Reunited! Couple handed back 16-week-old puppy stolen by motorbike thieves

By Emily Allen


Puppy love: Pauline and Ian Parsons with daughter Ashleigh Parsons 16, re-united with their puppy Alfie


The delighted owners of a 16-week-old puppy that was snatched by opportunistic motorcycle thieves have been reunited with their pet.

Tiny spaniel Alfie was taken by a pair of thieves in a bank raid-style operation last week and was captured on CCTV.

Despite frantic efforts by his owners, Pauline and Ian Parsons, both 45, to find him, it was only after their story hit the headlines on Mail Online that Alfie's new owners got in touch.


The puppy was returned by a couple who bought him just hours after he was snatched from outside the family business in West Bromwich.

They said they were walking their own dog when a man approached them and asked if they wanted to buy another dog.

They paid over the £150 asking price for the little King Charles Cavalier spaniel, after being told that he was the last of a large litter.

After seeing press coverage about Alfie's disappearance, the couple contacted the Parsons family to tell them the good news.

Happy to be home: Alfie bounding around the garden with his family after heartless opportunist thieves stole him

A couple over the £150 asking price for Alfie the King Charles Cavalier spaniel after being told that he was the last of a large litter


He was quickly reunited with his rightful owners, who said that he is slowly getting over the ordeal.

Mr and Mrs Parsons, from Coseley, West Midlands, had watched in disbelief as two men roared up on a motorbike and snatched their pet from a playpen outside the family-run Metal Supermarket

The pillion rider got off scooped up Alfie and wedged the dog between him and the getaway rider before they sped off.

Mrs Parsons said: 'He was a bit timid at first, but he's settling back in now.
'It must have been a bit of a shock for him.'

She added: 'I've got to be honest, I didn't think we'd see him again.

Dog thieves: The dognappers are caught on CCTV after stealing Alfie


'He's so little, and it would be so easy to shift him on to someone else.'

The Parsons had been tirelessly canvassing their local area in an attempt to find Alfie, as well as posting messages on Facebook and various missing pets websites.

Mrs Parsons said: 'If it wasn't for the press coverage I doubt we would've seen him again.'

Though the family are 'thrilled' to have their dog back, they hope that their ordeal will act as a warning to others to be vigilant when letting their own pets out.

She added: 'The main thing to remember is that these people are still out there.


A treasured photo of Alfie: Ashleigh Parsons pleaded for help to find her dog yesterday


'I can't believe the nerve of them, they came right up to the door and took him. We are still looking out for them.'

But the family said they are finding lots of time to spoil Alfie, and that he can look forward to being a pampered pooch for some time to come.

Mrs Parsons said: 'He isn't going to be allowed out of our sight now.'


The incident last Thursday afternoon was captured on CCTV and the couple are appealing for help in finding the two thieves.

Mrs Parsons said one of them wore a helmet with a black star and silver lining.

They were riding a scrambler-type machine with yellow wheels.

She added: 'He's just gorgeous and a brilliant dog – really clever. The customers really took to him as he's a real character. Everybody turned soft when they saw him – even the biggest blokes were reduced to mush.'

She added: 'We have never had a puppy before. We decided to get one because we could take him to work with us.

Jayne Hayes, founder of the charity Dog Lost, said the number of pedigree dogs being stolen had soared since the recession began.

'We see 150 to 200 cases a week. People just grab the dogs and sell them on and they get away with it because the police don't do much.

'I've never seen a theft like this before, though. This a worrying development, but there is definitely a market out there for expensive pedigree dogs like Alfie.'


source:dailymail

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The lion mane tamer: Meet the gamekeeper who gives maneating Jamu a daily hairspray as part of his beauty treatment

British animal wrangler Alex Larenty risks his life daily so he can prune, primps and polishes a massive lion.

Theses amazing pictures show the fearless 50-year-old, from Chipping North, happily fluffing the mane of massive maneater Jamu at the Lion Park near Johannesburg.

