Spot of Understanding - Songbirds have songs wired in

Zebra finch - Image from Wikipedia

New research findings on the singing of zebra finches could enlighten us more about how humans learn to speak. Michale Fee a researcher with MIT and his colleagues have fresh findings that show how songbirds like the zebra finch know how they ought to sing. They even have a separate region that enables these birds to identify mistakes in their songs. By monitoring the electrical activity of cells in the zebra finches while they sang the researchers found that some cells became active when they made a mistake allowing them to correct themselves, according to lead author of the report, Professor Richard Hahnloser, of the University of Zurich.

Read more here and listen too here

Parroting guardian

Willie the saviour - Image from CBS4Denver

We have heard of brave dogs and even cats so far. But a parrot? Well Willie the Quaker parrot saved the life of a two year old girl by alerting others to her choking. Willie belongs to Meagan who was babysitting Hannah, in Denver, Colorado. Meagan had gone to the restroom when she heard Willie screeching and flapping his wings furiously. He started saying "mama baby" repeatedly until Meagan reached the scene, where she saw Hannah blue in the face choking on her tart. Immediately, Meagan performed the Heimlich maneuver on Hannah and recued her. She said that if Willie hadn't created such a ruckus she wouldn't have come out sooner from the bathroom and it would have been fatal for Hannah. Her mom, Samantha Kuusk, was very grateful towards both Willie and Meagan for being there in time to save Hannah's life.

Watch Willie

Master cat

Tama with her jaunty cap - Image from CNN

Some animals do have exalted jobs. Like Tama the nine year old cat. Tama was born on 29th April 1999 and she had a pretty simple life near her home in a grocery store near the Kishi train station in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan until a couple of years ago. The small town with a few thousand people was the last stop in what had been a falling train line. In 2006 the Wakayama Electric Railway converted all stations on the Kishigawa Line from manned to unmanned to save costs and station masters were selected from employees of local businesses near each station. For the Kinokawa station, Toshiko Koyama, the grocer was selected as the station master. Koyama had adopted Tama among other stray cats and would regularly feed them at the station.

Tama's life changed in 2007 when railway officials decided to make her the official station master in which her primary duty would be to greet passengers. They gave her a station master's hat and free cat food as her salary. Amused passengers began to enjoy Tama's presence and ridership grew by 17% in one month. Tama's star status was elevated when this year she was given the title of "super station master" complete with a new office - a converted ticket booth furnished with a litter box.

Watch a couple of videos of Tama

EndangeRed - Mexican Axolotl

The Mexican Axolotl resembles a slimy, squishy thing. Also known as the "water monster" and the Mexican walking fish", the axolotl held pride of place among the ancient Aztecs. Against all odds, it survived until now in Mexico city's polluted canals of Lake Xochimilco, now a tourist hotspot. Scientists are desperate to save this salamander from extinction its life endangered by the draining of its habitat and deteriorating water quality. To add to its woes, foreign fish introduced to the waters are eating baby axolotls stopping its expansion.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN) has included it in its annual Red List of threatened species. Some researchers estimate that it could disappear in a matter of five years. The disappearance of the axolotl, which is iconic of the Mexican culture, will prove to be disastrous. Its population has dropped from roughly 1,500 per square mile in 1998 to a mere 25 per square mile this year. Legend has it that Xolotl, the dog-headed Aztec god of death and lightning, feared he was about to be banished or killed by other gods and thus changed himself into an axolotl to flee into Lake Xochimilco. But it looks like he is not safe anymore.

Read more about the axolotl

Some more

Special Feature: If only they could talk

One of my friends/readers sent me an article about the anguish that some animals go through while serving the role of a pet. I am posting it here as a Special Feature and if any of you have similar stories feel free to send it across to me and you too will see it here as one :)

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From my window on the second floor, I witness a ritual thrice everyday, which makes me want to scream blue murder. I wonder why people keep Cocker Spaniels, Dalmatians, German Shepherds and the like, as pets in the closed confines of their apartments already crowded with furniture and crystal, which demands absolute immobility.

All these dogs have been lovingly christened with the sweetest of names from Polka, Judy, Mischief to the obviously whimsical choice of Armour, Travel, and Brandy. They look well fed. But care to look into their eyes. More agony than you can imagine wells up in the twin pools of sadness.

Never have I once seen these adorable creatures in the company of their owners, who every morning slam the doors of their imported cars very hard, perhaps to seal off the anguished whimpers of their dogs stranded for the rest of the day to the care of the most soul less dog walkers.

Their bodies stiffen visibly, as fear ridges these canines from nose tip to tail tip at the approach of these born sadists. Once the walkers take rough charge, the dogs have little choice, except to submit to the perverse ways of this abusive lot.

Armed with restless sticks whose utility they have honed to fear psychosis inspiring perfection, the walkers thrill to the sight of these dogs, flinching away in terror, or darting dread- filled, sidelong looks towards them. To the dog walkers delight most dogs have a choke chain. These they fling with savage regularity on the flanks of the dogs. Otherwise they yank them with such severity that the dog’s head snaps back, causing them to writhe as they choke helplessly.

On these walks, the dogs are held on a short leash, forcing them to move in a sullen shuffle. Sometimes they are yoked in the most terrible partnerships, such as a long legged retriever and a stubby little daschund. Their pace is mismatched enough, to make the dog walker have a schizophrenic seizure. A Bull Terrier and a Cocker Spaniel face a dilemma of another kind. The spaniel is deliberately pampered to slight the boxer, who judging from its stiff dodgy trot, ears flattened to the sides of its head, eyes distended with fear and body tensed up, clearly remembers from the past vicious kicks on it ribs.

