Humpback Whales: Why They May Not Be So ‘Humanitarian’ When Fighting Killer Whales

Humpback whales are generally thought of as the “humanitarians of the sea.” But a new study suggests that their seemingly selfless behavior, which may include chasing off groups of vicious killer whales, might not be as selfless as people think they are.

A report from the San Jose Mercury News explained why humpback whales have gotten their “humanitarian” designation from animal lovers and whale watchers. Like those television and film characters who tell bullies to pick on someone their own size, they have been known to charge at killer whales, seemingly defending their smaller prey and saving them from orca attacks. This was observed twice in the spring of 2015 by marine biologist Nancy Black, who told the Mercury News about her experience watching three separate groups of “humanitarian” humpbacks saving sea lions from the killer whales.

“The killer whales just gave up after that. There were so many humpbacks around, they were not going to get anything in that area.”

Behold majestic #HumpbackWhales & their babies as they breach #BanderasBay, w/ guaranteed sightings thru March 23rd. https://t.co/z6Rtk3sk5P pic.twitter.com/8RGMyOZxGA

— Casa Velas Hotel (@HotelCasaVelas) December 8, 2016

Humpback whales may come about as creatures who exist to save smaller sea animals from the bullies of the marine animal kingdom. But new research suggests that the humpbacks’ humanitarian tendencies may have been exaggerated, and that they may be mainly looking out for their own families, and not necessarily trying to save sea lions and smaller creatures from killer whales and other predators.

According to study lead author Robert Pitman, a marine ecologist at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, Calif., humpbacks aren’t exactly “altruistic” animals or “gentle giants” who make “moral decisions.” Instead, they are animals that “don’t deliberately do bad things or good things,” contrary to what many people believe.

Pitman, Black, and their co-researchers analyzed a number of earlier studies on humpback whales to understand why the animals tend to believe in a humanitarian or altruistic fashion by fending off killer whales. They also reviewed accounts from whale watchers, and combined with the observations on the papers, that made for 115 interactions over more than six decades, with the accounts grouped based on the orcas’ targets and which animal had made the first move.

According to Pitman, humpbacks tend to respond any time they hear orcas letting out war whoops and signaling an attack, regardless of what animal the whales are attacking. And, on some occasions, the killer whales are targeting baby humpback whales, meaning that adult humpbacks may be more concerned about their siblings or offspring than anything else.

“They don’t even think it out (as to whether) a sea lion is worth their time (or not). It’s the net effect that counts. Sometimes they save a calf.”

"@CBSNews: A pod of #orcas gets their shark snack on in a fascinating VIDEO captured by a #drone https://t.co/nxTID3xY9a" #Whales pic.twitter.com/Mj5vbOXLP0

— Haida Princess (@HaidaPrincess) December 17, 2016

The researchers’ observations were also noticed by another marine biologist, Doris Welch, who had told the Mercury News that she had seen humpbacks chasing after orcas, once when they were targeting a young gray whale, once when they were picking on sea lions. Either way, the humpbacks “seemed agitated” as they “assertively” went after the killer whales.

“It’s like your own National Geographic experience out there to observe orcas on the prowl and actively hunting. (Seeing) a large whale coming in and interacting with the orcas — it’s phenomenal.”

Personal history may be another reason why humpback whales may go after orcas so frequently. A National Geographic report from August cited another Pitman study, where his co-author Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a California Killer Whale Project researcher, said that many humpbacks have orca scars from earlier points in their lives.

Pitman and colleagues believe more research may be needed to determine whether humpback whales are really as altruistic as they’re claimed to be. But University of Colorado ecologist Michael Breed, who wasn’t involved in the study, believes that the humpbacks’ behavior may be similar to birds’ “mobbing” behaviors, where small birds attack crows and other larger birds of prey to protect their eggs.

“I don’t know that they’re thinking ‘We’re all going to help each other,’ ” said Breed, comparing the humpback whale observations with the birds’ behavior. “Because the crows are such a big threat, they’ll mob the crow even if it’s not directly after their nest.”

[Featured Image by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images]

Chihuahua Rescued From Roof After Days; Man High On LSD Saves Dog From Imaginary Fire

Recently, a Chihuahua mix nicknamed Roofus was caught in an unfortunate situation. The poor dog wound up deserted on a rooftop in the blazing Arizona heat. John Reynolds is an officer with the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. He described the animal rescue to local reporters, according to an ABC 15 report.

“He seemed very calm being up on the roof. He was walking around and didn’t seem to be afraid. [He] kept going back to forth, side to side [and] obviously wasn’t afraid of falling off.”

Amazingly, it was reported by animal control officers that Roofus might have been on top of the roof for as long as a week. Thankfully, it was easy to lure the unfortunate pup back to earth with a ladder and some dog food.

Chihuahua Gets Trapped On A Roof For Days Until Rescuers Use A Ladder To Bring Him Down – https://t.co/jjfpjSb9DV pic.twitter.com/ap2Yks7f33

— DaizyDizzy (@DaizyDizzy) October 20, 2016

“When I picked him up to look at him, he just kind of hugged me acted like he was very thankful to be down,” said Reynolds.

Animal control officers, who stated that he might be a stray and did not live inside of the building where he got stuck, affectionately name the dog Roofus. They hoped that the dog’s owners would come forward and claim the lucky canine.

At the time of his rescue, Roofus appeared gaunt, but otherwise in good health. Investigators are stumped as to how he wound up on the rooftop.

“It’s a tough one because there are no steps he could climb up, but being next to the greenbelt there are trees next to this person’s house. And some of the trees are bent and leaning over so we think it’s possible he may have used the trees to climb up and get up on the roof.”

The news kept getting better for the stranded pooch. According to the latest update from ABC 15, the dog found a forever home. Gregory Dorr lives near the home where the animal was discovered. He made several visits to the center and decided to adopt Roofus after his successful neuter surgery.

Recently, a New York man had a very interesting time saving his neighbor’s pet.

After seeing a fire raging in his neighbor’s home, the man broke the door down and saved the family dog from the supposed “inferno.”

However, there was not an actual fire, and it was all in the man’s head; according to Life with Dogs report on the imaginary fire, the man was high on drugs and suffering from hallucinations.

Just before to “saving” his neighbors’ dog, Michael Orchard, 43, of Saratoga County, had taken a mixture of an acid narcotic (LSD) and cough syrup. This caused him to hallucinate and see the fire consuming his neighbor’s residence.

Man Trips On LSD, Saves Dog From Imaginary House Fire, Gets Arrested https://t.co/6FV3VHGtr5 pic.twitter.com/It9E0kzU2c

— Celebrity News Feed (@_CelebNewsFeed_) October 20, 2016

In reality, there wasn’t a fire in progress. Still, Orchard claims that he saw the home being consumed by flames. As a result, he began banging on his neighbor’s doors, but no one came. His “quick thinking” led him to drive his car through his neighbor’s fence and smash the door, wrote WNYT.

Afterward, he quickly fetched the dog and “brought him to safety.” According to NBC New York, when law enforcement arrived, they saw Orchard fleeing from the home carrying the large white dog.

“He believed that the residence was on fire and he was rescuing the dog,” said State Police Troop G representative Mark Cepiel.

“He drove over yards and through the fence. At no point was he on the roadway and no illegal substances were found in his possession.”

After performing his “heroic actions,” Orchard was quickly arrested and charged with burglary and criminal mischief. Orchard was very cooperative and damages are being repaired. His bail is currently set at $15,000.

[Image by primeimages/iStock by Getty Images]

An Australian Woman Found A Venomous Snake In Her Christmas Tree

An Australian woman found a rather unwanted surprise in her Christmas tree last weekend: a 3-foot long venomous snake. The professional snake wrangler called in to handle the problem says it’s not an uncommon occurrence.

As the Independent reports, the homeowner, identified only by her first name, “Cheryl,” had left the door open in her suburban Melbourne home (it’s summer in Australia), but apparently later wished she hadn’t. When she took a look at her Christmas tree, she noticed something slithering about among the ornaments.

Soooo a lady found a tiger snake in her Christmas tree in Frankston. #straya Photo: Snake Catcher Victoria. #Australia #christmas pic.twitter.com/RfZnHTN7Ta

— Tim Doutré (@Timdoutre) December 18, 2016

The woman did exactly what you’re supposed to do in this situation: she took a picture of it. OK, maybe taking a picture of a venomous snake slithering about in your Christmas tree isn’t exactly what you’re supposed to do in this situation. But after getting a couple of shots, she did the right thing – she closed the door to her living room so the snake wouldn’t get into other places he wasn’t supposed to be.

Good job, Cheryl. I’d have run away screaming, and then, I guess, just moved. To a new house. A new house not in Australia.

She then called in profession snake wrangler, and all-around pest guy, Barry Goldsmith, according to ABC News Australia. Goldsmith was actually pretty impressed by Cheryl’s chillness at the whole situation.

