Animal News
'Stand Closer to the Rhino' Results in Grave Wound
When do you not listen to the African wildlife expert? When he tells you to stand closer to the rhino. That suggestion by a South African game park owner resulted in serious injuries to a 24-year-old woman from Johannesburg.
Link: Yahoo! News
Hog-Nosed Skunk Spotted At Grand Canyon, Puzzling Wildlife Experts
A hog-nosed skunk has been confirmed to have been spotted at the Grand Canyon, across the Colorado River and a decent distance away from the area in which the animals are known to typically roam. The hog-nosed skunk was snapped by an eagle-eyed visitor back in August, and wildlife experts were puzzled by the animal’s presence, as hog-nosed skunks usually chill in Arizona, Mexico or Texas.
Link: Inquisitr.com
Scottish Wildlife Cameraman Films Polar Bear and It Tries to Break through His Safety Pod
A polar bear chomped her sharp teeth against the protective pod of a wildlife cameraman, who kept his composure as he filmed the horrific encounter, despite being terrified. Scottish cameraman Gordon Buchanan was filming polar bears throughout the northernmost part of Norway, Svalbard, which is an Arctic archipelago. His team constructed a safety pod, so he could get as close possible to the largest carnivore on Earth without turning into lunch.
Link: NYDailyNews.com
Locals Say Shifting Sea Ice Frees Trapped Whales
About a dozen killer whales trapped under sea ice appeared to be free after the ice shifted, village officials in Canada's remote north said Thursday (Jan. 10), while residents who feared they would get stuck elsewhere hired a plane to track them down. The whales' predicament in the frigid waters of Hudson Bay made international headlines, and locals had been planning a rescue operation with chainsaws and drills before the mammals slipped away.
Link: Yahoo! News
Blind Baby Rhino Rescued by Wildlife Wardens after He Is Seen Bumping into Trees and Rocks in the Wild
A blind baby rhino rescued from the wild after being spotted bumping into trees and rocks on the African savannah has a new life. Nicky, a rare black rhino, is now getting 24-hour care at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya and has formed a close bond with staff. The wildlife reserve hit the headlines when Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton there in 2010.
Link: DailyMail.co.uk
Wildlife Officials Tranquilize and Release Mountain Lion in Santa Barbara
A 100-pound mountain lion was captured and released into Los Padres National Forest on Monday afternoon (Jan. 7) after making its way into a Santa Barbara backyard. Officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to a call from a homeowner about 8:30 a.m. about a lion in a heavily wooded backyard bordering the Santa Barbara Golf Club.
Link: LATimes.com
Jan. 1 Law Change Makes It Legal To Carry Guns In N.H. Fish And Game Refuges
A fish and game refuge has been one of the few places in the state where carrying a firearm remained illegal. But on Jan. 1, 2013, that changed. Legislation passed last year and signed into law by Gov. John Lynch in June legalizes the carrying of a firearm, concealed or exposed, in a fish and game refuge.
Link: NHPR.com
Federal Judge Deals Setback to Group Trying to Overturn California Ban on Shark Fin Soup
A federal judge on Wednesday (Jan. 3) denied an attempt to delay implementation of California's law banning shark fin soup, dealing a blow to Chinese restaurant owners and community advocates who argue that the ban is discriminatory and harmful to cultural traditions. U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled that there is little likelihood of success for the lawsuit, and the plaintiffs had failed to raise enough "serious questions" to merit a suspension of the law, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed in 2011.
Link: ContraCostaTimes.com
