The Nature Animals

7 Mutts Going Nuts At Mardi Gras

2012-02-23T11:02:00.001+01:00

Mardi Gras never fails to bring out the crazies in the crowd and dogs are no exception! These gussied up pooches happily joined their owners to celebrate Big Easy style on Fat Tuesday. Check out their beaded and bedazzled finery!

1. Smiling Jester Shakes His Tail Feather

Source: thatcutesite.com

2. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Source: Herkie, Flickr

3. Sharpei Rocks a Deep-V Tee

Source : Dennis Pillion, al.com

4. Wonder what he had to do get all those beads?

Source: katedubyan, Flickr

5. Gonna fetch me ridin' dirty

Source: Dennis Pillion, al.com

6. Golden Retriever Pup Pride

Source: thatcutesite.com

7. Chihuahua Channels Elton John

Source:thatcutesite.com

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Ice Age Flower Revived in Russia

2012-02-22T09:15:00.001+01:00

Fruit and seeds hidden in an Ice Age squirrel's burrow in Siberian permafrost have been resurrected into a flower by Russian scientists.

Using a pioneering experiment, the Sylene stenophylla has become the oldest plant ever to be regrown and it is fertile, producing white flowers and viable seeds.

The Sylene stenophylla in bloom (Pic: Institute of Cell Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences)

The seeds date back 30,000 to 32,000 years and raise hopes that iconic Ice Age mammals like the woolly mammoth could also eventually be resurrected.

The researchers, who published their findings in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the US, said the results prove that permafrost serves a natural depository for ancient life forms.

"We consider it essential to continue permafrost studies in search of an ancient genetic pool, that of pre-existing life, which hypothetically has long since vanished from the earth's surface," the scientists said in the article.

Woolly mammoth tusks dug up from Siberian permafrost in 1999

Canadian researchers had earlier regenerated some significantly younger plants from seeds found in burrows.

Svetlana Yashina of the Institute of Cell Biophysics of the Russian Academy Of Sciences, who led the regeneration effort, said the revived plant looked very similar to its modern version, which still grows in the same area in northeastern Siberia.

The Russian research team recovered the fruit after investigating dozens of fossil burrows hidden in ice deposits on the right bank of the lower Kolyma River in northeastern Siberia.

They were firmly cemented together and often totally filled with ice, making any water infiltration impossible - creating a natural freezing chamber fully isolated from the surface.

The burrows were located 125ft (38m) below the present surface in layers containing bones of large mammals, such as mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, bison, horse and deer.

"The squirrels dug the frozen ground to build their burrows, which are about the size of a soccer ball, putting in hay first and then animal fur for a perfect storage chamber," said Stanislav Gubin, one of the authors of the study, who spent years rummaging through the area for squirrel burrows. "It's a natural cryobank."

"If we are lucky, we can find some frozen squirrel tissue," said Mr Gubin. "And this path could lead us all the way to mammoth."

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Underwater Dog Photography Reveals New Animal Perspectives

2012-02-18T11:26:00.001+01:00

Animal photographer Seth Casteel has been getting a lot of attention for his series of pictures depicting dogs underwater. While all of the photos are impressive, what's most interesting (or disturbing) is how the photos combine the childlike delight of these dogs with what looks like terrifying scowls on their faces as they hone in on their play toy targets. But as great as those pictures are, there's an accompanying video posted online that might be even better.

Casteel posted a video of "Nevada the Diving Dog," a Border Collie determined to fetch a tennis ball as it descends to the bottom of a swimming pool. One unusual aspect of the underwater filming is the way it almost appears like Nevada is about to run out of breath before slowly paddling his way back to the surface. And sure enough, it takes Nevada a few tries but he does eventually get the ball at the bottom of the swimming pool.

source, source1, source2

Rare ‘White’ Black Beast Captured on Camera is Not a Polar Bear

2012-02-16T16:23:00.001+01:00

You could be forgiven for thinking it was a polar bear that had wandered off the ice and somehow found itself in a forest.

But this golden, almost white, beautifully unique creature is in fact a white variant of the North American black bear known as the spirit bear.

The animal, also known as the Kermode bear, lives among more conventional-looking black bears in the dense green forests of British Columbia in Canada.

Standing its ground: The spirit bear comes into contact with another forest bear, , which is a more traditional black colour

Extremely rare: The animal, also known as the Kermode bear, lives amongst the dense green forests of British Columbia

Just hanging around: The bear is able to climb into the trees to look for food

Once thought to be a myth, these legendary creatures are now so precious to the people of British Columbia, the Government has made it an offence to shoot one - with a fine of up to $100,000 CAD.

Wildlife photographers now travel from across the globe for the chance to capture the white bear on camera, which are virtually impossible to photograph, due to their scarcity.

But one lucky photographer who captured this series of images of the spirit bear in it's natural habitat is Paul Nicklen.

The 43-year-old from Vancouver, Canada, said: 'This little bear is amazing its pure white, it's not a polar bear and there are only 200 left in the world - it's more rare than a panda.

Popular: Wildlife photographers now travel from across the globe for the chance to capture the white bear on camera, which are virtually impossible to photograph, due to their scarcity

Catch of the day: These legendary creatures are now so precious to the people of British Columbia, the Government has made it an offence to shoot one. The bear is pictured here with a large fish for its lunch

Big feed: The bear carries its snack while keeping a watchful eye out

Tasty: The bear tucks into its large catch

'I sat in this forest for two months without ever seeing one and I felt sure I was going to leave empty handed.

'But then after two months of wondering what I was going to do, this incredible big white male came right beside me about three feet away, he grabbed a fish and ate it.

'I then spent my entire day living my childhood dream walking around with this bear through the forest.

'I actually got to sleep within three feet of this bear and photograph him, it was a truly amazing experience.'

Stunning: Although this looks like it is a polar bear which has somehow found itself in a forest, it is actually an extremely rare 'white' black bear

Chilling out: Paul Nicklen managed to capture the amazing images of the rare bear, including this one of it relaxing in the forest with a meal

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5 Cute Animals That Show Heart All Year Round

2012-02-15T10:17:00.001+01:00

These animals wear their hearts on their sleeve, forehead and rumps

Everyday is Valentine's Day for these furry little guys who have been blessed with some special, all-natural body art! What better way to show the love than to wear it on your person?

Are you looking for your own furry Valentine? Look no further than Petfinder.com where you can find your furry forever Valentine today.

1. I Heart Puppy!

Photo Source: news.com.au

2. Baby ox with heart!

Image Source: The Door Garden

3. Itty bitty kitty with heart so pretty. (It actually looks like it spells out "I Heart "dot." The mother was reportedly named "Dottie")

Image source: Life In The Fastlane

4. Now that's some pig!

Image source: Daily Mail

5. Who knew that the scary Black Widow spider could show so much heart?

Image Source: The Door Garden

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11 Horrifically Violent Animal Mating Rituals

2012-02-13T10:32:00.001+01:00

Seals: Humping Their Way Onto The Endangered Species List

Is there anything cuter than a baby seal? There is when it's been crushed to death by a horde of frisky male seals who wanted to get in the action when they heard another couple mating. Think that's a rare occurrence? Think again. Some colonies have been known to lose 2/3 of their cubs this way. That's why the babies grow up so darn fast –the sooner they bulk up, the sooner they can avoid being crushed to d*ath.

Of course, babies aren't the only ones at risk. The male Southern Elephant Seal often crushes the female's skull in his jaws during copulation and female Monk Seals are often mobbed to de*th by excited males when they go into heat. In fact, endangered seal species are some of the only at-risk creatures to be put on libido-suppressing drugs in order to stop them from sexing themselves into extinction. (Buy it Here | Photo)

Bedbugs: Impaler? I Hardly Know Her

Why bother courting and mating when you can instead just impale and run? That seems to be the thought process behind the bedbug's reproduction method. Indeed, rather than finding the female's reproductive organs and getting a little frisky, this quick-moving bug just stabs his lady in her stomach, deposits his sperm and leaves. The sperm then travel through the female's blood stream into sperm receptacles and eventually into her waiting ovaries.

This type of mating behavior is known by the terrifying title of “traumatic insertion,” and it certainly lives up to its name. At least when it's happening to something as horrible as bed bugs it's a lot harder to feel bad for the victims. (Link 1 | Link 2 | Photo)

Squid: Those Slippery, No-Good Cephalopods

Squids may not seem like the sexiest animals around, but as it turns out, they might be some of the kinkiest. The male bioluminescent Dana Octopus Squid uses its beak and sharp claws to pierce holes in its mate before using a pe*nis-like appendage to insert sperm into the cuts. On the other hand, the Greater Hooked Squid just bypasses the stabbing step by using sperm that independently burrow their way into the female's skin, using an enzyme that dissolves tissue.

