She claimed the girl had been tormenting her by drawing rabbits on the blackboard...

Witnesses told the judge that the woman had run from the classroom, crying, when she saw that a rabbit had been drawn on the blackboard. The girl who had been accused denied that she was the one who had done the drawings.

While you're sitting on the couch watching the Kardashians, donkeys are protecting sheep and goat herds by chasing off predators.

They bray loudly, which alerts the smaller animals to the presence of danger. Ranchers can also hear the donkey bray if they are close enough and help drive off any predators. Once in a while they will attack a predator that gets too close to the herd, and can stomp them to death.

Ouch. One donkey can take care of 200 sheep and will cooperate with other guard animals such as sheep dogs. And you think flossing is too much work.

The pictures show a 20-centimeter long male adult sitting on a forest branch forest. Conservationists have discovered it appears to have shorter and sturdier limbs than other loris; a possible adaptation for the cooler, high-altitude montane — or cloud — forest in which it lives.

Maybe he's just been hiding from the more prevalent fat loris, who keeps picking from his plate..

Officials with a child advocacy group are trying to retrieve some 1,000 plastic ducks that remain on the loose following a Fort Wayne duck race last month.

Stop Child Abuse & Neglect says 17,000 ducks were placed in the St. Joseph River for the annual fundraiser duck race on June 19, but were swept away by the current and only 15,000 were retrieved the same day...

The group's website says it doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize the beauty of the river.

Two young ring-tailed lemurs which had escaped from Salzburg zoo five days ago have been recaptured by their keepers in a hotel bar in a nearby village, according to local media reports Friday.

The two-year-old males had escaped from Salzburg's Hellbrunn zoo on Sunday afternoon, journeying around 25 kilometres (15 miles) over the next four days.

On Thursday morning, they crept through the open window of a hotel in the village of Wals, where staff lured them into the bar with fruits before calling the zoo to collect them.

Moral: Drink at home.

Horace Rawlins, winner of the inaugural U.S. Open in 1895. HoraceRaw

The Swedes are not only famous for eating stinky fish for breakfast; they also spend lots of time in the rough when they golf. The vipers don't appreciate it.

With temperatures soaring over the last ten days, the health board has seen a 47 percent increase compared to the same period last year in the number of phone calls from members of the public concerned about various forms of bites and stings.

Misfiring golfers are among the groups most vulnerable to attack, with many reporting being bitten by vipers as they reached for balls in rough grass or bushes.

What the officer found when he responded wasn't debris at all, but an injured kitten wandering through the multi-lane intersection.

Hutchinson positioned his patrol car in the intersection to block traffic and grabbed the kitten, to the applause of nearby motorists. After attempting to find a home for the kitten through the Monroe County Animal Shelter, Hutchinson has now adopted the fortunate feline himself. He's named it Lucky.

Instead of finding a cure for cancer, scientists in the UK have devoted themselves to answering the question. It's the chicken.

British researchers say the chicken must have come first as the formation of eggs is only possible thanks to a protein found in the chicken’s ovaries.

‘It had long been suspected that the egg came first but now we have the scientific proof that shows that in fact the chicken came first,’ said Dr Colin Freeman, from Sheffield University, who worked with counterparts at Warwick University.

That solved, the researchers turned in for a good nap.

In Fort Walton Beach, Florida, BP is looking for people to watch for sea turtles and other wildlife during nighttime cleanup efforts (presumably to keep the turtles safe from the hoards of public relations people trying to minimize the effects of the disaster). They're paying 25 bucks an hour.

Interested candidates should have a degree or completed academic work in the biological or environmental sciences; experience in bird or turtle watching; have documented field biology experience as a researcher, technician, intern or student; or have documentation of a Marine Turtle Permit issued by Florida.

They forgot to mention the ability to stay awake all night.

...while you suffer, Sweaty.

Both animals have higher body temperatures than humans – pigeons about 104 degrees Fahrenheit and squirrels between 98 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. That means they don’t get as hot as humans as quickly and aren’t as susceptible to the heat as people are.

Squirrels have sweat glands. Guess where, Dr. Scholl.

Squirrels have sweat glands in between the pads at the bottom of their feet and in between their toes, said Burton Lim, a mammalogist and Royal Ontario Museum assistant curator. By sweating through their feet, they’re able to cool themselves off...

As for the pigeon, it doesn’t sweat at all. Believe it or not, they pant like dogs. All birds “respire from their mouths” with their tongues, explains Brad Millen, a technician in natural history at the Royal Ontario Museum who specializes in ornithology. Pigeons and other birds have tongues that have tiny bones in them.

Who knew?

A propane delivery man in Colorado learned not to mess with bees unless you have the slightest clue..

(John) McMillan, who works for Ludvik Propane Gas Service in Walsenburg, was making a delivery in Colorado City...

McMillan was spraying bees with a propane hose when the nozzle caught fire.

"From what I understand, he was making a delivery and he couldn't get to the tank because there was a bee nest and he was trying to get access to the (customer's) tank and using the propane to kill the bees"...

During those moments, the nozzle hit the ground and sparked a fire, injuring McMillan and damaging the customer's fence and backyard...

BuzzBee reportedly spit up his Honey Nut Cheerios laughing when he heard. Sting was unavailable for comment.

In Wellington, New Zealand a dog auditioned for a spot on Top Shot.

A dog accidentally stepped on the trigger of the .22 rifle and ended up firing at his 40-year-old owner...

The man was flown to Whangarei Hospital , where doctors removed the bullet from his left buttocks.

Taras Sikalchuk, 20, and Dmytro Petrychenko, 19, took a photo with the woman in the pig suit about 2:20 p.m. Monday at Six Flags in Gurnee, then punched the mascot in the head 10 to 15 times, Gurnee police said.

Both men are employees of the park and were visiting on their day off, police Sgt. Jon Ward said.

Brehms Het Leven der Dieren Zoogdieren Orde 1 Gorilla (Gorilla gina).jpg

Gorilla from Brehm's Het Leven der Dieren

In another story of researchers  gone wild with grant money, scientists  studied play-fighting among gorillas and found similarities between them and you, ya big ape.

In their games, "not only did the gorillas in our study hit their playmates and then run away chased by their playmates, but they also switched their roles when hit so the chaser became the chased and vice versa," said researcher Marina Davila Ross, a behavioral biologist at the University of Portsmouth in England. "There are a lot of similarities with the children's game of tag."

In Germany, cops will train two young turkey vultures to find human remains.

Unlike other vultures, turkey vultures have an excellent sense of smell, in addition to sharp eyesight. They could reach remote areas and are more resilient than dogs, Hermann said.

Dulles and Reagan National Airports have opened "pet relief areas" to give dogs a place to go to the bathroom at the airport.

The pet areas were created because of federal rules requiring "service animal relief areas" for service animals that accompany passengers on trips, but the areas are also open for families traveling with pets.

Each fenced-in dog bathroom at Dulles has a fake fire hydrant, artificial grass, and bags so the owners can clean up after their pups.

Lucy's species is native to the Sahara Dessert and she knew exactly where to go to survive.

"When it's really dry those tortoises will dig a hole 20-80 feet deep and sit for a year and wait for it to rain," said Mike Wellington.

