The emperor penguin named 'Happy Feet'

In this Aug. 28, 2011 photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, emperor penguin "Happy Feet" is seen in his room at Wellington Zoo's hospital, New Zealand. The emperor penguin has been booked onto a research vessel scheduled to leave the country Aug. 29.







The penguin was found at Peka Peka beach on the Kapiti Coast in June with concerns for his health. Wellington Zoo intervened and nursed the penguin back to good health. He will be released into the Southern Ocean,







WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 29: The emperor penguin named 'Happy Feet' sits in his container aboard NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa, at Burnham Wharf on August 29, 2011 in Wellington, New Zealand.







WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 29: Gareth Morgan, who helped fund the electronic tracking equipment for the emperor penguin 'Happy Feet', holds a giant farewell card containing messages from around the world, beside NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa, at Burnham Wharf on August 29, 2011 in Wellington, New Zealand.







The penguin was found at Peka Peka beach on the Kapiti Coast in June with concerns for his health. Wellington Zoo intervened and nursed the penguin back to good health. He will be released into the Southern Ocean







The penguin was found at Peka Peka beach on the Kapiti Coast in June with concerns for his health. Wellington Zoo intervened and nursed the penguin back to good health. He will be released into the Southern Ocean







WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 29: The emperor penguin named 'Happy Feet' is transported to NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa, at Burnham Wharf on August 29, 2011 in Wellington, New Zealand.







WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 29: The emperor penguin named 'Happy Feet' stands in his container aboard NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa, at Burnham Wharf on August 29, 2011 in Wellington, New Zealand. The penguin was found at Peka Peka beach on the Kapiti Coast in June with concerns for his health. Wellington Zoo intervened and nursed the penguin back to good health. He will be released into the Southern Ocean, complete with GPS tracking device, from NIWA's research vessel four days into a month-long trip to the Campbell Islands, 700km south of New Zealand.





source: daylife

photo: Getty images

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Taking a stand: Britain's meanest moggy is in no mood for pussyfooting around in catfight

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER



I¿m no scaredy-cat: The fluffy white Persian stands tall to survey its territory



They say that dogs have masters, while cats have servants.



And with a piercing stare and imposing stance, this moggy is certainly capable of showing exactly who is the boss.



The white Persian may be fluffy, but it showed it was in no mood for pussyfooting around as it stood on two legs to see off another cat.



Photographer David McNie, 58, noticed the animal, reminiscent of the feline owned by James Bond villain Blofeld, staring at its rival.





Dead ringer: James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofel with his infamous feline in You Only Live Twice





He said the pet – two feet tall when standing like a human – looked as if it was going to walk across the street on two legs as it stood up with one paw held menacingly against a fence.



Its brown eyes never once broke their gaze from its opponent as the shocked snapper focused his lens.



The cat managed to hold its pose for several seconds, using the extra height to stare down its kitty competition, while Mr McNie captured the amusing image.



The professional photographer said the cat then jumped down and used all-fours to chase its rival across the street in Reddingmuirhead, Falkirk.



Mr McNie, from nearby Brightons, said: ‘I have had cats before and I have never seen anything like this.



‘I had popped over to my granddaughter’s house to take a photo of her on her first day at school.



'I had just finished when I saw this cat stood up straight like a person. It was surprisingly tall.



‘It looked like it could have let go of the fence and walked around like a person.



‘It looked very strange and I thought it was a funny sight so I took a picture. It’s not something you see every-day.’



source: dailymail

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Guy Hawks: Ospreys return to Wales for first time since the Gunpowder Plot

By EMILY HILL



Proud parents: Nora heads to the nest with a fish



With his wings outstretched and a satellite receiver on his back, Einion the osprey is unaware that he is making history –one of the first of the beautiful birds of prey to hatch in Wales for more than 400 years.



A trio of the majestic birds –named Einion, Leri and Dulas after local rivers – hatched three months ago in the Dyfi Valley, also home to their father Monty.



He has soared in the skies above the valley for two years but it was only this year that he managed to attract a mate, a female named Nora.





Spreading his wings: Einion's migration to Africa will be monitored via the transmitter on his back





After a rather hasty 16-day courtship, she laid her eggs in their nest on top of a 50ft telegraph pole.



