Love pet

By MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE


In a pickle: Ksyusha the kitten loves nothing more than a tight squeeze


You've heard of the cat in the hat. Now meet the cat in the vat.

It certainly seems that Ksyusha the kitten has got herself into an impossibly tight spot.

But according to her owner she has no problem escaping the glass container, rather like a feline Houdini.


Playful: The excitable female kitten has been squashing itself into jars from when it was a few weeks old


Cute: The cat's owner has been taking photos of her animal and posting them on the internet since the start of last year


‘It looks like she is stuck, but actually her body is not as big as it looks because of the large amount of fur,’ said Yuriy Korotun, who lives in Moscow.

‘She likes hiding in different places and is full of character.’


In a spin: The female kitten has been always been playful, according to her owner


Mischievous: Ksyusha plays with a chair leg


Yuriy said he first realised his pet, a Himalayan breed similar to a Persian, had a love of confined spaces when he heard a commotion in her kitchen one day.

‘I came in to find her in the jar,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t believe my eyes.’

She is also partial to curling up in the washing machine, said Yuriy, who has posted pictures of Ksyusha on the internet.


Similar: Ksyusha's ability to get in and out of seemingly impossible situations harks back to the comedy capers seen in classic kids' cartoon Tom & Jerry


Korotun got the shock of his life one day when he heard some commotion in his kitchen and discovered the fun-loving feline with more than her paws in the jar.

Her ability to get in and out of seemingly impossible situations harks back to the comedy capers seen in classic kids' cartoon Tom and Jerry.

source: dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Poster dog: Not only has Lucy Lou been elected as mayor of Rabbit Hash in Kentucky, but she is also the face of the locally made wine, Elk Creek, which is sold in the village shop, one of only seven buildings in the hamlet


When it comes to politics, this border collie knows who the real top dog is.
For Lucy Lou has just been elected the four-legged chief executive of the tiny town of Rabbit Hash in Kentucky.

The quaint hamlet, on the Ohio River, had several four-legged candidates in the running for mayor including a cat, a donkey and an opossum.

But the collie was heads - and tails - above the rest and managed to win the tightly-fought election.

She even managed to beat her best friend, as a man was also in the running.
As the top dog she has few responsibilities apart from ceremonial duties that includes greeting tourists.

Manager of the historic Rabbit Hash General Store Terrie Markesbery said: 'She's famous for greeting the public. when you get out of the car, she comes right up to you.'

The village, which is only three acres and hold seven buildings, was recently awarded $1,000 from the Reader's Digest as part of the brand's 'We Hear You America' 100-city tour.

The tour was in promotion of the recently updated 'Off the Beaten Path' travel guide.

Lucy Lou has also become the face of a locally made wine, sold in the village shop.

'She's perfect for the job. It's a low-paying, highly visible position,' Markesbery said.

'She has to do a lot of footwork.'


source :dailymail

Five-month-old giant panda cub Fu Hu (meaning lucky tiger) climbs on a tree trunk in its enclosure at the zoo in Vienna, February 8, 2011. The cub of pandas Yang Yang and Long Hui was born on August 23 in the zoo. Fu Hu's parents were transferred from China to Schoenbrunn Zoo in 2003, and are on loan to Austria by China for a period of 10 years.


Five-month-old giant panda cub Fu Hu (meaning lucky tiger) climbs on a tree trunk in its enclosure at the zoo in Vienna, February 8, 2011.


Giant panda Yang Yang grips her five-month-old cub Fu Hu (meaning lucky tiger) in their enclosure at the zoo in Vienna, February 8, 2011.


Giant panda Yang Yang watches her five-month-old cub Fu Hu (meaning lucky tiger) in their enclosure at the zoo in Vienna, February 8, 2011.


Five-month-old giant panda cub Fu Hu (meaning lucky tiger) falls on its back off a tree trunk in its enclosure at the zoo in Vienna, February 8, 2011.


Five-month-old giant panda cub Fu Hu (meaning lucky tiger) climbs on a tree trunk in its enclosure at the zoo in Vienna, February 8, 2011.


Five-month-old giant panda cub Fu Hu (meaning lucky tiger) climbs on a tree trunk in its enclosure at the zoo in Vienna, February 8, 2011.

source: daylife
photo: Reuters

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Gorilla in the midst of motherhood: Kabatwa nurses her newborn twins in the Volcanoes National Park, in Uganda


Rare mountain gorilla twins have been born in Rwanda, conservationists said today.

The occurrence of twins in the population of mountain gorillas is extremely unusual and the new arrivals in the Volcanoes National Park are only the fifth set of twins recorded for Rwanda's gorillas.

