Jellyfish + Urine = Gold Medal

This story from Florida - "Hampshire Olympic medal-winning sailor recovered from the potentially fatal sting of a jellyfish to secure a gold medal at a prestigious yachting event."

"Nick Rogers, who was taking part in the six-day Miami Olympic 470 Class Regatta alongside team-mate Joe Glanfield, had to urinate on his own ankle and hands to ease the pain of the sting released by the sea creature, known as a Portuguese Man-o- War."

"The poison of the jellyfish, which has tentacles that can grow to as long as 165 feet (50 metres), has been described as being nearly as powerful as cobra venom and it has been known to have caused several human deaths."

"Amazingly, just minutes after being stung Nick, from Lymington, and Joe had to take part in their third race of the day on the way to finishing first in the event."

"'I was stunned how much it hurt and what made me panic was not knowing what effect it was going to have on me."

"'I didn't know whether I was going to pass out halfway during the day.'"

"'Two minutes before the start of the event members of my crew told me to pee on my hand as a way to get rid of the pain.'"

"'I thought at first they were pulling my chain but I did it and it worked.'"

Original article here - Sailor Still Wins Regatta Despite Attack By Killer Jellyfish

Hungry Hungry Hippo

This sad news from South Africa - "A 55-year-old woman has been killed by a hippopotamus at Nsavulani village outside Giyani in Limpopo, SABC radio news reports."

"Headman Zankosi Rikhotso said three women were fishing in the local river when the hippo attacked them."

"The other two escaped unhurt."

"The Saturday morning report quoted Rikhotso saying paramedics certified her dead when they arrived at her home."

"She had been ferried there by a donkey cart."

Original article here - Woman Killed by Hippo

Crocodile Nabs Evil Doer

This story from Australia - "A MAN who dived into a crocodile-infested river to escape police gave himself up - after hewas nabbed by a man-eater."

"In a bizarre tale of crocs and robbers, the wanted fugitive decided to make a break for it by jumping into the Daly River in Australia's Northern Territory."

"Crook Cassian Dumoo was hospitalised after the incident."

"He said: 'I ran from the cops and ended up in a croc.'"

"Dumoo, 45, has bloody puncture marks on his skull where the four metre crocodile grabbed him by the head."

"He said: 'I didn't want the cops to catch me, so I decided to swim for it."

"'I saw this big croc coming up behind me. But I thought it was the cops. Next thing, the bloody thing bit me.'"

"'I suppose it wasn't hungry. I had a lucky escape. The police couldn't get me, but the croc did.'"

Original article here - Crook Caught By Croc

Never Trust A Spider Monkey Named Pancho

Tourists Beware -"A dream vacation turned into a bizarre nightmare for an Omaha woman. Kelly Fawks had a brutal encounter with what seemed like a cute little creature that she encountered in Belize while docked during a cruise."

"Kelly has since had 26 rabies shots."

"Two months ago her cruise vacation docked in Belize where she and a friend went horseback riding at a resort. That's where she crossed paths with a pet spider monkey named Pancho greeting tourists."

"That alarms Omaha's zoo director, Dr. Lee Simmons who says, 'Even though they may seem to be friendly they can turn back in the wild animals at a moment's notice.'"

"That's what happened when resort guides helped Kelly up after a fall. Pancho attacked her in a jealous rage."

"Kelly says, 'It felt like being stabbed -- just being sliced open with flesh being ripped off of me.'"

"The guides grabbed Kelly's water bottle and squirted the monkey until he ran."

"Jessica Coleman worried that her friend wouldn't survive the hour-long drive to a Belize hospital in a resort van."

"She says, 'I thought he was going to kill her. And with the amount of blood she was losing I was concerned several times on the way to the ER that we were going to lose her.'"

"Kelly has insurance to cover treatment in Omaha but her mother, Nancy Waters, pays deductibles and living expenses because Kelly hasn't been able to work. They say the resort and its insurance company have not returned their many calls."

"Unable to find out anything about the monkey, Kelly had to begin the rabies shots but she says it could have been worse."

"I think if they hadn't got him off of me he probably would have killed me," she says.


Original article here - Woman Recovers From Animal Attack

Pickled Ears...They're Grrreat

This attack from the Ukraine - "A Bengal Tiger living in a Ukrainian zoo tore the ear off of an intoxicated photographer falling into the animal's enclosure by accident, Sehodnia newspaper reported Monday. The incident took the city zoo of the Black Sea port Mykolaev after the victim, identified in the report only by his first name Oleg, climbed to the top of the tiger enclosure's six-metre wall in an attempt to take close up snap shots."

"The man, described by eyewitnesses as 'highly intoxicated', lost his balance and fell into the enclosure, which contained three tigers at the time."

"Two of the big cats ignored the intruder, but a fifteen-year old tigress named Alfa reacted aggressively and bit Oleg in the head."

"The photographer fought back and called on onlookers for assistance. Members of the general public threw bottles at the tiger, without effect."

"Zoo staff were on the scene and gave the tiger a tranquilizer injection shortly after the attack. The tiger released the photographer and an emergency medical team transported Oleg and his severed ear to a city hospital."

"Police arriving before the tranquilizers took effect offered to shoot dead the tiger Alfa, a suggestion rejected by zoo personnel."

"Surgeons reattached the photographer's ear and closed 'numerous deep wounds' in a two hour operation. Oleg reportedly faced 'several months in hospital...but is expected to recover fully,' according to the article."

"Veterinarians inspecting the tiger found the big cat had strained muscles in a rear limb 'and suffered significant stress.' The animal otherwise was healthy and Oleg was in no danger of rabies, said Valentina Yakunina, director of the Mykolaev zoo large carnivores' division."

"Injuries to Ukrainian zoo visitors from dangerous animals are infrequent, but they do occur, almost always because an intoxicated person had climbed into the animals' enclosure, or tried to feed a zoo animal by hand."

Original article here - Tiger Tears Off Photographer's Ear At Ukraine Zoo

Surfers Impatient To Leave Gene Pool

From Australia - "Moments after a young man was mauled by a shark near one of Australia's most famous surf beaches late on Monday, police had to convince two men not to jump back into the ocean."

"Senior Constable Lisa Kearney, of Torquay Police, was at Winki Pop beach, near Bells Beach, after 25-year-old Peter Galvin, of Yarraville, was mauled by a shark just before 8pm (10pm NZT) on Monday."

"She said Galvin, who used to live in Torquay, was surfing about 50 metres apart from friend Andrew Majerni, of Williamstown, 100 metres from shore."

"'The victim was sitting on his board with his legs dangling over the side and the shark has come up from underneath and grabbed his left leg in the calf and thigh area,' she told AAP."

"'His mate saw he was in trouble and went to help, helped him into shore.'"

"Majerni and two British backpackers kept pressure on the wound until Rural Ambulance Victoria paramedics arrived."

"Kearney said Galvin lost a lot of blood, but was conscious throughout the ordeal, and there was still a shark tooth in his wetsuit."

"She said while paramedics were still treating Galvin, police had to convince two men who appeared to be aged in their late 20s not to return to the surf."

"'"There were a couple (of surfers) who wanted to go out after the attack - it is just unbelievable,' she said."

"Kearney said while there had been no serious shark attacks in the area recently, police often had reports of minor incidents."

"'There is lots of sharks constantly, it is well known for it,'" she said."

"'We have had quite a few nibbles on boards.'"

Original article here - Surfer Mauled By Shark Near Bells Beach

Next Time, Stick With A Feather Boa

This story from Ohio - "A 13-foot boa constrictor wrapped itself around its owner's neck and killed the man in his home, authorities said."

"Ted Dres, 48, was discovered face down Saturday morning inside the snake's cage. An acquaintance called police."

"The snake continued to strangle Dres until deputies arrived at the Symmes Township home, according to a statement released by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office."

"Deputies worked with an animal-protection group to remove the snake. Medics tried to revive Dres, but he died at Bethesda North Hospital about 1:45 a.m."

"His mother said snakes were his passion."

"'He just loved them. He could go hunting with no one else, and he could find a snake just like that, which most people didn't appreciate because they're scared of snakes,' she said."

"Dres was removing the snake from its cage when it wrapped itself around his neck."

"'People who keep these type of animals as pets should know exactly what they're doing and what they're capable of,' said Andy Mahlman, spokesman for the Cincinnati Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"Mahlman said he has seen photographs of reptile owners posing with snakes coiled around their necks."

