Category: Animals & Nature

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A Same-Sex Penguin Couple Adopted an Abandoned Egg and Did a Darn Good Job

With King penguins, it’s not unheard of for same-sex couples to form long-term relationships.

Such is the case for male penguins Skipper and Ping at the Berlin Zoo, who recently stepped in to parent an egg that was abandoned in mid-July. Zookeepers aren’t sure what caused the mother to leave, but the two male penguins weren’t going to let the baby die – not if they could help it.

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Very touching. Очень трогательно

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Taking care of an egg isn’t a one penguin job, since, as aquarium curator Vikki McCloskey, points out, “You cannot incubate an egg and eat by yourself.”

She also states that penguins have “fairly strong pair bonds, especially if they’re successful in raising offspring.”

Penguins work together to create and incubate their eggs, and after the eggs hatch, they parents trade off caring for the chicks and going to catch food. That said, McCloskey notes that, as with all species, some individuals are better parents than others.

“There are a whole host of variables as to why a penguin would walk off its egg. In the wild, if your partner doesn’t come back, then you have to eventually go eat.”

The captive penguin may have abandoned the egg due to social reasons, age constraints, sensing that the fetus had stopped developing, or just a lack of interest in mothering.

“We’ve had male-female couples abandon eggs and we’ve had male-male couples do a great job incubating and raising offspring. There’s not really a rule, per se. The main imperative is to produce viable offspring.”

Just something to keep in your back pocket, ladies, the next time your husband tries the excuse that “you’re just better with the kids.”

As for the egg under Skipper and Ping’s care, it won’t be long now until we find out whether it’s going to hatch.

I, for one, can’t wait.

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Tennessee Police Warned About “Meth Gators,” Then Had to Walk It Back

Remember that urban legend that said if you flushed a baby alligator down the toilet, the poor little fella would end up in the sewer, get enormous, have a major chip on its shoulder for being deserted, and then would go on a killing rampage? It’s actually the basis of a schlocky 1980 movie called Alligator.

Well, there’s a new alligator-centered urban legend you should familiarize yourself with because it’s a doozy…and police in Tennessee had to backtrack after the story went viral. Let’s begin, shall we?

Police in Loretto, Tennessee, posted a photo on Facebook about a drug bust. In the post, they also told people they shouldn’t flush their drugs down the toilet because it ends up in local waterways and that’s always bad news…oh, and it might create meth gators.

You read that right, meth gators.

The Facebook post read:

“Folks…please don’t flush your drugs m’kay. When you send something down the sewer pipe it ends up in our retention ponds for processing before it is sent down stream. Now our sewer guys take great pride in releasing water that is cleaner than what is in the creek, but they are not really prepared for meth.

Ducks, Geese, and other fowl frequent our treatment ponds and we shudder to think what one all hyped up on meth would do. Furthermore, if it made it far enough we could create meth-gators in Shoal Creek and the Tennessee River down in North Alabama. They’ve had enough methed up animals the past few weeks without our help. So, if you need to dispose of your drugs just give us a call and we will make sure they are disposed of in the proper way.”

People on social media bought into the hype and shared their thoughts.

Because the story went viral and people totally believed these doped-up reptiles might be coming to hunt them down, the Loretto Police Department had to clarify that meth gators are not, in fact, real.

I mean, this story even went international:

Loretto Police chief Bobby Joe Killen said, “As far as I know, there’s no methed-up gators being sighted anywhere. It’s just a joke to let people know they don’t need to be flushing their drugs of any kind down the sewer system. They need to dispose of it in a proper manner.”

Killen added, “We take our job seriously, but we like to joke amongst ourselves at the department. When you work eight, 10-hour shifts in our line of work, there are times when we like to laugh a little bit. Otherwise, you take your problems home.”

I predict a horror movie franchise based on meth gators and I could not be more pleased about it!

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A Project Turns Discarded Fishing Nets into Surfboards and Helps Reduce Ocean Pollution

As you already know, the ocean (and most of the rest of the planet) is slowly being poisoned by discarded plastics, and people all over the world are looking for ways to try to mitigate, ease, or even reverse the devastating effects that humans are wreaking on the marine environment.

The latest effort comes from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where fishermen are gathering discarded fishing nets to turn into surfboards.

The project is a collaboration between DSM, a nutrition and sustainable living corporation, and Thailand-based water sports company Starboard. DSM’s operations director explained to The Straits Times that they take the nets (often they are unusably broken) from the water, then clean, granulate, and transport them to their Indian factories to be reborn as ec0-friendly surfboards.

