Wild Orca Imitates Outboard Motor

This one comes to us straight from the bizarre animal behaviour department. Thanks to Fhernando for sending me the link.

Luna was a little wild orca-boy who lost his family and, after that, started to look for contact with people which, in my opinion, is the best example of orca’s demand for social intercourse. Just like people. It’s a very important demand for people. And it seems the same important for orcas. Luna left alone, he was boring, and started to contact with people. It’s interesting how they understand that people (and maybe some other animals, like dogs) are the same intelligent beings. Amazing is that even little orca-kids understand and distinguish people from other beings. Maybe did Luna learned something from his family, adult orcas? Maybe do they have a sort of lessons like in a school where adult orcas teach the kids not only rules of survival and hunting, but some basic knowledge about the world in general? For example, maybe they teach their kids that people are intelligent beings like orca and it’s not good to attack people and consider them as prey. Maybe, it explains that there are no any records of attacking people by orcas in the wild. Lucky for us :))

ScienceMag Holding Live Chat Tomorrow on Saving Coral Reefs

I occasionally read Science Mag to learn about all kinds of new research coming out of the science community. Right now there’s tons of great biological, energy, and space research going on which I find very fascinating to read- even if I don’t completely understand all of it. Tomorrow however they’re doing a live chat about how we can save our coral reefs, and while I don’t think I will be participating much since I’m at work I will definitely be watching.

Coral reefs from Australia to the Gulf of Mexico are some of the planet’s most vibrant ecosystems. They’re also among the most threatened habitats in oceans today. Over recent decades, a strong community of researchers and concerned citizens alike has dedicated themselves to investigating the dangers facing reefs and to developing solutions for their ongoing survival. From rising ocean temperatures to overfishing, what are the biggest dangers facing coral reefs today? What can scientists and the public do to protect these rich habitats? And how can we restore lost diversity to reefs around the world?

Join us for a live chat on this page at 3 p.m. EDT on Thursday, 1 September, to discuss these topics with experts. You can leave your questions in the comment box below before the chat starts.

via ScienceMag

Turn a Can Tab Into a Fish Hook

In case you are in need of more excuses to drink, I present to you, the tab hook. Now I know a lot of you like to drink beer from a bottle like a baby, but you are doing it wrong. A true fisherman drinks from a can, and this is why. Sure you cold fashion a fish hook from a beer bottle cap, but its way easier to do it with a tab from a can, just ask Instructables!

Click the image to view the how-to guide to making your own emergency hooks

via Life Hacker

Thanks Yuri!

1500 White Sturgeon Stranded

Heres something you don’t see everyday, nearly 1500 sturgeon, struggling in shallow water after the tide went out in Port Susan Bay, Washington. According to the Seattle News, biologists speculate that the sturgeon were feeding in shallow muddy water and failed to get back to deeper water before the tide went out. As you can tell by the below photos, many of the fish were huge, some reaching 10+ feet.

“I think these were just fish that were poking around, looking for food,” said Brett Barkdull, a fish biologist with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife who lives near the stranding area. “These fish have been out here for quite a while now, but I’ve personally never seen anything quite like this.”

It is believed that most of the fish survived long enough for the tide to rise.

“It looks like they chose to overextend their visit on the mud flats,” James said. “The feeding must have been pretty good.”

via The Female Angle

Only In Canada

Every now and then I read a headline that could have only come from Canada. Two such headlines popped up within the last week.

Halifax bus driver suspended after beating toy seal with stick
This one doesn’t surprise me. I’ve lived in Halifax for almost two years now and the behavior of the local bus drivers is just unreal. They’ve been all over the news for causing accidents and all sorts of other shenanigans, but this one is by far the funniest. This particular driver drove past an anti-seal hunt protest, he stopped the bus, got out, and proceeded to beat a toy seal that was being used as a prop.

“He exited the bus and went over to the area where the protesters were, and began beating on the stuffed animal seal that was on the ground there,” said Staff Sgt. Don Fox of the Halifax Regional Police.

The driver used a stick to beat the stuffed toy.

Fox said police officers removed the driver from the protest area and contacted his supervisors. The driver then got back on his bus and continued with his workday, according to police.

Only in Canada could a man charge a group of people wielding a stick, beat on their toys, and then be allowed by police to go back to his job as if nothing had ever happened.

Man who survived Niagara Falls jump in suicide bid is recovering
Only a Canadian could survive such a fall. Just three people have ever survived a trip over the 180 foot high falls without some sort of protective gear such as a barrel. As if the fall wasn’t bad enough, the temperatures are frigid, and the current below the falls is intense. The jumper was found swimming below the falls without an clothes, apparently they were torn off by the force of the water. And after more then 40 minute in the water, trying to avoid rescue, the man was pulled from the ice water and rushed to hospital. I wish this was somehow fishing related, but sadly it’s not.

Witnesses said he climbed a fence, jumped into the icy Niagara River and was washed over Horseshoe Falls. Stunned tourists said the man went in with his clothes on but popped up naked – apparently the force of the water ripped off his clothes.

Now Thats Dedication!

Simon of Pike Fly Fishing Articles sent us the great photos of an improvised boat he and a friend made out of desperation to go fishing. The lawn chair boat was a pretty good idea, but this one takes the cake. A boat made out of 2 backpacks and a ground sheet mattress!

Hi Guys,
Spent nine months on a wilderness guide course here 4 yrs back and me ‘n a mate made a fishing boat out of a groundsheet, 2 backpacks,2 poles & some thin rope. Guess all things are possible if you want to get out onto a lake to throw a line.

Cheers have a top weekend,
Si