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Georgia Beachgoers Saved a Pod of Pilot Whales That Washed Ashore

Michele Debczak

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A day at the shore quickly turned into a rescue situation for beachgoers on St. Simons Island, Georgia this week when a pod of pilot whales washed ashore. Beaching can be disastrous for whales, but thanks to a group of first responders and volunteers, most of the stranded marine mammals were returned to safety, USA Today reports.

Spotting whales off the coast of Georgia isn't unusual, but what occurred at St. Simons Island the afternoon of Tuesday, July 16 was out of the ordinary. The pilot whales had swum so close to the shore that they had become stuck on the sand—and there were dozens of them. The animals could have died from dehydration at low tide or possibly drowned if the tide covered their blowholes.

Fortunately, the beachgoers watching the situation unfold acted fast. They waded into the sea and manually pushed the small whales back into deeper waters where they could swim freely. First responders from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) also aided in the rescue effort.

The heroic volunteers weren't able to save every whale. Two of the mammals became incapacitated and had to be euthanized. But according to the Glynn County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, the majority of the whales swam away unharmed. "This has been an unusual occurrence, but events like these can really show the level of care and support from our community," the agency wrote on its Facebook page. "Thank you to everyone that helped those that couldn’t help themselves today."

Beaching is a rare event that still isn't fully understood by scientists. In the case of these pilot whales, which travel in pods, one sick whale may have swum too close to land and led the rest of the whales to danger. The DNR plans to conduct autopsies on the two whales who perished.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/georgia-beachgoers-saved-a-pod-of-pilot-whales-that-washed-ashore/ar-AAEvrGr

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New 'Pocket Shark' Species That Squirts Glow In The Dark Liquid Found In Gulf Of Mexico

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The shark was found nearly 10 years ago, but it's only been recently been considered a new species. Named the American Pocket Shark, it has pouches near its front fins and was collected in 2010 when researchers were trying to work out what sperm whales eat. It isn't what you think. The little lad is able to shoot little glowing clouds into the ocean from its pouches.

The shark has five features that haven't been seen in the only other known specimen of its kind. The other was captured in the Eastern Pacific Ocean back in 1979 and is now on display at the Zoological Museum in St Petersburg, Russian.

Mark Grace of the NMFS Mississippi Laboratories of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Henry Bart and Michael Doosey of the Tulane University Biodiversity Research have described their findings in an article in the Zootaxa journal.

Mr Grace said: "I've been in science for about 40 years and I can usually make a pretty good guess about a marine animal's identity. "I couldn't with this one."

Not one to give up, he asked the experts at Tulane University and the American Museum of Natural History in New York, as well as the Florida Museum of Natural History, located at the University of Florida for help.

Despite a 2015 paper identifying the shark of the second of its kind, it's now known to be a new species

Bart said: "The fact that only one pocket shark has ever been reported from the Gulf of Mexico, and that it is a new species, underscores how little we know about the Gulf - especially its deeper waters - and how many additional new species from these waters await discovery."

If you're wondering why a shark would be able to squirt florescent fluid from its pouches, then researchers have you covered. They suggest that it's used to help conceal it from prey or predators. A bit like a rainbow-infused pepper spray.

https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/latest-new-pocket-shark-species-that-squirts-glow-in-the-dark-liquid-found-20190723

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Humongous, Chihuahua-Sized Species of Flying Squirrel Has Been Discovered in China

Ellen Gutoskey

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© shabeerthurakkal/iStock via Getty ImagesHumongous, Chihuahua-Sized Species of Flying Squirrel Has Been Discovered in China

Flying squirrels can be found in most of Earth’s forests, but you probably wouldn’t be able to actually find one—the elusive little mammals are so good at flying under the radar that scientists have a hard time studying them.

That’s why, when Quan Li of the Kunming Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences spotted a strange-looking squirrel specimen in the institute’s collection last year, he thought it was just a variation of the rare Namdapha flying squirrel, a species in the Biswamoyopterus genus. Upon further investigation, Smithsonian.com reports, he realized the differences were considerable enough that it must be a previously unknown species within the same genus.

The new species (called Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis, or the Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel, after the region where it was first discovered) has bi-coloured ear tufts, a dark brown scrotum, a white belly, and a shorter, wider skull than other close relatives. Like its relatives, the new guy weighs between 3 and 4 pounds, or about the size of a Chihuahua.

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© Provided by Sportority, Inc. (Mental Floss) Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel

Part of the reason that Quan Li first misidentified the squirrel he saw as a Namdapha squirrel is because we don’t know that much about Namdapha squirrels—scientists have only ever spotted one of them, in 1981. It’s critically endangered due to hunting and habitat loss.