Einion, Leri and Dulas are now fully fledged and will soon migrate 3,600 miles to spend the winter in Africa. The trip is fraught with danger for young ospreys, and only one in three lives to make the journey back to Britain.



To track their progress, the trio have been fitted with the tiny solar-powered transmitters.





Majestic: Monty rests on a branch





‘The osprey is Wales’s rarest bird and to see them take flight is a truly incredible sight,’ said Emyr Evans, of the Dyfi Osprey Project, which fitted the transmitters. ‘We hope they will fly back to us safely after spending the winter in Africa.’



Also known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, ospreys live mostly on a diet of fish and have a 6ft wingspan.



In common with other birds of prey, they had been hunted to extinction in Britain by egg-collectors and trophy-hunters.



In the Fifties, conservationists reintroduced them to parts of Britain – most notably, the birds have re-established themselves in Scotland, where there are now some 200 pairs.



There is also another breeding pair at Glaslyn, Gwynedd, North Wales. It is suspected that Monty may have been born there and that he has returned to Wales to breed.



The last reported sighting of an osprey in the Dyfi Valley came in 1604 – the year before the Gun¬powder Plot – when a Flemish engineer wrote of ‘fishy hawks’ on the Dyfi Estuary.



Since the young ospreys hatched, they have been seen by more than 40,000 birdwatchers.



source: dailymail

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The lion mane tamer: Meet the gamekeeper who gives maneating Jamu a daily hairspray as part of his beauty treatment

British animal wrangler Alex Larenty sprays Jamu the Lion with special Lion hairspray at the Lion Park in Johannesburg, South Africa



British animal wrangler Alex Larenty risks his life daily so he can prune, primps and polishes a massive lion.



Theses amazing pictures show the fearless 50-year-old, from Chipping North, happily fluffing the mane of massive maneater Jamu at the Lion Park near Johannesburg.



He also sprays the 9-year-old beast with special lion hairspray, gives him a manicure and even massages his feet.



And it's all in the name of making him attractive to the opposite sex.



Former truck driver Alex said: 'I use a hairspray that gives Jamu's mane a glossy sheen and hides his gingerness.



'That makes him more appealing to a mate.'





Alex also gives Jamu a manicure and massages his feet to help him become more attractive to the opposite sex





Alex moved to South Africa in 1999 and has been an animal trainer for 35 years

Having reared many lions from birth, Alex is able safely to walk into the middle of Jamu's pride and play games while surrounded by huge numbers of the massive predators.



He has said previously: 'I built up a relationship with Jamu through putting insect repellent onto him, which is necessary here to keep our animals protected from things like parasites.



'He eventually realised he liked being scratched and tickled.'



The 208-acre Lion Park houses over 300 animals including lions, cheetahs and hyenas.





Having reared many lions from birth, Alex is able safely to walk into the middle of Jamu's pride and play games while surrounded by huge numbers of the massive predators



source: dailymail

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Haven't I seen Chew somewhere before? Meet the dog that is a dead ringer for Star Wars character

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER



Wookalike: Star Wars favourite, Chewbacca (left) and his canine doppelganger



He could be the first among his kind to be a Star Wars look-a-like. But this dog is proving it's no wookie when it comes to copying the image of its favourite intergalactic beast.



This pooch was caught bearing an uncanny resemblance to Star Wars favourite Chewbacca as it sat in the front seat of what could be a Ford Galaxy far, far away.





Woolly hero: Chewbacca alongside his companion Han Solo, played by Harrison Ford in the 1977 film



This picture was taken as the dog sat in front of the car's heater, the hot air sculpting the pooch's hair into the unmistakable style of the fictional wookie in the Star Wars films.



Little is known about the daft dog - not even its name of where it comes from.

However he has become an internet sensation after the picture was posted on Twitter.



source: dailymail

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No fighting like cats and dogs for these two: Amazing pictures show special bond between lion cub and Bloodhound

By ALANAH ERIKSEN



Special bond: These amazing pictures show the special bond between 18-month-old Bloodhound Norman and Bhubesi, six months, at the Tshukudu Game Reserve in South Africa



You might expect them to fight like cats and dogs - but this lion cub and Bloodhound are the best of friends.