“Usually I get people screaming and hysterical and shaking and having seizures just at the thought of having a snake in the house. But she was pretty cool.”

About half an hour later, Goldsmith had worked his magic, corralled the snake, and let it loose safely into the wild. And just to make sure Cheryl knew what she was dealing with, he identified the slithering beast. It was a tiger snake (or Notechis scutatus, if you care about this sort of thing) — a venomous, deadly serpent native to Australia.

A tiger snake in the wild. [Image by Teneche | Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and Resized | CC BY-SA 3.0]

According to the Australian Museum, the bite of a tiger snake can kill a human.

“The snake’s large size, often aggressive defence and toxic venom make it extremely dangerous to humans. Although generally shy and preferring escape over conflict, a cornered tiger snake will put on an impressive threat display by holding its forebody in a tense, loose curve with the head slightly raised and pointed at the offender. It will hiss loudly as it inflates and deflates its body, and if provoked further will lash out and bite forcefully. The venom of the tiger snake is strongly neurotoxic and coagulant, and anyone suspected of being bitten should seek medical attention immediately.”

According to the University of Sydney Discipline of Anaesthesia, snake bites — tiger snake and otherwise — are a horrifyingly common occurrence in the Land Down Under. About 3,000 Aussies get bitten by snakes each year, and between 200 and 500 of them, on average, require antivenom. Fortunately, only about one or two, per year on average, die from snake bites. The brown snake is the biggest killer, accounting for about half of all snakebite fatalities in Australia. The other half are divided among the tiger snake, the taipan, and other species.

Fortunately, the tiger snake is a shy and reclusive critter and, as you dad used to tell you, is more afraid of you than you are of him. However, if he thinks he’s cornered or threatened, he’ll strike. You don’t want that.

Back at Cheryl’s now-snake-free house, Goldsmith says that he’s wrangled snakes from Christmas presents before, but never from the Christmas tree itself.

“This is a one-off thing. It’s like lightning striking. It’s not going to happen again for sure. Not this year anyway.”

[Featured Image by Africa Studio/Shutterstock]

Watch Southwest Florida Eagle Cam Live Streaming Online: When Will E9 Fly? [Video]

The Southwest Florida eagle cam is still streaming live every day bringing the latest updates of Harriet, M15 and E9 to the masses. Streaming from North Fort Myers, Florida, Dick Pritchett operates the eagle cam that is now in its fifth season. M15 is Harriet’s second mate, following the death of her first mate Ozzie, and E9 is the only eaglet that hatched this season. Hatched on December 31, 2016, E9 has grown leaps and bounds every day, but many people wonder when the new eaglet will fly. E9 is approaching one-month-old and is gaining new skills, eating a bit on his own and ventures around the nest. As the days and weeks pass, E9’s physical changes will be undeniable. You can watch the eagle cam as it streams live from Florida in the video player above.

#Eagles #eaglecam Check out E9 with heron in the nest as the birds battle strong winds. https://t.co/mmfYdFZzkc

— Live Eagle Cam (@eaglecamlive) January 23, 2017

According to Learner, bald eagles are fully grown at nine-weeks-old. E9 is nearly four-weeks-old. Over the next five weeks, we can expect many changes to occur in E9. Harriet and M15 continue their dutiful care and attention and regularly bring fish, birds and other food to the nest for E9. Learner’s bald eagle facts state that according to their study, one of the eaglet’s parent is in the nest on a near consistent basis. This has been evidenced with the live streaming eagle cam that routinely shows either Harriet or M15 in the nest with E9. There have been times when M15 would return to the nest and Harriet would leave, as if M15 had relieved her of her duties. You may have noticed that E9 regularly eats large pieces of fish and when the heron was in the nest, chomped down on the bits of bird. Unlike some other birds, eagles eat meat from the time they hatch. Harriet and M15 will tear off pieces of meat to feed E9, but they don’t regurgitate it to make it smaller like some bird species do. E9 will be ready to fly when approximately 12 weeks old.

As E9 reaches the one-month milestone, you’ll begin to see physical changes as well as the eaglet gain more independence. E9’s pin feathers are coming in and the eaglet will soon be one foot tall. Over the next two weeks, as E9 reaches six weeks old, the eaglet will stand for long periods of time and walk around the nest. Currently, E9 is still very wobbly and spends days eating and sleeping. Those watching the live eagle cam stream will start to catch more glimpses of E9 looking over the nest’s edge. Harriet and M15 will begin to spend less time away from the nest. E9 will gain more independence, and that means spending more time in the nest alone.

With nearly three months before E9 takes flight, there’s plenty of exciting moments to watch with the eagle cam. Those who’ve watched since Harriet and M15 began nest building have been delighted to witness many moments through the live cam. Unfortunately, the second egg failed to hatch and remains in the nest. Eagles do not regularly clean their nests, instead, they bury items and over time, the nest becomes a haven of filth, dirt and bacteria. As the nest becomes uninhabitable, Harriet and M15 will find an alternative nest to use. This is common to all eagles and is of no great concern to E9’s health or well-being. As E9 continues to grow, thrive and gain independence, we’ll eventually see the eagles leave the nest and then a new season will begin.

There are months ahead of excitement, activitiy and growth in the Southwest Florida eagle cam Season 5, and thanks to the live stream no one had to miss a moment of it. There’s no question that E9’s first flight will be a phenomenal event that will be watched by hundreds of thousands, but there are plenty of moments to enjoy before then.

You can watch some of the most memorable moments from the live streaming eagle cam as captured on video and shared in the videos below.

[Featured Image by Rocky Grimes/Shutterstock]

Maine Coon Or Norwegian Forest Cat? How To Know The Breed Of Your Furry Family Member

You’ve just gone to the shelter and have come home with a long-haired, playful, affectionate kitten. Over the next couple of years, he keeps getting bigger and bigger, with an ever-expanding coat and a long, bushy tail. His body is long and wedge-like and you’ve discovered you can walk him on a leash — he actually seems to enjoy it. At some point, you begin to ask yourself: Is my fur baby a Norwegian Forest Cat or a Maine Coon?

While most fur parents are happy to just think of their baby as a “domestic long hair,” or “big kitty with an attitude,” it’s interesting to know some of the distinctions between Norwegians and Maines. Of course, nature being what it is, many cats are feline mutts, showing traits of many different breeds. But there are some signs that your cat’s lineage may extend back to Norway or the Eastern U.S. (Or, since the breeds are thought to be related, perhaps all such felines originally come from Norway — Mercola speculates Norwegians may have come over with the Vikings and Maines evolved later).

Raffles is a Maine Coon cat who was part of a Birmingham, England cat show in 2014. Raffles has the tufts of hair at the end of the ears that is typical of Maine Coons. [Image by Rob Stothard/Getty Images]

The Coat

A Norwegian’s coat will be even all around, according to Maine Coon, and Cat Fanciers’ Association says the Norwegian’s fur is double-coated and waterproof, hearty enough to provide protection during those harsh Norwegian winters. Maines have shaggier fur that’s multi-layered. Since both Maines and Norwegians have fluffy fur, and both have amiable personalities, they tend to be great cuddling companions — although Maines are more social than Norwegians, who like a bit of independence.

Sherman, a Norwegian Forest kitten, appeared at a cat show in 2015. Sherman has the thick coat and gentle face typical of the Norwegian Forest breed. [Image by Rob Stothard/Getty Images]

The Size

Maine Coons are the largest domestic cat breed, males reaching weights of 12 to 18 pounds (females may be slightly smaller). They get up to 40 inches in length — so grab your ruler to measure. If your cat is quite young, she may not yet have reached her full size. Maine Coons don’t fully mature until ages 3 to 5 years. The Norwegian Forest Cat is also slow to develop, according to Vet Street, eventually reaching weights of between 10 to 15 pounds. While not quite as big as a Maine Coon, that’s nothing to sneeze at — especially when you have to lug her carrier to the vet.

The Face

If you want to get your best indication of whether your kitty is a Maine or Norwegian, engage them in a staring contest. Of course, you’ve probably already played this game — and maybe won — but this time, use it to look at your cat’s features. Maine Coons have high cheekbones, wedge-shaped face and reportedly look “happy.” Does your kitty have a cheerful expression? Norwegians have a more triangular face, with straight nose and flat forehead. Norwegians also have a straight profile when viewed from the side.

You can also examine your kitty for other sure signs of the Maine Coon, like the long, triangle-shaped tuft of fur at the top of the ears. That may be the case for Norwegians as well, but it’s taller and more distinctive on Maines. Both breeds have massive paws, with prominent fur emerging from between the toes, making the kitty snow-ready for cold climates, or for simply plodding around the house and snoozing by the fire.

Is your kitty a Maine Coon or a Norwegian Forest Cat? Or a bit of both?

