The Very Surprising History Behind Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day has become an American tradition, wedged halfway between the Christmas and Easter. But how much do you really know about these animals who’ve shown a talent for predicting the weather? Read on for everything you need to know about the surprising origins behind Groundhog Day. What is Groundhog Day? Photo: Flickr/slgckgc As the name implies, this North American tradition was inspired by the groundhog, a furry marmot that loves to burrow underground, hence the groundhog’s alternate nickname: the “land...
Sea Lions Recorded ‘Surfing’ Huge Waves Off California Coast
Sea lions are commonly seen off the coast of California, but they are rarely seen surfing the huge waves. Southern California was hit with a large wintertime swell last week and surfers took full advantage of it, including playful sea lions. Pacific Offshore Expeditions headed out to Santa Barbara Islands for a diving expedition but were surprised by a pod of sea lions riding the giant waves. Screenshot: Facebook/Pacific Offshore Expeditions The surreal footage was posted to Instagram with the caption, “There’s been large swell...
Scientists Discover A New Way Snakes Use Their Bodies To Climb Trees
Ever wonder how it is that snakes can climb trees? Given that they don’t have legs or arms, one would think they’d be unable to get up off the ground. Over the years, scientists have studied the ways of these slithering reptiles and discovered they have four different snake locomotions known as rectilinear, lateral undulation, sidewinding, and concertina. However, it would appear that there is a new, previously unknown method of snake locomotion. Researchers from Colorado State and the University of Cincinnati have discovered the...
DIY Repellents To Keep Snakes Away From Your Home
We’re in the middle of January right now, but in a few months, we’ll be looking towards the warmer days of spring and summer. While everyone loves a nice sunny stretch after such a cold and bleak winter, warmer weather does mean the return of certain household pests. Snakes are more active during spring and summer when the weather is more likely to hit between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They will typically be seen during the early morning and late afternoon. In the height of summer, they might be less common as it is too hot...
Teen Wins Essay Contest And Donates The $50,000 Prize To A Cat Shelter
In an incredible act of kindness, one 13-year-old girl who’d won a national essay contest chose to forgo her winnings, and instead donate all the money to her local Michigan animal shelter. Sidney Hertzberg is a regular volunteer at the Ferndale Cat Shelter in Ferndale, Michigan. She is a self-proclaimed cat person, so when Petco put out an essay contest, she decided to enter and write about her love of cats and all her experiences with them. According to WXYZ, Sidney said, “I figured OK, let’s write a story, maybe by some...
Vet Saves Parrot By Creating A Prosthetic Beak
Birds need their beaks in order to survive. Essentially, a bird’s beak functions the same way that a human’s hands do. Birds use their beaks for everything from eating, to moving things around, grooming, climbing objects, and defending themselves. When a bird loses its ability to use its beak or if its beak becomes damaged, it can easily spell doom for the animal. That’s the fate one parrot almost faced when its beak was broken. The initial outlook was not positive. It faced a grim future unless something was done to help...
The Three-Legged, One-Eyed Dog No One Wanted
We had to say goodbye to our lovely 13.5 year old Standard Poodle called Mojo. We’d already discussed that we would take another dog, but it needed to be one with special needs and one that wouldn’t be so easy to home. It would probably take us a few months for the right dog to come along. The following day we spotted an urgent adoption appeal for a very sad looking Romanian dog with three legs and one eye which no-one wanted. PHOTO: Tan Morris We fell instantly in love with this pitiful looking dog and immediately sent off an...
The Internet Has Fallen In Love With This Gigantic Frog Species
We’ve all been told not to believe everything that we see on the internet. For the most part, that is sound advice as the world-wide-web can be a plethora of doctored photos and tall tales. However, the internet can also connect us with people and things around the world that are real, even if it’s hard to believe. That’s what happened when a photo of one frog started making rounds online. The frog looks so unbelievably large, people don’t actually think it’s the real deal. Earlier in the month, there was a photo...
Rescue Dog Survived Years of Neglect and Has Slowly Learned to Trust Again
Jaxx’s story was originally shared in the Clear the Shelters Adoption Story Challenge on ShelterChallenge.com. Create your own free Shelter Challenge account and vote for your favorite shelter or rescue group to win cash and prizes. Every time you vote we’ll give an extra donation to shelters! Jaxx came in to the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society in need of medical care due to neglect, and needed a lot of TLC. With a severely matted coat and thin frame, this poor boy quickly stole the hearts of the shelter staff — but he...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: Last day to apply for the No Place Like Home Challenge, weekly calls and more!
Below is a brief round-up of new blog posts and resources we’ve added over the past week. TODAY: Last chance to register for the No Place Like Home ChallengeWant to kick off the New Year with a chance at $150,000 in grant prizes? Mark your calendars for our latest grant opportunity, the No Place Like Home Challenge. Whether you’re a pro at Return to Home or looking to expand your efforts, this Challenge is for you. The first of its kind and a collaboration amongst 10 national organizations, this challenge is all about...