These amazing pictures show the special bond between 18-month-old Norman the dog and Bhubesi, six months, at the Tshukudu Game Reserve in South Africa.



The massive puppy was brought to the spot, in the north of the country, to viciously chase off poachers, and immediately took the cub under his wing.



The feline joins the dog on walks, even taking his lead in his mouth and trying to boss the strong pooch around.





Come with me: The feline joins the dog on walks, even taking his lead in his mouth and trying to boss the strong pooch around





And when head ranger Jaco Venter, who has raised the cub from three weeks old, comes between the unlikely pair, Bhubesi even fights for Norman's attention.



The scenes were captured by wildlife photographer Stu Porter who was in the region last week on one of the photographic safari trips he runs.



He said: 'Little Bhubesi was rejected by his mother and is being hand raised at the reserve by Jaco and his girlfriend Wendy.





He's mine: When head ranger Jaco Venter, who has raised the cub from three weeks old, comes between the unlikely pair, Bhubesi fights for Norman's attention





'Norman is a new arrival at the reserve and has been trained to track poachers, which has been on the increase in recent times in South Africa.



'Jaco and Wendy are raising both of them and the pals share their big back garden at the moment.



'Right now Norman is the boss despite Bhubesi believing he probably is. But give it a year or so and Bhubesi really will be as he starts to develop.'



Stu, 36, took the snaps at the private game reserve, near the town of Hoedspruit, while the unlikely pair were on a morning walk.





The massive puppy was brought to the spot, in the north of the country, to viciously chase off poachers, and immediately took the cub under his wing





Stu added: 'The walk helps train the dog to be out in the bush and the lion comes along as he likes to follow his buddy.



'They are always very friendly, except at meal times where instinct takes over - but then they are fed separately.



'It's amazing to watch how close their bond has become and I'm looking forward to going back and seeing how it develops.'







Wildlife photographer Stu Porter said Norman is 'the boss' despite Bhubesi believing he is but as the cub grows bigger, things will change



source: dailymail

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A 19 year-old polar bear (Ursus maritimus) 'Vitush' looks for fish

A 19 year-old polar bear (Ursus maritimus) 'Vitush' looks for fish as visitors look on at the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden in Budapest on August 26, 2011, as the summer temperature approaches 35 degrees Celsius.







A 19 year-old polar bear (Ursus maritimus) 'Vitush' eats fish underwater as visitors look on, at the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden in Budapest, on August 26, 2011, as the summer temperature approaches 35 degrees Celsius.







A19 year-old polar bear (Ursus maritimus) 'Vitush' look for his 'food-fishes' as visitors watch at Budapest Zoo and Botanic Garden in the Hungarian capital on August 26, 2011 as the summer temperature approaches 35 degrees Celsius.







Behind a safety-window, children try to touch the back paw of1 9 year-old polar bear (Ursus maritimus) 'Vitush', at Budapest Zoo and Botanic Garden in the Hungarian capital on August 26, 2011 as the summer temperature approaches 35 degrees Celsius.







A19 year-old polar bear (Ursus maritimus) 'Vitush' swims with his 'food-fishes' at Budapest Zoo and Botanic Garden in the Hungarian capital on August 26, 2011 as the summer temperature approaches 35 degrees Celsius.





source: daylife

photo: Getty images

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Peek-a-moo: Yvonne the runaway cow taunts pursuers three months after escaping the slaughterhouse

By DANIEL MILLER



Hide that hide: Yvonne pops her head out of a corn field near Zangberg, Germany, having been on the run for 92 days



They seek her here, they seek here there, but those Bavarians still can't track down Yvonne the elusive cow and now she's popping up to taunt them on camera.



The fugitive, dubbed the Scarlet Pimpernel of the bovine world, escaped from her farm in Zangberg, Germany, moments before she was due for a trip to the abattoir.



Having successfully evaded capture for 92 days, Yvonne has now been spotted on a CCTV camera happily chewing the cud in a field of maize.





Catch me if you can: Yvonne appears to taunt her pursuers relaxing in the corner of a field near the town of Mühldorf in Bavaria, Germany





A full-scale cow hunt has been underway for months under the name Operation Yvonne but every time the net closes in she somehow manages to give her pursuers the slip.



A recent attempt to lure her out of the Bavarian forest where she is hiding failed because the bull, with which they were trying to woo her - described by its owner as the George Clooney of the bull world - turned out to have been castrated.



