The microscopic Advent Calender: Scientist discovers 'the 12 plankton of Christmas'

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

He was compiling his best selling book Ocean Drifters when he noticed that there was a seasonal theme beneath the waves.


They would certainly make an interesting addition to any Christmas tree.

A top scientist who studies microscopic creatures that live in the sea has discovered the '12 plankton of Christmas'.

Dr Richard Kirby was struck by the number of the tiny life forms that had a festive appearance.

His photographs of the plankton are popular across the world and now he has picked his favourite festive dozen.

They include angels, bells, candles, baubles, snowflakes and one that looks like a Christmas tree.

The stunning photos taken through a microscope reveal a world that is unknown to most despite the importance of the micro marvels to the world's ecology.

His recently released coffee table book that includes dozens of pictures is already on its second print and is becoming a Christmas hit.




And in the season of good will, the one wise man has put aside his usual academic rigor to give to the world these 12 festive plankton pictures.

They are: a Christmas tree, five gold rings, Santa's hat, a candle, snowflakes, bells, baubles, angels, a Christmas lantern, a star, three wise men, and fireworks.
Dr Kirby is a Royal Society University Research Fellow and scientist at the University of Plymouth.

He said: 'I was looking through the photographs of plankton and some reminded me of Christmas.

'The variety is incredible and if you look at them with a festive eye you can see all sorts of things.

'Many people have remarked how certain plankton remind them of other things, so I've picked out the '12 plankton of Christmas'.

'The importance of these micro marvels in the sea can't be underestimated.

'Their importance on a global scale is obvious when you realize that 50 per cent of the world's photosynthesis takes place in the surface of the sea, drawing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the oceans and releasing oxygen.'




He added: 'Starting with the phytoplankton, plant-like cells mostly smaller than the diameter of a human hair, and the tiny animals that eat them called the zooplankton, these creatures underpin the whole marine food chain.

'The phytoplankton still found in the sea today were the first of the more complex life-forms to evolve on planet earth thousands of millions of years ago.

'Without the plankton food web there would be no fish in the sea or seabirds in the skies above. 'The largest mammals on earth, the baleen whales, even rely upon these smallest of sea creatures for their food.

'Most people are unaware of their presence, but if you have been swimming in the sea you will have almost certainly have swallowed them.


No 11: Three wise men (Spider crab larva - Maja sqinado)



No12: Fireworks (Protozoan Acantharea) round off the festive countdown


Plankton that give the sea its distinctive smell referred to as the 'sea air' because certain phytoplankton give off aromatic chemicals when they die.
They are even responsible for forming clouds because the same chemicals when in the atmosphere cause water droplets to form around them.

Dr Kirkby said: 'Striking features of our landscape such as the White Cliffs of Dover and the Seven Sisters of the South Downs are made of the remains of plankton cells called coccolithophores that sank to the seabed during the Cretaceous period of Earth's history between 145-65 million years ago.

'With sea temperatures rising as a result of a warming climate, the numbers and distribution of the plankton are changing with ramifications for the whole marine food chain, and the ecology of our planet.

'Your car is also fuelled by their remains and over millions of years they created some of the most enigmatic features of our coastline.

'When you turn on the oven to cook the Christmas turkey, the gas comes from plankton that sank to the seafloor over hundreds of millions of years of earth's history.

'So when you drive your car to the festive family gathering it is all thanks to the processed plankton that fuel it.'

The book, Ocean Drifters - a secret world beneath the waves - is published by Studio Cactus Ltd and priced at £14.99.

source: dailymail

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It's showtime! The dancing praying mantis and his insect friends as you've never seen them before

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

It's showtime: A large African praying mantis shows he's not shy as he displays for the camera


Looking like a Broadway diva with its arms waving in the air, this praying mantis is certainly not shy of the camera.

The remarkable pose is one of a number of pictures that show mantids and other insects from a unique perspective as they are captured in extreme close-up.

Biochemist and photographer Igor Siwanowicz has spent the last seven years carefully acquiring, breeding and capturing bizarre and visually stunning images of his alien subjects.

