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Rare photos of Michael Hutchence’s daughter emerge

<p>New photos of Tiger Lily, who is the only daughter of late INXS singer Michael Hutchence and late UK television star Paula Yates, have emerged.</p> <p>The ultra-private Australian star, 27, has been quietly dating British model Ben Archer, who posted a few rare candids of Tiger Lily on her birthday. </p> <p>The post which was shared in July and went unnoticed at the time was captioned: “Happy birthday to the rock dog.”</p> <p>"I love you!” she replied in the comments. </p> <p>In one photo the couple can be seen wearing sheet masks while looking out a window, and in another Tiger Lily was pictured pulling a funny pose in a tin man costume.</p> <p>“Best tin man in town,” Archer added.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvAMMFStNby/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvAMMFStNby/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ben Archer (@benarcher_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Prior to her current relationship, Tiger Lily dated musician Nick Allbrook for six years before revealing that the couple had split last April. </p> <p>Despite her parents' fame, Tiger Lily has mostly stayed out of the spotlight, and it is not known where she is currently based as her Instagram account is private. </p> <p>She dabbled in the entertainment industry last February, with the quiet release of her first digital album <em>Tragic Tiger’s Sad Meltdown, </em>a play on a past headline written about her. </p> <p>After her mother's death in 2000, and the death of her father three years prior, Tiger Lily was raised by her mother’s ex-husband Bob Geldof, now 72, in London.</p> <p>When she was dating Allbrook, a former guitarist for the hit Aussie band Tame Impala, Tiger Lily was living in Fremantle, Perth.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Tasmanian teen’s mum breaks down as she pays tribute to daughter

<p dir="ltr">Shyanne-Lee Tatnell’s mum Bobbi-Lee Ketchell broke down as she paid tribute to her daughter, on what would’ve been her 15th birthday.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 14-year-old’s <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/human-remains-found-in-search-for-missing-teenager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remains were found on July 26</a> in a bush track near Nabowla, a rural locality northeast of Tasmania.</p> <p dir="ltr">A 36-year-old man from Scottsdale has since been <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/man-charged-with-murder-over-disappearance-of-missing-tasmanian-teen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> for her alleged murder.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shyanne-Lee’s family gathered at City Park in Launceston over the weekend to celebrate what was supposed to be a happy occasion, as she would have turned 15 on Tuesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her mother broke down in tears as she spoke publicly for the first time since the teen’s remains were found.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bobbi-Lee Ketchell told <em>7News</em> that finding her daughter’s remains “doesn’t make it hurt any less”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This was not the outcome that we had hoped,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But I'm a blessed mum to have my child, to be able to farewell her. And she was taken too soon and she had her life ahead of her.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The picnic in the park featured plenty of teal, Shyanne-Lee’s favourite colour, and her mother thanked the community, her friends and family for their endless support.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also thanked emergency services for working tirelessly to find her daughter.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ketchell also thanked everyone who paid tribute to her daughter by creating a memorial for her on the Henry St Bridge, where she was last seen alive.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can’t thank the people enough who did the memorial on the bridge,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It means a lot to our family,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shyanne-Lee’s siblings have remembered her as a kind sister who always made them laugh.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She was really nice,” her sister Lakeesha said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A nice person, and a nice friend.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Man charged with murder over disappearance of missing Tasmanian teen

<p>A tragic turn of events has led to a murder charge after the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/human-remains-found-in-search-for-missing-teenager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discovery of remains</a> believed to belong to Shyanne-Lee Tatnell, a 14-year-old who had been missing in Tasmanian bushland for three months.</p> <p>The arrest of a 36-year-old man from Scottsdale, a rural town in the state's north-east, came after an extensive search in nearby Nabowla. The suspect is now in custody and expected to appear in Launceston Magistrates Court for further proceedings.</p> <p>Tasmania Police confirmed that the remains found on a bush track in Nabowla were human and likely to be Shyanne-Lee's, who was last seen in Launceston on the night of April 30.</p> <p>Northern district commander Kate Chambers expressed her heartfelt sympathy for the community and reaffirmed their commitment to seeking answers and closure for Shyanne-Lee's family and loved ones.</p> <p>While forensic testing on the remains is underway, it may take up to a week for conclusive results.</p> <p>Shyanne-Lee's mother, Bobbi-Lee Ketchell, posted an emotional message to her daughter following the revelation of the remains. The message accompanied a photo of the young girl with a beaming smile, and it read, "I'm home," which was a heartbreaking change from the previous plea, "Help bring me home."</p> <p>In the past two months, police have seized several items during their search efforts. A property in Scottsdale was declared a crime scene and thoroughly investigated. The search in Nabowla involved a massive team of 180 people, including helicopter crews and search-and-rescue volunteers on horseback.</p> <p>Shyanne-Lee was last seen on CCTV near the North Esk River in Launceston, approximately 50km southwest of Nabowla. Despite extensive searches in the river area, no trace of the teenager was found. She had been staying in youth accommodation for two weeks before her disappearance and was en route to visit a friend in nearby Ravenswood when she vanished.</p> <p>In June, more than 100 people, including Shyanne-Lee's family members, gathered for a touching vigil to remember her. The community has been deeply affected by this heartbreaking event, and authorities are dedicated to finding the truth and providing closure to the grieving family.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook / PR Handout</em></p>

Legal

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“Once-in-a-lifetime”: Tasmanian property named Australian Home of the Year

<p>A “once-in-a-lifetime” home sitting on a cliff edge in Tasmania’s south has been named Australian Home of the Year.</p> <p>On May 20, Lane Group Construction took home the crown at the HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards for its single-level home in Tinderbox, 19km south of Hobart.</p> <p>The four-bedroom house boasts floor-length windows, a billiards room, a library and an underground wine cellar.</p> <p>HIA judges described the property, designed by architects from Studio Ilk, as a “a once-in-a-lifetime build for Tasmania”.</p> <p>“The cliff-hugging Tinderbox residence is a spectacular single-level, sprawling property anchored to its windswept, bushland location by a series of heavyset stone pavilions,” HIA said.</p> <p>HIA praised the property for its “expertly wrought stonework featured so prominently in the home” and said the indoor/outdoor infinity pool was an “indulgent addition to this entertainer’s domain”.</p> <p>The rural home has been built with bushfire-resistant materials and focuses on sustainability with solar panels and geothermal heating.</p> <p>HIA managing director Graham Wolfe said the Australian Housing Awards recognised the best in the industry.</p> <p>“The HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards allow us to acknowledge their skill and their commitment to quality in design, material selection and construction,” he said.</p> <p>“HIA Award winners build with exceptional workmanship; demonstrated in projects that push the boundaries in design and innovation."</p> <p>The eco-friendly property also scored the Australian Custom Built Home award.</p> <p><em>Image credit: HIA</em></p>

