Is it a tiger? Is it a leopard?

By: Ranjeet Jadhav

Date:  2011-11-07

Place: Mumbai

A milkman claims to have seen a tigress with cubs in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, but forest officials are convinced that what he saw must be a leopard

If Balu Shinde is to be believed, you may not have to travel to the distant Tadoba Tiger Reserve or Ranthambore National Park to spot a tiger anymore. The 46-year-old milk distributor claims to have spotted a tigress and her two cubs behind Mahananda Dairy in Aarey colony on Friday.

The forest officials, however, refute his claims and say that it's not possible to spot a tiger in Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) for the simple reason that there aren't any in the park. They believe that Shinde must have spotted a leopardess, which locals have frequently spotted in the area, roaming with her two cubs.

Bombay Natural History Society Project Head (Forest) Krishna Tiwary said, "With no evidence, it's impossible to say that a tiger was spotted within the limits of the Aarey colony area."

No doubt it's a tiger
Shinde, however, is adamant that he saw a tiger at 8.45 pm on Friday. He said, "My colleagues and I were standing within the premises of the dairy when we heard people screaming, claiming that they have spotted a tiger. We immediately rushed to the gate in our jeep towards the Aarey colony forest. With our headlights switched on, we reached the gate; I was shocked to see a full-grown tigress along with her two cubs. We then saw them run into the forest." Shinde added, "I am certain that the creature I saw was a tiger. It had stripes on its body and not black spots like leopards do."

In 2003, tribals residing in the forest claimed to have seen a tiger at Nagla block, towards the northern end of SGNP. In order to verify their claims, officials from the forest department undertook a detailed study in the area. After verifying the pugmarks and looking at the bullock that was killed by the predator, it was confirmed that the animal spotted by the tribals was indeed a tiger. Since then, however, there have not been any tiger sightings in or around the park.

Taking note of the reported sighting, the estate department of Mahanand Dairy has written a letter to SGNP. Another letter has been dispatched to the local police station.

Chief Conservator of Forests and Director of SGNP Sunil Limaye said, "As soon as we received information that locals had spotted a wild animal, we sent our team to the spot and installed two camera traps in the area, so that images of the animal can be captured, if it visits the area again."

An animal expert revealed that the chances of a tiger sighting in the area were very slim. "The SGNP forest is a highly disturbed forest. There are many human settlements inside the park and tigers cannot adjust themselves in this kind of forest, as they prefer a dense forest as their habitat. If tigers were dwelling in the SGNP forest, they would have mauled the tribals. Tigers cannot stay in close proximity to human settlements, the way leopards can. The man must have seen a full-grown leopard."

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/nov/071111-Is-it-a-tiger-Is-it-a-leopard.htm

Was the 'Canadian Loch Ness Monster' Caught on Video?

By Benjamin Radford | LiveScience.com
7 November 2011

A man visiting British Columbia's Lake Okanagan last week claims to have captured video of Ogopogo, Canada's version of the Loch Ness Monster.

According to a report in the Vancouver Sun, "An Okanagan man has video he says proves the Ogopogo may be more than just a figment of our imagination. Richard Huls says he always believed in the possibility of the monster rumored to be living in Okanagan Lake. Last Thursday, while visiting a West Kelowna winery, Huls shot video that he believes proves something does indeed live in the water. 'It was not going with the waves,' Huls said. 'It was not a wave obviously, just a darker color. The size and the fact that they were not parallel with the waves made me think it had to be something else."

Ogopogo, some believe, has its roots in native Canadian Indian legends that told of a beast called N'ha-a-itk that would demand a live sacrifice from travelers for safe passage across Lake Okanagan. Hundreds of years ago, whenever Indians would venture into the lake, they brought chickens or other small animals to kill and drop into the water to assure a protected journey. It's clear, however, that these stories were not referring to a literal lake monster but instead to a legendary water spirit, and are not historical evidence for Ogopogo. [Mythical Creatures That Don't Exist (or Do They?)]

Read more...

http://news.yahoo.com/canadian-loch-ness-monster-caught-video-195018326.html

Possible Ogopogo sighting in Okanagan Lake?

By Julia Wong, CHBC News
November 3, 2011

Could the myth be true? An Okanagan man has video he says proves the Ogopogo may be more than just a figment of our imagination.

Richard Huls says he always believed in the possibility of the monster rumoured to be living in Okanagan Lake.

