Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 170
December 5, 2020
December 4, 2020
Florida Man’s Seaside Rescue Is Bananas
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
[November 30-December 6, 2020] A mysterious missing monolith, ancient Amazonian art, and a holiday hitchhiker returns to the wild—all round-up in this week’s weird news from Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Where in the World is Utah’s Missing Monolith?
It’s been a very weird year, but possibly the strangest story of 2021 is still unfolding before our eyes! Last week’s account of the discovery of a mysterious monolith in the Utah desert has spawned into a global hunt after vanishing just days later.
The 10-to-12-foot tall metal structure caught the eyes of Aero Bureau and wildlife resource officers on a November 18th flight over the Red Rock Country area during a routine bighorn sheep count. Upon further investigation on the ground, the team discovered that the monolith was firmly planted into the ground but found no evidence of how it wound up at the desolate spot.
Photo by Patrickamackie2 via Wikipedia
While theories surrounding the structure are running wild on the internet, there are still no absolutes in this modern mystery. As curators of all things strange and unknown, we want answers and are willing to pay for them! Ripley’s will pay $10,000 to the first person who claims ownership of the monolith or gives us an exclusive—and accurate—tip on where to find it.
Amazonian “Sistine Chapel” Discovered After 12,500 Years
A Colombian wall of art referred to as the “Sistine Chapel of the ancients” has been revealed for the first time since the Amazon’s first humans created it over 12,500 years ago!
Amazon 12,500 Y.O. “Sistine Chapel” Of Ancients Rock Art Discovered https://t.co/B6C3wnlCZq via @YouTube pic.twitter.com/qN4YE7Nbxt
— Yanney Boy (@yanneyboy1) December 2, 2020
Located in an almost unreachable area of the Serranía de la Lindosa mountain range in the Northwest Colombian Amazonian basin, the eight-mile-long wall features intricate drawings that depict the lives of a lost civilization, back when the Amazon was a savanna.
Though the rock art was discovered last year, the Channel 4 network in Britain kept the finding under wraps as they filmed a new series called “Jungle Mystery: Lost Kingdoms of the Amazon.” According to the series’ presenter, Ella Al-Shamahi, the site will take generations to study and doesn’t even have a name yet!
Stow Away Owl Released After Holiday Adventure
Tuesday marked the end of a real-life Christmas movie adventure for Rocky the Owl as she returned to the wild after hitching a ride to New York City on Rockefeller Center’s famous Christmas tree. The saw-wet owl was found in the Norway spruce’s branches after traveling a whopping 170 miles from upstate New York.
Rocky—short for Rockefeller—was given the all-clear by veterinarians at the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center, where she was cared for after her discovery.
“She is a tough little bird, and we’re happy to see her back in her natural state,” read the caption on the center’s Facebook page, accompanied by a video of her release.
Cutthroat Eels Come to Light in Deep Sea Abyss
Deep in the ocean lies a world of mystery and intrigue. While we may not know all the secrets of the underwater world, we learned this week that there are eels in the abyss, after a record-breaking swarm of eels was coaxed from the darkness almost 10,000 feet below sea level.
Footage released shows 115 cutthroat eels swimming into the light 9,800 feet below sea level, coaxed only by a bit of bait. The swarm is the most deep-sea fish ever to be recorded simultaneously in the entire ocean! Shot in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, researchers working on the study were shocked to see so many animals in the area, as it is extremely isolated and food is scarce.
While food is scarce in the CCZ, precious minerals and elements are not, turning the area into an international mining hotbed. Researchers headed to the site to explore the while mining is still prohibited in many places, as there is a large concern that it could destroy these unknown ecosystems.
After dropping food in three different locations, scientists observed large numbers of eels at this depth coming to feed. They caught some of the eels in traps and identified them as cutthroat eels, a species so rare that fewer than 10 can be found in captivity worldwide!
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Deep Connections 2019.
It is unknown if the cutthroat eels are permanent residents of the area or simply swimming by for a stint, but the observations thus far reiterate how little we know about the deep sea and its inhabitants.
Florida Man’s Seaside Rescue is Bananas
It was an extra-long holiday weekend for a 62-year-old Florida man who spent a large portion of it clinging to his capsized boat 86 miles off the coast until being rescued by a Chiquita banana boat!
