e-Bay auction to name cheetah cub

The winner of this e-Bay auction will be able to name one female cheetah cub. (Look for the male name on ebay beginning June 5.) She was born Easter Sunday in a litter of 4 at Wildlife Safari.

Cheetahs are extremely endangered and may be extinct in as little as 20 years. Breeding programs like the one at Wildlife Safari may be the only hope to keep cheetahs on earth. Wildlife Safari is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity. All bids will be treated as a donation and are tax deductible.

The winning cheetah name will appear in the International Cheetah Studbook, and be posted at Wildlife Safari. In addition to naming the cheetah cub, the winner will receive an 8X10 photo of the cub, a certificate with the cub’s paw prints, 2 tickets to drive through the park, a plush cheetah stuffed toy, and next time you visit Wildlife Safari we invite you to come meet our ambassador cheetah, Taini, up close and personal.

Wildlife Safari currently houses 26 cheetahs. The cost of keeping and managing these cats is close to $600/day. Any bid or other contribution to this program goes directly for the daily care of these animals.

Why Cats Purr

Animal communication is always fascinating. Here are some theories I found about why cats purr.

Above all, the purr is probably the cat's way of communicating to others (cats and humans) that it is in the mood to be sociable. The purring sound is frequently made at the same time that other 'sociable' signals are made, e.g. erect tail, slightly closed "contented" eyes. Naturally, in most situations, this will also be when the cat is feeling contented, but it need not necessarily be so. Humans usually interpret the purring of a domestic cat as an expression of some type of friendliness or contentment. This assumption is based on the observation that cats often (though not always) purr when being stroked by humans, combined with the experience that human children tend to enjoy stroking by their parents and interpret it as a gesture of affection. Consequently, most humans enjoy listening to or holding a purring cat.

It is, however, not entirely clear to scientists whether this really is one of the cat's reasons for making the sound; it is well-established that a cat also purrs when it is uneasy, nervous or in great pain, perhaps to comfort itself or to express submission. Other theories suggest that a cat purrs when it wants, needs, or is receiving attention, whether it be affection or medical treatment. Purring may also reduce pain, help a wounded cat to heal, or even help to keep a cat's bones strong. When cats purr while also lightly clawing the ground it may mean they are trying to relieve stress or comfort themselves. An example is when a female cat is nursing kittens; as humans may find with children, cats may also become stressed from the attention of their young and therefore start to purr and lightly claw the ground. This may also be associated with "kneading" behavior, in which the kittens' pawing helps release milk from the nursing mother's teats.

Trackposted to Pet's Garden Blog, The Pink Flamingo, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, The Random Yak, Right Celebrity, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Menu Foods details costs of pet food recall

http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=marketsNewsUS&storyID=2007-05-31T011824Z_01_N30466465_RTRIDST_0_MENUFOODS-RESULTS.XML

This Reuters article comes as no surprise. However, I do feel bad for the many investors who have lost or are losing money in both Menu foods and in other pet food related stocks. These investors thought there were investing in top notch, responsible companies. People who are not part of the daily grind of this industry could not know what potentials there were for this to happen and how bad the regulation of the industry was at the time.

They also couldn't know how bad this crisis would be handled by these companies. As soon as there was any evidence of any problem, all foods should have been recalled at once and Menu foods should have taken responsibility. It seems they still think only a handful of pets were harmed by their food. Come on, the number is in the thousands based on everything I've read.

I originally found this Reuters article on http:petsitusa.com/blog. Check out their comments on the situation as well. Good stuff.

Although there is no bringing back anyone's pet, here's hoping that these owners will at least get something for their troubles and vet bills.

Irish eagle chick is first in century

A wild golden eagle has been hatched in Ireland for the first time in nearly a century.

Two chicks were hatched in a remote area of the Glenveagh National Park in County Donegal but one of the young birds died after five days.

There will be a further nervous wait to see if the remaining chick can continue to grow and fledge in late July.

Golden eagles last bred in Glenveagh back in 1910.

