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Home | Animals
Lion Cubs Make Their DebutGet ready for an overload of cute: here are three lion cubs making their public debut at the Fuji Safari Park in Shizuoka, Japan. They are too young to eat meat yet, so they are bottle-fed milk three times a day by their trainers. They are five weeks old and don't yet have names. But they are already big stars at the park. Posted on April 24, 2008 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Here's baby Wilbaer making his debut at a Stuttgart, Germany zoo. Wilbaer is four months old and is being taught to swim by him mother, Corinna. Wilbaer is just darling and we're happy he has his momma. If only Knut hadn't been rejected by his momma, how different things would have been. Posted on April 20, 2008 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Rare Asiatic Lion Born in Japan Well, isn't he the most adorable thing you've ever seen? This is Raja, a 7-week-old Asiatic lion who was born at the
ZooriasiaYokohama Zoological
Gardens Zoorasia, south of Tokyo, Japan.
The Asiatic lion is a rare subspecies of lion: there are only 350 of them in the wild. The last of the Asiatic lions live in the state of Gujarat in India. "His mother is not only unaccustomed to raising a child but also a bit too old as a lion to raise a child. So after discussions, we decided to raise him by ourselves because it would enhance his survival probability," said Shunichiro Tajima the Zoo Keeper. The Zoo is letting the public pick his name, which will be one of three Hindi names: Suraj, Dost, or Raja meaning Sun, Friend and King. We vote for Raja. Posted on April 3, 2008 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati ![]() This is just horrible. Little Knut the polar bear is now a huge, strong one year-old adult polar bear that has giant teeth and claws. So, his keepers have been forbidden from playing with him. Now, Knut is lonely and depressed. When he catches the scent of his human "father" he howls for hours in despair. And when no one comes to watch him at the zoo, he cries. Knut has had so much contact with humans in his young life that he doesn't realize he's a polar bear, one of his handlers has said. The celebrity bear has been finding it hard to cope ever since his keepers were forbidden to play with him. Markus Robke, who helped keeper Thomas Dorflein hand-rear Knut in Berlin Zoo, has said the bear should leave the zoo as soon as possible, to help him get used to a life without the people who brought him up.This is just horrible. Can't they get him a girlfriend?? Knut was raised by humans: to cut him off from his dad is just cruel. You can't put him in the wild: he wouldn't know what to do. Plus, polar bears are having a terrible time of it in their natural habitat. We say: get Knut a friend. Now! And let his dad put on some body armor and go in the enclosure. Posted on March 27, 2008 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati The Dancing Pink Flamingo The dollar is skidding to an all-time low, Bear Stearns just got bailed out and the global financial markets are very jittery. But here's a dancing pink flamingo to cheer you up: Posted on March 17, 2008 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Ch K-Run's Park Me In First, better known as Uno, became the first beagle to ever win Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. No beagles have won in the 100 year history of the show, which is a travesty if you think about it.
Uno has quite a personality: as he did his victory lap with his handler Aaron Wilkerson Tuesday night, he just couldn't quit barking. And who could blame him? It was a thrilling victory! Here's the video of his groundbreaking win, complete with barking and a standing ovation by the crowd. Posted on February 13, 2008 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Male Peacock Jealousy Is A Danger to Blue Cars In North Newton, Somerset,
England, there is a very jealous male peacock who attacks any blue car that comes onto the giant estate on which he lives.
