Animals
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Fish

Thousands of dead fish found on beach near St Austell, UK

maxc73
Plymouth Herald
Sat, 03 Dec 2016 17:27 UTC
Edward Bol's dog Max looks at the dead fish on Pentwean beach near St Austell.
Edward Bol's dog Max looks at the dead fish on Pentwean beach near St Austell.
Thousands of dead fish were washed up on a beach on Cornwall this morning, leaving walkers - and, looking at the picture above, a dog called Max - baffled.

The discovery was made on Pentewan Beach near St Austell this morning.

The dead fish, which are believed to be either mackerel or herring appeared on the popular east-facing beach overnight.

Edward Bol, from Mevagissey, was walking his dog Max, when he saw the fish and said he thinks they are mostly herring with a few mackerel. Posting pictures of the scene on his Twitter account, @edbol he asked: "Why?"

Since the fish were found, Cornwall seaguls have been feasting on the remains and the beach is now covered in bits of fish carcass and seagull poo.

Earlier this year hundreds of jellyfish were stranded on Perranporth beach and the cause was again unknown.
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Attention

2 different species of rare whale wash up on same beach in Thurso, Scotland

Kirsty Stewart
Deadline
Fri, 02 Dec 2016 15:51 UTC
A Pygmy sperm whale, similar to this, was found dead on the same beach.
© Wikicommons/Inwater Research GroupA Pygmy sperm whale, similar to this, was found dead on the same beach.
Experts are investigating after two different species of rare whale were washed up near the same town on the same day.

Locals found a Sowerby's beaked whale on Dunnet Beach near Thurso, Caithness, on Thursday morning.

Later the same day the carcass of a bloodied Pygmy sperm whale was discovered on the same beach.

Both whales are due to be examined by experts Scottish Marine Animal Stranding-Scheme this week to determine the cause of death.

But the fact that two rarely-seen species of whale were found dead together has led some locals to ask whether Royal Navy vessels were in the area at the time.

Donald Mitchell said: "Two rarish species at the same time in the same area. Has the MoD been active in the area?"
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Black Cat

260 people killed and nearly 11,000 injured due to man-animal conflict in past 5 years in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India


The Indian Express
Fri, 02 Dec 2016 16:56 UTC
Leopard
Leopard
At least 260 people have been killed and 10,955 were injured in man-animal conflict during last five years in Madhya Pradesh, making it a serious cause of concern for the state forest officials.

Besides, 22 tigers, leopards, bears, wild boars, jackals and other carnivores have been killed by humans during the same period.

According to the Forest department data, 51 people were killed by wild animals in 2011-12, 48 each in 2012-13 and 2013-14; 61 in 2014-15 and 52 in 2015-16.

Likewise, 3,181 people were injured in man-animal conflict in 2011-12, 2,906 in 2012-13, 2,092 in 2013-14, 1,334 in 2014-15 and 1,442 in 2015-16, the data reveals.

25,344 cattle also killed in the past five years. Recently, a minor girl was mauled to death by a tiger in Bagda forest range of Hoshangabad district on November 19.
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Attention

Dead manatee found near Dundalk, Maryland


cbslocal.com
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:38 UTC
Manatee's body found in Dundalk
© Maryland Department of Natural Resources Manatee's body found in Dundalk
A manatee was found dead, floating in waters near Dundalk last week, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

DNR was tipped off by a concerned citizen who called in.

"With cooling weather, current Maryland water temperatures are well below a manatee's minimum survival temperature," said Natural Resources State Fish and Wildlife Veterinarian Cindy P. Driscoll.

"We are still analyzing samples taken during the necropsy examination, which will be analyzed over the next few weeks. Until that time the cause of death remains undetermined."

Manatees are aquatic mammals commonly found in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina but in recent years have been found in waters ranging from Massachusetts to Texas.

The first live Maryland manatee was documented in 1994 along the Upper Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay.
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Cow Skull

Buffalo herd dies of mysterious illness in Prachin Buri, Thailand

Manit Sunubboon
Bangkok Post
Fri, 18 Nov 2016 11:21 UTC
Buffalo deaths in Thailand
© Bangkok Post
Livestock officials are investigating the sudden death from from illness of 21 buffaloes at Ban Khao Duan village in Kabin Buri district of this eastern Central province.

The animals belonged to Suthat Somthong, 31, of tambon Yanri, who reported the deaths.

Wanlop Prawatwong, the Kabin Buri district chief, and livestock officials rushed to the village on Thursday to investigate.

Mr Suthat said he had a herd of 47 buffaloes. One of the animals died on Tuesday, one on Wednesday and 19 more on Thursday. A large pit had been dug up to bury the dead animals.

