On June 13, a handsome young shepherd named
"Tiger" was loaded into a car and taken for a ride...unfortunately,
the destination was not the park, it was the Chicago Animal Care and Control
facility in Illinois. Today, the 11-month-old German shepherd is wondering why
he is locked away behind bars, and why his person is no longer by his side.
On Thursday, the volunteer-run Facebook page, CACCTransfer
Team, notified their page followers that the young dog is "timid"
while kenneled, but he becomes more puppy-like once he is taken out of the
cage. According to the shelter volunteers, Tiger loves to chase tennis balls
and he already knows how to sit on command. The volunteers also noted that
Tiger is "very personable and affectionate."
Please take a moment to network on Tiger's behalf - he
should be chasing after tennis balls, not sitting in a lonely kennel run.
Tiger's identification number A131202.
"The local Value Village store found a live lamprey in
their parking lot," ADF&G reported on its Facebook page. "Another
resident called and said he found one on his lawn!"
It was surely a scary surprise. Looking more like eels or
snakes than regular fish, lampreys don't have scales or fins and can grow to 15
inches long. Instead of jaws, an adult lamprey has a disk-like mouth filled
with small, sharp teeth.
Adults clamp their mouths onto other fish, then use their
teeth and tongues to rasp through its scales and skin to feed on its blood and
fluids. The lamprey releases and drops off after the meal. Some fish die from
the attacks, but in many cases they survive, according to the Fish and Game
department.
"Commercial and subsistence fishers throughout Alaska
are quite familiar with the tell-tale, dime-sized circular scars on salmon and
trout that have been fed upon by lampreys." Reportedly, lampreys are a tasty
catch in their own right.
Needless to say, the fish is not usually found on land. In
fact, most people have never seen the elusive fish up close. Lampreys are born
in fresh water, then move to the ocean as adults. They return to their rivers
of birth to spawn, including the Chena River, which runs along the south side
of Fairbanks.
Wildlife officials believe sea gulls are picking up the
squirmy fish there, only to drop them later in surprising and unlikely places.
So far, four lamprey have been found on land.
Lovebirds are active, cheerful and beautifully decorative.
These petite 'pocket' parrots are very intriguing! Lovebirds come from the
drier regions of Africa. Because they evolved from a very harsh environment,
they are very suited to captivity. Not only do they have a good disposition,
these charming, brilliantly colored little pets are very hardy and easy to care
for. They can also provide you with a successful breeding experience.
In the wild lovebirds live in flocks. They will often bond
with a mate for life and show fierce loyalty and affection to their family. If
you can earn their affections as young birds, you will receive that same fierce
loyalty from your little friends. They are very social with both their keepers
and their mate.
The rewards of keeping a single lovebird can be
astonishing. The amazingly determined spirit of a pet lovebird can far surpass
other small parrots, both in their ability to learn tricks and to show
affection. But because of their strong devotion, a lovebird kept singly will
require vast amounts of time and affection in return in order to thrive.
Lovebirds also won't easily switch loyalties from one
companion to another, whether it is to another bird or to another human. On the
other hand, unless they are very attached to their keeper, lovebirds are not
going to learn a lot of tricks or necessarily want to have a lot of handling.
If you simply want to enjoy the antics and chatter of these
colorful little birds, get two to keep in an indoor cage. Or you can get more
to keep in an aviary. They are very flamboyant, and are wonderful birds to
observe and enjoy.
Distribution
Lovebirds belong to the genus Agapornis. There are nine
species of lovebirds and they are all native to Africa except one. The exception
is the Grey-headed Lovebird which comes from the island of Madagascar. Most
lovebirds live close to the equator where they inhabit dry savannah regions.
There is one exception, a forest dwelling lovebird, the Black-collared
Lovebird.
Description
The lovebird is a small stocky parrot mostly between
5.1-6.7 inches (13-17 cm). They have a large bill and a tail that is either
round or square. Their average life span is between 10-12 years with some
living even longer. The lovebird has been recorded at 17 years and several
people have reported their birds living even longer than that. We had one
person state that their lovebird lived for 25 years!
The different species of lovebird are identifiable by their
colors and markings. They vary greatly in their coloring, and each species can
be viewed for their unique combinations. Younger birds are duller in color and
they have black in their beaks. The young birds coloring intensifies as they
reach maturity. Regardless of the species, mature lovebirds are gorgeous
parrots.