The Sharpear Enope Squid is the first-known transgender squid, as some males not only resemble females in appearance, but even have female sex glands. While the debate is still out on what evolutionary benefit this provides, some researchers speculate that it allows these individuals to get closer to potential mates without being detected. (Link | Photo)

Quolls: Deth By Fornication*

While you may not have already heard of a quoll, if you know enough about their mating rituals, you won't soon forget the species. Every winter, the females all go into heat at the same time, causing a breeding frenzy within the species. The males will try to mate with as many females as possible, grabbing their newest mate by the neck and dragging them off to do the nasty. Average mating sessions last up to three hours, but can go on as long as a full day. That's because the males don't release very many sperm at a time, so they must ejaculate multiple times to ensure their genes are passed on. Like many human males trying to compensate for something, the quoll males are violent and ruthless. In fact, throughout all the biting, scratching and screeching, many females end up killed in the process, only to be eaten by their angry partner.

As if nature wished to compensate the females for their suffering, many of the males put out so much energy during the mating season that they lose weight, start balding and die within only a few weeks of their sexual rampage. (Buy it Here | Photo)

Seed Beetles: Take A Stab At Quenching Your Thirst

There are over 350,000 species of beetle and their reproductive methods vary drastically. When it comes to beetle sex though, few have it as bad as the female Seed Beetle. That's because the male has a disturbingly spiky p*nis that always injures the female in the process of copulation. Researchers have concluded that larger spikes somehow help the males win out in the genetic arms race, and that those with the biggest, sharpest spikes also sire the most offspring.

As for why the females would even agree to mate with a partner knowing they would have to go through such a traumatizing experience, scientists have an answer for that one too. It turns out that because the beetles live in such an arid climate, the ejaculate fluid provides females with much needed hydration. When the insects are provided with ample water, female interest in mating drops drastically, but when things get dry, they suddenly have an insatiable thirst for love. Well, at least they get something out of the horrific experience. (Link 1 | Link 2 | Photo)

Flatworms: Fencing As Foreplay

Sex might seem easier for hermaphroditic species, but that's very often not the case. All sea slugs are hermaphrodites. But when it comes to flatworms, fighting for the right to be the father can be a dangerous duty. The animals all have a dagger-like p*nis that they use to hunt for food, but when it comes time to mate, the two flatworms will go about fencing one another in order to avoid becoming the mother. When one of the fighters is stabbed, it will become the mother, meaning it has to give up substantial energy resources to its new brood while the winner will continue to enjoy the life of a bachelor flatworm. (Link 1 | Link 2 | Photo)

Slugs and Snails: Playing Cupid Is Less Romantic Than It Sounds

Like flatworms, snails and slugs are hermaphrodites that have to battle as part of their reproduction process. While they might not shake their penises at each other, their mating ritual is certainly just as strange.

For one thing, the creature's genitals are hidden on their necks behind their eye stalks. Since they don't actually have penises, they instead have an archery battle, shooting off so-called “love darts” at one another. The darts, made mostly from calcium, do not contain sperm, but instead cause the victim to become more receptive to the shooter's sperm, giving it an edge in sharing its genes with the next generation.
Shooting love darts can be rather dangerous and some victims have even been known to be shot in the eye and brain in the process –but don't worry, they survive, they just carry around a giant dart for a while.

Of course, dart shooting isn't the only weird bedroom behavior these invertebrates get into. The Banana Slug has a penis of around 6 to 8 inches, roughly the size of its full body. When fertilizing one another, the larger slug will often get his penis stuck inside the other. That would be bad in any situation, but the impatient partner makes it infinitely worse by biting off the offending member in order be able to get going a little bit sooner. Ouch! (Link 1 | Link 2 | Photo)

Bees: Pop Goes The Penis

You know how bees often die after stinging humans? As it turns out, this same fate awaits the males who mate with the queen. Before mating, the new queen will need to kill off all of her sister siblings, ensuring she will remain the unchallenged monarch of the hive. Once that messy business is taken care of, the virgin queen will take a mating flight with about a dozen males. While the special mating males, selected from the tens of thousands of other male bees in the colony, might seem lucky at first, their luck is soon to change. That's because they die as their penises explode (audibly even) while inside the queen. She's then loaded up with all the sperm she'll need for the rest of her life, which entails laying up to fifteen hundred eggs per day for three full years. (Buy it Here | Photo)

Wasp Spiders: Breaking Off A Piece of That…Literally

You probably know that black widows often eat their mates, but as it turns out, this is hardly the most violent example of spider copulation. Male wasp spiders allow their genitals to break off inside their partner just before she attacks and eats him. For a long time, researchers believed this was an attempt to escape their eminent demise. But it turns out, breaking off their sex organs had no impact on whether or not the creature survived, but it did make it less likely that the female's subsequent mates would be able to pass on their genes. Females with genitals already broken off inside of them ate their mates much more quickly, providing the males with even less time to attempt to successfully mate first.

Wasp spiders aren't the only species of spiders to lose their junk in the mating process. In fact, the Tent Cobweb Weaver voluntarily chews off one of his sex organs before mating so he can pass his genes along to his mate faster, thereby being able to impregnate her before competing spiders get the chance. (Link 1 | Buy it Here | Photo)

Octopuses: Watch Which Hand You Shake

Next time you see an octopus tentacle, just remember, you could be looking at one of his arms, or, at his penis. While the sex organ tentacle isn't truly a penis, in many species, it actually fills with blood and becomes erect just like a human's. Regardless of species though, the basic process involved is always the same: the male places a packet of sperm on his sex arm and then uses it to place the sperm in a slot of the female's body used for reproduction. In every species, the male's organ stays embedded in the female's body. He cannot regrow his sex tentacle and he will die within a few months.

In some species though, the process is much more bizarre. For example, the Paper Nautilus will detach his penis tentacle and allow it to swim by itself over to the female. The Blanket Octopus has a similar unobtrusive mating habit. The male, which is approximately 40,000 times smaller than the female, will swim up to his woman of choice, stick his mating arm to her body somewhere and then swim off to die. The female rarely even notices the encounter, even as the arm left behind will crawl its way around her body until it arrives in her gill slit where it will wait until her eggs are mature. At that point, she'll remove the arm, rip open the sperm packet and sprinkle it over her eggs. She may as well be adding some sugar to her iced tea. Meanwhile, her mate will almost certainly be d*ad by that point. (Link 1 | Buy it Here | Photo)

Praying Mantis: Post-Coitus Snack Anyone?

It's common knowledge that female praying mantises eat the heads of their mates during intercourse, but as it turns out, this isn't always the case. In some species, head-eating is a required part of the interaction, as it makes the male ejaculate more quickly. But in most cases, the cannibalism is actually a relatively rare behavior that occurs anywhere from 5-31% of the time. In these cases, the female will only eat the male because she's hungry and needs more sustenance in order to go on living. Remember, most animals only mate to keep their species going and a d*ad female isn't going to help the mantis survive as a species. When cannibalism doesn't occur, the mating ritual is actually a bit romantic, including a long mating dance and soft antennae stroking. Who knew these guys were such softies? (Link | Photo)

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32 Stunning and Spectacular Sea Arches

2012-02-06T16:21:00.001+01:00

Whether you worked hard today or can’t seem to find work, let’s take a break from the stress. It’s cold and ugly outside in some places, so think about sea arches like a mysterious portal to another world of sunshine and warm tropical water. If you love beaches or cliffs, you should be awed by these natural rock formations while enjoying your virtual travel to the sea. Hey, it’s a free trip, let’s find the right mood.

Forget about the ups and downs of life. You can feel the warm wind blowing a salty ocean spray on your skin as well as feel the warm sand under your feet. You can hear the roar swish of waves crashing. Exhale out the negative energy, as the tension slowly seeps out of your body, and you get ready to take off for your journey to see 32 stunning and spectacular sea arches.

Let’s Go Play

(image credits: Cyril BRETON, Stefan Mendelsohn, thefatcat44)

Let’s go play. You will travel first to France. Étretat is best known for its cliffs, including a famous natural arch pictured on the top left. To the left of that arch, erosion collapsed another arch which is now only a sea stack. Next, you’ll hop virtually to Spain to take in another lovely hole in a rock. The top right sea arch is at Cala Santanyí, Majorca, Balearic Islands. Are you ready to get in the ocean? From there, you’ll travel to Dorset, England, to take in a twilight stroll on the water’s edge near the famous Dorsel Door.

France, Italy, Mexico

(image credits: Erroba, nespyxel, Wonderlane)

Because the view is so awe inspiring, you’ll go back to Étretat, Normandy for a picnic on the cliff. Gaze where the waves have sliced through the cliff for the opposite view of that grand natural arch. From there, you’ll fly to Ponza, Italy, where you can get in a boat like the one that can be seen sailing through the window in the rocks. In the bottom image, you see waves and a very low arch near Mazatlan, Mexico. The undertow is strong and the rocks are sharp so be careful but have fun.