Last Thursday, while visiting a West Kelowna winery, Huls shot video that he believes proves something does indeed live in the water.

The video shows two 40 foot lines in the water.

"It was not going with the waves," Huls said. "It was not a wave obviously, just a darker colour. The size and the fact that they were not parallel with the waves made me think it had to be something else."

Huls says he cannot think of what else could have caused those lines to form.

But even if the images turn out not to be of the Ogopogo, Huls says he still believes the lake monster is out there and he plans to keep his eyes open.

"It proves something is down there. Whether it's Ogopogo or not, it's a different story but there is something at least down there," he said.

See photo at: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Possible+Ogopogo+sighting+Okanagan+Lake/5652175/story.html

Two large sharks sighted off Rottnest Island

Updated October 31, 2011 19:56:07

The Rottnest Island Authority says several beaches will remain closed overnight after two five-metre great white sharks were spotted off the coast of the island.

Surf Lifesaving WA says the sharks were spotted by an aerial patrol this afternoon about 200 metres off shore.

The authority has closed beaches at Green Island and Strickland and Salmon bays.

The authority's Roland Mau has told the ABC that action was taken to protect beachgoers.
"We are, especially in light of the recent events being more precautious, so we are extending the closure overnight until next morning," he said.

"Awaiting obviously further monitoring in that area if there's further sightings and extending any closures if necessary."

Surf Lifesaving WA says a helicopter tracked the sharks as they moved in a westerly direction.

Mr Mau says shutting the beaches was the sensible move.

"To the west side of it is Strickland which is popular with surfers, and up the other side is Salmon Bay," he said.

"At this stage, we only had about six visitors enjoying the beaches, nobody in the water, and people understood what we were doing in terms of the precautionary measures we were taking."

The sighting comes just over a week after an American man was killed by a shark while diving off Rottnest.

George Thomas Wainwright was scuba diving about 500 metres off shore on the opposite side of the island at Little Armstrong Bay when he was attacked.

His body surfaced with horrific injuries.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-31/shark-sighted-rottnest/3611120?section=wa

Tasmanian Tiger rears its head in Daisy Hill (via Chad Arment)

FIRST there was reports of a black panther at Eagleby, and now Daisy Hill residents Lisa and Sean Smith believe they have spotted the extinct Tasmanian Tiger.

The world's last captive Tasmanian Tiger died in Hobart Zoo in 1936.

However, Mrs Smith said one could very well be living in the Daisy Hill Forest.

``A few years ago we were standing in the back yard and we (husband Sean and father Barry) saw this fox-like creature staring at us,'' she said.

``Then we looked at it properly and it didn't look like a fox at all, it had a long thin whippy tail, stripes on its back and it was a lot bigger than a fox.

``A few years ago we were in Tasmania and saw this book (on Tasmanian Tigers), and thought it looked a lot like what we saw. We sight it every now and then and can hear it screaming and making noises at night.''

With their home backing on to the Kimberly Forest Park which connects to Daisy Hill Forest, Mrs Smith said there was definitely something interesting in there.

``I'm happy to think something like the Tasmanian Tiger defied the odds and survived. We're trying to take a photo for proof next time we see it, but sometimes we won't see it for a year, then it comes back.''

According to the Tasmanian Government's Department of Primary Industrys, Parks, Water and Environment, the thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger), was the the world's largest marsupial carnivore and fossils and Aboriginal rock paintings showed that the thylacine once lived throughout Australia and New Guinea.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/logan/tasmanian-tiger-rears-its-head-in-daisy-hill/story-fn8m0u8i-1226158325064

Video: Thylacine Sighting from Jan 2009?

More videos and info can be found on Murray McAllister’s Search for the Tasmanian Tiger website. Read more: http://cryptoworld.co.uk/video-thylacine-sighting-from-jan-2009/

Leatherback turtle seen in The Minch off Western Isles

The turtle was photographed by researchers and volunteers aboard the Silurian

10 June 2011

A leatherback turtle has been spotted in the sea off Scotland.

Crew members of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust research vessel Silurian estimated it was about 1.5m (5ft) long.

They saw the turtle in The Minch, a stretch of water between the Western Isles and mainland Scotland on Sunday.

Leatherbacks nest in the tropics but have been spotted previously off the UK, with one sighting made near a beach at Cleveleys in Lancashire last June.