Taken in a home studio in Munich, Germany, Mr Siwanowicz studies the habits and physiology of these compelling creatures, which gives him the edge when it comes to producing thought-provoking imagery.


A large African species of a praying mantis appear to gossip in the studio in Munich, Germany


Stag beetles grapple with one another as they fight



A giant green pill millipede curls up in a ball while having its picture taken
One shot shows two male praying mantis as they show off their dazzling displays of brightly coloured wings, which are usually deployed to scare away predators.


Biochemist and photographer Igor Siwanowicz photographing insects


In a second quirky picture two large African praying mantis who both appear to be casually gossiping to each other. According to Igor the clever mantis do seem to communicate through gesturing to each other.

'I have always been fascinated by insects even from childhood,' explained the 34-year-old Polish national.

'You could say that I am sort of a public relations representative in service of creepy-crawlies.

'I think mantids are totally slick and sexy, and have style. I take weird and bizarre as positive adjectives in creative medium.

'My favourite models are praying mantids and other insects like reptiles and amphibians usually meet fit the bill.'

Apart from the standard challenges presented by close up and macro photography in the form of camera shake, operating with a limited depth of field and ensuring enough light is available, Igor must also contend with is the temperament of his subjects.

'Animals are very unpredictable and uncooperative, and there is almost no way to force them into collaboration,' he said.

'One can use tricks though - moths and butterflies are very docile freshly after hatching. 'Most otherwise fidgety insects can be approached early in the morning, when the temperature is low and their metabolism hasn't kicked in yet.'

Igor cites his main influence as the works of the designer of the monster from the Alien films, HR Giger who was obsessed with the paradox of turning the human form into an alien one.

He has decided to release a book in the near future devoted entirely to praying mantids.


A crested gecko and a Brahmin moth-caterpillar look like creatures from a horror film


An African species of Flower Praying Mantis, left and a large species of a praying mantis display their finery


Like a bizarre species of butterfly a pair of a large praying mantids show their colours


Red-eyed tree frogs display their agility as they clamber up vines in the photographer's home


source: dailymail

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The lady in the frozen lake: Moment dog owner falls through ice trying to rescue panicking Labrador

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Unwise: The woman lies on the ice as she tries to rescue the dog


This is the dramatic moment that a dog owner had to be rescued from a frozen river after plunging through broken ice while trying to rescue her panicked Labrador.

The dog became distressed when it fell through ice on the River Ribble at Brungerley Bridge, Clitheroe, just before midday on Sunday.

Ignoring the advice of bystanders, the woman lay down on her front and was edging towards the dog when she too fell through the ice.


Rescue: The man throws a dog's lead to the stricken woman and pulls her to safety


The woman was rescued by her male companion who threw her a dog's lead and dragged her to safety.

The dog wandered off after the incident, seemingly unaware of the situation he had caused.

The pictures were taken by council worker Alice Woods, 25, who was walking with friends on the riverbank as the drama unfolded, and called the fire service to help with the rescue.

'I honestly thought I was watching someone going to die,' said Miss Wood.
'It was a scene of panic.

'The dog fell in through a thin piece of ice and was really struggling and whimpering. It was quite horrible to see it like that.


Happy ending: As the woman clambers to safety the dog wanders off, seemingly unperturbed


'We were all shouting for her not to go after the dog, but she didn’t listen and lay on her front, edging her way closer to the dog.

'Then, as expected, the ice gave way under her and she went straight under water.
'Straight away she stopped going after the dog and started to try to get herself out, but the ice kept breaking as she tried to pull herself out.

'Eventually the man she was with threw her the dog’s lead and pulled her out.

'This area of river always freezes over and I have seen many people walking on it.
'This could have been much, much worse. The woman could have died.

'It’s very dangerous, even if the ice is quite thick, because you never know how it will hold out.'

Last month in Lancaster Philip Smith, 49,a father-of-two, died after falling the River Lune trying to rescue his cocker spaniel Harry.

A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said the woman was wrong to try and rescue the dog, saying: 'If a dog ends up in the water, then however hard it may be, do not go onto the ice as you will be putting your life at risk as well as the dog.'


source: dailymail

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Incredible salamander enzyme that could one day let humans regrow organs and limbs

By ALLAN HALL

The axolotl salamander is able to regrow its limbs and even damaged organs. But it loses its ability to regenerate as it grows older


Amputees could regenerate limbs and organs thanks to scientists who have come close to discovering how salamanders grow back lost legs and damaged organs.

