“Even a warrior can tremble before a poisonous snake.”

The hissing sound, or rubbing sound of scales of a snake can make some persons jump out of their skin. A warrior will not fear death, but the amount of pain he has to suffer after being bitten can surely make him have a second thought before meddling with the poisonous reptile. Snake’s poison is often misunderstood as fatal resulting in loss of human or animal lives, but the real fact is that it is also used for various life saving purposes such as regulation of blood pressure, preparation of useful drugs, stimulation of successful transmission of nervous or muscular impulses. Venom from vipers and other snakes have been found useful for anti-cancer and anti-tumor activity.

Recent research in snake venom has diversified into various branches of science such as biophysics, toxicology, pharmacology, medicine and biochemistry. Snake venom consists of a not-easy-to-understand mixture of nucleotides, inorganic ions and proteins. By analysis of snake venom and other poison sources (scorpion, spiders etc), medical scientists are trying to discover how proteins in a human body work.

Antivenom is prepared by taking venom from the animal, (snake, spider or insect). It is then diluted in the lab and injected into selected animals (horse, sheep, rabbit or goat). The injected animal’s body will produce immunity response antibodies which are harvested and prepared as drugs. The antivenom formula should match the standards of World Health Organization (WHO).

The number of deaths due to poisonous bites, stings has drastically come down after the discovery of antivenom medicines. While it has been proved that antivenom cannot reverse the damage already done, but it could sustain or prevent future damage as soon as it is administered. Ohanin, a protein derived from King Cobra’s venom has been found to be more effective than morphine (pain killer).

In history, venom from cobra was used in the treatment for opium addiction and as a pain killer (combination with opium) to relief from pain. It was also used for other medicinal purposes such as treatment of depression, body pain and headaches.

Snake venom can move at a faster speed in the human body with fatal effects, but in medicinal science, small doses can be used for effective treatment of paralysis or heart attack caused from clotting of blood, Snake venom prevents or prolongs formation of new blood clots in similar cases. In recent times, venom from viper is used for after-treatment of patients in prevention of growth of cancer cells and also for anti-aging medicine.

This region of incredible India is dotted with some of the best and famous wildlife destinations. If your world orbits wildlife, North India has a lot to captivate you. It is blessed with a variety of flora and fauna. Visit its wildlife destinations and you are sure to enjoy the thrill and beauty of wilderness. These are some of the most famous wildlife destinations of India:

Ranthambore National Park

It is a world renowned National Park. Famous for its tigers and several other wildlife species, Occupying a prized place on the itineraries of wildlife aficionado from across the globe, the Park was once the hunting reserve of the raja-maharajas of Rajasthan.

The lakes Raj Bagh Talab, Milak Talab and Padam Talab are the promising sites for tiger sighting. Covering an area of 1,334 sq km, the Park also houses the Ranthambore Fort and Joghi Mahal. The best time to visit is from October to February.

Sambhar, Jungle Cat, Jackals, Leopard,Monitor Lizard, Sloth Bear, Indian Hare and Marsh Crocodile are some of the other animals spotted here.

Corbett National Park

The Park was established in 1936 and it was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1973. Yes It is one of the oldest sanctuaries of India. project into the jungle on an elephant’s back and experience the wilderness. The fauna of the park includes the evergreen Sal (Shorea robusta)and all the associated trees, the Sheesam (Dalbergia sissoo), Kanju (Holoplete integrifolia).You can also opt for Jeep safari. Close encounters with wildlife will surely give you kicks. It is very famous for its wildlife for many centuries now. Hunting was constrained barely to wild animals 1904 and was absolutely forbidden since 1939.This mistical place wasonce ruled by the period of the Gond kings.

Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary

Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the high-flying tourist spots of Rajasthan that is visited by numbers of tourists throughout the year. It is among the best protected forests in India which is located in the backdrop of Aravalli mountain range. It has royal landscapes and a variety of wildlife.

In 1955 it became wildlife sanctuary and in 1978 it came under India’s Project Tiger scheme and became the Tiger Reserve of India. Tourists throughout the world visit this place to see resting, roaming and hunting tigers in specific and panther, jungle cat, jackal, hyena, and fox in general.

Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park is one of the primmest national parks in the world and also known as the pride of the North East India. Located in the extreme geographical location, the park offers a gigantic range of flora and fauna. You must be already aware about the rich abundance of the rihnos in the park, which is why the park has been rated as the finest parks in the world.

Talking in detail, the park is located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. The park is one of the best locations to view wildlife giants such as elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.

Kaziranga is also known as an “Important bird Area by Birdlife International for conservation of avifaunal species” (quoted in a website). If we look at other parks in the country, the Kaziranga has been highly successful in conserving the wildlife.

Also, watch out for a gigantic stretch of tall elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests, which have been showered by the beauty of Brahmaputra and other four rivers.

Sundarbans National Park

You must be aware of the glorious Royal Bengal tigers and thus must know the most charismatic location on the planet Earth, which is comprised of the richest flora and fauna. Yes, we are talking about Indian Sunderbans, a land where the entire Indian wildlife is embroidered to the perfection. No wonder, why the UNESCO described it a World Heritage Site. The Sundarbans are also the largest Tiger Reserve and National Park in India and natural arena to get vis-à-vis with rare Masked Finfoot, Mangrove Pitta and the Mangrove Whistler.