Real Estate

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Historic church hits the market - with a catch

<p>A magnificent country church has been through the works and is now perfectly habitable for modern living - but there’s a catch.</p> <p>Covering 2000sq m of land, No. 2 Chauncy Vale Rd, Bagdad was originally the congregational Bagdad Chapel, established in 1842.</p> <p>It later became part of the Uniting Church in 1977, before its de-consecration in 2006.</p> <p>Harcourts Signature property representative Leesa Harrison said the former church has been transformed into a unique residence.</p> <p>She described the property as an “incredibly rare” opportunity to purchase a piece of Tasmanian history.</p> <p>“It is a property with a wealth of historic heritage significance,” she said.</p> <p>It’s undeniably enticing, so, what’s the catch?</p> <p>There is a cemetery on the property and Ms Harrison has said the buyer will have to become a cemetery manager, but that hasn’t prevented the public’s interest.</p> <p>“The property has generated a significant amount of inquiry, well above average. Inquiries are coming in from local Hobart buyers, plus statewide and interstate interest, too,” she said.</p> <p>“Most purchasers are looking for a property with a difference, or former churches specifically.</p> <p>“Many have a keen interest in history or a desire to preserve history.”</p> <p>Ms Harrison added that it was a property with a lot of highlights.</p> <p>“There are many standout features, starting with the incredible stone architecture,” she said.</p> <p>“The stunning renovation the current owners have lovingly undertaken, where history meets the present as you step from the original building into the newer area. It is fantastic.</p> <p>“The original features and heritage pieces that stay with the property are a major talking point.”</p> <p>Many authentic pieces will remain with the property, such as the pulpit, organ and flower stands, original light fittings, glass windows and stained glass gazed with religious scenes.</p> <p>There is now a formal living and dining area, which has been designed to maintain the integrity of the historic construction while complying with the Heritage Council’s guidelines.</p> <p>In the 1950s, an extension was built for a Sunday school.</p> <p>In a more modern section of the interior, there is a contemporary kitchen and a second living area.</p> <p>The kitchen has new light fittings, modern cabinetry, countertop space, a large island bench and stainless steel appliances.</p> <p>The property has a generously sized master bedroom with a large four-door built-in wardrobe and a large bathroom with a separate shower bay and a corner spa bath.</p> <p>Access the outdoors via the kitchen with views of the lush surroundings.</p> <p>So long as you’re happy to be take on the responsibility of a cemetery manager, No. 2 Chauncy Vale Rd, Bagdad could be yours.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

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Thousands of Tasmanian devils are dying from cancer – but a new vaccine approach could help us save them

<p>Tasmanian devils are tough little creatures with a ferocious reputation. Tragically, each year thousands of Tasmanian devils suffer and die from contagious cancers – devil facial tumours.</p> <p>We have discovered that a modified virus, like the attenuated adenovirus used in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, can make devil facial tumour cells more visible to the devil immune system.</p> <p>We have also found key immune targets on devil facial tumour cells. These combined advances allow us to move forward with a vaccine that helps the devil immune system find and fight the cancer.</p> <p>And we have a clever way to deliver this vaccine, too – with edible baits.</p> <p><strong>A puzzling cancer</strong></p> <p>Tasmanian devils mainly suffer from the original devil facial tumour, or DFT1. A second type of devil facial tumour (DFT2) has begun emerging in southern Tasmania that further threatens the already endangered devil population.</p> <p>DFT1 and DFT2 are <a href="https://www.tcg.vet.cam.ac.uk/about/DFTD">transmissible cancers</a> – they spread living cancer cells when the devils bite each other.</p> <p>This has presented a puzzle: a cancer cell that comes from another animal should be detected by the immune system as an invader, because it is “genetically mismatched”. For example, in human medicine, tissue transplants need to be genetically matched between the donor and recipient to avoid the immune system rejecting the transplant.</p> <p>Somehow, DFT1 and DFT2 seem to evade the immune system, and devils die from tumours spreading throughout their body or from malnutrition due to the facial tumours disrupting their ability to eat.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Close-up of a Tasmanian devil held by human hands, with a tumour on its lower jaw" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">A Tasmanian devil with DFT1.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Andrew S. Flies @WildImmunity</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>On the bright side, the immune systems of a few wild devils <em>have</em> been able to overcome DFT1. Furthermore, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep43827">previous vaccine and immunotherapy trials</a> showed the devil immune system can be activated to kill DFT1 cells and clear away sizeable tumours.</p> <p>This good news from both the field and the laboratory has allowed our team to zoom in on key DFT protein targets that the devil immune system can attack. This helps us in our quest to develop a more effective and scalable vaccine.</p> <p><strong>How can we vaccinate wild animals?</strong></p> <p>Even if we succeed in producing a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14760584.2020.1711058">protective DFT vaccine</a>, we can’t trap and inject every devil.</p> <p>Luckily, clever researchers in Europe in the 1970s figured out that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003953">vaccines can be incorporated into edible food baits</a> to vaccinate wildlife across diverse landscapes and ecosystems.</p> <p>In 2019, we hypothesised an oral bait vaccine could be made to protect devils from DFT1 and DFT2. Fast forward to November 2022 and the pieces of this ambitious project are falling into place.</p> <p>First, using samples from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-021-03601-x">devils with strong anti-tumour responses</a>, we have found that the main immune targets are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.220208">major histocompatibility proteins</a>. These are usually the main targets in transplant rejection. This tells us what to put into the vaccine.</p> <p>Second, we tested a virus-based delivery system for the vaccine. We used a weakened adenovirus most of the human population has already been exposed to, and found that in the lab this virus can enter devil facial tumour cells.</p> <p>Importantly, the weakened adenovirus can be modified to produce proteins that can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001812">stimulate the devil immune system</a>. This means it forces the devil facial tumour cells to show the major histocompatibility proteins they normally hide, making the cells “visible” to cancer-killing immune cells.</p> <p>This vaccine approach is much like the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine that uses a weakened chimpanzee adenovirus to deliver cargo to our immune system, getting it to recognise SARS-CoV-2. <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nepa/states/US/us-2019-onrab-ea.pdf">Adenoviral vaccines have also been widely used</a> in oral bait vaccines to protect raccoons from the rabies virus.</p> <p><strong>Edible protection</strong></p> <p>But there were additional challenges to overcome. Our collaborators in the USA who research and develop other wildlife vaccines suggested that developing an effective bait for devils might be as challenging as making the vaccine itself.</p> <p>Our first studies of placebo baits in the wild confirmed this. Contrary to previous studies which showed devils eating most of the baits, we found the baits were also readily consumed by other species, including eastern quolls, brushtail possums, and Tasmanian pademelons.</p> <p>This led us to test an automatic bait dispenser supplied by our collaborators at the US Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center. The <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/WR/justaccepted/WR22070">dispensers proved quite effective</a> at reducing the amount of “off target” bait consumption and showed devils could successfully retrieve the baits with their dexterous paws.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5BEBfFqOY8k?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Tasmanian devil retrieving a placebo bait from an automatic bait dispenser.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Encouragingly, a recent mathematical modelling study suggests an <a href="https://lettersinbiomath.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/index.php/lib/article/view/555">oral bait vaccine could eliminate DFT1</a> from Tasmania.</p> <p>Successful delivery of the vaccine would be a demanding and long-term commitment. But with it, we could prevent the suffering and deaths of thousands of individual devils, along with helping to reestablish a healthy wild devil population.</p> <p><strong>Can’t stop now</strong></p> <p>A bit of additional good news fell into place in late 2022 with the announcement that our international team was awarded an Australian Research Council Linkage Project grant to develop better baits and ways to monitor wildlife health in the field.</p> <p>These oral bait vaccine techniques that eliminate the need to catch and jab animals could be applied to future wildlife and livestock diseases, not just Tassie devils.</p> <p>Building on this momentum, we are planning to start new vaccine trials in 2023. We don’t know yet if this new experimental vaccine can prevent devils from getting devil facial tumours.</p> <p>However, the leap we have made in the past three years and new technology gives us momentum and hope that we might be able to stop DFT2 before it spreads across the state. Perhaps, we can even eliminate DFT1.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194536/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em>Writen by Andrew S. Flies, </em><em>Chrissie Ong</em><em> and Ruth Pye. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-tasmanian-devils-are-dying-from-cancer-but-a-new-vaccine-approach-could-help-us-save-them-194536" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Tasmanian tower on the edge of the world finds new owner