Like any male defending his patch, Ron does his best to banish potential love rivals. Unfortunately, this fellow's a little confused about who his competitors are. Ron, a peacock , has begun attacking any bright blue cars which drive into his territory at a stately home. In his latest assault, on a blue Lexus, he scratched and dented every panel - causing £4,000 worth of damage.Sir Benjamin has no heirs and spent almost two years testing DNA of Slade relatives around the world to find someone to leave his estate to. So far, in the lead to inherit is Isaac Slade, 24-year-old lead singer of The Fray. Posted on October 5, 2007 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati The Monks and the Fire Ants The BBC reports that some buddhist monks in Malaysia have a fire ant problem. Harming any living creature is forbidden by Buddhism so the monks have had trouble with the fire ants that deliver painful bites to the monks. So the monks are looking for a creative and non-violent solution to deal with the insects, which are biting worshippers.The ants are dropping on the monks and biting the monks when they pray under a special tree. The monks have to practice a special meditation to try and ignore the pain all the while not getting angry and hurting the fire ants. But the ants are dropping from the temple's sacred bodhi tree onto people meditating below - and when they bite it causes painful swelling.The BBC says they tried to use a vaccuum cleaner to remove the ants but it didn't work so now the chief monk is hoping someone will come along and fix the problem. They cannot encourage anyone to harm the ants, but the chief monk says that if someone turns up unbidden and deals with them without the monks' involvement then that is the will of the universe.The will of the universe is a good thing if it means no more fire ants. Posted on April 3, 2007 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati
Some insane activist who claims to support animal rights in Germany is demanding that a baby polar bear named Knut be euthanized rather than be raised in captivity by humans. Knut was abandoned by his mother, so the zoo veterinarian and staff stepped in to save his life. Polar bears are on the extinction list, so every bear we can keep alive is a victory.
At three months old, however, the playful 19lb bundle of fur is at the centre of an impassioned debate over whether he should live or die. Animal rights activists argue that he should be given a lethal injection rather than brought up suffering the humiliation of being treated as a domestic pet. "The zoo must kill the bear," said spokesman Frank Albrecht. "Feeding by hand is not species-appropriate but a gross violation of animal protection laws."The Berlin Zoo essentially said that Frank Albrecht is nuts and that no one is going to kill the baby bear. Maybe Frank Albrecht should have his big mouth taped shut. That seems like a fair compromise. Posted on March 20, 2007 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Saber Toothed Leopard Discovered A new species of saber-toothed leopard has
been discovered in Borneo.
It is a modern-day sabre-tooth tiger with fearsome fangs capable of killing its prey in a single bite. This clouded leopard which feasts on monkeys, deer and pigs has been discovered living deep in the Borneo rain forest. Long thought to be identical to the clouded leopards living on mainland South East Asia, genetic analysis has shown that the Bornean big cat is in fact a separate species.The leopard is about the size of a labrador retriever, but we wouldn't recommend trying to pat one on the head. Nothing like two inch fangs to encourage people to keep their distance. We only hope that this report doesn't spur poachers to go after the leopard now. Posted on March 15, 2007 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Terri Irwin Named Australia's Tourism Ambassador Terri Irwin has been named as Australia's Tourism Ambassador. The appointment comes in the middle of the Australia Week festivities, which are an annual event to promote Australia to the world. Later Irwin shed her khaki for a black gown and the seamless aplomb of the A-listers at her side for a gala that honoured Steve Irwin's memory. "I am absolutely delighted," Ms Bailey said of Irwin's decision to accept the invitation at a media conference held at lunchtime on Saturday.Terri looked amazing in her floor-length black gown -- it was nice to see her out of her khaki and having a good time. We think she'll do a great job promoting Australia and carrying on the work of her late husband, Steve. Posted on January 15, 2007 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Humpback Whale Breaks Yacht, Says Sorry
A humpback whale accidentally destroyed some guy's yacht, then came back to apologize.
A sailor whose yacht was destroyed by a humpback whale off New Zealand said he had got a good "vibe" from the giant mammal and thought it was trying to say sorry, local media said on Wednesday. Lindsay Wright was sailing his brand-new 10-meter (30-ft) trimaran, named Loose Goose, about 80 nautical miles off the west coast of North Island on Tuesday when he hit the whale.We do love humpback whales -- too bad the Japanese are absolutely determined to resume whaling and wipe them from the face of the Earth. Posted on January 10, 2007 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati World's First Test Tube Koalas The world's first test tube koala cubs were born in Australia.