"And when it rains they come out and eat grass, so she must have dug a hole and sat there through the winters," he said.

Friday night the Wellingtons got a call from a neighbor a half a mile up the road. Lucy was alive.Now, about 35 pounds heaver than when she left, the Wellington's are confident this is their escape artist.

Don't you wish people were more like this British cat ?

Oscar first started bringing home gardening gloves but quickly moved on to ladies knickers, socks and children's underwear...

"When we let him out in the garden he started bringing us back gardening gloves and bits of rubber gloves and then he went up market and started bringing back children's knickers.

"Then it began to escalate and I telephoned the police as people must have been missing clothes, especially with women's underwear being taken.

"But he just doesn't stop and he's still doing it now.

"It's all a bit mysterious. We don't know where he's getting the items from because there are no children living near to us so he might be going quite far afield.

"We feel that he is bringing us presents as a token of appreciation, an offer to help pay his way."

A satirical video, distributed on YouTube, mocking the government for wasting oil revenues after reports that state funds had been used to import two donkeys for $41,000 each. In a mock press conference, an activist in a donkey suit says that in Azerbaijan you have a better chance of success if you're a donkey.

A few weeks later — and a year ago today — on July 8, 2009, two of the activists and bloggers responsible for the video were arrested on hooliganism charges after a scuffle in a Baku restaurant (they say they were attacked). Last November, an Azerbaijani court prompted international outcry when it handed Adnan Hajizada a two-year sentence and Emin Milli, 2 1/2 years.

“It sounds like the real hero here is the family pit bull,” said Frank Connolly, assistant executive director of the Elkhart County Red Cross. “Apparently ‘Thor’ woke the family up and even tried to pull the baby and bassinet out of the house. Lately we have learned how important pets can be to a family, and this is as stark an example as I’ve ever seen.”

The family says Thor barked and jumped on them until they woke up. Then he grabbed the baby's bassinet and dragged it to the front door.

"He's the hero today. He's the man," said Kemper Hunter, Thor's owner. "We turned around to look for the bassinet that was at the head of the bed, and it's at the door. All we got to do is open the door and go out. [Thor's] like 'Let's roll, dad! It's time to go, I got you.'"

And what did you do for anyone today, Sparky?

Fish communicate with noises including grunts, chirps and pops,University of Auckland marine scientist Shahriman Ghazali has discovered according to newspaper reports Wednesday.

"All fish can hear, but not all can make sound — pops and other sounds made by vibrating their swim bladder, a muscle they can contract," Ghazali told the New Zealand Herald.

Fish are believed to communicate with each other for different reasons, including attracting mates, scaring off predators or orienting themselves.

A member of the swallow family, purple martins travel about 4,500 miles each year to live in North American, man-made homes, where they lay their eggs and protect their fledglings until August, when they migrate back to South America.

They also have a reputation for being somewhat more aggressive than their pet-store cousins and will defend their nests if threatened.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Director, Bill DeMaio, said the reputation is a bit overrated in his experience.

“The nests have been there for several years and we haven’t had any problems,” DeMaio said. “Most people don’t even know they’re up there.”

About two years ago a new lighting system was installed on the each of the high school  field’s 110-foot plus towers and workers did their jobs next to the nests.

"Their jumping power was greater than we thought," said Hirohisa Hirai, deputy head of the institute in Inuyama.

However, the monkeys seemed not to know what to do with their new-found liberty following Sunday's great escape.

Most of them were found hanging around the outside of the fence and at least five were lured back inside with peanuts.

Chatter was unavailable for comment.

Owner Sergei Gorbunov, a professional diver in the Pacific Coast city of Vladivostok had a diving suit complete with helmet made for the dog and is teaching him the tricks of the trade. In a recent demonstration, Boniface barked eagerly as Gorbunov readied the equipment and uncomplainingly endured being hung upside-down as Gorbunov fitted the suit on him. Once underwater, he seemed to have a different outlook, emitting some high-pitched whines. Gobunov says, "Underwater, I don't think he experiences any stress."

Coat of arms of the municipality Grambek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Via Boing Boing comes a story from Human. Nature. about Giant Peruvian Otters who are kind enough to help the seasoned citizens of their community.

Giant otters, like wolves, live in groups with one breeding pair. The dominant female in this group was Cacao. She lived long and had many offspring. She was the top fish catcher and the leader of the hunt. Until she got old. In 2007, the researcher noted,Cacao appeared to be losing her eyesight, and her mobility was suffering. She wasn't catching big fish anymore.

On many occasions, Cacao wasn't able to catch enough to feed herself, and she would go to another otter and beg. She'd make a modest call — a fraction of the ruckus that a begging juvenile makes — and squint her eyes. And one time in four, the other adult would give her food.

Tim Matheson was probably not part of the research sample.

The professional feline trapper and Las Vegas Valley Humane Society volunteer has saved more than 400 cats since last July. She uses food, traps and contraptions all designed to lure cats like Sammy.

"This is my seventh sewer," Jones said. "We've got to coax him here. Joan is the only one that can coax him now, because he knows her voice."

Jones says the key to rescuing a four-legged critter like Sammy is understanding a cat's behavior. "You just have to wait. It's a waiting game. It just takes a lot of patience," Jones said. Jones is optimistic her strategy will help this cute orange cat find his way out of the storm system. "I do it, because I love cats. That's what it's all about," Jones said.

Did it work? Click here to find out.

"It is true that the officers were not especially well trained to catch crocodiles, but they were gutsy," police said in a statement.

"With a great deal of finesse - according to the officers' report - they managed to outsmart the reptile, temporarily bind up its jaws and take it into police custody."

Suspicion quickly fell on a small circus that was visiting the town at the time.

"There's a huge problem in this society," (SF Animals Control commissioner Philip) Gerrie said, "of us buying things that are cute. They're fun for a while but lose the novelty  really soon and wind up in city shelters, which is a huge expense and can  also result in euthanasia."

Bird collisions with windows kill a billion birds a year. The tragedy is that the numbers could be lessened if buildings would make their windows less reflective.

There are a number of publications to help, the most recent being Audubon Minnesota’s Bird-Safe Building Guidelines, a revised edition of a 2007 version created by New York City Audubon. The detailed 40-page document describes various problems that buildings pose to birds and offers way to fix them—for both new construction and retrofits.

And in Minnesota, Minneapolis Central Library has also relied on an array of techniques to protect our feathered friends, including a variegated, curtained facade that creates "visual noise" to alert birds of glass barriers, as well as angled glass in its central atrium to reduce the reflection of sky and vegetation, which tricks birds.

Architects, organizations and city governments helping birds avoid needless deaths should be congratulated.

We love people who fight for animals. That's what Andy and Sharon Peters did to keep their pet rooster, Beaker. The couple wanted to keep Beaker in their home, as the rooster has a hooked foot and is blind in one eye. But bureaucrats insisted Beaker had to live on a farm and eventually wore Andy and Sharon down.

The Peters were found in violation of having a farm animal on a residential property smaller than the county requirements in September, but fought the decision in Emmet County 90th District Court and, most recently, an appeal in the 57th Circuit Court.

The Peters maintained throughout that Beaker was a pet, not a farm animal, and should be exempt from the county ordinance requiring a property size of at least two acres to operate a farm.