Once they are out of the gates of the colony, the lordly walkers, basking in the reflected glory of their pedigreed charges, tie up these poor creatures to the nearest lamp post, while they gather with evil intent to laugh their heads off at the idiosyncrasies of their elitist owners.

Even as these dogs stand motionless, resigned , defeated, a slow whimper of yearning, barely audible, builds up and sneaks out. From the corners of their eyes, the only part of them which can move without arousing paranoid suspicion, they see Missy a sleek black Labrador, going every morning and evening with her master to a wooded hillock. There she bounds freely for two hours in search of doggy mischief. Guggloo a lucky German Shepherd is allowed the indulgence of endlessly nosing around boulders and bushes, and relieving himself on every available culvert or tree stump. Cuddles and Pepsi call out to their fan following of strays and generously share their doggy biscuits, before they find dust bowls and have a proper mud bath. Every muscle in their body is relaxed with the happy assurance that they are deeply cared for. In return they have a friendly ‘woof woof’ to every passer by.

In marked contrast, the dogs with the caretakers stand to rigid attention. Any change in stance invites unspeakable harshness. Out comes the stick brought down on them with merciless repetition. The walkers wisely choose an area of heavy traffic, which helpfully muffles the soul searing cries of these dumb animals.

These dogs, distinctly under stress imposed by assault over extended periods, are a far cry of their former pedigreed selves, for which they were prized. Their inherent traits have been assiduously kicked out of their system. Their lives have been so programmed, that they have no control over their destinies. Happy is the mongrel which enjoys boundless freedom. I wonder who is more cruel the dog walker or the owner? Why, you may ask am I a mute witness to this unforgivable cruelty? Because I have tried to get the message across to one or two owners, to be met with the elaborate cultivated shrug of the shoulders, that says it all!

By Radha Nair

Leo the brave

Leo licking one of the kittens

There are reasons why dogs make best friends. Here's one reason why. A terrier cross named Leo claimed news front lines last week after he risked his own life to save a litter of newborn kittens from a burning house in Melbourne, Australia. After his brave rescue Leo had to be revived with oxygen and a heart massage. Fire broke out due to unknown reasons in the house where Leo was entrusted with the safety of the four week old kittens. When firefighters arrived at the scene they found that the inhabitants had managed to escape but Leo was standing immovable and unshaken next to his wards engulfed by thick smoke.

Watch Leo

Another video

Book of the Week - Dewey:The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Image from MSNBC

This just might be an interesting book to read. The story of "Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter is gaining more popularity.

Dewey Readmore Books with librarian and author Vicki Myron

Dewey was the well loved feline who was abandoned as a kitten in the Spencer Public Library's book-return box one January night in 1988 in Spencer, Iowa. Dewey was adopted promptly by the librarians and his name was chosen by the town in a contest. He had a gala time in the library jumping between shelves, hitching a ride on a passing book cart and sitting on the laps of visitors to the library. Dewey breathed his last after 19 years of rollicking fun in 2006 and his obituary appeared in hundreds of papers. He was buried near the door of the library with a plaque that reads, "In Loving Memory of Dewey Readmore Books: World Famous Library Cat."

A little more

And some

Horsing around

Harschbarger took Gracie's photo before freeing her - Image from DailyMail

If you are too curious you might get tied up. Thats what happened to Gracie the mare. Nobody knows the cause for sure but it might have been curiosity for lack of a better explanation. Gracie was found with her head wedged in between two sections of a tree trunk. The horse was unable to free itself and hearing its frenzied whinnying Jason Harschbarger a neighbour in the town of Pullman, West Virginia, US, came to the rescue. He had to use a chainsaw to slowly cut the wood around Gracie's neck but she escaped with minor injuries and a dislocated jaw. But she is well on the road to recovery.

Woofing down the aisle

Ed in his special tuxedo - Image from Ananova

Sorry for the long gap readers. Thanks to my mom my internet was down for the past one week and I just got it back up and running. She hired someone to hack away portions of intrusive tree branches outside our house and the man happily hacked away the wire too. A few frantic calls to the telephone board and internet provider set things right, albeit at their own pace.

Also, I have added a new badge to the site named "Everywun," where a simple click from you will result in a donation to needy animals and saving the environment. So click away!

Ok, now let me get to the story for today. I guess this is one of the weirdest I have read in a long time. Ed the dog had one of the best times in his life when his owners Harriet and Andew Athay got married. He not just had the best time but also played the part of best man along with the couple's two other female dogs, Humbug and Goulash. The couple felt it was only right that they be there filling these roles since they were the ones who brought them together in the first place. Harriet and Andrew met when they were walking their respective dogs in Mudeford Beach, Dorset, England in August 2007. As their dogs capered around Andrew and Harriet chatted. He admired Ed's shiny collar and found out that Harriet ran a pet accessories company. The next day Harriet got a parcel with a pink diamante dog collar with a note from Andrew asking her out for a drink. That set their relationship rolling and in January Andrew proposed to her.

Spot of Understanding - Wasps pack a sting in memory

A paper wasp nest - Image from Science Daily

Maybe for a good memory your brain needs to be less than a millionth the size of a normal human brain. Atleast its the case for paper wasps. New research from the University of Michigan shows that these tiny insects can remember individuals for about a week even though they would be interacting with lots of other wasps in the meantime. The research, by graduate student Michael Sheehan and assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology Elizabeth Tibbetts, impressively proves that these wasps have a long term memory based on their social interactions. Carrying out various tests, Tibbetts showed that these wasps recognize individuals by variations in their facial markings and that they behave more aggressively toward wasps with unfamiliar faces. Aah one must think twice before offending these creatures!

