Wildlife – Syndication Server

No, this sea creature isn’t from a sci-fi film, it’s just a rare sighting

Video showing the odd, washed-up specimen slowly crawling along the sand was captured in a U.K. nature reserve after a high tide.

A bizarre sea creature was spotted slowly crawling along the sand after a high tide at the Rye Harbor Nature Reserve in the U.K.

“While some might think it looks like something out of a sci-fi film, the marine creature was identified as a sea mouse, a type of worm which can usually be found on the seabed,” The Argus reported.

The rarely seen sea creature was captured in video on the Sussex Beach by Barry Yates of the Sussex Wildlife Trust and posted on The Argus Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/brightonargus/videos/2756575894510366

It should be noted that the video has been sped up to three times its actual speed, “as these creatures are actually quite slow,” The Argus stated on Facebook.

“[These sea creatures are] about 15cm long and rarely seen, but in winter, storms can wash them up on the high tide line,” Sarah Watson of the Rye Harbor Nature Reserve told The Argus. “This one was found at Rye Harbor Nature Reserve and put back in the sea. Look closely among its duller bristles to see a shimmering, iridescent fringe.”

Sea mice range from 3 to 6 inches long and feed on small crabs and other worms on the seabed.

Photo: Barry Yates/Sussex Wildlife Trust

Can you spot Yellowstone grizzly bear family on the move?

In Yellowstone National Park, a distant view of grizzly bears can be as satisfying as an up-close roadside view – if you can spot them.

–Editor’s note: A version of this post was first published in June 2024, after the author’s annual spring trip to Yellowstone National Park.

In Yellowstone National Park, a distant view of grizzly bears can be as satisfying as an up-close roadside view because it requires a keen eye and the animals are in more of a natural setting.

Can you spot the momma grizzly bear and her three cubs in the image I captured in late May, from a hillside opposite the Lamar Valley? (Answer at the bottom of the post.)

Can you spot the grizzly bear and three cubs? Photo: ©Pete Thomas

The bears had been grazing on both sides of the highway and creating sporadic traffic jams, or “bear jams,” whenever they were been visible.

Momma bear was with first-year cubs, or cubs of the year, born during the winter hibernation period. The curious little ones did not stray far from mom while I watched from a distance of 100-plus yards.

Same grizzly bears in different image. Photo: ©Pete Thomas

During this sighting the bears ascended a hillside opposite the valley after being run off by a bison herd in a meadow surrounded by sagebrush.

(Momma bear was so preoccupied with foraging, with her head down, that she did not seem to notice how closely she was leading her cubs to several bison and their newborn calves.)

The bears were too far for me to capture a detailed image with my 400-millimeter lens, but I’ve attached a cropped version of a different image from the same sighting that shows the bears in more detail.

The bears in the top images used for the quiz are circled below.

Grizzly bear family circled in red. Photo: ©Pete Thomas

Lions think they can take down a rhino; boy, were they wrong

A safari guide captured video of a rhino sending a male lion scampering away with its tail figuratively between its legs.

Lions usually know better than to take on a massive white rhino. They are said to know their limitations. But that didn’t stop a trio of lions at Kruger National Park in South Africa from trying.

The end result was the male lion nearly getting gored by the rhino.

Safari guide Jordan Davidson shared video of the unique encounter and shared it with Latest Sightings.

The rhino walked right up to where a male and two female lions were lounging about. It probably didn’t see them right away, but when it did, it took a defensive stance.

The first female got up and relocated. When an opportunity presented itself, the second female leaped up on the rhino’s rear.

“It didn’t even take a second for the lioness to realize that she was in over her head,” Latest Sightings reported. “She immediately let go and abandoned ship…The now very grumpy rhino was turning around to face them.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Toddler is plucked out of mother’s hands by a giraffe (video)

“With both lionesses out of the picture, the only thing that stood in the rhino’s way was the poor male lion! Having a stare down with an animal that is bigger than some family-sized cars can only be daunting, but amazingly the lion’s first instinct wasn’t to run!

“No, the lion walked right up to the rhino to meet it head-on! This was unquestionably brave, but considering just how long the rhino’s horn was, it didn’t seem like the greatest of ideas.”

Hardly. The video tells the story.

“Without much surprise, the male lion ended up learning the same lesson as the female just before him, but not before the rhino tried stabbing at it, twice! And only missing marginally both times!”

Also on FTW Outdoors: Abandoned baby elephant fends off lions with ‘brave’ ploy (video)

It was a close call, no doubt.

