Pygmy elephant calf desperately tries to wake up dead mother who was one of ten animals found poisoned

By KERRY MCDERMOTT

'Great loss': A three-month-old elephant calf attempts to wake its mother; one of ten pygmy elephants found dead in Malaysia's Sabah state

A baby pygmy elephant tries in vain to rouse its mother, one of ten of the endangered creatures found dead in a Malaysian forest.
Experts believe the rare, baby-faced animals, whose bodies were found in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in Sabah state, Borneo, had been poisoned.
Wildlife officials rescued this three-month-old elephant calf, which was found glued to its dead mother's side in the jungle.

Attached: The baby elephant sticks close to the body of its mother, while a wildlife department official gives it a drink

The seven female and three male elephants, which were all from the same family group, have been found over the past three weeks.
Sabah's environmental minister Masidi Manjun said the cause of death appeared to be poisoning, but it was not yet clear whether the animals had been deliberately killed.
There are believed to be fewer than 1,500 Borneo pygmy elephants in existence.
While some have been killed for their tusks in the area in recent years, there was no evidence to suggest the elephants had been poached.

Suspicious: Conservation officials believe the elephants, discovered in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve, had been poisoned

The elephants found dead this month were believed to be from the same family group and ranged in age from 4 to 20 years, said Sen Nathan, the wildlife department's senior veterinarian.
Post-mortem examinations showed that they had suffered severe haemorrhages and ulcers in their gastrointestinal tracts. None had gunshot injuries.
'We highly suspect that it might be some form of acute poisoning from something that they had eaten, but we are still waiting for the laboratory results,' Mr Nathan said.

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Hilarious video of hamsters enjoying themselves by flying around their wheel leaves millions of viewers in a spin

By RUTH WHITEHEAD

On the edge: the two hamsters are flung to the edge of their flying saucer wheel after their run gets up speed

When these hamsters decided it was time to play they got more than they bargained for. Almost 2 million people have watched video footage of two tiny Roborovski hamsters being flung at top speed to the edge of their 'flying saucer' wheel after their run gathered pace.
The footage taken in a pet shop shows how the two tiny creatures become a furry demonstrators of centrifugal forces - the apparent outward force that draws a rotating item away from the centre of rotation.

Running mate: one hamster is almost hurled out of the flying saucer

One hamster jumps into their flying saucer and starts running. Then another hops in and joins in the exercise and both are flung to the edge of the wheel.
But after a few seconds first one, then the other, get upright again and continue running. Then one is flung to the edge again while its mate keeps running, until both are again hurled to the edge of the wheel.
After they manage to start running again the wheel slows right down and even spins in the other direction, at which point one nonchalantly hops out and heads for their food bowl.

Tiny tornado: the Roborovski hamster is the smallest and fastest breed of hamster

Roborovski hamsters are the smallest and fastest breed of hamster, and they are said to run on average the equivalent of four human marathons a night.
Their athletic feat has gone viral. The video on Youtube has been seen more than 1,700,000 times.
Amid hundreds of comments on the video, anxious hamster fans worried that the tiny creatures were stressed to find themselves propelled at such high speed.

What's all the fuss? Without a trace of feeling worse for wear, the hamster hops out of the flying saucer and munches on a snack

But another comment pointed out that the creatures must have been in control of the spinning disc because it slowed down instantly when they stop running.
Another wrote of the scene: 'I dub thee: Hamsterfuge!'



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A birdwatcher's dream: Amazing montage photograph captures array of birds visiting a feeder over 20-minutes

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Feeding time: A range of birds, including the blue tit, coal tit and chaffinch pictured visiting a feeder at Stover Park near Newton Abbot in Devon

It is a sight that will have birdwatchers licking their lips with glee.
But if enthusiasts find themselves thinking this scene of frenzied feeding is too good to be true, well, that's because it is.
The busy photograph is in fact a montage, compiling numerous visits by different birds to a feeder over a 20 minute period.

The photograph was released by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds as part of their Big Garden Birdwatch, now in its 34th year.

The impressive collection of birds was photographed at Stover Park near Newton Abbot in Devon.
The compilation reveals the animals in their various guises, with some perched on the multi-entrance feeder and others spreading their wings in flight as they go to-and-fro.
Included in the picture are the blue tit, coal tit, great tit, chaffinch, nuthatch and bullfinch.
The photograph was released by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds as part of their Big Garden Birdwatch, now in its 34th year.

