Last week Julian Zmutt caught a three-eyed fish reminiscent of Blinky the fish from a 1990 episode of The Simpsons entitled "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish." That long ago episode focused on Bart catching the unusual fish downstream from the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.
In a scary coincidence, Zmutt landed his freaky mutation in an Argentinian lake where hot water from a nearby nuclear facility is pumped reports treehugger.com. Zmutt told media outlets that he didn’t notice the fish’s third eye until well after catching it. “As it was dark at that time we did not notice,” Zmutt said. “But then you looked at him with a flashlight and saw that he had a third eye.”
Heavy floods in Bangkok, Thailand, have caused extensive property damage and hundreds of deaths recently in the country's north and central regions. But now news outlets are reporting another danger that has resulted from the floods: Crocodiles on the loose.
Thai authorities are warning flood victims that crocodiles have used the rising flood waters to escape from a number of the country’s crocodile farms.
“This is the worst thing—knowing that there might be a crocodile or snake there waiting for you when go back to check your home,” said Thai resident Patchara Promkaew to The Wall Street Journal.
The Missouri Department of Conservation is warning outdoorsman about the potential dangers from encounters with non-native species including mountain lions, snakes, zombies and bears. Ummmmm... huh? Zombies?
In a special "Flesh Afield" blog, the MDC advised hunters to beware of the state's newest invasive species threat—ZOMBIES!
"While zombie management is largely left to the police, military and health agencies, conservation plays a role in protecting Missouri's fish, forest and wildlife resources—and Missourians—from this invasive species," cautioned the MDC. "Hunters, campers and others in the outdoors and on conservation areas should know there is always the chance they may encounter a zombie while out in the field. Good preparation helps you know what to do if you encounter this newest invasive species in Missouri.
The Federal government recently upheld a rule that makes logging and road construction illegal in national forests, according to ABC News and other sources.
For the origin of the rule, one must go back to the Clinton administration. In 2001, a ban was declared on timber harvests, road construction and road development in millions of acres of national forest to protect fragile wilderness habitat and to keep the forests remote and pristine for recreational use. The state of Wyoming and other groups protested the ban, saying it violated the 1964 Wilderness Act and hindered the mining and development of coal and other natural resources.
Republican Presidential Candidate and Texas Governor Rick Perry hunted pheasants in Iowa this past Saturday and used the opportunity to make sure the public understands how he feels about hunting and gun ownership. “As long as I’ve got memory, I had something to go hunting with,” Perry told reporters at the Loess Hills Hunting Preserve outside of Merrill, Iowa.
“It was a long love affair with a boy and his gun that turned into a man and his gun, and then it turned into a man and his son and his daughter and their guns.” Perry was referring to his children who apparently also enjoy hunting. “One of the great American traditions is taking your family hunting,” Perry continued. “I wish my son and daughter were here with us today. They would truly enjoy this. From my perspective, that’s part of America—walking across that hillside with one of your children hunting.”
I’m not sure which animal got the bigger surprise: the elephant or the crocodile.
Shot by a tourist in Botswana's Chobe National Park, this video shows a few of the estimated 120,000 elephants within the park drinking at a river. Things are peaceful until a very large crocodile lunges from the murk and clamps its jaws on the lead elephant’s trunk.
Statistics don't lie, and according to reports, North America's population of ducks is higher than it has ever been.
Wildlife authorities are reporting that 45.6 million ducks will be heading south for the winter. That's a record number, 35 percent greater than the average number of ducks making the epic trek, and 11 percent greater than last year's migrating duck population, according to The Missourian.
A Texas man was killed by a great white shark in Australia on Saturday, and now authorities there are hunting for the culprit shark, reports the New York Daily Newsand other sources.
George Wainwright was spearfishing with friends near Western Australia's Rottnest Island. From a boat, Wainwright's fishing companions noticed a large amount of air bubbles rising to the water's surface above where Wainwright was diving. Moments later, large amounts of blood rose to the water's surface, followed by Wainwright's body.
Last year I did a gallery on my office in a safari tent in my backyard. I no longer have that office–I don’t want to talk about it–so I’ve been looking for another. As of today, my search is over.
One of this year’s Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts is a designer yurt. Referred to in the Christmas catalog as the “Dream Folly,” this yurt is said to have been inspired more by I Dream of Jeannie than by the traditional Mongolian tent. The custom tent is 18 feet in diameter, stands 12 1⁄2 feet tall, has a plexiglass door and dome, and is constructed of mixed-grain interior lattice system and a Sunbrella® exterior lining.
Inside are down-filled pillows by designer by Rebecca Vizard, linen wall coverings by Coleman Taylor Handpainted Textiles, and a handcrafted crystal chandelier from New Orleans-based Julie Neill Designs. Despite all this luxury there’s still room for my desk, laptop computer, and Yeti cooler full of beer.
Ahhhhh, isn’t that cute. A sweet little black bear cub somehow found its way into a grocery store in Ketchikan, Alaska. Look how he scampers over the produce, knocking down fruits and vegetables. He’s so cute I just want to eat him up…before he grows up and eats me! As cute as this is, this bear now associates humans with free food.