Stuart Bee is no stranger to boat life, residing on his 32-foot Sea Ray, Stingray, but an innocent trip into the ocean for some stargazing turned frightening when a mechanical issue caused water to flood and capsize the boat. Bee had fallen asleep when water came rushing in, leaving him unable to send a distress signal but giving just enough time to get out through the hatch.
After seeing that Bee left Cape Marina at Port Canaveral in Florida around 4 p.m. Friday and did not return by Saturday morning, a marina member alerted the U.S. Coast Guard that Bee was missing, as he typically doesn’t take the boat out overnight.
A 62-year-old man was discovered desperately clinging to the hull of his capsized boat in the waters off the Florida coast on Sunday — about 24 hours after he was reported lost at sea ..
Crafty Fisherman Pipe-Cleans Up With Record-Breaking Catch
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Our latest annual, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Mind Blown! is full of some truly unbelievable Fan Feed submissions. From a painting parrot to shark teeth dentures to quite an innovative fisherman, we’re always elated to feature unbelievable people and unusual feats from all over the world.
Barry Osborn, the fishing aficionado from Granbury, Texas, had us especially hooked! Believe It or Not!, Osborn spent more than 50 hours crafting a functioning fishing rod and reel using nothing but pipe cleaners—1,500 of them!
Osborn is the recipient of more than 350 fishing awards and records. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, he holds more state records than any other person in history—a whopping 93 to be exact—along with an astonishing 40 world records! At the time of publication, he hoped to catch a record-breaking fish with the pipe cleaner rod and reel next.
Low and behold, Barry has already achieved that goal, setting both a state and world record with his catch!
We recently reached out to Barry to learn more about his journey to fishing-world domination and how catching a fish with pipe cleaners works in action.
Q: When did your love for fishing begin and how did it lead to your current record-breaking status?
A: From a very early age I wanted to be involved with wildlife. I received a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Texas A&M University.
I started fishing when I was 8 and became interested in a wide variety of fishing techniques including fly fishing. I started concentrating on fishing records over a decade ago.
My quest for records started when I caught a jack crevalle that would have been a world record and state record, but I did not know enough about fishing records to record enough information to document it.
Over the years I have become an expert on fishing for records and recently wrote a book titled, The Art of Fishing for Records. I have achieved fishing records with a rod and reel, fly rod, bow and arrow, handline, and even Plnor fishing (a pole and line no reel fishing technique that I developed.)
Q: What inspired you to use pipe cleaners to build a fishing pole?
A: The creation of the pipe cleaner rod and reel resulted from my interest in creating different fishing techniques and earning fishing records. I created a small version of a working rod and reel during a leadership training exercise, and several people said I should catch a fish with it.
Instead of using that small version, I decided to create a full-size rod and reel that would fully function and allow me to qualify for a record catch, if I landed a record fish. What I thought would be a simple exercise resulted in utilizing over 1,500 pipe cleaners and took over 50 hours to complete.
Q: How is using a pipe cleaner rod and reel different than using a standard fishing pole?
A: The line and terminal tackle were exactly the same as using a conventional rod and reel. Casting, retrieving line, and fighting the fish were different.
Because the rod is made entirely of pipe cleaners it is not stiff, casting was basically just a flipping technique. Retrieving the line involves turning the handle like a regular reel, however, the line comes in on the bottom of the spool instead of the top of the spool since the gears do not reverse the retrieve.
The function of the rod is also in reverse since the rod is not stiff. The fish action using the rod works by the fish pulling against the weight of the pipe cleaner rod. The retrieve is also very slow, since turning the handle only moves the line a few inches at a time.
Q: Can you tell us more about the experience of catching this record-breaking fish?
A: I have a great deal of experience in catching fishing records and know a lake where I thought I could catch a Line Class Record fish with the pipe cleaner rod and reel. I targeted a fish species called a black buffalo. They come relatively close to shore on one side of the lake, which is what I needed because of my limited casting ability with my pipe cleaner rod and reel.
I hooked the record black buffalo with a range cube as bait. Things were going pretty well until the fish pulled so hard it jammed the reel and hung up in the rocks. After some quick work to adjust the reel, I was able to resume reeling and free the fish. I was then able to, very slowly, work the black buffalo to the bank.
