Sarah, the Cincinnati Zoos eight-year-old female cheetah, is now the worlds fastest of all land mammals. Today, Sarah earned her spot in the record book when she crossed the finish line in the 100-meter sprint with a time of 6.16 seconds in her very first attempt, breaking the previous mark of 6.19 seconds set by a male South African cheetah named Nyana in 2001. Then, in her second attempt she broke her own record with a time of 6.13 seconds. (For comparison, the Fastest Human on Earth, Jamaican Sprinter Usain Bolt, recently posted a 9.58 in the 100-meter dash.)
Close up of a Pacu's teeth in Brazil. Pacu fish, cousins to the piranha and known as "frugivores," have human-like teeth that can crack nuts and fruits.
It is surprising to have made a find of this magnitude in the 21st century. We have not yet determined the size of the population, but we estimate that it is small because we have only captured 36 pink iguanas for research up to now.
Fish With Foward-Looking Eyes Discovered in Indonesia: A diver exploring the sea life off the harbor of a small island in Indonesia stumbled on an odd looking fish that may see like humans. [photo link]The leglike pectoral fin for walking is the clue that this newly found fish is an anglerfish, even though it does not have a lure on its head for attracting prey. Its flat face and forward-looking eyes are just two of a host of reasons why University of Washington professor Ted Pietsch thinks the fish found in January probably represents a new family of vertebrate animals.[via Truemors]
PETA berates Singapore Air for ad: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had criticised Singapore Airlines for an advertisement using an elephant to sell flights. There's nothing 'colorful' about tearing elephants away from their families and habitats and forcing them to perform for tourists under the threat of beatings. Tourists help perpetuate this abuse, and Singapore Airlines is glorifying it with its thoughtless ad.Singapore Airlines said the scene was depicted in a drawing and that the ad had not been used recently. A Singapore Airline spokeswoman responded,
That this group chooses to pick on a drawing...shows they clearly aren't aware of the work that our airline is supporting, to facilitate well-managed conservation projects.Read more at PETA News Release ("General Motors and Georgia-Pacific Get Thumbs Up, While CDW and Singapore Airlines Scoop Up Litterbox Awards for Commercials That Stink for Animals") and the PETA blog post.