The nets are a big problem for both people and fish, in more ways than one.

The fish who don’t get caught in the nets often consume bits of them, and then as smaller fish are eaten by bigger ones, the plastics make their way up the food chain. The nets also tangle in boat propellors, damaging engines, and they can also strangle unsuspecting marine life, like turtles or cetaceans.

According to a DSM press release, experts estimate around 640,000 tons of trash nets remain in the ocean – 10% of all ocean plastic waste. Matt Gray, a commercial director at DSM, explained their mission in more detail.

“We look beyond society’s current model of take-make-dispose and instead try to mimic nature and the circle of life. By transforming the nets into fins, fin boxes, SUP pumps, and other parts of surfboards, the nets can return to the ocean in a much more environmentally conscious way.”

The effort is also supplying jobs for the local communities in India, which means the companies and the project are doing double the good.

Good on them. Now, let’s all find a way to do the same!

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Scientists Developed a Vaccine That May Finally Solve Cat Allergies

This could potentially be a game-changer.

There’s not a whole lot of in-between out there when you talk to folks about our feline friends. Most people absolutely adore cats…or they despise them. And I’m pretty sure a lot of people use the excuse “I’m allergic” just so they don’t have to deal with cats on any level, whether at a friend’s house, significant other’s, etc.

Well, the people who pull the “allergy card” might not be able to do that for much longer. And on the flip side, people who really love cats and are legitimately allergic to them will be able to play with all the furry buddies they want to! How, you ask? Because scientists have invented a vaccine that can be given to cats to make us humans less allergic to them. Hallelujah!

The vaccine is injected into cats (meaning you don’t even have to take the needle yourself), and it makes them produce less of the allergen that causes people to sneeze uncontrollably around them. The researchers have been working on the project for five years, and they call the vaccine HypoCat.

One of the researchers, Martin Bachmann, said, “We feel the numbers and conclusions are sufficient to drive our investment in further development. This is also reflected by the fact that JACI the Nr 1 allergy journal, published our study. In 2020, more safety and efficacy testing studies will be initiated.”

Bachmann said that once it is released, HypoCat will be affordable for pet owners. According to one of the researchers, the vaccine should be available sometime in 2022. Hooray!

Do you think anti-vaxxers will just have to weigh in on this one as well?

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Miniature Horses Are Now One of the Service Animals That Airlines Must Allow to Fly

Be prepared to possibly see an unexpected animal on your next flight.

The list of service animal just keeps growing, doesn’t it? And specifically, I’m talking about service animals that are allowed on planes. In addition to dogs, we’ve seen ducks and all other kinds of creatures accompanying their human handlers on flights.

Well, it’s time to add another furry friend to the list of animals allowed to fly on planes: miniature horses. The U.S. Department of Transportation is encouraging airlines to allow miniature horses on flights as service animals.

And while it may sound a little odd, miniature horses are actually quite popular as service animals, right up there with dogs and cats.

The official word from the Department of Transportation says, “After reviewing the comments on this issue, we believe that it would be in the public interest and within our discretionary authority to prioritize ensuring that the most commonly recognized service animals (i.e., dogs, cats, and miniature horses) are accepted for transport.”

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A play date that was just her size•We held our first, “Toddler Time” with Martha, last week, giving kids, ages 2-4 years, to come be with Martha•She was the quintessential hostess of her playground 🎪 and all the kids loved petting her fluffy hair•When the goodbyes were said, each child got to choose a button of one of the horses•Surprisingly, there were no duplicates🏵Such a cute way to share Martha with a tiny little population and add more exposure to kids as we continue our goal for her therapy work😊Think about all the good that comes from exposing a child to a horse at this young and how it effects their future feelings towards them😊….sound . . . . . . . #miniaturehorse #miniaturehorses #miniaturehorsesofinstagram #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #dwarfhorse #rescuehorse #adoptdontshop #hunterjumper #dressage #eventing #horseriding #horsebackriding #equine #equitation #equinetherapy #equinephotography #equestrian #equestrianlife #kids

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Airlines aren’t obligated to allow therapy horses on their flights, but if they ignore the new guideline from the Department of Transportation, they could be penalized. And just to get down to the nitty gritty: this guideline does not apply to emotional support horses, only service horses that help people with visual impairments or issues with mobility. Emotional service animals are often times dealt with on a case-by-case basis at the airport.

The guidelines also say what CAN’T be used as service animals: no snakes, rodents, reptiles, spiders, or ferrets are allowed. Thank goodness for that…

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Some Horses Have Incredibly Hipster Mustaches

The world is pretty depressing right now, so here’s some good news: some horses can grow mustaches, and they look ridiculous! If horses were hipsters from Brooklyn, they would look exactly like this.

