Thousands of dead bees were found in a Target parking lot in Oregon this week, perplexing environmental experts as to what caused the massive die-off.

The dead bees were found Monday underneath dozens of European linden trees, with close to 25,000 bumble bees littered across the ground. Conservationalists at the Portland-based Xerces Society think the bees may have been poisoned by something in the tree or a pesticide, but say they don’t know for sure.

The bees “were literally falling out of the trees,” said Rich Hatfield, a Xerces Society conservation biologist. “To our knowledge this is one of the largest documented bumble bee deaths in the Western U.S. It was heartbreaking to watch.”

The Oregon Department of Agriculture collected samples from the dead bees found in the Target parking lot, as well as nearby trees. They also found a number of other insects dead, including honeybees and beetles.

“If the trees are indeed toxic, they should be cut down and replaced by something that will provide non-toxic pollen and nectar for bees,” said Scott Hoffman Black, executive director of the Xerces Society. “On the other hand, if pesticides are the cause, we need to spotlight this real-world lesson in the harm these toxic chemicals are causing to beneficial insects.”

This is not the only high-profile story about bee swarms as of late. In May 60,000 bees were found in a cabin in Utah and carefully removed. The bees, which the owner believes had been living there the past 17 years, but he was forced to have them removed when it came time to do some renovations.

Beekeeper Vic Bachman said it was the biggest one he’d ever seen in his years of beekeeping.

“We figure we got six kilograms of bees out of there,” said Bachman.

Conversationalists said the dead bees found in the Target parking lot in Oregon represented 150 colonies in all.

Thousands Of Dead Bees Found In Target Parking Lot, Leaving Scientists Baffled is a post from: The Inquisitr

Liligers are a very rare hybrid of the big cat family, and the Novosibirsk Zoo in Russia is the home to three new babies!

Ligers are a hybrid mix of a lion and a tiger. So then what are liligers? They are an even rarer mix between a male lion and a female liger.

One year ago, reports had claimed that the world’s first liliger was born in the Novosibirsk Zoo.

All three liliger born in this new litter are all female, and all adorable according to the Huffington Post.

They were born in May, and have finally grown big enough to go on display.

Rare animals seem to be making their rounds in the news lately, what with the two-faced kitten and the rare blue lobster both making news.

The baby liligers had been quarantined for the first few weeks of their lives in order to make sure they were growing at a healthy rate and where overall healthy little balls of fur.

Now that they have been given the okay, the little liligers are now clumsily discovering their new surroundings in their new enclosure.

The first baby liliger born at the zoo last year was named Kiara, who can be seen in the video clip below.

At the time of her official announcement to the world, Sky News reported that Kiara’s mother, Zita the liger, wasn’t able to provide milk for the kitten so a domestic cat at the zoo stepped in to nurse the baby liliger.

There is a common misconception that ligers cannot reproduce, but that isn’t true.

Male ligers are in fact sterile, therefore they cannot reproduce. Female ligers on the other hand are not sterile, so they do have the ability to reproduce.

The Novosibirsk Zoo in Russia has a very unique family of rare liligers, and yes, they are extremely rare, and they are extremely adorable!

[Image via whitewolfpack.com]

Three New Liligers Born In Novosibirsk Zoo is a post from: The Inquisitr

A police dog got kicked in the mouth Tuesday during a subway brawl in New York.

“Bear” and his NYPD handler, Vincent Tieniber, came to help a fellow officer who was trying to break up a fight among four women. Two 19-year-old women started choking each other and the other two women pushed Police Officer Rafael Diaz when tried to get in the middle of it.

Ravenia Matos-Diaz kicked Bear in the mouth and broke two teeth and chipped two others. Scuff marks were also left on his mouth. However, the police dog did not give up.

“Bear kept the woman’s foot in his mouth, and held on until I could handcuff her,” Tieniber said.

Matos-Diaz was charged with injuring a police animal, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstructing government administration. Tabricia Moore faced the same charges while the 19-year-old attacker faced strangulation and criminal possession of a controlled substance charges.

The police dog was treated at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan and is expected to return to work soon. He will have two teeth capped and the another two filed.

Bear is not the only police dog who has been injured on the job. A couple of years ago, a Kansas City man kicked and hit a K-9 officer after he ran away from the police.

Ronald Johnson climbed on top of a blacksmith business and yelled that he was going to kill himself, according to police. When Johnson jumped down, he hit and kicked Bela.

Although hitting a police dog is not as serious as hitting a police officer, it is more serious than animal abuse. A person who abuses a police dog could face up to 180 days in jail and a $500 fine.

What do you think should happen to the woman who is accused of kicking Bear?

[Image via Shuttershock]

Police Dog Kicked In Mouth During Subway Brawl is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tyler, TX – Sick of these motherf***ing snakes on this motherf***ing plane stories? We’ve got one more for you. A Texas snake expert has admitted to smuggling seven snakes onto a plane by hiding them in his jacket. He was nabbed in August at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

William Lamar, 63, was caught trying to smuggle Peruvian snakes into the United States last year. He bought them at a market in Lima, Peru, and hid them in his jacket during his flight to Miami and then to DFW, where he was caught by a TSA officer while trying to catch a commuter flight to Tyler.

Lamar is a snake and wildlife expert, and co-owns the Colorado-based ecotourism company Green Tracks. His biography on the website also states that he is a reptile researcher employed by the University of Texas at Tyler, which the school confirmed Tuesday.

He was said to be an adjunct professor, but the spokesperson did not reveal Lamar’s current status with the school to NBC. It might be that his “snakes on a plane” antics at least cost him his job there.

Lamar is also known for three books he has written on snakes and reptiles. He has spoken at an event for the Austin Herpetological Society and various other field-specific engagements.

U.S. Attorney John M. Bates said that Lamar stated that he knew he was breaking the law by smuggling snakes in his jacket without authorization.

If convicted, Lamar could face five years in prison, according to the US Attorney’s office. A sentencing date hasn’t been set, and Lamar was unavailable for comment.

[Image via: Chokniti Khongchum / Shutterstock]

Snakes On A Plane: Wildlife Expert Cops To Smuggling 7 In Jacket is a post from: The Inquisitr

The pet food recall put in place by Natura Pets Products has been expanded to all products that were manufactured before June 10. The popular company for your pets favorite foods has put the voluntary recall in place after an FDA test at a single production facility showed positive results for Salmonella.

Natura has released a statement regarding the extended recall in which they apologized for disappointing customers.

“We have some sad news to share. We are announcing today a voluntary recall of all Innova, California Natural, EVO, Healthwise, Mother Nature and Karma branded dry pet food and biscuit/bar/treat products with expiration dates prior to June 10, 2014,” the company said about their precautionary decision.

Natura Pets Products has also given customers a way to respond to the recall as well as the option to request a replacement voucher or ask for a refund. They also explained their concerns for the pets of customers and the reasoning behind the pet food recall.

“We made this decision in part due to a single positive Salmonella test by the FDA on product manufactured April 3. Normally, this would have resulted in retrieval of product manufactured over just a few days,” Natura added. “However, we are taking the additional precautionary measure to recall all products in the marketplace. Our first priority is the wellbeing of the pets we serve.”

The FDA released information about the Salmonella testing on their website in March, which notes that humans can also be affected by the products.

“Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products,” the FDA said on their website.

Have you purchased any of the Natura products that are at risk for Salmonella through the pet food recall?

Pet Food Recall: Natura Warns Customers Of Salmonella Concerns is a post from: The Inquisitr

The 2013 World’s Ugliest Dog® contest is coming on Friday at 6 pm Pacific time. Are you getting excited yet? The annual Petaluma, California event has become a worldwide affair, with people pouring in from around the world to pit their animals against the best for the title of the world’s most hideous dog.

It’s probably time to visit the official World’s Ugliest Dog Facebook page to consider your choices.

You may be laughing, but serious ugly dog owners invest a lot of time and money in grooming their pets for the top prize. Money isn’t really the issue. The top prize is $1,500.

Far more important is the worldwide recognition that comes from owning the world’s ugliest dog. This year’s winner will appear on the Weekend Today Show in New York on the Sunday after the event.

Event organizer Vicki DeArmon told NBC’s Today.com:

“These are some of the best dog owners in the world. Some of them take it very seriously. I think a few hearts have been broken when they haven’t been the winner.”

About 2,000 people representing as many as 30 dogs are expected to appear at the live event. For most of us, it’s more practical to visit the Facebook site where we can participate in an online poll to vote for the world’s ugliest dog.

One example of a truly ugly dog is 5-year-old Gromit. The pitiful pooch with the horrific underbite is a Chug — half pug, half chihuahua.

I’m not sure if you get extra bonus points for having an off-putting personality, but the note on the Facebook page assures us that Gromit is the proud owner of “a grumpy old man personality.”

Gromit’s underbite makes him a contender

2012′s winner for world’s ugliest dog was Mugly, a Chinese crested with an unfortunate whisker placement. According to The Inquisitr’s report last year, he won on the basis of such features as “a short, crooked snout, beady little eyes, and dramatically long white whiskers hanging over a sideways-underbite.”

Ouch. You can check out our full report on the 8-year-old 2012 world’s ugliest dog by clicking right here.

The 2011 winner Yoda was a Chinese crested-Chihuahua mix that could be considered even more heinous.

Who are you rooting for to win the 2013 world’s ugliest dog contest?

[World's Ugliest Dog photo via Facebook]

World’s Ugliest Dog Contest Getting Fired Up is a post from: The Inquisitr

In what seems like a sick joke, it’s been revealed recently that live animals trapped in plastic bags are being sold as souvenirs in China. Known for their propensity to eat all kinds of animals and not pay much attention to their treatment, it’s still shocking to see such a twisted tourist attraction coming out of China.

The animals are usually amphibians such as turtles, fish, and lizards. Alongside the animals, there is a small amount of water inside each plastic bag. Vendors normally claim the bag contains crystallised oxygen and other nutrients, but most of the trapped animals die within a day or two.

If it isn’t enough that the animals die from oxygen deprivation, the vendors also advise customers to microwave the deceased amphibian afterwards. That way it can make for a tasty snack as well as a keychain for as long as the animal is alive.

You can normally find the live animals trapped in plastic bags being sold as souvenirs from coolers outside subway stations in China. An excellent place to catch passing tourists and encourage them to buy one of the horrifying keepsakes.

Many of the keychains contain young Chinese soft-shell turtles, a species which is quite popular in Chinese cooking once fully grown. Despite the practice seeming decidedly illegal, there are no local laws that say anything to the contrary.

