58 Of The Most Mesmerizing Animal Photos - Ever!
By | March 10, 2020
Chimpanzee feeding a leopard cub at the Southam Park Zoo in the UK, 1971
It's a given that we, as human beings all love funny animal photos. In fact, it's a whole huge niche on the Internet. But let's take it one step further; it's time to show you a gallery of candid images of animals in nature...like you've never seen before. Heck Ya!
We got shots of frogs riding on top of turtles, baby blue herons that look like dinosaurs, bats flying with their babies and, of course, a chimpanzee feeding milk to a leopard cub. My point is: We have photos to blow your mind. Come on, let's take a journey into the world of insane animal photos!
Weird things are afoot here. Let's digest this photo for a minute. What you've got here is a chimp feeding a leopard cub with a baby bottle. And the chimp is sitting in a people chair. So what you've got in this image is one species feeding another species. This isn't normal behavior for this member of the Hominidae family.
Or, I'm thinking this photo is an outtake from the 1971 movie, Escape from the Planet of the Apes.
Leopard cubs, on the other hand, normally stay with their moms for roughly two years, at which time they'll learn to hunt. Being fed by a chimpanzee is usually not in the formula.
The happiest crocodile you'll ever see
Crocodiles, who first gained international fame from the 1986 Paul Hogan movie, Crocodile Dundee, have good reason to celebrate. There are about 23 different species of crocodilians. These large aquatic reptiles live throughout the world in tropical regions in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Also, they can bite your flippin' head off. Wouldn't that make you jump for joy - if you were a crocodile?
If you happen to encounter a crocodile and it lashes out at you, the first thing you need to do is to aggressively fight back. Why? A crocodile's jaw has so much power that once it’s locked, no amount of struggling will get it back open. Better avoid that. One of the best defenses for fighting off a crocodile is to try gouging his eyes out - being this is one of the few vulnerable spots on a croc. If a crocodile eye-gouge is not possible, the next best thing is to attack its nostrils, ears, or palatal valve. Pretty much any of those scenarios says, "My, what a crappy day!"
A Llama in Times Square, 1957
As the old joke goes: Is that a llama in your car or are you just happy to see me? Yes, New York, back in the 1950s was a much simpler time. There was a lot less crime and lot more llamas sticking their heads out of parked cars.
So this was Times Square before Rudy Giuliani cleaned it up. He felt the llamas in this neighborhood were bringing down the whole city - and cleaned things up back in the '90s.
Night of the Living Raccoons
Holy moly! The raccoons have risen from the dead and now they are wandering the world in search of...MORE BRAINS! It's a literal Night of the Living Raccoon Dead. My thoughts: Are they slow raccoon zombies like in the George Romero movies, or fast raccoon zombies like in 28 Days Later?
Socially, adult male raccoons are usually considered solitary creatures. Though, matriarchal raccoon family groups are quite social and usually feed and den together. Raccoons are thought of as nocturnal animals. They tend to be most active at night and sometimes forage during the day.
Raccoons have been known to attack humans. There have been cases reported where a person was sleeping outside, only to be awoken by a raccoon sinking its sharp teeth into their cranium. So, zombie raccoons are nothing to snicker at.
A giant walrus sleeping on top of a Russian submarine
No, that is not New Jersey Governor Chris Christie sleeping on top of a Russian submarine. This giant walrus, recognizable by its prominent tusks, whiskers and bulk, is taking a break from swimming in its habitat in shallow waters about the continental shelves. An adult male walrus can weigh more than 4,400 lbs, and largely eats clams, mussels and other bottom-dwelling organisms.
Russian submarines, on the other hand, were made famous in the 1984 Tom Clancy novel, The Hunt for Red October. During the Cold War, the Soviet submarine program garnished fear; many Americans believed that Soviet submarines lurked off the coastline of the United States. But nowadays, Russian submarines are all about funny photo ops and selfies with large, flippered marine mammals.
Incredible photo of a mother bat flying with her baby
Before there was Batman - there was just plain bats in general. Check out this mother mammal, not only captured in the midst of flight but also carrying her little bat baby...at the same time! Talk about Take Your Kid to Work Day.
Some nuts-and-bolts about the logistics here; mother bats hold the pups in their tail pouches; who so they can suckle milk from their mothers. Most bats only give birth to one baby at a time. After about three weeks, the baby bats start learning to fly. When they are around six weeks old, the bats are able to catch insects for themselves and go out and hunt at night like other bats.
