One Hungry, Determined Little Mouse!
This extraordinary scene was captured by photography student Casey Gutteridge at the Santago Rare Leopard Project in Hertfordshire, England.
The 19-year-old, from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, who was photographing the leopard for a course project, was astounded by the mouse's behaviour. He said: 'I have no idea where the mouse came from - he just appeared in the enclosure after the keeper had dropped in the meat for the leopard. 'He didn't take any notice of the leopard, just went straight over to the meat and started feeding himself. 'But the leopard was pretty surprised - she bent down and sniffed the mouse and flinched a bit like she was scared. 'In the meantime the mouse just carried on eating like nothing had happened.'
..but even a gentle shove does not deter the little creature from getting his fill. 'It was amazing to watch. Even the keeper who had thrown the meat into the enclosure was shocked - he said he'd never seen anything like it before.' Project owner Jackie James added: 'It was so funny to see - Sheena batted the mouse a couple of times to try to get it away from her food. 'But the determined little thing took no notice and just carried on.' Sheena was brought in to the Santago Rare Leopard Project from a UK zoo when she was just four months old. She is one of 14 big cats in the private collection started in 1989 by Jackie's late husband Peter. The African Leopard can be found in the continent's forests, grasslands, savannas, and rainforests.
Fun -
A teenager who’d been in drug rehab, came before the judge, and told the court how he was gradually overcoming his addiction. The judge was impressed. “Well done,” he said, “let’s hope you end the year on a high.”
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The latest term being bandied about is PICNIC: Problem In Chair; Not In Computer.
There is a disease (the name will come to me later, but it's the one why pregnant women aren't supposed to change the kitty litter) that comes to people via cats and to cats via mice and rats. What it does to the rodents is cause them to lose their sense of fear of predators--which makes them easy pickings for the cats, who eat them, keeping Darwin happy. And then the kitty litter is germy.
ReplyDeleteI recall reading something about the parasite that causes rodents to lose their fear of cats but the fact the cat doesn't snack on the mouse astounds me. My kitty has brought in birds, mice and moles. That Leopard is amazing--or just toying with lunch.
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