The first female followed the rhino as it wandered off, but any thoughts about her trying to attack where quickly dashed.

Photo courtesy of Latest Sightings.

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Watch: This grizzly bear encounter was close, but close like family

A travel writer taking a six-day trip to Spirit Bear Lodge in British Columbia couldn’t believe the encounter her group had with a grizzly.

A travel writer visiting Spirit Bear Lodge in British Columbia experienced a close encounter with a grizzly bear she “still can’t believe” happened.

Sarah Sekula was on a six-day tour at the lodge located in the remote wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest, home to the Kitasoo Xai’xais people, one of 15 Tsimshian nations that call the rainforest home.

“The Kitasoo Xai’xais people believe that bears are like family members,” Sekula explained in her Instagram post.

And so, they talk to the bears as if they are family, as guide Heather Robinson did when a grizzly came rushing toward her group while chasing fish in a stream.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Shaking and with fear in her voice, hiker endures scary bear encounter (video)

The grizzly stopped and checked out the group. It was 5-feet away from Robinson, who calmly told the bear, “Oh no, you can’t come this way, OK?”

With no fear in her voice, the bear backed off and then started chasing fish, as seen in Sekula’s Instagram video.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCMeXKqR75W/

“Guides are so good at what they do,” Sekula wrote on Instagram. “We learned so much about bear behavior. Fascinating and surprisingly not scary!

“You know, you would think it would be nerve racking, but it wasn’t. The bear never showed signs of aggression. Both of our guides were extremely knowledgeable about bear behavior and have never even had to use bear spray.

“I think Heather Robinson could double as a yoga teacher with that sweet and calm voice.”

Photo courtesy of Sarah Sekula.

Watch: Bear jumps into tree to avoid speedy mountain bikers

A black bear appeared ready to cross a mountain bike trail at Whistler when it was forced to take evasive measures to avoid a collision.

A black bear appeared ready to cross a mountain bike trail when it quickly jumped up a tree to take cover as it heard five mountain bikers racing downhill heading its way.

Leading the “train” at Whistler Mountain Bike Park in British Columbia was Steve Peat, a professional downhill mountain biker known as a legend in Britain.

Alex Griggs happened to capture video of the encounter, and Peat posted it on his Instagram account, writing, “Ace last day in the park!! Even got to see a black bear jumping into a tree while I was leading the train!!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBIRrMRx5ie/

The bear clung to the tree while waiting for the riders to pass. Once the coast was clear, it climbed down and continued on its way.

It is not unusual to encounter black bears at this venue, which boasts of being the No. 1 mountain bike park in the world.

Photo credit: Resort Municipality of Whistler

According to Blackcomb Peaks, an estimated 50 black bears make their home in the forests and mountains surrounding Whistler Village, including a family of bears that make its home at the mountain bike park.

Visitors are given the usual tips on how to stay safe. One is to talk or sing to avoid surprising a bear. In this case, the mountain bikers made plenty of noise to announce their presence.

Feature photo courtesy of Alex Griggs via Steve Peat.

Massive sardine invasion is a ‘shocking’ sight for beachgoers

Videos show the incredible amount of live sardines that came ashore on beaches in the Philippines.

An enormous school of sardines was a socking sight for beachgoers along the shores of the Philippines last month.

Many of the locals were seen scooping up the tiny, slippery fish while others looked on in disbelief.

Two videos of the incredible sightings were posted on WooGlobe’s YouTube channel, one by Frederick, the other by Diane.

“During a family gathering at a private resort, we were shocked to see such a large swarm of small fish on the shore,” Frederick told WooGlobe. “What’s funny was that all the guests were too busy enjoying the gift of the sea.”

“My husband woke up at 5 a.m. while we were staying at Panagsama Beach in Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines,” Diane shared with WooGlobe. “He noticed many people gathered along the shore and asked a local resident why they were there. The local explained that everyone was waiting for the sardine fish.”

And they came in abundance, obviously.

Both scenes are pretty amazing.

Watch: Entire elephant herd becomes quiet as it listens for danger

An elephant herd frolics in a watering hole at an elephant orphanage until one elephant becomes spooked. The mood changes dramatically.

An elephant herd frolics in a watering hole at a South African elephant orphanage until one elephant becomes spooked.

As a result, the herd stops what it is doing, walks out of the water and becomes still and completely quiet as it listens for danger.

Video captured by HERD, an elephant orphanage built in 2019, shows how elephants stick together.

“There are many things that can put an elephant into a state of alarm; wild elephants and other wildlife—their scents and not just presence can alarm our herd,” the commentary written on the video states.