"'They don't realize they could be a few seconds away from death,' he said.

"Dres' snake will be kept at the society's shelter until further directions from police or Dres' family, Mahlman said. "

Original article here - 13-Foot Snake Kills Man in Home

Foul-Tasting Surfer Rushes Out To Buy Lottery Tickets

This story from Northern California - "Royce Fraley is either very lucky or he doesn't taste very good."

"Fraley, 43, of Guerneville was snatched Sunday by a great white shark off Dillon Beach and dragged 15 feet underwater before popping back up with only minor injuries after the beast apparently spit him out."

"It was the longtime surfer's fourth brush with a shark -- and he was so shaken up Monday that he told his mother he probably will hang up his surfboard for good."

"'He said that because he has witnessed and been involved in other attacks, he is going to hang it up,' said his mother, Sylvia Fraley of Pebble Beach. 'It was just by the grace of God that this shark didn't bite down that hard. It got part of his hip and upper torso, but they were all superficial wounds. How lucky is that?'"

"It was the third time a shark has bumped up against Fraley while he was surfing. He told relatives and fellow surfers that a shark dented his board two months ago near Bodega Bay after it bumped him from underneath. The shark then followed him to shore."

"Fraley, who has been surfing for 30 years, told The Chronicle in 2002 that another shark bumped his board in 1998 when he was surfing near the mouth of the Russian River, knocking him 3 feet in the air."

"'It hit the board dead center, and as I came down, whitewater was splashing all over. Then there was the fricking shark out of the water, a little more than an arm's length away,' he told The Chronicle. 'It just comes up with the stereotypical thing out of the movies, eyes rolled back, straight up and down, its jaws open once, closes, and goes back down. I just turned the board toward the beach and was in full flight mode.'"

"In November 2002, Fraley assisted bodyboarder Mike Casey, who had been bitten down to the bone in four places near Bodega Bay. Fraley, who had trained as a lifeguard in college, helped apply pressure on Casey's femoral artery to stop him from bleeding."

"'My legs had been hammered by the shark, and Royce was one of the first people tending me,' Casey, who has made a full recovery and still bodyboards, said Monday. 'I was very, very concerned when I learned Royce was involved in this one. There is a personal connection because he helped me out in my situation.'"

"Fraley, who spent Monday at home in Guerneville with his wife and two young children, declined to comment."

"Sunday's shark attack was the first at Dillon Beach in 10 years and the 90th along the California and Oregon coasts since 1966, most of which have occurred between Monterey and Bodega Bay in an area known as the Red Triangle, according to shark experts."

"Fraley was facedown on his surfboard off Dillon Beach on Sunday morning when the gaping jaw of a 12- to 15-foot-long shark clamped onto his board -- its teeth slicing through the board -- and pulled Fraley at least 15 feet under."

"'He said that when he was being held down, he thought he was going to die drowning and his whole life flashed in front of him,' his mother said."

"The buoyancy of the surfboard pulled back, and when the shark let go it shot to the surface with Fraley holding tight. He and the 10 other stunned surfers in the water at the time paddled back to shore as quickly as they could."

"'He was very quiet. We were all really quiet trying to paddle,' said Nick Marlow, a close friend who owns the Northern Lights Surf Shop in Bodega, where the attack was the main topic of conversation Monday. 'He didn't look scared. He just looked like he had gone through something very serious and was taking it in.'"

"Chris Dwyer, a paramedic with the Marin County Fire Department in Tomales who was dispatched at 11:50 a.m., said the bite mark went through the surfboard and spanned 18 inches. He said the protruding teeth reddened Fraley's upper leg and right groin area, but there was no blood."

"The last shark attack in Northern California occurred in October 2005, when Megan Halavais, a 20-year-old surfing instructor, survived after breaking free from a 14-foot great white."

"There was a spate of nonfatal shark attacks in 2004, including one in the waters off the Point Reyes National Seashore, one near Bodega Bay and two near Pismo and Avila beaches in San Luis Obispo County. But in August 2004, an abalone diver was killed off the coast of Fort Bragg in Mendocino County."

"The last known shark attack near Dillon Beach occurred in October 1996, when an abalone diver was bitten by a great white."

"John McCosker, a senior scientist at the California Academy of Sciences and a great white shark expert, said Sunday's attack was unusual because most attacks occur between August and October."

"He said there were 20 confirmed and five suspected great white shark attacks on humans in California and Oregon between 1993 and 2003, most of them against surfers. The number of attacks jumped in the 1970s, he said, mainly because of an increase in the number of surfers and a decrease in the size of their surfboards -- which began looking to sharks more like seals and sea lions."

"Environmental activism in California may also be playing a part, he said, by improving the marine ecosystem in the western Pacific."

"'There appear to be more sharks,' McCosker said. 'They have been occurring more commonly in places where they hadn't been before.'"

Original article here - Dillon Beach Survivor Had Previous Run-Ins

Spider Bite Diet More Effective Than South Beach Diet

News from Oregon - "A small spider bite turned out to be a big problem for Cindy Pettey. Pettey awoke when she was bitten on the stomach in the middle of the night a few weeks ago, but thought little else of it. Then she started running a fever, she felt achy and weak. The bite sore became larger."

"Next thing Pettey knew, a doctor was telling her he believed she'd been bitten by a dangerous hobo spider."

"Pettey had surgery that removed 10 pounds of skin and flesh, leaving her with an abdomen covered in stitches."

"'It looks like I was bit in half by a shark,' Pettey said."

"Rob Hendrickson, a physician and director of the Oregon Poison Control Center, said the hobo is a non-aggressive spider that bites only when cornered. For example, when someone puts on a shoe with a spider inside."

"The hobo is one of two dangerous spiders in Oregon. The other is the black widow. The brown recluse does not exist in Oregon, he said."

"Hobo spider venom may cause necrosis, or death of the skin. When a spider injects venom below the skin, it reddens, swells, then turns black. But there is some doubt in the medical community about whether venom causes the skin death, Hendrickson said."

"Pettey isn't taking any more chances. She found five or six spiders that look like hobos. She also discovered two funnel webs like those made by hobo spiders. The webs, layered and non-sticky, funnel unwary prey toward a circular opening at the bottom of the web."

"'I put hobo spider traps all over my house,' she said."

Original article here - Spider Bite Turns Serious For Ore. Woman

Greatest Show On Earth

This story from France - "A circus ringmaster carried on with a performance - despite having his thumb bitten off by a crocodile."

"German Daniel Renz, 39, was on tour with his Renz Universal Circus in Le Mans, France, when the accident happened."

"The 4,000-strong audience clapped and cheered - believing it was part of the act."

"Renz had been trying to demonstrate to the audience 'that crocodiles are not man-eaters' by stroking King, a 5ft 9ins crocodile - when it suddenly snapped its jaws."

"Renz said: 'I saw him chomp down on my left thumb, bite into it, and twist his head to rip it off, before dropping it onto the floor of the cage."

"'The stump started spurting blood but I couldn't just run off. There were five crocodiles out of their cages so I had to go on with the show until we could get them all back in.'"

"At the end Renz held up his thumbless hand to rapturous applause: 'The audience thought it was just part of the show,' he added."

Original article here - Ringmaster Carries On Despite Croc Attack

They're Going To Need A Bigger Boat

Surfer is always on the menu in Australia - "A teenager whose leg was bitten off by a great white shark told yesterday how he felt a 'bit of a tug' as he was mauled by the 4m monster."

"Zac Golebiowski, 15, had his right leg torn off from the knee when he was attacked as he surfed with his 18-year-old brother and a friend near Esperance, in Western Australia, on Saturday."

"As the WA Government yesterday temporarily overturned a hunting ban on the endangered species, saying the shark responsible could be killed if it was found close to people, Zac told his family of the seemingly innocuous moment when he was grabbed."

"The teenager was sitting on his surfboard about 40m from shore and waiting for a wave when the predator struck at Wharton's Beach, 70km from Esperance."

"His father Les Golebiowski, who with wife Anne flew from Adelaide yesterday to be at his bedside, said although Zac was lucky to survive, he had felt little when the shark hit."

"'Zac said all he felt was a bit of a tug, he didn't feel that much,' Mr Golebiowski said of the attack, which left a massive bite mark in Zac's surfboard."