The national park is situated at the bottom portion of the Ganges and is stretched in the territories of Bangladesh and West Bengal, which actually forms the delta. The Sunderbans are also known for its freshwater humid forests, which provides the best climatic conditions for the growth of mangroves. Thus known as one of the biggest mangrove forests as well. Apart from a gigantic variety of flora, the park offers world’s best window to sneak peak Royal Bengal Tigers. According to officials, the park has almost 300 tigers, 30,000 spotted deer and many other animals in plenty.

Sundarbans National Park is one of the last tiger reserves in Bengal. It covers about 10,000 kilometers in the Ganges delta. The park became a tiger reserve in 1973, a wildlife sanctuary in 1977 and a national park in 1984. UNESCO included it as a world heritage in 1987.

The name Sundarbans means a beautiful jungle in the Bengali language. It is also derived from Sundari trees found inside the park.

Geography of Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans is located at South 24 in Aprgand District of Bengal. It lies at 30 Degree 24” – 30 Degree 28′ north longitude and 77 Degree 40′ – 77 Degree 44′ east latitude. The park has an altitude of 7.5 meters above sea level. It has 54 small islands on the boundaries of Ganga.

The park is also known as the largest mangrove forest in the world. Vegetation includes mangrove scrub, forests, wet and rich grassland. The region has fresh and saltwater rivers from the Ganges and saline water at Bengal Bay. Coastal evolution includes estuaries, beaches, swamps, tidal creeks, back dunes, levees and coastal dunes.

The park has also seven rivers that heads towards the sea. The tidal deposits form creeks and new islands. There are mudflats at the estuary where tidal current occurs. The mudflats interior part is the home for mangroves.

Plant Species at Sundarbans National Park

The 64 plant species can withstand different conditions of tidal effects. You can see Genwa’s flaming red leaves, Kanakara’s crab-like flowers and Khalsi’s yellow flowers. Common trees are Kankra, Goran, Genwa, Passur and Dhundal.

Fauna of Sundarbans National Park

The wildlife sanctuary is the home for tigers and wild animals. There are birds, aquatic animal and reptiles living in the park. About 30,000 deer and 400 royal Bengal tigers are spotted here. Bengal tigers are great swimmers in the saline waters. They are a fierce breed that would not hesitate to attack a human. Other mammals include the wild boar, fox, pangolin, chital, grey mangoes, and fishing cats. There are bullsharks and saltwater crocodiles living at the estuaries (area of the river mouth affecting sea tides).

The park is very suitable to bird-watching. Get the chance to see a blue-eared kingfisher, white ibis, water hens, open-billed storks and spotted doves. Aspian terns, common snipes, jungle crows, cotton teals, night herons, wood sandpipers, paradise flycatchers and seagulls are sighted in the Sundarbans.

The park also houses some of the fishes like butter fish, silver carp, sawfish, starfish, electric rays, gangetic dolphins and common carp. Amphibians inside the sanctuary are skipping frogs, tree frogs and common toads. You will be able to spot some reptiles like sea snakes, green turtles, chameleons, estuarine crocodile, king cobras, russels vipers and monitor lizards. Others include common kraits, rat snakes, pythons, mouse ghekos, hawks bill turtles and chequered killbacks.

Activities to Do in Sundarbans National Park

Village walks is a nice thing to do apart from exploring around the park. Visitors can visit the local school and have a cycle trip to the market. You could go crab-catching or on fishing expeditions around the village. You can take a bird walk, a cooking class and watch cultural programs at the rural theater.

There are boat safaris to the Bhagatpur Crocodile Project, a crocodile breeding farm. Other places to see are the Sagar Island, Sudhanyakali watchtower, Jambudweep, Haliday Island (Barking Deer), Sajankhali Bird Sanctuary and at Kanak (Olive Ridley Turtle’s nesting place).

Means of Transportation at Sundarbans National Park

A boat is the only means of transportation to get through the park. There are local boats and luxury launches that the tourism department manages. This includes the M.V. Madhukar and M.V. Chitrarekha.

Lodging at Sundarbans National Park

Forest rest houses are available at Piyali, Sajnekhali and Bakkhali. Sundarbans Jungle Camp on Bali Island also offers lodging facilities.

Tony F. Powell is the author of a new book based on his 30 years as Bush Pilot, guide and prospector in Labrador, Canada. Tony’s hobby is Snowmobile Racing on his Bombardier ski-doo since 1969. Personal ship wrecks and more including History of Labrador and Voisey’s Bay Giant Nickel discovery.

Tony Powell was a winner long before he arrived with his snowmobile for the recent Race on the Rock at Marble Mountain ski resort.

The Charlottetown, Labrador man has been in the fight of his life since being disonsed with cancer in January of 2004.

At the time, he was told he might only have six months to live and doctors bluntly informed him only 30% of those diagnosed with his type of cancer survive. That News worsened two weeks later when doctors told him the cancer was farther advanced than originally thought.

Powell underwent surgery and had a grapefruit-sized tumor removed from his throat and 34 lymph nodes taken out. He hasn’t been able to eat solid foods since.

