Wing and a prayer: Kevin the little kestrel is on track to make a speedy recovery

By Beth Hale

On the mend: Kevin the four-week-old kestrel with his cast, courtesy of nurses at St Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital, in Buckinghamshire


For Kevin the baby kestrel, the fall from his nest was a life-threatening disaster. But for the vets, it was a challenge.

With the help of a needle, some wire and a little dental cement, they have rebuilt his broken leg and set him on the road to recovery.

The bird, thought to be about four weeks old, was found in woodland in St Albans, Hertfordshire, earlier this week and taken to St Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital in Buckinghamshire.

There, in a 30-minute operation, vets used a hypodermic needle to pin the broken bone, slender strands of wire to bind it, and the cement to complete the delicate operation.

Hospital founder Les Stocker said: 'Doing the best job possible was very important.

'Kestrels will hover over their prey and then drop, using their legs to grab a mouse or something, so having the use of their legs is absolutely vital.

'They're glorious birds and we didn't want to keep this one in captivity.

'Fortunately this one is a marvellous little bird and started hobbling around almost immediately.


Needle and thread: The handiwork of vets is visible in this X-ray of Kevin, a needle and thin wire holding his tiny leg in place


'He's got to grow up first and get his full plumage, but we hope he should be able to back into the wild about September time.'

Now Kevin, as he has been named by staff, is recovering well, with his leg wrapped in padding and covered in a length of purple gauze.

The bird uses his good leg to hold his twice daily meal - chopped mice - while he tucks in using his strong beak.


source: dailymail

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Confused seagull that thinks he's a cat: Bird sleeps in pets' beds and eats their food

By Daily Mail Reporter

Basket case: The seagull thinks it is a cat and often sleeps in its bed


After falling down a chimney and into a seaside home, Mr Pooh the seagull was destined to become a very confused young bird.

The herring gull was adopted by June and Steve Grimwood, who found him as a soot-covered baby in their fireplace - and now appears to believe he is actually a cat.

The couple brought him up with their cats, providing a basket from which he acquired a taste for Whiskas.

Three years later, Mr Pooh has left the family home, but only as far as a nest on the roof with a female partner. And he can't resist returning-three times a day for his favourite-food, announcing his arrival by tapping on the door.

The Grimwoods, from Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex, found him as a baby after he popped out of the chimney three years ago covered in black soot.

Mr Grimwood, 52, said: 'His parents were long gone so we looked after him in the garden for a few days. We have three cats and at first they were a bit wary of him but after a week or so he was eating cat food out of a bowl with them.

'I think he thought he was a cat.'


Greedy gull: The bird eats the cats' food with them out of a bowl


Now Mitzi, Gus and Henry let him share their food when he flies down from the roof, where he has nested with a female.

June Grimwood, 50, said: 'He comes to visit three times a day for breakfast, dinner and tea and makes himself known by pecking on the door to come in.

'He doesn't try to attack us because he is used to us.'

'At first the cats were quite wary of him but after a week they were eating out a bowl together. He'll also often wander in and help himself to cat food.'

'He'll often just wander in and help himself to cat food or the cats' biscuits.

'He also knows the sound of the fridge door opening and he'll come in for that as well.

'He's just like another pet in the family and even comes when he is called.'


source: dailymail

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Saved by an inflatable dolphin: Trainer has lucky escape after slipping while 'playing' with a white Bengal tiger

By Mail Foreign Service

Moment of terror: The panic can clearly be seen on trainer Jeff Harwell's face as he slips to the ground while being chased by a white Bengal tiger in Arizona


A wildlife park worker had a lucky escape after slipping during a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a giant Bengal white tiger.

A crowd of onlookers held their breath as the park worker narrowly escaped a mauling after falling over while running from the fearsome beast.

The dramatic scene was captured during a daily 'tiger splash' event at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park, in Arizona, U.S.


Only hope: The quick-thinking Mr Harwell immediately tries to distract the tiger with the inflatable dolphin they were using for the game


Park worker Jeff Harwell participates as the prey during a daily routine with the cats, where they chase an inflatable toy being held by him.

The tigers are usually so excited about capturing and popping the toy they do not harm the park workers.

The workers then jump into a pool with the tiger at the end of the game.

But this time Mr Harwell slipped over on the wet grass - and found himself between the two-year-old white tiger called Chalet and his inflatable toy.


