Deer may be affecting some bird species on far larger scales than previously appreciated, new research has found. The study, published this week in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology, provides evidence that the populations of several woodland bird populations fare worse in areas that have high, rather than low, numbers of deer.
The research led by Dr Stuart Newson from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) applied new methods of analysis to large national bird and deer monitoring data. The study focused on eleven woodland bird species in lowland England and their relationships with three widespread and abundant deer species: muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and fallow deer (Dama dama). The eleven bird species depend on low dense vegetation in woodland and scrub, and are therefore potentially vulnerable to browsing by deer which tends to reduce this vegetation.
There was evidence that increases in deer have been associated with large-scale population declines for five of the eleven bird species. Of these, it was suggested that the impacts of deer are likely to have been greatest for two species of conservation concern, the amber listed Nightingale and the red listed Willow Tit. These two birds have declined by 54% and 65% respectively over the last ten years.
Read more ...
Showing posts with label deer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deer. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Who, what, why: Why do deer cause more car crashes in autumn?
This is the peak period for car accidents caused by deer and drivers in the UK are being warned to be more aware. So why are there so many such incidents at this time of year?
Deer could be responsible for as many as 74,000 car accidents in the UK each year, according to new statistics. Figures have been on the rise for the last 10 years and look likely to continue rising, say deer experts.
The number of deer in the UK has more than doubled in the past 10 years, according to the Deer Initiative, a group of charities and government agencies aimed at controlling deer numbers. It says the population is now in the region of two million, a number not seen since the Norman Conquest.
October until the end of November is the peak period for such accidents. So why is it such a danger period?
Shorter days is one reason. This results in more cars being on the roads at dawn and dusk, when deer activity is at its peak.
For the three larger species of deer in the UK - red, fallow and sika - it is also mating season, when stags start chasing females. This peaks in the next four weeks, a period which is known as "the rut" when males fight each other, making things even more dangerous.
"You basically have deer rushing around with sex on their minds and not thinking about much else," says Peter Watson, director of the Deer Initiative.
Read on...
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Deer crashes aquarium's seal tank
NORWALK, CT (CNN) - Maybe it was just looking to cool off from the oppressive summer heat?
Whatever the reason, a deer took a swim in the seal tank at an aquarium in Norwalk, CT Tuesday. It paddled a few laps before it was finally able to pull itself out of the water with the help of a worker.
According to the Stamford Advocate, aquarium workers believe the deer got into the exhibit after swimming from the Norwalk River.
That's where it headed back to, apparently unhurt, after getting out of the tank.
http://www.live5news.com/story/15217356/deer-crashes-aquariums-seal-tank
Whatever the reason, a deer took a swim in the seal tank at an aquarium in Norwalk, CT Tuesday. It paddled a few laps before it was finally able to pull itself out of the water with the help of a worker.
According to the Stamford Advocate, aquarium workers believe the deer got into the exhibit after swimming from the Norwalk River.
That's where it headed back to, apparently unhurt, after getting out of the tank.
http://www.live5news.com/story/15217356/deer-crashes-aquariums-seal-tank
Saturday, June 4, 2011
All-white moose sighted near Delta Junction
by Tim Mowry / tmowry@newsminer.com
May 27, 2011
FAIRBANKS — The white moose that has been seen kicking around Delta Junction the past two years is evidently still kicking.
Jacob White was on the Tanana River in his riverboat Tuesday night when he saw the moose on the bank of the river in roughly the same area it was seen by boaters last fall.
“I was just cruising up the river,” White said. “I saw it from about a half mile away. I thought it was a horse for a second. Then it was like, ‘Wait a second; that’s an albino moose.’”
White snapped some photos of the all-white moose, which his wife, Ana, posted on her Facebook page.
“I wish I had gotten better pictures,” White said.
While there has been some debate as to whether the moose is a true albino or not, White said the moose had pink eyes and a pink nose.
Albino moose are not common, but they occasionally appear as the result of a double recessive gene passed through generations, according to state wildlife biologists.