Hawaii, Spain, Greece

(image credits: j o s h, siskud, episa)

For more warm tropical water, let’s head to Hawaii and Volcanoes National Park where many sea caves or lava tubes have collapsed, leaving majestic sea arches behind. These natural arches will continue to erode, lasting but a short span of time and perhaps centuries only. Many sea caves erode down to sea arches such as in the top right, near Costa Blanca, Spain, where the waves are crashing against the caves to form more sea arches. On the bottom, you can dive into the gorgeous turquoise waters surrounding Arch Rock, along the northern coast of Crete Island, Greece.

Corona del Mar CA and Island of Gozo, Malta

(image credits: UCI Sociology Department, Vin60)

It’s time for you to have some fun in the water and out. First, at Corona del Mar, California, you can see this marvelous sea arch at low tide and with breaking waves. It is a four mile round trip hike to Crystal Cove. Snorkeling is good beneath the cliffs of Corona beach. The park features three miles of Pacific coastline, plus open bluffs, wooded canyons, and an offshore underwater park. Then take another virtual hop across the world to land in the Mediterranean. In the bottom image, the natural bridge continues to be cut away by crashing waves off the coast of Sicily. Malto, Gozo offers great snorkeling, bright orange-red sands, and some of the oldest religious structures and temples in the world.

Yesnaby Scotland to Berry Head England

(image credits: windywolf,>> Hal <<)

Now you’re off the Yesnaby, Scotland, an area renowned for its Devonian geology, geos, crumbly rocks, sea stacks, blowholes, boiling seas and towering cliffs. If you feel a bit energized, perhaps you’d like an adventure here? This is a very popular spot for climbers due to Yesnaby Castle, a two legged sea stack. Then you zoom to Berry Head, England, and this natural bridge, or dark sea arch. Berry Head offers plenty of caves and threatened wildlife.

From Kap Dyrholaey to Normandy

(image credits: Kenny Muir, gilgpictures)

Wow, now you are in southern Iceland at Kap Dyrholaey where the energy created by the wind and huge waves as they crash against the sea arch cleanses your mind of the rest of your stress. The vibrant colors of the rainbow flow around you, bringing a smile to your face as you feel alive and happy. Then like a flash, you are back in France to enjoy the peace and privacy on the beach where this sea arch reflects in the still water, doubling your pleasure.

Durdle Door

(image credits: Dordle Door)

You blinked, didn’t you? Now you are in Dorset, England, in the late afternoon as a storm blows in next to Durdle Door. The sand and pebbles are warm under your feet, as you take in a deep breath and taste the salty tang of sea air. The ocean spray in the wind cools you as you harness the positive energy of the ocean, the crashing waves, and the approaching storm. You can have all of nature’s awesomeness while you absorb the beauty of this stunning sea arch.

Take it in — London “Bridge” Arch and La Jolla

(image credits: sorgun68, AMagill)

London Arch was once called London Bridge, but erosion caused the natural bridge to collapse, leaving behind this sea arch in Port Campbell National Park, Australia. Here the sun is warming and smiling, kissing your skin. But what you really want is to get out there in the ocean, right? Go ahead, take a deep breath in and dive under the water. Take in the beautiful colored fish before you kick and glide to the surface. Take in a deep breath as you bob up down on the waves, now in La Jolla, California. Go ahead, take in the beauty around you.

Mermaids and Adventurers

(image credits: djgr, cláudia gabriela marques vieira, acampm1)

Calling mermaids and adventurers, welcome to Mermaids Inlet at Currarong, Australia. The natural rock phenomenon is still more of a sea cave in the left image, providing safe passage for only mermaids or daredevils. The water swells, cutting the cave even more until eventually erosion will slice it down to a sea arch. Now virtually hop back to England like in the top right, at Lulworth Cove. The area surrounding that natural arch is called Jurassic Coast because it’s a geological goldmine. Yet in a heartbeat you are in Algarve, Portugal. Here the ocean is as warm and as inviting as the sandy beach. The seagulls cry overhead, calling to the adventurer in you to cut loose and have fun.

Sea Windows

(image credits: vgm8383, Dat The Man, little_frank, Patrick Smith)

Welcome back to Cali, near Pfeiffer Beach and Big Sur. The top and bottom images are the same large arch just a few feet off the beach. These awesome sea windows call to you to kick back in nature and enjoy. Swim, dive, have a picnic, but enjoy the stunning sea arch. If you would rather, you can head out to Sunset Cliff in San Diego, California, at the middle left. Not enough of a virtual jump for you? How about on the middle right, to Dyrhólaey, Iceland? The window looking out at the ocean is huge, but if you plan to swim then you’d better like cold water or have a wetsuit.

Mouth and Heart of the Sea

(image credits: Andrea Cucconi, little_frank)

Then you are off to Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain. The island has much to offer you, but the lava caves are her heart. Lanzarote has many water sports such as scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing, fishing and sailing. The lava cave in the top photo will continue to erode until only a sea arch remains. From warm breezy seashores to the chilly climate of west Iceland to see the Mouth of Gatklettur. This is a peculiar yet spectacular area of cliffs and sea arches. The bottom image is the circular arch rock, the open mouth of the chilly sea.

Warm Water for Sea Arch Connoisseurs

(image credits: Len Borden, Retinol)

That last one was cold, right? How about a quick dip in the deep blue water right off Great Ocean Road in Australia? Feel better, relaxed again and no longer shivering? How about a hike now in California? At sunset, connoisseurs of this sea arch come out in droves to soak in the beauty and capture this natural arch with their cameras.

Island Archway, Australia – Hvítserkur, Iceland

(image credits: sachman75, sigfus.sigmundsson)

Australia is a land of awe-inspiring beauty, so you travel there one last time for diving and exploring in the waves. Part of Port Campbell National Park includes the Island Archway and spectacular limestone formations. Just a short trip up Great Ocean Road and you can see The Twelve Apostles which are another awesome type of natural rock phenomenon. You travel one last place, Hvítserkur, Iceland. Hvítserkur is the last remains of a central volcano. Local legend, however, has it that a troll turned into stone when he was surprised by the sun. Sea erosion carved holes through the rock, a bizarre sea arch in the shape of a petrified monster. Although virtual travel, hopefully you enjoyed your free vacation and are now more relaxed and smiling.

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8 Real Photographs That Prove Hell Exists on Earth

2012-02-03T16:20:00.001+01:00

A wise and sagely woman once posited that heaven is a place on a Earth. And if that's true, then hell is just two exits down on the left. Oh, it exists, do not doubt it. It's real, it's right here and I have the goddamn pictures to prove it. Literally. These are images damned by God.

8. His Shadow Shall Block the Sky

This is what happens immediately after you finish signing that contract with Satan, and all you're left with is a mysteriously echoing laugh. This is the Fourth Sign of the Coming, right before the ground starts bleeding but just after all cats disappear from the Earth. This is how you know God is displeased with your selection of Pope.

OK, so it's actually a picture of a volcanic eruption at Fimmvorduhals in Iceland. But if you don't think "flames overflowing the Earth, resulting in a dark red cloud blocking out the moon itself" is some sort of portent of the endtimes -- then thanks for reading, Azazel of the Thousand Mouths! I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule of raping betrayers to read my stuff. While you're here, maybe you can click that Facebook share button; I bet Despair and Calthogh the Worm would get a kick out of this shit.

7. His Coming Shall Be Foretold

"Welp, looks like we've angered the Hellephant again. Water? Ha ha ha! What the fuck, Steve?! Is this your first day? No. Bill, you break out the iron cruciforms. Gus, start stabbing the hoses into virgins. Carl, I'm so sorry -- you're on Batchild patrol."

This is actually an undoctored picture of a fire at a chemical factory in the Netherlands. It took 150 firefighters to put out the flames, and while the plant burned completely to the ground, no injuries were recorded despite the toxic fumes. Though surrounding citizens were warned to stay inside to avoid possible respiratory infections and rampaging Balrogs.

6. The Earth Shall Bleed

What, you thought I was kidding about the Dark Eclipse coming right before the Earth starts bleeding? What kind of horrible jackass would joke about something like that?

This is a picture of, no shit, a place called Blood Falls in Antarctica. Here's the actual explanation: "2 million years ago the Taylor Glacier sealed off a small body of water that contained a community of microbes. This small pool of wild animals has not seen oxygen, sunlight or heat since that time. As the earth warmed and the glaciers in Antarctica melted away, these organisms have been independently evolving for eons without any outside contact. Until now, when they've suddenly sprung forth from the glacier. The frothy water is rich in iron, which gives it the striking red color. These strangely alien microbes may exist nowhere else on earth, and they give scientists an idea of what kind of life may survive after the earth becomes uninhabitable by almost all other life forms."

So, there's a place called Blood Falls, located on the frozen, cruel and empty continent of Antarctica, that contains strange life forms which have been sealed away for untold ages, and have now awoken and spilled forth onto the world. Oh yeah, and they'll probably be the last things alive on the planet.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have done a great disservice to a man; all this time, H.P. Lovecraft was writing non-fiction.

