Gordon Grice's Blog, page 37

Andean Condor

Florida Invites the Public to Cull Pythons

Karunakar Rayker/Creative Commons



After years of claiming invasive snakes are destroying its native wildlife, the state of Florida is inviting the public to eradicate the most common troublesome constrictor, the Burmese python. Cash prizes are on offer. 



Python hunt may bring out the worst in people | StarTribune.com: 



"Hunters are encouraged to dispatch the snakes humanely by severing their heads with a machete or shooting them in the brain. And zany sadistic YouTube videos or Facebook postings from the hunt will not be tolerated.



"You will be disqualified for posting inhumane photos or videos or for posting photos or videos of illegal activities (e.g. shooting from levees) on social media," the rules state."

Catfish Kill and Eat Pigeons

A newly observed behavior in European catfish. Given that some catfish have blamed for taking monkeys and even human children, this  isn't too shocking, but it is interesting. 



Catfish Hunt Pigeons: Watch Fish Attack Birds On Land [VIDEO] - International Science Times: 

"These particular catfish have taken to lunging out of the water, grabbing a pigeon, and then wriggling back into the water to swallow their prey," researchers wrote in the study. "In the process, they temporarily strand themselves on land for a few seconds."

Animal-Borne Diseases

Interesting article discusses many of the diseases that cross from animal to human populations--and vice versa. Thanks to Lori for the tip. 



Origins of new diseases: Zoonotic pandemics come from bats, birds, monkeys, cows, and other animals. - Slate Magazine: 



"Humans can also spread our own native microbes to other species. Recent studies have shown that humans have spread antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus to many different species, including domestic chickens, pigs, and even chimpanzees and dolphins. We, too, are a walking biohazard."

A Victorian Book of Deadly Animals

I hope The Book of Deadly Animals doesn't look so hilarious in a century. Thanks to Dan and Croconut for pointing me to this article.





This gruesome 1889 biology book outlined the many ways animals will kill us: 





"In J.W. Buel's 1889 book Sea and Land, the author laid out delightfully quaint illustrations of the Earth's flora and fauna. Many of these pictures detailed the myriad hilarious ways the animal kingdom eats humans, with creatures like the Japanese spider crab receiving a homicidal bad rap. Here's a selection of doom and gloom from the Victorian era. "









The kick to the gut--an orangutan's most notorious tactic. 

Pelted with Carp

Boating in a drainage ditch filled with Asian carp, which leap out of the water when threatened. 

Feeding Time for the Bull Snake

Photography by Dee Puett

Wildlife Classics: A Widow's Story

by JH Patterson




Very shortly before I left Tsavo I went (on March 11, 1899)
on inspection duty to Voi, which, as I have already mentioned, is about thirty
miles on the Mombasa
side of Tsavo. At this time it was a miserable, swampy spot, where fever,
guinea-worm, and all kinds of horrible diseases were rampant; but this state of
affairs has now been completely altered by drainage and by clearing away the
jungle. Dr. Rose was in medical charge of the place at the time of my visit,
and as it was the good old custom to put up with any friend one came across
towards nightfall, I made him my host when my day's work was over. We spent a
very pleasant evening together, and naturally discussed all the local news.
Amongst other things we chatted about the new road which was being constructed
from Voi to a rather important missionary station called Taveta, near Mount
Kilima N'jaro, and Dr. Rose mentioned that Mr. O'Hara (the engineer in charge
of the road-making), with his wife and children, was encamped in the Wa Taita
country, about twelve miles away from Voi.




Early next morning I went out for a stroll with my shot-gun,
but had not gone far from the doctor's tent when I saw in the distance four Swahili
carrying something which looked like a stretcher along the newly-made road.
Fearing that some accident had happened, I went quickly to meet them and called
out to ask what they were carrying. They shouted back "Bwana" ("The
master"); and when I asked what bwana, they replied "Bwana
O'Hara." On enquiring what exactly had happened, they told me that during
the night their master had been killed by a lion, and that his wife and
children were following behind, along the road. At this I directed the men to
the hospital and told them where to find Dr. Rose, and without waiting to hear
any further particulars hurried on as fast as possible to give what assistance
I could to poor Mrs. O'Hara. Some considerable way back I met her toiling along
with an infant in her arms, while a little child held on to her skirt, utterly
tired out with the long walk. I helped her to finish the distance to the
doctor's tent; she was so unstrung by her terrible night's experience and so
exhausted by her trying march carrying the baby that she was scarcely able to
speak. Dr. Rose at once did all he could both for her and for the children, the
mother being given a sleeping draught and made comfortable in one of the tents.
When she appeared again late in the afternoon she was much refreshed, and was
able to tell us the following dreadful story, which I shall give as nearly as
possible in her own words.




"We were all asleep in the tent, my husband and I in
one bed and my two children in another. The baby was feverish and restless, so
I got up to give her something to drink; and as I was doing so, I heard what I
thought was a lion walking round the tent. I at once woke my husband and told
him I felt sure there was a lion about. He jumped up and went out, taking his
gun with him. He looked round the outside of the tent, and spoke to the Swahili
askari who was on sentry by the camp fire a little distance off. The askari
said he had seen nothing about except a donkey, so my husband came in again,
telling me not to worry as it was only a donkey that I had heard.




The night being very hot, my husband threw back the tent
door and lay down again beside me. After a while I dozed off, but was suddenly
roused by a feeling as if the pillow were being pulled away from under my head.
On looking round I found that my husband was gone. I jumped up and called him
loudly, but got no answer. Just then I heard a noise among the boxes outside
the door, so I rushed out and saw my poor husband lying between the boxes. I
ran up to him and tried to lift him, but found I could not do so. I then called
to the askari to come and help me, but he refused, saying that there was a lion
standing beside me. I looked up and saw the huge beast glowering at me, not
more than two yards away. At this moment the askari fired his rifle, and this fortunately
frightened the lion, for it at once jumped off into the bush.




"All four askaris then came forward and lifted my
husband back on to the bed. He was quite dead. We had hardly got back into the tent
before the lion returned and prowled about in front of the door, showing every
intention of springing in to recover his prey. The askaris fired at him, but
did no damage beyond frightening him away again for a moment or two. He soon
came back and continued to walk round the tent until daylight, growling and
purring, and it was only by firing through the tent every now and then that we
kept him out. At daybreak he disappeared and I had my husband's body carried
here, while I followed with the children until I met you."




Such was Mrs. O'Hara's pitiful story. The only comfort we
could give her was to assure her that her husband had died instantly and without
pain; for while she had been resting Dr. Rose had made a post-mortem
examination of the body and had come to this conclusion. He found that O'Hara
had evidently been lying on his back at the time, and that the lion, seizing his
head in its mouth, had closed its long tusks through his temples until they met
again in the brain. We buried him before nightfall in a peaceful spot close by,
the doctor reading the funeral service, while I assisted in lowering the rude
coffin into the grave. It was the saddest scene imaginable. The weeping widow,
the wondering faces of the children, the gathering gloom of the closing
evening, the dusky forms of a few natives who had gathered round -- all combined
to make a most striking and solemn ending to a very terrible tragedy of real
life.




I am glad to say that within a few weeks' time the lion that
was responsible for this tragedy was killed by a poisoned arrow, shot from a
tree top by one of the Wa Taita.

Tiger Shark Takes Man's Leg

Gruesome dramatization of a shark attack. 

Avocados

A surreal horror short film. A dietary suggestion. Directed by: Parker Grice. Soundtrack: "Regret" by Gordon Grice and James Addison Conrad