Owner HACKED OFF dog's legs with a machete to stop him jumping over the garden fence (but he'll soon walk again with prosthetic paws)

By HUGO GYE

Fighting fit: Fabio the Maltese is back on his feet after having his back legs cut off

A dog which had his back legs cut off with a machete has learned to walk again thanks to the attention of dedicated specialists.
Fabio, a four-year-old Maltese, was cruelly mutilated by a previous owner after attempting to climb over a chain-link fence.
Now he is set to be fitted with a new pair of prosthetic legs to stop him suffering from agonising pain as he runs around exploring the world.

Cruel: The dog was attacked with a machete after apparently trying to scale a chain link fence

The adorable dog was rescued from his abusive home in Miami by Florida Poodle Rescue last month, according to ABC Action News.
When he was taken in his back legs had been cut off just above the paw joint - the equivalent of the human ankle.

Adorable: But Fabio seems to have fallen foul of the fury of a previous owner

Joani Ellis, from the rescue home, suggested his legs were 'probably tied off with some type of tying mechanism and hacked off with a machete'.
She added: 'The story was that his feet were cut off because he was trying to be an escape artist and climb a chain link fence.'

Rehabilitation: Fabio is set to be given prosthetic legs to avoid the pain he seems to feel while walking

However, the adventurous pet is nonetheless able to walk around - albeit at a reduced pace - and is looking for new home.
This week Fabio was flown to New Orleans for specialist treatment by leading veterinarian Allison Barca.
She told ABC that the dog was 'making it on his own', but appeared confident that her team would be able to alleviate his continuing pain and discomfort.
Dr Barca has experience with animal prosthetics, having helped to fit a Shetland pony with a new leg in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Charmer: The four-year-old dog will be looking for a new home after completing treatment in New Orleans

And she said that Fabio is likely to require similar treatment, receiving artificial extensions to his limbs which will help his mobility.
'I just think he needs something to help the stumps to feel comfortable as they remodel through life and to keep them protected from hitting the ground,' she said.
'You just can't order a set of boots that are going to strap to his legs. They're going to have to be altered to fit this little dog individually.'
The unfortunate pet will be housed at a rehabilitation home for injured dogs, and could soon join his new roommates at a second line parade in the city.

On parade: The dog could be joining his new roommates marching in a New Orleans second line parade

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ABC Action News: Dog Fabio heads to New Orleans for help with walking

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Causing quite a Twitter! The gull who perched on top of chimney above Sistine Chapel as cardinals voted for new Pope

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Star attraction: A seagull stands on the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel, during the second day of voting for the election of a new pope

While the world waited for the arrival of a new pope, a seagull stole the show at the papal conclave.
Smoke watching became bird watching in St. Peter's Square after a gull spent several minutes perched atop the chimney that belches out smoke from the Sistine Chapel to signal whether or not a pope has been elected.
From the chapel's tiled roof, the gull had a commanding bird's eye view of the sea of pilgrims eagerly waiting in the rain for papal tidings.

Prime spot: The seagull sits on the chimney on the roof as another flies past

The bird offered welcome comic relief. Dublin tourist Harry Sheeran said it was 'nearer to heaven than we are.'
Minutes after being spotted, the bird inspired a multitude of Twitter postings before it quickly became a media sensation.

Popular: The seagull became an internet hit as it was watched by people from around the world

The hastag #PapalSeagull in fact started to trend as people began to tweet not only abut the bird, but pretending to be the seagull, according to Today.com
However, once the white smoke started to pour from the chimney, the world turned its attention away from the seagull and on to the papal window.

Away he goes: The seagull flies off from the chimney

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Super-sized mosquitoes as big as quarters which can bite through clothing are headed to Florida 'in large numbers' this summer

By KATIE DAVIES

Super-sized: Scientist says mega mosquitoes also known as gallinippers, left, could be common in central Florida this summer. They can be 20 times bigger than typical Asian tiger mosquitoes

Mega-mosquitoes which are the size of quarters are expected to take over areas of Florida 'in large numbers' this summer, scientists have warned.
The special breed of the nuisance bug, which can be 20 times bigger than common menacing Asian tiger mosquitoes, are described as 'notoriously aggressive'.
They were handed the perfect breeding ground by last year's tropical storms, according to scientists at the University of Florida, so are coming to a town near you.

