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Jimbalaya
The House Cat has spoken
By JIM HARRINGTON
Article published on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2006 |
Cookie, my part-Siamese kitty, was so upset about the latest spate of animal-related incidents that she asked me to write something about her friends, furry or otherwise.
The kitty and I thought we would write a column in a question-and-answer format to help educate, as it were, her dad’s readers. Don’t worry, Cookie will give answers at the end.
Here goes:
1. What kind of tiger is Enshala, the big kitty at Lowry Park Zoo who had to be shot after it started to roam from its un-secured cage?a. A Sumatran tiger, considered to be the smallest tiger subspecies.
b. A Siberian tiger, a male of which subspecies can reportedly grow up to 10 feet long and weigh 660 pounds.
c. It wasn’t a tiger, but a lion that sleeps about 20 hours a day.
d. A South China tiger, which, like the Sumatran, is one of the smallest. 2. What did an official with the national office of the Humane Society think of Lowry Park Zoo at one time?a. Angry about the high price of animal feed, the official accused the zoo in Tampa of feeding its animals something other than Science Diet.
b. The zoo, now a highly regarded park that’s accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, was considered one of the worst in the country a decade ago.
c. He was upset that the zoo wasn’t accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
d. Trick question. The Humane Society doesn’t concern itself with zoos. 3. Speaking of kitty cats, which big native animal is Everglades National Park especially well known for?a. An alligator-eating python.
b. The crocodile.
c. The Florida panther, whose population numbers about 30 to 50, according to the National Park Service.
d. A gecko. 4. Remember that strange-looking creature that washed up in a Shore Acres community in 2002? The sturgeon has most recently been caught doing what in Florida waters? a. Biting swimmers’ toes, like a water bug.
b. Eating the freshwater anglers’ prized catch, the bass.
c. Beaching itself by Redington Long Pier while pier owner Tony Antonious works on repairs.
d. Leaping out of the water and striking boaters. The fish can weigh up to 200 pounds and jump as high as 8 feet. 5. On a local level, what animal was most recently spotted in the Town of Belleair?a. One of Hulk Hogan’s chickens, a remnant of his days before he and his family moved from their French-style Belleair mansion to Miami Beach.
b. A monocle cobra.
c. A Siberian tiger from the compound of wildlife trapper Vernon Yates.
d. A lizard from a recent reptile show at Clearwater’s Harborview Center. OK, now here are the answers.1. a.
2. b.
3. c. Most folks could be forgiven for thinking of the alligators, but there are crocodiles, too. The python is not native to the park.
4. d. It doesn’t happen a lot, but state wildlife officials say the fish can knock over a person. The state has even set up a toll-free number to report sturgeon leapings. If you catch the fish, you can’t keep it. It’s protected, so call 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Seriously. I’m not making this up.
5. b. The monocle cobra may be kept legally by licensed owners. The bigger question is why would somebody want to keep it. How’d you do?
All five right? Cookie crowns you Queen Sasie.
Four right? Cookie will cuddle up on your lap.
Three right? Cookie rubs up by your legs.
Two right? A furball for you.
One, or fewer, right? Hisssssssssss!
Jim Harrington is the editor of the Largo Leader, Clearwater Citizen.
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Article published on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2006
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