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Injured dolphin trapped in New York canal dies after rescuers refused to help because water is ‘too polluted’ to go in

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

A dolphin is struggling to survive Friday night after swimming nearly two miles inland up New York City's Gowanus Canal, one the most polluted waterways in the U.S.

A wayward dolphin died Friday night as it swam deep into the heart of New York City's Gowanus Canal, one of the dirtiest waterways in the United States.
Potential rescuers said they couldn't help the mammal as the canal was too polluted for people to enter the water safely.
Marine experts had hoped high tide, beginning around 7.10 pm, would help the dolphin leave the canal. But the animal was confirmed dead shortly before then, said the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, which didn't know how it died.

The dolphin pokes his head out of murky water, struggling for air

Battling freezing temperatures and thick pollution, the seven-foot-long short-beaked common dolphin made its way almost two miles inland to the end of the waterway, struggling for air as onlookers and authorities lined the canal.
Yet Robert DiGiovanni, senior biologist at the Riverhead Foundation, said: 'Unfortunately, all we can do is watch and wait for the tide to rise, so the animal can get out on its own.
'It’s not safe for us to get people in the water,' DiGiovanni told the New York Daily News.

An injured dolphin, almost seven feet long and weighing about 200 pounds, was discovered in the Gowanus Canal today near Nevins and Union Street in Brooklyn, New York

Broadcast news reports showed it mired in thick black toxic sludge, and authorities said the animal was injured and bleeding from its dorsal fin.
Bundled-up onlookers took cell photos while a news helicopter hovered overhead.
'He keeps going up and down and going from side to side and people are saying we don’t know what’s taking so long to go in there and save him,' Brooklyn resident Cathy Ryan told the Daily News.

Witnesses say the dolphin has been repeatedly trying to shake off sludge from its body

A rescue team looks on as the dolphin pokes it head out of the Gowanus Canal, a narrow waterway that stretches 1.8 miles into Brooklyn from New York Harbor



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Yikes! Video captures squirrel's hilarious reaction as he realizes he's being stalked by a hungry leopard

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Just minding my own business: Footage shows the squirrel enjoying a treat one afternoon

A squirrel in the African wild was munching on a treat when he realized his was the object of a desire of A leopard on the prowl.
The tiny target flashed a look of fear and dropped his loot to make a run for it.
The confrontation was caught on video and the squirrel's 'Yikes!' moment is entertaining audiences the world over.

Forget this: The squirrel decides to drop his treat and scram

The incident occurred in the Kalahari desert in the southwest corner of Africa and was included in the first episode of a BBC One program on the African wildlife that aired in the UK on January 2.
Broadcaster David Attenborough narrated the episode and added a dramatic description to the chilling scene.

Predator: The leopard had its eye on the tiny prey but the squirrel made his escape

'Water is in short supply, yet these deserts are somehow full of life because the creatures that live here have turned the rules of survival on their head. This film celebrates nature's ingenuity, no matter how tough it gets,' according to a description of the program.
It appeared that the squirrel's quick response secured his escape and the leopard was forced to find his dinner elsewhere.

Outta here: The squirrel made a run for it



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Gorillas in the moths: Ape surrounded by cloud of butterflies after unwittingly disturbing hundreds of the tiny creatures

By ANNA EDWARDS

Malui is surrounded by a cloud of butterflies she has disturbed at Bai Hokou in Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Republic

This fiesty female gorilla got in a bit of a flap when she stumbled across this cloud of butterflies.
Giant western lowland gorilla Malui was roaming through Central African Republic's dense Dzanga-Sangha forest when she encountered the fluttering friends.
Malui, who is estimated to be around 25 years old, first sniffed at the swarm, before charging through the middle and covering her head in disbelief.

What are these winged things? The gorilla is swarmed by the delicate creatures, but seems reluctant to take a closer look at them

Malui lives in the Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, which was established in 1990 and covers 6865.54 km.
It is home to indigenous Baka pygmy tribes and many unique African animal and plant species - including these butterflies and their bemused goorilla neighbours.
But she needn't have feared the winged creatures - who were undoubtedly more panicked by her than she was of them.
Adult female gorillas usually weigh between 150 to 250lb and their upper body strength is six times more powerful than that of an adult human.