Still undergoing radiation treatment at the Health Science Centre, he took his wife and son to Marble Mountain in 2004, even if it was just to watch the sport he loves from a window in the lodge.

Still fighting for his life, Powell returned for the 2005 version of the Uphill Drags component. This time, however his Ski-Doo Mach Z was in the back of his pick up truck and, although his 208-pound frame had been reduced to a frailer 140 pounds, he was going to compete. And compete he did, winning the Pro-Stock category, nearly sapped the little energy he had, Powell’s real dream was still to be crowned King of the Hill in the open category of the up-hill drag races against 400 of the sport’s best from all over Canada and the Northeastern USA… more.

Watching cancer survivor win race was better than winning lottery, his wife says. Full story is in book.

When people hear the phrase “wildlife sanctuary” or “wildlife refuge”, they typically think of larger wildlife refuges such as the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary. However, there are many wildlife sanctuaries throughout the world. Some only have a few animals while others have thousands.

Wildlife sanctuaries are spaces set aside for the use of wild animals species. These refuges can be either privately owned or government owned. Contrary to popular belief, some sanctuaries are created naturally. Different wildlife sanctuaries are focused on different things. However, most of them focus on rehabilitation, wild release, education, emergency care, public education, shelter, and partnership.

Wildlife refuges were not invented yesterday. The first one came around in approximately 300 BCE when King Devanampiya Tissa of Sri Lanka created a wildlife sanctuary near Mihintale. The king banned hunting, and other chopping trees in that area. Wildlife refuges came later to the United States. In the early 20th century, President Theodore Roosevelt started the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge just off the western coast of Orchid Island in the Indian River Lagoon east of Sebastian, Florida. The primary purpose of that sanctuary was to protect egrots which were threatened by plume hunters. Today, the sanctuary holds hundreds of different animals.

Since 1903, numerous non-profit wildlife refuges were created in the United States and other countries in the world. Most of the ones in the United States are regulated by the American Sanctuary Association.

For example, the Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jacksonville, Florida, helps rescue and provide a safe habitat to cat species that are threatened or endangered due to a loss of natural habitat. Catty Shack currently has Siberian tigers, lions, cougars, spotted and black leopards, a serval, a coatimundi, a European wild cat, and an arctic fox.

Catty Shack and other wildlife refuges sometimes operate similar to a zoological park. They often allow visitors to come view and even feed the animals.

While many wildlife refuges allow animals to roam freely, some have to cage them due to safety issues and space constraints. Some sanctuaries often allow people to adopt animals. Due to financial constraints and lack of government funding, wildlife refuges often rely on volunteer labor.

Although researchers often visit sanctuaries to study the animals, they are forbidden from significantly interfering with the animals’ lives.

Many wildlife sanctuaries also provide after-school and weekend educational programs for elementary school, middle school, and high students. Some of them provide programs to adults.

So you’ve adopted or purchased a new pet — a dog, cat, hamster, fish, snake, parakeet or maybe a hermit crab. What’s next? Of course you’ll need to provide a good home — cage, aquarium, etc., and all the necessary supplies. But there’s still something missing — your pet will need a good name.

Maybe you’re drawing a blank when it comes to naming ideas. Or maybe you’re overwhelmed by the sheer number of possible names. Hopefully this article will give you some ideas if you’re stuck, and give you a little direction if you’re feeling overwhelmed.

What color or colors is your pet? Many people like to name their pet based on coloring.

Names for a black pet — Midnight, Blackie, Jet, Inky, Shadow, Ebony, Pepper, Charcoal or Char

Is your pet white? Here are some possibilities — Snowy, Snowflake, Snowball, Frosty, Ice, Sugar, Winter, Ivory

Is your pet brown? Here are some suggestions — Brownie, Eartha, Clay, Coffee, Java, Sienna, Bear, Cub

Is your pet multi–colored? Try these — Patches, Freckles, Autumn, Calico or Callie, Confetti

Another factor to consider when trying to come up with a name is your pet’s personality or behavior. Here are some suggestions:

The pet that likes to jump — Cricket, Grasshopper, Hopper, Kanga or Roo

The aggressive or Alpha animal — Bandit, Bandito, Sergeant, Chief, Cleopatra or Cleo, Blanche, Queen or Queenie, King, Prince, Princess

Dog names taken from the entertainment field:

Benji — the title character of a series of movies.

Lassie — the title character of a television series and movies.

Astro — the family dog in the television show – the Jetsons.

Tramp — the lead male dog character in Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” movie.

Lady — the lead female dog character in Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” movie.

Snoopy — the dog character in the “Peanuts” comics and movies.

Pluto — famous “Walt Disney” dog.

Goofy — famous “Walt Disney” dog.

Dynomutt — a cartoon superhero dog.

Bruno — the dog character in the Disney movie – “Cinderella.”

Cat names taken from the entertainment field:

Felix — the title character of comic strips and films.

Garfield — the title character of comic strips, television and movies.

Simba — the main lion character in Disney’s “The Lion King” movie.

Mufasa — Simba’s Father in Disney’s “The Lion King” movie.

Sarabi — Simba’s Mother in Disney’s “The Lion King” movie.

