal in the country.
"They normally don't grow as big as that. But he's had top quality food and a mild habitat."

The deer's location is being kept secret to protect him from hunters.

...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8298284.stm

Emperor of Exmoor's head found mounted on hotel wall
One of the mysteries surrounding the demise of the Emperor of Exmoor has finally been solved - after the stag's head was discovered stuffed and mounted on the wall of a boutique hotel.
By James Orr
6:00AM GMT 12 Dec 2011

His shooting last year caused widespread outrage - but the absence of a body led some to question whether reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated.
The giant animal, which stood at nearly 9ft (2.75m) tall, was reported to have been shot dead in the middle of the annual rut on the edge of Exmoor, Devon, last year.

Many wildlife enthusiasts deplored its killing and demanded the hunter, or possible poacher responsible, be held to account by authorities. Unsurprisingly, no-one came forward.

Now, however, Claire Carter, the owner of the boutique The Hartnoll Hotel in Bolham, near Tiverton, has said she has been given the mounted head of the Emperor on loan.
She insisted she had “promised faithfully” not to reveal who had bequeathed the impressive trophy as the owner did not want “the agro”.

“I’ve loaned it off of somebody who doesn’t want to be mentioned and he could well be the Emperor, yes,” she admitted yesterday.
“The thing is I haven’t actually bought it. I’ve got it on loan. It doesn’t actually belong to me.”

The hotel is nine miles from where the stag was killed.
Asked about the stag’s origins or why the owner did not want to be identified, she said she had “promised faithfully I wouldn’t say anything about that”.
She added: “I don’t think they want all the agro. There was obviously a lot of problems at the time. So that’s it, that’s all I can really say but I do believe it is (the Emperor).”

The magnificent 300lb beast was reported to have been shot near the village of Rackenford, on the southern edge of Exmoor, in October last year. Witnesses claimed they heard two shots fired before seeing the animal's body lying in a field.

etc...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildli ... -wall.html

 

[rynner2]

'Exmoor Emperor' stag's head removed after threats

The head of a giant red deer stag, believed to have been the biggest wild land animal in the UK, has been taken down from the wall of a Devon hotel.
An employee of the Hartnoll Hotel in Bolham, near Tiverton, said the hotel had been "bombarded" with threats.
No complaints have been made to the police about the threats which have come via telephone and email.

The Exmoor Emperor was killed near Rackenford in October last year.
Weighing more than 135kg (300lb) and standing nearly 2.75m (9ft) tall, it is believed the Emperor was shot by a licensed hunter during the annual rut.
The hotel was lent the stag's head about a month ago.

BBC South West Correspondent John Kay said the hotel had decided to take the stag's head down until attention and threats subsided.
A hotel employee, who did not want to be named, confirmed that the stag's head had been taken down on Monday.
She declined to say what the threats were.
Police said they had received no complaints from the hotel, but the employee could not say why they had not been contacted.

Photographer Richard Austin, who named the giant stag, said he was "95% sure" it was the Emperor.
He said although the mane of the hotel's mounted stag had been trimmed, it had a particular bump on its right antler which appeared identical to the Emperor's.
After comparing the mounted stag with images he captured of the Emperor, he said: "I've had a good look and it's close - very, very close."

The Hartnoll hotel is nine miles from where the stag was killed.
"It's a blooming good coincidence... I'm 95% sure it is the Emperor," Mr Austin said.

Its death led to calls from some deer experts to protect wild stags during the mating season.
At the time, Mr Austin said the Emperor had been a "definite target" because of his magnificent antlers.

Earlier on Monday hotel owner Claire Carter said it would be "fantastic" if it was him, but she only thought the head was similar.
Ms Carter, who has refused to say who loaned her the stag's head, said the Hartnoll was a "country hotel for country people" and no-one had complained about the mounted stag.

She said shooting parties, who regularly use the hotel, had been joking about the similarity to the Emperor.
"They all look the same don't they, so I didn't ask... maybe it's a relative," she said.

Ms Carter, who is interested in taxidermy and has some specimens at home, said the person who offered her the stag's head had not mentioned the Emperor, nor had she asked.
But she said it would be nice to have something that had been "killed locally".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-16138993

 

[JoeBerry]

Killer water beast lurks at 2012 Olympic site

Killer water beast lurks at 2012 Olympic site

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3994768/Killer-water-beast-lurks-at-2012-Olympic-site.html

A MYSTERIOUS killer beast is lurking in the waterways close to the 2012 Olympics site hunting for prey, it was feared last night.
Witnesses saw the creature — possibly an alligator or a giant snake — drag a 16lb Canada goose under the River Lea so fast it disappeared without a sound.

The number of swans on the river and waterways near the £9billion park in East London is also dropping.

Mike Wells, who saw the goose attack from a boat, said: "The bird just went vertically down. I was gobsmacked. There was no sign of what took it, but it was obviously pretty big."

Mike, who lives in the Lea Valley, believes it is the same creature seen dragging a goose beneath the Lea in 2005.

Back then wildlife experts suspected it was an alligator or a giant turtle after finding 8ft long holes burrowed in the bank.

