Geologists in Saudi Arabia recently unearthed the remains possibly the last animal one would expect to find in the Kingdom’s vast desert: a whale. Yes, the remains of a 37 million-year-old extinct whale have been found in a Saudi Arabian desert. Experts have found it extremely difficult for whales to survive in the desert, which probably explains the extinction. 

But seriously—the amazing discovery is a key to Saudi Arabia’s ancient history, when the sea expanded far within the borders of the present day Peninsula. The Saudi Geological Survey announced that the whale was from the Upper Eocene era, in the Al-Jawf region, northwest of the Kingdom. 

CEO of the Saudi Geological Commission Abdullah Al-Shamrani said that a survey was conducted on the calcareous cliffs, which contain limestone and other chalky substances, near the governorates of Qurayyat and Haditha. 

The survey aimed to gather and identify the types of marine fossils and their deposition on environments in northern Saudi Arabia 37 million years ago. This is not the first archaeological source that Saudi Arabia has discovered. 

Earlier this year, archaeologists in northwest Saudi Arabia uncovered the earliest evidence of dog domestication by the region’s ancient inhabitants. The dog’s bones showed signs of arthritis, which suggests the animal lived with the humans into its middle or old age. 

Rock art found in the region indicates that the Neolithic inhabitants used dogs when hunting ibex, wild asses, and other animals, maybe whales. 

“What we are finding will revolutionize how we view periods like the Neolithic in the Middle East. To have that kind of memory—that people may have known for hundreds of years where their kin were buried – that’s unheard of in this period in this region,” said Melissa Kennedy, assistant director of the Aerial Archaeology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (AAKSAU) – AlUla project.

The discovery came from one of the many projects happening in the many archaeological surveys and excavations happening in AlUla, the ancient and unexplored city sitting in the Northwest desert of the country. 

AlUla is a largely unknown oasis valley in the vast desert of the Northwest Arabian Peninsula, once a prosperous and important crossroad on the incense route and home to 3,000 years of powerful successive civilizations.
Source

Exactly how long the dog had been there is unclear, but based on her condition, it was clear it had been a while. The dog was clinging to the side of the well. She looked exhausted and her paws were completely bloody from struggling to climb back out. She likely would not have survived much longer if a handful of heroes had not come to her rescue. 

I’m so glad there are people who dedicate their lives to helping animals. Both those who are perhaps mistreated at home, but also those who have accidents and need urgent help. 

 Take a look at the video below to see how happy she got when she realized that she would finally be saved:

 
Source

The innocent stray didn’t attack the man back but instead ran away and assembled his pack of friends. The man, who thought he got away with his disgusting behavior, received payback that is too good to miss! Once the man left the scene and went into his apartment, the stray dog urinated on his car, then ran away to assemble his pack of friends. 

The pack of angry dogs gnawed at his vehicle, chomping away, leaving bite marks and dents. A photographer caught the “car attack” on camera and posted it on social media. The story and photos circulated online, going viral. 

People were up in arms by the man’s cruel actions but were also quite impressed by the dog’s tenacity and cleverness. Do you think the man learned his lesson? 

We hope so! Animal cruelty will never be tolerated! And dogs should never be underestimated!

 
Source

  Thousands of baseball fans cheered on Helen Kahan as she threw the ceremonial first pitch of the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. 

The pitch took place on Kahan's actual birthday and she was accompanied at the game by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Before tonight’s game, Helen Kahan, who turned 100 years old today, threw out the ceremonial first pitch on behalf of @FLHolocaustMus. Helen is an Auschwitz survivor. After escaping the Nazis, Helen immigrated to the United States in 1967 and now resides in St. Petersburg. pic.twitter.com/il9fkRG9Ia

— Rays Community (@RaysCommunity) May 6, 2023

Kahan is an Auschwitz survivor. After escaping the Nazis, Helen immigrated to the United States in 1967, learned to speak English, and now resides in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

"I never could have imagined celebrating a birthday like this, let alone my 100th," Kahan said. 

 Watch the video below:

 
Source

This story is of a hawk who had the most interesting day of his life. The majestic hawk in our story, came across a duck while he was out looking for some food. 

The duck was resting quite peacefully on a patch of turf, ignoring the presence of the mighty hawk. The hawk was rather amazed because the duck seemed to question his power. He couldn’t bear to be ignored like this. 