Read more on the findings

Honeybees have a great memory too but in a different way

Ratchet

Beberg and Ratchet - Image from AP

Ratchet the puppy has hit headlines in pretty much all self-respecting newspapers. But for those of you who haven't yet clued in on Ratchet's sweet story here it is. Ratchet was adopted by Sgt. Gwen Beberg in Iraq after some soldiers rescued him from a pile of burning trash in May this year. Beberg wanted to have Ratchet with her when she flew back to her home in Minnesota after her deployment ends in November. But the military prohibits soldiers from adopting pets abroad and bringing them back to the U.S. and Ratchet was confiscated from a convoy bound for Baghdad airport. The SPCA took special interest and thousands of people across the globe signed online petitions on their site pleading the U.S. military to allow Ratchet into the country. Now finally, an animal rescue group called Operation Baghdad Pups (OBP), have succeeded in reuniting Ratchet with her friend Beburg ending her long struggle. The OBP's first attempt was foiled by the military on 1 October but on 19th Ratchet finally landed in the U.S. with military clearance. The entire effort will cost about $5000 according to the SPCA but then to Beberg, Ratchet is priceless as she says that she couldn't have got through her 13 month deployment without him.

EndangeRed - The Caspian Seal

The Caspian Seal - Image from Science Daily

The future looks bleak for one of the world's smallest species of seal - the Caspian. Recent reports of one in four mammals being in danger of extinction includes the Caspian. Scientists from the University of Leeds along with international partners have studied the species, which is found only in Caspian Sea. A series of surveys have shown that their numbers have sharply fallen by 90% in the last 100 years. These findings have prompted the Internation Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to shift the status of the Caspian from Vulnerable to Endangered on its official IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008. What has caused these sweet looking cuddly beings to disappear? Commercial hunting, habitat degradation, disease, pollution and drowning in fishing nets are a few of the reasons, which have caused their numbers to decline from more than one million at the beginning of the 20th century to just a meagre 100,000 today.

What is the Caspian Seal?

The Caspian Seal Project

Punch drunk horse

Fat Boy struggles to get out - Image from Dailymail

If you are drunk and you go by the name of Fat Boy then its surely not a healthy combo. Poor Fat Boy the horse paid the price for it. The 12 year old Moorland pony, who lives in a riding school in Newquay, England, suddenly had the urge to eat apples. So he broke away from his stables, slunk into his neighbor Sarah Penhaligon's backyard and began gorging on a heap of rotting apples on the ground. The fruit had started fermenting and Fat Boy was soon seeing stars from a high. A drunken Fat Boy lost his footing and lurched with a big splash into Sarah's swimming pool. Hearing the noise Sarah came out to investigate and saw Fat Boy desperately trying to make his way out. Finally, she dialled Emergency and firefighters hoisted him out of the pool with several harnesses after they built a set of hay steps. The entire process took two hours during which, Sarah fed him more apples to keep him calm. He is reportedly dealing with his "morning after."

Book of the Week - The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

A book that I have been waiting with bated breath to read. And still waiting. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is about a mute boy Edgar who has an uncanny ability to communicate with his best friend - a dog. Set in rural Wisconsin, home of the author David Wroblewski, the tale is set in a farm in the early half of the 20th century, where the Sawtelle family raises a fictional breed of dogs. Various reviews have gone so far as to compare Edgar's dog to Shakespearean dimensions or the chorus from a Greek tragedy. Whatever it maybe, ultimately its the story of a boy and a dog. And these simple stories fascinate me more.

Edgar Sawtelle's homepage - This also doubles up as David Wroblewski's site

Review1 and Review2

A touching friendship

Tiger Cup guards his little ward - Image from The Metro

Another story of a touching friendship. Jiaozuo city in Henan Province is home to the People's Park Monkey Mountain, where a baby monkey was left defenseless after its parents died. Tired of saving the tiny one from being bullied by other bigger monkeys, Xiaohou, one of the monkey breeders brought in a dog named Tiger Cup to act as its guardian. Tiger Cup instantly took to the baby monkey and they became inseparable. Unfortunately I couldn't get more information on these two so this has to be a small post.

Blue and Black

Image from Wiki

Today as I was sitting in the park after lunch, I was witness to a very sweet exchange between two crows. One of them, whom I will name as Blue for convenience, was foraging on the ground for tidbits and scratching in the dust. After a while it appeared like Blue had caught something in its mouth. A second later another crow, whom I will name Black, came and gently took the morsel out. Blue continued its ferreting and went behind some bushes. A while later Black came from somewhere with its mouth open. Now it was Blue's turn to eat. After a few exchanges in similar fashion the inseparable couple flew to a tree nearby, to pass the gentle afternoon away after a very companiably shared lunch. Ah, if only we were more amiable and got along with each other like them!

Dog to God

Conan sits next to priest Yoshikuni - Image from Telegraph

This news is a bit old but I thought I must really write it here! Praying is a good meditative practise. It may also get your wishes granted sometimes. Maybe thats why Conan prays. At a Zen Buddhist temple in the Jigenin temple in Okinawa, Japan, Conan the one and half year old pet chihuahua joins the monks in their daily prayers. The dog takes his position next to the priest, Joei Yoshikuni, sits on his hind legs, raises his paws and joins them together at the tip of his nose. Yoshikuni estimates that the number of visitors, especially younger ones, has increased by nearly 30%. He says Conan might be expressing his gratitude for his treats and walks.