“When the elephants feel secure that nothing is endangering them, or any member of their family, they go back to swimming.”

As seen in the video, the herd becomes perfectly still as they wait to determine when the coast is clear. The quietness occurs about the 4:20 mark.

About 20 seconds later, the elephants resume their activity.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Elephant celebrates own freedom on July 4th

“HERD is the first dedicated South African elephant orphanage,” the HERD website states. “The unfortunate truth is that there are an ever-increasing number of orphaned and displaced elephant calves in South Africa. This is linked to the rising poaching numbers, taking mothers away from their calves before they can fend for themselves in the wild. And that’s where HERD comes in, acting as their unique adoptive family to help raise them in a safe environment.”

Photo courtesy of HERD.

Yellowstone tourist rolls down window, bison noise resounds inside car

The visitor pulled over just short of a bridge in Yellowstone to allow a herd of bison to pass. He was thrilled to see and hear them.

A couple of weeks ago, Jeremiah Frick pulled over just short of the bridge in Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park to allow a herd of bison to pass.

As the herd approached, Frick rolled down his window to get the full effect, and when he did, the sounds of clacking hoofs on the cement resounded inside the car. Grunting could also be heard.

Frick shared his video with ViralHog. On some servers, you’ll have to click on the video link to hear the striking noise. (Warning for a minor expletive at the end.)

“Oh boy, here come the buffalo,” Frick told ViralHog in his short description of the video.

Most of the bison went around his car, but some went in front of the car before joining the rest of the herd in the valley.

Frick was obviously thrilled over what he had witnessed.

Photo courtesy of ViralHog.

Mountain lion seems to be ‘seeing stars’ after dog owner kicks it

A man walking his small dog in Boulder, Colorado, was confronted by a mountain lion that apparently saw the dog as its next meal.

A man walking his small dog in Boulder, Colorado, on Thursday night was confronted by a mountain lion that apparently saw the dog as its next meal.

The cougar crossed the street and walked toward Juan Gutierrez, who was walking his 14-year-old Pomeranian mix named Riley, as reported by KDVR.

“I’m pretty sure he (Riley) thought it was another dog,” Gutierrez told KDVR in an on-camera interview. “I yelled to stay back, and I yelled it four to five times and nothing, the cat doesn’t hesitate.”

With the mountain lion still approaching, Gutierrez tried something else.

“I just flashed a light at its face and once it was too distracted, I kicked him,” he said. “He looked at me and then he looked up towards the sky. I don’t know if he was seeing stars or something.”

Gutierrez then slowly retreated with the dog, and without further incident.

Gutierrez is convinced it is the same mountain lion that was reported walking the streets a half-mile away two nights before.

While inside his car, Evan Price captured video of that cougar strolling near 16^th and Iris Avenue, as reported by KDVR.

That mountain lion appeared to be limping. Some suspect it was seeking an easy meal, in this case Riley.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife told KDVR that its personnel were unable to locate the mountain lion after the encounter with the man and his dog.

For Riley, it was another survival story. The dog has previously survived a black bear attack, a dog attack, and cancer. And now, a potential mountain lion attack.

Feature photo courtesy of Evan Price via KDVR.

Massive gator easily tears through metal fence; ‘This can’t be real’

Footage shows the reptile methodically breaching the barrier to access the other side. “Only in Florida.”

–A version of this post was published by FTW Outdoors in March 2023.

In February 2023, a Florida weatherman shared a compelling image showing a massive alligator seemingly staring down a photographer on a golf course.

“Welcome to Florida, home to Jurassic Park,” Matt Devitt, Chief Meteorologist for WINK News, wrote on Facebook.

Weeks later, Devitt shared the accompanying footage, showing another large gator easily breaching a metal fence to access the other side. (Click here if the video player doesn’t appear below.)

https://www.facebook.com/MattDevittWeather/videos/2325264120968791

“Check out this big guy bend the aluminum bars and plow right through it this week in Placida,” Devitt wrote on Facebook. “He eventually got through according to the viewer who shot the video. Only in Florida!”

Devitt stressed in the comments section, which contained input from nearly 2,000 followers, that the bars were not as formidable as, say, wrought iron.

Still, many were impressed by the ease with which the gator clawed through the barrier.

“This can’t be real,” one follower wrote.

The alligator’s size was not provided, but for those who might wonder, the longest alligator recorded in Florida measured 14 feet, 3-1/2 inches. The weight record is 1,043 pounds.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) states on its website that about 1.3 million alligators reside in Florida.