Residents of an apartment complex in Florida (where else?) had a kangaroo come by and visit them last night.The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a kangaroo on the loose in an apartment complex near Fowler Avenue and 56th Street in Tampa and discovered a wayward marsupial in the fenced-in pool area.
After carding the restless Roo whose name was appropriately Hopper, police found that he had the proper registration papers and was escorted back to his owner.
Big Day for Baby Rhino
Here in Oregon zoo officials had a big reveal today as they trotted out the zoo's newest addition - an Eastern Black Rhino. The not yet named calf is a boy.
He went outside for the first time in his life - escorted by his Mama Jozi - as officials celebrated his turning two months old.
Because zoo officials have not decided on a name for the "tiny tank" they're accepting suggestions from the public.
The birth of a Eastern Black Rhino calf that is critically endangered was a crucial step in conservation for the Africa-native species, according to a zoo spokesperson.
Walmart Goes to the Birds
A Canadian Walmart store in Saskatchewan has new residents living in the rafters - birds.
One local official pointed out it was no accident the birds were seeking warm shelter - it's been freezing (minus 50) outside for days.
Jan Shadick, executive director with Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation explained, "The birds aren't crazy, just practical." She advised that the best thing the store could do is ignore them because they would be difficult to evict.
That was easy for Shadick to say but how can the store ignore a steady drip of bird dung from the rafters above? "Only be concerned" Shadick said, "if you spot birds landing on the floor."
Meanwhile local Walmart shoppers are advised to wear hats!
There's a Moose on the Loose!
Skiers at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Villager Wyoming, were surprised to see a moose chasing them down the mountain.
An onlooker caught the chase on his cell phone camera and posted the video on his Facebook page... for posterity I suppose.
The good news is there's been no injuries...yet.
The bad news is the moose is still on the loose. The antlered interloper is still on the slopes seeking skiers.
BooBoo Goes to College
It was the great escape when a wallaby decided to leave its owner's home in Tennessee to seek higher education.
Lincoln Memorial University posted on Facebook that an Australian marsupial was spotted crossing the Harrogate school's campus before fleeing in the woods behind Grant-Lee Hall.
The animal, named BooBoo, apparently never got a chance to attend any classes as he was captured by rangers at Cumberland Gap National Park, and returned to his owner.
Venomous Stowaway Finds New Home
A venomous scorpion stowed away from Kenya to Ireland in a woman's baggage. The tiny continent traveler apparently didn't have the money for a ticket, so it was forced to hid in a passenger's luggage.
When the woman arrived in Ireland, she unpacked her suitcase and left the bag in her bedroom.
Two weeks later the woman decided to move the bag and discovered a venomous Fishers-fat-tailed scorpion underneath it.
The woman didn't lose her cool after the startling discovery, much to her credit. She called The National Reptiles Zoo's venomous unit and told reporters "Luckily the house had underfloor heating, so the scorpion was toasty warm on the floor."
Which is why I assume the yet-to-be named predatory arachnid was in a good mood and allowed a human to take him/her to a new home.
He/she signed a contract with the zoo to make educational presentations in exchange for room and board.
As it stands, I think it's only fair I sometimes report on animal stories. After all, we share the planet with them.