If you're ever in Austin, Texas - check out the bats under the Congress Ave bridge. It's the world's largest urban bat colony with roughly 1.5 million bats - who come out at dusk. Scary!
A baby hippo sticking his tongue out
Here's a hippo who just watched the 1988 Tom Cruise movie, Cocktail. What is this hippo's thoughts on Cruise's performance as the character Brian Flanagan - who works as a bartender to pay for college and demonstrates mixology tricks and charisma to command large crowds and tip payment? This hippo didn't like the movie at all - in fact sticking out his large tongue also expresses the 1-star sentiment he also left in his Rotten Tomatoes review.
My point: This hippo doesn't like the Tom Cruise movie, Cocktail.
Kevin Richardson is known as the Lion Whisperer taking a selfie with a lion
First of all, these people who think they have a secret connection with lions or grizzly bears or any other animal higher up on the food chain - are kinda idiots. These animals are completely different species - and they would eat you for lunch if given the chance. Just look at the movie Grizzly Man - if you need some reference.
Zookeeper, Kevin Richardson, (pictured above while taking a selfie with a lion) has also been criticized by the conservation community - who has said his lions "walks" are risky because of the unpredictable nature of wild big cats. One reason for this is our place in the food chain. Case in point when in 2018, a young woman was mauled to death in the Dinokeng Game Reserve by a lioness that was under Richarson's care.
This Armadillo Girdled Lizard looks like a miniature dragon. When threatened, it rolls into a spiky, scaled ball and takes its tail into its mouth to seal it. They are found in the desert areas of southern Africa.
Shades of Game of Thrones. This baby armadillo girdled lizard looks just like a pocket-sized dragon. You can find these guys in their habitat around the desert areas along the western coast of South Africa. As a rarity in the lizard world, the armadillo girdled lizard does not lay eggs. The mom will give birth only to one or two babies at a time - and will only give birth once a year at the most. The female may even feed her young, which is not usual lizard behavior.
But then again, how many lizards look like miniature dragons?
A young child takes a closer look at a giant whale shark washed up on Botany Bay, 1965.
Like all weird aquatic encounters, this happened in Australia at Botany Bay near Sydney. A small child comes face-to-face with a giant whale shark - which is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species.
Unlike a great white, the whale shark is not a threat to humans. Whale sharks are a docile fish. It's said they sometimes allow swimmers to catch a ride; though this act is greatly discouraged - and only reserved for Aquaman.
To show how respected this mammal is, in Vietnamese culture, the whale shark is referred to as, "sir fish."
The Emperor Tamarin
This squirrel-sized New World monkeys from the Callitrichidae family is called The Emperor Tamarin. The monkey is named such because it is said to resemble the German Emperor Wilhelm II. My guess is that it's because of the old-timey hipster mustache, which would make The Emperor Tamarin look right at home in Williamsburg riding around on a fixie bike and drinking an artisan monkey beer. Though this monkey is normally not found in Brooklyn, instead, calls its home in the southwest Amazon Basin, in east Peru, north Bolivia and in the west Brazilian states of Acre and Amazona.
In this photo, The Emperor Tamarin is giving a look that says, "Today, I just binged watched the entire season 2 of the Netflix series, Ozark."
3 Beavers chilling by the water
This would make a great promo shot for the cover of an album for an '80s band called, 3 Beavers 3. What would the title track song from their album be called? Why, the name would be: I Don't Give A Damn - I Build A Dam.
Sure, you might know that beavers are known for building dams. But did you know that they are also the second-largest rodent in the world? Beavers, along with pocket gophers and kangaroo rats, are castorimorpha rodents. Another claim to fame, the beaver is one of the school mascots of M.I.T. - which was adopted by the brainy institute of higher learning in 1914.
This pup had a 'ruff' day back in 1950. Or maybe this pup is actually the 'top dog'...
Two things going on here...Is this dog wearing a smaller dog as a hat? Or, is this small dog, using this large dog as a sitting apparatus? Either, this image states a simple comedy principal; a dog onto of another dog always equals funny. All you really need to do, to put the icing on the comedic cake, is to add some puns like:
-This dog is having a ruff day.
Or,
-Sitting on top of another dog is nothing to bark about.
Or,
-I wish that dog on top of my head would quit hounding me.
Insert laughter here...