Three of the nine lovebird species are most commonly
available lovebirds for pets. The other six are more rare, and in some cases,
absent at least in the United States. The three common species are the
Peach-faced Lovebirds, the Masked Lovebirds, and the Fischer's Lovebirds, and
all three make wonderful pets. There are a variety of color mutations in
lovebirds, developed from these three common species. This is especially true
for the Peach-faced Lovebird, which can be bred in hundreds of different
combinations of mutations. As a result, there are many new lovebird colors
available.
A wide variety of lovebirds can be found in the pet
industry and from breeders. Some lovebirds and lovebird mutations that are
commonly available include:
In the wild, lovebirds feed on seeds, berries, fruits,
grains, grasses, leaf buds, and agricultural crops of corn, maize and figs.
Their food and water dishes are best if earthenware or porcelain as they will
get gnawed if plastic.
Bird Food
Foods available for Lovebirds include formulated diets,
either pelleted or extruded, seed only diets, and small parrot mixes which
offer a mixture of both. There are pros and cons to feeding only a formulated
diet as well as feeding only a seed diet.
Formulated Diet
A formulated diet provides a good nutritional base so does
not require the addition of vitamins. However it does not contain the
phytonutrients (antioxidant pigments) that are found in vegetables, fruits,
grains, and seeds. Phytonutrients are believed to boost the immune system, help
a body to heal itself, and to prevent some diseases. Also, parrots can become
bored with formulated diet due to the lack of variety.
Seed Diet
A seed only diet offers much more variety but requires
additional vitamin and calcium supplements. Lovebirds need not only nutritional
requirements met but also variety for psychological enrichment.
A lovebirds's diet will consist of 1 1/2 to 2 ounces (45-60
grams) of feed daily for a single bird. A diet consisting of a small parrot mix
along with a variety of supplements and vitamins is generally regarded as
suitable. Also a formulated diet along with greens, fruits, and vegetable
supplements but without additional vitamins is also regarded as suitable, and
is a more current trend.
Supplements
Supplements include fresh vegetables, greens, tree branches
for the bark, some fruits, and millet spray. Some of the fruit supplements
include berries, apples, grapes, pears, bananas, and kiwi. Some of the greens
and vegetable supplements include spinach, endive, watercress, chickweed,
radish, parsley, dandelions, carrot tops, corn on the cob, peas, endive, field
lettuce, and various garden herbs.
Additional proteins can be offered such as nuts. Try some
unshelled peanuts as well as hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and chestnuts.
A cuttlebone, or gravel and oyster shell in a separate dish
can be offered to provide calcium. Do not feed avocado as it can be toxic to
birds!
Vitamins can be added to the food or drinking water.
Water
Lovebirds drink a lot of water, so will need fresh drinking
water every day.
Bird Baths
Most lovebirds love a bath either in a flat earthenware
dish or by spraying them with a light mist of lukewarm water. If you use a
bathing dish, you will see the birds perch on the edge and dip their heads and
upper bodies in the water and beating their wings. They prefer this kind of
bath to getting into the water.
Bird Grooming
Lovebirds generally maintain their nails and beaks on their
own through climbing and chewing. Another good use they make of their tree
branches.
You can find bird seed, bird cages, and everything you need
for your pet here: Bird Supplies
Housing
Lovebirds are very
active birds. When housing your lovebird, bird cages or an aviary best suited
to them must provide a lot of space.
Bird Cages: A
minimum of 32 x 20 x 20 (81 x 50 x 50 cm) per pair of birds is recommended with
about four perches, feed and water dishes and an area for a bath. When you use
a small cage, you must let your pet out daily to fly around.
If you are housing pairs of lovebirds here are a few
guidelines: Try to house only one species of lovebird as mixing species can
cause serious fights. House either one pair of lovebirds or three pairs, never
two pairs or there will be fighting. Each pair needs about 35 cubic feet of
space.
Bird Perch
Provide one or two perches about 3/4' in diameter and
dishes hanging from the side for feed, water, and grit. Try to place the
perches away from dishes so the food and water dish do not become soiled with
bird droppings. Do not use plastic
because your bird will chew and break the plastic and it can become hazardous.
Tree branches of a similar size make good perches and will help to wear the
claws down naturally.
Bird Hide / Nest Box
Lovebirds like special resting places. Nest boxes placed up
high, all at the same level and all of the same type work well and help prevent
fights.