He also sprays the 9-year-old beast with special lion hairspray, gives him a manicure and even massages his feet.

British animal wrangler Alex Larenty sprays Jamu the Lion with special Lion hairspray at the Lion Park in Johannesburg, South Africa


And it's all in the name of making him attractive to the opposite sex.

Former truck driver Alex said: 'I use a hairspray that gives Jamu's mane a glossy sheen and hides his gingerness.

'That makes him more appealing to a mate.'

Alex also gives Jamu a manicure and massages his feet to help him become more attractive to the opposite sex


Alex moved to South Africa in 1999 and has been an animal trainer for 35 years

Having reared many lions from birth, Alex is able safely to walk into the middle of Jamu's pride and play games while surrounded by huge numbers of the massive predators.

He has said previously: 'I built up a relationship with Jamu through putting insect repellent onto him, which is necessary here to keep our animals protected from things like parasites.

'He eventually realised he liked being scratched and tickled.'

The 208-acre Lion Park houses over 300 animals including lions, cheetahs and hyenas.


Having reared many lions from birth, Alex is able safely to walk into the middle of Jamu's pride and play games while surrounded by huge numbers of the massive predators


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Could this really be the shark that killed a British honeymooner in the Seychelles?

By Rob Cooper


Seychelles fishermen believe they may have caught the shark which killed a British honeymooner Ian Redmond as he went snorkelling yards off the beach.

Locals are actively hunting down predators after the 30-year-old and a Frenchman were both killed in the space of two weeks.

Mr Redmond was around 20 yards from the shore when he was attacked by a tiger shark on Praslin Island.

To blame? Locals claim one of these could have been the shark which killed a British honeymooner on a beach. Tests will have to be carried out to confirm whether these animals were responsible


These two tiger sharks were caught on the opposite side of the island from where the newly-married man was attacked. Experts will carry out tests to see if there is any evidence that either of these sharks attacked the British IT specialist from Nelson, Lancashire.

Although the sharks have been caught it is too early to tell if one of them is responsible.

Police said the fish will be examined to see if either of them were involved.

Experts now believe the honeymooner was bitten by a four-metre tiger shark and not a Great White as initially thought.

The attack, the second in less than a month, has rocked the tiny archipelago and stoked fears that the islands' tourist industry will be badly affected.

Strung up: One of these could have been the shark that killed British honeymooner Ian Redmond. Tests will be carried out on the animals to see if they were the ones responsible

Tiger sharks are aggressive and are known to have carried out a number of attacks around the world.

Tragic Mr Redmond, an IT specialist, died moments after the attack which happened at Anse Lazio beach.

Nicolas Virolle, a 37-year-old English teacher from France had been killed nearby in a similar attack less than two weeks earlier.

Jean Toussiant, from Seychelles Police, said: 'Until now there is no indication that these are the sharks responsible.

'The sharks will have to be taken away to be examined and this will take time.'

South African shark expert Mike Anderson-Reade, who is a member of the Kwazulu Natal Shark Institute in South Africa, examined a fragment of tooth, which was removed from Mr Redmond's leg following the attack.

He also studied photographs of the injuries sustained by the two men who died to assess the size of the shark's gape.

He said: 'From my conclusions, from what we could see and from the bite and the way the bites were, we believe it was a tiger shark and that it was about four metres long.

'Although shark attacks are very rare, normally it is one of three shark species which are responsible - the white, tiger or bull shark.

'They caught a tiger shark this morning. We dissected that animal and it had no human remains in it.

'Eleven days after the event, it's debatable whether there still would be human remains in it.

Shark victim: Ian Redmond 30, died 20 yards off the beachof Anse Lazio, close to his wife Gemma, 27


'Those animals are capable of regurgitating food. It could bite someone then regurgitate it days later.'

Exclusion netting is being put in place to protect the beaches for swimming and diving.

He said: 'Local fishermen are using drum lines and long lines to catch the shark, and should probably be looking at some form of exclusion netting, similar to the kind used in Hong Kong.

