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Welcome to the Cold Nose News Page of Chance's Spot Pet Loss and Support Resources
This is the spot to find all kinds of interesting bites happening in the animal kingdom. Some stories are strange, others enlightening, but all are about our animal friends throughout the world. Updated weekly with the latest information.
Interesting Behavior
UNITED STATES - February 2, 2010: A new study has found that prairie dogs use a series of special squeaks to warn family members when predators are approaching - even using different types of squeak for different predators. Models of different predators, like coyotes, badgers and hawks, were dragged in front of the prairie dogs to see how they responded.
With a single bark a prairie dog may warn about the type and direction of a predator, and even describe its color. This means that prairie dogs use one of the most complex languages in the animal kingdom.
Zoo News
UNITED STATES - February 4, 2010: Amani, a 37-year-old gorilla at a Texas zoo, has picked the New Orleans Saints to win this year's Super Bowl. She did this by opening a snack-filled football bearing the Saints’ logo.
Zookeepers gave her the option of two papier-mache footballs filled with peanuts, popcorn, grapes and other gorilla treats. After showing brief disinterest, Amani grabbed the Saints’ football, inspected it and then smashed it onto a rock to release her treats.
Weekly Litter Box
JAPAN - February 4, 2010: Giant salamanders are among the largest amphibians on the planet, but there are worries that they could be dying out. The giant salamanders living in China and Japan that are most in danger of disappearing forever.
In China, the animals are critically endangered as they're often killed for food because their meat can be sold for lots of money. In Japan, the problem is that their homes are being destroyed when people build dams to stop flooding.
The giant salamander plays a very important part in nature, eating insects and other pests that could spread diseases. Japan is fighting to help save them by breeding them and building them nests in river banks. The hope is that China will follow the Japanese in helping these animals.
Interesting Bit
POLAND - February 4: Baltic, the spunky dog who floated at least 75 miles on an ice floe, has a new owner. The seaman and ship's mechanic who pulled him to safety from an ice sheet in the Baltic Sea last week has adopted the dog, saying he is sociable and affectionate.
Crew members spotted the dog January 25 floating at least 15 miles from land. The rescue was difficult because the frightened, shivering dog kept falling into the water. Fearing he could drown, the crew lowered a pontoon to the water and the ship's mechanic managed to grab the dog and pull him to safety. |