<p>A mediaeval Tasmanian house that appears to teeter on the edge of the world now has a new owner, who must really enjoy the solitude.</p> <p>Marketed recently for $3.5 million, "The Keep" in Tasmania's far northeastern region has to be one of the world's most stunning and remote properties.</p> <p>Constructed in the image of a Scottish fortified tower, the amazing structure at 535 New England Road in Goulds Country sits atop a 650-metre pinnacle, and its lonesome presence has made it a favourite of tourists and travel photographers alike.</p> <p>From its incredible vantage point, the property takes in 360-degree Bass Strait, forest and valley views, on the very edge of Tasmania's wild coastline.</p> <p>The only neighbours are the lights of the Eddystone Lighthouse at night, and myrtle, sassafras and tree ferns in the surrounding Blue Tier Forest Reserve.</p> <p>Built in 2009, The Keep has only just allowed tourists to see inside for the past two years – and since opening, has been at 90% occupancy, according to the listing. The owners who bought the property in 2019 transformed it from a private residence to guest accomodation - adding one of the greatest attractions, an outdoor granite bath.</p> <p><em>Images: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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"Just another day in Oz": Man bitten by snake while working from home

<p>An Aussie man was on the sharp-toothed end of a frightening surprise after a highly venomous snake slithered its way right under his chair.</p> <p>Footage has emerged showing the gentleman working outside enjoying a drink, all the while a snake emerges from the grassy patch behind him and slowly inches closer to his chair.</p> <p>The man is deep in concentration while the stealthy critter makes its way over to him.</p> <p>The snake pauses for a brief moment under his chair before it suddenly springs up and attempts to strike the unsuspecting man's foot.</p> <p>Startled, the man quickly pulls his legs up and springs his chair backwards to safety. The snake then rapidly moves offscreen as the man catches his breath.</p> <p>Posted on Reddit under the username, Riawarra, the man confirms that he was sitting for roughly 45 minutes before the reptile surprised him.</p> <p>Commenters speculated about its species, many believing it to be a red belly black snake.</p> <p>However, Riawarra confirmed it to be a tiger snake, having had a previous encounter with it inside the home two weeks ago.</p> <p>'This one must have a nest in the front garden and heard me,' he said.</p> <p>The video captioned 'just a normal day in Oz', had reddit users quick to comment on his frightened reaction.</p> <p>'Being Oz, I half expected the guy to casually pick up the snake and throw it back into the bush. Venomous or not,' one user wrote.</p> <p>Users were quick to dub the man 'Santa Claus' because of his long grey hair and beard.</p> <p>'That would have been the last straw for me this year... floods, Covid lockdowns, and then knowing the millions of sad kids this Christmas who won't be visited by Santa,' another user commented.</p> <p>Tiger snakes are responsible for the second-highest number of bites in Australia, as they inhabit areas along the east coast, including some highly populated metropolitan areas.</p> <p>They are one of the most venomous snakes in the world, they are responsible for 31 recorded deaths since 1893 - the most recent in 2020, a 78-year old man who was bitten five times on his farm in Tasmania.</p> <p><em>Image: Reddit</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Voicemail and a car crash: How Tiger Woods’ cheating scandal emerged

