Archive for the ‘animal oddities’ category

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‘Gator of a Different Color

January 9, 2011

– – In the wild, Florida alligators are usually a grayish black on top with a lighter colored belly.  That makes an orange-colored ‘gator discovered in Venice, Florida a bit of a stand-out.

Experts with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have analyzed the photos taken of the alligator by a 74-year-old woman and determined that the animal’s coloring is not genetic, suspecting that the coloration comes from mud or something else in the environment. It’s unlikely that the ‘gator is a dye job in light of the creature’s thick skin.

Unless the experts get their hands on the animal itself, definitive answers on reasons for its color will remain elusive.  Until then, see you later alligator!


Categories: animal oddities, anomalies, scalies, unexplained
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Something Smells Fishy!

January 7, 2011

– – Were the Mayans on to something?–Is it the Apocalypse?!- -I dunno, but just as birds were dropping from the skies in Beebe, Arkansas a massive fish kill was occurring some 125 miles to the west over a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River!

Some 100,000 drum fish were involved.  A pollutant was not felt to have been involved as only drum fish were affected, and a pollutant would have affected all fish.

The massive fish kill appears to be a natural occurrence, however, that is not tied to the bird kill in any way.  Fish kills in the area are common, although this one was larger than most…

Categories: animal oddities, mysteries, scalies, strange happenings, unexplained
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Birds Rain from the Skies!

January 3, 2011

– – Yes, I live to write headlines like that!- -And in the Arkansas town of Beebe, more than 1,000 blackbirds fell from the sky in a one-mile area Friday night about 30 minutes before the arrival of the new year.

A wildlife officer on the scene reported that the birds “showed physical trauma,” and said the flock might have been hit by lightning or high-altitude hail.   Another theory was that fireworks launched skyward by new year’s revelers might have stressed the birds.

And with 1,000 dead birds on the ground in Beebe,  they then obviously wanted to get the flock out of there…

(…What?– -You didn’t think I’d pass up a gift like that, did ‘ya?)   😉

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(Addendum: The number of dead birds has been upped to possibly as high as 5,000!  Preliminary autopsies have determined that the birds died of traumatic injuries inflicted not on the ground but in the air, which lends support to theories of death by impact.)

Categories: animal occurrences, animal oddities, feathered friends, unexplained, weird
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Chupacabra or Coyote with Mange?

December 30, 2010

– – Once again a farmer, this time in Kentucky, has shot a hideous, otherworldly-looking creature, raising speculation that it was the chupacabra, the legendary livestock killer.

Researchers and wildlife experts tend to think that this and similar creatures are most likely coyotes, raccoons, or opossums with mange, however.  Infection by tiny parasites or mites causes the infection in such cases, which results in the animal’s hair falling out and their skin becoming shriveled.

DNA testing by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is expected to solve the mystery of the pictured animal’s true identity…

Categories: animal oddities, animals, cryptozoology, Uncategorized, unidentified, weird
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Reindeer High?

December 26, 2010

– – Santa’s reindeer may require a slight assist to gain altitude.  Scientist Andrew Haynes reports in the respected Pharmaceutical Journal that reindeer deliberately seek out the mind-bending agaric fungi in the wild, and are often seen staggering around afterwards, making odd noises.

It is felt that the reindeer deliberately seek out the mushrooms to escape the monotony of dreary long winters.  A common side effect of psychedelic mushroom consumption in humans is the feeling of flying, so the flight capabilities of Santa’s reindeer are interesting.

Herdsmen are also reported in some parts of the world to drink the urine of the reindeer to get high themselves, but I find that a little hard to swallow…

Categories: animal behavior, animal oddities, animals, furry, science
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The Sampson’s Fox

December 10, 2010

– – Some people don’t believe in the existence of the Sampson’s Fox, which may be a gray or red fox with a coat mutation.  He is reported to have a short coat, big ears, and a long skinny tail almost as long as his body.  Sampson’s is a rare genetic disease or mutation affecting less than 1% of the fox population and inhibiting the growth of guard hairs, the beautiful fluffy coat that gives foxes such panache!

