Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Kayaker hospitalised following attack by upset beaver
A beaver jumped out of Irondequoit Creek, in eastern Monroe County, New York, and attacked a man in a kayak, knocking him into the water last Tuesday.
The victim, Michael Cavanaugh of Lima, N.Y. is recovering after being treated in the hospital for bite wounds on his back and deep puncture wounds on his arm. He is also being treated for rabies as a precaution.
BayCreek Paddling Center trainer Nate Reynolds saw part of the attack. "I heard my name called out from the shop and I ran out the door to see a guy getting pulled into the water," Reynolds said, describing the attack. "It was like watching a horror film." Reynolds said Cavanaugh was able to get to his feet and approach the dock, but the beaver would not let go of him, so Reynolds hit the beaver with a nearby paddle several times. "The paddle broke and the beaver let go," he said. "He kind of disappeared for a few seconds but came back up so I hit him again."
BayCreek Paddling Center temporarily closed after the incident to try and find the beaver. Eventually the beaver's carcass was discovered and is now being tested for rabies by animal control. "It's absolutely first of a kind," said Ken Altfather, who has owned and operated BayCreek Paddling Center for more than 20 years. "I think the rarity of this is the main thing, the beaver was upset for some reason, we don't know." According to New York Department of Environmental Conservation Biologist Art Kirsch, although extremely rare, Beaver attacks on humans do occasionally happen. Kirsch said that beavers generally aren't aggressive toward humans and are vegetarians.
Most beaver attacks on humans, he added, come from beavers infected with rabies, or beavers trying to protect their offspring. The recovering victim of the attack, Michael Cavanaugh said: "In general I feel like you do after having surgery. My body is focusing on healing the wounds. I've slept quite a bit. Though the event was scary I haven't felt much in the way of traumatic emotional reactions which I'm thankful for. As a matter of fact I feel a lot of gratitude to God. First, that my injuries were not worse. Second, that the beaver did not attack Terri who would have been severely hurt as she was a great distance from the dock. Third, that I was surrounded by so many helpful people."
With news video.
BayCreek Paddling Center trainer Nate Reynolds saw part of the attack. "I heard my name called out from the shop and I ran out the door to see a guy getting pulled into the water," Reynolds said, describing the attack. "It was like watching a horror film." Reynolds said Cavanaugh was able to get to his feet and approach the dock, but the beaver would not let go of him, so Reynolds hit the beaver with a nearby paddle several times. "The paddle broke and the beaver let go," he said. "He kind of disappeared for a few seconds but came back up so I hit him again."
BayCreek Paddling Center temporarily closed after the incident to try and find the beaver. Eventually the beaver's carcass was discovered and is now being tested for rabies by animal control. "It's absolutely first of a kind," said Ken Altfather, who has owned and operated BayCreek Paddling Center for more than 20 years. "I think the rarity of this is the main thing, the beaver was upset for some reason, we don't know." According to New York Department of Environmental Conservation Biologist Art Kirsch, although extremely rare, Beaver attacks on humans do occasionally happen. Kirsch said that beavers generally aren't aggressive toward humans and are vegetarians.
Most beaver attacks on humans, he added, come from beavers infected with rabies, or beavers trying to protect their offspring. The recovering victim of the attack, Michael Cavanaugh said: "In general I feel like you do after having surgery. My body is focusing on healing the wounds. I've slept quite a bit. Though the event was scary I haven't felt much in the way of traumatic emotional reactions which I'm thankful for. As a matter of fact I feel a lot of gratitude to God. First, that my injuries were not worse. Second, that the beaver did not attack Terri who would have been severely hurt as she was a great distance from the dock. Third, that I was surrounded by so many helpful people."
With news video.
Real gun shop robbed by fake-gun-wielding suspects
A gun store in El Cajon, California, was robbed by three masked suspects armed with a fake gun on Friday afternoon, officials confirmed.
The robbery happened at around 2:15pm at Hiram’s Guns & Spirits.
El Cajon Police said one of the suspects, armed with a replica handgun, held the store's employee at gunpoint as the two others smashed a display case with a hammer and grabbed several real handguns. The suspects fled in a red sedan, the employee told 911 dispatchers.