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite becoming the first athlete to make $USD 1 billion in 2009, it was also the year that saw Tiger Woods’ life crumble around him as </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/tiger-woods-cheating-scandal-details-elin-nordegren-what-happened-explainer/b93a94da-8d22-4398-a9d3-2c4d58a26c11" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">it was revealed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> he had been cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren with multiple women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In November of that year, tabloids reported on Woods’ affair with nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel. Several days later, he crashed his car outside his Florida mansion at 2am, with rumours emerging that he had tried to flee after being confronted by Nordegren.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the news of his crash, reports of his infidelity continued to surface from a number of women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some outlets also reported that Nordegren made the discovery while looking at Woods’ phone.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A voicemail allegedly left by Woods for one of the women he was seeing was later published by </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">US Weekly</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hey, it’s Tiger,” a man said in the message. “I need you to do me a huge favour. Can you please take your name off your phone? My wife went through my phone and may be calling you.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Woods initially denied the claims, he later admitted they were true and apologised.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the next few months, women continued to come forward with claims of sleeping with Woods during his eight-year relationship with Nordegren.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He would go on to speak about the situation and share new details at a press conference several months later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was unfaithful, I had affairs and I cheated. What I did was unacceptable,” he said at the time.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A year later, Woods and Nordegren announced they would be getting a divorce.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Daily Beast</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the couple had a prenuptial agreement that would see Nordegren receive $20 million after 10 years of marriage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Woods allegedly tried to negotiate their existing prenup to get Nordegren to stay – allegedly including an immediate $5 million payment and an added $55 million to the original value - the divorce was finalised. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to TMZ, she received $USD 100 million ($AUD 129 million or $NZD 106 million).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite their marriage ending, Woods and Nordegren have maintained a good relationship.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The former couple share two children: Sam Alexis, 14, and Charlie Axel, 12.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We communicate so much better now, it’s incredible,” Woods told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">US Weekly</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 2019. “I wish we would have done that earlier on, but it’s been incredible to have a best friend like that.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Relationships

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Tiger Woods' secret Kiwi home hits the market

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An estate on the Kāpiti Coast, to the north of Wellington, which has been home to diplomats, Danish heavy metal icons, and famed golfer Tiger Woods has entered the market in a rare sale.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 40s-styled manor is surrounded by manicured gardens and native bushland and features an extensively remodeled interior that is just as luxurious.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, it’s guest-list has been kept tightly under wraps by its current owners Ralph Green, his wife Letizia Columbano, and their son Lorenzo Green.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We don’t kiss and tell about our guests,” Green </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/houses/127024230/inside-tiger-woods-secret-kiwi-hideaway-beloved-of-nottobenamed-rock-stars-and-foreign-dignitaries" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Tiger Woods was rather hard to hide. He was meant to be a secret, but it got out because he’s like that. Other guests… I’m struggling to remember on purpose.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Woods stayed at the 1.89-hectare Greenmantle estate in 2002 while competing in the New Zealand Open.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before Green took over the property in 2012, the then-owner was the former head of New Zealand’s Criminal Investigation Bureau.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This was just after September 11, and there was a lot of scuttlebutt around that they were going to target an American ison, and that New Zealand was seen as a soft target area,” Green explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So there was something like 13 police patrolling around this place, the security was unusually high.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More recently, Green said the Greenmantle estate had been approved to host heads of state by the diplomatic protection squad.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have quite high clearance,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without revealing too many details, he said the most “surprising” celebrities he’s hosted had included “well-known” rock stars, with the lead singer of a Danish metal band with a quite profane name topping the list.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But the chance to host A-list guests wasn’t the reason why Green and his family took over the property.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After seeing the “beautiful pink house sitting proudly up a lovely drive” while growing up in the area, Green and Columbano jumped at the chance to tour the property when it hit the market years later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We went in there and fell in love,” Green said, referring to the tour he and his wife took of the gardens and the nikau forest behind the house.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To have a virgin nikau forest in your backyard, it was just too much. We surprised the real estate agent by saying, ‘yes, we’ll take it’. He was a little shocked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the previous owner had run the home as a boutique hotel, Green and Columbano converted it into “a luxury lodge”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Having a home and income combined quite usefully. THat’s how we ended up here, because of the gardens, the birdlife, looking at Kāpiti [Island], and having something that’s quite distinctive,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The house boasts six bedrooms - each with balconies and stunning views - as well as seven bathrooms, two separate guest cottages, a heated outdoor pool, and a permanent marquee house nearby.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Within the nikau forest, walking trails lead to a secluded spa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s like going to Indonesia but without the heat or the insects,” Green said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There is an area we call the nikau amphitheatre that people seem to want to get married in. It’s so nice to sit under all these nikau and listen to the sound of the owls at night.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having just become grandparents, Green and Columbano are saying a reluctant farewell to the property and moving to be with their daughter in Venice.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s a question of priorities, we’ve become grandparents for the first time, and we want to be grandparents,” Green said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having last sold for $2.05 million in 2012, propertyvalue.co.nz values the property between $3.25 and $3.5 million now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The property, which is expected to sell for an even higher price, is on sale for tender by </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzsothebysrealty.com/purchasing/property/wtn10334/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sotheby’s International Realty</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and closes on Thursday, December 9.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Getty Images, Sotheby's International Realty</span></em></p>

Real Estate

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Mountain biking gives this Tasmanian town a sustainable future. Logging does not

