The fossil of a python dating from about 15 million years ago has been discovered in Bavaria, first time proof that the reptile lived so far north, according to German palaeontologists.
They deduced from a group of seven vertebrae that the python had measured three and a half metres (11.5 feet). The complete snake is thought to have had at least 400 vertebrae. The researchers also found fossils of eight other snake species from the same period.
The snake was relatively small compared to giant reticulated pythons alive today in south-east Asia, which grow up to nine metres in length, and positively puny alongside the Titanoboa cerrejonensis, a 15-metre monster that slithered through the South American rainforests 60 million years ago.
But this is thought to be the longest snake that ever lived in central Europe. The fossil of the python, normally found in tropical regions of Africa and Asia, was found about 80 kilometres (50 miles) northwest of Munich by a team of German and Czech researchers.
“With the sudden fall in temperatures 14 million years ago, the destiny of this python was sealed,” said Madeleine Böhme, of the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoecology at Tübingen University in southwestern Germany, who worked together with colleagues from Masaryk University in the Czech city of Brno.
Temperatures in southern Germany during the Miocene period, when the snake is thought to have lived, were roughly the same as Egypt today. “We‘re assuming that the average yearly temperature was about 19 degrees Celsius,” Böhme told the Südwest Presse newspaper on Tuesday. “Otherwise the snake would not have felt very comfortable here.”
The average temperature in a typical year in Bavaria is currently around 8 degrees. Temperatures dropped rapidly in Europe around 14 million years ago. No large reptile fossils have been found in central Europe after this period, and Böhme believes the giant python could only have survived so far north during a relatively short time window of about a million years.
A few weeks ago, researchers from the same research institute in Tübingen proved that the oldest great apes in Eurasia also lived in southwestern Germany. The scientists dated a fossilized ape tooth, discovered in the area in 1973, to 17 million years ago.
http://www.discoveryon.info/2011/11/first-python-fossil-unearthed-in-germany.html
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Daddy longlegs on invasion march
Germany’s Ruhr region is facing an invasion of countless huge daddy longlegs, also known as harvestmen, as the creatures begin to colonize all of Western Europe.
Although the spider-like arachnids with a size of up to 18 centimetres are completely non-venomous, they’re clumping up by the hundreds on walls, castles and industrial ruins, forcing people to spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning them off, according to Die Welt newspaper.
This particular species of daddy longlegs is thought to have arrived in Europe a decade ago and then began spreading, the paper reported.
They were first spotted in the Netherlands, but have since been found in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly the Ruhr region, is one of the invasion’s focal points, according to Matthias Kaiser, insect expert at NRW's Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection.
He said the animals would have found it difficult to come to Germany by themselves on foot, so he suspects they hitched a ride on imported produce from the Netherlands. He told Die Welt they need this kind of help to spread so far.
These daddy longlegs are likely to stay in Germany. Although they die off during the winter, their egg deposits remain, resulting in a new generation during the next warm season.
Luckily they are unlikely to displace native animal species, according to state officials. In fact, they may even provide new sustenance to predatory birds or spiders, Die Welt said.
Experts believe the animals will continue their spread toward the southeast of Europe.
The Local/mdm
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20111122-39023.html
Although the spider-like arachnids with a size of up to 18 centimetres are completely non-venomous, they’re clumping up by the hundreds on walls, castles and industrial ruins, forcing people to spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning them off, according to Die Welt newspaper.
This particular species of daddy longlegs is thought to have arrived in Europe a decade ago and then began spreading, the paper reported.
They were first spotted in the Netherlands, but have since been found in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly the Ruhr region, is one of the invasion’s focal points, according to Matthias Kaiser, insect expert at NRW's Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection.
He said the animals would have found it difficult to come to Germany by themselves on foot, so he suspects they hitched a ride on imported produce from the Netherlands. He told Die Welt they need this kind of help to spread so far.
These daddy longlegs are likely to stay in Germany. Although they die off during the winter, their egg deposits remain, resulting in a new generation during the next warm season.
Luckily they are unlikely to displace native animal species, according to state officials. In fact, they may even provide new sustenance to predatory birds or spiders, Die Welt said.
Experts believe the animals will continue their spread toward the southeast of Europe.
The Local/mdm
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20111122-39023.html
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Wolves 'thriving' in Germany
Wolves are thriving in Germany, according to a new study, which found the animals could soon become part of the natural wildlife across the country.
One hundred years since hunting nearly wiped wolves out in Germany, they are moving out from their last bastion in the forests on the Polish border.
One hundred years since hunting nearly wiped wolves out in Germany, they are moving out from their last bastion in the forests on the Polish border.
While 11 years ago there was one pack, there are now 12, and the return of the wolf to all of Germany, said Professor Beata Jessel, head of Germany's Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, is now "unstoppable".
The two-year study by the agency has surprised experts by revealing that far from requiring vast forests, the grey wolf has started to adapt to the modern environment.
"Wolves do not need wilderness, rather they can rapidly spread in our landscape and fit into the most varied habitats," said Prof Jessel in an interview with the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.
GPS tracking of one female wolf revealed that she built her lair just 500 metres from a busy road and raised her young undisturbed by the traffic.
Two packs, comprising 18 animals all together, now live just 40 miles from Berlin.
"One should thus be prepared for the appearance of wolves across Germany, and use management plans to establish the most conflict-free relations between people and wolves as is possible," the professor added.
The study also showed the huge distances wolves can travel. One male animal, called Alan by researchers, travelled the 963 miles to Belarus in two months, crossing countless main roads and swimming the Oder and Vistula rivers. This tendency to wander, wolf specialists say, should aid the spread of wolves across Germany.
But canis lupis also face dangers.
Wolves have struggled to shed a reputation forged in centuries of folklore and stories that casts them as sinister and ruthless killers, prepared to hunt down man or beast. This has made them a target for hunters.
Official figures put the total of illegally shot wolves since 1990 at 13 but experts believe the true figure is much higher owing to hunters hiding the carcases.
