Fish Poured Like Rain In Thailand-''Apocalypse Is Near''

Photographs show the streets of Thailand after a heavy rain deposited fish on them.

In April 2015, a series of photographs showing hundreds of dead fish on a street in China began circulating the Internet. Although the pictures were initially shared along with a news report involving a fish truck accident, subsequent reports claimed that the scene depicted in the images was the result of a heavy fish rain. 

Some media outlets tried to give a scientific explanation for the fish rain, claiming that "Monsoon winds lifted the fish from the river and the Indian and Pacific ocean," while others used the photos to prove that the apocalypse was near: 

This story may sound like it was created by one of the many online satirical publications, but two of the first web sites to share the "Raining Fish" story — Spy Ghana and SA Breaking News — claim that they only aggregate real news stories. Although this confusion may have not resulted from a deliberate attempt to fool the Internet, something was clearly lost in translation.

The photographs were first published by The People's Daily on 17 March 2015 along with a story about a truck spill in the Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China: 

Snopes

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Super Rare Megamouth Shark Ashore in the Philippines

Some sort of megamouth shark recently washed ashore within the Philippines, giving scientists a new rare up-close glimpse on the bizarre sea beast, CBS News documented.

Fishermen discovered the particular lifeless body on the 15-foot male shark with a beach in relating to the Albay and Masbate provinces about Jan. 28. As the shark's cause associated with death has yet to become determined, the specimen may well shed new light about the species scientists recognize as Megachasma pelagios.

"We know so little regarding it, " Christopher Chook, a Ph. Deborah. student who research deep-sea sharks on the University of Southampton within England, told The particular Washington Post. "It had not been discovered really till 1976. It's only really seen when it's accidentally caught within fishermen's nets or if it's stranded on seashores. "

Megamouth sharks can reach up to 17 feet in total and have a expected life of around a century. They spend most time in the serious sea feeding about small shrimp, plankton, and krill. And they're called megamouth permanently reason: according on the Post, their gigantic jaws have nearly 50 rows associated with teeth -- some of which act like a filter to keep food in and push water out there.

Last year, a megamouth was pulled coming from a fishing trap from the coast of Asia. Since megamouth sharks have been discovered, only about 66 are already spotted -- and in some cases fewer have been recently caught.

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They Invented A Vending Machine That Feeds Animals Every Time Trash Is Discarded. Wow!

One innovative company has created a vending machine that works with the environment and helps feed the 150,000 homeless cats and dogs.

Turkey is known for its large numbers of stray animals roaming its urban areas. According to Deutsche Welle in Istanbul alone there are more than 150,000 stray dogs and cats. Some of the residents welcome their company and help feed them but others have complained that the animals are dangerous and spread disease. Because of these complaints, the Turkish government went on to draft a law which would move thousands of stray dogs to be to a “wildlife park,” getting the animals out of the urban environment which they are used to. 

Dogs have also allegedly been the targets of poisoning campaigns, according to the Associated Press. Thankfully the Turkish company Pugedon came up with the genius idea of placing vending machines across the city of Istanbul. These machines release food and water for the city’s stray dogs in exchange for recycled plastic bottles (the recycled bottles cover the cost of the food). 

How it works is the bottle powered dispensers releases pet food each time someone places a plastic bottle inside the machine. There is also has a container where you can pour the remainder of your water to make sure stray cats and dogs also have something to drink. Apart from keeping the urban animals alive, the vending machine are a great way to make people stop and think about the animals out on the streets and could perhaps be enough to make some consider adopting an animal to help deal with the problem. 

This genius simple machine will provide a steady source of food to the animals, who often rely on the area’s residents to feed them. It’s also bringing some positive change to a place where the fate of stray animals has not always been a happy one. Most of the machines can be found in parks and public areas throughout the city so while they encourage the public to recycle our furry friends are being feed too.

Natural Cures Not Medicine
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The Seven Weirdest Creatures Under the Sea

If you're looking for a good fright, forget about going to see a horror movie, or wandering through a cemetery in the middle of the night. Just flip on the National Geographic channel and find yourself a good documentary about the horrors lurking under the sea.