"'We're lucky that's all he's got missing. When you think about the size of that shark you think, 'whoa'! The main thing is he's still with us now.'"

"The attack has again prompted debate over hunting bans on great whites after WA Fisheries gave officers the authority to destroy the shark involved."

"Officers were yesterday patrolling local beaches in boats and jetskis while aerial patrols scoured the coastline."

"WA Fisheries incident controller Tony Cappelluti said his staff would call for beaches to be cleared if a shark was spotted."

"A 5m WA Fisheries boat would also be sent to 'herd' it from the area."

"'We are not in a position to hunt down the shark,' Mr Cappelluti said."

"'Trying to deal with a big animal with a relatively small boat is just not an option.'"

"The mauling follows three fatal shark attacks in WA since 2000, when Perth businessman Ken Crews was killed off Cottesloe Beach as he swam only metres from the shore."

Original article here - Teen Felt 'A Bit Of A Tug' As Shark Tore Off His Leg

Snake King Dethroned

Insurgent forces topple another monarch in Southeast Asia - "A Malaysian man known as the Snake King for his performances with scorpions and snakes over the last 25 years has died after being bitten by a King Cobra, news reports say."

"Ali Khan Samsuddin, 48, died early on Friday, three days after he was bitten on the left hand by a cobra while performing in Kuala Lumpur, the reports said, quoting his son, Amjad Khan."

"The Star daily quoted Khan, 21, as saying that he would continue his father's work."

'This is a trade that has been passed down for five generations. It is our way of life and we can't imagine doing anything else,' he said."

"Khan said his father called him on Tuesday to tell him that he had been bitten, but the family was not too worried because it had happened 'many times before,' including three times by cobras, the paper said."

"But Samsuddin's condition worsened on Thursday night and he was rushed to hospital."

"Khan said his father suffered from diabetes and perhaps his body couldn't handle the poison as well as it used to."

"Samsuddin figured in the 1997 Guinness Book of World Records by living in a glass enclosure with more than 5000 scorpions for 21 days. He also lived with 400 snakes for 40 days."

"Samsuddin, who was buried on Friday in his home town of Taiping, is survived by a wife and five children, the New Straits Times said."

Original article here - Snake King Of Malaysia Dies From Cobra Bite

If This Clown Asks Me To Do One More Backflip...

"A killer whale that dragged a trainer underwater during a show at SeaWorld Adventure Park may be allowed to perform again despite a history of incidents stretching back to 1993, park officials said Thursday."

"The whale, Kasatka, tried to bite the trainer during a show in 1999, and tried to bite another trainer in 1993."

"'Animals who have been involved in incidents like this in the past have been allowed to continue performing in the past,' said SeaWorld San Diego spokesman Dave Koontz. 'The trainers will review the incident and make a determination.'"

"Park trainers were examining the whale and were trying to determine what made her grab her trainer, Koontz said."

"Trainer Ken Peters, 39, remained hospitalized with a broken foot after the whale grabbed him and twice held him underwater during a show. Peters suffered a fractured metatarsal in his left foot but was otherwise in good spirits, Koontz said."

"Peters was hurt at about 5 p.m. Wednesday during the final show of the day at Shamu Stadium, a 36-foot-deep tank."

"The show's finale called for Kasatka to leap out of the water so Peters could dive off her nose. The whale is about 17 feet long and weighs well over 5,000 pounds."

"As several hundred spectators watched, the whale and trainer plunged underwater, where Kasatka grabbed Peters by the foot and held him for less than a minute before surfacing, Koontz said."

'"The trainer was being pinned by the whale at the bottom of the pool,' Karen Ingrande told KGTV-TV in San Diego."

"When they came up, Peters tried to calm the animal by rubbing and stroking its back but it grabbed him and plunged down again for about another minute."

"The crowd 'began to realize there was not something right and the whale was down again under the water. Again they were splashing the water to try to get the whale to come to the surface,' Ingrande said."

"The whale finally released him and Peters was able to surface and swim away. Other trainers stretched a net between him and Kasatka, Koontz said."

"He emerged from the tank with one leg of his wet suit torn."

"'He tried to stand up on the stage and that's when we realized there was something wrong with his leg and his foot. He was just white as a ghost,' spectator Sherri Justice told KFMB-TV in San Diego."

"Koontz said a different whale dived with a trainer's foot in its mouth two or three weeks ago but obeyed commands to release the trainer and return to the side of the tank. The trainer was not injured."

"The park planned to continue the Shamu Stadium shows Thursday using other whales. The park has seven killer whales, including two of Kasatka's offspring who will continue to perform, Koontz said."

"Koontz said the 30-year-old orca had been performing most of her life and was familiar with the routine."

Original article here - Killer Whale Attacks Trainer At San Diego Sea World

Guess Who's On The Menu In Botswana

An animal insurgency trifecta from Botswana - "The number of people killed by wild animals in Bobirwa this year has risen to three after an elephant trampled a 39-year-old man to death last week. Like the other two deaths, the man met his fate in the evening when coming from work from farms in the area. The incident took place at Pont's Drift in Mashatu Game Reserve along the South African border."

"At the time of going to press, details of the death were scanty as Assistant Superintendent Mompati Ditshupo of Semolale Police Station said they are still investigating the incident."

"In August, a 21-year-old woman of Motlhabaneng in Bobirwa was trampled to death by an elephant between Lentswelemoriti and Kodolamotho farms. She was in the company of five others and was carrying a baby who was less than a year old. The bull elephant charged and chased her until she threw away the baby in order to outrun the animal. However the elephant caught up with her and trampled her to death."

"In another incident, a crocodile killed a doctor who had taken a canoe ride along the Limpopo River, a few hours before he was to take-off to Gaborone with his wife in a plane. The doctor was based at Princess Marina Hospital and had visited Mashatu Game Reserve. Together with his wife, they rode separate canoes along the river, each with a coxswain. The crocodile charged from the side of the canoe and grabbed the man. The canoe capsized but the coxswain swam to safety. The remains of the doctor were recovered after two days."

"Babirwa who walk to and from work in the Tuli Block farms are increasingly in danger of attack by wild animals. The Bobirwa and Mmadinare areas are particularly risky because of elephants. Recently, an elephant trampled to death, a 76-year-old who had gone to the Sasau cattle posts to round up his cattle. The deceased was reported to have left his home with his children to assess the damage that the elephants had caused in his farm. It was suspected that he failed to notice the elephant was still on the farm. The children managed to outrun the jumbo but the deceased sought refuge under a tree. "

Original article here - Elephant Kills Another Bobirwa Resident

Hey Mr. Gator, You Got Some Crack?

Today's anti-drug message is from Florida- "A man who was attacked by an alligator this morning was naked and smoking crack at the time, Polk County deputies who rescued him said today."

"The alligator, which one deputy said was 'the size of a bus,' had the man in his jaws when deputies arrived at Lake Parker in Lakeland about 4 a.m. today. They were called by nearby residents who reported hearing a man yelling for help."

"The first deputy on the scene was unable to free the man, Adrian J. Apgar, from the alligator's mouth. It wasn't until 3 or 4 of them were in chest-deep water that they were able to pull him free after the tug-of-war."

"Apgar, 42, suffered a broken arm, partially amputated left arm and trauma to his left leg. Doctors are trying to reattach the arm at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, where earlier he was listed in critical condition."

"According to a news release from the Polk Sheriff's Office, 'The very dark conditions and risk of injuring the victim made shooting the alligator impossible, leaving deputies to contend with their own safety after becoming exhausted in waist deep mud. All deputies made it out of the water without injury.'"

"State fish and wildlife officials captured an 11-foot alligator that they think was the biter. Deputies at an afternoon news conference in Lakeland said the alligator they fought appeared to be 'the size of a bus.'"

"'We've never had any training in gator rescue,' one deputy said. "

Original article here - Man On Crack When Alligator Attacked

Crikey! Those Little Rippers Are At It Again

Another day, another stingray attack - this one from Australia - "A fisherman in a trawler off South Australia has been stabbed in the chest by a stingray barb, police say."

"The man was on a prawn trawler about seven nautical miles north-west of Wallaroo when he was stabbed by the ray about 10pm (CDT) on Tuesday."

"Police said the barb did not lodge in the chest or cause any respiratory problems and he was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital with minor injuries."