Axolotl salamanders are now going under the knife - while anaesthetised - in experiments at the Hanover Medical School in Germany.

The hope is one day for their genes to be transplanted to people who lose limbs and organs only to see them re-grow.

'Coagulation sets in instantly,' scientist Björn Menger told Germany‘s Spiegel magazine this week. 'You can almost watch the healing process happening.'

They can even grow back sections of their brains and spinal columns, raising hopes that disabled people might one day be able to walk if such feats can be copied.

Ambystoma mexicanum is almost extinct in Mexico due to diminishing habitats and human hunting - they are regarded as a delicacy in much the way the French like frogs legs.

Scientists experimenting on a batch of them in Hanover notice that after a limb has been amputated a layer of skin cells forms from the cells at the spot of the incision.

Scar tissue forms underneath and new tissue begin to grow, such as blood vessels, muscles, sinews, bones and nerves. The researchers are homing in on a particular enzyme called amblox which makes the axolotl unique in the animal kingdom.

The grail is to create amblox artificially. Initial tests on human skin cells have been encouraging; wounds do heal faster, skin grows back at an accelerated pace. But a breakthrough in terms of regenerating limbs and organs is a long way off.

All animals can regenerate to some degree. A human fingertip can sometimes grow back and cuts often heal with minimal scarring.

In salamanders, the blood vessels contract quickly and limit bleeding when a limb is cut. Skin cells quickly cover the wound and form what is called a blastema.

Researchers thought these cells must be pluripotent stem cells -- the body's master cells, which retain the ability to start growing into any kind of cell in the body.

These cells are found in days-old embryos, but quickly differentiate -- becoming the various cell types from muscle to nerve to skin or blood.

The Hanover research centre also acts to save the axolotl as a species.

After experimentation on an individual, it is allowed to live out its life in peace - with its new limbs back in place.

source: dailymail

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The zoo in Muenster, Germany

A great gray owl screws his head at the zoo in Muenster, Germany, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. Winter has arrived in Germany with ice and snow all over the country. Weather forecast predicts changing temperatures with freezing rain and dangerous icing.



A Brown Capuchin licks snow at the zoo in Muenster, Germany, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. Winter has arrived in Germany with ice and snow all over the country. Weather forecast predicts changing temperatures with freezing rain and dangerous icing.


source: Daylife
photo: AP photo

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There's a hippo in my back garden: Two-tonne Nikica makes a break from his pen after flooding hits zoo

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Nikica the hippo has escaped its pen before during a flood


You may expect to see birds, bees and even the odd fox in your garden.

However, the gigantic bulk of a two-tonne wallowing hippopotamus would probably come as something of a shock.

Fortunately, residents in Plavnica, in Montenegro are used to Nikica, who regularly goes AWOL from his pen at the town's zoo.


Nikica is the only hippopotamus in Montenegro


'He sometimes escapes his habitat when the water levels rise and this is not unusual,' zoo co-owner Nikola Pejovic said in January when the beast made a similar getaway from a private zoo in Plavnica.

Nikica, 12, was photographed swimming by houses four kilometres away from his own home.

The flooding situation in Montenegro was fairly serious over the weekend in the Lake Skadar region, at the border with Albania, where the zoo is located.

More than 1,000 soldiers were called to help the locals with the rising water. But the soldiers have nothing to worry about with the friendly hippo.

'Locals are completely used to him,' Pejovic said of Nikica, who is described as 'extremely tame and peaceful'.

'He would not be able to return to his flooded pen as long as the waters in the lake are so high,' he said during the January flooding.

Nikica, Montenegro's only hippo, has been living in the zoo for a decade.


The 12-year-old, 2-ton hippopotamus is an unofficial local mascot


The 12-year old has been living in the local zoo for ten years

source: dailymail

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The deer who did a real-life Bambi after getting stuck on frozen pond

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Oh deer! The doe with her back legs splaying and front ones bent on a frozen pond in Fareham, Hampshire


Looking like the cartoon Bambi, this deer struggles to get back on her feet after slipping on the ice.