[Featured Image by Wang He/Getty Images]

Corn Diet Causing Hamsters To Turn Cannibal, Devour Offspring: Humans Susceptible As Well, Research Reveals

A diet consisting of corn has prompted a situation among a population of hamsters in northeastern France wherein the females are devouring their offspring, researchers have found. The species, Cricetus cricetus, is endangered in the western part of the continent, more prevalent in the east. And scientists have also found, apart from the disturbing trend of cannibalism, that those in western Europe are slowly starving to death.

Agence France-Presse reported this week that a species of hamster in western Europe is dying off because at least half of its adult population has gone cannibal. The hamster, existing as it does in a virtual ocean of industrially grown corn, was once quite omnivorous, living off a diet of grains, roots and insects. Now, their environment is semi-sterile, a controlled habitat of maize. And since its food supply has also been relegated to corn, scientists have discovered that the collective diet of the hamsters is severely deficient in vitamins — specifically B3, or Niacin.

“There’s clearly an imbalance,” European hamster expert Gerard Baumgart, President of the Research Centre for Environmental Protection in Alsace, told AFP Friday. “Our hamster habitat is collapsing.”

Mathilde Tissier and her research team at the University of Strasbourg began looking into whether or not diet might affect the reproductivity of the hamsters in the wild.

Earlier work looking into the possibility of the hamsters’ diet playing a role in their reproductive rate saw scientists looking into pesticides and mechanized plowing, the latter disturbing the burrowing rodents’ burrows (especially if done while the creatures were in hibernation). Only later would studies turn to diet as a possible culprit in the population reduction.

Those lab experiments would see wild specimens where wheat and corn-based diets were compared (side dishes of clover or worms were provided as well). The nutritional value of the offerings was virtually indistinguishable.

Consuming these diets, the number of pups born to the hamsters were nearly the same. However, survival rates among the pups were dramatically different.

Corn is devoid of Niacin, or Vitamin B3, a deficiency that can, in its extreme, cause symptoms that might lead to cannibalism. [Image by Matusciac Alexandru/Shutterstock]

Four-fifths of the hamster pups born of mothers eating wheat and clover or wheat and worms were weaned. Only five percent of the pups whose mothers ate corn instead of wheat survived. And it wasn’t natural causes or disease that saw the babies die. It was cannibalism.

“Females stored their pups with their hoards of maize before eating them,” scientists found. “Pups were still alive at that time.”

The cannibal hamsters also exhibited other signs of abnormal behavior, running in circles and “climbing and pounding their feeders” when scientists entered the room.

Females’ blood samples are so thick, scientists have a difficult time drawing them. They also presented with swollen and dark tongues. It was these symptoms that provided researchers with the insight into what might be causing the maniacal cannibalism.

According to AFP, Vitamin B3 deficiency has been historically linked to “black-tongue” syndrome in dogs. In humans, it can cause pellagra, which is also known as the “3-D” disease: diarrhea, dementia and dermatitis (like eczema).

“Improperly cooked maize-based diets have been associated with higher rates of homicide, suicide and cannibalism in humans,” researchers wrote.

Pellagra, according to Brittanica.com, is a 4-D disease, the last “D” being death, which results from the aforementioned symptoms and multiple organ failure. It is thought to have decimated some three million people in North America and Europe from the mid-18th to the mid-20th century, with the southern United States taking the brunt of the disease’s deaths.

To find out if their manic hamsters were victims of a similar condition, Tissier and her colleagues devised a simple set of experiments. Diets for the hamsters became only corn, but in two sets. One set of subjects had B3 added to their corn.

European hamsters in western Europe live in a controlled corn-dominated environment, now seen as a danger to the species. [Image by Jausa/Shutterstock]

The female hamsters that ate the B3-infused corn showed no propensity to eat their offspring. The conclusion: The cannibalism was found to not be caused by a reduction in maternal hormones but rather an alteration in the nervous system that induced the same dementia-like behavior diagnosed in humans.

[Featured Image by KOO/Shutterstock]

Airline Ejects Disabled Boy, Family With Service Dog, Donations Pour In To Help Boy Save Sick Stray Dog

American Airlines recently issued a personal and public apology to a family over a flight attendant’s alleged actions, according to a Fox News report. The family had boarded a plane in Charlotte, North Carolina on a flight that provides short route service between cities.

An airplane attendant asked the family to move to the back of the plane, but this was simply not possible. The family had a large service dog that was already having trouble fitting under a seat; moving to the back of the plane was not possible. Nevertheless, the attendant was persistent, said Amy Joe Weasel, one of the dog’s owners.

“She told me that it was too late; that she had already contacted management and that management would come speak to me. You could tell right away from her demeanor, her attitude, and her body language that she did not like animals.”

After management arrived, the family was kicked off of the plane a short time later. The family contacted American Airlines prior to the flight to inquire about its dog policy. Despite their due diligence, they were not accommodated at the airport.

American Airlines kicks disabled boy off flight because service dog was ‘too big’ | Daily Mail Online https://t.co/qZMLHZEG9w

— Epilepsy Awareness (@epilepsyawaren) December 3, 2016

The woman had a signed note from her son’s doctor stating that the dog was necessary to assist in her son’s severe epilepsy. The dog could warn him and his family when a seizure was threatening. A check on the AA website shows that “service animals are welcome on all flights.”

During past flights, the family did not experience this kind of hassle. For instance, when a family member produces the supporting documentation, an attendant assigns them to the bulkhead seating area, where there is enough space for a dog. However, the family was at a loss over why the typical protocol varied on this particular flight.

“For someone to just to be able to kick you off and deny you access is completely ridiculous,” the woman said.

American Airlines officials were informed about the recent incident and They agreed to do whatever is needed to make further travel as smooth as possible. What is more, in addition to offering an apology, an official said the airline is going to conduct a full investigation on the subject.

“Our customer relations team is reaching out to them directly. We are looking into the issue with PSA Airlines, the regional carrier who operated that flight.”

Recently, in Argentina, a 9-year-old boy named Mauco Abeiro did everything he could to save a stray dog, according to the Dodo.

Mauco was playing with his younger brother near their home in Guaymallén when they saw a dog with a broken leg. Selflessly, Mauco carried the dog back to his house.

Despite his family not having much money, Mauco knew that he had to save the animal that was clearly in distress. The boy’s mom, Laura, spoke to the Dodo about the animal rescue.

“I had told them that we could not have pets since we are in a very bad economic situation. We could not afford treatment for the dog. But then Mauco arrived one day from school and said very firmly, ‘Mom, I’m going to sell my skateboard to take him to the vet.'”

Mauco’s mother allowed him to use her Facebook page to offer his skateboard for sale. Despite many people sharing the post, no one expressed interesting in buying the skateboard.

Mauco Abeiro was outside playing with his little brother near their home in Guaymallen, Argentina, when he saw an… https://t.co/AQiGHvLjom

— Coupaw.com (@Coupaw) December 5, 2016

Instead, readers wanted to donate money so Rocco — the family’s name for the dog — could get the treatment it needed. “We heard from people all over the world,” Laura stated.

The family received a large number of donations from people who were touched by Mauco’s compassion and selflessness. The family used the money to help treat Rocco’s leg. Furthermore, Mauco was allowed to keep his skateboard.

Mauco and Rocco’s story gets even better. Laura allowed her sons to keep the dog as a permanent member of the family. In addition, Mauco’s story was popular enough to attract the attention of several news outlets.

“Rocco runs slowly, but at least he is already running,” Laura said. “And Mauco is very happy. Things have not been easy for our family lately, but he never lost his love for animals.”

[Featured Image by CHUYN/iStock/Getty Images]

Bear The Dog Is Cut Free After Being Chained For 15 Years To A Kennel [Video]

Heart-warming video has emerged showing the moment that an animal rescue group set Bear the dog free after spending most of the 15 years of his __life chained to a kennel in his owner’s backyard in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. Bear’s owners kept him chained to his kennel since he was puppy and left him. He managed to survive chained to his kennel through harsh winters for 15 years.

Bear’s owner agreed to turn the dog over to the animal rescue group Guardians of Rescue after giving him very little care and attention for 15 years. The Lab-Chow mix lived outside alone in his owner’s backyard in Shirley, a hamlet in the Town of Brookhaven, New York, for 15 years, tethered with a heavy chain to an old, rickety kennel that offered practically no protection from harsh winters, rain and sunshine.

But recently, members of the animal rescue group, the Guardians of Rescue, found him and set him free.

