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Big Cat Handler Linked To 'Tiger King' Star Joe Exotic Mauled To Death Big Cat Handler Linked To 'Tiger King' Star Joe Exotic Mauled To Death
Big Cat Handler Linked To 'Tiger King' Star Joe Exotic Mauled To Death A big cat trainer and former associate of "Tiger King" star Joe Exotic was killed by a tiger during a performance. Ryan Easley died at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve on Saturday, Sept. 20, the southeastern Oklahoma facility said in a Facebook post. He ran ShowMe Tigers and had worked with animals from Joe Exotic and Bhagavan "Doc" Antle. Easley was performing "an act with the tiger when something went wrong, resulting in him being attacked," Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park told KXII 12 News. Deputies said Easley wasn't breathing when they arrived. Growler Pines said Easley's dea…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Cornell Students Skin 120-Pound Black Bear In Dorm Kitchen After Killing It Off Campus Cornell Students Skin 120-Pound Black Bear In Dorm Kitchen After Killing It Off Campus
Cornell Students Skin 120-Pound Black Bear In Dorm Kitchen After Killing It Off Campus Two students skinned and butchered a legally hunted black bear in a campus dorm kitchen at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, prompting outcry but no charges. On Thursday, Sept. 11, university and state officials confirmed the hunt and the on-campus processing but said no laws were broken. NBC News reported the pair killed the 120-pound black bear over the weekend and brought the carcass into a residence hall to process it on Saturday, Sept. 6.  The students held valid New York State hunting licenses, a Cornell spokesperson said, adding that a police report was filed after a comp…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
VIDEO: Shark Shows Up At NJ Beach Club During Hurricane Erin — And Won't Leave: Report VIDEO: Shark Shows Up At NJ Beach Club During Hurricane Erin — And Won't Leave: Report
Video: Shark Shows Up At NJ Beach Club During Hurricane Erin — And Won't Leave: Report A small sand shark swam up to the outdoor host stand at Bird & Betty’s in Beach Haven late Thursday night, Aug. 21, after flooding from the storm pushed it out of the bay, NJ Advance Media reported. “Fish are friends… but not usually our customers,” the club joked in an Instagram post, adding that Beach Haven police “had to save the local wildlife tonight instead of verifying ID.”  Video shows an officer scooping up the shark and carrying it back to the water. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bird and Betty’s (@birdandbet…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Rare Manatee Sighting Off Northeast Coast Is First Time In A Decade Rare Manatee Sighting Off Northeast Coast Is First Time In A Decade
Rare Manatee Sighting Off Northeast Coast Is First Time In A Decade A rare sighting of a manatee off Cape Cod has locals buzzing, marking the first time the gentle sea creature has been spotted off the Massachusetts coast since 2016. The manatee was first seen in Popponesset Bay off Mashpee on July 26, then again on July 29 in Mattapoisett. In Mattapoisett, the manatee briefly got stranded on tidal flats, but quick-thinking locals helped it back into the water, ensuring its safety, according to the Cape Cod Times.  Manatees, known for their large size and gentle nature, usually live in warmer waters like those off Florida and the Gulf Coast, according …

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Hit-Run Driver Who Mowed Down 7 Geese Sought By Cops In NJ, Sparking Outrage Online Hit-Run Driver Who Mowed Down 7 Geese Sought By Cops In NJ, Sparking Outrage Online
Hit-Run Driver Who Mowed Down 7 Geese Sought By Cops In NJ, Sparking Outrage Online Police in New Jersey are searching for the driver who struck and killed seven geese crossing a road on Monday, July 14, sparking outrage from residents and animal advocates across social media. Officers responded to the Devoe Lake area of Spotswood (Middlesex County) around 6:45 p.m. and found the geese dead in the roadway, Spotswood police said. The vehicle had already fled the scene, police said. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage to determine whether the act was intentional or accidental, according to authorities. Geese are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, an…

