Burrowing cats

[helen99]

As you may have heard, the bald eagle at the Washinton DC national zoo died on the 4th of July. The death is currently under investigation.

The following articles attribute the death to Burrowing Cats. I did a search on Google to see if I could find any instances of Burrowing Cats (besides these articles), and you know what? I couldn't find any! This does not mean they don't exist (mine certainly burrow under the covers), but still...

This is about the 10th death at the National zoo. As a conspiracy theorist, I am forced to suspect there's more to this than meets the eye. Like maybe a disgruntled employee wanted someone's job, didn't get it, and is trying to make someone look bad by killing the animals. Or maybe there is a psycho on staff. Or maybe they're being poisoned with Spider Milk. Or something. But I don't think it's Burrowing Cats. No, no I don't.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13678-2003Jul5.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23447-2003Jul7.html

Comments

[silenti77.livejournal.com]

Method of wounding found suggests a possum, although they seem to be somewhat quiet about the fact that the eagle was very, very sick and near death already, or it wouldn't have been on the floor of the cage and vulnerable - an eagle on the floor is perfectly capable of killing something about the size of a pit bull.

It fits with how all of the other animals died (neglect, food-related or poisoning issues). Burrowing cats, indeed. I liked how the Forest Service came right out and said the 'bobcat' theory was pure bullshit.

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

Even weakened raptors with broken wings, heavy bloodloss, or other injuries can do serious damage to anything coming near them... they're actually especially dangerous if they're hurt in some way since all of their defensive reactions will come to the forefront in a major way. For an attack like that to leave no signs of the attacker, like blood on the ground that doesn't match the eagle's, I'm betting the attacker was human and probably someone who knows how to handle birds of prey. If not he or she probably would have left a finger or two behind. Or an eye... well, you get the idea.

Granted, the birds was a permanent cripple already from what I understand and would have been used to working with humans due to its rehabilitation and its subsequent stay at the zoo, but unless most of the injuries were made postmortem the eagle still would have reacted VERY violently to the attack.

(I used to volunteer at an avian rehab center here in south jersey when I was younger, so I know firsthand how violently raptors can react when they're injured.)

age tends to kill things too

[hanibal.livejournal.com]

Take it from someone who worked at the National Zoo for 10+ years. animals die. amazingly enough they get old and die and stuff. I have been keeping track of what has been going on, and been checking in with the friends I still have over there (my mother included) and none of this stuff has happened because of the intention to hurt the animals. when people over there get pissed at each other they file sexual harassment charges like any civilized person. they dont take it out on the defenseless animals. Normally I would agree with the conspiracy theory, as I KNOW they are out to get me, but it just isnt the case here.
-t