Hmmmm...Remind me to keep hold of all belongings very tight!
Saturday 14 June 2008
Friday 13 June 2008
A crocodile can't stick its tongue out.
1. It is impossible to lick your elbow.
2. A crocodile can't stick its tongue out.
3. A shrimp's heart is in its head.
4. In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand.
5. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
6. A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
7. More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.
8. Horses can't vomit.
9. Sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.
10. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. If you keep your eyes open by force, they can pop out.
11. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.
12. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
13. If the government has no knowledge of aliens, then why does Title 14, Section 1211 of the Code of Federal regulations, implemented on July 16, 1969, make it illegal for U.S. citizens to have any contact with extraterrestrials or their vehicles?
14. In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.
15. A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
16. 23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their butts.
17. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
18. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.
19. Over 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow.
2. A crocodile can't stick its tongue out.
3. A shrimp's heart is in its head.
4. In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand.
5. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
6. A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
7. More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.
8. Horses can't vomit.
9. Sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.
10. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. If you keep your eyes open by force, they can pop out.
11. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.
12. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
13. If the government has no knowledge of aliens, then why does Title 14, Section 1211 of the Code of Federal regulations, implemented on July 16, 1969, make it illegal for U.S. citizens to have any contact with extraterrestrials or their vehicles?
14. In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.
15. A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
16. 23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their butts.
17. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
18. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.
19. Over 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow.
Thursday 12 June 2008
Worse than cockroaches: Finding an 8-foot gator on your kitchen floor
April 22, 2008
EAST LAKE -- Around 10:30 p.m. Monday, Sandra Frosti heard an intruder bumping around in her kitchen.
Turns out, the noise was made by an 8-foot, 8-inch alligator that had crawled into the 69-year-old's kitchen in Eastlake Woodlands.
The female alligator apparently pushed through a screened panel on the back porch, shouldered its way past a potted ficus tree, then got inside the house through an open rear sliding glass door. Once inside, it crawled through the living room, down the hall and into the kitchen.
When Frosti looked into the kitchen, she saw the beast's head. She called 911 and left the house. Click here for audio of the 911 call.
"What's going on?" asked a dispatcher.
"There's an alligator in my kitchen!" Frosti said.
"How long do you think the alligator is ma'am?"
"It's huge!" Frosti said. "... I only saw the first half of it, and that had to be at least 3 feet. ... Because it was behind the freezer, and I just disappeared."
"Are you sure it couldn't be like, a, uh, iguana or a really large..."
"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Frosti said.
"All right," the dispatcher told her, "we'll get deputies out that way."
Pinellas deputies called a trapper who removed it about 1:30 a.m. During the capture, the gator was slightly injured when a plate was knocked to the ground and cut the reptile. No other injuries were reported.
"The house was a mess," Frosti said. "It did a good amount of damage in the kitchen."
This morning, there was still dirt and blood on the kitchen floor, blood spattered on the wall and a claw mark on the hallway wall.
Frosti said she didn't know when the gator got in or where it might have wandered before she noticed it.
"It might have been in the bedroom for all I know," she said.
The gator "looked awfully well-fed," she said, adding that authorities told her they thought it was "wanted to check out the cat."
This morning, Frosti said she had no hard feelings and even worried that the alligator would be destroyed because of her size. Mostly, she found the whole thing amusing.
"I can't wait to tell my grandkids," she said, "because they probably won't believe me."
EAST LAKE -- Around 10:30 p.m. Monday, Sandra Frosti heard an intruder bumping around in her kitchen.
Turns out, the noise was made by an 8-foot, 8-inch alligator that had crawled into the 69-year-old's kitchen in Eastlake Woodlands.
The female alligator apparently pushed through a screened panel on the back porch, shouldered its way past a potted ficus tree, then got inside the house through an open rear sliding glass door. Once inside, it crawled through the living room, down the hall and into the kitchen.
