Claim: Flying penguins found by BBC program.
These penguins not only take flight from the Antarctic wastes, but fly thousands of miles to the Amazonian rain forest to find winter sun.
Source: Telegraph
(via Penguins!)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Penguins, Part Two
Source: Telegraph
(via Penguins!)
You Eat What You Touch
Hand soap brand Lifebuoy takes aim at our increasingly germaphobic society with this new ad campaign. “You eat what you touch” is their tagline.
These surreal images of a kitten croissant and a hamster muffin are not creepy breakfasts made from pets, but are instead meant to stress the company’s message of hand-washing hygiene.
It is a creative way to get attention and perhaps even encourage non-germaphobes into thoroughly washing up before they eat.
The ads were created by the advertising agency Lowe of Jakarta, Indonesia.
(via Trendhunter)
BTW
Lifebuoy is a brand of soap was originally marketed by Lever Brothers in England beginning in 1895.
The term "B.O.", short for "body odor", was coined by Lifebuoy for an advertising campaign. The Lifebuoy radio ad, parodied by several Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes cartoons, used a foghorn-type sound to create the "B.O." sound. (wiki)
Monday, September 29, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Penguins, Part One
Claim: You can buy a [living] penguin on-line from penguinwarehouse.com.
Status: False.
Source: Snopes
Photo from Flickr, by Mollivan Jon
Unexpected transformations
"There once was an ugly duckling," goes the old song. This could not be more true of these stunning butterflies and their most peculiar caterpillars. Another opportunity to scratch your head at the vagaries of Mother Nature, take a look at this pictorial proof of butterfly beauty and caterpillar creepiness!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Free dog toys at i-pets.com
CUSTOMER APPRECIATION SPECIAL
FREE TOY with purchase
Order $40.00 or more at i-pets.com and they'll throw in a toy valued at $2.00 or greater.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Cats, Part Five
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Photography by Seth Casteel
More in the gallery at Seth's website Little Friends Fine Art Pet Photography.
(via Dog Art Today)
Internet Hoaxes: Cats, Part Four
Claim: Photograph shows an enormous 
Status: False.
Source: Snopes
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Cats, Part Three
Claim: Homeowners discover a furtively flushing feline is the source of their huge water bills.
Status: Real video; inaccurate description.
Source: Snopes
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Cats, Part Two
Claim: Photograph shows a cat jumping out of a raft.
Status: False.
Source: Snopes
Monday, September 22, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Cats, Part One
Claim: Photographs show a variety of "painted cats."
Status: False.
Source: Snopes
Friday, September 19, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Dogs, Part Seven
Claim: Photograph shows a 115-pound coyote killed in New York.
Status: Real picture; inaccurate description.
Reference: Snopes
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Photography by Staffan Windstrand
Since 1998 Staffan Windstrand has been very active in a five-year media project (together with friends and colleagues Magnus Elander and Johan Lewenhaupt), called ”The Scandinavian Big Five”, in which they try to cover all aspects of the five large Scaninavian carnivores – the wolf, the bear, the lynx, the wolverine – and man.
Man being the by far most common, most distributed, most dangerous and most ruthless of them…
There are many more wonderful nature photos at the Staffan Windstrand Gallery.
Internet Hoaxes: Dogs, Part Six
Claim: Thousands of Japanese pet owners were victimized by swindlers who sold them sheep and told them the animals were poodles.
Status: False.
Reference: Snopes
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Dogs, Part Five
Claim: Photograph shows fireman receiving kiss of gratitude from a Doberman he had just rescued from a house fire.
Status: Real picture; inaccurate description.
Reference: Snopes
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Junior the monkey
There's a wonderful post at Old Picture of the Day about Junior, who belonged to the author's grandfather.
Junior, acquired because of a practical joke, became a member of the family and an asset in their gas station business.
Junior loved his job, and enjoyed all the attention he got. He got along well with his coworkers, and he never complained about anything. He received excellent marks in all his reviews, and he was named employee of the month on several different occasions. He was never late for work, and always was the first to jump up when a customer drove in. He really was one of the boys down at the station.
Here's another photo of Junior working at the gas station.
Internet Hoaxes: Dogs, Part Four
Claim: Photograph shows a fox amidst a group of dogs.
Status: False.