Road accidents also inflict an annual toll on the population with 17 reported deaths since 2000.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8855821/Wolves-thriving-in-Germany.html
Two packs, comprising 18 animals all together, now live just 40 miles from Berlin.
"One should thus be prepared for the appearance of wolves across Germany, and use management plans to establish the most conflict-free relations between people and wolves as is possible," the professor added.
The study also showed the huge distances wolves can travel. One male animal, called Alan by researchers, travelled the 963 miles to Belarus in two months, crossing countless main roads and swimming the Oder and Vistula rivers. This tendency to wander, wolf specialists say, should aid the spread of wolves across Germany.
But canis lupis also face dangers.
Wolves have struggled to shed a reputation forged in centuries of folklore and stories that casts them as sinister and ruthless killers, prepared to hunt down man or beast. This has made them a target for hunters.
Official figures put the total of illegally shot wolves since 1990 at 13 but experts believe the true figure is much higher owing to hunters hiding the carcases.
Road accidents also inflict an annual toll on the population with 17 reported deaths since 2000.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8855821/Wolves-thriving-in-Germany.html
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Spider shuts down Saarland supermarket
Experts in the western German town of Bexbach are still searching a supermarket for a spider that jumped out of a Colombian fruit crate on Friday. The eight-legged escape artist is thought to be a highly venomous banana spider.
A spokesman for the grocery store told German news agency DAPD that the supermarket remained closed to ensure customer safety.
He said experts were "frantically" working to track down the creature, though there had still been no trace of it.
Staff from the zoo in Neunkirchen are at the scene, and zoo director Norbert Fritsch said the risk is not to be underestimated if the arachnid in question was, indeed, a banana spider.
He said the spider's bites can be life-threatening, even for a healthy adult. Banana spiders can grow to be 13 centimeters in size. The term refers to two genera of spiders, one of which is large but relatively harmless, and another highly venomous species.
The police in Homburg said the spider had been hiding in a case of bananas. It escaped when supermarket employees were unpacking the delivery.
The spider reportedly scurried under a shelf and then disappeared. Pest control specialists were notified, and the store was evacuated.
DAPD/DPA/arp
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110709-36179.html
A spokesman for the grocery store told German news agency DAPD that the supermarket remained closed to ensure customer safety.
He said experts were "frantically" working to track down the creature, though there had still been no trace of it.
Staff from the zoo in Neunkirchen are at the scene, and zoo director Norbert Fritsch said the risk is not to be underestimated if the arachnid in question was, indeed, a banana spider.
He said the spider's bites can be life-threatening, even for a healthy adult. Banana spiders can grow to be 13 centimeters in size. The term refers to two genera of spiders, one of which is large but relatively harmless, and another highly venomous species.
The police in Homburg said the spider had been hiding in a case of bananas. It escaped when supermarket employees were unpacking the delivery.
The spider reportedly scurried under a shelf and then disappeared. Pest control specialists were notified, and the store was evacuated.
DAPD/DPA/arp
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110709-36179.html
Monday, July 11, 2011
Horse caught by speed camera
A runaway horse has been caught on film by a speed camera in Germany.
The nag had escaped from a paddock and dashed off down a busy main road and into the town of Meppen in Emsland in the province of Lower Saxony.
A police spokesman said: "The horse was galloping at full speed for several kilometers before it could be stopped and caught - and led back home.
"The picture was taken by a camera set to take pictures of speeding motorists and people going over the red light - and it was actually a car driver that triggered the picture and the horse ended up being snapped in the same picture.
"The driver has asked if he could avoid paying the fine - he claimed he was trying to get out of the way of a runaway horse. At least we know that part is true."
The horse was returned to its paddock without incident and a broken fence repaired to prevent a repeat.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Horse_caught_by_speed_camera
The nag had escaped from a paddock and dashed off down a busy main road and into the town of Meppen in Emsland in the province of Lower Saxony.
A police spokesman said: "The horse was galloping at full speed for several kilometers before it could be stopped and caught - and led back home.
"The picture was taken by a camera set to take pictures of speeding motorists and people going over the red light - and it was actually a car driver that triggered the picture and the horse ended up being snapped in the same picture.
"The driver has asked if he could avoid paying the fine - he claimed he was trying to get out of the way of a runaway horse. At least we know that part is true."
The horse was returned to its paddock without incident and a broken fence repaired to prevent a repeat.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Horse_caught_by_speed_camera
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Drugs plot raid reveals old woman feeding rabbits with cannabis
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20110625-35889.html
Police in Brandenburg who discovered a large plot of cannabis called on the neighbouring house only to find an 84-year-old woman who had been feeding her rabbits with the plants.
“The rabbits really like it,” the woman told officers who called on her in the village of Golzow near Belzig, according to Saturday’s Tagesspiegel.
Read on...
Police in Brandenburg who discovered a large plot of cannabis called on the neighbouring house only to find an 84-year-old woman who had been feeding her rabbits with the plants.
“The rabbits really like it,” the woman told officers who called on her in the village of Golzow near Belzig, according to Saturday’s Tagesspiegel.
Read on...
Sunday, June 5, 2011
German police train vulture 'detectives' to find bodies
2 June 2011
German police are trying out a new weapon in the fight against crime - vultures that can find hidden corpses.
Three feathered detectives - called Sherlock, Miss Marple and Columbo - are being trained in Walsrode bird park in northern Germany.
The birds' keen eyesight and acute sense of smell might make them as skilful as their fictional namesakes.
But worryingly Sherlock sometimes prefers to hunt on foot, rather than scan the ground from above.
Police used a piece of shroud from a mortuary for the training exercise, German media report.
The vultures are thought to be better than sniffer dogs at finding bodies when a large area has to be searched and the terrain is difficult, for example if it is densely overgrown.
But the experiment raises ethical concerns because of the risk that a vulture could start pecking at a dead body, the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper says.
This week Miss Marple and Columbo, from a zoo in Austria, joined Sherlock for the exercise in the reserve, north of Hanover.
Police are using three birds because the vultures prefer to roam big areas as a group.
"The vultures may work much more effectively than sniffer dogs," said a Hanover police officer, Rainer Herrmann.
