OranGUTan! Sweet tooth Bendot beats the heat by begging ice lolly from zoo visitor

By JESSICA SATHERLEY



The king of cool: Bornean orangutan Bendot enjoys an orange ice lolly at Rangunan Zoo in Jakarta, Indonesia



With temperatures reaching up to 32 degrees in Jakarta this week, it was no surprise that this hot and bothered orangutan was trying to find measures to cool down.

The hungry ape, named Bendot, was spotted savouring the icy treat at Rangunan Zoo in Indonesia’s capital.

But the sugary orange ice lolly, which he managed to beg from a zoo visitor, might not have been the best snack for the overweight primate.



Beating the heat: Temperatures in Jakarta this week are set to reach 32 degrees, and this is how one orangutan decided to cool down



The Bornean orangutan’s bulging belly was on clear display as he sat in his grassy enclosure sucking on the snack.

Photographer Tri Saputro managed to snap 25-year-old Bendot as he carefully held the wooden lolly stick and slurped away.

Tri said: "Bendot spotted a zoo visitor walking alongside the enclosure with the ice lolly and started to follow him.

"Eventually the man took sympathy and threw the lolly into the enclosure.



Hefty appetite: The overweight ape's belly was on clear display as he ate the sugary treat in his enclosure



"It landed on the grass and Bendot immediately picked it up and took it to a shady place protected form the sun.

"He appeared in no rush to finish the lolly quickly and enjoyed every lick."

Around 65-90 per cent of an orangutan’s usual diet should consist of fruit, while they also enjoy leaves, bark, insects, honey and bird eggs.

But they are opportunistic foragers, which explains why Bendot enjoyed the unusual sweet when he got his hands on it.



Typical diet: Around 65-90 per cent of an orangutan's usual diet should consist of fruit, while hey also enjoy leaves, bark, insects, honey and bird eggs



Planet of the Apes (and monkeys) exhibition reveals hidden humanity

These expressions of rage, pride and sadness come from the heartfelt portraits of apes in captivity.

The photographs capture the faces of man's closest relatives as zoo exhibits, in a series called ‘Planet of the Apes (and monkeys)'.

From a raging male silverback gorilla, to a relaxed orangutan and an inquisitive chimpanzee, the series reveals the hidden humanity in these noble creatures.



Raging male: A silverback gorilla in a zoo in America's midwest expresses his anger in captivity



Through a glass window: A gorilla is watched through glass by a young boy in a zoo in America's midwest



Photographed over the past 18 months in zoo's across America's midwest, they are the work of 29-year-old photographer Steven Miljavac.

Inspired to rail against the cruelty of some zoo visitors who knock on the glass of the animals enclosures and take the animals existence for granted, Steven, of Omaha, wanted to re-balance man's attitudes to our genetic cousins.



Family ties: A silverleaf monkey and its mother in one of America's zoos is captured by photographer Steven Miljavac



Man's closest relatives: This sad chimp is one of the portraits from the Planet of the Apes (and monkeys) exhibition



source: dailymail

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Halloween time, Zoo staff are feeding the animals pumpkin in addition to their regular daily diet

ROME, ITALY - OCTOBER 30: A lemur eats pumpkin at the Rome Bioparco during lunch time on October 30, 2011 in Rome, Italy. As it is Halloween time, Zoo staff are feeding the animals pumpkin in addition to their regular daily diet to increase the number of visitors to the bioparco for the occasion.



ROME, ITALY - OCTOBER 30: A lemur eats pumpkin at the Rome Bioparco during lunch time on October 30, 2011 in Rome, Italy. As it is Halloween time, Zoo staff are feeding the animals pumpkin in addition to their regular daily diet to increase the number of visitors to the bioparco for the occasion.



ROME, ITALY - OCTOBER 30: A lemur eats pumpkin at the Rome Bioparco during lunch time on October 30, 2011 in Rome, Italy. As it is Halloween time, Zoo staff are feeding the animals pumpkin in addition to their regular daily diet to increase the number of visitors to the bioparco for the occasion.