Apart from the morale issues associated with these keepsakes, the animals can pose a threat to human health if consumed. Turtles are know for carrying certain strains of the salmonella virus, which can be deadly.

A petition to stop the sale of these live-animal keychains is already gathering support on Avaaz.org, with 143,000 people having signed their name already.

So if you think live animals trapped in plastic bags isn’t a suitable souvenir to be sold in China, or anywhere else around the world, you could also sign the petition, or tell us what else could be done to prevent this atrocity.

Image via Ryot.org

Live Animals Trapped In Plastic Bags Sold As Souvenirs In China is a post from: The Inquisitr

Newborn baby gorillas don’t happen every day in Rwanda, but, when they do, it’s as good a reason as any to throw a festival. It’s understandable that the country would make a big deal out of every new ape that’s born – they are one of the most endangered species in the world.

There are currently around 800 gorillas still living in the forests of Africa – making each new addition the population an important event.

The festival used to celebrate a baby gorillas arrival is know as Kwita Izina – based on a traditional African naming ceremony originally reserved for humans. In 2003 however, this tradition was adopted for the gorillas, allowing them to receive a name of their own.

You’d be forgiven for thinking the festivals held in Rwanda for every newborn baby gorilla are a small event. In fact, there are normally tens of thousands of local villagers in attendance, alongside dignitaries, heads of state and the occasional international celebrities. There’s a lot of music and dancing to keep everyone entertained.

Alongside this African tradition, the gorillas are also photographed and monitored as part of conservation efforts in the Virunga Mountains.

161 gorillas have been named over the past decade, their arrival into this world marking a 23 percent increase in the wild population of Africa. At this year’s Kwita Izina, 12 newborn baby gorillas will be celebrated and named.

While many threats do still remain for mountain gorillas, like poaching and habitat loss, the festivities are a great way to promote awareness of their precarious situation. Awareness which could lead to greater local efforts, international support and other means necessary to prevent the species from going extinct.

Would you take up the chance to attend a festival in honor of the newborn baby gorillas in Rwanda?

Image via Rwanda Development Board

Every Newborn Baby Gorilla Gets Their Own Festival In Rwanda is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Philippines has announced that, come June 21, they will be destroying its national ivory stock.

The country is one of many that deal with illegal trafficking, ivory-trafficking being one of the Philippines biggest trafficking problems, according to National Geographic.

Smuggling of animals and products of animals, such as ivory from elephants, is a very common problem all over the world; a problem that won’t get better with the demand for these illegal products so high in many places.

Not too long ago, a Priest in the Philippines had been investigated over Ivory smuggling. In Kenya, Elephant poachers have had to face more rangers and tougher sentences for ivory smuggling.

Mundita Lim, director of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources stated:

“The destruction of the items would hopefully bring the Philippines’ message across the globe that the country is serious and will not tolerate illegal wildlife trade, and denounces the continuous killing of elephants for illicit ivory trade.”

National Geographic continued on to say that PAWB will destroy all the ivory in its possession.

The only exception to this decision will be fore 106 pieces to be repatriated to Kenya and a few pieces to be retained for training, enforcement, and education purposes, says National Geographic.

The report continued on to say “Customs agents seized 7.7 tons of smuggled ivory in 2005 and another 5.4 tons in 2009.

“But a subsequent audit revealed that customs had “lost” almost six tons of this ivory, an act so suspicious that PAWB sued the agency.

“Customs turned its 2009 seizure over to PAWB, which soon discovered that it too had mice in its larder.

“Someone broke into its storeroom and stole more than 1.7 tons. The thieves even replaced the stolen tusks with excellent replicas made of plastic.”

As the demand for rare products such as ivory from elephants continues to rise in places such as Asia and China, the changes of smuggling ever becoming a thing of the past is slim-to-none.

The Philippines are hoping that by destroying their national ivory stock, they will be sending the message that they are not going to tolerate ivory smuggling anymore, but will the effort have the desired results?

[Image via Shutterstock/saddako]

Philippines Announced The Destruction Of National Ivory Stock is a post from: The Inquisitr

The “fox in jar” video is making its rounds on the internet this evening.

In other cute animal news, a kitten was stuck in the car engine compartment for over 1,000 miles.

But this fox stuck in a jar was not domesticated whatsoever, which is what makes this video remarkable.

The video starts with two men in Russia walking along the side of a road. Then they spot the fox cub with a jar stuck on its head.

Instead of running, the jar fox instead slowly makes its way up to the two men as if to ask, “Can you help me, kind sirs?” When the men decide to help the fox struggled a bit at first, but eventually the fox settles down, and the jar is pulled off the fox’s head.

When the fox dashes off into the forest, the Russian simply laughs and says, “Where is the thank you?” He then raised the pitch of his voice, saying “thank you,” as if the fox had responded. The other man was blunt about the fox in the jar: “He would have died that way.”

Why do you think the fox in the jar reacted to the men as it did?

Fox In Jar Video Shows A New Side To Wild Animals [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A pet food recall has been issued by Natura Pet Products.

The Nebraska-based company announced the voluntary recall today saying that some products could be contaminated with salmonella.

A message posted on NaturaPet.com reads: “We have some sad news to share. We are announcing today a voluntary recall of all Innova, California Natural, EVO, Healthwise, Mother Nature and Karma branded dry pet food and biscuit/bar/treat products with expiration dates prior to June 10, 2014.”

CBS reports that products at a single production facility tested positive for Salmonella during a routine FDA test in April of this year.

The company issued a recall after the test turned up positive for Salmonella and now, “out of an abundance of caution” the company has decided to issue another voluntary recall of its products. Natura Pets said that it implemented new testing features on June 10 and wanted to recall all products that were manufactured before that date.

The company said: “We are truly sorry. We know this news disappoints you; we are disappointed too. Natura will always focus on high-quality ingredients, product safety and innovation in pet nutrition. We remain committed to making products you can trust.”

You can contact the company here or you can call (800) 224-6123.

Pet Food Recall: Natura Pet Products Recalls Dog And Cat Foods is a post from: The Inquisitr

A total of 213 bear paws were seized at the China-Russia border. Chinese officials arrested two Russian citizens for the transport of illegal parts. The paws are estimated to be worth over $450,000.

Residents in China often seek bear parts as they are used in traditional medications. However, the possession, transport, and sale of bear parts is illegal in China. Examination of the paws revealed that they belonged to brown bears, which are listed as a protected species.

As reported by BBC, officials became suspicious of the men as they acted nervous during a routine border check point.Their behavior prompted a thorough search of the vehicle.

The inspection included a vehicle x-ray and removal of the tires. Authorities recovered a majority of the paws from the van’s wheel wells.

The bear paws were seized and the two men were detained by border officials.

Despite being illegal, the trade of illegal animals has continued to increase throughout the years. Zhang Xiaohai with the Animals Asia Foundation explains the popularity of bear paws:

“The demand is huge … more people can afford them … the country has the tradition to treat bear paw as a rare ingredient for cuisine or as an expensive present.”

As reported by International Business Times, medicines prepared with bear paws are thought to relieve rheumatism.

Trafficking in bear paws can lead to hefty fines and jail time. in 2008 a group of six smugglers was discovered in the China-Russia border. Authorities seized nearly 500 bear paws that were destined for China. The leaders of the group were sentenced to spend eight years in jail for the crime.

Contrary to Chinese law, the sale of bear parts is not forbidden in the US. As reported by BigWildLife.org, it is estimated that 80,000 black bears are killed every year, in the US, for parts. The parts, including hides, gallbladders, bile, and paws, are sold internationally to support illegal trade.

The bear paws seized at the Chinese border will not lead to a profit for smugglers. However, thousands of other bear parts will continue to cross the borders to meet the high demand.

Picture of the seized bear paws.

[Image via Flickr]

213 Bear Paws Seized At China Border is a post from: The Inquisitr

A kitten’s car engine trip across 1,000 miles of west coast America may far outstrip the previously reported kitten who took a 284-mile spin in an 18-wheeler’s engine block.

The new kitten saga started last week, when woman who had driven from Oregon to Santa Barbara, California reported that she heard a kitten trapped in the car engine of her Honda Fit. Apparently, the driver had actually heard it before leaving Oregon but couldn’t locate the 3-week-old kitten in the car’s tight engine block.

After trying and failing to locate the kitten, the woman eventually had to depart on her journey.

In Santa Barbara, she again heard the kitten. By this point, I probably would have thought the durn car was haunted, but she contacted Santa Barbara’s Animal Rescue Team for help.

Julia DiSieno from the ART came out but couldn’t find the kitten.

Then they tried animal control. Same result: no visible kitten in the engine block.

But everybody can’t be imagining things, and Honda Fit engines don’t cry.

Eventually a tow truck service actually lifted the car so that the rescue team could find the kitten.

Chuck Love of Love’s Towing service performed the lift. He told ABC News:

“It took a half an hour, at least, to get it out, and after getting it out it was so cute and so small. Lucky it was small, because then [otherwise] we wouldn’t have been able to get it out. Of course, if it wasn’t that small it would’ve never been able to get in there.”

DiSieno plans to keep the tiny kitten that she has named Love after the tow truck driver who performed the rescue.

On Friday, The Inquisitr reported on another kitten with nine lives, the black kitten named EB for Engine Block that you can see in the photograph.

That kitten traveled what we thought then was an amazing 284 miles trapped in the engine block of an 18-wheeler before being found and rescued.

Did you dream that another kitten in a car engine would so quickly and easily smash EB’s travel record?

[photo EB, truck engine block kitten, courtesy Kane County Animal Control via Facebook]

Kitten’s 1,000 Mile Car Engine Ride Far Outstrips 300 Miler is a post from: The Inquisitr

Iceland’s fin whale hunt has resumed. According to multiple media sources, two Icelandic shipping vessels have headed out to catch this season’s quota of 184 fin whales.

The new fin whale hunt came after Iceland took a break from the controversial practice in 2011 and 2012. The pause came because the market for the whales had collapsed in the aftermath of the horrific March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant disaster that struck Japan, the only buyer for the fin whale meat.

However, the nation of Iceland has never backed down from its belief that it has the right to take the whales.

The problem is that the fin whale is an endangered species and is clearly redlisted as such by the far-from-hysterical International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

For many people, the whale take therefore represents an attack on the world’s wildlife heritage.

The two vessels are known to be called Hvalur 8 and 9, which the UK’s The Guardian has named as belonging to Icelandic millionaire Kristjan Loftsson.

