‘Get the food in mum, we still can’t fly’: Amazing pictures of warbler chicks at feeding time

By Richard Hartley-parkinson


Grumpy: These three chickens look unhappy that they've had to wait so long for food, unaware that their mum is just behind them with a treat


They are cute, they are funny and they are just like human offspring.

These stunning photographs show the lives of warbler chicks and their relationships with their mother, but while they may be birds, they have striking resemblance to our own children.

All day long they sit around, tweeting, waiting for mum who is on a constant battle to keep them stocked up with food.

Hungry: These chicks look shocked that their mother has returned without food

Open wide: A grasshopper is brought to this waiting chick

Incey wincey: The chicks will make easy work of this spider


The demanding warbler chicks can't fly yet so they perch precariously on tree branches waiting for their mum to bring delicious grubs and grasshoppers and there's much excitement when they arrive.

The images display the incredible lengths the mother birds will go to in order to feed their hungry brood who are just days old.

The pictures, captured by photographer Octavianus Darmawan in Jakarta, Indonesia, show their incredible skill as they hover with the tasty treat and feed them in mid air.

The 56-year-old said when he takes the pictures he can take anything from a few days to week to capture the perfect shot of the mother and her chicks together.

He said: 'I take pictures to showcase the beauty of nature around me.

Perched: This caterpillar's days are numbered as this chick prepares for its next meal

Tweet me: They may be hungry but these young warblers expect mum to come to them with food

Birdsong: A chorus emits from these youngsters competing for this delicious treat

Fast food: The birds stand precariously on the thin branch as their mother comes and goes at great speed


'I'm always impressed when I see the mother birds feeding their chicks because I can see how difficult it can be to find food and raise their kids.

'They have to face dangers like snakes and cats and it can be a struggle but they work hard.

'I became appreciative of my own parents after watching these birds and it made me thankful for the struggle they'd gone through to teach me and raise me well.'

Under pressure: A long-suffering mother passes a grub up to her chick who looks big enough to go and get its own food

Pick me! Pick me! The two on the right compete for food while the chick on the left looks like its been elbowed out

Midnight feast: There's no rest for this warbler parent as she continues foraging and feeding late into the night


A mother's work is never done


Source:dailymail

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On the brink: Sixth mass extinction 'that will eradicate 75% of life on Earth is drawing closer'

By Daily Mail Reporter


The Sumatran tiger is close to extinction. Earth may be on the brink of a sixth mass extinction, according to scientists


Earth may be on the brink of a sixth mass extinction on the scale of the apocalyptic event that wiped out the dinosaurs, a study claims.

The researchers say that unless action is taken now to reverse the harmful effects of human activity on eco-systems, a full-blown mass extinction could occur within a few centuries.

Recovery from such an event, which could eradicate more than three-quarters of all life on Earth, may then take millions of years.


Only five previous mass extinctions have occurred in the last 540million years.

They are classified as the Ordovician event (443million years ago); the Devonian event (359million years ago); the Permian event (251million years ago); the Triassic event (200million years ago) and the Cretaceous event (65million years ago).

The last mass extinction, thought to have been triggered by a meteor impact in Mexico, was marked by the loss of 76 per cent of species including the dinosaurs.

A new study of mammal populations raises the alarming prospect of a sixth mass extinction, this one a direct result of the effect humans are having on the planet.

Scientists in the U.S. compared extinction rates from the fossil record with the speed at which mammals are vanishing today.

Within the past 500 years, it is estimated that at least 80 species of mammals have become extinct out of a starting total of 5,570 species.

This compares with an average extinction rate for mammals of less than two species disappearing every million years.


The panda is currently one of those species most at risk. Modern extinction rates resemble mass extinction rates, researchers have warned


The findings are published in the journal Nature.

'It looks like modern extinction rates resemble mass extinction rates, even after setting a high bar on defining mass extinction,' said lead researcher Professor Anthony Barnosky, from the University of California at Berkeley.

He added: 'If currently threatened species - those officially classed as critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable - actually went extinct, and that rate of extinction continued, the sixth mass extinction could arrive within as little as three to 22 centuries.'