Based on the courts' ruling, the Peters had to choose one of three options before a court imposed deadline Tuesday — either remove Beaker from their home, appeal the decision one last time in local court or head to the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Andy said after talking to his lawyer Hob Ingleson, he thought the state appeals court would likely uphold the county's ruling because they tend to avoid overturning local decisions.

An elephant apparently fed up with elephant keepers straightened one out at the Toledo Zoo.

The Toledo Zoo says an elephant keeper has been inured while interacting with an African elephant at the zoo.

Spokeswoman Andi Norman says the trainer was hurt at about 3:45 p.m. Thursday and was conscious and coherent when taken to the University of Toledo Medical Center.

The 7-year-old male elephant named Louie has been under the keeper's care since it was born at the zoo in 2003...

In addition to Louie, the zoo is home to his mother, 30-year-old Renee, and 25-year-old Twiggy.

Maybe it was a reaction to the stupid names.

Charlie the African Grey parrot has developed a huge following on YouTube for his colorful language. The media followed the story when he was lost for two days. Then he was spotted up in a tree. You didn't think that would change his attitude, did you?

It took 30 people, six hours and a van with a hydraulic boom to rescue Charlie the chatty parrot.

And the ungrateful African Grey’s reaction was to tell everyone to “F*** off”!...

“Of course, the first thing Charlie said when he came down in the blanket was his favourite swear word!”

"When I was in the early stages of my PhD on the evolution of flightless birds, I was poking round in the storage cabinets of the Berlin Museum of Natural History one summer's day, and I had a revelation — an original scientific insight. I realised what kind of bird Big Bird almost certainly is. Last month I presented my findings at the Christchurch, New Zealand, PechaKucha #8, and the audio and slides are now live. (A pecha-kucha is a talk in which 20 slides play for exactly 20 seconds each, and the speaker tries to keep up.) All the science is real, and no Big Birds were harmed in the course of this research."

A recent study experimenting with the use of trained dogs to detect invasive plants in North America found that canines are indeed better than humans at finding spotted knapweed. However:

The dogs' performance wasn't perfect: they tended to issue more false alarms than humans. And one of the animals, Tsavo, was prone to "distraction by ground squirrels," the authors note. But overall, the results suggest that dogs could be valuable additions to teams on the hunt for invasive plant.

“The rains inspire not just the poet and the writer amongst us but also a lot of life forms,” smiles naturalist-photographer-writer, Sunjoy Monga. “There is considerable featherfolk activity. For one, you may have seen the Pied Cuckoo, a celebrated monsoon harbinger of the region. We saw one recently at Aarey,” he says.

Featherfolk are one thing, but when this guy shows up, you'd better seek cover.

(McFadden's) complaint lodged that Lucy's droppings were a public nuisance, as well as a possible health risk. In response, a sign reading "Do not feed the wildlife" was placed by harbor staff near Lucy's nest.

This did not sit well with Santa Cruz resident Ursula Grunwald, 84, who had become Lucy's unofficial caretaker throughout the last couple of decades. Grunwald, who has fed Lucy on a daily basis, and about 50 other county residents attended the monthly harbor commission in March to argue that Lucy was part of the "color" of Santa Cruz. About 10 people spoke on her behalf, saying she should continue to be fed and that removing her from the harbor would be detrimental.

A raccoon described as acrobatic and mean-spirited knocked out power to a section of downtown Memphis that included two hospitals and the newspaper for more than five hours.

Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division president Jerry Collins told The Commercial Appeal said the raccoon climbed more than 30 feet, over barriers intended to keep animals out, and short-circuited a switch on a substation.

Overall, about 8,000 customers were without city power late Thursday and early Friday.

Chuck Berry was reportedly unable to complete his long distance phone call.

(A) worker cut a hole in a wall at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA in Lincoln Park and found a kitten, no older than two weeks.

The sounds continued and workers cut holes to find two more kittens.

It's believed the kittens were born in the attic and dropped down between drywall sections to the baseboards.

All the kittens are in good shape.

Bell reports they have been named Jackie, Robinson and Wally.

Albinism is a recessive characteristic which only shows up when a bird inherits the albino gene from both parents.

There are different degrees of albinism, ranging from all white to only a few white feathers on an otherwise normal coloured bird.

Leucism affects the pigmentation of the skin, but the eyes remain a normal colour, unlike albinism. The condition is also seen in other animals.

The operation - a world first - was carried out by Noel Fitzpatrick, a veterinary surgeon based in Surrey.

His work is explored in a BBC documentary called The Bionic Vet...

"We have managed to get the bone and skin to grow into the implant and we have developed an 'exoprosthesis' that allows this implant to work as a see-saw on the bottom of an animal's limbs to give him effectively normal gait."

About 20 seagulls have been swooping on people, including postal workers, in Berry Drive, Paignton.

Now the Royal Mail has warned residents it will not be able to deliver post if its workers feel threatened.

The seagulls have been causing problems for the past two weeks as they defend their chicks which have dropped to the ground from nests on the roofs.

The Royal Mail said it was "committed" to delivering to people's addresses, "but occasionally might not be able to due to the attacks".

Chris McVeigh captured these new images of wild chipmunks in hilarious situations with action figures from the Star Wars saga.

Here's an idea from the Brits that thankfully doesn't involving drilling in the Gulf. To help increase the number of swifts, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has asked the building industry to provide permanent nest sites for the birdies in new properties and renovations.

The RSPB urges home and business owners, builders and developers to take steps to help swifts, including leaving existing nest sites undisturbed where possible as the birds will use them again and again.

When carrying out repair work, people should make new nest access holes to match the old ones in the same spot, while new homes should be designed with some internal nest space.

As a final option, custom-made swift boxes could be fitted, the wildlife charity said.

Christopher Bishop of Ridge Manor left his Ford F-150 in neutral and the driver's side door open while looking for oil leaks under the truck.

Bishop also left himself vulnerable to his rambunctious bulldog, Tassey.

According to a Hernando County Sheriff's Office report, Tassey hopped into the truck and jumped around in the front seat, knocking it into gear and causing it to roll over the left side of Bishop's body.

Bishop, 43, was transported to Pasco Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The request for the new rules came after a Grand Rapids resident was cited for having chickens on his property, in violation of city ordinance. That led to a citizens group requesting the proposed ordinance to allow residents to keep up to five hens without a permit. The ordinance would have to be renewed after five years.

If someone wants additional chickens they can apply for a special permit. The rules also prohibit raising roosters and the slaughter of chickens.

There's always push back.

First Ward Commissioner Walt Gutowski said he's not convinced the rights of neighbors who live near homes where chickens would be raised would be protected.

"I find it very conflicting that we have a budget issue, yet we're going to put an ordinance in place that we can't enforce," Gutowski said, referring to cuts in the city's Neighborhood Improvement department.

"Basically (they) covered up the nest. They had some lawn chairs that they were sitting on walking across the area. There was also the scrape for where the turtle had went in, put its nest in...they basically smoothed over the nest itself, raked it over, and were walking around it and sitting in the area," says Lt. Jonathan Ruggier of the FWC.

Although the sea turtle nest was on private property, loggerhead sea turtles are a threatened species, protected by state and federal laws. Their nests and eggs are protected no matter where they are.