Living thousands of feet below the water's surface may not have done these creatures any favors in the looks department, but it has led to some utterly bizarre adaptations that let mother nature's ugly step-children survive in their unique environment. And while it's fun to point and stare at how hideous they all are, just remember they'd probably do the same to us if they visited dry land.

Deepstaria enigmatica

Not only may you never want to sleep again after seeing this undulating sheet of brown goo writhing its way across your screen, you'll never want to use blankets again either. We'll take a hungry great white shark over this creature any day—at least we know which end is up there.

Psychedelic Fish

It gets its name from its tie-dye-like skin, but the Psychedelic fish is also known as the Frog fish because of the way it uses its lower fins to hop and crawl along the ocean floor. And for some reason its back fin is perpetually twisted to the side making it difficult for the fish to swim straight ahead. Is this mother nature's version of a Nascar driver?

Pacific Barreleye Fish

More formally known as the Macropinna Microstoma, the Barreleye Fish's eyes are protected beneath a clear soft dome that lets it keep an eye on prey floating above and all around it. It's also got kind of a cool fighter pilot thing going on.

Predatory Tunicate

Growing out of the ocean floor like water-filled plants, Tunicates are usually passive feeders. But this predatory version lures in other sea life through its large gaping mouth, trapping and digesting them for dinner. Didn't we see its bigger brother show up in one of those Star Warsfilms?

Prehistoric Frilled Shark

Frills are supposed to be a cute addition to a little girl's outfit. So why are prehistoric creatures like the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park, and this rare Frilled Shark, making them part of our nightmares? This bizarre-looking shark somehow manages to make even Jaws seem adorable.

Pistol Shrimp

This little guy actually looks like your run-of-the-mill shrimp, but it's what it does with its pincers that's utterly bizarre. It's called the Pistol Shrimp because it's able to cock and slam its pincers shut with so much force that it produces a super-heated blast of water that stuns its prey. Easily making this the world's most deadliest beatnik.

Vampyroteuthis Infernalis 

(aka The Vampire Squid From Hell)

Being compared to a vampire straight from the gates of hell can't be great for its self-esteem. But this unusual creature—that falls somewhere between an octopus and a squid—lives up to its name with barbed tentacles, glowing eyes, squirting phosphorescent ink, and the ability to turn itself inside-out into a spiky ball of horror.

Gizmodo

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Cruelty To Street Monkeys in Cambodia-As their Entertainment?

This is probably one of the most disturbing forms of entertainment for people in Western countries. It’s basically animal cruelty. On the other hand, in countries like Indonesia and India street monkeys are completely normal. Poor citizens dress up little monkeys like dolls and train them to act like humans. The monkeys have a chain around their neck while they are forced to entertain people in the streets.

Just a few pay attention and give some money to the owners of the monkeys, but most people don’t even bother looking. They earn very little on this street performances, but for them it’s better than nothing. Luckily the street monkeys have been reduced since Jakarta is getting more and more affluent, and the Jakarta Animal Aid Network are doing there best to put a stop on this animal cruelty. Speaking of monkeys, here are some amazing photographs that shows how photogenic they can be.

Planet Oddity
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Dog faints from 'overwhelming joy' as he's reunited with owner after two years

The overwhelmed pet dog struggles to cope with his joy. Credit: YouTube / Rebecca Ehalt

A dog fainted with excitement when he was reunited with his owner after two years apart.

Schnauzer owner Rebecca Ehalt wrote that her pet's cataplexy was perhaps understandable considering her time away was “in fairness, 14 years in dog years.”

Her YouTube video shows the pet dog wailing with joy as he sees Rebecca for the first time before falling sideways and struggling to his feet.

The dog rolls over after yelping for a short while. Credit: YouTube/RebeccaEhalt

The video has been watched nearly half a million times within a day of being uploaded.

            The dog was picked up after fainting by his father and Rebecca. Credit: 

YouTube/RebeccaEhalt

Ehalt said she took the Schnauzer to the vet after the emotional reunion.