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by Sam Barron
News
Tick Takeover: Popular CT Beach Shuts Down For 2025 As Invasive Insects Overrun Shore Tick Takeover: Popular CT Beach Shuts Down For 2025 As Invasive Insects Overrun Shore
Tick Takeover: Popular CT Beach Shuts Down For 2025 As Invasive Insects Overrun Shore Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport’s beloved shoreline getaway, is closed through the 2025 summer season after city officials discovered an infestation of invasive Asian longhorned ticks. Bridgeport officials announced the closure on Facebook after "extensive consultation with state environmental experts." The Asian longhorned tick has established itself on the shoreline as part of its fast-moving spread across the Northeast. Related: Clone-Creating Tick Invades Connecticut: Health Officials Sound Alarm What makes this tick especially concerning is its ability to reproduce asexually. Unlike most t…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Bobcat Carpool: Fuzzy Fare Evaders Hitched Ride Hiding In CT Truck Engine Bobcat Carpool: Fuzzy Fare Evaders Hitched Ride Hiding In CT Truck Engine
Bobcat Carpool: Fuzzy Fare Evaders Hitched Ride Hiding In CT Truck Engine A Suffield shop owner got the surprise of his morning commute when he popped the hood of his pickup and met two wide-eyed, spotted stowaways. Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police say the bobcat kittens somehow clung to the engine compartment for the eight-mile trip north from Somers to Suffield, proving once and for all that felines really do have nerves of steel. “Officer Heath and ACO Selig (Suffield PD) spent over an hour chasing these two furballs all over the underside of this truck!” the department wrote in a Facebook post. After a gentle game of hide-and-seek with paw…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Seal Pup Dies Weeks After New Haven Street Rescue: 'Chappy Was Surrounded By Love' Seal Pup Dies Weeks After New Haven Street Rescue: 'Chappy Was Surrounded By Love'
Seal Pup Dies Weeks After New Haven Street Rescue: 'Chappy Was Surrounded By Love' A seal pup found wandering on a New Haven street has died, unable to recover from illness and malnutrition. The gray seal nicknamed "Chappy" has died, Mystic Aquarium said in an Instagram post on Monday, Mar. 3. The male pup was brought to the aquarium's Animal Rescue Clinic on Sunday, Feb. 16 after New Haven police found him stranded near the intersection of Chapel and East streets. At first, Chappy responded well to treatments for dehydration, malnutrition, and mild pneumonia, but he struggled with digestion after transitioning to eating whole fish. "The Mystic Aquarium st…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
A Nye-ce Surprise: CT Teacher Competes To Bring Science Legend To His Classroom A Nye-ce Surprise: CT Teacher Competes To Bring Science Legend To His Classroom
A Nye-ce Surprise: CT Teacher Competes To Bring Science Legend To His Classroom A Connecticut teacher with a passion for science hopes to land his class a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: a virtual lesson from legendary science educator Bill Nye, "The Science Guy." Josh Bartosiewicz, 31, a seventh- and eighth-grade teacher at the Unquowa School in Fairfield, is competing in the "America’s Favorite Teacher" award, a contest that benefits the Planetary Society. Voting is now open and runs until March 6. If he wins, Bartosiewicz will receive a $25,000 cash prize, a trip to Hawaii, and the chance to have Nye—a childhood hero—teach a live, virtual class for his students. …

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by Josh Lanier
News
CT's Beardsley Zoo Confirms Avian Flu Case, Euthanizes Birds to Prevent Spread CT's Beardsley Zoo Confirms Avian Flu Case, Euthanizes Birds to Prevent Spread
CT's Beardsley Zoo Confirms Avian Flu Case, Euthanizes Birds to Prevent Spread A deadly strain of avian flu has been detected at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, forcing officials to euthanize birds and shut down exhibits in an effort to stop the spread. The virus, known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, was confirmed in a deceased Cotton Patch goose found on zoo grounds. In response, the zoo has ramped up safety measures to protect animals, staff, and visitors, working with state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, officials said.  Related: Avian Flu Found In Connecticut Backyard Flock Ou…

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by Josh Lanier
News
First US Human Death From Bird Flu Reported First US Human Death From Bird Flu Reported
First US Human Death From Bird Flu Reported Authorities have confirmed the first human death in the United States caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1.  The announcement was made by the Louisiana Department of Health on Monday, Jan. 6.  Earlier Report: First Severe Bird Flu Case Confirmed In US The patient, a man over 65 with underlying health conditions, was hospitalized before succumbing to the illness after exposure to a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds. The Louisiana Department of Health said it has conducted a public health investigation and found no additional cases or …

