ANIMAL FORTEANA


In the beginning of things men were animals and animals men. ~ Algonquin saying

"For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much — the wheel, New York, wars and so on — whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man — for precisely the same reasons." ~ The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Sunday, February 27, 2011

alienviews: ...Anthropomorphism's Malapropisms...

From Alfred Lehmberg, a beautiful piece and a poem:alienviews: ...Anthropomorphism's Malapropisms... Of humankind's cruel treament of dolphins and other marine entities

"They're accusing and they challenge what we humans hold so dear. They see us as deficient, and it's us, friend, causing fear. It's us, wrong minded and obscene; it's us to waste resources; it's us to sow our disrespect, and tack the errant courses. It's us to foul their briny homes; filth eats them all alive! It's us to catch them in our nets — then hate them as despised. And still they won't molest us, or give out like they get. Even Orcas won't ingest us though we've swum with baby seals, yet!

The point? We don't communicate with 'folks' some still think FISH! Some humans even EAT them — a refined and genteel dish! Expand that illustration to the folks just down the street — maybe slightly better eating... 'til you smell their burning meat...
"

As always, powerful prose from Alfred.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Texas Cryptid Hunter: Are Deer Omnivorous?

An interesting report from Mike at Texas Cryptid Hunter on meat eating deer. With video and photos.

Texas Cryptid Hunter: Are Deer Omnivorous?

Thursday, February 24, 2011

'Bear-Wolf' Stalks Southern Wisconsin - Milwaukee News Story - WISN Milwaukee

I love stories like this: old -fashioned monster tales:

Steve Krueger was doing his job on Nov. 9 -- removing road-side deer carcasses overnight for the Department of Natural Resources.Krueger said he had just made a pick-up along a remote road near Holy Hill about 1:30 a.m., and he was in the cab doing some paperwork. When his parked truck started shaking, he looked in the rear view mirror and got the scare of his life.He said his flashing lights illuminated a huge hairy beast standing on its hind legs -- dragging a deer off the open tailgate."All I saw was the creature. One paw -- or whatever was on it -- reaching over to grab the deer. The head looked like a cross between a bear and a wolf," said Krueger. "It had big pointy ears like a wolf. It scared the living heck out of me. I threw it into drive and off I went."

'Bear-Wolf' Stalks Southern Wisconsin - Milwaukee News Story - WISN Milwaukee

(thanks to Professor Hex for link)

The Owls are turning browner

(thanks to The Daily Grail for link.) Owls are turning browner, changing color to adapt to our changing environment due to climate changes.

BBC - Earth News - Owls change colour as climate warms

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Mysterious Bird Deaths: Geese and Ducks

 Today's Anomalist opens with a blurb about yet another bird die-off. This time it's geese:
While the recent worldwide bird, fish, crustacean and amphibian die-offs reported over the past several months aren't mentioned in this report by staff writer Tom Henry, many readers are sure to wonder if there is a connection with the strange malady that has left Canada geese and some mallards dead or dying along the western shore of Lake Erie. Dead or dying birds, mostly Canada geese, have been found as far east as Vermilion, OH,...
But when I clicked on the link, this is what popped up:

Story not found

The story you are looking for can't be found.

The reason is that the story doesn't exist.
The same thing happened several weeks ago when reports of bird die-offs in Manitoba came in, right after the Arkansas bird deaths over New Year's. Unconfirmed story of bird deaths in Manitoba, no verifiable links.

Not to worry however; a glitch, because Googling brought up several links. Like this one that the Anomalist refered to: Peculiar geese deaths baffle wildlife officials: Ailment afflicting birds around Lake Erie

Several dozen Canada geese along western Lake Erie's shoreline have recently died or are presumed dead while others have become so sick they cannot hold up their heads, fly, or maintain control of their motor functions.
State wildlife investigators are stumped, awaiting word on tests that a national wildlife laboratory in Wisconsin has been doing on some of the dead birds.
"They will fall out of the sky and have trouble staying upright," said Dave Sherman, a biologist at the Crane Creek Wildlife Research Station the Ohio Department of Natural Resources operates in Ottawa County.

This has been going on in the area for a few weeks. Many birds dying:
"They're throwing their heads back. They're losing all balance and literally almost all back-somersault and have a seizure," according to Laura Zitzelberger, operations director at Nature's Nursery. At least eight or nine of about a dozen geese that were brought to Nature's Nursery either died or had to be euthanized.
Very sad. But some birds have recovered and are alive, according to the article.

As with other die-offs, wildlife authorities don't have an explanation for these deaths.

