Nov. 30/2016

Feature:
Penguin the Magpie Helps a Family Heal

“A tragic accident in 2013 led to the dreaded diagnosis: “She’ll never walk again.” Sam Bloom was left paralyzed after a fall from a balcony in Thailand.

Bloom & her family were devastated...

But then the Blooms stumbled upon Penguin.

Sam’s son Noah discovered the Australian magpie chick on his grandmother’s lawn... the family surmised that the wind blew Penguin from her nest. Without question, they took her in. It was to be a temporary arrangement.

Penguin grew strong from attentive care that included hand-feeding. When she became old enough to fly, the Blooms made no effort to contain Penguin. She was free to come & go as she wished...

But Penguin decided to stick around. She became a regular presence at meals & playtime — just another family member.

Penguin often nuzzles up to the boys in bed, playfully tugging a strand of hair or doling out “love bites.” And she’s not above naughty bird antics like stealing a snack from the kitchen.

...With each new joy brought on by the magpie’s curiosity, Sam’s spirits seemed to brighten. Her husband Cameron explains, “Penguin saved our family too.”

He tells Business Insider Australia, “She’s a great companion for Sam. Penguin was trying to find her feet & Sam was going through a deep depression. They both were broken. It created a nice bond.”

But that’s not to say Penguin or Sam have lost their independence. Sam, fit & active before the accident, has now taken up kayaking...

The Bloom family plans to publish a book this spring – “Penguin Bloom: The Odd Little Bird Who Saved a Family” – chronicling their time with Penguin. A portion of the proceeds will go to SpinalCure Australia to fund spinal cord injury research.”


Joanna Parkman
March 16/ 2016
care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

Nov. 23/2016

Feature:
5 Fascinating Facts About Polar Bears

“...1. They’re the largest predator in North America.
With male polar bears growing up to 11 feet tall & over 1500 pounds, the polar bear is currently the largest land predator in North America. What makes this fact even more amazing is the rodent-like size of a newborn polar bear, typically weighing around one pound... a polar bear can double the size of a man in one year if they have ample food sources & a safe growing environment.

2. Their coats provide 3 types of insulation.
Polar bears are not actually white. Instead, their coats are transparent &...designed to reflect light. This helps the mammal camouflage & contain heat...beneath their bright coats, their skin is black. This pigmentation attracts & traps much-needed heat. When combined with the 4 inch layer of blubber underneath their dark skin, polar bears have a 3 step heating system that allows them to experience almost no heat loss...

3. Their livers are specially designed to process vitamin A.
A polar bear liver is...designed to consume an extremely high fat diet from the bear’s main food source—seals... Because a seal’s blubber contains a large store of vitamin A, so does the polar bear’s liver, which contains roughly 10 times more vitamin A than any other mammal on earth. The average polar bear needs about 75 seals per year to survive, & each bear can consume up to 100 pounds of food per feeding!

4. They could offer the answer to heart disease.
Because polar bears consume such an outrageous amount of fat & can lose & gain dramatic amounts of weight without any negative health repercussions, scientists are studying what they call the bear’s “heart attack diet” to see if they can find a cure for heart disease.

5. They have only one predator.
...the polar bear has only one natural predator: man. Despite this, their numbers are declining &... they are considered ‘vulnerable.’..."


Zoe Eisenberg
Feb. 26/2016
care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

Nov. 16/2016

Feature:
Why Do Cats Follow You Into the Bathroom?
“They ignore you when you want to pet them, they don’t really care for games...but make your way to the bathroom & cats are all over you.

If you close the door behind you, a paw will most likely peek under it in protest. The cat wants in...

This puzzling feline behavior has been a mystery to cat owners in search of privacy, & while there are no concrete answers, there are some theories.

They‘re all about that open door policy
Odds are when you go to the bathroom, you close the door leaving your cat to wonder what’s going on back there. It is part of their territory & so they like to be able to know that it’s all clear & there are no looming threats there. They usually go in & out of the bathroom if they want to, but closing that door prohibits them from doing so – & we all know how cats feel about not getting their way.

