Animals
S


Binoculars

Common Nighthawk from North America turns up in Oxfordshire, UK

Sophie Perry
Oxford Mail
Fri, 30 Sep 2022 09:51 UTC
According to ecologist and bird-watcher James Hanlon there have only been a handful of records of the North American species in the UK
According to ecologist and bird-watcher James Hanlon there have only been a handful of records of the North American species in the UK
Birdwatchers who descended on an Oxfordshire town for the chance to snap an extremely rare bird have raised thousands of pounds for charity.

Photographers headed to Hallett Close in Wantage on Monday (September 26) after news broke that a Common Nighthawk was spotted snoozing on a garden fence.

The medium-sized, nocturnal bird weighs just 80g and measures 24cm in length, with a wing-span of 64cm.

The Common Nighthawk is native to North America and so there has only been around 30 sightings in the UK, many of which have been on islands rather than the mainland.

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Black Cat

Mountain lion attacks 7-year-old in California park

Olivia Land
New York Post
Wed, 28 Sep 2022 11:51 UTC
A cougar
© DreamstimeA cougar
A 7-year-old California boy walking in a park Monday was attacked by a mountain lion, which bit him on the buttocks, officials said.

Capt. Patrick Foy of the California Fish and Wildlife Department told KABC the attack took place in Pico Canyon Park outside Santa Clarita.

"The young boy ... was walking up some stairs and was attacked from behind by a mountain lion and bitten in the buttocks," he said.

The boy's injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery.

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Doberman

Lubbock police investigating death, 3 dogs believed to be involved captured

R. Dallon Adams
myplainview.com
Thu, 29 Sep 2022 09:34 UTC
dog attack
On Wednesday, the Lubbock Police Department posted an update regarding an investigation following a death and dog attack in the city.

"A death investigation is underway by the Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit, following a dog attack in North Lubbock Tuesday morning," reads a portion of the tweet with a link to more information about the investigation.
A death investigation is underway by the Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit, following a dog attack in North Lubbock Tuesday morning. Click here for more information: https://t.co/epcDvo4rJf pic.twitter.com/DVjRUFib4d

— Lubbock Police Dept. (@LubbockPolice) September 28, 2022
The Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit is conducting a death investigation following a Tuesday morning North Lubbock dog attack, the release states.
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Info

Stress has an odour and dogs can smell it - new research


Queen's University Belfast
Wed, 28 Sep 2022 16:39 UTC
Dogs can smell stress from human sweat and breath, a new study by Queen's University Belfast researchers has found.

Dog and Smell
© Queen's University BelfastClara Wilson from the School of Psychology led on the study
The study involved four dogs from Belfast - Treo, Fingal, Soot and Winnie - and 36 people.

Researchers collected samples of sweat and breath from participants before and after they did a difficult maths problem. They self-reported their stress levels before and after the task and researchers only used samples where the person's blood pressure and heart rate had increased.

The dogs were taught how to search a scent line-up and alert researchers to the correct sample. The stress and relaxed samples were then introduced but at this stage the researchers didn't know if there was an odour difference that dogs could detect.

Dog & Smell Study
© Queen's University Belfast
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Cloud Lightning

16 goats killed by lightning in Maharashtra, India


United News of India
Wed, 28 Sep 2022 11:01 UTC
mmmmmmmm
As many as 16 goats died on the spot after lightning struck them while grazing on the mountain top.

Fortunately, the girl who went to graze the goats and one person escaped from an incident at Khurchimal area in Akkalkuva taluka in Nandurbar district Wednesday.

According to sources in Satpura Mountains, there was heavy rain in the hills of Khurchimal area Wednesday afternoon with thunder and lightning.In Akkalkuva taluka, damage has been reported in some places due to heavy rains. Pinky Sega Naik and Shantaram Kalla Naik of Khurchimal had taken the goats to graze on the hill near Umbria pada of Khurchimal in the morning.
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Doberman

Boy (10) mauled to death by family's 2 pit bulls in South Africa

Tanya van Zyl
News 24
Mon, 26 Sep 2022 09:43 UTC
A 10-year-old boy MAULED to DEATH by family’s two Pitbulls
A 10-year-old boy MAULED to DEATH by family’s two Pitbulls
A 10-year-old Gelvandale boy was mauled to death this afternoon by the family's two pit bulls at his house in Antia Drive.

