Tuesday 6 November 2012

Crocs and Rare Whales in the news



Crocodile terrorizing Gaza Strip
GAZA, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- A crocodile has been roaming the sewers below Gaza Strip, and efforts to capture it have so far been unsuccessful, officials say.The crocodile, which is more than 5 feet long, has been living in the sewers for about two years, al-Arabiya reported Sunday."The crocodile most likely escaped from one of the nearby zoos and sought refuge in the sewers," said Rajab al-Ankah, head of the Northern Gaza Sewage Station."Ankah said the crocodile has escaped capture several times."The nets were set up to capture the crocodile, but it managed to escape. The slippery ground in the area around the swamps near Beit Lahia in northern Gaza made the escape easier and the crocodile disappeared once more," he said
                                                                   
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2012/11/04/Crocodile-terrorizing-Gaza-Strip/UPI-83981352061165/#ixzz2BQunY2Uq


World's Rarest Whale Seen For First Time, Washed Up Dead On Kiwi Beach; 'We Know Almost Nothing About Such A Large Mammal'
by Underwatertimes.com News Service –
AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- A whale that is almost unknown to science has been seen for the first time after two individuals—a mother and her male calf—were stranded and died on a New Zealand beach. A report in the November 6th issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, offers the first complete description of the spade-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon traversii), a species previously known only from a few bones.The discovery is the first evidence that this whale is still with us and serves as a reminder of just how little we still know about life in the ocean, the researchers say. The findings also highlight the importance of DNA typing and reference collections for the identification of rare species.
Read rest here: http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=02854971610




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