Stray tortoise 'chasing cats' alarm residents in Powys
An appeal has been issued by a veterinary practice to help track down the owner of the reptile which is reportedly "chasing cats" in Llansantffraid.
The four-legged shelled creatures, which are more widely known for moving at a glacial pace, can range from the four-inch padlopers to one-metre giant tortoises.
Tortoises are renowned for their long life, with some living well over 100 years, but not every tortoise will live to that grand old age though with some species only living up to 20 years in captivity. The average age across all species is 50 years.
On Wednesday evening (May 7), Montgomery-based Trefaldwyn Vets issued an appeal on their social media page: "We have been asked to help find the owner of a straying tortoise in Llansantffraid who is chasing cats!?
"Please contact the surgery if you have any information."
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Scotsman
9 hours ago
- Scotsman
I've moved to Leith and I'm totally smitten by its most maligned residents
Viktoriia Paniot - They are everywhere down here, and I'm happy about it Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... When Storm Floris hit, a couple of weeks ago, something made me feel uneasy. I wasn't freaked out by the gusty wind, so much, as the total silence from my new pals. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When I moved to Leith, a month ago, I hadn't really thought about the seagull population down here. There weren't many, near my old house, on the other side of Edinburgh. Only pigeons, assorted corvids and spuggies. Here - nearer the sea - it is, of course, herring gull-tastic. I know that pigeons, thanks to Shona Kinloch's sculptures on Elm Row, are this area's official bird, but urban gulls should have that particular honour. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sadly, it seems that most people aren't keen on them. They have a bad rep. It's partially the ransacking habit. Indeed, the bins outside Leith's big Tesco are like the tail end of a jumble sale, when everything has been reduced to 20p. The omnivorous gulls are always happy to guddle around for meal deal detritus. There are other favourite bins, too. I was walking across Leith Links the other day and a violent gull fight broke out over the remains of a Maccy D that had been fished out of the rubbish. It turned into whatever the winged version of fisticuffs is - feathericuffs, perhaps. They don't care about avoiding ultra-processed foods. They love a bit of it. Then there are the dive bomb guano ejections. Since moving, our car has been thoroughly christened with splatter, and so has the pretty stained glass side window in our house. It's not accessible, so we just have to wait for it to degrade and drop off, in a few years, probably. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Still, they don't have full control over their bowels, so I won't take it personally. It could be worse, as a Leith-based friend of mine recently had his face pooped on, while he made his way to work. It's supposed to be good luck, he told himself. Perhaps, if that happened to me, I'd change my mind about them. However, as I work from home, they're the soothing soundtrack to my life. I love the seaside-y sound, which only stops when the weather is terrible. It's nesting season until the end of September, so they have been especially bonkers, loud and busy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad My area is heavily occupied, so it's difficult to imagine that the herring gull populations have declined by 50 per cent since the late 1960s, according to the RSPB. At some points, there will be about ten doing an accapella of that 'mew' sound, or the 'ha-ha-ha'. Then there's that long territorial barking sound, when they dip their heads, before throwing them back. This is supposed to be a territorial warning to other birds. They have the projection of opera singers. Interestingly, the old name for a gull is a 'mew' and, in Shetland, they are called 'maws'. Anyway, there is a lot of that noise. They have big feelings, and their behaviour is like an outdoor soap opera. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They're only still when they've come to rest at a high point, and survey their manor with those pale yellow eyes. There's one that sits on our chimney pot, and uses its beak to play the metal cowl like it's a xylophone. 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At my Leith Edinburgh Leisure gym, they have a Victorian studio, with skylights. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While I'm doing crunches, I can see them paraglide across the sky, hitting all the thermals and getting into the airspace that pigeons can only dream about. No ugly and desperate flapping. It's very restful to watch.