The Ardennes Draft Horse is considered one of the oldest breeds of draft horse, and is believed to be a direct descendent of the prehistoric ‘Solutre Horse. Wow!
This horse is wearing some funny boots. First, a draft horse is a horse traditionally bred for strength to pull a cart or work other such hard tasks as plowing and general farm duties. Think of the horses in the Budweiser ads. Within that, the Ardennes Draft Horse is one of the oldest breeds of draft horse - and originates from the Ardennes region in Belgium, Luxembourg and France. In fact, the Ardennes Draft Horse has a history that stems back to Ancient Rome.
That's what hell of an old horse lineage!
This bred of horse have been used throughout history as a war horse; doing the double-duty of a cavalry mount and to draw artillery.
Not old enough for you? The Ardennes Draft Horse has been said to be a direct descendant of the prehistoric ‘Solutre Horse - which is now extinct.
Hi Honey, I'm home...
Don't you hate noisy neighbors at campsites? Apparently, that's what this grizzly bear must have been thinking. Remember that deal about always hanging your food in a tree when camping? Well, what happens when the bear thinks that you are the food?
The bear made an unexpected entrance inside a tent. I'm sure his appearance scared the camper so much that he had to grab a camera and take a photo of the beast. Not really much of a fight - since bears can weight up to 700 lbs. and rip you to shreds with their massive claws.
The way to fight off a bear is to dose it with pepper spray. The worst way to fight off a bear is to try and feed it a marshmallow from out of your mouth.
Alfred Hitchcock serving tea to Leo the Lion, the mascot for MGM Studios.
Alfred Hitchcock was the master of suspense. The man who directed such horror classics as Psycho and The Birds - knew hot to generate a good scare. Here is Hitchcock in 1957, serving tea to Leo the Lion - the mascot for MGM studios. This would be around the time he was filming the classic film, Vertigo (which came out in 1958).
Leo the Lion is known for roaring inside the branded logo shown at the start of MGM films. Leo is MGM's longest-used lion - and was the seventh used in MGM films. Leo was born in Dublin Zoo and was originally named "Slats." Now, that's something to roar about.
A young crocodile adorned with butterflies.
Okay, so if you were a human, there wouldn't be a chance in hell that a crocodile would allow you to rest on its head and face area. Not the case with butterflies. Crocodiles, as you can plainly see, are perfectly content with these winged insects in the Macrolepidoptera clade Rhopalocera, taking a break on their cranial area.
Normally, a crocodile's deal is to lock its powerful jaws around those that might be outside of their species - usually resulting in a slow, agonizing death. In this case, the croc might think the addition of butterflies makes him (or her) look "pretty."
Again, don't try this at home (especially if your home is in the Everglades).
Baby ocelot staring down the camera, they have excellent eyesight (adapted to night vision) and sense of hearing, which are used to detect their prey
Okay baby ocelot, you are freaking me out. Will you quit staring at me? You are starting to remind me of Jack Nicholson in the movie, The Shining. Does all work and no play make ocelot a very dull boy?
Ocelots can be found on their home turf in southwestern United States, Mexico, Central and South America.
The painter, Salvador Dalí, had a pet ocelot named Babou - that he would frequently travel with and even brought aboard the luxury ocean liner SS France.
800,000 to 1.5 million ocelots are said to be found worldwide, while only 50 ocelots remain in the U.S.
This baby Blue Heron looks just like a dinosaur.
Holy Jurassic Park! This baby Blue Heron looks like a dinosaur starter kit. Did Michael Crichton come up with this winged creature? I hope no one is thinking of starting a theme park with this Ardea Herodias. Six Jurassic Park movies should tell you how that would result.
The great blue heron is commonly found near the shores and in wetlands all over most of North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands. The Blue Heron is the largest North American heron, and usually grows to be 36–54 inches, from head-to-tail length, and weighs around 4–7 lbs.
Yes, that's heron-tastic!
When upset, baby elephants throw themselves into the mud like a child having a temper tantrum
Who knew that baby elephants have temper tantrums? Well, they do. And then they sometimes throw themselves in mud - as you can clearly see. What upset this baby elephant so much? Did its mom impose a "no peanuts after 7 pm" rule?
Elephants actually share many humans traits and develop at a similar pace to their human counterpart; reaching full adulthood around age twenty. Elephants also share with us a strong sense of family, death and similar emotions. These pachyderms display envy, jealousy and throw tantrums.