5. His Servants Are Among Us

Let's be fair: This is just a portrait of an unfortunate woman. Unfortunate because she's lived just a bit too long and has grown to resemble some horror-trope crone. Unfortunate because she's clearly suffering from some bizarre health issues. Unfortunate because she does not have access to care to correct these issues. And perhaps most unfortunate of all, because she has given her body over to demons who now walk the Earth in human skin, only distinguishable by their black eyes and the goddamn horns growing out of their heads.

This is most likely a common skin condition called a cutaneous horn, which is basically just compacted keratin -- the same protein in hair and nails -- protruding from the epidermis. If this is indeed a cutaneous horn, they're often benign and can usually be removed surgically. Though that does not treat the underlying cause, which is either excessive sun exposure to already damaged skin, or the devil coming to live inside the empty shells left behind by suicides.

4. Beware His Little Messengers

If doves are the messengers of the Lord, then the Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko is probably Old Scratch's preferred postal carrier. Though you should know that these guys are utterly harmless. They're tiny -- usually two to five inches long -- and are endemic to the little island of Madagascar. So you're not likely to stumble across one in the first place, and it certainly won't hurt you if you do.

It won't hurt you at all. It needs you.

It might ask you to hurt others, though. Oh, softly enough at first, in half-heard whispers borne on the wind, but they will grow louder, more frequent and more insistent -- until one day you wake up to find yourself in a bathtub filled with liquid that used to be your family. And what will the Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko do? Why, just take a gander at that picture again: It will smile, friends. It will smile.

3. On a Fiery Steed He Rides...

This is either a picture of the exact moment that Satan busted out his hot rod and started tearing ass into the apocalypse, or else poor Marty's stuck right at 87 MPH again. This photo was taken at Serra da Leba, a landmark road in Angola, and while it hasn't been digitally altered, it is a long exposure taken over 60 seconds. You could cry foul that a manipulated image shouldn't make the list, hypothetical reader, or you could choose to contemplate the implications of that fact instead. Perhaps evil moves at a different speed than man; perhaps it is a slow and creeping thing. And maybe, if you weren't so rash, so impulsive -- if you could just stop and consider it for one little minute -- maybe you could finally trace back its fiery path.

Or hey, maybe it just looks bitchin' and I'm trying to show you a neat picture. Either way -- shut up, hypothetical reader. God, you are being such an ass right now!

2. In His Unholy House

The entrance to hell is a labyrinth. A vast, snaking maze of caverns bathed in fire, where the lost and the damned wander, uncertain and afraid, for untold eons. The fires burn so hot and for so long in those twisted, screaming caves that the rock itself melts and drips down like water. The burning liquid passes through skin like air; it fuses to bone.

This is the only rain in hell.

And the crazy thing? That's actually what is happening here. This is Fort Zverev, and if you couldn't deduce from the mockery of consonants in that name, it's located in Russia. They stored a napalm-like substance in the base of the fort, which burned at temperatures of over 2000 degrees. Then, in the 1970s, the place where they stored super-fire (hopefully to the surprise of nobody,) caught on fire. The resulting inferno burned so hot that it melted the bricks of the walls and ceiling so that they ran down like icicles.

The fort still stands exactly like this today. You know, just in case you're ever overwhelmed by the temptation of sin and want to remind yourself where you'll be spending eternity should you fail to mend your lustful ways.

1. The Gate to His Realm

There are many different versions of the devil, and many interpretations of what it means for him to walk the Earth. Some say he is but a corruption of our best intentions, and that we invite him in when we are dishonest. Others say that Satan is a literal being, but it's his son who will return to the world, born of a woman to trick us into believing he is human. Me? I say the devil is like Shaft: Just ain't no need to be subtle when you're a badass motherfucker and everybody knows it. He's going to kick open the doors of hell and charge in, guns blazing and guitars wailing. And by the looks of these pictures, that happened a long time ago:

This is an area outside of Darvaz in Uzbekistan. The locals call it (surprise!) the Door to Hell. It's the Russian equivalent of Centralia, and like all Russian equivalents of anything, it is much, much worse than the alternative. Whereas Centralia is a small town precariously placed over a never-ending fire and plagued by sinkholes, the Door to Hell was a large gas-mining camp that fell entirely into a massive sinkhole. The Russians, being classic Russians, decided that the best way to avoid getting poisoned by all the flammable gas in their flammable gas mine was...to light it on fire.

That was 35 years ago; it has burned ever since.

"Whut? So we inadvertantly shatter bonds holding shut doors of hell. How would YOU get equipment back- gas masks? Ha! Mess up your hair. Cannot go clubbing afterward."

source

50 Fun Facts about Tigers

2012-01-31T14:58:00.001+01:00

Grr...

Tigers. You love them. You respect them. You Fear them. Now it's time you get to know them... Without further ado, here are fifty fun facts about tigers.

Photo: B_Cool

Roar!

Tigers can reach up to 11ft (3.3m) in length
They are the heaviest cats in the wild, weighing up to 660lbs (300kg)
A tigers canines (sharp teeth) can reach up to 4 inches long
Tigers have a lifespan of 10-15 yrs in the wild and up to 20 yrs in captivity
A very adaptable predator, the tiger is native to various habitats, from the Siberian forests to open grasslands and even tropical swamps
The tiger is a solitary hunter

Photo: artmechanic

Aww...

Three of the nine subspecies of the modern tiger are now extinct
The remaining six are all classified as endangered species
The name 'tiger' is taken from the Greek word tigris, a derivative of the Persian word for arrow, referring to the animals great speed
Though tigers rarely form groups, when they do the proper name is a 'streak' of tigers

Photo: Mayankkatiyar

The current range of the tiger is only 7% of what it used to be
Of all the big cats, only the tiger and jaguar are strong swimmers
They can swim up to 4 miles, and have been observed dragging their prey across lakes

Hello.

Compared to lions, tigers tend to prefer areas of denser vegetation, better suiting their camouflage and solo hunting style
The oldest known tiger like cat is the Panthera palaeosinesis which lived about 2 million years ago
The oldest fossils of true tigers are dated at about 1.6-1.8 million years old

Photo: Monika Betley

Thirsty?

Most tigers have over 100 stripes
Like a human's fingerprints, the patterns on tigers are unique to each animal and can be used to identify individuals
The striped pattern is also found on the skin of a tiger, thus if one were to be shaved it's unique camouflage pattern would remain
Like other big cats, tigers have a white spot on the back of their ears called an ocelli
A female tiger is called a tigress

Photo: Taragui

Not cool...

Tigresses are smaller than their male counterparts
White tigers have blue eyes (others have yellow)
All tigers have round pupils
A tiger's nightvision is 6 times stronger than those of a human
The South China Tiger is one of the top ten most endangered creatures in the world with not a single one being sighted between 1983 and 2007
With only 56 known South China Tigers in captivity (all derived from only a group of six original tigers) the genetic diversity required to maintain the subspecies may no longer exist, making it doomed to extinction
The three extinct subspecies of tigers were all wiped out in the 20th century

Photo: Unknown

NOT albino.

A white tiger will only be produced when both parents carry the rare recessive gene
The gene for white tigers has been calculated to occur in only one out of every 10,000 births
White tigers are not albinos, as they have pigmentation on their dark stripes, blue eyes and pink noses
All white tigers are at least part Bengal

Photo: nachoman-au

Strawberry fields forever...

The golden tabby or strawberry tiger is the only other verified color variation amongst tigers (also only found in tigers which are at least part Bengal)
Golden tabby tigers have much thicker fur and very faint orange stripes
Golden tabby tigers can carry the recessive gene for white tigers and when two such tigers are mated can produce a white stripeless cub

Photo: Dave Pape

You're sitting in my spot.

A male tiger's territory can be five times greater than it's female counterparts
Though tigers tend to avoid one another, both male and female tigers have been observed sharing their kills in the wild
Territory disputes between male tigers are often settled by displays of intimidation rather than physical aggression
A subordinate tiger will give up territory to a dominant tiger by rolling on to it's back, displaying it's belly in a submissive posture
A male will sometimes tolerate a subordinate within it's range so long as it does not live in too close quarters

Photo: Mayankkatiyar

Yum.

Forms of marking territory include spraying urine and anal secretions and marking trails with scat (feces)
Though tigers preferred prey includes wild boar, deer and buffalo, they have been observed preying on leopards, pythons, bears and crocodiles as well
Many old or injured tigers, as well as healthy tigers in some regions have been known to be man-eaters
Tigers will also eat vegetation for dietary fiber, with the fruit of the Slow Match Tree being a favorite
Like most cats, the tiger is an ambush predator
Tigers kill by locking their jaws around the neck of their prey until it dies of strangulation

Photo: Save China's Tiger

Tigers can reach speeds of up to 35-40 mph (49-65 kmph)
A tiger can leap a distance of up to 10m
A tiger's litter usually consists of 3-4 cubs
The captive population of tigers in the US rivals the population of wild tigers in the entire world.