"Television personality and environmentalist Steve Irwin died in September after a stingray barb pierced his chest. "

Original article here - SA Fisherman Stabbed By Stingray

Brain Damaged Sea Lions' Thirst For Human Blood Grows

Here's a follow-up to an earlier story about vicious sea lions in California - "Tourists flock to Fisherman's Wharf for the seafood and the stunning views of San Francisco Bay, but for many visitors, the real stars are the dozens of playful, whiskered sea lions that lounge by the water's edge, gulping down fish."

"Now a series of sea-lion attacks on people in recent months has led experts to warn that the animals are not as cute and cuddly as they appear."

"'People should understand these animals are out there not to attack people or humans. But they're out there to survive for themselves,' said Jim Oswald, a spokesman for the Marine Mammal Center across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco."

"In the most frightening of the recent episodes, a rogue sea lion bit 14 swimmers this month and chased 10 more out of the water at San Francisco's Aquatic Park, a sheltered lagoon near the bay. At least one victim suffered puncture wounds."

"Some scientists speculate that the animals' aggressive behavior is being caused by eating fish contaminated by toxic algae, or by a shortage of food off the coast. But wildlife experts say even healthy sea lions are best left alone."

"In Southern California in June, a sea lion charged several people on Manhattan Beach and bit a man before waddling into the water and swimming away. In Berkeley, a woman was hospitalized last spring after a sea lion took a chunk out of her leg."

"Last year, a group of sea lions took over a Newport Beach marina and caused a vintage 50-foot yacht to capsize when they boarded it. And a lifeguard in Santa Barbara was bitten three times while swimming off El Capitan State Beach."

"In Alaska, a huge sea lion jumped onto a fisherman's boat in 2004, knocked him overboard and pulled him underwater; he escaped without serious injury."

"Sea lions, which can reach 1,000 pounds, typically bite only if they feel threatened or cornered. And they are more likely to flee than fight if they can escape. Researchers have described the most recent attacks, in which some swimmers were chased through open water, as abnormal behavior."

"Still, with a population numbering about 200,000 and growing, these playful, social creatures are increasingly likely to cross paths with humans."

"Sea lions accustomed to the easy pickings of seafood scraps in popular fishing areas can become aggressive toward people if they fear their food is about to be taken away, Oswald said."

"The Berkeley attack, for example, was at a marina where fishermen dock their boats and feed fish scraps to sea lions. After they ran out of scraps, the sea lion turned aggressive and bit a crew member."

"At the same time, a drop in fish stocks off the Southern California coast due to El Nino-like conditions could be driving more hungry sea lions than usual to San Francisco Bay, said Lynn Cullivan, a spokesman for San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park."

"Humans could also be contributing to aggression in sea lions in another way: Toxic algae blooms fed by agricultural runoff and other pollution can lead to the poisoning of marine mammals by a chemical called domoic acid, which can cause brain damage. The Marine Mammal Center treated more than 200 sea lions for domoic acid poisoning last year."

"Veterinarians at the center believe the brain damage caused by the poison could have led to the marauding animal's erratic behavior in Aquatic Park, Oswald said, though they cannot be sure without actually examining the sea lion."

"So far park rangers have not been able to track the attacker down. Nevertheless, the lagoon where the attacks occurred has been reopened to swimmers, though with new signs warning people to stay away from sea lions."

"'People who swim with the lions _ though I'm sure that's nice _ it's probably not the best thing to do,' Oswald said. 'It's a wild animal. And you want to keep them wild.'"

Original article here - California Sea Lions Attack Humans

Grandmas...They're Grrreat

News from Malaysia - "A 65-year-old grandmother was mauled by a tiger at her small rubber plantation in northern Malaysia, but survived after she began hitting the ground with a stick to scare away the animal, news reports said Monday."

"Mek Jah Ismail, 65, was returning home from her plantation in Jeli, Kelantan, Sunday when she was attacked by the tiger, who kept pinning her down every time she tried to get up, the New Straits Times reported, quoting the woman's neighbor, Nor Fatimah. The paper said Mek Jah had retold the story to her neighbor before being sent to a local hospital."

"After being pounced on the fourth time, Mek Jah — a mother of seven — grabbed a nearby stick, recited prayers and kept hitting the ground to scare it away, the report said."

"Rangers are now out to trap the animal, which may be relocated, local media reported. Conservationists have blamed human encroachment for the attacks by the critically endangered species. "

Original article here - 65-Year-Old Woman Mauled by Tiger in Northern Malaysia Survives

I Shot The Sheriff And Then I Bit The Deputy

This story from Tampa, Florida - "With a 230-pound, snake-bitten deputy slung over his shoulder, a Hillsborough County firefighter crossed a mile of rough terrain on foot Saturday as he rushed to save the man's life."

"Deputy Brandon Parker, 28, was off duty and walking with a friend, Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe Jr., on a nature trail at English Creek Park when a rattlesnake bit his left leg, officials said."

"At 12:25 p.m., Tharpe called 911 from a cell phone to report Parker had been bitten by a diamondback rattlesnake, officials said."

"The friends were deep inside the park, 2930 State Road 60. Rescuers drove a medical vehicle as far as they could down a dirt road before hopping onto an all-terrain vehicle to ride 1 1/2 miles through thick woods, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Lt. James Austin said."

"They finished the trek on foot after reaching a wooden bridge too narrow for the ATV. Parker was in shock."

"'He was very pale, cold to the touch and sweating,' Austin said. 'His blood pressure was seriously low.'"

"A helicopter arrived with a dose of antivenom, and Parker, a school resource officer at East Bay High School, was flown to Tampa General Hospital in serious condition."

"The snake, 6 to 8 feet long, was killed by a deputy, Austin said"

Original article here - Diamondback Rattlesnake Bites Deputy On Trail Hike

Quint Hates Pit Bulls. And Pit Bull Owners

Today's senseless pit bull attack from Houston, Texas - "As his toddler brother scrambled to safety, a 4-year-old boy was mauled to death by two pit bulls Tuesday afternoon in his east Harris County neighborhood."

"The boy's mother heard her son's screams and ran outside to find him being attacked by the pit bulls at the King Parkway mobile home community. She suffered minor injuries as she tried to fight them off, but the dogs refused to let go of her son's body."

"The dogs released the child, Pedro Rios, only after being distracted by the lights and sirens of the deputies' cars when they arrived minutes later."

"Deputies then opened fire, killing one dog and wounding the second. The surviving pit bull was taken into custody by Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services' Veterinary Public Health."

"The boy was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he died a short time later."

"'This is a very sad day,' said Sgt. Noel Araguz, a homicide investigator for the Harris County Sheriff's Office. 'We never want to see children attacked by dogs.'"

"Although the county has a leash ordinance to protect the public from such attacks, statistics from the Veterinary Public Health division show loose dogs in unincorporated areas are a persistent problem."

"Pedro was playing with his 2-year-old brother in a cul-de-sac near their home in the 8900 block of C.E. King Parkway when the dogs approached about 1:30 p.m., Araguz said."

"Pedro's brother ran away, but the boy, known as "Peachy" to family and friends, couldn't escape."

"Pedro's death was the first that officials can recall in more than 20 years in unincorporated Harris County involving loose dogs."

"Last year, a woman died in unincorporated Harris County after being attacked by a Rottweiler and a Rottweiler mix in the backyard of a home where she was living."

"About 70 percent of dog-bite cases are blamed on dogs that are running loose, said Colleen Hodges, a spokeswoman for the county's Veterinary Public Health division. Loose dogs involved in bite cases typically have not been vaccinated and are not registered, highlighting what officials call a pet ownership problem."

"'The problem is dogs running loose. We have an irresponsible-owner problem,' said Hodges. 'It always comes back to the owner.'"

"An attempt by state Rep. Al Edwards, D-Houston, to toughen state laws dealing with vicious dogs failed in the last legislative session. His bill would have increased the criminal penalty for owners whose dogs were involved in unprovoked attacks."

"In October, the city of Houston toughened its dangerous dog ordinance requiring owners of dogs declared dangerous to keep $100,000 in liability insurance."

"It's still unknown how the dogs ended up in the mobile home community Tuesday. Deputies said many of neighbors thought the dogs were strays and said no one has yet admitted to owning the dogs."

"George Cochran, 72, said he saw the two pit bulls a few hours before the boys were attacked, but that the dogs didn't look mean. 'But you never know what some dog's going to do,' he said."