Aviary
A roomy indoor aviary, a bird room, or an outdoor aviary
(depending on your area) are all good choices. The aviary needs plenty of light
and fresh air. The outdoor aviary needs to have a protected shelter that can be
heated and cooled where necessary. Flights are recommended to be a minimum of
6' x 6' x 3' (183 x 183 x 91 cm) with plenty of perches or branches at least 1
1/2" (15 cm) thick.
Maintenance
It is important
For the health of your lovebird, it is important to keep bird houses and
accessories clean and in good shape. Basic cage care includes daily cleaning of
the water and food dishes. Weekly you should clean and disinfect the cage. Wash
and completely dry the perches and toys whenever they become soiled. In the
aviary, sand floors should be renewed annually.
Social Behaviors
Lovebirds as pets, as well as in the wild, are very social
birds. Generally and in most situations, it is thought to be essential for
their good health and happiness that they be kept in pairs, not singly. If
keeping a single lovebird, you must provide the necessary social interaction
that it is missing from another bird. These birds develop fierce loyalties to
their keeper or their mate.
Aside from their social nature toward you or their mate,
lovebirds can be extremely aggressive towards other birds. You must be certain
that all pairs get along together, and that they are true "pairs",
not mismatched. Bonded pairs constantly groom each other and will feed each
other from the crop during breeding season and all year round.
These little birds will chatter all day long. They will
hide in their nest box if they are startled by a sudden noise, if they spot a
potential predator, or if it gets cold and windy.
Handling/Training
Lovebird training is best accomplished with a young bird.
To have a tame lovebird, its also best to work with a single bird. Young birds
have an amazing ability to learn tricks and be affectionate. Adults on the
other hand, are very difficult to tame and generally won't learn a lot of tricks
or imitate behaviors. Hand-raised youngsters are easiest to work with. They are
already quite socialized and tame, but unfortunately they are not always
available.
Taming involves acceptance and trust between you and your
bird. It means spending a lot of time with your bird daily. Start with talking
softly and making slow movements. Once your bird is comfortable with you, then
you can begin hand-taming. Use a dowel and push it gently against the bird’s
chest while offering a treat to coax it up onto the dowel. This may take many
tries. Once it is comfortable with stepping up onto a dowel, substitute your
finger for the dowel.
Lovebirds are not considered one of the best talkers, and
only some may learn a few words.
Activities
Lovebirds awaken with the dawn, get a drink, eat, and then
immediately begin to chirp. They will generally quiet down by mid-morning and
resume their chirping in the late afternoon.
These birds are very active, flying and climbing about,
gnawing on wood or chew toys, and grooming themselves many times all day. They
love toys of all kinds such as seed bells, swings, ladders, mirrors, shiny
objects, and wooden gnaws. A lovebird outside of it's cage will not stay on
it's playpen, they like to explore. Be sure this room is safe with no open
doors or windows, no toxic plants, no open water containers, and no hot stove.
Breeding/Reproduction
One of the pleasures of lovebirds is that they are easy to
breed. For breeding lovebirds, each pair of birds will need 2 nest boxes for sleeping
and nesting. These boxes need to be of the same type and size, and placed at
the same height on the same wall.
Breeding Lovebirds
Lovebirds will breed willingly as single pairs and some
species of lovebirds can be bred in a colony setting. Especially suited to a
colony are the white eye-ring group of lovebirds.
Breeding Age for Lovebirds
Lovebirds need to be at least 10 months old, though 12 to
13 months is better. Also birds that are 5 to 6 years or older should be
retired from breeding.
Sexing Lovebirds
Some visual characteristics that may aid in determining sex
are that the female is heavier bodied than the male and will sit more broadly
with legs apart, while the males sit more upright. A female’s tail will appear
more square while a males will appear more rounded. When observing the nesting
behavior, the female will do most of the nest building work.
An anal inspection can be done but takes experience in
sexing these birds to make a fair determination. Basically there are two bones
called the ossa pubes on the ventral side of the pelvis and the female will be
spread wider apart than the male.
The sexing of lovebirds falls into three categories
Dimorphic Types
The first group are different in their outward appearance
and can be classified as dimorphic.
This first group consists of:
Abyssinian Lovebird Agapornis toranta
Madagascar Lovebird Agapornis cana
Red-faced Lovebird Agapornis pullaria
Intermediate Types
The second or intermediate group are harder to
differentiate by appearance.