The bird had become extinct in Ireland but was reintroduced at Glenveagh six years ago in an effort to reintroduce the bird to Ireland.

Rare albino barking deer


Bangkok's Dusit Zoo unveiled a rare baby albino common barking deer, the world's second all white barking deer, born from a common barking deer mother and an albino common barking deer father.

Zoological Park Organization director-general Sophon Dumnui said the albino baby was born at Dusit Zoo on April 7 but that the zookeepers were closely caring for the unusual infant until they were confident that he was in good health and ready to meet the public.

Four white lions born in French zoo

Four white lions were born in a zoo in western France, providing a welcome boost for the species whose population is teetering at about 30 worldwide, a zoo official said Wednesday.

The male and three female cubs, white as snow and weighing about 1.5 kilos (3.3 pounds), were separated from their mother at birth because she appeared to lack parenting skills.

Tigers cubs play with chicks


Tiger cubs play with chicks at a zoo in Wenling, Zhejiang Province.

The chicks, who were not harmed by the cubs, were feeding at a nearby river before entering the tigers' cage. It is the first time zoo staff have witnessed such an occurrence, China Daily reported.

(Source: REUTERS/China Daily)

Pampa, the white tiger


Pampa, a one-year-old male white tiger, yawns at the Metropolitan Zoo in Santiago. The white tiger is one of the most endangered species in the world with an estimated of 240 in existence. Pampa arrived form the Argentina's Temaiken zoo.
(AP Photo/Santiago Llanquin)

Woman unwittingly rescues injured bobcat

MOBILE, Ala. - A woman who helped rescue an injured cat on the roadside got a surprise when a veterinarian told her it was a wild and potentially dangerous bobcat.

Liza Eldred, her teenage daughter and the girl's friend found the female bobcat Saturday on U.S. 98 in south Baldwin County, wrapped it in a sweatshirt and drove it to an animal clinic for treatment.

Veterinarian Andy Duke said the women were "extremely lucky" that the bobcat, which had a broken paw, did not panic and injure them.

They were in "a lot of danger," Duke said.

Cute Baby white tiger

The big cat who likes getting wet and wild

Six years old, and at the prime of his life, Odin lives at the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Zoo in Vallejo, near San Francisco. He is about 10ft long from nose to tail, and is an excellent swimmer.


Odin was hand-raised at the zoo. And after he was weaned, his British trainer Lee Munro discovered his remarkable skill: when a lump of meat was thrown into a pool of water, Odin would happily dive in after it.

Mesa couple loves Dart Frogs

Greg and Amanda Sihler love Dart Frogs. What was once a hobby has now taken over their Mesa home. In 2005 the Sihler's started selling their frogs online on their website www.azdr.com, and they have quickly become one of the nations top breeders and sellers of Dart Frogs.

"Vivariums" sit in virtually every free space in the Sihler home, with many different species of Dart frogs from babies to adults. There is even the "frog room", with tadpoles, frog eggs, and most importantly, frog food. Dart frogs live on a steady diet of flightless fruit flies, which the Sihlers keep in plastic jars.

Elephant Turns Highwayman In India

The Hindustan Times reports an elephant bandit is holding up motorists in the eastern state of Orissa. His modis operandi is to stand in the middle of the highway until a car stops. He won't move until drivers wind down their windows and get out of the car, whereupon he uses his trunk to find, and grab, the food inside.

Awakened man wrestles leopard out of his bed

JERUSALEM (AP) -- A man clad only in underwear and a T-shirt wrestled a wild leopard to the floor and pinned it for 20 minutes after the cat leapt through a window of his home and hopped into bed with his sleeping family.

"This kind of thing doesn't happen every day," said 49-year-old Arthur Du Mosch, a nature guide. "I don't know why I did it. I wasn't thinking, I just acted."

Raviv Shapira, who heads the southern district of the Israel Nature and Parks Protection Authority, said a half dozen leopards have been spotted recently near Du Mosch's small community of Kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev desert in southern Israel, although they rarely threaten humans.