Reference: Snopes
Monday, September 15, 2008
Internet Hoaxes: Dogs, Part Three
Claim: Photograph shows Brutus, a canine Medal of Honor recipient.
Status: False.
Reference: Snopes
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Rare blond hedgehog
Dr Andrew Kelly, manager of RSPCA in Cheshire, said: "We receive around 600 hedgehogs a year at Stapeley Grange, often orphaned juveniles, but we've never had a blonde hedgehog before."
This baby hedgehog, believed to be just a few months old, it was found weak and struggling by a member of the public in Gobowen, Shropshire.
Source: Mail online
Internet Hoaxes: Dogs, Part Two
Claim: A sanctuary for dogs is maintained on a "dog island" off the coast of Florida.
Status: False.
Reference: Snopes
Hands off! Stinging caterpillars
Most people know that bees, wasps, hornets and some ants can sting to defend themselves or their nests. Only a few people realize, usually from first hand experience, that handling some caterpillars can produce some painful results.
Stinging caterpillars possess hollow quill-like hairs, connected to poison sacs, that are used as defensive weapons. When these hairs are touched they break through the skin releasing the poison. Reactions can range from a mild itching to the more severe pain, dermatitis, and even intestinal disturbances.
Most encounters with stinging caterpillars result from accidentally brushing against leaves on which they are feeding. Don't brush it off or slap it with a bare hand. Use a stick or other object to remove it carefully. Hollow spines may break off in clothing or gloves.
No really effective home first aid treatments for caterpillar stings are available. Adhesive tape or transparent tape may be used to pull out some of the broken spines in the sting area. Washing the area thoroughly with soap and water may help remove some of the irritating venom. Prompt application of an ice pack or baking soda may help to reduce pain and prevent swelling. Antihistaminic drugs, often administered for bee and wasp stings, are reportedly ineffective. See a physician if severe reactions occur. Very young, aged or persons in poor health are more likely to suffer severe reaction symptoms.
Source: University of Kentucky
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Photography by Leigh Wiener
In November 1961, photographer Leigh Wiener shot a bullfight in Tijuana, Mexico, that starkly depicts the brutality of the sport, against the backdrop of amused and horrified spectators that include women in their spring hats, children in their matador costumes.
Tijuana Sunday was published as a photo book in 1989.
Cheap labor in LA
They will work long hours over the next week to 10 days and won't collect a pension or charge for working overtime and won't call in sick - and 100 of these laborers cost only $3,000. The cost of human workers would have totaled as much as $7,500.
Leaders of the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency have hired 100 goats to nibble away thick weeds on a steep slope on a weed-choked lot in the Bunker Hill high-rise district.
An electrified fence helps corral the goats and keeps them from falling over a retaining wall at the base of the slope. Security guards will be on duty when goat-keeper George Gonzales is not there to watch over the herd.
Source: L.A.Times
(via: L.A. Unleashed)
Internet Hoaxes: Dogs, Part One
Claim: Photograph shows Hercules, the world's biggest dog.
Status: False.
Reference: Snopes
Rare albino cobra
Visitors flock to the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in the Indian city of Chennai because of the remarkable beauty of Goya, an albino cobra.
Goya, who is a milky color with shades of pink, was a gift from Dehiwala Zoo in Sri Lanka where they specially breed albino snakes.
The three-and-a-half foot reptile was the only one of his albino siblings to survive, and is now kept on his own in a specially constructed enclosure. Goya spends most of his day indoors due to his sensitivity to light, only venturing outside for his daily meal of five live rats.
Source: Telegraph
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A Little Game of Cat and Mouse
OK, Ok - here's the one that's NOT shown:
If this cat is anything like my two cats, the mouse got away, totally unharmed, and the cat will now need a rest of several hours and a hearty meal, to be followed by another nap.
(via frinko)
Here's a fun way to tour New York
Looking for something fun and different to do in New York City? Look no further.
If you’re a dog owner, or even just a dog lover, you’re in for a treat. Tourists and locals alike will have a doggone good time with New York Dog Tours. They offer you and your furry friends the opportunity to get out there and experience New York City like you’ve never experienced it before.
Visit some of the most dog-friendly places in Manhattan. Each of the three walking tours is specifically designed to entertain and educate. You’ll visit famous landmarks, find hidden-treasure pet shops, and discover historical facts that will surprise even the most seasoned New Yorker. Whether you want to spend quality time with your pet, meet other animal lovers, learn about the attractions New York has to offer, or just take a stroll around Manhattan, you’ll find what you’re looking for with New York Dog Tours.
