Animals
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Bug

Hornet swarm kills father, son ziplining in Laos

In photo provided by the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture, an Asian Giant Hornet wearing a tracking device
© Karla Salp/Washington Dept. of AgricultureIn photo provided by the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture, an Asian Giant Hornet wearing a tracking device is shown Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 near Blaine, Wash. A U.S. father and son who were doing a zipline tour at a resort in Laos were both killed by a swarm of dangerous wasps last month.
A U.S. father and son who were doing a zipline tour at a resort in Laos were both killed by a swarm of dangerous wasps last month.

Daniel Owen, 47, and his son Cooper, 15, had been vacationing at Green Jungle Park, an adventure resort near the city of Luang Prabang.

On Oct. 15, the pair were descending from a tree when they were attacked by hundreds of what are believed to be Asian giant hornets, also known as murder hornets.

Then were initially taken to a small clinic and then to a nearby hospital for further treatment. They both died several hours later.

Phanomsay Phakan, a doctor at the Phakan Arocavet Clinic, told The Independent that the pair had "a lot of stings, more than 100, over the whole body. I thought already that it's a very dangerous situation because I had never seen it as bad as that,"

Attention

Japan sends troops to stop bear attacks after 12 killed, 100 injured in 7 months since April

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Japan's Defense Ministry dispatched troops to the northern prefecture of Akita on Wednesday to assist in managing a spike in bear attacks that have terrified locals in the mountainous region.

Bears have been spotted near schools, train stations, supermarkets and even a hot springs resort, with almost daily reports of attacks across Japan, primarily in the north. Since April, over 100 people have been injured and at least 12 killed in bear attacks throughout Japan, as per Environment Ministry statistics from the end of October.

"Every day, bears intrude into residential areas in the region and their impact is expanding," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Fumitoshi Sato informed reporters. "Responses to the bear problem are an urgent matter."

The Defense Ministry and Akita prefecture inked an agreement on the troop dispatch on Wednesday afternoon, permitting soldiers to set box traps with food inside, transport local hunters and assist with the disposal of dead bears. The soldiers will not use firearms to cull bears, officials clarified.

Doberman

Elderly man dies, woman severely injured after dog attack in McIntosh County, Georgia

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An elderly man is dead after an animal attack in McIntosh County in the early morning hours Monday, reports the McIntosh County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies went to a home at Winnie Davis Court in Townsend after a caller reported that she and a man were actively being attacked by two dogs within their home. When deputies and medical staff got to the home, they found the woman severely injured and the elderly man dead upstairs.

The deceased was later identified as 78-year-old Walter Anthony Sterno, originally from Richmond Hill. The woman was taken to Brunswick for emergency medical treatment.

Both animals were safety secured by McIntosh County Animal Control officers from within the residence and ultimately euthanized off-site, according to the sheriff's office.

Law enforcement said investigators are working to figure out the events that led to this tragic incident. The Atlantic Judicial District Attorney's Office is also helping to determine whether any criminal charges are warranted.

"The Sheriff's Office is working with other county agencies to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation. Sheriff Thornell 'T.K.' King extends his deepest condolences to the family of Walter Sterno and offers prayers for the rapid recovery of the injured female," wrote the McIntosh County Sheriff's Office in a news release.

Lightning

Lightning strike kills nearly 40 livestock in Jammu Kashmir, India

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Nearly 40 sheep and goats were killed after lightning struck the Sangar Dhoke area near Soliyan in Poonch district of Jammu Kashmir late on Tuesday night, officials said on Wednesday.

According to officials, the lightning strike caused heavy losses to Khalid Hussain, a resident of Hadi Bari Baik from the Bakarwal community.

Authorities said an assessment of the damage is underway, and necessary cognisance of the incident has been taken.

Binoculars

Boat-tailed grackle from the US recorded for the first time in the UK

Boat-tailed Grackle, Calshot, Hampshire
© Ian WellsBoat-tailed Grackle, Calshot, Hampshire
In a week of fairly unremarkable winds, a few tasty, unexpected tricks and treats were nonetheless in store.

