Archive for November, 2005
A 13 foot Python bursts open after eating a 6 foot alligator in Florida swamp! Crazy…
[inspic=3,right,fullscreen,thumb]An unusual clash between a 6-foot (1.8m) alligator and a 13-foot (3.9m) python has left two of the deadliest predators dead in Florida’s swamps.
The Burmese python tried to swallow its fearsome rival whole but then exploded. The remains of the two giant reptiles were found by astonished rangers in the Everglades National Park.
The rangers say the find suggests that non-native Burmese pythons might even challenge alligators’ leading position in the food chain in the swamps.
The python’s remains with the victim’s tail protruding from its burst midsection were found last week. The head of the python was missing.
“Encounters like that are almost never seen in the wild… And here we are” Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.
“They were probably evenly matched in size. If the python got a good grip on the alligator before the alligator got a good grip on him, he could win” Professor Mazzotti said.
He said the alligator may have clawed at the python’s stomach, leading it to burst. “Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species” Prof Mazzotti said.
He said that there had been four known encounters between the two species in the past. In the other cases, the alligator won or the battle was an apparent draw.
Burmese pythons – many of whom have been dumped by their owners – have thrived in the wet and hot climate of Florida’s swamps over the past 20 years.
Mystery species discovered in Borneo
WWF researchers have discovered a mysterious new creature in the dense central forests of Borneo.
The animal, a mammal slightly larger than a domestic cat with dark red fur and a long, bushy tail, was photographed twice by a camera trap at night. There are still a number of stages to go through before the animal can be officially classed as new to science, but at this stage it is believed to be a completely new species of carnivore.
This would make it the first new carnivorous mammal to be found on the island – which has one of the highest levels of biodiversity on earth – for more than a century. WWF is hoping to be able to confirm more about the amazing discovery by setting cage traps and catching a live specimen.
The animal was photographed in Kayan Mentarang National Park in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo, one of the world’s biggest islands, which is shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. WWF calls the mountainous region the “Heart of Borneoâ€, a vast tract of rainforest which it believes should be made a protected area.
Stephen Wulffraat, discoverer of the so-far unnamed animal, said: “We showed the photos to locals who know the wildlife of the area, but nobody had ever seen this creature before. We also consulted several Bornean wildlife experts. Some thought it looked like a lemur, but most were convinced it was a new species of carnivore.â€
Discoveries of new mammals are not an everyday occurrence. While there are millions of unnamed insects, mammal species are far less numerous and most were discovered and described a century or more ago.
But in recent years, a surprising number have appeared: a monkey in Africa, a new rodent in Laos, and several deer species in Vietnam. Carnivores are rarer still, so if the Borneo find can be confirmed it will be an exciting day for zoologists.
There is a very real risk that the creature might remain a mystery forever as its habitat is seriously threatened, as the Indonesian government is planning to create the world’s largest palm oil plantation in this area which would devastate forests, wildlife and indigenous communities. The scheme, funded by the China Development Bank, is expected to cover an area of 1.8 million hectares – half the size of The Netherlands.
Callum Rankine, Head of Species for WWF-UK said: “This is an incredible find, and highlights the urgent need to conserve the unique forests in the Heart of Borneo. This creature – whatever it is – hasn’t been seen since the pictures were taken and is therefore likely to occur in very low numbers. It would be a tragedy if it became extinct before it was even described to science – and that is a very real risk.”
Related Links:
Original WWF Article
Loren Coleman’s Cryptozoo News
Times Online Article
Giant Ape (Gigantopithecus blackii)
King Kong may have been more real than Hollywood ever imagined! The 80 year puzzle of the gigantic ape, measuring around 10 feet tall and weighing up to 1,200 pounds (85 stone), and believed to have co-existed alongside humans is almost complete.
Jack Rink, a geochronologist at McMaster University in Ontario, has used a high-precision absolute-dating (techniques involving electron spin resonance and uranium series) method to determine that this ape – the largest primate ever – roamed Southeast Asia for nearly a million years before the species died out 100,000 years ago during the Pleistocene period. By this time, humans had existed for at least a million years, so they would more than likely have encountered Gigantopithecus blackii!
