Brave squirrel fights off rattlesnake in dramatic caught-on-camera battle
The showdown happened at the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge where it was filmed by Sally Brown of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
In the footage, the California ground squirrel can be seen using anti-snake tactics such as tossing debris at the southern Pacific rattlesnake to ward it off.
According to Brown, while the rattler lunged at the squirrel it did not pursue because it was likely too full from a recent meal.
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BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Ducks abandon 'vile' pond in Silver End garden village
Ducks have abandoned the pond in a park after council neglect left it in a "disgusting" state, villagers Lewis, 37, said he had seen discarded cans, bottles and "grime" on the water, in Silver End Memorial Gardens, near Witham, Essex, and told the BBC the situation had been getting worse for "quite a few months"."This used to be thriving with ducks, all sorts of wildlife, and now there's not a single duck in the area because it's just so disgusting," he District Council said no maintenance schedule had been in place due to the pond being "ornamental", but that it was aware of its condition and was organising a contractor to treat it. Silver End is a garden village that celebrates its centenary next was built by Francis Henry Crittall to house workers at his factory making components for metal Lewis said families would once gather to feed up to 50 ducks at the pond."It does kick up a smell as the weather gets warmer as well," he said."If a kid falls in there I don't know what they'll come out with, but it is absolutely vile."He said the community had sent "numerous" emails and made phone calls, even asking for advice on how to help, but had heard nothing back. Award-winning photographer Danny Owens has taken hundreds of photos of the ducks in the 50 years he has lived in just dreadful... it's insane," he said."(I) would love to know how it has happened. Why don't people look after it and respect it?" James Abbott, Green member for Silver End and Cressing on Braintree District Council Party, described the pond as "ornamental... with a sort of Japanese theme".He said: "It's really fallen into a terrible state now with very little water; lots of sort of scum and muck."There's been dead animals found in it, and it really is not acceptable."He said the council had been slow to meet him and the parish council. A Braintree District Council spokesperson said there had been "no maintenance schedule for the pond" but that the authority planned to review this following recent the meantime, it said, it was liasing with a contractor to find a date to clean the pond "effectively and safely". Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Guardian
15 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘My wife reminds me to bring bear spray': a day in the life of a wildlife ranger
We're often quick to celebrate when natural land is saved: a rainforest spared, a vital habitat conserved. But what happens if there's nobody there to protect it? That's a problem international conservation charity World Land Trust was aiming to solve when it set up its Keepers of the Wild programme, which provides salaries for rangers on partner reserves all over the world. 'You need people there every day,' says Dan Bradbury, director of brand and communications at World Land Trust. He points out that those working as keepers of the wild are not only rangers but often firefighters, community organisers, medics, animal rescuers, research assistants and general guardians. Through the programme, those living in nearby villages are hired to protect natural heritage. Some are even former hunters. 'They become amazing guides, because they know the forests,' says Bradbury. He offers the example of a Colombian bird hunter who once used his talent for mimicking bird calls to 'whip away birds and take them to market'. Now employed as a keeper of the wild, he uses the same bird call, but for good, as a bird guide in the reserve. 'They're the peacemakers there, on the frontline of conservation,' says Bradbury. Located in Armenia, you'll find the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge, created in 2011 by World Land Trust's partner organisation, Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC). There, Keepers of the Wild-funded rangers Boris Vanyan and Manuk Manukyan take on arduous and often perilous work as part of an award-winning ranger team. On a given day, they could deal with wildfires, armed intruders or animals injured by landmines. But, as they explain, the work comes with plenty of pinch-me moments among the leopards and lynxes, too. Here's how Vanyan and Manukyan spend a typical day at work. Vanyan: Before my workday even begins, we start planning. Friends call – shepherds or other community members – who may have seen something or heard something we should check out. Sometimes we finalise plans the day before. Vanyan: Our clothes are light, with long sleeves for sun protection. Sturdy shoes are a must – there are many poisonous snakes. I pack binoculars, trap-cameras, food, a knife, and a first aid kit. I'll even take needles in case something major happens and we need stitches. My wife reminds me to bring bear spray. Manukyan: Some people say that when you're out in the wild, you should have a weapon in case a bear attacks. But there is no reason for a bear to attack if you know not to go into his den, or near his cubs. I'll usually just pack trap-cameras, plus camera batteries and memory chips. Vanyan: Depending on the plan, I take horses, walk or drive. That depends on the landscape. Our hours are according to wildlife, not what is comfortable to us – if the wildlife wakes up at 5.30am, we move with their schedule. Manukyan: I wish I could start as early as 5am, but instead I go to the village to collect colleagues and guide them to the eco centre, where we have greenhouses, lodges and a bear rehabilitation centre. Vanyan: There are three main threats to wildlife in this area. First, illegal poaching. Then there's wildfires, which can mean animals migrate to areas that are dangerous to them, or they lose their habitat. The third is the many landmines on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Crossing the mines, an animal could lose a limb, or could even be blown up. Manukyan: Recently, we had fires in three different places. A storm had begun destroying the juniper forests – the lightning was setting these ancient trees on fire. They have oil