500-lb. Boar Killed in North Carolina

500-lb Boar

A few years back, hunters noticed an incredibly large boar on camera.  The boar was marked for death -- but it took until now for anyone to bring it to justice!  Hunter, Jett Webb, shot and killed the beast with a .308 rifle after stumbling across it almost by accident.

"I just set out to put a little meat in the freezer," he says. "But afterwards, I was completely blown away."

Actually, Webb had been hunting the boar after spotting it in the area earlier in the week.  He bagged a similar-sized hog a year or so back that is mounted on the wall of the hunting club to which he belongs.

Wild boars in North Carolina, and North America in general, usually weigh up to 180-lbs.  While Jett Webb's 500-lb. catch was certainly remarkable, it was not the largest boar killed in North America!

© The Weirding, 2014

Big Game Animals Terrorize Small Ohio Town

Authorities say owner, Terry Thompson, released some 50 wild animals from the Muskingam County Animal Farm before killing himself, leaving Bengal tigers, lions, black bears, wolves, and other dangerous animals to patrol the area freely. Schools and roads were closed as sheriffs and volunteers hunted-down the 50-some-odd beasts and were forced to kill most of them. 

Some were tranquilized, but there were not a lot of tranquilizers to go around, there is no good way to tranquilize an animal of that size and demeanor at night, and human safety was of the utmost concern.

At the time of this writing, there are still at least four unnamed creatures on the loose throughout the county and surrounding areas. Residents are being told to stay inside.

Ohio apparently has wild animal auctions and numerous wild animal farms similar to this one which need to be shut down. Authorities say they paid numerous visits to the Muskingam County Animal Farm in recent years, but had little luck in closing it.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

New Pics of Ancient, Uncontacted Peruvian Tribe Driven into Brazil by Illegal Construction and Logging

Ancient Peruvian Tribe Driven to Brazil by Illegal Loggers

A human rights organization released pictures of a previously uncontacted Peruvian tribe on Monday to heighten awareness of logging laws in the country. The organization warns that the tribe is likely to come into conflict with other tribes fleeing their homes, as well as the vicious loggers themselves, as loggers illegally encroach on their territories.

Human rights activists and organizations have pushed Peru for tighter logging regulations for years, yet the country has done little to nothing... but illegally sell more Amazon tribes' lands to shitbag construction companies protected by paramilitary organizations like TigerSwan, SIS, and Raytheon.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Fox Turns Tables on Hunter

A hunter in Belarus shot and wounded a fox, but dropped his gun when he went in for the kill.  The hunter had advanced on the fox, intending to kill it with the butt of his gun, but the wounded animal fought fiercely.  The gun discharged when the fox accidentally hit the trigger.

The unidentified hunter was being treated for a gunshot wound to the leg.  The fox got away.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Emperor of Exmoor Dead, Long Live the Emperor

The "Emperor of Exmoor" is a 9' tall, 300-lb. red stag some reported as having been killed a couple weeks back after landowners offered a bounty of over $1500. However, no one has claimed the money and no evidence of the kill has been presented, leading some to believe that the story was simply put forth to ward-off hunters.

In fact, the landowners who reportedly offered the bounty say they did no such thing and are actually quite protective of the Emperor of Exmoor. Further, several report having seen the red stag numerous times since its reported demise.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Monkey-Fighting Crocodile Kills 19 on Monday to Friday Plane

A crocodile smuggled aboard a small flight in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a passenger's duffel bag escaped, panicking passengers aboard and crashing the plane. Nineteen people aboard died as a result.

Authorities had to kill the crocodile on the ground when it emerged from the wreckage, but might not have gotten the story had it not been for a lone survivor of the flight who recounted the terrifying tale. When the crocodile emerged, passengers all went to one side of the plane to avoid it, causing the pilot to lose control of the imbalanced vessel.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Mother, Cubs Killed for B&E -- Twice in One Week

Colorado wildlife officials have had to kill two mother bears and their cubs (both had two cubs, as well) after the bears broke-in to residences. According to experts, bears become a danger once they begin breaking-in to residences. Bears eat more this time of year in order to pack-on pounds for hibernation.

Wildlife officials say people feeding the bears illegally may be to blame, as it acclimates them to humans, whom they usually avoid.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Amazon River Lowest in 40 Years

The Amazon River, the second-longest river in the world (after the Nile), is at its lowest point in 40 years, beating the previous record set just five years ago.  Six cargo boats have been grounded near the Peruvian city, Iquitos.  Smaller boats capable of navigating the exposed mudbanks have been forced to bring in food and supplies.  Many cities, such as Iquitos, have no inland roads and depend on the Amazon as their transportation route.

The river's low level is due to a severe drought that is not expected to lift until the rainy season starts next month.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Tiger Cub Found in Luggage

A 31-year-old Thai woman is under arrest in Bangkok, facing two charges of smuggling wildlife, after a live tiger cub was found in her luggage. The cub was drugged and placed in a bag filled with stuffed animals. Airport security discovered the animal when the woman's luggage went through x-ray.

