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'Extremely rare blooming phenomenon' reported among centuries-old cacti in Arizona desert

Mark Price
Miami Herald
Fri, 28 May 2021 08:41 UTC
Saguaros
© Sonoran Desert Network & Desert Research Learning Center photo
A rare phenomenon is unfolding in Arizona: Saguaros cacti, which live centuries, have erupted in blooms that are spreading across their bodies like a rash.
A hint of crazy things to come may be playing out in the Arizona desert — and it involves a giant species of cactus.

Saguaros, which can live for centuries and grow to nearly 80 feet, have erupted in spring blooms that are spreading far beyond the norm. It's almost as if the plants are breaking out in a rash of blooms.

This is happening in the Sonoran Desert and experts suspect it may be an example of how the warming environment is impacting even the oldest of plants.

Comment: Erratic seasons, extreme weather events and overall global cooling are signs that something much greater is afoot on our planet: And check out SOTT Radio's:

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Cloud Lightning

Lightning kills 70 sheep in Poonch, Kashmir


The Kashmir Walla
Sun, 30 May 2021 11:10 UTC
sheep dead
© Global News Service.
At least 70 sheep died due to lightning and thunderstorms at Kali Choti Dhok in Poonch district, officials said on Sunday.

They said that ten sheep were also injured in the natural incident late last night.

The flock belonged to Sthara Shaikh s/o Abdul Aziz of Lathoong Surankote and his relatives, they said.

The incident occurred when nomads along with herds were on seasonal migration towards Kashmir Valley, they said.

A police officer confirmed the incident to a local news agency, Global News Service (GNS).

Meanwhile, the affected have requested the authorities to provide them compensation within the shortest possible time. (GNS)
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Attention

Suspected fatal shark attack in New Caledonia - 3rd such death for the islands this year


France24
Sat, 29 May 2021 12:57 UTC
Great white shark
Rescue services in New Caledonia were Thursday searching for the body of a fisherman believed to have been killed by a shark, following a spate of fatal attacks in the South Pacific territory this year.

The alarm was raised on Wednesday after fishermen told emergency services they had seen a shark attack a fisherman diving off a beach on the Nouville peninsula northwest of the capital Noumea.

"Our boat is still there but nothing has been found and no one has yet gone to the police or the gendarmerie to report a disappearance," Alexandre Rossignol, head of communications for civil defence, told AFP.

Witnesses recounted the attack to the newspaper Les Nouvelles-Caledoniennes.

"It was very fast. We saw eddies on the surface, it was a shark that was attacking," one witness said. "We saw the fins flapping above the water and then nothing more."
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Attention

Carcass of 18-ft-long whale washes up on coast of Gujarat, India

Yagnesh Bharat Mehta
Times of India
Wed, 26 May 2021 19:03 UTC
The whale's postmortem was not possible

The whale's postmortem was not possible since the carcass is in a decomposed form.
An 18-feet-long carcass of a whale was washed ashore at Malvan near Nargol beach in Valsad on Wednesday. Forest officials could not confirm the species of the whale since it is decomposed.

Locals spotted the carcass early on Wednesday and they alerted forest officials. A team of forest officials visited the spot and collected samples for further investigation to find out if the whale was killed or died naturally.

"Its postmortem is not possible since the carcass is decomposed. We will try to find out if it is natural death or if it was killed," deputy conservator of forest Yadu Bhardwaj told TOI.


Comment: Other whales have washed upon recently on a beach of New Zealand on May 26 ( 2 pygmy sperm whales) and on the coast of Alaska on May 25 (a beluga).

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Attention

Tiger kills yet another in a district of Maharashtra, India - 17th this year

Mazhar Ali
Times of India
Thu, 27 May 2021 18:18 UTC
tiger
A tiger claimed yet another human life in forest near Saigaon-Kalamgaon village under South Bramhapuri range on Wednesday morning.

The victim Bhaurao Dodkuji Jambhule (42), a resident of Chichkheda village, had gone to forest compartment no. 165 in Vandra beat with others to pluck tendu leaves, when a lurking tiger killed him on the spot.