Spot of Understanding

Male zebra finch sings to its mate - Image from Science Daily

Singing has always been one of the time tested ways to attract someone you love. For birds this is a way of life. Researchers at the Riken Brain Science Institute in Saitama, Japan have found that when a male zebra finch crooned to a potential mate certain neurons in the brain got activated. In the human equivalent parts of the brain, these areas are activated when an individual takes drugs and obtains a high, following the release of dopamine. In the finch's brains, singing triggered a feeling of reward. According to Neal Hessler, "It's the clearest evidence so far that singing to a female is rewarding for male birds."

Read more on the findings and watch the video

How birds hold singing contests to obtain mates

EndangeRed - The Bluefin Tuna

Image from National Geographic

My very first post in Red would be about the Bluefin Tuna. Sushi and sashimi maybe exotic and very interesting to eat but most of the consumers are unaware that they are eating away a species, which is on the brink of extinction and is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) after decades of overfishing. This magnificent creature not just graces the ocean but also haute Japanese restaurant tables and they sell for about $100 a pound in Japanese markets. The bluefin tuna population has gone down since the mid-1990s after it captured gastronomic imagination in Japan and the world over.

Now restaurants are slowly waking up to the grim reality of its disappearance. The Michelin star adorned restaurant Nobu, owned partly by Robert de Niro, boasts a clientele that includes Madonna and Kate Winslet. They have now agreed to highlight dishes that include bluefin tuna giving customers a pretty obvious choice to decide between ordering a bluefin tuna dish anyway or save the guilt and go for a greener alternative. Wouldn't it be better if they take if off the menu altogether? Yes, but in Japan bluefin tuna is considered the most delicious of all tuna species.

What is the bluefin tuna?

Ted Danson talks about what happened to the bluefin tuna

How the Greenpeace urged Nobu to point out bluefin tuna dishes on their menu

A helpful list of what you can do to help

Watch a bluefin tuna fish farm

Introduction to EndangeRed

Seeing the news about endangered species everyday I thought I must start a new section on them. Animals are what sustain our planet and by encroaching on their habitats and killing them for food, we are slowly narrowing our own chances of survival in the coming years. The future looks bleak and cold unless our environment is preserved and nurtured. Its all in our hands, each one of us. If each one does his/her bit, it will make a HUGE difference. Else we might one day have to take our children to a plant museum or resort to videos of lush forests to show that these things once existed...

Strange but beautiful

Etheridge with Snowy and Gladys - Image from All-Creatures

Unusual friendships are not a rarity in the animal world. This one is between Gladys the chicken and Snowy the cat who live in Middleton, England. The story begins when Jane Etheridge's bantam hen hatched a batch of 14 chickens about two and half months back. Sadly, that number was reduced to just three chickens after a fox marauded the coop leaving only feathers behind. Two of the survivors died soon and only Gladys was left. Etheridge brought a shaken and traumatised Gladys into the house to help her get her bearings. Thats when Snowy took over. For 10 year old Snowy, Gladys was like a little sibling to be taken care of. He cleaned and washed her and made her comfortable. Now Gladys is two and half months old and is inseparable from Snowy. Etheridge says that they are, "the best of friends, very much so, and when she first started going out she would not go unless they went together."

Spicy adventure

Simon Carter with Pepper - Image from Tampa Bay

I know I am repeating the animal from yesterday but I JUST had to write this story. If your dog goes missing for months together, then don't worry, for there still is hope as Pepper proved. Pepper the golden retriever went missing from his home in Atlanta, Georgia, a little before Christmas, from the home of Elizabeth Carter. The seven year old dog disappeared when Elizabeth and her family went on a vacation to Mexico leaving Pepper with a dog sitter. When someone lit firecrackers he got startled and ran away and never returned. After long enquiries and searches they gave up hope of finding him.

But nine months later, almost like a rebirth, Elizabeth got a call from St.Petersburg, Floria, 400 miles from Atlanta. Jay Getman who works at a travel agency found Pepper outside the door of the shop, soaking wet, filthy and flea infested. His heart melted at the sight of Pepper and he soon took him home. Pepper was given a nice bath and food and after a couple of days Jay took him to a vet, who found a microchip with Pepper's ownership details embedded. He made the call to Atlanta with some sadness since he had already become attached to the dog and informed Elizabeth. The very next day a still disbelieving Elizabeth hopped into her car and drove all the way to Florida and was soon reunited with her beloved Pepper. But the mystery still remains as to how Pepper traversed 400 miles and landed up so far away.

Sniffing bee

Toby's sniffing capabilities are invaluable - Image from Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Toby is an ordinary looking springer spaniel but what he does is extremely special. He is a trained sniffer dog but not in the conventional sense where he has to go rushing behind criminal scents. He has to sniff something more mundane - bumblebees. Toby is the latest tool in locating the disappearing presence of bumblebees in Britain. He is not the only one of his kind, since Quinn the springer spaniel was there before him. Toby has been trained in the army and is in the employ of Stirling University where researchers have received a grant of $1,96,678 (£112,000) to study bumblebee decline. Bumblebee nests are smaller than a hive and are often located underground. This is where Toby's skills come in. Toby who had been rescued from an animal pound in the Midlands now stays on a farm with his handler, PhD student Steph O' Connor.

