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Elephant deaths spark mystery in Zimbabwe forest

An investigation has been launched after 11 elephants were found dead in a Zimbabwean forest with no clear sign of what killed them.

The bodies were discovered in Zimbabwe's Pandamasue Forest, located between Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls, local officials said.

Park authorities said they could not find any obvious cause of death. Poaching, though common in Zimbabwe, has been ruled out as the elephants were found with their tusks intact.

Blood samples have been taken to a laboratory for analysis to determine the cause of their deaths, Tinashe Farawo, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said.

“We can only ascertain the cause of death after the tests. But we have ruled out cyanide poisoning,” Mr Farawo said.

He continued: “Only elephants were affected, no vultures or any other animals were affected. Initial tests show that it is not cyanide. We are also ruling out poachers because the tusks were intact."

The mystery around the deaths in Zimbabwe mirrors that of a recent case in neighbouring Botswana, where at least 350 elephants have died since May with no cause yet found.

Scientist are still working to determine what killed the elephants there. Again, ivory poaching was ruled out, given that the bodies were found with tusks intact.

Poisoning by humans was also ruled out, as anthrax, which is is found in the soil in areas of Botswana.

Botswana has the world's largest elephant population, estimated to be around 156,000, followed by Zimbabwe, with an estimated 85,000.

Reference: Independent: Liam James 11 hrs ago: 31/08/2020

Berlin zoo’s twin panda cubs celebrate first birthday with special cake

Berlin zoo’s popular twin panda cubs have celebrated their first birthday with a special frozen cake and a portion of snow from the penguin house.

Pit and Paule were the first pandas to be born in Germany and have become a star attraction at the capital’s zoo since they made their public debut in January.

They are on loan from China, as are their parents.

The cubs, who weighed less than seven ounces at birth, now each weigh about 62lbs.

Zookeepers brought the duo a frozen cake in the shape of the figure one, made out of beetroot juice, apples, sweet potatoes and bamboo.

The creation was garnished with a portion of snow.

Reference: By Associated Press Reporter 13 hrs ago: 31/08/2020

Oh snap! Huge 14.5ft crocodile caught at tourist hotspot

A 14.5ft (4.4m) saltwater crocodile weighing 770lbs (349kg) has been trapped by wildlife rangers at an Australian tourist hotspot.

The croc is the biggest caught in the area in years, wildlife ranger John Burke claimed.

The huge male was caught in the Flora River at a remote nature park 75 miles southwest of the Outback town of Katherine in Australia's Northern Territory, which is popular with travellers.

Mr Burke said he did not know of a larger crocodile caught in the Flora River.

The number of crocodiles have been increasing across Australia's tropical north since federal law made them a protected species in the early 1970s.

"They certainly are increasing (in number), and that's part of the reason we have the management zones - to reduce the numbers in high-visitation areas so there's less chance of interaction between salties and people," Mr Burke said, referring to saltwater crocodiles.

The saltwater crocodile, which was hunted for its skin throughout its range up to the 1970s, is capable of prevailing over almost any animal that enters its territory - including other predators such as sharks.

Reference: Sky News: Lucia Binding, news reporter 13 hrs ago: 31/08/2020

Woman, 49, dies after racing into sea to try and rescue dog in Sussex

Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a dog owner who died after trying to rescue her pet from the sea. Suzannah Conway, 49, died when she got into difficulty off the coast of Peacehaven, near Brighton on July 30.

Passersby failed to save her after she had leapt in to the sea after her dog Myrtle fell in and struggled to get back on to dry land.

She had often supported animal rescue charities, with Somerset group Their Paws In Our Hands tribute paying tribute this week. 'It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the death of a good friend, Suzi Conway, and her beloved dog Myrtle,' the group said in a statement.

'Suzi did our calendar and has helped out in so many other ways. Suzi died after going into the sea after Myrtle had fallen in and got into difficulty.

'Unfortunately neither survived.

'Suzi died as she lived, rescuing dogs in need. She will be very much missed.' Her funeral was held last week, and an inquest was opened in Brighton earlier this month by the coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley.

Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a dog owner who died after trying to rescue her pet from the sea. Suzannah Conway, 49, died when she got into difficulty off the coast of Peacehaven, near Brighton on July 30.

Passersby failed to save her after she had leapt in to the sea after her dog Myrtle fell in and struggled to get back on to dry land. She had often supported animal rescue charities, with Somerset group Their Paws In Our Hands tribute paying tribute this week.

a woman wearing glasses and smiling at the camera: Suzannah Conway, 49, died when she got into difficulty off the coast of Peacehaven, near Brighton on July 30© Provided by Daily Mail Suzannah Conway, 49, died when she got into difficulty off the coast of Peacehaven, near Brighton on July 30

'It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the death of a good friend, Suzi Conway, and her beloved dog Myrtle,' the group said in a statement.

'Suzi did our calendar and has helped out in so many other ways. Suzi died after going into the sea after Myrtle had fallen in and got into difficulty.

'Unfortunately neither survived.

'Suzi died as she lived, rescuing dogs in need. She will be very much missed.'

Her funeral was held last week, and an inquest was opened in Brighton earlier this month by the coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley.

a dog wearing a costume: Passersby failed to save her after she had leapt in to the sea after her dog Myrtle fell in and struggled to get back on to dry land© Provided by Daily Mail Passers by failed to save her after she had leapt in to the sea after her dog Myrtle fell in and struggled to get back on to dry land

News of Suzi's death has caused shock in the area.

One woman said: 'Heart shattering. What a brave, beautiful, instinctual human being, faithful to her beloved fur child, as they are to us.

'I pray they're thriving together and free, in true love, in a dimension where nothing can ever hurt them.'

Others said Suzi 'adored' her dog Myrtle.

One person said: 'Heartbreaking news, she was a wonderful woman who loved animals so much. A loss to the rescue world.'

Sussex Police said: 'A woman who had been pulled from the sea off South Coast Road, Peacehaven, at about 6pm on Tuesday (July 28) has sadly died.

'The woman was initially treated by paramedics at the scene and was then taken by ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.'

A full inquest into Suzi's death is set to take place at Brighton Coroner's Court on November 24.

Holidaymakers have been urged not to jump into storm-lashed seas to rescue rescue animals if they get swept away.

The warning came after a man's life was saved when he leapt into the harbour at Southwold, Suffolk, after his dog called Ruby fell in.

Alan Scoggins, coxswain of the Southwold lifeboat who saved the man, said today that pet owners should not jump in to help dogs, which can swim well and will usually make it back to the shore.

'The best thing to do is call the emergency services as dogs will nearly always self-recover.

'It may be a hard thing to looking at your pet in distress but this is the best advice we give.'

He said the man in the harbour drama was struggling and a family member hurled a lifebelt to him as he was being swept out to sea with the tide.

He and his dog were rescued and although shaken and cold, they had suffered no other injuries.

Reference: Daily Mail: William Cole For Mailonline 2 days ago: 28/08/2020