Original article here - Mother Hurt Fighting Dog That Killed Her Son

Man-Eating Behavior on the Rise - News at Eleven

News from the Tanzanian front - "Author Robert R. Frump says that human-animal conflict - essentially man-eating behavior - may be reaching all time highs in Africa with only a few conservation groups addressing the matter."

"Mr. Frump, who recently completed a month-long expedition with Tanzanian researchers in an attempt to humanely trap suspected man-eating lions and fit them with GPS collars, said environmentalists need to embrace a new paradigm that protects both villagers and animals."

"'Each year, more than 200 Tanzanians are killed by lions, elephants, crocodiles and hippos,' Mr. Frump said. 'Until conservationists and environmentalists understand the consequences of this terrible toll, wildlife will be seen more as a negative than a positive by African villagers and so will be endangered in the long run.'"

"Mr. Frump is the author of 'The Man-eaters of Eden: Life and Death in Kruger National Park' about the rise of man-eating behavior among lions in South Africa. Information about his book and more details about the Tanzanian situation can be found at www.man-eater.info."

"'Kruger is horrible, but Tanzania makes Kruger look like a shopping mall,' Mr. Frump said. 'In Kruger, refugees passing through the park are attacked and eaten and that is awful. In Tanzania, in some of the southern villages, the lions literally go door to door and seize peaceful farmers and their children from mud huts and front porches.'"

"'That is a horror beyond imagination until you meet the villagers,' Mr. Frump said. 'Often, all they have to face 400 pound lions is a machete and fish nets.'"

"Mr. Frump, a conservationist who supports wildlife preservation, accompanied an expedition organized by famed lion research Dr. Craig Packer of the University of Minnesota. Dennis Ikanda, a Tanzanian scientist, lead the expedition, which included famed American trapper Dairen Simpson, and Harunnah Lyimo, one of the foremost scientific guides and interpreters of Tanzania. "

"Packer and Ikanda have authored a scientific journal published in Nature that shows the rate of attacks by lions have tripled since 1990. Both men are ardent conservationists, but feel this human loss must be addressed so that Tanzania's wildlife does not suffer from a political backlash."

Original article here - Man-eating Lions in Africa Threaten Conservation Efforts

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished - Raccoon Edition

From Florida — "Nancy Scarpello was settled in front of the television on a recent Friday night, never suspecting a knock on the door would lead to her being bitten by a furry jack-in-the-box loaded with deadly virus."

"This Saturday, the 52-year-old Vero Lake Estates resident will be getting the last in a series of vaccines to protect her from rabies, which is almost always fatal when untreated. She now knows raccoons throughout Indian River County are infected with rabies and trained animal control officers are the only people who should handle an injured wild animal."

"Scarpello said she still doesn't know the identity of a woman who knocked on the door about 8 p.m. Nov. 3. The stranger pleaded for help after her vehicle ran over a raccoon in front of Scarpello's residence in the 9500 block of 87th Street."

"Scarpello recounted the woman insisting the injured animal needed to be taken to a veterinarian for treatment. Scarpello's 20-year-old son, John Scarpello, had picked up the dazed raccoon with a shovel and was going to place it in a nearby woods."

"Instead, the animal was put in a box on the floor of the garage and the box top was taped shut. Scarpello said the female motorist then said the animal needed a bigger box and left to fetch one. Scarpello said the woman returned a short while later with another box and her young daughter."

"Scarpello said she lifted the tape on the smaller box, unaware the raccoon inside had come fully awake."

'"That thing shot out of the box and latched onto my index finger,' she said. 'The lady and the kid ran down the driveway screaming and here I am with a raccoon attached to my finger!'"

"Scarpello said her son came to the rescue, knocking the animal on the head with a tool and causing it to drop into the larger box. She put the box in her car and drove to a Sebastian veterinary clinic she knew would be open."

"Because raccoons carry rabies, the vet's staff wouldn't let the animal inside the clinic. They phoned the Sheriff's Office and a Sebastian police officer arrived to watch over the animal until Animal Control arrived."

"The policeman ordered Scarpello to Sebastian River Medical Center, where her wound was treated. But SRMC does not stock rabies vaccine and Scarpello was instructed to report to the county Health Department."

"The next day, Health Department officials sent Scarpello to Indian River Medical Center for the first of several rabies vaccines. A laboratory confirmed a few days later the raccoon was rabid."

"Maureen Feister, Health Department epidemiology nursing supervisor, said 21 county residents have gotten rabies vaccines since Jan. 1 — one incident involving a miniature horse in Fellsmere that had been infected by a raccoon resulted in eight patients."

"Scarpello said each shot makes her sick for several days."

'"Like the worse case of flu you ever had,' she said."

"Feister said she has known few people who have a flu-like reaction."

'"There can be side effects — headaches, abdominal pain, muscle aches,' she said.

"The vaccine is 'extremely successful — just about 100 percent' in preventing a person from getting rabies, Feister said."

"Motorists who hit and kill a wild animal should continue on their way, said Jason Ogilvie, manager of county Animal Control."

"If the animal is alive but injured, let authorities handle it."

"'Do not put it in a box and do not put it in the trunk (of a car),' Ogilvie said. 'They'll wake up. We've had people open the trunk and they'll jump out of it.'"

"Scarpello's sense of humor survived the episode: She reported using shaving cream at work to make it look like she was foaming at the mouth."

"'My boss was yelling at me the other day and I told her, 'Leave me alone or I'll bite you!''"

Original article here -Indian River County rabies victim recalls raccoon attack

A Dingo Bit My Baby!

Today's Dingo action is from Fraser Island, Australia - "A TODDLER has been nipped by a dingo, the second attack on Fraser Island in three months. Shaun Beckett said his son Eli was without supervision for a minute but that was enough for the dingo to nearly take him."

"As the dingo herded Eli away from the Happy Valley house, the toddler screamed, alerting neighbours who grabbed him."

"Mr Beckett, of Booral near Hervey Bay, said he was shaken by Friday's incident that left scratches on his son's abdomen."

"I just want people to know that the dingo nearly had him in just 60 seconds,' he said."

"Mr Beckett said people were illegally feeding dingoes and it might help for food stations to be set up away from tourist sites as a way of relieving conflict."

'"If the situation continues, there will be a child dead.'"

"Since Clinton Gage, 9, died from a dingo attack in 2001, 70 dogs have been shot."

"Mr Harper said formalised feeding was not the solution. It was preferred dingoes remained wild, feeding would increase their numbers and would encourage an association with humans that would compound dangers."

"Some regular visitors and residents at Happy Valley and Eurong believed they were in some way helping animals by illegally feeding them."

"'We have saturated the island with material warning people about this but unfortunately there are a handful who think they know better. We can only beg them to stop,' he said."

"A four-year-old was attacked on the island in September."

"'I don't know what other marketing techniques can be used other than maybe asking neighbours to apply pressure.'"

"'Maybe it's time for open warfare ...'

"'People have to make the connection between feeding and this attack.'"

"'Mr West is right. Feeding a dingo is signing its death warrant because we will shoot it. We have no choice,' Mr Harper said. "

Original article here - Dingo Nips Toddler

Take Note, Roadrunner - Punching a Coyote In The Face Is An Effective Deterrent

From Alberta, Canada - "A 10-year-old boy was attacked by a coyote Saturday evening before his best friend charged in to kick and punch the animal in the head."

"David Burnett and Marshall Davis, both 10, were having a snowball fight with two friends in the backyard of Davis's suburban Edmonton home when a coyote interrupted their play."

"The four boys ran, and Burnett either tripped or was pulled down by the animal. He was bit several times in the leg, but Davis ran back to help."

"''I yelled at it and the coyote started running after me,' Davis said. 'Then I kicked it and punched it and it ran away.'"

"Residents had seen the coyote eating garbage and walking the streets in the neighbourhood frequently in the past week, said Davis's father Gary."

"'It just looked like a little innocent dog,' Burnett said."

"But when it interrupted the snowball fight, its teeth were bared."

"Gary Davis heard the commotion from inside the house when the boys started banging on the window. His wife, Kerri, called the police, who cornered the animal in the backyard."

"Fish and Wildlife officers shot it and took it to a lab to be tested for rabies, but the animal looked healthy, said Dave Ealey, spokesman for Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and Fish and Wildlife officers."

