Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Boat owner surprised to find baby sea lion snoring and sneezing on the bunk next to him
A San Diego boat owner got the surprise of a lifetime when he woke up early on Sunday to find a baby sea lion sleeping on the bunk next to him.
“I woke up at 2:30 in the morning to the sounds of snoring and sneezing that were not my own, and I looked around the boat and I didn’t see anything, and it went away,” Michael Duffy said.
Duffy thought maybe a friend crashed on the boat, which is docked at the Yacht Club. He went back to sleep. At 6am, another sneeze and more snoring. He got up to look. “And right there curled up, just like a dog, on one of my bunks was a tiny little baby sea lion,” Duffy said. They were sleeping just feet away for more than four hours.
“I was shocked, this isn’t anything that happens, I used to have a dog, and he looked like a little dog just curled up on the bench, the bunk there.” Duffy said the sea lion woke up and saw him standing there. “His reaction was very indifferent, it was like, let me go back to sleep. I’m happy and he wasn’t shocked, he wasn’t surprised,” Duffy said. “I just kind of started shoo-ing him out of the boat and he followed my directions like it was a dog,” Duffy said.
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“And then every once in a while he’s look back and he didn’t look like he wanted to leave,” Duffy said. “He’s got a tag on him, he looks relatively healthy. I just kind of move him out here. It’s the best for me not to play with a wild animal,” Duffy said. It is believed that the sea lion was one of the sea lion pups Sea World rescued. It had an orange tag on the flipper, which is how Sea World tracks the marine mammals they take in.
With additional news video.
Duffy thought maybe a friend crashed on the boat, which is docked at the Yacht Club. He went back to sleep. At 6am, another sneeze and more snoring. He got up to look. “And right there curled up, just like a dog, on one of my bunks was a tiny little baby sea lion,” Duffy said. They were sleeping just feet away for more than four hours.
“I was shocked, this isn’t anything that happens, I used to have a dog, and he looked like a little dog just curled up on the bench, the bunk there.” Duffy said the sea lion woke up and saw him standing there. “His reaction was very indifferent, it was like, let me go back to sleep. I’m happy and he wasn’t shocked, he wasn’t surprised,” Duffy said. “I just kind of started shoo-ing him out of the boat and he followed my directions like it was a dog,” Duffy said.
YouTube link.
“And then every once in a while he’s look back and he didn’t look like he wanted to leave,” Duffy said. “He’s got a tag on him, he looks relatively healthy. I just kind of move him out here. It’s the best for me not to play with a wild animal,” Duffy said. It is believed that the sea lion was one of the sea lion pups Sea World rescued. It had an orange tag on the flipper, which is how Sea World tracks the marine mammals they take in.
With additional news video.
Baby kangaroo snatched from mother’s pouch at zoo
A baby kangaroo and four baby goats were stolen from a zoo in Greenville, Wisconsin, last week.
Donna Wheeler, owner of the Special Memories Zoo, said the baby kangaroo, called a joey, and the goats had been at their winter home about six to eight miles away from the zoo, in a large, insulated shed.
The babies were bottle fed on Tuesday night, but when workers went to the shed around midday on Wednesday to start moving animals to the zoo in anticipation of Thursday's opening day, the five baby animals were gone, Wheeler said. She said the facility was not locked. "Whoever took [the joey] pulled it out of the mother's pouch," Wheeler said. Animal caretaker Gretchen Crowe said she realized the joey was gone when its mother's pouch was hanging out.
"I knew that somebody had to have taken them because there's no way that they can get out of the building," said Crowe. According to the Outagamie County Sheriff's Office, which responded to the stolen animals report, the joey was 5 months old, and baby kangaroos must stay with their mother for the first year of life. "I believe the baby kangaroo is dead," Wheeler said. "It cannot live without its mother, it cannot live without special formula, it cannot live without heat.
YouTube link.
"You can't just feed it anything," she said. "I'm thinking by now ... if a person took it who knew what they were doing it probably has a chance of living. But if somebody didn't ... I know we've got high school kids around, if someone did it as a joke, I'm sure by now it's probably dead. I feel absolutely horrible. We do everything in our power to keep animals alive," Wheeler said. "Right now my stomach is just turning to think somebody would do that. Whoever has them, if you would just bring them back," Crowe said. "We just want them back."