Read more about Quinn

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Readers write for World Animals Day

I invited some of my readers to write stories that they found amusing or interesting on the occasion of World Animals Day and here are a couple of them. I will publish any more stories that anyone else wishes to send as and when I receive them :)

Image from Wikipedia

Mocha told me that today is World Animals Day, and asked me to contribute. It didn't take me long to think what I could contribute. Much as I love animals, I loved one in particular the most - my soulmate.You know, just like how we humans go around searching for that elusive soulmate. Well, some don't search, some just assume that it is a concept mired in illusion. But I know - it is real. And unlike those who sadly restrict the concept of soulmates to just the two-legged walking upright hairy kind who also happen to be incredibly dumb (nah, I am not talking of those poor apes - they are not dumb, not they. Ever take a look at our planet? See the frightful mess we have made? Think we can call ourselves intelligent?)

But then, I digress. I wanted to write about one of my soulmates - my dog, Bambi. She came into my life late, I was all of 24, shy of the world, and bound by thoughts of the future. A kind professor who was moving to the US could not take her with them. "I am looking for a house for my dog," she announced one day in class. "She is a Labrador, old but we are just looking for a good home for her, " she said. I must have been out of mind, but then the best decisions in life are those we take when we are out of our mind. I volunteered to take her. What was I thinking? At that time we were staying in my sister's mother-in-law's house - on probation while our house was being built elsewhere. The we implies my mother, my father and I. We had never had a pet before - the only one that arrived some ten years back as a pup had left still a pup. We WERE animal lovers, but preferred them at a distance - NOT animal caregivers. "Well, why don't you come and see the dog then, " my professor said. And so I did. Bambi came wagging her tail as soon as we came to her house. I was with my friend - she was at ease with dogs, and soon had Bambi on her back, giggling with delight as my friend tickled her tummy. I stood nervously. How does one behave around dogs? I had not the faintest idea, considering I was not all that good around humans either. But then Bambi took care of that herself in her own way.

At home it wasn't easy. My father put his foot down. "We don't need a dog," he growled. I was almost in tears...well, I amend that, I was in tears - in private I cried night after night into my pillow. It took my sister's gentle intervention. "She has never asked for anything. Agree this once," she pleaded. My father was never happy. But he could never say no to my sister. So Bambi came home. I took her in an autorickshaw, and the maid in the house fawned over her. My mother loved her, patting her fondly. My Dad didn't. In the evening, I sat, wearied, on the steps in front of the house. And Bambi came over. I was down, I was tired, and I hated life at that moment. She crept closer and kept her head on my knee. I felt understood then. For the first time in my life. There were no questions, no expectations - my dog was just with me, and just be-ing. Since then, every time I felt dragged down, she was there. There was nothing more Bambi loved than scrambling into my lap. So I would get up on a Sunday, wear my worst clothes, go down, sit cross-legged, beckon. And she would, heave her big self on to my lap. Did I tell you she was a yellow labrador? Well-toned, not fat, and with what I still think were the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. We would then lie there, I would stroke her head, and she would give her warmth. At other times I would lie down, and she would put one dirty paw over me in an embrace. Never had I felt so loved. And that I didn't have to do anything to obtain that love. Bambi loved. My sister, who had never been near a dog in her life, would come over just to spend hours with Bambi. She was not an angelic dog - not she. She scratched the house door down - wanting to be let in. She bit my nephew when he was patting her a bit excessively. And she once bolted inside one of the bedroom, went under the bed, and growled at anyone who dare enter the room. Morning saw her on the bed - and we had to forcibly get another dog inside so that she would jump out and defend her territory. She hid under the drain. She was a mad hatter. And she drove my father mad.

And that madness made me treat her badly. I beat her. Not once. But many times for her transgessions. I have mentally beaten a lot of humans too. But unlike them, she came back each time, woofing with pleasure when I extended my hand out for a good rub. She knew no revenge. No grudges. I left her a lot - I went to work in a school far away from home, and used to come home once a month. Each time, the best welcome was from Bambi. She would reproach me for leaving her for so long, and then I would know what love truly was. But she was old - 11 years old - and there came a time when she developed a uterus problem. I was away at school, but took her to the vet each time as soon as I could - he suggested surgery. And no, he couldn't guarantee her survival. But the surgery never happened. One night, Bambi, who was locked in the garage by my father as she would scratch the door (a move that I hated) just died. Just like that. My sister was there. Sick and vomiting on my sister's lap, my dog, my soulmate just left. The what ifs are many but I only know one thing - Bambi was with me for eight months - but love can't be measured in time. I treated her bad, I know. But I hope she knows I loved her. So much so that I cry even as I write this. I hope she will forgive me for those beatings. I hope she knows that she was truly my original soulmate. One day I hope we will meet in a world that makes more sense than the one I inhabit right now. Bambi, my love.

- Thank you Tipsy Tea for sharing that beautiful story

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Image from Daily Camera

The Possessive Cow

I really loved this hilarious story about a cow named Apple chasing off a bear that had climbed into her favourite apple tree. An eye-witness to the incident says that the two animals touched noses for a while before Apple chased the bear off. Apple was upset to see her favourite apple tree being usurped by the bear. She loved to eat apples from there and that’s how she got her weird name too