Mustaches are common in a horse breed called the Gypsy Vanner. They have a long, luxurious mane and big voluminous hair on their lower legs. And on their faces, they rock a mustache.

Didn't realise a horse can grow a mustache.. See More Funny Pictures at www.much-funny.com

Posted by MuchFunny on Saturday, April 29, 2017

Not all Gypsy Vanner horses have a mustache, but many do, and the trait is not limited to males. If the hair is long enough, it tends to curl up hipster-style.

Horse mustache, its a thing.Deal with it.

Posted by Der Todesking on Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Gypsy Vanner horses aren’t the only ones who can grow mustaches. Other breeds, such as Clydesdales, Shires, and British Ponies are also capable of growing mustaches. In fact, the most famous horse mustache of all (probably) belongs to a horse called Alfie who is a Shire mix. His mustache is said to be the largest of any horse in the U.K.

People have a variety of opinions about this horse mustache thing. It’s shocking, obviously.

But also pretty cool, and maybe even… Beautiful?

Some of these horses look like MySpace models.

Other people are decidedly against the horse mustache, though.

“Oh wow oh no oh wow I don’t like the horse mustache at all,” one person tweeted.

“This has fucked with me all day, I feel so weird about this,” another said.

Welp, at least mustaches can always be shaved.

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Amazon Is Now Selling Live Animals Online – Here Are a Few You Can Buy

In the dark recesses of Amazon, they sell live animals. It’s crazy to think that your Prime subscription can deliver a live thing on your doorstep within two days.

Before your imagination runs away from you, they are not selling anything from the actual Amazon rainforest, or even anything from a local farm.

Bummer…

Their selection is limited to animals around the size of your hand. Think home aquarium or pond.

Ready to dive in and see what they have?

Snails

Photo Credit: Amazon

Looking for the perfect algae eater to clean your tank? You can have this guy for just over $13!

Or you can have these interesting Malaysian Trumpet Snails. Isn’t he cute?

Photo Credit: Amazon

Koi

Are you looking to refresh your Koi stock? It appears there is a multitude of varieties and colors available for purchase.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Just be aware – Koi can get pricey real fast.

Tropical Fish

If tropical fish or the familiar Beta fish are more your speed, Amazon does not disappoint.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Photo Credit: Amazon

If you are scratching your head on delivery issues, check with each supplier. Most likely they offer a refund policy if these poor animals don’t arrive safely. World Wide Tropicals explains:

Dead On Arrival Policy: In the rare event that you receive a dead fish or invert please send us a picture within two hours of delivery, preferably still in the bag. Please include as much information as you can so our staff can check into the issue. Provided a customer follows our Item Acceptance Policy, we can then offer a refund, a replacement shipment, or a replacement fish on a future order. These instances are handled case by case, as it is such a rare occurrence.

And also consult with the supplier to better understand how delivery works. Most are not responsible if fish die because the items are not opened in a timely manner. See this example:

Item Acceptance Policy: Customers will receive an e-mail with tracking number and a delivery date. The delivery time of our packages should be about the same time a customer generally receives mail via UPS or USPS. Please make arrangement ensuring you are able to receive the fish when it is delivered. We are not responsible for packages left out in the elements for multiple hours, or for fish that are delivered but not unpacked in a timely fashion.

For more info on all Amazon availability, check out their “Best Sellers List.” And for all you aquarists out there…you’re welcome!

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This Is What It’s like to Run a World-Class Penis Museum

If you are reading this article, you’re clearly my sort of people – because who wouldn’t be curious about what it takes to run a museum full of penises?

Luckily, there’s a man with experience ready and willing to let us all in on the family secrets.

Hjotur Gisli Sigurosson curates the Icelandic Phallological Museum, a vocation handed down by a father who indulged a penis fascination by collecting interesting specimens wherever he ran across them.

Hjotur was just 10 when his father, Sigurour Hjartarson, began his collection in 1974. The first specimen was a “pizzle,” or a dried bull’s penis, that was given to Sigurour as a joke. He began a collection that grew until he opened it to the public in 1997.

Hjotur never thought the collection was odd, and recalls time spent with his father fondly.

“I had great adventures going to remote places to harvest organs with my father,” he told Mental_Floss.

The collection includes mostly Icelandic mammal specimens, harvested from dead animals (like beached whales) or given to the family by hunters. Hjotur says, though, that they “never ask for an animal to be killed just to harvest the organ.”

