Ice Seals Get Endangered Species Protection

Six groups of seals threatened by shrinking sea ice are gaining new protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced late last week.

NOAA will list as threatened two distinct bearded seal populations - one in the Beringia region, which includes Alaska, and one in the Okhotsk region of Russia's far east - and three subspecies of ringed seals (Arctic, Okhotsk and Baltic). Another ringed seal subspecies found only in Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia will be listed as endangered. A fifth subspecies of ringed seal, the Saimaa in Finland, is already listed as endangered under the ESA.

Forecasts predict that sea ice will be substantially reduced within this century, and there is potential for the spring and summer ice edge to retreat to deep waters of the Arctic Ocean basin. Bearded seals live on sea ice during critical months for breeding, whelping, nursing and molting. Ringed seals also use sea ice for molting and they build snow caves on top of sea ice to shield their pups from freezing temperatures and predators.

'Our scientists undertook an extensive review of the best scientific and commercial data. They concluded that a significant decrease in sea ice is probable later this century and that these changes will likely cause these seal populations to decline,' Jon Kurland, protected resources director for NOAA Fisheries' Alaska region, said in a statement.

NOAA officials said the decision will not result in any immediate restrictions on human activities, though their next step is to evaluate potential protected habitats for Arctic ringed seals and the Beringia bearded seals (those that live in U.S. waters), which already has oil and gas companies in Alaska miffed. In a statement, Kara Moriarty, executive director for the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, criticized the decision for being 'based on how climate change might affect these species 100 years from now, despite their populations currently being healthy and abundant.' The group is concerned that potential habitats could raise costs and cause delays with oil and gas development, the Alaska Dispatch reported.

NOAA officials said the new listings were based on the best available science, including climate models developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The agency also pledged that any future habitat designation will fully consider the economic impact and will aim to avoid unnecessary burdens and costs on states, tribes, localities and the private sector.

A study published earlier this year in the journal Geophysical Research Letters warned that while the mid-winter snowfall rate is expected to increase slightly by the end of the century, Arctic sea ice is expected to start forming later in the season. This means that heavy snow falling earlier in the winter will drop into the ocean instead of piling up on the ice, the researchers said.

Drawing on 10 different climate models, the researchers predicted that the area of the Arctic that gets 8-inch accumulations of snow will drop by almost 70 percent during the 21st century. This would significantly reduce the area where Arctic ringed seals can build sufficient caves. Earlier snowmelts and increased rainfall will also threaten to dissolve the seals' caves before the pups are ready to venture outside on their own, the researchers said.

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San Diego Zoo's Panda Cub Has a Ball

Life at the zoo can be a ball, literally.

The belle of the ball at the San Diego Zoo on Thursday was Xiao Liwu, the newest addition to the zoo's panda family, who was captured on camera enjoying a slew of new toys, including a plastic ball.

'He was really enjoying hugging it, rolling on it and doing those kinds of rolly, tumbling things that panda cubs are so notoriously cute for doing,' veterinarian Beth Bicknese said in a video on the zoo's website.

READ MORE: Panda Cub Opens Eyes at San Diego Zoo

The ball wasn't all fun and games for Xiao Liwu, however, as it was used, along with a stick of bamboo and a plastic ring shaped like a doughnut, at his most recent checkup to test his coordination, growth and development.

The good news? Xiao Liwu, who was born at the zoo in July, passed his exam - comprised of 10 to 15 measurements, according to the zoo - with flying colors.

'Everything looks good he's still a little on the smaller side but overall he's in good body condition, everything's growing, his teeth are coming in,' Meg Sutherland-Smith, the zoo's associate director of veterinary services, said after the exam.

Xiao Liwu, whose name, which means 'little gift,' was chosen in an online poll, weighed just four pounds when he became the sixth panda cub born at the zoo under a 12-year agreement with China that included the loan of two giant pandas. At his exam on Thursday, his 19 th since his birth, the 20-week-old cub weighed in at 14.5 pounds.

Zoo officials are waiting to put Xiao Liwu on public display at the zoo until he develops the 'bear behavior' of following his mother and being a better climber, according to Bicknese.

Until then, Xiao Liwu's fans can still keep track of the playful cub online with the zoo's panda cam, a live stream that has documented the cub's nearly every movement since his birth.

To watch the baby panda's latest veterinary exam, click here.



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Animal rights group settles lawsuit with Ringling

WASHINGTON (AP) - An animal rights group will pay Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus $9.3 million to settle its part of a lawsuit stemming from claims the circus abused its elephants.

The circus company's owners announced the settlement with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on Friday. The animal rights group was one of several that in 2000 sued the circus' owner, Feld Entertainment Inc., claiming elephants were abused. Courts later found that the animal rights activists had paid a former Ringling employee to bring the lawsuit and that the man didn't have the right to sue the circus.

The Vienna, Va.-based Feld Entertainment then sued the animal rights groups, accusing them of conspiracy to harm its business other illegal acts. Friday's settlement covers only the ASPCA.



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Tigers Making Comeback in Asia

Camera trap images reveal tiger numbers rebounding across Asia, especially in southwestern India, where young tigers are leaving protected reserves due to population pressure, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

The WCS attributes the rise in different tiger groups to better law enforcement and protection of additional habitat. For example, a notorious poaching ring was busted in Thailand last year, and the gang leaders have been given prison sentences of up to five years - the most severe punishments for wildlife poaching in Thailand's history, the conservation group said in a statement.

Tiger numbers have been rising steadily in Thailand's Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary since 2007, with a record 50-plus tigers counted last year, the WCS said. The sanctuary is part of the country's Western Forest Complex. This core spans 7,000 square miles (18,000 square kilometers) and is home to an estimated 125 to 175 tigers.

In India's mountainous landscape of Nagarahole and Bandipur national parks, tigers have reached saturation levels, with more than 600 individuals caught on camera trap photos in the past decade. Young tigers are leaving the parks along protected corridors and entering a landscape with a population of a million people, the group said. [In Images: Tigers Rebound in Asia]

Conservationists also worked with government officials in Russia to create additional protected areas for tigers. The country declared a new corridor, called the Central Ussuri Wildlife Refuge, on Oct. 18. The refuge links the Sikhote-Alin tiger population in Russia - the main group of endangered Amur tigers- with tiger habitat in China's Heilongjiang Province in the Wandashan Mountains. The refuge ensures that tigers can move across the border between Russia and China in this region.

An estimated 3,200 tigers are living in the wild, with only 2,500 breeding adult pairs, according to TRAFFIC, a monitoring group funded by the World Wildlife Fund and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Tigers have lost 93 percent of their historical range, which once sprawled across Asia from Turkey to Russia and south to Bali, according to the group.

'Tigers are clearly fighting for their very existence, but it's important to know that there is hope. Victories like these give us the resolve to continue to battle for these magnificent big cats,' Cristián Samper, WCS president, said in a statement.

Reach Becky Oskin at boskin@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @beckyoskin. Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter @OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook and Google+.

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Lion habitat features big cats that worked at MGM

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) - Dozens of lions that used to entertain tourists at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas now have a new day job.

The Las Vegas Sun reports (http://bit.ly/UsXjFH ) Keith Evans recently opened his Lion Habitat Ranch in nearby Henderson, Nev., about a year after the Las Vegas Strip casino shuttered its own lion attraction to make way for renovations.

Evans has been keeping big cats at his ranch for more than 40 years. He transported them to the MGM Grand each day for 11 years until the closure.