"There's a lot of interest in this. We've had inquiries from Germany, Austria and Switzerland," he said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13629772
German police are trying out a new weapon in the fight against crime - vultures that can find hidden corpses.
Three feathered detectives - called Sherlock, Miss Marple and Columbo - are being trained in Walsrode bird park in northern Germany.
The birds' keen eyesight and acute sense of smell might make them as skilful as their fictional namesakes.
But worryingly Sherlock sometimes prefers to hunt on foot, rather than scan the ground from above.
Police used a piece of shroud from a mortuary for the training exercise, German media report.
The vultures are thought to be better than sniffer dogs at finding bodies when a large area has to be searched and the terrain is difficult, for example if it is densely overgrown.
But the experiment raises ethical concerns because of the risk that a vulture could start pecking at a dead body, the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper says.
This week Miss Marple and Columbo, from a zoo in Austria, joined Sherlock for the exercise in the reserve, north of Hanover.
Police are using three birds because the vultures prefer to roam big areas as a group.
"The vultures may work much more effectively than sniffer dogs," said a Hanover police officer, Rainer Herrmann.
"There's a lot of interest in this. We've had inquiries from Germany, Austria and Switzerland," he said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13629772
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Cross-eyed opossum on diet to improve health and eye alignment
A cross-eyed opossum from Leipzig Zoo has been put on a diet which will not only make her slimmer and healthier – it may also help her eyes look in the same direction.
Heidi the cross-eyed opossum became an internet sensation after being moved from North Carolina, via Denmark to the east German zoo.
Someone set up a Facebook page for her which has as of Sunday morning, prompted 284,547 people to note that they ‘like this’, and thousands to leave comments on how sweet they think she is.
Click here for a Heidi photo gallery.
Yet her eye problem – likely caused by fatty deposits behind her eyes – is symptomatic of her general obesity which zookeepers in Leipzig now say they are tackling.
“She is making clear progress with mobility, and can now use her tail much better to hold onto things,” said Maria Saegebarth, spokeswoman for the zoo.
She said the opossum’s obesity is thought to have been responsible for her eye problem.
Saegebarth said Heidi is becoming more active as she loses weight out of sight of the public in a private area of the zoo. She will be put in the new giant tropical hall which is due to be opened in July.
DPA/hc
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20110130-32759.html
Cross-eyed opossum on diet to improve health and eye alignment
A cross-eyed opossum from Leipzig Zoo has been put on a diet which will not only make her slimmer and healthier – it may also help her eyes look in the same direction.
Heidi the cross-eyed opossum became an internet sensation after being moved from North Carolina, via Denmark to the east German zoo.
Someone set up a Facebook page for her which has as of Sunday morning, prompted 284,547 people to note that they ‘like this’, and thousands to leave comments on how sweet they think she is.
Click here for a Heidi photo gallery.
Yet her eye problem – likely caused by fatty deposits behind her eyes – is symptomatic of her general obesity which zookeepers in Leipzig now say they are tackling.
“She is making clear progress with mobility, and can now use her tail much better to hold onto things,” said Maria Saegebarth, spokeswoman for the zoo.
She said the opossum’s obesity is thought to have been responsible for her eye problem.
Saegebarth said Heidi is becoming more active as she loses weight out of sight of the public in a private area of the zoo. She will be put in the new giant tropical hall which is due to be opened in July.
DPA/hc
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20110130-32759.html
Hip cat: Tiger gets landmark artificial joint operation
Published: 27 Jan 11 16:03 CET
A tiger in Germany has become the world's first to be given an artificial hip after a three-hour-operation by a team of vets that she only barely survived, Leipzig University said on Thursday.
Girl, as the Malayan tiger at Halle Zoo in eastern Germany is known, had been in visible pain for close to a year because of problems in her right hip joint, the university said.
"Malayan tigers are one of the world's most endangered species, with only around 500 estimated to be living in the wild. This was another reason to operate on Girl," a statement said.
The ferocious eight-year-old feline patient was not that long in the tooth either, with a life expectancy of 20.
During the operation by five specialists, Girl's heart came close to stopping, but anaesthetist Michaele Alef was able to save her.
Girl is now recovering in a separate enclosure back in Halle Zoo, and once a six-week danger period when the new hip could dislocate is over, there is a chance that it will last her the rest of her life.
"We are happy," said Peter Boettcher, another member of the team that also included Italian Aldo Vezzoni, a specialist with a wealth of experience fitting artificial hips in dogs, who worked for free.
Artificial hips of the kind implanted into Girl were first developed by professor Pierre Montavon from the University of Zurich with Swiss firm Kyon, and contain titanium for better performance and durability.
They were first used only in dogs but in recent years have also been implanted in humans.
AFP/rm
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110127-32711.html
A tiger in Germany has become the world's first to be given an artificial hip after a three-hour-operation by a team of vets that she only barely survived, Leipzig University said on Thursday.
Girl, as the Malayan tiger at Halle Zoo in eastern Germany is known, had been in visible pain for close to a year because of problems in her right hip joint, the university said.
"Malayan tigers are one of the world's most endangered species, with only around 500 estimated to be living in the wild. This was another reason to operate on Girl," a statement said.
The ferocious eight-year-old feline patient was not that long in the tooth either, with a life expectancy of 20.
During the operation by five specialists, Girl's heart came close to stopping, but anaesthetist Michaele Alef was able to save her.
Girl is now recovering in a separate enclosure back in Halle Zoo, and once a six-week danger period when the new hip could dislocate is over, there is a chance that it will last her the rest of her life.
"We are happy," said Peter Boettcher, another member of the team that also included Italian Aldo Vezzoni, a specialist with a wealth of experience fitting artificial hips in dogs, who worked for free.
Artificial hips of the kind implanted into Girl were first developed by professor Pierre Montavon from the University of Zurich with Swiss firm Kyon, and contain titanium for better performance and durability.
They were first used only in dogs but in recent years have also been implanted in humans.
