JustDuckie

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Florida man kisses bird-of-prey, loses part of lip | www.theboneonline.com (http://www.theboneonline.... http://media.cmgdigital.c... )

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"A man found a bird called a kestrel and decided to keep it. A kestrel is a member of the falcon family, and is a bird-of-prey. After he posted a few pictures on his Facebook, his friends told him the bird was protected, and would need to be turned in. Before surrendering the bird, however, the man decided to give the bird a goodbye kiss. The kestrel was not having it, and took a big chunk out of the man's lip." - JustDuckie - [ 1 ] -

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Relevant: https://twitter.com/TheIn... - John B. - [ 2 ] -

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Scalping Tickets to the Doctor? Woman in Beijing Has Had Enough - The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/20... )

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"Ticket scalpers can be a headache in China, raising the prices of concerts, train trips and more. But no scalpers are more detested than those selling tickets for hospital visits. A video of a woman in Beijing denouncing the practice circulated widely this week, as many others shared their own experiences. Most hospitals require patients to take tickets to determine the order in which they are seen for nonemergency treatment. Often the tickets are sold for a fee. The goal is to prevent disorder and cutting in line when many people are seeking medical care. But the practice lends itself to abuses, particularly when scalpers buy tickets and sell them for much higher prices. The problems are made worse by the large numbers of people from outlying areas who seek treatment in major cities, either because their local hospitals lack services or they do not trust the quality of care." - JustDuckie - -

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Florida: Elderly Woman Wakes Up to Find Exotic Animal on Her Chest | NBC 6 South Florida (http://www.nbcmiami.com/n... )

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"It was a kinkajou, an animal usually found in the rainforests of Central and South America, said Veterinarian Dr. Don J. Harris, who works for the South Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center. Aguaras said the animal was in the attic when he arrived, and they lured it out with food. They got it inside a cage and brought it to Dr. Harris, who said he knew the animal belonged to someone. "No undomesticated wild animal like this would curl up on a woman's chest to go to sleep," Dr. Harris explained." - JustDuckie - -

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Witch Marks, Curses, and Magic in the Neglected History of Medieval Graffiti (http://hyperallergic.com/... http://hyperallergic.com/... )

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"Champion writes that “the medieval church was a far more interactive space than we may once have believed.” So while looking back on the graffiti, it can appear like a desecration, the spirit behind it was one of devotion. Rarely were these marks and messages removed or written over by other parish members, showing a sign of respect and acceptance. Curiously, many of the graffiti traces discovered by Champion relate to curses, magic, and more pagan practices than are often connected with Christianity. This was pre-Reformation, which is when many of the churches with their colorful murals were covered with limewash and the graffiti lost. Some of the most common graffiti examples among the thousands found by Champion and his team are ritual protection marks, or “witch marks.” These were made by individuals asking for protection, an act akin to a prayer, like a compass, a pentangle (a five-sided star), or a “VV.” Champion explains that “these symbols represent a level of folk belief that permeated the whole of medieval society, an aspect of religious belief that, taken in context, was as central to the everyday lives of the medieval commoner as the next meal, the next harvest and the next year.”" - JustDuckie - -

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Researchers have found a major problem with ‘The Little Mermaid’ and other Disney movies - The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpos... https://img.washingtonpos... )

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"In the classic three Disney princess films, women speak as much as, or more than the men. “Snow White” is about 50-50. “Cinderella” is 60-40. And in “Sleeping Beauty,” women deliver a whopping 71 percent of the dialogue. Though these were films created over 50 years ago, they give ample opportunity for women to have their voices heard. By contrast, all of the princess movies from 1989-1999 — Disney’s “Renaissance” era — are startlingly male-dominated. Men speak 68 percent of the time in “The Little Mermaid”; 71 percent of the time in “Beauty and the Beast”; 90 percent of the time in “Aladdin”; 76 percent of the time in “Pocahontas”; and 77 percent of the time in “Mulan” (Mulan herself was counted as a woman, even when she was impersonating a man)." - JustDuckie - -