A statement late Monday from the Animal Welfare Institute said that an endangered fin whale has already been killed by the expedition:

“The whale was killed some 150 nautical miles off Iceland’s west coast, and is expected to be landed at the company’s whaling station…less than an hour’s drive north of Reykjavik…One of the sites likely to be used is a building that belongs to Hvalur-subsidiary HB Grandi, Iceland’s leading seafood company.”

They said that the whale meat is likely destined for Japan. The Guardian report speculated that it could end up as luxury dog snacks.

The International Whaling Commission placed a global moratorium on whale hunts in 1996. Iceland and Norway openly defy the ban on commercial whale hunting.

Japan also hunts but has said that they only take whales for research.

I don’t read Icelandic and can’t yet confirm AWI’s report that a fin whale has already been killed. But I’m going to assume that the Icelandic whaling vessels aren’t out there to play tiddlywinks.

AWI is asking people to pressure President Obama to enforce sanctions against Icelandic whaling companies.

What are your thoughts on Iceland’s new fin whale hunt?

[humpback whale tail photo by tropicdreams via Shutterstock]

Iceland Fin Whale Hunt Resumes, First Whale Killed Monday [Report] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Coney Island Applebee’s added a shark to their fishtank, and sharks be sharkin’ … leading to the untimely demise of three of the tank’s residents in a bloody shark attack.

The Coney Island Applebee’s shark attack massacre wasn’t the only pescatarian drama to hit the location Friday, the day three innocent fish lost their lives in the bloodbath.

A second shark added to the tank had a fatal accident with a Coney Island Wonder Wheel mini, plowing into the amusement park replica and dying of his injuries in a dangerous day for aquarium dwellers in Brooklyn.

The New York Daily News broke the story, in which the Coney Island Applebee’s served up blood and gore alongside jalapeno poppers and quesadillas to unsuspecting theme food eaters:

“A Blacktip shark named Zane had to be removed Friday from the restaurant’s 5,000-gallon aquarium after devouring three Lookdown fish in a shocking killing spree … That very same day, a Whitetip shark died after colliding with a three-foot Wonder Wheel replica in the tank, leaving employees shaken by the mayhem.”

Coney Island Applebee’s owner Zane Tankel, who apparently was the inspiration for killer shark Zane in the restaurant’s tank, explains that little Zane didn’t mean to devour his tank mates like so many cheese dunkers in a shark attack … he was just stressed out by some life changes and had trouble coping:

“[The Coney Island Applebee’s sharks[ were in shock. We moved them in too quickly … They went from being in an ocean to being in a tank. They were all disoriented.”

While Zane Jr. chomped up three innocent roomies — Animal Planet captured the whole saga for a new show called Tanked — big Zane hopes the $5,000 shark will be able to return to his tank soon, a sentiment we imagine the other fishies don’t share.

One Facebook user over on the Coney Island Applebee’s official page offered sincere and heartfelt condolences, posting:

“Sorry your shark went on a killing spree. ”

Tankel said:

“We are concerned about his health. The sharks are a big investment.”

The Coney Island Applebee’s also must replace the accidentally dead shark after Friday’s aquariumageddon.

Coney Island Applebee’s Shark Massacre Kills Three … Fish is a post from: The Inquisitr

An albino gorilla named Snowflake passed away in 2003, but he’s still making waves as the center of a new study.

You can get a full report, including a cool video, by clicking right here. But the short version is that the beloved albino gorilla Snowflake, a star of the Barcelona Zoo in Spain, was a product of inbreeding.

His entire genome has now been sequenced and the white color has been traced to a single gene. His parents were likely an uncle and a niece, so that the beautiful coloring was a result of inbreeding.

The genetic mutation didn’t seem to harm Snowflake, who lived for 40 years.

However, the development of some albino animals has sparked controversy. White tigers have proved so profitable for the zoos that lease them that the problem of inbreeding has been accused of threatening the survival of the natural form of some endangered tiger populations.

Other white animals have actually been discovered in nature, like the 1980s find in Louisiana of a large brood of white alligators. Fearing that the animals could not survive in the wild, a man brought them to the New Orleans Audubon Institute.

The hugely popular animals have thrived in captivity. Living specimens are still on display in New Orleans while others travel the globe to attract the amazement of onlookers.

By the way, not all white animals are true albinos. An albino has lost the ability to produce melanin. Its eyes are often red because you can see the blood vessels within.

Leucistic animals lack the ability to form pigment in skin, feathers, hair, or scale cells but still have normal pigment in the eyes. The famous New Orleans, Louisiana white alligators are considered leucistic.

With that said, in honor of the albino gorilla, let’s take a quick photo roundup of other beautiful albino and leucistic animals.

New Orleans Audubon Institute White Alligator

mature white alligator at New Orleans Aquarium

The Controversial “Royal” White Tigers

While they’re not a true species but instead a product of inbreeding designed to create the highly profitable creatures, not many people can resist a beautiful white tiger.

A white tiger at New Orleans Audubon Zoo

White Lions

White lions are also a product of inbreeding and have added to the white big cat breeding debate.

A white lion cub in South Africa.

White Peacock

A personal favorite is the well-established white peacock mutation.

A popular peacock mutation.

As you can see, albino and leucistic animals can appear in a wide range of species including reptiles and birds as well as mammals. Are you sure that albino gorilla Snowflake is still your favorite?

Snowflake is the only known albino gorilla.

[white peacock photo by Tangopaso via Wikimedia Commons]
[white lion cub by Gary Whyte via Wikimedia Commons]
[white tiger, white alligator photos by Elaine Radford]
[albino gorilla photos via Barcelona Zoo]

Albino Gorilla Inspired Photo Roundup Of Other Animal ‘Snowflakes’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

In this amazing video, a curious and perhaps hungry black bear climbed a tree and got up close and personal with a hunter.

After ascending the tree like a boss and thoroughly sniffing the man, the animal fortunately backed off and just as suddenly returned to the ground. The hunter succinctly summarized his encounter with the bear — in terms we can all relate to — by whispering “holy sh*t.”

American black bears have even been known to mark trees with their teeth and claws as a way to communicate with other bears.

The American black bear is said to the the world’s most common bear species. It is North America’s smallest and most widely dispersed bear species. They are omnivores, i.e., meat and plant eaters, and they do have a healthy appetite, which sometimes creates scary encounters with humans. “Depending on location and season, they consume herbaceous vegetation, roots, buds, numerous kinds of fleshy fruits, nuts, insects in life stages from egg to adult, and vertebrates from fish to mammals, including their own kills as well as carrion. Moreover, they readily consume various human-related foods, from garbage and birdseed to a variety of agricultural products, including standing corn and oats just before harvest, apples, and honey and brood in apiaries.”

The US black bear population in the 48 contiguous states is estimated to number about 300,000; about 200,000 are presumed to live in Alaska.

In a recent encounter in Russia — a place where an estimated 6,000 black bears call home — a youngish black bear wandered out into the roadway in a relatively rural area and was hit head-on by a vehicle and sent flying. Both motorist and bear appear to have walked away from the accident unhurt, fortunately, which was captured on dash cam video.

Would you be able to stay calm if a bear was in your face?

Bear Climbs Tree, Gets In Hunter’s Face [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The aquarium at the Coney Island Applebee’s was filled with red water this weekend after the restaurant added a few sharks to the tank.

According to the New York Observer, the restaurant thought that it would be fun to add a few sharks to the 5,000 gallon “Wonders Of the Sea” tank at its Coney Island location. Fun, however, would not be the word most used to describe the exhibit.

The two sharks, one whitetip and one blacktip, went on a feeding frenzy after being introduced to the tank. The whitetip shark also met its demise in the tank after it crashed into an underwater Ferris wheel.

The New York Daily News reports that the blacktip shark was removed from the tank after it’s “shocking killing spree.”

Applebee’s owner, Zane Tankel, said: “They went from being in an ocean to being in a tank. They were all disoriented. One of them attacked one of the other fish – one of the tropical fish – and bit him literally in half.”

Despite living through the Applebee’s aquarium massacre once, Zane said that he was ready to give it another try in a few days. The shark was taken to a nearby town where they will be fed for a few days. After that, they will try and introduce the shark to the tank.

Zane said that the shark’s were hunger after being transported the first time, and he’s confident that he won’t run into a similar problem this weekend.

Zane said: “Ordinarily, a shark will not attack the other fish. But the fact he was deprived of food during the transport from the West Coast to here, he was hungry, and in essence, the interpretation is he acclimatized pretty well because he had his appetite back.”

It has not been a good month for fast food restaurants. Taco Bell has been dealing with taco lickers, Wendy’s has had to punish frosty chuggers, and now Applebee’s has a major shark problem on its hands.

Applebee’s Aquarium Massacre: One Shark, Multiple Fish, Die In Coney Island is a post from: The Inquisitr

The mystery of the albino gorilla has been solved. A new study claims that Snowflake got his white coloring due to inbreeding.

Snowflake, an albino gorilla that lived at the Barcelona Zoo for 40 years, was born in Equatorial Guinea. He was captured in 1966 by villagers and brought to the zoo in Spain. Snowflake is the only known gorilla to have white hair and now scientists believe that they know why: Inbreeding.

According to a new report, Snowflake was probably the offspring of an uncle and a niece.

Discovery News reports that researchers from Institut de Biologia Evolutiva at the University of Pompeu Fabra sequenced Snowflake’s entire genome and found that the gorilla’s albinism could be traced to the gene single SLC45A2. They also found that 12% of the genes passed from Snowflake’s parents were identical. The researchers concluded that the albino gorilla was most likely the result of an uncle and a niece mating.

Snowflake is the only known albino gorilla but lead researcher Tomas Marques-Bonet said that more could be discovered in the future. Marques-Bonet said that deforestation could limit mating options in the future and gorilla’s may turn to inbreeding.

Marques-Bonet said: “If we are reducing much more the space that they have now, it is more likely that they will be forced to stay in the group and that will increase the consanguinity.”

Snowflake lived for 40 years at the Barcelona Zoo. The albino gorilla passed away in 2003 from skin cancer.

[Image Via Barcelona Zoo]

Albino Gorilla Mystery Solved: Snowflake Was Inbred, Says Researchers is a post from: The Inquisitr

Do not, under any conditions, feed the bears. A man in Alaska was mauled by a bear this week after he fed the animal some barbecue meat.

Ken Marsh, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Fish And Game, said that the camper “pretty much goaded” the bear into attacking. Marsh said that in addition to getting mauled by a bear, the man could face a fine for feeding the wildlife.