AFP/rm
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110127-32711.html
Hip cat: Tiger gets landmark artificial joint operation
Published: 27 Jan 11 16:03 CET
A tiger in Germany has become the world's first to be given an artificial hip after a three-hour-operation by a team of vets that she only barely survived, Leipzig University said on Thursday.
Girl, as the Malayan tiger at Halle Zoo in eastern Germany is known, had been in visible pain for close to a year because of problems in her right hip joint, the university said.
"Malayan tigers are one of the world's most endangered species, with only around 500 estimated to be living in the wild. This was another reason to operate on Girl," a statement said.
The ferocious eight-year-old feline patient was not that long in the tooth either, with a life expectancy of 20.
During the operation by five specialists, Girl's heart came close to stopping, but anaesthetist Michaele Alef was able to save her.
Girl is now recovering in a separate enclosure back in Halle Zoo, and once a six-week danger period when the new hip could dislocate is over, there is a chance that it will last her the rest of her life.
"We are happy," said Peter Boettcher, another member of the team that also included Italian Aldo Vezzoni, a specialist with a wealth of experience fitting artificial hips in dogs, who worked for free.
Artificial hips of the kind implanted into Girl were first developed by professor Pierre Montavon from the University of Zurich with Swiss firm Kyon, and contain titanium for better performance and durability.
They were first used only in dogs but in recent years have also been implanted in humans.
AFP/rm
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110127-32711.html
A tiger in Germany has become the world's first to be given an artificial hip after a three-hour-operation by a team of vets that she only barely survived, Leipzig University said on Thursday.
Girl, as the Malayan tiger at Halle Zoo in eastern Germany is known, had been in visible pain for close to a year because of problems in her right hip joint, the university said.
"Malayan tigers are one of the world's most endangered species, with only around 500 estimated to be living in the wild. This was another reason to operate on Girl," a statement said.
The ferocious eight-year-old feline patient was not that long in the tooth either, with a life expectancy of 20.
During the operation by five specialists, Girl's heart came close to stopping, but anaesthetist Michaele Alef was able to save her.
Girl is now recovering in a separate enclosure back in Halle Zoo, and once a six-week danger period when the new hip could dislocate is over, there is a chance that it will last her the rest of her life.
"We are happy," said Peter Boettcher, another member of the team that also included Italian Aldo Vezzoni, a specialist with a wealth of experience fitting artificial hips in dogs, who worked for free.
Artificial hips of the kind implanted into Girl were first developed by professor Pierre Montavon from the University of Zurich with Swiss firm Kyon, and contain titanium for better performance and durability.
They were first used only in dogs but in recent years have also been implanted in humans.
AFP/rm
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110127-32711.html
Friday, December 24, 2010
Dog in Germany gives birth to 17 puppies
BERLIN – A dog in Germany has given birth to 17 puppies, leaving their owner thrilled but fatigued after having to feed them with a bottle for several weeks because their mother couldn't cope with the demand.
Owner Ramona Wegemann said Monday she barely slept for more than a couple of minutes without interruption during about four weeks in an "exhausting" struggle to make sure all of the purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies would survive.
She said when she was "finished feeding the last puppy, the first was hungry again."
Wegemann's dog Etana gave birth to eight female and nine male puppies on Sept. 28 in Ebereschenhof, which is near Berlin.
At least five times a day, Wegemann gave the dogs a bottle with special milk because their mother's nipples could have never coped with the demand, and when the puppies were not hungry, they wanted to be entertained, she said.
Wegemann said when dogs give birth to so many puppies several of them die within the first week. "But all of our puppies survived. This is incredible and wonderful," the 32-year-old added.
It was the second time that Etana gave birth. She gave birth to eight puppies in her first pregnancy, not uncommon for the dog's breed, Wegemann said.
"The birth of the puppies was very special. All puppies were born naturally, no cesarean was necessary," she added. It took Etana a full 26 hours to give birth to all of the puppies — and Wegemann was as baffled as amazed.
But caring for 17 puppies turned out to be a full-time job: Wegemann put her work as an independent animal psychiatrist on a hold and her husband took as much vacation as he could.
Their lives have been turned upside down by the puppies, and their living room is now occupied by a giant box that houses the puppies.
But even Wegemann still struggles to recognize them: The females puppies are called Bahati, Binta, Bahya, Bashima, Batouuli, Binki, Bora, Bisa and the male ones are Baakir, Banjoku, Belay, Bruk, Bundu, Bayo, Bukekayo, Biton and Bulus.
Wegemann gave them all African names because the Rhodesian Ridgeback is an African hunting dog. Wegeman and her husband now plan to give most of the puppies away.
A price of ?800 ($1,050) per puppy would only cover the expenses for the veterinary, vaccinations, food and the mandatory paperwork, Wegemann said. She hopes to get about ?1,000 ($1,315) per dog, but said they would only give them to families with children, not breeders.
Four of the puppies have been sold, two more are already paid for and will leave their siblings shortly.
Owner Ramona Wegemann said Monday she barely slept for more than a couple of minutes without interruption during about four weeks in an "exhausting" struggle to make sure all of the purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies would survive.
She said when she was "finished feeding the last puppy, the first was hungry again."
Wegemann's dog Etana gave birth to eight female and nine male puppies on Sept. 28 in Ebereschenhof, which is near Berlin.
At least five times a day, Wegemann gave the dogs a bottle with special milk because their mother's nipples could have never coped with the demand, and when the puppies were not hungry, they wanted to be entertained, she said.
Wegemann said when dogs give birth to so many puppies several of them die within the first week. "But all of our puppies survived. This is incredible and wonderful," the 32-year-old added.
It was the second time that Etana gave birth. She gave birth to eight puppies in her first pregnancy, not uncommon for the dog's breed, Wegemann said.
"The birth of the puppies was very special. All puppies were born naturally, no cesarean was necessary," she added. It took Etana a full 26 hours to give birth to all of the puppies — and Wegemann was as baffled as amazed.
But caring for 17 puppies turned out to be a full-time job: Wegemann put her work as an independent animal psychiatrist on a hold and her husband took as much vacation as he could.
Their lives have been turned upside down by the puppies, and their living room is now occupied by a giant box that houses the puppies.
