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Nature

Group of endangered California condors wreak total havoc on a woman's porch

Group of endangered California condors wreak total havoc on a woman's porch

Most people would count themselves lucky to have a sighting of more than a dozen endangered animals out their front window when there aren't very many of the creatures living in the wild. Such a one-in-a-million kind of opportunities don't come around every day.

But for a California woman whose deck a group of 15 or so endangered California condors chose as a roosting spot, "lucky" isn't exactly the right sentiment.

Twitter user Seana Lyn shared photos of the giant birds and the havoc they are wreaking on her mom's house.


"Over the weekend ~15 California condors descended on my mom's house and absolutely trashed her deck," she wrote. "They still haven't left. It sucks but also this is unheard of, there's only 160 of these birds flying free in the state and a flock of them decided to start a war with my mom."

The photos show the gigantic birds boasting colored tags with numbers on them, which is how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service track which breeding program they belong to.

Seana Lyn on Twittertwitter.com


You can also see how they've knocked over planters and pooped everywhere.

pbs.twimg.com


And also how they've torn off and torn apart covers for items on the deck—and pooped and pooped some more.

California condors have a wingspan that ranges from 8 feet to nearly 10 feet, and they weigh an average of 18 to 20 pounds. These are not small birds, and when you get 15 or so of them together, the damage they can do is formidable.

Seana's mom, to her credit, thinks the whole thing is "pretty amazing but also the worst." That about sums it up.

The condors did move to the trees nearby so they at least weren't using the house as their personal bathroom, and then circled overhead. "Fingers crossed they're enjoying the neighborhood but being good neighbors now," wrote Seana Lyn.


"Still wild to me that in my lifetime there went from being about 25 condors left alive to no almost that many descending on my mom's house at once," she added. "Makes me wonder if we will start seeing more giant flocks as their numbers rise."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service weighed in on the matter on Twitter, writing, "Hi @SeanaLyn, her home is located in historical condor habitat where natural food sources occur...unfortunately they sometimes perceive houses and decks as suitable perch locations.

"If this happens again, hazing to preclude them from causing damage and habituation is encouraged. This includes methods that will not harm them such as water hoses, yelling, clapping, shouting or using other preventative measures such as scarecrow sprinklers."

They also said they don't encourage people to touch the birds. (Who on earth would approach a ginormous California condor and try to touch it??? Oh, right. Lots of people, probably.)

While an endangered animal encounter is indeed pretty amazing, this wasn't the kind of encounter anyone wants to have, so Seana's mom was undoubtedly glad to hear she could do a little condor "hazing" if need be. She did end up hosing two condors off of her roof, moving them into a nearby tree with their buddies.

The saving of the California condor is one of the great endangered species success stories. Their numbers dwindled to a couple of dozen in the 1980s, when wildlife conservationists gathered up those that were left to start an intense breeding program to bring them back from the brink of extinction. Now there are more than 300 California condors living in the wild and more than 500 total including those in captivity and breeding programs.

Trashing a human's house is a heck of a way to say "thanks for saving our species," birdies. (Then again, since their near-extinction was kind of our fault, I guess we have to look past it.) Maybe just leave the nice lady's porch alone and go find some nasty politician's home to poop on. That would be a win-win all around.

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


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Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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The "over or under" question has plagued marriages and casual acquaintances alike for over 100 years, with both sides convinced they have the soundest reasoning for putting their toilet paper loose end out or loose end under. Some people feel so strongly about right vs. wrong TP hanging that they will even flip the roll over when they go to the bathroom in the homes of strangers.

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Photo via iStock.

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Ashley rushed Freddie to the emergency room, where an X-ray confirmed the bones in his left shin were broken in half. He needed to be sedated, his bones set and put in a cast. It was an agonizing day for the Teers. But it's what happened next that was truly inspiring.

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