Heartwarming moment Bear the dog has his chain cut after spending 15 years tied to a kennel outside on his own -… https://t.co/Jim0jbCPGf pic.twitter.com/wGI2r9Ix5V

— Our Dog Prince (@OurDogPrince) January 24, 2017

Bear the dog visits the beach for first time after rescue https://t.co/VmJvIab0Tf

— Bespoke Love (@BespokeLove) January 24, 2017

FTW! Dog finally freed after spending 15 years chained to a kennel outside https://t.co/0N9ogTj84c #Bearthedog #NewYork

— Shane J Hedges (@ChiefResident) January 24, 2017

Bear the dog lived most of the 15 years of his __life chained to an old kennel in his owner’s backyard. [Image by Nick Chase 68/Shutterstock]

“We received a call about a dog in need of a dog house,” Robert Misseri, the founder and president of Guardians of Rescue, said, according to the New York Post. “But when we got there, it was even worse than that. That’s when we discovered the poor dog had spent his whole life attached to a heavy chain. We knew then and there that we had to do something to make a difference in that dog’s life, and so we did.”

After the group provided a new dog house, they asked Bear’s owner, who was neither named nor charged with cruelty to an animal, if they could take the dog away and he agreed.

A heart-warming video uploaded online (see above) shows members of the animal rescue group Guardians of Rescue, based in Smithtown, cutting Bear free after he had lived in his owner’s backyard chained to his dog house for 15 years.

Bear lived chained to his dog house in his owner’s backyard for 15 years. [Image by Nick Chase 68/Shutterstock]

However, Misseri defended Bear’s owners, saying they “were not bad people.”

“They had indoor pets and when they got Bear as a puppy, they made him an outside dog, protecting (the property),” he said. “He was a pretty much a guard dog.”

“But they did the right thing [surrendering Bear] and now he’s being shown things he’s never seen before and the time he has left can be a special treat,” Misseri added.

Neglected dog rescued after being chained for 15 years https://t.co/WeLQmjuIyG via @nypost #AdoptDontShop #AnimalCruelty #tcot #Dogs

— DEPLORABLESus #TCOT (@susanbnj) January 24, 2017

The old dog is now living at Save-A-Pet Rescue in Port Jefferson Station, where he sits in front of fireplaces for hours at end daydreaming, according to the New York Post. His carers at Guardians of Rescue say they are searching for a permanent home for the dog. They believe Bear would be ideal for an older person or couple.

The dog is healthy and his received all his shots, they added.

Watch: Moving moment Bear the dog is freed after spending 15 years chained up outside https://t.co/vYcQ8VGHpT pic.twitter.com/0bMyZ9vdGv

— 1 NEWS (@1NewsNZ) January 24, 2017

“We come across a lot of chained-up dogs and you can’t get near them because of their frustration of being chained up. But that wasn’t the case here,” said Misseri. “When we arrived, he was wagging his tail. He greeted us. He’s great with people.”

Bear’s carers took him to the spa for grooming after setting him free. The took him to dog parks and an indoor pool, according to the Daily Mail.

Although Bear has lived on Long Island all his life he had never seen the beach. So his carers took him to see the beach for the first time (see video above).

“Our mission is to help rescue as many animals as we can, but we can’t do it without the help of the community,” Misseri said, according to the Daily Mail. “One phone call from someone in the community set the wheels in motion that have changed Bear’s life. That’s a true success story and why we exist.”

[Featured Image by Angel Salade/Shutterstock]

White Bengal Tiger on the Loose, Spreads Mass Panic in Italy

A white Bengal tiger from a visiting Swedish circus has escaped, spreading mass panic in Italy.

Reports said the white Bengal tiger named Oscar roamed the streets of Palermo in Sicily for hours before finally being captured by the local traffic police. They coaxed it to go inside a series of increasingly smaller cages. ABC News said Monreale Mayor Piero Capizzi thought they were joking when he was told a tiger was on the loose.

Metro UK reported that the town was home to approximately 38,000 people, but no one was hurt during the brief incident. The tiger will once again perform for the circus this week. Police are still questioning the circus over the incident.

World Wild Life notes that the Panthera tigris, popularly known as the Bengal tiger, is one of the largest species of tigers in the world. They are excellent hunters that feed on animals as big as a deer, hogs and buffalos.

They are currently threatened by illegal __wildlife trade, habitat loss and conflict with humans. In the wild, they are known to live in both areas of desert and the grasslands/forests where it is wet and cool. At present, there are only at least 2,500 of Bengal tigers left in the wild, which are spread across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar.

White Bengal tigers are of mixed Bengal/Amur ancestry. Because of their unique and beautiful appearance -- white and cream colored fur, pink nose and blue eyes - most of them are held captive. Tigers World said that while there have also been reports of Bengal tigers killing and eating humans, most tigers avoid humans and this doesn't happen regularly.

The __wildlife Protection Society of India and other wildlife organization are currently pushing their efforts to confiscate large number of tigers being poached and shipped for purposes of captivity and entertainment such as those in the circus.

Farmers are Feeding Their Cattles With Red Skittles -- WHY?

Apparently, cattle love skittles too. 

As reported by Science Alert, a truck full of red skittles had an accident at the Dodge County Highway in Wisconsin. The fact that the truck contained red skittles only initially puzzled the police officers, but what caught them totally dumbfounded is that the fact the truck was on its way to local farms to be used as cattle feed.

"The Skittles were confirmed to have fallen off the back of a truck," Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt reported on their Facebook page. "It is reported that the Skittles were intended to feed cattle, as they did not make the cut for packaging at the company. In the end, these Skittles are actually for the birds!"

While it seems weird, it is actually a common practice for many cattle farmers. As the corn became pricier in 2009, farmers looked for an alternative, CNN reported.

"It has been a practice going on for decades and is a very good way to for producers to reduce feed cost, and to provide less expensive food for consumers," said Ki Fanning, a livestock nutritionist with Great Plains Livestock Consulting, Inc. in Eagle, Neb told CNN.

The skittles is not actually fed on its own as it is usually mixed with other cow feeds. Guidelines say it should not be more than three percent of the total feed.

Animal Legal Defense Fund notes that candies are not the only things that can serve as an alternative for corn. Farmers may also use breakfast cereal, orange peels, dried fruit and taco shells.

Interestingly, Linda Kurtz, a corporate environmental manager at Mars previously told Associated Press that the Yorkville, Ill., plant where these Skittles reportedly came from doesn't sell any of its surplus candies for cattle feed.  Meanwhile, the spill was actually helpful as it improved the traction on the roads.

Unique Albino Alligator Is Florida's New Star

A seven-foot albino alligator with bright white skin and pink eyes is currently stealing the hearts of the Internet. Pearl has been a resident of Gatorland in Orlando, a theme park that rescues alligators, for seven years.

"Pearl is ten years old," a spokesman for the park told Daily Mail. "She arrived at Gatorland when she was three years old. Pearl is an albino alligator, due to the complete absence of pigmentation, which gives her white skin and pink eyes. Visitors to the park like to come and see a rare albino alligator like Pearl."

National Geographic explains the eyes appear pink due to its highly visible blood vessels.  Gatorland is a 110-acre theme park and __wildlife preserve. They have been operating for 60 years and have been saving alligators that might be slaughtered for fashion purposes. Gatorland is the only place worldwide where alligators have been successfully artificially inseminated.

Gatorland keeps a total of four leucistic alligators. Leucistic animals have rare genetic condition that reduces the color pigmentation in their skin.

"They are just like alligators and they eat the same food," explains Mark McHugh, President & CEO of Gatorland to Telegraph.

They are very sensitive to direct sunlight, so they have a separate cage which only has a bit of sunlight. Gatorland feeds them with chicken, fish, red meat as source of Vitamin D. Their survival rate in the wild is not high because they are obvious targets for predators. As such, most of them do not even reach the adulthood phase.

"The biggest concern is that they never would have survived in the wild. They are like little beacons out shining "come eat me.," said McHugh. "They are each ten to eleven plus feet in length and vulnerable to many predators because their lack of skin pigmentation deprives them of natural camouflage."

Ancient Poop Reveals the Main Culprit Behind the Extinction of Australian Megafauna

A new study involving ancient poop revealed that the arrival of human, and not climate change, is most likely the primary cause of the sharp dive in the population of the Australian Megafauna some 45,000 years ago.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, showed that the Australian Megafauna is abundant some 150,000 years ago to about 45,000 years ago. However, their population went extinct shortly after the arrival of first humans.

"The results of this study are of significant interest across the archaeological and Earth science communities and to the general public who remain fascinated by the menagerie of now extinct giant animals that roamed the planet -- and the cause of their extinction - as our own species began its persistent colonization of Earth," said lead author Sander van der Kaars, of Monash University, in a press release.

For the study, search for the presence of spores from a fungus called Sporormiella, which thrived on the dung of plant-eating mammals, in the sediment core drilled off the coast of southwest Australia. Aside from fungal spores, the researchers also analyzed the dust, pollen and ash in the sediment core to chronologically reconstruct the past climate and ecosystems of the continent.

