Jounior Observer | Sunday Observer.lk - Sri Lanka

Jounior Observer | Sunday Observer.lk - Sri Lanka: "Dog takes bullets for owner in carjacking attack
A dog named Max shielded his owner, Osmar Persisco of Garibaldi, Brazil, in a carjacking attack.
Your dog may be your best friend. But would he take a bullet for you? Hopefully, that's a question you'll never have to put to the test. But for Osmar Persisco of Garibaldi, Brazil, the answer was a resounding 'yes.'
The trouble started on a Sunday recently, when Persisco parked his car for a play session with his dog, Max, in Max's favourite field. He had just taken Max out of the car when two armed men accosted (approached) him, demanding the keys to his truck. Persisco resisted, and tried to fight off the men but they began shooting at him.
The first bullet grazed his forehead, but luckily, it was only a flesh wound. That's when Max leapt in to protect his master, shielding him from further harm.
He saw the blood and was furious, Persisco told Brazilian newspaper Globo (via TreeHugger). He left like a rocket to attack the thieves. One of them ran away, but Max dominated the other one.
To defend himself, the thief ended up shooting the dog. 'Max thwarted the assault and saved my life.Max was shot multiple times, with two bullet holes in the chest and another in his right front leg.
'Fortunately, the thieves ran off, and Persisco was able to take his heroic dog to a nearby animal hospital for treatment.'
Max currently sports a bright green cast on his leg, but he's expected to make a full recovery.
Max must love his owner an awful lot to risk his life for him and the admiration definitely seems to be mutual.
'If I didn't have my dog around, they would have killed me', said Persisco. 'He's my hero.'
Courtesy :Internet"

Polar bear births could plummet with climate change
The researchers say projected reductions in the number of newborn cubs is a significant threat to the western Hudson Bay polar-bear population, and if climate change continues unabated the viability of the species across much of the Arctic will be in question.

Using data collected since the 1990s researchers looked at the changing length of time Hudson Bay is frozen over (the polar bear's hunting season) and the amount of energy pregnant females can store up before hibernation and birthing.

An early spring-ice breakup reduces the hunting season making it difficult for pregnant females to even support themselves, let alone give birth to and raise cubs. Pregnant polar bears take to a maternity den for up to eight months and during this time no food is available.

In the early 1990s, researchers estimate, 28 per cent of energy-deprived pregnant polar bears in the Hudson Bay region failed to have even a single cub. Researchers say energy deprived pregnant females will either not enter a maternity den or they will naturally abort the birth.

Using mathematical modelling to estimate the energetic impacts of a shortened hunting season, the research team calculated the following scenarios:If spring break up in Hudson Bay comes one month earli-

er than in the 1990s, 40 to 73 per cent of pregnant female polar bears will not reproduce.If the ice breaks up two months earlier than in the 1990s, 55 to a full 100 per cent of all pregnant female polar bears in western Hudson Bay will not have a cub.

The polar-bear population of western Hudson Bay is currently estimated to be around 900 which is down from 1,200 bears in the past decade.

The number of polar bears across the Arctic is estimated to be between 20,000 and 25,000.The research team says because the polar bears of Hudson Bay are the most southerly population they are the first to be affected by the global-warming trend. However, they say that if temperatures across the Arctic continue to rise, much of the global population of polar bears will be at risk.

Courtesy:Science Daily