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Welcome to the new normal.
On December 20, a farm in Kuqa County in Aksu Prefecture reported that some goats showed suspected symptoms of the disease and 26 of them had died. On December 22, goats in Kalpin County in the same prefecture also showed suspected symptoms of the disease, and 44 of them died.
The country's exotic animal disease research center on Friday confirmed that the epidemic in both cases was peste des petits ruminants.
In Kalpin County, local authorities have sealed off and sterilized the infected area, where a total of 448 goats have been culled and safely disposed of.
In Kuqa County, work to seal off the infected areas and cull goats is being conducted in an orderly manner to prevent the disease from spreading, according to the MOA.
Peste des petits ruminants, also known as PPR, goat plague or ovine rinderpest, is a contagious disease mainly affecting goats and sheep. The virus causes fever, lesions, labored breathing and diarrhea in infected animals.
© US Coast Guard/AFP/File, Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark BarneyIn this image released by the US Coast Guard, a pod of pilot whales swims off the coast of Everglades National Park in Florida on December 5, 2013.
The whales, which are notorious for beaching themselves, were being monitored after they were spotted close to the shore of Golden Bay on Sunday but rangers were powerless to stop them stranding, the Department of Conservation said.
Golden Bay conservation services manager John Mason said 12 of the whales died naturally and rangers euthanized the rest after assessing they were too far up the beach to be refloated.
"We carefully weighed up the likelihood of being able to refloat them and get them safely back out to sea," he said.
"But our staff, who have extensive experience in dealing with mass whale strandings in Golden Bay, determined that due to various factors it was unlikely they could be rescued."
Mass pilot whale strandings are common in New Zealand, with scientists unclear about why the marine mammals swim ashore in large groups.
The shepherds' ancient foe is back in numbers - and now packs are breeding a mere 40 miles from Madrid
A twig snaps, a crow calls, but nothing moves in the dense pine forests of Spain's Guadarrama mountains. Vultures and eagles soar over the snowcapped peaks and wild boars roam the valleys below, as they have for centuries. But for the farmers who work this land, a threatening and worrying comeback is taking place in this timeless landscape, home to Spain's newest national park.
After an absence of 70 years, the wolf is back in the Guadarrama hills and breeding just 40 miles from Madrid.
There have been sightings for several years of lone males, but camera traps recently picked up a family of three cubs, two adults and a juvenile. To the consternation of the farmers who believed that this ancient foe had left the hills for ever, breeding packs are expected to follow. The bloody results are plain to see. In the past two months around 100 sheep and cattle have been killed near Buitrago, in the northern foothills of the Guadarrama mountains, says Juan Carlos Blanco, a wolf specialist and adviser to the Spanish environment ministry.
"Guadarrama can support two, even three, packs. We think there are now six packs within 100km of Madrid. When they arrive in a new area the shepherds do not know what to do. Then they find ways to protect their flocks with dogs or fences. It's a natural event and the wolf will not go away now," he says. "Maybe hunters will exterminate one pack, but others will take its place. Wolves are very flexible and resilient."
© Steven Ruiter/CorbisSpain is now a wolf stronghold. There are thought to be more than 250 breeding groups and more than 2,000 individuals.
After an absence of 70 years, the wolf is back in the Guadarrama hills and breeding just 40 miles from Madrid.
There have been sightings for several years of lone males, but camera traps recently picked up a family of three cubs, two adults and a juvenile. To the consternation of the farmers who believed that this ancient foe had left the hills for ever, breeding packs are expected to follow. The bloody results are plain to see. In the past two months around 100 sheep and cattle have been killed near Buitrago, in the northern foothills of the Guadarrama mountains, says Juan Carlos Blanco, a wolf specialist and adviser to the Spanish environment ministry.
"Guadarrama can support two, even three, packs. We think there are now six packs within 100km of Madrid. When they arrive in a new area the shepherds do not know what to do. Then they find ways to protect their flocks with dogs or fences. It's a natural event and the wolf will not go away now," he says. "Maybe hunters will exterminate one pack, but others will take its place. Wolves are very flexible and resilient."
- Born on December 30, calf named Sana Saida, 'Happy New Year' in Arabic
- Animal has been attracting a lot of attention in Sefrou, a village less than 20 miles from Fez in northern Morocco
- Calf is known as polycephalic, which means having more than one head
This two-headed calf was born in the northern Moroccan village of Sefrou, which is less than 20 miles from Fez
Born on December 30, the young animal was named Sana Saida, which means 'Happy New Year' in Arabic.
Since its birth, the creature has been attracting a lot of attention, with locals of Sefrou, a village less than 20 miles from Fez, flocking to the farm to see it.
Kuching: A remains of an unidentified sea creature was found washed up at Pantai Pasir Pandak in Santubong earlier this morning.
A villager Hamzah Pelita said he found the remains at 7.50 am along the beach.
"The creature is three meters long and it is stranded 50 meters away from the water. It is my first time seeing this creature as I am not sure the species of it," said Hamzah.
He informed the Santubong police station at 8am. The authorities are unsure whether it is a baby whale or a dolphin as the remains were decomposed.
A villager Hamzah Pelita said he found the remains at 7.50 am along the beach.
"The creature is three meters long and it is stranded 50 meters away from the water. It is my first time seeing this creature as I am not sure the species of it," said Hamzah.
He informed the Santubong police station at 8am. The authorities are unsure whether it is a baby whale or a dolphin as the remains were decomposed.
