Animal A Day!

The New Jersey Man Eater might be a single shark, or it might be many different sharks. Either way, they were responsible for five attacks between July 1st and 12th, 1916.  These attacks resulted in four deaths and one injury. Summer at the Jersey Shore in 1916 was a hot one, with temperatures hitting over ninety degrees, forcing droves of people to to the cool ocean waters. On July 1st, Charles Van Sant, a 23-year-old on vacation from Philadelphia, went for a swim, going out about one hundred yards. Other swimmers saw a shadow approaching and called ou in warning, but Van Sant was unable to hear them. When he was about 50 feet fromt he shore, something grabbed at his legs, which caught the notice of Alexander Ott, a former Olympic swimmer. Ott dove out to help Van Sant, and carried him back to the shore, but it was too late for the young man. Both of his legs were badly mangled and he died on the shore. This was the first reported Shark Attack in New Jersey hi...

Iran, 1943. A group of Polish soldiers, freshly released from Soviet camps in Siberia, were on a trek back east to join up with their fellow countrymen fighting in Egypt and Italy. The Polish Second Army Corps, as they were called, came accross a wandering young boy. They in return for some food, the boy gave them a brown sack... which contained a young, orphaned Brown Bear Cub. ( Image Source ) The Cub was less than a year old and badly undernourished. The soldiers nursed him on condensed milk from an old vodka bottle. They named him Wojtek (pronounced Voy-tek) and he became the unofficial mascot of the 22nd Transport Artillery Supply Company. Wojtek became one of the guys. He enjoyed cigarettes, (eating them, not smoking) would drink bottles of beer, and knew how to march and salute. He figured out how to work the showers, and one one occasion, actually discovered an enemy spy in the unit's bath house.  His reward for such heroism? Two beers and an entire morn...

Before she passed away 2006, Harriet was considered one of the oldest animals alive on the planet. Her age was placed at 176 years. While this seems incredibly old for us, it's quite normal for Galapagos Tortoises to exceed over a hundred years. Harriet is the third oldest tortoise recorded, after a fellow Galapagos who lived to 188, and an Aldabra Tortoise named Adwaita , who was reported to be a whopping 255 at his death in 2005. ( Image Source ) Harriet is considered special not only due to her old age. She is also rumored to be one of three Tortoises collected by Charles Darwin on his Beagle voyage in 1835. Recent research has cast some doubt on that story, as scientists claim she was a member of a subspecies ( Geochelone nigra porteri ) that lives on an island the Beagle never went to. We know that Darwin took three tortoises with him, which he described as being as large as dinner plates. Harriet was born around 1830, and would've been about that size...

I was a little apprehensive about doing today's animal, just because he is so well known already (heck, there is even a movie out right now about him.) But I think the following video is just too good to not be posted. Behold! The 1973 Belmont Stakes. Secretariat is without a doubt one of the greatest animal athletes to ever live. In his short racing career he set numerous track and world records, and won the Triple Crown for the first time since 1948 (the longest drought save the current 32 year one that we are in now). His 1:58 2/5 track time for the Kentucky Derby is still a record, and it took almost 30 years for another horse to even break the two minute mark. One of the most remarkable things about that race is the fact that he never slowed down . Every single quarter mile he ran was faster than the one before it . His Belmont run, which is also a standing World Record, was one of the widest winning margins ever. He was named American Horse of the Yea...

We're going to begin famous animals week with the extraordinary story of a remarkable bird that was responsible for saving the lives of nearly 200 men. Way back when, in a post about Rock Pigeons , I mentioned that these birds had long been used by the military for the delivery of messages. Cher Ami was one of these wartime Pigeons. His name meant "Dear Friend" and he flew 12 missions during World War I. Cher Ami was active in the Verdun campaign, and his last mission, flown on October 18th, 1918 is one of the most remarkable animal stories I've ever heard. . The Lost Battalion of the 77th Infantry Division had become trapped and surrounded by enemy soldiers. The commander, Major Wittlesey, had sent out several pigeons with messages for assistance, but all had been shot down, and the group of 600 men had dwindled down to around 200. Cher Ami was their only pigeon left. The following note was attached to the bird's leg : ( Image Source ) ...

I'm really excited about this week's special theme, which will be starting tomorrow. In the past I've always covered animals at (typically) the species level, so going so specific and focusing on a single, individual animal is going to be a really nice change. The downside to this theme however, is that most "famous animals" have been birds or mammals, so I'm afraid this may not be incredibly diverse from that standpoint. While asking friends and family members for suggestions many of them brought up Paul, the Common Octopus that became a sensation during this year's World Cup (and sadly died this morning , R.I.P. Paul, you were the best!). Unfortunately, I feel like I covered a great deal about Paul already during a July post on his species . I have a handful of animals lined up and planned, but if you have suggestions on some more non-birds or mammals (currently I have one reptile) to add to the list, please let me know! I definitely have wiggle roo...

Fennec Foxes ( Vulpes zerda ) are the smallest of all the foxes, and can be found in desert regions in North Africa and the Middle East. They reach around 28 inches from head to tail (with a good foot of that being just the tail) and weigh between two and four lbs. Fennecs have cream colored bodies, with darker-tipped tails. ( Image Source ) Fennec Foxes have some great adaptations to help them survive in their hot, dry climates. First of which are those gigantic ears, which they use to regulate body temperature. They also have thick coats that work as insulation; keeping heat out during the day, and holding it in during the potentially freezing nights that they are active during (Fennecs are nocturnal.) The coloration of their coat is also an adaptation. The sandy color acts to both reflect heat and to serve as camouflage. Fennecs also have furry paws that help to give them traction and to keep their footpads from burning on the hot sand. Finally, Fennecs have a remarkable se...