The researchers found that the fungal spores were abundant in the sediment core layers from 150,000 years ago. However, the amount of fungal spores starts to dwindle starting from 45,000 years ago. The earliest immigrants of Australia are believed to colonized most of the continent by 50,000 years ago.

As the humans continue to grow, they began to hunt the large animals to their extinction. A previous study showed that even a low-intensity hunting, or killing one juvenile animal per person per decade, could lead to the extinction of a species in just a few hundred years.

The Australian Megafauna is known for its collection of large and unusual animals. These include 1,000-pound kangaroos, 2-ton wombats, 25-foot-long lizards, 400-pound flightless birds, 300-pound marsupial lions and Volkswagen-sized tortoises.

Florida Recruits Indian Snake Trackers to Hunt Everglades Pythons

In an effort to control one of the biggest invasive reptile problems that has ever existed in the planet, Florida Fish and __wildlife Commission employed the help of two tribesmen from Southern India to track Burmese pythons lurking in Florida's Everglades.

According to the report from Miami Herald, the two men were members of the known snake-hunters, Irula tribe. Masi Sadaiyan and Vadivel Gopal, both in their 50s, arrived early January and have been going into the Everglades almost daily since then.

"The Irula tribesmen, located in southern India, are world renowned for their ability to catch snakes," said Frank Mazzotti, a professor of __wildlife ecology at University of Florida in a press release. "I heard about them through an acquaintance, Rom Whitaker, who lives in India and works with the tribesmen. He recommended that I work with the Irula to find the Burmese python in the Everglades, and five years later we finally made it happen."

So far, the pair has caught 14 pythons in just two weeks of their stay. Their catch includes an astonishing 16-foot female python that was holed up in the old Nike missile base ruins on Key Largo and four more from the Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

The high prevalence of Burmese pythons in Florida's Everglades has become a major problem ever since they became established in the area nearly two decades ago. Researchers believe that these pythons are responsible for the decline in the population of native mammals living in the Everglades.

This is not the first time that the federal officials seek outside help for the eradication of the python population in their region. Last year, the state of Florida launched the "Python Challenge" that lured in over 1,000 hunters, mostly amateurs. In just a month, the hunters caught 106 of the snakes. Approximately 200 pythons are being caught in Florida annually.

Where is Sunny? Red Panda Goes Missing In Virginia Zoo

The search for Sunny the red panda is currently ongoing. Have you seen her?

Sunny was last seen on her enclosure in Virginia Zoo on Monday. Reports say Sunny may have fallen out of a tree as a male of her kind "pursued" her. This time is the breeding season for red pandas - which are native to China and the Himalayas - and because of this they can be a little hyperactive.

ABC News said that authorities have been looking for the 19-month-old red panda using geothermal camera since Tuesday after she was noticed missing during their regular checking.

"Zoo staff are hopeful Sunny is still on zoo grounds. In the event Sunny has wandered off the property and is spotted in the community, the public is asked to call the Virginia Zoo hotline at 777-7899," the Virginia Zoo said in a statement . "Red pandas are generally not considered aggressive animals, but like any wild animals, its behavior can be unpredictable, and you should not try to touch, feed or capture Sunny yourself."

The zoo management said red pandas are reddish-brown and have thick fur and a long tail. They are usually mistaken for a raccoon. Sunny might have been hiding up a tree somewhere. Anyone who has spotted Sunny can call or text the zoo's hotline at 757-777-7899. They may also send a photo of Sunny for confirmation.

Sunny arrived at the zoo in May 2016 from the Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute.

Red pandas have been known to escape zoo enclosures in the past. Inside Edition said similar case happened at the Sequoia Park Zoo in California in 2015 when a red panda named Fluffy escaped her enclosure. She was later spotted near her home, was coaxed down from a tree and returned to the zoo.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies red pandas as an endangered species. Fewer than 10,000 adult red pandas remain in the wild.

Kangaroo Attack Leaves Jogger In Bloodied Heap, Animal Tossed Woman Around Like ‘Rag Doll’

A jogger who was savagely attacked by a kangaroo in Australia is lucky to be alive and had to play dead during the nerve-wracking mauling.

According to a 9News report, Debbie Urquhart, 54, had just begun a morning jog over the weekend when she was suddenly in a fight for her life. The personal trainer and former body-building champion was running along a popular trail near Watties Road in Templestowe when a large buck kangaroo came out of nowhere and began attacking her.

Urquhart said the kangaroo knocked her to the ground and pinned her there while kicking her repeatedly “like a rag doll” with its sharp claws. She described the horrific mauling to local reporters.

“(It) really hit me and knocked me down into the grass and was jumping on me and I was screaming, my natural reaction was to scream. He ripped me to pieces.”

“He just kept on kicking into me and I was trying to crawl away. He left me for a bit and I thought he was going to come back and kill me.”

“Every time I close my eyes its pretty vivid, it’s horrible. If he had got to my stomach, I could have been killed.”

The animal attack victim said her only recourse was to play dead. She reasoned this would stop the attack and her __life would be spared. The mother of two was right.

35 stitches for woman after kangaroo attack in Melbourne https://t.co/YfCvc6uzjV #DSNAsia #asiapacific

— DSNEWS⭕️ (@DannyShookNews) January 17, 2017

Urquhart said the roo stopped the attack. Bleeding profusely from large gaping lacerations, she mustered up the strength to crawl into nearby bushes.

She then made her way back home — 500 meters away from the site of the attack. There, her husband raced her to a local hospital.

Jogger survives attack by kangaroo. The roo backed off when she played dead. https://t.co/0HPLrJi9qY #7News pic.twitter.com/3aV4zmSh5w

— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) January 17, 2017

Her injuries were so severe that doctors performed emergency surgery due to the large loss of blood and large open wounds. Dozens of sutures were needed to close the wounds over a large expanse of her body.

Her husband described first learning about the kangaroo attack on his wife.

“She was just standing there covered, covered in blood from head to toe and t-shirt and shorts were shredded to pieces, looked like she’d been through a mincer,” Robert Urquhart said.

Last month, the Inquisitr reported on the story of a man who punched a kangaroo that attacked one of its dogs. The supporting video went viral with millions of views.

A jogger spent the weekend in hospital after her arm was shredded in a vicious attack from a two-metre tall kangaroo https://t.co/0HPLrJi9qY pic.twitter.com/njyfrYmZZm

— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) January 17, 2017

The kangaroo attack occurred when a group of hunters, out on a trip to help fulfill a terminal cancer patient’s last wish, encountered a belligerent roo. A man’s hunting dog got sidetracked and trapped in the clutches kangaroo’s clutches. Thinking that the animal would kill the canine, the man punched the roo in the face and squared off as if he were boxing an opponent.

“The big buck kangaroo releases the dog when the owner gets close but then moves in to try and attack the human. A kangaroo kick to the guts could easily disembowel the owner easily, so he backs off a couple of times giving the kangaroo some space but he eventually changes the roo’s mind with a punch to the snout, as it kept coming forward. The punch stops the roo and makes him think about the situation, giving the owner and the dog time to disengage from the big wild animal and leaving it to hop off and I suppose wonder about what just happened. We laughed at the absurdity of the situation and at how unfortunate it was for the dog and kangaroo.”

Ian Temby has worked with the Australia’s Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning for over three decades. He said kangaroo attacks are rare but can be fatal in certain circumstances. He offers tips on what to do if a kangaroo suddenly attacks you, as the Age wrote.

“If you’re standing up, the kangaroo can kick you with its hind feet and that can pretty much rip you open. That’s extremely dangerous,” Temby advised.

“You need to crouch down low and back away, get away, and get a bush or a tree between you and the kangaroo. It’s not going to chase you far.”

Thankfully, the woman recently attacked by a kangaroo lived to tell her story.

[Featured Image by Nathan White Images/Shutterstock]

Loyal Golden Retriever Stays For 20 Hours In The Snow With Owner Who Broke His Neck In Slip And Fall

Kelsey, a golden retriever, is credited with helping save the __life of an Emmet County, Michigan, man who slipped in the snow and broke his neck when no one else was around.

The man, identified in multiple media accounts only as Bob, 64, lives on a farm in a remote area in the northern part of the state, with no close neighbors. The nearest one was a quarter-mile distant.

At the time, which happened to be New Year’s Eve, he was not dressed for cold weather, reportedly only wearing only long johns, a long-sleeve shirt, and a pair of slippers. His wife was away visiting Bob’s in-laws at the time.

About 10:30 p.m., Bob went outside to get some firewood during a commercial break in a football game. In the process, he accidentally slipped on some icy steps and wound up unable to move. The temperature at the time hovered at about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. After screaming for help, his dog came running. “Kelsey, didn’t move either; she licked his face and hands, spread her body over his, and stayed with him in the freezing cold until a neighbor happened upon them,” Inside Edition explained about the heroic actions of the 70-pound golden which may have prevented the man from suffering frostbite.

