For 12 hours, two herds of wild South African elephants slowly made their way through the Zululand bush until they reached the house of late author Lawrence Anthony, the conservationist who saved their lives.The formerly violent, rogue elephants, destined to be shot a few years ago as pests, were rescued and rehabilitated by Anthony, who had grown up in the bush and was known as the “Elephant Whisperer.”

For two days the herds loitered at Anthony’s rural compound on the vast Thula Thula game reserve in the South African KwaZulu – to say good-bye to the man they loved. But how did they know he had died? Known for his unique ability to calm traumatized elephants, Anthony had become a legend. He is the author of three books, Babylon Ark, detailing his efforts to rescue the animals at Baghdad Zoo during the Iraqi war, the forthcoming The Last Rhinos, and his bestselling The Elephant Whisperer.

Read more of this fascinating story.

Honestly, what could be better than an adorable cat hat? They’re warm, furry and love sitting on things. Truly a match made in hat heaven.

More, with pictures.

Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center found that eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids — such as fish, nuts and chicken — is linked with lower levels of of beta-amyloid protein, which is linked with Alzheimer’s disease.

More.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/898472-cute-alert-red-panda-hugs-cub-before-it-takes-its-very-first-steps#ixzz1ujGmyBoh

The research doesn’t quite prove that jogging helps you live longer, as The Boston Globe points out, but it is certainly encouraging, and hopefully inspiring for anyone who is more inclined to sit on the couch than lace up a pair of running sneakers.

And jogging isn’t the only form of exercise that has been found to add years to your life — and in some instances, it only takes a few minutes of physical activity to make a big difference. Here are six other ways fitness has been linked to increased longevity.

More.

And don’t worry, you can also unleash the power of your pelvis to also maintain sexual ecstasy in your life. Our pelvis is the best renewable energy source around, and totally organic.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/unleashing-the-power-of-your-pelvis.html#ixzz1ujFUeccH

I run the Teranga Ranch reptile rescue. This means I get calls of all kinds, from many places, to take in an animal in need.

Recently we got a call from a volunteer at a local shelter. They had a pet snake that had come in as a stray, and did not have the facilities to really care for it. I drove the 45 minutes to go get the snake, got him into his pillowcase and carrier, then noticed the enclosure next to the one he came out of. There was no lid on it, so there couldn’t be a snake in there. But there was movement. I looked again. It was a small white mouse.

I asked the technician what that was about. She said they tried to feed the mouse to the snake in that enclosure, but he wouldn’t eat it. I asked what was to become of the mouse. She kind of shrugged as she didn’t know. Shelters don’t get snakes in every day, so there was no protocol for live food. I knew what I had to do. I asked her for a cardboard box, scooped the mouse up, and named him Lucky. Our rescue does NOT feed live food. The shelter did not realize it, but “live food” can actually injure or even kill the snake you are feeding it to. Those burrowing teeth and nails can be hard on a fragile snake.

You’ll be happy to know that the kingsnake ate just fine once he got to the rescue and was offered food that was already dead.

When I got online and told our amazing group of supporters the story, they graciously jumped in with donations to make his life more comfortable: a mouse enclosure, 3 lixit bottles, and a wheel and a ball. Lucky is still here and up for adoption! (See more here)

Brought to you by The Great Animal Rescue Chase Each day we share an uplifting rescue story here on Care2.com and the next could be yours. Just visit our website to upload your story and photos (optional). You never know who you might inspire!

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/mighty-mouse-survives-snake-and-finds-a-hero.html#ixzz1ujELt4HD

“I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban, South Africa, in the middle of the sugar plantations. We were deep in the country and had no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going to town to visit friends or go to the movies. One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day conference, and I jumped at the chance.

Since I was going to town, my mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day in town, my father asked me to take care of several pending chores, such as getting the car serviced. When I dropped my father off that morning, he said, ‘I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m., and we will go home together.’

After hurriedly completing my chores, I went straight to the nearest movie theater.

Read more. Wise advice here.

Stand before the mirror, and stick out your tongue.

Nothing extraordinary; just an organ of taste and speech, right?

But Ayurvedic healers can read astonishing clues to your health on your tongue. The classic ayurvedic treatise Charaka Samhita, written in 3rd century BC says, “The dirt which is collected at the root of the tongue creates obstructions in respiration and produces a foul smell, hence one should scrape the tongue.”

Although a healthy tongue is pink and free of bumps or spots, most people have a little coating on their tongues.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/what-your-tongue-says-about-your-health.html#ixzz1uOGUCxfg

Ara Norenzayan, co-author of the study, said: “There’s much more instability to religious belief than we recognize” (CNN Belief Blog). Although the study may not have permanently affected anyone’s religious beliefs, particularly devout worshippers, it does illustrate the differences between analytic and intuitive thinking, and how religion may fit into that dichotomy.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/will-too-much-thinking-make-you-an-atheist.html#ixzz1u1jG73mE