Pet Scoop: Beluga Whale Born at Chicago Aquarium, Poodle Moth Photo Goes Viral
Published on August 28, 2012
August 28, 2012: We've scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it's all right here.
Chicago's Shedd Aquarium Welcomes a Baby Beluga
On Monday, Shedd’s beluga whale Mauyak gave birth to a 4 ½-foot, 150-pound calf. Although the aquarium's staff remains cautious, while keeping a close eye on mom and her baby, “the calf has demonstrated incredible progress,” said Ken Ramirez, executive vice president of animal care and training. Mauyak, who’s given birth to two calves in the past, has been bonding with her newborn. And the staff has seen the calf take a breath, and try to nurse — all critical first milestones for a baby beluga. This is the sixth successful beluga birth at the aquarium. — Read more from Shedd, and learn about how baby marine mammals fare in captivity
Zoologist Snaps a Photo of a Moth That Looks Just Like a Poodle
Yes, you read that right. At first glance, you may think that the image is the result of some fancy Photoshop work — but it’s actually part of a legit collection of 75 photographs taken in Venezuela’s Gran Sabana national park by Kyrgyzstan zoologist Dr. Arthur Anker, who posted them on Flickr. Not surprisingly, the moth pic has now taken flight around the Internet. — See the photo at Grind TV
Human Staph Bacteria Strains Detected in Chimps
New research published in The American Journal of Primatology reports that some chimpanzees in African sanctuaries are carrying human strains of staph bacteria, leaving scientists concerned that drug-resistant strains found in people could be harmful if they spread to chimps in the wild. — Read it at The New York Times
Bradley Cooper Brings His Beloved Rescue Dog on Live! With Kelly
When Charlotte, a Chow and Retriever mix, tagged along with Cooper on the show, the actor explained that his “little polar bear” lived on the streets before he adopted her. “This is another reason we love you — you rescued a dog,” said host Kelly Ripa. — Watch it at People Pets
Was That a Lion . . . or a Cat?
When frightened witnesses in a U.K. town reported sightings of a lion in a field, a huge search operation went into effect that included police, zoologists and wildlife experts. They weren’t able to find anything — and there were no reports of a missing lion in the area. The current potential suspects: Teddy Bear, a Maine Coon who lives nearby, or a ginger cat named Tom. — Read it at the Telegraph