Australian scientists unveiled three test-tube koala cubs today as part of an artificial insemination programme to preserve the vulnerable mammal. They said the programme would lead to the creation of the world's first koala sperm bank, letting researchers screen out koala diseases.Kudos to all the scientists involved! Posted on October 31, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Paleontologists Find Jurassic Sea Monster Fossil
Paleontologists
discovered and ancient Jurassic graveyard full of ancient predatory sea reptiles that look like sea monsters.
The ancient graveyard once lay deep underwater during the Jurassic period, about 200 million to 145 million years ago The site now sits on the island of Spitsbergen, part of the Norwegian-owned Svalbard archipelago, which lies about 600 miles (966 kilometers) from the North Pole.Ah, the Jurassic. What lovely, sweet creatures lived during that time period. Interesting as it is, we think we'll skip the entire Mesozoic Era during any future time travels. But we still like learning about it -- from a safe distance, of course. Posted on October 9, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Attack of the Killer Squirrels Mountain View, California has seen a disturbing increase in squirrels attacking humans. An aggressive squirrel pounced on a 4-year-old boy in an attack last week in Cuesta Park in Mountain View, Calif. The attack happened as the boy's mother unwrapped a muffin during a picnic. The boy had to get rabies shot after the attack. He is still getting the shots. The attack is not the first one reported at the park. Mountain View Community Services Director David Muela said that as many as six people have been bitten or scratched by squirrels since May, and that the attacks have become more ferocious in the last month.Viewers of this news report were furious that the squirrels were being euthanized and are refusing to visit the "death park." It's all a big mess. Bottom line: don't get bitten by a squirrel, unless you enjoy the thought of a long series of rabies shots. Posted on September 29, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Crowe: No Croc Hunter Biopic Oscar-winner Russell Crowe lashed out at tabloid reports that he wanted to play Steve Irwin in an upcoming biopic of the Crocodile Hunter. It's not even remotely true, according to Crowe, who took a break from shooting Ridley Scott's crime-drama American Gangster to talk to ComingSoon.net about his upcoming collaboration with Scott, A Good Year, based on the novel by Peter Mayle. Not only that but even the thought that he'd even be thinking of a movie about his late friend, who he just held a memorial tribute for in their native Australia, really bothers the actor.Ah, well. We still think Crowe would do a great job portraying the Croc Hunter. Posted on September 26, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Goodbye To the Crocodile Hunter
Steve Irwin, known as The Crocodile Hunter, died yesterday after being stung by a stingray while snorkeling off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Irwin was filming a children's documentary at the time. The barb entered his heart from under his ribcage, which experts said was tantamount to taking a sword through the heart. He died on the scene and paramedics couldn't revive him.
The video of the incident is being reviewed by police, and there are conflicting reports of what the tape actually shows. The stingray encounter that killed Animal Planet star Steve Irwin was reportedly caught on tape – but still, conflicting details about the Crocodile Hunter's final moments are emerging. The ray struck Irwin, 44, with the barb of its tail while he was filming bull stingrays for a TV documentary called Ocean's Deadliest at Batt Reef, Low Isle off Port Douglas, Australia, at about 11:00 a.m. Monday.Australians weighed in on the death by the thousands, leaving tributes on websites and at Australia Zoo. Other statements included those from friend Russell Crowe and the Australian Prime Minister: Russell Crowe: "He was the Australian we all aspire to be. He held an absolute belief that caring for the richness of our country, meaning specifically the riches of our fauna, was the highest priority we should have. And, over time, we might just see how right he was.We loved Steve Irwin and his love for life, his family and his passion for wildlife conservation. He spent so much of his own money buying land for conservation purposes and trying to educate people about the importance of sustaining wildlife habitats. Our hearts go out to his wife Terri, his daughter Bindi Sue and his son Bob. You can see the videos of Steve, post condolences and see tributes from his friends at the special memorial site set up by Discovery Communications, Inc. Posted on September 5, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Britney Forces K-Fed to Dump the Sharks
Britney Spears is taking a stand and forcing K-Fed to get rid of his six -- yes, that's right, six -- sharks before the new baby is born.