- From Wistful Vandy

World Animals Day Special

Sam with his mother Antonia - Image from The Brampton Guardian

On the occasion of World Animals Day I have chosen a story that proves animals to be not just the ultimate compassionate companions but also the best sources of healing. Animals are always thought to be savage and wild while humans more cultured and perceptive. But one wonders sometimes if this definition is true. I have found that more often than not its always the other way round. Case in point. Three year old Sam Spiteri who lives in Caledon, Brampton, Ontario will agree with me too. He has been struggling with cerebral palsy, which limits his physical capabilities to a great extent. Three years ago, Sam's parents purchased Emily, a retired pony to give company to Sam and also as a therapeutic measure. Therapeutic horseriding is now beginning to be a popular diversion for children and adults with handicaps, which prevents them from participating in normal muscle building activities. For Sam, Emily was invaluable because his diagnosis as a Spastic Quadrapalegic Cerebral Palsy patient meant that maintaining his balance and gait was an extremely tough job. The most difficult areas to build his developing muscles were the core areas of the body - the torso, the back and the abdomen, which can be developed through riding. Emily is maintained on their one-acre land and the issue now is that the family has received a complaint from a neighbor asking them to remove Emily from the premises. According to Antonia Spiteri, Sam's mother, the town of Caledon informed her that barnyard animals are not allowed to be kept within city limits. She has been given the option of following up with the Town's committee of adjustment, and as long as the family does follow up with the committee, there won't be any action taken as of yet. Readers of my blog will recall and similar incident with Scott and his horse in Hickman, Nebraska. Sometimes animals are not only the best companions but also the most sensible of all too.

Read more about Sam and Emily

What is Therapeutic Horseback Riding?

Information about North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, Inc. (NARHA)

Animal Book of the Week - Two Bobbies

Image from Amazon

This is a book that I haven't personally read but I am really looking forward to. "Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival," written by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery", has got lovely reviews as a heartwarming story of a cat and a dog who survives Hurrican Katrina. Both the animals got their names from people in the rescue shelter, because both were missing their tails. The dog Bobbi was left chained on the porch when the hurricane struck and Bob Cat apparently stayed with her. Both were rescued after several months and were housed in Celebration Station in Metairie. Being a true story, the survivors have touched more than a chord with young as well as adult readers. I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Home page of the Bobbies

Review1 and Review2

Parroting swears

Max-imum curses - Image from The Sun

What do you say when a parrot curses? More often than not you are speechless. Thats pretty much the reaction that Max the African Grey parrot gets when he hurls filthy words at visitors to the zoo where he stays. Max was donated to the zoo by his previous owner after getting thoroughly tired with his vocabulary. The five year old parrot has also learnt to mimic car alarms and mobile phone ringtones. Peter Hansom, the keeper at the zoo in Darlington, Durham, UK, says that the local schoolchildren are the ones who taught Max all the words. Hansom says he has to "hold my breath" when parents with small children in tow come and admire Max. Many times its just an innocent "hello" or "bye" but more often than not its nastier, punctuated with a lot of f*** offs. Max's favorite trick is to stick his head in tin cup in his cage and swear, probably knowing that it makes a louder sound.

That sinking feeling

Chalupa will not take a bath easily again - Image from Digitriad

I couldn't write this week because of this bizarre new system in our workplace, where all the sites that we visit are tracked and sent to the big boss. Ugh. So from now I have to write my posts in the evening :( Anyway here goes today's.

Bathing can become a trauma as Chalupa the chihuahua discovered. What should have been a leisurely bath turned into a troublesome irritation when one of her rear paws got stuck in the kitchen sink drain when her owner was bathing her. Ruth Gallagher who lives in Homer City, Philadelphia, said her daughter was bathing Chalupa when the dog got wedged. Everything from ice to cooking oil to liquid soap was poured down the drain in a rescue efforts but to no avail. Finally they had to turn to the fire department for help, who had to dismantle the entire plumbing system beneath the sink to un-stick Chalupa's paw. It took 30 minutes to dismantle and Gallagher is grateful for their efforts but it may take hours to put the sink back together and Gallagher is on the lookout for a good plumber.

Fashionable chick

Emma Phillips with her adopted ward - Image from Metro

This must be one of the most well-dressed hens we have ever seen. Buffy the hen lost all her feathers at a cramped battery farm in Brent Knoll, Somerset, England and when the RSPCA found her three weeks back she was all bald and shivering and was 2lbs underweight. Now, one year old Buffy has been given a blue and white striped knitted sweater to keep herself warm and has almost fully recovered. Deputy manager Emma Phillips has become Buffy's caretaker and she keeps the hen in nestbox in a chicken shed at the centre. She says that it is common enough to find hens in Buffy's condition, because hens like Buffy are kept in a cage about 50cm by 55cm and between three and six chickens are usually kept in this space. Thanks to the RSPCA's care Buffy has recovered enough to, "peck and scratch about." She joins the other hens in sunbathing albeit wearing her little sweater. Once she grows back all her feathers she will be re-homed in the next few months.

Watch Buffy move and shake

Buffy's "foster mom" has some things to say

Sleeping with the enemy

Pigs and tigers are not a new combination. Here a tiger plays with a pig in a zoo in Sriracha, Chonburi Province in Thailand where tiger cubs are encouraged to take milk from pigs to speed up their growth - Image from Reuters

Usually pigs would be food for tigers. But in Ukraine a very close bond has developed between the hunter and the hunted. Three tiger cubs are being taken care of by a pig on a farm in Dnipropetrovsk, southern Ukraine, after being abandoned by their mother. Farm worker Maria Mandjeli says that the piglets are not too happy on these foreign visitors sharing their mother. They try to push the tigers away and when she puts her hand to shield the tiger cubs the piglets bite her. So she holds the tiger cubs and assists them to have their milk without being trampled by the piglets. The cubs' mother live at a private zoo but the zookeepers had to take the cubs to the farm next door because the mother refused to care for them. The zoo director Yuriy Aksenych, however, defends her saying that she was born in a zoo and hence "has no experience of nature."

