Drugged-Out Parrots Raid Poppy Fields in India for Opium Fix

Something strange is going on with the parrots in India. Wild parrots have been terrorizing the poppy fields, raiding the flowers for a dose of its addictive opium.

The birds wait patiently as the farmers cut open the flower pods to help it ripen, according to a report from Daily Mail. When the coast is clear, the cunning parrots descend to munch on the stalk below the pods, where much of the opium in the plant is located. They have learned to operate quietly, so the farmers are not alerted by their presence.

Before being spotted, the parrots fly back on the trees where they proceed to sleep for hours at a time after their drug binge and even occasionally falling to their death, a report from Mirror revealed.

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Wild parrots have been raiding the poppy fields of India since 2015 in Chhirrotgarh, Rajasthan, but recent months have the phenomenon escalating and spreading to different regions like Neemach, Madhya Pradesh 40 miles away. The situation has gotten so bad that the government's narcotics department have been issuing warnings to farmers, taking note of their decreased yield.

Opium farmer Sobharam Rathod said that parrots are swiping about ten percent of his crop.

"We have tried every trick possible to keep the birds at bay but these addicts keep coming back even at the risk of their life," he explained. "Like we keep an eye on them, but they also keep an eye on us. The moment you lower your guard the army of parrots silently swoop onto your field and take away the bulbs."

Some of the methods the farmers use to attempt scaring away the birds are firecrackers, tin drums and hurling stones at them. However, none of it has worked so far. Others have tried covering their poppy fields with nets, according to Odisha360.

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Do Gene Editing and Dogs Mix? Experts Weigh in on Genetic Editing for Breeding, Health

Is it about time we genetically engineer dogs? This is what David Ishee thinks as he started to make his way towards gene editing for stronger, healthier dogs. However, with regulations blocking his way, it will not be an easy quest.

Ishee told his story in Singularity Hub, where he explained that as a breeder from rural Mississippi, his mission was to try to "restore" dogs to their former glory.

His journey to make an ideal mastiff -- a "super" mastiff by today's standards -- took him eight years of breeding to make. This is a mastiff that's 150 to 170 pounds, dry-mouthed, tight-skinned, large-shouldered and free of health problems.

Centuries of inbreeding have left dog breeds with a lot of diseases because of a lack of genetic diversity and a limited gene pool. Ishee was inspired by a TED talk about genetic editing and proceeded to do it himself.

He was surprised that due to the freedom to "learn" genetic engineering, he actually made his own miniature genetic lab in his backyard with a kit and online-based DNA. He was surprised to realize that DNA sequencing and synthesis are starting to become cheaper. His construct last 2016 cost 23 cents per base pair, which was $1.30 last 2010.

However, his ideal dogs would have to wait as the FDA is becoming stricter with its guidelines on animals that are produced via genetic editing. They decided to classify the edited portion of the genome in the animal as a "veterinary" drug, which subjects the animal to the same regulations as new drugs for animals. The FDA statement acknowledged the benefits of the technology but its potential risks as well.

Unfortunately, his next project is now in conflict due to the policy. His new mission, to get rid of hyperuricemia in dalmatians, was put on hold. This disease is caused by a mutation in the SLC2A9 gene of dogs that leads to excess uric acid in the blood. This forms painful bladder stones and even cause the bladder itself to burst.

With usual methods, breeding would mean they have to wait for a positive mutation to randomly appear, and it could take years. New gene-editing methods like CRISPR could do it in just a few months.

Ishee believes corporations will not have a lot of problems in trying to create the "ideal" dogs. After all, if there was a way to rid dogs of diseases, why not? In fact, scientists in China have already gene-edited new beagles in 2015.

WATCH LIVE: Is April the Giraffe in Animal Adventure Park Really Pregnant? Calf's 'Quiet Spell' Sparks Interest

Baby watch continues as April the giraffe remains pregnant with her fourth calf.

April of Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York, instantly became a celebrity after a live stream of her pregnancy has attracted millions of viewers. More than six weeks after the live stream (see the Animal Adventure Park Giraffe Cam below) has been put up, April the giraffe's baby is still out of sight.

A few days ago, the calf had undergone a "quiet spell." As such, many people have been questioning whether April the giraffe's labor is just an April Fool's prank.