This group consists of:
Peach-faced Lovebirds Agapornis reseicollis
Black-collared Lovebird Agapornis swinderniana
Monomorphic Types
In the third group, the white eye-ring group, there are no
definite differences that can be seen. The sexing of the white eye-ring group
must be determined by either a surgical probe, endoscopy, which can be done by
many veterinarians or by a DNA testing, usually a blood sample or a few plucked
feathers sent to be diagnosed in a lab.
If you are breeding lovebirds in a colony setting, it is
very important to provide many more nest boxes than their are pairs of birds to
minimize fighting. The nest boxes should all be the same and mounted at the
same height of the enclosure. Also, be diligent in watching for fighting as it
can lead to death.
A nest box for a lovebird is 8" x 8" x 8"
(20 x 20 x 20 cm) or 10" x 6" x 6" (25 x 15 x 15 cm).
Egg Laying and Hatchlings
The female will lay about 5 eggs, though the clutch could
be as few as 3 eggs or as many as 8 eggs. The incubation period is 22 - 25
days, with 75% to 80% of the eggs hatching. The hen will start to brood after
the second egg is hatched. Often the male will join the hen in the nest. The
chicks will begin to leave the nest in about 38 - 50 days and will be
independent about 2 weeks after leaving the nest.
Potential Problems
Lovebird ailments, signs of illness to be aware of, include
if a bird seems withdrawn, its feathers are ruffled and the plumage is dull, it
sits with its eyes closed, watery or dull eyes, runny nose, it sleeps a lot, it
looses interest in its environment, and it stays at its feed cup. The droppings
may change color and be loose (if healthy they are grayish white and not to
thin). A couple other lovebird ailments to watch for are a lot of tail bobbing,
dropping off its perch, odd breathing, sneezing, and excessive scratching.
Some of the common lovebird ailments, illnesses your
lovebirds could contract, are injuries from fighting, Psittacine Beak and Feather
Disease, Polyoma Virus Infection, yeast infections (Candidiasis), Avian Pox
Virus Infection, bacterial infections, internal parasites, mites, ticks, egg
binding, intestinal influenza, coccidiosis, respiratory ailments, and diarrhea.
An ailing parrot should be taken to a avian veterinarian for diagnosis and
treatment.
Availability
The most available types of lovebirds for sale are the
Peach-faced Lovebird, the Masked Lovebird, and the Fischer's Lovebirds. There
are many beautiful lovebird mutations developed from these three groups of
birds that are also readily available. Many other species of lovebird are
available but not be as readily found. Lovebirds are also fairly inexpensive
little parrots.
A 15-month-old dog named Caitlyn that was found with her
snout taped shut so tightly she needed surgery is doing well and does not require
additional procedures, animal society officials said.
Charleston Animal Society officials announced Friday that
Caitlyn, a stray dog found in North Charleston, South Carolina in May, does not
require additional surgery to her mutilated snout.
In a Facebook post on the society's page, an administrator
wrote that a veterinarian concluded that the dog's original incisions are
healed.
The dog, a Chocolate Staffie Mix, was found on a doorstep
with the electrical tape wrapped tightly around her muzzle, Fox Carolina
reports.
The person took the dog to the society and Caitlyn, listed
in critical condition, underwent surgery to repair her cheek and lips.
Court documents state that when Caitlyn was taken in, her
snout was swollen and her tongue was swollen, bruised, discolored and oozing
blood, Fox reports.
Officials said Caitlyn's tongue had no blood flow since it
became stuck between her teeth due to the tight tape wrapping.
A vet earlier in the week said that the pooch would need
additional surgery to treat a wound underneath her chin, but declared on Friday
that it would not be necessary.
William Leonard Dodson, 41, was arrested and charged with
animal cruelty on June 4 in the case of the abused dog.
His bail was set at $50,000 and he was ordered to surrender
a second dog he owned at his residence, police told Fox.
Court documents stated that Dodson bought the dog at the
end of May for $20 and told the woman he bought it from that he had taped the
dog's snout because she wouldn't stop barking.
Dodson, who laughed about the claim, reportedly also told
the woman that he chained the dog in his front yard but the pooch broke free
and escaped, Fox reports, citing an affidavit.
According to society officials, the tape may have been
wrapped for between 36 and 48 hours.
For more information on the Charleston Animal Society, you
can check out their website, and if you are interested in donating to Toby's
Fund, click HERE.
You can read the timeline stories about Caitlyn here:
These pit bull owners have something to say: stop
stereotyping us and stop stereotyping our dogs. A new video released by Animal
Farm Foundation shows the real truth about pitties and their families — that
they're just like any other beloved pet.
