The good news is that shark attacks are still a relatively rare phenomenon. The bad news is that shark attacks were up 25% in 2010 and there are two particularly mean sharks in the Red Sea. Still, humans are still totally winning the war with sharks:

Burgess also emphasized that while sharks claim an average of five humans a year, fishing fleets kill somewhere between 30 million to 70 million sharks a year. Some are accidentally caught, others are targeted for their fins, which are used in Asia for high-priced soup.

[MSNBC]

Now in its 41st year, the Audubon Society will be holding the annual Institute of Desert Ecology program. Beginning Apr. 28 and continuing through May 1, the four day program studies Sonoran Desert ecosystems, specifically the relationships between plants, animals and physical characteristics of the desert.

“This is a chance to learn about North America’s most interesting biogeographical region from experts who have decades of teaching and research experience in it,” said Institute Director Matt Brooks. Faculty includes renowned authorities, such as Cecil Schwalbe, who co-wrote the book, The Venomous Reptiles of Arizona and Linwoood Smith, an expert on desert adaptations, who has taught participants botany and ornithology for 40 years. The veteran faculty presents to participants in small groups and focuses on Sonoran Desert connections and interactions, illustrating through activities from nature walks and lizard-lassoing in the daytime to black lighting for arthropods, owling and star presentations at night.

The Institute is open to anyone, but is limited to 60 people per year. Participants will camp all four days at Catalina State Park. All meals are catered and included in the tuition, which is $425 for Audubon members, and $460 for non-members.

For more information or to register, visit the Tucson Audubon Society website, or call Matt Brooks at 629-0510 x7007.

The Old Pueblo? More like the Cold Pueblo? Am I right?

While we try to warm up this morning, why not enjoy the site of two corgis playing tetherball?

[Fark]

The marketing person at the Winnipeg Humane Society is a genius:

[Urlesque]

Seriously, however, there are adorable cats to be saved in our own locale as well. Save a cat and God saves a hug for you in heaven (or your spiritual equivalent).

The Associated Press is reporting that a South Carolina woman was charged with animal cruelty after hanging a dog and burning its body because it chewed on her Bible:

When questioned by police and animal control officers, Miriam Smith told them the female dog named "Diamond" was a "devil dog" and she feared it might harm neighborhood children, according to an incident report from the county's Environmental Enforcement Department.

It probably didn't help that the dog was chained outside, or that she left her Bible on the porch.

Good news: Tucson's dead bats aren't a sign of the apocalypse. Bad news: someone thought it would be fun to kill a bunch of bats.

From the Game and Fish Department:

The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) has determined that the probable cause of death for approximately 80 bats found dead or dying beneath the Speedway Bridge over the Pantano Wash the week of Dec. 27 died from ballistic trauma caused by a BB gun.

Eleven bats examined at a department lab in Phoenix bore signs of physical trauma consistent with being shot with a 4 millimeter BB gun, and three such BBs were recovered from their bodies. A fourth BB and similar trauma was found during necropsies of four bats performed by a U.S. Geological Survey lab in Madison, WI, which ruled out White Noise Syndrome as the cause of death. Rabies was previously ruled out as the cause of death by the Arizona Department of Health Services in Phoenix.

The remaining bats removed from the scene by the Pima Animal Care Center also exhibited physical trauma consistent with the finding. Trauma apparent in the necropsies ranged from mild to severe, with seven fractured wings, one spinal fracture, one leg fracture, two “through-and-through” entrance and exit wounds on opposite sides of the body, and four cases of generalized wing trauma.

“This is an especially cruel case, given the number of animals killed outright or apparently mortally wounded by BBs ricocheting around beneath the bridge. Quick escape from the concrete expansion joints of the bridge that the bats inhabit would have been difficult,” said Regional Supervisor Raul Vega of AGFD. “We are now conducting a criminal investigation and actively seeking information leading to full prosecution of whoever is responsible.”

It's cold out; there's a holiday coming up; and there are six pictures of adorable baby cheetahs to look at on The Washington Post's site.

Sure, they won't be so adorable when they're stalking you as prey someday, but right now, bask in the adorableness.

I can't believe we didn't think of this before, but the massive number of foreclosed homes in Arizona gives the rattlesnake community a perfect place to hide, multiply and eventually rise up and retake the state for themselves.

This guy caught a few of them, but clearly, it's only a matter of time. I, for one, welcome our new rattlesnake overlords.

If you didn't have anything better to do with your time during the earlier parts of the day this summer, you probably watched a fair amount of the World Cup (or perhaps you tried your best to avoid the World Cup).

While the soccer was good and the general excitement over the spirit of competition was fun to watch, the real breakout star of the competition might have been Paul the Octopus, the resident of a German aquarium who successfully predicted the outcome of every Germany match and the Spain/Netherlands final. Sadly, like a candle in the wind, our prognosticating pal Paul has been taken away from us.

A shame, but as Neil Young said, it might be better to burn out than fade away. Plus, apparently octopi don't live all that long. Who knew?

Hopefully, you're predicting the outcome of soccer matches wherever you are, Paul. We'll see you at the crossroads.

Kitabu, a lion at Reid Park Zoo, has died. The press release:

The Reid Park Zoo announces that “Kitabu” an elderly male African Lion,
died overnight. A necropsy (postmortem examination) is being performed
today. Preliminary results will be available tomorrow and final
examination reports are expected in several weeks. There was a
noticeable decline in Kitabu's health over the past two days. Animal
care staff and the Zoo veterinarian were attempting non-evasive medical
treatments before moving on to a detailed exam with anesthesia. He
suffered a stroke in February and has been on medication and undergoing
physical therapy since that time. Kitabu was born at Reid Park Zoo and
was 18 when he died.

“Like all animals at Reid Park Zoo, Kitabu received quality
whole-life care until the day he died. Although his death deeply saddens
the staff, his death was not