The team then tried tethering her sister, Waltraut, to a tree in the hope that a friendly face would bring her out of hiding but that too proved unsuccessful.





Most wanted: Animal lovers were upset when an order was given to shoot Yvonne on sight so they offered to buy her from the farmer





She was spotted last weekend when when she was in a near miss with a police car after which an order was issued to hunters to shoot her on sight.



But this infuriated Germany's animal lovers who offered to buy her from the farmer and the shoot-on-sight order has been rescinded until Monday.



German tabloid newspaper, the Bild, has put up a €10,000 reward for the safe return and they claimed an 11-year-old schoolboy had found a fresh hoofprint in woods near his home.





Sisterly love: Not even Yvonne's sister, Waltraut (pictured), has been able to lure her home





Experts now believe that when she first escaped she was taken in by a herd of deer who taught her how to evade capture by foraging at night and lying low during the day.



One of the more desperate attempts to get hold of Yvonne was to try using an animal psychic to contact her and tell her to come home.





The cow has been on the run since escaping and evading slaughter on May 24



source: dailymail

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Otter-ly adorable! Furry family of three look like they are having fun in the sun... while it lasts

By INDERDEEP BAINS



Give me a kiss! This family of three otters share an intimate moment as they bask in the sun after tucking into dinner



After a slap-up fish lunch, with the prospect of a nice snooze in the sun, the baby otter was no doubt thinking that life doesn’t get much better.



Then a double hug from its mother and father proved him wrong.



Geography student Ben Marshall, 18, captured the touching moment while on a visit to the Marwell Wildlife park in Winchester, Hampshire.



He had glimpsed the otter family through a gap in the brick wall of their enclosure but could not see enough to take a photograph.



Otters are playful animals and appear to engage in various behaviors for sheer enjoyment.



The newborn pup is taken care of by the mother, the father, and all the other offspring.



Female otters reach sexual maturity at approximately two years of age, while males can produce offspring at approximately three years of age.



After one month, the young otter can come out of the cave, and after two months, it is able to swim. It lives with its family for about one year so that it can learn and be kept safe until maturity. Otters live up to 16 years.



Different species vary in their social structure, with some being largely solitary, while others live in groups – in a few species these groups may be fairly large.



source: dailymail

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Nobody likes a trip to the dentist… least of all a 3,000lb hippo

By DANIEL MILLER



And how often do you brush? Tomy the hippopotamus endures a spot of dental work



This massive hippopotamus needed an urgent trip to the dentist after a problem with his teeth made him very hungry hungry indeed.



Tomy, 39, a favourite with his keepers at the Bayamon Zoo in Puerto Rico, was suffering from a painful malocclusion which prevented his lower teeth from wearing properly.



His condition had got so bad it was putting him off his food and his weight had plummeted to just 3000lbs, which for a hippo is dangerously low.





This might hurt a bit: Brave Tomy stays remarkably calm as the team of vets use a power saw to cut through his lower tooth





So chief veterinarian at North Carolina Zoo, Dr. Mike Loomis, went over to give Tomy a badly needed dental procedure.



Mike, along with veterinarians and keepers at the Parque de las Sciencias museums in Bayamon, have been treating the normally happy hippo for two decades and has made numerous trips to trim the animal's overgrown gnashers.





A well-deserved bath: With the dental work done Tomy enjoys a quick wallow in front of the assembled media





Unfortunately giving a hippo an anaesthetic is no mean feat due to their size, fat layer and lack of accessible veins.



So Mike and the team developed a technique to partially anesthetise Tomy and trim his teeth while he is in a sitting position.



After giving him just enough anaesthetic to be comfortable but not enough to knock him out completely they used a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade to quickly trim his lower teeth.





Gargle and rinse: The 3,000lb beast sits like an obedient dog as he gratefully receives a refreshing hose down following his grueling ordeal





Mike said: 'The first time I performed the dental procedure on Tomy, his teeth had grown through his upper lip, making it very painful for him to chew.



'He was very thin, and I was concerned about the risk of anaesthesia. Since then, the zoo has done a great job of making sure his teeth are trimmed before they get to that point.'



source: dailymail

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The zoo is carrying out it's annual check on over 750 species, recording weights and heights.