His new attraction includes glass enclosures and safety barriers to accommodate about 40 lions, including seven cubs that were born in November.

The habitat is open weekends. Admission is $20 for adults, while one child under the age of 12 gets in free for each paying adult.



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Florida is a vacation paradise for dogs

FORT DE SOTO PARK, Fla. (AP) - Picture this: You're sitting on a white sand beach, warm sun on your skin. Coconut-scented sunscreen wafts through the air. A splashing noise comes from the blue Gulf of Mexico. It's your dog, happily retrieving his favorite ball from the water.

This could be your vacation, with a bit of planning.

With miles of sandy beaches, endless winter sunshine and a laid-back vibe, there's no reason to leave your four-legged friend behind when you vacation in Florida. From lodging that offers special pet beds, to beaches with off-leash play, to theme parks with nearby kennels, many places around the state accommodate visitors with pets. Many Florida state parks also allow leashed dogs.

Lodging with your dog can be as rustic as a campground or as ritzy as, well, the Ritz Carlton. In places like Key West or Sanibel Island - where all beaches are open to leashed dogs - unique and funky pet-friendly accommodations are easy to find in various price ranges.

Most counties have their own tourism boards and many have specific pages on their websites about pet-friendly activities, restaurants and hotels. Visit Florida has lots of information at http://www.visitflorida.com/Pet_Friendly_Florida.

Jeannette Scott, a fashion blogger from Orlando, took her shih tzu-Yorkie mix named Bella on a three-day trip in June. Together, they drove three hours to Fort Myers, boarded a ferry to Key West, stayed at a Sheraton that offered a doggie bed for Bella, and posed for photos in front of a frozen yogurt stand that carried Yoghund, a froyo for doggies.

'She thought it was really fun to get away and go on adventure instead of staying at home,' said Scott.

If your dog might enjoy the same, here are some dog-friendly destinations around Florida, along with lodging advice and general tips for traveling here with pets.

DESTINATIONS

-Dog Beach and Paw Playground at Fort De Soto State Park. In 2010, Southern Living magazine named this spot in Pinellas County on Florida's West Coast one of the top five dog beaches in the South. You only need to set one paw onto the sugary sand to know why: It's a gorgeous and peaceful place. The Gulf of Mexico is usually warm and calm, and dogs of all sizes love to play in the soft surf. Dogs can run on the beach and swim off-leash, then enjoy a large, adjacent fenced-in grassy dog park area. There are water fountains, waste bags and a place to wash salt out of dog fur. Admission to the park area is $5.

-Dinosaur World in Plant City. Who loves dinosaurs? Dogs, that's who. Located halfway between Tampa and Disney, Dinosaur World is a park featuring 150 giant dinosaur statues and trails winding through the lush Florida landscape. Leashed dogs are welcome on the trails and it's a great opportunity to snap a photo of your pooch with a giant Stegosaurus (some intrepid bloggers have gotten shots of their dogs posing inside a dinosaur's mouth). Tickets are $14.95, dogs are free; open daily.

-Dog Wood Park, Jacksonville. This 25-acre, privately owned park is heaven for dogs. It's all off-leash and entirely fenced in, from the pond to the grassy knoll to the trails. A separate small area nearby has chairs where owners can sip coffee and chat. There are two ponds, Lake Bow Wow for the big dogs and Lake Fifi for little ones, plus doggie sand piles, shady areas and tires for dogs to climb on. Day visits are $11, including tax. Additional services, like use of the park's indoor dog wash area, are extra.

-The Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine. Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles discovered this spring in 1565 and the Timucua Indians lived here for 4,000 years before that. You and your dog can sniff around and drink from the fountain. Tickets are $12.

-Downtown Naples. A great place to stroll with your pet while embracing tropical Florida, downtown Naples has lots of outdoor cafes, bars and restaurants where you can dine al fresco with your dog. Several stores - Diva Doghouse, For Footed Friends, Pucci & Catana and Fergie's Closet Doggie Boutique - specialize in upscale pet accessories, clothing and food.

-Lincoln Road, Miami. Located on South Beach, this pedestrian-friendly shopping area is the place to watch all of the beautiful people and their designer dogs. Outdoor restaurants and tropical drinks abound.

-Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Hobe Sound. This sprawling park on Florida's East Coast, north of tony Palm Beach, offers miles of trails that showcase how Florida looked before development. Dogs must be leashed. Admission is $6 per vehicle.

-Panama City Beach dog playground. This Florida Panhandle spring break favorite offers 400 feet of beachfront for leashed dogs and the new Panama City Beach Conservation Park with 12 trails (dogs must be leashed there).

-Miccosukee Canopy Road Greenway, Tallahassee. This park in the state's capitol is popular with local dog owners because of its beautiful trails and secluded grassy areas.

LODGING

-Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, Lake Buena Vista. Located on 750 acres near the theme parks, this campground allows RVs with full hookups and tent camping. Some spaces allow pets, but those spaces are limited and should be reserved well in advance. Leashed dogs are allowed on some trails near the campground. There is also an off-leash dog park, Waggin' Tails Dog Park, within the campground.

-Best Friends Pet Resort, Lake Buena Vista. Best Friends provides day and overnight care for pets (not just dogs) in the Orlando area. Discounts are available for Disney World Resort guests, but anyone can use the service, which starts at $27 for doggie daycare.

-Loews hotels at Universal Orlando Resort. All three are pet-friendly.

-La Quinta. This ubiquitous and affordable chain, found throughout Florida, is probably the best-known pet-friendly chain, with free stays for dogs.

-Aloft Hotels. This Starwood boutique hotel chain offers hip decor and sophisticated style and it's also pet-friendly. Aloft offers two locations in Jacksonville (one not far from Dog Wood Park), one in Tallahassee and several opening in Miami and Orlando in the coming year. A recent weekday room rate in Jacksonville was $69, not including taxes. Aloft policies vary regarding weight restrictions for dogs, fees and deposits.

-Luxury hotels. Pampered people have pampered pooches. For small dogs who need luxury (under 25 pounds) try Ritz Carlton hotels in Sarasota, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Miami Beach. Non-refundable pet fees vary, but hover in the $250 range. The Mandarin Oriental in Miami - a swanky hotel frequented by celebrities like Jennifer Anniston - also accepts pets up to 25 pounds. The Mandarin sells dog T-shirts bedazzled with Swarovski crystals in its gift shop and the concierge can book doggie boot camp appointments and dog massages.

GENERAL TIPS

While it might seem like you are in a remote area as you hike through jungle-like trails or play on deserted beaches with your dog, you're actually never far from civilization in Florida. There's usually a veterinarian, big-box pet store and pet-friendly hotel within a short drive. A quick Google search or sites like http://www.bringfido.com or http://www.dogfriendly.com can help locate them.

Larger theme parks such as Busch Gardens in Tampa offer kennel services; make sure to bring your pet's vaccination record along.

Other essentials for a Florida vacation with your dog: Drinking water, heartworm medicine and even sunscreen. With temperatures in the 70s and 80s in many Florida locations during the winter, dogs (and people) can easily become dehydrated. Specially-formulated sunscreen for dogs isn't a bad idea, especially if your furry friend has a short, fair coat and pink skin.

Take shady breaks, put ice cubes in the water dish and let dogs sprawl on cool tiles. Never, ever, leave your dog in a car in Florida, even for a few minutes. Temperatures inside cars can heat up to 120 degrees and kill animals quickly.

