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Posted: 17-05-2013 22:23 Post subject:

Escaped wildlife park raccoon found in Callander garden

A raccoon who escaped from a Perthshire wildlife park has been captured after more than three months on the run.
The raccoon, dubbed Ronnie, was one of three who went missing after a branch hit an Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre enclosure during a storm in January.
The other two were quickly recaptured.

The third was finally tracked down 30 miles away in a garden in Callander. The home owner had become suspicious after noticing something had been eating his cat's food.

Tom Hammond, 66, alerted park staff who borrowed traps from Scottish Natural Heritage, and hid one under a tarpaulin in Mr Hammond's garden, baited with cat food.

After inspecting the traps daily for several weeks, park owner Andrew Scott found the raccoon, on Thursday morning.

Ronnie - named after escaped train robber Ronnie Biggs - was checked over by a vet and found to be suffering from no ill-effects.
Mr Scott said: "We didn't think we were going to get him, but we went through every morning checking the traps.
"We caught quite a few cats, and some birds - all of which we let go - and then, underneath a tarpaulin where we had put a trap, there he was, right as rain."

He added: "He's happy, healthy, and back in his run with loads of females and having a good time."

Police had issued a warning urging people not to try to corner the raccoon as he may bite.
Mr Hammond said: "He was having to fend for himself and he certainly likes cat food.
"I am glad there has been a happy ending as I don't think it's a good idea to have an animal that isn't indigenous to the country roaming about."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-22567364

Posted: 11-06-2013 19:52 Post subject:

Trapped pregnant shark rescued from Chesil Beach culvert

A shark has been rescued after becoming trapped in a storm drain near a marina in Dorset.
Coastguards were called to Chesil Beach on Monday morning after a group of people were seen trying to catch it "for the pot", a spokeswoman said.

Experts from the Weymouth Sea Life centre were called and managed to contain the shark, which was a heavily pregnant female smooth-hound shark.
They nicknamed her Spike and released her safely into the sea.

The shark was discovered by an off-duty coastguard officer, who spotted people trying to catch it with a line and hook baited with a mackerel head.
He persuaded the people that the 4ft (1.2m) shark should be left alone and called the aquarium.

Karen Tolman, from Portland Coastguard, said: "There was some concern that they were trying to get it out to eat it. They appeared keen to acquire it for the pot."
"It's very unusual [job for the coastguards].
"I've seen the odd basking shark trapped in nets on the beach, and that's years ago, but never a shark like this."

Sea Life staff waded into the culvert area and managed to get the shark into a large bag-like container, before bringing it out and releasing it in the sea.
Senior aquarist Jen-Denis Hibbitt said it appeared the shark had swum into the drain at high tide and found itself trapped when the tide receded.
He said: "It was a heavily pregnant female, probably due to give birth very soon."

Mr Hibbitt said he and his colleague Anna Russell, who rescued it, "were horrified to learn someone had been trying to hook the shark", which had caused minor damage to one of its fins.
"Happily, the shark swam away to deeper waters where it could soon produce anything between four and 15 offspring.
"We would naturally urge anyone else who might come across a shark in similar difficulties to help it back out to sea if possible, or call their nearest Sea Life centre for help.

"No-one need be afraid of them.
"Few sharks, even of the big tropical species, are actually a danger to people, but certainly our native British species are all perfectly harmless."

Smooth-hound sharks grow to a maximum of about 5ft (1.5m) and do not have teeth, but use their jaws to crush small prey such as crabs, lobsters, shrimps and squid.
They gather in large numbers, like a pack of dogs, which is where the name "hound" derives from.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-22852246

The only marina near Chesil Beach is in the SW corner of Portland Harbour. The marina is used by the National Sailing Academy, which hosted the Olympic sailing last year.

Posted: 01-07-2013 23:24 Post subject:

Posted: 04-07-2013 00:02 Post subject:

Posted: 04-07-2013 22:12 Post subject:

"No, I'm full, I just cannot eat another octopus."

Posted: 05-07-2013 07:33 Post subject:

The George Mallory of octopuses* was he going up or on his way down again, we'll never know.

*I don't want to get into the octoplural debate again.

Posted: 05-07-2013 12:24 Post subject:

Posted: 05-07-2013 12:45 Post subject:

Posted: 15-07-2013 20:59 Post subject: Terrapin in Hampshire (UK)

We saw a terrapin in the lake in a local (Hampshire) park the other day (for those of you 'across the pond', terrapins are not native to the UK). It was sitting at the water's edge, so still we initially wondered if it was stone, until it snapped up a small fish.

I presume it was an escapee, or had been released into the lake.

What was really interesting was that we sat on a nearby bench, and watched it from 50 or so yards away for a good 15-20 minutes. During that time any number of individuals and families came down to the lakeside between us and it, pointed at the ducks and fish, threw stones in, pulled dogs out etc etc etc - and not one of them noticed the terrapin. It adds weight, in my opinion, to the theory that there could be all sorts of things out there, and we just never notice them...

Posted: 15-07-2013 22:34 Post subject:

Could a terrapin survive a British winter?

Posted: 15-07-2013 22:51 Post subject:

There are terrapins on the river Lea, east side of London, and have been for several years. Not sure which variety but the ones I've seen have blue patches on their sides.

Posted: 15-07-2013 22:56 Post subject:

They must be sturdy little things. I remember reading about the odd box turtle in British lakes too, which destroy the fish populations. I wonder if they are a prosperous as certain terrapins?

Posted: 16-07-2013 23:09 Post subject:

Not so little - upwards of 6" I reckon.

A few years back on the Lea I came across a Chinese guy & his son collecting crayfish. The American ones which are larger and taking over from the native variety in a gray/red squirrel stylee. He had a bucket full of them by using a small net. Turned out he had a restaurant and presumably served 'em up for dinner.

Posted: 24-07-2013 00:41 Post subject: