Pet News - Sat 12th March 2016

Cheetah - Photo: Josie Hayden

Did you know that a cheetah’s best friend… could actually be a dog? Specifically a really really BIG dog.

Anatolian Shepherds are the newest weapon in trying to stop Namibian farmers shooting the wild cats that decimate their crops.

If you happened to be watching the Today show on Channel 9 this week you would have seen Terri, Bindi and Rob Irwin talking about a recent trip to the African nation to promote this scheme – which is interesting because I’d already heard about it , minus the celebrity visitors.

But this is great news because it’s a pretty tough life for Namibians – who previously had only one way to stop hungry cheetahs killing their stock, and that was to shoot them – and they did – in their thousands.

Sadly it’s estimated there are only ten thousand cheetahs left in the wild – which is why this scheme is so good.

With the help of the Irwins, Namibia's Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has
trained and placed 400 of these gentle giants to protect flocks – and their loud barks are having the desired effect in telling cheetahs to look for dinner elsewhere.

Original Story - The Daily Telegraph 

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Photo: Campbell Brodie 
L-R - Lou Davy, her cat Bagherra and students Ben Tillett and Shane Male. 

Scientists in South Australia have confirmed what cat owners have suspected for a long long time… that is… that felines can be identified as having one of 5 very distinctive personalities.

The cat Tracker project has so far analysed data from the owners of close to 3 thousand cats and it clearly shows how their personality can be determined by ranking their skittishness, outgoingness, Dominance, spontaneity or friendliness.

If that sounds like some of your friends – you’ll be pleased to learn the researchers think so too, they liken Skittishness to neuroticism in people, outgoingness is similar to extroversion and friendliness is like their degree of agreeableness.

The research is ongoing – and if you’re in South Australia – and want to find out your cat’s personality you can fill in the Cat Tracker project’s online survey.

Original Story: Adelaide Now

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Photo: (c) Queensland Museum

Still in the world of science – and Queensland researchers have discovered a new species of spider which can swim, surf and even hide at the bottom of pools… it’s been named Dolomedes Briangreenei, or Brian for short.

No it hasn’t been named after VETtalk TV’s Brian – but maybe you’ll get a spider named after you one day… no this rather large spider was named after physicist and World Science Festival co-founder Brian Greene, who is professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University – currently in Oz.

If you’re prone to arachnophobia, you might not think Brian is a useful addition to the Australian landscape… but he’s really rather clever… Brian’s about the size of the palm of your hand and can either walk on water or swim through it… best of all, he not only eats fish, frogs and tadpoles…Brian also eats Cane Toads.

Original Story - Sydney Morning Herald