When Frosti looked into the kitchen, she saw the beast's head. She called 911 and left the house. Click here for audio of the 911 call.
"What's going on?" asked a dispatcher.
"There's an alligator in my kitchen!" Frosti said.
"How long do you think the alligator is ma'am?"
"It's huge!" Frosti said. "... I only saw the first half of it, and that had to be at least 3 feet. ... Because it was behind the freezer, and I just disappeared."
"Are you sure it couldn't be like, a, uh, iguana or a really large..."
"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Frosti said.
"All right," the dispatcher told her, "we'll get deputies out that way."
Pinellas deputies called a trapper who removed it about 1:30 a.m. During the capture, the gator was slightly injured when a plate was knocked to the ground and cut the reptile. No other injuries were reported.
"The house was a mess," Frosti said. "It did a good amount of damage in the kitchen."
This morning, there was still dirt and blood on the kitchen floor, blood spattered on the wall and a claw mark on the hallway wall.
Frosti said she didn't know when the gator got in or where it might have wandered before she noticed it.
"It might have been in the bedroom for all I know," she said.
The gator "looked awfully well-fed," she said, adding that authorities told her they thought it was "wanted to check out the cat."
This morning, Frosti said she had no hard feelings and even worried that the alligator would be destroyed because of her size. Mostly, she found the whole thing amusing.
"I can't wait to tell my grandkids," she said, "because they probably won't believe me."
Wednesday 11 June 2008
Snapper warning issued to village - BBC.co.uk
5 October 2005
Caimans originate from the Caiman Islands and Central America
A crocodile which was spotted in a village pond in Cornwall is probably an unwanted pet, according to an expert.
Stacey Clayton spotted the 2ft (61cm) caiman on Saturday at St Andrew's pond in St Blazey.
The animal has not been found, but the RSPCA believes it could be hiding in nearby marshland and has warned local people to be careful in the area.
A reptile expert from Newquay Zoo believes the caiman could be an unwanted pet which has been dumped.
Ms Clayton said: "I noticed this big log bopping up and down in the water, but as I got closer to it, it blinked and I could see its eyes.
"I wasn't sure whether it was alive or not so I threw a small stone near it and as it moved I could see it was a caiman - about 2ft long - so I dashed home and called the RSPCA."
Caimans originate from the Cayman Islands and Central America, so the animal charity said it is possible the creature may already have died from the cold.
John Meek, a reptile expert from Newquay Zoo, told BBC News the recent fine weather could be in the crocodile's favour.
He said: "It would possibly still be alive on a lovely hot sunny day like today, but with the cold evenings coming in, it's not going to last very long."
Caimans can grow up to 9ft (2.7m), but Mr Meek said a small caiman should not pose much of a threat.
"At the moment it's not too dangerous at all - again because of the temperature, it's not going to get lively enough.
"It's certainly not going to attack or chase a human being, but if you tried to get hold of it, it could bite you."
Growing problem
Ch Insp Rob Skinner said Ms Clayton may have make an honest mistake, but the RSPCA believes it is a genuine report.
He said: "Caiman have sharp teeth and could give a nasty bite, so if people do see this creature they should leave it alone and notify us immediately."
The RSPCA said the incident highlighted the growing problem of people keeping exotic animals with little or no knowledge of the specialist care and attention they require.
The society has rescued more than 40 alligators and crocodiles since 2000.
Caimans are covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, but there are currently no licensed caimans in Cornwall.
Caimans originate from the Caiman Islands and Central America
A crocodile which was spotted in a village pond in Cornwall is probably an unwanted pet, according to an expert.
Stacey Clayton spotted the 2ft (61cm) caiman on Saturday at St Andrew's pond in St Blazey.
The animal has not been found, but the RSPCA believes it could be hiding in nearby marshland and has warned local people to be careful in the area.
A reptile expert from Newquay Zoo believes the caiman could be an unwanted pet which has been dumped. Ms Clayton said: "I noticed this big log bopping up and down in the water, but as I got closer to it, it blinked and I could see its eyes.
