Animals
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Wolf

28 people killed by animals everyday in India; 4,192 deaths over 5 months this year

Badri Chatterjee
Hindustan Times
Sun, 15 Oct 2017 11:27 UTC
A leopard attacks and wounds a man in Silphukhuri area in Guwahati.
© AFPA leopard attacks and wounds a man in Silphukhuri area in Guwahati. (File photo)
Dogs, snakes, cattle and wild animals killed 4,192 people in India between April and August this year, reveals data from the ministry of health and family welfare. This means an average of 28 people died every day across the country in five months.

While Madhya Pradesh had the most deaths (792), West Bengal and Maharastra were second and third with 576 and 439 deaths. In Maharashtra, 27 of the deaths were in urban areas. Between April 2016 and March 2017, the number of deaths owing to animal attacks across the country was 7,556, and Maharashtra accounted for 651 of these deaths. In Maharashtra, Amravati district had the maximum cases (47) followed by Mumbai and Pune, which had 26 deaths each.

In Mumbai, this year, there have been two snake bite deaths - one in July, when a 20-year-old woman died after being bitten while she was asleep and the second in October, when a six-year old boy living in Aarey Milk Colony died after being bitten while playing with friends. Also, on July 22, a two-year-old from Aarey was killed by a leopard.
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Attention

Whale carcass found off the coast of Tamil Nadu, India

Thoothukudi
The Hindu
Sun, 15 Oct 2017 11:15 UTC
The carcass of a whale spotted in sea near Tiruchendur on Saturday
The carcass of a whale spotted in sea near Tiruchendur on Saturday
The carcass of a whale was spotted near Alandhalai coast at Jeeva Nagar, a coastal hamlet near Tiruchendur, on Saturday.

Sources from the CSG said the carcass was found floating in a decomposed state in sea. It should have been dead some four or five days ago. However, the reason behind its death is not known.

A. Soosai, a fisherman and president, Fishermen Cooperative Society, Veerapandiapattinam, said initially some fishermen, who ventured into sea on Friday night, spotted the carcass in sea, while returning to the shore. But, still late in the evening, the carcass had not been washed ashore.

He said there was no possibility of the boat hitting the whale to death since the fishermen had been engaged in their routine at sea by small fibre boats.

The carcass was likely to be washed ashore in a day or two, said some sources.
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Attention

Huge 15ft great white shark filmed attacking fishing boat in Coffin Bay, South Australia

Joe Roberts
Metro (UK)
Sat, 14 Oct 2017 19:31 UTC
The great white shark attacks the vessel out at sea
The great white shark attacks the vessel out at sea
Shocking drone footage caught the moment a great white shark tries to take a chunk out of a fishing boat off the Australian south coast.

The video shows the 15-foot long beast eyeing up the small boat 16km off the coast of Coffin Bay, west of Adelaide.

A fisherman tries to frighten off the shark as it circles the crabbing boat.

Simon Lawrence and Blair Fitzgerald are on board the vessel and are heard swearing as the shark makes its close encounter.

From high above the action, the shark is seen at the rear of the boat, perilously close to its two engines.


Comment: See also this report from September: Great white shark attacks boat off Esperance, Western Australia; third such incident in a week

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Better Earth

Baby Antarctic penguins die during 'catastrophic' breeding season


BBC News
Fri, 13 Oct 2017 14:41 UTC
penguins
© BBC/ShutterstockIt is the second catastrophic season for the southern penguins in five years.
All but two Adelie penguin chicks have starved to death in their east Antarctic colony, in a breeding season described as "catastrophic" by experts.

It was caused by unusually high amounts of ice late in the season, meaning adults had to travel further for food.

It is the second bad season in five years after no chicks survived in 2015.

Conservation groups are calling for urgent action on a new marine protection area in the east Antarctic to protect the colony of about 36,000.

WWF says a ban on krill fishing in the area would eliminate their competition and help to secure the survival of Antarctic species, including the Adelie penguins.
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Binoculars

Wrong place, wrong time: Siberian blue robin turns up on island in Orkney, Scotland


BBC
Tue, 10 Oct 2017 12:52 UTC
Siberian Blue Robin, North Ronaldsay, Orkney
© Tom GaleSiberian Blue Robin, North Ronaldsay, Orkney
Bird watchers have been left in a bit of a flap after the rare arrival of an off-track adult Siberian blue robin in North Ronaldsay.

It is believed to be the first adult male of the breed in the UK, although juveniles have been seen before.

The bird should be spending the winter in Indonesia, but is thought to have been blown off course by bad weather.

The distinctive robin was helped out of a derelict house, and the sighting has sparked wide interest.

