We love our animals — whether they're our pets or ducks stuck in a storm drain. In Florida, we have soft hearts for our animals, and these stories from the past week show it — from heart-warming rescues to gators eating gators.
Guinea pig rescued from house fire
A man and his small pet escaped serious injury in a house fire recently. A fire broke out at a home at 3300 Cross Fox Drive in Mulberry.
A man received minor burns. Polk County Fire Rescue firefighter John Williams rescued a guinea pig from the smoke-filled home. Photos show the small creature receiving oxygen. The fire apparently started in the kitchen.
(Polk County Fire Rescue)
Clearwater firefighters rescue trapped ducklings
Clearwater firefighters rescued two ducklings from an area storm drain recently. Fire and Rescue officials say the rescue took place in the 600 block of Court Street on April 6. Firefighters opened two storm drains 100 feet from each other, then used a fan in an attempt to direct the ducklings toward one opening or the other. The ducklings were then plucked to safety.
(Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department)
Smokey Jr. bear cub rescued from Lake wildfire at Tampa zoo
A 6-pound male bear cub rescued amid a Lake County brush fire recently is "alert but very timid" and now in the care of veterinarians at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. The cub, named "Smokey Jr.," arrived at the zoo recently and is being housed in the outdoor area of the zoo's new veterinary hospital. It is feeding well, which is encouraging for his hopeful reintroduction to the wild, zoo officials said. Access is being restricted because of the risk of habituating it to people, they said. Firefighters with Lake County and the Florida Forest Service found the bear Thursday and contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
(Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo)
Baby swans stolen from Lake Eola
Police are searching for six baby swans that were thought to be stolen from Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando recently. The young swans, called cygnets, are thought to be less than a week old. City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said park rangers noticed them missing Tuesday morning from their nest near the red pagoda on the east side of the park. Rangers don't think a predator got them; instead, they think someone stole them. If caught and prosecuted, thieves could face felony charges.
(Twitter: @LakeEolaSwans)
Gator eats smaller gator
An alligator met a gruesome end earlier this week in Lakeland, and it was all caught on video. The video shows a larger alligator capturing and eating another, much smaller alligator. The video was taken at Circle B Bar Reserve by viewer Alex Figueroa, who was out on his morning walk over the weekend.