The white moose, which appears to be a cow, was first spotted in Delta a little more than a year and a half ago as a young calf with its mother, a normal-colored, brown cow. Since then, it has been spotted several times in the same general area around Tanana Loop Extension and Jack Warren Road. Before the latest sighting and pictures taken by White, it had been several months since the last sighting.
“She’s within 10 miles of where she was seen last year,” White said, not wanting to divulge the specific location to avoid hordes of sightseers who might harass the animal. “She’s out feeding on some grasses on the Tanana River. She’s looking pretty good. We’re glad it’s still running around.”
Dave Davenport, a technician at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Delta Junction, said “chances are good” that it’s the same white moose that has been spotted around Delta Junction for the past year and a half.
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - All white moose sighted near Delta Junction
http://newsminer.com/bookmark/13478793-All-white-moose-sighted-near-Delta-Junction
May 27, 2011
FAIRBANKS — The white moose that has been seen kicking around Delta Junction the past two years is evidently still kicking.
Jacob White was on the Tanana River in his riverboat Tuesday night when he saw the moose on the bank of the river in roughly the same area it was seen by boaters last fall.
“I was just cruising up the river,” White said. “I saw it from about a half mile away. I thought it was a horse for a second. Then it was like, ‘Wait a second; that’s an albino moose.’”
White snapped some photos of the all-white moose, which his wife, Ana, posted on her Facebook page.
“I wish I had gotten better pictures,” White said.
While there has been some debate as to whether the moose is a true albino or not, White said the moose had pink eyes and a pink nose.
Albino moose are not common, but they occasionally appear as the result of a double recessive gene passed through generations, according to state wildlife biologists.
The white moose, which appears to be a cow, was first spotted in Delta a little more than a year and a half ago as a young calf with its mother, a normal-colored, brown cow. Since then, it has been spotted several times in the same general area around Tanana Loop Extension and Jack Warren Road. Before the latest sighting and pictures taken by White, it had been several months since the last sighting.
“She’s within 10 miles of where she was seen last year,” White said, not wanting to divulge the specific location to avoid hordes of sightseers who might harass the animal. “She’s out feeding on some grasses on the Tanana River. She’s looking pretty good. We’re glad it’s still running around.”
Dave Davenport, a technician at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Delta Junction, said “chances are good” that it’s the same white moose that has been spotted around Delta Junction for the past year and a half.
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - All white moose sighted near Delta Junction
http://newsminer.com/bookmark/13478793-All-white-moose-sighted-near-Delta-Junction
Monday, April 25, 2011
Moose sighting and spring arrivals
By Thom Smith, Special to the Eagle
Updated: 04/25/2011 11:09:08 AM EDT
Monday April 25, 2011
The moose seen feeding off Route 7 in Lanesborough much of last week is an unusual, but not unheard of situation. My take is it is most likely a cow about to give birth and having found a plentiful food source is staying put for the time being.
Moose feed in or near clearings and open areas browsing on tender leaves, tree bark and twigs, aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation. Their diet also includes, grasses and other herbaceous plants, and this one has found a bounty.
I have not seen this particular animal, and do not want to pay a visit and add to the potential dangerous situation caused by parking along a state highway.
The last week of April and the beginning of May are exciting times for winter weary Berkshire residents.
New birds are arriving almost daily and flowering plants are popping up at a refreshing rate.
Amphibians are out and about with the urge to mate as evidenced by the clamor emanating from the shallows of nearby ponds. Look for the white blossoms of the common shadbush shrub along the edges of woods.
About now, the lilacs blossom, and the time has arrived, finally, to look for a variety of different violets, perhaps in your lawn.
In the woods, look for foamflower, wake-robin, wild ginger, trout lily and maybe a few late hepaticas.
Chimney swifts may be seen and heard, as they fly over head.
Towhees and house wrens should be arriving; field and song sparrows will be singing. By now, phoebes should be on nest, and hummingbirds - first the males followed a bit later by the females - will be looking for sugar water feeders to compliment spring flowers.
Yellow warblers will be arriving, along with other spring warblers including Magnolia, black-throated blue and black-throated green, black and white, and common yellowthroats. Before the trees are fully in leaf is a wonderful time to see these small colorful birds.