Heartworm, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes, is endemic to Florida. Plan to visit a vet before your trip to get a heartworm test and pills to prevent infection.

Many beaches in Florida allow leashed dogs on the sand, but check first. In some places, you can receive a heavy fine. Dogs are welcome in many places at outdoor cafes and along pedestrian malls.

___

Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush

Faced with brutal elephant poachers, Cameroon calls in the army

BOUBA NDJIDA NATIONAL PARK, Cameroon (Reuters) - The welcome committee for Cameroon's Bouba Ndjida National Park, a former safari tourism destination, would not look out of place on a battlefield.

Faced with the threat of horse-mounted Sudanese elephant poachers armed with machine guns, the central African nation has deployed military helicopters and 600 soldiers to try to protect the park and its animals.

Its decision to call in the army follows a bloody incursion into the park last winter during which poachers from Sudan killed some 300 elephants, or 80 percent of the park's elephant population, within a few weeks.

Armed only with World War One-era rifles, the park's eco-guards were defenceless in the face of the Sudanese 'jandjaweed' poachers who had travelled thousands of miles on horseback to seize the tusks.

The raid left hundreds of elephant corpses in its wake.

Many of the animals' faces had been hacked off and the bodies lay decomposing in a park that used to attract safari tourists in large numbers.

Cameroon says it is determined to make sure such a scene is never repeated.

'With the kind of deployment we have in the park here today, the message is very clear,' Brigadier General Martin Tumenta told Reuters during a visit to the park. 'Any poacher who finds himself here will simply be destroyed.'

Equipped with helicopters, night vision gear, and scores of jeeps, Cameroon's military has set up two garrisons in the park and several camps along Cameroon's border with Chad and the Central African Republic, Tumenta said.

Last winter's massacre followed a record year for elephant poaching in 2011, an illegal trade that has become a multi-billion dollar industry in Africa fuelled by demand for ivory ornaments from China, some of whose citizens are increasingly wealthy.

Ivory sells for about $300 per kg on the black market, according to conservation group TRAFFIC, meaning that an average-sized tusk weighing 6.8 kg can be sold for a small fortune in central Africa, a region plagued by poverty and underdevelopment.

Officials said there was evidence that the Sudanese poachers were on their way back to the park - a territory of lush forests, rivers and hilly plains about the size of Luxembourg - now that the dry season had arrived, making travel easier.

'It is clear we are dealing with a very heavily-armed group of men carrying machine guns and mortars,' said Tumenta, saying soldiers had seized some weapons and ivory from a poacher camp in the bush last year.

The World Wildlife Fund has called Cameroon's deployment a 'bold and courageous move' to protect the region's dwindling elephant population.

However, local residents said the huge military presence was disturbing.

'It's now very dangerous because of the soldiers who are just everywhere in the bush,' said Saidou Sule, a 48-year-old farmer from a village near Garoua, the provincial capital.



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Whales Sing When And Where They Wanna

Click here to listen to this podcast





Humpback whales sing most frequently where and when they breed. But researchers have discovered that whales can sing complex songs even when diving and foraging, when it's neither the time nor the place for mating behavior. The study is published in the journal PLoS ONE. [Alison K. Stimpert et al, Humpback Whale Song and Foraging Behavior on an Antarctic Feeding Ground]





Researchers tagged ten humpback whales with suction-cup sensors and tracked each mammal for a full day in Antarctic waters during the fall-the time and place when whales feed rather than breed. While the sensors picked up background song near all of the whales, two individuals performed long, complex songs more suited to mating behavior. They even sang while on feeding lunges more than 100 meters below the surface.





The fact that these whales can vocalize even under widely different water pressures may help us figure out how they produce their songs. And more important, the overlap in breeding and feeding activities proves humpback and other baleen whales are way more behaviorally flexible than we thought. Unlike some human singers, they are definitely not one-hit wonders.





-Sophie Bushwick





[The above text is a transcript of this podcast]





Whale Audio Credit: Stimpert AK, Peavey LE, Friedlaender AS, Nowacek DP (2012) Humpback Whale Song and Foraging Behavior on an Antarctic Feeding Ground. PLoS ONE 7(12): e51214. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0051214










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© 2012 ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.







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Dogs Make Sandy Hook Students Smile

Some much-needed smiles were brought to the children of Newtown, Conn., by way of seven dogs especially trained to comfort survivors in the wake of a disaster.

Seeing the dogs led to some of the town's children smiling for the first time since Friday's murderous rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School, said Tim Hetzner of the Lutheran Church Charities

The dogs, mostly golden retrievers, 'bring some relief' to children, and put 'a smile on their face, kind of like a teddy bear, but a live one,' Hetzner told ABC News.

Hetzner, who has taken dogs to New York and New Jersey after superstorm Sandy hit in October and to Joplin, Mo., following a devastating tornado, said the animals are 'like a counselor' meting out 'trusting unconditional love.'

Hetzner says his organization begins training dogs as puppies when they are about five and half weeks old. It takes a year to train the dogs, making them calm enough to work with the public in post-disaster situations.

Some of the dogs were stationed outside an interfaith memorial service on Sunday night, at which President Obama spoke, eulogizing the 20 children and seven adults killed in a massacre executed by Adam Lanza, 20 last Friday.

According to the Lutheran Church Charities website the seven dogs in Newtown are: Abbie, Chewie, Luther, Ruthie, Barnabas, Hannah and Portage. Each of the dog's has its own Facebook page.

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Elephants Near Timbuktu Make Astonishing Migration Treks

A group of elephants near Timbuktu makes an epic journey each year in their quest for food and water. Researchers found that they travel across an area of 12,355 square miles (32,000 square kilometers) in the deserts of Mali, marking the largest known elephant range in the world.

The animals' extreme journey is a product of life in harsh conditions.

'It's incredible these elephants have survived. They have a truly stressful life with the lack of water and food, and their giant range reflects that,' said lead researcher Jake Wall of the conservation organization Save The Elephants, Kenya, and the University of British Columbia.

Wall and his colleagues attached GPS collars to nine elephants in the Gourma region in Africa in March 2008 and tracked the beasts over the next two years, finding that the elephants migrate south at the start of the rainy season in April and May over a large arclike path that extends into northern Burkina-Faso in West Africa.

The Gourma elephants don't necessarily walk farther than their East and Southern African cousins, but their movements are spread out over an area 150 percent bigger than those reported in Namibia, and 29 percent larger than those in Botswana, the researchers said. Interestingly, the researchers also found that males and females often take different routes - in fact they only share about a quarter of their ranges.

'We think the difference is partly because of their tolerances towards people. Bulls generally take more risks and occupy areas that have higher human densities,' said Wall. 'They also have varying food strategies, and we think that differences in the areas they occupy might be because of different vegetation types in those areas.'

Though the elephants have been able to beat the heat and drought of their environment, researchers warn they might be threatened by violence in their politically unstable home, which has been wracked by an uprising of Islamist militants.

'We now fear that they may become victims of civil disturbance in the north of Mali due to the uprising currently taking place,' said zoologist Iain Douglas-Hamilton of Oxford University, who is also founder of the London-based group Save The Elephants.

The research was detailed last week in the journal Biological Conservation.

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Vodka helps stranded elephants survive in Russia: RIA

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Two circus elephants drank vodka to help them survive when their trailer caught fire in freezing Siberia, RIA news agency said.