'This acts as a physical barrier which keeps large fish out, rather than killing them.'

However, the expert believes the shark responsible for the attack has most likely moved on from the area.

He said: 'They would be very lucky if they get that animal. A fish can move a long way away and the shark could be long gone.'

Luxury honeymoon: The British couple were on the Anse Lazio beach, pictured, yards from where a Frenchman had been killed two weeks beforehand


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Housing worker kills monster, 3ft rat in New York project ... and says there are more

By Mike O'brien


Speared: Housing Authority worker Jose Rivera with the mutant monster rat at the Marcy Houses in Brooklyn


A huge rat has been speared to death by a pitchfork at a sprawling New York housing project.

Jose Rivera, a Housing Authority worker, was clearing a rat hole at the Marcy Houses in Brooklyn when three of the creatures popped out.

He was only able to nab one. It appears to be almost three feet long, including the tail, is covered in white fur and looks well-fed.

Mr Rivera, 48, said: 'I hit it one time and it was still moving.


'I hit it another time and that's when it died. I'm not scared of rats but I was scared of being bitten.'

Naomi Colon, head of the Marcy Houses Tenant Association, said there have been sightings of the outsize rat for at least six years.

She said: 'The residents have told me that they've seen it running around with other rats.

'She lived with them. She ran into the same hole they ran in.'

Animal experts have identified the monster rodent as a Gambian pouched rat, which is a fairly common pet rat.

They are nocturnal, can grow to three feet, weigh four pounds or more and live seven or eight years, the New York Daily News reports.

Imports have been banned since 2003, when the rats were blamed for a monkeypox outbreak that affected 100 people.

Captivity: A Gambian pouched rat. The creatures, which grow to 3ft long and weigh up to 4lbs, are often kept as pets


Dr Paul Calle, director of zoological health at the Wildlife Conservation Society, said the Marcy Houses specimen was probably an escaped or discarded pet who decided to join the regular rats.

He said: 'They are a very social animal and live in big groups in the wild.

'Our Norway rats are the closest big rodents it could accompany.'

He said they can be trained to sniff out landmines,adding that 'they're pretty remarkable animals'.

Tenants fear that the Gambian rat has been breeding with the Norway rats and spawning a super-breed of rodents.

But Mr Calle said the imported rat probably would not mate with local rats, and it couldn't reproduce if it did, because each is from a different genus.

One Marcy Houses resident, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals from city or property management, described the conditions there.

'In one day eight big size rats were killed,' he said, adding that they have been seen in the playground.

Another resident said: 'Adults had to grab children and run because a lot of rats came on the playground. The kids were screaming.'

Resident Stephanie Davis, 44, said: 'Even the cats are afraid of the rats. They get together and gang up on the cats.'

Pam Davis, 43, added: 'They're here day and night. We don't dodge bullets. We dodge rats.They're so big, they should charge them rent.'


source:dailymail

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How did he get up there? The cat who got stuck up a cactus

By Leon Watson


He's found himself in a rather prickly situation - but at least he didn't get eaten.

This terrified bobcat was spotted teetering on top of a 50ft cactus after running for its life from a hungry lion.

He stayed there for SIX hours, just to make sure the lion had gone, and incredibly escaped without a scratch.

Prickly situation: Bobcat is 50ft up the Giant Saguaro Cactus in Arizona


The mountain lion that was stalking him however just circled the base, stared upwards and growled for a few minutes before giving up and walking off.

The drama unfolded on the Giant Saguaro Cactus in Arizona's Sonoran Desert.

It is an enormous plant with two-inch spikes and is thought to be up to 300-years-old.

Photographer Curt Fonger, 69, captured what happened on film.

He said: 'A friend called me at 7am saying one of his workers had seen a bobcat being chased by a mountain lion.

Incredible escape: The bobcat stayed perched on top of this cactus for several hours


'It ran across the road in front of his car and climbed up a large saguaro cactus at the roadside, with the lion hot on its tail.

'The lion didn't pursue the bobcat up the cactus but circled the base.