The tigers are supposed to chase and pop the inflatable toys, rather than the trainers - and sure enough Chalet's attention is diverted as the dolphin sails over his head


Chalet reaches out a lethal paw to claw the toy as Mr Harwell quickly rolls to his feet, ready to flee if necessary


Thinking quickly, Mr Harwell managed to throw the toy into the pool, distracting the young tiger.

Chalet leapt in to the pool after the toy, as Mr Harwell scrambled to his feet.
Gasps of horror were heard from the audience.

But Mr Harwell - who was unharmed in the incident - continued to play with the tigers.

The tigers who are not being trained to perform tricks at the park but are playing these games to tap into their natural instincts.


With Chalet safely distracted by the toy, Mr Harwell has had a lucky escape - unlike the dolphin


Wildlife photographer Kathleen Reeder, who took the pictures said: 'It's an unbelievable event to watch and even more unbelievable when situations like this occur.

'The reaction of the crowd was nothing less than jaw dropping.

'We could tell Jeff's fall was unexpected and that he could easily be injured if he didn't react instantaneously.

'The other park workers were ready to jump in to help and watched intently while he reacted swiftly.

'Without missing a step, Jeff successfully diverted the tiger's attention, and the show went on as though this is all part of the event.

'The tigers are treated with a lot of loving care, so the workers are more like friends and the tigers have no reason to intentionally hurt them.

'However, they have to be very careful when doing this event to avoid accidents resulting from the cats just being cats.'


source :dailymail

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Nine firemen called after Tinkerbell the kitten gets stuck up 60ft tree for three days

By Mail Online Reporter

Here kitty kitty: Complete with ropes, a ladder and even tarpaulin, a team of firefighters work out how to get Tinkerbell down from a tree


It's said that cats have nine lives, but this little scaredy cat had nine life savers.

This is the moment that Tinkerbell the kitten was rescued by the team of nine firemen after she had been stuck 60ft up a tree for three days.

Timid Tinkerbell scrambled up the tree after being startled by a dog in Worlebury Woods near Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.


Purr-fect rescue: Tinkerbell, moments before she leapt onto a waiting fire-fighter's shoulder


Despite repeated attempts owner Sophie Clarkson, 18, failed to coax her cat down with treats and Tinkerbell refused to budge from the fragile, rotting tree.

Sophie, a student, called in the RSPCA who, in turn, alerted the fire brigade.
A fully-manned pump was sent to the wood and all nine fire-fighters pitched in hoisting extra long ladders to reach one-year-old Tinkerbell.

Sophie said: 'She was terrified and meowing 60 foot up a tree. She was sitting on the first set of branches. There was no question of jumping down to lower branches. She absolutely petrified.'

Sophie's mum Louise Clarkson, an animal management lecturer, added: 'Tinkerbell was meowing and she was exhausted. She hadn't slept for three days for fear of falling off the precarious branch.'

The tree was so rotten that firemen had to prop it up with one ladder and use a second 13.5m ladder to climb up to Tinkerbell.


Reunited: 'Tinkerbell' the cat with owners Louise (centre) and Sophie Clarkson 18, with boyfriend Ben Ingrey 20 .


Tinkerbell was so distressed she leapt onto the shoulder of the first fireman to reach her - ignoring the bag he'd brought to haul her down.

A spokesman for Avon Fire and Rescue said: 'We received a call from the RSPCA as a referral because they required our assistance.

'Our firefighters travel in a pump where there is a certain amount of riders in an appliance in case there is another emergency that they need to go on to. Also, to ensure health and safety since they were using ladders it was essential for multiple personnel to be used.'


source: dailymail

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2010 World Cup prediction - Paul The Octopus

Football's psychic sea creature - Paul The Octopus - is making yet another World Cup prediction. But this time, the eight-tentacled oracle is betting on Spain winning the semi-final against his home country, Germany. Paul has a perfect record when it comes to predicting the outcome of Germany's World Cup matches. So fans better keep their fingers crossed for Wednesday's clash. The psychic cephalopod's even gained a few worldwide followers of his own. And there's no truth to the rumour that if Paul turns out to be right this time, he could end up on the sushi menu.




source: youtube

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Now a family's pet Chihuahua is savaged to death in the latest attack by an urban fox

By Luke Salkeld

Princess the Chihuahua and Toby Khanna with his son Thor at home in Poole, Dorset, following the attack


In the countryside no-one is surprised when a fox attacks a chicken or a lamb.

