Some-fin special for Christmas

SHOPPERS are being offered the chance to snap up a Christmas present with a little more bite this year – shark diving.

Deep Sea World at North Queensferry in Fife say they are cutting prices in the hope a dive with the feared beasts at Scotland’s national aquarium may hook those looking for the special something.

The aquarium based in the waters if the Firth of Forth is the only place in Scotland where it is possible to get up close and personal with the notoriously feared water creatures.

Adult divers are able to swim alongside three-metre-long sand tiger sharks, giant stingrays and many other sharks, rays and other fish species including angel sharks, tope and bull huss.

Ex-PM Brown still the boss, as he sends wife to Tesco

By Cara Sulieman

AFTER his very public departure from high office, it was perhaps of little surprise that Gordon Brown would chose to keep a low profile on what was his first day back as a jobbing MP.

Back in his beloved Fife, at the North Queensferry home where his children no doubt were enthused as to how daddy suddenly had so much free time, the former Prime Minister stayed behind closed doors.

It was his wife Sarah, a rock to him these past few tumultuous days, who was to run the gauntlet of photographers, TV crews and reporters camped at the end of their driveway.

Britain’s oldest shark celebrates birthday

By Alexander Lawrie

BRITAIN’S oldest shark is celebrating its 25th birthday today. (Wed)

Tinkerbell, a 10 foot-long giant sand tiger shark, swims her way through the aquarium at Deep Sea World, North Queensferry, everyday and staff at the centre are planning a special treat to mark her landmark birthday.

Divers will today enter her 4.5 million litre tank and tempt her with a range of tasty treats.

And any visitor who can prove they are the same age as Tinkerbell will receive free entry to the popular tourist attraction.

Rescued Seal Pups Released Back Into Wild

By Alexander Lawrie

THREE fit and healthy seal pups rescued from near death were released back into the wild yesterday.

 The seals, Glow, Ness and Lomond, finally tasted the freedom of the open water when they were released at Silver Sands, in Aberdour, Fife by the Scottish SPCA.

 The three seals were all born in the Fife area and rescued by members of the public in November.

Glow was hardly a week old when he was found at St Monans with an infected umbilical cord.

Ness was rescued from Cellardyke with a wounded eye and was in poor body condition, and little Lomond was washed off his birthing ground at Crail and had wounds to his body after being bashed against rocks.

The Scottish SPCA is naming all their rescued seal pups after Scottish lochs this year.

After outgrowing their pens and pools at the charity’s Middlebank Wildlife Centre in Dunfermline, the seals were then transferred to Deep Sea World at North Queensferry where they have been enjoying playing together in the aquarium’s large outdoor salt water rehabilitation pool.

Colin Seddon, Scottish SPCA Wildlife Centre Manager, said: “These pups came in to us in poor condition and in need of specialist care. It is extremely rewarding to see them now, fit and healthy and ready to be released back to their natural habitat.

“In collaboration with Deep Sea World, we have given them the best chance of survival, and we hope that they go on to live and breed in Scotland’s coastal waters for years to come.”

Deep Sea World Aquarist Chris Rowe said, “It is fantastic to be involved in the rehabilitation and conservation of these amazing mammals.

“We have all enjoyed watching Glow, Ness and Lomond grow and learn to fend for themselves during their time at the aquarium. We wish them all the best as we prepare the pool for the next batch of rescued pups.”

Anyone interested in rehoming an animal or wishing to donate to or join the Scottish SPCA, visit scottishspca.org.

Home Turbines Flawed

By Alexander Lawrie 

HOME turbines which generate eco-friendly electricity are fundamentally flawed, a new study claims.

The much-publicised green appliances are said to produce much less power than the manufacturers say they do.

And the results have been backed by the Green Party who admit “micro-wind turbines aren’t the right answer”.

The findings of the comprehensive study show the worst performers only provide enough daily energy to power a light bulb for just one hour.

The power produced, just 41 watt-hours a day, is thought to be less than enough to power the turbine’s own electronics.

Award-winning actor Pete Postlethwaite is one high-profile name thought to have installed wind turbines in his Shropshire home.

And Conservative leader David Cameron is currently waiting on permission to install the turbines in his west London home.

But contrary to earlier reports, Scots novelist Iain Banks has vetoed the idea of installing wind turbines in his home in North Queensferry, Fife.