A short time later, El Cajon and La Mesa police officers tried to pull over a car matching the description. The vehicle pulled off in La Mesa, and after a few quick turns, the car ran into a dead end. Multiple police vehicles blocked the car in when the suspects tried to turn around. Three people - two juveniles and one adult - were arrested after officers searched their car and found the stolen handguns, replica gun and masks, police say.
All three face felony charges of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The driver, 20-year-old Mykeon D. Menefee, was also be charged with felony evasion, among 14 counts. Menefee was booked into the San Diego County Jail, while the two juveniles were booked into the Juvenile Detention Center. No injuries were reported in the robbery, but the owner of the shop was extremely shaken up by the ordeal.
With news video.
El Cajon Police said one of the suspects, armed with a replica handgun, held the store's employee at gunpoint as the two others smashed a display case with a hammer and grabbed several real handguns. The suspects fled in a red sedan, the employee told 911 dispatchers.
A short time later, El Cajon and La Mesa police officers tried to pull over a car matching the description. The vehicle pulled off in La Mesa, and after a few quick turns, the car ran into a dead end. Multiple police vehicles blocked the car in when the suspects tried to turn around. Three people - two juveniles and one adult - were arrested after officers searched their car and found the stolen handguns, replica gun and masks, police say.
All three face felony charges of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The driver, 20-year-old Mykeon D. Menefee, was also be charged with felony evasion, among 14 counts. Menefee was booked into the San Diego County Jail, while the two juveniles were booked into the Juvenile Detention Center. No injuries were reported in the robbery, but the owner of the shop was extremely shaken up by the ordeal.
With news video.
Animals at zoo form unlikely friendships
Animals at the Tbilisi Zoo in Georgia are forming unlikely friendships.
A rhino is living with donkeys and a lion cub is living with a poodle.
YouTube link.
It all started when a 6-year-old rhino named Manuela became depressed after the death of her mate and became aggressive toward her caretakers. Zoo management searched for the perfect companions to make her feel at ease, which turned out to be a herd of donkeys.
They had tried putting zebras in her enclosure, but they only returned the aggression. Then they tried goats, which ran away. But the donkeys had an instant calming effect.
YouTube link.
Zoo officials say the rhino even protects the youngest donkey when somebody enters their living space. Also, sharing the same living space is a black poodle and a white lion cub named Shumba. The two were raised together after the cub was separated from his mother.
YouTube link.
It all started when a 6-year-old rhino named Manuela became depressed after the death of her mate and became aggressive toward her caretakers. Zoo management searched for the perfect companions to make her feel at ease, which turned out to be a herd of donkeys.
They had tried putting zebras in her enclosure, but they only returned the aggression. Then they tried goats, which ran away. But the donkeys had an instant calming effect.
YouTube link.
Zoo officials say the rhino even protects the youngest donkey when somebody enters their living space. Also, sharing the same living space is a black poodle and a white lion cub named Shumba. The two were raised together after the cub was separated from his mother.
Slippery-looking character got stuck in fish and chip shop's extractor fan while trying to break in
Police have charged a man who got stuck in a Christchurch, New Zealand, fish and chip shop's extractor vent while allegedly trying to break in.
By the time he was freed, the 19-year-old was a "slippery-looking character", covered in oil from the vats, police said.
Police were called to the Mr Fish and Chip shop in Papanui at about 2.30am, after neighbours heard someone shouting for help.
Inside they found "an unusual situation" - a man wedged in the steel extractor vent above the shop's cooking vats, a police spokesman said.
"He'd been there, possibly, for several hours,'' Inspector Derek Erasmus said. The Fire Service was called to cut him out. Central Station Officer Omar Yusaf said fire fighters arrived to ''a pretty untidy scene''. The ''skinny chap'' appeared to have slid into the flue from the roof, but hit the motor on the way down. The motor had four stainless steel struts attached to it, one of which was lodged between the cheeks of his bottom. His legs were dangling above the shop's cooking vats, while his torso, head and one arm were trapped in the flue.