To study the new flying squirrel species further, Quan Li and his colleagues travelled to Mount Gaoligong in Yunnan Province in southwest China, where the specimen had been collected before being brought to the institute. There, they were able to obtain another Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel specimen, as well as observe two others.

The area in which the new species was found is within the 777-mile-long region between where the Namdapha squirrel was first observed in 1981 in India, and where a specimen from the Laotian giant flying squirrel (the other known species in the Biswamoyopterusgenus) was observed in 2013. This “suggests that the genus is much more widespread than we previously thought,” Quan Li said in a statement announcing the finding.

Quan Li and his team are hoping to discover more squirrels in the area, and soon. Because these squirrels inhabit low-altitude forests near human settlements, they’re extra-susceptible to poaching or habitat destruction.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/humongous-chihuahua-sized-species-of-flying-squirrel-has-been-discovered-in-china/ar-AAEPptK

Edited by CaaC (John)
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Gizmo the Chihuahua 'seized and taken away by seagull'

  • 22 July 2019
 
 
Image copyright Becca Louise Hill Image caption Gizmo was described by his owner as a small Chihuahua

A seagull has seized and flown off with a family's pet Chihuahua, according to its owners.

Becca Louise Hill said a gull swooped down and grabbed Gizmo "by the scruff of his neck" in Paignton, Devon. Her partner tried to grab the dog's legs to stop him being taken away.

Gizmo, four, was described as a small, brown dog, weighing 4.4lb (2kg).

Ornithologist Peter Rock told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 seagulls were capable of picking up small animals.

Ms Hill, 24, said her partner was with Gizmo at the side of the house at 13:00 BST on Sunday.

'One of my babies'

She said: "A seagull swooped down and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

"My partner tried to grab his legs, but he was not tall enough and... the seagull flew away."

She said there had been no sightings of Gizmo since.

She said she would keep "looking every day" until he was found.

"It is not nice at all that one of my babies has gone," she said.

  Image copyright Reuters Image caption Posters are going up in the search for Gizmo

Mr Rock, from the University of Bristol, said: "If you have a very tiny little dog I suggest you don't let it run around in your back garden… it may well become a meal."

He said he was not really surprised to hear of the incident because gulls are "very large".

Tony Whitehead from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said it was possible a recently fledged herring gull came into "conflict" with the dog and the parents defended. Alternatively it was "simply a predation".

He said it was a "rare thing to happen to a dog", but he advised owners of small dogs to keep an eye on their pets.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-49070562


This doesn't surprise me at all as these Gulls(Great black backed gulls) are savage and will try and swallow anything they can fit in their mouth. They are also huge and are everywhere these days. There was another case of a group of them pecking a Kitten to death and that doesn't surprise me since they are savage as fuck.

 

This is a video of one swallowing a Rabbit:-

 

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Extinction: Humans played a big role in the demise of the cave bear

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The arrival of human ancestors in Europe some 40,000 years ago coincided with the downfall of the cave bear, scientists have revealed.

New evidence suggests humans hunted the bear and drove it from caves, putting it on the road to extinction.

The fate of the species was sealed by other pressures, such as the onset of the last Ice Age, and shrinking food resources.

The bear eventually died out 24,000 years ago.

"We see this dramatic drop in the population of the cave bear starting from 40,000 years ago, which coincides with the arrival of anatomically modern humans in Europe," said Prof Verena Schuenemann of the University of Zurich, who led the study.

"It is the clearest evidence we have so far that humans might have played a big role in the extinction of the cave bear."

What is a cave bear?

Cave bears were a type of bear that lived in Asia and Europe. They share a common ancestor with the modern brown bear.

The cave bear fed largely on vegetation instead of meat. Fossils of the species are usually found in caves, suggesting the animals spent a lot of time there, rather than using caves purely for hibernation.

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More stories like this:

What did the study find?

The researchers analysed mitochondrial DNA extracted from cave bear bones collected across Switzerland, Poland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Serbia.

They were able to map where cave bears lived and their diversity at a time when many large mammals roamed the Earth.

It appears that populations were more diverse than previously thought and remained relatively stable until around 40,000 years ago, surviving two cold periods and several cooling events.

The findings support the idea that human influences played a major role in pushing the cave bear to the brink.

The extinction of the cave bear is a matter of much debate, with explanations including human interference, environmental changes or a combination of both.