But unlike in the classic Disney film, it was the fire brigade rather than best chum Thumper the rabbit who had to come to the rescue.

Concerned motorists dialled 999 after spotting the doe which had become trapped after venturing out onto the 45ft wide pond in Fareham, Hampshire.

She was seen with her back legs splaying while her front legs bent and buckled.
Animal Rescue specialist Buster Brown raced to the frozen scene along with fire crews and an RSPCA inspector to free the fallow deer.’

‘The deer appeared to have exhausted itself whilst trying to escape from the ice and was stuck in the middle of the pond on the ice.’

Using the same techniques that would be used to free a human caught in the same situation, two ice rescue paths were inflated and pushed out towards the dear by four firefighters wearing immersion suits and flotation devices.



Safe: An RSPCA worker holds the deer who was rescued by firefighters after being spotted by motorists


Mr Brown and two crew members the edged their way carefully towards the animal along the paths.

Mr Brown was then able to use a crook to grasp the deer's neck and placed a towel over the animal's head to stop it from panicking before carefully helping the creature back to the safety of dry land.


Cartoon: Bambi and Thumper on ice in the 1942 film


The deer was then passed to the RSPCA inspector and taken to a small barn close to the pond so it could warm up.

However, the sub-zero temperatures meant that the deer had eventually to be taken to the nearest RSPCA centre for observations.

Once it has fully recovered from its ordeal it will be released back into the wild.

Mr Brown said: ‘The animal was rescued using the same techniques that Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service would use to rescue people who might become trapped on ice, and this rescue provided an excellent opportunity for crews to utilise and practice the procedures.’

The fire brigade has reminded the public that they should not venture onto any ice covered water to rescue a trapped animal as they would place themselves in great danger.

Instead people should call the fire service who have the correct equipment to rescue both people and animals safely.

Now watch a video of the cartoon Bambi on the ice...




source: dailymail

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Stay out of the water! Warning to British tourists after shark attack horror

By VANESSA ALLEN

Predator: This BBC image shows what authorities believe is the actual shark involved in at least one of the attacks at Sharm el-Sheikh. The shark has a chunk missing from its fin


British holiday firms have cancelled diving and other water sports around the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh after a horrific series of shark attacks, which killed one and left others seriously injured.

The Foreign Office also issued a safety warning for British holidaymakers.

But even though the killer shark is almost certainly still at large, Egyptian officials are due to allow some scuba diving to resume from today, and the country’s tourism minister insisted that divers were ‘100 per cent secure’.


Warning: This file image taken during a dive tour in Sharm el-Sheikh shows a female swimmer relaxing in the water - seemingly unaware that an Oceanic white tip shark is swimming near by. Tourists have been advised to avoid cheap dive tour operators after violent shark attacks at the popular resort


Oblivious or uncaring? Some holiday-goers ignored signs warning of the dangers of swimming in the sea


Holidaymakers have questioned whether the assurances are based on fact, or simply the authorities’ desperation to prop up peak season tourism.

A British couple who saw the fatal attack on a 70-year-old woman on Saturday said they were assured the water was safe only moments before the shark struck.

Ellen Barnes, 31, who was snorkelling only 100 yards away, described scenes with terrifying echoes of the film Jaws. She said: ‘I looked behind me and there was a woman thrashing about and screaming for help. The water was full of blood. It was horrific.


Keeping a lookout: A tourist gazes out as a motorboat patrols the shoreline. British companies have suspended all excursions in the wake of the attacks this week, one of which was fatal


‘The shark kept coming up and taking bites out of her and then coming back for more, for another bite.’

The mother of two from Horsham, West Sussex, said lifeguards on the beach were ‘useless and petrified’.

Her partner Gary Light, 32, shouted to the lifeguards to get swimmers out of the water, but said they failed to react.


Laid out: An oceanic whitetip and a mako shark were caught by fishermen after four tourists were injured in two separate attacks last week


He said: ‘I could see the shark taking bites and going back and attacking this woman.