'It looked up at the bobcat, growled several times, then turned around and trotted back up from where it had come.

'The mountain lion probably had cubs, the bobcat had intruded on its territory and she gave chase to warn the bobcat not to come close to her young family.

'I was astonished that the bobcat was on such a high prickly perch.

'In fact, the beautiful creature seemed quite content and was lying on top of the cactus. It only stood up when I got it's attention.

Help! The cat clings on desperately and does not appear to have any clue how to get down
'I thought it would come down when we left.


'But I found out later that the bobcat stayed put for over six hours before finally deciding it was safe enough to come back down.

'When he came down he looked around and then trotted back towards the Superstition Mountains.'

Curt, from Gold Canyon, Arizona, added: 'Although it may be common for a bobcat to escape one of it's major predators, it is very uncommon to have witnessed such an event first hand.

'I personally examined the base of the giant cactus after the bobcat had left.
'There was no hair or blood - only claw marks.

'Its a successful story of a bobcat avoided being eaten by a mountain lion with a happy ending of it's successful exit back into the desert.'

The giant cactus is extremely rare. Just one in 1,000 seeds germinate and it then takes up to ten years to grow one inch.

Its first arm develops between the ages of 75 and 100 years old or about the time they reach 15ft.

Unharmed: Despite clambering to the top of a spiky cactus this bobcat didn't even get a scratch


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I'm ready for my claws-up: Photographer's incredible portraits of models who bear all

By Daily Mail Reporter


Jill Greenberg, like every other professional photographer, knows that models can be hard to handle - with their diva-like demands and hissy fits.

And, with the models she works with especially, getting them at the wrong time of day is literally like dealing with a bear with a sore head.

Greenberg's studio portraits feature animal celebrities, including many who have appeared in Hollywood films and commercials, at their most cute - and frightening.

Paw-trait: Amos, an impossibly adorable European Brown Bear, poses for a Jill Greenberg portrait in Kern, Frazier Park, California. The portraits range from cute to ferocious


He work captures everything from baby brown bears looking adorable, to 10ft tall Kodiak bears looking a little less adorable.

Known for her ability to bring human qualities to exotic animals, the 44-year-old Canadian-born artist wanted to explore the mystery and depth of emotion behind some of nature's most dangerous creatures.

She said: 'I wanted to create images of these majestic beasts unlike anything we had seen before. I set up a studio outside, with my signature lighting set up - that I had used on my monkey and crying children series - to show the intensity and allow an intimate view of these powerful beasts.

Does my butt look big in this? The aptly named Whopper may not like the unflattering product of a photoshoot in Innisfail, Alberta, Canada. Too much hibernation last year, perhaps?

Who's been a bad bear? Black bear Max looks like he's been given a thorough telling off, but Greenberg explains that some of her subjects are very tired by the end of a long day


'The project is known as "Ursine" and shows Russian black bears, giant Kodiak bears, a polar bear and baby cubs.

'Humans have a unique attachment to bears, many of us grow up with teddy bears and, sometimes we call big people bear-like.

'It was surprising to see them actually sit with their front paws between their hind ones, exactly the way stuffed animals do.

Playbear: Russian brown bear Cheyenne strikes a classic glamour-model pose - complete with its leg coquettishly thrown out to the side - during a shoot in San Bernardino Ranch, California

'Do you come here often?': With his lecherous wink and sly smile, Koda the grizzly seems intent on getting his paws on Greenberg, but it's clear that she only has eyes for the cute cub being bottle fed in her lap


'And, of course, it was great to see them ham it up for the camera, standing up on hind legs and growling on command, for vanilla sandwich biscuits and chunks of raw salmon - which they catch in their mouth.'

Working with professional animal trainers like Mark Dumas in Vancouver, Greenberg captured the best angles and poses, always careful to make sure not to make any sudden moves or loud noises to call attention to and create a dangerous situation for herself or her crew.