The babies were bottle fed on Tuesday night, but when workers went to the shed around midday on Wednesday to start moving animals to the zoo in anticipation of Thursday's opening day, the five baby animals were gone, Wheeler said. She said the facility was not locked. "Whoever took [the joey] pulled it out of the mother's pouch," Wheeler said. Animal caretaker Gretchen Crowe said she realized the joey was gone when its mother's pouch was hanging out.
"I knew that somebody had to have taken them because there's no way that they can get out of the building," said Crowe. According to the Outagamie County Sheriff's Office, which responded to the stolen animals report, the joey was 5 months old, and baby kangaroos must stay with their mother for the first year of life. "I believe the baby kangaroo is dead," Wheeler said. "It cannot live without its mother, it cannot live without special formula, it cannot live without heat.
YouTube link.
"You can't just feed it anything," she said. "I'm thinking by now ... if a person took it who knew what they were doing it probably has a chance of living. But if somebody didn't ... I know we've got high school kids around, if someone did it as a joke, I'm sure by now it's probably dead. I feel absolutely horrible. We do everything in our power to keep animals alive," Wheeler said. "Right now my stomach is just turning to think somebody would do that. Whoever has them, if you would just bring them back," Crowe said. "We just want them back."
Reverend unimpressed with road cone on top of cathedral flagpole
A road cone has been perched on top of the flagpole on Christ Church Cathedral in Nelson, New Zealand.
The cathedral tower has a ladder accessible from inside, but it's believed the person, or people, responsible scaled the outside of the building and then climbed the flagpole with the cone. The tower is 35 metres high. Christ Church Cathedral dean Reverend Nick Kirk said he "wouldn't have a clue" how the cone got on the flagpole, or who put it there.
He says he is not impressed with the efforts and has fears around the safety of those who may try and scale the tower. "People do sometimes climb up on the roof and things and they've obviously managed to get up there somehow." He believed the cone appeared overnight on Sunday.
"I think it's just dangerous. I mean people could fall, break their neck and kill themselves." Arrangements were being made for the cone to be removed, Reverend Kirk said. "It's a bit of a risky job. Anyway, it's got to be done. There are some people from the climbing club who are going to come in and get it down at some point."
The cathedral tower has a ladder accessible from inside, but it's believed the person, or people, responsible scaled the outside of the building and then climbed the flagpole with the cone. The tower is 35 metres high. Christ Church Cathedral dean Reverend Nick Kirk said he "wouldn't have a clue" how the cone got on the flagpole, or who put it there.
He says he is not impressed with the efforts and has fears around the safety of those who may try and scale the tower. "People do sometimes climb up on the roof and things and they've obviously managed to get up there somehow." He believed the cone appeared overnight on Sunday.
"I think it's just dangerous. I mean people could fall, break their neck and kill themselves." Arrangements were being made for the cone to be removed, Reverend Kirk said. "It's a bit of a risky job. Anyway, it's got to be done. There are some people from the climbing club who are going to come in and get it down at some point."
Wild boar smashed through ceiling of Hong Kong clothing store
A wild boar strayed from its usual rural haunt and into a Chai Wan shopping mall on Sunday night, leading to a four-hour stand-off with police and animal control officers.
The incident began at about 6.30pm, when the 90cm beast was spotted wandering into the Paradise Mall in Heng Fa Chuen and entering a children's clothing store. Two staff members fled as the 25kg animal, said to be a juvenile female, climbed above the store's false ceiling, before punching through it.
Then the creature jumped to the floor and knocked down and bit a mannequin by the door before getting trapped in a changing room. "It just came in out of nowhere, and turned around at the show window," the shop manager said. "It also pushed open the fitting room door and got in ... Pigs are actually not stupid."
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About 10 police officers approached and stood on alert. A vet eventually managed to inject the pig with a tranquilliser. It was taken to an animal management centre for observation. Many wild boars roam Hong Kong's countryside. They can grow up to two metres in length and have been known to attack humans.