Mike added: "It must be the same creature. Some people I've spoken to think it could be a very large pike and I've seen some turtles about a foot across, but they're not really big enough to take a goose." Zoology graduate Michael Allen, who lives near the Olympic Park, said: "It might be an escaped pet snake like a python. A small goose or a duck could be a perfect meal."

A spokesman for British Waterways said the creature may be a "giant pike" or mink, a mammal known to attack ducks or small geese.

He added: "The other possibility is a terrapin, but they're more likely to go for ducks."

The Sun suggests it may be the young Olympic diver Tom Daley... I quite like the image of Tom Daley living in a burrow by the Thames, catching and eating geese raw.

 

[ramonmercado]

Stressed-out elephants pack trunks for rejuvenation camp
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/fro ... 50466.html
RAHUL BEDI in New Delhi

Fri, Dec 16, 2011

A HOLIDAY camp for elephants has opened in India’s southern Tamil Nadu province whhttp://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/f ... 66.htmlere the animals will socialise for seven weeks over good food and under expert veterinary attention to soothe their tempers ruffled by work-related stress.

Forty-five elephants attached to Hindu shrines and hermitages in the province repaired this week to the Mudumalai forest some 570km southwest of the provincial capital Chennai (formerly Madras) for a 48-day break to help them regain lost vigour and chutzpah.

“The elephants were brought in two batches in trucks from various temples and hermitages across the state where they perform ceremonial roles amidst great fanfare and ceremony,” a forest department official said.

At the rejuvenation camp the elephants will be fed massive quantities of sugarcane, coconuts and bananas laced with herbal medication and vitamins, and pampered with leisurely massages and oil baths.

Their diet would also include special rice, horse gram and turmeric, and mineral and liver extracts, officials said.

After months of walking on tarred roads, living on palm leaves and bananas and playing guard of honour during numerous temple festivals at which dreaded crackers exploded, each elephant had lost weight – but at the rejuvenation camp they will put on between 315-360kg.

The additional treatment they receive will also calm down the elephants ahead of a busy work schedule in the new year, when they will be the main attraction.

Elephants are symbols of prestige for temples across southern India, where the richly turned-out animals are frequently taken out in processions. Many individuals, too, own elephants, but are finding them a financial burden and handing them over to temples that are duty-bound to look after them.

The idea for the elephant holiday camp came from senior officials in Chennai following reports that many of the animals had started behaving badly by attacking their “mahouts”, or drivers, due to overwork.

© 2011 The Irish Times

 

[rynner2]

Australian crocodile Elvis steals lawnmower
[video: Crocodile handler at the Australian Reptile Park, Tim Faulkner, explained how they would make the enclosure safe again]

An Australian crocodile reacted badly when a noisy lawnmower invaded his space - he stole it, forcing keepers to make a daring rescue.
Elvis, who lives at the Australian Reptile Park, lunged at the mower, grabbing it from operations manager Tim Faulkner and keeper Billy Collett.
Pulling it under water, the five-metre saltwater crocodile "drowned" the machine at the park near Sydney.
He then sat and watched his catch for more than an hour in his enclosure. 8)

''Once he got it, he just sat there and guarded it,'' said Mr Faulkner. ''It was his prize, his trophy. If it moved, then he would attack it again.''
That, he told the BBC, was fairly typical crocodile behaviour.

But Elvis, who is one of the largest crocodiles in New South Wales, is also ''a big territorial male'' who likes his meat.
While the keeper lured Elvis to the other end of the enclosure with an offering of kangaroo meat, Mr Faulkner was able to jump in, retrieve the badly chewed up mower and two teeth that Elvis had lost in the process.
''He has extraordinarily large teeth - much bigger than most crocodiles,'' added Mr Faulkner. ''He punched his teeth through the top casing of the mower.''

Elvis, who was captured in the wild and is thought to be around 50 years old, has always been a cranky croc. He was attacking fishing boats in Darwin harbour when he was caught, his keeper said.
At the crocodile farm he was first brought to after being caught, he ate two of his girlfriends. :shock:
''He is so full of testosterone that he views everything as a threat,'' explained Mr Faulkner. ''Even potential mates.''

The mower was fortunate to have escaped then. But it will never work another day.
As for Mr Faulkner, it was all in a day's work.
''I've handled a lot of animals,'' he said. ''There is a moment when your breath is gone and your adrenalin rushes in.''

But, he stressed, there is difference between a crocodile getting a mower and getting a human.
''That has never happened. We treat the crocodiles with a lot of respect,'' he added.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16343288

 

[sherbetbizarre]

Angler snares deadly fish that killed two men by biting off their testicles

An intrepid British angler today told how he snared a predator which kills men - by biting off their testicles.

Fearless Jeremy Wade, 53, spent weeks hunting for the fish in remote Papua New Guinea after locals reported a mysterious beast which was castrating young fishermen.

He finally unmasked the perpetrator as the Pacu fish - known locally as ‘The Ball Cutter’ - and managed to catch one in his small wooden fishing boat.

Mr Wade wrestled the 40lb monster on to the floor of his boat and opened its snapping jaws with his naked hands - to discover a jaw-dropping array of human-style teeth.

