Animals
S


Question

What killed up to 300 red-winged blackbirds in Cumberland County, New Jersey?

Bill Gallo Jr
nj.com
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 14:45 UTC
Hundreds of Red-Wing Blackbirds were found dead in Stow Creek. Officials are trying to determine what might have killed them.
Hundreds of Red-Wing Blackbirds were found dead in Stow Creek. Officials are trying to determine what might have killed them.
Authorities are still investigating what killed an estimated 200 to 300 red-winged blackbirds in this rural township.

The dead birds were found near Frank Davis Road on Nov. 22, according to Cumberland County Department of Health Director Megan Sheppard.

The were found on the road, in farm fields and in wooded areas. Some of the dead birds were also found on some nearby roadways.

There has been no cause yet determined as to what killed them.

As for humans, Sheppard says there appears to be no threat.

"Not at this time, we don't have any concerns," she said Wednesday, noting no unusual illness has been reported in humans or pets in the area.

Comment: Mass bird deaths have been on the rise:

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Wolf

Baby and toddler attacked by dog in Brunswick, Georgia

Jacob Rodriguez
firstcoastnews.com
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 13:51 UTC
Dog attack
A toddler and a baby were injured in a dog attack at a Brunswick apartment complex last Wednesday, authorities say.

When police arrived on scene, they found a woman lying prone in an open doorway, cradling her 2-year-old great-grandchild from a pit bull as it fought to get at the child, a police report says.

Police approached the woman, who was reportedly crying out, 'Shoot it! Shoot it!,' and the dog started toward the officers.

After attempting to spray the dog to subdue it, one officer pulled out his stun gun and tried to use that on the brown pit bull - but nothing worked, police reports show.

As the dog advanced toward the officers, one officer was able to get the woman out of the doorway and away from the animal.

At that point, officers discovered she was cradling a 2-year-old. It was at that point they discovered she was cradling a 2-year-old. Police say the child had a large gash across his or her forehead, a chunk of flesh missing from his or her chin and multiple other bite marks.
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Attention

Last remaining dugong in the Gulf of Thailand found dead


Coconuts Bangkok
Thu, 01 Dec 2016 10:07 UTC
Dugong
© Seub Nakasathain Foundation
A male dugong, believed to be the only remaning dugong in the Gulf of Thailand, was found dead in the sea of Rayong province last week, according to today's report.

The dead dugong was found on Nov. 25, only two days after a dead bruda whale was found near the Lamchabang Pier in Chonburi.

The male dugong was bruised and bloody along his body, indicating a collision before death, according to Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center of the Eastern Gulf of Thailand.

The research center revealed that there were previously a couple of dugongs living along the coast of Rayong to Chanthaburi. Last year, there was a rumor that one of them was dead and sold on the black market. Therefore, this means the dead dugong found last week could have been the last one on the eastern coast.

Polluted oceans endanger their lives but dugongs are also hunted for their bones, which are used to make amulets, just like elephant ivory and rhino snout.
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Attention

Alarming levels of mercury found in Florida Everglades dolphins; highest concentration ever recorded

Joane Adkins
Phys.org
Mon, 28 Nov 2016 00:00 UTC
dolphins Florida everglades
© Florida International University
Bottlenose dolphins in the Florida Coastal Everglades have higher concentrations of mercury than any other populations in the world.

FIU scientists examined dolphins from the lower Florida Keys, Everglades National Park and Florida Bay, looking for mercury and organic pollutants in their skin and blubber. Not only did they find high mercury levels in the coastal Everglades dolphins, but they found the highest levels of concentration ever recorded. Potential sources of mercury are both natural and from man-made sources. The finding raises concerns about potential impacts on the health of local populations.

During the past several decades, a variety of marine mammal species from all across the world have experienced unusual die-offs, including bottlenose dolphins along the East coast of the United States. Some scientists believe toxic algae and toxic pollutants like mercury are the primary culprit. Mercury can disrupt the immune system and reproduction of dolphins, making the animals more vulnerable to infection and disease.
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Green Light

Kea parrots guide traffic flow in New Zealand

Elise Cooper
Mashable
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 16:22 UTC
Keep over!
Keep over!
What was thought to be bewitched traffic cones has been revealed to be nature at its cheekiest.

Much like the final act in a episode of Scooby Doo, the mystery of the moving neon road guides was actually the work of a mischievous little bird.

Road workers at New Zealand's Milford Sound, a popular destination for sightseers, became increasingly puzzled when traffic cones at the entrance of a one-way tunnel kept moving about when no one was looking.

One sneaky CCTV operation later and the mystery was solved. In the cutest possible way.

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Black Cat

Man killed by leopard in Himachal Pradesh, India


The Times of India
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 14:56 UTC
Leopard
Leopard
Animal attacks on human beings are not stopping in Himachal Pradesh. While on Friday a resident was killed by a leopard in Bharari area of Bilaspur district, a resident of Bhunad village of Chamba district was left grievously injured in a bear attack on Sunday.

