May 27/2015

(E.B.W.) Critter Corner

 

Feature:

Sharks Surprisingly Sociable    

           “…Of all the creatures in the animal kingdom, a shark is the one that just about everybody is likely to avoid. But of the 400 or so shark species swimming in the oceans, just 3 or 4 attack humans.

                      The study analyzed 10 groups of 10 small spotted catsharks, monitoring their interaction in 3 environments. It showed that some sharks…enjoy each others company, congregating in groups sometimes lying on top of each other to rest. But other sharks were loners, staying away from any group.

                      The study adds to a body of work that shows animals display not just character traits, but individual personalities, & possibly even emotion, too…

                      William Hughes, an animal behavior expert at the University of Sussex, says… ‘What we mean by animal personality is consistency of individual behavioral traits over time & across contexts…

                       It would appear that some small spotted catsharks, which have the appearance of super-sized tadpoles, like to hang out with their friends. Others…just want some peace & quiet away from the dance floor.’

                   A similar experiment by Jean Sebastien Finger, a biologist in the Bahamas, monitored lemon sharks & found that while some were novelty seekers, others were less keen to explore. ‘They are not machines, they have personalities,’ Finger said.

                   Hughes adds that scientists are increasingly confident that animals from insects to primates, display complex personalities. The University of Bordeaux, for instance, found that freshwater crayfish display anxiety, hiding in the dark corners of a tank, rather than brightly lit parts.”

Harry Wallop

LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH

The Montreal Gazette

Oct. 4/2014 

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May 20/2015

(E.B.W.) Critter Corner

 Feature:

Calming the Inner Beast through Hands-on-Healing

           “Got a dog that won’t stop barking? Or maybe a nervous, jumpy cat?

           For $60 an hour, reiki master Jade Horner-Chinappi will try to take away your pet’s worries.

           ‘Reiki can benefit animals by helping them feel more calm, relaxed, & centered,’ Horner-Chinappi says.

           Reiki is a Japanese technique developed in the 1920s…

           The reiki master channels energy in the air around them, transferring it to a pet or person by placing their hands on the subject. The energy is believed to help heal the pet or person’s emotional problems & clear them of any energy blockages.

           ‘The same way it helps people, for pets it can be used for anything from helping a senior pet with illness or injury to calming a hyper puppy to helping a depressed pet cope with the loss of their companion, as in the case with bonded pets who lose their friend,’ Horner-Chinappi says.”

The Gazette, Montreal

Aug. 16/2014

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May 13/2015

(E.B.W.) Critter Corner

 Feature:

Cool, Calm, with a Warrior’s Edge

           “WASHINGTON- …It looks like a leaner, more agile German shepherd. It has a 270- degree field of vision & the force of its bite equals 1,400 pounds per square inch. It can run almost 50 kilometres per hour. It can withstand the heat of the desert & an August day in Washington. It can smell drugs, bombs, & unmarked graves. It’s deadly enough to help take Osama bin Laden, but gentle as a toddler in a toy car.

           Meet the Belgian Malinois… 
           

                The elite breed is the secret service’s favored canine. After an intruder jumps the fence & triggers the alarm, canine teams are trained to be released within 4 seconds ‘to act as a missile, launching in the air to knock the subject down, & then biting an arm or leg if need be to subdue the person until the handler arrives,’…

           In June, dogs, including the Belgian Malinois & other breeds, started patrolling outside the White House gates- the first time canine agents were deployed among the public.

           The secret service has had a canine team since 1976…The dogs train for 20 weeks before they start working & then do 8 hours a week of retraining for the rest of their professional lives…

           The U.S. navy SEALs used a Belgian Malinois named Cairo in Operation Neptune Spear to capture & kill bin Laden. The dog helped secure the perimeter of bin Laden’s compound, sniffing for bombs. Like the rest of the elite force, Cairo was outfitted with a Kevlar vest with harnesses for rappelling & parachuting & a night vision camera with a 180- degree field of vision.

           …During the Second World War, the military asked patriotic citizens to offer up their dogs for a defense program…A detachment of 125,000 dogs, ranging from Dobermans to poodles, was sent overseas…

           These days, military working dogs are elite warriors…The 200- step training program the military uses costs $50,000 per dog…The dogs have an 80% success rate detecting explosives, much better than humans or machines. They also can be trained to find narcotics.

           … ‘The dogs we deploy have to be unflappable in all circumstances,’…’They have to perform their activities willingly & with a single-minded purposefulness that few, if any, humans possess.’…”

Gail Sullivan

THE WASHINGTON POST

The Montreal Gazette

Sept. 24/2014

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May 6/2015

(E.B.W.) Critter Corner

 Feature:

Fly- Away Winner

      “Ornithologist David Lindo wants Britons to vote for a national bird next week. Here are the favorites:

ROBIN

Voted Britain’s favorite bird 30 years ago…According to a recent YouGov poll, however, the robin is still soaring, with more than 35% support.

MUTE SWAN

Large, territorial, & violently aggressive, it is said the mute swan can break a man’s arm with its wing…Detractors point out it is already the national bird of Denmark.

KINGFISHER

With their long beaks & bright plumage, kingfishers are most often found near rivers & lakes, where they will dive beneath the surface in search of prey…

 

BARN OWL

It has a signature screech, is seen as a symbol of wisdom & is strongly associated with the U.K., though its empire extends across much of the globe. The males & females are also known to roost separately.

BLACKBIRD

‘It needs no gaudy feathers & makes no demands,’ & is thus a worthy emblem of the British, says veteran broadcaster John Humphreys, who has emerged as a key backer of the race’s dark horse contender. Presumably it’s also Paul McCartney’s choice.

The Wren, Red Kite, Blue Tit, Puffin, & Hen harrier round out the Top 10”

THE NATIONAL POST

The Montreal Gazette

May 2/2015

*UPDATE: The results are in & the winner is the Robin.
#2- Barn Owl
#3- Blackbird
#4- Wren
#5- Red Kite
#6- Kingfisher
#7- Mute Swan
#8- Blue Tit
#9- Hen Harrier
#10- Puffin

 
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