Sunday, August 16, 2009

Real-life Ram-bo

The sheep who abseiled down electricity cable after snagging his horn

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/article-1205004-05FC1093000005DC-21.jpg



This hapless sheep has become a real life 'ram-bo' after inadvertently abseiling down a hill when its horn became snagged on an electricity wire.

The unfortunate sheep was spotted bleating for help more than 15 feet above the ground next to an telegraph pole.

Amazed onlookers watched the ram descend from a grazing pasture - apparently accidentally - while dangling from a live wire.

Enlarge Help? The sheep dangles some 15feet above the ground, its horn caught in the live electrical wire

Help? The sheep dangles some 15feet above the ground, its horn caught in the live electrical wire

Luckily he did not catch the current from the wire.

The drama unravelled at the small town of Helgoysund on the Norwegian coast on Wednesday.

Tourists at the scene mounted a rescue attempt and eventually roped him to pull him back to ground level in little over an hour.

Bemused spectators suggested he may have been trying to take the fast route down to a herd of ewes grazing in the field below.

Marita Vestersjo Landsnes, aged 13, caught the calamity on her camera phone. The schoolgirl said she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the sheep sliding down the live wire.
Spectators suggested the sheep may have been trying to reach a field of ewes at the bottom of the hill

Spectators suggested the sheep may have been trying to reach a field of ewes at the bottom of the hill.

After nearly an hour, and some ingenious rope work, the German tourists managed to bring the sheep down

After nearly an hour, and some ingenious rope work, the German tourists managed to bring the sheep down unharmed

Her dad Geir Landsnes, 45, also watched the dramatic events unfold. He said Marita would never to go out without a camera again.

He said: 'As a reward for his embarrassing predicament we helped him to achieve his quest by allowing him access to the ladies.

'My wife saw something surreal from the kitchen window and realised it was the sheep hanging five to six metres off the ground from the wire by its horn and called me straight away, asking what to do.

'I asked my daughter Marita to photograph the rescue operation so I could see the images of what had happened.

'Marita is so proud that her images and I've encouraged her not to leave the house without her camera.'

The sheep had been grazing on the hill. He had got his horn stuck on the zip wire and as he got more agitated, was pulled down the hill on the wire he was attached to and ended more than up five metres above the ground.

The German tourists were in the area because the Landsnes family, alongside the sheep farm, run a small vacation place on the Norwegian island.

The sheep escaped unharmed.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1205004/Pictured-Ram-bo-Amazing-abseiling-sheep-tries-unorthodox-method-attracting-ewes.html#ixzz0NcbOQ9KV
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1205004/Pictured-Ram-bo-Amazing-abseiling-sheep-tries-unorthodox-method-attracting-ewes.html

Sealion hijacks patrol boat

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/sea-lion-police-bo_1436103i.jpg
Sea lion at the controls of a Orange County sheriff's Department patrol boat


Sheriff's Department officers in California got more than they bargained for when they took a sealion aboard their patrol boat. They were forced to vacate the cockpit when the animal started climbing around the helmsman's seat and control console, and it managed to turn the steering wheel, sound the horn and put the throttle into reverse.

It took more than an hour and several sprays with a hose to persuade the sealion to leave the boat and return to the sea. The incident began when the Orange County Sheriff's Harbor Patrol fire boat was called to pontoons at Newport Beach to deal with the sealion which was reported to be acting aggressively towards children.

Attempts to get the animal back in the water failed, so the officers took it aboard with the intention of releasing it further from the land.

Sea lions are smart creatures and this attempt to take over the boat just proves their superior intelligence. He obviously thought the crew weren't experienced enough with matters concerning the sea so he should take over the controls.

Maybe he was trying to kidnap them to take them to his secret hideout where he would torture them until they agreed to their demands to give rights to sea lions.


Motor Boats Monthly, 1 July 2009
http://www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/2009060119

The bay of pigs

Swine swimming in crystal clear water in the Bahamas

Shame about this guy's connection to the Sea Shepherd, but lovely pics.

Enjoy.

On the beaches of Big Major Spot Island, the Bahamas, a family of brown and pink boars and piglets live freely on the sandy white beaches and swim in the tropical surf
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/swimming-pig-2_1444701i.jpg
Swimming pigs


Underwater photographer Eric Cheng stumbled across the unusual residents during a diving expedition to the area
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/eric-cheng-pigs_1444691i.jpg
Swimming pigs


"We were in the southern Bahamas to photograph oceanic white-tip sharks," says the 33-year-old. "Our captain, Jim Abernethy, had heard that there were pigs on Big Major so we decided to go and check it out"
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/swimming-pig-1_1444700i.jpg
Swimming pigs


"Upon approaching the white sandy beach, it is easy to spot the pigs - both pink and dark brown - laying in the sand"
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/pigs-sand_1444696i.jpg
Swimming pigs


"I'm not sure how these domestic pigs (gone feral) came to live on this particular beach in the Bahamas, but they are well-known to locals, who have been feeding them for years," says Eric
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/piglets-shallows_1444695i.jpg
Swimming pigs


"Because locals bring food, the pigs will run into the water and actually swim out to the oncoming boats, as if to greet them individually"
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/smiler_1444699i.jpg
Swimming pigs


Spending several hours photographing and playing with the pigs, Eric and his team even managed to join them for a swim
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/wet-whiskers_1444703i.jpg
Swimming pigs


"Nadine Umbscheiden, one of the photographers, was so at ease with them," reveals Eric
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/pig-woman_1444698i.jpg
Swimming pigs


"We dubbed her the 'pig whisperer' because she was so good at getting the pigs to swim to our cameras!"
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/pig-and-woman_1444692i.jpg
Swimming pigs


Eric is the editor and publisher of Wetpixel.com, and is technical advisor and photographer for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/swimming-pig-3_1444702i.jpg
Swimming pigs


Eric says his his trip to the "bay of pigs" proved to be one of his strangest photo-shoots to date
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/piglet-sand_1444693i.jpg
Swimming pigs


Happy, happy swimming pig
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p142/ivorydog/arf_1444704i.jpg
Swimming pigs



Pictures: Eric Cheng / Barcroft Media

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/5844059/The-bay-of-pigs-swine-swimming-in-crystal-clear-water-in-the-Bahamas.html?image=4