There’s a very high chance that this hawk didn’t want his job as a hunter to go unnoticed by a measly duck either, especially one that was an unequal opponent. 

The duck didn’t seem to be aware of the hawk’s hunting technique and the hawk was disappointed about the fact that he was unable to create fear within this bird. What the hawk didn’t know was that this duck was merely a decoy figurine. This is why the duck was not intimidated by the presence of this hunter. 

The video footage of this whole incident is sure to make you laugh out loud. For a few minutes, the confused hawk tries to scare and overcome this odd-looking duck. 

The hawk even kept looking around from time to time, as if to ensure that he wasn’t being pranked by someone. Firstly the hawk walks toward the duck at a fast pace and tries to grab the duck with its claws. 

After seeing no reaction, the hawk then goes around the duck, placing its claws everywhere on the duck’s body as if it were trying to wake the duck up from deep sleep. 

After the tireless efforts fail, the bird then decides to give up and leave in search of a more worthy opponent. The hawk will surely never forget this unique encounter ever in his life.

  Video Credit & More Info; Garybob/youtube
Source

  Djamel Hadj Aissa is an independent photojournalist and passionate wildlife photographer based in Ghardaïa, Algeria. He has thousands of followers on his Instagram account, where he shares beautiful images he has shot of wild animals ranging from snakes to birds to primates. 

In February, Djamel saw one of his posts go viral, but it wasn’t a photo of an animal in the wild. Instead, it was a photo of himself next to the unusual companion he brought on the shoot: a lion cub. 

The Epoch Times explains that Djamel is a member of a prominent family in Algeria that started the first private zoo in the North African country, and that the family currently owns six zoos in six different cities. The lion cub he brought on his trip was one that had been born in his own backyard. 

“As it was the first time for her, she sat on my chair and observed what I was doing,” Djamel told The Epoch Times. “My nephew Fayçal took the opportunity to take pictures and videos of us at this incredible moment. Seeing our position and us gazing together in the same direction, the public loved the photo.” 

After sharing the photo on social media, Djamel received comments from skeptical people who accused him of somehow “fabricating” the image. 

In response, the photographer followed up the post with a video of himself next to his furry friend.

  The photographer first became interested in photography as a teenager at age 15 when he was gifted a camera by his father’s pro photographer friend. 

Djamel then worked for decades as a press photographer before getting into wildlife photography in the mid-2010s and turning his attention to personal passion projects. 

He’s now aiming to grow his career as a photographer, perhaps as a foreign correspondent for an international agency or media outlet, in order to fund his continuing love for wildlife photography. 

 You can find more of Djamel’s work on his YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Source

And once in the car, he sobbed like a baby. It’s like he wanted to talk through everything he’d been through in life. 

They quickly got him to the hospital for X-rays that revealed a completely severed spine, a worse injury than they expected… Vova may not have understood what was going on, but he was a good sport through it all. 

After a few days, his health started to stabilize, but he still needed acupuncture and a straighter spine to be able to use a wheelchair. Thanks to his tough spirit and courage, Vova would walk again! 

The dog continues to get stronger with each passing day, and his new life has only just begun.🙂

 
Source

Her swollen feet were filled with a staph infection, and her gritty eyes were clogged with infectious goop. Given her condition, it was likely that she would have to be euthanized. 

But, keep reading, and be sure to watch the ‘heartwarming’ video below! The shelter never gave the dying Pit Bull a name, and she spent most of her time hidden in the back of her lonely cage. 

A woman named Audra Spurio arrived one day to adopt a canine companion for her 2-year-old daughter Gigi. The Pit Bull believed she was undetectable to the rest of humanity, but Gigi pointed at her and cried out: “Mommy, that one.“ 

Gigi pulled on Audra’s coat until she brought her to the pitiful Pit Bull, where Gigi was overwhelmed with compassion and petted her gently. 

Even after Audra showed other dogs to Gigi, the youngster returned 3 times to the sick Pittie and eventually pleaded, “Let the dog out, need help” The shelter team took her out of the kennel, cleaned her up, and let her play with Gigi in the yard. The pair instantly got along amazingly well as they played together for hours. The Pit Bull would always stick to Gigi, and Gigi would keep reminding Audra that the “ill dog” needed assistance. Audra sobbed for her mother to assist the pup as the Pit Bull continued to shake violently every time she was separated from Gigi. 