Scientists believe humans are causing the sixth mass extinction by fragmenting habitats, introducing non-native species, spreading diseases, killing species, and changing the climate.

But Professor Barnosky said it was not too late to prevent the loss of species reach an extinction 'tipping point'.

'So far, only 1 per cent to 2 per cent of all species have gone extinct in the groups we can look at clearly, so by those numbers, it looks like we are not far down the road to extinction. We still have a lot of Earth's biota to save.

'It's very important to devote resources and legislation toward species conservation if we don't want to be the species whose activity caused a mass extinction.'

Richard Lane, programme director at the U.S. National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences, which funded the study, said: 'The modern global mass extinction is a largely unaddressed hazard of climate change and human activities.

'Its continued progression, as this paper shows, could result in unforeseen - and irreversible - negative consequences to the environment and to humanity.'



Source:dailymail

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Sad end for giant of the seas: 45ft whale dies after being washed up on Kent beach

By Daily Mail Reporter


Beached: A Maritime & Coastguard Agency photo shows the scale of the 45ft-long sperm whale washed up at Pegwell Bay in Kent


-Natural History Museum to be consulted on its removal

A 45ft-long sperm whale has died today after being washed up on the Kent coast.

The huge animal was found stranded on the beach at Pegwell Bay between Ramsgate and Sandwich, in Kent, at 7.30am and animal rescue experts were called before it was confirmed the whale had died.

The public have shown great interest in the corpse but are advised to stay away from the beached whale due to health risks related to bacteria and its odour, a spokesman for the Maritime and Coastal Agency said.


He said coastguards remained at the scene and it was attracting great interest from members of the public.

'Our advice is to stay away as much as possible. It could be dangerous due to bacteria and it will probably get quite smelly,' he said.

'As the tide was on the flood, the advice was to leave it to see what happened when the water flooded around it.

'It now appears to be completely expired.'

Stranded: A Kent Coastguard and a police officer look at the body of a sperm whale washed up on the beach at Pegwell Bay in Kent this morning

Grim discovery: The huge whale was found dead early this morning on the Kent coast


The removal of the animal will be organised by Thanet District Council, it has been confirmed.

A council spokeswoman said it was seeking advice from the Institute of Zoology to determine how best to move it but they were currently being hampered by the high tide.

A Kent Police spokeswoman said an officer was on the scene and authorities were also liaising with experts at London's Natural History Museum, who may be called in to take samples of the sperm whale's jawbone.

Like dolphins, sperm whales can carry tuberculosis and lung disease and so the public would be well advised to stay away from the corpse.

Incidences of whales of this size washing up on the Kent coast are a rare but typically annual event.

Failed attempt: Animal experts waited for low tide to try and rescue the whale which sadly died


Washed up: The sperm whale was discovered dead on the beach at Pegwell Bay near Ramsgate


Source:dailymail

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Feeding time for the five-day-old silverback so well protected by its mother that zookeepers don't know what sex it is

By RICHARD HARTLEY-PARKINSON

Family: The five day old baby gorilla suckles on its mother as she holds his arm and another appears to be looking on affectionately


These incredible photographs show a tiny gorilla, just five days old, sleeping in the arms of its mother at Zurich zoo.

The photographs were taken today in the Swiss capital and show the proud mother, N'Yokumi looking after her newborn baby that vets have not yet been able to get close to.

That means they don't know what sex it is yet so hasn't been given a name, but mother and baby are getting on well and both appear healthy.


Thanks mum: After drinking its mother's milk, the tiny gorilla snuggles in her arms


She looks down at the baby lovingly and he appears to look back for reassurance before slowly drifting off into a deep sleep.

N'Yokumi gave birth the day before her tenth birthday on Saturday during the early hours of the morning.

The other gorillas have shown the new arrival lots of attention and all appear to approve of the latest addition to their number.

The father is a 34-year old Silverback N'Gola western lowland gorilla and they are part of the European Endangered Species Programme which has around 430 animals at 65 institutions.

They are classed as endangered on the Red List of the World Conservation Union.


