Wednesday 27 February 2013

Advice for yeti hunters,shark with spiral of teeth and rare bird spotted



The American Government's Advice for Yeti Hunters, 1959
By Rebecca Onion
This Foreign Service memo treats a science-fictional subject—the existence of the Yeti, or the Abominable Snowman—with utmost bureaucratic seriousness. Titled “Regulations Governing Mountain Climbing Expeditions in Nepal—Relating to Yeti,” it was issued from the American Embassy in Kathmandu on November 30, 1959.

The terrifying 25 foot long prehistoric shark with a 'spiral' of teeth that worked like a CHAINSAW    Helicoprion had a conveyor belt of jagged teeth that spiralled out of its lower jaw and ripped prey to shreds    Appearance had baffled scientists because no one could work out how the teeth fitted in its mouth
By Mark Prigg

Snowy owl spotted in Cairngorms
A rare sighting of a snowy owl has been made in the Cairngorms. The birds of prey are native to Arctic regions, including parts of Norway and North America. The snowy owl in the Cairngorms was seen on 18 February and reported on the nature website iSpot earlier on Tuesday.RSPB Scotland said that to see snowy owls in Scotland was rare. The last pair of snowy owls to breed in the UK was on Shetland in 1975.

Tuesday 26 February 2013

Loch Morar monster- record of sightings found



Loch Morar monster Morag sightings uncovered
Loch Morar The remote Loch Morar is the deepest freshwater body of water in the British Isles Early accounts of the Loch Ness Monster's lesser-known cousin have been uncovered by researchers. Morag is a mysterious creature said to inhabit the depths of Loch Morar, in the Lochaber area of the Highlands. Alexander Carmichael, a prolific gatherer of folklore at the turn of the last century, gathered stories about her from people living near the loch.His scripts have been uncovered by the Carmichael Watson project at the University of Edinburgh library.
read rest here :

Sunday 24 February 2013

Searching for Fishers and Loch Ness in the news



Wildlife biologist searches for fishers in Glacier National Park
By Tristan Scott
LINCOLN CREEK – After wading across the Middle Fork of the Flathead River in a pair of brand-new defective waders and skiing sodden-footed through a miles-long thicket of tangled deadfall, Glacier National Park wildlife biologist John Waller admits he may be chasing a phantom.His research often requires skiing across 15 miles of steep, rugged terrain in a single day and working from dawn until dusk – a trying effort for what may prove to be the wildlife biologist’s equivalent of a snipe hunt. But even if the critter he’s pursuing eludes him, and even though the ultra-lightweight Hodgman waders he just bought are worthless, the scientific data Waller’s study will produce and the questions it may help answer are invaluable. Do fishers exist in Glacier National Park?

Loch Ness monster hunt continues 80 years on
By Peter Ross
The legend of the loch may be 80 years old, but this unseen octogenarian still has a monster following, as Peter Ross discovers ‘DO NOT dally! Do not dally!” Adrian Shine – naturalist, force of nature and erstwhile monster hunter – is leading the way through the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre, which he designed, and which is home to some of the “toys” he has used in 40 years of exploring this and other lochs, including a tiny home-made submarine. He is a tall man with a hawkish profile and great white beard, striding the darkened corridors in a three-piece tweed suit and tartan tie, his mellifluous voice sounding in the murk. It is like being led around the chocolate factory by Willy Wonka, or by the Doctor showing off his Tardis.

Saturday 23 February 2013

gelatinous creatures wash up and alien species invade



Weird News: Gelatinous sea creatures wash up in Washington
Associated Press
SEATTLE — The same gelatinous sea creatures that clogged the intake at California's Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant last spring have shown up this winter on the Washington coast, marine life experts say.The harmless jellyfish-like animals are called salps.They've been found by clam diggers and turned up in the pots of crab fishermen who have been asking what they are, said state Fish and Wildlife Department biologist Dan Ayres at Montesano.He hasn't seen them in more than 30 years and says their appearance now is unusual, but not alarming."I suspect these guys came from the deep ocean," Ayres said Wednesday. "Why they've been washed up is a question I can't answer."Salps are common in the blue water off Oregon and Washington, said Rick Brodeur, an oceanographer known as the "jellyfish person" at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Northwest Science Center in Newport, Ore.

Report tracks threats from Europe's alien invasion
By Mark Kinver Environment reporter, BBC News
Invasive alien species pose a greater risk to Europe's biodiversity, economy and human health than previously thought, a report has concluded.The European Environment Agency (EEA) has compiled a list of 28 invaders that highlight the range of threats facing ecosystems in the continent.Non-native species, such as food crops, can also be beneficial, the study adds.The reports have been published ahead of a high-level meeting at the European Parliament to discuss the issue.

Friday 22 February 2013

BIg fish found and new discoveries in the Ocean



Biologists fear 'giant' goldfish will alter Lake Tahoe
RENO -- Biologists are worried that Lake Tahoe's pristine blue water may be affected by a "giant" visitor.Goldfish have inhabited the water of the Tahoe Keys since the 1990s, said Sudeep Chandra, a biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno.But it wasn't until 2011 that biologists found a 14.2 inch, 3.4 pound goldfish in the lake. More "giant" goldfish have been found since, he said.It is not entirely known how the goldfish are being introduced to Lake Tahoe. Chandra said he thinks people who have goldfish as pets are disposing of them in the lake.
Plenty of food for Tahoe Tessie the lake creature then .

Deepest undersea vents discovered by UK team
UK scientists exploring the ocean floor in the Caribbean have discovered an "astounding" set of hydrothermal vents, the deepest anywhere in the world.Deploying a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) in the Cayman Trough, they stumbled across a previously-unknown site nearly 5000m below the surface. Video pictures relayed live back to the research ship mounting the operation show spindly chimneys up to 10m high.They are belching out dark water - "a stunning sight", one scientist said.In the immense pressure of the sea three miles down, the ROV, known as ISIS, was gently steered around the vents, taking pictures and gathering samples.
They may find more new species.