Argungu is am important Nigerian cultural event, to which thousands of fishermen take part.

Argungu takes place in the North-Western Nigerian state of Kebbi, where an army of fishermen gather with one goal in mind, to catch the largest fish. So at the sound of a gun they all plunge into the muddy waters of the Matan Fada stream, in teams of two, one armed with two calabash (used for flotation and fish storage) and the other with two giant fish nets.

The Matan Fada may not be very impressive but it’s full of fish, because people come here to fish only once a year. After the one our time limit is over, the team who caught the largest fish is escorted by the sultans’s guards to present their prize to him. The winners receive a brand new bus as a prize as well as one million Naira (around $7500).

Nigeria hopes the Argungu fishing festival will soon become an important tourist attraction.

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There are so many organisms that we still know nothing about…

And that’s the way I like it, I’m glad they’re are no ways to explore the dark ocean pits yet, it lets our imagination run wild, we can still believe there are huge monsters living there, that come up from time to time and attack boats, just like in the movies. But just the same, it’s nice to discover things gradually, like these beautiful pictures of creatures I for one didn’t even know existed. And some of them are not hideous-looking at all.

If you want to see even more images go here, there’s a whole book of pictures for sale, I reckon it’s worth it, especially if you have a thing for the unknown.

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I didn’t know crocodiles were easy to train, this guy proves that they are.

Still, putting your head inside that beast’s head like that?!? And he looks like he doesn’t have a care in the world, like nothing could go wrong, it’s a little annoying. Buddy that thing has one of the strongest bites on the planet, if he snaps, that’s it, game over! And with a face like that, I wonder how that crock can help himself…

Although I doubt he’ll have a head on his shoulders for a long time, if he keeps this up, the guy has balls the size of watermelons!

I’m sure you’ve all heard about cock fights, but how many of you heard about ouzel fights?

Yup, apparently they’re not just harmless birds with phenomenal voices but also very good fighters when they need to be. In India fights between short-legged ouzels are very popular, people actually breed and train them for this kind of activity, apparently there are also a lot of money involved. It’s quite sad actually, not long ago I wrote a post about horrific horse fights, it’s clearer and clearer that man is indeed the most cruel being on the planet.

They look like normal dogs on steroids but they’re one of the most sweet-tempered, generous, patient and intelligent breeds in the world, they are the Irish Wolfhounds.

First of all, don’t worry, although they look big enough to eat people, they don’t. Actually they aren’t even very good watchdogs since they tend to greet everyone as their friend. Keep in mind that some reach the size of a pony so if you are thinking of getting one you have to have a spacey home, at least one with a large yard.

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Meet Digger, a burly Clydersdale, Britain’s largest horse and soon to be largest horse in the entire world.

At just 4 years of age, a regular teenager, Digger measures 19 hands and 2 inches and promises to stomp over the current record of 20 hands, held by Tina, a shire from Tennessee. Digger didn’t start very well in life, he was an orphan before he was taken in to International League for the Protection of Horses’ Belwade Farm in Aboyne, Scotland, after his former owners couldn’t cope with him, due to health reasons. But now Digger is more than ok, devouring 42 to 55 pounds of food a day, plus treats like chocolate muffins, carrots and apples from visitors.

Strangest thing is Digger is best friends with Sweep, a 12 years old Shetland mini pony, who can easily walk right under Digger‘s belly.

I’ve seen dogs pull off amazing tricks but one that can actually balance tea cups on its paws is definitely something new. Sindi is an 8 year old Cocker Spaniel from England that could easily be working in a bar or caffe, she could carry the coffees on its paws and the spoons in her mouth.

I remember a time when everyone of my friends wanted to get a pitbull as a pet, just so they can look cooler, and brag about how dog their dogs were. Now staring at these pictures I realize Africans are at whole other level, anyone of those pets, be it the hyenas, baboons or the python would make a pitbull beg for mercy.

Still it looks very cruel, taking wild animals, slapping a huge chain on them and using them as pets, it doesn’t look at all natural.

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Actually the Ashera is not only the rarest, but also the largest, most expensive and exotic house cat you can find. This breed was created by blending two exotic feline bloodlines with that of a domestic cat.

The Ashera can reach 14 kilograms in weight and 1 meter in length, it’s famous for taking well to being walked on a leash and getting along with kids and other pets. Now it’s not that I don’t trust the experts but I wouldn’t leave my kid alone with one of these, cats are very independent and sometimes unpredictable and kids can piss them off easily, who knows how they might react.

One thing is for sure, they are magnificent animals, well worth $22.000 ($28.000 if you want the Ashera GD, a rarer, hypoallergenic version).

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This is one of the most difficult professions I’ve ever seen, I remember seeing a series of documentaries on it but the sea didn’t look as cold as it does in theses photos. I mean much of the ship is frozen stiff, yet those guys are out there, soaking wet trying to catch as many crabs as possible and ensuring they get a fat paycheck.

I can’t imagine lasting one day doing something like that, I mean I have trouble with getting in the water, during the summertime, during the summer, how could I handle the frozen waves of the Bering sea? Respect!

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Mother nature sure loves to play tricks on us, doesn’t she? I mean it’s not every day you see a dog breastfeeding a piglet, but today is definitely one of those days. Look at the dog protecting it and feeding it like one of her own, I guess motherhood doesn’t always care about raise.

The geoduck or gooyduck is the largest species of clams on the face of the earth. The clam itself is 15 to 20 cm long, which is pretty big but the really impressive part is its long siphon that often reaches one meter in length. it weighs between 0.5 and 1.5 kilograms, but there have been stories about 7.5 kg heavy gooyducks.

The incredible aspect of the gooeyduck isn’t only limited to its size, but also to its lifespan. It has a life expectancy of 146 years, which makes it one of the longest-living organisms in the animal reign.

As repulsive as they look (personal opinion) geoducks are a delicacy in China and Japan, where they are often eaten raw, sashimi style.

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But before you think about getting one for your special someone, there are a few things you should know. First of all the Titan Arum‘s flowering stalk reaches a height of 3 meters and has a diameter of over a meter, so it’s going to be pretty hard to carry. And second of all and, most importantly, it reeks like a decomposing dead body…that’s why it’s sometimes known as “the corpse flower”

It’s native to the rainforests of central Sumatra, Indonesia and it rarely blooms in captivity, so when that actually happens it’s a pretty big deal. Haven’t seen one up close yet, but considering the smell, I consider myself lucky.

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If you’re ever in New Zealand, don’t miss out the chance to visit Waitomo cave, the only place on Earth where the stars shine underground. Well ok, they’re not really stars, but thousands of glow-worms radiating their unmistakable luminescent light.

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Albino moose are very rare but they do exist, scientists say that 1 in 100.000 moose inherit this genetic trait. This moose has been spotted last week near the town of Whitefish, Montana, searching for food, with two other normal moose:

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