Dave Hanna, skipper of the Silurian, said seeing the turtle was the most exciting moment of his life.
The cold

The leatherback is the world's biggest turtle and listed as Critically Endangered, largely because of poaching for eggs and snaring in fishing gear.

Typically between 1m and 2m long, the animals weigh up to three-quarters of a tonne and can swim across entire oceans, returning to their ancestral nesting sites to breed every few years.

In 2002, a rare green turtle was found dead off Loch Inver on the north west coast of Scotland.

At the time it was believed to be only the third recorded discovery of a green turtle in Scottish waters in more than 150 years.

The animal normally lives in tropical and sub-tropical waters and scientists said it probably perished in the cold after losing its way.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13727829

Shark! Dorsal fins from two 18-footers sighted near Long Island beach

Barcelo Stephen for News

A dorsal fin breaks the surface near a Suffolk County

beach Wednesday.

BY Joe Kemp
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Wednesday, June 1st 2011, 8:18 PM

Two 18-foot sharks shut down a Long Island beach Wednesday after they were spotted lurking in waters just off the coast, officials said.

A seal carcass also washed up near the East End beach, but it was unclear if it had been killed by the sharks, officials said.

Cloudy skies made it difficult to confirm the exact species of the large predators, but authorities closed the West Hamptons Dunes beach after they saw the dorsal fins poking from the ocean surface.

"My bet is that they're sharks," said West Hampton Dunes Mayor Gary Vegliante. "My hope is that they're basking [not predatory] sharks."

Reports of the sharks started Tuesday afternoon, just a day after the Memorial Day holiday, officials said.

Vegliante said that the ban will be lifted once the species of the sharks are confirmed or when they swim away, which could take a few more days.

"Once we're sure that it's safe, we'll lift the ban," Vegliante said.

The dead seal was removed from the sand where it washed ashore, and a necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, Vegliante said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/06/01/2011-06-01_shark_dorsal_fins_from_two_18footers_sighted_near_long_island_beach.html

Black Bears Sighted Due To Morganza Flooding

Officials Expecting High Mortality Rate Of Bear Cubs
POSTED: 3:24 pm CDT June 7, 2011

NEW ORLEANS -- More black bears have been sighted recently due to the opening of the Morganza Floodway, because the black bears are being pushed to drier ground, wildlife officials say.

State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokeswoman Maria Davidson, the large carnivore program manager, said the agency has received between five to seven calls about bear sightings near the flood basin.

Davidson said the department is expecting to see a high mortality rate of bear cubs as a result of the Morganza flooding. If the mother bear has multiple cubs, it is more trouble for her to keep track of all of them. That leads to cubs becoming separated from the family and possibly getting hurt, she said.

Davidson also said that last month, a mother bear was hit by a train and killed. Her cubs have not been located.

http://www.wdsu.com/news/28160932/detail.html

Bears also sighted in Clay County

Staff report
Published: Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 8:19 p.m.

East Gainesville isn't the only place in North Central Florida that has residents reporting sightings of black bears.

While a 150-pound male black bear has been seen several times this week in neighborhoods in northeast and southeast Gainesville, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has also received several calls about two black bears in the Clay County area over the past week.

Wildlife officials set up a culvert trap in an area where one of the bears frequents, according to Karen Parker, FWC public information coordinator.

"He doesn't avoid humans when approached or when loud, explosive fireworks are shot off near him," Parker said.

The other reports concern a bear in the Orange Park area.

FWC biologist Allan Hallman has responded numerous times to these bear complaints over the past week.

"Problems arise when bears have access to unnatural food sources such as pet foods, garbage, barbecue grills, birdseed or livestock feed," Hallman said. "We're hoping that if people remove the attractants, the bears will return to wooded areas and leave the urban and suburban neighborhoods," Hallman said.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110602/articles/110609853

Bear Sighting Locks Down High School

Bear Cubs Spotted At Asheville High School
POSTED: 2:27 pm EDT June 7, 2011

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- The sighting of two bear cubs on the campus of Asheville High School prompted school officials to place the school on lockdown.

Callers witnessed the bear cubs near the Little Pigs Barbeque on McDowell St. A second bear cub was spotted near the baseball field at Asheville High School, which forced the school into a soft lockdown.

The Asheville Police Department began monitoring the movement of the bears, and the lockdown at the high school was lifted when the bears moved off campus.