<p>In the late 19th century it was tin mining that drove the economic life of Derby, about 100 km from Launceston in north-eastern Tasmania. But the mine has long closed. From a peak of more than 3,000, by the 2016 census Derby’s population <a href="https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/SSC60149">was 178</a>, with a 20% unemployment rate.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431452/original/file-20211111-17-1hl4tek.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="Map of Derby's location in northeast Tasmania." /> <br /><span class="caption">Derby’s location in northeast Tasmania.</span></p> <p>What has saved Derby from becoming another <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-21/world-class-mountain-bike-trail-transforms-derby-from-ghost-tow/9677344">mining ghost town</a> is finding a more sustainable mountain resource: mountain biking.</p> <p>This transition could be considered a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-08/mountain-bike-boom-a-boon-for-country-towns/9153572">role model</a> for the world, a story of hope for mining communities seeking to transition away from unsustainable resource extraction to something more about maintaining balance with nature.</p> <p>But there’s something competing against this vision. As in many parts of Tasmania, and elsewhere, the forests through which the Blue Derby Trail Network trails have been built are still threatened by logging.</p> <h2>Origins of the the Derby venture</h2> <p>In 2015, with funding from the federal government, two local councils (Dorset Council and Break O'Day Council) opened the first 20 km section of the Blue Derby Trail Network, a system of mountain-bike trails that now extends 125 km through temperate old-growth rainforest, catering to a range of skill levels and riding styles.</p> <p>There are easy trails such as “Crusty Rusty”, a “mostly undulating” track with two crossings of the local Cascade River. There are extremely difficult trails, such as “23 Stitches”, 800 metres of “fast, descending jump trail, littered with dirt jumps, rollers and tabletops”.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3MJEoTyXbcg?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br /><span class="caption">The 23 Stitches, rated ‘extremely difficult’</span></p> <p>The attractions of Blue Derby Trail Network were quickly acknowledged by interstate and international mountain-bike enthusiasts. By 2017 Dorset Council mayor Greg Howard was boasting the trails were attracting <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-26/mountain-bike-trails-driving-major-change-in-derby/9276384?nw=0">30,000 visitors</a> a year, with the initial investment of $3.1 million returning $30 million a year.</p> <h2>Turmoil amid renewal</h2> <p>Logging of Tasmania’s public forests is overseen by the state-owned business known as Sustainable Timber Tasmania (previously Forestry Tasmania). It manages 816,000 hectares of public forest designated as “Permanent Timber Production Zone land”. This area represents about 12% of Tasmania’s total land area and 24% of its forests.</p> <p>Each year Sustainable Timber Tasmania is required to extract 137,000 cubic metres of sawlogs from these forests. It maintains a “Three Year Plan” for what parts of Tasmania it is going to log. It updated this document in July 2021.</p> <p>This plan includes logging two coupes (<a href="https://www.sttas.com.au/forest-operations-management/our-operations/three-year-wood-production-plans/3yp-north-east-region">CC105A and C119A</a>) covering 85 hectares that border the Blue Derby Trail Network by the end of the year. A third coupe, covering 40 hectares, is scheduled for <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7070498/protesters-descend-on-mountain-bike-trails/">clear-felling in 2022</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431419/original/file-20211111-21-jy54dd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431419/original/file-20211111-21-jy54dd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Part of the Blue Derby trail system." /></a> <span class="caption">Part of the Blue Derby trail system.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://www.ridebluederby.com.au/" class="source">Blue Derby Pods Ride</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" class="license">CC BY</a></span></p> <p>Local views on this logging are mixed. Dorset Council mayor Greg Howard has said <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-31/derby-mountain-bike-trail-logging-concerns/12502316">it won’t make any difference</a> to the mountain bike trails. Conservationists and others are more defiant. Local conservation group Blue Derby Wild has <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7070498/protesters-descend-on-mountain-bike-trails/">organised protests</a>) involving cyclists, hikers and activists.</p> <p>This battle between logging and outdoor recreation in Derby exemplifies the conflict between extraction and conservation affecting communities across Tasmania, Australia and the world.</p> <h2>The value of mountain bike tourism</h2> <p>This week more than 180 Tasmanian tourism businesses signed <a href="https://tasmaniantimes.com/2021/11/on-forestry-tourism/">an open letter</a> calling for the state government to end logging in native forests. The letter says:</p> <blockquote> <p>Brand Tasmania promises an island at the bottom of the world where ancient forests and wild rivers await to reconnect people to their wild side, through nature based tourism experiences found nowhere else on earth.</p> </blockquote> <p>Mountain biking has become an increasingly valuable part of this tourism mix since the late <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222216.1997.11949800">1990s</a>, when communities in iconic destinations such as Moab, Utah and Whistler, British Columbia began building mountain-bike trails.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431415/original/file-20211111-21-1hob0f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431415/original/file-20211111-21-1hob0f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Mountain biking in Canyonlands National Park, near Moab, Utah." /></a> <span class="caption">Mountain biking in Canyonlands National Park, near Moab, Utah.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <p>While the size and value of the industry internationally is difficult to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1354816620901955">assess</a>, mountain bike tourists are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1356766719842321">typically affluent</a>. They travel an average 12 nights a year, spending US$130 to US$23O each day of their visit. A <a href="https://www.auscycling.org.au/nat/news/mountain-biking-australia-economic-and-participation-analysis">study</a> published in March 2021 (commissioned by the group AusCycling and funded by the federal government’s <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/regions/regional-community-programs/building-better-regions-fund">Building Better Region Fund</a>), estimates Australia’s mountain bike market is worth <a href="https://www.auscycling.org.au/nat/news/mountain-biking-australia-economic-and-participation-analysis">about A$600 million a year</a>, supporting more than 6,000 jobs.</p> <p>How does the mountain-bike tourism compare with the value of logging? Again, while there are no studies that directly quantify this, comparisons between logging and ecotourism more generally point strong to the latter. A study on the economic contribution of ecotourism versus logging in the <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Securing_the_Wet_Tropics.html?id=N9UshWGGUAIC&amp;redir_esc=y">Wet Tropics of Queensland area</a>, for example, found ecotourism was worth up to ten times more than logging.</p> <p>In Tasmania, the tourism industry directly employs about <a href="https://www.tra.gov.au/data-and-research/reports/national-tourism-satellite-account-2019-20/national-tourism-satellite-account-2019-20">21,000 poeple</a>, compared with about 2,500 in logging (at the time of <a href="https://www.tffpn.com.au/forest-facts/">the 2016 census</a>).</p> <h2>Clear-cut choice</h2> <p>Derby has been pioneer in mountain-bike tourism. Communities looking to emulate its success include <a href="https://lalarrbagauwa.harcourt.vic.au/">Harcourt</a> in Victoria, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-05/york-trails-adrenaline/100350674">York</a> in Western Australia. and <a href="https://aboutregional.com.au/mogo-locals-worry-about-the-impact-of-logging-on-mountain-bike-tourism/">Mogo</a> in New South Wales – which is also battling logging plans threatening the mountain bike trails.</p> <p>Mountain bikers predominantly seek out destinations based on the quality of the trail systems, the attractiveness of the terrain and appeal of the natural <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jsm/30/3/article-p265.xml">scenery</a>. But just as important is <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14775085.2016.1164069">support from the local community</a> and <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/tri/2014/00000018/00000001/art00002">politicians</a>.</p> <p>In Derby the choice between logging and sustainable tourism should be clear-cut. Mining didn’t last. Nor can logging. Long-term protections are needed now.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/166176/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-buning-943392">Richard Buning</a>, Lecturer in Tourism, School of Business, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/mountain-biking-gives-this-tasmanian-town-a-sustainable-future-logging-does-not-166176">original article</a>.</p>