South Bramhapuri RFO, AP Mendhe, rushed to the spot and removed the body after inquest formalities. An ex gratia of Rs20,000 was given to the kin of the deceased.

This is 20th human kill in predator attacks in the district this year. Of these, 17 were killed by tigers, two by leopards and one in elephant attack.
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Attention

Mother, daughter killed in wild elephant attack in Nepal


The Himalayan Times
Tue, 25 May 2021 18:13 UTC
elephant
A woman and her daughter were killed when a wild elephant fatally attacked them in Bardia on Monday night.

The animal that had barged into a human settlement near Bardia National Park attacked Chanda BK, 37, and her three-year-old daughter Dipika BK of Geruwa Rural Municipality at around 10 pm.

The critically injured mother daughter duo was rushed to Nepalgunj Teaching Hospital, Kohalpur in Banke district where they breathed their last during treatment.

The incident had taken place while the two were sleeping in the courtyard of their house to escape the heat inside.
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Attention

Alberta hiker dies in grizzly attack, second fatality for the province this month

Bill Kaufmann
The Cold Lake Sun
Thu, 27 May 2021 11:30 UTC
A large grizzly bear given the name The Boss
© JOHN E. MARRIOTT
A large grizzly bear given the name The Boss is shown near Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada, west of Calgary. A second hiker this month was killed during a bear attack on Tuesday near Water Valley, west of Cremona. The RCMP said the person killed was a woman but did not release her name.
Residents are being told to be on the alert after a suspected fatal bear attack near Water Valley, west of Cremona, on Tuesday.

It's the second deadly bear encounter in the region this month.

At about 7 p.m. Tuesday night, Alberta Fish and Wildlife personnel were called to a private property southwest of the hamlet for a report of a fatal bear attack.

"The individual had gone for a walk on their property and was found deceased on one of their trails," Alberta Justice and Solicitor General spokeswoman Ina Lucila said in a statement.

"Officers are still determining the identity of the bear, but a grizzly bear and a cub were seen in the vicinity of the incident. The sow was exhibiting aggressive behaviour."

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Attention

Mouse plague deals fresh blow to Australian farmers


BBC
Tue, 25 May 2021 19:26 UTC
mice
Rural Australia has taken a battering over the last few years, with drought, fires and floods - and many farms in New South Wales are now having to deal with a plague of mice.

These three farmers spoke about living through the worst mouse infestation they've ever seen.

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Attention

Humpback whale found dead on Mediterranean beach in France in rare event


France24
Wed, 26 May 2021 18:32 UTC
dead
A humpback whale was found dead on Wednesday on a beach along the Mediterranean in southern France, in what experts said was a rare incident.

"As soon as we arrived, it was already dead," said Elodie Sene, a caretaker at an aquarium in the town of Grau-du-Roi.

"I've never seen anything like this, it's the first time I see this in the Mediterranean," she added.

The seven-meter-long (23-foot)animal was evacuated from the beach at Carnon, near the seaside town of La Grande-Motte, and was to undergo an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

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Attention

Killer whales spotted off the Cornish coast in the UK for the first time in 50 years


Metro (UK)
Thu, 27 May 2021 13:29 UTC
A newborn orca calf spotted playing with its pod in the North Seas off Moray Firth, near Duncansby Head, Caithness.
© Karen Munro / SWNS.COM
A newborn orca calf spotted playing with its pod in the North Seas off Moray Firth, near Duncansby Head, Caithness.
Experts have confirmed two British killer whales which appeared off Cornwall were the most southerly ever recorded in 50 years of observations.

Nine days later the pair were seen back in the Hebrides.

Then, the following day, they were spotted by a research vessel in the waters off Lochboisdale, Scotland.

Multiple organisations confirmed this is the first sighting of this famous pair of killer whales off England and the most southerly point they have ever been recorded in five decades.

Movements of this small and unique group of killer whales have been tracked, over time, by The Sea Watch Foundation, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

One of the killer whales is known as John Coe - and has a deep nick near the base of his dorsal fin and fluke.

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