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The Little Mermaid is an interesting start, if just because the female lead literally loses her voice (and ability to write or play charades well, apparently.) - Jennifer D. - [ 4 ] -

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America’s Best Jewel Thief Is An 85-Year-Old Woman - The Daily Beast (http://www.thedailybeast.... http://cdn.thedailybeast.... )

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"If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, Doris Payne hasn’t met a stranger in well over six decades. A coal miner’s daughter born in rural Slab Fork, West Virginia, the 85-year-old might well be the most prolific international jewel thief the world has ever known. Payne, who by all accounts may never have held down a job on “the books,” has made a better than healthy living hopscotching around the globe in pursuit of shiny baubles and other luxury goods. Armed with nothing more than an easy smile, designer clothes, and an exquisite handbag, Payne routinely charmed jewelry story employees out of their wares. The final take has never been officially tallied, but the largess gleaned from her illicit escapades is thought to easily number in the tens of millions. At one time, she was the subject of criminal warrants on two continents and tracked by Interpol, the 190-member multi-national organization that hunts fugitives." - JustDuckie - -

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I am guessing she doesn't report the income. - Joe - [ 1 ] -

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Cheers to that! Researchers claim having a local pub makes you happier (From Oxford Mail) (http://www.oxfordmail.co.... http://www.oxfordmail.co.... )

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"PUB campaigners have encouraged more people to discover their local after even more reasons to go for a pint were uncovered by Oxford University academics. A study by researchers found regulars with a local pub near their home were "significantly" happier, had more friends, better life satisfaction and drank more moderately. " - JustDuckie - -

Especially if you go for happy hour? - John B. - [ 2 ] -

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Man accidentally shoots self at Chick-Fil-A | www.journal-news.com (http://www.journal-news.c... )

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"The 45-year-old man, whom police did not name, was pulling his pants up in the restroom at about 2 p.m. when the gun accidentally discharged and the bullet grazed his leg, said Sgt. Jim Souhrada. The man had a concealed carry license to carry the Glock pistol, which did not have a safety, he said." - JustDuckie - -

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I was wondering something similar, but I'm curious enough now to ask one of my friends who is a gun enthusiast (I don't think he actually owns any, he just finds them fascinating - along with most other weaponry.) - Jennifer D. - [ 1 ] -

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10 French Châteaux For Sale just in case You Win the Lottery | Messy Nessy Chic (http://www.messynessychic... http://static.messynessyc... http://static.messynessyc... )

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"With talk of lottery jackpots reaching over a billion dollars these days, I’ve been having more frequent daydreams about what sort of French chateau I’d like to retire in. So, just in case, I took it upon myself to see what’s currently on the market. From ready-to-live in palaces to crumbling DIY projects, today I’ve made you a shortlist of the most fascinating French properties up for sale…" - JustDuckie - -

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U.K. government misspells 'language' while announcing English tests for migrants - Trending - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/tr... http://i.cbc.ca/1.3419500... )

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"Unlike Cameron's own announcement of the plan last week during an interview with BBC Radio, the U.K. Home Office document makes no mention of deportation, specific religious groups, or combating extremism. What it did contain was an unmistakable error, right at the top of the page:" - JustDuckie - -

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Anatomy of a wolf count (http://m.azdailysun.com/n... http://bloximages.chicago... )

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"Nearly completely exterminated by humans in the early and mid-1900s, the Mexican gray wolf population was down to seven wolves from three lineages by the 1970s. Since then, the number of wolves that roam through about 7,000 square miles near the New Mexico-Arizona border has grown to at least 110, according to last year’s count. The results of this count, which runs through Feb. 3 will give the most up-to-date status of the population. In addition to counting the wolves, the interagency field team also temporarily captures a certain number of the wolves to examine them, give them vaccines, draw blood, measure their bodies and fit them with tracking collars. Doing so provides scientists and wildlife managers important information about where the wolves are roaming, which informs their decisions on areas for future reintroductions. The information also alerts scientists to signs of inbreeding in the wolf population and helps them monitor predation of large game and livestock." - JustDuckie - -