The northern (Baltimore) oriole will be arriving too. And listen for the long trill of the American toad, competing with the din of the spring peeper. After all, it is spring and we deserve it.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/thomsmith/ci_17922234
Updated: 04/25/2011 11:09:08 AM EDT
Monday April 25, 2011
The moose seen feeding off Route 7 in Lanesborough much of last week is an unusual, but not unheard of situation. My take is it is most likely a cow about to give birth and having found a plentiful food source is staying put for the time being.
Moose feed in or near clearings and open areas browsing on tender leaves, tree bark and twigs, aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation. Their diet also includes, grasses and other herbaceous plants, and this one has found a bounty.
I have not seen this particular animal, and do not want to pay a visit and add to the potential dangerous situation caused by parking along a state highway.
The last week of April and the beginning of May are exciting times for winter weary Berkshire residents.
New birds are arriving almost daily and flowering plants are popping up at a refreshing rate.
Amphibians are out and about with the urge to mate as evidenced by the clamor emanating from the shallows of nearby ponds. Look for the white blossoms of the common shadbush shrub along the edges of woods.
About now, the lilacs blossom, and the time has arrived, finally, to look for a variety of different violets, perhaps in your lawn.
In the woods, look for foamflower, wake-robin, wild ginger, trout lily and maybe a few late hepaticas.
Chimney swifts may be seen and heard, as they fly over head.
Towhees and house wrens should be arriving; field and song sparrows will be singing. By now, phoebes should be on nest, and hummingbirds - first the males followed a bit later by the females - will be looking for sugar water feeders to compliment spring flowers.
Yellow warblers will be arriving, along with other spring warblers including Magnolia, black-throated blue and black-throated green, black and white, and common yellowthroats. Before the trees are fully in leaf is a wonderful time to see these small colorful birds.
The northern (Baltimore) oriole will be arriving too. And listen for the long trill of the American toad, competing with the din of the spring peeper. After all, it is spring and we deserve it.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/thomsmith/ci_17922234
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Wisconsin DNR says animal sighted not a cougar
Updated: 01/27/2011 12:04:22 PM CST
The state Department of Natural Resources says there is no evidence that an animal sighted in southern Wisconsin last week was a cougar.
DNR Warden Ryan Ellifson says the possible sighting happened last Thursday about 7:30 a.m. in the town of Koshkonong. The animal was seen about 200 to 300 yards away, toward the center of a field.
A motorist — who usually looks for deer — saw something that "did not look like a deer."
A Jefferson County sheriff's deputy went to the scene, but by the time he arrived, there was nothing to see.
The DNR warden who investigated tells the Daily Jefferson County Union that he found "nothing that looked like it could be a cougar or even cat-like." He says it could have been a coyote.
http://www.twincities.com/outdoors/ci_17216492?nclick_check=1
Wisconsin DNR says animal sighted not a cougar
Updated: 01/27/2011 12:04:22 PM CST
The state Department of Natural Resources says there is no evidence that an animal sighted in southern Wisconsin last week was a cougar.
DNR Warden Ryan Ellifson says the possible sighting happened last Thursday about 7:30 a.m. in the town of Koshkonong. The animal was seen about 200 to 300 yards away, toward the center of a field.
A motorist — who usually looks for deer — saw something that "did not look like a deer."
A Jefferson County sheriff's deputy went to the scene, but by the time he arrived, there was nothing to see.
The DNR warden who investigated tells the Daily Jefferson County Union that he found "nothing that looked like it could be a cougar or even cat-like." He says it could have been a coyote.
http://www.twincities.com/outdoors/ci_17216492?nclick_check=1
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Woman annoyed by deer ringing her doorbell
By Mike Aiken, QMI Agency
KENORA, Ont. — Rose Allin has had enough.
It's one thing for the deer to scrounge around in her yard, eating all her flowers.
It's quite another for them to come up to the front step and ring her doorbell.
“I just wish they'd stop," she said, looking very cross.