The video is part of "The Majority Project," an
Animal Farm Foundation campaign showcasing pit bull-loving families who are
tired of hearing negative stereotypes about the breed ... and the types of
people who have pitties.
The following is a script of "The Smartest Dog in the
World" which aired on October 5, 2014, and was rebroadcast on June 14,
2015. Anderson Cooper is the correspondent. Denise Schrier Cetta, producer.
Human beings have lived with dogs for thousands of years.
You'd think that after all that time we'd have discovered all there is to know
about them. But, as we first reported last fall, it turns out that until
recently scientists didn't pay much attention to dogs. Dolphins have been
studied for decades, apes and chimps as well, but dogs, with whom we share our
lives, were never thought to be worthy of serious study. As a result, we know
very little about what actually goes on inside dogs' brains. Do they really
love us, or are dogs just licking us so they can get fed? How much of our
language can they understand? Before you answer, we want you to meet Chaser,
who's been called "the smartest dog in the world."
Eighty-six-year-old retired psychology professor John
Pilley and his border collie Chaser are inseparable.
Tigers, lions, a hippopotamus and other animals have
escaped from the zoo in Georgia's capital after heavy flooding destroyed their
enclosures, prompting authorities to warn residents in Tbilisi to stay inside
Sunday. At least eight people have been killed in the disaster, including three
zoo workers, and 10 are missing.
An escaped hippo was cornered in one of the city's main
squares and subdued with a tranquilizer gun, the zoo said. Some other animals
also have been seized, but it remained unclear how many are on the loose. Bears
and wolves are also among the animals who fled from their enclosures amid the
flooding from heavy rains and high winds.
"Most of the escaped animals are believed to have died
in the flood last night or were killed by special forces," Mzia
Sharashidze, spokeswoman for Tbilisi Zoo, told NBC News. "Not many animals
are still on the loose but it is difficult to say how many are still out
there."
It wasn't immediately clear if the eight people were killed
from the flooding or animal attacks. The zoo said one of the dead was Guliko
Chitadze, a zookeeper who lost an arm in an attack by a tiger last month.
Heavy rains and wind hit Tbilisi during the night, turning
a normally small stream that runs through the hilly city into a surging river.
The flooding also damaged dozens of houses.
City mayor David Narmania told journalists that eight
people were known to have died and 10 others were missing.
Helicopters are circling the city and residents have been
told to stay indoors except in an emergency. About 1.1 million people live in
the former Soviet republic's capital.
A group of pit bulls will get a fighting chance after cops
rescued them from a Harlem owner who was conditioning them to do bloody battle,
police said Sunday.
A series of 311 calls reporting the dog-fighting den on W.
112 St. at Manhattan Ave. led investigators to 11 malnourished pooches kept in
“terrible conditions” in a cramped basement, cops said.
Authorities executed a search warrant Thursday and also
discovered equipment often used in the brutal dog fights, police said.
“I was very happy to get them out,” said Sgt. Maria Sexton,
an animal-cruelty liaison officer. “There were tails wagging all over the
place.”
Brandon Baez, 41, was nabbed during the sting and hit with
a slew of charges including 11 counts of animal cruelty and weapons possession.
Last year, 5,767 postal carriers were bitten by dogs, up
from 5,581 in 2013, and the most attacks happened in warm and sunny Los
Angeles, Houston and San Diego, said Linda DeCarlo, manager of safety for the
U.S. Postal Service. None of the bites caused deaths.
The cities’ weather draws pets and people outside and doors
and windows get left open, DeCarlo said. The slight rise in bites also stems
from the popularity of online shopping because postal workers must bring
packages to front doors instead of street-side mailboxes, DeCarlo said.
But the biggest victims are children and senior citizens,
who can be overpowered by dogs. Of the 4.5 million people bitten every year,
more than half are kids, said Dr. Jose Arce, an American Veterinary Medical
Association board member.
Bites kill about 16 people a year. Besides the
postal-worker totals, specific numbers on dog bites are lacking because few
people seek treatment. And no one tracks bites by breed.
What Not to Do
Stare into a dog’s eyes.
Tease a dog.
Approach one that’s chained up or injured.
Touch a dog you don’t know that’s off a leash.
Run or scream if one charges.
Play with a dog while it’s eating.
Touch one while it’s sleeping.
Get close to one that’s nursing puppies.
Leave a small child alone with a dog, even if it’s the
family pet.