The gorilla, which is on the endangered list, stumbled across the swarm in a special reserve

Western lowland gorillas, found only in central Africa, are now classified as Critically Endangered with their populations being decimated by habitat loss, disease and hunting, according to London Zoo.
The primates usually live together in family groups that are led by an alpha male commonly known as a ‘silverback’ because of a large strip of silver coloured hair that covers his back.
But the delicate butterflies need not have feared Malui snapping them up as a snack - the gorillas typically have a diet rich in fruit and also leaves, shoots, stalks, stems, vines and bark.

Leave me alone! After first sniffing at the swarm, she charged through the middle to try and escape them

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Who are you calling two-face? Puffy the cat finally finds a new home (but she doesn't look that happy about it!)

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Purfect Puffy: The line splitting ginger's face runs vertical, giving her one ginger half and one black half

It is easy to see why Puffy's owner couldn’t help herself when walking past the abandoned cat in the street – who could forget a face like this?
The three-year-old orphan cat has an unusual colouring which sees her face perfectly split in two halves - one black and one ginger.
Puffy was found on the street and adopted by her owner who fell in love with her unique look.

Double-act: Three-year-old Puffy from Serbia caught the attention of a photographer thanks to her unusual colouring, splitting her face in two

Although she is akin to Batman baddie Harvey Dent a.k.a.Two-face, in looks, she does not mind some loving attention - although she can quickly turn the other cheek when someone ruffles her fur.
And the fluffy cat isn't shy about showing off her unusual feature as she stares right into the camera during a photoshoot with animal snapper Zoran Milutinovic.
Zoran, a photographer from Serbia, said he was delighted to see something this rare.
The 31-year-old said: ‘When I arrived, she was hiding from me, and the owner tried to call her but she was behind the furniture.'

Fiery lady: Puffy shows off her 'ginger side' in front of the camera in her home in Serbia

‘She was curious, but too shy to stand in front of me. I managed to take the photographs when she sat on her favourite chair on the terrace.
‘This is the first cat or animal that I've seen like this in the flesh.’
He added: ‘She's the shyest cat I've ever seen.
‘Puffy is an indoor cat and she never goes outside - that's why she is very scared when she meets new people.
‘So it was very hard for me to take a photo - she only likes to be photographed by her owner.’

Balkan beauty: Although she has the face of a comic-book villain, Puffy did not mind some loving attention

Guilty pleasure: The cat looks like she has been caught in the act

Fluffy Puffy: Puffy the cat gives one of her admirers an affronted look

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Dramatic footage shows what it is like to be eaten by a TIGER as big cats are caught on camera playing in the snow

By LARISA BROWN

A tiger at Longleat Safari Park is captured ferociously attacking a snowman, causing it to split in half and fall to the ground

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be eaten by a tiger, then think no further.
Footage captured at a safari park in south west England shows the moment a big cat pounces on its prey - from the victim's perspective.
But have no fear, the victim is a remote video camera hidden in the snow at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire.

Different perspective: As the tiger pounces, a camera hidden inside the snowman captures the underneath of its fascinating body

The hungry beast took such a liking to the camera that it started to eat it.
The small device carried on recording as Siberian tiger Soundari put it in her jaws, and captured incredibly close-up shots of the inside of the creature's gaping mouth.
Her razor-sharp teeth were so clear that when keepers at the park watched the footage back they were able to do a dental check on Soundari.
The footage also recorded her extremely rough tongue - designed to strip feathers, fur and meat from prey in the wild - as well as her black, cavernous throat.

The female tiger gets up close to the camera and peers in through the snow as it ponders whether to devour the device

Unsurprisingly, seven-year-old Soundari didn't like the taste of the two inch wide GoPro camera and spat it out.
Staff at Longleat had earlier entered the enclosure when the four resident Siberian tigers were locked in, to build two snowmen in the snow for them to play with.
They embedded one video camera in the shoulder of one 6ft snowman and a second in the snow on the ground.