School resource officers will continue to monitor the situation, and outdoor activities at Asheville High have been restricted despite the removal of the lockdown.

http://www.wyff4.com/news/28159317/detail.html

Did you get some good holiday snaps? Hunt is on for two alligators spotted lurking in fishing lake - in NORFOLK

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:43 PM on 4th June 2011

A holidaymaker claims to have spotted two alligators lurking in a lake - in East Anglia.

He called the police after catching sight of the reptiles in the water at a holiday park in Wortwell, Norfolk.

Police confirmed they are investigating the sighting but despite scouring the park, neither creature has been found.

Visitors to the 60-acre Waveney Valley Lakes are keeping their eyes peeled for the pair - and are giving the fishing lakes a wide berth.

Park manager Dave Potter, 58, told The Sun: 'It has caused quite a stir.

'We have 90 plots for caravans and lodges, so there are a lot of people here.

'The police had a good look around but didn't find anything.'

Norfolk Police confirmed a member of the public called to report he had seen the alligators and officers informed the park's owners.

Alligator expert Dr Laura Brandt said it was possible the alligators had been released or found their way to the water.

She warned: 'They will eat anything that moves.'

Native to the U.S. and China, the alligator is notorious for its bone-crushing bites and has existed for 200million years.

A large American alligator can weigh 800 pounds and can grow to more than 13 feet long. Their average lifespan is 50 years.

The park's website said the lakes at Waveney - about 15 miles south of Norwich - were excavated in 1942 to provide the materials for the construction of many local airfields for the Allied Air Forces war effort.

The fishery originated in the 1960s when thousands of carp, tench and bream were introduced to the lakes. It now attracts anglers from miles around.

The website states the park is a 'natural haven for wildlife' including kingfishers, herons, grebes and three species of bats.

Meanwhile, police shot a concrete lawn ornament in the shape of an alligator in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri, this week after thinking it was real.

The drama began when a neighbour who had not seen the fake alligator before called 911 to report that his children had spotted it while playing in some nearby woods.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1393797/Alligators-spotted-Norfolk-Did-good-holiday-snaps.html

Greensboro bear reappears near Battleground Avenue

Tuesday, May 24, 2011
(Updated 2:11 pm)

GREENSBORO — The black bear that sauntered through a neighborhood near Battleground Avenue on Sunday reappeared and scrambled up a tree near the busy thoroughfare today.

Tuesday morning, it climbed a tree near Battleground just north of West Cornwallis Drive at Albright Drive. A black bear was spotted on Quail Drive, just a few blocks west, on Sunday.

Joe Nelson, 56, of Summerfield was in the area running errands when he saw several police cars about 10:30 a.m. When he returned about 40 minutes later, he saw a throng of people.

"I just saw the crowd and figured it was the bear again," he said. "Sure enough."

Nelson wasn't the only one. About 11:20 a.m., about 30 people were standing behind yellow police tape on Albright Drive trying to take pictures of the bear.

Suddenly there was a rustling. The bear hit the ground and took off running.

"The bear!" "It's moving."

Most of the spectators hustled behind a hedge in the Cornwallis Square office park, and police strongly suggested that people get in their cars and go home.

The bear didn't go far. It scrambled up an oak tree a short distance away, near 2302 Albright Drive. About 70 feet off the ground, the bear laid down on a fork in the tree like he was settling in for a nap.

Once the bear seemed like he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, the spectators returned with their cameras and cell phones.

Lori Aycock, fresh off a tennis match, swung by with her 2-year-old son Tanner.

"Can you see it?" she said to the boy as she pointed to the bear in the tree.

"Bear!" the boy replied.

"You see it! Can you see how face?"

"Face!" the boy said.

Tamesha Frazier tried to get a picture of the bear with her cell phone, but the thick tree cover and the distance foiled her.

"I've been to the zoo twice this month and I wasn't this excited," Frazier said. "There's a bear in a tree! On Battleground!"

Police, meanwhile, are trying to keep people away from the animal's path.

Police say schools in the area have been notified of the bear's presence. Officials say the bear, which has not been aggressive, is scared and will come down when it no longer feels threatened.

Throughout

Police offer these tips to discourage bears from roaming in the city:

• Secure bags of trash inside cans stored in a garage, basement or other secure area, and place the cans outside as late as possible on trash pick-up days – not the night before.