‘I was trying to get Ellen and everyone else out of the sea. It was ghastly, horrible, like something out of a horror film.’

The German pensioner was mauled to death as she snorkelled in relatively shallow waters around the resort, which is famed for its scuba diving sites.

She died just a day after Egyptian authorities lifted a 48-hour ban prompted by four other savage shark attacks last week. One victim lost a hand and another lost a leg.
Mrs Barnes criticised authorities for assuring tourists that the sea was safe.

‘We were kept very much in the dark about it and we were all promised that the sea was safe,’ she said.

‘We were told that the sharks would not come over the coral as it would scratch their bellies so that’s why I was out there snorkelling. It is a big shock.

‘The worst thing is that the lifeguards promised there were no more sharks in the sea.
‘I think it is such a shame that the Egyptian government felt confident enough to send out faxes to all the hotels to say it was safe when obviously it was not.’


Terror: Tourists at the Egyptian resort had been told it was safe to go back into the water



The attacks have been blamed on a ‘rogue’ oceanic whitetip shark. Experts say it is extremely unusual for a single shark to carry out multiple attacks on humans.

Egyptian authorities are desperate to identify and kill the shark to reassure tourists, who are vital to the country’s economy.

Two sharks, a whitetip and a mako, were caught and killed last week, despite conservation experts warning that they did not resemble photographs taken of the predator following the second attack. These photos show a whitetip with a distinctive chunk missing from its dorsal fin.

Egypt has now paid for three international experts to fly to the resort to investigate.

Lifeguards have been ordered to stop people swimming in the area, but some scuba diving is due to be allowed again from today.

Tourism minister Zuhair Garana said: ‘Diving is being allowed. We are advised that sharks will not attack divers. One of the main reasons for people coming here is to dive and to see sharks.

‘I cannot say that deep waters are completely secure but shallow waters are 100 per cent secure.’

The attacks have prompted speculation about what could have caused the whitetip’s savage behaviour.

Possible triggers are overfishing,driving the sharks into shallower water to search for food, or tourists feeding the predator, causing it to associate humans with food.

Other theories include livestock carcases being dumped into the water after the Muslim festival of Eid last month.


source: dailymail

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Gone with the wind: Mother duck looks on as her ten ducklings are swept away by powerful gust

By SARAH FITZMAURICE

Unaware: The 10 ducklings follow mum not knowing what danger is lurking around the corner


Watching her ducklings fly into the air should have been a proud moment for mother.
But it wasn't out of choice that the young bird took flight.

These 10 ducklings were blown into the air- by a gust of wind.

Ouch! The ducklings are blown away in all directions while mum looks on



Blown away: Even mum had trouble staying on her feet and was blown over by the wind


The sheer force of the wind sent the baby ducklings hurtling in all directions and even mum lost the struggle to stay on her feet.

The brood were following mother through Woodbine racecourse outside Toronto when the blustery conditions took hold.

Unaware of what was about to happen the group made their way in a uniform line before disaster struck.

A gust of wind sent the young ducks flying into the air and the group was sent flying through the air.

Even the mother had trouble and was blown over rolling around unable to help her young ones.

Luckily it all ended as quickly as it had started and the group hurriedly filed back into line.



source: dailymail

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Nobody loves Alfie! Britain's most rejected dog searching for a home after being abandoned by FOUR families

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Alfie: The greyhound and Labrador cross has been abandoned by four families


Every puppy found in a pound has had a bad start in life but the saddest dog story in Britain might just belong to Alfie.

The 20-week old greyhound Labrador cross was abandoned by four families before ending up in the doghouse.

But worse still, staff at Happy Endings Rescue Sanctuary in Hailsham, East Sussex, have discovered the pup has a fatal liver condition.

However, in the season of goodwill the big-hearted animal lovers are aiming to live up to the name of their charity by appealing for help to raise £3,500 to pay for an operation to save Alfie's life.

Chris Johns, co-founder of Happy Endings, said: 'We took him from a woman in Dartford who said she was moving and couldn't keep him.

'He has had four homes already and we are his fifth, he's only five months old.
'It was quickly apparent that he was not well and we contacted his previous owner to let her know.

