Animals
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Black Cat

Bobcat mauled an 82-year-old man in Alabama

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© Getty Images
Claude Strother wasn't expecting much action when he slipped into the Alabama woods on the afternoon of April 18. The 82-year-old turkey hunter had an hour to spare and figured he'd pass it by working a few calls from his Wilcox County property. What he got instead was the wildest hunt of his life, when a bobcat launched itself at the back of his head.

Strother had been feeling restless because his wife, Bettie, had gone to Birmingham for the day. So he decided to go hunting and planned to sit for about an hour and call every so often to try to strike up a gobbler.

"Instead of sitting by a big tree like I always do, I sat between two little trees about as big as my arm," Strother said in a Facebook reel posted by his daughter, DeAnn McGilberry. "It left my back and head exposed."

He'd only been calling for a few minutes when something hit him hard from behind.

"All of a sudden, I thought someone had hit me with a baseball bat," Strother said. "It hit behind my head. My whole head is sore. His claws hit right above my eyes. Not any real damage, although there was a lot of blood."

Info

The mysterious Horsemen of Pir Panjal in Jammu and Kashmir

The Horsemen of Jammu and Kashmir
© Travel Himalayas
Deep within the rugged Pir Panjal range in Jammu and Kashmir, India, lies a captivating mystery known as the Mysterious Horsemen. These ancient stone figures, scattered across secluded sites, have puzzled historians and archaeologists for years, their origins and purpose shrouded in enigma. The craftsmanship displayed in these sculptures is remarkable, raising questions about their creators and the intentions behind their construction.

In the outskirts of Reasi district, specifically in the Gool tehsil, lies the infamous Gora Gali. A Russian expedition team, led by Natalia Polosmak, conducted a general survey of the area due to the presence of man-made and natural water ponds. To their surprise, they discovered an army of approximately 200 horsemen sculptures, arranged haphazardly over an area of 4-5 acres of inaccessible land in the woods. This remote area is uninhabited and difficult to reach from the main road, although a trail built by the army provides some access.

The locals believe that these sculptures were created during the period of the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas resided in the ancient town of Reasi and practiced stone engraving and sculpting. This belief has led to the development of a devta culture among the people, who worship these horsemen as local deities. However, further analysis of the sculptures reveals fewer Indic features and more foreign artistic forms. All these sculptures are believed to date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, a period during which the Gandhara school of art was emerging.

Attention

Dead gray whale washes ashore at Alameda beach, California - 4th in Bay Area so far this year

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A dead whale was spotted Monday morning on the shore of Alameda South Shore Beach.
A dead gray whale that washed ashore in Alameda over the weekend will be towed to Angel Island to be examined by scientists, officials with The Marine Mammal Center said Monday.

The whale is believed to be an adult female gray whale that was previously sighted on Thursday at a different location along the Alameda's shoreline, near the USS Hornet Museum. Scientists took a sample from the whale at that time and determined it was an adult female.

The whale may have been pushed by the tide to Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach on Sunday, officials said.

The whale is the fourth dead gray whale found in the Bay Area so far this year, and scientists will conduct a necropsy after the animal is towed to Angel Island State Park, said Marine Mammal spokesperson Giancarlo Rulli.


Attention

Shark attack horror as diver feared dead after brutal mauling off coast of Israel

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A diver is missing and feared dead after being brutally mauled by a shark off the coast of of Israel.

The incident occurred in a prohibited swimming area near the Orot Rabin power station, in Hadera, according to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Footage posted on social media showed the diver flailing in the water as horrified beachgoers watched from the shore.


The attack happened around 3:02pm local time earlier today at Olga Beach, with emergency services quickly responding to the scene.

Authorities have closed all beaches in the area as search operations continue.

Shark attacks are extremely rare in Israel, with the last recorded incident occurring in 2013.

Black Cat

Lioness enters home, kills girl in Kenya

A lioness roams around Nairobi National Park, on the outskirts of Nairobi, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024.
© Brian IngangaA lioness roams around Nairobi National Park, on the outskirts of Nairobi, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024.
A 14-year-old girl has died in a rare lion attack on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. A lioness attacked the girl at a residential compound on a ranch next to Nairobi National Park, which lies just six miles from the city center, on Saturday, per the BBC and CBS News. An official with the Kenya Wildlife Service said the lion had jumped over a makeshift fence before entering a home and attacking the girl in front of another teenager, who alerted authorities, reports CNN. Rangers followed tracks to the nearby Mbagathi River, where they discovered the girl's remains. The lion has not been found, though search teams and traps have been deployed.