Audra gave in to Gigi’s heartfelt pleas and brought home Scarlett, a Pit Bull that she named after Scarlett O’Connor. The ill dog was finally able to go home once it arrived at the shelter! Within one week of having a home, Scarlett’s health began improving! She would spend every waking minute with Gigi and never leave her out of her sight. Scarlett recovered and blossomed into Gigi’s steadfast companion over time, as a result of Gigi’s devotion to save her. 

This dynamic duo now spends their days playing and having fun in the house and yard! Be sure to watch their story and heartwarming video below. You’re going to want to watch it until the end, enjoy! 

Click the video below to watch this adorable story!

 
Source

The horrible treatment that the horse received was the reason why he became aggressive and did not trust anyone. But everything changed when he met an amazing man Max, who was also the one who changed his life. That man bought him even though he was aggressive. He also didn’t hesitate to bring that horse home. According to Janna Grapperhaus, her dad was the one who bought the horse. She also revealed that her mom was totally against the idea of keeping Major as it could be dangerous for her husband. 

“I’ll never forget the day my mom called me in a panic ‘Janna, you’ve got to convince your daddy to get rid of that horse, its gonna kill him’.” 

That’s also the reason why the horse was named Major as her mom considered her as a “Major Deal”. Although Major was not in a good state, Max did not give up on him. He dealt with his hostile behavior even it was unsafe for him. It was even a disaster when he brought him home. 

“When dad brought him home, he barreled through five strands of fence within minutes of arriving and he’d bite and strike at anyone within distance.” If this happened to other people, there’s a big chance that they would give up on Major but Max didn’t. Max did his best just to gain his trust. It was nice that Max was victorious with his mission and which was to make Major feel loved. His hard work helped Major a lot and even made him a sweet horse. 

After 2 years, Major completely trusted him and let him ride on him. “My dad never broke him…. he earned his heart. Every single day, for hours and hours dad worked to earn that abused horse’s trust.” The horse that was aggressive and violent also learned to kiss his human friend on the head. And he loved doing it. As Max regularly spent time with Major, it really improved the horse a lot. It’s probably because horses are “highly social animals”. 

Sadly, Max is no longer physically present in Major’s life as he passed away in October 2020. The person who never gave up on him is gone. And it’s too painful to imagine. 

Max’s family made sure that Major would be able to give him his last kiss. It was also the last chance for him to say goodbye to his best friend. “It seemed only fitting to let Major say goodbye. This is Major’s last kiss.” Janna shared the heartwarming photo on Facebook which touched many hearts. As of this writing, the post has been shared 176,000 times. It’s just proof that this story is tragic yet inspiring.
Source

Mr. Wagner saw that the puppy was unwell and promptly took him to receive medical attention from a vet. As a result of his prompt action, the puppy’s life was saved! Image/Story Source Credit: The Dodo via YouTube Video
The medical team was not in favor of giving Mojo away through a regular adoption process. Therefore, they reached out to someone special to ask if he would be willing to take Mojo into his home. 

It was evident that this person had already shown a willingness to open his heart to Mojo. Wagner received a heartwarming welcome when he visited the clinic to see his new puppy, Mojo. Mojo recognized Wagner and seemed overjoyed to see him again. 

Mojo is currently 3 years old, healthy, and happily living with Wagner and his family. According to reports, Mojo is well-cared-for and loved. 

 Watch the video below and please ‘SHARE’ with a friend or family member!

 
Source

  Source/Image Screenshot Credit: T & T Creative Media via YouTube Video
While on his boat, Dornellas witnessed a commotion in the water and noticed an otter frantically swimming towards his boat to escape from a killer whale. 

The dorsal fin of the whale is visible as it approaches the otter. Donellas couldn’t believe his eyes when the otter suddenly appeared out of the water and sought refuge on his boat. Donellas expresses disbelief as he records the incident. He invites the otter to come onto the boat while the killer whale continues to swim around. 

The otter remains on the boat for a few minutes, then briefly returns to the water before deciding to stay on the boat. Click below to watch the video and witness a very close encounter between a killer whale and an otter, where the otter eventually jumped back into the water after the killer whale moved away from the boat. 

It was an unbelievable experience, and we are relieved to share that the otter had a happy ending!

