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Fish Flambe, S'il Vous Plait
Fire investigators in British Columbia, Canada, discovered an unlikely culprit in a brush fire that knocked out power in the town of Ashcroft on July 30: a hungry osprey. Ashcroft Fire Rescue posted on social media that the peckish avian pulled a large fish from a river about two miles away, but as it labored to fly with its super-sized meal in the July heat, it became tired and eventually dropped the fish ... directly onto a power line, which sparked the blaze in the dry grass below. NBC Bay Area reported that it took about 4,800 gallons of water to stop the fire -- quite a lot of trouble over a bird whose eyes were bigger than its stomach. "Another suspicion could be that it's tired of raw fish and wanted to give cooked a try," the post from Ashcroft Fire Rescue said.
New World Order
A zoo in northern Denmark has made an unsettling request of pet owners in Aalborg, the Associated Press reported. In a July 31 Facebook post, the zoo suggested, "If you have an animal that has to leave here for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us." Not for a domestic pet display, mind you. The zoo is planning to "gently euthanize" the donated animals and feed them to its predators. Zoo officials said they're trying to mimic the natural food chain, calling out specifically guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens as preferred donations. "That way, nothing goes to waste -- and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators," the post read.
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Sports Whiplash
On July 31, as the Tampa Bay Rays battled the New York Yankees in the Bronx, one player ended up "winning today regardless," the Associated Press reported. Jose Caballero, 28, started the game with the Rays and played through the sixth inning. But during the seventh-inning stretch, he was traded to the Yankees. The deal was announced after the rain-delayed game, which the Yankees won. Caballero reportedly hugged his Tampa teammates in the dugout, then turned up in the Yankees clubhouse to conduct his post-game interview.
Bright Idea
In the Hautes-Vosges region of France, farmers have become discouraged with the lack of help from the law regarding squatters who appear in camping vans and park illegally on private property. So, The Economic Times reported on Aug. 4, the farmers unleashed the power of the poo on the interlopers. Six tractors circled around the campers and released slurry -- a mixture of manure and water -- that's used to fertilize the soil. "We've had enough," one farmer said. "If no one listens, we make ourselves heard another way."
Easy There, Leadfoot
A driver on Germany's famed Autobahn was issued a $1,000 fine and had his license suspended for three months, CNN reported, after he exceeded the speed limit by 124 mph on July 28. Speed limit? On the Autobahn? Yes, while the motorway is known worldwide as a de facto raceway where drivers can go as fast as they please, it has stretches where speed limits are posted and enforced. German police said the motorist was clocked at over 199 mph on the A2 highway near Burg, a portion of the Autobahn where the limit is 74.5 mph.
The Bear Jar
For more than a week, residents of northwest Wisconsin had been riveted by sightings of a hapless yet elusive bear with a jar stuck on her head. "The bear had been identified plenty of times ... but by the time anyone got there that could help, she was gone," said Erik Donley of Duluth. Donley and his nieces were arriving at their family cabin when the bear came out of the woods near them. Understandably scared, the youngest niece locked the cabin doors -- briefly leaving her poor uncle outside. The family called wildlife authorities, then Donley went back outside to follow the bear from a safe distance and prevent her from disappearing again. The USDA soon arrived, tranquilized the bear and finally -- finally -- removed that stubborn jar. Authorities said the creature was underweight for this time of year, but has been safely relocated and is expected to recover.
Climb Every Mountain
To be awarded a scholarship for college, most prospective students must write a killer essay, but South Korean students with the right lofty aspirations can take a hike. Literally. According to UPI, Seoul National University offers a scholarship of up to $540 to students who climb any six mountains in the Blackyak Apline Club's 100 Famous Mountains and 100+ Famous Mountains lists, excluding those traversed by cable car or gondola. Students must use the Blackyak app to prove they hiked the mountains. The Misan Mountain Hiking Scholarship, which is funded by alumnus Kwon Jun-ha, 81, is highly competitive -- only 70 spots are available, but 1,400 students applied for it during the open period from July 8-18. "The scholarship reflects the donor's desire to foster healthy individuals with a spirit of challenge and community spirit," the school said.
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No Fans of Drama
Farmers near Yellowstone National Park, struggling with wolves attacking their livestock but prohibited from harming the protected animals, have turned to technology -- and Hollywood -- for help in keeping the predators away. Yahoo News reported on Aug. 4 that quadcopter drones equipped with speakers blaring AC/DC songs and audio from a Scarlett Johansson movie had been dispatched in the ongoing fight. Per the USDA, "people arguing is a distressing sound for wolves, and so the fight scene between Johansson and Adam Driver in the 2019 movie 'Marriage Story' is a perfect deterrent." The music and film clips seem to be working: Since their deployment, the number of cows killed by wolves in southern Oregon has fallen from 11 over a 20-day period to two over the next 85 days.
Close Call
On June 25, members of the Seattle Kraken hockey team, on a fly-fishing trip at Brooks Falls at Katmai National Park, Alaska, drew the unwanted attention of a bear on the prowl for food. Multiple outlets report that center John Hayden and the team's mascot, Buoy -- who was in full costume -- were in the water when their guide spotted the bear and moved the group. The bear took a sudden interest in Buoy and charged toward him briefly before stopping and turning around. "I want to blame it on Buoy," Hayden joked. "They were pretty interested in his look." No one was harmed in the encounter, and other team members were unfazed. Meanwhile, the whole situation has drawn the ire of PETA, who sent a strongly worded letter filled with hockey puns, detailing the harm that fishing for sport does to fish, even when they are thrown back, and urging the team to "bench their fishing rods for good."
Never Heard of Him
St. Jude the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Erie, Pennsylvania, holds a Corvette raffle every year to raise money for the parish, and in 2024, one "Martin Anderson" came away with the top prize. But on Aug. 6, the Erie Times-News reported that an investigation by the Erie County District Attorney's Office discovered that no such person exists. Father Ross Miceli is under investigation for making up the name of the winner as well as winners of other prizes. The church declined to comment but acknowledged there was an active criminal investigation underway. The reverend has been placed on administrative leave.
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