In this case, it looks like someone needs a little elephant time out!
Roland, a 4000-lb elephant seal, gets a snow bath from his handler at the Berlin Zoo in 1930
Even a 4,000 lb. elephant seal is happy to get a bath. This was the case with Roland, who enjoyed a snow bath by his handler at the Berlin Zoo. That's 4,000 lbs. of happiness. Roland was known for his large gelatinous proportions, monstrous jowls, and a trunk-like snout.
Roland lived in Berlin Zoo from the late 1920s until his death during World War II. I'm sure Roland needed at least a dozen pallbearers at his funeral. Roland was so loved at the Berlin Zoo that they created a memorial to him that included a bronze cast of his beloved elephant seal face.
Check out the mesmerizing eyes of the ghost glass frog! It is called the ghost glass frog because of how well it can mimic the color of whatever leaf it’s sitting on
Hey, ghost glass frog! Will, you quit staring at me! You're kind of freaking me out.
As mentioned, this amphibian is called the ghost glass frog because it can mimic the color of whatever leaf it’s sitting on; utilizing uncanny camouflage skills. Fortunately, it sits on a lot of green leaves - so it keeps its frog-like color. The male ghost glass frog is very territorial and will put up a good fight for the perfect leaf for mating.
You can find these little crafty buggers in Central and South America. But for the most part, don't get into a staring contest with a ghost glass frog because you will surely lose.
An Australian green tree frog hitches a ride on top of an African spurred tortoise
I don't know how this photo makes me feel. On one hand, I marvel at the scenario of an Australian green tree frog hitching a ride on top of an African spurred tortoise. On the other hand, I feel the Australian green tree frog is purely exploiting the African spurred tortoise, by using it as a mode of transportation. Does the African spurred tortoise have any say in this scenario? I mean, aren't frogs known for "hopping"? Isn't that part of their deal?
Still, the African spurred tortoise is the third-largest species of tortoise in the world and can live more than 70 years old. But what kind of life is that - where you are made to transport an amphibian?
This tiny, blue-ringed octopus is widely regarded as one of the world's most venomous animals. They are found in tide pools or coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian oceans, from Japan to Australia.
Oh, oceanic life...why are some of the coolest looking creatures from deep within the sea - also the deadliest? This blue-ringed octopus is found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Know what else? It's also the world's most venomous animals.
Your first instinct would be to pick up this colorful blue-ringed octopus - and maybe wear it around your neck on a gold chain. (That's what I would do.) Their venom contains the powerful neurotoxin tetrodotoxin i.e. poison stuff. It causes severe and often total body paralysis. It gets worse; because it causes paralysis the victim has no way of signaling for help if they come in contact with the venom.
One final takeaway: Despite its small size, the blue-ringed octopus carries enough venom to kill twenty-six adult humans within minutes. Happy swimming!
A young Martha Stewart, 1964
Okay, one thing that strikes me about this photo; Martha Stewart was kind of hot back in the '60s. This shot was taken back in her modeling days. Long before, Stewart became a gazillionaire for being a lifestyle maven, she was a model - who began her career when she was fifteen-years-old. Stewart continued to model when she was studying at Barnard College - as a means to supplement her scholarship.
Here she is doing a modeling job for the promotion of the cow industry. Stewart would later go to prison for illegal stock trading - and eventually would befriend Snoop Dogg.
Contrary to popular belief, chameleons do not change color depending on where they are. For this animal is not a form of camouflage but also a mode of communication.
Chameleons. What can we say about them that hasn't been said about other creatures that also have the ability to change their color? Well, here's an interesting factoid; despite the popular assumption that chameleons change their color to camouflage themselves to their surroundings - but it's actually a form of communication and to regulate their body temperature.
In a sense, a chameleon could say, "Today I feel blue" - and then turn blue. But it's more complex than that. Male chamaleons become bright to signal their dominance and turn dark in aggressive confrontations. Further, since chameleons can't generate their own body heat, they will turn dark to absorb more heat; and turn pale to reflect the sun.
Narwhals are sometimes known as the 'unicorns of the ocean' because of the long tusks that protrude from their heads. Drone footage of wild narwhals has revealed that the whales use their tusks to hunt for fish.
Narwhals have two great things going on with them. First, because of their long tusks that protrude from the their heads, they are known as the "unicorns of the ocean." Second, the long tusk isn't just a vanity item. Sure, it's cool as heck to have a long tusk protruding from your head, but the tusk is used to hunt fish.