Ouch: Mega-mosquito bites hurt much more than usual mosquito bites according to the experts, who say the insects can even bite through clothing

'Because of the events last year, and the eggs laid, we can expect large numbers of these mosquitoes again,' Entomologist Phil Kaufman, an associate professor with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, told the Gainsville Sun.
'It is quite capable of biting through my shirt.

This big: Gallinippers tend to be the size of a quarter and could be seen in large numbers in Central Florida this Summer, according to scientists

'We suggest people wear long-sleeve pants and shirts. Just doing that may not be enough for this type of mosquito; you're going to have use one of the insect repellants to dissuade them from landing.'
'The bite really hurts, I can attest to that,' he told science site phys.org.
Psorophora ciliata, or Gallinipper mosquitoes as they are commonly known, have half inch long bodies and the same black-white color pattern of the more common Asian Tiger Mosquito with a wingspan of 6-7 millimeters.

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Pub landlord reels in 1,320lb blue marlin in biggest catch by a Briton but vows a great white will be next haul

By BECKY EVANS

'Dream come true': Kevin Gardner, right, said catching the majestic 1,320lb Blue Marlin is one of his longstanding ambitions

A pub landlord claims to have caught one of the biggest fish ever by reeling in a 1,320lb blue marlin using just a rod and line.
Kevin Gardner said the catch was a 'dream' and now promises to go after a great white shark.
Mr Gardner, who set himself the challenge of catching a 'monster' fish 25 years ago, flew its spear-like snout 4,000 miles home to the UK from Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean to keep as a trophy.
The six metre-long fish is the fourth biggest caught anywhere in the world and believed to be the biggest ever caught by a Brit using a rod and line.

Kevin Gardner said he battled the giant blue marlin for three hours before finally landing it

He landed the majestic fish after a three hour battle during a ten-day fishing trip.
Mr Gardner, who runs the King's Head pub in Coltishall, Norfolk, said: 'Within the first 15 seconds it had stripped off 700m of line, it hit it that fast.
'From where we hooked it to where we got it on the boat was approximately five miles.
'After about two hours I wished I had never hooked it.
'I was completely burned by the sun, I was suffering dehydration, I had blisters on my hands from all the reeling, my back ached and my feet were burned to a crisp.'

The 1,320lb marlin is the fourth biggest caught anywhere in the world and the biggest ever caught by a Brit

Although not yet on the endangered list, conservationists are concerned that blue marlin in the Atlantic are being over-fished.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified blue and white marlin as 'vulnerable'.
Mr Gardner is already planning his next challenge and wants to try and land a great white shark.
He said: 'We can't decide if we should go to South Africa to catch a great white shark or Nicaragua for a 250lb tarpon.

A man poses with the marlin - believed to be one of the biggest ever caught

'One thing is for sure, I won't be chasing a blue marlin any more - that hurt too much.'
Mr Gardner was on the trip with friend Phil Riley, from Liverpool, and Olaf Grimkowksi, a German skipper on the 30ft Rampage boat Hamattan.
After battling with the fish under the 30 degrees South Atlantic heat he did not realise the size of his feat until he was safely back on shore.
He said: 'When we landed it no-one really knew how big it was. It was the end of a dream really. It was really hard work but it's going down really well with customers now.'

source: dailymail

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Now THAT'S brotherly love! Loyal Milo becomes guide dog for blind sibling Eddie after he loses sight

By LEON WATSON

Loyal chums: Eddie (left) and Milo out and about in Cardiff together

A blind labrador's faithful friend has taken on the role of his guide-dog.
Crossbreed terrier Milo, six, acts as seven-year-old Eddie's eyes to play and bring him back to proud owner Angie Baker-Stedham when they're out and about.
He can even be seen pulling Eddie along by a lead.

Joined at the hip: Seven-year-old Eddie and Milo snuggled up to each other while having a nap

Ms Baker-Stedham, 45, says the heartwarming pair from Cardiff are joined at the hip.
She said: 'Before Eddie went blind they both used to chase after dog toys, but now Eddie relies on Milo to help him play and they love going into the woods.
'Milo has always got his eye on Eddie and even sits on Eddie's back when he lies down. I first noticed that Eddie was going blind last year when he started to walk into wheelie bins and walls.

