Animals
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Attention

Rough seas toss up dead whale in New Zealand

At 22 metres long, the decomposing whale is starting to get
At 22 metres long, the decomposing whale is starting to get "very smelly" and potentially dangerous.
A 22-metre long blue whale washed up on a private Far North beach has excited a marine mammal expert but also sparked a health warning as the giant sea creature decomposes.

The whale was probably a blue whale, but whether it is a pygmy blue or a true blue whale would not be known until samples taken by the Department of Conservation had been analysed, Forest & Bird marine mammal specialist Anton van Helden said.

It washed up on a private beach about 40 minutes north of Kerikeri on Saturday.

Mr van Helden said even the best analysis may never uncover the cause of death.

The 22-metre long blue whale washed up on a private Far North beach.
The 22-metre long blue whale washed up on a private Far North beach.

Cow Skull

Spanish bull community claim killing matadors part of culture

Bull fight
© News Thump
The Spanish bull community has defended the cold-blooded killing of matadors, insisting that upholding of a centuries-old tradition is definitely not cruel.

Following the tragic death of matador, Victor Barrio, Madrid's bull community have remained defiant in the face of accusations of brutal and inhumane acts conducted to sate the bloodlust of baying spectators. A spokesperson for the bull community told us, "Look - we regularly face this kind of criticism from people around the world who simply do not respect the wretched things we hold so dear.

"They say 'oh its so barbaric that you still attack and kill humans in cold blood for fun whilst other bulls stand around cheering and singing - we can't believe you still do that stuff'.

"But simply stopping the horrible things you've been doing for generations is extremely difficult - American Law Enforcement can attest to that.

"Besides - Matadors have very sharp spears which they stick in us and wave around capes coloured an infuriating shade of red - what's to like?

Former Matador, Javier Gomes, agreed it was important for bull's to retain the right to conduct barbaric acts in the name of perpetuating national heritage.

"Every once in a while we need bull's to redress the balance.

"Generally speaking, a bull killing a matador is extremely rare.

"Frankly, there is more chance of Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom doing a girl-on-girl scene for Playboy."

Health

Beaver attacks paddle boarder in Asheville, North Carolina

Beaver
Beaver
A beaver suspected of carrying rabies attacked a paddle boarder on Beaver Lake, inflicting multiple lacerations.

An animal control officer with the Asheville Police Department caught the beaver Saturday, less than a day after the 3:30 p.m. ET Friday incident. It was euthanized and was being tested Monday at a state laboratory in Raleigh N.C., for the virus.

"I saw a big splash, but I didn't see what the splash was from," said Betsy Bent, 67, who has used Beaver Lake for 22 years. "It came up under my board and knocked my board over, and then it latched onto my leg and wouldn't let go. I didn't know what it was at that time. I didn't think there was any 'Jaws' in Beaver Lake."

Once Bent fell in the water, the beaver kept attacking.

"I was yelling, 'Help, I'm being bitten!' " she said. " A very nice fisherman was talking to me and motioning me to come over, and then it turned around and attacked me again and latched onto my hand. Then it came around a third time and latched onto my other hand."

Alarm Clock

Over 50 young sharks killed, left on shore in Mobile Bay, Alabama

Black tip sharks
© WKRG
Alabama's Marine Resources Division and Dauphin Island Sea Lab are investigating the deaths of dozens of sharks found Saturday morning along the shore of Mobile Bay, WKRG television news is reporting.

The director of the Alabama Marine Resources Division said the number of sharks an officer found was 57.

The sharks, identified mostly as bull sharks, were discovered by residents and visitors on the beach on Belleair Boulevard, near Dauphin Island Parkway, the television station reported. One woman, who is on vacation with her family, reported finding a net with close to 40 sharks inside, the television station reports.

"It definitely caught our attention because I know that that is illegal and you shouldn't be doing that. We just didn't know what to do about it," Sabrina Rios told WKRG. Rios reported she and others tried to bury as many of the sharks as they could because of the smell.


Attention

2 people dead following attack by bears in eastern Turkey

bear
Two people were killed by a group of bears on Sunday when the latter attacked them and dragged them down a hill while they were picking herbs in Turkey's northeastern Kars province.

The victims, identified as Selma Güneş (26) and her nephew Devran Erdem (9) were taking a walk towards the Döşkaya hill in Eskigeçit village, accompanied with Erdem's mother Sevgi Erdem (36) and her younger sister Cansu Ekinci (13). The Erdems were reportedly in Kars to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their family and wanted to pick up local herbs while visiting.

According to reports, they were attacked by bears when they saw a dead baby bear as they were walking and were trying to figure out what happened.

Selma Güneş and Devran Erdem reportedly fell off a cliff as they were trying to run away from the bears,
while Cansu Ekinci and Sevgi Erdem were saved by shepherds who saw the incident.

Cliff
Local disaster management teams, firefighters and medical rescue teams arrived in the area and found Güneş's and Erdem's dead bodies.