She's tried modifying her doorbell in order to make it harder for them to press, but to no avail. Once, they rang it in the early morning. So, she came out with her cane and cursed them.
However, when the doe started to snort and scratch the ground, she figured that was enough.
“Auntie, don't do that," her nephew warned. “Don't you know they could put a hoof right through you?"
Well, still, she thought, there's got to be a better answer. The deer fence hasn't worked, nor has the special spray from the nursery.
In 2008, Kenora council approved a $500 fine for anyone feeding wildlife, except birds, to discourage residents from contributing to the problem of excess deer in town. The Ministry of Natural Resources has also made additional deer tags available to hunters in recent years.
Municipal bylaws prohibit deer hunting in urban and developed rural areas within city boundaries where discharging firearms isn't allowed.
Last winter, MNR biologists estimated the Kenora area's deer population was continuing to decline, following a peak in 2006-07.
KENORA, Ont. — Rose Allin has had enough.
It's one thing for the deer to scrounge around in her yard, eating all her flowers.
It's quite another for them to come up to the front step and ring her doorbell.
“I just wish they'd stop," she said, looking very cross.
She's tried modifying her doorbell in order to make it harder for them to press, but to no avail. Once, they rang it in the early morning. So, she came out with her cane and cursed them.
However, when the doe started to snort and scratch the ground, she figured that was enough.
“Auntie, don't do that," her nephew warned. “Don't you know they could put a hoof right through you?"
Well, still, she thought, there's got to be a better answer. The deer fence hasn't worked, nor has the special spray from the nursery.
In 2008, Kenora council approved a $500 fine for anyone feeding wildlife, except birds, to discourage residents from contributing to the problem of excess deer in town. The Ministry of Natural Resources has also made additional deer tags available to hunters in recent years.
Municipal bylaws prohibit deer hunting in urban and developed rural areas within city boundaries where discharging firearms isn't allowed.
Last winter, MNR biologists estimated the Kenora area's deer population was continuing to decline, following a peak in 2006-07.
Woman annoyed by deer ringing her doorbell
By Mike Aiken, QMI Agency
KENORA, Ont. — Rose Allin has had enough.
It's one thing for the deer to scrounge around in her yard, eating all her flowers.
It's quite another for them to come up to the front step and ring her doorbell.
“I just wish they'd stop," she said, looking very cross.
She's tried modifying her doorbell in order to make it harder for them to press, but to no avail. Once, they rang it in the early morning. So, she came out with her cane and cursed them.
However, when the doe started to snort and scratch the ground, she figured that was enough.
“Auntie, don't do that," her nephew warned. “Don't you know they could put a hoof right through you?"
Well, still, she thought, there's got to be a better answer. The deer fence hasn't worked, nor has the special spray from the nursery.
In 2008, Kenora council approved a $500 fine for anyone feeding wildlife, except birds, to discourage residents from contributing to the problem of excess deer in town. The Ministry of Natural Resources has also made additional deer tags available to hunters in recent years.
Municipal bylaws prohibit deer hunting in urban and developed rural areas within city boundaries where discharging firearms isn't allowed.
Last winter, MNR biologists estimated the Kenora area's deer population was continuing to decline, following a peak in 2006-07.
KENORA, Ont. — Rose Allin has had enough.
It's one thing for the deer to scrounge around in her yard, eating all her flowers.
It's quite another for them to come up to the front step and ring her doorbell.
“I just wish they'd stop," she said, looking very cross.
She's tried modifying her doorbell in order to make it harder for them to press, but to no avail. Once, they rang it in the early morning. So, she came out with her cane and cursed them.
However, when the doe started to snort and scratch the ground, she figured that was enough.
“Auntie, don't do that," her nephew warned. “Don't you know they could put a hoof right through you?"
Well, still, she thought, there's got to be a better answer. The deer fence hasn't worked, nor has the special spray from the nursery.
In 2008, Kenora council approved a $500 fine for anyone feeding wildlife, except birds, to discourage residents from contributing to the problem of excess deer in town. The Ministry of Natural Resources has also made additional deer tags available to hunters in recent years.