But Juanita Schultz says she was just protecting her private property. "I would never hurt a turtle. I have no reason to hurt a turtle. I've been here 40 years; you know how many turtles have been here?  Thousands." 

Schultz did tell us she moved the stakes around the nest, but said they shouldn't have been put on her property without her permission. "I went down to watch the sunset the other night, and my lawn chairs and my entrance to the beach were all taped off with turtle tape; I went and sat down in my chairs and said 'this is ridiculous', and I pulled up the turtle stakes because they had been told that they're not allowed on private property."

Parrot Mountain and Gardens isn't one of those watch and see kind of places. You can get as close to the birds as you like, feed them and even talk to the birds.

"It's interaction in the biggest way."

The attraction also doubles as a safe haven.

"We take in unwanted and abused birds from all over the United States, rehabilitate them and give them a good home."

Parrot Mountain is not only tranquil at times, but also tropical. It features a secret garden, a nursery, even a prayer garden.

"Praise the Lord," chirps one of the parrots.

A dog has reportedly been reunited with its owner after being blown 20 miles away in a storm.

Thedog was renamed 'Lucky' by 57-year-old Agnes Tamas after it survivedbeing swept away from the Hungarian village of Gesztered, Photonews Agencia Noticiosa reports...

Kalman Csutor, who called the Red Cross after finding the dog following a local radio appeal, added: "He was pretty shaken.

"Ihave no idea what happened to the dog house or whether the wind carriedhim all that way - but when I found him he was 20 miles from home."

It's tough when you come out on the short end of an inheritance. But when you're the son like Bret Carr and a little dog gets more than you, all you can say is "Ay Chihuahua!"

Conchita, a pet Chihuahua, and two other dogs were left with a $3 million trust fund and a Miami Beach mansion by their recently deceased owner, Gail Posner.

Her staff, including bodyguards, housekeepers and a personal trainer, received a grand total of $27 million, including $10 million to one bodyguard and $5 million to a housekeeper who takes care of the pups.

And now he's saying that his heiress mother — who left millions of dollars in cash to her beloved pooches instead of to him — was manipulated by her staff.

Oh, but there's this:

Carr, who said he was estranged from his mother for years, reunited with her on her deathbed.

Advantage: Conchita.

A clause in a Vermont city law that requires cats to be on leashes has sparked ahissing match among fans of free-roaming felines.

A Barre City Council meeting with cats on the agenda drew an unusually large crowd of about 30 people Tuesday night. City officials cited complaints from some residents about a roaming cat that turned a neighbor's garden into a litter box.

The existing ordinance from 1973 appears to ban roaming cats. It has just never been enforced.

Mayor Thomas Lauzon says the city may end up with a compromise ordinance that would require cats to wear collars with tags identifying their owners and showing their rabies shots are up-to-date.

Opponents of the leash law say the idea is about as goofy as trying to walk a cat.

The limousine liberals at ABC News cast this story about Arizona saving squirrels as government waste.

Arizonais spending $1.25 million to build bridges for 250 rare red squirrels so they won't get hit by cars crossing the rural road. The expenditure is expected to save the lives of five squirrels a year...

(T)hese are Mount Graham red squirrels, a breed once thought to be extinct. Only 250 of them are known to live near the top of Mount Graham.

The Federal Highway Administration grant will be used to build rope bridges over the lone road through the squirrels' habitat, according to Arizona Department of Transportation Community Relations Director Timothy Tait. The DOT plans to install 41 of the "canopy tunnel crossings" at a cost of $400,000.

Another $160,000 will be spent on cameras to monitor the bridges, and the rest of the money will fund a project to monitor the rodents.

That works out to about $5,000 per squirrel.

The boy's father, James Hartley, said his son was eating lunch in a designated picnic area when the peacock, one of 10 that freely roam the zoo, went after a piece of cheese he was holding. His son, however, did not want to give up the cheese and the bird attacked him.

The boy sustained a gash on his nose, scratches on his forehead and was transported to a nearby hospital via ambulance - with the cheese still in-hand. Hartley said he needed ten stitches.

Denver Zoo officials could neither confirm nor deny Hartley's account.

"We're trying to figure out exactly what did happen," zoo spokeswoman Tiffany Barnhart said.

The boy and his mother returned to the zoo Thursday to discuss the incident with zoo management.

Domestic dogs have become so dependent on humans, they can no longer pass simplei ntelligence tests or solve problems which their counterparts in the wild find easy.

Homeless dogs seek food from rubbish dumps or garbagebins, rather than hunt for it, they struggle to find food hidden in amaze, and have learnt to look to humans first, rather than making an effort to help themselves, says Bradley Smith, a psychologist.

He studied dingoes living at the Dingo Discovery Centre, in Victoria, and found that even those socialised to be around humans were significantly faster and smarter than dogs.

In other news, psychologists are conducting intelligence tests on dogs and dingoes, which ate your baby .

From Australia (where else) comes a story about drunk lorikeets.staggering around like a bunch of... drunk lorikeets.

"They definitely seem like they're drunk," said Lisa Hansen, a veterinary surgeon at the Ark Animal Hospital."They fall out of trees... and they're not so coordinated as they would normally be. They go to jump and they miss the next perch."

It is unclear what is causing the bizarre behavior, with some possibilities being food they are eating or perhaps a virus.

The outdoor aviary features around 250 parakeets, also known as budgies. For $1, guests enter the aviary with a bird feed stick and offer it to the birds. Birds will eat the seed right off the stick.

“It is about as up close and personal as one can get to a bird.Sometimes one or more parakeets will land on a guest’s hand while the birds enjoy their meal,” said Mark Vukovich, Blank Park Zoo CEO. “Many people have seen parakeets as someone’s pet, however this exhibit allows you to go inside and experience a one of a kind event.”

The seed mix on the feeding sticks is a nutritionally complete diet for the birds, making it not only a fun experience for Zoo guests but a healthy meal for the parakeets.

The term Bog In is an Australian slang term for “chow down, to eat with enthusiasm.”

“IfI go for a walk in the pasture, they are right there following me. If I’m working and lay one of my tools down, one of them is just as likely to walk off with it, They have amazing personalities. Each one is different.” Miller pauses. “I guess that’s because each one has come from such a different background.”

The smile disappears from Miller’s face. He looks off at one particular white donkey by itself in the far end of the pasture and then returns his attention to the two that are rubbing up against him, vying for the sweet green leaves in his hand.

If you can, please contribute to their Donkey Days fundraiser, planned for Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the center at 1125 Ptarmigan Rd., off Skimikin Road, near Phillips Lake.in British Columbia.For more information, phone 1-250- 679-2778.

“Donkey Days is an opportunity for people to come out and see the donkeys. They can touch some of them and if they want, even brush them,” says Mainprize. “There will also be live music, a farmers’ market with fresh eggs and produce, wool spinning demonstrations and a concession. People can walk around, enjoy the music, enjoy the day... and in the process, learn about these amazing animals.”

There must be a stupid epidemic up in Canada, where a student was refused permission to cross the stage with her therapy dog during graduation.

Jodi Bott, poised to receive her master's of education diploma from Simon Fraser University, said she wants her certified therapy dog, Spirit, to cross the ceremony stage with her because thecanine has been "a huge component" of her studies.