But even Wegemann still struggles to recognize them: The females puppies are called Bahati, Binta, Bahya, Bashima, Batouuli, Binki, Bora, Bisa and the male ones are Baakir, Banjoku, Belay, Bruk, Bundu, Bayo, Bukekayo, Biton and Bulus.
Wegemann gave them all African names because the Rhodesian Ridgeback is an African hunting dog. Wegeman and her husband now plan to give most of the puppies away.
A price of ?800 ($1,050) per puppy would only cover the expenses for the veterinary, vaccinations, food and the mandatory paperwork, Wegemann said. She hopes to get about ?1,000 ($1,315) per dog, but said they would only give them to families with children, not breeders.
Four of the puppies have been sold, two more are already paid for and will leave their siblings shortly.
Dog in Germany gives birth to 17 puppies
BERLIN – A dog in Germany has given birth to 17 puppies, leaving their owner thrilled but fatigued after having to feed them with a bottle for several weeks because their mother couldn't cope with the demand.
Owner Ramona Wegemann said Monday she barely slept for more than a couple of minutes without interruption during about four weeks in an "exhausting" struggle to make sure all of the purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies would survive.
She said when she was "finished feeding the last puppy, the first was hungry again."
Wegemann's dog Etana gave birth to eight female and nine male puppies on Sept. 28 in Ebereschenhof, which is near Berlin.
At least five times a day, Wegemann gave the dogs a bottle with special milk because their mother's nipples could have never coped with the demand, and when the puppies were not hungry, they wanted to be entertained, she said.
Wegemann said when dogs give birth to so many puppies several of them die within the first week. "But all of our puppies survived. This is incredible and wonderful," the 32-year-old added.
It was the second time that Etana gave birth. She gave birth to eight puppies in her first pregnancy, not uncommon for the dog's breed, Wegemann said.
"The birth of the puppies was very special. All puppies were born naturally, no cesarean was necessary," she added. It took Etana a full 26 hours to give birth to all of the puppies — and Wegemann was as baffled as amazed.
But caring for 17 puppies turned out to be a full-time job: Wegemann put her work as an independent animal psychiatrist on a hold and her husband took as much vacation as he could.
Their lives have been turned upside down by the puppies, and their living room is now occupied by a giant box that houses the puppies.
But even Wegemann still struggles to recognize them: The females puppies are called Bahati, Binta, Bahya, Bashima, Batouuli, Binki, Bora, Bisa and the male ones are Baakir, Banjoku, Belay, Bruk, Bundu, Bayo, Bukekayo, Biton and Bulus.
Wegemann gave them all African names because the Rhodesian Ridgeback is an African hunting dog. Wegeman and her husband now plan to give most of the puppies away.
A price of ?800 ($1,050) per puppy would only cover the expenses for the veterinary, vaccinations, food and the mandatory paperwork, Wegemann said. She hopes to get about ?1,000 ($1,315) per dog, but said they would only give them to families with children, not breeders.
Four of the puppies have been sold, two more are already paid for and will leave their siblings shortly.
Owner Ramona Wegemann said Monday she barely slept for more than a couple of minutes without interruption during about four weeks in an "exhausting" struggle to make sure all of the purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies would survive.
She said when she was "finished feeding the last puppy, the first was hungry again."
Wegemann's dog Etana gave birth to eight female and nine male puppies on Sept. 28 in Ebereschenhof, which is near Berlin.
At least five times a day, Wegemann gave the dogs a bottle with special milk because their mother's nipples could have never coped with the demand, and when the puppies were not hungry, they wanted to be entertained, she said.
Wegemann said when dogs give birth to so many puppies several of them die within the first week. "But all of our puppies survived. This is incredible and wonderful," the 32-year-old added.
It was the second time that Etana gave birth. She gave birth to eight puppies in her first pregnancy, not uncommon for the dog's breed, Wegemann said.
"The birth of the puppies was very special. All puppies were born naturally, no cesarean was necessary," she added. It took Etana a full 26 hours to give birth to all of the puppies — and Wegemann was as baffled as amazed.
But caring for 17 puppies turned out to be a full-time job: Wegemann put her work as an independent animal psychiatrist on a hold and her husband took as much vacation as he could.
Their lives have been turned upside down by the puppies, and their living room is now occupied by a giant box that houses the puppies.
But even Wegemann still struggles to recognize them: The females puppies are called Bahati, Binta, Bahya, Bashima, Batouuli, Binki, Bora, Bisa and the male ones are Baakir, Banjoku, Belay, Bruk, Bundu, Bayo, Bukekayo, Biton and Bulus.
Wegemann gave them all African names because the Rhodesian Ridgeback is an African hunting dog. Wegeman and her husband now plan to give most of the puppies away.
A price of ?800 ($1,050) per puppy would only cover the expenses for the veterinary, vaccinations, food and the mandatory paperwork, Wegemann said. She hopes to get about ?1,000 ($1,315) per dog, but said they would only give them to families with children, not breeders.
Four of the puppies have been sold, two more are already paid for and will leave their siblings shortly.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Boar piglet learns to moo with new cow family
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20101105-30983.html
A wild boar piglet that strayed from its family has found a new home with a herd of Galloway cattle in the German state of Lower Saxony, learning to moo and even suckle from the cows for nourishment, media reports said this week.
Seven weeks ago, the wee hog showed up on a meadow owned by cattle farmer Bodo Bertsch near the village of Waake, he told Die Welt on Thursday.
They were shy at first, but since then his 14 cows and 12 calves have accepted “Freddy” as a member of their herd, Bertsch said.
The boar’s favourite member of the herd is “Rula,” from whom he rarely strays.
A farmhand discovered the boar, now estimated to be about four-months-old, in a meadow among the herd in September, Bertsch said.
“At first we could hardly believe it,” he said.
But in the following days, the piglet could be seen trotting around the field with the cows, and Bertsch, believing it to be a male, dubbed him “Freddy,” though he now believes the animal may actually be female.
Bertsch told Die Welt he has spoken with a number of experts about the unusual occurrence, and none had heard of such a friendship between cows and boars.