Municipal bylaws prohibit deer hunting in urban and developed rural areas within city boundaries where discharging firearms isn't allowed.
Last winter, MNR biologists estimated the Kenora area's deer population was continuing to decline, following a peak in 2006-07.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
what are the odds - Flying deer batters New Ulm family
MINNEAPOLIS - A New Ulm couple and their teenage daughter are battered and bruised, but grateful to have survived an extraordinary encounter with a deer.
Chris and Susan Blake and their 17-year-old daughter, Olivia, were driving on a Blue Earth County highway last weekend when an oncoming car struck a deer directly in front of them. The small buck became airborne and crashed through the windshield of the Blakes' Pontiac Vibe.
The deer hit Chris in the face, then glanced off Sue in the front passenger seat before striking Olivia in the back seat. The deer's momentum carried it right out the back window.
KARE-TV reports Chris suffered numerous broken bones in his face. Susan had scratches to her face and some bruising. Olivia suffered a broken nose and fractured cheek. She's hoping to heal fast, in time to play the lead in the New Ulm High School play in two weeks.
http://www.startribune.com/local/106963053.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvckD8EQDUl
Chris and Susan Blake and their 17-year-old daughter, Olivia, were driving on a Blue Earth County highway last weekend when an oncoming car struck a deer directly in front of them. The small buck became airborne and crashed through the windshield of the Blakes' Pontiac Vibe.
The deer hit Chris in the face, then glanced off Sue in the front passenger seat before striking Olivia in the back seat. The deer's momentum carried it right out the back window.
KARE-TV reports Chris suffered numerous broken bones in his face. Susan had scratches to her face and some bruising. Olivia suffered a broken nose and fractured cheek. She's hoping to heal fast, in time to play the lead in the New Ulm High School play in two weeks.
http://www.startribune.com/local/106963053.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvckD8EQDUl
what are the odds - Flying deer batters New Ulm family
MINNEAPOLIS - A New Ulm couple and their teenage daughter are battered and bruised, but grateful to have survived an extraordinary encounter with a deer.
Chris and Susan Blake and their 17-year-old daughter, Olivia, were driving on a Blue Earth County highway last weekend when an oncoming car struck a deer directly in front of them. The small buck became airborne and crashed through the windshield of the Blakes' Pontiac Vibe.
The deer hit Chris in the face, then glanced off Sue in the front passenger seat before striking Olivia in the back seat. The deer's momentum carried it right out the back window.
KARE-TV reports Chris suffered numerous broken bones in his face. Susan had scratches to her face and some bruising. Olivia suffered a broken nose and fractured cheek. She's hoping to heal fast, in time to play the lead in the New Ulm High School play in two weeks.
http://www.startribune.com/local/106963053.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvckD8EQDUl
Chris and Susan Blake and their 17-year-old daughter, Olivia, were driving on a Blue Earth County highway last weekend when an oncoming car struck a deer directly in front of them. The small buck became airborne and crashed through the windshield of the Blakes' Pontiac Vibe.
The deer hit Chris in the face, then glanced off Sue in the front passenger seat before striking Olivia in the back seat. The deer's momentum carried it right out the back window.
KARE-TV reports Chris suffered numerous broken bones in his face. Susan had scratches to her face and some bruising. Olivia suffered a broken nose and fractured cheek. She's hoping to heal fast, in time to play the lead in the New Ulm High School play in two weeks.
http://www.startribune.com/local/106963053.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvckD8EQDUl
Friday, July 16, 2010
Moose on the loose in shopping centre
Published: 8:43AM BST 16 Jul 2010
Shopkeepers in Norway are clearing up after a moose ran through a flower shop, a bakery and a supermarket.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/weirdnewsvideo/7893532/Moose-on-the-loose-in-shopping-centre.html
Shopkeepers in Norway are clearing up after a moose ran through a flower shop, a bakery and a supermarket.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/weirdnewsvideo/7893532/Moose-on-the-loose-in-shopping-centre.html
Monday, July 12, 2010
Deer crashes through window of store in Oregon city
Jul 11, 5:43 PM EDT
ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A southern Oregon city says the nightlife in its downtown is more like wildlife. The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that on July 3, a deer crashed through the window of Nimbus, a high-end clothing store downtown.