One of the people who spotted and helped free it, Lewis Hooper, told BBC Scotland the bird was way off track.
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Attention

At least 9 pilot whales found stranded on beach in Hawaii; 5 die

Moanike'ala Nabarro
kitv.com
Sat, 14 Oct 2017 11:52 UTC
whales
© Daniel Rapozo
A least nine whales stranded themselves off Kalapaki Beach Friday morning and scientists are working to find out why.

News of this rattled residents and visitors on the Garden Isle.

Charles Hepa was one of many volunteers that stepped in to help save the stranded creatures he considers sacred.

"These whales are a part of our Molala to in our stories and or could he go in our history and our Oleander chance," Hepa said.

When federal, state and city personnel eventually responded, personnel closed part of the beach.

As of Friday evening, NOAA confirmed at least five whales died.

Canoe paddlers assisted officials and guided whales back out to sea.

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Attention

Tens of thousands of jellyfish-like creatures wash up on beaches in Greymouth, New Zealand


New Zealand Herald
Fri, 13 Oct 2017 10:48 UTC
Tens of thousands of jellyfish-like creatures have washed up on Greymouth beaches
© Greymouth StarTens of thousands of jellyfish-like creatures have washed up on Greymouth beaches
Tens of thousands of jellyfish-like creatures have washed up on Greymouth beaches, surprising even the Department of Conservation with the scale.

DoC says the rotting mass are by-the-wind-sailors, also called Velella.

A huge mass blankets an 18m by 8m area of the Blaketown aerodrome car park, with more scattered south along the high tide mark.

By last evening, they were giving off a strong smell as they lay in the sun.

DOC marine expert Don Neale said by-the-wind-sailors were related to jellyfish and "bluebottles", which also often washed up.
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Health

Australian police believe missing woman killed and eaten by crocodile after finding clothing and human remains near riverbank


Sputnik
Fri, 13 Oct 2017 19:43 UTC
Lurking crocodile
© Alexander Cahlenstein
Australian police believe a missing pensioner was killed and eaten by a crocodile, after finding her clothes and walking stick on a riverbank close to the residential home where she was living.

Police and wildlife officers in Port Douglas, north of Cairns in Queensland, are setting traps for a large crocodile which they believe ate a pensioner who wandered off by herself from a residential care facility.

Anne Cameron, 79, was last seen at the residential home in Port Douglas, north of Cairns, on Tuesday afternoon. Believed to be a dementia sufferer, police think she left the premises after becoming disorientated.

​The emergency services have found clothing and a walking stick with Cameron's name on it close to a crocodile-infested creek. They also found some human remains further away and are awaiting the results of forensic tests.​
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Wolf

Pit bull terriers unleashed: Should they be banned?

The Fifth Estate
You Tube
Fri, 22 Sep 2017 11:34 UTC
pit bull
It's a fact that pit bulls, with their powerful jaws, can kill and maim. Google 'pit bull attacks' if you dare. But are pit bulls born bad or do humans make them that way? Therein lies an emotional - sometimes vicious - debate. On one side, traumatized families and public safety advocates. On the other, a powerful group of lobbyists who say pit bulls are the most misunderstood breed of dogs and are no more dangerous than any other pets. Canada has a patchwork of laws and regulations - Ontario has a ban, Quebec is considering one. But pro-pit bull activists oppose any "breed-specific legislation." In the United States, the lobby has even succeeded in getting many states to ban any pit bull bans. Mark Kelley speaks to leading advocates for pit bulls, families of pit bull attack victims, shelter workers and doctors as he probes the sometimes disturbing debate over what to do about the pit bull.


Comment: See also this brief film featuring some revealing comments made by Cesar Millan about the fundamental nature of this type of dog.

...Yeah, but this is a different breed...the power that comes behind the bull dog, pit bull, presa canario, the fighting breed - They have an extra boost, they can go into a zone, they don't feel the pain anymore...so if you are trying to create submission in a fighting breed, it's not going to happen. They would rather die than surrender. If you add pain, it only infuriates them...to them pain is that adrenaline rush, they are looking forward to that, they are addicted to it...that's why they are such great fighters. Especially with fighting breeds, you're going to have these explosions over and over because there's no limits in their brains...


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Attention

Man attacked by shark near Kekaha, Hawaii


khon2.com
Wed, 11 Oct 2017 18:55 UTC
Shark attacks
A Kauai man says he was attacked by a shark Monday.

Mitch Milan and his friend were surfing at Davidson's beach, a surf break south of Kekaha.

That's when he says a shark bit his left hand and his board.

The two were able to make it to shore.

Milan says he received 50 stitches on his left hand.

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