"I wasn't sure whether it was alive or not so I threw a small stone near it and as it moved I could see it was a caiman - about 2ft long - so I dashed home and called the RSPCA."
Caimans originate from the Cayman Islands and Central America, so the animal charity said it is possible the creature may already have died from the cold.
John Meek, a reptile expert from Newquay Zoo, told BBC News the recent fine weather could be in the crocodile's favour.
He said: "It would possibly still be alive on a lovely hot sunny day like today, but with the cold evenings coming in, it's not going to last very long."
Caimans can grow up to 9ft (2.7m), but Mr Meek said a small caiman should not pose much of a threat.
"At the moment it's not too dangerous at all - again because of the temperature, it's not going to get lively enough.
"It's certainly not going to attack or chase a human being, but if you tried to get hold of it, it could bite you."
Growing problem
Ch Insp Rob Skinner said Ms Clayton may have make an honest mistake, but the RSPCA believes it is a genuine report.
He said: "Caiman have sharp teeth and could give a nasty bite, so if people do see this creature they should leave it alone and notify us immediately."
The RSPCA said the incident highlighted the growing problem of people keeping exotic animals with little or no knowledge of the specialist care and attention they require.
The society has rescued more than 40 alligators and crocodiles since 2000.
Caimans are covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, but there are currently no licensed caimans in Cornwall.
Tuesday 10 June 2008
Catapult boy is eaten after taunting crocodile in pen - From The Times
April 23, 2007
Jane Macartney in Beijing
A schoolboy who climbed over a fence into a crocodile enclosure and taunted the animals with sticks and a catapult was dragged into the water and eaten.
The nine-year-old, whose family name was given as Liu, and three friends sneaked into the crocodile park at the Silver Beach holiday resort at Beihai in the southwestern Guangxi region on Friday.
The children shot at the animals with catapults and beat them with sticks.
The official Xinhua news agency said: “One of the irritated crocodiles bit Liu’s clothes and dragged him into the water where he was eaten by a swarm of crocodiles.” His companions then raised the alarm.
Investigators searched for the missing boy and decided to check inside the crocodiles. Snipers used pork to lure them out of their pool and shot dead the first animal to lumber on to the bank.
Inside it they found human remains that were confirmed to be those of the boy.
The crocodiles were still being bred, even though their performances at the park were stopped several years ago and the pool had been sealed off for auction.
The park’s owner had hired a keeper to take care of the crocodiles, but it was unclear why the man was not at the enclosure when the boys broke in. The manager and the keeper were being questioned by police.
Animal welfare has long been a low priority in China, where many zoos have for years provided bare and often squalid pens for animals that spend their entire existence in the public eye. Even at the Beijing Zoo, the prized pandas must now be cordoned off well out of reach of visitors. People have in the past tossed food wrapped in plastic bags into their pens which destroyed the digestive system of at least one of the endangered animals.
The latest scandal to attract public attention came last year in Shanghai when a city zoo cancelled its “Animal Olympics” after shows featuring boxing matches between kangaroos and their keepers, bears fighting and riding bicycles and an elephant tug-of-war drew unwelcome publicity. The event was cancelled after animal rights groups posted reports and pictures on the internet.
Jane Macartney in Beijing
A schoolboy who climbed over a fence into a crocodile enclosure and taunted the animals with sticks and a catapult was dragged into the water and eaten.
The nine-year-old, whose family name was given as Liu, and three friends sneaked into the crocodile park at the Silver Beach holiday resort at Beihai in the southwestern Guangxi region on Friday.
The children shot at the animals with catapults and beat them with sticks.
The official Xinhua news agency said: “One of the irritated crocodiles bit Liu’s clothes and dragged him into the water where he was eaten by a swarm of crocodiles.” His companions then raised the alarm.