State wildlife biologist Mark Vargas says the doe likely had been spooked and didn't see the glass.
A store saleswoman says the deer left no blood and didn't appear seriously injured.
Police say several residents have been attacked by the animals this year, particularly while they were walking their dogs.
Local and state officials say killing the deer or using birth control darts is difficult and probably wouldn't solve the problem. Ashland is next to forests that are full of deer.
Vargas says people need to stop feeding the animals and should scare them away.
---
Information from: The Ashland Daily Tidings, http://www.dailytidings.com
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ODD_DOWNTOWN_DEER
ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A southern Oregon city says the nightlife in its downtown is more like wildlife. The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that on July 3, a deer crashed through the window of Nimbus, a high-end clothing store downtown.
State wildlife biologist Mark Vargas says the doe likely had been spooked and didn't see the glass.
A store saleswoman says the deer left no blood and didn't appear seriously injured.
Police say several residents have been attacked by the animals this year, particularly while they were walking their dogs.
Local and state officials say killing the deer or using birth control darts is difficult and probably wouldn't solve the problem. Ashland is next to forests that are full of deer.
Vargas says people need to stop feeding the animals and should scare them away.
---
Information from: The Ashland Daily Tidings, http://www.dailytidings.com
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ODD_DOWNTOWN_DEER
Thursday, May 6, 2010
'Embarrassment' of the weighty deer
pa.press.net, Updated: 04/05/2010 18:12'Embarrassment' of the weighty deer
It seems that humans are not the only ones looking to lose a few pounds for the summer months.
This young male Roe deer became wedged in railings at a school, having apparently recently gained weight.
This young male Roe deer became wedged in railings at a school, having apparently recently gained weight.
The wild animal had previously been seen slipping through the bars at St Finnian's School in Cold Ash, near Thatcham, West Berkshire - but on this occasion, he got stuck.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Deer charge into bar as fans watch Bucks game
May 4, 2010 1:19 PM
Two deer charged through a glass door and into a US bar -- as basketball fans watched a Milwaukee BUCKS game.
Supporters of the team, who chant "fear the deer" at rival fans, say they could not believe their eyes as the deer ran into the building.
One of the deer injured itself on the broken glass and staggered around dazed until staff were able to wrestle it to the ground and carry it outside.
The other deer ran into a private room where it put up a bit of a fight before again being wrestled by staff and taken outside.
Fans watching the game in the Stout Ale House said they were just glad they don't support the Toronto Raptors.
http://newslite.tv/2010/05/04/deer-charge-into-bar-as-fans-w.html
Two deer charged through a glass door and into a US bar -- as basketball fans watched a Milwaukee BUCKS game.
Supporters of the team, who chant "fear the deer" at rival fans, say they could not believe their eyes as the deer ran into the building.
One of the deer injured itself on the broken glass and staggered around dazed until staff were able to wrestle it to the ground and carry it outside.
The other deer ran into a private room where it put up a bit of a fight before again being wrestled by staff and taken outside.
Fans watching the game in the Stout Ale House said they were just glad they don't support the Toronto Raptors.
http://newslite.tv/2010/05/04/deer-charge-into-bar-as-fans-w.html
Monday, January 25, 2010
Zoo Keepers Rear Abandoned Antelope
7:10pm UK, Saturday January 23, 2010Heather Christie, Sky News Online
The first Kirk's dik-dik antelope has been born at Chester Zoo, but because it was rejected by its mother, the keepers are stepping in to raise the baby.
Standing only a few centimetres tall, the female newborn was abandoned by her mother who gave her the cold shoulder during the recent big freeze.
While the zoo's keepers are looking after the youngster, they told Sky News that a reunion between mother and baby is not on the cards.
"It's probably unlikely, unfortunately. Mum stopped looking after her and keeping her warm, so we've had to do that instead," senior keeper Helen Massey told Sky News.