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
Melissa Joan Hart Shares Touching Connection To Late 'Cassius The Crocodile' Melissa Joan Hart Shares Touching Connection To Late 'Cassius The Crocodile'
Melissa Joan Hart Shares Touching Connection To Late 'Cassius The Crocodile' New York native Melissa Joan Hart revealed a special connection to the late Cassius the Crocodile. The saltwater croc, who measured 18 feet long and weighed nearly 2,870 pounds, died Saturday, Nov. 2, at an estimated age of 120, Marineland Melanesia in Australia announced on Facebook. Cassius received the Guinness World Record as the largest living captive crocodile in 2011. Marineland Melanesia said he was “very old and believed to be living beyond the years of a wild croc.” “It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our beloved mate Cassius,” the organization said. “He was mor…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation
Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Outrage is swirling after New York wildlife officials seized and later euthanized beloved social media sensation “Peanut” the squirrel. Chemung County resident Mark Longo, of Elmira, took to Instagram Wednesday, Oct 30, telling his 581,000 followers that Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers had seized the animal, which he rescued in 2017 after its mother was struck by a car. “Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness,” he wrote. “To the people who called (DEC), there’s a special place in hell for you.” In a…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Did You Lose A Giant Snake At CT Landmark? Police Want A Word Did You Lose A Giant Snake At CT Landmark? Police Want A Word
Did You Lose A Giant Snake At CT Landmark? Police Want A Word Police in Connecticut are asking for the public's help to track down the people who left a ball python at a reservoir in Hartford County.  Video from the Nepaug Reservoir off Route 202 in Canton showed several people dumping the snake and running away just before 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, Burlington and Canton Animal Control said in a Facebook post. There are several popular hiking and biking trails near the reservoir.  The snake was listed as "young," but was still much too large for this reporter's liking.  Police took the python into custody and are keeping it…

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by Josh Lanier
Lifestyle
New Lobster Tales: 2 More Rare Orange Crustaceans Found At NY Businesses New Lobster Tales: 2 More Rare Orange Crustaceans Found At NY Businesses
New Lobster Tales: 2 More Rare Orange Crustaceans Found At NY Businesses As families gathered over Labor Day weekend, these lucky crustaceans enjoyed a reunion of their own. Days after an ultra rare orange lobster was saved from a New York Stop & Shop, two of her siblings were rescued from businesses on Long Island. “Meet Tangerine and Navel, Clementine's sisters who were rescued and released this Labor Day following an influx of calls about orange lobsters turning up at the East Setauket Stop & Shop and Northport Fish & Lobster!” Humane Long Island announced on Facebook Tuesday, Sept. 3. Earlier Report: Ultra Rare Orange Lobster Rescued From…

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by Michael Mashburn
Lifestyle
400-Pound Turtle 'Phinney' Rescued On Cape Cod After Getting Tangled In Fishing Gear 400-Pound Turtle 'Phinney' Rescued On Cape Cod After Getting Tangled In Fishing Gear
400-Pound Turtle 'Phinney' Rescued On Cape Cod After Getting Tangled In Fishing Gear A nearly 400-pound, six-foot-long leatherback turtle nicknamed Phinney is back at sea following a harrowing ordeal with some fishing ropes on Cape Cod last week.  New England Aquarium Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life scientists and members of the Aquarium's Animal Health team and Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation team rescued the turtle on Thursday, July 18.  “The turtle had a rope entanglement around the shoulder region of its right front flipper, but fortunately it was detected quickly and the gear was still loose with minimal damage to the flipper,” said Dr. Melissa Jobl…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Adult Male Bear Shot, Killed By CT Business Owner In Self-Defense Adult Male Bear Shot, Killed By CT Business Owner In Self-Defense
Adult Male Bear Shot, Killed By CT Business Owner In Self-Defense A Connecticut business owner who was cleaning up trash from around a garbage dumpster shot and killed a bear that approached him. The incident occurred in Hartford County early Monday, June 3, in Canton. Paul Copleman, spokesman for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said the bear, an adult male, had gotten into the "unsecured" dumpster. The business owner, who was not named, was cleaning up the mess when the bear returned.  Copleman said wildlife personnel and EnConn police responded to the scene.  He did not release details regarding the shootin…

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by Kathy Reakes