Investigators searched for the missing boy and decided to check inside the crocodiles. Snipers used pork to lure them out of their pool and shot dead the first animal to lumber on to the bank.
Inside it they found human remains that were confirmed to be those of the boy.
The crocodiles were still being bred, even though their performances at the park were stopped several years ago and the pool had been sealed off for auction.
The park’s owner had hired a keeper to take care of the crocodiles, but it was unclear why the man was not at the enclosure when the boys broke in. The manager and the keeper were being questioned by police.
Animal welfare has long been a low priority in China, where many zoos have for years provided bare and often squalid pens for animals that spend their entire existence in the public eye. Even at the Beijing Zoo, the prized pandas must now be cordoned off well out of reach of visitors. People have in the past tossed food wrapped in plastic bags into their pens which destroyed the digestive system of at least one of the endangered animals.
The latest scandal to attract public attention came last year in Shanghai when a city zoo cancelled its “Animal Olympics” after shows featuring boxing matches between kangaroos and their keepers, bears fighting and riding bicycles and an elephant tug-of-war drew unwelcome publicity. The event was cancelled after animal rights groups posted reports and pictures on the internet.
Monday 9 June 2008
Ukraine Godzilla Croc Dies After 6 Months On The Run; 'He Simply Cannot Be Buried' - Underwatertimes.com News Service
Donetsk, Ukraine (Nov 30, 2007 14:10 EST)
A crocodile that escaped from a travelling circus in Ukraine and evaded capture for six months died on Friday after two days back in captivity, officials said.
"The crocodile was lying in the water and suddenly he just floated to the surface," Oleksander Soldatov of Ukraine's Emergencies Ministry said in the eastern city of Donetsk.
"We pulled it out of the water and the body felt all cold. It seems clear he was alive before and just died."
Ministry officials, unsure whether the crocodile was comatose or dead, had earlier called in a vet to examine the reptile. Nicknamed Godzilla or Godzi, it was captured alive this week after escaping from a travelling circus in May.
It had been spotted several times lurking around industrial sites near the city of Mariupol, on the coast of the Sea of Azov. But it repeatedly eluded search teams.
It was finally found basking in a pool at a thermal power station, where the water was warmer than the nearby sea.
The crocodile, which was over a metre (yard) long, was then taken 100 km (60 miles) by car to Donetsk where it was freed into a fire service tank.
The crocodile's owner, quoted by the daily Segodnya, said he could only collect it on Monday because of circus commitments.
Soldatov said Godzilla would be cremated.
"This is an exotic animal. He simply cannot be buried," he said.
A crocodile that escaped from a travelling circus in Ukraine and evaded capture for six months died on Friday after two days back in captivity, officials said.
"The crocodile was lying in the water and suddenly he just floated to the surface," Oleksander Soldatov of Ukraine's Emergencies Ministry said in the eastern city of Donetsk.
"We pulled it out of the water and the body felt all cold. It seems clear he was alive before and just died."
Ministry officials, unsure whether the crocodile was comatose or dead, had earlier called in a vet to examine the reptile. Nicknamed Godzilla or Godzi, it was captured alive this week after escaping from a travelling circus in May.
It had been spotted several times lurking around industrial sites near the city of Mariupol, on the coast of the Sea of Azov. But it repeatedly eluded search teams.
It was finally found basking in a pool at a thermal power station, where the water was warmer than the nearby sea.
The crocodile, which was over a metre (yard) long, was then taken 100 km (60 miles) by car to Donetsk where it was freed into a fire service tank.
The crocodile's owner, quoted by the daily Segodnya, said he could only collect it on Monday because of circus commitments.
Soldatov said Godzilla would be cremated.
"This is an exotic animal. He simply cannot be buried," he said.
Sunday 8 June 2008
Authorities search for man feared taken by crocodile - ABC.com.au
Posted Tue Aug 16, 2005 9:45pm AEST
It is feared a man has been taken by a crocodile in far north Queensland.