Kayakers snap photo of England’s version of the ‘Loch Ness Monster’ | The Upshot Yahoo! News

Kayakers snap photo of England’s version of the ‘Loch Ness Monster’ | The Upshot Yahoo! News

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Sunday, February 13, 2011

Australians hit by Cyclone Yasi warned to stay away from deadly giant birds - Telegraph



 (thanks to piglipstick for link)

Australians hit by Cyclone Yasi warned to stay away from deadly giant birds - Telegraph:
Queensland authorities and green groups have warned that over the coming weeks the birds will be forced out of the rainforest after violent winds from Cyclone Yasi stripped trees of their main food source, fruit.
"The government, which is arranging emergency aerial food drops for the birds in an attempt to keep them away from residential areas, has warned locals to be on the lookout for hungry cassowaries.

'It's vital that members of the public don't feed cassowaries – for their own safety and in the interests of the birds' survival long term, Kate Jones, the Queensland sustainability minister, said."

Another Animal Washes Up on Long Island

Lon Strickler at Phantoms and Monsters shares photos that were sent to him of an animal washed up on Long Island. A dog, or something else? Even if it is a dog or some other mundane creature (but, with six toes, as Lon points out) it is beyond coincidence creatures are found in that area. Where are they coming from?
Phantoms and Monsters: Paranormal, UFOs, Cryptids and Unexplained Phenomena

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Racetrack Horses in UK Mysteriously Fall Dead to the Ground

A strange and sad story from the UK: two horses fall dead to the ground on the racetrack.
Fenix Two and Marching Song, the two horses who were expected to be running only moments after simply fell to the ground visibly with evidence of what appeared to be a mysterious electrocution from an unknown source in front of frightened witnesses. Foul play has not been ruled out, but in light of the recent animal deaths elsewhere (everywhere, really) in the world some are suggesting a link in the two. But what that link is could be anyone's guess. At least one witness present reported feeling a tingling sensation as she walked across the grass leading some to wonder if somehow the grass had been the source of the electric charge
Grass Spontaneously Electrifies on UK Horse Track

Friday, February 11, 2011

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Squirrel Update

The squirrel has just left the building.

We had called a few places, but didn't get anywhere. Willamette Wildlife Rehabilitation (who do great and important work, but really, thinking my husband was going to set the squirrel on fire was ridiculous) couldn't help, it's not what they do exactly, but turns out we found a fantastic pest removal guy. So I'm giving him a free plug.

Ellis Wildlife Removal in Alvadore, Oregon. If you find yourself in need of this service and are in the Eugene/Junction City area, use him.

We had to take apart our fireplace; remove the bricks, take off the metal, etc. We have a sooty mess with an unusable fireplace, but thankfully we aren't in need of the fireplace and the mess is nothing. The squirrel is safe; alive and relocated.

A Squirrely Day

An odd day so far...

Jim hits his head, starts to bleed.  Not good, because he's on medication that affects bleeding and bruising --  the simplest cut bleeds profusely and takes a long time to heal. Scary but we think it'll be okay. Keeping a watch on it of course.

A few minutes after that, we're sitting in the living room, reading, when we hear strange sounds from the side of the house. Loud, scrambling scratching sounds. It sounded close to the sound a cat makes when it scratches its claws on wood. I had a fleeting thought it was one of our cats outside scratching on the side of the house, which has never happened, and, that would be one huge cat to make such a loud noise.

Then we hear something falling down the chimney and into our fireplace. Yep, a squirrel! Fortunately for us we have a wood stove insert, and the squirrel can't get out into the house. But the poor thing is stuck inside, terrified of course, and we're sitting here listening to its frantic scrambling. We wouldn't try to do anything ourselves; Jim can't afford to get bit or scratched, we have four cats, and the last thing I want in this crazy house of ours is a loose squirrel running around.

I've called Willamette Wildlife Rehabilitation and left messages. Our neighbor tells us they respond no matter what the hour or day of the week so we're hoping they call us back soon.

This is not the first time this has happened; a squirrel fell down our chimney a few years ago. Jim climbed up on the roof and put a cap on the chimney at the time. We've had a few storms and snow so no doubt things got out of alignment up there.

Superbowl Sunday. Not that I care about that, I don't, not one bit, but Jim does, (as I realize half of America) and all he wanted to do was relax and watch the game. Poor sweetie.

image: courtesy of Public Domain Image.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Thousands of Dead Marine Life in Amazon River

More animal die-offs, very sad as well as unnverving. From the Amazon, also Florida, thousands of various fish found dead. From the Amazon:
At Aquidauana, pantanal region of the Mato Grosso do Sul state, shoals of painteds, pacus, golden fishes, cacharas – and even stingrays, are floating dead in Rio Negro, one of the largest in the Amazon River basin.
Untold thousands of marine animals float dead in Amazon river & Florida | The Extinction Protocol: 2012 and beyond

Bird Deaths in New Zealand

Yet more bird deaths, this from New Zealand:

Mystery as dead birds pile up on city street - Have Your Say - Rotorua Daily Post: "Rotorua"

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