The goose, the bag and the ugly (fight): YouTube clip shows fierce battle between protective bird and office worker who strays too close to his nest

By DAMIEN GAYLE

Unsuspecting: This man wanders down the path in the park, unaware that he will soon be locked in a duel with a fierce feathered fighter, bottom

When an unsuspecting office worker crossed the path of a fearless Canada goose, the makers of this video just sat back... and watched the feathers fly.
Shot in Mississauga, in the south-western Canadian province of Ontario, the YouTube clip shows the lengths which the birds will go to protect their partners and young.
And it also shows the bumbling rage which can be unleashed by a regular guy who just wants a nice quiet lunch break.0

You think you're big, huh? The fearless bird squares up to the man, who has stopped to inspect this bag left on the floor

As the video begins, a bald, middle-aged man dressed for a day at the office strolls down a pathway in a park, a bag over his shoulder and newspaper in hand.
All appears to be normal, until he spots a bag which someone has left on the ground - which may have been placed there by the pranksters who shot the film.
Unknown to him, the bag is just feet away from a goose's nest.
As he wanders closer, a male Canada goose comes from the opposite direction and squares up to confront him.
If it was taller, one imagines it would be right in the man's face, saying 'What! What!'.

Wanna dance? The man aims a swipe at the bird with his newspaper

I showed that fool: Satisfied he has taught the goose a lesson, the man turns back to the bag, again straying close to the nest

Fearless: But it responds by fearlessly launching an attack at his face

The office man, obviously perturbed by the bird's approach and curious about the bag, attempts to swat the goose away with his newspaper.
Deftly dodging the paper's arc, the furious fowl takes flight and swirls around the man's head, forcing him to stumble backwards off the path as he tries to protect his face.
Incensed by the bird's blitz, the office worker gathers himself and gears up for his own counter-attack.
His paper held ready in an escrima-type pose, he waits for the now landed goose to come back into range before swinging it like a sword at his opponent.
The bold bird is now the one on the backfoot. Desperately dodging the paper's swipes it is beaten back off the other side of the path before once again taking to the air in a fierce lunge at the man's face.

Get away from my nest! The bird swings back into action, as his missus sits protectively over her eggs

In a momentary lull in the action, the man takes his chance to swipe the bag, hoping that he has taught the feathered fiend a lesson.
But in so doing he again wanders dangerously close to the nest.
Running several steps to gather speed, the goose charges, taking to the air as it does so to once again target the man's vulnerable face.
He lashes his newspaper about his head, attempting to wallop the fearsome feathered fighter out of the air - but to no avail, it's too nimble for him.

Wings of fury: The goose flaps above the man's head as he flails wildly with his newspaper

The bird retreats once again, as a woman approaches to take the bag from the man - she may be in on the prank - but it only appears to be an attempt to lull its enemy into a false sense of security.
As soon as his back is turned and he starts to walk away, the goose charges once again across the park to confront the man.
But this normal office worker's senses have been heightened by combat and it seems he hears the bird's furious approach, its feet slap-slapping across the paving stones.
As it nears he tries to dish out a final ferocious kick. The bird evades easily and, apparently satisfied it has scared the enemy away, proudly stands its ground.
The video has become a sensation on YouTube. Uploaded just four days ago, it has already been viewed over 150,000 times.

Kung Fu fighting: He tries to fell it with a kick, but again the bird is too quick for him and easily evades the attack



source: dailymail

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Meet the new Knut: Zoo crowds wowed by tragic polar bear’s sister who (whisper it) could be even cuter

By ALLAN HALL


Cute as a button: Polar bear cub Anori explores her open-air enclosure at Wuppertal Zoo in Germany

The half-sister of late celebrity polar bear Knut made her debut in Germany this week - and she may have even more star quality than him.
Anori has the same father but a different mother to the troubled Knut who collapsed and died from a brain tumour aged just four a year ago.
Unlike Knut, she was not abandoned at birth by her mother but appeared in public with her at Wuppertal Zoo.
Anori was born on January 4 to Knut's dad Lars and his new mate Vilma. She ventured forth to the adoration of the camera clicking crowds on Thursday.
She frolicked, she tumbled, she made spectators gasp with delight and zoo director Ulrich Schürer said; 'It all went really well.'
But he aims to protect Anori from the kind of frenzy that consumed Knut and turned him into a publicity addict who was only happy when he was performing.
According to zoo officials, Anori opened her eyes one month after the birth, and took her first steps after two months.


