Turkish mosque opens its doors to local cats

A mosque in Turkey has gained attention for showing hospitality to its feline neighbours by allowing local cats inside the house of worship.

Imam Mustafa Efe of Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Mosque in Istanbul posted photos and video to Facebook of himself and other patrons interacting with neighbourhood cats inside the mosque. One video even showed a mother bringing her kittens into the mosque for safety.

Efe wrote on the Facebook post, “The kitty has found the heart of companion and mercy.”

Efe is not the only one who enjoys the presence of the cats as he also posted photos of other members of the congregation taking time to play with the furry visitor.

“Our congregation love the cats,” he wrote “They have created a beautiful parable of compassion and mercy.”

Weird frogfish dubbed ‘toothless dragon’

Researchers in New Zealand got a surprise when they were presented with what appears to be a two-legged frogfish.

The creature was sent to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in a bid to discover where it came from and what it is. The black fishy frog-looking bipedalled oddball was picked up by holidaymakers Claudia Howse and James Beuvink at New Zealand’s Bay of Islands.

But the pair had no idea what it was so decided to hand it over to science. Unfortunately, the creature was dead when it was given to researchers who are now attempting to work out exactly where it came from.

But its discovery has sparked intrigue with some even suggesting it looks like a ‘toothless dragon.’ Experts are now probing the rare find. While this particular species is not known yet — the ‘frogfish’ is pretty common. They are found in both tropical and subtropical oceans and seas except the Mediterranean Sea.

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 12th, 2015