It took approximately 30 minutes to land the fish. I caught the black buffalo with a 16-pound test line, and it weighed 9 pounds 3 ounces. The Line Class World Record fish was caught on Lake Whitney, Texas, August 11, 2019, and is listed in the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward, Wisconsin.
Do you have an unbelievable feat of your own? Submit your Believe It or Not! to us for a chance to be featured in the next Ripley’s annual! Catch Barry’s full story and more fan submissions inside the pages of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Mind Blown!
By Meghan Yani, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON!
Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!
Source: Crafty Fisherman Pipe-Cleans Up With Record-Breaking Catch
December 3, 2020
Support Wildlife Conservation Day At Ripley’s Aquariums!
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
December 4, 2020, is Wildlife Conservation Day, and there’s no better time to explore the hidden depths of the ocean and its diverse array of wildlife. The marine creatures we’re going to highlight today delight visitors who visit Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Toronto, Canada. As you’ll soon see, these animals rely on a variety of innovative and impressive adaptations to survive in their underwater worlds.
From shrimp that “hammer” their prey to penguins who sunbathe on hot African beaches, hold onto your seats as we go on a wild ride into the underwater depths of the animal kingdom.
Mantis Shrimp
Mantis shrimp are carnivorous crustaceans that fall into the same hard-shelled group of animals as lobsters and crabs. There are almost 500 different mantis shrimp species, and they live in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from southern Africa to Hawaii. They grow on average four inches long, although mantis shrimp up to 18-feet have been reported in the wild.
They have some of the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom with between 12 and 16 photoreceptors. (As opposed to just three photoreceptors in the human eye).
What can they see with these eyes? Everything from deep UV and UVB light to circular polarized light. They use their eyes to track prey, but the natural marvels don’t stop there. Mantis shrimp have raptorial appendages specifically designed for hunting. Some species, known as spearers, have spear-like appendages. Others, known as smashers, use calcified hammer-like appendages to clobber their prey. Smashers like the peacock mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) strike their prey with force equivalent to a .22 caliber bullet!
Sawfish
Sawfish, or carpenter sharks, are cousins of sharks, manta rays, and stingrays. They live in tropical and subtropical waters, preferring the estuarine waters of mangroves. Sawfish are endangered due to overfishing and loss of habitat, and their last strongholds remain in Florida and northern Australia. Five species of sawfish exist today, and they’re among the largest fish in the world. Some sawfish can grow up to 23 feet long. That’s larger than a great white shark!
Long, flat snouts, or rostrums, lined with sharp transverse teeth like a saw blade give sawfish away. But these rostral teeth are more like fingernails. They grow continuously throughout the fish’s life and can even regenerate when broken. As long as the break doesn’t occur at the base. How do sawfish use their rostrum? They sense and stun prey with their long toothy snouts. They also use them to defend against predators such as bull sharks and crocodiles.
Frogfish
A type of angler fish, the frogfish gets its name from its frog-shaped body and thick frog-leg-like front fins. Like other anglerfish, a “lure-like” appendage grows in front of its first dorsal spine and can be wiggled like a fishing pole to attract prey. The frogfish’s weird leggy fins permit it to “walk” rather than swim along the ocean floor. Frogfish don’t have swim bladders, making them awfully awkward when they do propel themselves through the water.
These slow digesters only need to be fed twice a week. Their upward-facing mouths come with extendable jaws, which can snatch prey with frightening rapidity. Native to the tropics and subtropics, they live along the warm coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, preferring temperatures around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Capable of changing colors, it takes them about two weeks to adjust to a new environment’s coloration, whether it’s black, green, red, orange, or yellow.
Horseshoe Crabs
Did you know that horseshoe crabs are older than the dinosaurs? Or that they have blue blood? These incredible arthropods have inhabited the Earth for 450 million years, and their blood is blue because it’s made with copper rather than iron. While you’ve likely collected their shells on the beach, we bet you’ve never found a live one. That’s because they molt and generate new, larger shells as they grow. Despite their popular name, they’re not related to crabs or other crustaceans.
These armored creatures aren’t speedy swimmers, but they can propel themselves through the water by flipping onto their backs and using their gills. Known as book gills, these flap-like appendages each contain more than 100 thin, page-like membranes or lamellae, which look like a book’s pages. In these figurative “pages” gas exchanges take place, permitting the crabs to breathe. What do crabs eat? Because of their slow speed, they can’t rely on hunting. Instead, they scavenge “crumbs” from sharks and rays that fall to the ocean’s floor. Since sharks and rays are both messy eaters, horseshoe crabs always have plenty to devour.