Little adventurer: Anori is dwarfed by a log as she struggles to clamber over it

Playtime: Anori frolics with her mother. The little bear was born January 4 and left the birth cave for the first time today

Relentless energy: Vilma looks like she's having difficulty keeping up with her lively young cub

Eskimo kiss! Anori gives Vilma a peck on the snout


Where you going? Vilma casts a protective eye over her daughter as the little one uses her mother's body as an infant assault course

Sleepy time: Anori cuddles up to Vilma - who looks as exhausted as any new mum

On Thursday she could already be seen clambering carefully over small logs, of course always under the watchful eyes of her mother.
Anori was one of two cubs born in the litter, but the second one died a week later.
But while the crowds enjoyed the bear's confident show, Mr Schürer warned that the threats to the species must not be forgotten.

Sniffing her way: Little Anori inspects a rock

Peek-a-boo! Little Anori plays on a log as her mother looks on

Learning about the world: Anori reaches out and touches a tree branch. Right, she sits beneath her mother's powerful frame


Rest in peace: Anoria's late half-brother Knut, pictured left as a cub in 2007 and, right, aged three in 2010. Rejected by his mother at birth, Knut was raised by a handler at Berlin Zoo, Germany, and thanks to his super-cute looks became a worldwide sensation. He sadly passed away from a brain tumour last year, aged just four

'I hope that the people who will see it, will also remember that polar bears are an endangered species,' he said.
'If global warming continues, then there soon won't be any more polar bears because their livelihood will be destroyed.'
Anori won't be markted like Knut - he brought in six million pounds for Berlin Zoo - and her exposure to the public will be limited during her formative months.

source: dailymail

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Hands off my banana! Grumpy gorilla mum finds favourite fruit too irresistible to share with baby son

Out of reach: Kituba tries to get his hands on the banana, but mum Lena shows him who's boss

The pair are residents of Dublin Zoo's Gorilla Rainforest, a £2.5million development consisting of 12,000 square meters of undulating forest that is the perfect habitat for the zoo's breeding troop of western lowland gorillas.
He may be one of Ireland's most famous residents, and he might be about to celebrate his first birthday - but that doesn't mean Kituba the baby gorilla always gets his way.
As these pictures from Dublin Zoo show, the infant was left frustrated after he tried to grab a banana from his mother Lena - who made sure she got to enjoy the snack herself.
The stern mother was obviously in no mood for any monkey business and even struck a threatening pose for the cameras after devouring the treat.

Mother knows best: Gorillas are known to be protective of their young - and clearly Lena is no exception

Tomorrow the zoo will kick off a weekend of celebrations to mark Kituba's first birthday, when the rainforest will be transformed into a funfair filled with family activities.
Kituba was born on March 30 last year weighing just 1.81kg. Keepers were initially unable to tell whether he was male or female because Lena was so protective of the infant. The birth was heralded as 'a great success for the European breeding programme for these critically endangered primates'.


Birthday boy is taken for a ride: Kituba gets a lift from his mother

source: dailymail

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Must have been an omen: Mysterious black fox is KILLED by car just days after being spotted in countryside

-John Moore from Bassingbourn, near Royston, Herts, saw the creature, with its distinctive white-tipped tail, in fields behind his house on Monday
-But just a few days later, the fox - seen as an omen of bad luck - is dead after being hit by car
-Only one other black fox has been spotted in Britain before in Preston

By JO RILEY

Untimely end: The rare black fox lays dead after it was knocked down by a car on a busy road in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire

The second black fox to ever be spotted in Britain has died today, just days after it was spotted by an amateur photographer.
The rare creature was killed after it was hit by a car on a busy road in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, near to where it was first seen by John Moore, 58, on Monday.
Members of the public stopped to see if they could help to save the injured animal after they recognised it from being in the papers, but it was already dead.
According to legend, the black fox is an omen of bad luck, but on this occasion it seems it was the animal whose luck ran out.

Killed: The black fox, with its distinctive white-tipped tail, runs through a field close to the village

'It’s really sad that it has happened, especially as it so rare,' said Mr Moore, from Bassingbourn.
'I’m so pleased I saw it when I did and got the pictures when I did.
'Now I have seen the fox close up there is no doubt it was a black fox and it was a female.
'I think I may have seen a second black fox but I’m not sure if it was a cub or the male. I’m hoping it wasn’t a cub as I’m not sure it would survive if the mother is dead.'

