Animals
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Question

Mystery of hundreds of fish found dead in popular east London park

Rose Troup Buchanan
The Independent, UK
Tue, 23 Sep 2014 22:20 UTC
Harrow Lodge Dead Fishes
© The Independent, UKEnvironment Agency is investigating after Harrow Lodge Park volunteers discovered the dead fish.
Hundreds of dead fish have been discovered mysteriously dead in a popular London park.

On Sunday Harrow Lodge Park volunteers, in the east London borough of Havering, discovered hundreds of dead fish, washed up and floating in the shallows of the large lake, which is fed by the River Ravensbourne.

Tom Waller, 61, who discovered the dead fish, described the scene as "upsetting."

Havering Council's clean-up operation was launched yesterday, alongside an investigation into the cause of death.

Mr Waller, a park volunteer for two years, said: "There was some fish still alive and gasping for air when I got there. To walk along the edge of the lake and see that is quite upsetting."
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Health

Grizzly bear bites hunter near Dubois, Wyoming


The Salt Lake Tribune
Mon, 22 Sep 2014 20:46 UTC
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A grizzly bear bit a hunter in an attack in western Wyoming, sending him to a hospital with minor injuries, but officials said Monday they found no link to a bear that killed a man earlier this month.

Two elk hunters surprised a female grizzly with two cubs Sunday just north of Dubois. The bear bit one of the hunters on the side, Wyoming Game and Fish Department Regional Wildlife Supervisor Jason Hunter said.

The bow hunters fended off the animal with bear spray before one was treated for minor injuries at a hospital in Lander. Their names were not immediately available.

Hunter said they did everything right by hunting in pairs and carrying bear spray. "The individuals knew what they were doing out there," he said.
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Cow

Six-legged calf born in Shandong, China

Matthew Blake
Daily Mail, UK
Mon, 22 Sep 2014 13:28 UTC
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Leggy: The youngster emerged on a farm in Shandong with four normal legs and two more growing from its neck.
* The calf was born with two extra legs sprouting from its neck, making six

* It was born at farm belonging to farmer Zhang Gongxun in Shandong, China

* He says the calf cannot use extra limbs but doesn't seem bothered by them

* Vets say its NOT down to pollution but absorbed its own twin inside womb

When farmer Zhang Gongxun delivered this deformed calf, he knew the story would have legs in the Chinese media ... and indeed it ran and ran.

That's because the baby cow in question was born not with four limbs, but with six.

As well its usual hind and forequarters a cow should have, the animal managed to sprout an extra two from its neck while in its mother's womb.

Zhang, from Shandong, China, said: 'I've raised the mother for five years and seen her through four births and I've never seen anything like this before.'
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Wolf

Liverpool woman mauled to death by her pet dog, UK

Mark Johnson
Liverpool Echo
Wed, 23 Jul 2014 14:23 UTC
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Staffordshire bull terrier
Residents in Old Swan shocked over death of Louise Caygill

The neighbour of a Liverpool woman who was mauled to death by her pet dog told of how she feared she had heard the victim's fight for life against the raging animal.

Louise Caygill was found dead at her home on Macqueen Street in Old Swan on Sunday morning after her Staffordshire bull terrier had attacked her.

A close friend is understood to have reported their concerns for her safety at 10.46am on Sunday July 20.

The police turned up at the scene and found the 43-year-old dead in her bloodied kitchen.

But shocked neighbours believe that the dog killed her days earlier, just weeks after another attack by the dog.

The neighbour, who didn't want to be named, told the ECHO: "She was always making noise over the dog and it was always barking at her.
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Wolf

Second pet dog attack on a woman owner in Liverpool house within 2 months, UK

Neil Docking
Liverpool Echo
Fri, 05 Sep 2014 14:13 UTC
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A couple in their late 20s were taken to Royal Liverpool Hospital after their dog turned savage and left the woman with serious injuries

A woman suffered a serious leg injury when she was mauled by her dog in Liverpool.

Paramedics and police were called to a house in Binns Road, Old Swan, in the early hours of this morning.

It is understood the Staffordshire Bull Terrier pounced following a domestic argument between a couple living in the house.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "On arrival patrols found a 29-year-old woman being treated for a bite wound to her lower leg and a 27-year-old man for an injury to his hand.
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Roses

Family dog seized after baby's death in Wales

Miranda Prynne and Claire Carter
The Telegraph, UK
Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:11 UTC
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© AlamyThe family dog is an Alaskan Malamute
Baby girl Eliza-Mae Mullane from Wales was just six-days-old


A baby girl who died after a suspected attack by the family dog was just six days old and had only returned home from hospital three days before.