Walkies: Proud owner Angie Baker-Stedham says the heartwarming pair from Cardiff are joined at the hip

Ruff time: Milo (left) was diagnosed with immune mediated haemolytic anaemia and had to undergo a blood transfusion

'It happened so quickly which is sad because before they used to play together so easily. Now Milo helps me to fetch Eddy when I call for him. He leads Eddie all the way back to me.'
Milo took on the role of his assistance dog with no training.
Ms Baker-Stedham said: 'Milo really cares for Eddie, he always licks his face, they sleep in the same room and spend all their time together. Without Milo, Eddie would be lost.

Faithful friend: Milo took on the role of his assistance dog with no training

'Milo even wears bells on his collar so that Eddie can follow him around. If Eddie wanders off, Milo will go and look for him and bring him back to me.
'It's a wonderful relationship and improves Eddie's quality of life, as his blindness is incurable.'
However, things took a turn for the worse when Milo was diagnosed with immune mediated haemolytic anaemia and had to undergo a blood transfusion.

Best buddies: Crossbreed terrier Milo, six, can be seen pulling him along by a lead where they're out and about

Ms Baker-Stedham says Milo has helped her to create a family environment in her home for dozens of children

Ms Baker-Stedham said that while his brother was at PDSA hospital, Eddie struggled to cope.
She said: 'We didn't realise how much Eddie depends on Milo to get around the house, he was walking into doors and furniture and I had to constantly call him while we were out on walks so he knew where I was and which way I was going.'
Ms Baker-Stedham has three or her own children and has fostered an incredible 61 children over the past nine years.
She says Milo has helped her to create a family environment in her home for dozens of children.
Milo is now back home living a healthy life again and guiding Eddie once more.

source: dailymail

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The Hidden Hooter: Adorable baby owl is camouflaged by mother's feathers

By SAM WEBB

Where did he go? This photo shows the mother great horned owl and her baby camouflaged against her feathers

A wildlife photographer taking pictures of a owl in a Californian park was amazed to discover she had unknowingly snapped a tiny owlet - perfectly blending into its mother's plumage.
Marina Scarr only realised her pictures showed two owls after she looked at the shot on her camera, taken in Desoto Park, Florida.
Marina said: 'When I took the picture, I had no idea there were two birds there.
'I was quite far away from the next, under a canopy so I didn't scare the birds, and the light wasn't good.

Can you spot the baby? The owlet is slightly easier to see in this picture. The mother uses her feathers to protest her baby from predators

'Then I heard a young boy shout out 'Look at the baby in the belly'. I started shooting, but even then, I couldn't see it myself.
'It was only when he started poking his head about that I spotted him.
She took the photo on her second visit to the nest as she had hoped to get the mother and baby great horned owl in the same shot.
Originally there were two owlets, but one died at about six days old. The one in the photos is about 10 days old.

Wildlife photographer Marina Scarr only realised she had taken pictures of two owls after she looked at the shot on her camera

She added: 'The babies are born white, but when they are about 10 to 12 days old, the feathers start turning a tan colour.
'The mother owl is actually blind in one eye, but still manages to raise young with her mate every year.
'Before this owlet was ready to fly, he fell out of the nest several times and had to be put back in by the park ranger.
'I photograph the owls here every year. I love being out in nature and photographing its wonders, I find it soothing.
'I feel privileged when animals behave totally naturally when I am in their presence, giving me that opportunity to share their beauty and quirky behaviour.'

source: dailymail

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Is this the funniest advert of the year? Shetland pony moon-walking to Fleetwood Mac becomes internet smash

By KERRY MCDERMOTT

Silly: The Shetland pony is seen moon-walking to the sounds of Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac in the advert

With further cuts expected in the imminent budget as the government's austerity programme rolls on, Britain is a nation in need of something to bring a smile to its face.
And it seems a Shetland pony moon-walking to the strains of a catchy '80s pop tune could be just the thing.
The advert for mobile internet firm 3, which sees a pony tapping its hooves to Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac, has been lauded as 'the best thing ever' by fans on Twitter.