According to Alaska State Trooper spokesman Beth Ipsen, the man was at a church picnic near the Eklutna Lake Campground just north of Anchorage when he decided to go for a bike ride. The man, who had been drinking, brought some barbecue with him which he decided to share with a bear that he met on his path.

The man threw the bear a piece of barbecue meat, and then another, and when he ran out of food the bear started looking for something else to munch on.

Ipsen said: “That’s when it kind of went ballistic.”

The bear mauled the man but eventually left when it figured out that the camper didn’t have the same smokey taste as the barbecued meat. Thankfully, the man survived the attack.

The Anchorage News Daily reports that the man, who was not identified because he could be charged for feeding the wildlife, was found by park rangers washing himself off at a campground. Ipsen said that the man was pretty incoherent when he was found and had a hard time telling park rangers exactly what had happened.

The man was then taken to a hospital where he was treated with puncture wounds and scratches and then released.

Marsh said that the bear wasn’t a danger to anyone in the area and isn’t expected to attack anyone else. The spokesman said again: “The bear was pretty much goaded into this.”

Bear Mauls Man In Alaska After Being Fed Barbecue Meat is a post from: The Inquisitr

Wolf vs. sheep seems like a pretty straightforward matchup. You put your money on the wolf, kick back with a brew, and wait to collect. I mean, what’s the sheep got on her side?

She’s going to get all itchy and scratchy and fuzz you to death?

But a new soon-to-be viral video proves that there’s no such thing as a sure bet.

According to some wolf vs. sheep footage posted to YouTube this weekend, the smart money should be placed on the sheep.

The wolf appears to believe he’s the favorite, since he spots the mother sheep with two youngsters from some distance away before he charges the tiny herd.

However, it looks like you do not want to be the wolf that misses with a mama sheep. His hunt soon comes to an inglorious end.

There’s actually a bit of discussion underway at YouTube about why the sheep was able to chase off the wolf, even though she was encumbered with two little ones.

One theory goes that wolves are pack hunters, which is fair enough. But heck, should it take the whole pack to bring down a sheep?

I don’t care what a bumbling fumbler the lone wolf is. He’s still a wolf, and she’s still a sheep. It really makes you question your assumptions, doesn’t it?

Some wolf fans may know that the US federal government plans to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list in the 48 contiguous states. Some of the pressure for the delisting has come from ranchers, who say that there are already too many wolves.

Hmm. If they’re ranching sheep, maybe they don’t have as much to fear from the wolves as they think.

What’s your theory on the failed hunt footage captured in the wolf vs. sheep video?

[yawning wolf photo by Arran Edmonstone via Flickr and Creative Commons]

Wolf Vs. Sheep No Contest, Sheep Wins [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A stray dog who photobombed a family picture taken in Chile, has been adopted after an arduous month-long search.

The O’Connor family was on a cruise when they stopped in Valparaíso. As the family posed to take a picture, a stray dog jumped up at them.

Kaylan O’Connor instantly fell in love with the stray.

“He jumped at us like saying ‘hello,’” O’Connor told BBC World in a phone interview. “He was sweet and he followed us the rest of the time we were there. We knew he needed a home.”

The family affectionately named the canine Chili Dog, but after eight hours, it was time for them to return to their cruise. Once back in Seattle, Kaylan O’Connor made it her mission to track down her beloved Chili Dog. She looked for someone who would be able to find the dog and transport him back to the United States.

Alexis Castillo, director of Red de Defensores y Rescatistas de Animales (EDRA) in the Chilean capital of Santiago, said she received an email from O’Connor in February asking for help tracking down the canine.

“The email said [O'Connor] had fallen for a stray dog and wanted to arrange transport back to Seattle,” said Castillo. “At first I was skeptical. I replied back and said I needed $100 to pay for expenses in trying to locate the street dog. If I received the money that same day before midnight, I would be able to search for the dog the very next day. Twenty minutes later I had received $200 via Western Union.”

It took Castillo and a small group of volunteers over a month to locate Chili Dog, who was just one of hundreds of thousands of stray dogs in the South American country. After he was found, he was neutered and vaccinated. Castillo then had to convince an airline to transport him to the US, which took about a month after Chili Dog was located.

Altogether, Kaylan O’Connor spent nearly $2,000 arranging to bring Chili Dog home to Seattle, where he finally arrived on May 28 — three months after the family first encountered him in Valparaíso. He joined two “brothers,” Auto and Klaus, whom O’Connor said took to Chili Dog in a way they haven’t with other canines.

“Normally my dogs don’t like other dogs, but when Chili Dog arrived, they allowed him to in the house and shared their food and water dishes,” she said. “I believe they knew that Chili needed a home.”

What do you think of the O’Connor family adopting Chili Dog?

[Photos courtesy of: Kaylan O'Connor / Facebook]

Chilean Stray Dog Adopted By Washington Family is a post from: The Inquisitr

For a happy Father’s Day, why not take a look at eight dads from the animal kingdom? Human fathers aren’t the only ones who sometimes go far beyond the call of duty to take care of their offspring.

I’ve included videos from each of the winners, so you can see for yourself just how remarkable these animal dads can be.

There are oddities like seahorses in which the male of the species actually undergoes pregnancy and the act of giving birth.

And there are examples of tireless dedication, like the hornbills that seal their growing families into a tree cavity for safety. With the female and eggs walled up, the father becomes completely responsible for supplying every bite of food that the mother and young need to survive.

But it isn’t just the species of a distant ocean or a faraway forest that make great animal dads. As part of our Father’s Day video roundup, we’ll check out footage of a great father that many Americans can find right now in their own backyards.

8. Emu

The female of the species leaves the eggs in the nest for the father to raise. As a result, he may lose one-third of his body weight during the weeks he spends sitting on the eggs. He spends another 18 months raising the baby chicks to adulthood.

7. Emperor Penguin

In the winter cold of Antarctica, the female lays the eggs and makes a run for the ocean. The fathers must then huddle together for two long months in temperatures as cold as 60 degrees below freezing to incubate and hatch the eggs. Brrr!

6. Wolves

Unlike some mammals, the father wolf — and the rest of the pack — is involved with his young. It may look like play, but the young ones are learning to cooperate — important for a pack-hunting species:

5. Seahorse

In this amazing video from The Deep Hull aquarium in the United Kingdom, you can see a male seahorse giving birth to hundreds of babies — and then the female seahorse comes around and pesters him for more.

4. Rhinoceros Hornbill

Both parents work to seal the female in the trunk of a tree cavity with the young for safety. There she remains incubating and hatching the eggs, and then raising the chicks, for months. Daddy hornbill has to fetch and carry everything they need, because they’re completely dependent on him:

3. Asian Arowana

The male broods the fertilized eggs and even the young carefully within his mouth. This fish dad was found carrying babies in his mouth, but it’s for their protection, not to make them into dinner.

2. Titi Monkeys

Titi monkeys are well-regarded fathers, especially for primates. In some cases the father may perform most of the care for the baby, only bringing it to the mother to nurse. In this video you’ll see a captive-bred red titi monkey whose affectionate parents share the baby duties.

1. Northern Cardinal

There are lots of songbirds that make doting dads, but the brilliant male Northern Cardinal is one of the most visible. Here, Daddy feeds two babies that have fallen from the nest:

He’ll keep that up for weeks, until the babies are big enough to go out on their own — and sometimes longer. I see perfectly capable flying youngsters pestering their father for attention all the time.

Fortunately, cardinal — like human — fathers seem to have a lot of patience.

Enjoy your Father’s Day with these top eight great animal dads.

[wolf photo by A.J. Gagnon via Shutterstock]

Father’s Day Eight Amazing Animal Dads Video Roundup is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Doberman meets baby ostriches video posted on YouTube Wednesday is just so full of cute. I’ve posted it down below, where you can enjoy a well-trained Doberman named Sugar Tree in the big dog’s first introduction to a pair of baby ostriches.

The video was created by Camels & Friends, a YouTube channel by Alex Komechak who has extensive experience with camels and many other species of animals. You can visit her website for lots more information, including links to 2012 her appearance on Animal Planet.

Folks, I don’t post this video because I think most of us have any business putting a baby ostrich in a room with a Doberman. This is a job for someone who knows what she’s doing, knows the dog, and knows how to create a bond between the dog and her other pets.

Enjoy it on YouTube but don’t try it at home unless you too are an expert.

And there’s another thing about baby ostriches. They become big ostriches.

Big ostriches can be very dangerous animals for people who don’t know what they’re doing. Heck, I personally knew a bird expert who did know what he was doing — and he still got a powerful kick once from his adult ostrich.

For most of us, these cuties are better enjoyed on video, in the wild, or in a zoo.

OK, with the obligatory warnings out of the way, check it out:

Oh, and for extra cuteness points, watch a video of the baby ostriches sleeping:

Awwww. If that doesn’t make you want go give ‘em a hug, what will?

But the first video is my favorite. Sometimes we see too many negative images of big powerful dogs, and we forget what lovable protectors they can be.

Sugar Tree the Doberman and her baby ostrich new best buddies are just too adorable for words.

[baby ostrich photo by Christophe EYQUEM via Wikimedia Commons]

Doberman Meets Baby Ostriches, So Cute [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Alaskan dog by the name of Cutie seems to have luck on her side considering she survived four days while trapped under an overturned boat.

Jeremy McDonald, 34 told reporters that the boat had overturned while not only he was on it, but also his friends John and Billy Minerva, ages 35 and 25, and John Minerva’s girlfriend’s 30-pound Labrador retriever and terrier mix, Cutie.

The boat overturned while the three men were out on the Chena River, while the men had been trying to help a raft that had been stuck up against a bridge.

The incident quickly escalated, and the boat ended up taking on water which contributed to the boat flipping over.

While all three were able to make it back to shore okay, there was no sign of the dog.

McDonald told reporters that when he and his friends went back to the boat a few days later, “I was pretty sure we were going to go there and find a dead dog.”

McDonald got one heck of a surprise when he did finally reach the boat though.

McDonald told News-Minor that as he reached the side of the boat, there she was, “It was crazy,” he told reporters, “I get to the side of the boat, look in there and she barks and growls at me.”

It was a surprise to all three men, “It was pretty much a miracle,” said McDonald.

So once McDonald got the attention of friends John and Billy Minerva, the three worked together, hooking a rope to the 17-foot boat to turn it over.

“As soon as we did, she comes walking out shaking and scared,” McDonald said.

To be trapped under a boat, especially one that had been overturned and floating along a river for four days, no wonder the dog was shaken up.