"Although coyotes live in many of Edmonton's natural spaces, coyote attacks are very rare. "

Original article here - Boy Rescues Friend From Coyote Attack

Elephant Evil-Doer Caught, Given a Stern Lecture

This story from Nepal - "Authorities in Nepal tranquilized an elephant and trimmed its tusks after it was blamed for a dozen deaths in the country’s east over the past six weeks, wildlife officials said yesterday.

"'We first darted the elephant with tranquilizers on Saturday and cut its tusks by a handsaw,' said Murari Prasad Pokharel, a senior forest officer from Sunsari district, about 200km east of Kathmandu, where the operation was carried out."

"The rampaging elephant had killed at least 12 people in Sunsari, and neighboring Morang district since October."

"'We shortened its tusks, treated a wound in one of its legs and released it back into the forest,' he said."

"'It was quite a work that took more than two hours for three wildlife experts.'"

"Elephants are protected under Nepali law, which provides for jail sentences of up to 15 years for killing a pachyderm. Nepal’s elephant population has dwindled to about 100."

"Officials say habitat destruction and the disruption of migratory routes are likely to result in elephants entering villages and attacking people"

Original article here - Murderous elephant’s tusks shorn in Nepal

What's an Elephant Gotta Do To Get A Beer Around Here?

Drunk elephants are on a bender again in the Indian state of Assam - "Four members of a family, including an infant, were trampled to death Sunday by wild Asiatic elephants in Assam, the latest in a series of attacks on human beings, wildlife officials said."

"A forest official said a herd of about seven elephants entered village Borbhugia in Sonitpur district, about 270 km north from here."

"'The elephants after entering the village tore apart a hut and killed the entire family of four who were sleeping. The dead include a seven month old baby boy,' Chandan Bora, a wildlife warden, told IANS over telephone."

"The official said villagers came out in large numbers on hearing the family shouting for help. 'By the time the villagers could react, the herd trampled the entire family and ransacked the hut,' Bora said."

"Villagers later chased the animals beating drums. During the past fortnight, herds of wild elephants have been wreaking havoc in several parts of Assam, especially in villages where tribal people brew large volumes of rice beer."

"On Monday last, three members of a family were killed and another wounded in a similar attack by elephants in eastern Assam, while three wild elephants were electrocuted after the animals tripped over an electric pole and the high tension wire fell on them."

"Elephants have killed 239 people in Assam in the past five years while 265 elephants have died during the same period, many of them victims of retaliation by angry human beings, said a wildlife department report released last month."

"Villagers often poison the marauding elephants while in the past they drove them away by beating drums or bursting firecrackers."

"Assam has India's largest population of Asiatic elephants, estimated at around 5,300, according to a wildlife census in 2002. "

Original article here - Four of a Family Trampled By Elephants

Bear Refuses to Turn Other Cheek

From Augusta County, Virginia - "Thurman Hensley and three of his friends went out in these woods near grottoes to hunt around nine thirty this morning. When they were out there, Hensley spotted a bear, then shot it."

"When he went up to the bear to check it, he thought the animal was dead but the bear jumped up and attacked him. Hensley's friend, Thurman Sorrells says he's surprised by the attack since Hensley is an experienced hunter."

"'What happened today, I just don't understand what happened today because he's smarter than most people about bear hunting.'"

"According to the Augusta County game warden, Hensley was brought to a neighbor's home shortly after the attack. From there, he air lifted to UVA Medical Center with serious injuries."

"The game warden says when Hensley was being attacked, the other hunters with him shot and killed the bear. Hours after the attack, the bear was brought out of the woods by the game warden. The animal will now be tested for rabies. Sorrels is just hoping his friend will recover from his injuries."

Original article here - Bear Attack

Quint Hates Pit Bulls. And Pit Bull Owners

Another Pit Bull story from California - "Dressed in business attire, Candace Kacperski was ready for job interviews Saturday."

"The 17-year-old Bowman High School student headed out to the Westfield Valencia Town Center and collected applications for seasonal employment."

"It was in a nearby parking structure around 3 p.m. that Kacperski said she was attacked by a pit bull, which had apparently gotten out of the grasp of its owner, a little girl."

"Kacperski was talking to some friends she had run into, when the dog reportedly took off in their direction."

"Instead of running past the group, Kacperski said the dog attacked her, biting her face and leaving her bloodied on the ground."

"Her friends ran to their nearby car and grabbed rags and water to clean the wounds on her lower lip, under her right eye, on the right side of her cheek and just under her nose, all of which required about 70 stitches."

"The little girl's mother seemed to be unconcerned with her dog's attack, and walked over to retrieve the animal, Kacperski said. The woman gave Kacperski her phone number but did not say much because she was talking on a cell phone, Kacperski said."

"Kacperski drove herself to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, where she called her mother, Michelle Kacperski. She was later transported to the Northridge Hospital Medical Center to get the stitches."

"Due to the confusion that took place after the dog attack - Candace Kacperski said she does not remember the drive to Henry Mayo, and that she lost the dog owner's phone number."

"Candace Kacperski said she has not heard from the woman."

"Under California law, dog owners are liable for the actions of their pets, said Bob Ballenger, a spokesman for the county Department of Animal Care and Control."

"Depending on the severity of a dog bite, a dog owner can be required to pay for medical expenses or can be sued for loss of income if the bite victim has had to miss work."

"Under extreme circumstances, the District Attorney's office can also file dangerous or vicious dog charges against the owner, Ballenger said."

Kacperski and her mother hope that anyone who witnessed the attack will come forward with information.

"'I've never been afraid of dogs,' Candace Kacperski said. 'Animals just love me. That's what's so shocking to me.'"

Original article here - Pit Bull Attacks Teen At Mall

Sea Lion, Tired of Sardines, Seeks Human Flesh

This story from San Francisco - "San Francisco's Aquatic Park Lagoon was closed for swimming due to reports of a sea lion repeatedly biting local swimmers, maritime officials said late Wednesday."

"Officials estimated at least 20 swimmers have been bitten since Monday, including 13 on Wednesday alone at the Lagoon, which hosts two swimming and rowing clubs and is a favorite spot for swimming along San Francisco’s northern waterfront."

"The very first incident involved a woman who was bitten by a sea lion while swimming in the Bay around 4 pm Monday. She was advised to go to the hospital to have the wound cleaned."

"'I was a quarter-mile out, felt something, and I think, 'These feel like whiskers,' ' said Celeste McMullin. 'I realized it was an animal. He followed me the whole time, bumping me and nipping.'"

"Original reports had the woman bitten by a harbor seal. But a spokesman for the Marine Mammal Center said the attacker most likely was a sea lion, because they are more aggressive than seals."

"Since that attack, 'the park has received reports of multiple bite incidents in the last two days,' said spokesman John Cunnane. 'For the time being we're advising people to stay out of the water until further notice, until we find out more about it.'"

"Don Reid, a 30-year Dolphin Club member, got a chunk taken out of him Wednesday while swimming in the bay."

"'(The sea lion) attacked and bit me on my left calf, and it drew blood,' he told CBS 5 while on his way to see a doctor.

"Lou Marcelli said he was brushed by a claw before he could get bit, but even that left a nasty bruise."

"'I get half way back to the dock, and I feel something,' he explained to CBS 5. 'I don't know what the hell it was. It felt slimy. So I just kept going. As I got to the end of the dock, the lady from next door said, 'You better get out of there, because there's a sea lion right after you.' '"

"The Aquatic Park staff are working with other agencies to identify the sea lion and determine the reason for the animal's behavior. Longtime swimmers said they believe it's a sick sea lion who has become aggressive."

The Lagoon remained closed until further notice as of Thursday.


Original article here - 20 Swimmers Bitten By Sea Lion at SF Aquatic Park

Rhinopunctured

This story from the Morigaon district of India - "In a rare attack, a one-horned rhinoceros gored to death two people, including a pregnant woman, in an Assam village and had to be chased out by police and wildlife rangers."

"A police spokesperson said the adult male rhino attacked two people in Tengapukhuri village in Morigaon district, about 85 km from here, on Thursday."

"'A team of police and wildlife guards worked throughout the night to chase the rhino and finally managed to see the animal leave the village early Friday,' Rudrakanta Bora, a senior police official, said over the phone."

"Wildlife officials said the rhino probably strayed out of its habitat and was grazing in a field in the village."

"'Unsuspecting villagers were crossing the field when the rhino charged at them and killed two persons leading to total panic and chaos,'" a wildlife warden said.