Egbert Strauß, deputy leader of the IWFo institute for wild animal research in Hannover, agreed.
“But pigs are clever,” he said. “The animal obviously lost his sounder and searched for a new one.”
Groups of wild boar sows and their young are called sounders.
Freddy seems to feel comfortable in her new home, eating grass like the cows and attempting, albeit with limited success, to imitate their mooing, Bertsch said.
She has also joined a calf in suckling from one of the cows, and when the cows bed down, she snuggles up next to them, he said.
Just how bovine the porcine pretender has become will be put to the test in mid-November when the herd will be transferred to their winter meadow.
“I’m interested to see whether Freddy marches onto the cattle trailer with the Galloways,” Bertsch said.
The Local/ka
A wild boar piglet that strayed from its family has found a new home with a herd of Galloway cattle in the German state of Lower Saxony, learning to moo and even suckle from the cows for nourishment, media reports said this week.
Seven weeks ago, the wee hog showed up on a meadow owned by cattle farmer Bodo Bertsch near the village of Waake, he told Die Welt on Thursday.
They were shy at first, but since then his 14 cows and 12 calves have accepted “Freddy” as a member of their herd, Bertsch said.
The boar’s favourite member of the herd is “Rula,” from whom he rarely strays.
A farmhand discovered the boar, now estimated to be about four-months-old, in a meadow among the herd in September, Bertsch said.
“At first we could hardly believe it,” he said.
But in the following days, the piglet could be seen trotting around the field with the cows, and Bertsch, believing it to be a male, dubbed him “Freddy,” though he now believes the animal may actually be female.
Bertsch told Die Welt he has spoken with a number of experts about the unusual occurrence, and none had heard of such a friendship between cows and boars.
Egbert Strauß, deputy leader of the IWFo institute for wild animal research in Hannover, agreed.
“But pigs are clever,” he said. “The animal obviously lost his sounder and searched for a new one.”
Groups of wild boar sows and their young are called sounders.
Freddy seems to feel comfortable in her new home, eating grass like the cows and attempting, albeit with limited success, to imitate their mooing, Bertsch said.
She has also joined a calf in suckling from one of the cows, and when the cows bed down, she snuggles up next to them, he said.
Just how bovine the porcine pretender has become will be put to the test in mid-November when the herd will be transferred to their winter meadow.
“I’m interested to see whether Freddy marches onto the cattle trailer with the Galloways,” Bertsch said.
The Local/ka
Boar piglet learns to moo with new cow family
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20101105-30983.html
A wild boar piglet that strayed from its family has found a new home with a herd of Galloway cattle in the German state of Lower Saxony, learning to moo and even suckle from the cows for nourishment, media reports said this week.
Seven weeks ago, the wee hog showed up on a meadow owned by cattle farmer Bodo Bertsch near the village of Waake, he told Die Welt on Thursday.
They were shy at first, but since then his 14 cows and 12 calves have accepted “Freddy” as a member of their herd, Bertsch said.
The boar’s favourite member of the herd is “Rula,” from whom he rarely strays.
A farmhand discovered the boar, now estimated to be about four-months-old, in a meadow among the herd in September, Bertsch said.
“At first we could hardly believe it,” he said.
But in the following days, the piglet could be seen trotting around the field with the cows, and Bertsch, believing it to be a male, dubbed him “Freddy,” though he now believes the animal may actually be female.
Bertsch told Die Welt he has spoken with a number of experts about the unusual occurrence, and none had heard of such a friendship between cows and boars.
Egbert Strauß, deputy leader of the IWFo institute for wild animal research in Hannover, agreed.
“But pigs are clever,” he said. “The animal obviously lost his sounder and searched for a new one.”
Groups of wild boar sows and their young are called sounders.
Freddy seems to feel comfortable in her new home, eating grass like the cows and attempting, albeit with limited success, to imitate their mooing, Bertsch said.
She has also joined a calf in suckling from one of the cows, and when the cows bed down, she snuggles up next to them, he said.
Just how bovine the porcine pretender has become will be put to the test in mid-November when the herd will be transferred to their winter meadow.
“I’m interested to see whether Freddy marches onto the cattle trailer with the Galloways,” Bertsch said.
The Local/ka
A wild boar piglet that strayed from its family has found a new home with a herd of Galloway cattle in the German state of Lower Saxony, learning to moo and even suckle from the cows for nourishment, media reports said this week.
Seven weeks ago, the wee hog showed up on a meadow owned by cattle farmer Bodo Bertsch near the village of Waake, he told Die Welt on Thursday.
They were shy at first, but since then his 14 cows and 12 calves have accepted “Freddy” as a member of their herd, Bertsch said.
The boar’s favourite member of the herd is “Rula,” from whom he rarely strays.
A farmhand discovered the boar, now estimated to be about four-months-old, in a meadow among the herd in September, Bertsch said.
“At first we could hardly believe it,” he said.
But in the following days, the piglet could be seen trotting around the field with the cows, and Bertsch, believing it to be a male, dubbed him “Freddy,” though he now believes the animal may actually be female.
Bertsch told Die Welt he has spoken with a number of experts about the unusual occurrence, and none had heard of such a friendship between cows and boars.
Egbert Strauß, deputy leader of the IWFo institute for wild animal research in Hannover, agreed.
“But pigs are clever,” he said. “The animal obviously lost his sounder and searched for a new one.”
Groups of wild boar sows and their young are called sounders.
Freddy seems to feel comfortable in her new home, eating grass like the cows and attempting, albeit with limited success, to imitate their mooing, Bertsch said.
She has also joined a calf in suckling from one of the cows, and when the cows bed down, she snuggles up next to them, he said.
Just how bovine the porcine pretender has become will be put to the test in mid-November when the herd will be transferred to their winter meadow.
“I’m interested to see whether Freddy marches onto the cattle trailer with the Galloways,” Bertsch said.
The Local/ka
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Germany: Black panther hunt (via Chad Arment)
Officials in the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate on Wednesday gave hunters permission to shoot an escaped panther that has been on the loose near the Belgian border for almost a year.