John Minerva told reporters he and his girlfriend, Grace Sommer, were overjoyed to have the dog back. He said she is currently recovering from her ordeal on the river.

“She was sore for a couple of days, but other than that she was fine,” Minerva said.

This news comes only days after another boating accident off of the coast of Florida, leaving ten people hospitalized.

Seems like luck was on the side of the dog named Cutie after she survived four days while trapped under an overturned boat, after all, that’s not an easy task!

[Image via Tim Mowry/News-Miner]

Dog Survives 4 Days Under Overturned Boat is a post from: The Inquisitr

If a wolf was chasing your motorcycle, would you take the time to turn around and grab a few photos to prove it? Tim Bartlett, a Banff, Alberta man who was riding down Canada’s scenic Hwy 93 in Kootenay National Park on Saturday afternoon did exactly that.

Don’t believe me? You don’t have to take my word for it. A tweet that includes one of Tim Bartlett’s wolf photos is posted down below.

Hmm. That’s a pretty feisty wolf.

All six of the photos were posted by Canada’s CBC News to prove that Bartlett’s story of a wolf chasing a motorcycle was more than a wild outdoor yarn.

According to their report, Bartlett was meters (yards, if you must) away from being caught by the fleet-footed animal. The wolf was able to keep up for about a kilometer — rough six-tenths of a mile.

Parks Canada said that wolf chases are rare. Most wolves are afraid of humans and avoid them, so Parks spokeswoman Michelle Macullo said that Bartlett did the right thing when he reported the encounter:

“It’s likely that …this animal has lost some of its natural fear of humans — so it’s definitely cause for concern.”

In the United States, wolves have been at the center of a very different controversy. Last Friday, the federal authorities announced a plan to remove most wolves from the Endangered Species List, arousing public outcry from environmentalists who believe the relatively rare animals still need protection.

Wolf chases biker, biker takes great photo http://t.co/0SNEuyuNPJ

— msnNOW (@msnNOW) June 14, 2013

Well, I think “great” is an exaggeration. Blurry might be a more accurate description.

But let’s get real. The photographer was in the process of being chased down by a wolf on a busy highway.

I certainly never expect to take a better photo of a wolf chasing a motorcycle than Tim Bartlett did.

[top running red wolf photo by Carley Curtis, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, via Wikimedia Commons]

Wolf Chases Motorcycle, Biker Bartlett Snaps Photos To Prove It is a post from: The Inquisitr

A black kitten was lucky to be alive after being stuck in a truck engine for nearly 300 miles.

The driver of the truck was pulled over for a cell phone violation in Sugar Grove, Illinois, when meowing was heard coming from the engine. The driver said that he had been listening to the noise since he left Wisconsin, and said he didn’t have a cat when the police officer asked. The officer then asked the driver to shut off the engine and pop the hood. The officer checked the engine and found the kitten clinging to the air filter. She had been stuck inside for the entire four-hour, 284-mile trip from Tomah, Wisconsin, to Sugar Grove.

The kitten, who was named EB for “engine block,” was taken to Kane County Animal Control, whose staff described her as spunky and attention loving. Other than ear mites, EB was completely healthy.

“She has a lot of energy and is very playful,” the staff said. “She has also been around small dogs.”

Robert Sauceda said Animal Control was flooded with phone calls about EB since Officer Kevin Forest brought her in on May 25. KCAC posted a picture of EB on its Facebook page on June 7, and less than a week later, she was adopted.

“We got to be picky and pick the family I think she wanted to be with,” he said. “She warmed up to them right away.”

Sauceda added, “We’re happy. She was the first cat I ever really warmed up to. When she came in, she was scared and stayed in my office most of the time. I’m glad she went to a good family who’s gonna love her for years.”

Sauceda said that EB’s new family has hinted that they will keep the name she was given and start a Facebook page chronicling her new life.

[Photo courtesy of Kane County Animal Control]

Kitten Survives 300 Mile Trip Stuck In Truck Engine is a post from: The Inquisitr

A two-faced Janus kitten died Thursday in Oregon, just two days after it was born.

Deucy was born Tuesday in Amity, and owner Stephanie Durkee was beyond surprised when her children told her that there was a kitten with two faces in the litter.

Durkee told her children, “I think you guys are just tired, you’re crazy, that doesn’t happen.”

But then Durkee saw Deucy, who suffered from a rare congenital disorder called diprosopus. Cats with this disorder are known as “Janus” cats, named after the two-faced Roman god, Janus, who also lends his name to the month of January.

Janus kittens rarely make it to adulthood, with the oldest known living to 12 years. Durkee fed Deucy every two hours with a syringe after she was rejected by her mother. The kitten had a healthy set of organs, according to veterinarians, but died of health complications, and Durkee said she died peacefully in the morning. Deucy’s two litter mates have survived.

In February, a Janus cat named Harvey Dent also died from health complications from diprosopus after just two days.

In 2011, a cat named Frank and Louie was named the longest-surviving Janus cat at 12 years old. His owner, Marty Stevens, was working at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University when the cat was brought in by a breeder. Stevens invited Frank and Louie into her home, where she tube fed him and set an alarm every two hours for nightly feedings.

“I’d wake up and literally think, ‘Oh my god, he’s still alive,’” Stevens said. “Then days passed and it was like, ‘Yay he’s still alive!’”

Frank and Louie was generally healthy throughout his life, although he did suffer a sinus infection as a kitten and later had surgery to remove teeth growing in along the right side of his face, where he had no jaw.

Are you sad to hear that Deucy the two-faced kitten has died?

Two-Faced Kitten Dies In Oregon is a post from: The Inquisitr

A 6-month-0ld pit bull puppy ate two of his owner’s toes while the man was sleeping Wednesday morning.

Roger Brown of Brazil, Indiana, woke up around 4:30 am to find his puppy Bo licking his feet. But Bo had already gnawed off Brown’s big and small toe on his left foot before Brown woke up. The puppy was also able to eat away a portion of Brown’s foot as well.

Brown’s brother, Marvin, said the pinky toe had a hole the size of a half dollar, and that it was bandaged back up after cutting away dead skin and tissue. Bo tried to pull the bandage off, while Brown was awake, but Brown kept shooing him away.

Brown, who is diabetic and disabled, typically wraps his feet when he sleeps because of his “flesh wounds [and] blisters,” but he skipped the wrapping Tuesday night. The 46-year-old said he doesn’t blame Bo for the incident and has decided not to euthanize him. Brown said he will continue raising Bo, and admitted that he had only himself to blame. He said that was Bo was “enticed” by the exposed flesh, and that he didn’t feel anything because gangrene had set in.

Doctors think Bo smelled the infection and was trying to chew it out of Brown’s foot. Police said since the dog is a family pet, they don’t consider the incident an attack. Brazil Police Chief Clint McQueen said he’s never encountered a situation like this before, but that there’s a “first time for everything.”

Bo has been isolated by the city by order police, and he remains under observation for signs of rabies or other illness. Brown, a father of three, was rushed to IU Health Methodist Hospital by medical helicopter. He said he is “forever maimed” by the incident and faces a long road to recovery.

A similar incident happened to an Oregon man last year. A 61-year-old Roseburg man, who is also diabetic, had his toes eaten off by his dog in his sleep. Roseburg veternarian Alan Ross said that, similar to Brown’s situation with Bo, the dog was probably attracted to the smell of an infection and was trying to get rid of the dead tissue.

Pit Bull Puppy Eats Sleeping Owner’s Toes is a post from: The Inquisitr

San Rafael, CA — An alert guide dog saved two people on Monday from being run over by a runaway car going backwards on the sidewalk.

The man and woman were instructors for Guide Dogs for the Blind who were taking a mid-morning stroll with O’Neil, a yellow Lab, when they were nearly run over by the wrong-way driver. They were taking a walk in the area to assess the canine’s guide dog skills, which turned out to be quite good.

O’Neill was the first of the group to become aware of the out-of-control car heading directly towards them. The seemingly near-death experience was captured by surveillance video (see embed below).

According to training supervisor Todd Jurek, ” ‘It was just an unbelievable sight to see something going backwards, barreling down the sidewalk.’ He quickly herded the fellow employee and dog out of harm’s way when he noticed the dog jerk its head to look behind them.”

The other trainer, Danielle Alvarado, an apprentice instructor, was actually blindfolded as part of the training exercise while all this was going on. The assistance dog was the first of the trio to sense that the trainers were in serious danger. “The surveillance video shows the three walking down Fourth and then Jurek running and pushing Alvarado around an E Street corner seconds before a black car speeds backwards down the sidewalk, smashing a store window and finally coming to rest on the opposite corner of Fourth and E streets. Jurek said he heard the glass window break, but it was O’Neil who turned his head first to see what was happening.”

Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident including the 93-year-old driver of the vehicle. Reportedly the motorist may have lost control when she tried to parallel park and put the vehicle in reverse rather than in drive. To be on the safe side, police have notified the DMV to schedule a driving re-test for the woman, however.

The trainers also have taken steps to verify that O’Neill came out of the incident okay. “Jurek said O’Neil underwent a series of tests on Tuesday to ensure he was not traumatized by the incident. Guide Dogs for the Blind says it hopes to have the courageous pup placed with an individual sometime in the coming weeks.”

[top image via Shutterstock]

Guide Dog Saves Two Trainers From Runaway Car [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A cheetah’s top speed may not be as fast as biologists reported in the past. According to a study published online Wednesday in Nature, five wild cheetahs tested in Botswana, Africa never exceeded a top speed of 58 miles per hour in 367 runs.

However, that speed was enough to allow the cheetah to hold the title of world’s fastest land animal. For an even faster animal, check out my peregrine falcon videos that show the world’s fastest bird catching a champion downhill mountain biker.

A partly domesticated cheetah in Kenya running in a straight line reportedly hit a top speed of 65 miles per hour. That record came somewhat into doubt over the years since zoo cheetahs haven’t been measured at speeds faster than 40 mph, perhaps because well-fed zoo specimens don’t have the need for speed that wild hunters do.

In the new study, the five wild cheetahs were pretty conservative with their energy much of the time, mostly hunting at moderate speeds of around 30-35 miles per hour. However, they demonstrated an impressive ability to accelerate.

Lead researcher Alan Wilson of the Royal Veterinary College in Hatfield, UK told BBC News:

“They are remarkable athletes – not just in terms of their speed, but also with their ability to accelerate… in capturing the prey…They’ve arranged to have a low gear so they can accelerate very rapidly up to their top speed.”

An interesting finding: The wild cheetahs could actually increase their speed by 7 mph in just one stride.