11-year old hunter bags "Monster Pig"

Hogzilla is being made into a horror movie. But the sequel may be even bigger: Meet Monster Pig. An 11-year-old boy used a pistol to kill a wild hog his father says weighed a staggering 1,051 pounds and measured 9 feet 4, from the tip of its snout to the base of its tail. Think hams as big as car tires.

If the claims are accurate, Jamison Stone's trophy boar would be bigger than Hogzilla, the famed wild hog that grew to seemingly mythical proportions after being killed in south Georgia in 2004.

Jamison is reveling in the attention over his pig.

"It feels really good," Jamison said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "It's a good accomplishment. I probably won't ever kill anything else that big."

Pet Rats

At a recent visit to the big chain pet store, I became intrigued with some furry little black creatures playing about in an enclosed display area. Not realizing what they were at first, I glanced to the sign, and to my dismay, they were RATS!

Yup, those same animals that plague Taco Bell and other restaurants across the world. RATS. But yet, here I was, actually enjoying watching them run about. These same creatures that people generally think of as PESTS are there being sold as PETS.

Well, after a little research, it looks like rats do have some popularity as an “exotic” pet. Apparently they are social, intelligent animals that make wonderful pets. They are relatively easy to care for, very curious, and require some interaction and exercise outside of their cage (at least an hour a day).

They are very social animals that like to be housed with other rats and some rat owners say their little creatures provide the same companionship as a dog. Now while I’m not sure if I could agree with that statement, I am never one to judge others on their choice of pets. And after watching them in the store, I can understand how someone can enjoy owning rats. The toughest part for me is getting over the notion of rats as PESTS and embracing the thought of rats as PETS.

Technorati Tags:

Trackposted to The Pink Flamingo, The Bullwinkle Blog, The Amboy Times, Adam's Blog, Big Dog's Weblog, and Conservative Cat, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Florida tries to wipe out cat-sized African rats

Deep in the heart of the Florida Keys, wildlife officials are laying bait laced with poison to try to wipe out a colony of enormous African rats that could threaten crops and other animals.

U.S. federal and state officials are beginning the final phase of a two-year project to eradicate the Gambian pouched rats, which can grow to the size of a cat and began reproducing in the remote area about eight years ago.

"This is the only place in the United States where this is occurring," said Gary Witmer, a biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, Colorado.

A former exotic pet breeder, living in a small house, bred the species and allowed the critters to escape.

Summer Safety Tips

Fist off, happy Memorial Day to everyone. It's a great time to thank those who fight for our freedom and our way of life.

With this weekend also being the unofficial start of summer, I thought it was important to share some basic summer safety tips. Some of these are common sense, others are reminders and still others might be some new advice. I found this on the Humane Society website.

Here is the link:
http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/hsus_offers_summer_pet_safety_tips.html



Transportation

Never leave your pet in an unattended car. On warm days, the temperature in your car can rise to 120 degrees in a matter of minutes, even with the windows slightly open.

When you bring your pet along on a car ride, use a pet safety harness. If an accident were to occur, a pet safety harness can ensure that every passenger is protected.

If your dog must ride in the back of a pick-up truck, make sure that he or she is in a crate that is secured to the bed of the truck. If you were to suddenly hit the brakes, swerve or be hit by a car, it could result in serious injury not only to your pet, but to other drivers.

Do not travel with your pet on an airplane unless it's absolutely necessary. If you plan on bringing your pet on vacation, consider driving to your destination. Otherwise, think about leaving your pet behind under the care of a pet sitter or boarding kennel.

Wellness

Only use veterinarian-approved flea and tick control products. Over-the-counter products may contain ingredients that have been found to harm pets. For more information about what chemicals to avoid, click here.

Make sure that your pet is protected from heartworm. Dogs and cats are at higher risk of contracting heartworm during the summer because there is an increase of mosquitoes, which transfer the disease. Contact your veterinarian in order to determine the best schedule for heartworm testing and preventive medication for your pet.