Dropping off: The baby gorilla's eyes grow heavy in the comfort of its mother's embrace


Snooze time: The youngster falls sound asleep

source: dailymail

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Having a ruff ride? Dogs could be forced to wear seatbelts if bill makes drivers restrain pets

By MARK DUELL

Not allowed: The owner of Marmaduke, pictured in the 2010 film, would probably be violating the proposed bill forcing pets to travel restrained in Tennessee


It could be time for Max, Buster and Molly to get belted up.

Tennessee Representative Jim Cobb is sponsoring a bill that would make it illegal for dogs and other animals to ride unrestrained inside a moving vehicle.

The Republican lawmaker's proposals are over concerns it can be distracting and potentially dangerous for drivers to have a pet roaming around a car.

Animals would have to be ‘secured in a harness or vehicle seat, confined in a box, or hard or soft sided travel crate, or held by a person' in a front or back passenger seat.

This would therefore include the use of seatbelts to stop pets moving around.


Proposals: Tennessee Rep Jim Cobb is sponsoring a bill to make it illegal for pets to ride unrestrained inside cars


Breaking the law would be a ‘Class C Misdemeanour' offence, which could result in up to 30 days in jail, a $50 fine or both.

Mr Cobb wants to ban drivers from having dogs sit on their lap while the car is moving.

‘He basically said you're meant to not have an animal in the driver’s lap,' a spokesman for Mr Cobb told MailOnline.

‘It’s meant to make sure they don’t have it in the lap as it can impair your driving ability.’

The bill, which has already been going through the state’s system for about a month, was passed through the Tennessee transport sub-committee on Tuesday.
It will now go to the full transport committee next week and then onto finance.


Good idea: Jessie Medina, of the PETCO store, praised the proposals as he said animals can often get anxious in cars and any harnesses will 'save a dog's life'


Jessie Medina, general manager of the PETCO store in Bellevue, told ABC2: 'I understand where they're coming from because they want their animal to feel secure.

'Dogs can get anxious and want to come up front and look out of the window. Pet parents underestimate the fact that these harnesses are going to save their dog's life.

‘It's no different than their child or an adult who gets into an accident. They really need to have that dog in the seat strapped down. It's an accident waiting to happen.'

source: dailymail

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From the stalls to the stage, the horses taking part in world-first dance show

By Daily Mail Reporter


Pushing boundaries: French horse trainer Bartabas is bringing live horses on stage at Sadler's Wells


In a theatre scene as crowded as London's, producers are always trying to out-innovate. Now, Sadler's Wells may have just raised the bar, with real horses treading the boards.

Debuting this week, The Centaur And The Animal is the first London performance by 53 year-old French horse trainer Bartabas.

Four horses will take to the stage at the renowned dance theatre for a performance with dancer Ko Murobushi. The set aims to combine equestrian discipline with butoh, a Japanese dance style.


The performers say they aim to show how human society has moved away from the natural world.

Dark sets, whispered narration and strange choreography characterise a performance that theatre criticism website theartsdesk.com described as 'strange and potent.'

‘I don’t make this show to “show” horses – it’s to dive into the depths of the relationship between man and horse,' said Bartabas. 'It’s about working together.

'Because you know horses for years and years, you know how to listen – the ideas come from the horse. When you truly work with animals you don’t control, you hear the body and the breathing. The horse tells me when something is not working.’

Dressage: The Centaur And The Animal follows the interaction between man and horse


While not a household name, Bartabas is well-known in horse training circles. For 25 years he has been perfecting his own brand of equestrian theatre, a fusion of classical dressage and modern conceptual dance.

His Parisian-based company comprises 35 horses, and a 40-strong company of riders and stable boys to tend to them. He hosts equine shows all year round at his own revolving theatre, complete with bar and restaurant.

‘The horse is like music,’ Bartabas told the Metro. ‘The instrument doesn’t change, you just spend a lifetime learning to play it better.’