Scar — the villainous lion in Disney’s “The Lion King” movie.

Tom — The cat in the “Tom and Jerry” cartoons and comics.

Sylvester — The cat in the “Sylvester and Tweety” cartoons.

Tigger — The tiger character in the “Winnie the Pooh” books and movies.

Rodent, Hamster or Mouse names taken from the entertainment field:

Fievel — the lead mouse character in Disney’s “American Tail” movies.

Bernard — A major mouse character in Disney’s “The Rescuers.”

Mickey — Disney’s comic and movie star male mouse.

Minnie — Disney’s comic and movie star female mouse.

Jerry — The mouse character in the “Tom and Jerry” cartoons.

Mighty Mouse — A mouse superhero in comics and film.

Remy — the lead mouse character in Disney’s “Ratatouille.”

Emile — Remy’s brother from the Disney “Ratatouille” movie.

Django — Remy’s Father from the Disney “Ratatouille” movie

Roddy — the lead mouse character in the movie “Flushed Away.”

Sid — the sewer rat character in the movie “Flushed Away. “

Rita — the scavenger rat in the movie “Flushed Away. “

I know that I haven’t covered all types of pets that people have, but hopefully I’ve given you at least a little inspiration in your journey for the perfect pet name.

Bhangarh Fort (Fortress in Rundh Bhangarh, Rajasthan) is infamous for being “The Most Haunted Place” in India. It is a 17th century fort, located at the border of Sariska Tiger Reserve in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. These fort ruins have an eerie and extremely negative aura to them. Numerous paranormal activities and sightings have been reported in the fort due to which no villages lie in its vicinity. ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) has placed a hoarding at its entrance, forbidding the tourists or locals to enter the fortress before sunrise and after sunset.

The Bhangarh town was established in 1573 by Bhagwant Das, the Kachwaha ruler of Jaipur for his second son Madho Singh. There are two contrasting stories attached to the fort, providing a meaning to its ghostly ghostly atmosphere.

1. The Prophecy of the Ascetic

It is said that Madho Singh had taken permission from an ascetic Bala Nath who lived in the near vicinity of the fortress, to raise the fort. Ascetic granted him the permission on a condition that the shadow of the fort should never fall upon his home. As fate would have it, an ambitious successor of the king raised the structures vertically, thereby causing its shadow to engulf the ascetic’s abode. The ominous prophecy was fulfilled and the fort was doomed in no time.

2. The Curse of the Magician

The second, more popular legend is of Princess Ratnavati of Bhangarh and the local black magician who fell in love with the bewitching beauty of the princess. So obsessed was he that he placed a powerful spell on a cosmetic that she used. The spell had the power to pull any mortal or object towards the magician through a spell bound magnetism. The princess, however, found out about the conspiracy in time and poured the cosmetic over a boulder, which in turn got pulled towards the magician and crushed him. Before dying, the magician placed a curse upon entire town that no soul would ever live in peace there and no housing structure would ever stand erect. The entire landscape in and around Bhangarh has been haunted since.

The fortress attracts hordes of tourists, however, for all the wrong reasons. Several stories have been circulated along with the claims of those who state that those who tried their luck by not paying attention to ASI warnings either went missing or experienced chilling ghostly phenomenon inside the fortress. The claims might be figments of a few imaginative minds, albeit being told and supported by various people having no connection with each other.

How to reach:

The nearest town from Bhangarh is Alwar, situated at about 90 km. Several taxis and buses are available from Alwar.

• Bhangarh is located around 269 km from Delhi via Neemrana route and 242 km via Alwar route by road.

• Bhangarh Fort is just 83 km by road from Jaipur

Australia’s stylish southern city is the haven for the lovers of fine culinary.Melbourne, especially Port Melbourne, has some of the best seafood treats to offer. Dive in, and have your mind boggled by the numerous choices.

The Conservatory Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank

Phone: +61399095317

The Conservatory, Melbourne gives a global culinary experience with the finest décor in the heart of Melbourne’s Southbank. It is a pleasant place to be for solo diners, couples or small groups alike. Expect delectable Seafood, Sushi, Indian, Salads, modern Australian and much more. If you’re looking for a Buffet meal, this restaurant is sure to please. No booking is required if you’re heading there for Breakfast, walk-in only. Afternoon Tea, Lunch and Dinner reservations are essential.

Rubiras at Swallows Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: Port Melbourne-192 Station St.

: North Melbourne-480 Victoria St.

Phone: Port Melbourne-(03) 96462746

: North Melbourne-(03) 9329 1634

Rubiras at Swallows, Melbourne is one of the best seafood restaurants in Melbourne with two fantastic locations, private rooms available at both venues and menus tailored to your needs. Whether you’re heading there for a special occasion or a casual Lunch or Dinner, Rubria’s chilli tiger prawns, local bay calamari, scallops, oven-roasted scampi, spring bay mussels, bug-tails, and seasonal crayfish are a must try.The restaurant offers a huge selection of quality wines at very reasonable prices to ensure that food is complemented perfectly. Rubiras would be perfect for your next celebration.