Both the Koblenz regional environmental protection office and city licence agency (SGD) have approved hunters’ rights to kill the big cat, they said.
“We’re looking into if and how we can find the animal,” said Nicole Scherer, spokesperson for the licence agency.
The authorities believe the animal could be a black panther that escaped from a French animal park some time ago. A “large black creature” has been cited along the Belgian border near Trier four times just since August, a factor that informed the city’s decision, they said.
Tranquilising the animal is not a good enough option, officials said, because it could flee in the seven minutes it takes for the drugs to take hold.
The black creature was first seen in the Belgian Ardennes region, just on the other side of the German border, about one year ago. Later similar sightings were reported in other parts of Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany’s Eifel region near Trier.
“According to the number of sightings we must take the situation seriously,” said Thomas Müller, spokesperson for the Trier-Saarburg county administration.
After tigers and lions, black panthers are the world’s third-largest big cat species.
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20101020-30645.html
Both the Koblenz regional environmental protection office and city licence agency (SGD) have approved hunters’ rights to kill the big cat, they said.
“We’re looking into if and how we can find the animal,” said Nicole Scherer, spokesperson for the licence agency.
The authorities believe the animal could be a black panther that escaped from a French animal park some time ago. A “large black creature” has been cited along the Belgian border near Trier four times just since August, a factor that informed the city’s decision, they said.
Tranquilising the animal is not a good enough option, officials said, because it could flee in the seven minutes it takes for the drugs to take hold.
The black creature was first seen in the Belgian Ardennes region, just on the other side of the German border, about one year ago. Later similar sightings were reported in other parts of Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany’s Eifel region near Trier.
“According to the number of sightings we must take the situation seriously,” said Thomas Müller, spokesperson for the Trier-Saarburg county administration.
After tigers and lions, black panthers are the world’s third-largest big cat species.
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20101020-30645.html
Germany: Black panther hunt (via Chad Arment)
Officials in the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate on Wednesday gave hunters permission to shoot an escaped panther that has been on the loose near the Belgian border for almost a year.
Both the Koblenz regional environmental protection office and city licence agency (SGD) have approved hunters’ rights to kill the big cat, they said.
“We’re looking into if and how we can find the animal,” said Nicole Scherer, spokesperson for the licence agency.
The authorities believe the animal could be a black panther that escaped from a French animal park some time ago. A “large black creature” has been cited along the Belgian border near Trier four times just since August, a factor that informed the city’s decision, they said.
Tranquilising the animal is not a good enough option, officials said, because it could flee in the seven minutes it takes for the drugs to take hold.
The black creature was first seen in the Belgian Ardennes region, just on the other side of the German border, about one year ago. Later similar sightings were reported in other parts of Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany’s Eifel region near Trier.
“According to the number of sightings we must take the situation seriously,” said Thomas Müller, spokesperson for the Trier-Saarburg county administration.
After tigers and lions, black panthers are the world’s third-largest big cat species.
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20101020-30645.html
Both the Koblenz regional environmental protection office and city licence agency (SGD) have approved hunters’ rights to kill the big cat, they said.
“We’re looking into if and how we can find the animal,” said Nicole Scherer, spokesperson for the licence agency.
The authorities believe the animal could be a black panther that escaped from a French animal park some time ago. A “large black creature” has been cited along the Belgian border near Trier four times just since August, a factor that informed the city’s decision, they said.
Tranquilising the animal is not a good enough option, officials said, because it could flee in the seven minutes it takes for the drugs to take hold.
The black creature was first seen in the Belgian Ardennes region, just on the other side of the German border, about one year ago. Later similar sightings were reported in other parts of Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany’s Eifel region near Trier.
“According to the number of sightings we must take the situation seriously,” said Thomas Müller, spokesperson for the Trier-Saarburg county administration.
After tigers and lions, black panthers are the world’s third-largest big cat species.
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20101020-30645.html
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Mystery kangaroo put down after car collision ... in Germany
Published: 30 Sep 10 14:40 CET
Veterinarians in Lower Saxony were forced to euthanise a kangaroo on Wednesday after the mystery animal bounced in front of a car and suffered a severe broken leg.
A 53-year-old driver in the Lower Saxony town of Haren was startled when the kangaroo bounced into the path of his car on Wednesday. Despite slamming on his brakes, he hit and injured the animal.
With the help of a local resident, the man captured the kangaroo and took it to the nearby Nordhorn zoo. Vets at the zoo established that the animal had a serious leg fracture they were unable to mend. They therefore put the animal down.
Police announced on Thursday that it was still unclear where the iconic Australian animal had come from.
“So far, no kangaroo from a zoo or animal park has been reported as missing,” a police spokesman said.
However, there had been several reports of sightings of a kangaroo in recent weeks.
Oddly enough, it is not the only escaped kangaroo to have made headlines in Germany in the past couple of years. An escaped kangaroo named Toto was caught after being “on the hop” for 15 days from the Serengeti Park Hodenhagen in Hannover.
Zoo staff in that case lured the kangaroo with his favourite food: peanut butter.
DAPD/The Local/dw
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100930-30191.html
(Via CFZ Australia)
Veterinarians in Lower Saxony were forced to euthanise a kangaroo on Wednesday after the mystery animal bounced in front of a car and suffered a severe broken leg.
A 53-year-old driver in the Lower Saxony town of Haren was startled when the kangaroo bounced into the path of his car on Wednesday. Despite slamming on his brakes, he hit and injured the animal.
With the help of a local resident, the man captured the kangaroo and took it to the nearby Nordhorn zoo. Vets at the zoo established that the animal had a serious leg fracture they were unable to mend. They therefore put the animal down.
Police announced on Thursday that it was still unclear where the iconic Australian animal had come from.
“So far, no kangaroo from a zoo or animal park has been reported as missing,” a police spokesman said.
However, there had been several reports of sightings of a kangaroo in recent weeks.
Oddly enough, it is not the only escaped kangaroo to have made headlines in Germany in the past couple of years. An escaped kangaroo named Toto was caught after being “on the hop” for 15 days from the Serengeti Park Hodenhagen in Hannover.