ROME, ITALY - OCTOBER 30: A chimpanzee begs for food during lunch time at the Rome Bioparco on October 30, 2011 in Rome, Italy. As it is Halloween time, Zoo staff are feeding the animals pumpkin in addition to their regular daily diet to increase the number of visitors to the bioparco for the occasion.



ROME, ITALY - OCTOBER 30: A chimpanzee eats pumpkin at the Rome Bioparco during lunch time on October 30, 2011 in Rome, Italy. As it is Halloween time, Zoo staff are feeding the animals pumpkin in addition to their regular daily diet to increase the number of visitors to the bioparco for the occasion.



source: daylife

photo: Gettyimages

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A new home at last for the blind Great Dane and her devoted guide dog

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER



Happy ending: Len Williams and his wife Anne with blind Lily and her guide dog Maddison. The couple have taken in the two dogs after reading about them in the Daily Mail

Lily, six, was barely a puppy when she was struck down by a condition that caused her eyelashes to grow into her eyeballs, damaging them beyond repair.

It’s the happy ending that Lily the blind great dane and her trusty friend turned guide dog Maddison deserve.

When the Daily Mail featured the heart-warming tale of the two great danes, who were looking for a new home, more than 2,000 dog lovers responded by offering to take them.



Now Lily and Maddison are moving from the Dogs Trust centre in Shrewsbury to live with the Williams family 35 miles away in Crewe, Cheshire.

Thankfully her friend Maddison, seven, became her new eyes and led her everywhere. The two have become inseparable and Lily follows Maddison, almost touching her as they walk so she knows where to go.

But in July their owner could no longer cope with them and they were sent to the re-homing centre.



Forever friends: Lily, left, being guided while walking with Maddison right. The pair have been inseparable since Lily lost her sight



Anne Williams, 52, and her husband Len, 53, a retired fireman, fell in love with the dogs when they read about them in the Mail and their offer was accepted by the trust.

Mrs Williams, a business manager for an insurance company, said: ‘We've always had two dogs together, I like them to have company and so taking on two of them wasn't a daunting prospect.

'My daughter moved out five months ago, taking her two English setters with her, so the house has felt a little quiet without them.



Playful: Lily's lack of sight has heightened her other senses so she can often tell if Maddison is nearby without the pair touching



‘We live in the countryside and I miss having a reason to go for a walk - I can't wait to take the dogs out with us. We've also got a lovely big garden so it's the perfect setting for two huge dogs.’

The couple plan to take the great danes on holidays to France and the Lake District and ensure they both enjoy life with their new family.

Louise Campbell, manager of the Dogs Trust in Shrewsbury, said: ‘This is the happy ending we were all hoping for and everyone is delighted for Lily and Maddison.

‘The Williams family were the perfect match and we know they'll give the dogs all the love and fuss they so deserve.’



source: dailymail

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Hop to it: Rabbit showjumping enjoys rise in popularity as a spectator sport

By GARETH FINIGHAN



Jump to it: A competitor leads her rabbit across the course as spectators look on



Great steeplechase events - in which the sharp intelligence of man and the raw power of beast unite in a sublime spectacle of nerve, aggression and high-speed - have dotted the sporting calendar for centuries.

The Grand National springs to mind as the annual highlight of the 'sport of kings' in which thoroughbred steeds and their brave jockeys triumph - or fail - over gruelling courses and high-fenced adversity.

And now steeplechase enthusiasts can add another event to the annuals of great sporting occasions.



Run rabbit, run: The rabbits faced a number of different-sized hurdles along the route



For organisers in Switzerland have held the first ever European Kanin Hop Championships - in which dozens of rabbits compete to be first across the finish line.

The showjumping bunnies, representing a number of countries across Europe, hopped their way around a course consisting of several small jumps in the town of Wollerau, just south of Zurich. More than 50 rabbits took part in the event, which attracted hundreds of spectators.