STV News
12 hours ago
- STV News
Cause of Orkney whale stranding ‘almost impossible to figure out', says expert
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She has been busy gathering samples from the whales beached at Roo Beach. These will be sent for testing at the Glasgow-based Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS). However, she said the testing process is slow. Also, given that the whales lay dead on the beach for around five days before being discovered, it will be 'almost impossible' to figure out the cause of the stranding. Investigators are working with a process of elimination, finding out what did not cause the stranding and have been able to rule out injury, disease or trouble birthing as potential causes. In the meantime, the public has been asked to stay away from the area while a decision about disposing of the carcasses is being made. Orkney Islands Council has said 'letting nature take its course' is being considered. LDRS Emma Neave Webb Meanwhile, more mammals are being found, and they have come from the same pod. These include a live calf in Westray last week, another animal off Fair Isle, two near North Ronaldsay, and another live animal in Orkney. Emma said there is a particular reef near the location of the most recent beaching. It may be that some whales grounded there and died while others were able to get away and are now popping up in different places. At this point, not much can be said for sure. However, more can be said about last summer as some test results have been delivered. She said: 'For the stranding from last summer, we're still waiting for the test results for the test that looked at the ear bones. 'That can tell us if there was noise involved. 'Whales have very tiny hairs on their inner ear bones that can get permanently damaged if they're exposed to a certain level of noise. 'But it takes over a year for that test to happen. 'If it turns out they weren't exposed to noise, we'll look and think about alternatives. 'We've already ruled out disease and injury for the stranding last year. All of the animals were in good health. 'None of them were showing signs of birthing difficulties. 'That's what happens with a lot of these big mass strandings – we never know what the cause is, but we can rule things out.' She explained that the circumstances of the recent stranding, where the whales were found by locals last weekend, will be particularly difficult to discern. As they had already been dead for days, investigators won't be able to conduct a 'full necropsy' as they had already begun to decompose. Emma explained: 'We can say there was no sign of obvious injury. We can say there were none having birthing difficulties, and we can say they looked like they were in really good health. 'So, it looks like something went wrong but we're never going to know exactly what caused it. 'One theory we're running with is that it could be climate change having an impact. 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South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Talking Up the Port: All the good things about Newport
It is more than eight years since I last wrote a regular opinion column for the Argus. So much has changed since then… or has it? The last column I wrote back in 2017 talked about the rise of conspiracy theories, fake news, and incessant negativity on social media. That certainly hasn't changed – in fact, it continues to plumb new depths. The good news is I won't be harping on about issues like that in this column. In fact, good news is what this is all about – and, in particular, good news about Newport. Now I realise you might be coughing and spluttering at seeing the words 'good news' and 'Newport' in the same sentence, but bear with me. This column will celebrate all the great things that are happening in this city. And, believe me, there will be no shortage of subject matter. Some people might remember that for a few years, I ran a weekly social media slot, on what was then Twitter, called 'Port Hour'. It was all about giving people, businesses and charities a space to share the brilliant work they were doing in Newport. That is exactly what this column seeks to do. But with more words. Sometimes that will mean sticking my head above the parapet, but a few slings and arrows in return for promoting the city that I've called home for the last 36 years will be a small price to pay. No doubt there will be a few insults flying around on social media, but I can guarantee that I'll have heard them all before, and they will be like water off a particularly large duck's back. What I really want is for this column to be the place where the voice of the silent majority is heard. The people who run fantastic businesses in Newport, or brilliant charities, or terrific events, or just give up their time to benefit their communities, and whose voices often get drowned out by the sound and fury of social media. There are many of them, and they far exceed those who do nothing but sit behind a keyboard and whinge (and, yes, I get the irony of me sitting behind a keyboard and whinging about people whinging!) So I'll be writing about places like Newport Arcade, Tredegar House, Rodney Parade and The Place; about projects like Positive Futures and The Gap; and charities like Free Bikes 4 Kids and Raven House Trust. But I also want to hear from you about the great things you're doing in Newport. Just email me here – kevin@ – and I'll write about you. The golden rule of this weekly column is simple – it will be unremittingly positive about Newport. It will give a platform to those who love their city and want to shout about it. Because if we don't do that, then who will? Kevin Ward is a Newport-based media and management consultant and a former editor of the South Wales Argus. All views expressed in this opinion column are his alone and do not necessarily reflect those of any organisation with which he works. Kevin is not receiving any payment for this column.
