How To Cuddle With An Elephant Seal

Who knew that these giant ocean creatures were so loving ?

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The Zorro Cat

The standing cat is back and he’s brought his friend.

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Amazing Photos Of Antarctic Sea Life

Amazing pictures of Southern Ocean marine life captured by scientists working in the Antarctic were released today. The inhabitants of the continent’s seas were captured as part of a study on biodiversity carried out by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).Images of the marine creatures, which were taken in the Bellingshausen Sea, West Antarctica, include ice fish, sea pigs and crustaceans.The underwater images also show giant sea spiders, rare rays and beautiful basket stars.

‘Few people realise just how rich in biodiversity the Southern Ocean is – even a single trawl can reveal a fascinating array of weird and wonderful creatures as would be seen on a coral reef,’ said BAS research cruise leader Dr David Barnes.‘These animals are potentially very good indicators of environmental change as many occur in the shallows, which are changing fast, but also in deeper water which will warm much less quickly.

Abandoned Mini Shetland Pony Rescued From Near-Death

Who could ever abandon anything as fuzzy and cute as this miniature Shetland pony? Sadly, the U.K.’s Daily Express reports that many horse owners, unable to maintain their expensive animals, have been doing just that.

Lucky for this little guy, now named Stig, a good Samaritan animal lover named Jo Holmes found him in the woods where he was chained to a car seat and near death. A shocked Holmes approached the horse, and “he raised his head,” she told the newspaper. “There was still trust and love in that little pony.”

After being nursed back to the health on a slow diet of hay, Stig has put weight back on and is doing well. He may be tiny, but he’s certainly resilient!

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Good Moos! Cow Survives 60-Ft. Fall Into Quarry

It was all for a tasty patch of grass. A 2-year-old hungry Holstein cow who resides at a farm in Haughton, England, was reaching for a bit of the green stuff when the ground gave way and it fell a whopping 60 feet into an unused scrap metal pit, according to the The Shropshire Star. Rescue crews from four nearby towns worked to save the animal — who has since been named “Lucky” — for three hours using a farm tractor to pull it to safety after it was sedated. Cows like Lucky typically weigh about 1,500 lbs.

“It was remarkable that it was not hurt when it fell from such a high height,” incident commander Paul Corfield told the newspaper. “The operation was particularly precarious because the cow was pretty lively and your first priority is to safeguard the crew.”

Amazingly, veterinarian John Pinder said that Lucky will make a full recovery. Phew, that’s good moos!

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What To Expect From Your Cockatiel?

Cockatiels are relatively quiet, nondestructive, entertaining birds that are easy to care for. Because they are considered so gentle, they are excellent as companion birds for children. Even though they do not tend to bond with an individual person, they retain better companion bird qualities as a single bird rather than as a pair. However, several cockatiels may be successfully maintained in a single household with patience and attention to each individual. Cockatiels are limited talkers (males may be better), but some individuals are so good at whistling that their tunes are recognizable.

Vital statistics

Body length: 12.5 inches (32 cm)
Body weight: 75-100 grams
Age of sexual maturity: 6-12 months
Average life span in captivity: 10 years (max 32)

Is your Cockatiel a male or a female?

Immature grey cockatiels have yellow stripes under the primary wing feathers. A male loses these stripes around 9 months of age. Head and facial markings are brighter on males. Color mutations (lutino, pied, pearl) may not exhibit the same gender differences in feather pattern. Vocalization is the earliest means of sexing cockatiels — the male has a melodious call; females have more of a monotonous chirp. Cockatiels are prolific year-round breeders. Their offspring are easy to hand-raise but are reluctant to wean.

Bramble Park Zoo Has New Baby Pallas' Cat Kittens

Topping off the trifecta of cute and cuddly kitty cats are the rare and spectacular Pallas’ Cats. These three were born in July at the Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown, South Dakota. The Zoo is especially proud of these curious little creatures because it has been trying to breed them for years. Well, congratulations!

Can I have one?Pallas’ cats are small brown-spotted cats a little larger than a large house cat. They are found in Central Asian Steppes at elevations of up to 13,000 ft. The cats are highly endangered and are very difficult to breed in captivity, and have young survive, due to disease. “After several years, we have done it and have three viable offspring that are soon to go on to another zoo.”
These offspring are then scheduled to breed once they are mature. The zoo has been participating in a global Species Survival Plan program for this species for about 4 years. This past year, the female gave birth in April, but neither of the offspring survived.

Bramble Park Zoo Has New Baby Pallas' Cat Kittens

Topping off the trifecta of cute and cuddly kitty cats are the rare and spectacular Pallas’ Cats. These three were born in July at the Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown, South Dakota. The Zoo is especially proud of these curious little creatures because it has been trying to breed them for years. Well, congratulations!

Can I have one?Pallas’ cats are small brown-spotted cats a little larger than a large house cat. They are found in Central Asian Steppes at elevations of up to 13,000 ft. The cats are highly endangered and are very difficult to breed in captivity, and have young survive, due to disease. “After several years, we have done it and have three viable offspring that are soon to go on to another zoo.”
These offspring are then scheduled to breed once they are mature. The zoo has been participating in a global Species Survival Plan program for this species for about 4 years. This past year, the female gave birth in April, but neither of the offspring survived.

The Feisty Vancouver Island Marmot

The feisty Vancouver Island Marmot is Canada’s most endangered mammal with only an estimated 30 living in the wild in 2003. However, institutions like the Calgary and Toronto Zoos launched aggressive breeding and release programs that have since bolstered the wild population to 200 or more. These pups were born at the Calgary Zoo on June 30th and the Toronto Zoo just welcomed a litter this week!

16 VANCOUVER ISLAND PUPS BORN AT THE CALGARY ZOO
Canada’s Most Endangered Mammal and a 2010 Olympic Mascot – Making a Comeback Calgary, AB –When a species comes to the brink of extinction, it takes the dedicated and combined effort of many individuals and institutions to rescue it.

In total, 65 Vancouver Island marmot pups were born this year at four
partnering facilities across Canada including the Calgary Zoo, the Toronto Zoo,Mountain View Conservation & Breeding Centre in Langley, B.C. and the Tony Barrett Mt. Washington Recovery Centre on Vancouver Island.

Amazing 'Invisible' Cage

The four passengers in the jeep must feel a whisker away from death as a lion jumps up on to their bonnet for lunch.But that’s all part of the attraction. The jeep is a new zoo exhibit which allows visitors to get incredibly close to the lions.The back part of the vehicle, up to where the windscreen should be, is actually on the outside of the reinforced glass cage. The bonnet is on the inside, and covered with meat to entice the big cats closer.It makes for an exhilarating experience, according to Robyn and Davin Price, both 34, who visited the Werribee Open Range Zoo, in Melbourne, Australia, with their children Ariel, five, Eden, three, and baby Evie.

Mrs Price said: ‘It was absolutely amazing. You can’t even see the glass is there.’ Her husband added: ‘I’m sure the lions thought our children were their dessert!’