Domestic Travel

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Tiger King star found dead at 53

<p>Erik Cowie, star of Tiger King has died aged 53.</p> <p>The zookeeper’s body was found “face down in a bedroom of a residence” in New York on Friday. Sources say there is nothing suspicious about the death at this point and no drugs were found on the scene, though a toxicology test will likely still be performed” according to TMZ reports.</p> <p>Erik appeared on the Netflix reality series as one of Joe Exotic’s eccentric animal caretakers. After Joe was imprisoned, Cowie stayed and took care of the big at the GW zoo.</p> <p>He later went on to testify against former boss Joe Exotic who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after allegedly trying to hire two hitmen to kill business rival, Carole Baskin.</p> <p>Erik Cowie’s death comes four months after he was arrested driving under the influence following a car accident in the US. Allegedly the Netflix star had been drink-driving when he crashed into another vehicle.</p> <p>In 2020 Carole Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue was awarded complete control over GW Zoo as part of the settlement in her long-standing lawsuit against Exotic. Carole went on to sell the Oklahoma property with one of the provisions being the land cannot be used as a zoo for 100 years.</p> <p>In a statement released from prison, Exotic suggested Erik Cowie succumbed to a drug and alcohol addiction. “I did everything I could to help him and save him from himself and he turned on me for fame. And Money” he wrote.</p> <p>“RIP Erik. I will be making a donation in his name to a drug and alcohol treatment centre”.</p>

News

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Police reveal cause of horrific Tiger Woods car crash

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Authorities have revealed that golf star Tiger Woods was driving at an "unsafe" speed nearly double the 70km/h speed limit when he crashed in California in February.</p> <p>The SUV was travelling up to 140km/h before it veered off the road and rolled several times, leaving Woods with a shattered right leg.</p> <p>“The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway,” said Alex Villanueva.</p> <p>“Estimated speeds at the first area of impact were 84 to 87 miles per hour (135-140km/h).”</p> <p>There were “no signs of impairment” or evidence of any “distracted driving”, and Woods voluntarily allowed the results of the investigation to be made public, officials said.</p> <p>Fans have complained that Woods hasn't been charged for speeding, but police said as there were no witnesses or police present, he won't be charged.</p> <p>The crash would have been investigated further “if there was a significant injury or fatality” and had involved another person, said Captain James Powers.</p> <p>Woods himself doesn't recall the incident, but investigators did not check his phone or test his bloodwork as there was "no evidence of any impairment or intoxication", according to Powers.</p> <p>Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed this in a Facebook Q&amp;A with reporters.</p> <p>“He was lucid, no odour of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics or anything like that,” Villanueva said. “That was not a concern so no field sobriety test and no drug expert needed to respond. This is what it is — an accident.</p> <p>“We don’t contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash.</p> <p>“This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime, they do happen unfortunately.</p> <p>“The Deputy on the scene assessed the condition of Tiger Woods and there was no evidence of any impairment whatsoever.</p> <p>“He was not drunk … we can throw that one out.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Tiger Woods hospitalised after serious car crash

<p>Tiger Woods was taken to hospital with "multiple leg injuries" after being involved in a serious car crash in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning (AEDT).</p> <p>The 45-year-old was driving alone when his vehicle rolled over around 7 am local time and had to be extricated from his car with the jaws of life.</p> <p>There are now fears for the golf superstars' wellbeing and career, with an outpouring of support from the sports world.</p> <p>The LA Sherriff's Department confirmed it had responded to a single vehicle rollover on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Ranchos Palos Verdes.</p> <p>Woods’ vehicle was travelling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed.</p> <p>“The vehicle sustained major damage,” the LASD said in a statement.</p> <p>“Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries.”</p> <p>Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg released a short statement confirming Woods had “suffered multiple leg injuries.</p> <p>“He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support,” Steinberg said.</p> <p>ESPN’s Michael Eaves reported Woods injuries were not considered life-threatening.</p> <p>“Local police source said the initial report from the scene of the accident indicated the possibility of multiple leg fractures,” he tweeted.</p> <p>Woods, who has two children, Charlie and Sam, was in LA for the US PGA Genesis Invitational, where he serves as tournament host.</p> <p>Former US president Donald Trump led a host of wellwishers, saying: “Get well soon, Tiger. You are a true champion.”</p>

News

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Deadly tiger snake found hanging around petrol tank

<p><span>A deadly tiger snake was found curled up around a petrol pump at a suburban service station in Melbourne.</span><br /><br /><span>The deadly reptile had completely wrapped itself around a bowser at the Coles Express in Nunawading, in the city's east on Wednesday.</span><br /><br /><span>Snake catcher Raymond Hoser was called in to remove the one-and-a-half metre tiger snake after it crawled out from under a car.</span><br /><br /><span>"They are deadly, you get bitten by a tiger snake and it's pretty intense… they're quite erratic," he told Nine.com.au.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837920/snake-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/53b9fbe5696740d28697ba6db0affc5f" /><br /><br /><span>Mr Hoser said snakes will often crawl up the wheels of parked cars and into the engine cavity, and when the car stops somewhere else it will slither away "and no one knows any different".</span><br /><br /><span>However the snake proved to be unique after emerging from the vehicle and crawling around the gas pump.</span><br /><br /><span>Tiger snakes are the most common snake in Melbourne.</span><br /><br /><span>They are often found along the Yarra River and in the creeks that run off them, Mr Hoser said.</span><br /><br /><span>However, the expert has warned people not to approach the deadly creatures and said they will usually keep moving if they are not bothered.</span><br /><br /><span>"One wrong move by one wrong person is just destruction."</span></p>

Travel Trouble

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Golf fans go wild over shot of Tiger caddying for his son

