Odd News Roundup: Giant strawberry earns Israeli farmer a Guinness World Record; Elephant dung filters botanical mix for South African gin maker and more

But seagulls swooping in to pick at meals forced the bar's administrators to enlist trained dogs to ensure patrons enjoy themselves at the venue trying to recover after COVID lockdowns and restrictions. Elephant dung filters botanical mix for South African gin maker One of the joys of artisanal gin-making is sniffing the fragrant botanicals, fruits and seeds used to create the aromatic spirit - but not usually after they've passed through the digestive tract of an elephant.

Following is a summary of current odd news briefs.

Bolivian house with devil sculptures spooks highland city

A Bolivian miner has covered his house with sculptures of long-horned devils and other scary creatures, intended as a playful nod to the country's colonial past but which has instead shocked some neighbors who fear a link to occult rituals. The adobe-brick house in the high-altitude city of El Alto belongs to David Choque, who hired an artist to create the skeletal devils from cement and wood and installed them on his roof, doors and walls.

Gull-free dining thanks to patrol dogs at Sydney Opera House

For many, a table at Sydney's Opera Bar overlooking the blue water of its world-famous harbour is prime real estate during the summer. But seagulls swooping in to pick at meals forced the bar's administrators to enlist trained dogs to ensure patrons enjoy themselves at the venue trying to recover after COVID lockdowns and restrictions.

Elephant dung filters botanical mix for South African gin maker

One of the joys of artisanal gin-making is sniffing the fragrant botanicals, fruits and seeds used to create the aromatic spirit - but not usually after they've passed through the digestive tract of an elephant. Yet that is exactly what Les Ansley does when, foraging through the South African wilderness, he finds a prime specimen of elephant dung, lifting it to his nose to inhale its complex aroma before bagging it to be made into high-end booze.

Giant strawberry earns Israeli farmer a Guinness World Record

Israeli farmer Chahi Ariel has grown the world's heaviest strawberry, according to Guinness World Records. At 289 grams, the strawberry was about five times the average weight of a regular berry of the local Ilan variety, said Nir Dai, a researcher at Israel's Volcani Institute where the strain was developed.