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Signs and Portents: Two-headed calf born in north-west China

Kelsey Cheng
Daily Mail
Mon, 06 Aug 2018 19:21 UTC
A calf has shocked locals after being born with two heads on a farm in Shaanxi province
A calf has shocked locals after being born with two heads on a farm in Shaanxi province
A strange calf born with two heads has shocked villagers in north-west China.

Video footage of the mutant cow in a village in Xianyang city, Shaanxi province, shows it with two large heads, two ears, two mouths and four eyes.

The baby animal was seen sprawled on the ground helplessly as it was unable to stand up on its own.

After the unusual birth last Thursday, owner Feng Wenhong shared images of the animal, which is said to be affected by some sort of genetic mutation while still inside its mother's uterus.

The six-year-old mother survived the difficult birth and previously produced four healthy calves, according to local reports.

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9 dead dolphins discovered in 3 days in Sarasota County, Florida


WFLA
Fri, 10 Aug 2018 10:43 UTC
dead dolphins
Nine dead bottlenose dolphins have been found since Tuesday in Sarasota County. Red tide is suspected in their deaths.

Mote Marine staff has been working long hours responding to reports of dolphins. manatees, sea turtles and other marine life that has been killed or sickened by red tide in southwest Florida. They do not think the red tide problem is going to end anytime soon.

Mote Marine Laboratory will be conducting autopsies on the dolphins with the hope of learning what killed them.


Comment: See also these other recent reports: Worst red tide in more than a decade killing sea life along Florida coast

Dead whale shark found on Sanibel Island, Florida

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At least 50 manatees die mysteriously off Mexican coast

Kevin Sieff
Press Herald
Fri, 10 Aug 2018 10:29 UTC
manatees
As many as 50 manatees have died, floating to the surface of rivers and lagoons in Mexico's southern state of Tabasco, where some of the country's major oil wells have been operating for decades. Fish, reptiles, birds and other marine animals have also died suddenly, and scientists are scrambling to figure out the cause.

"It could be one of the greatest environmental emergencies we have had in recent times," Ernesto Zazueta, president of the Association of Zoos, Breeders and Aquariums of Mexico told El Universal newspaper.

On May 18, residents of the municipality of Bitzales found a lifeless manatee floating in the water. They assumed it was an isolated incident, or that the animal had been sick. But in the weeks the followed, more and more dead manatees were found in the state's waterways. Fishermen reported that suddenly they weren't catching anything, and dead fish also began floating to the surface.
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At least 100 dead birds found in Oklahoma City

Austin Prickett
okcfox.com
Thu, 09 Aug 2018 12:46 UTC
Dozens of birds found dead
Dozens of birds found dead
Dozens of birds were found dead in a Piedmont neighborhood following Wednesdays' severe storms.

After severe storm's moved through early Aug. 8, residents in the Surrey Hills neighborhood near NW 121 Place and Mustang discovered at least 100 dead birds underneath a tree.

FOX 25's Jeff George speculates that the tree was struck by lightning, killing the flock of birds.
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Dead whale shark found on Sanibel Island, Florida


wspa.com
Wed, 08 Aug 2018 12:30 UTC
Whale Shark necropsy performed on Sanibel Island by FWC;s Dr. Gregg Poulakis and NOAA's Dr. Jose Castro along with additional FWC staff.
© FWCWhale Shark necropsy performed on Sanibel Island by FWC;s Dr. Gregg Poulakis and NOAA's Dr. Jose Castro along with additional FWC staff.
Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission scientists are trying to determine the cause of death of a 25-foot-long whale shark that was found on Sanibel Island.

The waterways off Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties have been heavily impacted by red tide.

FWC's Dr. Gregg Poulakis, NOAA's Dr. Jose Castro and FWC staff members performed a necropsy on the whale shark on Tuesday. The shark appeared to be newly deceased.