The incident began at about 6.30pm, when the 90cm beast was spotted wandering into the Paradise Mall in Heng Fa Chuen and entering a children's clothing store. Two staff members fled as the 25kg animal, said to be a juvenile female, climbed above the store's false ceiling, before punching through it.
Then the creature jumped to the floor and knocked down and bit a mannequin by the door before getting trapped in a changing room. "It just came in out of nowhere, and turned around at the show window," the shop manager said. "It also pushed open the fitting room door and got in ... Pigs are actually not stupid."
YouTube link.
About 10 police officers approached and stood on alert. A vet eventually managed to inject the pig with a tranquilliser. It was taken to an animal management centre for observation. Many wild boars roam Hong Kong's countryside. They can grow up to two metres in length and have been known to attack humans.
Lobsters 'liberated' from Dublin restaurant fish tank before being released back into the sea
A group of animal rights activists say they "liberated" lobsters after taking them from a restaurant in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday.
It is understood members of the National Animal Rights Association took nine lobsters from a tank at the restaurant on Wicklow Street in the city centre at around 8pm. The lobsters were later released into the sea in Clontarf.
YouTube link.
Founder of NARA Laura Broxson said the lobsters were liberated because it was a "life or death situation" for them. She said the lobsters were going to be boiled alive and that the association stands by its actions, despite any possible legal consequences. She said that they have been informed by the gardaí that charges are being brought against those involved.
She said: "If it was cats and dogs in a tank in a restaurant people would have a problem with it." Ms Broxson added: "For us it was act of compassion and we are willing to face any legal consequences brought to us because now these lobsters have a chance of living instead of being boiled alive and eaten." Ms Broxson said it was the "first open rescue in Ireland", but that there are no plans to do it again.
It is understood members of the National Animal Rights Association took nine lobsters from a tank at the restaurant on Wicklow Street in the city centre at around 8pm. The lobsters were later released into the sea in Clontarf.
YouTube link.
Founder of NARA Laura Broxson said the lobsters were liberated because it was a "life or death situation" for them. She said the lobsters were going to be boiled alive and that the association stands by its actions, despite any possible legal consequences. She said that they have been informed by the gardaí that charges are being brought against those involved.
She said: "If it was cats and dogs in a tank in a restaurant people would have a problem with it." Ms Broxson added: "For us it was act of compassion and we are willing to face any legal consequences brought to us because now these lobsters have a chance of living instead of being boiled alive and eaten." Ms Broxson said it was the "first open rescue in Ireland", but that there are no plans to do it again.
Mugger who left phone at scene of crime caught after asking police if it had been handed in
A mugger who dropped his mobile phone at the scene of a frightening street attack was caught when he rang the police to try and get it back.
Paul Knight had grabbed his victim’s handbag strap as she walked in Farringdon, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, with her husband at night and dragged her to the ground, leaving her bruised and scared.
When the 25-year-old later realised he had dropped his phone during the struggle, he called the police to see if he could get it back. As a result of his call, Knight, of Sunderland, was arrested. At Newcastle Crown Court on Friday he was jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to robbery. During the hearing Knight was branded “stupid”, “incompetent” and “unsophisticated”.
Judge Edward Bindloss told him: “You dropped your mobile phone and in a rather unsophisticated act you telephoned the police and inquired if someone had handed it in. That is how you came to be arrested.” The judge said he was satisfied Knight, who had been trying to raise money to pay off a £500 cocaine debt, was sorry for what he did to his victim. Knight has previous convictions, but has never been to prison before.
His barrister, Tony Hawks, told the court: “The defendant attacked a woman who was with her husband, he didn’t disguise his identity, he had no weapon, he was incompetent enough to drop his mobile phone, and then sufficiently stupid to go and inquire with the police where his mobile phone might be. It does not suggest someone likely to make a successful career as a street robber.” The court heard the victim, who lost more than £530 in property and cash, has been left “wary” of even being at home after her ordeal, and lives in fear of being confronted again.
When the 25-year-old later realised he had dropped his phone during the struggle, he called the police to see if he could get it back. As a result of his call, Knight, of Sunderland, was arrested. At Newcastle Crown Court on Friday he was jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to robbery. During the hearing Knight was branded “stupid”, “incompetent” and “unsophisticated”.