Master: Bartabas has spent 25 years performing his equestrian performances, which are a fusion of classical dressage and modern dance


Source:dailymail

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The real killers: American trophy hunters drive African lions closer to extinction

By Daily Mail Reporter


African lions are being driven towards extinction by American hunters determined to bag trophies, wildlife organisations have warned.

The lions, already threatened by conflict with farmers over land and by shrinking habitats, are being driven to the brink by the increasing demand from the U.S. for personal trophies, such as lion skins, and a growing trade in animal parts.

Jeff Flocken, of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said: 'The king of the jungle is heading toward extinction, and yet Americans continue to kill lions for sport. It is time for this senseless killing and unsustainable practice to stop.'

The king under threat: demand for hunting trophies in the U.S. is driving the African lion towards extinction


A coalition of wildlife organisations has petitioned the White House to list the African lion as an endangered species and ban the import of hunting trophies such as skins, claws and skulls, which can sell for thousands of dollars.

The coalition, which includes IFAW, the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International, Born Free and Defenders of Wildlife, said that two-thirds of the lions hunted for sport were taken to the U.S. in the past 10 years.

They said that at least 5,663 lions were traded for recreation between 1998 and 2008, with 64 percent of the resulting trophies being imported into America.

There were up to 200,000 lions in Africa 100 years ago, said the coalition. That figure has now fallen to between 23,00 and 40,000, with lions extinct in 26 countries.

The practice is made worse by the hunters' desire to bag a dominant male, according to a report in The Guardian. The death of the leader makes the pride unstable, with the new dominant male often killing all the cubs to preserve his position. Mr Flocken said: 'The countries that allow hunting have the worst drops in lion populations.'

Hunters are by no means the only threat. The human population in Afria, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is growing rapidly and could hit 1.75 billion by 2050.

Wilderness areas are being encroached upon to make room for agriculture and to build roads – such as the controversial highway across the Serengeti.

Some conservationists argue that a total ban on hunting is unnecessary. They claim that responsible hunting could in some instances help lion populations by conserving wilderness areas.


Source:dailymail

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That's snow business! Adorable panda plays up to the cameras as she goes literally head-over-heels for the fake flurry

By Daily Mail Reporter


That's snow business: Playful panda Su Lin put on a show for animal lovers when she rolled around in the false snow at San Diego Zoo in California today


Some might say she was pandering to the cameras.

But this playful young panda bear had a roll lot of fun as she enjoyed the albeit false snow today.

At one point, little Su Lin even made a crumpled snow ball with one of her paws that looked like she might have tossed mischievously at adoring spectators.


The bear gave up trying to crush the snow into a hard ball and played rolly-polly down a nearby slope.

The black and white bear enjoyed fun and games during the annual spraying of fake snow over the panda habitat in the normally-warm San Siego Zoo in California.

Designed to give the panda's a taste of life in the wild back home in China, cheeky Su Lin made the most of the iced conditions with her antics.

'Su Lin went wild for the snow," said Karl Drilling, a zoo visitor from Temecula, California. 'She was sliding down slopes in her habitat, moving the snow around. She even stuck her tongue out like a toddler and looked like she was smiling at one point.

Feeling at home: The fake snow in the usually warm California climate is designed to give the panda's a taste of life in their natural habitat in China

Ice cool: Su Lin went head-over-heels for the snow and had her own game of rolly-polly down a small slope


'The zoo does it annually as a treat for the pandas. And Su Lin most definitely made the most out of it.'

Part of a breeding exchange programme between San Diego and Bifengxia Panda Base in China, five-year-old Su Lin is the daughter of San Diego Zoo's famous dad Gao Gao - the U.S.'s only active breeding male.

'He has fathered four panda's since he arrived in San Diego in 2003,' Mr Drilling said. 'Su Lin was his second and definitely his naughtiest.'

The critically endangered species benefits from breeding exchanges similar to the one that exists between San Diego and Bifengxia.

'Bringing pandas to America for breeding lets the public sees these incredible creatures and also raised their awareness of their numbers,' Mr Drilling explained.

'Their preservation is the most important thing here so more pandas like Su Line can enjoy their days like she can.'