There are fewer than 800 mountain gorillas living in the wild, according to UK-based charity the Gorilla Organisation.


Rare: There have only ever been five sets of twins born in the reserve, a haven for gorillas


The organisation said the pair were born on February 3 to Kabatwa, a member of the Hirwa group of gorillas, who was reportedly proving to be an excellent mother.

Emmanuel Bugingo, the Gorilla Organisation's programme manager in Rwanda, said: 'It is very rare to hear of mountain gorilla twins, so we were all excited to hear the news from rangers.

'The twins are both boys and we feel very positive about their future.'

Ian Redmond, chairman of the Ape Alliance coalition, and a father of twin boys, said: 'Gorilla mothers usually have only one baby every four years or so - which is one reason why they are so vulnerable - so twins give a rare double gain in one birth.

'But coping with two infants is a challenge for any parent - as my wife and I know from experience - so I wish Kabatwa, and the boys, the best of luck in the coming weeks and months.'


Twin boys: Gorillas usually only have one baby every four years





source: dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

One of the dragonflies lands on the green heron's beak while all the while the bird keeps a close eye on them both


Patience is clearly also a virtue in the heron world as this specimen demonstrated before snatching its dinner.

The bird eyed up two of the insects as they danced before its beak before lashing out and one unawares.

The whole amazing sequence of the dragonflies dancing before the green heron was caught on camera.

And it was the bird, sat on a branch at Village Creek park in Texas, U.S., which had the last laugh.


My moment has come. The heron makes its move and the dragonflies rise up to flee. The one on the far right escapes, the other ...


Wildlife photographer Steve Wheeler, 53, who captured the dramatic moment, said: 'When I first spotted the heron I could see he was hunting, so I had my lens focused on him and my finger on the shutter release for quite a while.

'They are generally fairly secretive birds and stay well hidden in thick cover along the water's edge.

'I've only ever seen one very quickly a couple of times, so I was really excited even to get a close up look at this guy.

'Before I knew it, I these two, mating dragonflies came into the view finder, fluttering around together.

'They were obviously preoccupied because they flew closer and closer to the heron. It must have been a dream come true for the heron.

'He just opened up his beak and snatched one from right in front of him - he was lighting fast and deadly accurate.


No escape: The heron's moment has come and while it's toast for the dragonfly, it's dinner for the bird


Savouring its snack: Just part of the dragonfly's wing can be seen sticking out of the bird's beak


'As I was watching this little mini drama unfold, it felt like it took forever - time seemed to slow way down.

'It was only after I loaded the images on the computer that I realized the total elapsed time was only 43 seconds between "first strike" and "last gulp."

'It was crazy to see and photograph.'


source: dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Perfect pet: Emma Stone adopted a new pooch from a store in Los Angeles yesterday


A dog is a must-have accessory for many Hollywood A-listers.

So up-and-coming actress Emma Stone ensured she was bang on trend yesterday by adopting a new puppy from a rescue centre in Los Angeles.

The 22-year-old actress looked low key in a blue and green checked shirt, blue jeans and brown boots as she collected the pooch.


All smiles: The 22-year-old star beamed as she held the little dog in her arms inside the store


The actress already has one black and white dog, but was clearly happy to be getting another.

She smiled and joked inside the store as she held the black and tan dog in her arms before taking him on a short walk outside.

The actress was taking a break from filming the new Spider-Man film in which she stars as Peter Parker's love interest Gwen Stacy opposite Andrew Garfield.


Paws for thought: The actress led her new little pet out for a short walk before taking him home with her


The star has dyed her hair back to its natural blonde from her trademark red for the role.

'My natural hair is blonde, so it’s kind of nice,' she told MTV. 'I looked in the mirror and said, “Oh my god, it’s me again, it’s been so long."'

The film, directed by Marc Webb also stars Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen and Sally Field, and is set to be released in July 2012.


New role: Emma is currently filming Spider-Man alongside Andrew Garfield as the web spinning superhero


source: dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Staggering: Louise Harris has spent £100,000 on her three Yorkshire Terriers over a period of six years


Shopaholic Louise Harris has spent a staggering £100,000 on her three dogs in SIX years.

Louise, 31, loves nothing more than spoiling her three Yorkshire Terriers Lola, six, Lulu, four, and two-year-old Larry.

The pampered pooches have their own £2,000 four-poster bed, £200 collars, £400 tiaras and £2,500 bespoke jewellery complete with rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

And Louise admits she even spent an incredible £4,000 on luxury Christmas presents last year - just on her beloved pets.