Despite that, the zoo assured that April is pregnant. In fact, after the quiet spell, the giraffe has shown interesting behaviors such as tail raising, the zoo claims.

"Her mammary development has continued to slowly increase. Photo in comments. This is Good! We do not expect any additional back end swell, so all judging is now done based on udder changes," Animal Adventure Park said on a Facebook post.

Recent update reported by CNET claims April the giraffe had a vet visit this Monday and the calf did not show any movement.

When April goes into labor, the baby's front hooves will be the first to come out, followed by the snout, the zoo says.

Meanwhile, once the calf is born, there will be a contest to name it. Fox 6 News said they will not rush the process of naturally raising the calf. Once the calf is ready, it will move on to another facility to start a breeding program there.

Giraffes carry their babies for just about 15 months. Unlike humans, they give birth in a standing position. A baby giraffe could be as tall as a human. According to National Geographic, they can live up to 25 years.

Giraffe population has been declining over the years and they are now listed as "vulnerable" to extinction primarily because of illegal hunting, habitat loss and changes through expanding agriculture and mining, increasing human-wildlife conflict, and civil unrest.

Almost a million people follow Animal Adventure Park's Facebook page for the latest news and updates on the world famous giraffe. Here's where you can watch April the giraffe give birth:

Ohio Just Banned Sex With Animals Through New Bestiality Law

Ohio banned sex with animals with a controversial bestiality law. Sex with animals is supposed to be a mundane illicit act but it is only now that the state of Ohio is putting an ax on the act, or so it seems due to the enactment of the law.

Under Ohio's new bestiality law, offenders will face 90 days in jail and fined for $750. Reports say that the law has already been passed last year but it only took effect last week.

"It's a crime that defies explanation to the rational person," Mark Kumpf, director of the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center said in an interview with the Dayton Daily News. "We're dealing with a different species."

The bestiality law called Senate Bill 331 is already in effect today. The crime is categorized as a second-degree misdemeanor. If caught in the act, authorities have the right to arrest the person and impound the animal if the officer believes that the animal fell victim to the act.

The enactment of the new law wouldn't be pushed if not for the government officials who showed support for the bill.

"I think this is something that is sickening and perverse and we don't want Ohio to be the place you can come and have sex with an animal," Ohio senator Jim Hughes said in a statement.

Aside from the inhuman act covered under the bestiality law, a Virginia Police detective also mentions the dangers and risk of the deplorable act can bring to children.

Jeremy Hoffman said that those who engage in crimes against children also those involved in sexual crimes against animals. The police detective added that it is difficult to define the demographics since the offenders come from different walks of life.

Ohio is not the last to impose such law. There are other states with no law proclaiming sex with animals as unlawful including Washington D.C.

Cats Actually Enjoy Spending Time With Their Owners, Study Shows

Despite having the reputation of always thinking how to kill their humans, a new study from Oregon State University revealed that cats actually enjoy being with their owners.

The study, published in the journal Behavioral Processes, showed that cats prefer spending time with their owners than eating food and playing with toys.

For the study, the researchers analyzed 50 cats. These cats were either living in a home or were spending time on shelters. The researchers left the cats without human interaction, food and toys for several hours. They then presented four different kinds of stimuli to the cat, including human interaction, toys, food and scent. They did these things to investigate domestic cat preferences at the individual and population level using a free operant preference assessment.

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The researchers measured how much time a cat spend with each of the stimuli. They then presented the four stimuli at the same time and let the cat choose which one is their favorite. Surprisingly, about 50 percent of the cat chose human interaction over the three other stimuli. Following human interaction, 37 percent of the cats preferred food. The researchers observed the same results in pet and shelter populations.

Cats have a clear individual variability when it comes to their preferred stimuli. The researchers noted that owners could use their cat's preference as some kind of reinforcer or enrichment items if they want to train their cats. However, further research is still necessary to examine the effectiveness of using preferred stimuli as enrichment in applied settings. Additionally, future studies could also concentrate on the effects of the preferred stimuli to the cat's motivation to work.

According to APPA National Pet Owners Survey of the American Pet Products Association, about 42.9 million households in the United States own at least one cat in 2016, with an average of two cats per household. The estimated number of pet cats in the U.S. is 85.8 million.

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