Source:dailymail

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What are moo doing here? Bemused cows look on as seal swims 50 miles inland to say hello

By Daily Mail Reporter


What just happened? The cows watch on as the seal, which had travelled 50 miles upriver, beats a retreat after paying them a visit


They probably don't get many visitors. So these cows were no doubt a little curious when a stranger appeared in their field.

Unfortunately, it seems, the seal didn't share their desire for a quick tete-a-tete.

The visitor did its best to frighten them off before disappearing back into the water.

But the cows couldn't resist one last look at the stranger who had disrupted their peace and quiet.


The seal had travelled 50 miles upriver before flipping itself up onto the bank of a tiny brook off the Great Ouse

However, when the herd went to investigate the intruder it lunged towards them, frightening them away, before sliding back into the river.

The encounter in a field in Holywell, Cambridgeshire, was caught on camera by retired engineer Doug Scott, who lives nearby.

Keen wildlife photographer Mr Scott, 72, said: 'When I looked out of the window I saw the seal just staring at the cows.

'At one point it lunged towards them and frightened them off a bit. But then it just kept swimming around before swimming off along the brook towards the main river.

'It was curious about the cows and curious about me, but it stayed and let me take pictures of it.

'It must have travelled at least 50 or 60 miles to get to my garden. I haven't seen it since Sunday, so it must have swam back.'


Stranger: The seal made sure the cows didn't get too close before slipping back into the water and swimming away


It is thought the seal entered the Great Ouse at the mouth of the river near King's Lynn, Norfolk, before its long swim upstream.

Animal expert Bev Cosse, of the Norfolk-based Seal and Bird Rescue Trust, revealed it is not unusual for seals to travel along rivers.

She said: 'They can travel unbelievable distances and you would be amazed where they can get.'


Source:dailymail

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How chimpanzees are just like humans: They laugh at jokes to bond even if they are not funny

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Having a giggle: Chimpanzees appeared to use laughter to strengthen social bonds, just like humans


Chimpanzees mimic the laughter of their playmates even if they do not find the situation as funny, scientists said today.

Research by Dr Marina Davila-Ross, of the University of Portsmouth, has shown that the apes do not just ape the expressions of their social partners.

The psychologist said the chimpanzees appeared to use laughter to strengthen social bonds, just like humans.

She said this showed that great apes had a more complex social use of expressions than previously thought.

Dr Davila-Ross said: 'Humans clearly use laughter as an important response in a wide range of social situations, but it is particularly interesting that chimpanzees seem to also use laughter to respond in such distinct ways.


Research: Dr Marina Davila-Ross's (right) study examined laughter in 59 chimpanzees living in four groups in the chimpanzee sanctuary Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia


'Great apes' ability to manage the sounds they make seems to be much more limited than humans and other animals, and even parrots.

'Nonetheless, their laughter might be partly managed and partly automatic.

'They do not just mimic the expressions of their playmates; they respond with their expressions in more complex ways than we were aware of before.


Play time: Dr Davila-Ross added that the apes had to be part of the fun to start laughing and would not just laugh by hearing other apes laughing nearby


'We found their responsive laughter shows a similarity to the conversational laughter of humans.

'Both are shorter than spontaneous laughter and both seem designed to promote social interaction.

'These sorts of responses may lead to important advantages in co-operation and social communication - qualities that help explain why laughter and smiles have become integral tools of emotional intelligence in humans.'

'Since then, the ability to control laughter must have drastically increased, along with its adaptive advantages, which explains why laughter has become a highly sophisticated, ubiquitous tool of co-operation and social communication in humans.'


source: dailymail

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Gentoo penguins begin the breeding season at Edinburgh Zoo

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - MARCH 01: Gentoo penguins begin the breeding season at Edinburgh Zoo on March 1, 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The zoo keepers have just installed the nest rings in the penguin enclosure. The male penguins will then collect pebbles and offer them to the females to fill nest rings with, this helps keep the eggs and chick up off the ground and is part of their courtship display.












source: daylife
photo: Gettyimages

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There's a frog in my fridge! Couple's shock as tropical amphibian jumps out of her salad

By Daily Mail Reporter


Donna Hunt believes the frog that gave her such a fright had been concealed in strawberries that she bought from Tesco


A woman preparing last night's dinner lost her appetite when she went to the fridge and found a... tropical tree FROG.