<p>Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, is dominating the junior field at just 11 years of age.</p> <p>Charlie played at a US Kids Gold-sanctioned event at Hammock Creek Golf Club recently, resulting in a mind-blowing final score.</p> <p>Woods has commended his son in the past for his natural knack on the golf course, and his scorecard has proven exactly that.</p> <p>Charlie won the nine-hole event in the boys 11-year-old division with a three-under 33.</p> <p>He finished with no bogeys and three birdies.</p> <p>But fans went wild after seeing photos of the golfing legend helping his son carry his golf clubs.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">It’s happening. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheSecondComing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheSecondComing</a> <a href="https://t.co/YmtPEP4lOx">pic.twitter.com/YmtPEP4lOx</a></p> — Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) <a href="https://twitter.com/RiggsBarstool/status/1295165776098361345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Looks like we found the next Tiger Woods. I would of never guessed his son. 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/Z0bxE52Jvr">https://t.co/Z0bxE52Jvr</a></p> — Titus Conrad (@KCSportsfan18) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCSportsfan18/status/1295232348620029959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Imagine playing in a junior tournament and the caddie for your opponent is Tiger Woods <a href="https://t.co/1lUSZP8SUb">https://t.co/1lUSZP8SUb</a></p> — Jordan (@JordanStarley1) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanStarley1/status/1295169730530234371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Last month, Tiger said playing with his son took him back to his childhood.</p> <p>“He’s starting to get into it,” Woods said to Golf Digest.</p> <p>“He’s starting to understand how to play. He’s asking me the right questions. I’ve kept it competitive with his par, so it’s been just an absolute blast to go out there and just, you know, be with him. It reminds me so much of me and my dad growing up.”</p> <p>Woods even said he hoped he could replicate his son’s swing, but is unable to due to injuries sustained from his career.</p> <p>“I wish I had his move,” Woods added. "I analyse his swing all the time. I wish I could rotate like that and turn my head like that and do some of those positions, but those days are long gone, and I have to relive them through him.”</p>

International Travel

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Heartbroken zoo announces tiger tested positive for coronavirus

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>A tiger at Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for coronavirus, which has been confirmed by the Wildlife Conservation Society in a statement today.</p> <p>Six other tigers and lions at the zoo are also showing symptoms but have not yet been tested for the disease.</p> <p>Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger, was tested with an “abundance of caution” after she had developed a dry cough and a decrease in appetite.</p> <p>The Wildlife Conservation Society, the parent company of the Bronx Zoo, said in a<span> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14010/A-Tiger-at-Bronx-Zoo-Tests-Positive-for-COVID-19-The-Tiger-and-the-Zoos-Other-Cats-Are-Doing-Well-at-This-Time.aspx" target="_blank">statement</a><span> </span>that "appropriate preventive measures are now in place for all staff who are caring for them".</p> <p>They added: "Though they have experienced some decrease in appetite, the cats at the Bronx Zoo are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers."</p> <p>"It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries."</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-j2Migp6oU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-j2Migp6oU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Bronx Zoo (@bronxzoo)</a> on Apr 4, 2020 at 6:10am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It is believed that the cats were infected by a person caring for them, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.</p> <p>“Our cats were infected by a person caring for them who was asymptomatically infected with the virus or before that person developed symptoms. Appropriate preventive measures are now in place for all staff who are caring for them, and the other cats in our four WCS zoos, to prevent further exposure of any other of our zoo cats,” they wrote.</p> <p>While the tiger is the first known animal to test positive for coronavirus within the US, there are reports of animals catching the virus in other countries.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

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New “umbrella” species would massively improve conservation efforts

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to new research done by the University of Queensland, the introduction of “umbrella” species would massively improve conservation efforts.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Umbrella species are species which when preserved indirectly protect many other animals and plant species.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">UQ PhD candidate Michelle Ward said different choices in Australia could provide more assistance for threatened species.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The Australian Federal Government’s umbrella prioritisation list identifies 73 species as conservation priorities,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But this only ends up benefiting six per cent of all Australia’s threatened terrestrial species.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This figure could be increased to benefit nearly half of all threatened terrestrial species for the same budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“One of the main reasons is that many umbrella species are chosen based on their public appeal, rather than their efficiency for protecting other species – we want to change that.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers investigated what umbrella species could maximise the flora and fauna benefitting from management while considering costs, actions and threats.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The koala, red goshawk, matted flax-lily and purple clover are more efficient umbrella species, yet none of these appear on the existing federal government priority species list,” she explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Australia has committed to prevent further extinction of known threatened species and improve their conservation status by 2020.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Yet, with limited funding committed to conservation, we need better methods to efficiently prioritise investment of resources.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Hugh Possingham said that in a time of crisis, smart decision making was vital.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Now is precisely the time where governments need to get their investment in nature to be as efficient as possible,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Nations around the world can significantly improve the selection of umbrella species for conservation action by taking advantage of our transparent, quantitative and objective prioritisation approach.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With a species extinction crisis, looming international deadlines and limited conservation funding globally, we need better methods to efficiently prioritise investment of resources in species recovery.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The study, published in Conservation Biology (<a href="https://www.vision6.com.au/ch/50178/3ct4h/2808599/Ds2b._AP0gyT630EB6_aQlNZXn05sHJG_MdYR0Ar.html">DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13430</a>), was conducted by UQ, <a href="https://www.vision6.com.au/ch/50178/3ct4h/2808600/Ds2b._AP0gyT630EB6_a6jGpUsKkQsMprfjcLi0h.html">The Nature Conservancy</a>, the <a href="https://www.vision6.com.au/ch/50178/3ct4h/2291364/Ds2b._AP0gyT630EB6_aeAh0IAz4MZ87vQ.Ij7du.html">Wildlife Conservation Society</a> and the <a href="https://www.vision6.com.au/ch/50178/3ct4h/2808601/Ds2b._AP0gyT630EB6_aXgEzA0c2ovhFWY3HjXCB.html">United Nations Development Program</a>.</span></em></p>

Domestic Travel

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The result of Australia's extinct species is saddening and devastating