Narwhals are a medium-sized toothed whale that lives in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia. It weighs up to 4,200 pounds, can grow as long as 17 feet in length and lives up to 50 years. Pretty impressive stats for the unicorn of the ocean.
Baby elephant getting a drink of water
Oh, baby elephant - you win my heart! What can be more adorable than a baby elephant taking a drink of water with its long elephant snout? The trunk acts as an extended nose that is fused with the elephant's top lip and has opposable "fingers" at the end for grasping small objects - such as circus peanuts (which I am lead to believe that they love).
But most of all, the elephant trunk allows this pachyderm to suck up and squirt almost 14 liters of water into their mouths. Suck it up, baby elephant, suck it up...
Hello World! This Nile crocodile is 'egg-cited' to make its big entrance into the ecosystem
What came first; the chicken or the egg - or the crocodile that also comes from an egg? A crocodile hatches out of an egg that's roughly the size of a large chicken egg. Despite the small size, crocodiles will to be about 15 feet long. Thus all those urban legends of people who flush baby crocodiles down the toilet - only to have them found swimming in the New York City sewer system.
The crocodile in this photo seems to be saying, "Quit looking at me because one day I will be able to clamp down my powerful jaw around your neck!"
A female octopus, known as a hen, may lay up to 100,000 eggs. She obsessively guards the eggs until they hatch and even stops eating.
Yes, 100,000 eggs. That's how much a female octopus lays - and a hell of a lot of octopi to bring into this cruel oceanic world. The octopus eggs don't arrive into the world in clusters. Instead the mother octopus gathers her floating eggs - and then strings them close together. The clustering process takes over a month. But, hell, what else do you have going on in your life - if you happen to be an octopus?
Unlike the human world, mother octopus put all of their energy taking care of their eggs, usually end up dying after the eggs are hatched. So, once the baby octopi are introduced to the world - they are pretty much on their own; to do whatever the hell it is that octopi do...
Have you ever seen a baby Appaloosa Mini Horse?
We all know Mini Me from the Austin Powers movies. But what about the mini horse? The baby Appaloosa Mini Horse looks like it should be coming out a tiny clown car with a dozen other baby Appaloosa Mini Horses. This is what happens when you have a baby version of an already tiny horse.
There's always been the heated controversy (in the horse world of course) whether or not a mini horse is a horse or a pony. (Some people have too much free time on their hands). Mini horses were first bred in the Europe in the 1600s and soon become the pets of nobility. Plus, they look like they could fit in your front shirt pocket.
In case you haven't seen one before, this is a baby Musk Ox
Tiny animals are always a big hit. Just like that reality show about tiny houses, which I think, is called Tiny House. A little trivia about our friend the musk ox, these Bovidae are primarily found in Greenland, the Canadian Arctic, as well as Alaska and Siberia. They are not only known for their thick coat but also a strong musky odor emitted by the males to attract females. So, in a way, the musk ox is a lot like d-bags you'd find at a club in the Meatpacking district of New York on a Friday night.
Eagle grabs a drone during a police exercise in the Netherlands
This eagle is doing the exact thing we wish we all could do; it's grabbing one of those pesky drones right out of the air. This is during a police exercise in the Netherlands.
So my question is - are they training eagles to do this counter-defense tactic? The answer is "yes." Those crafty Dutch police know that bald eagles hate these mechanical flying apparatuses. So they're training the birds to take them down.
Dutch police have joined forces with the raptor-training security firm, Guard From Above, to keep wayward drones out of the skies over the Netherlands - by having eagles snatch them in midair. So genius in its old-school simplicity.
The Asian Arowana, a tropical freshwater fish from Southeast Asia, is the world’s most expensive aquarium fish
So, how much does the world's most expensive aquarium fish cost? Well, on the lower end, WalMart is showing a version of the tropical fish going for $19.99. I don't think the WalMart version was what they were referring to. On the higher end, the rare Asian Arowana fish can cost up to $150,000 - and grows up to three feet long.
Another reason the WalMart version isn't genuine; it's said that it's illegal to own one in the United States. This exotic fish resembles a dragon, is associated with prosperity, and has even instigated fish kidnapping - due to its high price tag.
The only living quagga to have been photographed was this mare at the Zoological Society of London's Zoo in 1870.