The woman was on her way to Iran, where tigers are prized as exotic pets and can fetch over $3000 on the black market. The cub is now in a wildlife conservation center in Bangkok, where it is recovering from exhaustion and dehydration. Officials say the cub is doing much better.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Pacific Isles Growing, Not Sinking

Not long ago, we brought you a story about a Pacific Island which had finally submerged, and reported that scientists were concerned that global warming was set to sink many more like it. In our defense, we merely regurgitated the facts we read; The OddBlog has no scientists on-hand. Now, many outlets are also retracting that part of the story, as new research from different scientists shows the majority of islands in the area are actually growing, as waters recede, not sinking.

The isles of the Federated States of Micronesia are among those which are growing, thanks to the build-up of coral debris and sediment. The scientists involved predict that these islands will still be there a century from now, though none could say if they will be inhabitable.

The study includes 27 islands and spans 60 years. Most of the islands in the study have remained stable, while others have grown - 80% of them, in fact. Yet, the researchers also said residents should not be lulled into thinking they are completely safe, as global warming is causing area waters to rise, and coastal erosion remains a threat.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Sherpas to Clean Everest's 'Death Zone'

A 30-year old sherpa and his team of trained climbers plan to scale Mt. Everest and clean the debris from the infamous "Death Zone."  The area above 26,000' is known as the "death zone" because of the lack of oxygen.  While many climbers have cleaned Everest at lower elevations, none have dared to clean above the 26k' mark.  The climber in charge of the expedition says there is litter there which dates back to the first time Everest was scaled in 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary.

The team hopes to clean nearly 45,000 lbs. of oxygen and water bottles, gas canisters, ropes, tents, and more -- items many climbers discard on their way down out of sheer exhaustion.  They are also set to recover the corpse of a man who died in 2008, then cremate it at the base of the mountain.  The leader of the team says he has seen three corpses lying in the Death Zone "for years."

Mt. Everest has been derided as 'the world's tallest garbage dump.'  Much of the trash has been covered by snow for years, but global warming has melted a lot of that, revealing the junk.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Mountain Lions Going Urban

Colorado residents have been reporting a number of sightings of mountain lions in urban centers over the last several years.  The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW), which began a study three years ago, confirms these sightings, noting that, like other wildlife, mountain lions sometimes pass through green belts and drainage ditches in urban centers.  They have tagged some of the cats they have come across in urban areas, and have been tracking their whereabouts and movement.

The DOW found that the lions are generally tracking deer and elk, but will eat domestic pets from time to time.  They also found that the cats are not living very long: Of the 44 they tagged three years ago, only 18 are still alive.  Many are killed by traffic.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

'Oriental Yeti' Discovered

Hunters captured a creature that looks a bit like a bear, but with a tail like a kangaroo and a call like a cat's, after it emerged from an ancient wood in China.  The hunters were pursuing a bear after locals reported seeing something, but no one ever expected to catch a brand new species of... animal?

Some are saying the creature may be the source of claims of a man-like beast in Chinese lore, but The OddBlog calls "no dice."  This creature stands on four feet, not two, has no hair, and in no way resembles either a man or an ape; the cat-like calls of this creature may have been mistaken for that of the Yowie, but no one would confuse this creature with a Bigfoot-like animal.

Scientists believe it could be the last of its kind.  The poor, sad-looking beast is set to be shipped to Beijing, where scientists will run tests and extract DNA.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Island Disappears in Bay of Bengal

An island whose ownership was disputed by India and Bangladesh has disappeared beneath the waves in the Bay of Bengal. The island - known as New Moore Island to Indians, and South Talpatti Island to Bangladeshis - never hosted a permanent settlement and only rose some 6' above the waters at any time. However, scientists say it is now completely submerged.

They also note that the waters in this area of the world are rising faster in the last decade than they have in the 15 years prior, so it is only a matter of time before other, nearby islands disappear as well!

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Michigan's Only Wolverine Found Dead

Michigan's only known wolverine was found dead along a trail over the weekend. Conservation officials collected the body and took hair samples for DNA testing to determine the cause of death, but it is not believed anyone intentionally harmed the creature.

The wolverine had become a local celebrity, generating several recent news stories, and was followed by a local science teacher who gave updates as to its location and activities as he monitored the animal by camera. He told reporters he lied regarding the wolverine's exact location to prevent hunters "seeking a trophy."

Officials believe the wolverine may have once been an exotic pet set free, but admit they do not know exactly how the creature came to reside in Michigan. It was the first wolverine spotted in the state in 200 years.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Is Global Warming Real?