"She's part of my identity," Bott said of her 3½-year-old yellow lab. "She's been with me on my learning journey in the university."

As part of her research, Bott trained with the Pacific Assistance Dog Society, which owns and is legally responsible for Spirit, to see how a therapy dog could help high school students with learning difficulties.

Not good enough, said the school's Moron Patrol.

Convocation staff said Bott couldn't bring Spirit because she was not disabled.Kate Ross, SFU's registrar and senior director of student enrollment,says the university only permits students with disabilities to have ananimal accompany them, so as not to have to let every dog, cat and bird cross the stage as well.

Caterpillars have evolved eyelike spots and patterns to scare off birds that might want to make them into appetizers.

By impersonating a snake or other predatory reptile emerging from the shadows, these caterpillars startle their adversaries into fleeing.

The caterpillar patterns don't need to be highly detailed to work.Even the mere suggestion of eyes is enough to shoo a bird away,suggesting the birds are reacting to hard-wired, predator-avoidance instincts...

Behold a slideshow of scary rainforest caterpillars.

In Australia, a couple of huckaleros tried to carjack a guy's Toyota Corolla. They knocked the driver down but were no match for his dog , who ran the bums off.

In other news. people are trying to steal Toyota Corollas.

It's another one of those charity calendars but thankfully without seasoned citizens posing in their wrinkled worst. This time it's fire dogs, and three who work with New York firefighters will be chosen for a calendar by the Silver Shield foundation, which pays for college tuition for kids of officers killed in the line of duty.

The pageant of doggies is as diverse as the city they serve. Yogi and Stewie are sleek Dalmatians, and Frank is a stocky bulldog who hogs the firehouse couch. Lucy is a gentle, golden-haired stray, while Milo and Yayo are a mischievous duo who eat off plates when nobody's looking.

Bluebirds nest in cavities in trees and wooden fence pots. Many countryside wooden posts have been replaced by metal versions, and more wild places are being developed with homes and businesses.

First, more people living in urban areas are "micro-farming," or farming on a small scale, she said. People living within city limits can't have their own farms, but they can keep a vegetable patch. Those same people may not be able to keep cows, but they do have room for chickens.

Second, the mentality toward animals is shifting,West said. People are seeing the animals they care for as part of the family and not as a food item.

Sgt. Mark Prescott and Officer Brendan Gleason didn't have much luck either,until they tried luring the kitten out with a piece of bologna, they said. It worked.

"So the kitten would eat the bologna, come a little bit further," Gleason said. "Sgt. Prescott was able to grab the cat. I helped secure it underneath, and we got it out from there."

The elephant was munching on a tree as the Americans left the Bakubung Bush Lodge, and it moved to the side of the road after about 4 minutes.

"Everybody had their cell phones out, pictures were being taken," coach Bob Bradley said. "It was all part of the experience"...

Signs outside the U.S. hotel warn: "ELEPHANTS COME CLOSE TO OUR FENCE KEEP A DISTANCE OF 30 METERS AND PLEASE BE QUIET."

Good advice any place, any time.

As Aiello taped an on-camera stand-up holding the reptile about chest high, the turtle got testy, reared back, and snapped at Aiello's face.

"I knew the creature walked slow, but snapped quick," said Aiello. "I sure found out just how quick. No wonder snapping turtles have been around for more than 50 million years. They know how to fend for themselves."

Shatner will join, via phone from Los Angeles, NDP MP Fin Donnelly, marine biologist Alexandra Morton, and Chief Bob Chamberlain for a discussion Thursday on how to save British Columbia's wild salmon, organizers said in a news release.

The Montreal-born Shatner has been active in lobbying for animal issues for some time.

Another surprise was that horses understand words better than expected.

"From our results, it appears that horses are no different than humans (in terms of positive reinforcement teachings)," according to the researchers. "They behave, learn and memorize better when learning is associated with a positive situation."

While people often train dogs in this way, also using verbal commands, Sankey and her team point out that "the majority of horse-riding training is based on tactile sensations — pressure from bits, movements of riders' legs, weight change in the saddle."

Since "horses are able to learn and memorize human words" and can hear the human voice better than even dogs can, due to their particular range of hearing, the scientists predict trainers could have success if they incorporate more vocal commands into their horse training programs.  

The camera washed up six months later in Key West, Florida, where it was spotted by Paul Shultz, an investigator with the US Coast Guard.

Mr Shultz charged up the battery and found a series of photos capturing various Aruban landmarks.

He posted the footage on YouTube along with a brief note about its contents in a bid to trace its owner...

The clumsy Dutchman was located and the camera returned. The turtle was unavailable for comment.

After many years, UK breeders have had recent successes; four wild chicks have hatched this spring.

David Waters, founder of the Great Bustard Group, said: 'Last year was a milestone for the project, this year really does give confirmation that the project is well on its way to achieving its aims of a self sustaining population in the UK. After so many years of work, it is great to see the results.

'This year we are aware of four great bustard nests, and that so far four chicks have hatched.

'In spite of their considerable size, nesting females are notoriously hard to find, and thus other females are suspected of nesting in addition to the four we are aware of.

'We very much hope these females will turn up with their youngsters later in the autumn, since the mother-offspring bond is especially strong and long-lasting. Since each mother has a tag, we will be able to tell which mothers were the 'super-nannies'.'

Check out the link for photos of mom and one of her chicks.

Unlike pet budgies, though, the zoo budgies live in a flock, asthey do in the wild. That means visitors can see their naturalbehavior. When even a small number of the 350 birds fly, there aremasses of movement inside the aviary, which is about 50 feet long, 30feet wide and 25 feet tall. In the trees, they can be seen clingingupside down to chew the branches, a behavior that keeps their beaks ingood condition.

“There’s a flock mentality, so that when one comes down the othersfollow,” said curator Ed O’Brien. “And they chew so much that we willneed to replace their trees.”

The small budgies – only 7 to 9 inches tall and weighing 1 to 1.5ounces – are pretty. When they’re just inches away, visitors can seethe details of their feather patterns, their small black eyes, andtheir blunt beaks as they efficiently remove the seeds.

The Zoo advises you wear a hat if you don't want to take home any "gifts" from the birds.

A duck has nested in a hanging basket 8ft (2.4m) above the ground at a plant centre in one of the most "unusual" nesting places staff have ever seen.

Hoisin moved into her nest at the Royal Horticultural Society's plant centre in Wisley, Surrey, before workers realised what she was doing.

She laid 10 eggs two weeks ago and could hatch her family within a week.

Staff have prepared a padded landing mat in case the ducklings fall from the basket.

They said they would be on the look-out to help Hoisin lead them to water.

Mrs Lunt admits the attack made her doubt her own sanity.

She said: “I was relieved when I saw the News Shopper story and realised I hadn’t lost my beans.”

The dorm, dubbed Pet Central, will have a makeshift kennel on the first floor, staffed by work-study students who will offer temporary boarding and perhaps a bath.

With these efforts, Stephens is hoping to smooth the transition of some students who may be so anxious about leaving home or adjusting to college life that a stuffed animal will not be of sufficient comfort. They want the real thing.

