SANTA CRUZ, California- A wayward cougar ambled into downtown and spent time in one of the busiest intersections in the metro, including a lolly-gagging saunter through the parking lot of a Ramada Inn. From there it was onto a busy medical complex before leaping into the concrete canyon that carries Branciforte Creek to the San Lorenzo River. "I was like, 'Whoa, wait a minute. A mountain lion is here?'" said Bhavesh Patel, proprietor of the Ramada Inn. "I hope it doesn't want a room, we are all booked up." The 2 year old male cougar was eventually tranquilized and returned to a more suitable habitat. Ann Page was one of the first to call 911 after spotting the cat at the medical complex. Page was there for treatment for an infection from a scratch she got from her house cat. "When I saw the mountain lion, I thought, this little tube of anti-biotics is not going to be enough."

ONALASKA, Alaska- Don't pull on Superman's cape, don't spit in the wind, don't pull the mask off the Lone Ranger and never carry fish fillets in an open pickup truck. Fish wholesaler Bernie Scweppsch was taking a truckload of filets to a processing plant and thought he could stop for a pack of cigarettes. When he walked out a flock of eagles had descended on his fish and the cars around his truck and stayed there for 90 minutes. Not only is Scweppsch out the cost of the fish but he is being charged for the damage done to the cars in the parking lot. "I gotta' quit smoking," is all Scweppsch would say to the media.

LA CANADA, California- Two children swimming in a pool in La Cañada got the scare of a lifetime when a bear lumbered over the backyard fence, sending them scurrying indoors. Paradise Canyon Elementary School was put on lockdown as television news footage from overhead helicopters showed the bear moving from yard to yard. California Fish and Wildlife officials tracked the bear with the assistance of a sheriff’s helicopter. Deputy Laurie Kaplan said, "We watched this bear going from one pool to another like it just wanted a relaxing swim without being bothered by these annoying humans. It was kind of weird."

ISHPEMING, Michigan- The long winter of 2013 has been tough enough for many living in the Upper Peninsula but it just got even uglier for Udo Whonall and his wife Hannah. Whonall, a recent immigrant from Bulgaria, said "I had no idea what the weather was going to be like here and then a beaver bites a tree and it crushes my Escalade. What am I doing here?" Hannah Whonall is from Ishpeming and met her husband online while he was still living in Bulgaria.

MIAMI, Florida- South Floria has a new invasive species to worry about- and it's one of the world's most destructive- the giant African land snail, which can grow as big as a rat and gnaw through stucco and plaster. In Caribbean countries overrun with the creatures, the snails' shells blow out tires on the highway and turn into hurling projectiles from lawnmower blades, while their slime and excrement coat walls and pavement. Denise Feiber, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Agriculture said "They're huge, they move around, they look like they're looking at you ... communicating with you so people think they're cute but they don't realize the devastation they can create. I mean, they eat every plant they can reach and stucco. This is a disaster."

HOLLAND, Michigan- There has never been an effective way to trap or deter squirrels, until now. Tom and Debbie Bauman think they may have a way to catch squirrels. "They love seeds and nuts and when they climb up on this bird feeder they slide down and catch themselves and no more procreating is my guess," said a proud Debbie Bauman.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota- Elijah Penschline thought he had seen it all but urban turkeys trapping him in his own home is a new one. "Damn things won't let me out of the house without rushing at me, wings flappin', spurs flyin'. I even tried wearing a hat and sunglasses but they recognized me. I'm running out of food," joked the retired machinist. It seems Penschline accidentally injured a poult this spring when his lawnmower ran over and then shot out a rock which injured the baby bird. Now, the flock is exacting its revenge.

KENJASA, Kenya- It's never a guarantee you are going to spot the wildlife you are hoping to see on safari, but it sure helps if you are looking in the right direction. Steve and Wendy Menzel went to Africa to see lions in their natural habitat and came home a little disappointed. "We saw lions alright, but only after they snuck up and nearly killed us. These idiot tour guides said they knew where the lions were but the lions knew where we were way better than the guides knew where they were," said the frustrated tourists.

LAKE SHESTAKOV, Russia- A 60-year-old fisherman died after trying to get a picture of a beaver. On the way to his favorite fishing spot the angler saw the beaver and asked his friends to take a photo of the two of them. Just as the camera man was saying "cheese" the beaver grabbed onto the fisherman's thigh and severed an artery. Sergei Shilinchuk, an environmental official in Belarus said he'd never heard of a beaver killing someone but added, "The beaver has immensely powerful jaws; it can cut down a tree three feet wide, so keep that in mind when you get near one." Shilinchuk also said. "Apparently this guy has never seen a beaver's teeth, if he had he probably would have just walked on and gone fishing."

ATHENS, Georgia- A story about a man who tried to rope a deer has been circulating on the internet for years and after reading it one local man felt he could do better than the author who comically detailed his failings at successfully wrangling a white tail. Don Gettlson is expected to recover from injuries he received after learning that it really is not a good idea to try to rope and control a deer. "Yeah, they are tougher than ya' think. Worst part is, my kids took pictures and now it's all over town, what I did."