Animals
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Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes kill a total of 10 cows in Udupi, India

Lightning
During the heavy rains and lightning that took place in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts from Thursday late night to Friday evening, several cows have died and more than 300 electric poles have been damaged. Trees were seen uprooted in many parts of the district.

In Dakshina Kannada district, Mangaluru, Puttur, Sullia, Bantwal and Beltangady areas received good rains with lightning and thunder. Mulky Kinnigoli and Suratkal areas received more lightning with light rains and strong winds.

Winds caused uprooting of trees and as a result more than 300 electric poles were damaged which is unprecedented during pre-monsoon showers in Dakshina Kannada.

Several parts of the district were affected with electric supply till Friday evening.

Udupi district too witnessed the same situation like in Dakshina Kannada. All parts of the district received moderate to heavy rains. Lightning claimed 3 cows in Kukkuje near Hebri, 3 cows in Amasebail, 3 cows in Thekkatte near Kundapur and a calf at Karkala. Several houses were reportedly damaged due to rains. Losses are yet to be ascertained.

Attention

Signs and Portents: Goat born with one eye in Assam, India

The kid has defied the odds to live past a few days old
© BarcroftThe kid has defied the odds to live past a few days old
A baby goat has been born with one eye in what has been hailed a 'miracle'.

Some villagers believe the goat, that was born in Assam in India, is sacred and have begun to worship it after it was born a week ago.

Vets predicted that the goat, which also only has one ear, would die within a few days but it has defied the odds so far.

People have been visiting the village to see the kid which suffers from a condition seen in other animals including horses, pigs, cows and cats.

The condition which causes the defect is called cyclopia and occurs when the two hemispheres of the brain do not separate.


Attention

Dead sperm whale found in a remote cove in Shetland, Scotland

The precise cause of the whale's death will never be known as researchers are unable to gain access to the body
The precise cause of the whale's death will never be known as researchers are unable to gain access to the body
This heartbreaking footage shows the carcass of a dead sperm whale which died after getting trapped in a cove.

The video was captured on May 15 from the top of a 40-metre high cliff in Fethaland in the Shetland Islands and shows the 55-tonne whale's body floating next to rocks.

Researchers have said the precise cause of the large male's death will never be known as they are unable to gain access to the rotting body.

Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary, which rescues, rehabilitates and releases seals and otters in Shetland, were called out to investigate the discovery.

A spokesman for Hillswick Wildlife said: 'A report came in of a dead sperm whale trapped in a cove on the northern tip of Shetland's mainland in a very remote corner of the islands.


Attention

Dead 10-foot whale found on beach in Criccieth, Wales

The whale is believed to be a Minke calf, and was badly decomposed when it was found
The whale is believed to be a Minke calf, and was badly decomposed when it was found
A 10ft whale has washed up on a Gwynedd beach.

The marine mammal was spotted on Criccieth beach yesterday morning and reported to the coast guard.

A Holyhead coastguard spokesman has confirmed that it is a minke whale, which is the smallest of the baleen whales found in UK.

It is thought to be a juvenile around 10ft long.

A Holyhead coastguard spokesman said: "It was reported to us yesterday morning.

Cloud Lightning

2 buffaloes killed by lightning bolt in Rajouri, India

Lightning
Two buffaloes were killed due to lightning incident in Darhal area of district Rajouri this evening.

A police spokesman said that it was raining with thunder storm and lightning in the area in the afternoon today.

A strong beam of flash light from the sky hit the two cattle of one Abdul Rashid, son of Abdul Aziz at village Thanna Maang at 5.45 pm today, killing the both on the spot.

Black Cat

3 villagers attacked by leopard in Maharashtra, India

Leopard
Leopard
Panic gripped Khamble and Bhokni villages as a leopard strayed into residential area from the adjacent jungle and attacked three people, including a girl, at the villages in Sinnar taluka of the district, police said today.

According to Sinnar police, yesterday morning, a leopard entered in Bhokane vasti and pounced on six-year-old girl Komal and injured her. Bhausaheb Davkhar(51), who saw the incident, started throwing stones at the big cat but the animal also attacked and injured him. Later, it run towards Khamble village where he attacked Dayaram Motiram Navle (40) and also injured him.The Khamble villagers gathered on the spot and demanded to catch the leopard.

Police and forest department officials reached on the spot with their team. The forest department team of Sinnar also reached the spot. Two injured have been admitted to Dodi rural hospital while the girl was released after giving first aid.

Source: United News of India

Fish

Narwal mystery solved with drone footage

narwal
Narwal
Rarely has footage of fishing caused such a stir in the scientific community.

However, the aerial video of a pod of Narwhals using their long tusks, which has earned them the nickname Unicorn of the Sea, to knock some Arctic cod senseless and easier for consumption has drawn attention from around the globe.

"There's been a debate for 400 years about what those tusks are used for," said University of Windsor assistant biology professor Nigel Hussey, who was part of the team of researchers who shot the video using drones.

"It's an iconic animal because of what is essentially an erupted tooth. There's been many hypothesis, but no one has observed or proven anything specifically.

"This footage is the first time we have a direct observation of the tusk being used for a specific behaviour."

Wolf

Woman dies following attack by her own dog in Redding, Connecticut

canine attack
© Angela Antunes / CC by 2.0
A Redding resident died at Danbury Hospital after being attacked by her own dog at a home on Deacon Abbott Street on Friday, May 12, Redding police reported Tuesday.

The dog is being held by Redding Police and an investigation into the situation is underway. Police are withholding the name of the victim until all family members can be notified.

According to Redding Police Chief Doug Fuchs, the victim was in a Deacon Abbott home when she was attacked by her own dog.

She suffered "very serious injuries" and was transported to Danbury Hospital, where she later died.

Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills 10 goats in Tamil Nadu, India

Lightning
Ten goats were killed when lightning struck them at Pennagaram near here on Sunday evening.

The goats were tied to a palm tree by farmer Siddhayan, after they had grazed for the day, when lightning struck the tree.

Wolf

Pack of 30 stray dogs kill young woman on Manitoba First Nation, Canada

Donnelly Eaglestick, 24, was found dead in Little Grand Rapids First Nation on Saturday morning.
Donnelly Eaglestick, 24, was found dead in Little Grand Rapids First Nation on Saturday morning.
Manitoba RCMP have confirmed that a young woman whose body was found surrounded by dozens of dogs died from an animal attack.

Donnelly Rose Eaglestick, 24, of Little Grand Rapids First Nation, was found dead Saturday morning at a construction site for the community's new water treatment plant.

Family told CBC News that Eaglestick's body was surrounded by roughly 30 stray dogs. She is believed to have died between 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., her uncle, Roderick Mayham, said Sunday.

After a "thorough" investigation, forensic investigators and police officers with Little Grand Rapids RCMP determined Eaglestick died from an animal attack and her death was not suspicious, a police news release said.

One dog was shot by police after acting aggressively toward officers, RCMP said.