Donna Hunt, 32, screamed as the creature leapt onto the kitchen floor and hopped about as her husband Steve, 46, scrambled around trying to catch it.

It is believed the frog was concealed among the groceries she had bought earlier in the day from Tesco's and put in the fridge.


Donna, from Tuffley, Gloucester, said: 'I saw what I thought was a mouldy strawberry at the bottom of the fridge. I went to get it and it was all slimy and was moving about.

'I screamed and got my husband to come and check it and then found out it was a frog.

'He realised straight away that it wasn't native to Britain because it had big pads on its feet. My husband was very excited, he loves animals. But I was absolutely terrified.'

The couple believe the frog had been hiding in either the strawberries, mixed salad or celery which they had bought at Tesco in Quedgeley.

Donna with the fruit and veg she brought from Tesco which she believes contained the tropical tree frog


Donna, an operating department practitioner at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, said: 'It can't have been from anywhere else than Tesco.

'We got back from skiing in Andorra on Sunday and had an empty fridge until we went to do the shoppin. So it was only the Tesco shopping in the fridge.'

The couple called the RSPCA and an officer collected it today to take it to an amphibian specialist.

Donna has been offered replacement goods and a Tesco spokesman, said: 'Such a find is exceptionally rare. We are investigating with our suppliers.'


Source:dailymail

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Britain’s saddest puppy cheers up! Hairless Princess makes incredible recovery and has loving new home

By Daily Mail Reporter


'Saddest-looking dog we've ever seen': Princess, pictured in December, sits hairless in a cardboard box


She was branded Britain’s saddest puppy after she was abandoned by heartless owners and kicked out into the cold with a skin condition which left her close to death.

Rescue workers came close to giving up all hope for her recovery but Princess has now overcome the odds and has made a miraculous return to health.

Wagging her tail and bouncing through open fields, life is now a far cry from the days when she could only gaze longingly from a window.

Incredible recovery: She is now full of life, playing with Lucky, a ten-week-old Terrier cross


The forlorn puppy made international headlines after she was discovered suffering from a condition which made her skin so delicate that she could not go outside in any weather.

Even a warm jacket would irritate her beyond endurance.

At just six months old, she was pictured sitting in a cardboard box with a horrific case of mange which left her completely hairless.

Her heart-melting face laid bare the appalling levels of neglect and abuse she suffered at the hands of her owners.

Staff who took her in, at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, near Edenfield, Lancashire, feared the harsh winter weather would kill her and rescue workers said a course of drugs, costing a five-figure sum, was her only hope of survival.

But donations flooded in and now, only two months on, Princess has made a remarkable recovery.

She now looks the picture of health as she bounds about with other dogs, enjoying rough and tumble play with a shiny new coat.

Heartrending: The six-month-old puppy was found abandoned. She has now been nursed back to health


Healthy and happy: Princess, now eight months old, looks like a different dog. Pictured with carer Sallie Canroy


Sanctuary staff are looking to re-home her with permanent owners.

'She’s the saddest-looking dog we have ever seen,’ said manager Neil Martin.

‘Our staff are all in love with her but it’s only recently that she’s started learning how to enjoy a cuddle.

‘She didn’t even know how to play. We tried to get her to cheer up with some toys but she was scared of them.'

Princess, thought to be a bull terrier-greyhound cross, was found in Colne, Lancashire.

Her debilitating condition was caused by mites which burrowed into her hair follicles.


Source:dailymail

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Burmese Star Tortoise

A handout photograph released on February 28, 2011 shows a Burmese Star Tortoise hatching from its egg at the Taipei Zoo February 24, 2011.


The Taipei Zoo and Taiwan Council of Agriculture pledged $10,000 on Monday to the Turtle Survival Alliance for the development and growth of the Burmese Star Tortoise which is deemed critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Picture taken February 24, 2011.


source: daylife
photo: Reuters

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