Bought THREE copies today of _The Handy Weather Answer Book_ by Walter A.
Lyons, fellow of the American Meteorological Society (now on a large sale
at Borders). Two are gifts, and one is for our pleasure since it is a
fascinating read. Found on page 42 a story about sounds which drive our
ferrets crazy when on nature programs (though not as bonkers as otter
kits sounds make them):
"Meteorolgy has some pretty strange stories ... oceanography has one of
the most embarrassing ones ... For decades ... [the Swedish Government] ...
complained about detecting submarines from some 'world power' cruising
dangerously close to their coastlines. Turns out what Swedish sonar
operators were tracking were the squeals and squeaks of mink -- who love to
frolic and mate in shallow coastal waters. No apology was offered to the
Russians."
[Posted in FML issue 3023]