Bob kept calling out for assistance, but eventually he lost his voice.

“‘She kept barking for help but never left my side,’ Bob said. ‘She kept me warm and alert. I knew I had to persevere through this and that it was my choice to stay alive,'” Fox News reported. Bob eventually passed out after being paralyzed and laying in the snow for about 19 hours.

Kelsey continued to bark, however, and a neighbor apparently heard the commotion and came over and found them around 6:30 p.m on New Year’s Day.

After being transported to a local hospital, Bob received treatment for hypothermia and an irregular heart beat and underwent surgery for several herniated discs. He is currently recuperating in a rehab center and using a walker while he rebuilds his strength. Kelsey’s owner is expected to make a full recovery from what started out as not such a happy new year. “The disc herniation was in his neck and was compressing the spinal cord, causing weakness or paralysis in his legs,” Fox News noted.

Dog stays by owner's side for 20 hours after man falls and breaks his neck https://t.co/Ovk9EEvJjZ pic.twitter.com/B4hbbEUd8l

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 13, 2017

“‘He was very fortunate to have survived the circumstance of being in cold weather and having a warm body sustain him for that period of time,’ said his neurosurgeon Dr. Chaim Colen, who noted Bob’s pinched spinal cord could have cut off his breathing,” the Today show explained about the Michigan incident.

Kelsey was on hand to greet Bob after he got out of surgery.

Said Bob’s daughter Jenny about her dad’s ordeal, “He has marks on his arms from [Kelsey] pawing at him when he was losing consciousness. It was like, she knew that he had to stay awake because if he fell asleep he wouldn’t wake up again.”

“Kelsey kept me warm, alert, and never stopped barking for help. Dr. Colen saved my __life and ability to move. They are truly heroes and I will be eternally grateful,” Bob added.

Dog stays by owner's side for 20 hours, saves him from freezing to death after he broke his neck in fall https://t.co/YzJqHTQ541 pic.twitter.com/0QDZTk0Kwk

— KTLA (@KTLA) January 13, 2017

Back in May 2014, in an unfortunately less positive outcome but nonetheless involving a devoted canine, Buddy the golden retriever guarded his 81-year-old master’s body for about 24 hours until rescue crews arrived. The retired man sadly died of an apparent heart attack while cross-county skiing with Buddy in Colorado. Buddy stayed by his owner’s side, guarding him from coyotes, until the local sheriff and other first responders found them under a tree the next day.

[Featured Image by David Goldman/AP Images]

Watch Southwest Florida Eagle Cam Live Streaming Online: Eggs And Eaglets Updates Plus Free Teaching And Educational Resources [Video]

If you’re glued to the exciting world revealed through the Southwest Florida eagle cam, you aren’t alone. Over the past four years, millions have tuned in to watch Ozzie and Harriet, and now Ozzie and M15 bring the miracle of wildlife to the masses. With three cams strategically placed in North Fort Myers, Florida, the Southwest Florida eagle cam has brought to __life each stage from mating and laying eggs, to the first pip or internal egg hatching and crack, to the arrival of eaglets and watching them grow and leave the nest. Viewers have watched every important moment as it happens, streaming live online, thanks to the courtesy of Dick Pritchett of Dick Pritchett Real Estate. You may watch the live streaming eagle cam provided by Dick Pritchett in the video player above.

Harriet & M continue their daily routine as Hatch Watch continues. Will today be the day? pic.twitter.com/HYA0DnmCo2

— SWFL Eagle Cam (@SWFLEagleCAM) December 28, 2016

Those watching Harriet, M15, and the two eggs will find that each moment brings new updates. At this current time, there are pips or the beginning cracks in both eggs. The world is on eaglet watch as they anxiously await the arrival of two eaglets. As referred to by the official Southwest Florida eagle cam, the eaglets should hatch within the next 48 hours now that the pips or first cracks have appeared in both eggs.

You may see photos from the Southwest Florida eagle site here: Southwest Florida eagle cam photos. The photos are a visual documentary of the journey Harriet and M15 have made this fifth season. This is their second clutch, and all eyes are awaiting the new eaglets’ arrival.

Because this is a live stream, it’s important to realize that sometimes __life is unfair, cruel, and vicious. Due to Florida’s wildlife laws, Pritchett isn’t allowed to physically manhandle the nest or the birds. If he were to suspect something was wrong with the eggs, he would have to let nature take its course and not interfere. This can be distressing for young viewers, as the Southwest Florida eagle cam has attracted viewers of all ages. The cam is a wonderful educational tool for those who want to witness the miracle of birth in the wild.

As bald eagles are seen throughout the United States, the Southwest Florida live eagle cam might serve as a starting point to bring conservation efforts and awareness to threatened and endangered species in other areas. Those living in another state might find that viewing the live stream is the perfect opportunity to explore their local fish and wildlife service and live cams in their local region. From California to Florida, bald eagles can be found and there is much to learn about the national U.S. bird.

The live eagle cam is also an invaluable teaching tool for those who are invested in eagle conservation. Those who are watching the Southwest Florida eagle cam live stream and using it as a teaching tool may find the following educational resources helpful.

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Bald Eagles: wildlife History and Habitat
• The Center for Conservation Biology: Facts About Bald Eagles
• Annenberg Learner: Bald Eagle Life Cycle and Facts
• The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Bald Eagles
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Eagle Facts (pdf)
• Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey: Bald Eagles Lesson Plans
• Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey Lesson Plan: Blogging Using Live Cams (great resource for those following the Southwest Florida live streaming eagle cam, PDF)
• The Bald Eagle: An Educational Activity Guide by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
• Celebrating the American Bald Eagle by Farr Integrating IT (lesson plans, links and Native American mythology and legends)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: National Wildlife Refuge Coloring Book(PDF)
• Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute: Bald Eagle
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Bald Eagles in California
• National Park Service (NPS) Channel Island Bald Eagles
• United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Bald and Golden Eagles
• Missouri Department of Conservation Field Guide: Bald Eagle
• New York Department of Environmental Conservation: Bald Eagle Fact Sheet
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources: Bald Eagle
• National Park Service Kenai Fjords, Alaska Bald Eagles
• National Park Service: Bald Eagles in Yellowstone
• Columbian Park Lafayette, Indiana Lafayette Parks and Recreation: Bald Eagles
• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Bald Eagles
• Bald Eagle Coloring Page(Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection)
• Bald Eagle Activity Sheet (PDF)
• Chesapeake Bay Program: Bald Eagles
• National Park Service Webrangers: Bald Eagles
• Bald Eagle Awareness Week Activity Book from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (45 page, PDF)
• U.S. Forest Service: Bald Eagle Facts (pdf)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Coloring Book(pdf)
• Arkansas Birds Coloring Book(pdf)
• Arizona Activity and Coloring Book: Bald Eagles (pdf)
• Wildlife of New Jersey Coloring Book: Bald Eagles (pdf)

Those who want to learn more about the bald eagle as a species can check out the following documentary by National Geographic. It is a Nature documentary and provides an in-depth look at the bald eagle in the wild. You may watch American Eagle in the video player below.

Are you watching the Southwest Florida eagle cam live stream? It is a wonderful way to learn more about these endangered species and, as many children nationwide are on holiday break, a great way to bring a bit of education to their holiday vacation in a fun and non-threatening or boring way.

[Featured Image by Rocky Grimes/Shutterstock]

New Moth Species With Yellowish-White Scales, Small Genitals Named After Donald Trump

Just days before Donald Trump assume office as the 45th President of the United States of America, Dr. Vazrick Nazari decided to name a newly discovered species of moth after the new president-elect.

The new species of moth, described in a paper published in the journal ZooKeys, features yellowish-white scales on its head and small genitalia. Amusingly, the scales have some similarities to Trump's signature hairstyle, adding justification the moth's name.

"With its hair tufts, its presence in US and Mexico, and its fragile habitat that needs conservation, I really did not have any choice with this one other than to name [the moth] after Mr. President-elect himself," Dr. Nazari shared in a report from CNN.

Officially ned as Neopalpa donaldtrumpi, Dr. Nazari, an evolutionary biologist and systematist, hopes that the new species will gather enough fame to point out the dire need for additional conservation efforts for the fragile areas such as the habitat of the new species.

"By naming this species after the 45th President of the United States, I hope to bring some public attention to, and interest in, the importance of alpha-taxonomy in better understanding the neglected micro-fauna component of the North American biodiversity," said Dr. Nazari, in a press release.

Dr. Nazari first stumbled across the new moth species while going through some materials borrowed from the Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California. He observed that some of the specimens did not match any previously known species. Due to this, Dr. Nazari conducted a thorough analysis of the moths using all available materials from different institutions. The analysis confirmed that the moth belonged to a new species of a genus of twirler moths.