According to Col. Priscilla Naidu, police spokesperson, it is alleged that at about 13:15, police were alerted to the incident and on arrival shot both dogs inside the house.

"It is further alleged that Storm Nuku (deceased) and two other children were in the house with the dogs. At this stage, it is unclear what had happened when the two dogs turned on the boy. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene," Naidu said.

Police were forced to shoot and kill both dogs.

"An inquest docket will be opened for further investigation."
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Doberman

Pit bull terrier kills 10-year-old girl in Argentina

Eduardo Ledesma
LA NACION
Sun, 25 Sep 2022 18:08 UTC
PIT BULL ATTACK
A 10-year-old girl died this weekend in the border town of Paso de los Libres after being attacked in the street by a pitbull mix. The minor was immediately referred to the local hospital, but she died despite the doctors' attempt to revive her. As a consequence of the episode, relatives of the girl sacrificed the animal, with whose owner they are relatives, while the police and justice try to find the owner and determine the motivations and the context in which the events occurred.

The attack, as LA NACION was able to reconstruct, occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. last Friday in the vicinity of the Las Tablitas neighborhood of Paso de los Libres, a town located in southeast Corrientes, on the Uruguay River, opposite Uruguayana, Brazil, distant about 370 kilometers from the provincial capital.
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Black Cat

Woman survives mountain lion attack in Mill Creek Canyon, Utah

Kolbie Peterson
The Salt Lake Tribune
Sun, 25 Sep 2022 17:58 UTC
A cougar
© DreamstimeA cougar
A woman survived a mountain lion attack Sunday morning while trail running with a friend in Mill Creek Canyon.

The two women were on the Pipeline Trail around 8:30 a.m. when they rounded a corner and encountered a cougar.

The woman closest to the mountain lion tried to back away, but the animal leaped at her. In that moment, she slipped and fell backward. The cougar clawed her, leaving two puncture wounds in her right leg, according to Faith Jolley, a spokesperson for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

The other runner hit the cougar with a rock, and the two women were able to get away and hike down the trail together.

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Attention

Shark attack kills woman in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa - 2nd fatal encounter there in months

Anthony Blair, Jamie Pyatt
The Sun (UK)
Sun, 25 Sep 2022 11:07 UTC
Great white shark
A fatal shark attack has left a 39-year-old woman dead in South Africa.

Beaches have been shut around Plettenberg Bay on South Africa's southern Cape coastline following the shocking killing on Sunday morning.

The woman, believed to be visiting from Cape Town, was taking an early-morning dip in shallow waters to celebrate a Bank Holiday weekend when she was attacked.

In a sudden move, the deadly predator came in fast from deep water and grabbed her in its jaws in front of terrified fellow swimmers.

The woman, who was on the edge of the group, let out a scream as the shark bit into her flesh and dragged her underwater.

Screaming swimmers and surfers rushed to safety as the water quickly emptied.

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Attention

Brown bear attacks man and 9-year-old boy, sending them to hospital in Alaska

Taylor Giles
Daily Caller
Thu, 22 Sep 2022 21:48 UTC
A brown bear has killed a man in Slovakia. The number of bears in Slovak mountains has risen to estimated 2,760 last year from below 900 two decades ago.
© Greg Norgaard
A brown bear attacked a 9-year-old boy and an adult male Tuesday while they were hunting in Alaska, according to police.

The man shot and killed the bear as it attacked the 9-year-old, according to a news release from the Alaska State Troopers. The 9-year-old had serious injuries as a result of the attack, while the man suffered minor injuries.

Both the man and 9-year-0ld boy were taken to the hospital, according to police.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the 9-year-old is "in fair condition and currently receiving medical care," Alaska's News Source reported.
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