• Purchase bear-proof garbage cans or bear-proof your existing garbage container with a secure latching system.

• Stop feeding wild birds during the spring and summer, even with feeders advertised as “bear-proof.” Bears are still attracted to seed that spills on the ground.

• Don't leave pet food outside. If you must feed pets outdoors, make sure all food is consumed and empty bowls are removed.

• Clean all food and grease from barbecue grills after each use. Bears are attracted to food odors and may investigate.

The Wildlife Commission is the state regulatory agency responsible for handling incidents of black bears in urban areas.

If you have questions, call the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission at (800) 662-7137.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2011/05/24/article/greensboro_bear_reappears_near_battleground_ave

Chapel Hill, Durham police receive several bear sighting reports

By NBC17 Staff
Published: May 23, 2011

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --

Authorities in Chapel Hill responded to several bear sighting reports Monday near the Finley Golf Course.

Chapel Hill Police Lieutenant Kevin Gunter says the first report was received at 10 a.m. from someone saying a bear was spotted on the fairway. The bear then made its way to the 18th hole on the golf course, which is part of UNC Campus property.

A bear was then spotted on Highland Woods Drive, which is near Glenwood Elementary School. School officials were made aware of the situation and kept students inside until the bear left the area.

Lt. Gunter says the next report was received was around 12:30 p.m. The caller reported seeing a bear at Otey's Road near 15/501 going into the woodline.

Gunter adds that the bear never posed a threat or destroyed property.

Durham Police spokeswoman Kammie Michaels said they also received reported bear sightings around 7:15 a.m. near I-40 and Fayetteville Road and again, shortly before 8 a.m. near I-40 and NC 751.

Durham Animal Control also said there was a reported bear sighting in a residential area off Guess Road. Animal control officials say bears usually march around from dens around March and April and sometimes in May. A bear was also spotted Sunday night near 540 in Durham.

Last week, Wake County had at least three reported bear sightings, one in Garner, Raleigh, and Cary.

http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2011/may/23/5/chapel-hill-police-receive-several-bear-sighting-r-ar-1058219/

Black bear sighted on UNC's Finley golf course

By Mark Schultz
Staff writer
Posted: Monday, May. 23, 2011

State and local officials have responded to a black bear sighting at UNC's Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill on Monday.

The bear was sighted on the third hole by golfers who called 911, said Chapel Hill police spokesman Lt. Kevin Gunter. State wildlife officials, Orange County Animal Control and campus police have been sent to the scene.

Last week, there were bear sightings Wednesday in Garner, Thursday in Raleigh and Saturday in Cary.

It’s unclear whether the sightings in Wake County were all of the same bear, though a state wildlife biologist said the sightings in Garner and Raleigh were likely of the same animal.

Biologist Greg Batts said the bear was likely a juvenile who accidentally wandered into the area while looking for a new home.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/05/23/2319412/black-bear-sighted-on-uncs-finley.html

Basking shark sighted off Cumbrae

Published 23 May 2011 09:30

A basking shark was spotted off the Isle of Cumbrae as the Marine Conservation Society urge shark spotters to record sightings as they happen with their mobile phone.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) said that the sharks are once again being spotted in UK coastal waters as they cruise close to the shore, hoovering up vast amounts of plankton through their gaping mouths.

Through their long-running Basking Shark Watch programme, MCS has already been alerted by the public to sightings around Land's End, off the world famous Cobb at Lyme Regis, off Donegal, Northern Ireland, at Dingle and Kerry in southwest Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland.

The first basking shark of the year was seen very early - reported to MCS off the island of Canna, west coast of Scotland - in January, with the next two sightings reported in March, one close to Millport, Scotland and the other close to Newlyn, Cornwall.

As with all sightings of wild animals, MCS urges caution: "These impressive creatures can grow up to 11 metres long and weigh up to seven tonnes and, although they aren't dangerous to humans, their behaviour can be unpredictable and involve sudden leaping out of the water or 'breaching'," said Dr Solandt. "Seven tonnes of flailing basking shark has real potential to spoil your day if you get too close, so we urge people to keep a safe and respectful distance from them."