Watch the video

Hot seal

Sahara needs a new enclosure to accommodate his grown up size of 310 lb - Image from The Telegraph

This news may be slightly old but I felt I had to include it in my blog. So here it is for those who have not read it yet. Have you heard of an Arctic hooded seal who is scared of the cold? Well, there's Sahara for one, aptly named too. Sahara was washed up on a beach in Morocco when he was just nine months old. When he was found he was barely alive and had shed all his fur. He was treated in Cornwall and then released in the Orkney Islands with the belief that he would find his way back to his real home. But seemingly liking the warm waters, he headed back south, and this time was found in San Sebastian in Spain. Today he is two years old and happily lives in the warmth of the National Seal Sanctuary in Cornwall. The sanctuary is studying his aversion to ice and is trying to get him to like the environs of his natural habitat. With the help of an ice producing machine, the staff shovelled ice into Sahara's enclosure and the first day he ran to the other side. Tamara Cooper, Sahara's carer says, “The problem is Sahara is an Arctic seal who is afraid of the cold. It's a bit like being a bird which is scared of heights." But now he is getting used to it and the staff thinks that pretty soon he will be a normal Arctic ice loving seal again.

Gentle giant

Roo the giant rabbit - Image from The Mirror

If you are too big you might get thrown out of your house. That's what happened to Roo, a European giant rabbit, which was bought for $236 by a couple in Elgin, Moray, Scotland. Roo had such a voracious appetite that after a point she started munching on the furniture. Exasperated, the couple returned poor Roo to the Pets at Home shop from where they had bought her. Tracy Simpson, staff at the shop says that because Roo's teeth never stop growing, she likes to munch on things at all times. Roo polishes off a kilo of kale and huge amounts of hay and rabbit nuggets every week. Apart from this she also nibbles her way through cauliflower, carrots and broccoli. But Roo is too cute to be abandoned and a shop worker has given Roo a new home.

Unlikely friends

Inseparable pair - Image from Reuters

Another poignant story was brought to my attention today. That of Boonlua the long-tailed macaque and Toby the rabbit who live together in the Thailand province of Ayutthaya. The then six year old Boonlua lost an arm and both his legs when he was attacked ferociously by a pack of dogs three years ago. He managed to drag himself to a temple nearby where the monks called a vet to treat him. The monks then took him to a centre where retired elephants live and an ex-zookeeper there designed a special enclosure for Boonlua to accommodate his handicap. Boonlua happily spent his days in this new found safety but he soon the zookeepers felt he needed a friend. In came Toby the rabbit who till today remains his constant companion. Boonlua shares his bounty of fruits, nuts, eggs and the occasional Mentos mints, which he loves, with Toby.

Animal Book of the Week - The Schoolmouse

Image from Fantasticfiction

This is one of the sweetest books I have read in a long time. The Schoolmouse by Dick King-Smith relates the story of Flora, a mouse with an insatiable curiosity. Her thirst for learning makes her the first self-educated mouse in the world when she teaches herself human language. The book narrates her adventures and provides a mouse-eye view of the world. Humorous and funny with tiny twists and turns in the story, the book is ideal for a one hour curl up in bed with hot coffee. Please buy a copy asap!

Reviews

Spot of Understanding

Crafty crows - Image from Telegraph, UK

So who is smarter, crows or apes? According to new research its crows. Numerous studies have investigated the abilities of the Einsteins of the avian world as crows are known. Now a team from Auckland University, led by Prof Russell Gray, has found that crows are incredibly smarter than apes and are able to solve problems using reason and understanding. Previous studies from New Caledonia had proved that they could make tools from leaves and use them to reach grub and caterpillars.

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The rainbow angel

Radish has learnt to ring the bell each time he wants food or water - Image from birds.about.com

My story today is about a bird who is beautiful inside out. Meet Radish, the two year old Scarlet Chested Parakeet, who was rotting away at the back of a dingy pet shop, until his current owner found him. He grew so depressed that he began plucking out his feathers causing bald spots to appear on his chest. But he was rescued just in time by Jamie who took him with her to the hospital where she worked, where she put him on a job. Radish was designated as pet and mascot of the hospital and his job was to bring a smile on the faces of terminally ill children. Jamie says, "My supervisors had taken note of the positive affects that animals can have on the sick and elderly and had been thinking about getting a bird to live in the children's ward. When I walked in that shop and saw Radish, I knew that he was the one!" Touchingly, the children have responded, to the mild mannered parrot who hates loud noises. Seeing him everyday gives them something to look forward to. There was a five year old patient who referred to him as the "rainbow angel" and Jamie says, to her he really was one.

Scott and the City

Peter Rabbit and Scott, happy together - Image from The Horse

The most famous rabbit in the news currently is a horse. Peter Rabbit the 32 year old horse made headlines when his owner refused to remove him from his home following a ban on keeping livestock within city limits. Harley Scott, Peter Rabbit's 76 year old owner, has raised the horse from the time he was born in his pasture in 1976, in the city of Hickman, Nebraska. Thirty days back the city council members notified Scott that the horse was being kept within city limits against municipal code and that he had to go. But he remains grazing stolidly in his pasture oblivious of the controversy he has created around the world. The city of Hickman is overwhelmed with emails and phone calls from horse lovers asking the officials to allow Peter Rabbit to be in his home. But the city refuses to budge. It has been an ongoing battle between Scott and the city officials since the past couple of years and the latest deadline they had given him is September 15th. Since Peter Rabbit is very much at home even today, the officials have decided to send citations to Scott where he will have to pay $100 everyday, which he has promised. My email in poor Peter's support is on its way!