© Mas Adib SaieAuthorities inspecting the mysterious remains of a sea creature.
Utah wildlife officials believe West Nile Virus caused 27 bald eagle deaths in December
The mystery illness that has killed 27 bald eagles in Utah this month appears to be West Nile Virus, state officials said Tuesday.The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said in a statement Tuesday that that laboratory tests done on some of the first birds found indicate they died from West Nile Virus.
Since Dec. 1, officials have found the birds in northern and central Utah. All were either dead or were ill and later died during treatment.The eagles displayed similar symptoms, including head tremors, signs of seizures, weakness in legs and feet and a paralysis of the bird's wings.
Beyond the 27 that have died, officials said five eagles were being treated at a wildlife rehabilitation center Tuesday. They appeared to be responding well to treatment, officials said.Utah wildlife officials aren't sure how the eagles caught the virus, but they suspect the birds contracted it by eating Eared Grebes that were infected with the virus and died recently.
© AP Photo/Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Lynn ChamberlainIn this undated photo released by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, shows a bald eagle, in Utah.
Since Dec. 1, officials have found the birds in northern and central Utah. All were either dead or were ill and later died during treatment.The eagles displayed similar symptoms, including head tremors, signs of seizures, weakness in legs and feet and a paralysis of the bird's wings.
Beyond the 27 that have died, officials said five eagles were being treated at a wildlife rehabilitation center Tuesday. They appeared to be responding well to treatment, officials said.Utah wildlife officials aren't sure how the eagles caught the virus, but they suspect the birds contracted it by eating Eared Grebes that were infected with the virus and died recently.
Kate Stone in serious but stable condition after suffering injuries to her neck and spine while holidaying in Lochailort
A Cambridge University academic is fighting for her life, with injuries to her neck and spine, after she was attacked and gored by a stag while chatting with friends outside a cottage in the Highlands.
Kate Stone was first treated at a local hospital on Monday night after the attack at Lochailort near Fort William, in which her throat was pierced. She was then airlifted to the Southern General in Glasgow when the seriousness of her injuries was realised.
She remains in intensive care where her condition was described as "serious but stable". Her neck was pierced so deeply that the animal had to shake itself free.
Stone, a research engineer at Cambridge's institute of manufacturing, who also runs her own hi-tech printing company, was holidaying with a group of friends, staying in a B&B near the site of the attack. She was with a group of friends standing chatting after they returned from a ceilidh at the nearby Lochailort Inn, in the darkness outside the home of a local musician.
© AlamyA red deer stag in the Highlands
Kate Stone was first treated at a local hospital on Monday night after the attack at Lochailort near Fort William, in which her throat was pierced. She was then airlifted to the Southern General in Glasgow when the seriousness of her injuries was realised.
She remains in intensive care where her condition was described as "serious but stable". Her neck was pierced so deeply that the animal had to shake itself free.
Stone, a research engineer at Cambridge's institute of manufacturing, who also runs her own hi-tech printing company, was holidaying with a group of friends, staying in a B&B near the site of the attack. She was with a group of friends standing chatting after they returned from a ceilidh at the nearby Lochailort Inn, in the darkness outside the home of a local musician.
Aggressive pose of a Lynx.
City: '1st time' for 'such large numbers' of birds
Bird-dropping deluge hits downtown park
Benches and walkways are covered in bird droppings in Chapman Square. It's just one of many areas in Portland's downtown hit hard by roving bands of crows. KOIN's Joel Iwanaga reporting.
Benches and walkways are covered in bird droppings in downtown's Chapman Square. It's just one of many areas in Portland's downtown hit hard by roving bands of crows.
Portland leaders said they were caught by surprise by the city's influx of crows. And with the influx came droppings -- lots of them.
"It's as bad as I've ever seen," said tourist Joe Goodman on Thursday.
Those looking for a place to sit in downtown's Chapman Square were about out of luck Thursday afternoon.
"This is too bad," said Betsy Nesbit.
Nesbit moved to Portland 20 years ago for its beauty and cleanliness. Sure, nature is part of the allure -- but what these crows are leaving behind these days has much of downtown Portland looking "uncared for, just uncared for," she said.
Bird droppings were everywhere, covering the sidewalk and the park benches. It's what holiday tourists such as Joe Goodman, from Philadelphia, found as they were checking into downtown hotels, shopping and walking through the downtown parks.
Bird-dropping deluge hits downtown park
Benches and walkways are covered in bird droppings in Chapman Square. It's just one of many areas in Portland's downtown hit hard by roving bands of crows. KOIN's Joel Iwanaga reporting.
Benches and walkways are covered in bird droppings in downtown's Chapman Square. It's just one of many areas in Portland's downtown hit hard by roving bands of crows.
Portland leaders said they were caught by surprise by the city's influx of crows. And with the influx came droppings -- lots of them.
"It's as bad as I've ever seen," said tourist Joe Goodman on Thursday.
Those looking for a place to sit in downtown's Chapman Square were about out of luck Thursday afternoon.
"This is too bad," said Betsy Nesbit.
Nesbit moved to Portland 20 years ago for its beauty and cleanliness. Sure, nature is part of the allure -- but what these crows are leaving behind these days has much of downtown Portland looking "uncared for, just uncared for," she said.
Bird droppings were everywhere, covering the sidewalk and the park benches. It's what holiday tourists such as Joe Goodman, from Philadelphia, found as they were checking into downtown hotels, shopping and walking through the downtown parks.