"The rhino went berserk chasing villagers who gathered in hundreds soon after the attack."

"'We had a tough time controlling the crowd as some angry locals wanted to kill the beast,' Bora said."

"'This is a very rare incident as we seldom hear of rhinos attacking humans. Individual rhinos at times move out of their habitat and the villagers were probably caught unawares as they never expected the animal to be grazing in the field,' Anwaruddin Choudhury, a noted rhino expert and author of several books on the animal and other wildlife in Assam, told IANS."

"Assam today boasts of more than 2,000 of the world's estimated 2,700 one-horned rhinos. The Kaziranga National Park in eastern Assam alone is home to about 1,855 one-horned rhinos."

Original article here - Two Gored to Death By Rhino in Assam Village

Listen to Mom When She Says "Put Your Coat On"

From Ontario, Canada - "Residents of a nearby First Nation are uneasy following an attack on a 13-year-old boy, whose winter clothing appears to have saved him from being seriously injured by what’s believed to have been a cougar."

"'I’m very scared for the people in my community,' said Isobel White on Wednesday."

"White was referring to the fear felt by residents of the Whitefish Bay First Nation community — about 100 km southeast of Kenora — after reports of a cougar attack on a teen last Friday."

"Riley Joseph, a 13-year-old student from Baibombeh Anishinabe School in Whitefish Bay, described the incident Wednesday."

“'I was just walking home, then I saw it coming. I started running, then it jumped me,' the Grade 7 student said."

"After being knocked to the ground, he rolled onto his back, and the animal scratched his chest and arms."

"Fortunately, his winter clothing protected him from any serious injury."

"Cougars have been a rare sighting east of Manitoba since the mid-1800s, and it can be difficult to make the distinction between a large lynx and small cougar, noted Natural Resources biologist Scott Lockhart."

Barry "The Cougar" Dawson was unavailable for comment.

Original article here - Ontario Teen Survives Likely Cougar Attack

Horses and Llamas Agree - Real Estate Agents Charge Too Much

From Bedford, Indiana - "Real estate can be a tough business. But sometimes it's a real beast, Erika McKinney has learned."

"McKinney won a trip to the hospital instead of the closing table when a horse bit her and knocked her into a tree during a showing Friday."

"McKinney and her client were standing by a fence at the property in rural Bedford, about 65 miles south of Indianapolis, when the horse leaned over and bit McKinney's hand, then head-butted her into a tree."

"McKinney, who suffered bruises to her hand and chest, was treated and released from a local hospital."

"'We were just kind of standing there and the horse just kind of pulled its head back and reared her in the chest,' said Diana Ritter, McKinney's client. 'We were both worried that it would come over that fence. I love horses, but that one, I don't know about. It had some sort of problem.'"

"The county animal control officer is investigating the attack, which an animal expert said was unusual."

'"Most of the time, horses are very gentle creatures, but they are very powerful,' said veterinarian Klent Brown of the Animal Hospital of Bedford. 'Just be very cautious, because you're talking about a 1,200-pound animal that can run.'"

"Friday wasn't the first time McKinney has had a run-in with an animal while on the job. A llama once charged her while she was showing another home."

Original article here - Horse Attacks Real Estate Agent

Deer Me!

"Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are investigating an apparently unprovoked attack by a whitetail buck on two Clintondale residents Wednesday morning."

"The incident along Fishing Creek Road began when a woman attempted to go into her backyard to feed cats, and a buck that was standing at her back door would not let her out of the house, according to a commission news release. Alerted to the situation, a man exited the house to attempt to chase the deer away and, without warning, the buck repeatedly charged and gored him with its antlers."

"The woman contacted State Police at Lamar, a short distance away, at 7:40 a.m. and Cpl. Todd A. Brian and Trooper Stephen E. Wilcox responded and found the deer attacking the woman , who had entered the back yard in an attempt to stop the deer from attacking the man."

"Unable to get a clear shot at the deer, Brian grabbed the deer by its antlers and wrestled it away from the woman. Both troopers then shot the deer, killing it."

"The elderly couple was seriously injured, police said. They were treated at Lock Haven Hospital initially. A call for a medical helicopter was cancelled because of heavy fog, and it was not known Wednesday afternoon whether either or both had been transferred by ambulance to a regional medical center."

"The seven-point buck focused its attack on the heads of the man and woman, police said."

"After the Game Commission was contacted, Clinton County Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Kenneth Packard arrived and took possession of the carcass for transport to Dr. Walter Cottrell, the Commission’s veterinarian, headquartered at Penn State. Cottrell will conduct a full necropsy of the animal."

“'While this appears to be a healthy deer, we have taken samples of the deer to conduct various tests for any sign of disease, including chronic wasting disease and rabies,' Cottrell said."

"Packard said another possible cause of the attack is that deer are in the rut – the mating season – a time when bucks are at their most aggressive. For whatever reason, the deer chose to spar with these people. That is not behavior normally associated with wild deer, as they almost invariably keep their distance from people."

Original article here - Whitetail Buck Attacks, Injures Elderly Couple

These Elephants Have Fallen Off The Wagon

"DRUNKEN elephants in India's northeast trampled three people to death, including a four year-old boy, and critically injured his eight-year-old brother, officials said today."

"The herd trampled the victims, who were all from the same family, yesterday after guzzling rice beer in Teok Kathoni, a tribal village 370km east of Assam's main city Guwahati."

"Villagers tried to chase away the elephants by beating drums and bursting firecrackers, but they 'tore apart a hut with the family inside', village elder Dhiren Gadak said by phone."

"The elephants, confronted by shrinking forest cover and human encroachment on their turf, have increasingly strayed into villages, searching for food and attacking people."

"During the past fortnight, elephants have been wreaking havoc in Assam, especially in villages where tribals brew rice beer."

"'We've reports of several incidents of elephants going berserk looking for rice beer, plundering granaries and tearing apart huts, and killing human beings,' said elephant specialist Kushal Konwar Sharma."

"Elephants killed 239 people in Assam in the past five years, while 265 elephants have died during the same period, many poisoned by angry humans, according to official figures."

Original article here - Drunken Elephants Kill Three People

Reminder - Wild Animals Do Not Make Good Pets

"Conservation officers served a warrant on an Eastside home Monday night and confiscated more than a dozen venomous snakes after their owner sought treatment for a bite from a deadly green mamba."

"The owner of the snakes, Michael Fillenwarth, was taken into custody, but later released, said Sgt. Dean Shadley, an Indiana Conservation Officer."

"Fillenwart did not have the proper permits to keep the snakes, which Shadley described as 'extremely poisonous.'"

"Officers confiscated rattlesnakes, cobras and green mambas from the home in the 1600 block of North Bosart Avenue."

"Authorities learned of the snakes after Fillenwarth sought treatment over the weekend for a bite from a green mamba, a highly venomous snake from Africa."

Original article here - Snake-bitten Eastsider Loses His Deadly Pets

Reminder - Wild Animals Do Not Make Good Pets

"A deer being kept in a pen attacked and killed its owner over the weekend, state police said."

"The buck that killed Ronald Donah, 43, was among about a half-dozen deer penned on his property in Ellenburg, about 180 miles north of Albany, police said."

"Maureen Wren, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said Donah had a license to keep the white-tailed deer on his property but she did not know why he was doing so. She said deer attacks are extremely rare, at least in the wild."

"After the Sunday attack, Donah was taken to CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh, where he died. An autopsy was scheduled."

Original article here - Deer Kept in Pen Kills its Owner

Was it the Evil Twin?

"A shark attacked a man swimming at a Maui beach Saturday, injuring his leg and hand, authorities said."

"Kyle Gruen, 29, of Vancouver, Canada, was about 30 to 40 feet offshore when the shark grabbed his left side, said his twin brother, Jeff Gruen, who was at the beach when the attack happened."

"'He was swimming along when just all of a sudden it got him,' Jeff Gruen told The Honolulu Advertiser. 'He pulled away and kicked it off, and it took off right away.'"

"Maui County spokeswoman Ellen Pelissero said the victim was attacked near Kihei. He was listed in stable condition at Maui Memorial Medical Center."

"As a precaution, authorities closed beaches about one mile in either direction of the attack."

Original article here - Man Attacked By Shark Off Maui Beach

Rattler Doesn't Want The Crocs To Have All The Fun

"It is still too warm for rattlesnakes to be dormant and therefore, they still need to be watched for."

