African Forest Elephant Pregnancy at Japanese Zoo

 

Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park has confirmed Japan's first pregnancy of an African forest elephant, a species threatened with extinction. These elephants are classified as critically endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 

The elephant came to the zoo in Hiroshima in 2001 from Burkina Faso and is estimated to be about 25 years old. She was partnered with a male elephant from another zoo in 2022. An elephant's gestation period is usually 20 to 22 months and she is expected to give birth sometime between August and October next year. The pregnancy was confirmed via ultrasonic echography on August 14th. 

People often complain about animals being kept in zoos and I can understand that, but in cases of animals on the endangered list, this is an important contribution to saving the species.

Friday Finish - Rose Wings

 I finished the second Just Nan piece. Front and back - - -

Here are the two together - - -

Ice Moth

Arrested for Trying to Remove Underwear on the Train

Yes, this is another strange crime story.  

Monday, police in Tokyo said they have arrested a 41 year old man on suspicion of molesting a woman in her 30's on the train in May.  (What took them so long?) 

The incident occurred about 7:50 am on May 12th on a train running between Kameido and Hirai stations on the JR Sobu Line, according to police and reported by the Sankei Shinbun. Police say that the suspect, a company employee, is accused of putting his hand up the woman's skirt, who was dozing in the seat beside him, and pulling down her underwear. (Ewww!) 

She woke up and he attempted to run away, getting off at the next station. He was identified by surveillance camera footage from inside the train.  Police say the suspect denied the allegation and quoted him as saying he was drunk and doesn't remember anything about it. (At 7:50 in the morning, on the way to work?) 

Not because of stories like this, but I don't wear skirts and try not to fall asleep on the train.

Work In Progress Wednesday

Just Nan Rose Wings - The stitching is finished, now it needs to be finish-finished.

Christmas Treasures Afghan progress

Four additional squares are totally finished, for a total of nine totally finished.

My stitch group's new project

Stitch Group Sunday

We met Sunday and started a new project, but first - - Show and Tell.  (Don't you love seeing their finished projects?) 

Huck Weaving

Candle Wicking

Clover Cutter Covers - front and back

Fob (hard plastic cup inside)

Our new project is based loosely on a class I took with Janet Bolton at the Bath Summer Textile School in 2014. This is my finished project from that class, called Hokkaido Has Four Seasons.

A project like this needs lots of choices, so I brought some small scraps and other things to work with. These stitchers are very creative and are great about coming up with ideas without an exact pattern to follow.

This is what they had at the end of the session.  (I'll show mine tomorrow in the Work In Progress post.)

Tea Time

Kiwi Park

There are interesting places everywhere you look! Next to the Fujikawa train station is this small park.

Flea Market Naruko Kokeshi

I found a Naruko Kokeshi doll at a flea market for 300 yen. I'm pretty pleased with my little purchase.

Kokeshi are Japanese dolls, with no arms or legs. They were originally designed as toys for children. This traditional art was started during the Edo period (beginning of the 19th century), and were made by woodworkers in the northern part of Japan. There are ten styles of traditional Kokeshi dolls, according the area they come from. Naruko Kokeshi make a squeaky noise when the head is turned. I wrote more about these traditional dolls on this post, if you are interested.

Kawana Mishima Shrine

 A few blocks from Iruka Beach is the shrine. (This might be two different shrines - one at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top.  Or a temple and a shrine? Or they might be the same -?)

I don't know where this ladder leads to or who go up.

What do I see?

The shrine cat!

What goes up, must also go down.