Bad omen? The accident happened on a busy road in Bassingbourn just four days after the fox was first spotted

Gary Sanderson, communications manager at the East of England Ambulance Service, said he was flagged down by motorists who had stopped to help the fox.
'After they flagged me down it was evident there was nothing anyone could do and the fox had sadly died.
'I must admit this was the first time I have seen a black fox and it’s a shame it has died.'
The accident happened between 9am and 10am this morning on the Old North Road between Royston and Bassingbourn in Hertfordshire.
According to legend, a black fox brings doom and disaster to anyone who sees it.
Mr Moore first saw the creature, with its distinctive white-tipped tail, in fields behind his house on Monday.

Unusual: The black fox is so rare - with the colouring caused by a defect gene - that there are only a handful of the breed left in the country

'I’ve heard black foxes are mythical creatures because they supposedly don’t exist,' he said at the time.
'My neighbour thought it was a stray dog but I looked through my binoculars and realised it was definitely a fox, especially because of its white-tipped tail.
'I didn’t realise how rare it was until I did some research. An RSPCA officer told my neighbour the organisation had never seen one before as they are that rare.
'In Gaelic tradition, black foxes are bringers of bad luck and rural communities used to tell of a fox as "black as night, so that it could live in a man" shadow and never be seen.'

Lucky: John Moore from Bassingbourne in Cambridgeshire

The black fox is in fact an ordinary red fox which has black fur or is going through a phase where the colour of its fur is particularly dark.
The phenomenon is normally seen in growing cubs and generally the fox will develop to have a dark chestnut coat.
But a few red foxes will remain black due to a rare genetic flaw dating back hundreds of years. Only a handful of them are thought to exist in Britain.
In North America, foxes with black coats are often found with a variable amount of white or white-banded hair in the dark coat.
Centuries-old superstitions are often found attached to black animals, such as black dogs and black cats.

Unwelcome sight: In medieval times, the black fox was considered a bad omen by superstitious villagers

The red fox was introduced to America by the peans and black foxes exist in much greater numbers there because they were not hunted as widely.
In the UK their pelts were highly prized in the fur trade and it is believed the genetic strain became much scarcer.
Only one other black fox has been spotted in Britain before in Preston, Lancashire in 2008.

Colouring: The black fox is in fact an ordinary red fox which has black fur or is going through a phase where the colour of its fur is particularly dark

Omen: Only one other black fox has been spotted in Britain before in Preston, Lancashire in 2008 in a graveyard - but it was found dead weeks later

source: dailymail

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I've got four legs... and an udder two! Lilli the six-limbed cow defies the odds to join her pals on Alpine pastures

By JILL REILLY

Fighting fit: Lilli, has defied the odds by thriving despite a vet's prediction at birth that she wouldn't survive

Being born with two extra legs may not the best start in life for a cow, but Lilii, the six-legged calf, refuses to be cowed into hiding away because of her disability.
The plucky seven-week-old has defied the odds by thriving despite a vet's prediction at birth that it wouldn't survive.
She has now gone on to become a minor celebrity after Swiss media splashed with images of the calf frolicking across a sunny field.

Lucky: Farmer Andreas Knutti said he couldn't bring himself to euthanize the animal because she was 'so full of life'

Farmer Andreas Knutti from Weissenburg, which 19 miles (30 kilometres) south of the capital Bern, says he couldn't bring himself to euthanize the animal because she was 'so full of life.'
He told Swiss daily Blick Thursday that a curve in her spine means Lilli may never become a normal milk cow.
But Knutti says if the calf stays healthy she'll still be allowed to join the others when they head for their Alpine pastures this summer.

Connection: Farmer Andreas Knutti, and his daughter Semira, have taken a shine to the six-limbed animal and he says if the calf stays healthy she'll still be allowed to join the others when they head for their Alpine pastures this summer

Mutations are not as rare as thought and a three-legged cat and two-headed lamb were born in Georgia earlier this year.
In January, a piebald lamb, which has four legs at the front and two hind legs, was born in Velistsikhe, Georgia.
Unlike Lilli, it appears to have at least partial control of every limb on its body.
According to vet Auto Zardiashvili, the mutation may be due to issues at conception.