Okay, this is a funky looking horse. Or zebra. Or zebra horse. Or whatever it is. The quagga was a subspecies of the plains zebra that lived in South Africa until becoming extinct late in the 19th century. The last captive quagga died in Amsterdam in 1883. Only one quagga was ever photographed alive - and that was at the London zoo in 1870.
Early on, the quagga was hunted by Dutch settlers and Afrikaners for meat and skins. While they began to disappear in the wild, quaggas were shipped to Europe to be displayed in zoos.
Poor quaggas -we miss you good buddy!
The transparent butterfly Greta Oto, better known as the glasswinged butterfly.
Hey transparent butterfly - you are kind of tripping me out. Greta Oto is more commonly known as the glasswinged butterfly. Not familiar with it? Well, that's because Greta Oto is normally found in Central and northern regions of South America, but there has been sightings in Texas, Florida, and Chile as well.
Its transparent wings allow the Greta Oto to remain camouflaged from predators. Though the Greta Oto looks fragile, it can still carry up to 40 times its own weight. So imagine being about to carry around 40 of yourself - like it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
This turtle is more than 100 years-old and can be found swimming in the Southern Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia.
This what turtles look like when the reach the 100 year-old mark. This turtle looks like its done some hard living. In fact, you could easily mistake it for an algae-infested rock.
Green turtles, popular to this region, get their name because of their green shell. They can weigh over 600 lbs and lay almost 200 eggs at a time.
Sure this particular turtle might be old, but turtles have been swimming underwater for more than 200 million years. In fact the turtle evolved long before mammals, birds, snakes and even lizards.
So respect - the turtle!
Behind the scenes of Jaws
In between takes, Bruce the Shark and actor Robert Shaw take a break on the set of the movie Jaws. It looks like they're talking about the troubles they had with their Hollywood agent. The 1975 movie was direct by Steven Spielberg. The shark used in the movie was mechanical and kept malfunctioning. That's why you really don't see it until the third act of the movie. Because of the trouble with the mechanical shark, Spielberg decide to show the shark approaching in other ways - than visibly seeing the predator. This ingenious idea added a whole other layer of terror to the movie.
And the rest is box-office breaking movie history.
Woman sitting with her pet cheetah having tea at a café, Paris 1932.
I don't know who this woman is, but somehow I hate her. Here she is having tea at a Parisian cafe with her pet cheetah on a leash. I bet she was all rich, crazy, and eccentric. Again, haven't we learned anything from the movie Grizzly Man? Wild animals, such as big cats - will rip you to pieces when given the chance. They are at a different spot on the food chain and are not your friends. Just look what happened to Roy from Siegfried and Roy. He treated his white tiger like a prince - and it still ended up throwing him around by the throat like a rag doll.
In 2001, a Florida man wrestled a 7ft bull shark to retrieve the severed arm of his 10 year old nephew.
This takes some balls. No, this isn't a new spot that involves using a shark to waterski. A man wrestled with a 7ft bull shark and dragged it to shore. The catalyst for this man's gutsy maneuver was to retriever the arm of his eight year-old nephew, which was bitten off by the killing machine. After the shark bit off his right arm, his uncle leaped into the water, carried the boy to safety, and then dived back to seize the shark - and get vengeance
Once, the shark was pulled to the shore, it was shot and the arm retrieved from its belly. A baton was use to pry open the shark's jaws while a volunteer fireman reached into the creature's mouth and pulled the arm out. Miraculously, the boy was taken to a hospital and had his arm sewn back on.
I wouldn't recommend trying this at home.
Echidna are spiny anteaters and one of the egg-laying mammals and one of the rarest animals in the world. The Echidna has sharp spine like a big porcupine
When threatened, a Echidna will roll up into a ball and use its spines for protection. When not doing that, it will consist on a diet largely comprised of ants. Another factoid: Along with the platypus, Echidna is the only surviving members of the order Monotremata and are the only living mammals that lay eggs - making it one of the rarest mammals in the world.
Viva la Echidna
Clouded leopards are from the cloud forests of Southeast Asia and are one of the most ancient of cat species. But they are neither a true great cat nor a true small cat, because they can't roar or purr.
This almost sounds like the making of a joke:
What do you call a cat that can't purr or roar?
You'd call it a clouded leopard.