Ms Massey and her team are hand-rearing the unnamed baby. They are bottle feeding it milk five times a day until she is old enough to eat the species' regular diet of buds, shoots, and fruits.
The spindly-legged creature is also being fed hay and a nutritious concentrate.
"Kirk's dik-dik is one of the smaller of the antelope species but what they lack in stature, they make up for in appeal," she said.
"Our addition is growing stronger by the day and we hope she will be holding her own in the next few weeks."
Although the little one does not have a name yet, Ms Massey says her staff are working on one.
"We're hoping to decide on a name all together, we need to whole team to be here for that, though," she told Sky News.
Click here to see more pictures of the baby antelope.
A tiny species that looks like a pygmy deer, the Kirk's dik-dik is Native to Kenya, Tanzania, and Namibia and is named for the sound it makes when fleeing danger.
The Chester newborn, whose parents arrived to Britain in 2008, will grow to be about 40cm tall.
The female's parents came from Colchester and Hanover zoos.
See video at: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/First-Kirks-Dik-Dick-Antelope-Is-Born-At-Chester-Zoo/Article/201001415534237?f=rss
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The couple who share their bed with a deer
Joel TaylorDillie the friendly deer really is one of the family. She knows how to turn lights on and off, gets ice from the fridge dispenser and uses the swimming pool.
Oh, and she also likes to share her owners’ bed at night.
Four-year-old Dillie was abandoned by her mother and weighed just 1.8kg (4lb) when 48-year-old vet Dr Melanie Butera, from Ohio, rescued her.
Dillie is a very quick learner as Dr Butera and husband Steve discovered.
‘This became apparent to us when we came home one day and couldn’t find her downstairs,’ she said. ‘We walked upstairs and found her standing on our bed with our dog.’
Dillie started sharing the Buteras’ bed with their dog Lady. ‘It was quite a cute get-together,’ said Dr Butera. ‘Steve liked the way Dillie warmed his feet up when she lay on them.’
The deer has the run of their estate but is too domesticated to return to the wild and wears a GPS collar.
Dillie’s favourite treat is pasta followed by ice cream and coffee, topped off with frozen ice shavings. ‘We just love her to bits,’ said Dr Butera.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/808903-the-couple-who-share-their-bed-with-a-deer
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Woman hit by falling moose head in bar
31 December 2009
A New York woman is suing a bar - after she suffered concussion when she was hit by a falling moose head.
Raina Kumra says she was minding her own business at the White Slab Palace on the Lower East Side when the stuffed head fell off a wall.
In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, her lawyer complained: "The taxidermy moose head weighed approximately 150lbs, with antlers spanning over three feet."
Ms Kumra says it caused her "chronic neck pain, anxiety, fatigue, dizziness and other serious and severe personal injuries," including "embarrassment".
Ms Kumra, an internet design consultant, declined to comment, reports the New York Post.
But the lawsuit says that since the incident, her "overall health, strength and vitality have been greatly impaired."
The suit seeks unspecified money damages from the bar for "failing to ensure that the plaintiff and other patrons of the defendants would not be struck by the loosely affixed... moose head".
The White Slab Palace is also declining to comment.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/woman_hit_by_falling_moose_head_in_bar
A New York woman is suing a bar - after she suffered concussion when she was hit by a falling moose head.
Raina Kumra says she was minding her own business at the White Slab Palace on the Lower East Side when the stuffed head fell off a wall.
In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, her lawyer complained: "The taxidermy moose head weighed approximately 150lbs, with antlers spanning over three feet."
Ms Kumra says it caused her "chronic neck pain, anxiety, fatigue, dizziness and other serious and severe personal injuries," including "embarrassment".
Ms Kumra, an internet design consultant, declined to comment, reports the New York Post.
But the lawsuit says that since the incident, her "overall health, strength and vitality have been greatly impaired."
The suit seeks unspecified money damages from the bar for "failing to ensure that the plaintiff and other patrons of the defendants would not be struck by the loosely affixed... moose head".