 
Source

  Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are huge mammals that can grow up to 55 feet. Though they’re huge, they’re also vulnerable. 

Scientists say these whales have the largest brains of any creature known to have lived. Perhaps that intelligence allowed this whale to ask for help from a diver. 

Sperm whales’ heads also hold large quantities of a substance called spermaceti. As massive as they are, these whales are gentle, and only feast on squid they find when they dive down to the depths of the ocean. 

The diver is Hugues Vitry. He is a world-famous Maurician environmentalist and underwater photographer, and in this video, he removed a small fish hook from the whale’s lower jaw. Vitry is also the Diving Centre Manager and Vice President of Marine Megafauna Conservation Organization.

  He once freed a whale that got entangled in ropes. Vitry makes the effort to help and conserve marine life, saying one person can make a huge difference. 

He also says not to believe everything the media says about the oceans. Experienced as he is, this was exceptional. The whale swims close to Vitry, moving its huge body sideways before opening its jaw to show the diver that she needed help. 

One small hook caused this huge whale discomfort. Imagine what huge objects could do. As the whale swims beside Vitry, he trains his camera on her, narrating what was going on. It’s beautiful to watch. Vitry says he saw blood. The translation is rough but he says the hook was by the whale’s tooth so, with some force, he was able to remove it from the whale’s mouth. 

The massive mammal remained calm the whole time. Here’s the best part. Vitry himself was in awe when the whale seemed to linger for a bit after he attempted to reassure the creature that it was over. 

The whale in return seemed to be thanking him! Take it from this viewer who seemed to understand Vitry’s French, “For those interested, the guy (an overseas French, I’d say Reunionnais but he could from another island) talks about how strange it was to see this sperm whale come to them with its open mouth yet unagressively, how he saw that its mouth was bleeding, and how after the hook was removed he took a little time to try to make the whale understand it was over, hugged it, and how the sperm whale stood by for a while after that, showing signs that could be interpreted as gratitude.” 

Whales are highly intelligent creatures. Vitry even hugged the whale as he pressed his head against hers and whispered words of comfort.

 
Source

This one is a great example of cat videos people love. After all, more than 7 million people have watched and loved watching this video. What’s in it? A tiny lynx bonding with cats. And they’re all “siblings”! At first, the lynx wanted to solidify their bond by sniffing its black sibling but they are having none of it. 

 The black-gray Maine Coon jumped over the lynx to get away from it. The lynx was a fighter though and it wasn’t going to give up easily. The lynx is pretty smart, too. It knew a slow but steady approach was needed to bond with the other cats. 

When its black-gray sibling wasn’t looking, the lynx sneakily crept up and sniffed its siblings behind. The black-gray sibling was startled and walked away. The lynx took its time. It stayed back. It walked towards the cat but this time, the other cat thought maybe this lynx isn’t so bad. When the lynx approached the black cat, they actually smelled each other. Awww. The lynx was on a mission. It needed someone to love and hug. Good thing it had another cat sibling, a white Maine Coon this time. 

But the white cat just wanted to cuddle up to their human. Their human doesn’t seem worried the three cats won’t get along. If they weren’t going to get along, there would be a cat war inside the home. 

There isn’t and they aren’t turning away the other cats. They’re just getting used to each other. The hold-out cat gave in. Eventually, the black-gray cat hugged the lynx and groomed it. In the cat world, this is a sign of dominance with the older cat grooming the younger cat. 

It shows who’s in charge without getting violent. And now, it’s the white cat sibling’s turn. Finally, the lynx gets to play. Sometimes the white cat grooms the lynx and the lynx stays there and allows it. 

That’s how you know the lynx likes the grooming when it doesn’t make an effort to run away. Their human has successfully captured the bonding moments the two older cats have with the lynx and it’s adorable. That’s exactly why humans love to watch cat videos. “Cat videos are comparably much more popular and cats don’t seem to acknowledge the camera at all and just do whatever they like, they are oblivious to it. 

I think that’s really appealing to audiences who are so used to being under the gaze of the camera these days,” Massey University Media Studies Lecturer Dr. Radha O’Meara explained. 

She said that cat videos give us space to imagine a world where we are not constantly watched and yet it also allows us to watch someone else’s life without disrupting it. It’s a confusing but understandable concept. See this adorable lynx slowly win over his curmudgeon main coon siblings in the video below!