A quick-thinking handler resorted to the traditional Russian cure for all ills by buying two cases of vodka from a nearby village, diluting it with warm water and serving it to Indian elephants Jenny and Magda, it said.

He had become desperate after realizing that making them run round the broken truck was not enough to prevent them freezing to death before a new trailer arrived to complete their journey. RIA quoted a local official as saying the vodka had helped them survive.

'After that they roared as if they were in the jungle! Apparently they were happy,' he said.

Jenny and Magda, touring the region with a Polish circus, were then taken to a local school gym with little more than frostbite on their ears and trunks.

They reached their final destination in the Siberian city of Omsk on Friday and began rehearsing for circus performances over Christmas and the New Year.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Shockman; Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Stephen Powell)



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Hilary Duff Dishes On Introducing Dogs To Baby Luca, Reveals Plans For More Children

Hilary Duff gave birth to her first child - son Luca - in March, and the new mom is treasuring every minute of motherhood.

So, is the 25-year-old actress planning on giving little Luca a baby brother or sister any time soon?

PLAY IT NOW: Hilary Duff Talks Motherhood, Whether She'll Have More Kids & New Dog-Themed Book

'[My husband] Mike and I are literally so obsessed with Luca. We're like, 'He's perfect -- we should just [have] one and [be] done,'' Hilary told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Friday's Access Hollywood Live, when asked if she and Mike want to have more children. 'But I think once your baby starts getting older, you miss that baby phase and you go in for round two.

Adding, 'I think maybe [we'll have another baby] when [Luca] is two or three.'

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood's Hottest Moms & Their Loveable Little Ones

For now, the actress - who recently took to Twitter to proudly announce she's once again fitting into her pre-baby skinny jeans - said she's content with just one little man for now, as he's very curious and keeps her on her toes.

'He's into everything. I'm like, running around the house trying to keep up with him -- he's so fast,' she said. 'He loves the Christmas tree... he's just busy.'

An avid dog-lover (she recently contributed to the new book, 'A Letter To My Dog: Notes To Our Best Friends'), Hilary explained how she helped prepare her pups for Luca's arrival in order to quell any possible canine jealousy.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Can't Get Enough Of Duff! Adorable Shots Of Hilary Duff!

'We kicked the dogs out of the bed about a month before Luca came so that they didn't blame the baby for why they couldn't sleep in the bed anymore,' she said. 'And we gave them a blanket to smell that Luca's smell had been on in the hospital and it worked!

'Mike brought Luca in, I came in, gave the blanket to the dogs and loved on them and said 'Hi,' and they've been fine with him,' she added.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Dogs & Their Stars

'A Letter To My Dog: Notes To Our Best Friends,' which also features contributions from Oprah Winfrey, Kristin Chenoweth and more, is available in stores now.

-- Erin O'Sullivan

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



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Rare Bear Has Twins at National Zoo

Two Andean bear cubs were born overnight at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, officials at the institution announced.

Six-year-old bear mom Billie Jean gave birth to the twins - one around 12:01 a.m. local time and the other around 2:02 a.m. Thursday (Dec. 13), according to officials at the zoo in Washington, D.C.

Caretakers are monitoring the mom and newborns from the bear cam for now, allowing the three time to bond without interference. Zoo officials said they won't know the cubs' sex for at least two months. The two cubs' father, Nikki, had to be euthanized in August after his health declined; he had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, or cancer.

This is Billie Jean's second set of cubs. Zookeepers began to suspect this pregnancy in November, and ultrasounds showed two amniotic sacs and then, with later ultrasounds, fetal growth and development. Her telltale 'I'm pregnant' signs included a decreased appetite, a nest she built inside a den, and her lack of interest in going outdoors, according to the Smithsonian.

Andean bears (also called spectacled bears) live in South America and are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The zoo noted that the species has a high infant mortality rate - up to 44 percent in the first year.

'The Andean bear population in human care has experienced a lull in the past six years and these cubs are the only surviving Andean cubs in a North American Zoo since Billie Jean's first cubs, Bernardo and Chaska, were born in 2010,' zoo officials said in a statement.

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News Corp publisher's books linked to paper from endangered rainforests: RAN

JAKARTA (Reuters) - HarperCollins, a division of News Corp, has been accused by a conservation group of using materials sourced from Indonesia's endangered rainforests.

Independent forensic fiber tests commissioned by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), showed that some of HarperCollins' children's books were printed with rainforest fiber.

Indonesia has some of the world's most biologically diverse forests and is home to endangered species such as the Sumatran tiger.

'No child or parent should become an unwitting participant in rainforest destruction this holiday season,' said Robin Averbeck, a forest campaigner at RAN.

Averbeck called on HarperCollins not to do business with Indonesian paper firms Asia Pacific Resources International (APRIL) and Asia Pulp and Paper Co Ltd (APP). APP has been accused by other green groups of destroying rainforests.

Officials at APP declined to comment. Officials at HarperCollins and APRIL did not respond to multiple telephone calls and emails from Reuters seeking comment.

APP and APRIL 'are indeed the main culprits here and it's good to be clear about that, but as they have not proven very responsive to direct pressure, we are forced to go after their customers to get them to take rainforest destruction seriously and HarperCollins is the sole major U.S. publisher remaining who has not made a firm commitment to stop doing business with them,' RAN spokesman Laurel Sutherlin said.

'Most people have never heard of these companies and do not realize they are buying products produced by them, but they do recognize companies like Disney and HarperCollins who are supporting their destructive business practices by purchasing from them.'

APP operates under the Sinar Mas brand, as does palm oil giant Sinar Mas Agro Resources & Technology, which has in the past been accused by Greenpeace of bulldozing high conservation value forests and damaging carbon-rich peatlands.

APRIL in October disputed many of the accusations against it said it does not source illegally harvested wood and does not source wood from high conservation value forests.

The Rainforest Action Network said HarperCollins lagged other U.S. publishers like Walt Disney Co, the world's biggest publisher of children's books, when it came to instituting corporate programs to help protect the world's rainforests.

In October, Disney changed its purchasing policies to reduce paper use and avoid paper harvested from endangered forests.

Indonesia is seen as a key player in the fight against climate change and is under intense international pressure to curb deforestation and the destruction of carbon-rich peatlands.

Last year, Greenpeace said it had evidence that Barbie doll packaging came from Indonesian rainforests, accusing toy manufacturers such as Mattel Inc and Walt Disney of contributing to Indonesia's deforestation.

Forests in the archipelago have also come under threat from the expanding palm oil industry in recent years, which green groups also blame for deforestation, speeding up climate change and destroying wildlife.

Indonesia is the world's top producer of palm oil, used mainly as an ingredient in food such as biscuits and ice cream and as a biofuel.

To improve its green credentials, Indonesia signed a two-year forest moratorium in May last year, although critics say breaches still occur.

(Editing by Matt Driskill)



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New Zealand Dogs Pass Driving Test

The racetrack went to the dogs in New Zealand Monday when a pair of abandoned pups chosen by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) each successfully drove a car on their own.

Porter, a 10-month-old beardie cross, drove a Mini Countryman around the track while his exploits, all part of a marketing campaign for the SPCA's Auckland chapter, were broadcast live on New Zealand's 3 News station.

READ MORE: New Zealand Dogs Learn How to Drive

Next up was Monty, an 18-month-old giant schnauzer, who also successfully steered his car in a canine-modified Mini, and, like Porter, had some human help with a trainer outside the window giving verbal commands.