Future: The farmer said that a curve in her spine means Lilli may never become a normal milk cow

'Most probably there were twins, but then the embryos were united, and we've got a strange lamb,' Mr Zardiashvili said.
In 2006, a lamb with six legs, four at the front and two at the back, was born on a farm in Belgium.
And in August 2010, a two-legged lamb was born in China.
The lamb was to be killed but it is reported that when the farmer saw the lamb's determination to live, she dropped the idea and kept him as a pet.

Survival: It seems Lilli's zest for life saved her from certain death - in August 2010, a two-legged lamb was born in China. The lamb was to be killed but it is reported that when the farmer saw the lamb's determination to live, she kept him as a pet

source: dailymail

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Oi, hands off our fish! Cheeky heron flies in as penguins enjoy new Olympic diving pool

By ROSIE TAYLOR

Walking the plank: A heron eats a fish on the diving board whilst a penguin gazes up from the pool

There may still be 120 days until the start of the London 2012 Olympics but it seems as though the diving competition has already begun for these keen swimmers.
Leaping head-first from a diving board, a colony of penguins at London Zoo had to fend off an eager heron as they leapt from the newly-installed board for the first time.
While others seemed unsure of what to do with their new toy, one penguin braved the bird, and after waddling along the board, peered off the end curiously before taking the plunge.

Jump around: The heron and the penguin both take a plunge off the Olympics-themed diving board

Nose dive: A Humboldt Penguin jumps into the water as two of its companions ready themselves

The diving board has been installed at Penguin Beach, which houses 64 birds, to celebrate the zoo being awarded the 2012 logo for the summer’s Animal Athletes programme.
Twice-daily penguin shows are one of the zoo’s most popular attractions, and keepers are hoping the diving board will draw more visitors eager to watch the birds show off their impressive moves.

Eyes wide open: A penguin swims under and is closely followed by two others , part of the 64-strong colony at London Zoo

Head Bird keeper, Adrian Walls said: ‘Penguins love nothing more than to show off their diving skills and I think they’ll love having their very own diving board.’
The London 2012 Inspire programme, run by the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), enables non-commercial organisations across the UK to link their activities with the Olympic and Paralympic Games.


Three's a company: A diving penguin and heron are watched by a seagull, left, and right, a penguin emerges from the water with three more submerged under

source: dailymail

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Welcome, home soldier! Chuck the boxer dog goes crazy when he sees his master return after eight months away at war… AGAIN

By HANNAH RAND


Doggone devoted: Lovable Chuck waits to see his master, Nick, after a long, eight month absence

Chuck the boxer is fast becoming an internet star after the second video of him ecstatically greeting his soldier owner becomes a YouTube hit.
With nearly 1,600,000 views since it was posted on March 22, the big brown and white hound seems to sum up how we'd all like to receive a loved one.
The video begins with the loveable pup in the trunk of a SUV.
The vehicle's license plate begins with BB, indicating that the location is near Böblingen - a German town near the European headquarters for the Marine Corps.
With the words, 'Daddy's home!', from the returning soldier's wife, Katie, Chuck suddenly realises what's happening and with lightning speed jumps out the trunk and runs over to his master, Nick.

Jump for joy: Chuck leaps out of the car trunk and makes a dash towards the sound of the soldier's voice

After that we get an eye-misting 59 seconds of the dog's uninhibited joy at seeing his pack leader home again after a military deployment.
'It's been a long eight months,' says Katie.
At one point the boxer lives up to his name and gets so excited he knocks off Nick's sunglasses.

Happy hound: Chuck bounds into the arms of his master, licking and barking, unable to contain his joy

Pooch smooch: The soldier's wife, Katie, exclaims 'He's getting a longer welcome than I did!'

Nick has to constantly fix his cap too, least it is lost amidst the canine excitement.
Jealous of the attention the dog is getting, the soldier's wife jokingly exclaims, 'He's getting a longer welcome than I did.'
But who could blame Nick for spending some quality time playing when his devoted dog is just so happy to see him?
And this is not the first time Chuck has become a viral video hit.