But the increasingly brazen attitude of the urban variety has left a family in shock - after their pet dog was savagely killed in their garden.

Princess, a two-year-old Chihuahua did not stand a chance when she was snapped up by the jaws of a large fox which crept onto Toby Khanna's property in broad daylight.

Watched by his devastated young children, the 38-year-old immediately chased after the intruder as it leapt over a 4ft high fence, and although he managed to wrest Princess from its grip, she was already dead.


Mr Khanna said he had been worried about the fox (pictured) for several weeks, after it began visiting his garden


The attack came after a wild fox attacked twin baby girls as they slept in their cots in London and numerous other incidents of foxes entering people's homes.

Mr Khanna said today he had tried to warn the local authorities about the prowling urban fox long before it killed his dog.

Describing the moment he chased after the wild animal, he said: 'We heard this yelp and suddenly the dog was gone - I couldn't believe how quickly it happened.

'I ran after it into my neighbour's garden, and managed to grab Princess by the legs.

'After a bit of a tug, the fox let go and I took Princess back into our garden. She was totally lifeless. It had broken her neck.'

He added: 'It was heartbreaking to see and the children were obviously very upset.'

Mr Khanna, a full-time father who lives in the centre of Poole, Dorset, said he had returned from dropping his 13-year-old son Jake at school when he let Princess out into the garden of his three-bedroom detached 1920s house.


Getting better: Pauline and Nick Koupparis, with twin daughters Isabella and Lola (right) who were attacked by a fox at their home in East London


He then watched in horror with five-year-old India and four-year-old Thor as the fox bolted out of the long grass and snatched the dog.

Mr Khanna. who is separated, said he had been worried about the fox for several weeks, after it began visiting his garden.

When he mentioned it to his local council, he was told they did not deal with foxes and advised him to call the RSPCA instead.

He said yesterday: 'It's a pretty big fox, about the size of a dog, and looks well fed.

'It's been coming into the garden for a few months, scavenging for food, but we keep chasing it out.

'Princess has chased it out a few times herself - once she ended up two roads away.

'She was a brave little thing - she didn't really realise how small she was.'

Mr Khanna continued: 'The fox is obviously getting braver. I presume it came into the garden looking for food.

'My neighbour has a seven-month-old baby and is very worried the fox could hurt it.'

Paying tribute to Princess, he added: 'It's very very sad - she was such a lovely little dog - too brave for her own good.'

An RSPCA spokesman said there was 'very little recorded evidence' that foxes attacked domestic pets.


source: dailymail

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How tiny rare chick got happy feet - thanks to a new pair of green slippers

By Daily Mail Reporter

Standing tall: The baby African Crown Crane is now doing well after being born with curled toes


A rare chick is proudly walking tall after carers fitted it with bright green slippers - to straighten its curled toes.

The tiny hand-reared African Crowned Crane was born with a slight defect which meant toes on both feet were not developing as they should and threatening its survival.

So keepers at Paradise Park in Hayle, Cornwall, fitted the slippers in a bid to 'straighten things out' - and now the one inch-high rare wading bird is facing a much brighter future

Curator David Woolcock said: 'For the first few days we put small bandages on the chicks toes as they were slightly curled, and this just helped straightened things out.

'The chick is doing very well and is currently off show, although can sometimes be seen on the grass in front of Glanmor House at the centre of the park as keepers take the chick for a walk to help strengthen those legs.'

The tiny crane is being hand-reared at the centre amid fears it would not be looked after by its mother.

It is currently being regularly exercised to strengthen its underdeveloped legs and will be weaned in late August, when it will be introduced to other cranes.

The chick is expected to grow to over four feet in height in just a few months and will have a high protein diet, including mealworms.


Helping hand: Keeper Mark Stevens feeds the tiny African Crowned Crane chick whose toes are undergoing special treatment


Mr Woolcock added: 'In the past, the female parent of this chick has not done very well when she has laid a clutch of eggs inside rather than outside her hut.

'So when this happened again, and with this species having been recently upgraded to 'Vulnerable' status, we made a decision to remove the eggs and incubate them ourselves.