Sea Salt Degraves Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: 13 Degraves Street, Melbourne

Phone: (03) 96542095

This restaurant provides it’s customers with the tastiest and finest quality seafood in Melbourne with endless options. Head over to Sea Salt Degraves and order yourself some tender calamari, succulent king prawns, crunchy chips, fresh salad or the latest creation from their very own Sushi Chef for a fresh, healthy and satisfying meal. It is open all 7 days from 10:30 AM till late. If you’re looking for the ultimate Sushi, Fish and Chip experience, find a spot here and soak up the Melbourne feels.

Box on Collins Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: 189 Collins Street, Melbourne

Phone: +61 3 9663 0411

Box on Collins is the best premium seafood restaurant in Melbourne. It offers not only fresh Australian seafood, but non-seafood, vegetarian and Gluten free options, too. It is a restaurant with an admirable ambience, companionable staff with a good sense of humor and a pocket friendly menu. So, next time you’re at Collins Street, pull out a stool outside this restaurant and watch the world go by.

Moshi Moshi Japanese Seafood Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: 79 Bay St, Port Melbourne

Phone: (03) 96467288

Welcome, to Melbourne’s first class traditional Japanese seafood restaurant. Located in the heart of Port Melbourne, you can come here for a hearty midweek lunch, Tuesday through Sunday, or just drop by for dinner. If you ever get cravings for the wagyu beef salad or the soba noodles with the tempura fish and vegetables, this is the place to be. And when you’re thirsty, ask for a glass of the Geoff Merrill Shiraz. Advanced booking for dinner is recommended.

Hunky Dory Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: Port Melbourne-3/181 Bay Street

: S Melbourne-252 Clarendon St.

: South Yarra-670 Chapel Street

Phone: Port Melbourne-96461020

: S Melbourne-96964025

: South Yarra-98266875

How do you begin to review a restaurant which has been in existence longer than you? Yes, Hunky Dory has been a family of fishermen since 1927. It is one of the best seafood restaurants in Melbourne which offers fresh from the grill, tasty and healthy seafood menu. Whether it’s a delicious grilled fillet of Salmon or Whiting, Greek or spinach salad or a healthy serve of brown rice, there’s something for everyone. It’s open 7 days a week, from 11 AM till late.

Hooks at the Yarra Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: 50 River Esplanade, Yarra’s Edge, Docklands Victoria, 3008

Phone: (03) 90434221

Situated along the banks of the Yarra in Docklands and right at the foot of the Webb bridge, this restaurant offers a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere under the palms along with an intimate dining experience inside the restaurant. Its menu offers freshest seafood, pasta, risotto, pizza, meats & seasonal vegetables which you just can’t resist. So, don’t forget to stop at Hooks for a glass of something sparkling with a beautiful view. You can definitely add it to Melbourne’s ‘must do’ list.

Saltwater Grill Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: 93 Dundas Pl, Albert Park VIC

Phone: +61 3 9690 8969

Earning millions is of no use, if you didn’t go a have a heart fulfilling meal at this restaurant in Melbourne. Their best selling burgers include Cheese Royale, The Jacky Jones, The Down Under, Spicy Mex and Double Deluxe. If you want their specials, Oyster, Tacos, Seafood Skewers, Grilled Snapper and Stuffed Salmon are recommended. This place has huge lines throughout the day, so better you reach early and grab a bite.

Richmond Oysters Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: 437-443 Church St, Richmond

Phone: +61 3 9428 5121

Welcome, to the world of Oyster! This restaurant in Melbourne serves premium quality seafood for the enjoyment of all. Their wholesale operations are complemented by their retail seafood display, take-away fish’n’chips and a world class restaurant dining experience. This place is bustling with foreigners, is abundant in alcohol and good food. The service, the ambience and the delicious Oysters makes it one of the top rated seafood restaurants in Melbourne ever to have been existed. You surely can’t miss out on this one if you’re in Melbourne.

A La Bouffe Bar & Bistro Restaurant, Melbourne

Address: 268 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

Phone: +61 3 9077 2856

A La Bouffe Bar & Bistro is an exceptionally good seafood restaurant in Melbourne where you can experience true French hospitality. You will surely have an informal, friendly and delicious experience here. When French visitors are feeling home sick for some Cream Brulée or Clafoutis this is where they visit. The taste of French seafood here is something which you’ll never seem to find anywhere in Melbourne. Apart from a versatile food menu, there is an extensive wine list featuring French and Australian wines, aperitifs and beers. This restaurant should remain at the top of your list if you’re in Melbourne.

That’s it for now – but remember that this list is in no particular order. We’re happy to hear about your experiences at the restaurants on this list, as well as your suggestions about which of your favourite joints you need to see on it! So make sure to comment and rate these places so that we can keep updating the status of the best seafood restaurants in Melbourne! We’ll make sure to keep the list regularly updated based on the valuable input of our readers.

In 2001, Nigel Marven, the courageous naturalist, traveled far and wide in his ‘Big Cat Adventure’ program to research the big cats. They are classified as big cats because they can roar. They can also frighten the life out of you!

The big cats are the leopard, snow leopard, jaguar, lion and tiger. They are five out of the 38 sub species of cats. Nigel tracked down the leopards and tigers and even walked unarmed towards a pride of hungry lions to prove the power of a self-confident human.

