August 18, 2009. Frazier Park, California.
Another bear-chihuahua match. Apparently the bear managed to get the best of the contest.
I know people love their lap dogs, but to me the analogy is
bear : chihuahua = person : popcorn.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Candy Seeking Bear Invades Home
Aspen, Colorado. August 19, 2009
"It apparently went for the Hirsches' son's bag of candy and an unopened container of chocolate toffee."
Surprisingly, the bear was able to breach the home's defense of french doors and the dog, a small chihuahua-mix.
"It apparently went for the Hirsches' son's bag of candy and an unopened container of chocolate toffee."
Surprisingly, the bear was able to breach the home's defense of french doors and the dog, a small chihuahua-mix.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
'Hopper Plague, continued
Thinking more about the Utah grasshopper plague. This might be weird, but there's definitely a part of me that thinks it would be cool to drive on over to Utah and check it out. I mean, I know it would be gross, but I keep reading about grasshopper storms (On The Banks Of Plum Creek, or Out Of Africa, or really, any history of 19th century settlement in the prairie states). It would be kind of cool, if squishy, to see it first-hand.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Grasshoppers Plague Utah
June 29, 2009. Tooele, Utah
According to the article, the grasshopper density has reached as high as 2000 hoppers/ft^2. They say up to 250,000 acres have been hit. Can we do the math? ... Yes we can: 2000 hoppers/ft ^2 * 43560 ft^2/acre * 250000 acres equals HOLY SHIT THAT'S A LOT OF GRASSHOPPERS!!!!
According to the article, the grasshopper density has reached as high as 2000 hoppers/ft^2. They say up to 250,000 acres have been hit. Can we do the math? ... Yes we can: 2000 hoppers/ft ^2 * 43560 ft^2/acre * 250000 acres equals HOLY SHIT THAT'S A LOT OF GRASSHOPPERS!!!!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Rabid Bat Haunts Library, Brushes Head
June 27, 2009. Longmont Colorado.
"The bat brushed against the head of a contract worker ..." Sure, give the contract workers the dangerous jobs.
Not clear what the bat was doing in the library. Research perhaps?
"The bat brushed against the head of a contract worker ..." Sure, give the contract workers the dangerous jobs.
Not clear what the bat was doing in the library. Research perhaps?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Pythons On The March
Florida, 2009
According to this article, there are 30,000 Burmese pythons (up to 200 pounds each, 30 feet long) living wild in Florida! Man oh man.
The article claims that "One million live Burmese pythons were legally imported into the U.S. between 2001 and 2006", which (if true) is just amazing.
Other highlights in the article: an awesome picture of a python throwing it down with a gator. The experts quoted think the animals are evenly matched -- surprising to me. And then a vague hope by a biologist that the parking lots of Wal-Mart will save us.
According to this article, there are 30,000 Burmese pythons (up to 200 pounds each, 30 feet long) living wild in Florida! Man oh man.
The article claims that "One million live Burmese pythons were legally imported into the U.S. between 2001 and 2006", which (if true) is just amazing.
Other highlights in the article: an awesome picture of a python throwing it down with a gator. The experts quoted think the animals are evenly matched -- surprising to me. And then a vague hope by a biologist that the parking lots of Wal-Mart will save us.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Coyote Confronts Folks
Tuesday, June 16. Northfield, Minnesota.
Coyote shuts down a trail on the St. Olaf College campus.
The article helpfully points out that a coyote "resembles a small German shepherd", suggesting a solution: find a dog that resembles a large German shepherd (perhaps an actual German shepherd), which could kick the coyote's ass. But maybe that's just a little too obvious.
Coyote shuts down a trail on the St. Olaf College campus.
The article helpfully points out that a coyote "resembles a small German shepherd", suggesting a solution: find a dog that resembles a large German shepherd (perhaps an actual German shepherd), which could kick the coyote's ass. But maybe that's just a little too obvious.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Bear "Sneaks In" Through Dog Door, Steals Dog Food
June 17, 2009. Granby, Colorado.
I'm probably naive, but I always thought the size of the pet door should match the size of the pet. Either they need a bigger dog or a smaller door.
I'm probably naive, but I always thought the size of the pet door should match the size of the pet. Either they need a bigger dog or a smaller door.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
"The Beavers Must Die"
Tierra del Fuego
Sadly, that article I linked to requires payment, but here is an older article.
Some 50 beavers were introduced to Tierra del Fuego back in the 40's to kindle a fur trade industry ... now there are over 100,000 of them. Cool, unless you're a tree.
Somehow, the situation just kills me. My understanding of history is that the beaver were pushed to extinction in all of North America by 1840 or so ... and that was done by a handful of musket-wielding mountain men. Heck, beavers were completely exterminated in England by the 13th century ... surely modern man can do better. We've got grenades, machine guns, unmanned aerial drones, torpedoes. Come on.
Sadly, that article I linked to requires payment, but here is an older article.
Some 50 beavers were introduced to Tierra del Fuego back in the 40's to kindle a fur trade industry ... now there are over 100,000 of them. Cool, unless you're a tree.