'It was only then she admitted that he had been ill when she had him and she had lied about moving to get us to take him in.

'It probably explains why he has had so many homes before, people didn't want to spend any money on him finding out what was wrong so just passed him on.'

All dogs re-homed through Happy Endings are given a medical check-over and staff soon realised the pup was poorly.

'He turned up totally bewildered and was very needy,' said Mr Johns.

'Initially we thought it was because he had been let down by so many people abandoning him and passing him from pillar to post.

'He didn't seem to have an appetite and only ate a very tiny amount, often being sick so we asked the vet to run some extra tests on him.'

Alfie was examined by a vet and a ultrasound scan revealed a rare condition called a liver shunt - a problem with his circulation system where blood in a vein that passes through or round the liver does not get the toxins cleaned.

Instead the pup's body is being flooded with toxic waste such as ammonia which causes his sickness and can also lead to diarrheoa, fits, brain damage and neurological problems.

The severe condition can only be cured with surgery but the small sanctuary, which is self-funded by the founders, cannot afford the £3,500 bill.

Terry Kemp, a veterinary nurse and co-founder of Happy Endings, added: 'I've only known three or four cases in my 11-years nursing.

'Alfie had some blood test and was referred to a specialist where he had an ultrasound scan.

'The specialist has been fantastic but the operation could cost up to £3,500.
'Since he went to the vets he has been really playful, he's been eating much more and normal and it would be really good to give him the chance.

'Without the operation things are very bleak for him.'

Mr Johns added: 'There are two options. He can have the operation or we have to put him to sleep, it's absolutely heartbreaking.

'There is no way we can afford £3,500, we simply haven't got it.
'Alfie is a lovely dog, he's got a such a sweet nature.

'He's had such a terrible start in life but if we can get him the operation and all goes well we could find him a home for the rest of his life.'

The sanctuary, which also has a base in Knockholt, near Sevenoaks in Kent, has been flooded with an influx of abandoned cats, dogs, rabbits, chickens, goats, sheep, horses and donkeys as the credit crunch bites.

Mr Johns said: 'Times are very tough. We absolutely love animals, that's the reason we started up. We never put a healthy animal down but sadly without this operation Alfie would not have a good quality of life.

'He needs the operation sooner rather than later. If we cannot find the money quickly sadly Alfie will have to be put down.

'We can only hope that animal lovers might be willing to make a donation towards Alfie's operation and we can get him the treatment he needs.'

Donations towards Alfie's operation can be made through the sanctuary's website http://www.happyendingsrescue.org

source: dailymail

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The ultimate in pandering: How Chinese scientists are dressing up as bears to prepare cubs for the wild

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Who are you? Researchers carefully take the four-month-old cub's temperature during a physical examination in Hetaoping Research and Conservation Centre for the Giant Panda


With all the care of loving parents, these giant pandas gently handle a young cub.

But look a little closer and you will see the pair are in fact of scientists attempting to ensure the helpless youngster is not affected by human influence.

The workers were pictured in China's Sichuan Province carrying out a physical examination of the four-month-old cub while wearing costumes that would not look out of place at a charity fun run.

Taking its temperature before returning it to its seemingly natural habitat where it is monitored by hidden cameras, the researchers are helping to prepare the cub for its eventual release into the wild.

The release would be the first of its kind for the Hetaoping Research and Conservation Centre for the Giant Panda, situated in Wolong National Nature Reserve.

It is the latest step in china's efforts to conserve the critically-endangered animal, whose numbers total an estimated 2-3,000 in the wild.


Helping hand: One of the scientists carries the cub away for the examination


Handle with care: The cub is placed in a box to be taken from its habitat


A native of central-western and south-western China, the panda's diet is 99 per cent bamboo which they have to eat almost constantly because of its lo-nutrient content.

It is now confined to just a few mountain ranges after farming and deforestation drove it out of lowland regions.

The species is now completely dependent on humans for its future survival.


Headless: The researcher carries the panda away, confident his human shape has not been seen

source: dailymail

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Polar bear Knut eats his 'birthday cake' on his fourth birthday

The world's most famous polar bear Knut eats his 'birthday cake' on his fourth birthday in his snow-covered enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin, on December 5, 2010 in Berlin.