Sounds like fun!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Obviously, it wasn't Smokey Bear
Investigators in Utah say a large black bear raided a clandestine marijuana growing operation so often that it chased the grower away.
Deputies found food containers ripped apart and strewn everywhere, cans with bear teeth marks, claw marks and bear prints across the Garfield County camp on Tuesday.
They also found 4,000 "starter" sacks of pot and 888 young plants.
Source: AP
go green
Even the polar bears are going green ...
Three polar bears at the Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, central Japan, changed their colors in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae, prompting many questions from visitors concerned about whether the animals are sick or carrying mold, a zoo official said.
(AP Photo/Kyodo News, Shuzo Shikano)
Source: boston.com
Duck, duck, duck, duck
Sunday the 31 of August, 2008, Molesy Lock by Hampton Court bridge saw the start of the third Great British Duck Race.
250,000 small blue rubber ducks were raced along the Thames to raise money for various charities including NSPCC, WaterAid, MacMillan Nurses, and Cancer Research UK to name but a few.
Not only did this raise over £100,000 before the race but it also set a new Guinness world record for duck racing.
Photo credit: AFP/Shaun Curry
A social network for pets
Have you heard about PETtell.com?
It is a FREE social network for pets. You create pet profiles, upload pet photos (with or without you), pet videos (with or without you), write blogs, and interact with their owners.
Although still fairly new, PETtell already has more than a hundred members who have posted some excellent photos, such as this one:
Photo credit: from PETtell by brodis1
Monday, September 8, 2008
I would rub his belly!
Just like Joey and Maggie, at The Long and Short of it All: A Dachshund Dog News Magazine, I didn't know that it was David Duchovny's voice on the Pedigree commercials, saying,
"Rub my belly. Seriously. Rub it"
Is this why he's in rehab?
Art by Animals
On Tuesday, September 16, the Auction Network will conduct a live auction featuring artwork created by animals from zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
There will be numerous pieces up for sale during The Arts by Animal auction, which will be broadcast online in high-definition beginning with a special pre-show at 4 p.m. EDT, followed at 5 p.m. with the live auction.
This three-hour live auction is expected to draw a worldwide audience, and will feature appearances by wildlife celebrities Jack Hanna and Nigel Marven.
Visit http://www.auctionnetwork.com/aza now to view the entire catalog, see video bios on the animal artist and even place proxy bids before the auction begins.
Item # 29 – Art by "Hari and Hakuna the Meerkats" from San Diego Zoo in California
Hari and Hakuna are Meerkat animal ambassadors who reside in the San Diego Zoo’s Children’s Zoo. They are hand-raised half brothers–-Hari is 3 years old and Hakuna is 2 years old----who live in an exhibit with other Meerkats. They are also friendly enough to provide up-close encounters at education programs and special activities.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Takahashi Birds
Yoneguma and Kiyoka Takahashi were among many Japanese-Americans confined in Poston Camp, AZ after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
While in the camp, they participated in a craft class where they learned to carve and paint small birds.
After their release from the camp, the Takahashis turned their craft into a family business that continued for 40 years.
Yoneguma carved the birds out of white holly wood, starting with a jig saw, then smoothing and sanding the bird. When done, Kiyoka painted the birds (using an Audubon bird book for reference) with watercolors using fine camel hair brushes. 10 coats of lacquer were then applied.
A good day's production was 10 birds. The birds were mostly sold via word of mouth, though a couple of department stores (such as Gump's) carried them. Production was mostly lapel pins, but earrings were also made. Price on the birds in the early days was $2, but in the 1980s, the birds sold for $40.
Initially more than 100 species were made, both male and female, but eventually about 25 different birds were offered regularly for sale.
The grand-daughter of Yoneguma and Kiyoka, Carol Takahashi, has created a website, Takahashi Birds, to honor her grandparents, tell their history, and to give us a glimpse of a time in history that affected many American lives.
(via Hanuman, also Image Event)
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Birds call brings police helpers
Cries for help inside a Trenton, N.J., home turned out to be for the birds. Neighbors called police Wednesday morning after hearing a woman's persistent cry of "Help me! Help me!" coming from a house. Officers arrived and when no one answered the door, they kicked it in to make a rescue.