The SPCA chose Monty, Porter and another abandoned pup Ginny, a 1-year-old whippets cross, to go behind the wheel of a car to show that rescue dogs are a first-rate choice for adoptions, according to its Facebook page created specifically to encourage adoptions.

The trio of highway-ready rescue dogs had spent the past eight weeks at Animals on Q, a 'premiere New Zealand animal talent agency,' according to its website, for the 'doggy driver training process,' the New Zealand Herald reported at the time.

While Monty and Porter got to show off their skills on live TV, Ginny did not, something SPCA Auckland CEO Christine Kalin hopes does not continue to keep interested adopters away.

'We've had people offer to adopt Monty and Porter. We've had less interest in Ginny, so she's the one we'd really love not to have in the shelter too long,' Kalin told the Herald.

Video of the dogs practicing for their live debut quickly went viral and made Porter and Monty, especially, worldwide stars. Kalin says despite 'a lot of interest' shown in the talented pups, the SPCA has not yet made a decision on where the pair, and Ginny, too, will end up next.

'The key issue for us is about finding the best home possible for those dogs because they've done an exceptional job of being ambassadors for all SPCA animals throughout the country,' she said, according to the Herald. 'Our desire is to find the best possible home for them.'

A message requesting comment from the SPCA was not immediately returned.

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Holiday gifts for pets following high-tech trend

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A holiday present for Fido or Fluffy used to be an extra table scrap or a new squeeze toy. But as with gifts for their human counterparts, pet presents are becoming increasingly high-tech.

Like presents for young children who lack the dexterity to enjoy their new playthings, pet gifts are usually for the human who owns the pet. Allie Robino of Austin, Texas, bought a dog treat maker for her 8-year-old rescue mutt Bentley, but it'll be her baking the biscuits - not Bentley.

She bought PetSmart's Sunbeam Holiday Dog Treat Maker, essentially a waffle-maker with dog-bone molds, for Bentley when she took him to see Santa Claus at a Fort Worth pet store. Even though he and her other dog, Shiner, will be the primary beneficiaries of the purchase, it's mostly a gift for Robino, who admits to having problems making things at home from scratch.

'A lot of these kinds of things end up being more complicated than the company promises, but this was super easy to use and the finished product looked great. Believe me, if it were possible to mess up, I would have messed up. I'm batting zero on Pinterest,' she said, referring to the photo-sharing website beloved by amateur chefs and DIY-crafters.

Robino said it was the only time she has bought a gift for a pet that requires electricity, figuring that would put Bentley in a rarefied group of animals with high-tech presents. But there are actually plenty of gadgets in stores for animals, from the predictable (dog barking control, electronic self-cleaning cat litter boxes) to the surprising (exercise equipment, air conditioners for doghouses, pet air purifiers for human houses).

Technology is having an impact in every area of the pet world, including food, toys and care products, said Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Association. He believes health care advances are moving the fastest.

'There are many advances on the pet rehabilitation side of health care that weren't even heard of a few years ago. There are also new advances in medication, treatments, and even testing and diagnostic areas. For example, you can send off your pet's DNA to find out their breed and even give at-home tests to determine if certain diseases are present,' he said.

Rehab equipment for pets, such as a dog-size treadmill, are no longer just for veterinarian clinics. Pet owners can buy the DogPacer's Minipacer treadmill ($479), which is made for dogs under 55 pounds. The original DogPacer treadmill will accommodate dogs up to 179 pounds and sells for $499 - about the same price as human-size gym equipment.

For owners who exercise with their pets, the Sharper Image Pet-O-Meter Pet Pedometer ($19.99) counts steps, calculates distance and tracks the calorie intake of the human partner.

Meanwhile, the proliferation of apps for mobile devices offers clutter-free options for urban pet owners with little living space.

There are apps that track pets' whereabouts, like the GPS-based monthly service Tagg Pet Tracker, which can alert owners if a dog leaves a designated area or monitor a pet's physical activity. For a simpler option, PetHub dog tags and collars make owners' contact information accessible through a scanning app on a mobile device, and animal shelter and GPS tracking services can be added.

Vetere believes the best high-tech pet product is the microchip, which can be implanted in dogs, cats, birds, horses and other animals and will help reunite owners with lost pets.

'They are also widely used by industry professionals to track vaccinations, test results and other records. With GPS microchips now available as well, your missing pet can not only be tracked back to you, but you can now track them down and prove ownership if need be,' he said.

Vetere predicts hot high-tech gifts this year will be microchip pet doors, which open using a chip implanted in the animal. He said the most popular products will always be those that make life easier for pet owners - 'like automatic feeders and water delivery systems, automatic litter boxes, grooming tools that comb and also vacuum up the pet hair.'

On Vetere's personal wishlist is 'an automatic yard cleaner that would pick up after my dog, but I don't see how that would work without a robot,' he said.

For pets and owners who do volunteer work - yes, there's an app for that, too. For example, the $149.99 TouchChat alternative communication app lets people who have difficulty speaking play with a dog using voice commands.

Ricochet, a 4-year-old golden retriever from San Diego, works with people who have Down syndrome, who are autistic or who suffered strokes. Patients touch an iPad, prompting a synthesized voice to deliver a command like sit or turn around or down. If the dog performs the command (and Ricochet always does), the patient can throw her a treat.

'No cues, inflection or interaction is needed from her handler. They can communicate with Ricochet directly, giving them a sense of independence, self-confidence and empowerment,' said owner Judy Fridono.

Baby Leopard Brothers Come to San Diego Zoo

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Pittsburgh Zoo to remove viewing deck after toddler's death

Pittsburgh (Reuters) - The Pittsburgh Zoo will remove an observation deck one month after a toddler fell over its railing and was killed by a pack of African wild dogs, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office said on Thursday.

The 2-year-old boy was visiting the zoo last month with his mother, who stood him on the railing for a better view of the animals, known as African painted dogs, police said.

The boy fell into the exhibit, where he was swarmed by 11 dogs. Zookeepers rushed to the exhibit area housing the animals, firing darts to frighten them away from the child before police arrived.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office identified the boy as Maddox Derkosh and said in a statement that he bled to death from 'multiple trauma, inflicted through mauling by wild African dogs.'

Zoo staff secured 10 of the dogs, but police entered the pit and shot and killed the last dog, which was particularly aggressive toward the child and the officers, authorities said.

In an email to the press on Thursday, the district attorney's office said the zoo would remove the observation platform out of respect to the victim's family. The district attorney's office said in November the boy's mother would not be charged, but it is still investigating whether the zoo was at fault.

African painted dogs are endangered species and native to sub-Saharan Africa. They have an average size of just over 2 feet to 3.5 feet (0.6 to 1 meter). They are also known as Cape hunting dogs or painted dogs because of their mottled coats with patches of red, black, brown, white and yellow fur.

(Editing by Paul Thomasch and Peter Cooney)



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New Zealand Dogs Learn How to Drive

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

Not the New Zealand chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which has launched a marketing campaign featuring dogs - real dogs - learning how to drive. Really.

SPCA Auckland chose three abandoned dogs - Monty, Ginny and Porter - and put them behind the wheel of a car to show that rescue dogs are a first-rate choice for adoptions.

