LaNUBlog™

The animal kingdom has always surprised us with some pretty formidable creatures but these extinct animalsare something out of our worst nightmares. They were larger and more vicious than the scary animals we know today and it might be hard to believe that they actually existed. We might not have the chance to see them today but we should know them, just in case they ever return. 1. Carbonemys: The name Carbonemys means “carbon turtle”. It was a carnivorous the size of a Volkswagen. Its head was bigger than a football and its beak razor sharp which made it easy to slice through other animals with ease. 2. Arthropleura:

Longleat Safari Park said a spate of pregnancies had led to a 40% increase in lion numbers causing "excessive violent behaviour" Six lions at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire have been destroyed by staff after a large increase in population. A spokesman said a spate of pregnancies had led to a 40% increase in lion numbers causing "excessive violent behaviour".

An Italian student suffering from a rare disease has denounced death threats she received after defending medical experiments on animals. Caterina Simonsen said more than 30 "death wishes" and 500 abusive messages were sent to on her Facebook page.

A 41-year-old elephant named Patience charged and killed a Springfield, Missouri, zookeeper who had come to feed her Friday. John Phillip Bradford, 62, died in the elephant enclosure at Dickerson Park Zoo, according to Springfield Police Department spokeswoman Lisa Cox. He was the manager of elephants, and had worked at the zoo for 30 years, according to a zoo statement. Bradford was in the enclosure with two other workers when Patience charged him. The other two workers were unharmed, Cox said. What set off the incident is unclear. The zoo referred questions to the city. "This is very sad day for the Zoo family, as well as our community as a whole," zoo director Mike Crocker said in a written statement. The elephant has been at the zoo since 1990. The zoo hasn't had any previous problems with its elephants, Cox said. The zoo's elephant matriarch, Connie, died last week, according to the zoo website. The zoo opened as normal Friday, but the elephant exhibit wa...

A 41-year-old elephant named Patience charged and killed a Springfield, Missouri, zookeeper who had come to feed her Friday. John Phillip Bradford, 62, died in the elephant enclosure at Dickerson Park Zoo, according to Springfield Police Department spokeswoman Lisa Cox. He was the manager of elephants, and had worked at the zoo for 30 years, according to a zoo statement. Bradford was in the enclosure with two other workers when Patience charged him. The other two workers were unharmed, Cox said. What set off the incident is unclear. The zoo referred questions to the city. "This is very sad day for the Zoo family, as well as our community as a whole," zoo director Mike Crocker said in a written statement. The elephant has been at the zoo since 1990. The zoo hasn't had any previous problems with its elephants, Cox said. The zoo's elephant matriarch, Connie, died last week, according to the zoo website. The zoo opened as normal Friday, but the elephant exhibit wa...

It's easy to campaign to save endangered species like pandas and woolly spider monkeys because they're fluffy and cute. But what about venomous snakes? These are crucial predators in Brazil's Atlantic rainforest ecosystem, and a local doctor has made it his life's work to save one of the most dangerous. Carnival was in full swing in the small Brazilian coastal town of Itacare when a giant snake measuring 6m long slithered down the streets, sending hundreds of revellers screaming into roadside bars. Until recently the snake would have been killed. The police were standing by with shotguns. But instead the local doctor was summoned. Dr Rodrigo Souza moved to the north-eastern state of Bahia 12 years ago and developed a fascination with the rainforest and its wildlife. Now whenever a strange creature ventures into a built-up area, the doctor is called. He was even asked to rescue a group of confused penguins that had been swept up from the Falkland Islands by the mighty ...

Five-year-old Sumatran tiger Melati gave birth to the cub on 22 September after a six-minute labour. The pregnancy, which lasted about 105 days, was kept secret by zookeepers who are "over the moon" about the birth. The cub was born six months after the opening of the "tiger territory", designed to encourage the endangered sub-species of tiger to breed. Zookeepers do not yet know the sex of the cub Zookeeper Paul Kybett said: "We were nervous about the pregnancy, as it was Melati's first cub and we didn't know how she'd react. "When it came to her due date, we were all watching our monitors with bated breath. "The actual birth happened very quickly and Melati's maternal instincts kicked in immediately as she started licking the cub all over and it soon began wriggling around - we couldn't have asked for a smoother birth." He added: "It's still very early days, so we're leaving Melati to take care of her ado...

Some of Europe's key animals have made a comeback over the past 50 years, a report suggests. Conservationists say species such as bears, wolves, lynx, eagles and vultures have increased in numbers. They believe that protection, curbs on hunting and people moving away from rural areas and into cities have helped Europe's wildlife to recover. The analysiswas carried out by the Zoological Society of London, Birdlife and the European Bird Census Council. The report was commissioned by the conservation group Rewilding Europe. Frans Schepers, the organisation's director, said: "People have this general picture of Europe that we've lost all our nature and our wildlife. "And I think what the rest of the world can learn from this is that conservation actually works. If we have the resources, a proper strategy, if we use our efforts, it actually works." The researchers looked at 18 mammals and 19 birds, such as the white-tailed eagle For top predators such ...

The blobfish has topped a list of some very strange-looking creatures that all "need help" The grumpy-looking, gelatinous blobfish has won a public vote to become the official mascot of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. This gives the fish the unofficial title of world's ugliest animal. The society began as a science-themed comedy night and devised its mascot campaign to draw attention to "aesthetically challenged" threatened species. The winner was announced at the British Science Festival in Newcastle. The blobfish tops a list that includes the huge-nosed proboscis monkey, the similarly afflicted pig-nosed turtle, an amphibian affectionately known as a "scrotum frog" and pubic lice. Biologist and TV presenter Simon Watt, president of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, said he hoped the campaign would draw attention to the threats facing these weird and wonderful creatures. "Our traditional approach to conservation is egotistical...