Green Sea Turtles
Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) can grow to upwards of 300 to 350 pounds and live primarily on seagrasses and algae, although they also munch on insects, crustaceans, worms, and seagrasses when the opportunity arises. They have serrated jaws that help them easily chew these plant-heavy meals. According to Alex McMinn, an educator at Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, don’t tell this to their resident green sea turtle, Gabby…
The pampered turtle is obsessed with squid and won’t eat anything else. The Aquarium stuffs squid with lettuce and green veggies to vary Gabby’s diet. Like her peers in the wild, Gabby has a smooth, heart-shaped shell that’s easily recognizable. It covers every inch of her body except for her head and flippers, providing a thorough layer of protection against ocean predators. Since mid-century, green sea turtle populations have been decimated 90 percent due to habitat loss, pollution, natural predation, and diseases. To help this endangered species, zoos and aquariums, such as Ripley’s, provide rehabilitation services.
African Penguins
The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is no cold weather friend! Native to South Africa, these birds flock to its sunny, warm beaches. Their bodies rely on fascinating adaptations to make this temperate environment work, even when it does cool off. For example, the black feathers on their back absorb heat when temperatures drop. And their white bellies help them stay cool when it’s warm and sunny.
Pink patches around their eyes and on their feet also help regulate their body temperatures. When sea breezes blow, these patches fill with blood providing natural thermoregulation as the blood cools. Penguins don’t have hollow bones and can’t fly, but they are effective swimmers due to their waterproof feathers. They can reach speeds of 12 MPH and stay submerged for two minutes. These talents help the penguins nab their favorite treats, herring, and squid. These endangered birds are getting a helping hand from Ripley’s, in collaboration with the South African Foundation for Coastal Birds, to conserve their numbers.
In addition, our Aquariums are part of the Species Survival Program with our African penguins! Our goal is to have three chicks in three years at our location, in an effort to continue growing the population. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies has already seen great success with new chicks added to their colony. And Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach has just recently welcomed their very first chick over in South Carolina, as well!
Conservation for a Brighter Future
These animals are just the beginning when it comes to the diverse variety of wildlife teeming in our oceans. That said, problems ranging from overfishing to plastic pollution mean many of these incredible creatures are now endangered. It’s up to all of us to do our part for a better, healthier future for our planet’s oceans and waterways.
What are a few things you can do to keep our environment safer for animals? Recycle everything you can. Install water-saving showerheads, and save electricity by turning lights off when you leave a room. Walk whenever possible, and drive a fuel efficient car. Little changes lead to big results. Get more easy suggestions for a brighter future for the Earth.
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
INFORMATION
Discover thousands of undersea creatures and breathtaking galleries when you visit a Ripley’s Aquarium!
Source: Support Wildlife Conservation Day At Ripley’s Aquariums!
CARTOON 12-03-2020December 2, 2020
December 1, 2020
Finny Boy’s Fetching Tennis Ball Feat
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
It’s no hidden feat that Golden Retrievers are loyal, cuddly, and intelligent pups, but Finley Molloy has one unbelievable talent that many of his four-legged friends don’t possess. “Finny Boy” can fit a half dozen tennis balls in his mouth without much fuss!
The six-year-old canine lives in Canandaigua in the Finger Lakes region of New York and was adopted by the Molloy family, Cherie, Rob, and Erin, in 2014. His humans started noticing his tendency to pick up several tennis balls at once when he was about two years old. Eventually, he was able to hold six at once, an act that, so far, no other canine has matched!
Erin Molloy, who brought 10-week-old Finley home when she was a senior in college, created an Instagram account in 2018 to showcase the dog’s impressive talent. The profile currently has over 47,500 followers from around the world, including China and Sweden. His fans love seeing photos and videos of Finley posing with his tennis balls and going about his daily routine as the goodest boy on the gram.
“The joy he brings to us is one thing,” Cherie Molloy told the Democrat & Chronicle. “But he brings joy to people all over the world.”