She said: 'Even I'm a bit shocked at the amount I've spent on them - it's totally barmy!

'But they are my babies and a part of my family. I love spoiling them and making sure they have the best of everything.

'A lot of people think I'm mad, and I realise it's completely over the top, but I want to give them the best life I possibly can.'

Louise's splurge on her pets all started six years ago when her sister Olivia convinced her to look at a Yorkshire Terrier puppy called Lola.

She fell in love the tiny pup, which could fit in the palm of her hand, and started ordering clothing and collars online from America.


Luxury lifestyle: Lola, Lulu and Larry have their own four-poster bed worth £2,000


She said: 'I bought Lola the smallest dog collars I could find here but they were too big and really poor quality. When I ordered them from the States they just fit perfectly and you could see how much more comfortable she was.

'At that point I would never have dreamt of dressing her up but when it got really cold in the winter she was refusing to go outside so I bought her a jumper and as soon as she had it on she bounded straight out into the garden.

'After that I started buying her other clothes - before I knew it, she had a whole wardrobe!'

In 2006 Louise added to her family by buying Lulu, now four, followed by Larry, who is now two.


Spoilt: Louise Harris spent £4,000 on Christmas presents for her three dogs


Louise admits that the dogs do dominate a lot of her life, so any future partner would have to love them as much as she does.

She said: 'My dogs wouldn't come before my partner but they would have to be happy living side by side.

'A dog can't make its own breakfast so they would have to understand it's my priority in the morning to make sure they have food.

'But as its normally scrambled eggs we could all eat that and have breakfast at the same time!' And with three dogs to kit out in the latest designer dog clothes, her spending has shot through the roof.

In six years she estimates she has spent a minimum of £101,680.


Bejewelled: The pooches own collars encrusted with rubies, emeralds, sapphires, swarovski crystal and gold leaf


She spent £26k on clothes, collars, and harnesses, including couture item made just for Lola costing £400 features vintage brooch with crystals, £250 collars with swarovski crystal encrusted stones made with high quality leather, and bespoke jewellery consisting of 5 pieces with rubies, emeralds, sapphires, swarovski crystal and gold leaf costing approximately £400 - £500 each.


source: dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Close enough to touch: Children swim perilously close to two enormous polar bears as one rises up out of the water


It's a heart-in-the-mouth moment that would have most parents running for help.
The world's biggest predator the polar bear is seemingly pictured paddling menacingly alongside unsuspecting children.

In these remarkable images the massive carnivores loom over their bite-size pool companions in what looks an imminent disaster.

But there's more to these pictures than meets the eye, as in fact the children and the inquisitive polar bears are separated by 10-inch thick plexiglas.

Both children and bears are actually very safely taking part in an amazing initiative by the owners of Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat, Canada, in a attempt to promote awareness about the amazing animals.

The sanctuary only takes in rescued bears from the wild and through letting visitors get so close they hope to help understanding and reduce hunting in the wild.

Former director at the centre and keen photographer Gerry Robichaud took the amazing photographs of the moment bear meets man in the safety of the tank.

He said: 'You do get some very surprised reactions from visitors when they first see the bears and the children in the pool.

'When you're in the water and up by the glass next to these animals it barely seems like there is anything protecting you, when in fact there's a 10-inch think barrier.


They're behind you: A child keeps his head above water as the two bears swim towards him - but everything is not as it seems


'We get various reactions from the children, some of them can't wait to get in the pool and others really don't want to. It's the adults you have to watch out for, some of them jump in still with all their clothes on.

'The two bears in the pictures are actually females, Aurora and Nikita, both who we took in as rescue animals.

'They came to us a cubs after a tribe told us about them because their mother had been shot by a hunter near Winisk, near the Hudson Bay in the far north.'

Gerry, 59, said the aim was to give the bears as much stimulation as possible in their 100m by 200m enclosure.

He said: 'I have been in the water myself when the public have not been here and actually realised one of the bears was stalking me, she was hiding and keeping very low in the water. It was quite an odd feeling.

'I have lived in the far north with the people up there myself and documented their lives, it's a different world up there.'


source: dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter



Dats my dose: The Kodiak bear cub grabs his mother's nose with his sharp claws as they play in Katmai National Park, Alaska


He might just be a cub, but this playful grizzly clearly shows he has some bite after taking a painful swipe at his mother's nose.

The plucky youngster was captured with his family group in the wild of Katmai National Park on Kodiak Island, Alaska.