Nigel stated his mission clearly:

“In my most daring adventure so far I’ll confront the world biggest cats to see just how I measure up.”

The program started with Nigel playing with some three month old Siberian tigers. He likes to play and have fun with the animals that he studies. He really enjoys being with them. A key success skill is to try to have fun in everything you do.

Nigel is never content with a distant look at the animals he loves to study:

“I want to get close to lions to see just how magnificent they are. There are five giant cats in the world. A cheetah isn’t one of them since they can purr when they breathe in and when they breathe out. The big cats can only purr when they breathe out but they can roar.”

He first visited leopard country in Africa. Leopards are brilliant climbers and even go up trees to look for prey. They can also drag heavy prey into the trees to keep the meat away from other predators like hyenas.

The males are as heavy as Nigel – about 200 pounds – and can measure nine feet from head to tail. Nigel soon saw a ‘stunningly beautiful’ leopardess and later a male leopard which was much bigger and more powerful.

The leopard was followed by an amorous female which did the chasing. However, the male tried to control the act of mating by biting the fold of flesh and fur on her neck.

She let him know that she found this uncomfortable but over the next day or so he would probably mate with her about one hundred times to make sure they have children.

The elusive snow leopard which lives high in the mountains of central Asia was seen in a zoo in France by Nigel. As man of high standards, Nigel regarded this as cheating. Some scientists don’t accept the snow leopard as a big cat because it has never been known to roar.

The jaguar looks like a leopard with larger circles on its fur but it is the third largest cat and can be found in central and southern America. Jaguars love the water and will fish for anything including caymen and even big anancondas.

The second largest cat is the lion. Lions grow to four times the size of the spotted cats. Nigel went to a reserve near Kruger National park to see if he could scare off a pride of lions. Jerry, a game warden, needed to dart a big lioness to change her radio collar.

They went out at night. Jerry played a tape of buffalo calls to attract the lioness and a dead zebra was laid out to keep the pride occupied.

They soon turned up and Jerry quickly darted the lioness that he was after. A darted lion may be attacked by the rest of the pride so they need to be scared away.

Guess who had volunteered for the job although he had second thoughts when he noticed a male lion which reminded him of the lions which had terrorised railway workers in East Africa.

About 140 workers were killed in just nine months by two males just like the one in this pride. However, Nigel believed the following:

“If you approach wild lions confidently enough, they shouldn’t attack a standing person. This is the time to test the theory. My heart is in my mouth. This is a pride of adult lions.”

Nigel approached with nothing but a torch in his hand. His ‘heart and every internal organ’ was in his mouth. The pride ran off except for a male which kept watching from a distance.

The darted lioness weighed nearly 400 pounds – more than two of Nigel. He got close to her and compared his size with hers.

He next stood around in a group of young male lions who were looking at him with suspicion. He was so close to them that he was whacked by a lion’s tail but he was still not content with this heart thumping experience.

He wanted to get close to a conscious and fully grown lion. He did so with the assistance of a local, Kevin Richardson, who seemed on friendly terms with an adult male called Napoleon. Nigel reached out his right arm to stroke the lion’s head. The lion growled and Nigel commented with his usual understatement:

“I’m a bit frightened by this!”

He was more successful, for a time, when he patted the lion on its back.

Kevin told him to watch out for the lion’s paws. “Their paws are so quick”

“Their claws are like meat hooks”, said Nigel

At one point, the lion stuck his dew claw in Nigel’s leg and was biting him. Napoleon did not seem too fond of Nigel but Kevin rescued him and showed him how tall the lion was by holding up a pole with some meat attached for the lion to reach up to. They can be 7 feet long with a 3 foot tail and weigh a quarter of a ton.

But the second biggest cat of all is the Bengal tiger which can be found in India. Nigel looked forward to meeting one:

“For me it is like meeting royalty. The tiger must be the most majestic and charismatic of all the predators.”

Nigel traveled to the center of India, to the area that gave Rudyard Kipling the inspiration for The Jungle book. The Disney cartoon musical impressed Nigel as a boy:

“That cartoon with those memorable songs inspired me too. I really wanted to be Mowgli. All the animal characters are here. Singing vultures were Mowgli’s friends… the langar monkey is still king of the swingers… remember Kaa the python and those hypnotic eyes… Baloo was a sloth bear… and here’s Colonel Hathi the elephant … spotted deer are a favourite prey of the jungle’s top predator – that’s what I am after – Shere Khan, the Bengal Tiger.”

Nigel, unusually, opted for a safe approach to Shere Khan. He was ten feet off the ground on an elephant. However, tigers have been known to attack both humans and elephants.

At one point he was so excited to see a rat snake that he jumped off the elephant, even though tigers had recently been seen in the area, to examine it more closely. Excitement, like several powerful emotions, can cancel out fear.

Soon after that, he and Vishnu, the mahout or elephant driver, spotted a Bengal tiger cub which was about ten months old:

“The way they move; they just glide. He’s going to join his brother or sister. Tigers are superlative hunters. Even cubs of this age spend most of their time pouncing and stalking.

“Their mother won’t be far. She will stay with them for two years or so. They catch their own prey at about one and a half years old. There are only about six thousand tigers left in the world and half of those are found in India.”

