BBC Reel / YouTube screen shot Extinct Tree from Time of Jesus Springs to Life in Israeli Desert In Israel, just because something is extinct doesn't mean it can't bear fruit again. 'We would like to have plantations of the Judean dates.' By Jack Davis, The Western Journal December 29, 2021
KHON2 News / Facebook 12-Year-Old Boy Scout on Hike Rigs Ingenious Contraption, Saves Injured Dog and Helps Lost Hikers Many people have commended the boy and his mother, and suggested that the hike he completed might be worth more than one merit badge. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal November 15, 2021
Summit County Rescue Group / Facebook screen shot Warning Issued after Dog Trampled to Death During 'Freak Occurrence' Moose Encounter When the dog noticed them, he didn't bark, he didn't go after the moose, he simply tried to get back to his family, with devastating results. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal November 3, 2021
Marc Cherniak / Facebook screen shot Video: Chihuahua Survives Backyard Attack by Coyote in Broad Daylight, Carried Off as Owners Scream Little Chico had some puncture wounds and a broken rib, but he healed up just fine and is back home now, enjoying supervised outside time. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal October 23, 2021
Yellowstone National Park / Facebook 'Miracle': Dad Saves Daughter After She Plunges Into 200-Degree Water Trying to Save Her Puppy According to a GoFundMe set up by the family, over 90 percent of the woman's body is covered in second and third-degree burns. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal October 11, 2021
Jeremy Yoder / Flickr & Wupatki National Monument / Facebook screen shot After Disappearing For Years, Hundreds of 3-Eyed Animals Emerge Reports of "tadpoles" kept coming in, so Carter decided to check it out. What she discovered was something much more interesting than toads. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal October 6, 2021
@Mrgunsngear / Twitter screen shot Fury Erupts Over Social Media Posting of Man Shooting Mountain Lion Dead A social media firestorm has erupted over the recorded shooting of a mountain lion by an unknown individual. By Cameron Arcand, The Western Journal October 3, 2021
@kerethp / Twitter screen shot Armed with a Trash Can, Brave Veteran Dad Captures and Relocates 6-Foot Alligator A gaggle of onlookers shrieked as he advanced, pushing the gator back. It writhed and whipped its body around, resisting. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 30, 2021
WABC-TV / screen shot Lightning Strike on Beach Kills 19-Year-Old Lifeguard, Injures 7 Others: 'It Was Like a Bomb' Hundreds of people showed up to a vigil to honor the life of Keith Pinto, a teenage lifeguard who was killed by a lightning strike. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 30, 2021
Bill Desloges / Facebook Men Spot Moose Stuck in Mud Up to Its Head, Tie Straps Around Antlers to Pull Animal to Safety The men knew quite well how powerful the moose was, so they tried to contact the proper authorities for help. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 30, 2021
Harrison County Animal Control, Corydon Indiana / Facebook Hikers Exploring Cave Discover Lost, Starving Dog Trapped in 30-Foot-Deep Pit Rescuers learned that the pup's name was Hawkeye and that his family had been searching for him for weeks. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 29, 2021
Reuters / YouTube screen shot When Cows Fly: See the Incredible Moment Helicopter Airlifts Injured Cattle to Safety in the Swiss Alps While it's impossible for the cows to say exactly how they enjoyed the experience, Arnold emphasized it was necessary to move them. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 25, 2021
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Officials Urge Public to Kill This Colorful Bug on Sight and Then Report It Wildlife officials are warning that a species of bug being spotted across the country might be beautiful, but should be killed on sight. By Kipp Jones, The Western Journal September 25, 2021
SWNS / YouTube screen shot Man's Best Friend Now Has Wings: Wild Bird Befriends Man After Chance Encounter He made scrambled eggs for the bird, kept it safe and warm and ensured the creature made a full return to health. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 18, 2021
Maxi Jonas FOTOS / Facebook Paddle Boarder Gets Nudge from Whale Below the Surface, 'Didn't Feel Fear' The shots were captured by photographer Maxi Jonas, who used a drone to snag the awesome moments and share them with a larger community. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 11, 2021
KVUE / YouTube screen shot Hiker Thinks He's Brushing Yellow Jackets off Feet, Looks Down to See 'Very Large Copperhead' Middleton eventually recovered, but it took three weeks until he was able to put a shoe back on his swollen foot. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 4, 2021
Town of Hilton Head Island Government / Facebook Woman Attacked by Alligator While Walking Dog, Seriously Injured After Creature Drags Her Into Water A woman walking her dog near a lagoon was dragged into the water by an 8-foot alligator and escaped with serious injuries. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal September 3, 2021
Colorado Parks & Wildlife via KRAI & 55 Country / Facebook Colorado Wildlife Officer Rescues Moose Calf That Had Plummeted 4 Feet Into Burned Basement Neighbors spotted the mom and baby in distress. They attempted to fashion a ramp so the baby could get out, but it didn't work. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal August 29, 2021
Action & Adventure on the Appalachian Trail / Facebook 'Little Man' Becomes One of the Youngest to Ever Hike the Appalachian Trail at 5 Years Old Not many other kindergarteners can boast that they've completed the Appalachian Trail, but Little Man can. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal August 21, 2021
Joey Helms / YouTube screen shot Drone Operator Flies Too Close to a Volcano and Loses It All, But the Footage Is Unreal A volcano in Iceland is now nearing its fifth month of a vivid eruption captured by the final moments of one drone. By Jack Davis, The Western Journal August 8, 2021
Baton Rouge Fire Department / Facebook Firefighters Rescue Motorist from Floating Truck After Attempt to Drive Through Severely Flooded Underpass 'Every time it rains, it floods out up underneath that underpass there. And cars go down there, and they got to rescue them out of there.' By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal August 7, 2021