Are Whale Watchers Loving Whales to Death?

An estimated 10 million people or more venture into coastal waters every year to get a closer look at whales.
Killer whales may be the top of the food chain underwater, but they stand little chance against the eco-tourists who try to catch a glimpse of the majestic mammals rising above the water line.
"We now have more whale-watch boats than there are whales," said Kelley Balcomb-Bartok of the Orca Conservancy, a nonprofit organization in Washington state that works with scientists to protect Orcas.
All this activity is raising concerns about the whales' health and survival.
Some scientists say noise from all the boat traffic may impair a whale's sonar ability as much as 95 percent. The whales need sonar to find food.
Three new studies released this month suggest the interference is damaging the whales, whose population in the Puget Sound region has fallen from 98 to 80 in less than a decade.
Scientists say all the traffic also forces the Orcas to move around more, wasting energy needed for hunting food.
"I would say that at times when there are a lot of boats and there is a lot of noise, that they are irritated,"said Tom McMillen, captain of the whale-watching boat Stellar Sea, which takes out three groups a day.
Scientists say the noise from the boats leads to added stress on the animals, which are already coping with fewer salmon to eat and increasing pollution.
　

A Need to Make Animals Happier

Satellites will shortly swing into action to track sheep grazing habits as part of a project to design farms that make animals happier.
The Food Animal Initiative combines scientists from Oxford University and farmers funded by British food industry giants supermarket Tesco and burger chain McDonalds UK.
"Animals are every farmer's first priority, so it is important that they're given the best care," rural affairs television presenter John Craven said, launching the project.
Apart from tracking sheep to help redesign fields, the initial phase of the project will encourage pigs to indulge in a bit of satisfying rooting and create shady spots for cows to have their calves in natural comfort.
"Our expertise...is in using animal behavior to tell us what the animals want," said Oxford University head of Zoology, Paul Harvey.

Lion Defies Nature by Adopting Oryx - Again (2002)

A lioness who has already defied nature twice this year by adopting a baby oryx -- an antelope that Africa's top predator usually likes to eat -- has done it again, adopting a third oryx.
Game wardens at Samburu National Park said Monday they had found the lioness with a four or five-day-old oryx called Easter Saturday. She had previously adopted new born oryxes over New Year and on Valentine's Day.
On each occasion, she has given the calves affection, protection from other lions, and even allowed their natural mothers to come and feed them.
"Yesterday, two oryxes came (near the lion and calf), probably the mother and father," chief warden Simon Leirana told reporters. "The lioness left the calf and went to sleep in the shade.
"The calf went to its mother and started suckling for about three minutes, then the lioness ran toward them and the mother oryx ran away."
Leirana said the calf tried to follow its mother, but was pursued by the lioness who eventually won "her" baby back.
Wardens said the latest adoptee looked well and strong. Oryx number two was taken away from the lioness after its condition deteriorated from lack of food.
Oryx number one was not so lucky. The lioness managed to protect it for two weeks before a hungry male lion with a traditional diet seized the baby while the lioness was napping.
　

Cat's Meow Saves Owner From Toronto Fire (2002)

Buddy the cat is being hailed a hero on Friday after saving his owner's life by waking the sleeping man during a raging fire.
The dark tabby transferred some of his own nine lives to his owner when a fire erupted in their shared apartment in a Toronto suburb on Thursday. The cat responded by jumping on the man and meowing loud enough to wake him up.
The 75-year-old man, who is expected to survive, is being treated in hospital for burns to his face and hands. Meanwhile, his pet is hooked up to an intravenous unit, but is expected to fully recover.
"He's definitely a hero. If he hadn't woken him up he could have died in that fire," said Kelly Hand, a registered veterinarian technician who has been treating Buddy at a Toronto animal hospital. "This is pretty unusual for a cat. It would be more likely that a dog would do something like this."
Buddy arrived at the animal hospital with singed fur and covered in black soot. He is now taking an anti-shock drug, yet remains in good spirits.
"He's really a calm cat considering what he's been through," said Hand. "He's very good natured and easy going."