Found in the cloud forest in Southeast Asia, the clouded leopard's population is said to be fewer than 10,000; with an ever decreasing population - which is not good because this is on of the most ancient of cat species. As far as celebrity status goes, the clouded leopard was the mascot for 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup and was also one of the featured characters in the animated film Rugrats Go Wild.
Baby otters, or pups, are born blind and they open their eyes only after forty days. They are very small when they are born, weighing only 4.6 ounces. Mothers will give birth to one litter a year.
These are a bunch of baby otters. These pups are born blind and usually open their eyes after forty days. When they do eventually open their eyes, the first thing they might be thinking is, "Holy crap, my mom is an otter!"
In a complete act of cunning, before the baby otters are born, the family will stockpile food so they don’t have to leave the nest. After giving birth, daddy otter will protect the tiny otters. Soon after, the baby otters will be taught to swim and walk.
And the rest is otter history!
Regrettably, the last male Northern White Rhino in existence has passed.
Not to be a downer, but this is the last male Northern White Rhino in existence. It went by the name Sudan and died in March of 2018. Sudan lived in a 700-acre enclosure at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy; located near Mount Kenya.
Armed guards protected Sudan 24 hours a day because his subspecies is on the verge of extinction due to poachers - who believe the White Rhino horns cure various ailments. Sudan's death leaves just two of his kind remaining on Earth. Sudan's daughter and granddaughter are the only two remaining Northern White Rhinos.
Even for Australians who see kangaroos every day, it's rare to see an albino kangaroo in the wild, such as this one spotted near Canberra.
First of all, did you know that baby kangaroos are called, "Joeys?" Well, they are. In Australia, kangaroos are a quite common site. In fact some Australians even consider them pests. Though, an albino kangaroo only occurs once out of 50,000 to 100,000 kangaroos.
These white kangaroos either have a gene that prevents them from producing any pigment or they may have a gene mutation that produces a white color in their fur. Or it could be a combination of both. Who the hell knows - we just largely know these kangaroos are very rare !
One of the rarest animals on the planet, the Black Jaguar.
We've seen the movie Black Panther. But what about Black Jaguar? No, this is not another Marvel movie franchise - but one of the rarest animals on the planet. Holy endangered species!
The Black Jaguar has a lot going for it. Not only is it the largest cat indigenous to North, Central and South America, but its black coat from a dominant gene mutation that produces excess melanin. These rare creatures make up only 6 percent of the entire jaguar population, and are found where there's the least amount of sunlight; usually in the densest part of the vegetation.
And, for now, no superhero movies are planned based on this amazing cat.
The epaulette shark can walk between coral heads at low tide, along the seafloor and even on land when needed.
Some crazy natural selection going on here with the epaulette shark. Of course this creature is from Australia - land of really messed up things in nature. These bad boys love staying up late; epaulette sharks have nocturnal habits and frequent shallow water on coral reefs and tidal pools. Thus why they look like a big piece of coral, themselves, to hide from predators.
Aquarium Fish Magazine referred to the epaulette shark as "the best shark for the home aquarium." Yes, it's true, there's actually a publication called, Aquarium Fish Magazine.
A mother giraffe kissing her baby on the head
How cute. A mother giraffe is kissing her baby on the head. Or, she might think that the baby's long neck is a straw, and she's trying to take a sip. Some giraffes measure 5-feet tall at birth. Giraffes are pregnant between 14 and 15 months and usually give birth to one-to-two babies at a time.
The mom giraffe will give birth while standing up, which, in case you don't know, humans don't do.
Cats catching squirts of milk during milking at a dairy farm in California, 1954.
Is this cat heaven to be right by the source of the thing they love most: milk? This look like some weird fetish category; cats drinking milk from cow photos.
Though, according to Prestige Animal Hospital, cats and cow milk don't mix. Why? Most cats are lactose intolerant. Cats will gladly lap up a bowl of milk - but it will usually result in cat stomach cramps. And no feline wants that. When a cat drinks milk, the indigestible lactose in its stomach may start to ferment - and that's where the stomach problems begin. So cats, just like humans can be lactose intolerance.
But meanwhile, cats drinking cow milk directly from the cow - is a video genre I want nothing to do with.
In case you haven’t heard of the blue footed booby... here it is
First of all, awesome name: Blue footed booby. This marine bird is native to subtropical and tropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean. Do you know how the blue footed booby is easily recognizable? Why, that would be by it's distinct bright blue feet. And why are their feet blue? To attract the ladies.