At present, the habitat of N. donaldtrumpi found in some parts of California and Baja, Mexico is under serious threat due to urbanization and land use. With his name attached to the moth, the researchers hope that the Trump administration will continue to protect the fragile habitats of yet to be discovered species of animals and insects in the country.

Baboons Can Make Human-Like Vowel Sounds Previously Thought To Be Impossible

The researchers of the National Center for Scientific Research and Grenoble Alpes University in France found out that baboons can make vowel sounds which is previously thought to be impossible.

This discovery provides clues to the evolution of human speech and suggests that our fundamental language started to evolve as early as 25 million years ago.

Science Mag said it was previously known that most primates, except humans do not have the ability ro produce vowel sounds because they do not have the anatomy for it. Monkey larynxes are set much higher than our own. However, this new research proves otherwise.

"It was thought that in order to pronounce vowels, you had to have a low larynx [voice box], as humans do," Joel Fagot, a primatologist at Aix-Marseille University in France and an author of the new study told the website.

How did they discover it? Tech Times said the researchers recorded and reviewed 1404 vocalizations of 15 Guinea baboons (Papio papio) living at a primate center in France. These included almost all types of vocalizations. They focused their observations on mouths from where the sounds are produced. During which they have detected five vowel sounds in their calls.

Meanwhile, Philip Lieberman, a linguist and cognitive scientist, and professor emeritus at Brown University told Christian Science Monitor that while the baboons' anatomy may be physically capable of producing vowel sounds, that doesn't mean they are capable of speech.

Fagot and the other researchers understand and agree to it, saying in the paper that what the baboons need to speak like human is a cognitive ability which they lack of.

"To be able to speak, you need much more than this," he said. "But clearly they seem capable of at least having some of the building blocks of speech, which is the ability to form vowel-like sounds," Fagot added. The study was published in journal PLOS One.

Watch This Massive Alligator Casually Walk in Nature Preserve in Florida

A video of a massive alligator was caught on video casually waltzing at the Circle B Bar Reserve nature preserve near Lakeland in Florida.

The video, filmed and posted in Facebook by Kim Joiner, quickly caught the attention of different Facebook users. With currently 880,000 views and 10,016 shares, the video has already reached stardom and became the talk of the town.

Facebook users who also reside in the state of Florida commented that alligators with the same size as in the video is a usual occurrence in their swamps and other nature reserves. However, some users have also suspected that the uploaded video is faked or the gator is mechanized. __wildlife and reptile experts believe that the alligator in the video and the video itself is real.

"The largest published size record for the American alligator is a 14 ft. 9.25 in. individual that was killed in Alabama in 2014," said David A. Steen, a __wildlife ecologist and conservation biologist, in a report from National Geographic. "The American alligator in the video does not look nearly as big as those record-holders and I have no reason to suspect it is a fake."

Ian Recchio, curator of reptiles at Los Angeles Zoo, commented that the gator in the video appears to be authentic. It is most certainly to be an American alligator. The massive size of the gator suggests that it is probably male.

Like crocodiles, alligators can grow throughout their lifespan. However, female alligators are noticeably smaller and don't usually grow past ten feet.

Sightings of very large alligators and crocodiles suggest that the conservation efforts to prevent the extinction of the huge reptiles are working. Due to their scary appearance and predatory nature, alligators and crocodiles were persecuted and were nearly hunted to extinction.

Experts believe that the large alligators being spotted in the swamps and reserves in Florida are mature alligators, which weren't around in the past due to excessive persecution and hunting.

Denver Police Horse Died After His Trainer Locked Him In A Stall WIthout Food And Water And Forgot About Him

A Denver police horse died after his handler left him in his stall and forgot about him, allowing the animal to go without food or water for 16 hours, KCNC-TV (Denver) is reporting. The officer who left him has been punished by being docked one day of vacation time.

MC Hammer, as the horse was known, had finished up a busy day on patrol in downtown Denver when his handler, Officer Joseph Teeter, locked him in the department barn. Teeter then got distracted by paperwork, finished his shift, and went home, apparently forgetting that the horse was tied up in a stall without food or water.

MC Hammer, a Denver police horse, died in his stall in part from lack of food and water. [Image by Konstantin Tronin/Shutterstock]

The next time somebody took notice of MC Hammer, 16 hours had passed, and he’d had no food or water in that period of time.

According to the Denver Post, when he was found at about 6:15 a.m. the next morning, the horse appeared to be in distress from lack of food and water, but was otherwise “bright, alert and responsive.” He was given food and water, but by the afternoon he was showing signs of stomach pain. He was taken to the Littleton Equine Medical Center, where he was evaluated and monitored overnight.

Veterinarians examined MC Hammer overnight before he died. [Image by Osetrik/Shutterstock]

According to a statement from the Denver Police Department (DPD), by the next morning, veterinarians determined that MC Hammer had developed colic and would not recover. He was humanely destroyed.

According to the Horse, hydration is critical for horses. Although in extreme cases they can go without food for up to four days, most horses will start to get sick after two days. And in higher temperatures, a horse’s water needs increase dramatically.

It wasn’t particularly hot in Denver the day MC Hammer was put in his stall without food and water; temperatures had only reached the upper 70s.

According to the DPD statement, it’s not certain that Teeter’s actions caused the horse to die.

“The medical experts who evaluated the horse were unable to conclude that the horse’s condition was caused by being left tied in the stall without food or water for sixteen hours.”

Nevertheless, the officer responsible for MC Hammer’s care was punished by his bosses for leaving the animal without food and water for so long. He was docked a single vacation day. According to DPD spokesperson Christine Downs, it was the first time in Teeter’s career with the Denver Police Department that he’d had any sort of discipline for mistreating an animal.

“It is a sad situation. They did an investigation and it was determined that this officer didn’t have anything similar (in his past). He loves the animal. It wasn’t like he was trying to be mean or hurtful to the animal or this horse.”

MC Hammer was 10-years-old and had been with the Denver Police Department since November of 2015.

Joseph Teeter is not the first police officer to have an animal die while in his care. Last summer, several police dogs died in hot cars while their handlers forgot about them or neglected them. In fact, according to an October 2016 USA Today report, at least a dozen K-9 cops died that summer from being left in hot cars. Mike Johnson, president of the American Police Canine Association, said the trend is inexcusable.

“The biggest sin for us is leaving a dog in the car and walking off, and it’s happening more than it should.”

Do you believe the Denver police officer who left a horse without food or water for 16 hours deserves more punishment than being docked a vacation day?

[Featured Image by Sharon Morris/Shutterstock]

Pit Bull Dubbed A Hero After Saving Owner Who Was Being Sexually Assaulted

A pet dog is being dubbed a hero after saving its owner while she was being sexually assaulted by a strange man in Vista, California, according to the NBC San Diego.

At around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, a 19-year-old woman, whose name has not been released to the public, decided to walk her pit bull in the 700 block of Grapevine Road when an unidentified man attacked her from behind and threw the woman to the ground.

The assailant began groping the woman, but she fought back, attempting to run to safety, to no avail. It wasn’t until she called out to her pit bull, who was growling and barking when she ordered him to attack – something she claimed to have never taught her pet dog.

It was reported that the pit bull may have bitten the man during the sexual assault attack causing the attacker to stop and run east bound on Planet Road.

The pit bull chased after the attacker for a short distance before returning back to its owner.

Pit bull returns to its owner after chasing a strange man away who was sexually assaulting her. [Image By ilbusca/iStock]

A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that “a guy in all black came and ripped her pants, pulled her pants down, and groped her and her dog chased him off.”

“Walking a pit bull is what I’m surprised with because that’s a lot of gull to go after someone who has a dog that can defend her, and unfortunately, she didn’t train that dog to defend her, but fortunately, he did anyway.”

The witness reportedly stayed with the victim until police officials arrived at the scene.

“This is a concerning situation. It’s concerning to law enforcement. It’s concerning for the community because obviously, it’s a very brazen act to attack someone in this manner, especially while walking a pit bull,” SDSO Lt. Dan Brislin stated.

Neighbors were stunned after learning of the attack, saying that they deemed the area to be a safe place.

“I am very surprised because it seems like a pretty decent neighborhood but I guess that’s happening everywhere. I mean, you know, I think it’s happening everywhere,” resident Jackie Castor said.

Another neighbor, Emily DeArmas, told reporters that she brought her husband along while walking her dog after hearing of the recent attack, saying “it’s a little scary when it is a street you walk every day.”

Just last month, another pit bull puppy named Apollo, in Brooklyn, New York, saved a woman from being raped. The New York Post reported that 18-year-old Maya Fairweather was at her boyfriend’s apartment complex when she decided to take his dog out for a walk around 10 p.m. in the Red Hook Recreation Area Park.