Sources: 1, 2

Solar Storms Trigger Northern Lights

2012-01-30T18:18:00.001+01:00

Northern lights dance over the Lyngan Alps in a picture taken Tuesday night near Tromsø, Norway. The brilliant auroras were triggered by a coronal mass ejection, or CME, that hit our planet Tuesday morning. A CME is a cloud of superheated gas and charged particles hurled off the sun.

Arctic Auroras

On Monday, space-weather scientists reported that an especially strong solar flare had erupted from an active region on the sun, followed by the huge CME that came barreling toward our planet. The burst of activity triggered the strongest solar storm experienced since October 2003, according to experts at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.

Aurora Storm

Green auroras hang like storm clouds in the skies near Tromsø, Norway, on Wednesday.

This week's solar storm was strong enough to cause sporadic radio blackouts in high-latitude regions, spurring some airlines to reroute polar flights. Still, the storm is considered to be moderate and isn't expected to cause major disturbances to ground- or space-based equipment, experts said.

Aurora Hunting

A multicolored blade of light seems poised to strike over a snowy forest in Ivalo, Finland, on January 22. Late last week a NASA satellite witnessed a solar flare and CME from a different active region on the sun. That solar event triggered a round of auroras over the weekend, including the display captured above.

"At approximately 19:00 hrs the night sky over our Guest house was illuminated by the most spectacular display of Northern Lights, which lasted for several hours," photographer Andy Keen wrote on Spaceweather.com.

"The temperatures plummeted to a chilly -25 degrees Centigrade [-13 degrees Fahrenheit]—cold enough to make our lenses freeze and turn our camera bodies white."

Aurora Trek

A snowmobiler stops to admire the northern lights in Finnish Lapland on January 24.

Improved computer models and a fleet of sun-watching satellites are helping space-weather experts better predict when CMEs will strike Earth—which also allows for more precise aurora forecasts.

"We went out with snowmobiles to wait for the incoming storm," photographer Antti Pietikäinen wrote on Spaceweather.com. "Show started slowly, and after 15 minutes the landscape was green!"

Aurora on Ice

Northern lights flow over the snow-dusted mountains near Tromsø, Norway, on January 21. The stitched panorama picture also shows the auroras reflected in smooth ice, which is "normally ... covered by snow in winter time," according to photographer Thilo Bubek.

Ghostly Glow

Curtains of auroras shimmer over the snow covered forests of Norilsk, Russia, on January 22.

Although auroras are most common closer to the Poles, strong geomagnetic storms can trigger the light shows in lower latitudes. (See aurora pictures: "Rare Northern Lights Seen in U.S. South.")

For instance, during the biggest solar storm on record—the 1859 Carrington Event—northern lights were reported as far south as Cuba and Hawaii, while southern lights were seen as far north as Santiago, Chile.

Green Lantern

Bright green auroras light up the night sky in a picture taken near Tromsø, Norway, on January 21.

The colors of auroras depend on the types of gases in Earth's atmosphere being affected by a solar storm. In most cases, auroral lights come from oxygen being "excited"—given extra electrical energy—during the collisions of gas atoms with solar particles. The charged-up oxygen releases the extra energy as green light.

Wings of Lights

Bright auroras seem to spread like wings over the mountains outside of Tromsø, Norway, on January 22.

"This was amazing," photographer Bjørn Jørgensen wrote on Spaceweather.com. "It was a wonderful experience to see these stunning auroras."

Abisko Auroras

Participants in a photo expedition work to capture the northern lights in Sweden's Abisko National Park on January 24.

"The auroras began as we were eating dinner and continued into the very early hours of the morning," expedition leader Chad Blakley told Spaceweather.com. "Words can not describe the excitement we shared and the sights we saw."

Iceland Auroras

Green auroras flow over snow-covered gravestones on January 22 at Thingvellir, a historic site in southern Iceland, where the country's first parliament was established.

Seeing a Solar Flare

A composite picture from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the January 19 solar flare erupting from the sun. The picture includes data from multiple wavelengths of ultraviolet light, to represent the different layers of the sun's turbulent atmosphere.

Aurora Ahoy

A blanket of green hangs over the coast of Bø in northern Norway in a picture taken January 6.

In general, auroras have been ramping up over the past year as the sun has approached what's known as solar maximum, a period of more intense activity in our star's natural 11-year cycle.

Scientists predict the sun will reach solar max in 2013, and that we'll continue to see more frequent and intense flares, CMEs, and other eruptions that—when aimed at Earth—might not only supercharge auroras but could also carry risks for airplanes, satellites, and the power grid.

source

"White" Albino-like Penguin Found in Antarctica

2012-01-26T15:51:00.001+01:00

Rare white penguin spotted in Antarctica: In a sea of atramentous and white penguins waddling on Antarctica’s Aitcho Islands, National Geographic Explorers spotted an acutely rare, about all-white Chinstrap penguin this week.

This rare all-white Chinstrap penguin stands out against his friends as he takes his morning waddle around Antarctica.

The unusual bird was photographed by naturalist David Stephens during a nature expedition to the Aitcho Islands. Chinstrap penguins' normal black-and-white colouring provides them with camouflage while they dive for fish.

This rare all-white Chinstrap penguin stands out against his friends as he takes his morning waddle around Antarctica

All white: The penguin was spotted during a nature expedition to Antarctica

Rare: The condition known as leucism only occurs in around 1 in 146,000 penguins

The condition which causes the whiteness is known as leucism. It differs from albinism which is a total lack of skin pigment.

Mr Stephen, who works aboard Lindblad Expeditions' National Geographic Explorer ship, wrote in the daily expedition report: 'At the water’s edge stood a leucistic Chinstrap.

'This bird was whitish, but not quite an albino. Instead, it had pigmented eyes and a washed-out version of a Chinstrap’s normal pattern.

'Many wondered about this unusual bird’s chances of success. While odd coloration may make fishing a bit more difficult, leucistic birds are regularly found breeding normally.'

Blending in: Chinstrap penguins' black and white colouring camouflages them when they dive for fish

The unusual bird was photographed by naturalist David Stephen who works aboard Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic Explorer ship

Rare white penguin spotted in Antarctica

Dyan deNapoli, a penguin expert and author of 'The Great Penguin Rescue, said the rate of leucism in Chinstrap penguins is about 1 in 146,000.

He added: 'It is a fairly rare phenomenon. When I was in Antarctica, I never saw one, and I saw a lot of penguins.'

Lindblad Expeditions is a travel company which works in partnership with National Geographic, providing trips to both poles.

Spokeswoman Patty Disken-Cahill said: 'Expedition photography is a big component of our expeditions.

'The photography that comes out of our ships is pretty spectacular.'

source

14 The Most Creative Natural Leather Snake

2012-01-24T19:06:00.001+01:00

The idea of 'scales' often brings to mind images of slimy, unpleasant creatures that creep, crawl and slither. Certainly, we humans would hate to think of our own skin as scaly. But have you ever considered the idea that the hard, horned skin of reptiles might actually be aesthetically appealing? If you have, you're in good company: experts believe that the vivid patterning found on snakes inspired early art, not to mention the tessellated mosaics that feature in Islamic art. And then there are those for whom reptile scales have an effect akin to looking at a 'magic eye painting,' conjuring up pictures of landscapes, and – through the symmetry of their patterns and bold colors – more abstract forms of art, too. Here we bring together a stunning array of images that show the often-overlooked beauty that can be found in the scales of snakes, lizards and crocodiles.

Photo: Abstract design from snakeskin close-up image from Bigstock

Hills, depressions, impact craters and volcanoes are features we might associate with a lunar landscape. The surface of the moon is the ultimate foreign terrain, and yet look how it is almost replicated in these alligator scales. Known as 'scutes', alligator scales go deeper than the outer epidermis of snakes and lizards, forming a kind of armor for the animal. Unlike the scales of snake skin, alligator scales do not overlap. Beautiful to look at – a gator's skin might not feel that smooth to the touch (not that we'd dare to test the theory...).

Photo: Morven Houston

Scales are made of keratin, the same substance that makes up our fingernails and hair. In the animal world, scales are part of what distinguishes reptiles (and, of course, fish) from other animals. Birds also boast scales on their feet but, unlike with these incredible examples, scales are arguably the least remarkable feature of our feathered friends.

Photo: Close-Up On A Colorful Reptile Skin image from Bigstock

Scales in both snakes and lizards take a variety of forms – tubercular, platelike and overlapping – but often have an incredible symmetry, as we can see in these images. The scale itself can also take different forms – like the intricate diamond shapes adorning the back of this albino python.

Photo: Dominic Cotaoco

Snakes' scales serve as protection for the body, a way of retaining moisture, and as an aid to movement – particularly the scales on their stomachs, which are designed to grip surfaces while the creature's muscles push it forward. The scales on this corn snake (or red rat snake, as it is sometimes known) look like they have been tipped with tiny eyes.