They then spotted the tigress mother of the cubs. She had killed a deer.

“She looks big but Shere Khan will be one and a half times her size.”

She fed her two cubs and then moved off with them into the tall grass

They then fed the elephant with some dates and he and several other elephants had a bath. Nigel bathed with them, as you would expect, and even dived into the water off the back of one of them. Typically, he had fun.

On the last day of his visit to India, Nigel made an offering to the local gods to see a male Bengal tiger. His prayers were answered.

They set out early and soon heard roaring in the distance. Male tigers roar more than the females. The jungle was full of alarm calls as animals warned each other of the approach of Shere Khan.

Then they spotted a male Bengal but could not get a close look. However, the elephant followed him and eventually they had a good view:

“At last I am just a few feet away from a big male Bengal tiger. He probably weighs 500 pounds. That’s two and a half of me. He’s about ten years old. They can get to about fifteen years old in the wild.

“What a powerful animal. This is Shere Khan. This is what we’ve been trying to see. A male Bengal tiger looks huge but there is another rare and very elusive sub species that grows even bigger and that is what I want to see next and you will not believe the difference in their environments.”

Nigel then moved to Russia to see the biggest cat of all – the Siberian tiger. Unlike the Bengal Tiger, the Siberian Tiger rarely attacks humans but it has sometimes been known to kill and eat black bears and even brown bears.

Nigel came first to Moscow and then flew east to Vladivostok. It was so cold that when he threw boiling water into the air it froze in mid air

He headed north to a reserve by the sea of Japan. This reserve covers 1500 square miles. There were about thirty Siberian tigers somewhere in there. To find one Nigel would need experts with high tech radio tracking gear.

They picked up a signal from the tigress but did not get close enough to see it. They did, however, smell a tiger’s urine on a tree:

“As piddle goes it smells quite nice!” commented Nigel who sees the positives in every situation.

While they were tracking it a male tiger had killed a dog in a local town. It was now classified as a conflict tiger and would be shot unless it could be chased away into the heart of the reserve.

They soon spotted it from a helicopter:

“There he is! He’s just ahead of us. If we go in low, the helicopter should scare him away. He is so magnificent Even from up here he looks like a giant. This is the Siberian tiger in its natural habitat. That is a magnificent animal.”

Nigel still wanted to see a tiger from the ground. He was given permission to look for tigers on a smaller reserve and set out. His search was successful and he came across a male and a female eating a deer in the snow:

“I can hear them licking the carcase. They grab their prey by the throat and throttle them. It’s minus thirty degrees but I don’t feel cold at all when you see things like this. This is such a magnificent sight and it is a rare sight.

“There are about three or four hundred Siberian tigers but they are still poached. I cannot believe how any one could shoot creatures as magnificent as this.

“They have eaten quite a lot of that deer now and I am worried that they are going to start paying attention to me. So I am going to leave them to finish their meal. But this is something I am never going to forget.

“Mission accomplished. I’ve seen all five big cats, travelled thousands of miles and used up several of my nine lives to look straight into the eyes of the world’s most glorious predators.”

There are several survival and success lessons that can be learned from Nigel and the animals he studies.

You achieve more when you are having fun. Nigel always makes time to play with the animals he studies.

Nigel always wants more. He chased a female leopard for quite a way but was not content. He wanted to see a male leopard. Wanting more success leads to more success. Most of us are too easily satisfied with pennies when we could have pounds.

The leopard, himself, provided a great example of thoroughly sowing the seed and then allowing nature to work. Too many of us sow a few seeds or take just a few steps towards our goals and then get in our own way by looking for results before they are ready to arrive.

Nigel demonstrated the power of confidence to intimidate even a pride of lions who are in the middle of their meal. Confidence can achieve miracles. Who would have believed that one rather worried looking man could put a group of lions to flight? We all need to believe in our own power much more than we do.

Use excitement or any strong emotion to cancel out fear. If you are attacked, allow your anger to clear your mind of fear and help you to fight back.

We should let our childhood passions motivate us just as ‘The Jungle Book’ motivated Nigel to seek out Shere Khan.

Prayer worked in the search for Shere Khan. Prayer is often underestimated and it often fails to work perhaps because people pray half heartedly and with only a faint hope of receiving an answer. We need to pray with an attitude of excited anticipation. We need to expect results.

One success leads to another success and each success increases your powers. Nigel went from confronting big cats in 2001 to confronting big alligators in 2002. He actually stuck his head in an alligator’s mouth in 2002.

Success usually involves doing what you plan to do whatever else happens. Nigel seems to do this every time. His determination to follow his plans also attracts the assistance of others. He never stops half way and will travel miles to achieve his goals. With him, it is always: “Mission accomplished.”

Many people are unwilling to put in the hard work necessary to learn more. Nigel, on the other hand is willing to put in the sweat equity needed to learn all he can about the animals he studies. His huge enthusiasm for nature gives him the energy to study and become a top student of animal behaviour.

In the UK thousands of would be drivers are paying other people to take their driving tests for them. They then go out driving without having learned how. They are nine times more likely to kill themselves and others than those who have taken the time and trouble to learn how to drive. Learning anything worthwhile involves some kind of sweat.