inside, and they burn like hell. But we have horses trained that can carry water up the mountain, and, together with the other rangers, the fire department and the state reserve, we managed to distinguish all three fires. Vanyan: Usually if I work close to home, I'll go home for lunch, but I'm reluctant to take a break like this, because being in nature is the most relaxing thing. Vanyan: I also manage tree planting for the reforestation programme in degraded areas of the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge – organising villagers, showing them where and how to plant. Sometimes we have to negotiate with locals who let their cattle roam, as they can eat the young trees, which can be a challenge. Vanyan: In the evening, the mammals come with their youngsters to the wetland. I'll hide somewhere near a watering hole and wait for them to turn up – golden hour is the best time to film the animals, such as the bezoar goats, with a very high zoom. Manukyan: Animals often recognise me. For a while there was a Eurasian lynx – very risk-averse animals – which I would spot, only from far away. One time we stood, just four or five metres apart, just looking at each other for a long time. I tried to take photos, but the clicking sound made him run off. I've observed him many times, in many places. There is also a herd of bezoar goats who pose when I'm coming to check the trap-camera. Vanyan: We recently spotted two different Caucasian leopards as far as 3km from one another, which is a very good sign – it shows that the leopards have enough prey to come and stay, to feel secure in the area and to roam. We also monitor for three species of vultures, and observe lots of bears. Manukyan: I'll drop off my team and travel home. But I have a live camera on my phone, and I'm constantly checking it to see if there's something alarming. One time, close to New Year's Eve, we spotted a torchlight on the top of the mountain, and identified that it was people – with weapons. We immediately drove to the mountain – a 90-minute drive. I called the police and the rangers from the state reserve, and, of course Boris, and together, we encircled them. It turned out they were not armed with hunting guns, but military guns. Their guns were taken and there was a police case – it took the whole night, until 4am or 5am. This type of thing is quite usual – everything depends on the needs of nature. Manukyan: Sometimes I don't see my three children for a few days at a time, because I come home after they go to bed, and leave before they wake up. When that happens, they demand I organise a barbecue! Vanyan: My son is nine, and he's very proud. He wants to learn about everything, to see all the materials I'm gathering. Maybe someday he will come with me, maybe he'll continue my journey. Manukyan: The real richness, the real value of this country is its biodiversity. It's very important to understand that the love of a country starts from nature – from rivers to trees, and forests to wildlife. Everything we are keeping now is not only for us, but for future generations. You can support Rangers like Manuk Manukyan and Boris Vanyan by donating to World Land Trust's Keepers of the Wild Programme
The Independent
19 hours ago
- The Independent
Stealth fighter jet pilot forced to eject as $100M aircraft crashes in rural California
A U.S. Navy stealth fighter jet was forced to eject from a $100 million F-35C Lightning II jet moments before it slammed into a California cotton field, say officials. Plumes of black smoke were seen blowing across a field at around 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, after Fresno County officials said they received a report of a military jet 'engulfed in flames.' Deputies, firefighters, and California Highway Patrol officers located the wreckage 40 miles out from the city of Fresno and just north of Lemoore Naval Air Station. The pilot was found with a parachute in a nearby field after he was forced to eject from the aircraft. He is attached to the squadron known as the VFA-125 'Rough Raiders,' Fresno officials said. He was airlifted to a local hospital by helicopter and is expected to recover. 'At night, firefighters used a bulldozer to cut a path to the jet so fire engines could get close enough to extinguish the fire,' FCSO said. Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes owns the field where the jet crashed. Mendes told ABC News, his son alerted him to the crash, 'I got a call from one of my sons at about 6:50 – that 'hey, I think there's a plane crash in our field, I'm gonna go out there and see.' 'I was in my pajamas, so I put my clothes back on and came this way," Mendes added. The F-35C is one of three variants of the F-35 Lightning II, designed for use on U.S. aircraft carriers. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the craft is deemed 'the most lethal, survivable, and connected fighter aircraft for America and its allies.' The jet is priced at around $100 million and was the second F-35 to crash this year, according to reports from CNN. In January, an Air Force F-35A crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska during a training mission. The pilot also ejected safely in that incident. A military investigation is now underway to try to determine the cause of the crash. The pilot successfully ejected and is safe. There are no additional affected personnel,' a statement to Reuters from NAS Lemoore read. The Independent contacted the U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin for comment. The U.S. Air Force has 246 F-35s in its fleet, while the Marine Corps has 122 and the Navy has 41, according to the World Air Forces database on Internationally, there are over 17 countries involved in the F-35 program, according to Lockheed Martin. Recently, the jet has faced scrutiny regarding maintenance and readiness issues. In a January 2025 report from the Defense Department's Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, variants of the multimillion-dollar jet failed to meet requirements for reliability, maintainability, and availability. 'The operational suitability of the F-35 fleet continues to fall short of Service expectations,' the report said. In May, a U.S. Navy jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier was lost to the Red Sea after the pilot and weapons systems officer were forced to eject when the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet 's tail hook failed to catch the stopping wire and suffered an arrestment failure as it attempted to land on the carrier. Both pilots survived the incident but suffered minor injuries.