Here’s a Smithsonian Channel clip of running cheetahs. Their researchers said the cheetah reaches a top speed of 75 miles per hour.

However, they agreed with the new study that it’s the acceleration that’s most impressive. The Smithsonian noted that the cheetah accelerates faster than supercars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis — going from zero to 60 in just three seconds.

It may depend on the cheetah in question. I don’t run as fast as Usain Bolt.

Couldn’t some cheetahs’ top speed be faster than that of the five cats in the new study?

[captive cheetah running photo by Mark Dumont via Flickr and Creative Commons]

Cheetah Top Speed May Be Less Than 60 MPH is a post from: The Inquisitr

A two-faced kitten was born this week in Oregon.

According to the Global Post, the little kitten was born in the town of Amity, Oregon. Her owners have named her “Deucy.”

Owner Stephanie Durkee said: “The kids … came in and said, ‘Mom there’s a kitty with two heads.’ And I said, ‘I think you guys are just tired, you’re crazy, that doesn’t happen.’”

The Guardian reports that Deucy the two-faced kitten was rejected by her mother and had to be fed with a bottle. She’s only a few days old but Durkee said that the cat appears to be healthy.

Yahoo News notes that two-headed cats are very rare but they aren’t unheard of. They are called Janus cats and pop up from time to time. A two-faced kitten was born last year in Port Charlotte, Florida, but died just a few days later.

Cats aren’t the only animals that are occasionally born with an extra face. A pig in China was recently spared a trip to the slaughterhouse because it had two heads.

Here’s a video about Deucy, who was born under the sign Gemini, the two-faced kitten.

Two-Faced Kitten Born In Oregon [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

When we think of the term “cat burglar,” we often think of a skilled burglar who breaks into homes and businesses undetected and then makes off with priceless works of art and jewels. In this case, the cat burglar is literally a three-year-old Siamese cross.

Paul Edwards recently took to Facebook in the hopes of returning various items his cat stole from various owners.

Among the items stolen have been a phone charter, hand puppet, and even a child’s artwork.

On his Facebook page, Edwards writes:

“We take photographs of things that Theo has brought home and put them up on Facebook, saying ‘Excuse me, do any of you recognize these?’ ”

Some of the items stolen by the unsuspecting cat burglar include:

• Child’s artwork
• Condom
• Crisp packets
• End caps from guttering
• Fluffy pen
• Hand puppet
• Muslin cloth
• Other cats’ toys
• Phone charger

Edwards tells BBC News:

“We sheepishly had to go to our neighbor’s with a handful of cat toys, which turned out to be his.”

The cat is a sly operator, earning the trust of neighborhood children who let him into their homes. Once inside, the cat grabs what he can and then makes off like a real cat burglar.

One of the homes on the block has twins, and the cat burglar actually stole a fluffy pink pen right in front of the kids.

So what do the neighbors think about having a neighborhood cat that makes off with their items? It turns out that the unsuspecting cat burglar is somewhat of a celebrity in the area.

The next time stuff goes missing from your own house just remember – it might be the work of a thief – or it might be the work of a bored cat who likes to steal stuff and taken things home with it.

‘Cat Burglar’ Steals Child’s Artwork, Turns Out To Be An Actual Cat is a post from: The Inquisitr

A squirrel king has been proven difficult to handle, as shown in recent pictures.

For anyone unfamiliar with the term ‘king’, in this context, it refers to when half a dozen rodents or more are entwined together and forced to move as one large mass of fluff.

Hearing about rodents connected by their tails, although worrying, is probably a less upsetting read then when scientists connected rats brains.

Many people have probably heard of the horror story of rat kings; however, not many will have heard of squirrels suffering from this phenomenon.

However, one of the on hand vets when this case was brought in, had seen this happen before:

“It’s a pretty rare thing to see but I have seen it happen once before.”

This wouldn’t be the first time people have questioned the antics of squirrels, as shown in The Inquisitr’s post about squirrel logic.

However, this is by far a more weird situation than previously reported squirrel activities.

The rare and odd occurrence came to the attention of vets in Regina, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, when a concerned local brought the tangled mass of squirrels into the nearest clinic.

Upon examination it was determined that the squirrel king, which consisted of six of the furry creatures, had happened because of pine sap.

The liquid had glued their tails together and had created this entangled result.

Despite how tricky the situation was, for both the squirrels and the vets, the squirrel king was carefully and time consumingly separated.

Furthermore, the incident didn’t result in any tail amputations, which is a rarity in itself because normally, if and when this type of occurrence happens, the tangled up tails are that badly joined together that many rodents have to lose their tails.

Dr. Kruzeniski, one of the vets who helped separate the squirrel king, commented:

“They were brought in quickly, [...] They all got to keep their own tails, which is not always the case.”

The now separate six squirrels have been released back into the wild and can now go about their everyday business, which we image is about hiding and stashing away nuts.

No doubt their freedom from the dreaded squirrel king is something they’re pleased about.

[Image via MetroNews]

Handling A Squirrel King Situation is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Colombian Congress voted Wednesday to ban the use of wild animals in any travelling or stationary circuses, according tomsnNOW.

They continued to say, “After a six-year public campaign that included scientific reviews and exposed extreme abuse of circus animals through undercover investigations, Colombia joined four other South American countries (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay) to ban their use.”

The Animal Defenders International (ADI) led the campaign as part of its global Stop Circus Suffering initiative, and the organization expressed its delight that the years of undercover investigations, scientific reviews, public debates, and awareness-raising days had resulted in the ban being secured.

Bill 244, 2012 sought to prohibit all animals in circuses; however, domestic species were excluded in the Senate according to the ADI report released Wednesday.

The ADI had been working undercover for two years in South American circuses, making notes on the poor conditions that the animals were normally contained in.

These poor conditions included “deprived environments, small cages, psychological suffering and the violent and brutal treatment of animals when being handled and trained.”

Jan Creamer, Chief Executive of ADI said in the report:

“We congratulate the Colombian Congress for approving this Bill and are delighted that Colombia has shown that animals should not suffer for our entertainment.

“ADI stands ready to assist with rescue and relocation of the animals, whenever the Government of Colombia requires assistance.

“After this momentous decision, it is important that these animals are allowed to live out their days, free from the circus and the suffering they have endured.”

ADI’s campaigns coordinator for Latin America, Eduardo Peña stated in the report:

“Now circuses have the opportunity to strengthen human talent, support the Colombian Government’s ethical position and evolve shows that respects human values and protect nature.”

Overall, the campaign extended their thanks to everyone who helped make this possible.

Peña stated:

“Our warmest thanks and congratulations go to more than 50 national animal protection organizations who helped with this bill, and of course the individuals, celebrities, academics, officials, congressmen, artists and non-animal circuses who joined with us to stop animal suffering in circuses in Colombia.

ADI also thanked Senator Camilo Sanchez and Juan de Jesus Cordoba in their report Wednesday for all of their assistance.

Circuses will have two years to comply with the new legislation in which Colombia bans the use of wild animals in circuses.

[Image via Shutterstock/Nejron Photo]

Colombia Bans Wild Animals In Circuses is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Delavan turtle has died following a brutal beating. The snapping turtle was found injured at the Delbrook Golf course in Walworth County, Wisconsin.

The female turtle was hit at least four times, most likely with a golf club. Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources report that the turtle suffered serious injury to her head and her shell. While turtles are often harmed by vehicles and other wildlife, they are rarely found beaten.

As reported by WISN, the Delavan turtle was taken to a facility in Fendoria that specializes in reptiles. Veterinarians who examined the turtle found that she was carrying approximately 30 eggs.

Despite the efforts of everyone involved, the Delavan turtle has now died.

As reported by the Journal Sentinel, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Global Conservation Group of Watertown have pooled their resources to offer a $6,000 reward for information about the attack. The turtle was beaten on Monday morning between 7:30 and 9:30 am.

In Wisconsin, common snapping turtles can be found in and around water sources including lakes, rivers, and ponds. The turtles are primarily known as predators, feeding on small fish and bugs. They are often feared as they have a pointed beak-like mouth and powerful jaws.

As reported by Arkive.org, snapping turtles face numerous threats including pollution, habitat depletion, and overexploitation. Hatchlings are in danger of being eaten by birds and fish. Adult common snapping turtles may become tangled in fishing nets or injured by vehicles while crossing the road.

Unfortunately, the Delavan turtle’s life was cut short by a senseless and brutal attack. Conservationists estimate that the turtle was likely beaten with an iron golf club due to the extent of the injuries.

The Delavan turtle has died, but authorities are still interested in finding the person responsible. Anyone with information about the attack is encouraged to contact the Department of Natural Resources Hotline at (800) TIP-WDNR or (800) 847-9367.

[Image via Wikimedia]

Delavan Turtle Dies After Brutal Beating is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cat Island houses more cats than people. Tashiro-jima, which is located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, is home to hundreds of feral cats. The population of cats has grown consistently throughout the years, as residents and visitors encourage their survival.

In the 1800s, the island was a popular stop along fishing routes. Several inns catered to the traveling fishermen, offering a hot meal and a comfortable bed for the night. Often the fishermen were greeted by feral cats, who would beg for food or attention.

As reported by Yahoo, the cats became the inspiration for numerous legends and superstitions. One legend involves a fisherman who accidentally dropped a rock, killing one of the cats. Fearing retribution, the fisherman built a shrine in the cat’s honor. Numerous cat shrines can now be seem throughout Cat Island, underlining the importance of superstition.

Residents, fishermen, and tourists hold the legends and superstitions close to their hearts. It is thought that the cats are responsible for bringing good luck and fortune to those who show them affection or feed them.

In addition to the shrines, Cat Island is filled with monuments and buildings that are either shaped like cats, or have a cat theme.

As reported by Atlas Obscura, the cats are protected by rules that prevent their harm. Additionally, predators such as dogs are not allowed on the island. There are under 100 human residents remaining on Cat Island, compared to several hundred cats.

The cats are described as friendly but wild. They generally remain feral as residents do not keep them as pets. However, they do feed the cats and keep them free from harm.

The cats on Cat Island are loved by many visitors and residents. Unfortunately, they are being blamed for a sharp reduction in the number of residents. Cat island was formerly populated by close to 1000 people. Now Cat Island houses more cats than people.

[Image via Flickr Flickr]

Cat Island Houses More Cats Than People is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cat owner, Stephanie Durkee, was surprised to discovered that her new kitten has two faces.

Unlike Venus, who has two different colored sides to her face, this little two faced kitten actually has two separate faces.