But instead of a damsel in distress, officers found a caged cockatoo with a convincing call.
It wasn't the first time the 10-year-old bird named Luna said something that brought authorities to the home of owner Evelyn DeLeon.
About seven years ago, the bird cried like a baby for hours, leading to reports of a possible abandoned baby and a visit to the home by state child welfare workers. But it was only Luna practicing a newfound sound, DeLeon says.
Source: Yahoo news
Texas death row inmate wants to feed the fish
Texas death row inmate Gene Hathorn, who was convicted of killing his father, step-mother and half brother in 1984, has agreed to give his body to Danish based artist Marco Evaristti, for use in an art installation. Mr. Evaristti plans to freeze Mr. Hathorn's body and then turn it into fish food.
Visitors to the as yet unnamed venue would then be able to feed Mr. Hathorn's remains to hundreds of goldfish in a giant aquarium.
This isn't the first somewhat unusual project for Mr. Evaristti. In 2000 he placed goldfish in an electric blender at a Danish art museum, giving visitors the option of turning the machine on and killing the fish. Last year, he also held a dinner party where the main course consisted of meatballs partly made with fat removed from his own body by liposuction.
Source: Dallas News
Elephants on vacation
The elephant family packed up their trunks and headed off to Samburu National Reserve, in remote northern Kenya - a 65 square mile area of rough highlands and rivers.
The kids played in the water and splashed ...
Everyone rolled in the mud ...
They played follow the leader ...
And built sand castles.
Source: Mail Online
Heroin addicted elephant clean after rehab
Referred to as 'Big Brother' or 'Xiguang' in Chinese media reports, the elephant was captured in 2005 in southwest China by illegal traders who fed him heroin-laced bananas.
The traders used the spiked bananas for several months to control him before they were arrested by police.
Xiguang was released back into the wild but was soon sent to animal protection center after his behavior appeared to suggest he was suffering withdrawal symptoms from heroin, Xinhua news agency reported.
A year of methadone injections at five times the human dosage helped wean the elephant off heroin.
Gradually, the dosage was reduced until he was completely weaned off the drug.
Now clean, Xiguang is expected to move to a wildlife park in Kunming - the capital of the elephant's home province of Yunnan on the mainland.
Source: Telegraph
Golf balls found inside 'rattling' dog
Owner Chris Morrison had been taking five-year-old black labrador Oscar round the Pitreavie golf course in Dunfermline for several months.
He took Oscar to the vet after noticing a rattling sound coming from his pet's stomach.
They then discovered that 13 golf balls - each weighing 45 grams - were lodged in his stomach. One of the balls had been in his stomach so long that it had turned black and was decomposing.
The balls were removed two weeks ago in a successful hour-long operation.
Source: BBC
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Here's my hummingbird ...
We've had a wonderful patch of bee balm planted in our backyard that has had hummingbird visitors for many years. As much as I try, I have yet to get a good photo - they are so QUICK!
Here's my latest (poor) attempts:
(You can click on the photos, go to Flickr, and see them larger)
These little birds are a delight. Even though we see several every day, it's still an occasion to stop what I'm doing and marvel at nature.
Hummingbird stories:
One day, I was sprinkling the flowers and a hummingbird repeatedly flew into and out of the water drops. She was taking a shower!
Hummingbirds are very territorial. When more than one arrive at the same flower bed at the same time, there's a very loud shrieking dispute until one backs off and leaves. We have seen the looser sit on a branch to wait her turn.
Just last week, we watched a hummingbird fly into a swarm of small gnats. She darted quickly from bug to bug, eating them. We've never seen that before! I thought all hummingbirds did was suck the nectar from flowers. This little bird caught so many bugs, she had to sit on the fence netting around the vegetables and rest. She sat there a good five minutes before she could fly. Talk about over eating!
Late summer brings hummingbirds to Illinois
August and September provide some of the year's best opportunities for observing hummingbirds in Illinois, according to Rob Kanter, author of The University of Illinois' Environmental Almanac. That's because individuals that have been farther north during the breeding season gather here on their way south.
Despite their small size, many hummingbirds migrate over long distances. Ruby-throats heading south may travel 2000 miles to reach their winter territory in southern Mexico and Central America, including a 500-mile nonstop leg of the trip over the Gulf of Mexico.