Photo: Close-up of corn snakeskin or red rat snakeskin, Pantherophis guttattus image from Bigstock

Both snakes and lizards moult or shed their skin. This is for two main reasons: to replace old and worn skin and to get rid of pesky parasites like mites and ticks. While older snakes tend to only moult once or twice a year, still-growing youngsters will shed more often – sometimes as many as four times annually.

Photo: Close-up of corn snakeskin or red rat snakeskin, Pantherophis guttattus image from Bigstock

The combination of rusty orange and baby blue on a sweater would probably make for a real eyesore, but somehow, in nature, colors never seem to clash. This Tokay gecko is an attractive animal indeed. Something which might undermine its appeal, however, is a rather disgusting habit common to many geckos. After or during the moulting process, a gecko will often eat its old skin. We're sure it's a useful strategy for covering one's tracks in the wild, but the thought still makes us rather queasy!

Photo: close-up on a colorful reptile skin

Rather than moulting in flakes, like some lizards, snakes shed their skin all in one go. This is because snake scales aren't separate, but extensions of the epidermis, so the process is akin to losing an entire layer of skin. While this has been likened to turning a sock inside out, it could also be thought of as the snake leaving behind a ghostly shell of its former self (anyone who has seen an empty snakeskin can surely testify that it's a rather creepy sight!).

Photo: Joaquim Mello

The gorgeous colors and patterning on this chameleon certainly suggest that Mother Nature is the best abstract artist in the world. The dramatically shaded Furcifer pardalis, or panther chameleon, comes from Madagascar. We wonder what kind of psychedelic backdrop this guy was trying to camouflage itself against when this shot was taken!

Photo: detail on the Chameleon Furcifer Pardalis's skin in front of a white background image from Bigstock

It's hard to believe that this bumpy terrain is actually the skin of an animal. This intriguing image is of a reptile, and shows how diverse their scales can be. Despite the little mounds on this critter's back, the pattern is still wonderfully symmetrical and well-ordered.

Photo: neistridlar

As this picture shows, reptile scales don't need to be colorful to be beautiful. The simple but eye-catching pattern in browns and blacks has an impact all of its own. The picture was taken in London Zoo, but we also wouldn't be surprised if you told us it was a close-up of a woman's handbag. In light of patterns such as these, it's easy to understand why the controversial trade in snakeskin is still popular in the fashion world.

Photo: Morven Houston

Here we have another rocky landscape, this time in deep pink. It belongs to a panther chameleon, and this close-up shows off the intricacy of the creature's bumpy scales to perfection. It's interesting to note that the color-change chameleons are so famous for is used mostly for social reasons and not camouflage. For example, when two male panther chameleons are squaring up to each other, they will change color and puff themselves up in an attempt to assert their supremacy. The loser of this posturing battle will signal his retreat by returning to dull, darker colors.

Photo: madfish1c

The thick green scutes on this crocodile make it look as though an eccentric tailor has carefully covered it in buttons. While the animal is not generally known for its good looks, crocodile skin has – for better or worse – been recognised for its beauty, and is still used in many countries to manufacture purses and shoes.

Photo: Crocodile texture image from Bigstock

Interestingly, the scales of snakes like this tree python are themselves effectively transparent, with the color emanating from the skin beneath. Luckily for us, the combination of possible colors and patterns to be found on reptile skins appears almost limitless, so that each case can be considered a unique and miniature work of art.

Photo: Extreme Closeup Of A Green Tree Python's Scales (macro) image from Bigstock

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

The Cutest Hybrid Dogs

2012-01-17T14:42:00.001+01:00

Hybrid Dogs, Designer Dogs, Mixed Breed Dogs, Mutts there are a lot of names for these puppy dogs, but I just call them cute puppies. This is a list of the cutest hybrid dogs (with the pictures to prove it) some of the cutest dog breeds come from mixing breeds. Sometimes it's to get the best temperament--as evident by the Doodle breed which has become the top choice for service dogs, or just to get a really cute dog. Who doesn't love a puppy? They're cute, they're cuddly, and they can be designer. This list complied the cutest dogs that were completely created by man. That's right, man took wolves, domesticated them and eventually turned them into tiny little fluff balls that can't fend for themselves...but they're really cute! So be warned these puppy pics will have you baby-talking to your computer screen in a seconds flat!

Maltipoo

This is a cross between a Maltese and Poodle they are friendly dogs, with a lot of spunk. They are highly intelligent and make great house pets. They range in size from 9-20 pounds and can be anywhere from 12-24 inches. They are not recognized by the AKC so there's not much technical information on them.

Puggle

The Puggle, this is mix of a beagle and pug...both the Pug and Beagle are somewhat difficult to train so while this breed is cute, it's also difficult. Their weight: 15 — 30 lbs (7-14kg), with a height if roughly 10” — 15” and a lifespan up to 16 yrs. This dog has a pretty even temperament. He’s active, has a great personality and is easy on the eye. Friendly with other dogs and people, the Pug in him is laid back, easy-going and a terrific family pet. The Beagle in him wants to hunt and track prey but is also a fine family pet. However, puggles are talkative breeds and are prone to separation anxiety. So if you plan to be out, make sure you're neighbors are understanding.

American Bandogge Mastiff

This dog is recognized by the AKC and according to them: The Bandogge is an extremely intelligent dog. Confident and very docile. Like all mastiffs, they should have an owner who is capable of staying dominant over the dog. They are not usually recommended as a good choice for first time dog owners, because they need someone who truly understands canine instinct and how to properly communicate what it is you want from him. Although not bred as fighting dogs, if they are with a passive owner, who does not know how to communicate aggression is not acceptable, they may become dog aggressive.

These large animals have a life expectancy of about 10 years and have a weight of 100 -140 pounds (45-63 kg.) and a height of 25-29 inches (63-73 cm.) Females tend to be smaller.

St. Berdoodle

Poodles are an excellent breed to mix with because it turns any dog into a hypoallergenic pet. They also have one of the highest intelligence ratings and wonderful temperaments. This mix is a Poodle and St. Bernard, another hybrid dog not recognized by the AKC so there's no technical information but both breeds have excellent temperaments, so you really can't go wrong.

Doodles

Doodles are Golden Retrievers or Labradors that usually have been bred with Standard Poodles and resemble Muppets. The size of the Doodle depends on its parentage. Breeders often offer a range including Standard, Medium and Miniature. A general rule of thumb is to add both the parents weights together and divide by 2 to get an average adult weight on the puppies. Within any litter there may be puppies that fall above or below the projected adult weights. Some Standard sized have grown to over 100 pounds.

Standard - a Dood that is predicted to be 45 lbs or more at adulthood.
Medium - predicted to be 30-45 lbs at adulthood.
Miniature - predicted to be 15-30 lbs at adulthood.
They are hypoallergenic, and seem to get the best of both breeds. Their temperament is loyal, intelligent, and kind. They have become the top breed for children and therapy dogs.

Wolfdogs

According to wolfhybrid.org:
Wolf Hybrid Dogs are beautiful animals that possess high level of intelligence. There are a number of sub-species of wolves which are bred with other dogs as pets, such as Arctic Tundra Wolves, Alaskan

Interior Wolves, British Colombian Timber Wolves and Eastern Timber Wolves. They are usually referred to as Wolf Dogs and are a cross between the wild wolf and any type of domestic dog. They weigh about 100 lbs and are tall around 26 inches. Their color varies from shades of black to white and gray. Wolf dogs must be raised by their owner to make a compatible friend. They develop a very strong bond with their owners, but require a lot of attention. Wolf babies grow much faster than dog puppies and must be fed a soy-free dog food since they can not properly digest soy. They are very smart, strong and have high endurance levels. It is recommended that they should be kept in pairs since they are pack animals. Wolf hybrid must have containment area since they are not allowed to run unsupervised. They can live up to 17 years and possess long limbs and strong muscles.

Dogo Argentinos

This dog is huge, according to Wikipedia their height can be anywhere from 23 ½ to 26 inches inches for females and 24 to 27 inches for males, measured at the withers.

Their weight is anywhere from 80 to 100 pounds. They are a large, white, muscular dog that was developed in Argentina primarily for the purpose of big-game hunting, including wild boar and puma; the breeder, Antonio Nores Martinez, also wanted a dog that would exhibit steadfast bravery and willingly protect its human companion to the death. It was first bred in 1928, from the Cordoba Fighting Dog along with a wide array of other breeds including, but not limited to,the Great Pyrenees, Irish Wolfhound, Boxer, Great Dane, and Pointer.

The Dogo Argentino was specifically bred to be fierce hunters, but then to go home to the hunters families and be gentle with the family. Dogo Argentinos are protective of what they perceive as their territory and will guard it against any intruder. They get along with other dogs as long as they have been properly socialized, but will usually not tolerate another dog trying to assert dominance over them, therefore they might not coexist peacefully with another dominant breed of dog. The dogo has a life expectancy of nine (9) to fifteen (15) years.