Durkee’s children reportedly ran up to her and said:

“Mom, there’s a kitty with two heads,”

To which Durkee replied:

“I think you guys are just tired, you’re crazy, that doesn’t happen.”

However, the oddity, known as a “Janus” kitten, was in fact true and left Durkee with an important job on her hands.

The new kitten, named Deucy, was rejected by her mother and is therefore being hand fed kitten formula via a syringe.

Knowing the new addition has to be hand fed, alongside her obvious deformities, seems to have made people warm to Deucy even more than they would with a normal kitten.

It seems like a literal case of the double the cuteness.

No doubt if the two faced animal had been anything other than a cute and fluffy kitten, Durkee and her children would have been running for the hills.

After all, two faced/two headed creatures tend to be something you’d expect to find in a horror film, not in real life in the form of adorable kitten goodness.

Then again, is it any surprise that Deucy has become an Internet sensation when a two faced piglet born in China managed the same feat?

Sadly though, the little pig wasn’t given good odds of survival, with the vet commenting that it would be lucky if it reached adulthood.

Luckily, Durkee received better news after her trip to the vets with Deucy.

An Oregon vet was happy to report that all was working properly and that Deucy was making steady progress despite her handicap.

Hopefully as news about Deucy the two faced kitten spreads, we will hear more about her adventures and general adjustments to life as a rare ‘Janus’ kitty.

[Image via Sky News]

Deucy The Two Faced Kitten Born [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Schoolchildren in Hamilton have decided to include reading to shelter animals in their after school activities.

One day a week, children partaking in the Keystone to Discovery Afterschool Program visit the Bitter Root Humane Association and read to shelter dogs and cats.

This is a refreshing snippet of animal news after disturbing reports about the USDA torturing and abusing animals went live earlier this year.

As strange as it may sound, the reading seems to have a soothing effect on the shelter animals, according to Keystone director Rita Overholt:

“We’ve seen that the sound of their voices is soothing for the dogs and cats [...] It is relaxing to the dogs to hear those calm and steady voices.”

Considering that the majority of shelter animals have come from questionable backgrounds, the program seems to be a good way to get the shelter animals used to more friendly human interactions.

Furthermore, for the dogs and cats that have been long-time guests at the Bitter Root Humane Association, this after school idea appears to be a good way to keep them calm and familiar with a diverse mix of people.

But it isn’t just the shelter animals at Bitter Root that benefit from the reading scheme. Apparently the children do as well.

According to reports from parents and teachers, their children’s reading skills have greatly improved:

“Dogs are a totally non-judgmental audience to read to. We’ve found that it does help them build their reading skills and they have fun doing it.”

It’s nice to hear about schoolchildren getting involved with positive, accepted activities rather than joining in with a celebration of “Kick A Jew Day.”

This unusual means of educating and improving the lives of shelter animals is one that is totally the choice of the schoolchildren.

Missoulian reported that one of the schoolchildren, a keen sports enthusiast, openly chose to read to the shelter animals instead of playing a game of dodgeball.

Furthermore, none of his peers batted an eyelid at the decision.

Eva Burnsides, the shelter’s manager, had this to say about the program:

“The kids enjoy it and the dogs really enjoy it, [...] Yesterday they had just finished eating when the kids showed up. They got to digest their meal to the sound of stories being read to them in nice, calm, reassuring voices.”

It does appear that these fortunate shelter animals have a calm and relaxing way to wait for their forever homes while still having constant human interaction.

[Image via now.msn]

Schoolchildren Read To Shelter Animals is a post from: The Inquisitr

An humane officer from North Ridgeville, Ohio was cleared of any wrongdoing Tuesday after shooting and killing five homeless kittens in a residential area as children listened.

Animal welfare groups are demanding the city fire Humane Officer Barry Accorti who responded to a call to remove a group of feral cats near a family home Monday. The call was placed by a neighborhood woman who was concerned about the family of cats.

Within 20 minutes Accorti arrived, telling the woman and her children, ranging in age from several months to seven years, that the animal shelters were full and that the kittens “would be going to kitty heaven.”

The mother, assuming Accorti was going to capture the animals and that would possibly face humane euthanasia at the shelters, took her children back into her home.

Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Director Theresa Landon, who took the woman’s complaint, explains what happened next:

“[Accorti] went to his truck and got his gun, which she thought was a tranquilizer gun, and walked around to the back of the house and approximately 15 feet from her back door shot and killed the eight to 10-week-old kittens.”

Landon added:

“Her children were upstairs in view of the windows. They started screaming and crying because they heard the gunshots. They started screaming, ‘Mommy, he’s killing the kittens.’”

Tuesday North Ridgeville Police Chief Mike Freeman cleared Human Officer Barry Accorti in any wrongdoing. However, several local animal welfare advocacy groups have become strongly concerned over the incident and are demanding the city fire Accorti for actions they describe as careless and cruel.

While animal homelessness and overpopulation are a problem, many animal welfare activists suggest there are alternative solutions that are not only more humane but more effective than euthanasia, especially as carried out by Humane Officer Accorti.

[Image via ShutterStock]

Humane Officer Cleared Of Wrongdoing After Shooting Kittens As Children Listened is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Florida couple were arrested after animal service workers found 17 dogs and two cats who were severely emaciated and neglected in their condemned home.

Animal Control Specialist Kimberley Duncan didn’t know what she was in for after she received an animal cruelty call on Monday night. When she walked into Jessica Ankiel and Abrhamam Israel’s home, she found starving dogs and cats locked inside rusty cages on a filthy floor that was covered in feces and urine.

Two children were also found inside the house and one of them reportedly had excrement on his leg. Israel also kept a fully loaded gun inside an unlocked nightstand, so both of the children were taken to stay with family.

“It’s an unfortunate situation … There were several animals in the home and it created a poor condition of just general filth,” Orange County Animal Services spokeswoman Diane Summers said.

Ankiel admitted that she operated an animal rescue service from her own but got in above her head. She was charged with cruelty to animals and Israel was charged with neglect of a child, failure to report child abuse and leaving a firearm within easy access of a minor.

On the Ohana Dog Rescue’s Facebook page, Ankiel wrote that the rescue’s mission is to ‘to find the perfect forever homes for the dogs we pull’ from kill shelters across Florida.

Offiicials said that Ankiel was running an unregistered rescue and that only four of the pets rescued from her home were adopted directly from Animal Services.

On her Facebook page, Ankiel wrote that they were in the process of filing the appropriate paperwork to become a non-profit organization.

Do you think Ankiel deserves jail time for this? Or do you believe she just got in over her head and didn’t intentionally try to hurt the animals?

Florida Couple Arrested For Keeping Starving Pets In Condemned Home is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s not every day you get a glimpse of a rare blue lobster, considering it’s a one in two million chance of catching one in North American waters, according to msnNOW.

Sheldon Trenholm of South River, Nova Scotia Canada got a pleasant surprise when he caught the rare lobster.

Sources say, when Mr. Trenholm first lifted the lobster trap into the boat with eight or so lobsters inside, it took a moment before he saw the misplaced colors of bright blue.

“At first I couldn’t figure out what was in there, it was like a blue flashlight flashing on and off,” he said.

According to the University of Maine’s Lobster Institute:

“The coloration comes from a genetic defect that causes the lobster to produce an excessive amount of a particular protein that gives the lobster that unique coloration.”

They continue on to say:

“They’re (blue lobsters) still lobsters, but they stand out because they’re different. And because that difference is rare and startling, among those who understand and appreciate the difference, they’re more valued!”

The lobsters that are normally found in North American waters are usually a dark bluish green to greenish brown, so when Trenholm pulled up his trap and found the blue rarity; it would no doubt be a bit of a shock.

According to msnNOW, the blue beauty wasn’t big enough to merit keeping, so, after Trenholm took a few moments to appreciate his find, show it off to the other boaters, and of course snap a few photographs, he went ahead and released it back into the ocean.

Now we’ve all heard the expression, “once in a blue moon,” but with the chances being as little as they are, finding this rare blue beauty sure does bring a new perspective to the saying! What do you think of this rare blue lobster?

[Image via National Post/Sheldon Trenholm]

Rare Blue Lobster Caught, A 1 In 2 Million Chance is a post from: The Inquisitr

The forest elephants are vanishing from the troubled Central African Republic. On Monday, Discover reporter Kenneth Miller published a dramatic description of key researcher Andrea Turkalo’s flight from the war-torn country in late April.

The 60-year-old Wildlife Conservation Society field biologist made a dramatic escape by boat from the rebel uprising. According to Miller’s account, she carried no weapons — just $25,000 in cash and six hard drives packed with 23 years of data from her elephant research program in a rainforest clearing known as Dzanga Bai.

You can read the full account of her dramatic escape on the Discover website.

Andrea Turkalo has reached the United States unharmed, and she will go forward with her work this summer at Cornell’s Elephant Listening Project, where she has already spent three consecutive summers working on her data from the Dzanga Bai clearing.

But the forest elephants themselves are still under siege. Turkalo has received information that on May 8, poachers armed with AK-47s gunned down 26 of the Dzanga Bai elephants, including four babies.

With the black market price of elephant ivory soaring, and the war-torn CAR unable to provide much protection for the animals, they are being wiped out systematically for profit. The numbers are hard to get, but according to a report in open access science journal PLOS One, the population crashed 62 percent between 2002 and 2011.

In March, a report to the CITES conservation summit in Bangkok said that two-thirds of the African forest elephants had now been lost to poachers.

The Guardian explained the reason behind the assault on the forest elephants this way:

“Forest elephants have suffered particularly badly because they range across central Africa, which has been left lawless in large areas by war, and where poachers have ready access to guns. Furthermore, the tusks of forest elephants are longer, straighter and harder than savannah elephants, making them particularly sought after.”

Here is a video about the Elephant Listening Project research that formerly took place in Dzanga Bai:

At this point, it’s hard to say when Andrea Turkalo’s field work can resume — or if there will be any forest elephants remaining in the CAR when the coup is over.

[family group of elephants in Central African Republic wetland by Damiano Luchetti via Wikimedia Commons]

Forest Elephants At Brink Of Extinction, Researcher Flees Africa is a post from: The Inquisitr

A dog, a wheelchair, and a flood — what do those things have in common? Perhaps one of the most touching viral videos of 2013.

The footage of a dog pushing its wheelchair bound owner through a flood surfaced this week on YouTube, and viewers are eating it up.

The video was published in Russian with the title “Собака помогает хозяину-инвалиду. “A quick Google translation gives us the title “Dog helps a disabled owner.”