''One arm was by his head, one was by his hips. There was nothing to hold onto and nothing to push up from. He was really stuck fast. It certainly wasn't what I expected.'' Yusaf said the man was cold and sore. ''I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I think he just wanted to be out of that pipe.'' The extrication took about 30 to 40 minutes. The flue was ''caked'' in grease about 2-3cm thick, so once fire fighters cut away the steel struts, ''he just drifted out''. The man's shoulder-length, curly hair was ''chocka'' with oil grease, Yusaf said.
'He said to me he was embarrassed. He was obviously really relieved to be out of there.'' He was not the only one. ''We were all covered in the same grease as him,'' Yusaf said. The firemen's uniforms and rescue gear had to be sent away for laundering. They binned their gloves. ''It was hilarious afterwards. It was certainly an unusual one,'' he added. The man was treated for hypothermia at Christchurch Hospital before being discharged. Police have charged the man with burglary and granted him bail to appear in the Christchurch District Court on Monday.
"He'd been there, possibly, for several hours,'' Inspector Derek Erasmus said. The Fire Service was called to cut him out. Central Station Officer Omar Yusaf said fire fighters arrived to ''a pretty untidy scene''. The ''skinny chap'' appeared to have slid into the flue from the roof, but hit the motor on the way down. The motor had four stainless steel struts attached to it, one of which was lodged between the cheeks of his bottom. His legs were dangling above the shop's cooking vats, while his torso, head and one arm were trapped in the flue.
''One arm was by his head, one was by his hips. There was nothing to hold onto and nothing to push up from. He was really stuck fast. It certainly wasn't what I expected.'' Yusaf said the man was cold and sore. ''I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I think he just wanted to be out of that pipe.'' The extrication took about 30 to 40 minutes. The flue was ''caked'' in grease about 2-3cm thick, so once fire fighters cut away the steel struts, ''he just drifted out''. The man's shoulder-length, curly hair was ''chocka'' with oil grease, Yusaf said.
'He said to me he was embarrassed. He was obviously really relieved to be out of there.'' He was not the only one. ''We were all covered in the same grease as him,'' Yusaf said. The firemen's uniforms and rescue gear had to be sent away for laundering. They binned their gloves. ''It was hilarious afterwards. It was certainly an unusual one,'' he added. The man was treated for hypothermia at Christchurch Hospital before being discharged. Police have charged the man with burglary and granted him bail to appear in the Christchurch District Court on Monday.
Couple rescued from dense rhododendron mountain forest after five hour ordeal
A couple in their 50s had to be rescued from a dense rhododendron forest after they became trapped in a "treacherous area" on an Irish mountainside.
The five-hour rescue operation took place in the Knockmealdowns Mountains, which straddle the border between County Waterford and County Tipperary.
The couple, who are experienced hill walkers, got into difficulty on steep ground overlooking Bay Lough on Sunday.
One of the rescuers said the plants were "like an impenetrable jungle". Jimmy Barry from the South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association said the rhododendron forest was so thick and deep that people could not hear each other.
"It was horrendous - I have been a member of mountain rescue for 15 years and it was probably one of the most dangerous exercises or rescues I've been on," Mr Barry said. The couple had lost their way on a hillside that sloped down to a lake. The rescuers located them quickly and managed to get into a position no more than 400 metres away, but did not anticipate how difficult it would be to reach the couple through the dense vegetation. "We sent the first party of five in - I was in that party - and within 50 metres, we couldn't move. It was like a jungle and it was horrendous, because everything dies underneath rhododendron," Mr Barry said.
"And it was messy, we had to crawl through it, carry our gear and then try and locate the people as well." He said he had never seen his rescue team struggle so much among rhododendrons, and it took them two hours to walk about 350 metres. "We kept going," he said. "Two hours later we finally reached the two people inside the middle of the rhododendron forest, and then the fun began, because we had to decide how we were going to get out of it. We were 100 metres from the edge of the lake, so we decided to literally drop down through the forest," he added. The plant's dense foliage tends to block out sunlight and kill off surrounding vegetation. Mr Barry said this meant the rhododendron forest had produced very difficult terrain on the mountainside.