Winner's enclosure: Lada Sipova-Krecova of the Czech Republic pets her rabbit after winning the competition



In recent years the sport has spread far from its Scandinavian homeland and clubs have now sprung up in several other European countries, the U.S., Canada and even Japan. The Swedish Federation of Rabbit Jumping was established in 1995.

The current rabbit jumping record holders are both Danish. Yabo holds the Long Jump record with a leap of 10ft, while a rabbit by the name of Tosen completed a High Jump of 3.3ft in 1997.







source: dailymail

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Tiny seal pup is nursed back to health after rescuers find it abandoned and shivering in aftermath of huge storm

By MARY MCCONNELL



Orphaned: Barnacle the seal pup was found clinging to rocks after being injured during last week's storms



A cute grey seal found clinging to rocks after being orphaned during last week's gales and torrential rain is being nursed back to health.

The tiny all-white seal was found cowering and shivering after storms battered its breeding grounds, separating it from its mother on the Channel Island of Jersey.

Too young to fend for itself, the week old pup - nicknamed Barnacle - was taken in before being flown to an RSPCA animal centre, where it was yesterday being nursed back to full health.



Shivering: The seal was found clinging to rocks in the Channel Islands



Rescue: The seal was taken from Jersey to an animal rescue centre in Taunton, Somerset



The West Hatch Animal Centre in Taunton, Somerset, takes rescued animals from all around the UK and has specialist facilities for seals.



On the road to recovery: The seal is being looked after at The West Hatch Animal Centre in Taunton, Somerset



Vet David Cooper said: 'It's likely the animal was separated from its mother due to heavy storms. 'Barnie was bought in with a cuts and abrasions, including one to its chin, but is looking as though he will make a full recovery.

'Pups can be separated from their mothers during periods of heavy winds and waves, which is what we think happened to Barney. "He will have been too weak to fend for himself.'



Animal hospital: Staff at the rescue centre in Taunton have named the seal Barnacle



Shut-eye: Barnacle the seal pup has a rest at The West Hatch RSPCA centre in Somerset



The pup, which still has its fine pure white coat, will spend up to three months at the centre before being released off the north coast of Devon when fully fit. Barnie is currently being fed a fish soup of Herring, which is fed intravenously, and will move onto sword fish within a matter of weeks. Grey seal pupping season runs from September to November. Pups do not start learning how to fish for themselves until they are at least four weeks old.



source: dailymail

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Easy tiger! Moment huge beast tried to play pat-a-cake with a toddler (but don't worry, they're separated by glass)

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER



Tender moment: Rather than banging against the glass, the tiger gently put its paw up to the little girl's hand



These breathtaking photographs capture the remarkable moments when a tiger bowed its head and placed a paw up to the hand of a small girl.

Photographer Dyrk Daniels noticed the 370lb Golden Bengal Tiger had taken an interest in the child, who was leaning against his glass enclosure.

As the tiger, called Taj, headed over to her, Mr Daniels got his camera ready, expecting him to snarl and bang against the glass.

But amazingly the tiger hung his head, stretched a paw out to her hand and rubbed his cheek against where the girl's face was.

Father-of-two Dyrk Daniels, 47, from Washington, America, went to Cougar Mountain Zoo to photograph the Bengal tigers.



Gentle giant: As the tiger headed over to the glass partition towards the little girl, photographer Dyrk Daniels thought the big cat would snarl and frighten her



When he got to the enclosure there were several children and families in the area, so he decided to let them see the tigers first before he tried to photograph them himself.

‘That is when I noticed this little girl was leaning against the glass with both hands out stretched staring at the ‘big kitties’,’ he said.



Bonding: The tiger put its face right down so the little girl could look it straight in the eye



‘I noticed that Taj had taken an interest in the girl and was heading towards her.

‘I thought for certain that the little girl would need therapy after the encounter and fear cats for the rest of her life.

‘I could not believe my eyes when Taj approached the girl, bowed his head and then placed his huge right paw exactly in front of where the little girl's left hand was.

‘It was incredible to watch. Taj let down his right paw, rubbed his cheek against the glass where the little girl's face was and moved off.’