In collaboration with the Shark Trust, MCS has produced the Basking Shark Code of Conduct, which provides clear guidance on how the public can behave safely around basking sharks. You can find out more at www.mcsuk.org

http://www.largsandmillportnews.com/news/roundup/articles/2011/05/23/413558-basking-shark-sighted-off-cumbrae/

Illinois authorities puzzled by armadillo sighting

Thursday, May. 12, 2011

The Associated Press

HOMER GLEN, Ill. -- Roadkill is part of the routine for highway crews in northern Illinois, but the dead armadillo spotted along a Will County road was a bit of a surprise.

Armadillos are normally found in warmer areas in the South.

Homer Township highway crew member Dan Bills found the armadillo while doing road maintenance last week. Bills tells the (Tinley Park) SouthtownStar he'd seen armadillos while visiting Texas but was shocked to find one in suburban Chicago.

David Robinson works for the Will County Forest Preserve, and he says he wonders if the armadillo had some "human assistance" getting so far north.

Wildlife biologist Joe Rogus also says he's never heard of any armadillo sightings in the area. He says armadillos are expanding their territory but aren't capable of traveling long distances.

Information from: Southtown Star, http://www.southtownstar.com

http://www.bnd.com/2011/05/12/1705850/will-co-authorities-puzzled-by.html

9 a.m. update: Bear sighted in lower Bidwell Park this morning

Staff Reports
Posted: 05/16/2011 08:35:23 AM PDT

CHICO — A bear was sighted in lower Bidwell Park this morning, according to Park and Natural Resources Manager Dan Efseaff.

Efseaff said he was biking in Bidwell Park this morning when he encountered a woman who said she saw a bear near the Cedar Grove Bridge.

There also was a report of it near Vallombrosa Avenue too, he said.

California Fish and Game and Chico Police Department were contacted, and the park manager went looking for it, as well as park rangers.

Efseaff said he believes it is a juvenile bear that may be looking for food. He didn't discount the bear could be looking for its mother.

If anyone encounters it, they should speak to it in a low voice, don't turn your back on it and don't run. Dogs should be kept on leash. It's a good idea to make noise while walking through the park too, he said.

Efseaff said earlier this year there was evidence of a bear in upper Bidwell Park, rummaging through trash cans.

For the full story, see Tuesday's print and online editions.

http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_18072870

Mystery beast causing panic in Quang Ngai province

Last update 12/05/2011 04:01:00 PM (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge - Hundreds of households in Binh Dong Commune of Binh Son District in Quang Ngai are living in panic after mysterious footprints were seen on the sand and loud roaring sounds heard in the area.

According to Cao Tan Son, police chief of the Binh Dong Commune, these mysterious incidents have been occurring since May 7 at the foot of Dinh Mountain in Son Tra Commune.

However, no one has seen the strange creature that could have caused such large footprints measuring almost 12-15cm. Over 20 dogs have also been killed in the area and now around 280 households of the commune are living in panic.

Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, a 70-year-old woman was the first to find her dead pet dog on the night of May 7. She said that her dog was found without its head and some body organs.

On the same night, four dogs were also found dead in the same manner, approximately 15-20 kilograms from Ngoc’s neighborhood.

Many households living near the Dinh Mountain said they had heard very loud roaring sounds.

In related news, in the border districts of Si Ma Cai and Muong Khuong in the northwestern province of Lao Cai, people have repeatedly seen strange species of dog like animals.

The strange creatures have bitten about 15 people in Ban Me, Thao Chu Phin, Quang Than San and Si Ma Cai communes in the two districts.

According to local residents, the strange doglike creatures have slender, long bodies, slanting red eyes and their fur coat is marked with white spots, black and white spots or yellow stripes.

They are seen wandering in the villages trying to prey on housedogs or attacking other domestic bred animals like chickens, pigs, goats and horses. They attack any person who tries to drive them away.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/society/8146/mystery-beast-causing-panic-in-quang-ngai-province.html

Schools Locked Down After Bear Sighting

POSTED: 10:30 am EDT May 3, 2011

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. -- A bear sighting caused a partial lockdown at three schools on Tuesday morning.

Greenville County School officials said Thomas E. Kerns Elementary, Southside High Academy, and M. T. Anderson Support Center were on lockdown Tuesday morning due to a black bear sighted in the area.

A Department of Natural Resources said bear sighting are not uncommon during the springtime and they usually get about 100 calls for bear sightings during the spring season.

DNR said the bear has left the area near the schools. DNR officers have set a trap to try and catch the bear.

http://www.wyff4.com/news/27758108/detail.html