Stray Qatar Cat Heads to England after Being Adopted by Walker and Stones

England's John Stones speaks to the media during a press conference at at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
England's John Stones speaks to the media during a press conference at at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
TT

Stray Qatar Cat Heads to England after Being Adopted by Walker and Stones

England's John Stones speaks to the media during a press conference at at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
England's John Stones speaks to the media during a press conference at at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)

England's hopes of lifting the World Cup might have been dashed but Manchester City duo Kyle Walker and John Stones did not want to leave Qatar completely empty handed -- hence they will be taking home a stray cat befriended by the team at their training base.

England came up short against France on Saturday, who clinched a gutsy 2-1 quarter-final win.

The cat, who Stones named Dave, will have to spend four months in quarantine before he can be re-united with the City duo.

"He was just there one day, so we've just adopted him, me and Stonesy," Walker told the FA's official media channel.

"Dave is welcome to the table ... Some people really don't like the cat, but I love him."

"First day we got there ... Dave pops out," Stones added.

"Every night he sat there waiting for his food."



Peru Scientists Unveil Crocodile Fossil Up to 12 Million Years Old

Paleontologists unveil the fossil of a young marine crocodile dating back 10 to 12 million years discovered in Peru. Ernesto BENAVIDES / AFP
Paleontologists unveil the fossil of a young marine crocodile dating back 10 to 12 million years discovered in Peru. Ernesto BENAVIDES / AFP
TT

Peru Scientists Unveil Crocodile Fossil Up to 12 Million Years Old

Paleontologists unveil the fossil of a young marine crocodile dating back 10 to 12 million years discovered in Peru. Ernesto BENAVIDES / AFP
Paleontologists unveil the fossil of a young marine crocodile dating back 10 to 12 million years discovered in Peru. Ernesto BENAVIDES / AFP

Paleontologists unveiled on Wednesday the fossil of a young marine crocodile dating back 10 to 12 million years that was discovered in a Peruvian desert.
The fossil of the gharial -- or fish-eating -- crocodile, around three meters long (nearly 10 feet), was discovered late 2023 in perfect condition in Peru's Ocucaje desert, around 350 kilometers (190 miles) south of the capital Lima, AFP said.
"This is the first time we found a juvenile of this species, that is to say, it had not reached its maximum size yet. It died before that," vertebrate paleontologist Mario Gamarra told a news conference.
The skull and jaws of these specimens differed from that of today's crocodiles and alligators, according to Gamarra, who headed the reconstruction of the fossil.
"They had an elongated snout and their diet was entirely piscivorous, feeding on fish," said Gamarra.
"The closest current relative to this crocodile would be the Indian gharial," he added.
The discovery was made jointly by Peru's Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute and the La Union school.
Peru's Ocucaje desert is rich in fossils, such as four-legged dwarf whales, dolphins, sharks and other species from the Miocene period -- between 5 and 23 million years ago -- that were previously discovered there.