Far from being scared, the little girl was so excited that she started clapping as she walked back afterwards towards her mother.

‘I have never seen such tenderness from such a large predator,’ Mr Daniels said.



source: dailymail

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Squirrel Nutkin? No I'm Squirrel Pumpkin: The grey critter getting into the Halloween spirit

By MAIL ON SUNDAY REPORTER



What's this? The squirrel admires the pumpkin hanging in mid-air from a string before sticking his head inside to see if it's a trick or treat



Meet the grey squirrel who’s going nuts about Halloween...

It is fascinated by Vicky Freeman’s hollowed-out pumpkin, trying to work out whether it’s a treat to get its teeth into or a mere trick suspended by a piece of string.

For minutes on end, it jumps inside the pumpkin, then out again.



Hanging on: The squirrel uses his paws to suspend himself from the inside of the cut out pumpkin



‘Since I put the pumpkin out, the squirrel’s been visiting my garden every day,’ said Mrs Freeman, 53, of Fareham, Hampshire.

'I always hang up a pumpkin in the garden for my grandchildren at Halloween but I didn't expect such an inquisitive squirrel to try it on.'

While this squirrel has developed a taste for pumpkin, previously two squirrels in Fareham took a shine to coconuts places in a resident's garden.

Jane Roberts put the coconuts out for the squirrels, who much like the creature above loved stick their heads into them to get at the tasty treat inside.



source: dailymail

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Tusks at dusk: Stunning silhouette pictures of African wildlife caught at sunrise and sunset

By MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE



Calf light: Silhouette picture of mother and baby elephants walking on the banks of the Chobe river in Botswana taken by wildlife photographer Mario Moreno



Stunning pictures of African animals from dawn until dusk have been captured in an incredible eight year photo-quest.

From elephants frolicking in water at the Kruger National Park to hippos at play in Tanzania, these pictures show the golden moments in the lives of these magnificent creatures.

Like real life shadow puppets, these pictures reveal the mightiest beasts of the dark continent just as the sun goes up and at the moment it sets for the day.



Yawn free: A hippo playing in the water at sunset is captured by silhouette-obsessed photographer Mario Moereno at the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania



Silhouette-obsessed photographer, Mario Moreno, 46, from Johannesburg, South Africa, has clocked up 25,000 miles on his Wrangler Rubicon 4 jeep, driving across some of the most challenging terrain on the planet to capture these amazing pictures.

'My mission as far as photography goes is to focus in wildlife, landscape and travel photography and I am in the process of doing so,' said Mario.

'I am addicted to shooting into the light in the golden moments of the day.

'By silhouetting you draw the attention to the subject in a very unique way as it all appears black so composition and timing is crucial,' he said.



Dark continent residents: Portrait of a female kudu with her calf on the banks of the Chobe river at sunset in Chobe National Park, Botswana.



'There are no textures, no colours and no expressions and this is what I like. I'm telling a story with a simple silhouette.'

Mario traveled to Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana and his across his native South Africa.

He used a selection of tripods and monopods, which he lined up to his animal subjects at just the right time of day to capture his incredible shadow shots.

'My favourite silhouette is the vulture at sunrise with the sun rising amongst light clouds,' said Mario.



Black bird: Mario Moreno's picture of a cape vulture at sunrise in the Satara area in Kruger National Park, South Africa.



'It was a very special moment and I had to wait for a long time hoping that this bird wouldn't fly away when the time was right.

'Some of the animals, like predators are preparing for the hunt if it's in the evening, others are just carrying on with there lives,' he said.

'I am normally shooting in the bush in very remote areas which is always challenging.

'Sometimes you need to get close and this can become dangerous when shooting wildlife but if the image is worth it I will do it.

'But in general the atmosphere is absolutely stunning,' said Mario.

'This special golden time is when Africa truly becomes Africa.'