Finley’s technique for this unusual talent is quite simple. Someone throws Finley six balls, and he picks up the first three of four rather quickly. Then he uses his paws to keep the next two in place before placing them between his jaws like a puzzle piece, resulting in his stretched-out looking cheeks. Some balls are only contained by a single tooth! You can tell Finley’s proud of his accomplishment when he vigorously wags his tail once all of them are in place.
We can chalk up Finley’s talent to good breeding. Golden Retrievers were designed to be bird dogs to hunt waterfowl. They can track wounded game and are very strong swimmers. They’re excellent family pets and are commonly used as service dogs for blind and disabled individuals. They also perform as search and rescue animals.
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A post shared by Finley Molloy (@finnyboymolloy) on Jun 1, 2020 at 7:33am PDT
While Finely loves playing fetch, it’s not his only hobby. One of his favorite activities is swimming in Canandaigua Lake, playing fetch in the water, and dropping the tennis ball next to any nearby kayakers, so they too can join in on the fun.
Finely has stolen a variety of different fetch-worthy balls from his neighbor’s garage–everything from lacrosse to softball! And when humans aren’t available for play, Finley lies on his back with a ball between his paws and drops it into his mouth, all on his own.
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A post shared by Finley Molloy (@finnyboymolloy) on Jul 7, 2020 at 3:48am PDT
“I get walks, swims, carrots, treats galore, every single day,” Finley says on his human sister’s Instagram account. “I am truly the luckiest pup EVER!”
You can find Finley and his totally pawsome tennis ball tricks inside the pages of Ripley’s latest annual, Mind Blown!, now available in stores and on Amazon.
By Noelle Talmon, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON!
Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!
November 30, 2020
Ripley’s Offering $10,000 Reward For The Missing Utah Monolith
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
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Last week, the internet was buzzing over the news of a mysterious, alien-eqse icon dropped into the southeastern Utah desert. And this week, the same unknown object has suddenly gone missing. Its brief appearance has the world wondering—what was this unusual structure? Who placed it there, and where has it gone? We have questions (and a $10,000 reward for the answers).
Yes, we are offering $10,000 for the monolith or tips on where to find it.
A 10-to-12-foot tall monolith was spotted by Aero Bureau and wildlife resource officers during an overhead count of bighorn sheep in the Red Rock Country area. The air team spotted the towering metal structure from above and took to the ground to investigate. The Utah Department of Public Safety says there was “no obvious indication” of who is responsible for the object’s placement. Reddit threads, Tweets, and Facebook comments revealed the coordinates of the monolith, however, the DPS urged tourists to avoid visiting the temporary addition in the fear of a required rescue if they were to become stranded. But, this word of caution didn’t stop curious explorers from navigating their way to it.
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A post shared by David Surber (@davidsurber_)
And like any good extraterrestrial mystery, the monolith’s guest appearance was brief and has since vanished from the desert grounds. After being illegally installed on the 245 million acres of public land, it was removed by “an unknown party or parties.” Bret Hutchings, a department helicopter pilot, told KSLTV that the monolith is the “strangest thing that I’ve come across out there in all my years of flying.” He, and many others, have theories surrounding what the structure could be: from “some new wave artist,” to “somebody that was a big ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ fan” as it closely resembles the black monument in the 1986 film.
We may not know if an extraterrestrial or earthling installed the “monolith” structure, but we can confirm that it has been taken by an unknown party or parties. More: https://t.co/zmlHF4kPn9 #monolith #utahmonolith #utah pic.twitter.com/TiQMHK9cyM
— BLM Utah (@BLMUtah) November 30, 2020
In a year full of chaos, the sudden appearance and disappearance of the monolith has proved quite a distraction amidst the 2020 news cycle. Naturally, as curators of the odd, unusual, and unknown, we’re on the hunt for the missing extraterrestrial artwork. Who placed this shining beacon in the Utah desert? Who took it away? Where is it now?
Ripley’s will pay $10,000 to the first person who comes forward as the proud legal owner of the monolith or who provides accurate information exclusively to Ripley’s on where to find it. Tips can be submitted anonymously, but hurry—this reward expires at the end of this weird year, December 31, 2020, at 11:59 p.m.!
Submit Your Tip
Monolith Inquiry Form
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Source: Ripley’s Offering $10,000 Reward For The Missing Utah Monolith
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