Sampson’s foxes have been reported in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Colorado, Alaska, and the Carolinas.  It’s also possible that reported sightings may be of animals with mange, or even of someone’s escaped exotic African or Asian pet; such creatures at times have likely been reported as “chupacabras.”

And please, don’t make fun of mutant foxes, or refer to us as “bastard” foxes.- -That’s going entirely too far, and we have feelings, too…jeez!

Categories: animal oddities, animals, cryptozoology, furry, rare animal
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Fowl Gestures…

December 6, 2010

– – Colonel Sanders probably wouldn’t do this; knit a sweater for a chicken, that is…

In certain environmental conditions or when they are heavily stressed, some animals can lose their fur or feathers, as the case may be.- -Well, some chickens in England were rescued from a poultry farm where conditions were so bad that the birds lost their feathers!  Volunteer knitters responded by creating over 100 sweaters for the afflicted chickens, which I suppose we may refer to as chicken cardigans or pullet pullovers.   Not to be found in any catalogs, each of the tiny sweaters when knitted by hand took two and a half to three hours to complete.

The rescued chickens while freed from incarceration will wear the sweaters to help them acclimate to conditions on the outside, and hopefully they will only see the Colonel in their worst nightmares…just like I see the Burger King in mine.

Categories: animal abuse, animal oddities, animals, strange happenings
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Dogged by Controversy!

November 24, 2010

– – No, they haven’t found the Dogman of Wisconsin…it’s just some Australian art turning heads and uniting playfulness with an edgy sexual content.

The exhibition titled “Returning to the Animal Within” is by Marc and Gillie Schattner of Sydney, and features 20 paintings and five sculptures of dog-headed humans at play and in repose.  The sculpture pictured titled “Good Boy” shows that canine-human chimeras also enjoy a good cup of coffee, but its anatomical correctness resulted in police investigating an obscenity charge.

An upcoming sculpture depicts a dog-man in a suit stooping to pick up his own poop; a good example, and environmentally responsible!- -‘Mutt or smut?–You decide!

Categories: absurdities, animal oddities, animals, anthropomorphic, Brilliant but twisted, furry, furry art, humor
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Bad Kitty!

November 20, 2010

– -I, for one, would not care to run afoul of this cat…he looks like an evil feline mastermind, or something that a Harry Potter villain might morph into!

…appearing like something out of a Stephen King novel, the cat, appropriately named Tiger, has reportedly inflicted “nasty injuries” upon postal delivery personnel in a small town called Farsley in Northern England.   Royal Mail has announced that they will no longer deliver mail to the home of Tiger’s owner…they apparently are not adept at dealing with cases of feline demonic possession.

By the way, the cat is 19-years-old, which is 92 in human years…but I still don’t recommend disrespecting him!   Do so at your own peril…total global domination is this feline’s goal!

(…Upcoming:  our last best hope!)

Categories: animal occurrences, animal oddities, furry, furry heroes
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Great Gonads!

November 18, 2010

(Warning:  Some Mature content)

– –We all know the appeal of big balls, although I’ve never had to use the ballroom dancing classes my parents required me to take.  The Fox Trot came quite naturally to me, although I’ve never been prevailed upon to do the Waltz or even the Cha Cha…but enough of my ballroom notoriety…

In the animal kingdom, a species of cricket, the tuberous bushcricket (Platycleis affinis)  has been found to have, as AC/DC might sing, “…the biggest balls of them all,” testes that amount to 13.8 percent of its body mass!  This would be the rough equivalent of a human male hauling around testicles that weigh 22 pounds!  I don’t know what this would translate to in foxes, but they’d probably be pretty impressive…

It is thought that the extra large testes in bushcrickets (also known in North America as katydids) allow males to mate repeatedly without their sperm reserves being exhausted…to say nothing of their bragging rights!

The research appears in “Biology Letters,” a journal of Britain’s Royal Society…(heh, and you thought they were stuffy!)

…and AC/DC rocks!–Woo!

Categories: animal oddities, animals, insects, research
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Comments: 4 Comments

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