BBC NEWS | UK | Crafty sheep conquer cattle grids
another funny animal story lol
Hungry sheep on the Yorkshire moors have taught themselves to roll 8ft (3m) across hoof-proof metal cattle grids - and raid villagers' valley gardens.
The crafty animals have also perfected the skill of hurdling 5ft (1.5m) fences and squeezing through 8in (20cm) gaps.
They have destroyed several gardens and even graze on the village park, bowling green, cricket field and graveyard.
The grids were installed 10 years ago after a gardener in Marsden, near Huddersfield, held stray sheep hostage.
Dorothy Lindley, an independent district councillor in the former textile town on the edge of the Pennine uplands in West Yorkshire, said: "They lie down on their side, or sometimes their back, and just roll over and over the grids until they are clear.
"I've seen them doing it. It is quite clever but they are a big nuisance to villagers.
Sheep are quite intelligent creatures and have more brainpower than people are willing to give them credit for
"They eat plants, flowers and vegetables in gardens.
"It is soul destroying.
"Registered commoners", who can claim rights of open grazing going back to medieval times, pasture the sheep on moorland owned by the National Trust.
Mrs Lindley added: "What amazes us is they are not frightened.
"When you try to move them on they look at you as if to say it is their patch and you are not right in the head.
"You can shout at them and even if they see a dog they are not frightened.
"Several drivers have had to swerve to avoid hitting the animals and damaged their cars or been given a terrible shock.
"What we really need is more fencing to stop them. But they would probably find another way out before long.
"They must find more tastier morsels down here."
A National Farmers' Union spokeswoman in York said: "We have never seen anything like it.
"We have looked at ways of improving the situation but it is very difficult. The grids are substantial bits of kit."
A National Sheep Association spokeswoman said: "Sheep are quite intelligent creatures and have more brainpower than people are willing to give them credit for."
7/31/04
CBC News: Thieving squirrels par for the course for Edmonton golfers
CBC News: Thieving squirrels par for the course for Edmonton golfers
LMAO!!!!!!!!
Thieving squirrels par for the course for Edmonton golfersLast Updated Fri, 30 Jul 2004 09:50:54 EDT
EDMONTON - Golfers often have to deal with the frustration of watching their golf balls swallowed up by sand traps or water hazards.
But at Riverside Golf Course in Edmonton, players have another type of obstacle to watch for – squirrels.
The furry critters regularly sprint from the bush, scoop golf balls from the green, and run off with them, particularly around the 10th and 18th holes.
"I shot my first shot right on top of the hill," golfer Dora Bilko told CBC News. "And before I got there this little squirrel came across, picked it up, and took it away. Everybody saw it."
Golfers here call it getting "squirreled." And most players take it in stride. The course even has a rule that allows golfers to replace their balls without penalty if everyone agrees on exactly what they saw.
"The funniest thing is when you see golfers running after the squirrel trying to get their gosh darn ball back," added golfer John Ericson. "That's hilarious – waving their club, or throwing their club at them trying to get them to drop the ball."
Driving players squirrelly
Golfers admit squirrels are problems at most golf courses, but nothing like what happens at Riverside.
"It's been going on for years here, but this year it's getting worse," apprentice golf pro Dillon Wilder told the Edmonton Journal. "Some people come in after a round and say they've lost four or five balls."
And then there's the question of why a squirrel would steal golf balls, which consist of a synthetic rubber interior and hard plastic exterior, which are not exactly known for their tastiness.
"There's nothing left of them. You'll just see the inside of the core and that's it. There's no outer core," said assistant golf pro Trevor Andrew, who has retrieved some of the balls. "They just chew them and chew them and chew them."
Eyewitnesses who track the tiny thieves say the golf balls aren't being taken into the squirrel's nest or buried for a late winter snack. Instead, they're taken to the tops of trees and the remains left in magpie nests. Golfers speculate the squirrels are trying to drive the aggressive birds away.
One tree reportedly had 250 balls stuffed in and around its branches.
People have tried numerous ways of keeping their golf balls, including dousing them with Tabasco sauce, but nothing works.
Some have suggested killing the critters outright, or possibly hiring a coyote to patrol the course. But golf course officials plan to let nature and the squirrels take their course, said Wilder.
"Every generation [of squirrel] teaches the new ones to take the balls," added Bilko. "They're trained."
Written by CBC News Online staff
LMAO!!!!!!!!
Thieving squirrels par for the course for Edmonton golfersLast Updated Fri, 30 Jul 2004 09:50:54 EDT
EDMONTON - Golfers often have to deal with the frustration of watching their golf balls swallowed up by sand traps or water hazards.
But at Riverside Golf Course in Edmonton, players have another type of obstacle to watch for – squirrels.
The furry critters regularly sprint from the bush, scoop golf balls from the green, and run off with them, particularly around the 10th and 18th holes.
"I shot my first shot right on top of the hill," golfer Dora Bilko told CBC News. "And before I got there this little squirrel came across, picked it up, and took it away. Everybody saw it."
Golfers here call it getting "squirreled." And most players take it in stride. The course even has a rule that allows golfers to replace their balls without penalty if everyone agrees on exactly what they saw.
"The funniest thing is when you see golfers running after the squirrel trying to get their gosh darn ball back," added golfer John Ericson. "That's hilarious – waving their club, or throwing their club at them trying to get them to drop the ball."
Driving players squirrelly
Golfers admit squirrels are problems at most golf courses, but nothing like what happens at Riverside.
"It's been going on for years here, but this year it's getting worse," apprentice golf pro Dillon Wilder told the Edmonton Journal. "Some people come in after a round and say they've lost four or five balls."
And then there's the question of why a squirrel would steal golf balls, which consist of a synthetic rubber interior and hard plastic exterior, which are not exactly known for their tastiness.
"There's nothing left of them. You'll just see the inside of the core and that's it. There's no outer core," said assistant golf pro Trevor Andrew, who has retrieved some of the balls. "They just chew them and chew them and chew them."
Eyewitnesses who track the tiny thieves say the golf balls aren't being taken into the squirrel's nest or buried for a late winter snack. Instead, they're taken to the tops of trees and the remains left in magpie nests. Golfers speculate the squirrels are trying to drive the aggressive birds away.
One tree reportedly had 250 balls stuffed in and around its branches.
People have tried numerous ways of keeping their golf balls, including dousing them with Tabasco sauce, but nothing works.
Some have suggested killing the critters outright, or possibly hiring a coyote to patrol the course. But golf course officials plan to let nature and the squirrels take their course, said Wilder.
"Every generation [of squirrel] teaches the new ones to take the balls," added Bilko. "They're trained."
Written by CBC News Online staff
7/30/04
CNN.com - Worms discovered living on whale bones - Jul 29, 2004
CNN.com - Worms discovered living on whale bones - Jul 29, 2004
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Thanks sis for sharing this;)
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Thanks sis for sharing this;)
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