Protect your pet from the heat by providing him/her with large amounts of fresh water and keeping them indoors with you and providing plenty of shade when they are spending time outdoors.
On hot days, limit your pet's exercise to the early morning or evening hours. Also, keep in mind that the hot asphalt can burn your pet's paws.
Precautions

Learn to identify the signs of heat stress: heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, unsteadiness, a staggering gait, vomiting, or a deep red or purple tongue. If your pet does become overheated, immediately lower his/her body temperature by applying cool (not cold) water over his/her body, and giving small amounts of water or ice cubes. Most importantly, get immediate help from a veterinarian.

Teach your dog how to get out of your pool. Like people, many dogs like cooling off in pools. Even if your dog can swim, tragedy can occur if he/she does not know how to exit the pool. This can be prevented by showing your pooch how to enter the pool via the stairs and guiding him or her back out. Never leave your pet unattended around a pool.

Make sure that your pet is always wearing a collar with an updated identification tag. Even if your pet has an implanted microchip, as of late 2003, animal shelters and humane societies may not have a universal scanner that can read every brand of microchip.




Trackposted to A Blog For All, Dumb Ox Daily News, Maggie's Notebook, Big Dog's Weblog, On the Horizon, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Flying Dog Mobile


Donald the Flying Dog Mobile

Donald the Flying Dog Mobile is a unique kinetic mobile which adds whimsical atmosphere to any nursery, garden or room of the home. No batteries are needed; you just gently push down on the body to set the mobile into motion.

Nights of Arabia Pet Bed



Nights of Arabia Pet Bed
Magical canopy lounge reserved exclusively for the Majestic. Available in either a Honey Cream or Dark Wood finish with Olive Faux Suede cover and pillows.

Vibrating Pet Massager


Total Pet Health Vibrating Pet Massager

Pets will love the soothing, gentle vibrating action of this handheld massager. Helps relieve sore muscles, relax tension, and stimulate oil glands for healthier skin and coat. Quiet motor won't startle nervous pets and offers choice of continuous or pulse operation.

Video: Millimeters Matter

Bug smashing, to music!

Video: Bulldog adopts baby tiger


A French Bulldog is the adoptive mother to a Bengal tiger cub in Japan.

A Bengal baby tiger that was rejected by its own mother has been adopted by an affectionate French Bulldog. The unusual mother-and-adopted-daughter situation came about after the cub - which still does not have a name - was rejected by its own mother.

The tiger cub is now two weeks old and is starting to catch up in size and weight to her foster mother. Once its reaches a certain size, the zoo says the tiger cub may have to be moved to the tiger enclosure.

Video: The Blackfooted Ferret


Wildlife biologists from the US Fish and Wildlife Service explain how they are making great strides toward saving this endangered species that was once thought to be extinct. From breeding ferret offspring to preparing them for release back into the wild, the recovery effort of these cute carnivores is rich in math and science.

Video: Uni the Hedgehog

Uni doin what he does best- being the cutest hedgehog everrr!!!

His name is Hudson

After receiving and reviewing nearly 5,000 name suggestions for the male polar bear cub at Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Zoological Society (CZS) staff have selected a name: Hudson.

The cub, who now weighs just over 70 pounds, can be seen daily with his mom, Arki. Over the past several weeks, zookeepers have been slowly adding water to the bears’ pool. By early June, they hope to have it all the way filled so Arki can begin to teach Hudson how to swim.

It is estimated that between 22,000 and 25,000 polar bears live in the wild, although exact numbers are not known in their natural habitat of the circumpolar Arctic: U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway. In February 2005, several conservation organizations petitioned the U.S. Department of the Interior to list polar bears on the “threatened” species list of the Endangered Species Act. In late 2006, the Secretary of the Interior announced that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service would be gathering additional information and scientific data during the next 12 months before making its final decision whether to list the species on the threatened list.

Cat Biting

Our feline friends are constantly being studied. Their behavior fascinates us and keeps us guessing why they act the way they do. Here is some research I found around the web about why cats bite us.

