Animals Gone Wild!

[Kor37 9]

Crocodile Bites Off Zoo Worker's Arm

Limb Reattached After Colleagues Retrieve It

AP

TAIPEI, Taiwan (April 12) - A zoo worker had his forearm reattached Thursday after his colleagues recovered the severed limb from the mouth of a 440-pound Nile crocodile, an official said.

 

The crocodile severed Chang Po-yu's forearm on Wednesday at the Shaoshan Zoo in the southern city of Kaohsiung when the veterinarian tried to retrieve a tranquilizer dart from the reptile's hide, zoo officials said.

 

The Liberty Times newspaper said Chang failed to notice the crocodile was not fully anesthetized when he stuck his arm through an iron rail to medicate it.

 

As Chang was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday, a zoo worker shot two bullets at the crocodile's neck to retrieve the forearm, said Chen Po-tsun, a zoo official.

 

"The crocodile was unharmed as we didn't find any bullet holes on its hide," Chen said. "It probably was shocked and opened its mouth to let go of the limb."

 

The 17-year-old reptile is one of a pair of Nile crocodiles kept by the Kaohsiung zoo. The crocodile is listed as an endangered species, and is rapidly disappearing from its native African habitat.

 

Chen said the zoo purchased the crocodile from a local resident who had kept it as a pet.

 

I would have poked that gator with a stick or something until I was sure it was asleep!..

[Odo 0]

Stick a baseball bat

[Kor37 9]

Elephant Tramples Trainer to Death

AP

JAKARTA, Indonesia (April 12) - An elephant at a central Indonesian tourist resort trampled its longtime trainer to death as the man tried to chain the animal's feet, police said Thursday.

 

Fellow employees at the resort in the Java town of Tegal found the body of Koidin, 40, who died of severe chest injuries, local police Capt. Sumarjo said.

 

"We have no idea what caused the elephant to go berserk," said Sumarjo, who like many people in Indonesia uses only one name.

 

The elephant and its daughter had worked closely with Koidin for years without incident, he said. The animals had been used to entertaining tourists at the hot springs resort.

 

Elephant habitats in Indonesia are quickly shrinking due to illegal logging and land clearing, and most of the country's 2,500 wild animals live on its largest island, neighboring Sumatra.

 

[Odo 0]

As we move in on there turf

as we do they protect it

Edited April 12, 2007 by Odo

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Crocodile Bites Off Zoo Worker's Arm

 

I would have poked that gator with a stick or something until I was sure it was asleep!.. B)

 

it wasn't a gator - it was a croc.

[Kor37 9]

Sea Lion Attacks Teen Surfer

AP

PERTH, Australia (April 15) - A sea lion leaped out of the sea and attacked a 13-year-old girl as she surfed behind a speedboat off Australia's west coast, a newspaper reported Sunday.

 

A marine scientist said the attack by the sea lion, which can grow to more than 880 pounds in weight but usually stay away from humans, was bizarre and that the sea lion may have been trying to play with the girl.

 

Ella Murphy had her jaw broken and lost three teeth after the sea lion attacked her on Friday as she was being towed on a surfboard behind a speedboat at Lancelin, a town 80 miles north of the Western Australia state capital of Perth, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.

 

"This thing just exploded in a full-on, frontal attack," family friend Chris Thomas told the newspaper. "It jumped out of the water at her and hit her head on."

 

Sydney Aquarium marine scientist Grant Willis said he had never heard of such an attack before.

 

"To be out in the water and be attacked like this is just bizarre," he said.

 

Sea lions can be very territorial, but usually only attack humans when provoked.

 

"It might have been like a rag doll toy ... it could have been ... play for them, just wanting to shake it around," Willis said of the attack.

 

Murphy was in a stable condition in hospital after having surgery, the newspaper reported.

 

Clearly, Al Quida has been recruiting sea lions as of late................

[MrPsychic 1]

You'd be surprised how often sea lions will become aggressive for their territory. They're wild animals, just like you don't walk up and poke another person for no reason, don't poke the animals. :P