"It's regarded as a weed. It's not a native plant to Ireland or any part of the British Isles and they've just gone wild," he said. "It looks beautiful, but underneath it nothing of our native plants grows, and it's just horrible in there. Dangerous, because where it was growing on the side of the lake, it's very steep ground, so we were literally walking on rhododendron. We could look down through the rhododendron and see 10ft drops, 20ft drops and at the end we were looking at a 50ft drop, but we had to go down through it to get out." The couple and their rescuers eventually reached the lake where they were picked up by a boat and taken to safety. Mr Barry said the couple were not hurt but were "tired and very, very relieved". He added that his team was "exhausted" following the rescue. The multi-agency operation also involved Cahir River Rescue and the police.
"It was horrendous - I have been a member of mountain rescue for 15 years and it was probably one of the most dangerous exercises or rescues I've been on," Mr Barry said. The couple had lost their way on a hillside that sloped down to a lake. The rescuers located them quickly and managed to get into a position no more than 400 metres away, but did not anticipate how difficult it would be to reach the couple through the dense vegetation. "We sent the first party of five in - I was in that party - and within 50 metres, we couldn't move. It was like a jungle and it was horrendous, because everything dies underneath rhododendron," Mr Barry said.
"And it was messy, we had to crawl through it, carry our gear and then try and locate the people as well." He said he had never seen his rescue team struggle so much among rhododendrons, and it took them two hours to walk about 350 metres. "We kept going," he said. "Two hours later we finally reached the two people inside the middle of the rhododendron forest, and then the fun began, because we had to decide how we were going to get out of it. We were 100 metres from the edge of the lake, so we decided to literally drop down through the forest," he added. The plant's dense foliage tends to block out sunlight and kill off surrounding vegetation. Mr Barry said this meant the rhododendron forest had produced very difficult terrain on the mountainside.
"It's regarded as a weed. It's not a native plant to Ireland or any part of the British Isles and they've just gone wild," he said. "It looks beautiful, but underneath it nothing of our native plants grows, and it's just horrible in there. Dangerous, because where it was growing on the side of the lake, it's very steep ground, so we were literally walking on rhododendron. We could look down through the rhododendron and see 10ft drops, 20ft drops and at the end we were looking at a 50ft drop, but we had to go down through it to get out." The couple and their rescuers eventually reached the lake where they were picked up by a boat and taken to safety. Mr Barry said the couple were not hurt but were "tired and very, very relieved". He added that his team was "exhausted" following the rescue. The multi-agency operation also involved Cahir River Rescue and the police.
Willam Hague throws support behind Team GB at forthcoming Commonwealth Games
William Hague has insisted he is confident Team GB will deliver "another spectacular performance" at the Commonwealth Games - despite the home nations competing separately.
Arguably the most inept British Foreign Secretary in living memory, Hague also told the House of Commons that Team GB has become a "sporting superpower" as he backed calls for Scotland to stay within the Union.
Glasgow hosts the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which starts next month, where Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland each have teams, whereas at the Olympics athletes from the four countries compete for Great Britain. Asked what his department is contributing to the preparations for the games, Hague told MPs: "The FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) is playing a strong role supporting the 2014 organising committee.
"Our high commissions across the Commonwealth are also drawing on our contribution to London 2012 to ensure Britain makes the maximum impact from what I am confident will be another spectacular performance by Team GB." Sir Menzies Campbell, a Scottish MP and former Liberal Democrat leader, told Hague: "Perhaps I'll just remind you that, of course, the constituent parts of the United Kingdom compete in their own right and so there will be a Scottish team, a Welsh team, an English team and a Northern Ireland team."
Arguably the most inept British Foreign Secretary in living memory, Hague also told the House of Commons that Team GB has become a "sporting superpower" as he backed calls for Scotland to stay within the Union.
Glasgow hosts the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which starts next month, where Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland each have teams, whereas at the Olympics athletes from the four countries compete for Great Britain. Asked what his department is contributing to the preparations for the games, Hague told MPs: "The FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) is playing a strong role supporting the 2014 organising committee.
"Our high commissions across the Commonwealth are also drawing on our contribution to London 2012 to ensure Britain makes the maximum impact from what I am confident will be another spectacular performance by Team GB." Sir Menzies Campbell, a Scottish MP and former Liberal Democrat leader, told Hague: "Perhaps I'll just remind you that, of course, the constituent parts of the United Kingdom compete in their own right and so there will be a Scottish team, a Welsh team, an English team and a Northern Ireland team."