Cansu Ekinci and Sevgi Erdem, who were hospitalized following the tragedy are reportedly in stable condition.

Attention

Sperm whale dies on beach in Perranporth, UK

Sperm whale stranded on a Cornish beach
© Reg ButlerDead sperm whale on Cornish beach
A female sperm whale stranded on a Cornish beach has died on the shore.

The creature, measuring 40 feet, was discovered on its side in the shallows at Perranporth beach when the tide went out.

Marine specialists said being out of the water for so long would have caused internal injuries and, even if they could refloat her, she would probably not survive.

HM Coastguard were on the scene to manage public safety.

Attention

Tail-less dead humpback whale found on beach in New Zealand

Observers stand around the 8.9 metre humpback whale, washed up on Ashburton's Wakanui beach.
© Department of ConservationObservers stand around the 8.9 metre humpback whale, washed up on Ashburton's Wakanui beach.
A humpback whale with missing tail flukes that washed up on Ashburton's Wakanui beach may not have been able to keep up with its pod, experts say.

The 8.9-metre juvenile whale was first spotted in Kaikoura in March.

The whale attracted international media attention earlier this year when it appeared to breach, roll and manoeuvre despite not having an intact tail.

Kaikoura Department of Conservation (DOC) ranger Mike Morrissey said the whale may not have been able to keep up with its pod, although its cause of death was a mystery.

Geraldine DOC biodiversity ranger Steve Harraway said the whale could have died about a week ago before washing ashore.

Eye 2

10-foot alligator bites woman in Seminole County, Florida

10-foot gator killed after biting woman in Florida
10-foot gator killed after biting woman in Florida
A woman was hospitalized Friday afternoon after an alligator bit her arm as she waded in the Econlockhatchee River in the Little Big Econ State Forest near Chuluota, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

An alligator measuring nearly 11 feet bit the woman at about 2:30 p.m. as she stood in waist-deep water, wildlife officials said.

Wildlife officials trapped and killed the alligator Friday evening.

The woman, who wasn't publicly identified, is expected to fully recover from her injuries.


Attention

Wild boar wreaks havoc at restaurant in Korea

Wild boar wreaks total havoc
YTN reported on a wild boar that infiltrated the restaurant around three in the morning on July 7, taking the unwitting patrons by complete surprise in the middle of their meals. Traces of the boar's destruction were marked all over the small restaurant space, including blood stains on the glass and large cracks on doors.

Surveillance footage shows a customer attempting to corner the boar using the food carts that were standing by but the boar's sheer, brute strength was impossible to match with mere carts.

After a minute of trampling about, the boar escaped to the hills located 1km from the restaurant.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, but it was a close call and a harrowing experience for everyone who happened to confront the wild boar.

Meanwhile, police has warned people of more wild boars coming down from the mountains in search of food, particularly as July marks harvest season.


Bug

Vanishing act: Why insects are disappearing and why it matters

According to global monitoring data for 452 species, there has been a 45 percent decline in invertebrate populations over the past 40 years.
© ScienceAccording to global monitoring data for 452 species, there has been a 45 percent decline in invertebrate populations over the past 40 years.
Insect populations are declining dramatically in many parts of the world, recent studies show. Researchers say various factors, from monoculture farming to habitat loss, are to blame for the plight of insects, which are essential to agriculture and ecosystems.

Every spring since 1989, entomologists have set up tents in the meadows and woodlands of the Orbroicher Bruch nature reserve and 87 other areas in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The tents act as insect traps and enable the scientists to calculate how many bugs live in an area over a full summer period. Recently, researchers presented the results of their work to parliamentarians from the German Bundestag, and the findings were alarming: The average biomass of insects caught between May and October has steadily decreased from 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds) per trap in 1989 to just 300 grams (10.6 ounces) in 2014.

"The decline is dramatic and depressing and it affects all kinds of insects, including butterflies, wild bees, and hoverflies," says Martin Sorg, an entomologist from the Krefeld Entomological Association involved in running the monitoring project.

Another recent study has added to this concern. Scientists from the Technical University of Munich and the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Frankfurt have determined that in a nature reserve near the Bavarian city of Regensburg, the number of recorded butterfly and Burnet moth species has declined from 117 in 1840 to 71 in 2013. "Our study reveals, through one detailed example, that even official protection status can't really prevent dramatic species loss," says Thomas Schmitt, director of the Senckenberg Entomological Institute.

Six-spot Burnet Moth (Zygaena filipendulae)
© Lairich RigSix-spot Burnet Moth (Zygaena filipendulae)

Comment: Considering the fact that world wildlife populations have declined by 50% since 1970, it would be wise for those individuals who are responsible to take notice of these statistics. But unfortunately, it doesn't seem like "global industry leaders" will stop polluting and destroying the environment any time soon, since there are always profits to be made from the sale of toxic pesticides and other chemical pollutants.