Tag Archives: oceania

Fisherman attacked by one of Pablo Escobar's cocaine hippos

A fisherman has been seriously injured by a hippo once owned by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar.

The attack, near Escobar's old Hacienda Napoles compound, occurred on October 31.

Jhon Arístides Saldarriaga Márquez was fishing with friends and a young boy when an adult hippo rushed out of the undergrowth.

READ MORE: Cleo pictured with family first time since discovery

Escobar's hippos bred to become supposedly the biggest wild hippo herd outside Africa.

Mr Márquez told local media the animal "hit" him in the eye.

His left arm and left side of his chest was also injured as he tried to run away.

He was taken to a medical centre and later transferred to hospital to treat his injuries, which were not life-threatening.

READ MORE: Pablo Escobar agent describes moment drug king was killed

Some hippos remain at Escobar's Hacienda Napoles, which is now a theme park.

It's believed the hippo who attacked Mr Márquez was a female with a calf.

Escobar brought a small population of hippos to Colombia in the 1980s for his private zoo.

READ MORE: Pablo Escobar's cocaine hippos legally 'people', judge rules

After his death in 1993 the territorial animals bred to become supposedly the biggest wild hippo herd outside Africa.

The invasive population, now numbering around 80, has prompted concern from biologists, with plans to cull them floated.

Last month regional environmental agency Cornare announced they would put the mammals on birth control.

'World's largest animal' snapped incredibly close to WA shore

Not one but four massive blue whales have been spotted cruising along the Western Australian coastline, dwarfing a small boat pictured in the background.

Photographer Dylan deHaas was there to capture the incredible sight a couple days ago, as the whales migrated to the cool waters of the Antarctic.

The endangered species is the biggest animal on the planet.

READ MORE: Man charged over alleged abduction of Cleo Smith

Dylan Dehaas spotted the animals off the coast of Cape Naturaliste in Western Australia.

Mr deHaas told 9News.com.au the animals were spotted near Cape Naturaliste.

"Words don't really cut it really. They look massive from the water but with the drone view and the comparison of the boat," he said.

"It was hard to comprehend an animal that big can come so close to shore.

"We really are lucky here in Western Australia."

On Instagram, Mr deHaas estimated one whale was 150m from the shoreline.

Blue whales can reach lengths of at least 33m and can weigh 190 tonnes. They have a heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, the World Wildlife Fund says.

Queensland triathlete returns home after life-changing brain injury

Sunshine Coast triathlete Alexa Leary has made her long-awaited return home from hospital today, after 111 days recovering from a devastating brain injury that changed her life.

The then 19-year-old athlete was doing her regular training at Pomona on July 17 when she clipped the back of another bike, an accident that caused major brain damage, blood clots and several broken bones. 

LIVE UPDATES: Charges expected today after Cleo's incredible rescue

 Alexa Leary has made her long-awaited return home from hospital today.

Ms Leary was transferred to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, where she was put into an induced coma. 

Today, she returned home sooner than expected, following extensive and ongoing rehabilitation and a startling recovery. 

"I'm feeling really good, really great, like a new person," Ms Leary said.

"I've come a long way. My hand, it wouldn't move at all and now it's good, now it's back to normal."

Ms Leary's recovery took 111 days.

Her father, Russell Leary, said the family was glad to have the triathlete back home.

"It feels like Christmas day," he said.

"We were told originally a year she would be here, to take her home is just unbelievable.

"It's been horrendous. It was like I rode into a horror movie when I rode into the crash and it's been one ever since. Now the clouds are starting to lift."

READ MORE: Next steps in Cleo Smith investigation after miracle rescue

Her father, Russell Leary said the family was glad to have Alexa back home.

Ms Leary's mum, Belinda, said she was incredibly proud of her daughter.

"Watching her come through, all the challenges she's had and all the hurdles she's had to jump through, she's been like a miracle," she said.

The triathlete has garnered mass support during her time in hospital, with the social media campaign started by her family, "Move for Lex", raising $130,000.

Half the money raised is being donated straight back to the hospital's neurosurgery ward, used to buy things like new beds and wheelchairs for patients. 

READ MORE: Man eaten by piranhas after jumping into lake to escape bees

"People are throwing money at us. Just to be able to replace those things, wheelchairs and bits and pieces will mean a lot to us," Mr Leary said.

The rest of the money will be used to start the family's new organisation, We See You, designed to support families of those in intensive care.

"That money will be able to help people coming from Rockhampton and Darwin, they'll be able to stay across the road," Mr Leary said. 

"We've seen it, and a lot of people weren't able to see their loved ones because they couldn't afford to be here."

READ MORE: Drought reveals ancient boomerangs hidden in Cooper Creek

Ms Leary goes back into rehabilitation on Monday, and will continue to be monitored as an outpatient to ensure a successful recovery. 

The triathlete said she had strong goals to get back into training. 

"To be a triathlete again, to be back into it back into running, swimming, and riding," she said.

