Watercooler Stories

Black swan turns up at British facility

DORSET, England, June 6 (UPI) -- Officials at a British swannery said they do not know how an Australian black swan ended up among the facility's 600 white swans.

Staff at the Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset, England, said the appearance of the Cygnus atratus at the facility, which is home to 600 Mute swans, is a mystery, but they are intent on catching it because black swans are known to kill their young and the swannery is in the middle of hatching season, The Mirror reported Tuesday.

Workers at the swannery said they are on the lookout for a second black swan, as a mated pair would pose a threat to Britain's wildlife and environment.

Booze video gets campers evicted

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 6 (UPI) -- Officials at a Florida county park said a group of campers were evicted after posting video footage of their "booze corner" to YouTube.

Jim Wilson, superintendent of Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, said a volunteer received a Google alert about the video Saturday because it was labeled "Camping at Fort De Soto," and tipped off officials about the massive amount of alcohol visible in the footage, the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times reported Tuesday.

Wilson said the video gave officials everything they needed, including the location of the camp site, the names of the campers and the types of alcohol they possessed. He said the group had Jack Daniel's, Jose Cuervo, Captain Morgan, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Malibu Black and five 12-packs of Miller Lite.

"This is how we do it," a female voice says in the video. "This is the booze corner and we have more." The more included red wine, sake and other cordials.

Officials said the group was issued a trespass citation for breaking rules against booze in county parks and James Hines of Clearwater, who made the reservation, has been banned from the campground for a year.

Michigan's last wolverine goes on display

SANDUSKY, Mich., June 6 (UPI) -- The taxidermied remains of the last known wolverine in the state of Michigan are being displayed at the state's Sanilac County Courthouse.

The wolverine, which was first spotted in 2004 and was found dead in 2010, was preserved by Bay Port taxidermist Sandy Brown and displayed at the Bay City State Recreation Area until it was brought to the Sandusky courthouse Monday as the first stop on the traveling "Lone Wolverine Tour" exhibit, the Times Herald, Port Huron, Mich., reported Tuesday.

"It's a great day in Sanilac County that we can bring the wolverine home," said state Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville, who was one of about 40 people on hand to witness the display's unveiling Monday.

Officials said the last known wolverine sighting in Michigan prior to 2004 is commonly believed to have been about 200 years ago.

German couple auctions off wedding night

DUSSELDORF, Germany, June 6 (UPI) -- A German couple said they were fulfilling a longtime fantasy when they auctioned off wedding night sex with the 38-year-old bride for $456.

The couple, posting under the name "NicoleBlow37" on German sex auction site gesext.de, said they were fulfilling a fantasy by having a stranger pay to seduce the bride on her wedding night, The Local.de reported Tuesday.

"Yes, you read correctly: You may take me in front of my husband on our wedding night," the North Rhine-Westphalia bride, whose real name is Sandra, wrote on the auction posting.

"We'll meet in a hotel which you, as a gentleman, will pay for," the auction read. "We will get to know each other and when we start getting down to business I will ring my husband and tell him to come to the room."

Herbert Krauleidis, managing director of the sex auction site, said wedding night auctions are not unusual, but it was unusual for the couple to leave the auction open to any and all bidders.

"Sometimes couples put a wedding night auction up on the site but open to a very selected group of pre-approved bidders," he said.