Frightening: The mouth of the big cat, including its whiskers and white fur can be seen in the footage

The keepers also shot some more footage from the safety of their 4x4 parked nearby.
The pictures show the inquisitive tigers at first sniffing around the snowmen before they playfully demolish them.
They also capture two of the creatures on their hind legs play-fighting.

The tiger decides to make a move on its victim and opens its mouth, revealing its cavernous throat and extremely rough tongue

'It was also very useful as it gave us the opportunity to do a quick health check on Soundari's mouth, gums and teeth.'
Soundari is one of four Amur Siberian tigers that are kept at Longleat. The other three are Svelti and Shouri and Turlock, a male.
They were all born in captivity and are aged about seven years old.

Fascinating: As the tiger attacks the camera it remains working and films more of the inside of its mouth. The footage was so close-up it enabled its keepers to do a health check on its gums and teeth

The tigers are filmed after the camera was placed by the keepers at the safari park and before they launch their attack



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So how DO you get a cardigan on a pony? Sow-JUMPERS combine Shetlands' favourite exports

By VICTORIA ALLEN

Shetland ponies and Fair Isle knitwear are beloved across the world, so why not combine the two? These two cosy-looking mares have been dressed in button-down Fair Isle jumpers to promote the Year of Natural Scotland

They are the two things Shetland is most famous for – so it’s perhaps surprising no one had the idea before.
Shetland ponies and Fair Isle knitwear are beloved across the world, so why not combine the two?
The result is two cosy-looking mares dressed in button-down Fair Isle jumpers to promote the Year of Natural Scotland.

The ponies, named Fivla of Finnister and Millhouse Vitamin, were bang on trend, following Victoria Beckham and Rihanna who have also stepped out in Fair Isle designs

The ponies, named Fivla of Finnister and Millhouse Vitamin, were bang on trend, following Victoria Beckham and Rihanna who have also stepped out in Fair Isle designs.
However, sadly the ponies got their jumpers rather a lot more muddy and had to take them off for washing.
Jo Tonkinson, co-owner of Thordale Shetland Driving Centre, which provided the ponies, said: ‘It was quite simple – we sent the ponies’ measurements to the knitter, who sent back two jumpers.

The jumpers were made by Shetland designer Doreen Brown ¿ a little longer in length and shorter in the arm than she is used to. They are hand-knitted using wool from native Shetland sheep

‘We just had to put their two front legs in and they buttoned under the stomach.
‘It was perhaps an odd request, to get the ponies in Fair Isle, and a bit silly, but they were perfectly happy. Hopefully these pictures will make people smile.’
The jumpers were made by Shetland designer Doreen Brown – a little longer in length and shorter in the arm than she is used to. They are hand-knitted using wool from native Shetland sheep.
Fivla and Millhouse are used to wearing harnesses so were completely comfortable in their new clothes.

Fivla and Millhouse are used to wearing harnesses so were completely comfortable in their new clothes

Ponies from Thordale have previously starred in Norwegian drama series Himmelbla and in a travel series with comedian Paul Merton.
The photo shoot was dreamed up by tourist board Visit Scotland to launch 2013 as the Year of Natural Scotland.
Events taking place this year include Up Helly Aa on Shetland, which is Europe’ s largest Viking fire festival.

That will be followed by illuminated woodland trails for next month’s Snowdrops by Starlight at Cambo Estate in Fife and family treasure hunts on horseback during the Wild Spring Festival in Dumfries and Galloway this March and April.
The Spirit of Speyside whisky festival comes in May, followed by the 173rd Royal Highland Show in June.
Bear Grylls is hosting his first Survival Academy in the Scottish Highlands this year, the Cairngorms national park turns ten years old and visitors can stargaze at the UK’s first Dark Sky Park in Dumfries and Galloway.

source: dailymail

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Did Google Street View car run over a donkey? Camera car appears to hit animal on dirt road in Botswana

By ANTHONY BOND

Alive: A picture has emerged on Twitter which was taken by a Google Street View car showing a donkey - which looks dead - lying beside a road in Botswana. This image shows the donkey initially standing.

They are known for traveling the world and documenting our surroundings in extreme detail.
But, as these pictures show, it seems as though Google may have photographed itself being involved in a rather unfortunate accident.
A picture has emerged on Twitter which was taken by a Google Street View car showing a donkey - which looks dead - lying beside a road in Botswana.