The park is located in the Valley of Ten Thousands Smokes, and is home to the unique sub-species of Kodiak bears which can grow up to 900lbs on a diet of abundant salmon.


Another of the images shows an adult bear clearly with things on his mind as he rests his chin on the palm of one of his massive paws.

The images were captured by grandmother Judy Lynn Malloch, 66, from Boynton Beach, Florida, who made the 5,000-mile trip and risked her own safety to get within yards of the animals.

She said: 'It is a privilege above all else to see these majestic creatures in their natural habitat living their lives in such a carefree way.

'The grasslands are totally open and you may see anywhere from twenty to thirty grizzlies at one time.

'The babies are very playful but sometimes too playful - and the mother would scold them and quite sternly too as the babies would cower and get down low.'


Bear necessities: An adult male ponders his next move in grasslands on the unique Kodiak Island, home to around 3,000 of the bear sub-species


Do you think he saw us? This cub is clearly alert as he spots the camera snapping away at his family group


Mrs Malloch's father was a vet and she grew up with animals as a child.

She got up at 5.30am every day to travel by skiff to Hollow Bay where the bears live and hunt for food.

She added: 'To watch them play with their babies and nurse them is just the best.

'They are very loving and protective parents and also great teachers as they teach their young to clam and to survive in the wild.

'They really are not too interested in man as long as you did not get to close to them or to their young.'


Best paw forward: Two cubs play in the mud flats on Kodiak Island. The area has abundant salmon stocks and adult Kodiak bears can reach 900lbs


Kodiak bears on live in Katmai National Park and are not hunted by humans.

It is estimated that around 3,000 of the bears live on the 170-mile long island.


Source:Dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Daphnia pulex: The common water flea - just 1mm-long - has more genes than another other animal known


Daphnia pulex is the first crustacean to have a blueprint made showing the sequence of chemicals that make up genetic code


It may be a simple form of pond life, but in terms of genetic complexity the humble water flea beats humans hands down.

Scientists have learned that the 1mm-long creature has more genes than another other animal known.

In total, around 31,000 genes are packed into its DNA. In comparison, humans have only around 23,000.

The common water flea - Daphnia pulex - is the first crustacean to have a blueprint made showing the sequence of chemicals that make up genetic code, or genome.

At first glance Daphnia seems ordinary enough, having a transparent body, jointed limbs, compound eyes and a simple nervous and circulatory system.

But its genome is not only unusually large but full of surprises.

'More than a third of Daphnia's genes are undocumented in any other organism - in other words, they are completely new to science,' said Dr Don Gilbert, one of the researchers from Indiana University.

Its peculiar genetic make-up mirrors unusual behaviour that has long been studied by scientists.

The animal has unique ways of responding to stress, with some species producing exaggerated tail spines, neck teeth or protective helmets when threatened by predators.


31,000 genes are packed into the water flea's DNA. Its peculiar genetic make-up mirrors unusual behaviour that has long been studied by scientists


Daphnia can also adapt to wide ranges in acidity, toxins, oxygen concentrations, food quality and temperature.

The creatures are able to reproduce both sexually and asexually. They thrive in the absence of males by clonal reproduction, until harsh environmental conditions favour the benefits of sex.

A high rate of gene duplication is the main reason why Daphnia has so many genes, say the researchers writing in the journal Science.

'We estimate a rate that is three times greater than those of other invertebrates and 30 per cent greater than that of humans,' said genome project director Dr John Colbourne, also from Indiana University.

The scientists hope that sequencing the Daphnia genome will lead to a better understanding of how organisms respond to environmental changes.


source: dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter



The 'ah' factor: Not perturbed in the least by all the attention from cooing
specatators, the exceedingly cute St Bernard puppies groom each other in their enclosure at the museum in Martigny, Switzerland


This litter of St Bernard puppies is causing quite a stir in the town of Martigny, Switzerland.

The adorable nine puppies - four girls and five boys - were born to mother Ivoire days before Christmas, and have just gone on show to the general public at the St Bernard Dog Museum.

The Swiss museum boasts a healthy breeding programme for the popular dogs, best known for their role as the 'guardians of the Alps.'


Although St Bernards are no longer used in rescues, the St Bernard Museum celebrates the past and present of Switzerland's most famous dog breed, who earned their legendary status as lifesavers of travellers lost in the snow.

Only dogs bred at this museum, or at the St Bernard Hospice in the Alps are classified as coming from the Great St Bernard breed.