Amid reports that this is the coldest winter on recent record, and the handful of snowstorms America has experienced the past month or so, comes news that the raw data on which the whole climate change theory was based might be compromised! But The OddBlog wants to go on-record here with a little common sense - some points we have made here in the past, but want to revisit briefly just for clarity and, hopefully, an effect:

Though we have often questioned the veracity of the global warming theory, we know that conservation of our natural resources is an important subject. We have also been "hard" on many mainstream conservationist theories and ideas, largely because they go wa-ay overboard.

Any reasoning human being should be able to conclude that pollution is bad, mm'kay? Whether or not it has any greater change on the atmosphere, artificial "reefs" made of garbage, low-hanging clouds of smog over major metropolitan areas, and pictures of dead and dying animals, covered in oil and trash, are clear indications of a need for change. However, the truth is that such a change can be affected by everyone changing just a few, simple, almost imperceptible, habits! Furthermore, these very changes go hand-in-hand with practicing a better, cleaner, healthier lifestyle all the way around, so there is a built-in incentive for everyone to take-up these habits.

Remembering to turn off the lights when you leave a room not only conserves energy for everyone, it lowers your utility bill. Trading-in your gas-guzzling SUV for a more sensible vehicle not only conserves fossil fuels and the atmosphere, but saves you money. Recycling is another habit which takes a few weeks to establish, can save you money, conserves resources, and is easy to incorporate into your lifestyle. Diminishing your reliance on your vehicle can not only save you money and conserve resources, but the exercise is also good for your health.

These are very simple, very convenient, and very powerful changes to your lifestyle which add an extremely minimal amount of time and effort to your daily routine and reward you, as well as the rest of the world, in their practice. Instead of donating money to questionable initiatives, making major life and lifestyle changes, and going completely overboard, why not start with some of these small practices and take it from there?

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Philippine Tribe Raises the Dead

The Filipino Hanunuo Mangyan tribe's kutkot ritual is a time-honored funereal tradition in which the recently deceased is unearthed, swathed in clothing in such a manner as to resemble a sinakot (sort of a mummy), further dressed by contributions of clothing and jewelry from the surviving family members, then said to have been revived.  Kutkot actually means "unearthed."

However, the tradition of kutkot is a dying form.  Few today know the ritualistic manner for tying the funereal cloth so that it resembles the human form.  Fewer still are continuing the practice, having fallen victim to modern influences, according to researchers and reporters.  Elders say the younger generation simply cares not to learn, or perform, the kutkot ritual.

Many of the indigenous tribes and peoples are being threatened by the spread of industry throughout the region, while others have migrated to other parts of the world in search of work.  

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Give Earth Some Slack, Jack - Be Groovy, Baby

Researchers decided to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of the 40% obese British population and compare the results to those of the 1970s, when only 3.5% of the population was obese. The results were pretty staggering: the current population uses nearly 20% more "food energy" than that of the '70s, which equates to nearly 60 megatons of emissions! The transportation costs of supplying this food added another ¹/₂-1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions! But there is a caveat.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) of the population has also increased, and not just in the UK, all over the world. This means people, in general, are bigger than they were some three-four decades ago. And while the researchers involved preferred to say they were getting "fatter," we have all noticed how much younger kids are developing. You can also see great differences in musculature and so forth in athletes and fitness freaks. It is not fair to say people are "getting fatter" as a blanket statement; it is fair to say people are bigger than we were in the 1970s.

Still, the basic concept is correct in that we should scale-back to the obesity percentages and so forth of the 1970s. Back then, we ate larger portions of vegetables and smaller portions of meat. Changing that much of your diet can help both you and the planet.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Hey, Pig - Yeah, You

Since the HBO special documentary last month, it seems that pigs have suddenly become the cause... du jour.  The truth is that most pig farms are pretty "humane," for as far as that goes, and pork is damned tasty.

While perhaps not the cornerstone of Western civilization, pork is certainly one of the most popular meats in the Western world.  And, as Richard da Costa writes, "If we are going to eat animals... then we must accept that they must be killed to be eaten."

And while vegetarians -- especially vegans -- argue that we meat-eaters are "base," abusive murderers and so on (and on), they're mostly just hangry because they're dying for a porkchop.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Study Finds Unknown Cache of Irrawaddy Dolphins

Thousands of rare Irrawaddy dolphins have been discovered in Bangladeshi waters, bringing the number of known Irrawaddy dolphins up considerably. However researchers note these 6000 dolphins are already endangered by fishing nets and climate changes.

Irrawaddy dolphins are related to orcas (killer whales) and grow to about 8' in length. They are found in freshwater rivers and estuaries in Asia. The largest known populations were thought to contain only a few hundred, if that. The 6000-strong population was discovered in the freshwater regions of the Sundarbans mangrove forest and the Bay of Bengal.

The study made the information known so they could push for greater fishing restrictions in and around the areas. Researchers said the discovery brings "great hope" for the species.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009