The Ursine series has attracted a celebrity following, with Greenberg saying: 'It was exhibited at the Jaski Gallery in Amsterdam earlier this year, and some cool people like Tom Ford, Ashton Kutcher, and Daniel Craig have bears hanging in their office and home.

Kodiak moment: Looking cute and cuddly is all very well, but Kodiak bear Ursula gives a frightening glimpse of what the creatures are capable of. Greenberg said her models would growl on command for treats


Or is it a Polaroid moment? Agee looks like she's about to read the news in this shot, taken in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. Greenberg's painstaking set-up highlights the majesty of these amazing animals


'Also it has been collected by major museums and shown in galleries in New York and Los Angeles.'

The photographs have also been turned into a book, Bear Portraits, which has been popular.

Greenberg said: 'My goal was to convey depth of character and emotion. I think that I did that.'


source:dailymail

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What would Rod Hull say? Meet the family who share their home with a pet EMU

By Chris Brooke


Like a lot of youngsters she likes to relax in front of the TV and will eat anything in sight.

Beaky the pet emu also quite enjoys a soak in the bath. In fact, the two-year-old bird is almost as much a part of the Newby family as the six children.

She arrived in an unhatched egg, an unusual Christmas present for Ian Newby, 44, from his wife Lisa, 36.

Pecking order: Ian Newby with Beaky and, from left, Harry, Jack, Joe, mum Lisa, Bryce, Peter and George


Now his present is a fully grown emu, weighing 12stone and standing 6ft tall.

Despite her great size – emus are the second tallest birds in the world after the ostrich – she has defied expert opinion by remaining tame and domesticated.

Beaky was born after Mr Newby assembled a makeshift egg incubator.

‘I didn’t really think it would work but, to my astonishment, Beaky hatched,’ said Mr Newby.

Just hatched: Ian Newby and his family getting to know a young Beaky

Cooling off: Iain Newby pictured hosing down Beaky Bill the four-year old Emu which he keeps in his back garden in Southend


‘I put her in one of my children’s old playpens – but after a few months she was already three feet tall and she found she could jump out.

‘Beaky would love running about with the children and playing with the toys. She’s very much a part of the family.’

Because they all grew up together, the couple’s children – Jack, seven, Harry, six, Bryce, five, George, three, Peter, two and Joe ten months – all feel that Beaky is like a sister.

Friends: Iain Newby pictured with Beaky who sits down and watches television with the six foot-tall bird who loves to be a part of family life


And the emu clearly regards Mr Newby as her father and Mrs Newby as a mother.

She eats 14lb of corn a week and about five pounds of her favourite fruit and vegetables, particularly broccoli, peas and cauliflower.

‘She’s just like a dustbin and will literally eat anything the children toss in her mouth.

‘In fact she’ll eat just about anything if allowed to – keys, drill bits, sponges.’

But Beaky has now been banished to a summerhouse in the garden because she is too messy and troublesome to be allowed the run of the family home anymore.

One of her more annoying habits was a tendency to peck and break household items.

However, given the chance, she will quickly sneak back inside to see the children or watch TV.

‘We were told she would become aggressive at about six months, but she is still as tame as ever and the experts think it’s a miracle,’ said Mr Newby.

‘She loves the kids and has never ever pecked one of them, there is not a bad bone in her body.’

The Newby family live in Little Wakering, near Southend, Essex, and also have four dogs, five cats, one parrot and a hedgehog as pets.

The Newby family live in Little Wakering, near Southend, Essex, and also have four dogs, five cats, one parrot and a hedgehog as pets


Looking after an emu at home would be beyond most people as the birds are lively, strong and demanding creatures.

But Mr and Mrs Newby also run a Dangerous Wild Animal Rescue Facility on the site.

Their charity takes in unusual abandoned animals and they look after two crocodiles, snakes, lizards, large tortoises, spiders and macaws.

However, emus – the largest birds native to Australia – are not classified as a dangerous animal in law and Beaky is regarded purely as a pet.

She has already laid 18 eggs – which the family enjoyed eating – and has an 80 square metre pen to run off her energy in.