Cats will bite out of playfulness or aggression. When a cat is content, a cat will playfully nip, which is a type of bite which is weak and harmless. A common misunderstanding about the motivation behind a cat's bite is that it is a form of affection. People most likely assume this because a cat will sometimes bite suddenly while it is being petted. A petting-induced bite is not a form of affection, but rather a mildly aggressive signal to inform the human to stop petting. While this behavior may seem unexpected to humans, a cat will usually give other subtle indications, such as "tail-lashing or thumping, skin rippling, growling, cessation of purring, ear flicking or rotation sideways, or shifting of body position" to announce that it does not wish to be petted.

Cats also have sensors in their teeth, and biting could indicate curiosity, similar to a human baby's exploration of their environment by inserting objects in their mouths.

Interesting stuff. Why does your cat bite?

Turtle's dinner table escape provides clues on habits

A giant sea turtle saved from the dinner table by a Chinese priest swam 3,000 kilometres into a sanctuary in Japan, providing researchers a valuable insight into the species travel habits.

The priest had carved a message onto the green sea turtle's shell which a Japanese conservation group used to trace its odyssey back to the province of Guangdong in southern China.

"We found out for the first time that green sea turtles from Japan also travel and live in the waters off mainland China, which is important to know," said Hiroyuki Suganuma, chairman of the non-governmental group.

60-year old gorilla celebrates birthday


'Fifi' eats carrots as she joins Sydney's Taronga Zoo's chimpanzee family to celebrate her 60th birthday, Australia, Monday, May 21, 2007. Fifi, the oldest member of Taronga's chimpanzee family, and her extended family received a special vegetable cake, fresh leaves, watermelons and extra coconuts to mark this important milestone.
(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Egyptian Tries To Smuggle 700 Snakes On Plane

A flight from Egypt to Saudi Arabia nearly turned into a real-life version of "Snakes on a Plane."

Airport authorities in Cairo detained an Egyptian man Thursday because he was allegedly trying to smuggle 700 live snakes onto a plane.

Authorities were told about the live snakes by the man after he was asked to open his carry-on bag. The man opened the bag and asked the officer not to come too close, probably because two poisonous cobras were among the snakes hidden in the small cloth sacks.

The man said he had hoped to sell the snakes in Saudi Arabia.

Lucky Cat Survives Shot To Head With Arrow

Lucky the cat is living up to his name after surviving being shot in the head with an arrow.

On Saturday afternoon, Kristin Slovensky, 16, was on her porch of her Parma, Ohio, home when Lucky staggered in with the arrow sticking out of his neck.

"It was just sickening, I couldn't believe he was still alive," she said.

Kristin and her boyfriend rushed Lucky, 8, to an animal emergency clinic.

"In my 20 years of taking care of animals, I've never seen anything like this," said Jeni Hren, who operated on Lucky. "This cat was shot at close range."

Lucky is now back home, but not out of danger yet. The risk of infection is very high, and he could suffer kidney damage.

Donna Slovensky said she is shocked that someone would do this to a harmless cat.

Dear Non-Pet Owners

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to Complain About Our Pets:


1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"nitur e.)

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: In many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

1. Eat less

2. Don't ask for money all the time

3 Are easier to train

4. Normally come when called

5. Never ask to drive the car

6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends

7. Don't smoke or drink

8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions

9. Don't want to wear your clothes

10. Don't need a gazillion dollars for college.

And finally,

11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children

Increasing Blog Traffic

http://courtneytuttle.com/2007/03/23/get-more-traffic-technorati-tags/

Came across this great article about increasing blog traffic through Technorati. Good stuff.

Pony gives birth to twins, overcoming odds of 10,000-to-1

Running through the fields with her newly-born foals, mare Royal Beatrice has good reason to celebrate - after managing the astonishingly rare feat of producing twins.

The 22-year-old New Forest Pony has shocked equine experts with the surprise birth of healthy twin foals because the chances of both surviving are so slim.

In nearly all cases, one or both foals die in a twin pregnancy because the mother's uterus cannot support two babies.