“Everything is fine,” she reported.

iTV News
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An 8 y/o Indian girl, Plays with King Cobras

This little charmer calls these King Cobras her best friends - even though she has survived three venom-filled bites from them.

Villagers in Ghatampur, Uttar Pradesh, India, run in fear when they see eight-year-old Kajol Khan wandering the dusty streets with her deadly friends wrapped around her neck.

She said: 'I have a lot of fun with the cobras. It hurts when they bite me but sometimes it’s my own fault because I tease them. It’s quite funny.'

Kajol's father, Taj Mohammad, 55, has worked as Ghatampur's snake catcher for the past 45 years. 

He has already passed on his skills to his son Gulab, 28. But now it seems Kajol, the youngest nine, is keen to join the family business.

'I don’t like school,' she said. 'I much prefer working with the snakes.' 

Her bond with the creatures - which stems from crawling around them as a baby - now means they are her favourite companions. 

Since her friendship with the killers began she has been bitten on her stomach, her cheeks and most recently her arm. She was seriously ill but made a full recovery.

'It hurts when they bite me but they don’t mean it,' she said. 'I get a little frightened when I see the blood but my father sorts me out. He rushes into the forest and comes back with the medicine.'

Daily Mail UK
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Flesh Eating Beetles- It Can Doom the World?

Flesh-eating beetles, called dermestids, are nature’s forensic scientists.

The word “dermestid” derives from the Greek word meaning “skin,” and the insect is aptly named. These creepy crawlies will eat the flesh off carcasses in a process called skeletonization.

Wildlife law enforcement agents use the beetles to expose skeletons when harsh chemicals might damage evidence, such as marks on bones. Museum curators and taxidermists also use the bugs to clean skeletons for research and displays. Hundreds of dermestid beetles are often used to pick a cadaver clean.

It’s a low-tech solution to an ordinarily high-tech problem, said Ken Hansen, a retired federal game warden with the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, who has been selling dermestid beetles for six years.

“I can recall one instance where they actually had a skull, and they were trying to clean the skull for a potential murder investigation, and the beetles were used to clean the skull,” he added. “There certainly is a use for these forensically.”

For those who can stomach the stench, it’s an incredibly engaging process—emphasis on the “gag.” Check out this viral video of parrot versus flesh-eating beetle—we’ll let you guess who wins. 

Beetles Be Eatin’

In the wild, the 12-millimeter-long scavengers decompose animals long since expired. But if you live in North America, they can also lurk in your walls or under floorboards.

Once indoors, the grubbers expand their palates. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory, dermestids will eat their way through materials like old books, carpets, or woolens.

This appetite for anything organic sometimes makes them a nuisance for museum personnel and taxidermists. Though it’s rare, adult dermestids have been known to fly, and escapees that find their way into exhibits can do considerable damage.

Flesh-eating beetles on the loose sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but people need to worry more about their linens than their limbs.

There’s an urban legend about the beetles getting out in large numbers and destroying things, Hansen said, but they don’t eat living flesh.

Or, at least, not that we know.

Watch Video Here:

National Geographic

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Top 5 Most Endangered Animals

If there is one thing I care about the most, it is the preservation of our wildlife. As humans, the most intelligent animal on earth, we have a responsibility to protect our endangered species. According to care 2 world.com, approximately 100 species go extinct every single day. A large majority of these species are victims of deforestation, where 38 million acres of forest is projected to be destroyed this year! Let me put this in perspective. 38 million acres is roughly the size of Algeria, or a slightly larger than Alaska. So you can see we have a major environmental crisis on our hands. The amount of habitat lost for some of these endangered species is unprecedented. Therefore, I will giving the top 5 on the endangered species list and how we can help to stop the bleeding. But first, I'd like you to watch this short video on what species need our help. Some will be listed here, some will not. The point of this hub is to create awareness for those animals who can't help themselves. I will also update the stated list regularly as reports allow. If a species is deemed extinct or its status has been lifted, I will move it to a different section on this hub.