The necropsy was part of FWC's response to the red tide that is killing marine life in southwest Florida.
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Dead whale shark found on the shore of Tagum City, Philippines


SunStar
Tue, 07 Aug 2018 11:50 UTC
A dead whale shark was spotted at the shoreline in Barangay Cabugan, Tagum City, Davao del Norte Tuesday dawn, August 7, 2018.
© Darell BlatchleyA dead whale shark was spotted at the shoreline in Barangay Cabugan, Tagum City, Davao del Norte Tuesday dawn, August 7, 2018.
Experts are investigating the death of a whale shark that was spotted at the shoreline in Barangay Cabugan, Tagum City, Davao del Norte Tuesday dawn.

In his Facebook post, Darrell Blatchley, owner of D' Bone Museum in Davao City, captured a photo of a dead whale while rested on the shoreline after it was washed ashore.

Blatchley told SunStar Davao that it was found lifeless around 5 a.m. on August 7.

The whale shark measures 14 feet or 4.3 meters.

Blatchley said they will conduct a necropsy, a surgical examination of the dead animal, to learn its cause of death.

He added that remains will be brought to the museum.
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Three dead beaked whales found in 'highly unusual' strandings on west coast of Ireland

Adam Daly
The Journal (Ireland)
Wed, 08 Aug 2018 11:32 UTC
Stranding on Gola Island
Stranding on Gola Island
About 175 whale and dolphin strandings have been reported so far this year.

Three beaked whales were found dead in three separate locations in Donegal and Mayo over the weekend.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group has described the strandings as "highly unusual" for the deep-diving mammal.

The IWDG reported that in Donegal, one whale was found floating in Sheephaven Bay and another on Gola Island, while in Mayo the third whale was found at Tirraun on the Mullet Peninsula.

According to the IWDG, three or four strandings of the animals, which are known as Cuvier's beaked whales, in one year is relatively normal but "it is highly unusual to have three recorded in separate locations on the one day".
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Question

Reflection in the window or 'Gollum' in Canadian woods?


Sputnik News
Tue, 07 Aug 2018 17:04 UTC
Gollum
© YouTube/Kong ViralSPOOKY footage of faceless creature spotted in woods in Canada.
A mysterious faceless beast has been captured on camera stalking a moose.

While Audree Frechette was filming a moose peacefully feeding by the side of a desolate road in Gaspé Valley in Quebec, she didn't expect the camera to film anything unusual. But when she re-watched the tape, she noticed a pale, faceless monster-like creature hiding in the shadows. Compared to the moose, it was 6ft (1.8 meters) tall and appeared to be eying the animal.

The video went viral, garnering almost 700,000 views in just one week. Many of YouTube users thought that the creature resembled Gollum - a lean, pale character in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Others remembered Rake - a monster that was supposedly seen in 2009 in the woods of Canada.
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One of two stranded humpback whales dies in Northland, New Zealand


New Zealand Herald
Mon, 06 Aug 2018 15:23 UTC
Volunteers trying to save the larger whale.
© Northern AdvocateVolunteers trying to save the larger whale.
One of two humpback whales stranded on a Northland beach has died.

It is understood the dead whale is a calf.

"Sadly the smaller of the two whales had died and iwi have blessed," Project Jonah posted this morning.

"The rescue effort for the remaining whale has ramped up with channels being dug."

Rescuers trying to free the stranded humpbacks resumed work this morning, with the aim of turning the mammals and digging a trench in their bid to set them free.

The two whales, who Department of Conservation believe to be a mother and calf, were first spotted stuck on Ripiro Beach, 2km south of Baylys Beach, Northland.

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Dead minke whale washes up at Marshfield, Massachusetts


wwlp.com
Mon, 06 Aug 2018 15:12 UTC
New England Aquarium officials are investigating after the 27-foot long minke whale was found dead Sunday morning near Marshfield’s Brant Rock.
New England Aquarium officials are investigating after the 27-foot long minke whale was found dead Sunday morning near Marshfield’s Brant Rock.
A whale in distress died near a Massachusetts beach after getting caught in a jetty.

"It's so sad to see it wash up. Yesterday,I think last night, it was flopping around. It was definitely struggling," said beachgoer Brianna Saad.

"This is the first one that I've seen down here," said beachgoer, Michael Saad.

A whale washed up on this Ocean Street inlet on Sunday, causing quite the stir alongside this sandy beach.

The sick whale dying overnight inside the Marshfield jetty.

Shelia Buckley watched the sad scene unfold from her front porch.

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