Britney Spears is ruining all of K-Fed’s fun. The pop star is making her aspiring rap star hubby, Kevin Federline, get rid of his pet sharks, according to Life & Style. Spears, who is expecting her second child with Federline, apparently fears that the six Australian gray nurse sharks are a bit risky when there are two kiddies around the house.We'd comment on this report, but we're speechless at the idea that K-Fed is keeping six nurse sharks in a home which will soon have an infant and a toddler in it. This guy has got to be the absolute worst dad in Hollywood. And that's saying something. You tell him, Britney: "Read my lips, K-Fed. No More Sharks." Oh and K-Fed's career? Jumped the sharks -- all six of them -- long ago. (Photo courtesy of X17online.com.) Posted on August 21, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Research Says There Were Blond and Redheaded Woolly Mammoths New research shows that woolly mammoths may have come in lots of colors. Scientists now believe that there may have been blond, brunette and even redheaded woolly mammoths roaming the plains.
Researchers led by Holger Roempler of the University of Leipzig in Germany were able to extract DNA from a 43,000-year-old mammoth bone from Siberia.Blond and redheaded woolly mammoths: who would have thought? Next, they'll be telling us that the dinosaurs were pink with purple spots. Although now that we think of it, they already found a dinosaur that had feathers which is more than enough to inspire some Jurassic-sized nightmares about a feathered T-Rex coming after us. So, why not pink dinosaurs? Posted on July 6, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati One Drink and You Miss the Ape A new study on drinking reveals that having just one drink can severely impair your observational skills. New research by the University of Washington may make you think again: Most of the study participants who had had only one cocktail didn't even notice a gorilla walking through the middle of a ballgame. That's right. The UW researchers tested people while they focused intently on a single task — counting the number of basketball passes in a video. Most of them couldn't see much else, such as realize that the clip features a woman in an ape suit who suddenly walks to center screen, beats her chest and exits — a nine-second cameo.The moral of the story is this: those of you who wish to see those naughty gorillas that are planning to crash your local 4th of July celebrations should definitely stick with Coke this weekend. Posted on June 30, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati The Toughest Guard Cat In New Jersey Now this is what we call a true watch-cat. A black bear wandered into the back yard of a New Jersey family, but was chased up a tree by the family's orange tabby cat. The unwelcome intruder was forced up a tree - twice - by the family pet, a tabby cat called Jack. The terrified bear was only able to make its escape when owner Donna Dickey called the hissing cat into the house. Ms Dickey said Jack liked to keep a close watch on his territory and often chased away small animals, but one of this size was a first.Jack: he's 15lbs of sheer intimidation. Posted on June 10, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati The Littlest Dinosaurs German scientists have discovered a species of dinosaurs that was really tiny compared to their gigantic cousins.
When you think dinosaurs, you think big. But German scientists say they've discovered a species that evolved into a dwarf, ending up only about one-third the size of its closest known relatives. The fossils were of a four-legged plant-eater that was no lap dog: It measured about 20 feet from its snout to the tip of its long tail and it weighed about a ton. But next to its close evolutionary cousin Camarasaurus, a well-known beast that stretched some 59 feet long, this guy was a runt.We agree, Europasaurus is pretty neat. Posted on June 8, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Hermaphroditic Sea Squirts Invade Long Island Sound The AP reports that blob-like creatures known as Sea Squirts are invading the Long Island Sound.
