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Today's Paper | May 05, 2024

Published 25 Apr, 2015 06:41am

The weekly weird

World’s biggest rabbit gets ready to give up his title — to his own giant son!

WE are not talking about little cuddly bunnies here, this is about the world’s biggest bunny Dad Darius, which measures 4ft 4in long and weighs three-and-a half-stone. He will soon have to hand over the crown to his giant baby son Jeff.

Annette, their owner, says they’re perfect companions and even settle down on the sofa with her in cold weather.

Continental Giants are the largest breed of rabbit and can grow to around 4ft when fully grown, but Darius, who is officially four foot four inches long, and Jeff, come from a bumper crop.

Annette’s other rabbit Sally is also a Continental Giant who measures 3ft 5 inches. The family all live in Annette’s back garden but they are so big that each require a dog crate that would normally house a pet as large as a German shepherd.


The world’s strangest bird!

THIS is not computer generated picture of a bird. Helmeted hornbill, often labelled as one of the world’s strangest birds, is being hunted to extinction due to the illegal Chinese ivory trade.

With ‘white ivory’ becoming ever more scarce, the ‘red ivory’ found on the beak of the bizarre bird can now sell for three times as much as that taken from rhinos and elephants. The strange bird is often called the ‘the farmer of the rainforest’ due to its role in seed spreading around its natural habitat in the forests of Borneo.

A report released by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) recently said the helmeted hornbill is now close to extinction. Not only would this be a tragic loss of life, but could also have a devastating wider effect.

Experts say up to 6,000 of the birds are killed every year, and if they were to die out it could have a devastating impact on wildlife in the area. Not only are the birds famed for their odd beaks — they boast a wingspan of six feet and are known for their call which sounds like a human manically laughing.


A flight like this, no way!

PEOPLE can go on extremes that they even risk their life for such ridiculous acts. Just like this Indonesian man who took a free ride in the wheel well of an aircraft recently, surviving a high-altitude flight of nearly two hours in thin air and sub-zero temperatures.

Mario Stevan Ambarita, 21, was spotted staggering around the tarmac at Jakarta airport, shortly after the Garuda Indonesia domestic flight landed from Sumatra Island to the north.

“The case was quite a surprise to us,” Garuda CEO Arif Wibowo told Reuters.

The stowaway scaled a 2.5-metre fence to reach the aircraft, where he tucked himself into the rear wheel housing, media said.

He collapsed after the flight and was taken to hospital with a bleeding ear and other light injuries before spending the night in a police cell. It is said that he wanted to meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

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