Research began in 1935, when the Dutch palaeontologist G.H. von Koenigswald discovered a yellowish molar among the “dragon bones” of a Hong Kong pharmacy (Traditional Chinese medicine maintains that dragon bones, basically any fossil bones and teeth, possess curative powers when ground into a fine powder, and ingested).
Since the original discovery, scientists have been able to slowly piece together a description of Gigantopithecus using just a handful of teeth and a set of jawbones.
“A missing piece of the puzzle has always focused on pin-pointing when Gigantopithecus existed,” Rink said. “This is a primate that co-existed with humans at a time when humans were undergoing a major evolutionary change. The Guangxhi province in southern China, where some of the Gigantopithecus fossils were found, is the same region where some believe the modern human race originated.”
While most scientists agree that Gigantopithecus died out long ago, some people – Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti enthusiasts in particular – believe that this ape is the source of tales of giant, hairy beasts roaming the woods. These claims are not considered credible by mainstream scientists, but there have been cases in which creatures are first known by their fossil remains and later found living.
Related Links:
Gigantic Apes Coexisted with Early Humans Live Science
So what’s been happening this week? Well I don’t know about you, but I seem to have miss-placed most of it – its zipped by so fast that I didn’t even realise it was Saturday until a few hours ago. But I guess it’s subjective and for some of you the week probably dragged, and still feels like Monday? Ah, I’m digressing, again… time for some news.
Cryptoworld & e-Mongol – I would like to announce that we are now the official UK representatives for e-Mongol. As you know Cryptoworld joined forces with the CFZ in May of this year, and headed to Mongolia in search of the Allghoi Khorkhoi (Death Worm). The trip as you can imagine, was not your usual run of the mill package-holiday (what is these days?), and because none of us had visited Mongolia before, we thought it best to enlist a local company that could organise this rather unique adventure, e-Mongol fitted this bill perfectly.
How it worked – we selected a few locations that we new we wanted to visit, and using this information e-Mongol suggested a complete itinerary, organizing transport, accommodation, meetings with local officials, even access to the strictly prohibited areas of the southern Gobi that borders China – yet still allowing us time to visit all the usual tourist sights along the way.
Since our return to the UK, Cryptoworld has been working with e-Mongol, following up on reports of the Death Worm and planning a return trip in 2006/07. In October they asked if we would act as their official UK contact, seeing we had first hand knowledge of just how good a service they offer, and how friendly the whole e-Mongol team are, we couldn’t really say no.
So if you’re thinking of traveling to Mongolia for a two week vacation, or want to plan your own tailored-made expedition, give e-Mongol a call, and if you have any questions, or would just like to find out more about our expedition, drop us an email emongol@mac.com.
A Classic Chupacabra Pic
Other bits and bobs – New sightings of an animal that can only be described as the ‘Chupacabra’ have been reported in Las Vegas (New Mexico). Reports and sightings have popped up all over the city the past few weeks, pets have gone missing and State Police have responded to a call where locals claim they have seen “an evil blood-sucking creatureâ€. There’s even one report of the creature attacking a donut truck! So is the Chupacabra back? KRQE News 13 has a video report/interview with an eye-witness and two waitresses (Windows media player will be needed I’m afraid).
Texas Bigfoot Group
Bigfoot, Bigfoot, Bigfoot – everybody seems to be going Bigfoot crazy. The 2005 Texas Bigfoot conference appears to have been a huge success, media coverage at this years (5th) annual event was high. The Associated Press fired off an article, and due to the normal stories of doom and gloom, it seems to have been picked up by a worldwide audience. The local Mayor has even proclaimed that the third weekend of October will now be known as “Texas Bigfoot Weekend†– crazy! All we need now is some hard evidence to prove they really do exist… anybody fancy a trip to Texas?