'I think sometimes people think because they're getting an animal that's been abandoned that somehow it's a second-class animal,' SPCA Auckland's CEO, Christine Kalin, told the New Zealand Herald. 'Driving a car actively demonstrates to potential rescue dog adopters that you can teach an old dog new tricks.'

The trio of highway-ready rescue dogs was chosen by SPCA two months ago and then relocated to Animals on Q, a 'premiere New Zealand animal talent agency,' according to its website, to begin their 'doggy driver training process,' the Herald reported.

The dogs have trained for the past eight weeks under the supervision of Animals on Q owner Mark Vette. Next week one of the dog's skills will be put to the test in front of a live national TV audience.

Porter, a 10-month-old Beardie Cross and the star among the three pups, will drive a Mini Countryman on the 'Campbell Live' program on New Zealand's 3 News, the station reported in a sneak peek that aired last night.

The TV appearance will mark the first time that Porter, or any of the other pups, drives without human assistance. While training, Porter - along with Monty, an 18-month Giant Schnauzer, and, Ginny, a 1-year-old whippets cross - used a canine-modified Mini, but had human help in the form of steering wheel adjustments and verbal commands, the Herald reports.

'Like the rest of the New Zealand we'll just have to sit back and hope they perform on the day,' SPCA's Kalin told the paper. 'One of our hopes with this campaign is not only do we see an increase in adoption in the next month but on a long-term basis too.'

A message requesting comment from the SPCA was not immediately returned.

Last month the organization used a campaign with the tagline, 'It's raining cats and dogs,' to get local roofers to repair most of the leaky roof of the chapter's headquarters for free, according to its website.

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Oregon Zoo's Baby Elephant Owned By Entertainment Company

All the fanfare surrounding the birth of a baby elephant at the Oregon Zoo last week soon turned to peanut-throwing at zoo officials, after it emerged the calf would become the property of an elephant rental company when it turns 30 days old.

Looking to quell worry, executive director of the Oregon Zoo, Kim Smith, said today the elephant was always intended to remain at the zoo and that they were in talks to negotiate the ownership of the unnamed calf.

'Ownership doesn't really mean anything,' Smith said. 'It's not something that bares where this animal lives. This animal lives here.'

The zoo said it had previously entered into a breeding loan agreement with Have Trunk Will Travel, a group that rents elephants to the entertainment industry. Under the rules of the contract, the 2nd, 4th and 6th offspring of the Have Trunk Will Travel's male elephant, Tusko, would become the property of the group.

The new calf, which was born on Friday, is the second offspring.

Smith said Have Trunk Will Travel has always been committed to keeping the calf at the zoo, where she can bond with her mother, however she stopped short of saying that was guaranteed.

'There has never been a question of where she was going to go, not once, not ever,' Smith said of the elephant.

The discovery of the contract, which was first reported by the Seattle Times, prompted outrage among animal lovers.

'It would be very sad if the Portland Zoo gave up the baby elephant especailly [sic] to such a traveling side show! Separating it from her mother is bad enough,' Jerry Loos wrote on the zoo's Facebook page.

Another poster, Rachel Davis, said if the claims were true, she would never visit the Oregon Zoo again.

'These regal creatures are among the most intelligent and sentient on the planet! I hope to high heaven that this isn't true,' she wrote.

Have Trunk, Will Travel did not immediately return a request for comment.

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Pocket dogs making old English sheepdogs rare

LOS ANGELES (AP) - There was a time when old English sheepdogs dominated television screens and newspaper comic strips. Now it's hard to find one beyond a dog show.

Numbers of the high-maintenance longhaired breed, which can weigh close to 100 pounds, are dropping as more owners choose pocket pets and designer puppies that are smaller, travel-ready, easy to care for and cost much less to feed.

'People have more to do and less time to do it, and they have lost interest in old English sheepdogs,' said Doug Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colo., the president of the Old English Sheepdog Club of America.

Breeders in the United States and England are concerned about the drop in the number of purebred sheepdog puppies registered in the two countries each year. At the height of the breed's popularity in 1975, when the sheepdog was named best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, nearly 16,000 puppies were registered by the American Kennel Club, said Lisa Peterson, who went through club archives for The Associated Press.

But that number dropped within 10 years to fewer than 5,600 dogs and three years ago, the last time AKC numbers were available, there were just over 1,000, she said.

London's Kennel Club, which put the breed on the club's watch list, registered just 401 sheepdog puppies in 2011, said representative Heidi Ancell. The list is reserved for breeds that number between 300 and 450 registrations a year.

But the kennel clubs say they have never lost a breed to extinction. Johnson said it would be up to those clubs to generate interest to prevent the sheepdog from disappearing.

'There are too many of us old die-hards that will go ahead and keep this breed alive,' said Johnson, who has 22 sheepdogs under the Bugaboo kennel banner.

David Frei, director of communications for the Westminster Kennel Club and co-host of Purina's annual National Dog Show, said he wasn't too concerned that the breed is in danger. 'If you have a dog that can have six, eight or nine puppies, is that a horribly endangered species? Endangered animals are those that have single offspring in a litter,' he said.

'We aren't going to lose any of these breeds. But we might have to go to shows to see them,' he said.

Most historians believe the dog's origins were in Sussex, England, where they drove sheep and cattle to market. They were called Sussex sheepdogs then, Smithfields when they took ponies to Smithfield Market and bobtailed because their tails were traditionally docked or cut off, Johnson said.

The tails were docked to prove their occupation and to exempt owners from taxes because of their working status, he said. The dogs are smart, adaptable, obedient and agile, and they have a distinctive bark, like two pots clanging together, Frei said.

Pittsburgh industrialist William Wade introduced the dog in the United States in the late 1880s. The breed's club claims five of the 10 wealthiest American families owned, bred and were showing the dogs by 1900.

But, Johnson pointed out, the Morgans, Vanderbilts, Goulds, Harrisons and Guggenheims all had kennel managers and staff to care for the dogs. Sheepdog hair can grow up to 10 inches, which meant grooming could take hours.

Sheepdogs later entered popular culture through Hollywood, which featured them in movies such as 1959's 'The Shaggy Dog,' and on TV in 'My Three Sons' (1960-1972) and 'Please Don't Eat the Daisies' (1965-1967). Looney Tunes paired one - Sam Sheepdog - with a wolf (Ralph Wolf) in cartoons depicting them clocking in and on duty as predator and guard: 'Mornin', Sam.' ''Mornin', Ralph.'

But by 1982, when Lynn Johnston's newspaper comic strip 'For Better or For Worse' added a sheepdog named Farley to the Patterson family, the breed's popularity was already sliding. It still caused a hoopla though, when the real Farley died in 1995 and Johnston wrote his death into the comic strip.

When Jere Marder started breeding sheepdogs 35 years ago, the Valparaiso, Ind., resident said there were 40 instantly recognizable sheepdog breeding kennels across the country. Only about 20 remain, and specialty clubs in cities such as Dallas and Detroit have closed, she said.

Marder, who keeps three show sheepdogs at home, understands the breed can be a burden.

'Breeders that are really dedicated are getting older and we don't have as many young breeders coming into the game,' she said. Her business, Lambluv OES, breeds only one litter every couple of years, but she co-owns about 100 sheepdogs around the country.

'The breed is a labor of love. You have to love the breed to labor so much,' Johnson joked.

___

Online:

http://www.oldenglishsheepdogclubofamerica.org

http://www.akc.org

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk



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66 Coral Species Nominated for Endangered List

A federal agency has proposed listing 66 species of coral under the Endangered Species Act, which would bolster protections of the animals.