Frisbee catching dropped from dog show over health and safety fears
Frisbee catching has been dropped from a Cumbrian dog show after health and safety advice suggested canine competitors could get hurt.
The team behind the new event – Keswick Scruffs – had come up with 25 sections to put performing pooches and owners through their paces.
But two of the classes have had to be changed or scrapped after being deemed too dangerous for the dogs taking part.
Organisers have been advised that a biscuit-catching category can only run if the dogs are sitting down while competing. They’ve also had to drop a frisbee catching round in case an animal hurts its back. The show has been organised by members of Keswick town council, who hope it will become an annual event in Fitz Park. One of the people behind it is councillor and sandwich shop owner Tony Lywood, who was shocked at the advice.
He said: “I think that when you think about the idea of health and safety with dogs, one has to wonder where such a thing would stop. I don’t think this is ridiculous – I just think that it is bizarre.” Tony owns an 18-month-old border collie called Monty who he describes as a “brilliant” frisbee catcher. Tony added that he believes the concern comes from events at another dog show. He has heard that an entrant injured its back and its owners then held the contest’s organisers liable.
Contests which will go ahead at the event, which takes place on Sunday, June 22, include best howling performance, longest tongue and ‘waggiest’ tail. An overall winner will also be declared. A spokeswoman for The Kennel Club said: “The Kennel Club encourages fun sports and activities for dogs in order to keep them fit and healthy – but it has concerns about the game of frisbee, particularly in its more extreme forms. While it can be safe in controlled conditions, if it is thrown at great heights or awkward angles, leading the dog to jump and twist, it can cause strain and injury on landing so care should always be taken.”
Organisers have been advised that a biscuit-catching category can only run if the dogs are sitting down while competing. They’ve also had to drop a frisbee catching round in case an animal hurts its back. The show has been organised by members of Keswick town council, who hope it will become an annual event in Fitz Park. One of the people behind it is councillor and sandwich shop owner Tony Lywood, who was shocked at the advice.
He said: “I think that when you think about the idea of health and safety with dogs, one has to wonder where such a thing would stop. I don’t think this is ridiculous – I just think that it is bizarre.” Tony owns an 18-month-old border collie called Monty who he describes as a “brilliant” frisbee catcher. Tony added that he believes the concern comes from events at another dog show. He has heard that an entrant injured its back and its owners then held the contest’s organisers liable.
Contests which will go ahead at the event, which takes place on Sunday, June 22, include best howling performance, longest tongue and ‘waggiest’ tail. An overall winner will also be declared. A spokeswoman for The Kennel Club said: “The Kennel Club encourages fun sports and activities for dogs in order to keep them fit and healthy – but it has concerns about the game of frisbee, particularly in its more extreme forms. While it can be safe in controlled conditions, if it is thrown at great heights or awkward angles, leading the dog to jump and twist, it can cause strain and injury on landing so care should always be taken.”
West of England bus advertising A Million Ways to Die in the West failed to injure a single person
No-one was hurt when a double-decker bus crashed into two cars and some railings in Emersons Green, on the northern outskirts of Bristol, at around 2.40pm on Monday afternoon.
A witness said that the driver of the number 48 bus said he caught his foot between the brake and accelerator pedal. Resident David Wybourn said the crash sounded "like thunder".
A First West of England spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that one of our vehicles, operating on Service 48 in Bristol, was involved in an incident on Monday afternoon.
Click for bigger.
"There were two passengers on board the bus at the time, neither they, nor the driver, have reported any injuries as a result of the incident. Incidents such as these are incredibly rare with the bus remaining one of the safest forms of transport in the UK."
A witness said that the driver of the number 48 bus said he caught his foot between the brake and accelerator pedal. Resident David Wybourn said the crash sounded "like thunder".
A First West of England spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that one of our vehicles, operating on Service 48 in Bristol, was involved in an incident on Monday afternoon.
Click for bigger.
"There were two passengers on board the bus at the time, neither they, nor the driver, have reported any injuries as a result of the incident. Incidents such as these are incredibly rare with the bus remaining one of the safest forms of transport in the UK."
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