Night swimming: An elephant in the Chobe river at sunset in Botswana from photographer Mario Moreno's eight-year photo-quest



Caught in the mane light: Two lions photographed in silhouette walking in the rising sun at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa.



source: dailymail

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Bitten by fashion: Traditional dog breeds hit by celebrity fads, led by Paris Hilton

By DAVID WILKES



Canine companion: Paris Hilton holds onto her pet Pug Mugsy - she was one of the first to display the celebrity fad of 'handbag dogs'



They are more likely to be seen poking their noses out of designer handbags than enjoying an old-fashioned muddy walk.

But the ‘handbag dogs’ made popular by Hollywood stars have helped put dozens of traditional British breeds on an at-risk list.

The otterhound, Skye terrier and field spaniel are among the most endangered types, according to the Kennel Club, which has seen only a handful of puppies of these breeds registered so far this year.



Geri Halliwell, left, and Lindsay Lohan, right, have been trend-setters in owning dogs that can be 'carried around'



Since celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Geri Halliwell rekindled the craze for miniature canine companions that can be carried around, it seems other dog owners have been persuaded to follow suit, with pugs and cavalier King Charles spaniels among the smaller breeds gaining in popularity.

However, the rise of the handbag dog has failed to end the reign of the nation’s most popular breed. Some 31,791 labrador puppies have been registered with the Kennel Club in the first three-quarters of this year.

This compares to just 21 otterhound puppies, 30 Skye terriers and 33 field spaniels. Only 39 Sealyham terriers were registered, prompting Country Life magazine to launch a campaign asking readers to save the breed.



Experts believe it is possible for endangered breeds to see a change in fortune. The popularity of Cardigan corgis has increased by 207 per cent this year, with 89 registered.



Caroline Kisko of the Kennel Club said: ‘Celebrity dog choice and the subsequent profile that a breed gets is a big factor driving the upsurge of popularity in certain breeds.

‘So-called handbag dogs, popularised by celebrities such as Paris Hilton, have seen a big increase in recent years. It is a shame to see that this tendency for following fashion and going for the obvious choice mean that many of our native breeds are failing to get a look in. People have lost all knowledge about the huge variety of breeds out there.’







source: dailymail

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From Lady Gaga to a hot dog: Never mind what you are wearing for Halloween, this is how you should dress your pooch

By LAUREN PAXMAN



Fashionistas: Two of the dogs at New York's Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade came dressed as Lady Gaga and Karl Lagerfeld. These are common scenes in the U.S. around Halloween but it this the year the craze will hit the UK?



Halloween in the UK becomes more Americanised every year, so will 2011 be the year we finally start to dress up our dogs?

In the U.S. dressing up your pooch - often in a topical costume - is as much a part of the October 31 ritual as trick or treating. But the trend has yet to properly catch on over here.

However, with chihuahua costumes for sale online for as little as £3.88, perhaps this is the year that the tide will turn.



By royal appointment: Princess Beatrice's Royal Wedding hat makes a great Halloween costume for dogs and humans alike



At last weekend's Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, more than 500 pooches were dressed up by their owners in New York.

They came dressed as everything from Lady Gaga and Karl Lagerfeld to Harrier Jets and Wizard of Oz characters.

If you are not up to making your pooch their own Princess Beatrice costume, though, here are some of our favourite ready-made outfits to make sure you get more treats than tricks this Halloween.



Oooh arghhh: Make your dogs the scariest in town with this bat dog costume, £8 on eBay, and Smiffy's pirate dog costume, a bargain at only £3.88



Hot dog: This costume costs £15 at canineconcepts.co.uk, and it comes in two flavors (ketchup and mustard) so suits any dog's preferences



Predator: These shark and T-Rex costumes will immediately make your dog look more macho. They are available from many websites including amazon.co.uk where they cost £17.50



Stick 'em up: Some of the funniest costumes are the ones that a dog only wears on its front paw like these Cowdog (£18.50) and Yoda (£19.50) costumes



source: dailymail

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Anyone see a seal? The spectacular moment killer whales emerged through hole in Arctic ice for a breather

By KERRY MCQUEENEY



Coming up for air: This stunning image shows a pod of fish-eating KIller whales spyhopping among the breaking sea ice in Antarctica



It has already captivated millions, taking viewers on a spectacular polar expedition to the frozen wildernesses of the Arctic and the Antarctic.