Boxer by nature: At one point the dog gets so worked up he knocks off the soldier's sunglasses

Hat's off: And the soldier has to constantly readjust his cap too, least he loses it in the excitement

Last year, he became famous for Nick's first welcome home in February 2011.
In that YouTube video, we see a younger, slimmer Chuck skidding all over a wooden floor and greeting his master at the couple's home.
And just when you thought that your heart's strings couldn't be stretched any further, there's a video of the adorable pooch playing with the couple's daughter, Sydney, in January 2011, when the little girl was just five months old.
Watch Chuck greet his master for the second time:







source: dailymail

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Home sweet home! Building work starts on a new jungle house in Borneo for rescued orangutan Mely and her pals

-Mely was snatched from her mother 16 years ago and shackled in chains until her rescue in 2009
-Now the home that will be Mely's until the day she dies is taking shape and will be ready for her to move into later this year

By ALLAN HALL


Resting: Mely sleeps soundly in her hammock at the Internatinonal Animal Rescue centre in Ketapang Borneo. When she was rescued Mely was lightly sedated so that the cruel padlock and chain from her neck could be removed

This is the house that compassion is building - a sanctuary for an Mely, the orangutan, who has endured year of abuse until her rescue in 2009.
After her plight was made public, thousands of pounds were donated by Mail readers to help the stricken animal.
One animal lover even donated a massive £500,000 gift which ensured that Mely will never again know want, fear or suffering.
The anonymous donor sent the money to British wildlife charity International Animal Rescue earlier this year after we highlighted her plight in the jungles of far off Borneo.
Now the rythmm of the jungle rocks to a new beat - digging, hammering, sawing and planing as the wooden home that will protect her and her pals is finished.

Hopeful: The home that will be Mely's until the day she dies is taking shape and - extra funds permitting - will be ready for her to move into later this year

Mely was snatched from her mother 16 years ago, shackled in chains, tethered on to a tiny verandah as a pet.
She had endured seeing her mother shot and her carcass left to rot by a fisherman who wanted to keep her as a trophy pet.
Traumatised and alone, the special bonding that creatures like her need was denied her.
Instead she was an outcast, fed on raw noodles and chilli powder which left her undernourished and unhealthy.
In the wild a diet rich in fruit and fibres would have grown limbs that would have propelled her Tarzan-like through the canopy of rainforest trees that form her natural habitat.

New pad: This is the house that the compassion is building - a sanctuary for Mely, an orangutan rescued by the generosity of Daily Mail readers who now will live in comfort with her pals

The money was used on transport - boat, plane and lorry - to get Mely from her captivity to her new home.
Help finally came for Mely on Friday 22 October 2010 when the IAR rescue team swung into action.
Armed with the official licence to confiscate her and accompanied by members of the local police department who are required to be in attendance whenever a captive orangutan is seized, she was free at last.

Safety: Eventually Mely, who was snatched from her mother 16 days ago and kept as a pet, will be able to spend her days playing in safety in her new home

Karmele Llano Sanchez, Veterinary Director of IAR in Indonesia, said: 'Having waited months for the go ahead to rescue her we received the call telling us that it was all systems go.
There was very little time to plan or prepare. We knew Mely's owner had been trying to sell her and we were terrified of arriving to find that she had vanished – along with the chance to save her.
Thankfully she was still there and her owner handed her over without argument.
'When the rescue team arrived it was clear that Mely was bewildered and frightened by all the upheaval. No one could find the key to unlock the heavy padlock around her neck and so she was led into the transport crate still wearing the chain. It was eventually removed hours later at IAR's rescue centre in Ketapang, West Kalimantan.'

Caring: 'Mely had never seen another orangutan since she lost her mother, so it took some time and patience to get her through this stage of her rehabilitation,' said the IAR

Their numbers have plummeted because their rainforest home is being destroyed so trees can be planted as part of the lucrative palm oil industry.
But for Mely, at least, the nightmare is over.
Soon she will be romping on rope bridges, relaxing on tree-top high platforms and snoozing in hammocks in a safety zone where no-one can ever abuse her again.
A spokeswoman for IAR said; 'What a wonderful gesture for a Daily Mail reader to make. Mely clearly touched the hearts of all. Much more work does need to be done to help these beautiful creatures, but for Mely the future is looking bright indeed.'

You look like me: Mely (right) meets Nicky another orphaned orangutan - it was is the first time Mely has met another orangutan since her mother shot dead 15 years ago

Swinging fun: IAR officials could barely hold back their tears when they saw the duo embrace for the first time

Chained up: Mely was fed on raw noodles and chilli powder which left her undernourished and unhealthy - her arms and legs could barely support her when International Animal Rescue officials rescued her in 2009

Desperate: Her rescuer said 'No one could find the key to unlock the heavy padlock around her neck and so she was led into the transport crate still wearing the chain. It was eventually removed hours later.'

source: dailymail

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