Tilak Raj (45), a resident of Dadhol Kalan village of Bilaspur was attacked by a leopard on Friday night and his body was found the next day 5,000m away from his house. Forest department had installed three cages to trap the leopard but wild animal is still roaming free in the area.

Sources said that on Saturday afternoon, some people were passing through the forest area when the leopard again attacked them but as people were carrying tools used for the job of a carpenter, they somehow managed to save themselves. Movement of the leopard has created panic in the area.
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Wolf

Father killed following attack by 3 pitbull terriers in South Africa

Nadia Khan
Chatsworth Rising Sun
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:57 UTC
Dog attack
A 59-year-old father died yesterday evening after he was attacked by three pitbull terriers at a premises in Lakhimpur Road in Merebank, on Friday afternoon.

The deceased, Morganathan Moodley, was entering the premises which is near his home at around 2pm when he was savagely attacked by the dogs.

Speaking to the Rising Sun Newspaper, brother-in-law of the victim and family spokesman, Rocky Pather said, "It is alleged that the domestic worker was cleaning the dog enclosure and left the gate open. When my brother entered the yard, the dogs charged towards him, pushed him to the ground and ripped out chunks of his leg and bit his ears, hands, legs, face and other parts of his body."
"He screamed for help and another employee and the domestic worker came to his aid and tried to get the dogs off him. After numerous attempts, the dogs finally left him. My brother-in-law was taken into the house and his two sons were called. They immediately took him to the local hospital," he said.
Morganathan Moodley was attacked by three pitbulls.
Morganathan Moodley was attacked by three pitbulls.
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Attention

Over 2,000 deer reported dead in South Dakota disease outbreak


Capital Journal
Tue, 29 Nov 2016 12:30 UTC
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department issued more deer licenses this year than it did last year. Due to an outbreak fear of deer numbers being down
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department issued more deer licenses this year than it did last year. Due to an outbreak fear of deer numbers being down this year
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, a viral disease that killed more than 3,700 deer in 2012, has impacted the population this year, with more than 2,000 deer found dead in 23 counties, The Mitchell Daily Republic reported. The heaviest losses have been in Brule, Aurora and Beadle Counties. In Beadle County, 209 deer were found dead and in Brule County, 206 deer were found dead.

Hughes and Sully Counties were not spared. A total of 140 deer were found dead in Hughes County, while 85 were found in Sully County, said Andy Lindbloom, senior big game biologist.

"We definitely got closer to 2012 than we would have liked," Lindbloom said.

The state issued about 29,000 resident licenses this year. It also issued about 42,000 individual tags, a 33 percent increase from last year.

Lindbloom said that about 1,500 licenses were returned as of Monday afternoon. Hunters with licenses for the muzzleloader deer season have until the end of this week to send their tags in for a refund.
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Attention

Thousands of starfish wash up on beach in Southsea, UK


Daily Express (UK)
Tue, 22 Nov 2016 11:40 UTC
Thousands of starfish were discovered on Southsea beach
© SOLENTThousands of starfish were discovered on Southsea beach
The creatures were dislodged from the seabed in the rough waves and left strewn across the stone-covered sands as the tide went out.

Shocked walkers discovered the starfish on Southsea beach, in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and tried to return any still alive to the water.

But a large number were already dead after being out of the water too long and some had even been thrown off the beach by the stormy conditions and onto the nearby promenade.

Peter Whitelock, who regularly combs the beach for valuable items, was shocked after finding the creatures when he arrived and says he has never seen anything like it

The 62-year-old, of Portsmouth, said: "There were thousands of them. I've never seen so many all in one place.

"It must have been the storm that brought them all in from the sea."
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Attention

Man dies following hippo attack in Kenya

Joy Garland
hivisasa.com
Fri, 25 Nov 2016 13:57 UTC
A hippo in water. A man died on Thursday morning in Mkunumbi village in Lamu County following a hippo attack.
A hippo in water. A man died on Thursday morning in Mkunumbi village in Lamu County following a hippo attack.
A man died on Thursday morning in Mkunumbi village in Lamu County following a hippo attack.

According to the Daily Nation, the man identified as Omar Mohamed Maalim, was cutting trees when the hippo attacked and killed him on the spot.

Lamu KWS Commander Jacob Orale said Friday they suspect the hippo was looking for water.

He said the ongoing famine has caused many wild animals to move from their habitat in search of food and water.

"The deceased died after being attacked by a hippo that we suspect was looking for water. Unfortunately, due to the drought, we are experiencing a situation where wild animals are now coming closer to human residences in search of food and water," said Orale as quoted by the Daily Nation.
He urged locals to stay away from bushes and forests to avoid such attacks.
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