'We were delighted when one hatched. So the keepers are now full time mums with two hourly feeds and giving some much needed tender loving care to this little one.'


source: dailymail

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I wanna be like you-hoo-hoo: Reunion of girl and orang-utan sealed with a hug

By Tamara Cohen

Firm friends: Rishi places a hairy arm around Emily Bland. The pair spent a blissful afternoon climbing, swinging from rings and sometimes pausing for a hug in scenes reminiscent of the 'I Wanna Be Like You' sequence in the Disney film of The Jungle Book


The last time Emily Bland met Rishi the orang-utan, they were both still at the crawling stage.

So when the pair were reunited two years later, there was a whole new world of play to explore.

The three-year-olds spent a blissful afternoon climbing, swinging from rings and tyres, pedalling around on a plastic tricycle and sometimes pausing for a hug in scenes reminiscent of the 'I Wanna Be Like You' sequence in the Disney film of The Jungle Book.


Rishi lives with his adopted family of four older orang-utans at the Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS) in Miami, Florida.


His first day of play with Emily came in 2008 when her father Barry, a photographer, had an assignment at the institute and took her along.

'Rishi loved Emily pouring water over his head in the paddling pool,' said her mother Sophie. 'Their play together was so alike it was amazing.

'When we told Emily we were going to visit Rishi again she was very excited. She has often talked about Rishi and if you ask her to name her friends, he's always included.'

All the animals at the institute are allowed to roam free.

Director Dr Bhagavan Antle said: 'Even though Rishi loves his orang-utan family, he is the youngest and likes to play.

'It was a wonderful day for both of them. It was fun for him to play with her but also just hugging her and enjoying a relaxing day.'


Riding pillion: Rishi jumps on the back of the plastic trike. Rishi lives with his adopted family of four older orang-utans at the Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS) in Miami, Florida


Just hanging around: Rishi and Emily have a swinging time at the orang-utan's Florida home


Rishi looks on bemused as Emily upends her watering can in a paddling pool


source: dailymail

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Sign him up, Fabio! The cockerel with dazzling football skills

By Daily Mail Reporter

Cock and ball: Two Chinese cockerels have become the toast of the town after putting on a mock World Cup match


To call England's World Cup campaign a success is nothing more than a cock and bull story, one even to rival that of Zhang Lijun in China.

The keen football fan has spent the last three years training her pet cockerels in the fine art of the beautiful game.

There is an argument to suggest her feathered friends could have done a better job than Fabio Capello's men.


Under orders: The cockerels have been trained since 2007 by Zhang Lijun


Acting as a referee, Shenyang resident Lijun directed her cockerels in a mock World Cup match on the streets in the Liaoning Province of China.

Using both their feet and their wings, the cockerel's chased after the ball, even throwing in a couple of tricks and flicks along the way.

China didn't qualify for the Finals in South Africa but are part of an improving quality of football in Asia.


On the ball: One of the birds showed that sort of threat in the air that was England's defenders lacked


Over the top: Both cockerels were surprisingly adept at controlling the ball


source: dailymail

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'It was like something out of Jaws': Girl, 14, needs 51 stitches after barracuda savages her arm

By Mail Foreign Service

Savaged: Koral Wira's arm after the barracuda attack


A teenager needed 51 stitches after a 4ft-long barracuda leapt out of the sea and latched on to her arm.

Koral Wira was sitting on her family’s yacht when the fish sunk its razor-like teeth into her ‘like something out of Jaws’.

Her father Rob Parker had been fishing for sharks near Venice, Florida, when the barracuda took his bait and ‘flew across the boat like a bullet’.


Wounded: Koral was on her family's yacht when the attack happened


He said: ‘The fish took my shark bait but then jumped out of the water, right at my daughter.

‘I killed it with a fillet knife by stabbing it in the head — before it killed one of us.’

The barracuda reportedly jumped more than a metre out of the water to bite Koral, 14, who had been sitting in a shaded spot on the boat feeling seasick.


Shock: Koral and her father Rob with the barracuda


Dead: Koral's dad killed the fish with his fillet knife


Her mother Dina said the attack left her arm ‘looking like a raw hamburger’.

‘It was like something out of Jaws — it was that scary,’ she said.

‘We'll never go back out there again.’


The fish, which has trap-like jaws, flew out of the water and clamped on to the teenager's arm


Barracudas have trap-like jaws. However, despite their fearsome appearance and razor-sharp teeth, there have been fewer than 25 reported attacks in the past 100 years.

Barracudas are found in tropical waters worldwide, including in Australia.



source: dailymail

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