'Brightens my day': One Twitter user described the 3 advert as 'the best thing I've ever seen'

Baffled: A grey horse peers over a wall at the dancing pony in the quirky ad

The quirky clip has racked up more than two million YouTube hits in less than a week.
'Seeing the dancing pony advert brightens up my day,' said Twitter user @_5ophie, while @Lozzaap tweeted that it would 'always be my favourite advert'.
Another fan, @Anthonyshaw_, posted: 'Love that dancing pony in the new 3 advert', adding 'It'll probably be in a lasagne by next week though', in reference to the recent horse meat scandal.
Mash-up versions of the popular advert have also been cropping up on YouTube, including one in which the Fleetwood Mac song has been replaced by Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, and another which sees the pony trotting to the sounds of Teenage Kicks by The Undertones.

In the zone: The dancing Shetland pony moon-walks to the edge of a cliff in the advert, which ends with the caption: 'Silly stuff. It matters'

Quirky: The advert has received over two million hits on YouTube

Standing out in a crowd: The other Shetlands carry on grazing as the dancing pony moon-walks past

source: dailymail

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Camels used to live in the Arctic, reveal scientists (although it was 3½million years ago when it was at least 14C warmer)

By NICK MCDERMOTT, SCIENCE REPORTER

Artist's impression of the camels that lived in the Arctic - which was at least 14C warmer than it is now

They are known as the ships of the desert which makes it all the more surprising that the remains of a giant camel have been discovered in the high arctic.
Bone fragments of the shaggy creature were found on Canada’s Ellesmere Island - the furthest north the species has ever been discovered.
They reveal that the creature must have roamed the frozen northern forests around 3.5 million years ago and that it was 30 per cent larger than its modern counterparts.
Although the region where the fragments were found would have been between 14C to 22C warmer than today, the land would have still been covered with snow for up to nine months of the year.

Bone fragments of the shaggy creature (pictured) were found on Canada's Ellesmere Island

Scientists claim the discovery may change the way we think of the camels, suggesting they were originally ‘adapted to living in an Arctic forest environment’ instead of their present day habitats.
Traits found in modern camels, such as their humps which serve as a fat store, would have benefited their ancestors during the deep winters when food was scarce.
Other camel characteristics that would have been useful in the frozen conditions include the species’ wide flat feet, which support the animal on loose sand in the same way that a snowshoe helps a person walk on snow.

Scientists found the bone fragments 750 miles further north than the species has ever been found before

Their large eyes would also have helped the prehistoric camels forage during months of Arctic darkness.
In total, 30 bone fragments from a tibia, or lower-leg bone, were recovered 750 miles further north than the species has previously ever been found.
‘This is an important discovery because it provides the first evidence of camels living in the high arctic region,’ said Dr Natalia Rybczynski, a palaeontologist with the Canadian Museum of Nature, who led the field expeditions in Canada’s Arctic.

Scientists claim the discovery may change the way we think of the camels, suggesting they were originally 'adapted to living in an Arctic forest environment'

‘It extends the previous range of camels in North America northward by about 1,200 km and suggests that the lineage that gave rise to modern camels may have been originally adapted to living in an Arctic forest environment.’
Camels originated in North America about 45 million years ago, and dispersed to Eurasia by seven million years ago using the Bering land bridge that joined modern-day Alaska to Russia.

Dr Mike Buckley, from the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, helped to extract collagen from the bone fragments and to compare them to 37 modern species

‘We now have a new fossil record to better understand camel evolution...and the simplest explanation for this pattern would be that Paracamelus [ancient camel species] originated there,’ said Dr Rybczynski.
‘So perhaps some specialisations seen in modern camels, such as their wide flat feet, large eyes and humps for fat may be adaptations derived from living in a polar environment.’



source: dailymail

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Watership Drown! Pampered rabbit has water therapy to cure her arthritis

By LUKE SALKELD

Heidi, a giant continental rabbit, has taken to her new exercise regime to help ease her arthritis like a duck to water

She doesn’t like getting those floppy ears wet. And there’s no way she’ll be trying the doggie paddle.
But it seems you can lead a rabbit to water and, with the help of a bright orange buoyancy aid, make her swim.
Heidi, a giant continental rabbit, has taken to her new exercise regime like a duck to water.
Her owner, Amanda Williams, hopes the twice-weekly swimming sessions will help cure her four-year-old pet’s arthritis.

Heidi, who measures 3ft 2in from nose to tail and weighs a hefty 15lb, lives with two other rabbits in a £3,000 converted garage complete with sofas, air conditioning and carpet

Miss Williams, 44, pays £30 a session for Heidi to swim in the 4ft-deep hydrotherapy pool.
Staff strap the rabbit into an adjustable buoyancy vest designed for small dogs and pin back her ears with a hair band.