The new viral hit was published by YouTube video user kitrox2 on June 8, 2013, and it has already received more than 60,000 views.

Our team at The Inquisitr are no strangers to faked videos; in fact, we love to share those clips because they are often more inventive then the real clips we find on YouTube and other video sharing services.

Here’s the videos of the dog pushing its owners wheelchair through a flooded neighborhood. Give the viral video hit a quick view and let us know if you think this is a real video:

So what says you IQ readers? Is this a real video with a touching story or a faked video from an inventive YouTube poster?

Dog Pushes Man In Wheelchair Through A Flood [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A dog distemper virus may put the tigers remaining in the wild at risk of a cruel death. Big cat specialist John Lewis of Wildlife Vets International (WVI) spoke to the BBC yesterday to answer the WVI’s burning question, “What sort of a dog could kill a tiger?”

According to the new campaign from WVI, there’s a growing worry about the threat posed by canine distemper virus (CDV) to wild tigers in Asia, including Sumatra and the Russian Far East. In those areas, un-vaccinated roaming dogs come into contact with the endangered wild tigers and other cats like leopards, potentially infecting them with the deadly disease.

A WVI statement said that in the research area only 16 percent of the dogs were vaccinated against CDV, and 58 percent of the un-vaccinated canines carried the virus.

On Monday, John Lewis told the BBC that the dog distemper virus has evolved to attack tigers more effectively in recent years:

“If you wind the clock back about 30 or 40 years, it was a dog disease – it was a canine virus and only affected dogs…[Now] the virus has evolved and has changed its pattern of animals it can infect to include marine mammals (such as seals) and big cats.”

The virus needs a reservoir of un-vaccinated dogs to provide it with a place to live and reproduce.

WVI wants to work with Indonesian vets to study the problem in Sumatra, where there are already reports of tigers that seem to have lost their natural fear of human villages. The vets will likely also pursue a program to encourage more people to vaccinate their dogs.

The dog distemper virus, as the name suggests, can change the brain and behavior of an animal, causing it to lose its fear of people. In the Russian Far East, at least two tigers that behaved oddly have been tested positive for CDV.

Now there are new reports of tigers behaving strangely in Indonesia as well.

John Lewis noted that a 1990s outbreak in the African Serengeti resulted in about 30 percent of the lion population dying of CDV, which they caught from village dogs.

Here’s a video report from South Africa’s Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which shows a pride of lions affected by canine distemper virus:

It’s upsetting evidence of what the CDV can do to big cats.

Now if John Lewis’ fears are right, the dog distemper virus is doing the same to tigers.

[tiger photo by Moni Sertel and Catlovers via Flickr and Creative Commons]

Dog Distemper Virus May Be Hitting Tigers, Causing Odd And Risky Behavior is a post from: The Inquisitr

Two Thai men, including a pet shop owner, were arrested after Thai police found 14 rare albino lions and more than two hundred other protected animals in his warehouse near Bangkok.

Police Colonel Ek Ekasart reported that police found 14 albino lions from Africa, hundreds of birds, meerkats, tortoises, peafowls, capuchin monkeys, and other species from overseas and Thailand.

The two Thai men, including Montri Boonprom-on, 41, face charges of possessing wildlife and carcasses and could face up to four years in jail and a fine of $1,300 US dollars.

Huffington Post reported that “Ek said Montri owns an exotic pet shop at Bangkok’s renowned Chatuchak weekend market and was previously convicted of wildlife trade.”

Police had been monitoring the location after they had received complaints about the noise and smell of animals.

Ek told reporters during the raid in a residential area of Bangkok’s Klong Sam Wa district. “And if you looked through the gate, you could spot lions in the cage.”

When asked, Montri told reporters that the lions were shipped legally to Bangkok from Africa and were waiting to be moved to a zoo in Thailand’s northeast.

According to Huffington Post, “He (Montri) did not explain why only 14 lions remained at his warehouse, while the documents showed he had imported 16.

“Thailand is a well-known hub of the international black market in protected animals.

“While the country is a member of a convention regulating international trade in endangered species, Thai law does not extend protection to many alien species.”

Recently, smugglers and traffickers were arrested for smuggling animals such as tortoises and scaly anteaters.

Animals found in these three raids and others not only included tortoises, scaly anteaters, and rare albino lions, but also monkeys, hornbills, leopards and many others.

Bangkok seems to be really cracking down this year when it comes to the trafficking of endangered species, but how much promise does that show for the rare albino lions and other animals that are regularly targeted?

[Image via Shutterstock/Praisaeng ]

14 Rare Albino Lions Found In Bangkok Home is a post from: The Inquisitr

Have you ever heard of a crow rooster? It’s a bird that looks strikingly similar to a black crow but sounds just like a cock-a-doodle-dooey rooster.

The first crow rooster in history was recently spotted sitting on top of a van in Russia. There’s not much of an explanation for the strange animal but Crow Facts, a website dedicated to nothing but crow facts, writes that the black crow is known to mimic the noises of other animals.

Crow Facts writes:

“Crows have a varied and evolved language. They can mimic the sounds made by other animals, and they learn to associate noises with events, especially with the distribution of food.”

Critter Control writes that crows, like parrots, have even been known to mimic the human voice.

It’s unclear where the video was taken but it was probably somewhere near a farm.

The crow may be able to mimic the sound of a rooster but the bird really has to work on its timing. It appears that the crow has absolutely zero regard for the time of day and is making his rooster call anytime it wants.

Here’s the video of the crow crowing like a rooster.

Crow Crows Like A Rooster Roosters [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

One sailor had a life changing experience on board his boat in California when a baby sea lion jumped on deck and cuddled up to his leg.

The animal spent over half an hour with the man, J.R Gilkinson, and he has since uploaded a video of the incident to YouTube, which has gone on to amass close to 300,000 views. You can watch the heartfelt moment unfold at the bottom of the page.

Gilkinson excitedly labeled the footage, “My Life Changing Experience with a Baby Sea Lion,” before adding, “A day at sea that I will never forget!!!”

The event occurred two miles off the coast of Newport Beach in California on May 18. The footage shows the pup swim around the boat for a few laps before deciding to climb on board the vessel.

At first he is wary of Gilkinson, but he soon warms to him before deciding to move closer and then nuzzling and rubbing his head against his leg.

Gilkinson himself was as scared as the creature when the impromptu visitor arrived on his ship.

He can even be heard shouting to his 11-year-old niece to not touch the wild, moist animal. However, after several minutes, Gilkinson ignores his own advice and begins to pet the baby sea lion, who was showing an unusual amount of affection to him.

After the pair struck up their friendship the sea lion stuck around for a long time, and they hugged and cradled each other for at least 30 minutes.

Gilkinson told The Huffington Post, “It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. I appreciated every second because I didn’t know how long it was going to last. He wanted to come rest on me. So we let him.”

Gilkinson did add though that the encounter was “completely on the sea lion’s terms.”

[Image via Youtube]

Baby Sea Lion Cuddles Up To Sailor After Boarding His Boat [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A whooping crane shooting in April is still unsolved. Last week, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said that the reward for turning in the shooter of the endangered birds will be increased to $10,000.

Wildlife agents found the shot whooping crane on the bank of the Red River near Loggy Bayou on April 16, but they only recently publicized the shooting, which they believe took place between April 10 and 14.

The species has been extirpated in Louisiana for decades, but wildlife officials have been working on a program to reintroduce the whooping crane to the state. The only self-sustaining wild flock that still exists is a migratory group of about 250 birds that breed in Canada and winter in Texas.

The new Louisiana program is struggling. Of forty birds released since 2011, 25 are still alive.

The whooping crane shot in April was one of the original group of ten. Only one of that number is still alive. Two others were shot and killed near Jennings in October 2011 by two teen boys firing from a truck.

Those boys were quickly found. However, there haven’t been any clues to the perpetrator of the new whooping crane shooting.

LDWF’s Operation Game Thief program, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, and the USFWS each offered $1,000 in reward money for information leading to the conviction of the shooter, for a total of $3,000.

However, they said that private individuals are allowed to increase the reward. A number of donors have already stepped up, including 80-year-old Louisiana retiree John Perilloux. He told The Miami Herald:

“I said, ‘$3,000 is not enough to get somebody to come out and inform.’ So I offered another thousand in the hope that would get published quickly and maybe persuade other people to donate, too.”

With the reward now standing at $10,000, anyone who knows something might be encouraged to speak up.

Also in April, the state announced that a pair of the reintroduced whooping cranes had started working together to build a test. Although the birds are still too young for a successful nest this year, it’s an encouraging sign.

Once a pair of whooping cranes mate and successfully raise a chick, it will be the first wild nesting of the species in Louisiana since 1939.

Unfortunately, the efforts have encountered a sad and unnecessary setback with the new whooping crane shooting.

[captive whooping crane at New Orleans, LA Audubon Zoo photo by Elaine Radford]

[flying wild whooping crane photo by US Fish and Wildlife Service Mountain Prairie region]

Whooping Crane Shooting: Reward Now $10,000 For Killer is a post from: The Inquisitr

Freya the cat, a pet owned by UK politician George Osborne, stands accused of being a spy for the Chinese.

Osborne reportedly purchased the tabby back in 2009. Months after he introduced the feline to his family, the cat suddenly went missing. No one saw hide or hair of the pet for three long years.

The UK politician’s wife got a telephone call out of the blue stating that Freya had been found. Since no one really knows what happened to the feline during that time, rumors started swirling that the feline could be a four-legged spy for the Chinese.

Since the cat’s owners were located using an electronic chip embedded under the skin, some government officials are concerned that the feline might be outfitted with bugging devices. The cat also has the ability to wander around wherever she pleases.

“Some of us think the Chinese got her. She can get everywhere. You’d only have to bug her and you could find out half the Government’s secrets,” one anonymous source explained.

Several reports suggest that the cat has unrestricted access to quite a few secure areas within the British government. Freya has been spotted inside the Foreign Office, the Cabinet Room, and even the Treasury. Many believe the feline would make the perfect spy for the Chinese.

So where was Freya all of those years? It’s believed that she was being looked after by a neighbor who discovered the cat prowling around. The owners weren’t discovered until the microchip was scanned during a visit to the vet.

Despite these halfhearted accusations, George Osborne insists that Freya isn’t a spy for the Chinese government. A Treasury source also denied allegations that the feline was doing clandestine work. George Osborne is said to find all of the accusations amusing.

Do you think Freya the cat is a spy for the Chinese government?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Freya The Cat Accused Of Being A Spy For The Chinese is a post from: The Inquisitr