In most cases,this is really just a dangerously caffeinated yell leader dressed in costume. But some, like the University of Georgia, use a real live animal (in their case, Uga) who's there on the sidelines along with the players and coach. So how many college dog mascots are there in Division 1 athletics? The Bulldog is far and away the most popular, but we found a few surprises in the mix. No sign of any professional sports teams with dogs as their mascots. Yet.

It’s hard to believe but all these picture are not photos but pencil drawings. The author of such unbelievable art is 38-year-old graphic artist from Hong Kong Paul Lung . 0.5 mm technical pencil and A2 paper are the only attributes of these masterpieces. He doesn’t use eraser and spends up to 60 hours sketching out his pictures. As he often admits people do not believe him and he has to make videos of his work to prove that these art works are not photographs.

"Italy has seven species of donkey, of which two are on Asinara, the only place with white donkeys: this is a priceless heritage," Pierpaolo Congiatu of the Asinara National Park...

Two kinds of donkey share the island: around 250 grey in the northern half, and around 150 white donkeys in the south. In the middle, there are a few "mixed" families.

Hikers treading the all-but-deserted island's narrow paths, accompanied by a park guide, will see the strangely beautiful animals which are "more fragile" than their grey cousins, says Congiatu...

Today, besides the donkeys, Asinara is also home to a sea turtle rehabilitation centre. Every year, around a dozen injured turtles, mostly maimed by human fishing, are taken care of by biologists.

White or brightly colored feathers are suspended from monofilament fishing line that is stretched across the window. The feathers move in the wind and apparently frighten the birds enough to keep them away from the window...

Apparently, the feathers moving in the wind frighten the birds. Loose feathers resemble the situation when a bird has been killed by a hawk or other predator and the bird's feathers have been plucked and scattered about.

These dangling feathers have been effective in preventing high-speed collisions where birds are killed by flying into the reflection of the yard in the window.

Ugly Bertie, thought to be aged about eight, was found wandering around Farnworth, Bolton, last week. His fur was full of fleas and so matted to his body that he could hardly walk.

RSPCA deputy branch administrator Julie Ashcroft said: ‘I’m really pleased he’s got a new home. His fur has started to grow back now, so he should come on in leaps and bounds.’

Hundreds of dogs and their owners bounced around as Anderson entertained them with 20 minutes of thumping beats, whale calls, whistles and a few high-pitched electronic sounds imperceptible to human ears...

Anderson - who often plays music for her rat terrier Lollabelle - said the idea originated during a chat with cellist Yo-Yo Ma while the two were waiting backstage at a graduation ceremony.

"We thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if you're playing a concert and you look out and everyone's a dog?'" Anderson said. "So I thought if I ever get a chance to do that, I'm gonna do it. And today was it. So this is like a highlight of my life."

The music had varying effects on the pooches, with a series of high-pitched whale sounds working several into a frenzy. Many wagged their tails and barked in apparent encouragement, while others stared at the stage with glazed eyes.

Sounds just like the Fillmore East audiences of the 60s.

They can pick up on a chemical made in cancerous cells thanks to a sense 100,000 times more powerful than a human's...

Researchers at the Hospital Tenon in Paris spent a year trainingBelgian Malinois shepherd dogs to tell the difference between urine from33 men with prostate cancer and urine from a group that was cancer-free.

Whenthe dogs identified a cancerous sample, by sitting or running to theirtrainer, they got a reward. At the end ofthe training, the dogscorrectly identified 63 out of 66 samples as cancerous or non-cancerous.

As the great Durante said, "The nose knows!"

The 70kg male southern white rhino was born at the reserve five weeks ago and was affectionately dubbed Bruce until an official name could be chosen.

The highest bidder will win the opportunity to name the "boisterous" rhino, who was revealed to the public for the first time on Tuesday.

Funds raised through the auction would support Orana's white rhino breeding programme.

Dolphin research scientist, Jack Kassewitz of SpeakDolphin.com, introduced the iPad to the dolphin in early steps towards building a language interface.

“The use of the iPad is part of our continuing search to find a suitable touch screen technology which the dolphins can activate with the tip of their rostrums or beaks. After extensive searching and product review, it looks like our choice is between the Panasonic Toughbook and the Apple iPad,” Kassewitz explained. “We think that once the dolphins get the hang of the touch screen, we can let them choose from a wide assortment of symbols to represent objects, actions and even emotions.”

For now, the researchers are getting Merlin used to the touch screen by showing him real objects, such as a ball, cube or plastic duck, then asking the dolphin to touch photos of those same objects on the screen. “This is an easy task for a dolphin, but it is a necessary building block towards our goal of a complete language interface between humans and dolphins,” Kassewitz said.

The bills were the brainchild of Barry Schwartz, President of FeatheredFriends Parrot Adoption Services; a not-for-profit parrotrescue/adoption organization based in Maspeth. Schwartz said the NewYork Invasive Species Council released a report recently on invasivespecies in the state and it listed the Monk Parakeet as a non-native,but non-dangerous invasive species. He said the legislation is comingafter reports of attacks on Monk Parakeet nesting areas in Brooklyn andQueens...

Another bill being proposed in Albany and championed by Schwartz wouldseek to make sure that pet birds are not sold before being fullyweaned.

Occupants of the home had evacuated by the time firefighters arrived, leaving four pets unconscious in the home...

All four animals appeared lifeless when firefighters found them.

Firefighters from Truck 47 used the new pet resuscitation masks, and all four pets were "rescued and came back to life."

Police Sgt. Mark Fry of unholy Toledo, Ohio now faces fines and jail time because he and his wife Darla are keeping the fawn hidden while it is being nursed back to life. Fry knows that if the Wildlife bureaucrats get their hands on the fawn, they'll kill it.

After a pregnant deer was hit by a car May 20 on Arlington Avenue near the University of Toledo Medical Center in the city's south end, Sgt. Fry worked with the fawn by giving it CPR until it started to breathe.

Since then the Frys have taken care of the animal, nursing it back to health.

Mark and Darla Fry have called the fawn "Norman."

"Now he's a couple weeks old," Darla Fry said. "He's running around, jumping, all of the things he's supposed to do."

But it's illegal to keep a deer and that's why the Department of Wildlife came to the Frys home Wednesday morning. State wildlife officials said the fawn is a wild animal and it is not safe for the average pet owner. The state also worried about any diseases the fawn may have.

"We have to relinquish him to them (Thursday) morning or we face fines or jail time," Darla Fry said. "And if my husband goes to jail, he'll lose his job."

The bureaucrats must always get their way.

A research team led by Scott Goetz of the Woods Hole Research Center in Falmouth, Mass., has helped bring habitat sensing into the 21st century. The researchers combined satellite data, a ground-based bird census, light detection and ranging (lidar), and a new modeling technique to correctly predict the presence of songbirds in a forest.

According to Goetz, NASA's Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS, pronounced Elvis), was key to the team's success. The instrument sends pulses of laser light down from an airplane toward the forest canopy and records the points at which signals bounce back from leaves, branches, and land surfaces. Goetz and colleagues analyzed the data to confirm things like canopy height – the difference between the top of a tree and the ground – and the top-to-bottom density of tree canopies.

"We're doing the same thing our predecessors did, but in much more detail and over a much broader area," said Betts. "We have new metrics now that just weren't possible before."

