i Page 8AThe Battalion/Wednesday, April 25, 1984 Starving giant pandas maraud through houses R.l. by Paul Dim (AJUPO SA/D H£RE AT 9O'CLOCK +HE tiN'T HS/tdM. yvoeoriUEstuff? ) AtW: 7V$T6UTAa£vJ5HiP- AEUT W Tti/5 WEEK. { United Press International PEKING — Starving giant pandas, faced with the wither ing of their bamboo feeding grounds, have broken into peasant homes in central China in search of food, the official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday. Xinhua said local authorities in Sichuan Province had appro priated funds to reimburse peasants whose homes were damaged by the marauding pandas recently. Wang Quanan, a peasant liv ing deep in the mountains of Si chuan’s Baoxing County, said a f iant panda broke into his itchen one night, scattered all the utensils and would not leave until it had eaten its fill, Xinhua said. Wang now leaves a regular supply of food outside his home before he leaves for work each day, the agency said. Chinese and foreign wildlife experts trying to save the en dangered giant pandas say a famine caused by cyclical with ering of bamboo plants, the pandas staple food, is wors ening. Xinhua said nearly all of the bamboo has withered in Si chuan’s Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve, home of 200 pandas, or about one-fifth of China’s to tal. The cyclical withering of the bamboo occurs every 40 years. The bamboo began to flower and wither last year and has af fected up to 90 percent of the f ilants in some areas, wildlife of- icials said. Xinhua said five giant pandas have died at Fengtongzhai since last September. At least nine of the animals have died in other preserves. AIOaJ imr did You uiA/Jr? fbu-sozoi. ) gif OH Y£AH. HbJjAPOUT'n This OAB/HEKEI V TlOUMm.M 15 ScmCHGD! rwiwm SAUETUMll o Pad El Paso turtle rewriting fabl United Press International EL PASO — Aesop’s Fable made the slow-moving turtle fa mous. Al, the El Paso Zoo’s 245- a t m Visit Derma Culture for cleaner and fresher skin Open Mon.-Sat. Appointments arranged for your convenience 693-5909 707 Texas Ave. So. College Station Walk, Cycle, or Shuttle. It’s only 8 Blocks. Half Rate for Summer with a year's leetse Eff, 1 & 2 bedrooms starting at 240.00. 3902 COLLEGE MAIN country place apartments 846'0515 pound tortoise, would like to re write the story. He is pure greased lightning. The African Aldabra tortoise will be cruising for another eight weeks on a jury-rigged scooter so his forepaw can heal, said Robert Fulton, El Paso Zoo director. During a zoo board meeting last week, Fulton reported Al suffered an injury, possible when a child seeking a ride sat on him. The board accepted Fulton’s report and responded with little or no emotion when told about Al’s unusual mode of transport- inj^mnself. Then Al whizzed by a glass door. “Hey, what’s that?” one of the board members yelled with sur prise. The board immediately recessed to marvel at the gliding tortoise. He could have beaten any^ hare — at least by a turtle neck — in a race. Al, a native of the African Al dabra Islands, went on a safari halfway around the park in about 40 minutes, his fastest time ever, said zoo keeper Di ana Riley. Ever since Al got his new set of wheels, he’s coming out of his shell after 30 years of intro verted life, zoo keepers com mented. At first, Robert NauJ employee in chargeo(it gave Al an auto i that didn’t workwelle "It was too lowandlt:! away and the creepers Ms. Gallegos said. “He likes it. He gets in my kitchen closet and he can rest on his scooter,” said zoo keeper Armida Gallegos. Al is able to go up small ramps, making it difficult to bring the heavy tortoise down to earth. Gallegos said it took a while to develop the ultimate scooter for Al. Eventually, Nava i some wheels onto at face, placed themundfrlj fastened the scooten her straps over Alsshd! I Fulton said nooneisij what happened to Alfa but he will lx coasting- control— for the ikd | weeks. “We thought iuasit lism. Maybe an interrij and he was re-injurinji just started limping outj