Cleo Smith 'bubbly, sweet', WA premier says

Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan has described Cleo Smith as "bubbly" and "sweet" after meeting with the four-year-old's family today.

Mr McGowan hailed the "amazing job and devotion to duty" of the police and others involved in the rescue of Cleo, who was found "alive and well" yesterday.

The premier made the trip up to Carnarvon to congratulate officers and to meet the family of little Cleo not long before the little girl was seen with her family for the first time since she was rescued.

She was carried from the family home by her mother, and was wearing a floral dress and carrying a pink balloon.

READ MORE: 'We've got her': Audio of police rescue of Cleo Smith released

Cleo Smith is carried inside a friend's house by her mother in Carnarvon.https://omny.fm/shows/the-9news-lunch-podcast/nov-4-the-waiting-game-on-cleos-suspected-abductor/embed?style=cover

It comes after WA Police released the audio of the moment she was rescued.

"We've got her," an officer is heard saying.

"I've got you bubby."

When prompted, she then tells officers, "my name is Cleo."

Mr McGowan said the four-year-old was happy to be back with her family today.

Cleo Smith is carried inside a friend's house by her mother in Carnarvon.

"Cleo was a delightful little girl, playing in the backyard," Mr McGowan said.

"She is just bubbly, playing, friendly, sweet.

"She was eating an icy pole. She spilled it everywhere, she told me it was very, very sticky, which I believed. She was just delightful.

"Can I thank everybody involved who bought this to a successful conclusion."

READ MORE: Nation weeps and celebrates as little Cleo is found 'alive and well'

Cleo Smith is carried inside a friend's house by her mother in Carnarvon.

He then admitted he accidentally trod on one of her new Barbie shoes and broke them.

"I owe her a pair of shoes," Mr McGowan said.

Mr McGowan said he gave Cleo two teddy bears as a gift.

He suggested to her the bears be named Cameron and Rod, after the two lead officers in the police search.

"I'm not sure those names will stick," Mr McGowan said.

"Cleo didn't seem too enamoured by those names."

Cleo Smith found

Cleo was reunited with her family after police rescued her from a locked home in the Western Australian town in Carnarvon just before 1am on Wednesday.

The lights were on and little Cleo was playing with toys when police arrived.

Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine said he would not disclose many details about the home for fear of prejudicing the case.

"From our point of view, I'm amazed she seems to be so well-adjusted and happy, it was really, heart-warming to see," he said.

"She is playing in the backyard, exactly how you would expect, like how my daughter did when she was four years old."

A sign thanking police for finding Cleo Smith is seen on the main road into Carnarvon, WA.

Western Australia Deputy Police Commissioner Col Blanch told Ben Fordham on 2GB that he believed the entire family had slept in the same room that night.

"(Cleo's parents) had a small amount of hope but I'm pretty sure they thought they were never going to give her a cuddle again," he said.

"I'm pretty sure they all slept in the same room, just cuddling all night."

No charges have been laid against a 36-year-old man arrested after the rescue of Cleo.

A man arrested by police over missing Cleo Smith being taken to hospital in an ambulance.

However, Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde said charges would probably be laid later today.

The man is now out of hospital and being questioned by police.

"He's back at the police station now speaking to officers at the moment," Detective Superintendent Wilde said.

"If he is charged, he'll go before the court here, I imagine."

The alleged suspect was briefly hospitalised yesterday following a self-harm attempt at Carnarvon Police Station.

Police have not revealed what potential charges the man may face in relation to the alleged abduction of Cleo.

Officers have called for any businesses or people in Carnarvon to come forward with any CCTV between Friday, October 15 and Tuesday, November 2.

https://twitter.com/MiaEgerton/status/1456054785191276549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

There are no other suspects involved in the alleged abduction of Cleo, Detective Superintendent Wilde said.

"We will allege that has taken place. He acted solely alone," he said.

There are specialist child interviewers in Carnarvon who will be speaking to Cleo "at the appropriate time".

"We have seen her physical condition, she has been checked out at the hospital and physically she is OK," Detective Superintendent Wilde said.

WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said the investigation into Cleo's disappearance from her family's campsite at the Blowholes on October 16 was set to continue for at least two more weeks.

It will also involve an interview with Cleo to try to determine what she can reveal about her ordeal. That is set to take place in coming days.

Mr Blanch told 2GB they would be "very careful" with the process, which would involve child interview specialists.

"And if (Cleo) doesn't want to tell us, that's fine too," he said.

"She doesn't have to."

Police Minister Paul Papalia earlier praised the police involved in the investigation, noting that one of the four officers involved in the rescue itself, Detective Senior Sergeant Blaine, had missed his son's high-school graduation.

READ MORE: Remarkable police video shows the moment Cleo Smith was rescued

Cleo Smith has been found alive in a locked house minutes from her family home

"He told us last night a story, he'd apologised to his son and his son said to him, 'Dad, what you're doing is way too important', and it is an incredible thing to see," Mr Papalia told Today.

