Show Goat Murdered by Owner’s Jealous Rival

Pet Octopus Goes Viral After Giving Birth to Dozens of Babies

A 9-year-old boy in Edmond, Oklahoma, might be the nation’s youngest fan of cephalopods, owning a female pet octopus named Terrance. The boy, Cal Clifford, has been obsessed with octopuses since he was 2 years old. Clifford’s father ordered the two-spot octopus from an aquarium as a gift, complete with a full tank and equipment. One marine biologist remarked on how well Cal had cared for Terrance, providing her with a roomy tank and cold water.

However, the Cliffords weren’t prepared for what came next. Terrance was pregnant and laid dozens of eggs, resulting in over 20 hatchlings to care for. Few octopus babies live to adulthood, even in ideal conditions. Additionally, the mother isn’t likely to live much longer after giving birth. Hopefully, the care provided to the octopus by the Cliffords will sustain Terrance’s life long enough to allow her babies to survive. Find out more about the story here.

Texas Teen Accused of Poisoning Classmate’s Show Goat Faces Felony Charges

A 17-year-old Texas cheerleader faces felony charges after killing a show goat at a high school competition. Aubrey Vanlandingham confessed to animal cruelty after investigators found security footage of the killing. The tape showed Vanlandingham feeding a rival’s show goat pesticide with a drench gun. The goat, named Willy, passed away within 24 hours.

Officials discovered that Vanlandingham had poisoned Willy over several days and had attempted to kill him once before. Vanlandingham’s search history also showed various searches concerning techniques for poisoning animals. Vanlandingham targeted Willy over a personal dispute, calling the teenage daughter of Willy’s owner a “cheater.” Willy’s owner claimed Vanlandingham’s behavior was an act of “jealousy,” citing that cheating among show goats is near impossible. RIP Willy.

Owner of 4.2 Million Butterflies Searches for Heir to His Collection

A resident of Nairobi, Kenya, claims he has the most extensive butterfly collection in Africa, and with 4.2 million in his collection, he may be correct. Steve Collins began collecting butterflies when he was 5 years old. He also studied them from a young age, intrigued by their beauty and mystique.

Collins’ collection includes hundreds of distinct species, such as sunset moths and others bred by Collins but never seen in the wild. Many of the butterflies in the collection are one-of-a-kind, representing species going extinct in Africa. If Collins’ collection were lost, many species would be erased from history.

Passionate about his research, Collins founded the African Butterfly Research Institute in 1997. The following year, he opened his collection to the public until 2003. Now, Collins seeks an heir to his priceless fortune and hopes to sell the collection to a research institution or knowledgeable buyer. Find out more about the African Butterfly Research Institute and its work here.