EngAm Bulldog

If you love Bulldog's this is the breed for you. This is yet another breed that no technical information is known about, but it's an American Bulldog bred with an English Bulldog...it's all bulldog all day.

Bulldogs are described by the AKC as weighing about 50 pounds; and have a temperament of kind, resolute and courageous (not vicious or aggressive), and demeanor should be pacific and dignified.

Corgi Dalmatian Hybrid

This little cutey is a cross between a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and Dalmatian. There are many adorable corgi hybrids but this one made the list for it's mix of two very distinctive looks.

This little guy has the body of a Corgi which is a long frame and a height of about 10-12 inches with a weight of 25-30 pounds, Corgi's temperaments are highly intelligent, loyal, able and willing to please their owners. Corgis are extremely active and are good with children so long as the dog sees humans as above him in the pack order. Protective and sturdy, they make fine guards, and excellent show and obedience dogs. They are wary of strangers but are fine if trained young. This is all according to the AKC.

Dalmatians are described as fun-loving, people-oriented Dalmatian who thrive in a family environment. They are a high-energy breed and require daily exercise on leash or within a fenced area. The breed's short coat sheds almost year round, but regular brushing helps minimize the shedding. Desirable height at the withers is between 19 and 23 inches and weight between 50-70 pounds.

Which means this adorable little guy is going to have a lot of energy!

Frug

A Frug is a French Bulldog Pug mix. Not much is known about this new breed, and temperament is unsure, according to breeders of this smoosh faced pup you need to read up on both the french bulldog and pug and be prepared for a combination of the two. But even if it had the worst temperament, this little face would make you forgive anything it ever did wrong, plus they're tiny little pups, how much damage could it do?

source

Crow Roof Tubing Crowboarding

2012-01-16T10:58:00.001+01:00

You know how when you go sledding or tubing or skiing or snowboarding, you make it all the way down the hill, feel the desire to do it again and dread having to get back up to the top?

Crow first fit the lid of the jar ...

... Then it slips on a series of roof ...

You would think this bird ‘tubing’ down a snowy rooftop was just a coincidence… if it weren’t for the fact that he repeatedly picks the tube back up and goes sliding down the roof again and again. I’ve never seen anything like it!

... But then again, like a child eagerly sledging, climbing back to top ...

... I again lowered its wings spread

Crows don’t have that problem — they simply fly right back to the top and start again. Wait, we seem to have skipped a part here. Crows go tubing? Apparently so. Watch:

Antarctic "Lost World" Found

2012-01-11T15:32:00.001+01:00

"Lost World" Yeti Crab Swarm

An unnamed new species of Yeti crab swarms near hot, mineral-rich hydrothermal vents in the oceans off Antarctica—a newfound "lost world" of strange deep-sea species, scientists say.

A camera-equipped submersible robot filmed species such as barnacles, crabs, anemones, and even an octopus, all of which are mostly colorless and live in utter darkness at depths of 7,875 feet (2,400 meters), according to a new study.

About 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) east of the southern tip of South America, "this is a new province of deep-sea life, something like a new continent, and it's a place we've been trying to [reach] for a long time," said study co-author Jon Copley, a marine biologist at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

"It harbors some of the lushest abundance of life I have ever seen in the deep ocean," he said.

Jockeying for Position

Male yeti crabs (such as the one at right) are larger and stay closest to the vents to feed communities of bacteria on their hair-lined bellies.

Female yeti crabs stray farther away, into the vent field's cooler water, to protect tiny embryos lining their bellies.

"Unlike the other few species of yeti crab, which wave their arms or dance, these were mostly stationary, but did jockey for position in the warm water," Copley said.

The temperature of the water near the vents is on par with that of the warm tropics, he added.

Antarctic "Car Wash" Barnacles

Snake-like barnacles protrude from rocks in cooler waters near the yeti crab swarms.

At the barnacles' tips are diamond-like heads that appear to filter-feed organic matter floating through the deep-sea oasis.

"We nicknamed one mineral spire covered with these barnacles 'Car Wash,' because it looked like those spinning cylinders you see in a car wash," Copley said.

Black Smokers of the Lost World

These openings in the Earth's crust, called black smoker chimneys, can spew mineral-rich water as hot as 720 degrees Fahrenheit (382 degrees Celsius).

The minerals, including hydrogen sulfide, provide food for the bottom of the ecosystem's sunless food chain.

Surprisingly, the researchers did not find any shrimp, tubeworms, mussels, or other creatures typically found near hydrothermal vents.

"The new life we're seeing here gives us insights into how animals disperse and evolve in deep ocean," Copley said.

"We can say, OK, the same species here is found elsewhere, while these are missing, so what are the reasons? We can now ask those questions and test ideas."

Antarctic Anemones in the Pink

These pink anemones (pictured) likely represent a new species, and some are surprisingly large for anemones—roughly the size of a person's palm.

Like other anemones, the animals probably feed by capturing bits of food drifting through the water.

A more diverse array of animals was found along the southern end of the East Scotia Ridge, while the northern end was "rather stygian," Copley said.

"It's more rugged and quite challenging to navigate around," he said. "It's a mystery right now as to why the northern end isn't as lush as the southern."

One Tough Anemone

An unnamed long-tentacled anemone manages to eke out an existence at the fringes of the warm vents.

The average temperature of Antarctica oceans hovers around 29 degrees Fahrenheit (-1.5 degrees Celsius).

"When food is really scarce, animals evolve some remarkable adaptations for finding and catching a meal"-such as these long tentacles, Copley said.

All That Glitters

A slice of a hydrothermal vent chimney glitters with flecks of pyrite—also called fool's gold, a crystallized form of iron sulfide.

In addition to surveying marine life, researchers cut out pieces of the chimneys and hauled them back to the surface.

"It's important for us as biologists to know the chemistry of these vents," Copley said. "It can help explain why we see some species around particular areas and not others."

Ghostly Octopus

One of the rarest finds the team encountered was a 2-foot-long (0.6-meter-long) octopus.

Copley isn't sure what the octopus eats. But the team did manage to film the animals walking around on the sea floor in a weird fashion.

"The back four tentacles sort of shuffle like the treads of a tank, while the front four feel in front of the octopus," Copley said.

"We weren't able to collect any specimens—they were quick and rare—but they're quite possibly a new species."

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Chimpanzee Adopted By a Mastiff

2012-01-10T18:32:00.001+01:00

Two years ago, in one of the Russian zoos, a female chimpanzee for some reson repudiated her baby chimpanzee. When one of the employees of the zoo took the little chimpanzee home, it never crossed her mind that her dog, a mastiff, would become a mother for the orphan chimpanzee and treat the cute little baby as her own child.

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The Touching Relationship Between a Fisherman and a Very Sociable Whale SHARK

2012-01-10T14:19:00.001+01:00

Like giant goldfish, these massive whale sharks don't mind being fed hand to mouth by their fishermen friends.

Photographed near Oslob in the Philippines, the groundbreaking images show close relationship previously not thought possible.

Captured by conservationist Shawn Heinrichs, the once-in-a-lifetime behaviour of the half dozen whale sharks up to 25ft long and the 12 or so fishermen draws gasps of disbelief from casual observers.

The food-based friendship centres around the brine shrimp the fishermen are catching and the trust between man and the world's largest fish is evident to see.

A whale shark approaches a local fisherman to be hand-fed brine shrimp in shallow waters

'In these images, we are witnessing a rare and exciting connection between fishermen and the greatest fish in the sea, the whale shark,' said 40-year- old Mr Heinrichs.

'Typically shy of one another, they have formed an unusual bond of appreciation, respect and trust. These ground-breaking images capture that story.'

Stumbling across the unique sight after visiting a remote dive site near to Oslob, Mr Heinrichs was informed of the relationship by a local park ranger.

'An excited local park ranger informed us that the fishermen across the way had whale sharks they had befriended,' Mr Heinrichs said.

'This sounded like long shot, but worth a look. We jumped in our boat and headed across the channel to investigate.

A whale shark approaches a local fisherman to be hand-fed brine shrimp in shallow waters

'Upon arriving, we were delighted to see fishermen in dugout canoes paddling around with whale sharks following behind.'

Having never heard of this type of human and shark interaction, Mr Heinrichs tacitly gives it his approval because the fishermen are feeding the sharks their natural prey.

Some of the whale sharks - the world's largest fish - are so tame they even eat from the fishermen's hands.

'I had never seen whale sharks in such shallow water on their own intention,' Mr Heinrichs said.

'The migratory behaviour of the whale sharks is likely not being impacted because they are here to feed on the naturally occurring shrimp.

'If or when the shrimp move out, their will be no shrimp for the fishermen to catch, and with both primary natural feeding and secondary hand feeding finished, they will seek other food sources.'

However, environmentally concerns aside, Mr Heinrichs was still left stunned by the behaviour he witnessed.