Mr Newby said he ‘wouldn’t recommend’ raising an emu to the average family.

‘They live 60 years, grow up very strong and not all of them are as friendly as our special Beaky,’ he added.


Iain Newby with his daughter Bryce and Beaky Bill who has an 80 metre pen to stretch her legs in


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Now that's cool! Skillful orangutan captured on video wiping face with wet towel to beat the heat

By John Stevens


They are known as the 'people of the forest' and from this video it is clear to see why.

Wiping its face with a wet towel, this orangutan knows exactly how to beat the hot weather.

Sitting on the grass in a Tokyo zoo, the clever ape plunges the towel into a pool of water.

Scroll down for video

Skilled: The orangutan wipes its face with a wet towel at the zoo in Tokyo


It then takes it out and wrings it in its hands with unbelievably human like mannerisms.

Dabbing itself with the refreshing towel, the orangutan seems to be enjoying its ingenious way of keeping cool.

When the orangutan refuses to share the wet towel with a smaller ape, the youngster tries using its hands to splash the water on itself.

But from its persistent attempts to get the towel, it seems it knows that it is nowhere near as effective.

Taking a dip: The ape pops the towel into some water

Uncanny: The animal has mannerisms just like a human as it wrings out the towel


What about me? A smaller orangutan decides that it wants to join in


The ape wowed delighted visitors at the zoo in Japan and now it is entertaining animal lovers around the globe after it became a YouTube hit.

Over 123,000 people have now logged on to watch the video since it was posted just a week ago.

One cheeky commenter wrote on the video: 'This short clip is better than the whole of that new Planet of the Apes [movie].'

Watch the video




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You dirty giant rat: World's largest rodent stalks the sewers of California

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


A giant South American rodent weighing at least 100 pounds is captured on camera at a waste-water treatment facility in California recently before disappearing in the brush.

The animal, identified as a capybara, is the world's largest rodent and feeds on vegetation.

‘If you think a giant guinea pig is cute, then you probably would like it,’ said Todd Tognazzini, of the California Department of Fish and Game.

Sew there you are: The capybara - thought to be an escaped pet - wanders away from the water-treatment plant in Paso Robles


The capybara is believed to be an escaped pet, Tognazzini said.

The animal was spotted at the waste-water treatment facility in Paso Robles, 175miles north-west of Los Angles.

An employee at the plant took photos of the animal as it crawled out of a pond.

The capybara's South American habitat ranges from Panama to northeast Argentina, east of the Andes, according to a description on the website of the San Francisco Zoo.

A capybara can hold its breath under water for up to five minutes, and the animal spends much of its roughly four-year lifespan near the water, he said.

The latest spotting of the capybara comes two years after another sighting of the animal at a ranch around one mile away.

The animal has already achieved celebrity status on the west coast and - following in the footsteps of the escaped Bronx Zoo cobra - a prank Twitter account has even been set up for it.

Its profile description reads: 'Came to the US for vacation and lost my passport. Can someone help a Capybara get home?'

The first tweet it posted, with the user name @CACapybara, read: 'I come from Peru and get famous!'

In California, the capybara cannot be held as a pet without a special permit. But that does not mean that some people do not keep them as illegal pets.

‘The Internet is fraught with examples of people scratching them on the belly and thinking they're cute and making pets of them,’ Tognazzini said.

The California Department of Fish and Game do not view the animal as dangerous.

Andrew Hughan, a spokesman for the organisation, hopes that the local population will leave the creature in peace.

He told the Los Angeles Times: 'You can’t hunt that thing. If we see people out there with nets and traps trying to catch it, we may take a more aggressive stance for the protection of the animal.'

He added: 'We hope that it lives a happy capybara life in Paso Robles.'