The researchers say they have found colonies of invasive sea squirts, blob-shaped animals that reproduce easily, on the floor of the sound.They sound like a real menace and they are listed here in the USDA's invasive species index. Ivar Babb sure doesn't like them. "This thing is ugly," Babb said. "It has no socially redeeming virtues."That's pretty harsh but we don't like these lowlife good-for-nothing sea squirts either if they are suffocating the delicious New England seafood. Posted on May 31, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati The Myths Of The Maternal Instinct Just in time for Mother's Day, The New York Times features a horrifying article about the myth that mothers naturally care for their offspring and will fight to protect them. Taking some really gross examples from the animal world, the articles details how animal mothers routinely kill, eat and abandon their young, and why nature set things up that way. Among several mammals, including lions, mice and monkeys, females will either spontaneously abort their fetuses or abandon their newborns when times prove rocky or a new male swaggers into town.Nooooo! Not the pandas!! Worst. Mother's Day. Feature. Ever. Posted on May 9, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Bat Cave Students Face Possible Criminal Charges Officials are mulling mulling over whether or not to file charges against students at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville who tried to create a real, live Bat Cave in their dorm room. A joker who made a bat cave out of a dorm room, and three other students believed to have stolen the dozen or so nocturnal critters used in the caper, could be in for criminal charges, officials said Thursday. At least five University of Arkansas at Fayetteville students had been in close contact with the bats, but state epidemiologist Dr. Frank Wilson said the exposure wasn't significant enough to require rabies shots. Health officials urged anyone else who was near the bats to be evaluated.We're guessing that the student who "thought it would be funny to release them in someone's room" will get 20 years with possibility of parole after 12 years. Too lenient? Ok, life without possibility of parole. That sounds fair. Posted on April 28, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Hot New Designer Sunglasses For the Insect in Your Life At least the scientists in Germany are working on something important: this photo entered into a German science-photo competition showcases the latest in designer wear for your pet housefly.
The photo shows a fly wearing his hot new designer lesnes, which were specially cut using a laser in order to fit the fly's 0.08-inch-wide (2-millimeter-wide) head. Manufacturing firm Micreon GmbH submitted the insect's picture for the Bilder der Forschung (Photos of Science) 2005 competition. Selected images were on display last week in a Munich shopping center.We'd planned to order one hundred pairs for our favorite houseflies, but Accounting put a stop to it pronto. Killjoys. Posted on March 31, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Cat Terrorizes Connecticut Town A Connecticut town is being terrorized by a local cat named Lewis. Residents of the neighborhood of Sunset Circle say they have been terrorized by a crazy cat named Lewis. Lewis for his part has been uniquely cited, personally issued a restraining order by the town's animal control officer. "He looks like Felix the Cat and has six toes on each foot, each with a long claw," Janet Kettman, a neighbor said Monday. "They are formidable weapons."Sounds to us like Lewis needs some kitty Paxil. Posted on March 29, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati U.S. Training Sharks to Be Underwater Spies
The BBC reports
that the U.S. is planning on training sharks to conduct underwater surveillance. The scientists plan on controlling the sharks by implanting electrodes in their brains.
It says the aim is "to exploit sharks' natural ability to glide through the water, sense delicate electrical gradients and follow chemical trails". The unusual project was unveiled last week in Hawaii, it says. The research is being funded by the Pentagon's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), according to the magazine.This reminds us of that movie called Deep Blue Sea, in which a bunch of stupid scientists put electrodes into some sharks' brains and did some other things to them. They thought they could control the sharks. They were wrong. Posted on March 2, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Happy Groundhog Day Groundhog Day is an important North American holiday (with origins in Germany) where Americans and Canadians look to groundhogs to determine
the next six weeks of weather. The forecast is complicated because there are multiple groundhogs each forecasting for a different region. Here is the forecast from a few of the groundhogs.
Groundhog Central has forecasts from dozens of other groundhogs. Punxsutawney Phil is arguably the best known groundhog. He was in the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Punxsutawney Phil now even has Vaseline Intensive Care as a official sponsor. Since Phil saw his shadow you can get a free bottle of Vaseline here. Phil's website says he lives forever by drinking groundhog punch. How many "Phils" have there been over the years? There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions for over 120 years! Posted on February 2, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Scientists Create Glow in the Dark Pigs Those fun-loving Taiwanese scientists are at it again: they've created glow in the dark pigs.