Mr Banks, 54, said: “Technically, it’s true that I did own a wind turbine for a while, but after being refused planning permission by the council and also looking into the actual benefits of the turbines I changed my mind.

“I’m still to be convinced of their actual worth. But I do still have green plans for the house, and instead of a wind turbine I’m looking into the possibility of replacing my roof tiles with electric tiles that will heat all my water.”

The study on home turbines was carried out by consultants Encraft, with funding by the British Wind Energy Association.

Matthew Rhodes, Encraft’s Managing Director, said: “Sadly, an average semi-detached house, like the areas where most people live, where there are obstructions like trees and buildings, are poor locations.”

He also added most consumers of home turbines have been poorly advised by the manufacturers.

Green MSP Robin Harper said: “We’ve long argued that for many householders, micro-wind turbines aren’t the right answer.

“In the right location, as the study shows, they can be very effective, but for most households getting their insulation right will be the best advice, both for their own budget and for the environment, and it gives the quickest return on investment for any home eco-friendly work.

“That’s why we’re asking the Scottish government to step up to this challenge and pledge loft and cavity insulation free for everyone.”

Seahorses arrive by aeroplane

By Karrie Gillett

SIX rare seahorses have arrived in Scotland to start a new breeding programme to save the endangered species.

The big bellied sea creatures flew into Edinburgh airport to travel the short distance to their new home at the Deep Sea World in Fife.

Passengers at the airport were treated to a glimpse of the curious looking fish as they were released from their polystyrene box and shown off to airline staff.

The seahorses – which can grow up to 25 cm – travelled from their home in Portsmouth in sealed seawater bags filled with oxygen.

And Zahra d’Aronville, curator of the Blue Reef aquariums in England, accompanied the new additions on their journey.

She said: “They were packaged up really carefully and they were secure for the entire flight. We made sure the box were always kept warm as the species originate from Australia and prefer hotter temperatures.

“The seahorses were captive-bred down at our aquarium in Portsmouth and we knew Scotland was trying to source some seahorses.

“We donated these six to them and it will be amazing to see them join the four already there.

“Seahorses are fascinating creatures and completely unique in the animal kingdom. They are an endangered species and it’s vital to preserve them in this way.”

Seahorse reproduction is distinctive in that it is the males who carry the young and give birth to their offspring.

The big bellied species – which can live up to 15 years – are particularly important in a breeding programme as they can deliver up to 700 baby seahorses in one birth.

And the new keeper of the seahorses is looking forward to introducing them to their Scottish home and potential partners.

Michael Morris, aquarist at the North Queensferry Deep Sea World, said: “We’re very excited to see them here today and happy they made the journey safe.

“The big bellied species are fairly rare in the wild due to pollution and over-fishing so the breeding programme is significant.

“They are going to join our seahorses in the tank so hopefully we will have lots of babies on the way soon.”

Colourful lobsters saved from boiling pot

By Kate Smail

TWO lobsters have been spared the boiling pot – thanks to their bizarre colours.

The unusual pair – one electric blue and one bright orange – could have ended up on a dinner plate in a posh restaurant had it not been for their bright markings.

But local fisherman Keith McKay, 47, was so stunned by their eyecatching colours that he took them straight to Deep Sea World for safekeeping.

The two now share a rock pool in the sea-life centre and causing quite a stir with visitors – quite a difference from the coast of Fife.

Mr McKay, from Buckhaven, has been fishing for more than 35 years and says he has never come across anything like his most recent find.

He said: ‘I’ve never seen anything like this one in my life. I was surprised at how pale a blue it was.

“It was really brightly-coloured. I would call it electric blue. I was so surprised I pulled up alongside another fishing boat to show them what I had caught.”

The colourful crustaceans are now enjoying being one of the main attractions at Deep Sea World aquarium in North Queensferry.

Rebecca Ziegler, marketing manager for the centre, said the creatures were drawing huge crowds at their rock pool presentations.

She said: “We welcome these two extraordinarily coloured lobsters. The pair are proving to be a big draw.

“Normally the combination of red and blue pigments in the shell of a live lobster creates a dark, mottled camouflage pattern that blends in with the ocean floor.”

The nippy pair’s remarkable colouring is thanks to a genetic flaw in their pigment.

Instead of having pigments that combined make them their usual olive colour, they only have the blue pigment.

Genetic defects also cause other strange colourings such as light orange, and patterns such as yellow spots.

And some even come in two colours, having half of their shell one colour and the other half a totally different colour.