Males display their blue feet in an elaborate mating ritual by lifting them up and down while strutting before the female. It's sounds just like finance guys do at nightclubs by opening up their wallets full of colorful money.
About one half of all blue footed bobbies settle down and call the Galápagos Islands home.
Native to a remote part of China, this tiny mammal is known as the Ili pika.
This Ili Pika was photographed for the first time in 22 years. Why was it so hard to photograph? Well, the species is almost extinct. There are less than 1,000 Ili Pika in existence. This mammal is part of the family Ochotonidae. And was only discovered in 1983 - in a remote region in northwest China. Its appearance was not again until 2014. Maybe the Ili Pika was hiding somewhere - being adorable in private?
The Ili Pika resembles a short-eared rabbit - that might have packed on a few pounds. Its population was reduced by 70% within 15 years. Poor Ili Pika :(
The majestic beauty of this owl in mid-flight.
Okay, no CGI was used to simulate this owl in mid-flight. Owls are badass creates that usually only come out at night. They are also the masters of camouflage. These two factors make capturing an owls on camera is not an easy task.
Since the earliest of times owls have signified wisdom. In more modern times, the owl represents the illuminati for conspiracy theory buffs. Maybe this owl flying off to a meeting at the secret onclave, Bohemian Grove? But usually owls are sign of good luck; unless you're a rodent - because that's what owls love to hunt for.
A rare albino moose is seen in Gunnarskog, Varmland, Sweden.
Those crazy Swedes and their albino moose running around in the wild like it was the most ordinary thing in the world. This albino moose was photographed in Gunnarskog, Varmland, Sweden. With the expression on his face it looks as if he's being hounded by the wildlife paparazzi who just captured him coming out of a wildness nightclub. This Swedish moose actually gained celebrity status (in Sweden) after a local politician captured video footage of it wandering around.
The rare color comes from a genetic mutation which is a congenital condition that results in a loss of pigmentation. This moose even has soft white velvet even coating its antlers. Such a rarity are white moose that in Canada, hunters are prohibited from killing any moose that are more than 50 percent white in color.
A funny penguin making a little girl laugh.
Yes, this funny penguin makes this girl laugh. What did the penguin say that was so darn funny? Here's four possibilities:
Q: Whats a penguins favorite relative? A: Aunt Arctica!
Q: What do penguins eat for lunch? A: Ice-burgers!
Q: What do you call a penguin in the desert? A: Lost!
Q: Where do penguins go swimming? A: At the South Pool!
Oh funny penguins - you and your penguin-type sense of humor will always make me laugh!
The pink-necked green pigeon is found in parts of Asia.
Here's a parrot that's very fashion conscience. In the United States, our pigeons look very straight-forward and bland. Our pigeons are just plain dull. Meanwhile, the pink-necked green pigeon, which is found in parts of Asia, looks hot rocking the pastel colors - making him look like an extra on the 80's TV show, Miami Vice. (Though, really not too creative with the name of the pigeon.)
The males of the species has a pinkish nape, neck and upperbreast while the females lacks the pinkish and orange plumage of the male.
What sells it for me is the pink feet. The pink-necked green pigeon would be a hit at any NY Fashion Week party.
Abandoned by his mother in a Chinese forest, Qizai is the only known Brown Panda in the world.
Once again, shades of early extinction - can someone help out this brown panda!? Not only is Qizai the last brown panda in the world, but it also got abandoned by his mother when it was 2 months old in a Chinese forest. Does this panda just have an incredible bad personality?
Qizai is brown due to a genetic mutation and his handlers, at the Foping Panda Valley, are trying to find him a mate. That's a heavy life so far for a 7 year-old.
Qizai has a personal caretaker who schedules his plans his life around her eating schedule. Thus the life of a celebrity brown panda.
A painted rock to look like a shark.
Holy crap - it's the largest shark I've ever seen coming out of the water. Though, really, it's not. It's just a large rock "painted" like a shark.
This painted shark rock can be found on Palolem Beach in Gao, which is in Southern India, and also known as a party culture hot spot. Created by American artist Jimmy Swift in 2015, the rock was painted on shore, but when the tide rolls it, the rock looks like it's emerging out of the water - ready to bite your torso in two. Scary!
"When I first saw this rock it looked like a perfect place for a great white,” said Swift. "It's truly amazing how mother nature can carve out such a perfect shape.”