They claim that while other researchers have bred partly fluorescent pigs, theirs are the only pigs in the world which are green through and through. The pigs are transgenic, created by adding genetic material from jellyfish into a normal pig embryo. The researchers hope the pigs will boost the island's stem cell research, as well as helping with the study of human disease.You know that it's just a matter of time before one of these scientists goes all Jeckyll and Hyde on us and injects himself with the jellyfish DNA. Posted on January 19, 2006 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Butterstick Ventures Outside Sweet little Butterstick ventured outside for the first time, which is an important milestone for the baby giant panda who lives at the Smithsonian National Zoo.
At the tender age of five months, the National Zoo's panda cub on Thursday ventured into the outside world for the first time. With his mom looking on, Tai Shan took his first steps outside his indoor habitat, where he walked along the side fences and the back wall, then summoned up the courage to go to the center of the yard, where mother Mei Xiang was munching bamboo.They may call him Tai Shan, but he'll always be little Butterstick to us. Posted on December 25, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati It's Panda Birthday Time
The celebration of all things panda-related continues unabated. In China, the 25-year-old panda Basi was feted with flowers, fruit, a birthday cake and a tablet carved with the Chinese character "shou" which means "longevity."
Yesterday hundreds of visitors swarmed into Panda World in the capital city of east China's Fujian Province to join in a special birthday party for Basi. Across the park everyone could hear a special song specially written for the occasion. The panda walked around her pool and later, maybe shy in the face of so many enthusiastic visitors, went to her little cave to enjoy the cake.Last month began the Second Fuzhou Panda Culture Festival, which just ended with Basi's birthday celebration. Special stamps, postcards and calendars were have been issued in commemoration of the birthday. We're so fired up about the end of the Panda Festival that we think we're going to take the rest of the week off to celebrate. Time to order refreshments! Posted on December 19, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Japanese Zookeepers Put Penguins on a Diet
Some Japanese penguins are being put on a diet, according to the Associated Press.
It's wintertime and the king penguins at a zoo in northern Japan are putting on weight. But the keepers there have a solution: exercise. Authorities at Asahiyama Zoo are taking the penguins on 500-yard walks on the snowy grounds twice a day, said zoo spokesman Tetsuo Yamazaki.Boy, those Japanese zookeepers at the Asahiyama Zoo really crack the whip. What if the penguins don't want to go on forced walks, but just huddle together in the cold like in March of the Penguins? At least they won't get eaten by killer whales, though. March on, little penguins! Posted on December 15, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati The Attack of the Giant Jellyfish It's really happening: the giant jellyfish are everywhere and they're really hard to kill. The Times (U.K)
reports
on the appearance of mysterious giant jellyfish in the Sea of Japan.
They are called echizen kurage and they sound like monsters from the trashier reaches of Japanese science fiction. They are 6ft wide and weigh 450lb (200kg), with countless poisonous tentacles, they have drifted across the void to terrorise the people of Japan. Vast armadas of the slimy horrors have cut off the country's food supply. As soon as one is killed more appear to take its place.Apparently the area where China's rivers run into the sea is where the monsters came from. But we're sure that the fact that China sends huge amounts of toxic chemicals down those rivers out to sea has absolutely nothing to do with the rise of the behemoth jellyfish. Posted on December 8, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati King Kong Looks Real Says Zoo Director
Everyone's waiting to see how Peter Jackson's King Kong stacks up against Lord of the Rings. We know at least one thing: King Kong looks quite real, according to the Director of the Bronx Zoo.
Gorilla expert Dan Wharton, director of the prestigious Bronx Zoo, saw a preview screening yesterday and said Jackson's gorilla looked entirely authentic.In addition to creating a realistic giant gorilla, Weta Digital had to use 5,000 computers to recreate New York in the 1930s, by digitally erasing all buildings built after that time. In fact, they had to get their own substation because their power needs were impacting the nearby town of Miramar. Posted on December 5, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Scientists Testing Cyber Hugs on Chickens Someday you may be able to add "hug a chicken" to the list of things you can do with a computer and an Internet connection. Singapore scientists are busy working on vibration jackets for the chickens which is the logical first step toward actual chicken cyber hugs. Singapore scientists looking for ways to transmit the sense of touch over the Internet have devised a vibration jacket for chickens and are thinking about electronic children's pyjamas for cyberspace hugs.Do chickens even like hugs? Eventually human cyber hugs will be possible as long as you are wearing your human vibration jacket. Posted on November 29, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Justin Timberlake Fears Spiders
Singer Justin Timberlake is terrified of spiders. His arachnophobia is so bad that he recently had to call the hotel staff for help to remove a spider from his hotel suite.