Big news: The capybara can grow up to a metre in length and have teeth that grow continuously


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A p-p-p-perfect ending: 'Happy Feet' the wandering penguin set to return home aboard research boat within fortnight

-Comedian Stephen Fry among the well wishers at New Zealand zoo

By Daily Mail Reporter


Since he collapsed exhausted on a beach in New Zealand 2000 miles from his home in Antarctica, 'Happy Feet' the penguin has become something of a celebrity.

Now after over a month recuperating at Wellington Zoo, the wandering bird has finally been given the all-clear to return to the wild.

The Emperor penguin will head back to his friends in the Antarctic in a specially designed cage aboard a research vessel leaving on August 29.

Among the hundreds of well wishers to visit Happy Feet at the zoo was comedian Stephen Fry who turned up while filming a documentary for the BBC.

A top New Zealand surgeon had to remove nearly 7lb of sand from his stomach which the starving bird had eaten, likely mistaking it for sand.

But since then Happy Feet has made a full recovery, gaining about 9lb in weight and passing X-ray and blood tests with flying colors.

Rob Murdoch of NIWA, the organization that operates the vessel taking him back home, said: 'The NIWA team are looking forward to having this extra special guest onboard the vessel with us for the journey.

'Happy Feet has captured the hearts of New Zealanders and people across the world, and we're pleased to be able to help safely return him to the Southern Ocean.'

A veterinarian from Wellington Zoo will accompany Happy Feet, who will travel in a crate specially designed to keep him cool and comfortable during the voyage.

The doctor will see you now: One of New Zealand's top surgeons John Wyeth (second right) led a medical team to perform an endoscopy on the ailing Emperor penguin. They removed twigs, stones and sand clogging the penguin's gut

Does anyone know the way to Antarctica? Happy Feet was discovered on a New Zealand beach 2000 miles from home


The cage will be fitted with a tracker that will allow fans to monitor his progress on websites, including www.sirtrack.com and www.ourfarsouth.org among others.

The bird became the focus of the media after it turned up on a beach some 2,500 miles from its home, only the second Emperor penguin known to have shown up in New Zealand.



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Thanks a bunch! Europe's oldest (and grumpiest) gorilla is distinctly unimpressed with his 50th birthday flowers

By Daily Mail Reporter


Perhaps it was the prospect of entering old age but grumpy gorilla Nico was in no mood to celebrate his 50th birthday.

Europe's oldest silverback turned his nose up at a gift of a bunch of red roses given to him by staff at Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire, to mark the milestone.

The 32-stone primate looked unimpressed as he handled his birthday present - which he promptly threw to the floor in disgust.

Don't say it with flowers! Nico, Europe's oldest gorilla, was not keen on the roses he was given as a 50th birthday gift by staff at Longleat Safari Park, who think he was hoping for a bigger present

What do you get the gorilla that has everything? Nico makes sure staff know exactly how he feels about their latest idea for a birthday gift


Staff also believe Nico's ungrateful behaviour might also be due to the spoilt and pampered lifestyle he enjoys and that he might have been expecting a bigger present.

However, the hulking beast appeared more satisfied with his banana-shaped birthday cake which he devoured in seconds.

Nico is the famous safari park's oldest resident and is the second oldest male silverback gorilla in captivity in the world.

He lives by himself on an island in the middle of a lake at Longleat and his classical-style home has central heating and even a TV.

Keeper Mark Tye said: 'It's difficult to think of new present ideas for him as he's pretty much got everything already.

'Although he is now an old man, Nico is still extremely active and in amazingly good condition considering his age.

That's more like it: Nico was far happier with his banana shaped birthday cake and wolfed it down in seconds


I Hate Flowers! Nico is the third oldest gorilla in captivity in the world, and the oldest in Europe, and staff at Longleat say his pampered lifestyle has made him grumpy


'We came up with a selection of presents for him; some of which were more warmly received than others.

'Someone came up with the idea of a bouquet of flowers and although I'm sure he appreciated the sentiment he couldn't really disguise his lack of enthusiasm for them.

'Fortunately the banana-shaped cake went down a lot better, quite literally.'

Nico arrived at Longleat soon after the park opened in 1966, from a zoo in Switzerland.