The chances of a mare giving birth to healthy twin foals are about 1 in 10,000, experts said today.

But little filly Bess, and colt Royal, have defied the odds by becoming the first twins to be born in the New Forest, Hampshire for many years.

Orangutan goes on rampage at zoo restaurant

The latest incident at the Shaoshan Zoo in the southern city of Kaohsiung began when an orangutan pushed his way out of his cage and wandered into a nearby restaurant courtyard.

As zoo officials scurried to bring the animal under control, he gleefully overturned picnic tables and motorbikes, forcing terrified diners to cower inside the eatery.

The orang-utan was finally subdued when an official shot him in the upper body with a a stun gun.

He was then carted off for treatment in the scoop of a small bulldozer.

Incident occurred just six weeks after a 200-kilogram (440-pound) crocodile chewed the forearm off veterinarian Chang Po-yu at the same zoo.

Man's Pet Alligator Gets Him Into Trouble

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Clay County man's pet alligator has him in trouble with wildlife officials. According to a sheriff's office report, Michael Dyer has been charged with misdemeanor possession of an alligator.

A tip led animal services officials to his apartment where they also found a dog, a rat, a python and a tarantula in cages.

The 22-year-old tried hiding the foot-long gator inside the toilet when officials arrived at his home.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took the month-old alligator to be released in the wild.

Dyer faces a maximum of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Baby elephant reunited with the mother who tried to kill him

Dumbo, the African elephant calf, has been reunited with his mother, who earlier this week tried to drown him to the horror of zoo staff and visitors.

When Pori suddenly turned on her calf at Friedrichsfelde Animal Park in Berlin, stamping on him and attempting to drown him, zookeepers had to act quickly to save Dumbo's life.

Onlookers had screamed as Pori turned on her baby and it was only when she was lured away and Dumbo was dragged out of the enclosure by his trunk that his life was saved.

Unsure whether Pori (or Dumbo) would bear a grudge, keepers tentatively put mother and son back together - but motherly love seems to have blossomed.



Many more photos.

Evolution of a new born Panda


Follow the development of a Panda, from birth to 3 months, in photos.

Gay flamingos pick up chick

A pair of gay flamingos have adopted an abandoned chick, becoming parents after being together for six years, a British conservation organisation said Monday.

Carlos and Fernando had been desperate to start a family, even chasing other flamingos from their nests to take over their eggs at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) in Slimbridge near Bristol.

But their egg-sitting prowess made them the top choice for taking an unhatched egg under their wings when one of the Greater Flamingo nests was abandoned.

The couple, together for six years, can feed chicks by producing milk in their throats.

After Being Hit By Car, Dog Getting New Leg

A Denver dog named Scout is about to get a new leg after being hit by a car earlier this year.

After the crash, his leg was immediately amputated. Veterinarian Robert Taylor said the prosthetic implant Scout will receive is revolutionary.

"There is a remarkable process known as biointegration. Skin, muscle and other soft tissues and bones will grow into certain metallic implants," Taylor said.

17-year Cicadas emerge in the Midwest

These cicadas spend 17 years underground, living off sap from tree roots. Now is the time when they appear in mass, shed their brown skeletons and mate. Before they die, females will lay the eggs of the batch scheduled to arrive in 2024.

This periodical cicadas swarm technically is called The Great Northern Illinois Brood XIII, they have red eyes instead of green like the annual ones. They can emerge in vast numbers — as many as 1.5 million per acre — in a path about 200 miles long that stretches from northwestern Indiana to Wisconsin.

They don’t bite or sting and their single purpose is to mate, lay about 30,000 eggs and die. The male cicadas’ buzz is so loud they can be heard a quarter-mile away. The racket is a love song. Only the males sing. The females are lured to the sound and fly nearer. A female responds to a male with a flick of her wings. The two gradually draw close to one another until they meet for mating. Male cicadas die soon after mating. Females lay 400 to 600 eggs in as many as 40 to 50 different nests before they die. The billions of cicada nymphs hatch in their nests high in the trees, drop to the ground, and burrow into the earth. There they find a succulent tree root, which they tap into with a special strawlike mouth part. They feed on the tree sap and pass through their various growth stages until, 17 years later, it is time to emerge and renew their life cycle.