When combined with data from the NASA-built Landsat satellite – which can indicate seasonal changes in the amount of vegetation — the LVIS data indicated not only the height of the trees but whether they have mostly high branches or lots of canopy layers beneath tree tops.

"We love your mynah bird's song but PLEASE PUT YOUR BIRD INDOORS AT NIGHT."

Bat boxes were also erected in trees and under the outer stadium roof for indigenous bats — which can eat 132 mosquitos an hour — drawn by insects attracted by the stadium's lights and its lake setting.

And plans are afoot to introduce indigenous grass-eating rats in the surrounding marshy areas to provide food for hunting rock kestrels to draw them to the stadium, which has no rat problem, said (Urban Raptor Project's Arnold) Slabbert.

"I look at an integrated control of all pest species. I'm creating a complete little ecosystem here," he said.

A hand-reared larger falcon is brought in to chase away crows, which pick on electrical wires and whose roosts can number around 100 birds, and a would-be red wing starling residence has also been chased out of the stadium.

The red ochre painting, which depicts two emu-like birds with their necks outstretched, could date back to the earliest days of settlementon the continent.

It was rediscovered at the centre of the Arnhem Land plateau about two years ago, but archaeologists first visited the site a fortnight ago.

A palaeontologist has confirmed the animals depicted are the megafauna species Genyornis.

Archaeologist Ben Gunn said the giant birds became extinct more than 40,000 years ago.

Generally speaking you'll want to see the birds foot wrap itself around about 2/3 of the perch. If the birds front toes overlap, then the perch is too small. Perches should also have unequal diameter along the width, as this most mimics natural branches. This, again, keeps birds from always placing pressure on the same part of the foot.

Another common mistake people make is to install sandpaper onto standard perches with the idea that it will help keep the birds claws trimmed. On the contrary, sandpaper actually damages the birds' feet.

To best protect yourself from getting sick, thoroughly wash your hands with running water and soap after contact with birds or their droppings.

Some people use rubber gloves and a mask when cleaning birdcages and habitats. Disinfect the sink after you wash bird toys, perches and food bowls. Do not share bites of food with your pet bird, if you might be swapping saliva. Common sense goes a long way in helping to avoid exposure.

Only one problem: Nayda smelled like alcohol, police said. He told police that he took his last drink at 6 a.m., but police said he registered a 0.17 blood-alcohol level - more than twice the legal limit...

The man was sent to jail on $1,000 cash bail. The dog was driven to the shelter by Monroe’s animal control officer.

I hope the judge recognizes the guy's good intentions and cuts him a break.

Ginger is getting too old to donate, so on Saturday she gave her 14th and final pint...

Donating is completely free for dog owners. In return, the veterinarian tests the blood for things like anemia, and kidney and liver disease.

As a donor, if Ginger ever gets sick or hurt she'll get the blood she needs for free. Unlike humans, dogs don't get dizzy or tired after they donate. So, 10 minutes into the visit, Ginger is good to go.

Authorities in central Kentucky say a bird flew into the open window of a car traveling on Interstate 75 in Madison County and caused a crash in which the car landed upside down in the median.

The unidentified driver was unharmed after the bird got in her face and caused her to lose control Thursday.

WLEX-TV in Lexington quoted John Partin with the county rescue squad, who called it "one of those freak accidents." Partin said the woman who drove the car had crawled out and was sitting beside it when an off-duty police officer and another driver arrived.

Alfred Hitchcock was unavailable for comment.

Julien Quénard, an amateur photographer and bird watcher in Arrest, France, programmed his Canon PowerShot A540 to constantly watch for birds, modifying a motion-detection script originally written by a developer who referred to himself among fellow camera hackers only as Fudgey. When the birds move into the frame, the camera quickly focuses and then takes a sequence of four pictures. He keeps the camera pointed at the bird feeder, but he has also found that the redstarts and flycatchers like one particular section of his garden. Mr. Quénard's version uses the fastest shutter speed possible because the birds move quickly, and uses macro mode for close focus.

The Canon Hack Development Kit, or CHDK, is available at chdk.wikia.com, which offers free software and instructions.

(T)he prize will be two floor tickets to the Elton John concert taking place in Prince George next month...

A much-loved Amazon parrot that went missing from Chessington Zooduring a training session earlier this month has been returned.

Larry is not a confident bird, so keepers did not think he would go very far and issued an appeal for his return.

Sure enough, a keeper spotted his bright green feathers a few days later, in a tree on site.

A spokesman for the zoo said he seemed happy to be back with his feathered friend Curly.

What it means, to those of us who speak English instead of New Zealandese, is that endangered kokako birds in the Waitakere part of NZ will be joined by two kokako from Tiritiri Matangi, wherever the heck that is. (According to its website, it's an island 4km from the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula... ah, forget about it.)

John Sumich, chair of Ark in the Park and Forest & Bird committee member, says the new kokako will be acclimatised using sound anchoring technology - speakers in the canopy will play kokako songs in "Tiri dialect" to encourage the birds to settle in this area.

(F)inally, after 125 years of its existence, the American Kennel Club is letting mutts, or "All Americans," compete in AKC shows in their own category. The “All American” dogs won't be judged on breed standards, but instead on agility, rally and obedience...

You may know the AKC from their various high-profile shows, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, The National Dog Show, and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. They're the official record keepers of  purebred dog pedigrees in the United States, and now mixed breeds are as free as any dog to enter the prestigious dog shows.

Not that Mutts need an award to prove their worth.

It was only when a guest heard a mighty slurping and went outside with a camera that the culprit was discovered in the shape of Troublesome the elephant .

The elephant - nicknamed 'Troublesome' - is well known to rangers at the reserve for her inquisitive nature.

But no-one realised she was behind the 'leak' at the Jacuzzi-style hot tub outside one of the £400-a-night lodges.

Susan Potgieter, owner of Etali Safari Lodge, in North West Province, South Africa, said elephants could drink more than 200 litres of water a day so drinking a whole whirlpool bath was no problem.

She said: 'When I first saw the photograph of her drinking I couldn't believe it. And then it dawned on me of course an elephant was drinking it...'

'She is a very welcome visitor for us and our guests, except it's probably best to check if she is around before taking a dip in the tub.'

No kidding, Dick Tracy.

Every night they pick up their furry little charges and care of them until morning, syringe-feeding them every few hours and ensuring they get round-the-clock care. According to (Wildlife Rehabilitation Society's Caroline) Barlott, the volunteers are even called on to do diaper duty.

“The baby squirrels also need to have their back ends gently cleaned, which is essentially the squirrel equivalent of a diaper change,” she says.

After a few weeks of round-the-clock care, she says, the baby squirrels begin to develop. Their eyes open, fur grows, and they’re ready to stay at the WRS overnight. At this point, she says, they start drinking formula from a dish and eating solid foods. When they begin to climb, they’ll be put into a special “climber cage.”

According to Barlott, the squirrels climb over twigs, and start to live up to their reputation as hoarders by stashing food in their nest boxes. Before long, they’re ready to be released back to the wild, which is always the most gratifying part for staff and volunteers, knowing they’ve done all they can humanly do to ensure the animals’ survival.