1. The Ivory Billed Woodpecker

The ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) was one of the largest woodpeckers in the world, at roughly 20 inches in length and 30 inches in wingspan. It was native to the virgin forests of the southeastern United States (along with a separate subspecies native to Cuba). Due to habitat destruction, and to a lesser extent hunting, its numbers have dwindled to the point where it is uncertain whether any remain, though there have been reports that it has been seen again. Almost no forests today can maintain an ivory-billed woodpecker population.

Reason for possible extinction:

The Ivory Billed Woodpecker is currently having dismal information on their numbers. It is at the top of the critically endangered list. Critically endangered means that a species is dangerously near to becoming extinct. The population numbers of this woodpecker were whittled down by hunters and deforestation, in the 19th century. As a result, the woodpecker's numbers dropped too low to sustain their own population. The only reason why this bird hasn't been deemed extinct by the masses, is because of supposed recent sightings in the past decade. A video back in 2007 shot a glimpse of a bird that looked very similar to the Ivory Billed profile, but it was too blurry to be conclusive. However, there is still hope to find this bird flying about in the swampy areas of Arkansas, Florida and Cuba.

2. The Amur Leopard

The Amur Leopard is also on the critically endangered species list. There now exists only about 40 of them in northern part of Russia's eastern tundra. Considered to be the rarest cat in the world, they prefer the cold temperatures of the tundra forest lands and are the only Leopard in the world adapted to cold weather.

3. The Javan Rhinoceros

The Javan Rhinoceros, or also known as the Sudna Rhinoceros was the most prominent rhino species in south east Asia. Their range extended from North Vietnam, to East India and parts of China, and clear down to the islands of Java and Sundara. Being now decades after the Vietnam War, their species is now confined to a small piece of land located on the western tip of Java island in Indonesia. This particular species is considered to be the rarest mammal on earth with an estimation of only 40 members. Similar to our leopard friends.

4. The Northern Sportive Lemur

The northern sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis), also known as the Sahafary sportive lemur or northern weasel lemur, is a species of lemur in the family Lepilemuridae. It is endemic to Madagascar. As a result of severe ecological and human pressures

Reason for Endangerment:

There are numerous species of lemurs on island of Madagascar, but none as endangered as the Northern Sportive Lemur. These 2 lb. animals reside on the northern tip of Madagascar, with an estimated 20 members left of their species. Nearly all of the species of Lemurs on the island are under threat of extinction. Poaching and major deforestation are the primary factors contributing to their massive decline.

The Northern Pacific Right Whale

The North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) is a very large, robust baleen whale species that is now extremely rare and endangered. The Northeast Pacific subpopulation, which summers in the southeastern Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, may have no more than 50 animals. 

Causes of Endangerment:

Poaching

Northern right whales have been under the gun for more than a century. They are the most endangered species of whale with only around 50 members of their species left. Before the massive whaling endemic of the 19th century, it is estimated that more than 30,000 right whales were alive in the Pacific Ocean. Between 1840 and 1849, the massive poaching of these whales began with the killing of at least 25,000. In the mid 20th century, Asian pacific whaling activities increased, including the notable Soviet whale excursion, illegally killing thousands of whales in the Pacific including right whales.

In conclusion:

I have spent over a week putting together this hub and if there is one thing I've learned it is this. Humanity has a responsibility to take care of our planet. We can try to do our part by doing the little things like recycling, turning out the lights and trying to drive less. Yet, I still ask myself does doing any of that stuff do a darn worth of difference? On a massive scare yes. On a personal scale not really. What makes the difference is having the courage to take the lead and call people to action. Action not just by passive environmental activities like I've listed above, but actually going into the field, starting relationships and educating people on the real issues. Issues that have a real impact on everyday events. There are some things on this earth we can't control, but there some things we can. It's up to us to know what those are and the best way to do that: is just being practical sometimes. I feel really bad about how nature's wounds are deepening. I wish there was some magic bullet to cure it all. When I stare into the eyes of an endangered animal (especially mammals), I can almost see the sadness and desperation in their face. It sends chills down my spine, that perhaps there's more to these animals than flesh, bone and instincts.

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