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Rural ‘cat village’ creates pottery to reel in visitors - Taipei Times (http://www.taipeitimes.co... http://www.taipeitimes.co... )

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"Under the guidance of master potter Yeh Chih-cheng (葉志誠), Sanmin Community residents are creating pottery representations of cats and placing them on fences, billboards or roof eaves in the community. Yeh said he has been teaching members of the community pottery for two years. The theme chosen for the initial course — cats — was a surprise success, and the community has a special love for making feline figurines, Yeh said, adding that the community has become a “cat village” like no other. The community’s affinity for cats is perhaps due to the farmers’ belief that cats protect the urn where the villagers keep their rice from rodents, Yeh said. As the villagers’ cat-themed creations received praise, the positive affirmation might have motivated them to continue with the theme, Yeh said." - JustDuckie - -

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Two Cheese Heists Occur in Two Weeks Worth $160,000 | WREG.com (http://wreg.com/2016/01/2... )

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"A block surrounded by warehouses in Germantown, Wisconsin is where the owner believes the well-orchestrated cheese theft took place. The stolen trailer was backed up to an empty one. The cheese was transferred, and the bandits drove away, leaving the stolen vehicle without 70,000 dollars of Wisconsin cheese inside. Police were hoping to find 70,000 dollars worth of cheese, but instead found an abandoned semi trailer this morning. “We found that the trailer was empty” said Lt. Todd Grenier, Germantown Police Department." - JustDuckie - -

Not the cheese! - Jennifer D. - [ 2 ] -

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Better place | Manfeels Park (http://www.manfeels-park.... http://www.manfeels-park.... )

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A Little Rescued Fox Came To Model In My Photo Studio | Bored Panda (http://www.boredpanda.com... http://static.boredpanda.... http://static.boredpanda.... )

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Fairy tale origins thousands of years old, researchers say - BBC News (http://www.bbc.com/news/u... http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/n... )

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"Using techniques normally employed by biologists, academics studied links between stories from around the world and found some had prehistoric roots. They found some tales were older than the earliest literary records, with one dating back to the Bronze Age. The stories had been thought to date back to the 16th and 17th Centuries. Durham University anthropologist Dr Jamie Tehrani, said Jack and the Beanstalk was rooted in a group of stories classified as The Boy Who Stole Ogre's Treasure, and could be traced back to when Eastern and Western Indo-European languages split more than 5,000 years ago. Analysis showed Beauty And The Beast and Rumpelstiltskin to be about 4,000 years old. And a folk tale called The Smith And The Devil, about a blacksmith selling his soul in a pact with the Devil in order to gain supernatural abilities, was estimated to go back 6,000 years to the Bronze Age." - JustDuckie - -

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So, these stories started when god created the earth, huh. [just kidding.] - Joe - [ 2 ] -

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R.I.P. #4: The Time Is Near - The Rumpus.net (http://therumpus.net/2016... http://therumpus.wpengine... )

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"In my neighborhood a hearse is parked outside of a regular home on a regular, pot-holed street. It does not belong to a funeral director, or I can only presume that it doesn’t belong to anyone involved with the funeral industry. Like any Cadillac, her grill is a mean grin of metal, teeth glaring at traffic as she ushers bodies to their rest. But this is not your average hearse. On the windshield, someone has placed a decal that reads “Creep’n up on Ya,” while the rear bumper says “The Time Is Near” in a spooky, Adams Family font. Fleur-de-lis embellishments adorn the two rear windows where one could look in and see a coffin. Biking by the hearse one afternoon, I discover that it’s for sale. The owner has taped a sign to the inside of the driver’s window, a local phone number scrawled in red ink on a piece of white computer paper. As it turns out, my car is in the shop with repairs that may render our relationship defunct. I think of leaving a note on the windshield. Who are you, and where did you get this thing? Do you ever sleep in the back? Have you been intimate with someone back there, with its velvet curtains pulled shut to shield your ruddy bodies? It could be great for camping trips." - JustDuckie - -