Dirk the Giant Galapagos Tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) reacts as he is weighed by keeper Sebastian Grant on a giant set of weighing scales at London Zoo in London, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011. The zoo is carrying out it's annual check on over 750 species, recording weights and heights. The information is recorded into the International Species Information System which can be shared with zoos across the world.









An Emperor Tamarin (Saguinus imperator) pokes his tongue out as he sits on a set of weighing scales at London Zoo in London, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011. The zoo is carrying out it's annual check on over 750 species, recording weights and heights. The information is recorded into the International Species Information System which can be shared with zoos across the world.







Tammy the Tamandua, a tree-living anteater sits on a set of weighing scales at London Zoo in London, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011. The zoo is carrying out it's annual check on over 750 species, recording weights and heights. The information is recorded into the International Species Information System which can be shared with zoos across the world.







LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 25: Zookeeper Sebastian Grant (R) weighs Dirk, a giant Galapagos tortoise, at ZSL London Zoo as part of their annual weighing and measuring of their animals on August 25, 2011 in London, England. The heights and weights of over 750 different animal species at the zoo are recorded into the International Species Information System, to monitor their health and share the data with other zoos across the world.







LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 25: A chameleon waits to be weighed and measured in the reptile house at ZSL London Zoo as part of their annual weighing and measuring of their animals on August 25, 2011 in London, England. The heights and weights of over 750 different animal species at the zoo are recorded into the International Species Information System, to monitor their health and share the data with other zoos across the world.







LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 25: Zookeeper Jeff Lambert measures Jacqueline, a Mexican Red-Kneed Tarantula, at ZSL London Zoo as part of their annual weighing and measuring of their animals on August 25, 2011 in London, England. The heights and weights of over 750 different animal species at the zoo are recorded into the International Species Information System, to monitor their health and share the data with other zoos across the world.







A Tamandua stands on a weighing scale during a photocall to publicize the annual measurement of all the animals at London Zoo, in central London, August 25, 2011.







Zookeeper Mark Walpole holds a ruler against Jacqueline, a Mexican Red Kneed Tarantula, as he poses during a photocall to publicize the annual measurement of all the animas at London Zoo, in central London, August 25, 2011.







A Golden Lion Headed Tamarin waits to be given a treat by zookeeper Nicky Jago as it stands on a scale during a photocall to publicize the annual measurement of all the animals at London Zoo, in central London, August 25, 2011.







Zookeeper Sarah Dempsey holds a Pueblan Milk Snake as her colleague Glynn Hennessey prepares to measure it as they pose during a photocall to publicize London Zoo's annual measurement of all it's animals, in central London, August 25, 2011.







Dirk the giant Galapagos tortoise is distracted with a ball by his keeper Sebastian Grant, as he stands on a scale to weigh him during a photocall to publicize the annual measuring of all the animals at London Zoo, in central London, August 25, 2011.

source: daylife

photo: AP photo, Reuters

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Could man get a new best friend? Llamas who think they are dogs and have learned how to fetch come top of obedience class

By LEON WATSON



Don't be a-llama-ed: One of the Terri's pets performing a trick



Seven loopy llamas - and an alpaca called Banksy - have started to think they're dogs after coming top of the class in obedience lessons.



The pack have stunned their owners by learning how to fetch, roll over, sit and complete a doggy assault course.



Tim and Terri Crowfoot had heard llamas are incredibly intelligent but never thought they could teach the pack to stay.





Obedient: Terri with one of her pets, that thinks it is a dog





The couple, from Droxford, Southampton, have now grown used to the strange looks they get from neighbours when they take their pets out for walkies.



Terri, 65, said: 'We only intended to get the llamas as company for my old shire horse, Thumper.





Going for walkies: Terri puts her pet through its paces





'We knew llamas were intelligent, so we thought we'd try to teach them to sit and stay - the same as a dog.



'We never expected how well they'd take to the obedience lessons though - and they were doing more and more every day.



'They love playing fetch - their little faces just light up.



'Our friends think it's hilarious - but as long as the llamas are happy and having fun, then so are we.



'We wouldn't swap them for anything.'



The llamas can can complete an assault course of jumps, finishing by running up to a bell and ringing it.



source: dailymail

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