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Freak Thunderbolt Kills Over 300 Reindeer in Norway
In perhaps the most frightening display of caribou collapse to date, 323 unsuspecting reindeer were fatally struck by lightning on the mountain plateau of Hardangervidda in Oslo, Norway, last month. Norwegian officials surmised a freak storm discharged an inordinately large thunderbolt that interacted with earth and water, resulting in roasted reindeer ruin. Anton Krag, zoologist…
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Inky the Octopus Legs it From Aquarium
In a well executed escape, Inky the octopus has done a runner from the National Aquarium in New Zealand. A lovable rogue of a cephalopod, Inky will be sorely missed by both staff and visitors. The search of the aquarium was curtailed after a trail of water was found from his tank to a drain…
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Man Mauled by Tiger After Monorail Cage Jump
Gliding over 16 hectares of wildlife at the Bronx Zoo, the aptly named Wild Asia Monorail was the scene of maniacal enthusiasm last Friday. As one passenger leapt over a five metre fence into a tiger den, only to be mauled by tiger resident Bachuta. Motivated to “be at one with the tiger”, 25-year-old David…
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Bottlenose Dolphins Aid Brazilian Fishermen
In the year 1847, when the United States issued its first ever postage stamps, and the world’s first vegetarian society formed in the United Kingdom, a curious thing happened in the Brazilian town of Laguna. Bottlenose dolphins began helping local fishermen by herding schools of mullet towards their nets. When the dolphins had the fish…
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Impoverished Gaza Zoo Features Stuffed Animals
With no funds, no zookeeper, and few animals, the Khan Yunis Zoo in the Gaza Strip has turned to an internet embalming course to fill its cages with botched and mangy versions of what once was. Resembling a grim zoological nightmare, live animals are kept alongside ex-neighbours such as a squalid lion that starved to…
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Asian Hornets Cooked Alive by Bittersweet Honeybees
Ever felt unwelcome in a room full of locals? Be thankful you aren’t an Asian hornet entering a Japanese honeybee hive, as chances are you would be slowly cooked alive in a blazing hot bee ball. This “hot defensive bee ball”, as scientists have termed it, is the result of roughly 500 Japanese honeybees forming…
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Strange Creatures of the Deep Sea
In a tumbling Jules Verne-esque adventure, a “lost world” of strange creatures, scalding hot temperatures and sheer darkness has been discovered by robotic vehicles deep down at the end of the Earth. The vehicles were deployed by researchers to explore the East Scotia Ridge, located roughly two-and-a-half kilometres beneath the Southern Ocean, midway between Antarctica…
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Second Spring Throws English Nature into Confusion
It appears English nature has had quite enough of the same old song, and has decided it’s high time to blend some late autumn hues with the colourful beats of summer. Dragonflies are naughtily running amok, and spring flowers are vying for the party to go on, all while gaudy trinkets and Santa hats are…
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Huge Subterranean ‘River’ Found 4km Beneath the Amazon
The Amazon is seen by many as a far removed place, almost mythical in stature. Besides containing the largest and most biologically diverse rainforest in the world, its mighty river is of legendary status. Pumping out more volume of water than the world’s seven greatest rivers combined, the power of the Amazon River is unrivalled.…
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Yvonne, The Wild Cow of Bavaria
Considered “slightly less stupid than sheep”, the cow, it seems, exists solely to serve humanity. Round ’em up, graze ’em for a while, then drain all the milk you can before a fateful trip to the slaughterhouse leads to a splendid night’s dinner. Seen in this light, the life of a cow appears rather unfair.…
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The End of The Willow Trees
Coming from the cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, the great willow tree has left many an impression on those who’ve passed under its shade. Authors such as Tolkien and Hans Christian Anderson have written of its magic, while in witchcraft, the willow is known as one of the nine sacred trees. In…
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Drought Forces Texan Town Into Drinking Urine
In a hygienically hair-raising endeavour, a Texan town is set to use recycled urine in its water supply after the state’s third worst drought in recorded history has humbled its historically tough citizens. Aptly named ‘Big Springs’, the town of 27,000 residents is already experiencing a 20% cutback on water usage, as low reservoir levels…