Somehow, the situation just kills me. My understanding of history is that the beaver were pushed to extinction in all of North America by 1840 or so ... and that was done by a handful of musket-wielding mountain men. Heck, beavers were completely exterminated in England by the 13th century ... surely modern man can do better. We've got grenades, machine guns, unmanned aerial drones, torpedoes. Come on.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Komodo Dragon Attacks On The Rise
Komodo Island, Indonesia
"fear is swirling through the fishing villages ..."
"... a 46-year-old park ranger was doing paperwork when a dragon slithered up the stairs of his wooden hut."
"fear is swirling through the fishing villages ..."
"... a 46-year-old park ranger was doing paperwork when a dragon slithered up the stairs of his wooden hut."
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
British Invasion: Black Widows
October 14, 2008. Britain.
"Deadly black widow spiders could soon establish colonies in Britain due to warmer weather."
"Deadly black widow spiders could soon establish colonies in Britain due to warmer weather."
Mountain Lion vs White Fluffy Dog
March 30, 2009. Boulder, Colorado.
The mountain lion was subsequently tranquilized, and moved to a remote location where it will be "hazed".
The mountain lion was subsequently tranquilized, and moved to a remote location where it will be "hazed".
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
41 Snakes Found Under House
March 16, 2009. Westminster, Colorado
My goodnesssssss, that'sssssssssssss a lot of ssssssssssssnakesssssssssssss.
My goodnesssssss, that'sssssssssssss a lot of ssssssssssssnakesssssssssssss.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Foxes Prefer Gentlemen
Drawing conclusions from Google search counts is problematic for all kinds of reasons -- but hard to resist.
| Query | Results |
| "coyote attacks man" | 119 |
| "coyote attacks woman" | 627 |
| "fox attacks man" | 6300 |
| "fox attacks woman" | 871 |
| "wolf attacks man" | 2860 |
| "wolf attacks woman" | 7 |
Friday, March 13, 2009
Zoo Chimp Flings Crap At Visitors
March 10, 2009. Furuvik, Sweden.
No, not that kind of crap. "Zoo minders have uncovered hundreds of stone caches being used by the chimp to hoard ammunition to hurl at visitors. ... He also managed to break lumps of concrete into manageable sized missiles by checking for their weak points."
No, not that kind of crap. "Zoo minders have uncovered hundreds of stone caches being used by the chimp to hoard ammunition to hurl at visitors. ... He also managed to break lumps of concrete into manageable sized missiles by checking for their weak points."
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
New England Coyotes Picking On Small Dogs
February 26, 2009. Bristol, Rhode Island.
Coyote takes down a "tiny toy Schnauzer named Sassy" ...
February 26, 2009. Raynham, Massachusetts. Coyote "gang" kills a miniature Doberman.
January 10, 2008. Griswold, Connecticut. Maltese runs into the woods to bark at a coyote; tables are turned.
April 20, 2007. Haverhill, Massachusetts. Cockapoo assaulted by coyote.
Coyote takes down a "tiny toy Schnauzer named Sassy" ...
February 26, 2009. Raynham, Massachusetts. Coyote "gang" kills a miniature Doberman.
January 10, 2008. Griswold, Connecticut. Maltese runs into the woods to bark at a coyote; tables are turned.
April 20, 2007. Haverhill, Massachusetts. Cockapoo assaulted by coyote.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Take That, Coyotes
March 8, 2009. Broomfield, Colorado.
Sequel to the last post. Police sharpshooters killed five coyotes in Broomfield, to avenge the February attack.
Sequel to the last post. Police sharpshooters killed five coyotes in Broomfield, to avenge the February attack.
Coyote Attacks In Broomfield
February 24, 2009. Broomfield, Colorado.
Man walking his dog. Dog sees coyote and chases. That coyote was a decoy -- with the dog distracted, another coyote ambushed the man and bit his arm.
This follows a January 15 coyote attack, also in Broomfield. Oddly enough, a dog was involved that time as well.
Man walking his dog. Dog sees coyote and chases. That coyote was a decoy -- with the dog distracted, another coyote ambushed the man and bit his arm.
This follows a January 15 coyote attack, also in Broomfield. Oddly enough, a dog was involved that time as well.
Sturgeon Strikes
July 4, 2007. Suwannee River, Florida.
New York Times article on sturgeons that time their jumps to collide with boaters.
From the article -- only two precautions to take: "Slow down", and "pray".
New York Times article on sturgeons that time their jumps to collide with boaters.
From the article -- only two precautions to take: "Slow down", and "pray".
Carp Breaks Teenager's Jaw
September 8, 2008. Lake Chicot, Arkansas.
Kid on an inner tube tow; Asian Silver carp jumps out of the water and busts his jaw. Ouch. Yikes.
While researching this story, I discovered that bowhunting carp is now a popular sport. Sounds a little primitive, but whatever works.
Kid on an inner tube tow; Asian Silver carp jumps out of the water and busts his jaw. Ouch. Yikes.
While researching this story, I discovered that bowhunting carp is now a popular sport. Sounds a little primitive, but whatever works.
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