National Geographic News explains that periodical cicadas are found only in the United States east of the Great Plains. Seventeen-year cicadas are found mainly in the northern, eastern, and western part of their range.

Ancient Coelacanth Caught in Indonesia

An Indonesian fisherman hooked a rare coelacanth, a species once thought as extinct as dinosaurs, and briefly kept the "living fossil" alive in a quarantined pool.

Justinus Lahama caught the four-foot, 110-pound fish off Sulawesi island near Bunaken National Marine Park, which has some of the highest marine biodiversity in the world.

The fish died 17 hours later, an extraordinary survival time, marine biologist Lucky Lumingas said Sunday.

"The fish should have died within two hours because this species only lives in deep, cold-sea environment," he said.

Many Jump At Chance To Enter Frog Contest

Despite a rift between organizers, thousands of frog wranglers turned out Sunday for Calaveras County's famous frog-jumping contest that was inspired by Mark Twain's tall tale.

About 4,000 contestants entered the Calaveras County Fair's annual Jumping Frog Jubilee this year, twice as many as last year, according to the event's organizers.

The annual event is inspired by "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," Mark Twain's tale of a frog-jumping contest that is weighted in one gambler's favor when he secretly fills his opponent's frog with buckshot.

Winning owners get a $750 prize or $5,000 if their frog breaks the 1986 record of 21 feet, 5¾ inches set by Rosie the Ribeter.

Dear Dogs & Cats

This was from an email forward that is perfect for pet owners. Must be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height.

An open letter to our pets.............

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food.

Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack.

Beating me to the bottom is not the object.

Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort.

Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, and try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -- canine or feline attendance is not required.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt.

I cannot stress this enough!

Mexican baby whale in tug of love

A newborn killer whale found bleeding on a Mexican beach has become the centre of an international controversy over whether she should stay in Mexico or be sent to a U.S. marine theme park.

Her caretakers say there is no tank in Mexico big enough to keep her when she grows and she will die if put back in the sea or kept in an aquarium that is too small for her.

Some environmentalists oppose transferring Pascuala to Sea World, however, because it could set a precedent that might enable animal traffickers to export more killer whales, also known as orcas.

"It hurts us that this animal might die, but we cannot set a negative precedent," said Alejandro Olivera, head of ocean campaigns for Greenpeace in Mexico.

The Mexican government's environmental protection agency has so far blocked a transfer to San Diego, saying Mexico's wildlife should not leave the country.

Tropical Fish Auction

I'm assuming most people haven't been to a tropical fish auction. Basically, it's organized by an aquarium society as a fundraiser. Fish hobbyists and enthusiasts who breed fish in their home aquariums can bring their "babies" (or any other fish they no longer wish to keep) to the auction. Other fish fans bid on the auctions. The money collected is split between the host society and the people who brought the items to sell.

In addition to fish, there are a ton of "dry goods" including food, filters, books, and other supplies. For anyone interested in the hobby, finding a local auction is definitely worth your time. I came home from one today and scored lots of goodies including 5 new Angel Fish, plus lots of food and water conditioner. My pets always seem to eat better then I do, and the fish are now set for at least several months.

The benefits to buying fish at auction rather then at a store is that in general, the hobbyists breeding the fish take more care and pride in the health and wellness of the fish then most pet stores would. Most of these people are breeding more for the hobby aspect then for the money. Anyone doing out this out their homes is most likely operating at a loss, so its more about the challenge and fund of breeding then it is about the value of the fish at sale.

Another reason the auctions are fun is because there are a lot of fish you don't normally see at a store. Some are rare, some are tougher to maintain, and some just aren't profitable for the store to carry.

In addition, most of the time at an auction, you can get fish and dry goods for much cheaper then what you'd spend at a store.