The KWS official told CNN there was "no evidence of provocation from the victims" and that rangers are working to reinforce electric fencing and early warning systems. In a separate attack, a 54-year-old man was killed by an elephant in Kenya's Nyeri County, about 80 miles north of Nairobi, on Friday. The man sustained serious chest injuries, including fractured ribs, before dying at a hospital, per the BBC. Both attacks are "linked to broader ecological pressures and human encroachment on wildlife habitats," KWS Senior Corporate Communications Manager Paul Udoto tells CNN.

Attention

Woman dead, man hurt in bison (gaur) attack in North Bengal, India

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A 62-year-old woman, Deomani Baraik, was killed, and another man, Shahjahan, sustained injuries on Sunday after they were mowed down by a bison that had strayed out of Baikunthapur forest along with another Indian Gaur (bison). Later, one of the bison died after two tranquillising teams from Gorumara and Sukna darted the animals.

The other bison will be released into the forest after treatment. The bison had entered Raipur tea estate on the outskirts of Jalpaiguri town on Sunday morning. One bison had even entered the Rangdhamali Bazaar. The sight of bison straying into the village was new to the garden dwellers. As people gathered to see the bison, the animals started running nervously in the garden.

Since the place of occurrence was barely seven to eight km from Jalpaiguri, it was important to net the animals before they could enter the densely populated town.

Shahjahan is now undergoing treatment at Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital.

Wolf

Suspected wolf bites jogger twice in Dutch National Park

Wolf in forest
© hecke06 / DepositPhotos -Wolf in forest
A woman was bitten twice in the leg by what is believed to be a wolf while jogging in the Hoge Veluwe National Park on Sunday afternoon, Province Gelderland officials said.

She was running on a designated trail when the animal attacked. Bystanders intervened and chased the animal away. The woman was later taken to a hospital and treated for her injuries.

DNA samples have been collected to confirm whether a wolf was responsible. The test results are still pending.

"We are in discussions with the municipality of Ede and the Hoge Veluwe National Park, and we are preparing steps in case the same wolf displays this kind of behavior again," the province of Gelderland said.

Attention

Aggressive sea lion attacks beachgoers in Southern California, video shows

A sea lion’s head pokes out of the water behind a surfer at a beach in San Diego in April 2025.
A sea lion’s head pokes out of the water behind a surfer at a beach in San Diego in April 2025.
An aggressive sea lion sent surfers running this week after it repeatedly went after them, even coming onto the beach, video of the incident showed.

The sea lion was suffering from severe domoic acid, which is caused by an unprecedented toxic algae bloom in the area that affects the animals' brains, causing them to be more aggressive, experts said, FOX 11 reported.

It has affected thousands of sea lions and other sea life in the area, killing more dolphins than in years past and at least two whales.

"These domoic acid events are getting bigger and worse and more frequent," John Warner, CEO of Marine Mammal Care Center, told the station. "That's horrifying. How long can all of these species take this type of abuse and still be with us? That's the question, and I don't know the answer to that."


Sheeple

Lightning strike kills 50 sheep in Telangana, India

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A tragic incident occurred when lightning struck during a sudden thunderstorm, resulting in the death of around 50 sheep belonging to a local shepherd, Bandi Mallaiah. The incident occurred at Renigunta village of Rajapet Mandal, Yadadri Bhongir district on Friday.

Lightning, accompanied by gales, struck without warning, causing severe damage. The estimated financial loss due to this incident is around Rs 3 lakh. Mallaiah expressed his grief over the sudden loss of his livestock, which were his primary source of livelihood.

He is now pleading with the government to come to his aid by providing compensation and support to help him recover from this devastating loss. The local community has also expressed sympathy and urged officials to take immediate action.

Doberman

Stray dogs kill 15-month-old baby girl in Goa, India

BVNN
A tragic incident has come from Durgabhat, Ponda, where on Friday, a 15-month-old baby girl named Anabiya Shaikh was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs. According to witnesses, the child, who was waiting for her mother to go for Friday prayers, stepped outside her house when the dogs attacked her.

Despite attempts by locals to intervene, the girl was severely injured and died shortly after being rushed to the hospital. This marks a continuation of a disturbing trend of stray dog attacks in South Goa, especially affecting tourists in coastal areas.

Local residents, while reflecting on the increase in such incidents, pointed out that the area where the attack occurred is often used as a dumping ground for garbage, attracting many stray dogs searching for food. They have urged the administration to take stringent measures to control the stray dog population and ensure public safety.