The White Slab Palace is also declining to comment.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/woman_hit_by_falling_moose_head_in_bar
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Reindeer poo jewellery raises £13,000 for zoo
December 24, 2009A US zoo has raised $20,884 (£13,000) this Christmas -- by selling jewellery and other gifts made from Reindeer poo.
For several years Miller Park Zoo in Indiana have taken Reindeer poo and dehydrated and sterilised it before painting it with glitter.
The mess is then fashioned into 'gems' and used to make necklaces, earrings, ornaments and Christmas tree decorations which are sold in the gift shop and online.
This year they produced 300 necklaces and more than 2,000 ornaments which have been sold for $7.50 to £10 to people all around the world.
On hearing the Reindeer poo designs had raised so much money this year, one zoo boss said "No sh*t, really?"
A spokesperson for the zoo said: "Miller Park Zoo has designed ornaments and necklaces using actual reindeer droppings.
"If you adorn your tree or wear this necklace on Christmas Eve, it will help Santa and his reindeer find their way to your home."
http://newslite.tv/2009/12/24/reindeer-poo-jewellery-raises.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newslite+%28news%3Alite.tv%29
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmas dinners for the animals at Wildwood
As we all rush around trying to find a Christmas Turkey and plan the most important meal of the year, the keepers at Wildwood have been creating their own recipes to give the animals in the park a special treat. Feeding time is like stepping into the kitchen of a London restaurant with stacks of fresh fruit, vegetables and meat being prepared to the highest standards.Pomegranates, bananas, oranges and clementines are just a few of the healthy options that greet the smaller mammals and birds this Christmas, ‘It gives them something to work on,’ said Christine, one of Wildwood’s keepers, ‘especially the pomegranates where they have to think about how they are going to get at the seeds.’ But there are a few treats in store as well, as the occasional doughnut can be seen inside the Fallow Deer Paddock.
Though Wildwood buys in a much of the food it uses for the animals it also receives donations of out of date food from a supermarket.
‘We are lucky that Sainsburys is very generous to us with their donations of out of date food’ commented Martyn Nicholls, Head of Press and Marketing in the park. ‘In these difficult times they have really made a difference to our animals.’Wildwood is only closed on Christmas and Boxing day and will be open over the rest of the Christmas holiday so why not walk off your Christmas dinner around the park?
Wildwood's 'Wildlife Conservation Park' is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here, like the wolf, beaver, red squirrel, wild boar and many more.
Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury. 01227 712111, www.wildwoodtrust.org.
Christmas food facts
Eating mince pies at Christmas dates back to 16th century Britain, where it is still believed that to eat a mince pie on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas will bring 12 happy months in the year to follow.
At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks were sometimes served for dinner.
A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.
The Christmas turkey first appeared on English tables in the 16th century, but didn't immediately replace the traditional fare of goose, beef or boar's head in the rich households.
In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners. Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London. To get them to London, the turkeys were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather. The turkeys were then walked to market. The boots protected their feet from the frozen mud of the road. Boots were not used for geese: instead, their feet were protected with a covering of tar.
During the Christmas season, over 1.76 billion candy canes will be produced. Candy canes started out as straight white sticks of sugar candy used to decorate Christmas trees. A choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral decided have the ends bent to depict a shepherd's crook and he would pass them out to the children to keep them quiet during the services. It wasn't until about the 20th century that candy canes acquired their red stripes and if you turn it upside down, it becomes the letter J symbolizing the first letter in Jesus' name.
In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of fried fish, lettuce, and spinach. The meal is traditionally eaten after the Christmas Eve service, in commemoration of the supper eaten by Mary on the evening before Christ's birth.
In the Ukraine, they bake a traditional Christmas bread called "kolach". This bread is braided into a ring, and three such rings are placed one on top of the other, with a candle in the centre of the top one. The three rings symbolize the Holy Trinity. They also set the table for Christmas Eve dinner with two tablecloths: one for the ancestors of the family, the other for the living members as in pagan times, ancestors were believed to be benevolent spirits who, when shown respect, brought good fortune.
The Ukrainians also prepare a traditional twelve-course meal at Christmas time. A family's youngest child watches through the window for the evening star to appear, a signal that the feast can begin.
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