On Sunday afternoon, news broke of a grackle species wandering around the RNLI lifeboat station at Calshot Spit, Hampshire. When the first photo was revealed, it appeared to be a Great-tailed Grackle, and a nice male to boot. It wasn't until late the same evening when frame-filling photographs were being downloaded that the identification started to be questioned. The slimmer bill, more rounded head and 'cuter' look all fitted the appearance of a Atlantic Boat-tailed Grackle far better than Great-tailed Grackle.


Doberman

Nine-month-old baby killed in dog attack in south-east Wales

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A nine-month-old baby has been killed in a dog attack in south-east Wales.

Officers and paramedics went to a property on Crossway in Rogiet, near Caldicot, Monmouthshire, at about 18:00 GMT on Sunday.

The dog was seized and removed from the address, Gwent Police said.

Police were working to establish the breed of the animal and no arrests had been made.

Ch Supt John Davies said: "Officers are on scene and will be making further inquiries as the investigation progresses."

Binoculars

Eurasian cuckoo turns up in Long Island, New York - only the 4th time recorded in the US

A common cuckoo, native to Europe and Asia and migrant to Africa, caused a ruckus among birders all weekend.
© Daniel FrancA common cuckoo, native to Europe and Asia and migrant to Africa, caused a ruckus among birders all weekend.
Birdwatchers across the country are going absolutely cuckoo over a once-in-a-lifetime discovery on Long Island. According to the clip posted below, a golfer named Roy William Gardner stumbled upon an extremely rare bird that's only been documented four times in U.S. history, a species native to Europe that likely got blown off course during migration. A Common Cuckoo.

Gardner told CBS News he was riding between holes in a golf cart when he noticed "an unusual bird going post to post." Curious, he snapped a few photos and texted them to his nephew — who just happens to be an ornithologist from Cornell and now a bird biologist at UCLA. Within hours, the images spread through birding groups like wildfire, sparking what enthusiasts are calling "one of the biggest bird sightings in recent years."

The clip was shared to the TikTok account for CBS New York, and people in the comments are um, going cuckoo over this sighting. It's pretty safe to say this rare bird has become an accidental celebrity. As one commenter joked, "He doesn't even know he's famous." Another wrote, "I'm a non-birder and would love to see this bird." And my personal favorite: "Let's make birdwatching cool again."


Attention

Elk hunter dies 3 weeks after he was attacked by grizzly bear in British Columbia, Canada

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A Canadian hunter who was mauled by a grizzly bear died on Saturday, three weeks after the attack near Fort Steele, British Columbia. Sixty-three-year-old Joe Pendry died of a suspected blood clot, according to the CBC.

"...Dad suffered a complication and went into cardiac arrest, the nurses and doctors did everything they could but unfortunately they were unable to revive him," wrote Facebook user Janessa Higgerty in a post announcing Pendry's death.

Pendry had been hunting elk in Canada's East Kootenay region on Oct. 2 when he crossed paths with a sow and her two cubs. He fought back, eventually managing to call 911 and his son for help. He was transported by helicopter to the hospital and later underwent several surgeries to repair his face and part of his scalp that was torn off. He was also treated for a severed finger and broken bones. Pendry's family set up a GoFundMe account that raised nearly $20,000 during his hospital stay.

Attention

Deaths from bear attacks in Japan hit record high of 10 after latest fatality

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Japan's Environment Ministry says 10 people have died from bear attacks across the nation so far this fiscal year, which started in April. That's a record high.

The latest occurred last Friday when a 38-year-old man was killed by a bear in a village in Akita Prefecture.

According to an NHK tally, as of Sunday, at least 78 people had been caught in bear attacks so far this month. The figure exceeds the previous high of 73 recorded in October 2023.

By prefecture, Akita had the highest number of victims at 35, followed by Iwate's 10 and Fukushima's eight.

Cow

Cow has weird dream about milking farmer again

Cow in Pasture
© Waterford Whispers News
A MEMBER of a local dairy herd has awoken this morning with fresh thoughts of a recurring dream in which they find themselves milking their owner, dairy farmer Tim Hogan.

"It was weird, it was this milking shed but it didn't look anything like it does, if that makes sense. Mad stuff, he had these full udders, I think the chickens were there too," explained the cow, known by the yellow ear tag number '43108', to her fellow milk producing bovines.

"And I know some say your dreams are your deep unconscious desires brought to life and they're right, that prick needs to be milked dry," added 43108, who has produced 30 litres a day to farmer Hogan's total of zero litres of milk in exchange.