They just want some quality time
Dr. Justine A. Lee, DVM suggests that cats follow you into the bathroom because they know you have nothing else going on... They know as they request to be petted that they’re likely to get that affection because you can’t go anywhere — at least not for a few minutes.

The are watching you — closely
Another theory is that the bathroom offers a unique structure with a sink that puts the cat at eye level with its human as they sit on the toilet. This allows them to be the center of attention & feel like they’re in control of the interaction.

They‘re mimicking your routine
Cats are creatures of habit & will pick up on their human’s habits too, following their routine. Going to the bathroom is usually part of the human routine...& cats will incorporate that step into their routine as well.

They don‘t care about your privacy
Cats don’t want you staring at them while the use the litter box or eat...but they don’t understand that you feel the same way. Perhaps it’s the way you are always staring at them while they use the litter box, eat, sleep or play that gave them that impression, or maybe they just love you that much & can’t imagine you would ever want to be away from their fabulous selves...”

Natalia Lima
May 28/ 2016
care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

Nov. 9/2016

Feature:
Male Pup the Second Walrus Born at Aquarium

  “The Quebec City aquarium is celebrating the birth of another baby walrus.

     A male pup was born...Sunday & aquarium staff reported that mother & baby are doing fine.

     2 weeks ago, the aquarium announced the birth of another baby pup, marking only the 7th walrus born in captivity in North America since 1930.

     Sunday’s birth brings that total to 8.

     ‘It’s been quite a hectic month,’ said Jill Marvin, director of conservation & animal care at Aquarium du Quebec.

     The walrus named Arnaliaq gave birth to a female pup 2 weeks ago, while Samka gave birth to a healthy male on the weekend. Boris is the father of both pups...

     'The babies nurse for 1.5 years...They’re milk-aholics.’...

     The new male pup weighs 66 kg, or 145 lbs. , while the 2 week-old female pup is a healthy 62 kilos (136 lbs.), said Marvin.

     'It’s great we’ve got these baby walruses, which are going t6o attract a lot of attention here at the aquarium. It’s going to give us an opportunity to talk about this species in the wild,’ she said...”


John Meagher
May 25/2016
The Gazette, Montreal

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Weekly Chuckle

 

Memorial 

Suzie Q. (Nov. 14/2001) RIP

Nov. 2/2016

Feature:
How Therapy Chickens Are Helping Patients With Anxiety

 “We usually associate therapy animals with being dogs, but many other animals — horses, cats, rabbits & even chickens — can provide assistance with mental & physical health.
Mountain House, a Santa Barbara-based adult residential facility, has recently implemented a program that uses chickens to help comfort their patients who have been diagnosed with mental illness & high anxiety...
Each patient gets a stipend so they can properly care for the chickens every day. On average, the patients spend about an hour & a half taking care of & spending time with the chickens...
Mountain House isn’t the only organization that has incorporated a poultry therapy program on its grounds. Chickens are becoming more common as therapy animals. Organizations have used chickens to provide companionship to the elderly & kids with autism.

 ...there is evidence that chickens have high intelligence & can easily create personal bonds with humans. In 2013, a study out of the University of Bristol found that chickens can outperform human toddlers in certain intelligence tests.

Chickens also have their very own means of communication. Each sound means something different in 'chicken language' & researchers have identified up to 30 different types of vocalizations, which include alarm calls if a predator is near, calls for their young, & calls for when food is around. In addition... they are able to recognize up to 100 different individuals, which include humans. They also have their own societal class system.

The intelligence of chickens goes far beyond problem solving. They exhibit emotional intelligence traits that are surprisingly human-like. Chickens enjoy playing & exercising. Mother hens...will actually “talk” to her chicks when they are inside the egg.

...chickens are smart, empathetic, emotional creatures that are easy for humans to bond with.”


Lindsay Patton
August 17/ 2016
care2.com

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Weekly Chuckle

 

Memorial

Minette- Nov. 3/2012 Adrian's cat passed away after battling diabetes. You were a good'in. RIP