The proposed listing comes after a 2009 petition by the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group, asserting that the federal government needed to do more to protect coral species.

Under the proposal, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would list seven coral species as endangered and 52 as threatened in the Pacific, with five endangered and two threatened in the Caribbean.

The listing could lead to further protections for areas where these corals live, perhaps earning them designation as 'critical habitat.' Such a step would restrict commercial activities in the areas, while preventing any trade or harvesting of the corals.

'Corals provide habitat to support fisheries that feed millions of people; generate jobs and income to local economies through recreation, tourism and fisheries; and protect coastlines from storms and erosion,' said NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco in a statement from the agency.

'Yet, scientific research indicates that climate change and other activities are putting these corals at risk. This is an important, sensible next step toward preserving the benefits provided by these species, both now and into the future.'

NOAA has identified 19 threats to the survival of coral, including ocean acidification, rising ocean temperatures and coral diseases. As the concentration of carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere, the oceans warm beyond what corals can withstand, leading to coral bleaching and eventually to die-offs.

Before the proposed listing is finalized in late 2013, the agency will hold 18 public meetings during a 90-day public comment period.

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Taylor Swift and Harry Styles Go to the Zoo

Alleged new couple Taylor Swift and Harry Styles — she a country singersongwriter with the keys to young female America's souls, he a British boybander with the keys to young female America's hearts (among other things) — were seen out and about together in New York City this weekend. Yes, the two were spotted at the Central Park Zoo, looking at the animals and at certain points holding a baby. No, they haven't moved that fast; the baby appears to belong to friends who were with them on the zoo outing. But they looked awfully comfortable interacting with the tot, so mayyybe some day in like, well. in at least ten years. (Swift is 22, Styles a mere 18.) So it's all fun and nice and maybe even a little romantic, until you realize these poor kids had a billion cameras pointed at them when they tried to have an anonymous day at the zoo, and that they got more attention than the animals. There's a video that someone took of them and at one point Swift gets spotted and she goes to take a picture with a small fan and when she walks back to her group she looks visibly dejected, as if realizing how hard it is going to be to do anything normal as long as she remains the great and powerful Taylor Swift. Heady stuff for a 22-year-old, let alone one with a (maybe) boyfriend who might inspire jealous rage in millions of girls. Rough seas ahead, kiddo. Batten down the hatches. [Daily Mail]

RELATED: Justin and Selena Hooking Up Again?

Speaking of rough seas, its seems the IRS has gone and seized all of Lindsay Lohan's bank accounts so it can get the money she owes them. It's reported to be a pretty high sum, in the over $200,000 range, though I guess it's less now that Charlie Sheen bailed her out to the tune of $100,000. Still, that's a lotta scratch left to cover, and the IRS wants it, so they're gonna take it. Leaving Lohan in something of a panic, desperate to find another job and resume her life as the mysterious hunchback of the Chateau Marmont, dwelling high up by the rafters, rarely coming downstairs to be with the rest of the world, reviled and feared but also deeply wondered about. It's not a bad gig, actually, but it requires having a considerable amount of moola, and that is not what she's got. So let's get workin' on Liz & Dick 2: The Legend of Eddie Fisher's Gold. Or just put in her some other godawful TV movie. Anything to get her back in her dark suite, other guests hearing bangings and rattlings and moanings, but never glimpsing the strange source of all the mournful sounds. [TMZ]

RELATED: In Which Taylor Swift and One Direction's Harry Styles Get Serious

Ha, another person having trouble with money is good old Justin Bieber. Well, he has plenty of money, plenty and then some, he just doesn't understand other things related to money. The silly kid was at Susan Sarandon's ping-pong club (that's a thing that has existed for some time now, and yet is still surprising every time I read about or type it), sitting in a back room with a bunch of friends, until management came in and said they had to clear out. When asked why, management informed them that J.P. Morgan was having a private party in the room. To which Biebs said, "Why does he get the room and not us?" Ha. So the funny part is that he thought J.P. Morgan was a person who was having a party instead of a big scary bank. Teehee, silly Canadian teenager, doesn't know about things like J.P. Morgan. Though, maybe Bieber did know what he was talking about. He's a spiritual kid, maybe he simply thought that the ghost of J.P. Morgan had come to enjoy Susan Sarandon's ping pong club, and he didn't think it fair that some grubby old ghost got the room instead of him. Maybe he really did think that ol' John Pierpont was going to walk in there, wearing his ghostly waistcoat and top hat, waving his cane at people. And if that was the case, then Bieber had a point. Why should that mean dumb ghost get preference? He's been getting preference for almost two hundred years now. It's time for someone else to get a taste of the privileged life. Stop playing ping pong, ghosts, and ruining a little boy's night. It's just not nice. [Page Six]

RELATED: Lindsay Lohan Haggles with Playboy; Gingriches Return to Tiffanys

Oh, brother. Or, oh, step-mother. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills "star" (gotta use that word loosely around her) Brandi Glanville is all mad at her ex-husband Eddie Cibrian's current wife, country singer LeAnn Rimes. She's mad for a variety of reasons, but right now she's particularly angry because Rimes was tweeting about Glanville's two sons, calling them "my boys" and talking about how she loves spending time with her family. Glanville was quick to point out that "They are my boys, Eddie's boys and your stepsons... for now." Ooh, sick burn. And also accurate, as far as the family tree goes. Glanville thinks that Rimes was deliberately trying to make her angry on Twitter, and it looks as though she willingly took the bait. Rimes ignored the responses and instead continued to trill on about how much love she has in her life and all that. So, really, the good part of this story is that the boys do nothing but win here, huh? Yeah, they've got step-mom pimping them out on Twitter to make their real mom upset, and then they've got their real mom, a human adult lady, trying to get in fights on Twitter and playing the "Mine!" game. Really, those kids are in great shape either way, aren't they? Where, meanwhile, is Eddie Cibrian on this? Well, he at least doesn't appear to be on Twitter. Doesn't mean he's with the kids necessarily — he's no saint in this situation, either, remember, but he's at least not going online to complain about things. There is at least that. [Us Weekly]

RELATED: Adele Cancer Speculation; Hillary Swank Cleans House

Spinning further down the drain, we move to Angelina "Trash Bags" Pivarnick, the girl from the first season of Jersey Shore who left the show because she didn't want to work at the T-shirt store they were supposed to work at and then had to sit back and watch all her former castmates become famous and rich beyond measure. Then she tried to come back to the show, and did for a little part of the second season or something, but she was quickly off again. Now she's trying to sue MTV, claiming they're blocking her from getting other work by editing her badly on the show and not letting her go to MTV functions (ha). The news today is that she tried to hire celebrity attorney Gloria Allred to represent her, but Allred said no. So, things are not going well for poor Trash Bags, though, really, what does she want? She quit the show three episodes into the first season because she didn't want to work a shift at some dumb job. Fine, OK. And then MTV let her come back for season two, for which she made well over a hundred thousand dollars before leaving again. I feel like she's benefited from this show plenty, considering her time put in. And she was on Couples Therapy this year, so she is getting other "work." Look, you don't want to work at the T-shirt shop, fine. Quit the T-shirt shop and move out of the house. But then don't go complaining when everyone else who worked at the T-shirt shop made millions of dollars because the T-shirt shop exploded and became the most popular T-shirt shop in the world. Them's the breaks. The world is full of consequences, everything there is is a consequence of something else, and one of those consequences is that you don't get to reap the T-shirt shop riches if you quit the T-shirt shop. That's all. I'm sorry, Angelina, I can only imagine the ocean of bitter regret that seethes within you always, but you gotta reconcile yourself with a decision you made years ago. I know that guy never should gotten dumped from the E Street Band. I've heard tales of that other Beatle. But they eventually moved on with their lives, and you need to, too. Gloria Allred isn't going to fix your problems. And she never will. [TMZ]



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Animal rights group sues California restaurant over foie gras ban

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The animal rights group PETA sued a California restaurant on Wednesday that it says serves outlawed foie gras to patrons, in what appears to be the first lawsuit to enforce a state ban on the delicacy, PETA officials said.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said that Hot's Kitchen claimed to have stopped selling foie gras when a ban on producing or selling it took effect in July, but was offering it as a complimentary side dish to customers who order 'THE Burger.'