Judge Edward Bindloss told him: “You dropped your mobile phone and in a rather unsophisticated act you telephoned the police and inquired if someone had handed it in. That is how you came to be arrested.” The judge said he was satisfied Knight, who had been trying to raise money to pay off a £500 cocaine debt, was sorry for what he did to his victim. Knight has previous convictions, but has never been to prison before.
His barrister, Tony Hawks, told the court: “The defendant attacked a woman who was with her husband, he didn’t disguise his identity, he had no weapon, he was incompetent enough to drop his mobile phone, and then sufficiently stupid to go and inquire with the police where his mobile phone might be. It does not suggest someone likely to make a successful career as a street robber.” The court heard the victim, who lost more than £530 in property and cash, has been left “wary” of even being at home after her ordeal, and lives in fear of being confronted again.
Drunk man saved by emergency crews after falling 10ft over a wall snored throughout rescue
A drunk 20-stone (280lbs, 127kg) man fell 10ft over a wall and snored the whole time during his rescue by a fire crew and paramedics, oblivious to his ordeal.
Huddersfield Fire Station crew commander Shane Byrne said the drama began at midnight on Saturday in a wooded area near to the Dusty Miller pub in the Longwood area of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
He said: "It was amazing, he didn't open his eyes the whole time and just carried on snoring during the rescue which took around half an hour. A passer by raised the alarm and when we got there we had to cut down a number of trees and force a really old iron gate open.
"The man was in his mid to late 30s and around 6ft tall. Eventually we managed to extricate him and place him on a board so an ambulance could take him to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary for a check up. I don't think he had suffered any injury."
Huddersfield Fire Station crew commander Shane Byrne said the drama began at midnight on Saturday in a wooded area near to the Dusty Miller pub in the Longwood area of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
He said: "It was amazing, he didn't open his eyes the whole time and just carried on snoring during the rescue which took around half an hour. A passer by raised the alarm and when we got there we had to cut down a number of trees and force a really old iron gate open.
"The man was in his mid to late 30s and around 6ft tall. Eventually we managed to extricate him and place him on a board so an ambulance could take him to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary for a check up. I don't think he had suffered any injury."
Bus company pulls topless 'ride me all day for £3' posters following controversy
A bus company came under fire for promoting a new route with posters on the back of its vehicles showing an apparently topless woman holding a sign saying “ride me all day for £3”.
The adverts, by Cardiff-based New Adventure Travel, prompted outrage in the city.
The company, which runs services in Cardiff and elsewhere in Wales, including school buses, was promoting the launch of a fleet of new buses for a cross-city service in Cardiff. At 11.30am on Monday, just a few hours after the campaign first appeared, the company said the adverts would be withdrawn.
While the posters feature both female and male models, the female versions came in for particular criticism. The company was apologetic. “Firstly we have stated that our objectives have been to make catching the bus attractive to the younger generation. We therefore developed an internal advertising campaign featuring males and females to hold boards to promote the cost of our daily tickets.
“The slogan of ‘ride me all day for £3’ whilst being a little tongue in cheek was in no way intended to cause offence to either men or women and, if the advert has done so then we apologise unreservedly. There has certainly been no intention to objectify either men or women. Given the volume of negativity received we have decided to remove the pictures from the back of the buses within the next 24 hours.”
The company, which runs services in Cardiff and elsewhere in Wales, including school buses, was promoting the launch of a fleet of new buses for a cross-city service in Cardiff. At 11.30am on Monday, just a few hours after the campaign first appeared, the company said the adverts would be withdrawn.
While the posters feature both female and male models, the female versions came in for particular criticism. The company was apologetic. “Firstly we have stated that our objectives have been to make catching the bus attractive to the younger generation. We therefore developed an internal advertising campaign featuring males and females to hold boards to promote the cost of our daily tickets.
“The slogan of ‘ride me all day for £3’ whilst being a little tongue in cheek was in no way intended to cause offence to either men or women and, if the advert has done so then we apologise unreservedly. There has certainly been no intention to objectify either men or women. Given the volume of negativity received we have decided to remove the pictures from the back of the buses within the next 24 hours.”
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