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World's most expensive Haggis on sale for $5,600 - UPI.com (http://www.upi.com/Odd_Ne... http://cdnph.upi.com/sv/b... )

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"Scottish butchers have compiled a number of extravagant ingredients to create the world's most expensive haggis. The recipe of the traditional Scottish dish crafted by Macsween butcher shop in Edinsburgh cointains Wagyu beef, from a farm where all the cows have names, French white truffle, tellicherry black pepper from India and a decorative sprinkle of edible 24-karat gold. The one-of-a-kind dish is made to order by the shop for the price of $5,687." - JustDuckie - -

I always feel like the gold is cheating when calculating this sort of thing. - Jennifer D. - [ 2 ] -

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Best Dad Ever builds a Tree in his Daughter’s Bedroom | Messy Nessy Chic (http://www.messynessychic... http://static.messynessyc... http://static.messynessyc... )

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"“My daughter wanted a fairy tree in her room that she could sit inside and read books, climb the branches, and also have a top sitting area. I was kind of un-prepared for the physical realities of this project. I used Disney set-design as my inspiration. Even though it was difficult, I learned a huge amount along the way. It turned out pretty well, and she’s so happy in her new room.”" - JustDuckie - -

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Exclusive: Tiger Temple Accused of Supplying Black Market (http://news.nationalgeogr... http://news.nationalgeogr... http://news.nationalgeogr... )

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"All three tigers had been microchipped and registered with the government, according to the temple’s longtime veterinarian, Somchai Visasmongkolchai. It’s a legal requirement in Thailand for captive endangered animals. "Special Investigation: Famous Tiger Temple Implicated in Illegal Trade" But in February 2015 Somchai resigned and went to the authorities. He handed over the microchips, which, according to Adisorn Nuchdumrong, deputy director general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, had been cut out of the tigers. Then in April, government authorities went to the temple. They confirmed that the tigers were missing. They also discovered that 13 tigers lacked microchips and found the carcass of a tiger in a freezer. Now an Australian nonprofit, Cee4life (Conservation and Environmental Education for Life) says it has new information indicating that tigers have been taken illegally to and from the temple since at least 2004. The group’s “Tiger Temple Report” was given simultaneously to Thai officials and National Geographic last month and is being released publicly this week." - JustDuckie - -

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" The tigers were cash cows, especially the cubs. When Winter and I visited in December 2015, we paid $139 apiece, a cash-only “donation” for a program that allows up to 30 people to bottle-feed and pet cubs. Additional fees for activities like exercising the cubs or taking intimate photos with adult tigers can push up the cost to more than $200. Since 2008, Foxcroft says, “between six and 20 tiger cubs were needed every three months for tourists to cuddle.” When they get older, she says, “they become too dangerous.” The only way to meet this demand, Foxcroft explains, is “speed breeding”: removing newborn cubs from their mothers. That quickly puts females in heat again, and with a gestation period of 16 weeks, they can bear at least two litters a year—instead of one litter about every two years, as in the wild. In 2007 the temple had 18 tigers. By 2010 the population had swelled to 70-plus. Today there are 147. Foxcroft has compiled a list that identifies 281 tigers that passed through the temple from 1999 to 2015. According to her, the difference between 281 and 147—134—is too great to be accounted for by deaths alone. Tigers in captivity normally live from 16 to 22 years. “So if you do the math,” Foxcroft says, “where are all those tigers?”" - JustDuckie - -

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Tiny Mobile Libraries Revitalize a Corner of Seoul (http://www.visualnews.com... http://visualnews-wp-medi... )

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"There are few things that make you slow down better than a good book. Perhaps that’s why the Seoul Innovation Park and the City of Seoul chose them as one key part of an initiative to revitalize an unloved site previously occupied by the ministry of food and drug safety. The Mobile Library project sees four miniature library pop-ups designed by Korean studio Spacetong(Archworkshop) with collaboration from designers Jae-Choul Choi, John (Pyung Ki) Kim, and Woo-Yeol Lee. The four small spaces are called ‘Mirage’, ‘Block’, ‘Pipe’ and ‘Membrane’. It’s not hard to guess which is which, with each structure embodying its defining feature. Each lends a much needed touch of culture to a rather dull corner of the city, transforming it into a space you’d now consider for a relaxing break. Lovely." - JustDuckie - -

