Record-breaking ball of quesillo cheese

Carlos Alberto Albores Lima, municipal president of Pijijiapan, Chiapas, a city in Mexico, confirmed the ball of quesillo, also known as Oaxaca cheese, officially broke the record of 738.5 pounds, which was set in Acatlán, Hidalgo, in 2022.

The quesillo ball is composed of tightly stretched cords of cheese. More than 1,500 pounds of cheese was prepared for the attempt, but the team stopped at 1,230 so as not to put too much strain on the machine used to roll the cords.

The finished cheese ball measured more than three feet in diameter.

The cheese was served to attendees at the Vida Mejor soccer field.

The birth of 40th rhinoceros calf in Florida

A drive-through safari park in Florida announced the birth of its 40th rhinoceros’s calf. The Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee said the southern white rhino, named Alyssa, was born August 19 to mother Anna.

Her arrival “is not only a major milestone birth but is also a significant contribution to the long-term survival and conservation of southern white rhinos,” the post said.

Alissa and Anna are currently visible from the road in a maternity area of the safari’s Hwange section.

Prehistoric bird believed to be extinct returns to the wild

In an incredible resurgence, the takahe, a bird previously believed extinct, is thriving in New Zealand. A new pair, Waitaa and Bendigo, recently joined the Zealandia Eco-sanctuary, which already houses two takahe.

The takahe, a large flightless native bird, was rediscovered in 1948 after being considered extinct. These birds only breed once a year, have a lifespan of up to 18 years in the wild and 20 to 22 years in sanctuaries.

With only 440 takahe worldwide as of 2021, New Zealand’s conservation efforts involve relocating them to support their population. Takahe once roamed South Island, but faced threats from hunting, predators, habitat loss and food competition.

The rediscovery of takahe prompted New Zealand’s ongoing endangered species programme, including conservation innovations, captive breeding and wild releases, spanning over 70 years. This success story highlights the determination to prevent the takahe from disappearing again.

Bull riding in the passenger seat

Police in Nebraska had an encounter with an unusual vehicle that had been modified to allow a Watusi bull to ride in the front passenger seat.

The Norfolk Police Division officers responded to a call about a vehicle on the road with a bovine riding in it.

At first, they thought that it was going to be a calf, something small or something that would actually fit inside the vehicle. However, the officers were shocked to discover the full-grown Watusi bull was riding in the passenger seat of a modified car. The officer wrote the driver, Lee Meyer, some warnings and asked him to take the animal back home and leave the city. Area residents said Meyer and bull, named Howdy Doody, are a common sight.

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 9th, 2023