The oldest gorilla in the world in captivity is Colo, a female who was born in 1956. She lives at Columbus Zoo, Ohio, USA.

The oldest male gorilla in the world is Ozoum who lives in Atlanta Zoo and was born a few months before Nico in 1961.


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Meet the real life Pumbaa: House-trained warthog is raised as one of the family… and sleeps on the sofa every night

-Watches telly, eats marshmallows and pedigree chums
-'Some people say my Org is ugly, but he's a darling to have around the house'

By Stuart Maclean


A Warthog might not be every housewife's first choice of pet - but Erika Tempel's beloved Org is firmly part of the family.

The two-year-old wild pig has the run of her home, tucks into dinners of dog food and sleeps every night under a blanket on her sofa.

The lucky animal is treated to his cosy existence after Erika adopted and hand-raised him when he was orphaned as a baby.

Hogs and kisses: Tempel with her house-trained pet warthog Org at their home in South Africa


Erika, 50, who lives in South Africa, said: 'Some people think I'm crazy having a pet warthog, but Org is really loveable and an absolute darling to have around the house.

'We got him as a baby when one of the neighbours brought him in after his mother was killed.

'He was so tiny and vulnerable, and I nursed him by hand until he was old enough to be by himself.

'He lived in our front room, and when he was big enough I used to take him on long walks outside so he could get used to his natural surroundings.

Pucker up: Erika gives her pet a goodnight kiss

Who's a boar? Erica's hog takes up most of the sofa


'I always imagined he would go back and live in the wild again, but he obviously liked it too much with us.'

Org is now firmly settled at the rural home Erika shares with her husband Hendrik, also 50.

The warthog weighed just a few pounds when they adopted him in November 2008 but has since grown to around 12 stone.

A helping ham: Org is bottle fed as an orphaned youngster


He now munches his way through at least two kilograms of Pedigree dog food each evening, served up for him in the kitchen from a dog bowl.

And on top of that he devours a pile of daily treats including dried sweetcorn kernels, ginger biscuits, marshmallows and his favourite Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

By day tourist managers Erika and Hendrik let Org roam freely outside in the private Fahad game reserve which they run in South Africa's northern Limpopo province.

But the loyal animal returns to their home each evening at dusk for his dinner and to relax in front of the television.

Erika, a mother of three, said: 'He has the best of both worlds because he goes out and spends the day with the other warthogs but almost always comes home when it gets dark.

'We feed him and cuddle him, sometimes we clean him, and then he goes to sleep on the sofa.

'He's getting really big these days and his tusks are sharp so we have had to recover the sofas with a tough canvas lining or they would get ripped apart.

'We also have to keep an eye on him because if we leave him unattended he can open the door to the kitchen and empty all the cupboards looking for food.

'Sometime we think he thinks he's a dog because he gets really affectionate and likes to be loved.

'I often share a sofa with him when we watch TV. We'll snuggle under a blanket as he likes to be close to me.

Favourite spot: Erika's Jack Russell doesn't stand a chance as the warthog settles down for the night
'Sometimes he'll take the whole sofa for himself and Hendrik and I will sit on the floor.'

Org has also become a firm friend with the couple's other pets, which include a pair of parrots and a lively Jack Russell named Cody.

Erika, who also runs a jewellery design business, said: "You might not imagine that a warthog and a Jack Russell would get on but they are the best of friends.

'Cody often perches himself on Org's back when he's sleeping, and although they sometimes fight over the food it's always good natured.'

She added: 'We have never forced him to stay here but he keeps coming back.

'It is great that he has time outside and now that he has reached maturity, he has found himself a girlfriend and this year will probably become a father.

'But we're delighted that he likes to come home every day, and people are always amazed when they see him sitting on the sofa.

'We have three daughters, and they all get on brilliantly with Org too. He really feels like part of the family now.

'I know some people might look at my Org and think he's ugly, but he's actually really loving and affectionate.

'They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I think he's gorgeous.'



source:dailymail

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