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Animal Facts

Grapes and Raisins are dangerous for dogs. Last year the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals poison control center handled 140 cases of poisoning to dogs from Raisins and Grapes, 7 of the animals died. Can cause vomiting and kidney failure. Also never feed cats or dogs chocolate, it can kill them!

**50 million years ago Whales walked on land and their closest relative is the Hippo. (check out "Whales: The Inside Story" at the Mesa Southwest Museum in Mesa, AZ or www.mesaaz.org).

**Wild animals do not show symptoms of rabies in the 10 day period that a domestic animal will. They can walk around spreading the rabies disease for months before they show any sypmtoms at all. (see also the stranger danger section under the Animal Education page)

**Wearing denim jean jackets protect chickens! Woman has successfully found a way to protect her chickens from harm during mating. She puts denim jean jackets on her chickens.

**Bats are the only true flying mammal in the world.

**Flying squirrels, actually glide, they don't fly.

**A typically bat will eat an average of 500 insects per hour all night long.

**The first recognized American Breed of dog is the fox hound, dating back to 1650.

**There are over 800,000 recognized species of animals in the world.

**A dolphin can swim up to 35 mph, making it the fastest swimming mammal.

This page is updated frequently, check back for more animal facts.

"Miracle" Animals

Chihuahua survives fork in brain:

July 2009: Smokey a 12 week old Chuahua survived more than 2 days lost in the woods, in London, KY, with a BBQ fork stuck in his Brain! The fork was lodged in his head, entering his brain from a freak BBQ accident. He had emergency surgery and is now at home, expecting a full recover. Pictures and full story of this amazing little dog's struggle for survival can be found at: http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/

Rooster lived 18 months without a head:

On Sept. 10, 1945 a 5 1/2 month old Wyandotte Rooster in Fruita, CO, was to be dinner. He had his head cut off, but continued to live. The next morning the rooster's owner Lloyd Olsen, found him in the yard with his head tucked under his wing. Lloyd had felt if the animal had this much will to live, he would find a way to take care of it. The rooster was named Mike and became quite famous. He lived 18 months, gained 5 1/2 lbs. and toured the states. He was featured in stories by Time and Life magazines and made a Guinness World Record. "Mike", the Wyandotte Rooster became quite loved and famous and was valued at $10,000.00. He died in a hotel in an Arizonia destert in the middle of the night, with his owner. The town of Fruita, CO, celebrates this amazing animals will to live, the third week of May, each year. Questions on the festival or interest in this story can be directed to: info@miketheheadlesschicken.com or by calling 970-858-3663.

- updated often, check back soon!

Animal Heroes

Gorilla saves boy! Binti Jua, a Western Lowland Gorilla is not only a wonderful mother, but a true Amazing Animal and hero in my opinion:

On Aug. 16, 1996, Binti Jua and her 17 month old son, Koola, were on display in the gorilla exhibit at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, IL. Zoo guests watched in horror as a three year old boy fell 18 feet into the enclosure, landing on the concrete floor below. Amazingly, Binta Jua, with her son on her back, went over to the unconscious child, picking him up and cradling him. She took him to the door at the back of the exhibit, protecting him, waiting for zoo keepers to come and help! The boy was rescued and taken to the hospital, where he stayed for 4 days but did recover! This amazing story was caught on video it used to be availble on Youtube but was removed due to a copyright claim. I did however manage to find a video still on line, it can be viewed at: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/429398/gorilla_saving_a_kid/ more information regarding this totally amazing animal can be found at: http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pgpages/pagegen.121.aspx

Missouri Dog Awarded National Hero Award:

Shannon, an 8 year old Border Collie/Golden Retriever mix from Washington, MO received the National Hero Award. Firefighters credited her for saving Ted Mandry's life after he was trapped under a tractor on his 80 acre farm. She had alerted Mrs. Mandry to her husbands fate in the fields.

Stray dog rescues abandoned baby: (May, 2005)

A mixed breed, no name, stray dog is accredited with saving "Baby Angel", a 7 lb. 4 ounce, new born infant that was abandoned in the woods, along the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. She had been placed in a plastic bag, with no food or water and dropped in the woods where authorities believe she layed there for at least 2 days with an infected umbilical cord, starving. Stephan Theya told a daily Kenya newspaper, "I had just reached the Lenana Forest when I heard the sound of a baby crying." Out walked the dog carrying "Baby Angel" in its mouth, plastic bag and all... update... Kenya officials believe they have located the woman who gave birth and abandoned "Baby Angel".

Animal Trivia, More Interesting Animal Info.

There are several cases of confirmed "Virgin" births in the shark family.
4 out of 5 critically endangered species of cockatoo are found only in Indonesia
Parrots are the most endangered species in the bird family.
DNA tests show all dogs belong to the wolf family canine lupus
A turkey's beak is called a Snood
In the USA a male turkey is called a Tom, but in Brittain it is called a Stag.
There are over 37 medically recognized phobia's that pertain to animals or insects?
Folk doctors in the Andes believe Guinea pigs can detect illnesses in people. They place the animal next to the ill person and believe it will squeal when next to the source of illness. - source - bbk.co.uk nature news
An average cow will give 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.
A rat can go without water longer than a camel.
All pet hamsters are related. Domestic hamsters are all from a single wild female golden hamster that was found with a litter of 12 babies in Syria in 1930.
On ostrich egg is 2000 times larger than the hummingbird's egg.
A catfish has 100,000 taste buds.
The average pet cat consumes approximately 127,750 calories per year. Nearly 28 times its own body weight in food and the same in fluids. Cats cannot survive on a vegetarian diet.
A dragonfly can fly up to 60 mph.

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