Watch the news!

Lucky Treacle

Treacle aka Lucky managed to escape from his owners' house and go for a road trip - Image from News & Star

Now who would think to watch out for vehicles which are about the size of a globe? Well, if Lucky the hamster is out on the roads, then you better watch out. Lucky was happily trundling along the road in heavy traffic, along the roads of Carlisle, Cumbria, UK, when Nick Smith happened to see her. Smith was riding in his car along with his son Ben, when he saw a plastic ball trundling along at top speed and actually overtaking the car. A closer look revealed the hamster inside, which made him stop the car. Smith made some enquiries to see if anyone had lost a hamster and when he didn't receive a concrete reply, he took Lucky home with him. Smith lives in the small village of Wreay, where he houses other pets that include a Dalmatian, two cats and lots of fish. But a few days later, Smith received a worried phone call from Lucky's original owners looking for Treacle, Lucky's real name. Now the brown and white little hamster is all set to be reunited with her owners and go back to her old home. Smith muses, "How she survived is a miracle. She must be the luckiest hamster in the world."

Buddy to the rescue

Buddy the Savior - Image from ABC News

Next time you want an ambulance ask your dog. That is if he is trained like Buddy, the German Shepherd. Buddy's owner Joe Stalnaker, who lives in Arizona, was suffering from one of his regular seizures and his cries for help were heard by Buddy. He is specially trained to watch out for his owner during his troubled times and as soon as he sensed Joe in trouble the 18 month old Buddy dialled 911. Over the phone, Chris Trott, a veteran police operator, heard whimpering and barking and a little while later the police arrived at Stalmaker's home. Stalmaker suffered a brain injury ten years ago when he was in the military, which left him prone to severe seizure attacks. Stalmaker got Buddy with the help of Paws With a Cause, an assistance animal adoption service. Usually Buddy recognises when his owner is in trouble and responds by bringing the phone to him or presses the 911 button with his teeth. Well, not everyone has the best Buddy.

Watch Buddy

Animal Book of the Week - Marley & Me

A most lovable book - Image from Wiki

This is a feature I thought I must add to my blog, since there are so many animal lovers who are also book lovers out there. Let me begin with "Marley & Me" by John Grogan, which by now would be pretty well-known to most of you. But its my favorite animal book so far and I really cracked up laughing! Its really worth adding to your book collection and an absolute must buy.

All about:

Official Site

The Movie

Review

Blonde bombshell

Rare blondes are much preferred - Image from The Sun

Who doesn't like blondes. Apparently even foxes, badgers, dogs and other bullies love blondes too, which is why a rare blonde baby hedgehog was mauled and left struggling to live. The hedgehog, which is not an albino, was found in Gobowen, Shropshire, England and immediately taken to the RSPCA at Stapeley Grange Centre in Cheshire. When she was handed in, in July, she was just a few months old and weighed a meagre 110g. Dr Andrew Kelly, manager of the Cheshire RSPCA, said, "We receive around 600 hedgehogs a year at Stapeley Grange, often orphaned juveniles, but we've never had a blonde hedgehog before." He said she has now tripled her weight and is ready to be released into a special private garden where she can be fed and monitored before she is completely let free into the wild. She doesn't have a name yet because the staff never name wild animals. Blonde hedgehogs are extremely rare and are found mostly on the Channel Island of Alderney where they have become common since a pair were released in the 1960s. Their attractive blondeness is actually caused by a rare recessive gene, which makes them handicapped to survive in the wild because their all too apparent appearance makes them an easy target for predators.

Read more about the rare residents of Alderney Island

The Alderney Spike Girls

Woof of guilt

Scooby's name was taken from the famous cartoon character - Image from Wiki

How would a dog testify? Will it bark or wag its tail? Well that is the main question that will come into your mind when you know that Scooby the dog has become the first ever animal to testify in a court. The dog is believed to have been with its 59 year old owner when she was found hanging in her Paris apartment. Although the police believe it was a suicide her family has demanded an investigation because they believe its murder. So in comes Scooby to provide proof. During the hearing Scooby was led into the witness box by a vet to see how it reacted to a suspect. Apparently he barked "furiously". The aim was to decide if there was sufficient evidence to launch a full murder enquiry and Scooby seems to have helped quite a bit judging from Judge Thomas Cassuto's remarks that Scooby's assistance was "invaluable."

Killer Killarney

Killarney the koala has a mind of her own - Image from AP

She is a firebrand and she gives you a date only after you pass her tests. She is registered on online dating sites and is the personification of cool. Killarney the koala has had a lot of suitors but she has made her distaste clear in many ways - a potential man once got smacked on his face for being too eager to get close and gave another one a very disinterested and perfunctory glance even as they were being introduced to each other. Killarney's residence is the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina, where her loving keepers maintain her internet profile from time to time. More than 200 zoos across the US use online databases to find mates for their animals and Killarney's friends don't lose hope of finding her knight. That is one independent woman.

Spot of Understanding

Flies possess an internal map to warn them of approaching danger - Image from the Los Angeles Times

For all of us who have torn our hair apart in pursuit of a fly and wondered why its so damn difficult to catch hold of it, here are some answers. The brains of a fly are hardwired to escape us swatters. The insects cleverly flee in the opposite direction as soon as they see the swat team descending. According to researchers these moves are made with lightning speed - within 200 milliseconds. Michael Dickinson's team in the California Institute of Technology studied flies with the help of high-speed digital imaging equipment and a fancy fly swatter. His advice? Best not to swat a fly from the starting position, aim for the escape route.

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Kinds of flies