Nine's a crowd: Mother Ivoire and six of her nine litter of puppies tumble excitedly all over each other


In 2005 the non-profit Barry Foundation, named after the most famous of the rescue dogs, took over the breeding kennel from the hospice at the Great Saint Bernard mountain pass (altitude 8114 ft) to continue the 300-year-old tradition of breeding the famous dogs, which return to their origin on the mountain pass during the summer months.

The St Bernard Museum tells the story of the Great St. Bernard Hospice and Pass, and the exhibition is dedicated to promoting the St. Bernard dog as a universal icon.

Originally used to locate freezing and helpless travelers during snowstorms, the Saint Bernard now uses his intelligence and strength in conformation and obedience competitions, cart pulling and weight pulling.

Although powerful and muscular in build, St Bernards possess a gentle and dignified temperament. Their coats can be long or short and range in colour from deep brown to brown-yellow.


Source:Dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter



Give us a song: Gibbons sing to each other in regional accents - and the divide between the northerners and southerners is the most pronounced, research shows


Gibbons have regional accents just like humans - and the divide between the northerners and southerners is the most pronounced, research shows.

Gibbons, which along with the great apes are the closest relatives to humans, sing to communicate with each other, and use song to define territory and woo mates.

Couples also sing in duets to strengthen their bond, and their song is adpated to carry through the forests.


Scientists analysed the songs of the primates in Asian rainforest in China, Laod, Cambodia and Vietnam, and found that the songs are distinct not only to each species of gibbon but also to the area it comes from.

A team from the German Primate Center looked at more than 400 samples of crested gibbon song including 92 duets and analysed them using 53 acoustic parameters.

Writing in journal BMC Evolutionary Biology, they say the song shows not only the regional differences in 'accents' but also could give clues to their migrationary past.

The gibbons from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam had the most closely related DNA, and although four distinct song patterns were identified, they were recognisable as being from the same region.

But two species from northern Vietnam and China had different 'accents' and were distinct from their southern relatives.

The further north the accents were, the more removed they were from the southern accents. This would suggest that ancestorally, gibbons migrated from north to south, say the team.


Every species of gibbon sounds different, but researchers identified a range of different dialects which give clues to the animals' migratory pasts


They write: 'We found the largest differences in the song structure between the most northern and most southern species with successive gradation between them.

'The results show that the structure of crested gibbon songs is not only a reliable tool to verify relatedness but also to unravel geographic origins.'

Reseacher Van Ngoc Thinh said: 'Each gibbon has its own variable song but, much like people, there is a regional similarity between gibbons within the same location.'


Source:Dailymail

In this photo provided by the Chicago Zoological Society, Hudson, a 4-year-old polar bear enjoys the snow Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011at Brookfield Zoo in Broofield, Ill. This week's blizzard dumped the third largest snowfall in Chicago's history.







source: Daylife
photo: AP photo

A baby golden lion tamarin rests on an adult tamarin at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Friday, Feb. 4, 2011, in Cleveland. Two baby tamarins were born on Dec. 27, 2010 at the zoo. Golden lion tamarins are orange-colored monkeys. The large amount of hair around the face resembles a lion's mane and accounts for this subspecies' name.





source: daylife

photo: AP photo

By LORRAINE FISHER

Paying attention: Shirley spends all day in class in case Rebecca has a hypeoglycemic attack


She can’t read and her maths is pretty poor, but she is undoubtedly the star pupil in her class.

Shirley the labrador spends the school day making sure seven-year-old Rebecca Farrar’s life is not in danger.

Rebecca has an aggressive form of type one diabetes which means she could have a hypoglycemic attack and slip into a coma at any time. She cannot tell when this is about to happen but Shirley’s extraordinary nose means that she can smell when the little girl’s blood sugar levels are becoming too high or too low.

When the dog detects a change she will lick Rebecca until she or her teacher notices.

If she gets no response, Shirley will sit on the girl or even go and fetch the medical testing kit in the classroom at Harpole Primary School in Northamptonshire.

Once the dog has done her job, classroom assistant Theresa Hodgkiss tests Rebecca’s blood sugar level and either gives her some sugar if it is too low or an insulin injection if too high.


Girl's best friend: The dog has been with Rebecca fro a year


Shirley has been attending school for a year after being trained to spot the problem by the charity Medical Detection Dogs.

‘It’s an absolute life-saver for Rebecca to have the dog at school,’ said her mother Claire. Rebecca, who has a twin brother, Joseph, was diagnosed two years ago with type one diabetes, where the body produces no insulin.

Since then she has needed hospital treatment eight times and suffers up to five attacks a day.

‘It happens very quickly,’ said Mrs Farrar. ‘One moment she’s fine, the next she’s collapsed.’


source: dailymail