The latest study, published in Scientific Reports, gives a deeper insight into the subject but is unlikely to be the final word.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49345392

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World's rarest leopard is caught on camera: 'Strawberry' predator is spotted feasting on a dead giraffe at South African reserve

  • Alan Watson, 45, and wife Lynsey, 41, set up motion camera next to a dead giraffe
  • Caught the super-rare strawberry leopard eating in the wild for the first time
  • Alan nicknamed her 'Goldie' and said a second leopard cub has been seen
  • He caught the leopard four years ago on night vision when it was a cub

A couple have made the ultimate spot after they caught the world's rarest leopard chomping on a dead giraffe, a moment never caught before on camera.  

The strawberry leopard was snapped by a motion-triggered camera pinned to a tree in Thaba Tholo Wilderness Reserve in South Africa. 

The pictures, taken by reserve owner Alan Watson, 45, and his wife Lynsey, 41, are the first of the pink-hued big cat eating in the wild.

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A rare pink-hued species of leopard has been photographed for the first time eating in the wild in Thaba Tholo Wilderness Reserve in north-eastern South Africa

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The leopard, the rarest known, was only first identified as a species in 2012 and has been elusive to photographers ever since. Alan Watson, 45, and his Irish wife Lynsey, 41, who caught the leopard on camera, said they had seen it before but always struggled to capture on film. They set up a motion detector camera thinking they'd only catch 'grass moving'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7371089/Rare-strawberry-leopard-caught-feasting-time-South-Africa.html

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17 Reasons Dolphins Are More Dangerous Than You Ever Thought

Dolphins have an impressive reputation. Not only are they incredibly intelligent, but they also tend to interact with humans on a regular basis⁠. But unfortunately, just because dolphins have a perpetual grin and an overall friendly demeanour doesn't mean they're safe.

In fact, these mysterious creatures have been responsible for more than a few vicious and fatal attacks. Want to know more? Read on for all the ways dolphins are a lot more dangerous than you thought. 

SLIDES - 1/18

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Extinction: Last chance to save 'rhinos of the oceans'

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Conservationists say a key wildlife summit could be the "last chance saloon" for saving sharks and rays pushed to extinction by the shark fin trade.

About 100 million sharks are estimated to be killed each year for their fins and meat.

On Sunday, countries will discuss giving more species of sharks and rays protection under wildlife trade rules.

These include mako sharks and the little-known "rhino rays".

Wedgefish and guitarfish are collectively known as "rhino rays", because of their elongated snouts. They are now the most endangered marine fish group, according to a recent scientific assessment.

"With this new science just come out, fresh in everyone's minds a month ago, on these wedge fish and guitarfish, it's clearly last chance saloon for them," Luke Warwick of the Wildlife Conservation Society told BBC News.

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The fins of wedge fish and guitarfish can be worth as much as a thousand dollars a kilogramme, he said, making them one of the most highly-valued species in the shark fin trade.

Other stories you might like to read:

There are proposals to add a further 18 sharks and rays to Appendix II of The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

If passed, this would mean countries would have to ensure that all continued trade was sustainable and legal.

Parties are meeting in Geneva for the second week of discussions.

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Sharks and rays: The facts on the "rhinos of the seas"

  • A group of 16 very unusual animals called wedge fish and guitarfish, together known as rhino rays
  • They are assessed as the most threatened family of marine fish - all bar one is critically endangered
  • Two of the wedge fish species may already have been driven to extinction by commercial fisheries
  • Wedgefish have two large dorsal fins and a large tail lobe, prized for use in soup.

A number of shark species were listed for the first time six years ago at the Cites meeting in Thailand.

The latest proposals include listings for two species of mako shark - the longfin and shortfin, which are sold for their high value "steak" meat.

"They should number in the tens of millions in all of the world's oceans and we're taking them out by the hundreds of thousands or millions a year, so it's even looking bad for these highly migratory much more abundant sharks," said Luke Warwick.

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The Cites agenda has so far been dominated by discussions on the protection of large charismatic animals like the elephant and the giraffe.

Elephant protection to dominate CITES meeting

Countries voted on Thursday to regulate international trade in giraffes, an endangered species, and in their skins and other parts.

Giraffes get trade protection amid falling numbers

A decision was also taken to continue to push countries to close their domestic ivory markets.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49422045

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That's our daughter adopted another pet Rat as the owners are moving back to Canada, a female called Badger, the daughter has to keep it separate from her other two pet Rats at the moment until they get used to Badger who is older by about 9 months, I might pop around sometime tomorrow and has a wee look.  

 

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This happened at a German Safari Park... Got to respect the power.... 

I used to watch the old Tarzan films when I was a kid on Saturday mornings and always thought Rhinos did not look that big until I got to go to a Safari Park and saw them up close... Like tanks they are.. 

Edited by Bluewolf
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