Deer tree bobcat

Talk about strange news from the outdoor world. I was reading some of the many outdoor blogs that I follow, when I came across this:

Mark this down in the strange but true wildlife tales.
Ron Goade, president of SSI Technologies in Edmond, and his wife, Susie, were playing golf this month in Scottsdale, Ariz., when they witnessed three mule deer does tree a full grown male bobcat.

The Goades were walking to the 10th tee at the Desert Mountain Golf Course when three does chasing a bobcat raced in front of them.

“The bobcat flew up the tree as the deer stood guard,” said Ron Goade, who took some photographs with the camera on his cell phone.

The deer stood hissing at the bobcat in the tree.

“I don’t know what happened before that, but he didn’t want any part of the deer,” Ron Goade said. “We speculate the bobcat was trying to grab a fawn from a herd of fawns and mothers.”

The Goades watched for about 10 minutes but neither the bobat or mule deer would budge, so they decided to play on.

“It was an incredible sight,” he said. “You just never see a deer chasing a bobcat.”

That would have been the craziest thing to see. All I can say is: Herbivores 1, Carnivores 0

(Saw this over on NewsOK)

What's a group called?

Everyone knows that a bunch of birds is called a "flock."

And everyone knows that a bunch of fish is called a "school."

But what are some other groups of items called?

Well thank you University of California for allowing me to check this list on your Web site.

Here are some of the best:

• A fluther of jellyfish - the reason Brandon avoids the ocean at all costs.
  
• A neverthriving of jugglers - so a circus?
• A mob of kangaroos - better yet, boxing kangaroos!
• A bevy of ladies - the reason Brandon and I go to the ocean.
• A number of mathematicians - a.k.a nerds.
• A company of moles - they wear suits.
• A tribe of monkeys - I like monkeys.
• A barren of mules - a.k.a. frat guys.
• A superfluity of nuns - nuns do seem to travel in groups...err...I mean in superfluities.
• A parliament of owls - owls are smart.
• A huddle of penguins - they huddle to stay warm.
• A gaze of raccoons - I like raccoons and monkeys.
• An unkindness of ravens - they are like the emo kids of the bird family.
• A clutter of spiders - RAID.
• An ambush of tigers - yes, I'm sure tigers are trying to ambush me. Now walk away slowly.
• A bale of turtles - It's actually a rectangle block of turtles. Like a bale of hay.
• A blessing of unicorns - I've never seen ONE unicorn, let alone a BLESSING of them.
• An ugly of walruses - walruses are ugly, oh, and also the reason Brandon avoids the ocean.
• A descent of woodpeckers - Woody Woodpecker.
• A crash of rhinoceroses - because they crash through everything.
• A dray of squirrels - I like squirrels, raccoons and monkeys!
  

What a world we live in!

Now many people in the world never get outside of their bubble. And by bubble I mean the area where they feel safe. They have their houses, their cars, their jobs and back to their houses. Now think of all the things these people miss.

Take these creatures for example. What a site they would be to see!

Axolotl salamander


No joke. That is the creature. Often called the Mexican Walking Fish. He is pretty darn happy looking. And for a walking fish, pretty darn cute. Just look at that smile. Nobody tell him that his species is on the Endangered list and that thanks to many non-native fish in his habitat, he probably won't last much longer.


Trichobatrachus robustus


This crazy looking frog, also called the Hairy Frog, is in a class of his own. He takes "break a leg" just a bit too far.

Ok, maybe not break a leg. But more like break a bone.

Yes, this Hairy Frog breaks his own bones.

...actively breaks its own bones to produce claws that puncture their way out of the frog's toe pads, probably when it is threatened.

Now that is what I call a good party trick. Nay, a great party trick.

I shall call him Wolverine.


Zombie Caterpillar

Yes, it is a real thing. And a very, very, very strange thing. Did I mention very? (Oh, and beware those of weak stomachs)

These Voodoo wasps lay their eggs inside of young caterpillars. Because yes, the wasps are parasitoid. The eggs hatch and then the young wasps live inside the caterpillar on its bodily fluids.

When the wasps are fully grown they eat through the caterpillars skin and attach their cocoons to a nearby branch.

Now ready for the really strange part? The caterpillar doesn't die. Instead it stays near the cocoons and for some reason protects them from other creatures.

Watch it here.



So yeah, once the wasps come out, the caterpillar dies. I told you it was strange.


Now what do each of these things have in common?

Come on. Guess.

Well, if you said all FOUR of them are odd, then yes. You got it correct.

Yes, the Zombie caterpillar, underwater alien, and horror frog are very strange. But so are the people who sit around and refuse to go explore their world.

Besides, you never know what crazy animal you may run into.