And now the makers of the landmark BBC series Frozen Planet, bringing the natural world of the North and South Poles to the small screen, has given a tantalising glimpse of things to come with these stunning images from future episodes.

These incredible stills from the series reveal the frozen world as you have never seen it before - and may never see again, thanks to the onset of global warming.



Cracked surface: The largest ice cap in the Eurasian Arctic - Austfonna in Svalbard - is 150 miles long with a thousand waterfalls in the summer



Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the series explores the effects of slimate change on the polar regions - and the lengths scientists are going to understand it.

The next episode in the seven-part series is to be screened on BBC 1 next Wednesday, November 2, at 9pm.

Scroll down to see more images from Frozen Planet.



Not alone: Cameraman Mark Smith (left) with just the penguins for company while a this polar bear looks ready for action as she prepares to launch herself from the ice



Bear hug: A mother nurses her two cubs, caught on camera in a stunning aerial shot. Her milk reserves are running low as she has not eaten for five months whilst in the den



Awesome spectacle: Bones break and tonnes of blubber slam into each other as two male elephant seals fight amidst a beach of king penguins



Hitching a ride: Adélie penguins on an iceberg surrounded by masses of floating ice, in western Antarctica (left), while the sky over the Arctic peninsula turns a deep shade of pink as the sun sets on another day



On reflection: A stunning scene shows penguins standing at the shore against a dramatic mountainous landscape, their images mirrored in the water



Lone wolf: A rare Arctic species on Ellesmere Island in Canada. These wolves are extremely remote and unused to humans (left), while an elephant sea flicks wet sand on to its back (right) to keep cool as king penguins on the shore in South Georgia look on



Close encounter: Filming killer whales from a boat in the Antarctic Peninsula. Some orcas are mammal hunters - they kill seals by working as a team to generate large waves that wash them off ice floes



Intrepid: Frozen Planet presenter Sir David Attenborough at the North Pole (left) while two bears test their strength during the autumn in Hudson Bay, Canada (right)



Lonely landscape: The first sunrise of the year in the High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard is on February 15 or 16, after being beneath the horizon for several months



Breaking free: A frozen Arctic river flows after six months locked in ice. The immense release of freshwater from the Arctic's waterways into the Arctic Ocean triggers the annual sea ice melt and fuels the mass migration of fish, birds and whales



Showing them the way: A polar bear leads her cubs across the desolate landscape, perhaps in search of food



I spy: A group of penguins appear to be startled by the sudden emergence of an orca spyhopping through the broken ice



A nest built for two: A male Adélie penguin puts the stones in place and prepares for some female company (left) while the fur flies between these two bull seals as they battle it out for mating rights on the beach



Leap of faith: Cubs jumping into the water as the pack ice breaks up in the summer. Polar bears are actually marine mammals and are completely at home in the water as adults



Solitary swimmer: A polar bear gliding through the water in front of the Austfonna ice cap in Svalbard. Polar bears can swim for 60 miles in a day



Deep freeze: The melting ice forms elegant ice sculptures which float across a glacial fjord in Svalbard



Not too close: A crew film a polar bear from a boat in pack ice. Frozen Planet is the first series to adapt a stabilised aerial camera and mount it to the front of boats, enabling filmmakers to get close to polar bears in their melting summer ice world



Gliding over the waves: A black-browed albatross off the coast of South Georgia (left) while a grey wolf pup (right) sticks close to mum on Ellesmere Island, Canada



Caught in the act: Adélie penguins - a species common along the Antarctic coast - collect stones for their nests. Thieves try to steal them, but this one has been rumbled



Outnumbered: Cameraman Mark Smith is surrounded by penguins as he films in harsh weather conditions. Frequent snow storms and winds of up to 150mph kept film crews on their toes throughout their four months working alone at Cape Crozier, Antarctica



source: dailymail

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