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This Scottish Poet's Ode to Laphroaig Will Tickle Your Ears Like Isle Rain on Heather | Adweek (http://www.adweek.com/adf... http://www.adweek.com/fil... )

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""Some Sassenachs find fault" in the stone-lashed, sea spray and smoky salt taste of Laphroaig, McGonagall admits. But he compares it to "Isle rain on heather," and suggests you crack open a bottle—if you're not weak of heart or knee. After the taunt, he waxes poetic, calling Laphroaig "the nectar that the angels choose, ambrosia, immortal muse" ... and, of course, "bottled poetry." All of it is said in the context of a roaring fire behind a classic bottle, and an amber-hued dram of the world's most divisive whisky. " - JustDuckie - -

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Bird-lovers urge Kaohsiung to heed ruling on roadway - Taipei Times (http://www.taipeitimes.co... http://www.taipeitimes.co... )

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"In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs stated that the Cieding Wetlands is a nature reserve of national importance inhabited by black-faced spoonbills, peregrine falcons and other protected species, and developments such as the proposed roadway that would have a significant ecological impact should be avoided where possible, but the city government pushed the project despite feasible alternatives to the roadway, which was in violation of the Wetlands Conservation Act (濕地保育法) and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (環境影響評估法). Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society general manager Lin Kun-hai (林昆海) said that the environmental review process was hasty and flawed, as the review committee had a predetermined position on the project. The committee overlooked a more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable option in favor of the roadway, whose advantage has been questioned because a 900m passage would hardly save time for travelers, he said." - JustDuckie - -

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TITAS Presents and AT&T Performing Arts Center present Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan - Event -CultureMap Dallas (http://dallas.culturemap.... http://media.culturemap.c... )

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"The formidable Cloud Gate dancers, trained in Qi Gong and internal martial arts, enact a human drama parallel to the life cycle of rice. The inspiration for Rice came from the landscape and story of Chihshang in the East Rift Valley of Taiwan. A cinematographer spent two years on location capturing the cultivation of rice: flooding, sprouting, harvesting and burning. Choreographer Lin Hwai-min has created exuberant yet powerful movements woven through Soil, Sunlight, Wind, Water and Fire, telling the story of the land. Visually stunning, with awe-inspiring choreography, Cloud Gate is a remarkable and unforgettable performance experience." - JustDuckie - -

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The Huskies of Aviemore - The Atlantic (http://www.theatlantic.co... http://cdn.theatlantic.co... )

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"In Aviemore, northern Scotland, huskies and sledders are now preparing for the 33rd annual Aviemore Sled Dog Race, organized by the Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain. The race is run by over 1,000 sled dogs pulling 250 mushers around Loch Morlich, in the Cairngorm mountains. Gathered below are images of the race and participants from recent years." - JustDuckie - -

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This Man Mastered The Art Of Animal Selfies | Bored Panda (http://www.boredpanda.com... http://static.boredpanda.... http://static.boredpanda.... )

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"Allan Dixon from Ireland, 29, has earned himself the title of a ‘real-life Dr. Dolittle’ because of his ability to ‘talk’ animals into posing for a selfie with him. The results are amazing. He seems to befriend any animal he meets! How does he do it? “The main aim is to make them know that they are safe being around you. Get up close as you can, but slowly,” said Dixon. Dixon also advises to turn off the flash and any sounds on the camera, as well as to approach wild animals with a camera already in hand so that it looks like a part of your body. “Once you’re in their presence for some time, they’ll usually come and check you out. There’s a fine line between curiosity and survival.” So far Dixon has taken selfies with 30 animal species while traveling the world, and his dream is to take one with a lion, though he fears it could be his last selfie ever." - JustDuckie - [ 1 ] -

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