The baby rodents, whose natural habitat is the grasslands of North America, do not open their eyes until they are five weeks old. Keepers believe that at least two dozen more will appear in the coming weeks.

The ability to spend five weeks with your eyes closed qualifies you to work at the post office here in the States.

First discovered in Allentown, Pa., in 1996, the nickel-sized bugs have invaded New Jersey and spread across the Eastern seaboard,annoying homeowners and creating havoc for farmers. With no natural enemies, they are increasing in numbers and no formal defense has been found to combat them. About two centimeters long with blue metallic spots and white antennae, the stink bugs seek shelter indoors in the fall. Dormant in winter, they become a nuisance in the spring. They are slow moving and noisy in flight, get caught in lamp shades and blinds and they flutter around ceilings, all in an effort to get outside.

Homeowners have learned the hard way how to handle them. Blunt forceis not recommended, since crushing the bugs’ abdominal scent glands causes the stink. A better defense is to plug in the vacuum.

Business analyst Lori Deiter leaves the nuts out as a treat for several chipmunks that run up to her garden door in Pennsylvania...

She said: 'I can open my glass patio door and they come right up to me and take nuts out of my hand.

'The most nuts the chipmunk ever got into its mouth was three, one in each cheek and one in the front teeth. They love peanuts and hazelnuts. They usually fill their cheeks to capacity and run off to store them somewhere.

'Sometimes it takes them a minute or two to rearrange their cheeks so they can squeeze in as much as possible.

'I tell everyone soon we'll soon be growing peanuts here because I don't know where they bury everything. Although, my brother-in-law lives next door and over the winter he found a huge stash of peanuts in his garage.'

who prefer Detroit Metropolitan Airport to the great outdoors have moved into the terminal despite efforts to scare them out. "The darn birds keep outsmarting us," says Wayne County Airport Authority spokesman Scott Wintner.

Bluebirds and house wrens may return to the same nest box to build a new nest on top. Raptors, including hawks, owls and eagles, use the same nest for many years, and some nests have been occupied for decades by a series of birds. In many cases,birds engage in some remodeling, building a nest atop an existing nest, or at least adding material to it.

Disused nests also become hand-me-downs: An abandoned eagle nestwill often be adopted by a great horned owl or a hawk, Craven says,and abandoned woodpecker holes are used by many other species ofhole-nesting birds.

(T)he Nature Conservancy lists BP as one of its business partners. The organization also has given BP a seat on its International Leadership Council and has accepted nearly $10 million in cash and land contributions from BP and affiliated  corporations over the years...

Conservation International has accepted $2 million in donations from BPover the years...

The Environmental Defense Fund, which has a policy of not accepting corporate donations, joined with BP, Shell International and other major corporations to form the Partnership for Climate Action, which promotes "market-based mechanisms" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

And about 20 energy and environmental groups, including the Conservancy, the Sierra Club and Audubon, joined with BP Wind Energy to form the American Wind and Wildlife Institute, which works to protect wildlife through "responsible" development of wind farms.

Yeah, I'll be giving these guys anything soon.

Animal welfare workers in Washington rescued Lisa the pig from an abusive farmer. It took months, but they finally found a home for her at Sanctuary One in Oregon.

Lisais fitting right in with the herds of rescued horses, goats, geese andother animals. She will be part of the organization’s ongoingeducational programs. Contrary to popular opinion, pigs are highlyintelligent and actually very clean in their habits — aside from theiraffinity for mud, (Sanctuary One's Sansa) Collins says.

“I’m going to teach her to fetch and do tricks,” she says. “And we’re going to make her a mud- hole to wallow in.”

Sanctuary One already has a rescued pot-bellied pig in residence. But Rosie is Lilliputian compared to the 7-foot-long swine.

Collinssays the nonprofit would appreciate donations to help accommodateLisa’s ample appetite. She eats several scoops of pig chow mixed withloads of apples, bananas and other fresh produce daily, Collins says.

“She’s just gonna live out her happy little life here getting her belly rubs and eating peanut butter sandwiches,” says Collins.

Good folks.

(S)cented products with artificial fragrances that are highly volatile and may beinhaled, as in scented kitty litter. Some balding cats recover whennon-scented litter is used.

Cats pick up potentially harmful chemicals from those in laundered sheets, household and furniture cleaners, flame-retardant treated carpets and room-diffused and sprayed fragrances...

It is notable that some cleaners do not say what chemicals they are impregnated with. Stick with cleaners that are known to be safe — such as white vinegar, baking soda and natural products like Orange TKO. Avoid all products that contain VOCs (volatile organiccompounds), because cats may be especially prone to develop adverse reactions, as they lack certain liver enzymes to help detoxify such environmental contaminants.

Kristen Leatherdale, spokeswoman for the provincial ministry of highways, said employees at the site spotted the goose perched on top of the large gravel pile a few days ago.

Leatherdale said highway crews don't need to access the gravel pile at the moment, but if the goose is still there within a month, it might have to be moved if it hasn't already moved itself.

"We would certainly never harm the goose or the nest," said Leatherdale. "If we need to access the gravel pit at some point, we would call in an environment specialist to advise us on how to access the gravel without disrupting the goose."

It's a franchise of Doggie Style but the name didn't sit well with Haddonfield so the owners worked with the town to change the name to fit into the community.

Co-owner of the franchise Christina Zingarini:

"It never had crossed our minds but basically we understood theirposition and not wanting to even do battle, and go down that route, fora community you want to work with and be part of, we went back to thefranchiser who was very accommodating and came up with Doggie &Kitty Style and the rest is history. It represents our products betterand everyone in the community has been warm and welcoming."

Whatever.

Always like to check in with one of our favorite animal-named bands, the Byrds . Roger McGuinn still performs acoustic and electric versions of the Byrds' great hits. Terry Loncaric of the Post-Tribune has a nice look back at the band's roots.

At the Troubadour club, McGuinn formed the Byrds with Gene Clark, who had just left a group called the New Christy Minstrels. David Crosby, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke joined the group.

Crosby's high harmonies blew everyone away, even though McGuinn was not sure if Crosby would fit in. During a Thanksgiving dinner, they came up with the name, the Byrds. They intentionally misspelled Byrds as a way to stand out...

"Bob Dylan gave 'Tambourine' to us because he liked the way we did it," McGuinn said. "We weren't big folkies like Bob Dylan and Judy Collins so we didn't catch a lot of flak. We were on the fringes of folk music."

The Byrds were the first band to use a synthesizer at the Monterey Pop Festival. "I still have the original synthesizer," McGuinn exclaimed. "It still works. It was really a thrill to play with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. There was kind of a harmony back then. The police had orchids on their motorcycles."

Peterborough bird watcher Mark Williams said: “Ducklings are inquisitive creatures and will go wandering off on their own. Normally their mother will find them, but sometimes can’t. Ducklings are resilient little things and are surprisingly efficient on their own.”

Yeah, at getting themselves into trouble.

Jennifer Hamilton's The Grand Paw is a one-of-a-kind experience for pets, whether for just a day visit or overnight boarding...

“We are the pets' extended family of caregivers,” says Hamilton. “Most of our pets come in with specialized services. We have dogs who have Cheerios for breakfast or potato chips at lunch. We like to keep it the same as at home.”