Reggae the seal uses rubber ducks for daily enrichment training at Boston aquarium
BOSTON (AP) — A video of Reggae, a 33-year-old Atlantic harbor seal at the New England Aquarium, hugging and fetching a rubber duck has drawn attention on social media. But trainers say the playful routine is part of a structured enrichment program designed to keep seals mentally and physically engaged. Reggae practices memory and problem-solving through exercises like matching objects placed around his rocky-shore habitat. Aquarium officials say the sessions also help build trust between animals and trainers. The Boston aquarium’s harbor seals, many born there, often live longer than their wild counterparts, a longevity the institution attributes to veterinary care, training and daily enrichment activities.
Galápagos park releases 158 juvenile hybrid tortoises on Floreana to restore the ecosystem
FLOREANA ISLAND, Ecuador (AP) — Giant tortoises have returned to Floreana Island in Ecuador's Galapagos archipelago as conservationists release 158 juvenile hybrids to restore the ecosystem. On Friday, the 8- to 13-year-old tortoises started roaming their new habitat as the first winter rains arrive. Fredy Villalba of the Galápagos National Park says the juveniles are big enough to fend off rats and cats. Officials plan a gradual release of 700 tortoises. Christian Sevilla, director of ecosystems of the Galapagos National Park, says the animals carry 40% to 80% of the genes of the Floreana giant tortoise. Scientists trace their lineage to Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island.
Thai police go undercover as lion dancers to nab a serial burglar
BANGKOK (AP) — Thai police say they've caught an elusive serial burglar by going undercover as lion dancers at a temple fair. Police say the 33-year-old broke into a senior police commander’s home three times this month, stealing valuables worth about 2 million baht, but evaded three attempts to arrest him. Bangkok police released a video that shows officers in a red-and-gold lion costume moving closer to the suspect as he walked through an annual fair in Nonthaburi near Bangkok on Wednesday. An officer then drops the lion's papier-mache head before lunging at the suspect and pinning him to the ground. Police traced the suspect through stolen amulets he sold. They say he confessed.
When in Rome: Budapest pizzeria offers time-travel twist with ancient Rome-inspired pie
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A Budapest pizzeria is serving a limited pizza that uses only ingredients ancient Romans could have eaten. In 2023, archaeologists uncover a Pompeii fresco of a topped flatbread. It inspires founder Josep Zara to research Roman cooking. He and his team use an ancient cookbook to list period ingredients. Head chef Gergely Bárdossy experiments for months. He avoids tomatoes, mozzarella, and any American foods. The team even changes the dough, since Romans lacked modern water systems. They use fermented spinach juice to help it rise. They top it with olive paste, fish sauce, duck, nuts, ricotta, and grape reduction.
Osaka city stunned by anonymous gold bar gift worth $3.6M to fix aging water pipes
TOKYO (AP) — Osaka has received an anonymous gift of gold bars to repair the Japanese city’s aging water pipes. Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama says the donor gave 21 kilograms of gold worth about $3.6 million. He says the city respects the donor’s request and will use the money for waterworks improvements. Officials say public worry about old pipes grew after a deadly sinkhole linked to a damaged sewer line last year. A waterworks official says Osaka needs to renew 160 miles of pipes. The city also reported dozens of leaks.
Man who lived rent-free in New Yorker Hotel, then claimed to own it, pleads guilty to fraud charge
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City man who claimed to own a storied Manhattan hotel has pleaded guilty to fraud. Mickey Barreto entered the plea Wednesday, admitting that he forged property records in an effort to take ownership of the New Yorker Hotel. Barreto had lived for years in the hotel without paying rent after invoking an obscure tenant protection. Prosecutors said he then went a step further, uploading a fake deed in an effort to take control of the entire property. As part of the plea, Barreto was sentenced to a six-month prison sentence that he has already served, along with five years of probation.
Loose dog makes Olympic cameo on the cross-country ski course at the Milan Cortina Games
TESERO, Italy (AP) — A surprise participant in Wednesday’s action at the Milan Cortina Olympics had four legs and zero concern for race times. As elite cross-country skiers pushed to the finish in the women’s team sprint heats, a dog wandered onto the course and ran with athletes down the straightaway. Racers stayed focused as spectators cheered on the canine intruder before it crossed the finish line and was restrained by venue officials. The dog had slipped away from a local owner while out on a nearby walk, officials later said.
Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card sells for record $16.5M at auction
NEW YORK (AP) — Logan Paul set a new world record by selling a rare Pokémon trading card for a staggering $16.5 million. On Monday, the Pikachu Illustrator card sold at Goldin Auctions after 41 days of bidding. Guinness World Records confirmed it as the highest auction price for any trading card. Paul bought the same card in 2021 for $5.275 million, a record then. He added a diamond necklace and a custom case and wore it at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. The card comes from a 1998 contest, and only a few dozen exist.
Injured seabird desperately pecks at hospital door for help
BERLIN (AP) — An injured seabird sought help by pecking on a German hospital’s emergency room door. The black cormorant had a triple fishing hook stuck in its beak when it showed up Sunday at a hospital in the northern city of Bremen. The local fire department said medical staff and firefighters worked together to remove the hook and treat the wound. They then released the bird in the hospital park. The fire department said in a statement that cormorants rarely approach people, and only do so when in extreme distress. It said a hook can cause infection, pain and even starvation.
