Cecil The Lion.

[Keyser]

A monstrous crocodile - dolphin hybrid?



No of course not - it's a Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris).

Very little is known about beaked whales as a whole - they remain something of a mystery to scientists and few members of the public have even heard of them.

http://www.earthtouchnews.com/oceans/wh ... aked-whale

[Maddog]

I came across Cecil's little cousin tonite.

[Keyser]

I came across Cecil's little cousin tonite.

Great photos MD - that area looks very beautiful.

Meet the 'Shark Girl' Madison Stewart.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/new ... 5f200ad937

Golden Trevally (which can reach 1.2 metres in length) swim in front of a rather larger fish.

[Keyser]

The secret history of bioluminescence and the wonderful new Attenborough documentary on the same topic - 'Life That Glows' - that was shown on BBC2 earlier this week.

http://www.hakaimagazine.com/article-lo ... minescence

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... that-glows

The mysterious (and gigantic) Seven-arm octopus (Haliphron atlanticus).

http://www.earthtouchnews.com/oceans/oc ... ines-video

Finally the photographer who 'shoots' sharks to save them.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-cult ... 180959037/

[Keyser]

Ever wonder what happened to the gorillas who met David Attenborough?

Well wonder no more.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/story/201605 ... tenborough

The superpower that enables snakes to withstand up to 30G when they strike.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160511 ... superpower

[Vicky]

[Keyser]

That is great news Vicky.

It is hardly surprising that Homo sapiens as arrogant masters of all we survey have vastly underestimated animal intelligence - so two excellent new books are tackling the issue.

'Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals are?' and 'The Genius of Birds'.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/books ... birds.html

http://nypost.com/2016/04/24/we-may-not ... imals-are/

http://undark.org/article/i-think-there ... elligence/

Both are available on Amazon now and I might just buy them.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Are-Smart-Enou ... PSNBFKHC7C

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Genius-Birds-J ... 66D5RV7K90

[Maddog]

I'm sure the Chinese prefer dogs with more meat anyway.

[Keyser]

Levon Bliss has a new exhibition "Microsculpture" that will be on display at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History from May 27 to October 30, 2016.

The high resolution macro-images of the various insects in this article about his work are simply astonishing.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-n ... 180959134/

[Maddog]

Last week in Yellowstone National Park, visitors were cited for placing a newborn bison calf in their vehicle and transporting it to a park facility because of their misplaced concern for the animal’s welfare. In terms of human safety, this was a dangerous activity because adult animals are very protective of their young and will act aggressively to defend them. In addition, interference by people can cause mothers to reject their offspring. In this case, park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the newborn bison calf with the herd. These efforts failed. The bison calf was later euthanized because it was abandoned and causing a dangerous situation by continually approaching people and cars along the roadway.

http://www.eastidahonews.com/2016/05/pa ... n-vehicle/

Damn Bunny hugging foreigners.

[Keyser]

Last week in Yellowstone National Park, visitors were cited for placing a newborn bison calf in their vehicle and transporting it to a park facility because of their misplaced concern for the animal’s welfare. In terms of human safety, this was a dangerous activity because adult animals are very protective of their young and will act aggressively to defend them. In addition, interference by people can cause mothers to reject their offspring. In this case, park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the newborn bison calf with the herd. These efforts failed. The bison calf was later euthanized because it was abandoned and causing a dangerous situation by continually approaching people and cars along the roadway.

http://www.eastidahonews.com/2016/05/pa ... n-vehicle/

Damn Bunny hugging foreigners.

That was not 'bunny hugging' MD that was simple bloody ignorance - it's a real shame that the poor young Bison has to be euthanised though.

[Maddog]

Last week in Yellowstone National Park, visitors were cited for placing a newborn bison calf in their vehicle and transporting it to a park facility because of their misplaced concern for the animal’s welfare. In terms of human safety, this was a dangerous activity because adult animals are very protective of their young and will act aggressively to defend them. In addition, interference by people can cause mothers to reject their offspring. In this case, park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the newborn bison calf with the herd. These efforts failed. The bison calf was later euthanized because it was abandoned and causing a dangerous situation by continually approaching people and cars along the roadway.

http://www.eastidahonews.com/2016/05/pa ... n-vehicle/

Damn Bunny hugging foreigners.

That was not 'bunny hugging' MD that was simple bloody ignorance - it's a real shame that the poor young Bison has to be euthanised though.

It was ignorant Bunny Hugging, which is the predominant kind. It was based on emotion.

No doubt it was fed to some wolves, so it wasn't a complete waste.

[Vicky]

I'm sure the Chinese prefer dogs with more meat anyway.

Don't be horrible.

[Robocop]

That is great news Vicky.

It is hardly surprising that Homo sapiens as arrogant masters of all we survey have vastly underestimated animal intelligence - so two excellent new books are tackling the issue.

'Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals are?' and 'The Genius of Birds'.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/books ... birds.html

http://nypost.com/2016/04/24/we-may-not ... imals-are/

http://undark.org/article/i-think-there ... elligence/

Both are available on Amazon now and I might just buy them.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Are-Smart-Enou ... PSNBFKHC7C

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Genius-Birds-J ... 66D5RV7K90

I suppose the Chinese will have to make do without fast food now. (sorry couldn't resist and yes glad they've stopped exporting them joking aside).

Sleeping Dogs should probably have a whip round and buy those books for you as a present... so you can do the hard part and post the best bits on here for us!

[Maddog]

I'm sure the Chinese prefer dogs with more meat anyway.

Don't be horrible.

I'm always horrible and honest. No one ever bought a cow to butcher because it was thinner and faster than the other cows.