A cat has just sauntered past my window. Fortunately, it is not one of the big cats!

Snakes are very common in tropical countries. In villages and bushy places, people encounter snakes everyday. Many beliefs have developed based on their experiences.One of them is the power of snakes to take remember someone and take revenge. The arrogance of human beings that we are the only brainy species on the globe very easily ruled out this possibility and started finding only ways of disproving it rather than going to find the truth. However, truly, I believe that it is only the human beings who have least pardoning /forgiving mentality in the universe compared to any species of life and highest instinct or anger for taking revenge.

There will be a lot of difference between the snakes under captivity and in wild. All studies performed were with the snakes under captivity. However, any myths or beliefs grow around interesting or good looking species only. Following this rule, almost all beliefs related to snakes are wound around COBRAS only. Also, there are many types of beliefs about cobras, but in this article, I will restrict myself to only their power to take revenge. With respect to their power to take revenge, there are several types of beliefs,

• If a cobra escapes hurt, when we try to kill it, – it remembers and comes back to take revenge
• If a male cobra or female cobra is killed, the spouse takes revenge and dies

In the famous book, Snakes of India by J. Deoras, he mentions that the most general cobra – Naja naja, when agitated or cornered, it raises its hood and anterior part of the body and if the attacker is in the vicinity of about two and a half feet circumference, it tries to attack for defense. If the person is far, it tries to retreat and escape, unless there is no way. In this regard, I myself have the personal experience. When I was doing my Ph. D. in Biochemistry at Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, due to heavy plantation and bushes, we often used encounter snakes, including cobras. One day, someone saw a cobra (Naja naja) going on the corridor. Because, the flooring is of polished stones, it was not able to move fast. So, we all went running to see it. It was just dragging its body with difficulty. Some mischievous guy, started imitating it and went very near. It immediately, turned back with a big hiss and hood expanded. The guy screamed and ran back. It did not show any interest in chasing us or the guy. Just turned its head back and escaped into the bushes.

In different scattered articles, several other authors mentioned that an African mumba had no difficulty in finding the attacker in a group.

One main argument between Snake revenge supporting and opposing people is, the former group says, “we have seen the snake again in the same place or attacker’s house. If it is not to take revenge, what could be the reason for it to appear again. Not to die”. Whereas the so called opponents dispute, by saying, “it is just incidental”.

But, nowhere we see a systematic study by either supporters to prove that it is the same snake which came back to the same area or by the opponents that it is not the same snake and appearance of the snake is for SURE, incidental. However, Science, says, “The size of snake’s brain is very small and it cannot remember for a long time to take revenge.” However, it is known that snakes have a very great power of smell and response to the transmission of vibrations through substratum or soil. Several recent studies prove that it is not good to judge intelligence based on brain – body mass ratio. For example: During the recent Tsunami, no squirrel has died. They did not import any earthquake or Tsunami detecting technology from USA. They sensing technology given by GOD. They all ran away and saved their lives. The arrogant human beings, thinking that they are brainy, died.

In the case of Dogs, we see the incidents of taking revenge beyond any doubt. However, possessing the power to remember an incident that happened some time back and taking revenge on an attacker are two different things. Even if a snake remembers also, it may not have the psychology of taking revenge, which we have.

However, remembering something and responding is possible at least in the case of the most clever and furious KING COBRA. Because, it is known that King cobra, male / female, take care of the eggs and when they sense some animal or persons approaching near their nest, the cobra attacks even before they face an attack. This tells that probably, they remember some experience of attack, sense it again and so attack without provocation. This only indicates that it can remember and attack, but does not clarify whether it takes revenge or not.

The second point which supporters of the snake revenge cite is that, the escaped snake later came when the person is sleeping and in some cases bitten the same person. However, in this case, there is no proof that it is the same snake that came again. Those who oppose, say that, ” when disturbed or during breeding season, the snakes emit a malodorous MUSK type of compound from their cloacal glands. Presence of some particles on the attacker’s clothes attract any other nearby snake to go to him”. But, again there is no evidence that it is a different snake. Also, snakes or opossums release smell, when threatened. Whether they go chasing the smell other than during breeding season is not clear. It is very well known that snakes chase /search their prey by smelling the air particles. So, in this case release of MUSK, when threatened could also be a method to easily find the attacker later, who knows.

So, my only argument is, the point of whether the snakes or at least cobras, take revenge or not has not been studied beyond doubt. Concluding that they cannot take revenge simply based on the brain to body mass ratio is not correct. They might have the power to remember and chase for a long time, whether they take revenge or not.

Coming to the point of male or female taking revenge if their counterpart is killed is a good romantic story. These stories are attributed to only divine snakes. So, this is all related to the belief in divinity and God. God is a belief, so is this. In addition, in India, there is a state called “Nagaland”, means land of cobras. In mythology also, references have been made about Nagalokam means World of Cobras. So, may be those people who pray cobras as their God and wear dress and ornaments depicting Cobras are thought as divine cobras which attained human form. So, if they happened take revenge, may be it was thought that Cobras also do the same.

However, an UNAMBIGUOUS STUDY on this topic is still lacking.