"It wasn't lucky observation by somebody or a tip-off or some clairvoyant calling in – although, there were hundreds of those – it was just hard, solid police work and putting together information that they had managed to identify and ultimately leading to the arrest, and the rescue of Cleo."

Analysts will continue to sift through mountains of data and forensic items to try to establish exactly what happened then and what took place in the intervening 19 days.

Among the factors being examined will be reports of a car leaving the Blowholes campsite during the time-frame that Cleo went missing – between 1.30am and 6am on October 16.

READ MORE: Cleo spends first night at home with family

"Investigations are still ongoing in relation to that, but that's a crucial piece of information as well," Detective Superintendent Wilde said yesterday.

"We collected a lot of data, that's what we do in these types of investigations."

The house where Cleo was found has remained a hive of activity overnight, after police removed numerous items from it yesterday.

Criminologist Amanda Howard said Cleo's calm and relaxed behaviour raised hope of a best-case scenario.

"She was happy and she was playing. So I think she probably thinks this is just a big adventure that she's been on," she said.

She said Cleo had been relaxed enough to play with the dolls and toys in the room where she was found.

Cleo Smith November 11

And now, the focus was on what motive somebody could have for taking Cleo from the campsite.

"It is now about all the whys. We don't usually have these scenarios, this is so, so, rare," Ms Howard said.

Family reunited

Officers involved in the search warrant on the house have spoken about the emotional moment of the rescue.

Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine of the Homicide Squad was one of the four officers who rescued Cleo, describing his discovery of her as "complete shock".

"Quickly followed by elation," he said.

READ MORE: Police officer details the moments of Cleo's rescue

WA police release video of the moment Cleo Smith was rescued

"To see her sitting there in the way that she was, it was incredible."

The Senior Sergeant said "it was an honour" to be able to witness the reunion of Cleo and her family at the hospital shortly after Cleo was found.

Police posted a photo of a smiling Cleo in a hospital bed, waving at the camera and eating an icy-pole.

They've said she is in good physical condition and was in good spirits.

READ MORE: Cleo Smith rescue makes front pages all over the world

Carnarvon community reacts to Cleo Smith rescue

She was alone in the house when found.

Officers approached her, with one asking her name three times, before she answered with "My name is Cleo".

"We got her into the car and the officer I was with, Detective Sergeant Hutchinson, who is the family liaison officer, called Cleo's parents and said, 'We've got someone here that wants to speak to you'," Senior Sergeant Blaine said.

"And it was, you know, a wonderful feeling to be able to make that call."

READ MORE: Finding of Cleo Smith 'a miracle' leading criminologist says

Cleo Smith found Carnarvon, WA

Cleo's mother Ellie posted on Instagram yesterday, saying, "Our family is whole again".

She later wrote on Facebook that Cleo had seen her hospital photo and thought it was "beautiful".

Perth was lit up in blue last night as a tribute to the police for their efforts in finding the lost little girl.

Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.

New treatments trialled for chronic pain sufferers

Two promising new treatments are being trialled for people with severe chronic pain.

Around 5000 Australians each year are diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) which often occurs after an injury or trauma.

It usually affects the hands, feet and limbs with sufferers experiencing severe burning, stinging and stabbing pain.

READ MORE: 'I don't really want to live like this': Police officer in intense pain told there was nothing wrong

New trial for treatments in chronic pain sufferersNew trial for treatments in chronic pain sufferers

"It almost feels like the nerves are on fire and I can feel the pain deep in my bones," Erica Bateman said.

Ms Bateman, 38, was diagnosed with the condition after the pain started in her right hand.

During that time she was doing intense computer work.

Since then the pain has worsened and spread throughout her body.

Ms Bateman relies on distraction techniques and keeps active as medication only provides up to 30 per cent of relief.

"Even last night, I was up most of the night," she said.

READ MORE: Next steps in Cleo Smith investigation after miracle rescue

New trial for treatments in chronic pain sufferers

"There are very few treatments for this group of people, very few treatments shown to be effective," Professor James McAuley, Senior Research Scientist at Neuroscience Research Australia and University of NSW said.

Neura researchers are leading the largest ever trial of two promising interventions involving rehabilitation and a TGA-approved medication that is being repurposed for pain in trial participants.

The rehabilitation includes mirror therapy where a series of exercises on the unaffected hand or foot are reflected in a mirror to retrain the brain of sufferers who process pain signals differently.

"We try to trick the brain by thinking that the hand is normal and moving in a normal way," lead investigator, Professor James McAuley said.

READ MORE: Drought reveals ancient boomerangs hidden in Cooper Creek

Chronic pain explained

The trial will be delivered remotely so participants can receive the interventions from the comfort of their own home.

Neura is recruiting 160 patients across Australia.

"We think that this trial gives people with CRPS hope," Professor McAuley said.

More information can be found here.