Wounded: But shortly afterwards the donkey is pictured by the Street View car lying in the road. The dust billowing from it indicates the animal could have just been hit

And the pictures seem to suggest that the donkey was knocked over by the very same Google Street view camera car which photographed the injured beast.
A puff of dust pictured billowing from the donkey indicates the animal may have just fallen as the image was taken.
When Google users scroll past the injured donkey they can see it standing uninjured by the road side.
This has led to accusations that Google ran over the donkey and the picture of it lying injured by the roadside was taken by the rear-facing camera.

Accused: There have been accusations that Google ran over the donkey and the picture of it lying injured by the roadside was taken by the rear-facing camera

Google has claimed its car approached the donkey, which was already lying down. The internet giant claims it then gets up again and continues walking uninjured.
However, according to images seen by Couriermail.com.au, this version of events suggests that the donkey is walking backwards.
A Google Street View spokesman denied that the donkey was injured by one of its cars.

Firm: Google has denied that one of its Street View cars hit the donkey

'Our Street View teams take the safety of people and donkeys very seriously,' the spokesperson said. 'A review of our imagery confirms that we did not cause any harm to the donkey.'
However, people who saw the picture on Twitter had a different view.
User @handelaar101 wrote: 'Google Street View is in Botswana now - and apparently Google kill donkeys there too..keep an eye out for the donkey.'

source: dailymail

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Pictured: Sickening moment tiger is beaten around the head with a stick to pose for photographs with Chinese families

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Cruel: A docile tiger is smacked around the head as tourists, one of them nonchalantly smoking a cigarette, pose for pictures with the animal

Shocking video emerged today showing a dazed and confused tiger being smacked in the head with sticks while being forced to pose for photographs with tourists.
The tiger, which appears to have been drugged, is seen slumped on a table as excited parents and children queue up to sit next to the endangered animal.
To ensure it keeps facing the camera, two men armed with white sticks bash it in the face and neck.

Bashed: The tiger, which appears to have been drugged, is seen slumped on a table as excited parents and children queue up to sit next to the endangered animal

Cruel: A docile tiger is smacked around the head as tourists, one of them nonchalantly smoking a cigarette, pose for pictures with the animal

It is not clear where or when the video was taken or who is organising the photographs, which are very likely to have been laid on for financial gain.
But in a posting on liveleak.com, where the footage was uploaded, it claims to have taken place in the popular beach resort of Beidaihe in the Chinese city of Qinhuangdao, possibly at a zoo.
One commenter said: 'I was seriously hoping this video would end with one of those two guys mauled.'
Emergence of the video comes just days after terrified lions were pelted with snowballs by by laughing visitors, including children, at Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang Province, eastern China.

Spectator sport: Parents and two young children sit next to the tiger for their picture in front of a wildlife background



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Forget dogs learning new tricks! The cat who can play the shell game and guesses right EVERY TIME

Going for the win: Kido correctly guesses which metal cap contains the bell each time

A cat named Kido has a talent beyond just sleeping as his owners discovered that he is a whiz at the shell game.
The Brooklyn-based cat has a knack for keeping his eyes on the prize when it comes to following the path of a bell when it is placed under metal thimbles.
In a video posted to YouTube, the cat lazily watches as its owner moves three- and later, four- small metal caps around in quick succession to distract the cat and lose its focus from the one with a bell underneath.

Cat-like speed: The trick would be too tough for many humans, but not for this feline

In spite of the speed, Kido successfully picks the right cap each of the three times it is tested.
Though it appears to be living the life right now, Kido had a much rougher life early on.
According to the Facebook page that it's owners set up, Kido was abandoned twice 'by two different but equally awful families' in the cat's first six months.
'When I was about to be listed on a shelter's kill-list, my parents rescued me and now I live with them happily after,' the page reads.

Clear winner: Kido has gotten good at this game after being adopted by a loving family in Brooklyn

Now the cat leads a much happier life, reportedly spending about 18 hours a day sleeping and rotating between his favorite nap spots.
'I can be as good as a teddy bear, but can be as bad as a heartbreaker. I am an attention seeker. I am good at getting what I want as well as getting revenge, so I can often outsmart my parents,' the Facebook page alleges.



source: dailymail

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