The man had been fishing with his wife in a canoe at the Midway Waterhole at Lakefield National Park, north-west of Cooktown.
The boat apparently capsized when the couple tried to fend off the crocodile.
The woman swam to shore but the man has not been seen since.
Queensland Environment Minister Desley Boyle says a search began straight away, but had to be called off at dark.
"A search has been mounted but this happened very late this afternoon, just as darkness was coming on," she said.
"So obviously there's limited ability to search this evening, but search will start again first thing tomorrow and obviously we have a little tiny bit of hope, though not very much in fact."
Ms Boyle says few details about this afternoon's incident are known at this stage.
"There was some kind of 'interaction' with a paddle and the croc, the canoe capsized, the couple fell into the water, the woman managed to get to the bank but the man hasn't been seen since," she said.
It is feared a man has been taken by a crocodile in far north Queensland.
The man had been fishing with his wife in a canoe at the Midway Waterhole at Lakefield National Park, north-west of Cooktown.
The boat apparently capsized when the couple tried to fend off the crocodile.
The woman swam to shore but the man has not been seen since.
Queensland Environment Minister Desley Boyle says a search began straight away, but had to be called off at dark.
"A search has been mounted but this happened very late this afternoon, just as darkness was coming on," she said.
"So obviously there's limited ability to search this evening, but search will start again first thing tomorrow and obviously we have a little tiny bit of hope, though not very much in fact."
Ms Boyle says few details about this afternoon's incident are known at this stage.
"There was some kind of 'interaction' with a paddle and the croc, the canoe capsized, the couple fell into the water, the woman managed to get to the bank but the man hasn't been seen since," she said.
Crocodiles caned by advancing toads - ABC.net.au
Posted Thu Jun 5, 2008 6:00pm AEST
Mighter than the croc: cane toads are linked to a major reduction in crocodile numbers in the VRD. (Reuters: David Gray)
Researchers from the University of Sydney have found that cane toads have caused a 75 per cent drop in freshwater crocodile numbers in the Northern Territory's Victoria River District (VRD).
The researchers say this is first time that extensive research has confirmed anecdotal reports about the introduced pests' effect on the native predator.
Researcher Doctor Mike Letnic, says they studied crocodile populations before and after the cane toad arrived in the district.
He says the worst damage was in the arid areas during the dry season.
"The rivers are essentially an oasis and the crocodiles live in the river, but the landscape is dry and during the dry season the cane toads congregate on the edge of the water where they encounter the crocodiles.
"They turn the table on the predator."
He says freshwater crocs are more susceptible to the pest than their saltwater cousins.
"Saltwater crocodiles appear to be more resistant to the toxin than the freshwater crocodiles and the reason for that is probably because saltwater crocodiles occur throughout southern Asia where some toad species also exist, so it's likely that the saltwater crocodiles evolved with species similar to cane toads."
Mighter than the croc: cane toads are linked to a major reduction in crocodile numbers in the VRD. (Reuters: David Gray)
Researchers from the University of Sydney have found that cane toads have caused a 75 per cent drop in freshwater crocodile numbers in the Northern Territory's Victoria River District (VRD).
The researchers say this is first time that extensive research has confirmed anecdotal reports about the introduced pests' effect on the native predator.
Researcher Doctor Mike Letnic, says they studied crocodile populations before and after the cane toad arrived in the district.
He says the worst damage was in the arid areas during the dry season.
"The rivers are essentially an oasis and the crocodiles live in the river, but the landscape is dry and during the dry season the cane toads congregate on the edge of the water where they encounter the crocodiles.
"They turn the table on the predator."
He says freshwater crocs are more susceptible to the pest than their saltwater cousins.
"Saltwater crocodiles appear to be more resistant to the toxin than the freshwater crocodiles and the reason for that is probably because saltwater crocodiles occur throughout southern Asia where some toad species also exist, so it's likely that the saltwater crocodiles evolved with species similar to cane toads."
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