ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Cow escapes farm to run free with wild bison

WARSAW, Poland

A farmyard cow in Poland has chosen freedom this winter, roaming with a herd of bison for three months after escaping its pen.

The reddish brown cow has been spotted following bison across corn and rapeseed fields bordering the Bialowieza Forest in eastern Poland as they forage for abandoned corn cobs and other food.

Rafal Kowalczyk, a bison expert who has managed to photograph the unusual sight, said the cow seems to be in good condition. That indicates she is managing to find food, even though she is sometimes spotted on the margins of the herd. Thick fur common to her Limousin breed and the mild winter in eastern Poland this year have helped her, he told The Associated Press.

Kowalczyk, director of the Mammal Research Institute at the Polish Academy of Sciences, described the situation as exceptional, saying it’s the first time he has witnessed a cow living among bison. But it’s also dangerous to both sides.

If the cow mates with male bison and gets pregnant, she could die during delivery because her hybrid calf would be bigger than a normal cow calf.

Any offspring could also contaminate the gene pool of the tiny and endangered bison population in Poland, which became extinct in the wild after World War I and has been restored based on some captive survivors.

For now, the story of a rebel cow who defied the fate of the slaughterhouse to roam free with the bison is a hit on Kowalczyk’s Facebook page.

But scientists will want to remove the cow from the herd by summer to prevent the risk of mating, though Kowalczyk said that won’t be easy.

Chris Christie – not THAT one – announces campaign

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.

Chris Christie is running for office. But not THAT Chris Christie.

A political candidate with the same name as the brash and outspoken former New Jersey governor is running for attorney general in Alabama.

The Birmingham attorney’s announcement that he’s running in June’s Democratic primary led to lots of jokes on social media.

It also led the Alabama Christie to swear an oath on Twitter promising not to assault any fans at Hunstville Stars minor league baseball games while holding trays of nachos.

The New Jersey Christie was filmed last year berating a heckler as a “big shot” at a Milwaukee Brewers game while holding nachos.

The Republican wrapped up his eight years as New Jersey governor recently.

Associated Press