I know it might sound a bit nutty to spend a Spring afternoon at a fish auction, but if you enjoy this hobby, it might be worth your time to check one out.


Trackposted to The Pink Flamingo, Webloggin, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, and Big Dog's Weblog, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Doctor Frog


Doctor Frog

Doctor Frog monitors the conductivity of your soil. So once your soil absorbs the water and falls below a pre-set level Doctor Frog will alert you with a discreet intermittent croak.
(via)

Cute Frog Shower Curtain


Cute Frog Shower Curtain

Cute Frog Shower Curtain made of heavy gauge vinyl with metal grommets...bright green stripes with peek-a-boo frogs...measures 72" x 72"

...be sure to see the matching tub & tile appliques

Hotheads Pot Holder


Hotheads Pot Holder

Pot-holdin’ critters that can take the heat
Follow your animal instincts in the kitchen...put on one of these insulating silicone mitts before touching anything hot!
Hot Heads’ mega mouths will protect you from burns and put a smile on your face while they’re at it!

Now available in THREE styles – Dog, Mouse, & Frog!

USB Frog Massager


USB Frog Massager

Great on your sore muscles, great for your back, neck, shoulders, arms, legs or any tired body parts. Simply press his eyes to turn on and vibrate. Four specially designed massaging feet will soothe your muscle pain and help you relax!

Frog Hat


Frog Hat

Comfortable warmth with a generous dose of humor, Frog Hat was made for people who are unafraid to stand out from the crowd. This hat is so fun to wear because of its large eyes and vibrant green color. Wear it every day as the perfect pick-me-upper, especially on dull, dreary days.

Collections of funny pet & animal photos

In our affiliated websites, i-pets.com, Funny Pets Blog, The Pet Blog, and Dog Bones we have accumulated and published several collections of funny animal and pet photos. In case you missed some, here are links to some of the more popular ones.

What do your pets do while you're at work?

Dog Costumes for Halloween


Cat Costumes for Halloween

Halloween Costumes for "Other" Pets

Cats in Hats for Christmas

Hippity Hoppity (bunny parade)

Squirrels Just Wanna Have Fun ...

Amazing flying dogs!

Slurp!

Cats all Wet!

Funny Photos of Dogs Chewing Things and Making a Mess of the House

Potty Cat

Gorilla Injures 4 in Zoo in Brief Escape

A 400-pound gorilla escaped from his enclosure and ran amok in a Rotterdam zoo Friday, biting one woman, dragging her around, and causing panic among dozens of visitors before he was finally subdued, officials and a witness said.

The Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo was evacuated and the 11-year-old gorilla, named Bokito, was eventually contained in a restaurant within the park, police spokeswoman Yvette de Rave said.

Four people were injured, including the woman who was bitten, zoo director Ton Dorrestijn said.

Bear Wanders Into N.M. Medical Clinic

A young black bear ambled through a medical clinic's automatic door early Friday and into a gastroenterology lab, the perfect place for a tranquilizer.

"I think the person in the waiting room was pretty surprised," said Todd Sandman, director of public relations for Presbyterian Health Care Services, which runs the lab in Rio Rancho, on the outskirts of Albuquerque.

It was shortly before 7:30 a.m., and there weren't many people in the lab when the bear showed up, Sandman said. All the humans evacuated while animal control officers were called in to figure out what to do with the bear.

Dog nurses tiger triplets at China zoo

A Chinese mutt named Huani nurses her own puppy and three newborn tigers that were rejected by their mother in this photo, which was provided by Xinhua via AP.

It is common for Chinese zoos to use surrogate dog mothers to nurse rejected tiger cubs and that Huani has nursed tigers before.

Squirrels Just Wanna Have Fun ...

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found here

from flickr, by corsi photo

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found here

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found here

from flickr, by Bakko Brats

from flickr, by Lisa4414


found here

found here

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found here

from flickr, by Mark Klotz

found here


from flickr, by Major Clanger

found here

found here

from flickr, by rylanddotnet

from flickr, by Squirrel Hugger

from flickr, by Squirrel Hugger