Free Willy?
Many years ago I watched old documentary footage showing a blue whale being slowly bitten to death by a pod of killer whales. It had a lasting impact on me as ever since then I’ve always regarded them as extremely dangerous (perhaps the 70′s Jaws ripoff ‘Orca’ influenced me a tad also).
I couldn’t find the footage on youtube but did find a clip where a pod of 15 killer whales spent over 6 hours trying to kill a grey whale calf and leaving the carcass after only eating its lower jaw and tongue.
Killer whales. Beautiful, definitely, but killers nevertheless. People try to make them cute and cuddly by parading them at sea-parks, demand that they be be called Orca and not the dreaded ‘K’ word, and making cheesy kid movies about them, but as we heard last week, Killer whales actually kill (funny that).
Here’s where I am confused.
- Toto the Terrier bites a kid (fictitious but true)… The dog is destroyed.
- Abu the rare White Tiger mauls keeper to death (Zion Wildlife Gardens, NZ)… The tiger is destroyed.
- Tilikum the Killer Whale bites, mauls and drowns trainer (is also responsible for 2 deaths previously making it 3 altogether)… The whale is not destroyed.
In fact, Tilikum is allowed to live as the alpha male of Sea World’s breeding program. How’s that for mixed signals? Poor guy probably thinks that killing humans equals business time with the lady Orcas.
Unlike wild killer whales, captives have attacked and even killed people such as their handlers or pool intruders, with nearly two dozen attacks since the 1970s. Tilikum, an orca, has been involved in three fatalities. (wikipedia)
Revenge of the Water Buffalo
Lions ambush buffalo family…
Lions catch baby buffalo…
Lions begin to eat baby buffalo…
Crocodiles steal baby buffalo from lions…
Lions steal back baby buffalo from crocodiles…
Baby buffalo’s extended family seek revenge on lions…
Lions get pwned…
Baby buffalo is rescued…
Don’t believe me?
Giant devil fish, rays and panic attacks
She remembers an obviously doctored photo in an old local surf shop of an areal view of a dingy dwarfed by the shadow of a giant manta swimming beneath it. The imagery that fuels nightmares.
In our early years of marriage we had a couple of too-close-for-comfort encounters with rays.
We were having a leisurely snorkel one afternoon at a picture-perfect inlet and I came across one rather large ray basking beside a rocky outcrop. I pointed it out to PJ and couldn’t believe her courage as she she swam right up to it. It wasn’t until it started looking very threatening, did PJ then proceed to have a panic attack. Courage didn’t motivate her to get close up and personal with the ray that day… her mask was so fogged up that she couldn’t see it, until she was almost kissing it.
On another fateful Monday morning, we had only just started a classic surf session when I noticed that the sandy floor a couple of meters below us was quite literally covered with rays. What they were doing I cannot say… basking, spawning? But it was a little unnerving. Why oh why did I point them out to an oblivious PJ? Panic attack no.2.
Alright, so we all know that rays are harmless beautiful creatures. A reassuring fact sure enough, until its believability is shattered when Google reveals pieces of trivia like…
“Simon Pierce of Queensland University’s School of Biological Sciences said there were no accurate records of stingray deaths, but estimated there had been about 30 worldwide in recent years.”
And of course we can’t forget the late great Hunter of Crocodiles… by crikey.
Ever wanted to know how big these suckers get?
The Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research, Inc. website claims that the largest manta species ‘Manta Birostris’ can have a wingspan of 9.1 meters.
Maybe the photo in the surf shop was real after all.
Save the fluffy bunny!
Now a couple of decades later, at approx 8:01pm I stumbled upon a fluffy bunny in desperate need of life-saving surgery… with only a minute to operate.
Talk about pressure.
The story has a happy ending (after three attempts). House would have been proud.
Click here to operate on fluffy bunny too 
Flipper meets The Bourne Identity
Before I begin on the topic at hand, please accept my humble apologies for not blogging in weeks. Family, Ministry, Renovations and having to single-handedly keep the flannelgraph site stocked with reviews (not so subtle hint is keeping me rather busy these days. But, and dare I say it… the Life and Times of Burton has a new lease of life! and a fresh makeover too.
Anyway. The International Film Festival is coming to town next week, and while most arty-farty films should be avoided like the plague, every once in a while one appears that actually looks intriguing enough to be worth the price of a ticket.
I’m thinking ‘The Cove’ is one of those films.
While I do think our clean, green ‘save the whales and kill those who don’t’ philosophy has gone overboard (heh – unintentional pun), I do think the slaughter of 23,000 dolphins a year, and selling their often contaminated flesh to unsuspecting citizens is something to take notice of.
At least watch the trailer…
Whippets 101
Yep. Whoever it was that coined the phrase “Dogs are a man’s best friend’ must have owned a Whippet.
Check out the clip below… it was one of the contributing factors in our decision to buy Narnia.
Narnia and Me
1. Narnia was created by God to bring embarrassment to an otherwise happy life.
2. Narnia has almost an acre to herself but insists on visiting the neighbour’s properties and inviting herself into their houses.
3. Narnia get super-excited, jumpy and licky when she meets people who hate dogs.
4. Narnia can sit, lie down, speak, shake hands, and come on command… but only if she sees a treat in my hand, and then only when she feels like it.
5. Narnia is just now coming to terms with toilet training.
6. Narnia is in love with our cat Barney.
7. Narnia will jump on the sofa, stand an inch away from my ear, and bark until I play with her.
8. Narnia is a firm believer in the age-old addage, “If it can be chewed, it will be, or I will die trying.”
9. Narnia enjoys a bone in the sunshine, tied to the clothesline, until she gets bored and then she will bark continuously until she is brought inside.
10. Narnia’s shenanigans have prompted a visit from the SPCA, and a visit from a disgruntled neighbour.
I don’t think there is another human being alive who relates to ‘Marley and Me’ more than me.
Revenge of the Weta!
New Zealand Giant Weta
Confession time again… I’m not fond of Wetas either.
When I was five, a lone Weta terrorized my primary school. I, being the bravest of them all, climbed up the tree where it was scaring us witless with its pure horror and crushed it with a rock. I faced my fears, saved the day, and then faced Weta pulp. Problem was I felt ashamed for what I’d done and my fear for Wetas only grew.
Last night a discovered a Weta on my back doorstep (perhaps a descendant of the one I murdered seeking vengeance?). As I am ‘not of those who shrink back’ I picked it up, got Paisleyjade to get photo proof and have now begun a new journey… overcoming my fear of Wetas.
1. Make a Weta Motel
2. Pray hard that I don’t get bitten by Wetas
3. Handle Wetas
4.
5. Overcome fear of Wetas
Dad, will you join me?