Mr Wanlop said it was not yet known what disease had struck the buffaloes down so suddenly. Tissue samples had been taken from the dead animals and sent to the Zone 2 Livestock Office in Chon Buri for testing. People living nerby had been told to move their buffaloes away from Ban Khao Duan, to prevent the spread of the disease.
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Attention

'Thousands' of mysterious jelly-like creatures found at Huntington Beach, California

Tracy Bloom and Chip Yost
ktla.com
Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:10 UTC
These
© Don CourseyThese "critters" appeared in the Huntington Beach area on Nov. 28, 2016. (Credit: Don Coursey)These "critters" appeared in the Huntington Beach area on Nov. 28, 2016.
A number of photos showing mysterious jelly-like creatures that recently washed up on the sand in Huntington Beach have prompted rampant speculation on social media.

One Facebook user, Ryan Rustan, wrote that he was walking on the shoreline Monday night when he felt "little water balloons popping under my feet, super squishy."

He said looked down and was unsure what exactly he had stepped on.

"Couldn't tell if they were jellyfish or eggs but there are thousands up and down the beach," Rustan wrote on Facebook, sharing the post to the Huntington Beach Community Forum group.

Rustan told KTLA he saw the creatures near 10th Street and Pacific Coast Highway, on the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier, but said they were "all over" the beach.
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Wolf

Four in hospital, including a child, after dog attack in Manchester, UK


Daily Record (Scotland)
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 18:30 UTC
The incident happened in Manchester involving what's thought to be an American Bulldog, like the one here (NOT the actual dog)
The incident happened in Manchester involving what's thought to be an American Bulldog, like the one here (NOT the actual dog)
Four people are in hospital after being attacked by a dog in north Manchester.

According to the Manchester Evening News, the American Bulldog is still trapped inside the house, and police are at the scene.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said officers were called to Bluestone Road in Moston just before 1pm to reports that a dog had attacked four people.

The victims' ages are unknown but it's believed at least one was a child.

Police have said that the dog is an 'American Bulldog-type' animal. The American Bulldog is not a banned breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act - and is not to be confused with the American Pit Bull Terrier, which IS banned.
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Wolf

Woman in critical condition after pit bull attack in Rochester, New York

Rachel Spotts
whec.com
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 18:09 UTC
Dog attack
A woman is fighting for her life after police say she was mauled by a dog Wednesday morning.

Officers were called to Rockview Terrace just after 1 a.m. for the report of a pit bull attack. At the scene, police say they found 33-year-old Mariah Schaffer being attacked by the dog. Investigators tell News10NBC Schaffer was on the ground and unclothed.

Police were forced to fire on the dog to save the woman's life. Deputy Chief Scott Peters says the dog owner, Jamie Cruz, was trying to stop the attack with verbal commands, but the dog was "uncontrollable." The dog's owner told officers to shoot the pit bull

"The animal was actively attacking the female by biting and chewing various areas of her body," said Deputy Chief Peters.
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Attention

Great white shark attacks surfer off Booti Booti, Australia


Radio Australia
Thu, 01 Dec 2016 17:54 UTC
Shark attacks
A 65-year-old man who was bitten by a great white shark while he was surfing on New South Wales' Mid North Coast is "quite happy" and in stable condition.

A 65-year-old man who was bitten by a shark while he was surfing on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales is "quite happy" and in stable condition.

Police said the man was attacked just off Booti Booti after 9:00am, by a shark later confirmed to be a great white.

He managed to swim to shore and contacted emergency services.

He was treated for puncture wounds to his arm and leg and airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in stable condition.

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said its assessment confirmed a great white shark was responsible for the attack.

Graham Nickerson, from the Westpac Rescue Service, said the victim was in good spirits despite his ordeal.

The man was in good spirits as he was airlifted to hospital.
© ABCThe man was in good spirits as he was airlifted to hospital.
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Binoculars

Masked wagtail bird from Asia found in the UK for the first time


Daily Mirror
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:29 UTC
The masked wagtail has attracted birdwatchers from all over Britain
© Athena The masked wagtail has attracted birdwatchers from all over Britain
Birdwatchers from all over Britain have turned up in a tiny Welsh village to see the first recorded visit of a masked wagtail.

The species is normally found in Kazakhstan, Iran and Afghanistan but may have been brought here by the icy temperatures.

It was spotted on the roof of a semi-detached house in Camrose, Pembrokeshire, but local birdwatchers were unable to identify it.

An expert arrived and the bird was confirmed as the masked wagtail which has never been seen before in the British Isles.

More than 40 twitchers drove through the night and slept in their cars to get the first glimpse of the bird seen flying between chimney pots in the village.


Comment: See also: 4 birds from Siberia seen in the UK for the first time; an unprecedented influx of 59 in northern Europe

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