<p>It’s well established that unsustainable human activity is <a href="https://wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/all_publications/living_planet_report_2018/">damaging the health of the planet</a>. The way we use Earth threatens our future and that of many animals and plants. <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-mass-extinction-and-are-we-in-one-now-122535">Species extinction</a> is an inevitable end point.</p> <p>It’s important that the loss of Australian nature be quantified accurately. To date, putting an exact figure on the number of extinct species has been challenging. But in the most comprehensive assessment of its kind, our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000632071930895X">research</a> has confirmed that 100 endemic Australian species living in 1788 are now validly listed as <a href="http://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/news/a-review-of-listed-extinctions-in-australia">extinct</a>.</p> <p>Alarmingly, this tally confirms that the number of extinct Australian species is much higher than previously thought.</p> <p><strong>The most precise tally yet</strong></p> <p>Counts of extinct Australian species vary. The federal government’s list of extinct <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicthreatenedlist.pl?wanted=flora">plants</a> and <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicthreatenedlist.pl?wanted=fauna">animals</a> totals 92. However 20 of these are subspecies, five are now known to still exist in Australia and seven survive overseas – reducing the figure to 60.</p> <p>An RMIT/ABC fact check <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-19/fact-check-does-australia-have-one-of-the-highest-extinction/6691026">puts the figure</a> at 46.</p> <p>The states and territories also hold their own extinction lists, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature keeps a global database, the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org">Red List</a>.</p> <p>Our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000632071930895X">research</a> collated these separate listings. We excluded species that still exist overseas, such as the <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=24168">water tassel-fern</a>. We also excluded some species that, happily, have been rediscovered since being listed as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-13/seed-bank-holds-the-forgotten-conservation/10610418">extinct</a>, or which are no longer recognised as valid species (such as the obscure snail <em><a href="https://bie.ala.org.au/search?sortField=&amp;dir=desc&amp;q=Fluvidona+dulvertonensis">Fluvidona dulvertonensis</a></em>).</p> <p>We concluded that exactly 100 plant and animal species are validly listed as having become extinct in the 230 years since Europeans colonised Australia:</p> <ul> <li>38 plants, such as the <a href="https://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/91897">magnificent spider-orchid</a></li> <li>1 seaweed species</li> <li>34 mammals including the <a href="https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/australia-over-time/extinct-animals/the-thylacine/">thylacine</a> and pig-footed bandicoot</li> <li>10 invertebrates including a funnel-web spider, beetles and snails</li> <li>9 birds, such as the <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=723">paradise parrot</a></li> <li>4 frogs, including two species of the bizarre <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2013/03/15/resurrecting-the-extinct-frog-with-a-stomach-for-a-womb/">gastric-brooding frog</a> which used its stomach as a womb</li> <li>3 reptiles including the Christmas Island forest skink</li> <li>1 fish, the Pedder galaxias.</li> </ul> <p>Our tally includes three species listed as extinct in the wild, with two of these still existing in captivity.</p> <p>The mammal toll represents 10% of the species present in 1788. This loss rate is far higher than for any other continent over this period.</p> <p>The 100 extinctions are drawn from formal lists. But many extinctions have not been officially registered. Other species disappeared before their existence was recorded. More have not been seen for decades, and are suspected lost by scientists or Indigenous groups who <a href="https://theconversation.com/eulogy-for-a-seastar-australias-first-recorded-marine-extinction-103225">knew them best</a>. We speculate that the actual tally of extinct Australian species since 1788 is likely to be about ten times greater than we derived from official lists.</p> <p>And biodiversity loss is more than extinctions alone. Many more Australian species have disappeared from all but a vestige of their former ranges, or persist in populations far smaller than in the past.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/303097/original/file-20191122-74593-1qdj0uz.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /> <span class="caption">The geographical spread of extinctions across Australia. Darker shading represents a higher extinction tally.</span></p> <p><strong>Dating the losses</strong></p> <p>Dating of extinctions is not straightforward. For a few Australian species, such as the Christmas Island forest skink, we know the <a href="https://theconversation.com/vale-gump-the-last-known-christmas-island-forest-skink-30252">day the last known individual died</a>. But many species disappeared without us realising at the time.</p> <p>Our estimation of extinction dates reveals a largely continuous rate of loss – averaging about four species per decade.</p> <p>Continuing this trend, in the past decade, <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.12852">three Australian species have become extinct</a> – the Christmas Island forest skink, Christmas Island pipistrelle and Bramble Cay melomys – and two others became extinct in the wild.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/303096/original/file-20191122-74584-f59vt8.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /> <span class="caption">Cumulative tally of Australian extinctions since 1788.</span></p> <p>The extinctions occurred over most of the continent. However 21 occurred only on islands smaller than Tasmania, which comprise less than 0.5% of Australia’s land mass.</p> <p>This trend, repeated around the world, is largely due to small population sizes and vulnerability to newly introduced predators.</p> <p><strong>We must learn from the past</strong></p> <p>The 100 recognised extinctions followed the loss of Indigenous land management, its replacement with entirely new land uses and new settlers introducing species with little regard to detrimental impacts.</p> <p>Introduced cats and foxes are implicated in most mammal extinctions; vegetation clearing and habitat degradation caused most plant extinctions. Disease caused the loss of frogs and the accidental introduction of an Asian snake caused the recent loss of three reptile species on Christmas Island.</p> <p>The causes have changed over time. Hunting contributed to several early extinctions, but not recent ones. In the last decade, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/534437a">climate change</a> contributed to the extinction of the Bramble Cay melomys, which lived only on one Queensland island.</p> <p>The prospects for some species are helped by legal protection, Australia’s fine national reserve system and threat management. But these gains are subverted by the legacy of previous habitat loss and fragmentation, and the ongoing damage caused by introduced species.</p> <p>Our own population increase is causing further habitat loss, and new threats such as climate change bring more frequent and intense droughts and bushfires.</p> <p>Environment laws have demonstrably <a href="https://theconversation.com/environment-laws-have-failed-to-tackle-the-extinction-emergency-heres-the-proof-122936">failed to stem the extinction crisis</a>. The national laws are now under review, and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-nature-laws-are-being-overhauled-here-are-7-things-we-must-fix-126021">federal government has indicated</a> protections may be wound back.</p> <p>But now is not the time to <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/about/review">weaken</a> environment laws further. The creation of modern Australia has come at a great cost to nature – we are not living well in this land.</p> <hr /> <p><em>The study on which this article is based was also co-authored by Andrew Burbidge, David Coates, Rod Fensham and Norm McKenzie.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127611/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-woinarski-16660">John Woinarski</a>, Professor (conservation biology), <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brett-murphy-11434">Brett Murphy</a>, Associate Professor / ARC Future Fellow, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dale-nimmo-15432">Dale Nimmo</a>, Associate professor/ARC DECRA fellow, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-f-braby-511682">Michael F. Braby</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-legge-413029">Sarah Legge</a>, Professor, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-garnett-4565">Stephen Garnett</a>, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/scientists-re-counted-australias-extinct-species-and-the-result-is-devastating-127611">original article</a>.</em></p>

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