They have one human specimen.

“It was from a 95-year-old man. He signed a letter of donation in 1996, and when he died in 2011 a doctor removed his penis.”

The collection also includes 23 “mystical creature” penises, like “elves, trolls, and mermen,” though Hjotur acknowledges that “some, we suspect, are man-made.”

The museum sells every practical object in the shape of a penis you could ever want – cutlery, lamps, bottle openers, etc – so basically, now you know where to go before your next bachelorette party!

Hjotur isn’t ashamed of the collection, as “there is nothing pornographic or offensive on display,” and he points out that people from all over the world come to visit.

“The reaction is 99.9% positive. Most people see the humorous side and some get very into the scientific angle of it. Most people enter not knowing what to expect and come out smiling or laughing. Last year, we had a little over 20,000 visitors.”

He thinks, too, that seeing the, um, variety might help people understand that when it comes to anatomy, there is no “normal.”

“You’ll learn that as with everything in nature, the diversity in this department is as great as in any other; even within the same species the difference in size and shake is often quite remarkable.”

Hjotur, like his father before him, is always adding to his collection – “a new one, a bigger, better one, a different one” – and he’s open to starting a gallery that honors phallic art in all forms, too.

If you’re looking for something a bit off the beaten path on your next trip to Iceland, well, how can you pass this up? It’s education, it’s entertainment – what more could you ask for in a tour stop?

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A Group of Angry Ducks Interrupted a Golf Game to Chase off an Alligator

It was a lovely day at the second annual Christie’s Critters Invitational on PGA National’s Champion Course when golfers observed a gator lumbering right out onto the green.

Image Credit: YouTube

Now, to be fair, he might have assumed he was invited, given the title of the tournament, but alligators should know by now that they’re definitely not welcome at human things unless they’re inside a deep fryer.

Image Credit: YouTube

It turns out the ducks felt the same way.

They followed the gator, quacking angrily. For a while he pretended not to notice, but eventually he headed for the fastest escape route.

Because ducks, man. They’re loud, and they don’t know when to quit. And they’ll bite you and stuff.

People online had plenty to say about the event (Florida jokes incoming!), and plenty of people also chose to hold the ducks up as inspiration – maybe even a real-life metaphor.

Image Credit: Facebook

Said like people who have never had to scrub duck crap off a dock, methinks.

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More Than 28,000 Species Are Now on a Collision Course with Extinction

There’s no denying that the planet is warming, people are invading every last corner of the globe, and pollution is at an all-time high  – all of which combines to mean that there are thousands of species in danger of disappearing from the earth forever.

For the first time since it began in 1964, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s list of threatened species has surpassed 100,000. 9,000 were added in the past year, bringing the total to 105,732, and a full third of those – 28,338 species – are staring down extinction if nothing changes.

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Visual definition of the term: CONNECTION

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Freshwater fish are particularly at risk these days, with half of all species endemic to Japan threatened and a third of those from Mexico facing the same fate. The IUCN lists agricultural and urban pollution, loss of free-flowing rivers, dams, weirs, fishing, and invasive species as the main reasons for decline.

“To halt these declines, we urgently need policies on the human use of freshwaters that allow for the needs of the many other species sharing these ecosystems,” argues Willam Darwall, head of the IUCN’s Freshwater Biodiversity Unit.

Saltwater inhabitants are hardly faring much better, with an entire group known as Rhino rays ready to disappear in the wild at the drop of a hat. Though not technically sharks, their dorsal fins are making them targets of the same people decimating the world’s shark population for shark fin soup.

“To prevent losing these ray families, it is critical that governments immediately establish and enforce species protections,  bycatch mitigation programs, marine protected areas, and international trade controls,” warns expert Colin Simpfendorder.

500 deep-sea bony fishes have also been added to the list, endangered by deep-sea fishing, seabed mining, and the oil and gas industries.

On land, 7 new primate species find themselves officially endangered, 6 of which reside in West Africa. The IUCN says as many as 40% of West and Central African primates are threatened with extinction, including the roloway monkey, hunted for its meat. Deforestation also plays a critical role in the displacement and struggle many species face.

“With more than 100,000 species now assessed for the IUCN’s Red List, this update clearly shows how much humans around the world are overexploiting wildlife,” says IUCN Acting Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar.

“We must wake up to the fact that conserving nature’s diversity is in our interest, and is absolutely fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. States, businesses and civil society must urgently act to halt the overexploitation of nature, and must respect and support local communities and Indigenous Peoples in strengthening sustainable livelihoods.”

Here’s hoping enough people listen before it’s too late.

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