While the ruby-throated is the most common, rarer hummingbirds -- such as the broad-billed, Rufous and Allen's -- are seen across the Midwest from late summer into fall. The Rufous hummingbird is occasionally seen at feeders.
Source: abc7chicago.com
Dog to sniff out threatened bees
Researchers studying the decline of the bumblebee have trained a dog to sniff out the insects in the wild.
Toby, a three-year-old Springer spaniel, can find the bees' nests, hidden in dense undergrowth or in the ground, using only his nose.
Experts at the University of Stirling said that studying the threatened bees was made much harder because of the difficulty in tracking them down.
The three-year project involving Toby is the first of its kind.
Prof Dave Goulson, who will oversee the work of Toby, said that his involvement would give a huge boost to conservation efforts.
He said that of the UK's 25 varieties of bumblebee, three had become extinct and several others were in danger of going the same way because researchers knew very little about how they lived and what was destroying them.
Source: BBC
(via The Poodle (and Dog) Blog)
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Cat Hitchhikes 75 Miles In Spare Tire
Gil Smith drove 75 miles from his home in Gilbert, Ariz., to Kearny, Ariz., for business. When he got out of the truck, he heard a cat in distress and realized it was his.
Bella had taken a nap on the truck's spare tire, which sits on a frame under the truck. Smith said Bella was hysterical, shaky, dehydrated and tired, but otherwise OK.
"I have to admit when she got out of that truck, she was kind of like a drunken sailor," Smith said. "She didn't have her sea legs yet."
According to Smith, Bella was smart enough to stay on the tire as the truck was moving.
"She had an opportunity to jump out from there, [but] she would have been so far from home we would have lost her," he said. "The fact that she stayed so close to the truck saved her."
Smith said he has added a new step to his morning routine.
"I check that truck," he said. "Every time I back out of the driveway, I look at that wheel well."
Source: wftv.com
Two new greater flamingo chicks at the L.A. Zoo
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is pleased to announce the hatching of two greater flamingo chicks, hatched on Tuesday, June 24 and Sunday, August 3. Both chicks are being reared by their parents in the lower walk-through aviary.
The greater flamingo is a social bird that breeds in colonies of tens to hundreds of thousands of birds in the wild. When they mate, they tend to pair for life. The male and female share duties when it comes to raising their chick. For example, they build the mud nest together, collectively care for the egg during the 28 – 32 day incubation period, take turns feeding the youngster and defending the nest.
Flamingos are hatched with grey color down feathers, short legs and a short, straight pink bill. They are fed a liquid secrection called “crop milk” until the chicks are fully developed. The flamingos’ pink and red plumage develops at about two years, with the feathers, legs and face coloration derived from the food found naturally in their diet of small shrimp, worms and algae. In zoos they are fed a special diet which helps them retain their color.
The greater flamingo is the largest of the six species of flamingo and has the widest of distribution. They are found in freshwater and saline habitats throughout southwest Europe, Africa, the Middle East, southwest Asia, India and Sri Lanka. Their exceptionally long neck and legs, and unique bill are adaptations for feeding. The flamingos plumage varies in color from almost white to bright pink with black primary and secondary flight feathers. They can fly long distances, up to 300 miles traveling mainly at night to find food. Flamingos like to rest and sleep standing on one leg, with the head laid on the body and the other leg tucked under the abdomen. What appears to be the flamingos knees are actually their ankles, which bend to the rear when they sit down. The greater flamingo is on display in the Zoo’s aviary with a variety of exotic bird species from around the world.
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. The Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For general information, call (323) 644-4200 or visit the website at www.lazoo.org.
Photo credit: Tad Motoyama
Lemurs - beautiful & diverse
Here at the Pet Blog, we've posted about lemurs many times.
We KNOW they're cute!
We didn't know that there are many varieties of Lemur, a lot of which are incredibly rare. Take a look in to the planet of the lemurs and discover for yourself the wonderful diversity of this lesser known family of animals.
(via the Presurfer)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
America's Fastest Chihuahua
Update to: Looking for America's Fastest Chihuahua
Tiger from Bakersfield CA is the new National Chihuahua Champion, crowned the Fastest Chihuahua in America yesterday.
Here is the video from the championship.
Monday, September 1, 2008
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