What to Do
Ask an owner before petting a dog you don’t know.
Let the dog sniff your closed fist before touching it.
Freeze if a dog runs toward you.
Socialize puppies so they are comfortable around people and
other animals.
Use a leash in public.
How Parents Can Help
When the mail arrives, place your pet in a closed room so
it can’t go through a window or screen door to possibly attack the carrier.
Tell children not to take mail from the carrier in front of the dog because the
animal could see it as threatening.
Also, teach children to treat dogs with respect and avoid
rough or aggressive play.
Where Bites Happened
Last year, 74 postal-carrier bites were reported in Los
Angeles, followed by Houston with 62 and San Diego with 47, DeCarlo said.
The LA tally rose from 61 bites in 2013, when Houston was
No. 1 with 63. San Diego moved up a notch from two years ago, when 53 postal
workers were bitten.
The Postal Service didn’t break down the severity of
injuries, but 1,540 bites kept employees from work for at least a day after the
attack, DeCarlo said.
Insurance Payouts
Bites and other dog-related injuries cost insurers $530
million last year, about a third of their paid claims, the Insurance
Information Institute said.
The number of dog-bite claims decreased 4.7 percent from
2013, but the average cost per claim rose by 15 percent because of higher
medical costs and settlements. The average claim in 2014 was $32,072, up from
$27,862.
Oregon City, Oregon - They dove into the cold waters,
emerging with writhing, eel-like fish in hand and thrusting them into nets.
Thus began Northwest Native American tribes' annual lampreyharvest at a rushing, 40-foot waterfall about
15 miles south of Portland.
The jawless, gray fish are a traditional food source for
tribal members in the Columbia River Basin, which stretches from the Oregon
coast to Canada and into Idaho, Montana and Washington. Lampreys grow to about
2 feet long and are prized for their rich, fatty meat.
On Friday, adults, teens and children from the Umatilla and
Warm Springs reservations in Oregon and the Yakama reservation in Washington
crawled over slippery rocks and waded through icy pools to reach the lampreys'
hiding spots. The fish latch onto rocks in Willamette Falls with their round,
toothy mouths.
"Our people have always come here, generation after
generation," said Bobby Begay, a Warm Springs tribal member who drove more
than a 100 miles to the falls from his village of Celilo.
Begay, 46, has attended the harvest for more than 40 years.
He is teaching his children and nephews how to navigate the rocks and where to
find the biggest catch.
"The same fishing holes my grandfather showed me, his
father and grandfather showed him, and I showed my kids," he said.
Lampreys taste best when roasted over an open fire, Begay
said. They also can be dried or frozen for later use. The fish harvested this
month will be distributed to tribal elders and used for ceremonial purposes, he
said.
In previous generations, lampreys were abundant up and down
the Columbia River and its tributaries. Biologists have estimated at least a
million once were crossing Bonneville Dam on the Columbia east of Portland.
But their numbers have dwindled over the past 30 years
because of the dams and toxins such as pesticides. About 20,000 remain, said
Brian McIlraith with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
Willamette Falls is the last place where the fish can be
caught by the hundreds.
Tribes have been instrumental in advocating for lamprey
restoration, and the government has started paying attention. That's because
lampreys also offer an alternate food source for sea lions and other predators
that otherwise would be munching on threatened salmon.
Tribes have received funding and run research and recovery
projects. They truck lampreys past dams and have pushed for construction of
ramps to help the fish navigate the structures.
They're also looking at breeding lampreys in a hatchery,
but that's not the preferred method, said tribal elder Donnie Winishut Sr., who
observed the harvest to assure safety.
"We would rather see them grow in a natural way,"
Winishut said. "It's good to see the young people coming to the falls and
learning our tradition, and I hope they can continue coming here to catch the
fish."
The thumb-sized crustaceans started washing ashore further
up the California coast earlier this year, but turned up this week in San Diego
in unusually larger numbers, officials said.
They’ve washed ashore periodically over the years because
of any number of natural effects, but research scientist Michael Shane of the
Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute in San Diego cited El Nino as the phenomenon
that might have pushed the crabs up from their normal habitat far offshore.
The result is certain death and nothing can be done to save
the crabs.
“The crabs start to die because the local waters are much
cooler,” Shane told ABC News today. “Local animals have begun to eat the crabs
and they have been found in the gut contents of sea lions, fish, and birds.”
The remaining carcasses will remain on the shore until they
decompose or are swept back into the water.