Fairweather told reporters that as she was walking, she felt someone pull on her headphones.

Pit bull chases after man who attacked its owner [Image By Stalexphotpgraphy/iStock]

When she turned around to see who it was, she found a strange man standing before her. He quickly pushed her to the ground and attempted to take her pants off.

“I fell down on my hands,” said Fairweather. “I just closed my eyes because they say that if you see their face, they will kill you. I froze. I was really scared.”

Just shortly after, the pit bull came to her rescue, biting her would-be rapist in the leg, causing the man to run away.

“He was protective,” Fairweather said. “I think it would’ve been a lot worse. I wouldn’t have been so lucky.

“He is a sweet dog. I never thought he would bite anyone. He never bit anyone before. He’s usually very friendly and just jumps on everyone.”

California police have yet to make an arrest in the most recent sexual assault case and the suspect remains at large, but authorities have turned to the public for help.

The person in question is believed to be “in his mid-20s of unknown ethnicity, around 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighed between 160 – 180 pounds. He was wearing a dark-colored beanie, a dark colored hoodie, and unknown colored pants.”

If you have any information regarding the attack, you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 and a reward of $1,000 may be available to the tipster.

[Featured Image by Dusan Manic/iStock]

With Fire Raging Yesterday, Popular Seattle Zoo Is Forced To Relocate Several Animals

Firefighters fought bravely yesterday to contain a blazing fire that had tragically broken out at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo, prompting park officials to evacuate wild animals, and humans, from the surrounding “at-risk” areas of the zoo.

Unfortunately, the Seattle Times noted, those at-risk areas technically included large expanses of the zoo’s grounds that served as home to any number of “temperature sensitive” animals placed in immediate danger as Woodland Park sporadically lost power and its generators failed.

According to the Seattle zoo’s spokesperson Lauri Hennessey, most animals that lived near where the fire broke out were, in some form or fashion, considered “temperature sensitive” in nature.

Cold-blooded reptiles, such as this baby Komodo Dragon, and other animals that are very sensitive to temperature changes in their habitat had to be removed. [Image by Scott Barbour/Getty Images]

Fortunately, the zoo’s fire was contained and power was restored.

The blaze is believed to have broken out around 3:25 p.m. local time yesterday in one of its shut-down buildings, although no cause has been identified. Officials believe, per the Seattle Times, that the Woodland Park Zoo’s fire actually originated in the attic of the zoo’s former “Night Exhibit” for nocturnal animals. That building, which the zoo closed in 2010 due to budget cuts, has since been labeled as “under renovation.”

The location, which fortunately did not currently serve as home to any animals, was earmarked to be reopened in 2018.

Seattle fire is continuing to fight fire in the attic of nocturnal bldg. Media staging ground Northwest entrance of zoo. pic.twitter.com/Mu8dijgnl0

— Seattle Fire Dept (@SeattleFire) December 15, 2016

Despite the frantic nature of the evacuation process for nearby zoo animals, as well as those that had to be moved do to power-related issues, zoo officials expressed relief that the fire did not have far more costly — or deadly — ramifications for its residents.

In fact, far more pressing than the actual fire damage to the zoo’s abandoned building were the effects that the fire may have had in other areas of the park. This includes creatures such as reptiles and amphibians that had to be moved very quickly and efficiently, because of their close dependence on their strictly monitored climate habitats.

For other zoo animals, the threat of smoke inhalation from the fire posed just as serious of an issue.

Other at-risk zoo inhabitants included dozens of residents of the nearby adjacent building that housed Woodland Park Zoo’s “Day Exhibit.” These zoo animals, likewise, had to be moved in spite of the unlikelihood that the fire might spread to their building as well. A total of 200 animals in the Day Exhibit alone were directly affected.

For all animals who call Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo home, in fact, there was some concern.

With the fire, Woodland Park officials were immediately concerned with the well-being of all of the zoo’s animals. [Image by Hoare/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images]

“The safety of our animals and guests is our number one priority,” Woodland Park Zoo officials told Seattle’s KIRO 7 in a statement about the fire.

Meanwhile, the humans who came to fight the potentially tragic zoo fire yesterday were also exposed to severe risks. In particular, the Seattle Times noted that at least two of the firefighters who answered the zoo’s call for help were injured by the fire with “minor burns.” Although further details have not been provided, it is believed that neither firefighter’s sustained injuries were very serious.

After all, recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics pointed out that firefighting is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country.

“The two primary events or exposures resulting in fatal occupational injuries to firefighters… were fires (36 percent) and transportation incidents (29 percent). Half of the… fatal fire events were associated with a collapsing building, structure, or structural elements during the fire. Of the eight fatal transportation incidents, five were due to roadway incidents, two involved pedestrians, and one was the result of an aircraft incident.”

As for Woodland Park Zoo, the community is expected to recover. Plans that had been in place for the zoo’s annual “Wild Lights” holiday light display, which had been scheduled for Thursday evening, were canceled in light of the nearly tragic fire.

[Featured Image by David McNew/Getty Images]

Bald Eagle Shot In Texas, Authorities Offer Reward For Information Leading To Arrest

A bald eagle was shot and critically injured in Chambers County, Texas, on Monday. According to reports, the bird was discovered in a pasture near Anahuac. Although it was not killed in the shooting, the eagle was ultimately euthanized due to the severity of its wounds.

According to a statement posted on the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, the landowner contacted authorities immediately after discovering the bald eagle.

Deputy Hector Gonzales, who was dispatched to the scene, said he was “able to gently capture the protected National Bird to transport it to medical experts.”

[Image By Rob Francis/Shutterstock]

Following a thorough examination, veterinarians at the Wildlife Center of Texas, Houston, determined the bald eagle was shot in the face at close range. As a result, the bird was blinded and sustained a severe injury to its beak.

As reported by Palm Beach Post, the Wildlife Center of Texas was forced to euthanize the bald eagle to end its suffering. Wildlife Center Executive Director Sharon Schmalz confirmed the bird’s “beak was almost totally severed.”

According to BaldEagleInfo.com, the bald eagle was chosen as the emblem of the United States of America on June 20, 1782.

It is generally assumed that the bald eagle was chosen because the majestic bird is a symbol of freedom and strength. However, according to Maude M. Grant, who penned the Song of the American Eagle, the decision was informally made during one of the earlier battles of the Revolution.

“… the noise of the struggle awoke the sleeping eagles on the heights and they flew from their nests and circled about over the heads of the fighting men, all the while giving vent to their raucous cries. ‘They are shrieking for Freedom,’ said the patriots.”

In the 1700s, there were an estimated 500,000 bald eagles living in North America. However, by the 1970s the population had waned to the point of near extinction. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife service, the decline of the bald eagle population was directly related to the use of a powerful insecticide called DDT.

Bald eagle euthanized after being shot in Anahuac area.. Related Articles: https://t.co/id1pHjaXHm pic.twitter.com/b1aEICH4N5

— Texas News Updates (@texas_news_12) January 11, 2017

Conservation actions, including a federal ban on DDT and habitat preservation, have helped North America’s bald eagle population recover over the last 40 years. As a result, the iconic birds were removed from the list of endangered and threatened species in 2007.

[Image By Lone Wolf Photography/Shutterstock]

Although they are no longer endangered or threatened, bald eagles are still protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Migratory Bird Treaty acts. Therefore, injuring or killing a bald eagle is a federal crime.

If convicted, the person or persons responsible for shooting the bald eagle in Texas could face a $250,000 fine and up to two years in prison.

The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office is currently seeking any information about the person or persons who shot the bald eagle in Texas. There are currently two rewards being offered by Chambers County Crime Stoppers and the Texas Wildlife Crime Stoppers “Operation Game Thief” task force totaling $2,000.

According to a Facebook post by Guy Robert Jackson, “Crime Stoppers of Chambers County will pay $1,000 for a tip that leads to the arrest. A conviction is not needed to get paid for the tip.”

Bald Eagle, shot at Grouse Mountain. I have a long way to go, but I love seeing my progression. #photography #wildlife #PicOfTheDay #student pic.twitter.com/f9VBZVYVqO

— Ginelle Cocks (@ginelle_c) October 25, 2016

As reported by WECT, another bald eagle was shot and injured in Pamlico County, North Carolina, last week.

Rocky Point Cape Fear Raptor Center veterinarian Dr. Joni Seymour confirmed the bird was likely shot by “someone that was just shooting at anything that flew by or… someone that thought ‘let’s take this big bird out of the sky.'”

Seymour said the bird was struck with between 20 and 30 pellets. Although he survived the shooting, the bald eagle underwent four surgeries to repair a fractured wing.

Thankfully, the bald eagle shot in North Carolina is expected to survive and regain the ability to fly. However, the bald eagle shot in Texas simply could not be saved.

[Featured Image by Adrian Nedelea/Shutterstock]