She is then placed in the heated water where she paddles up and down for about seven minutes at a time before being dried off with a towel.
Heidi, who measures 3ft 2in from nose to tail and weighs a hefty 15lb, lives with two other rabbits in a £3,000 converted garage complete with sofas, air conditioning and carpet.

She has been diagnosed with arthritis in her hips and knees and spondylosis in her neck. ‘Over Christmas Heidi just stopped moving so I took her to the vet,’ said Miss Williams, an air traffic controller from Christchurch, Dorset.
‘He said we should try hydrotherapy, even though he had never seen it used with rabbits before. It is more usually used for horses and dogs. None of us thought she would tolerate one minute in the water but in her first session she took to it very quickly. She leapt off the platform into the pool.

source: dailymail

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Feeling a little long in the tooth? Walrus turns up on Scottish beach 2,000 miles from home

By JANINE YAQOOB

A walrus was spotted on one of the Orkney islands in Scotland, more than 2,200 miles away from home

A walrus has turned up on one of the Orkney islands, more than 2,000 miles from his home.
The animal, thought to be a young male, was spotted on the shoreline of North Ronaldsay in Scotland.
Eyewitnesses said it appeared to be in good health and happy to be the centre of attention.
This walrus was seen basking on the shore at Bridesness on the south east coast of North Ronaldsay today.

The animal, thought to be a young male, takes a well-deserved rest after his mammoth trip

He was spotted around 10am by a birdwatcher.
Experts think he is a boy due to the pinkish nodules on his neck and shoulders.
It was first seen by Mark Warren, the assistant warden of the North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory and Guest House - who is more used to logging birds.

Walrus populations are concentrated around the North Pole and Arctic Ocean areas, where it is thought this uninjured walrus came from

The 32-year-old could not believe his eyes.
'My husband rang me and said `guess what I`ve just seen? A walrus!`," said his wife Fleur, 28.
'I thought he was joking at first.
'It is just amazing that he has turned up here. He seems happy enough and gives out a grunt. We would not like to get too close. Even though he`s young he is still a big animal.

source: dailymail

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Now that's what you call a toothy grin: Tourists play with tigers at Thai sanctuary run by Buddhist monks

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Cheeky: A Thai Buddhist monk plays with a hand-reared tiger at the Tiger Temple

It takes a brave man to put his hands inside a tiger's mouth but this Buddhist monk seems to know exactly what he is doing.
The big cats and the monks at the Tiger Temple have a unique relationship as the animals were either born in captivity or hand-reared from cubs.
As these amazing pictures show, tourists and staff are able to get closer to the animals than almost anywhere else in the world.

Content: The tigers are hand-reared by monks at the temple meaning they are more used to human contact

Adorable: A tourist bottle feeds the cub at the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand

Their tolerance of humans has made the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi province - about 80km from the capital Bangkok - one of Thailand's biggest tourist attractions.
The photographs show one tiger allowing the monk to playfully put his hands in its mouth, while another shows the same big cat sticking his tongue out in a cheeky pose.

Conservation: The Tiger Temple is a tourist attraction and money is used to help care for the animals

Tourists travel from thousands of miles around to have such close access to the majestic animals.
One lucky visitor was able to spend time bottle-feeding a tiger cub, while others stood within feet of adults as they played around in the water.
The Tiger Temple was originally founded as a forest sanctuary but changed course when the first cub was brought to the monks in 1999.
Since then it has grown to become home to about 90 big cats.

On the agenda: The issue of Asian big cat conservation will be addressed at the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in Bangkok

For a basic entrance fee - or 'donation' - of 1,000 baht (about £22) visitors are given a tour of the site and the chance to enter the sanctuary's Tiger Canyon - a quarry containing sleeping tigers chained to the ground.
For an extra fee, visitors can have their picture taken with a tiger resting it's head on their lap.
The sanctuary has been dogged by controversy surrounding the ethics of how the animals are kept.
In recent years, the temple has had to deny that it sedates the tigers to make them docile enough to be handled by tourists.
The monks claim the animals are calm because they were hand-reared from young.

Stand back: A Thai worker and tourists play with a tiger in the water at the Tiger Temple

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