Eliza-Mae Mullane died at the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff after emergency services were called to a home in Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, Mid Wales.

The tragic infant had only just returned home after spending three days in intensive care in hospital after being born last week.

A neighbour told how her frantic mother Sharon John, 42, came running to her house screaming after her daughter was found dead next to their pet dog Nisha.

Patricia Punter, 70, said: "She was in a hell of a state and couldn't stop crying. She almost fainted when she told me what had happened."
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Wolf

'Out of control' dog put down after attacking owner in Inverness, Scotland


Ross-shire Journal
Sun, 31 Aug 2014 13:19 UTC
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A dog described by Highland police as "dangerously out of control" had to be put down after turning on its owner in an incident which forced the closure of a busy city road.

The drama unfolded in Inverness around noon today.

Police said the 51-year-old male, who has not been named, suffered injuries to both arms following the incident on Sir Walter Scott Drive.

The man was taken to hospital after the attack by his dog, whch is understood to be a mixed breed Staffordshire bull terrier/American Bulldog.

Police said the man's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. He was treated at nearby Raigmore Hospital.

In the interests of public safety, Sir Walter Scott Drive was closed for approximately 30 minutes whilst veterinary assistance was hailed.
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Attention

Baboon savagely attacks praying woman in Zimbabwe

Nunurai Jena
News Day (Zimbabwe)
Fri, 11 Jul 2014 09:57 UTC
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Brandina Lipinga, a female member of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu, was last week rushed to hospital after she was savagely attacked by a lone baboon while praying in a bushy area in Kariba town.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo confirmed the incident yesterday.

"Zimparks confirms that a woman in her late twenties was indeed attacked by a baboon while praying and she sustained a deep cut on the left arm," Washaya-Moyo said.

"The incident happened outside the parks estate. The authority visited the site and is currently holding awareness campaign programmes discouraging people from using secluded areas and to also move in groups. Investigations are continuing with the aim of isolating the baboon which attacked the woman."

Residents said Lipinga was admitted at Kariba District Hospital after the attack.
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Wolf

Man gets arm 'ripped off' by his two American bulldogs in High Pittington, United Kingdom

Julian Robinson
Daily Mail, UK
Mon, 22 Sep 2014 23:48 UTC
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A man is in a serious condition after being mauled in the street by his own American bulldogs (file image)
* Man mauled by his American bulldogs in High Pittington, County Durham

* Eyewitness has claimed the attack was so bad the man's arm was 'torn off'

* Bystanders tried to make the dogs stop by attacking them with golf clubs

* The 47-year-old is in a serious condition in hospital after attack last night

* One dog was destroyed by a police marksman after it was found nearby

* The other was contained at the scene and has been taken in to kennels

* American bulldog not on list of breeds banned under Dangerous Dogs Act

A dog owner screamed for help as two of his American bulldogs mauled him so badly his arm was 'torn off', an eyewitness has claimed.

Brave bystanders tried to make the dogs stop by attacking them with golf clubs and garden tools before the pets eventually ran from the scene in Pittington, County Durham.

People living nearby were terrified until one dog was shot dead by police and the other was caught. The search operation last night involved the force helicopter and armed officers.

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Attention

Black bear kills hiker near West Milford, New Jersey - fifth fatality this year in North America

Myles Ma
nj.com
Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:43 UTC
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An Edison hiker was found dead Sunday after an encounter with a bear, police said.

Darsh Patel was 22.

Patel was part of a group of five Edison men hiking through the Apshawa Preserve, a wooded area of West Milford, Police Chief Timothy C. Storbeck said in a press release. They ran in different directions when a black bear began to follow them.


Comment: The other deaths caused by bears in 2014 in north America -

Bear attacks - fourth fatality this year in North America: Bear kills hunter near Norman Wells, Canada

Bear attacks and kills 31-year-old man in Wyoming

Rick Cross, missing Kananaskis hunter, killed in bear attack, Alberta

Woman killed by a black bear in Fort McMurray, Alberta

By way of comparison the number of deaths in the recent past (years 2000 - 2013) seem to average out to about just two a year, going by this wikipedia list -

List of fatal bear attacks in North America

A number of fatalities has also occurred recently in Russia -

Bear attacks kill at least three people with many others injured in Siberia and far-east Russia

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