The Ball Cutter boasts an impressive set of man-like molars, which tear off the testicles of unwitting hunters, leaving them to bleed to death.

Mr Wade, from Bath, Somerset, told how he reeled in the Ball Cutter as part of his new series of River Monsters, aired on ITV next week.

He said: 'I had heard of a couple of fishermen in Papua New Guinea who had been castrated by something in the water.

'The bleeding was so severe that they died. The locals told me that this thing was like a human in the water, biting at the testicles of fishermen. They didn’t know what it was.

'It is a hot and dirty area so the people would often go to the water with their children to wash but obviously they were very worried about this thing in the water.

'Amazingly, these things are quite elusive so we had to be patient catching one. We put a line into the water and waited for it to bite.

'When I reeled it in, it had this mouth which was surprisingly human-like, it is almost like they have teeth specially made for crushing.

'They are like human molars and the fish have powerful jaw muscles. They are very deep bodied and solid like a carp, with strong muscles.'

At least two fishermen have bled to death after being bitten by the beast although Jeremy believes they were 'pretty unlucky' as it is quite shy.

More and pics at the Daily Mail

See Also:
https://forums.forteana.org/index.p...ish-with-human-like-teeth.27140/#post-1172086

 

[Analogue Boy]

Another fall of birds in the states as the new year kicks in....

Ancient Mayan legend says that 2012 will bring the end of the world.
A small Arkansas town might have shown the first example of that as approximately 5,000 blackbirds dropped dead from the sky last night in the early hours of the new year.
As if the incident was not strange enough, it is the second time in two years that the birds have fallen as the calendar year changes.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... e-row.html



Not like the Mail to be alarmist is it?

 

[rynner2]

Night of the animals:

I got up in the wee small hours (!) and, glancing out of the window, saw a fox lope past, just feet away! He disappeared from view, but reappeared again as he follwed the edge of the lawn, before turning at the corner of the building and vanishing.

I say 'he' because he seemed quite big and fit. It's only the second time I've seen a fox outside my window, but I think he's a regular visitor - there are faint tracks left on the lawn. And I've seen foxes nearby in the daytime too.

I've mentioned elsewhere that this patch of suburbia was just farmland within living memory, but it's nice to know the wildlife still thrives. For the foxes it might even be better - no fox hunts, or farmers with guns!

 

[Spudrick68]

I see different foxes on the cycle track between where I work and Morecambe. There is an adult male, who look rather nonchalant before sauntering into the ditch, and I've seen a young cub who panics and runs like hell. I quite enjoy seeing them.

 

[Recycled1]

I often see (and hear -very creepy!) foxes here in Dorset. The pet shop I go to even sells "fox food"!
But I think I used to see them just as frequently in Wolverhampton, where I lived quite close to the centre.
Foxes are all over the place!

 

[ramonmercado]

Leopard in deadly attack in Indian city of Guwahati
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-16473569
By Amitabha Bhattasali
BBC News, Calcutta

One of the victims, Kripesh Dey, was badly injured in the attack
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories

In pictures: Leopard attack in India
Leopard dies from people attack
One person has been killed and several others injured in an attack by a leopard in the Indian state of Assam.

The man died after the leopard attacked several people in a densely populated area of the city of Guwahati.

The leopard strayed into the Shilpukhuri area of the city on Saturday and attacked residents, one of whom died the next day of his injuries.

The animal has now been released into the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, forest officials said.

For the people of Guwahati, bomb blasts and other terror attacks were not uncommon till recently, because of repeated attacks by the secessionist United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa), but a leopard straying into a town is rare, particularly during the day.

Chased out
The leopard was first sighted on Saturday morning near a crematorium in the town.

As the funeral of a Congress Party leader's son was going on, the place was full of dignitaries, ministers and other VIPs.

Police sent them to a safer place and chased the leopard out, but it turned towards the Shilpukhuri residential area.

"First, it jumped across several multi-storey buildings, including a bank, then jumped on to the ground," said Manas Paran, photojournalist for the Sunday Indian magazine and an eyewitness.

Local people armed with sticks and iron rods tried to chase the leopard away. The enraged animal then started attacking locals, Mr Paran told BBC.

Mr Paran kept following the big cat at extremely close quarters to get good pictures for his magazine.

Deb Kumar Das, aged around 50, was one of the first people whom the leopard clawed at. He suffered severe wounds to the head, ear and neck.

He was treated in hospital but later returned home, where he was found dead on Sunday.

Several others suffered the ire of the big cat. One of them, Kripesh Dey, had part of his scalp removed in the attack.

Later, when the leopard entered a shop, locals locked it up. Forest officials and vets reached the scene after some time with tranquilisers and were able to capture it.

"After it was tranquilised and treated in Guwahati Zoo, we released it in the Manas Wildlife Sancturary today", said Utpal Borah, head of the zoo.

This incident has once again brought to fore the conflict between humans and animals in India.

Assam's forest officials say humans are encroaching onto leopard habitats. Residential areas built right in leopard habitats have become vulnerable to such attacks.

This is the second death from leopard attacks in five years.