'It's a transparent attempt to evade the law, plain and simple,' said Jeff Kerr, general counsel for PETA. He said the suit was filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The Hermosa Beach restaurant's online menu lists 'THE Burger' as including balsamic thyme onions and whole grain mustard, and says it is served 'with a complimentary side of foie gras.'

Foie gras is the swollen liver of a duck or goose that has been excessively force fed. It is prized for its flavor and rich texture, but animal rights groups contend that the force-feeding process is painful, gruesome and inhumane.

California lawmakers banned the sale or production of foie gras in 2004 under penalty of a $1,000 fine per sale, per day. The law gave restaurants and farmers a years-long grace period that ended July 1 to implement the ban.

Most restaurants removed the item from their menus when the law took effect. However, some reportedly left foie gras on the menu after the ban.

In a widely reported act of rebellion, the Presidio Social Club in San Francisco served foie gras sliders to a crowd as protesters amassed outside. The owners contended the social club was not subject to the state law because it was on federal land, but the restaurant later pulled foie gras from its menu.

Hot's Restaurant Group, of which Hot's Kitchen is a part, has been at the forefront of a charge to overturn the law, and sued California in federal court the day after the law went into effect, calling it unconstitutionally vague.

'The statute defines 'force feeding' as using a process that causes a bird to 'consume more food than a typical bird of the same species would consume voluntarily,'' according to the legal complaint filed by Hot's Restaurant Group and a Canadian non-profit.

'In practice, the vagueness of this purported standard makes it impossible for anyone to know at what point a particular bird has been fed 'more food' than the bird feeding law allows.'

The restaurant's spokeswoman, Kelley Coughlan, said the restaurant had so far not been served with the suit.

'Publicity stunts such as the filing of an outrageous, baseless lawsuit, followed by the issuance of press releases are nothing more than an attempt to exploit the media by stoking controversial flames and are designed to line the pockets of profiteers,' she said.

'Hot's stands by its previous statement that foie gras can be made humanely, and we continue to provide our customers with wholesome, humane animal products.'

California Attorney General Kamala Harris is defending the foie gras ban, according to spokeswoman Lydia Gledhill.

Gledhill said she was unaware of any legal action against purveyors of enlarged bird liver since July, but that the state wasn't formally tracking the law's enforcement.

(Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Lisa Shumaker)



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Four Baby Lion Cubs Born in Seattle Zoo

Tune in to this video of the four baby lion cubs for your daily cuteness quotient. They were born Nov. 8 in Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo.

The cubs are the first litter born to South African lion mother, Adia, 3, and father, Hubert, 13. They're also the first litter born at the zoo since 1991.

The now three-week-old cubs are not ready for public viewing yet, as the zoo is trying to allow plenty of family bonding time in a quieter environment.

'We've been monitoring them the last few weeks by video camera,' Martin Ramirez, the zoo's mammal curator, told ABCNews.com. 'By using the video, we've been able to tell the mother is taking great care of them. There was one cub early on that was making us very nervous, though.

'She's a first-time mom, and a typical litter size for a first-time mom is two. We were all really excited when she had the one, and then she had two, and then three came along, and we were like 'O.K., wow,' and then the fourth one came along and we were a little worried because that's a handful. That's when we made the decision that we're just going to watch and if we have to intervene, we will.'

But not to worry, the fuzzy felines had their first medical exam and wellness check today and are doing very well.

They're doing great,' Ramirez said. 'We could always see round bellies on them, which is an indication that they're getting enough to eat. At this point they're just drinking mom's milk. But we could see the round bellies on the video. We were seeing normal development on video. Eyes opened when we expected them to open, because they're born with their eyes closed.'

The cubs are holding their weight now and are walking normally on their four legs. During the exam, it was also finally determined there are two boys and two girls in the litter.

'Now that we know we have two boys and two girls, we can start looking around for appropriate names. We'll select about 10 or 15 potential names and let the public choose from those,' Ramirez said.

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Blue Whales Pirouette Before Engulfing Prey

As if behemoth ballerinas, blue whales pirouette before lunging at their prey, a strategy that may help the giants ambush krill from below.

'This behavior probably improves the whales' chances to engulf the most krill possible,' said study co-author Ari Friedlaender, a marine biologist at Duke University.

The new findings, detailed today (Nov. 27) in the journal Current Biology, may shed light on how the enigmatic creatures hunt and devour their shrimplike prey.

Hungry giants

The blue whale, the largest creature to ever live, can span up to 98 feet (30 meters) long and weigh up to 200 tons (180 metric tons). This creature the size of a submarine uses its bristly, comblike teeth, or baleen, to filter tiny crustaceans called krill from the water. Last century, Antarctic whalers who opened up the massive bellies of blue whales often found up to 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) of krill, though the sea giants probably don't eat that much every day, Friedlaender told LiveScience.

Because krill cluster in massive swarms, 'they're perfect food for something like a baleen whale that wants to engulf a big amount of something at one time,' Friedlaender told LiveScience.

But while the marine mammals' diet is well-known, how they find their prey remains a mystery.

To understand these foraging behaviors, Friedlaender and his colleagues attached motion sensors to the backs of 22 blue whales using suction cups. They also attached a critter cam to one individual, which showed the ocean and part of the whale's head from the animal's point of view. [See Video as a Blue Whale Dives for Krill]

Underwater ballet

When Friedlaender's team analyzed the data, they found something completely unexpected.

The sensors, which captured several hours of data from each whale, revealed half of the whales doing full, 360-degree turns. Many of these underwater twirls occurred as whales dove for prey.

A blue whale typically spots a dense krill swarm by the dark patch it leaves on the water's surface as seen from below. Once the swarm is spotted, the whale surges upward toward the dark spot and opens its mouth to engulf the krill in one big gulp. But sometimes, it also whirls around as it performs this lunge.

'As it opens its mouth it begins to roll over. It's a very energetically costly thing to do - it's like a parachute opening and the whale slows down considerably,' Friedlaender said.

The stealthy strategy may allow whales to anticipate the krills' escape route and adjust before the krill have a chance to cluster together out of reach, he added.

Because one dense krill patch could provide a day's worth of food, it makes sense to perfect their hunting strategies, even if it takes a lot of energy, the researchers write in the journal article.

Whales also turned just before and between dives, suggesting the rotations help the cetaceans scope out the location of prey.

'As in all cetaceans, the eyes are positioned laterally, and thus rolling the body should enhance panoramic vision in multiple dimensions,' the researchers write.

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