Miss Riley said. But for now, Fulton a zoo’s fastest tortoise * \ ing along on hisscoottr ‘Creep’ caller sends coupltj on frantic search for relatw United Press International SAN ANTONIO — An elab- SduMMt&t'o Landing Sea food Restaurant and Oyster Bar Follow This Map . to the Freshest Seafood in Town ' " Open 11 a. m. -10 p.m. Daily 606 Tarrow • College Station • 764-7439 orate telephone hoax by a "very believable creep" sent a couple to California in a f rantic search for relatives they believed were seriously ill or dead, officials said Tuesday. Police said a woman called the wife of the San Antonio couple over the Easter week end, telling her that her brother was dead and her sister-in-law critically ill. The prank call prompted the unidentified couple to fly to San Diego, where the brother and sister-in-law were found in good health. In one of three separate calls to the couple, the prankster pretended to be the San Anto nio woman’s sister-in-law. The caller also pretended »J friend of the sister-inbf hospital official. “With her hysteria anti J this lady really go role,” T he victim knew a lot of medical ogy.” Police said the call probably the samewowl lias made a rash of telling people theirreW sick or badly injured oj mobile accidents. Unit SAN laniel 1 :arlet tas fore ter clot idukerc Southwestern Bell phone Co. spokesman Gilliam said mere was#1 larn e Bell could do about inti psines and suggested theybettit to police. SduMMtett'o Landing Boys suspended for stripper-gram his tyj trvive, unishr >rpora ssor sa Dr. P Trin Ktratio] t-mak: jects orpors ion is t« United Press International “When I Went Off to College Dad Sure Got Smart 55 He bought a Cripple Creek Condominium. Now he’s enjoying the tax advantages of ownership-he’s building equity and he’ll have prime rental property after I’ve graduated. That’s important to my dad. But, I’m interested in the amenities Cripple Creek offers-microwave ovens, automatic icemakers, large walk-in closets, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a hot tub. And Cripple Creek is located in the heart of student living, close to restaurants, shopping, clubs, banking facilities, and it’s right on the shuttle bus route. Living at Cripple Creek says that I have style and my dad has a solid investment. My college education will reap benefits for both of us. Cripple Creek Condominums start at $39,950. Skagg’s Shopping Center 846-0084 CONDOMINIUMS C 1979 (Rev. 1982) EMRA Corporation Shampoo and blowdry are available at additional cost. 904 University Oaks #56 (409) 764-8682 (409)846-5741 Models Open Daily Developed by Stanford Associates, Inc. ST. PAUL, Minn. — Mem bers of a Catholic high school hockey team dispatched a strip per with a birthday greeting for a teammate. School officials were not amused. Twenty-one of the team’s 22 players — including the birth day boy — were suspended for ordering the “Stripper-gram” during the state high school hockey tournament last month. The only player not disciplined was at a doctor’s office while the scantily clad woman sang a song to the guest of honor. Officials of the East St. Paul school learned aboul < weeks later. The suspc were announced Monday The player who arraf nd pre provocative greeting *2 p a cc pended for two weel player for five days and ill for one day "This is conducting 1 aditio a Hill-Murray student, 2 tent 1 director Brother Franct said. “This sort of coni pon j unacceptable.” The players willhave» : ess.” up the work they miss their suspensions won’t lose any academic* aould ing or athletic eligibilitv. rranijiim Just Prelease Your Furniture May 31st, and We’ll Deliver it FREE “It’s t goe nd pui w or tench aan tt Fren o fines sins,” ^Would t nd on 5 Packages Tailored to Your Personal Tastes and Co^ ay. MIS Freshman Package $39.95 Sophomore Package $49.95 Junior Package $59.95 Senior Package $69.95 Graduate Package $79.95 All Packages consist of a complete Living Room, Dining Room and Bedroom. 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