"Three-and-a-half year old Audrey Ballesteros found out the hard way last weekend when she was bitten on the hand near her home."

"She lives with her family in Coronado Hills by the golf course and while playing last Saturday was bitten on the left hand by an 18-inch rattlesnake."

"'It as a scary time for all of us,' said father Augie Ballesteros. 'We called 9-1-1, she was taken to SEMC then air-evaced out to University Medical Center.'"

"She was discharged earlier this week after receiving therapy and anti-venom, but her hand was still swollen."

"Little Audrey will have to go through two weeks of therapy on her left arm and hand until the swelling goes down and she receives full range of motion."

It isn't uncommon to see rattlesnakes in this area, and Augie Ballesteros believes they were driven closer to his home due to the construction in the area.

Original article here - Snake Season - Douglas Girl Bitten by Rattlesnake

Roland Martin Recommends Using Human Leg to Catch Crocs

"A 35-year-old Iban man received over 30 stitches to his thigh and leg after he was bitten by a crocodile during a fishing trip."

"The incident occurred around noon yesterday at a small jetty in Kg Serambangun, about 1km from Tutong town. The victim, Nandong Anak Jarau, was dangling his legs over the jetty while fishing when the crocodile sprung up and bit him on the right leg. He was rushed to the Tutong Hospital by passers-by where he received over 30 stitches."

"In recounting his ordeal, Nandong said he only caught a glimpse of the crocodile as the incident happened so fast, but estimated the reptile to be about six feet long. He added that he was unaware of the lurking danger as he was too preoccupied with his catch."

"He managed to escape serious damage by putting up a fight, but not before the beast left a lasting mark on his right leg."

Original article here - Man Receives 30 Stitches in Croc Attack

Woman Finds Croc in Her High Quality H2O

"A 25-year-old Woman has been attacked by a crocodile on the banks of the Zambezi river in Sinazongwe."

"The reptile left her with severe wounds."

"The woman is currently admitted to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH)."

"Mistress Syamunyanga was attacked as she fetched water on the River Bank."

"Her Husband, Vitalis Syamunyanga said his wife who had a baby strapped on her back was attacked by the reptile near Chiyabe village."

"He said she was only saved by their 14-year-old son, Charles who managed to pull her out of the water after being dragged for over two metres into the river."

Original article here - Woman Survives Crocodile Attack

Girl Plays Frogger With Croc

"A 9-YEAR-OLD girl was killed by a crocodile as she crossed a shallow river in the western Philippines, her father and neighbors said Thursday."

"The girl and her 11-year-old brother were crossing the knee-deep river in remote Rizal town, in Palawan province, late Tuesday, when the brother suddenly heard her shout for help, said farmer Jaime Crisostomo, the children's father. She was quickly dragged underwater."

'"Her brother then started shouting for help because there were people on the other side of the river, who got him and put him on a raft,'Crisostomo said by telephone, adding that the siblings were walking home after watching television at a friend's house."

"After searching for the girl overnight, relatives found only her severed head on Wednesday, about 500 meters (1,640 feet) from the attack site."

"Crisostomo said his daughter was the first known human victim of a crocodile attack in the area, although crocodiles have attacked farm animals in the area in the past."

Original article here - 9-Year-Old Girl Dies in Crocodile Attack in Palawan

Belgian Tourist Plays Hokey-Pokey with Croc

"A CROCODILE attack on a "silly" Belgian tourist has prompted new calls for a cull of the reptiles in Queensland."

"The 24-year-old tourist yesterday ignored crocodile warnings signs, wading into a creek at Cape Tribulation and slapping the water to try to entice a crocodile closer for a better photograph. "

"But before the man could take a snap, the two-metre estuarine crocodile snapped first, quickly launching itself out of the water and biting him on the left knee. "

"'It lunged out and grabbed his knee and the worst part is he didn't get the photo,'' local doctor Kelly Lash told Fairfax, adding that the tourist should be a candidate for an award 'for doing stupid things'.'"

"The Belgian was lucky, suffering more from shock than injury as the croc bite was treated at Mossman Hospital, north of Cairns. He was later released. "

The crocodile in question will now be removed for safety reasons.

"Townsville-based Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald (Macdonald) said while the tourist had been "silly'', the latest incident demonstrated the need for a crocodile cull in populated areas. "

"'If you have crocodiles where there are tourists you really are inviting danger,' Senator Macdonald said. "

Original article here - Croc Attack Spurs Cull Call

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and nothing shall by any means hurt you - ouch!

"A woman who was bitten by a snake at a church that neighbors say practices serpent handling died of her wounds hours later, a newspaper reported."

Linda Long, 48, was bitten Sunday at East London Holiness Church, where neighbors said the reptiles are handled as part of religious services, The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Tuesday."

"Long died at University of Kentucky Medical Center about four hours after being bitten, authorities told the newspaper."

"Handling reptiles as part of religious services is illegal in Kentucky. Snake handling is a misdemeanor and punishable by a $50 to $100 fine."

"Snake handling is based on a passage in the Bible that says a sign of a true believer is the power to "take up serpents" without being harmed."

"Church officials could not be reached for comment"

Original article here - Woman Dies After Snake Bite At Church

Hungry Like The Wolf

"A coroner's inquest will be held in Prince Albert, starting Feb. 5, to examine the death of Kenton Carnegie."

"Carnegie, a 22-year-old university student on a work term at Points North Landing, was found dead near the mining supply camp in November 2005. The area is about 700 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon."

"At the time, the RCMP said he was likely the victim of a wolf attack, although an official cause of death hasn't been released."

"A CBC investigation found that wolves had been drawn to the area by an unregulated garbage dump."

Original article here - Inquest into suspected wolf-attack death set for February

Snakebit - Part Deux

"Police believe a man found dead at his South Australian home on Friday had been bitten by a snake."

"SA Police said the 43-year-old gardener from Sellicks Beach, south of Adelaide, had told relatives on Friday he thought he had been bitten by a snake while cutting grass."

"Officers are preparing a report for the state's coroner and will not know exactly what caused the man's death until an autopsy had been carried out, the police spokesman said. "

Original article here - Snake bite may have killed man

Snakebit - Part One

"Anti-venom was rushed by helicopter to St. Joseph's Hospital tonight to save the life of a snake handler bit by a cobra earlier in the day."

"The victim was a 22-year-old man from Pinellas County who was bit on the left hand by an Albino Monaco cobra, said hospital spokesman Will Darnall. His name was not released at his family's request."

"The incident happened while he was packing a 4 foot-long cobra for an out-of-state reptile show this weekend. A co-worker drove him to the hospital, Darnall said."

"Darnall said the victim, a licensed snake handler, was reported in fair condition Friday night."

Original article here -Man hospitalized after Cobra bite

Scorpion King

"The irony stung worse than the scorpion."

"A soldier dedicated to studying dangerous wildlife recently got attacked by one of the aggressive fat-tailed scorpions he spent months warning other soldiers to avoid."

"Army Capt. Stephen Garvin, an entomologist with the 981st Medical Detachment supporting 3rd Army/U.S. Army Central in Kuwait, made a routine visit to a portable toilet at Camp Buehring around 5 a.m. on Oct. 5 when he felt something crawling on his right ankle. Thinking it was a fly, he smacked the offending insect with his left foot and ground it against his ankle -- and that’s when he felt the sting."

"'I knew it was a scorpion as soon as it stung me,' said Garvin, a 33-year-old active-duty soldier from Stillwater, Okla. 'My first thought was, ‘I can’t believe this is happening.’'"

"After stomping on the 2-inch scorpion a few times to make sure it had died, Garvin scooped it up using toilet paper and immediately sought medical attention. He recognized the crushed arachnid as one of the top three deadliest scorpions in the world, capable of killing a person in seven hours. Within an hour and a half from the venom injection, Garvin suffered extreme nausea, headache and dizziness."

"'Things happened so fast; that’s when I started getting concerned. I called the doctor over and said, ‘Something’s wrong,’' said Garvin, who passed out 10 minutes later and didn’t wake up until the next evening."

"Garvin was quickly airlifted to Camp Arifjan, put on a respirator and given an antivenom shot. He has slowly recovered and endured a 10-day migraine as a result of the scorpion’s sting."

Original article here - Army Scorpion Expert in Kuwait Stung by Insect, Irony