Zoo staff in that case lured the kangaroo with his favourite food: peanut butter.
DAPD/The Local/dw
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100930-30191.html
(Via CFZ Australia)
Mystery kangaroo put down after car collision ... in Germany
Published: 30 Sep 10 14:40 CET
Veterinarians in Lower Saxony were forced to euthanise a kangaroo on Wednesday after the mystery animal bounced in front of a car and suffered a severe broken leg.
A 53-year-old driver in the Lower Saxony town of Haren was startled when the kangaroo bounced into the path of his car on Wednesday. Despite slamming on his brakes, he hit and injured the animal.
With the help of a local resident, the man captured the kangaroo and took it to the nearby Nordhorn zoo. Vets at the zoo established that the animal had a serious leg fracture they were unable to mend. They therefore put the animal down.
Police announced on Thursday that it was still unclear where the iconic Australian animal had come from.
“So far, no kangaroo from a zoo or animal park has been reported as missing,” a police spokesman said.
However, there had been several reports of sightings of a kangaroo in recent weeks.
Oddly enough, it is not the only escaped kangaroo to have made headlines in Germany in the past couple of years. An escaped kangaroo named Toto was caught after being “on the hop” for 15 days from the Serengeti Park Hodenhagen in Hannover.
Zoo staff in that case lured the kangaroo with his favourite food: peanut butter.
DAPD/The Local/dw
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100930-30191.html
(Via CFZ Australia)
Veterinarians in Lower Saxony were forced to euthanise a kangaroo on Wednesday after the mystery animal bounced in front of a car and suffered a severe broken leg.
A 53-year-old driver in the Lower Saxony town of Haren was startled when the kangaroo bounced into the path of his car on Wednesday. Despite slamming on his brakes, he hit and injured the animal.
With the help of a local resident, the man captured the kangaroo and took it to the nearby Nordhorn zoo. Vets at the zoo established that the animal had a serious leg fracture they were unable to mend. They therefore put the animal down.
Police announced on Thursday that it was still unclear where the iconic Australian animal had come from.
“So far, no kangaroo from a zoo or animal park has been reported as missing,” a police spokesman said.
However, there had been several reports of sightings of a kangaroo in recent weeks.
Oddly enough, it is not the only escaped kangaroo to have made headlines in Germany in the past couple of years. An escaped kangaroo named Toto was caught after being “on the hop” for 15 days from the Serengeti Park Hodenhagen in Hannover.
Zoo staff in that case lured the kangaroo with his favourite food: peanut butter.
DAPD/The Local/dw
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100930-30191.html
(Via CFZ Australia)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Radioactive Boars Rampaging Through Germany
Published August 03, 2010
FoxNews.com
Wikimedia
Recently, Germany has reported a surge in the wild boar population. According to one recent study, German wild boar litters have six to eight piglets on average, other countries usually only about four or five.
It sounds like the plot of a B-movie, yet it’s bizarrely true: Radioactive boars are on the loose and thriving in Germany’s forests.
A succession of mild winters has left Germany scrambling to deal with a skyrocketing wild boar population. Tales of swarming beasts rampaging through city streets and attacking citizens occur with alarming regularity.
The problem has been aggravated by the lingering effects of the Chernobyl disaster from twenty-five years ago; a large portion of the wild animals are contaminated by radioactivity.
Poisonous radiation leaves the beasts completely inedible (wild boar is considered a delicacy in Germany), and the phenomenon is becoming expensive for the German government. In the last hunting season, 650,000 boar were shot versus 287,000 in the previous year. And due to atomic energy regulations, the government must buy contaminated animals from hunters who catch them.
Berlin compensated hunters to the tune of over $500,000 in 2009, writes German newspaper Der Spiegel -- quadruple the payment in 2007.
Though the Chernobyl explosion happened a quarter century ago, high levels of radiation remain in the region’s vegetation. And wild boars are especially susceptible because of their proclivity for mushrooms and truffles, which are especially efficient at absorbing radiation.
"In the regions where it is particularly problematic, all boar that are shot are checked for radiation," Andreas Leppmann from the German Hunting Federation told the paper. There are 70 measuring stations in Bavaria alone.
While general radioactivity in plants should continue to decrease, levels in fungi may even increase, leaving no end in sight for this issue. One expert told Der Spiegel that the problem will likely remain for at least another 50 years.
Read more at Der Spiegel.
FoxNews.com
Wikimedia
Recently, Germany has reported a surge in the wild boar population. According to one recent study, German wild boar litters have six to eight piglets on average, other countries usually only about four or five.
It sounds like the plot of a B-movie, yet it’s bizarrely true: Radioactive boars are on the loose and thriving in Germany’s forests.
A succession of mild winters has left Germany scrambling to deal with a skyrocketing wild boar population. Tales of swarming beasts rampaging through city streets and attacking citizens occur with alarming regularity.
The problem has been aggravated by the lingering effects of the Chernobyl disaster from twenty-five years ago; a large portion of the wild animals are contaminated by radioactivity.
Poisonous radiation leaves the beasts completely inedible (wild boar is considered a delicacy in Germany), and the phenomenon is becoming expensive for the German government. In the last hunting season, 650,000 boar were shot versus 287,000 in the previous year. And due to atomic energy regulations, the government must buy contaminated animals from hunters who catch them.
Berlin compensated hunters to the tune of over $500,000 in 2009, writes German newspaper Der Spiegel -- quadruple the payment in 2007.
Though the Chernobyl explosion happened a quarter century ago, high levels of radiation remain in the region’s vegetation. And wild boars are especially susceptible because of their proclivity for mushrooms and truffles, which are especially efficient at absorbing radiation.
"In the regions where it is particularly problematic, all boar that are shot are checked for radiation," Andreas Leppmann from the German Hunting Federation told the paper. There are 70 measuring stations in Bavaria alone.
While general radioactivity in plants should continue to decrease, levels in fungi may even increase, leaving no end in sight for this issue. One expert told Der Spiegel that the problem will likely remain for at least another 50 years.
Read more at Der Spiegel.
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