Visitors watch as the world's most famous polar bear Knut eats his 'birthday cake' on his fourth birthday in his snow-covered enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin, on December 5, 2010 in Berlin.



Visitors watch as the world's most famous polar bear Knut eats his 'birthday cake' on his fourth birthday in his snow-covered enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin, on December 5, 2010 in Berlin.



CORRECTS DAY OF BIRTHDAY TO SUNDAY- Polar bear Knut stands behind his 'birthday cake' to celebrate his 4th birthday in the Zoo of Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. Berlin's famous polar bear Knut, who was rejected by his mother but went on to win the hearts of millions across the globe, celebrated his 4th birthday Sunday with a cake made of ice, fishes and some vegetables.




CORRECTS DAY OF BIRTHDAY TO SUNDAY- Polar bear Knut stands behind his 'birthday cake' to celebrate his 4th birthday in the Zoo of Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. Berlin's famous polar bear Knut, who was rejected by his mother but went on to win the hearts of millions across the globe, celebrated his 4th birthday Sunday with a cake made of ice, fishes and some vegetables.




The world's most famous polar bear Knut eats his 'birthday cake' on his fourth birthday in his snow-covered enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin, on December 5, 2010 in Berlin.



The world's most famous polar bear Knut eats his 'birthday cake' on his fourth birthday in his snow-covered enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin, on December 5, 2010 in Berlin.


source: Daylife
photo: Gettyimages, Reuters

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It’s Spidermail: German man is arrested for ‘sending hundreds of tarantulas to the U.S. through the post’

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Arachnapost: A red-kneed tarantula such as this is the same type sent through the post by the German smuggler


A German man who allegedly shipped hundreds of live tarantulas into the United States through the mail was charged on Friday with illegally importing wildlife.

Sven Koppler, a 37-year-old German national, was arrested by federal agents late on Thursday, shortly after arriving in Los Angeles to meet an associate, U.S.

Attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement.

Mrozek said the investigation into Koppler began in March, when a routine inspection turned up about 300 live tarantulas in a package mailed to Los Angeles.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents then intercepted two more packages, one containing nearly 250 live tarantulas, wrapped in colored plastic straws.

The second package was found to hold 22 Mexican red-kneed tarantulas, a species formally known as Brachypelma smithi that is protected under an international treaty.

Mrozek said Fish and Wildlife agents, conducting an investigation dubbed 'Operation Spiderman' ordered more spiders from Koppler and were sent a total of five packages containing dozens of live and dead tarantulas.

According to the criminal complaint, agents believe Koppler has received about $300,000 for selling tarantulas to individuals in dozens of countries throughout the world.

Koppler, who prosecutors believe lives in Wachtberg, Germany, was scheduled to make his initial court appearance later on Friday and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

While many people considered tarantulas threatening, their venom is weaker than a honeybee and other than a painful bite, the spiders are harmless to humans.

The Mexican red-kneed tarantula, which is native to Mexico, can grow to about 4 inches long, with a leg span of 6 inches, and has a dark body with orange patches on the legs, giving it the 'red-kneed' appearance.

The spiders are considered docile and females can live for more than 20 years.

The Brachypelma genus of spider is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species because it is considered threatened, and can only be legally traded with permits from the exporting country.


source: dailymail

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Electric-eel Xmas lights? What a bright idea!

The resident eel in a Japanese aquarium is housed in a special tank, which contains two aluminium panels that will help illuminate the Christmas lights


An aquarium in Japan has come up with a novel — not to mention eco-friendly — way to power the lights on their Christmas tree this year: the ­electric eel.

The resident eel is housed in a special tank, which contains two aluminium panels.

These act as electrodes, ­harnessing the 800 watts of electricity the eel generates every time it moves and directing it down a wire and straight into the lights on the
6ft 6in tree.

Kazuhiko Minawa, who works at the Enoshima Aquarium in Tokyo and invented the madcap device, says: ‘If we could gather all the electric eels from around the world, we could light up an unimaginably large Christmas tree!’

Now that really would be eel-uminating.





source: dailymail

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