The pop heartthrob has confessed his arachnophobia has become so bad he refused to enter his plush suite after spotting an eight-legged creepy crawly lurking inside.The American Humane Association reminds Jason and others with arachnophobia that there is nothing to be afraid of -- spiders are actually helpful creatures. One of the most common fears among humans is arachnophobia, but there really is nothing to be afraid of. Spiders are actually very helpful creatures to humans. They help plants reproduce by pollinating them. They help recycle dead trees and animals back into the earth. They are a source of food for birds, fish, and small mammals. And, they eat many harmful insects, helping to keep your garden pest-free.However, there are some spiders that Jason Timberlake and other humans should stay away from like the deadly Sydney Funnel Web Spider. Ten minutes after a person is bitten by a Sydney Funnel Web Spider the first symptoms start. The first symptom is numbness around the tongue and mouth. Next the person will have spasms of the tongue and the heart rate will rapidly increase. Nausea and vomiting will soon start along with sweating and salivation. The victim will then become agitated and soon find it difficult to breath. They may become confused and not be able to concentrate. By this stage the victim may be in a coma and the blood press will rise dramatically. The muscles will begin to twitch. At this stage the possibility of death is extremely high. Posted on November 28, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Marshmallow, the National Thanksgiving Turkey Here is a photo of President George Bush pardoning Marshmallow, the National Thanksgiving Turkey. More about our National Thanksgiving Turkey can be found here on The White House website. The website says that the name Marshmallow was voted on by the public. There was even an alternate turkey named Yam in case something terrible happened to Marshmallow. The site also has information about the turkey's retirement schedule.
A few minor modifications were made to prepare the birds for the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation. About 30 turkeys were removed from the normal commercial production flock and are being raised separately on the Trites farm. The birds are periodically hand fed and given additional interaction with people in an effort to acclimate them.Frying Pan Park? Well at least the poor turkeys can retire safely even if the name might frighten them. Happy Thanksgiving Buzz readers! Posted on November 24, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Liger Kittens Born
Deb: What are you drawing? Napoleon Dynamite: A liger. Deb: What's a liger? Napoleon Dynamite: It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed... bred for its skills in magic. Napoleon must be stoked today because a new litter of ligers was born in a Russian Zoo. Three liger cubs have been born in the Novosibirsk Zoo to unusual parents: an African lion and a Bengalese tigress, the zoo’s director Rostislav Shilo told RIA Novosti Monday. The cubs are called ligers, a term derived from their parents’ species, lion and tiger.No word yet on what magical skills the ligress possesses. Posted on November 17, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Happy Birthday to the Giant Tortoise The BBC reports on the exciting birthday festivities for a 175 year-old tortoise. Australia Zoo held a birthday bash for one of the world's oldest known living creatures, a Giant Galapagos tortoise. The tortoise was treated to a pink hibiscus flower cake.
Although the animal's exact date of birth is not known, DNA testing has indicated its approximate age. Some people believe the tortoise, known as Harriet, was studied by British naturalist Charles Darwin. Darwin took several young Giant Galapagos tortoises back to London after his epic voyage on board HMS Beagle.Happy Birthday, Harriet: you don't look a day over 102! Posted on November 15, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Baby Elephant Makes His Debut The new baby African elephant who was born at the Indianapolis Zoo was introduced to the public. He's so little that he has to use a step stool to nurse. Luckily, he has a bevy of zookeepers to produce a step stool when needed.
The baby African elephant continues to do well. He and mother Kubwa are bonded, he is nursing consistently, and loves taking naps! At this point in time, he is using a little step stool to reach the mammaries on Kubwa, who is an unusally tall elephant. Kubwa's first calf, Amali, also used a step stool to nurse for the first several weeks of her life. Kubwa is very protective of her calf and very alert to where he is at all times. She is very gentle with him, and helps him up using her trunk if he gets going too fast or trips up. He is still a bit unsteady on his feet, but he gets more coordinated every day!The Indianapolis Zoo had a contest to name the elephant; the results will be announced tomorrow. We hope they pick something good. It's a good thing he's an elephant and doesn't know that people are emailing in crazy suggestions from all over the country. And Butterstick is taken. Posted on October 31, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Baby Panda Gets His Name The Washington National Zoo announced that the new panda cub now has a name: Tai Shan, which means "Peaceful Mountain."
The National Zoo announced the name during a ceremony Monday, keeping a Chinese tradition of waiting 100 days after birth until naming. The male cub, born July 9, is the first giant panda born at the National Zoo to survive more than a few weeks.You can see the Panda Cam here. Posted on October 21, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Armed and Dangerous Dolphins We were thrilled to see that all eight Gulfport Oceanarium dolphins all made it through the hurricane and are on their way to a new home. But apparently, that's not the only dolphin story that came out of Hurricane Katrina. The Guardian (UK) reports that the Navy is covering up another hurricane-related dolphin escape. Only these dolphins are armed and dangerous. It may be the oddest tale to emerge from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Armed dolphins, trained by the US military to shoot terrorists and pinpoint spies underwater, may be missing in the Gulf of Mexico. Experts who have studied the US navy's cetacean training exercises claim the 36 mammals could be carrying "toxic dart" guns. Divers and surfers risk attack, they claim, from a species considered to be among the planet's smartest. The US navy admits it has been training dolphins for military purposes, but has refused to confirm that any are missing.Well, that certainly explains why the Navy was so eager to "help out" the Oceanarium in its rescue effort. Animal rights groups oppose the use of dolphins in warfare, but sources indicate that a covert program has been going strong since the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole. So, the question becomes: where are the armed and dangerous dolphins now? Here's some advice: you might want to re-think that scuba-diving trip you had planned for anywhere in the Gulf of Mexico. Posted on September 26, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati All Eight Dolphins Rescued Happy dolphin news: all eight dolphins have been now been rescued from the ocean and taken to a naval engineering base where they are being treated for injuries and starvation.
Led by a marine biologist who specializes in dolphins, a rescue team had rescued four of the dolphins by Friday. But when they went back on Saturday, they couldn't find the rest of the group. They searched by plane and boat, and finally found them Tuesday -- they were swimming towards land, apparently tired of waiting for the humans to get their act together and bring everyone home. [W]hen rescuers returned on the fourth day, the remaining four dolphins had left the area. NOAA couldn't move all the dolphins at once because they had limited equipment and only one pool to put them in.The veterinarian said some were 100 pounds underweight and had deep lacerations, which are being treated. The group of dolphins had never been in the same pool before, but formed a pod during the disaster when they were swept out of their Gulfport, Mississipi Oceanarium home pools by the storm surge. Now the owner says he'd like to keep them all together since it appears they've formed a family unit. But dolphins are expensive to keep. Let's hope that they recover fully, and that Sea World or some canny corporate donor buys or sponsors the entire group. Posted on September 21, 2005 Permalink | Digg this | Blogs linking to this post: Google | Technorati Four Dolphins Rescued, Four to Go Ok, this dolphins-needing-rescuing story is really starting to stress us out. There are eight bottlenosed dolphins who were swept out of their pools during Hurricane Katrina. They're in the Gulf of Mexico and want to go back to their trainers (raised in captivity, they have no idea how to evade predators or even hunt for fish). Plus, they're injured and starving, according to the veterinarian treating them.
They got two of the most injured dolphins at the end of last week. Then, they got a mom and her son on Saturday, according to the Dolphinsrus.com, the official website of the Oceanarium. Mom and Son Reunited: Kelly Saved |