Friendly: Three hungry whale sharks wait to be fed brine shrimp from local fishermen

'This is the first time I have ever witnessed this sort of behaviour or relationship between fishermen and the whale sharks,' he said.

'Only in one other place in the world, Papau (where some local whale sharks feed off anchovies in the nets of fishermen) has anything like this been witnessed.

'In Oslob however, it appears that the fishermen themselves have fostered a personal relationship with the sharks from onset, and have strong appreciation and affection for the animals.'

While the local fisherman see the whale sharks as good luck charms for their catch, they are also charging £1.50 to let photographers like Mr Heinrichs capture the friendship to supplement their incomes.

'Probably the greatest challenge in capturing these images was the fact that this encounter was completely unexpected,' Mr Heinrichs said.

'Exposing the image properly, and especially the split shots, proved to be extremely challenging.

Beast friends: The hand-to-mouth relationship has fostered an unusual friendship in the tropical waters

'Technical limitations such as limited depth of field, low available light and limited focus, combined with moving sharks and mildly choppy seas, made each shot a challenge.

'Fortunately, the fishermen were just as excited as I was about the process of capturing the images, and they patiently worked with me to get the job done properly.'

Ultimately though, for Shawn it was an awe-inspiring experience.

'It was a lifetime moment, just me, the fishermen, and these gentle whale sharks. What was most touching was the relationship between the fishermen and the sharks.

'The fishermen clearly cared for these animals, and the whale sharks demonstrated such trust in them.

'Having witnessed the slaughter of whale sharks at the hands of fishermen elsewhere in the region, this interaction was a beacon of hope for me, a message that both man and whale shark could co-exist, could develop trust, and even appreciate one another.'

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Land Art

2012-01-09T11:59:00.001+01:00

Germany based artist Walter Mason has an affinity for pulling things apart and then putting them back in to place – but in a subtly changed way. Chunks of ice can become upended, forming a chilly henge, elm leaves are stitched together then allowed to float away on the stream. Beech leaves, torn asunder, find a new home on a lily leaf. Yet the result is something quite extraordinary – intriguing but temporary, organic art which is recorded for posterity only on camera. Following very much in the land art tradition, you can see more examples of Mason’s ingenious art at his Flickr photostream and on his tumblr page.

Many thanks to Walter Mason for making the photographs above available for use under a creative commons license. You can see many more at his wonderful Flickr doubleyou_em Photostream.

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Animal Pictures of the Year 2011: Animals Feeding and Fighting

2012-01-04T16:23:00.001+01:00

Photographer Katrina Bridgeford took this amazing photograph of Brutus, a 5.5m saltwater crocodile, giving a boatload of tourists a moment they'll never forget on the Adelaide River, just over 100km south of Darwin, last week. Ms Bridgeford was on the cruise with sons Jordan, 14, and Dylan Woodward, 11 as well as four-year-old niece Skye Bridgeford and boyfriend Daniel Wilson.

Dylan had only two words when the massive man-eater rose out of the water in front of the group: "Holy crap!" The huge saltwater crocodile, which is missing its right front leg, is a favourite with tourists on the Adelaide River Cruises, because he loves his meal of buffalo meat and always puts on a good show for it.

A cat bats a mouse into the air. These images were taken by amateur photographer Angelo DeSantis who arrived home to find his two-year-old cat Dexter playing with a mouse. Mr DeSantis captured the shot of Dexter throwing the mouse into the air with such force the mouse does a somersault...

Chris Bailey was photographing pheasants on the frozen plains of South Dakota early this month. But his photoshoot was interrupted when a huge Bald Eagle swooped down and made off with one of his subjects. Chris had struggled through deep snow in -28 degree temperatures to photograph the pheasants but was delighted to capture the attack instead.

A massive crocodile and a protective mother hippopotamus lock jaws in a titanic battle in the Shire River, in the Liwonde National Park, Malawi. The reptile burst out of the shallows, jaws open, lunging towards a hippo and her calf. At first it looked like the reptile had the upper hand, but the hippo sent the scaly intruder packing bloodied and bruised...

Stop thief! A sparrow catches the ankle of a winged intruder trying to steal its dinner. Urs Schmidli photographed the birds squabbling in mid-air combat in his back garden in Switzerland.

A great white shark breaches the ocean as it hunts in False Bay, South Africa. This lethal 20 foot long leaping shark may look like it has made a spectacular kill - but no seal was hurt during the shooting of these pictures. Michael Rutzen, from Kleinbaai, South Africa used a five foot-long foam and fibreglass dummy seal tied to his boat to lure the sharks out of the water.

Photographer Max Waugh caught this confrontation between a coyote and a plucky otter in the freezing wastes of Yellowstone Park. The unsuspecting otter stuck its head out of an ice hole to find a hungry coyote looking straight at him. Undeterred, the otter leapt out and launched a pre-emptive strike that sent the hapless carnivore running away with its tail between its legs before it could even think of lunch.

A fearless warthog turns the tables on a cheetah who wanted it for dinner, at the Tshukudu Private Game Reserve in South Africa. As the big cat sprinted towards its prey, the warthog performed a u-turn and charged towards the baffled cheetah who quickly bolted in the opposite direction. The cheetah was left embarrassed and hungry and loped off with its tail between its legs in search of an easier meal. The shots were captured by wildlife photographer Stu Porter.

This hungry bird gives another meaning to the term spear fishing - as she turns her unlucky prey into a fish kebab. The anhinga bird spotted the fish swimming in a river before setting her sights on it for tea. She dived in head first and expertly skewered the fish with her beak...

A python became the focus of an epic tug-of-war between two leopards. The six-and-a-half-foot (2m) long African rock python became the unwilling "rope" in the game, after being caught by a female leopard in the long grass. But as she dragged it, still wriggling, along behind her, she was ambushed by her son who wanted to land the kill for himself. The young male snatched the end of the enormous snake in his powerful jaws, and tried to tug it away from his mother...

A giant vulture and a hungry jackal fight over a pile of bones. Photographer Stephen Earle snapped the scene from a hide as the two animals battled at Giant's Castle Game Reserve in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. The vulture backed away following a one-minute stand-off with the black-backed jackal.

A ferocious great white shark looks like it is having a laugh as it smiles for the camera. Photographer Mike Parry was standing just 5ft away from the powerful predator when it broke through the water near his small fishing boat near Dyer Island, Cape Province, South Africa. He said: "No one on the boat could believe that I was lucky enough to catch the exact moment. It takes a lot of waiting and patience for that one lucky shot."

A hawk attacks a rabbit during an annual traditional hunting competition near the village of Uzynagash outside Almaty. Kazakhstan's national sport of Sayat - or hunting with birds of prey - is popular in the Central Asian state

I've got a frog in my throat... This burrowing owl was left with a huge pair of frog's legs dangling from its mouth when it tried to eat breakfast in one go. The bird struggled to gulp down its prey as it stood in a grassy field. Photographer Michael Cenci took this photo while on holiday near Cape Coral, Florida, US. He was delighted with the picture, which he calls "Frogleg Moustache" because the legs look like a handlebar 'tache.

A bullfrog gets more than a mouthful as it tries to swallow another frog whole. Husband and wife Tad and Karen Bacon discovered the sight while cleaning their swimming pool in Parkton, Maryland, US. Mrs Bacon said: "I heard my husband screaming: "Get your camera, you are not going to believe this!" This species of bullfrog is thought to prey on anything it can overpower and fit in to its stomach - from rodents, birds and bats to turtles, snakes and other frogs.

This photo seems to show that compassion for another might not just be a human emotion, as a hippo tries to save a wildebeest which broke its back while crossing the Masai River in Kenya during the annual migration. Wildlife photographer Mitchell Krog captured a hippo trying to help the wildebeest which became stuck on a submerged rock in the river.

This hardy frog battled with a snake for 20 minutes before finally kicking itself free and hopping to safety. The frog grabbed hold of a branch and held on for dear life after the snake pounced from behind. Photographer Brizadly Arifin said: "I was sitting in my backyard when I heard the pained sound of a frog. It was like a scream. I saw the snake swallow one of the frog's legs but the frog was very strong and refused to give in. After 20 minutes, the snake finally released the frog's foot and let him escape to freedom."

These two foxes look like they might be fighting to the death as they bite and scratch each other in a bitter fight. The scrap, which lasted only a few seconds, was captured by photographer Willem de Kok, near Haarlem, in the Netherlands.

Two sun bears look like professional wrestlers as they take it in turns to pin each other to the ground. The playful Malayan Sun Bears - named after a golden yellow patch on their chest - grappled under a tree before rolling around on the floor at Zoo Miami in Florida, United States. Photographer Adrian Tavano said: "The fight lasted for about five minutes. They were an even match but the one with the lighter fur won in my opinion." Did someone say 'bear knuckle fighting'?

A koi carp is carried off in the talons of an osprey. The moment was captured by Israeli photographer Assaf Gavra at a secluded pool outside Pardesiya, Israel, where Mr Gavra lay waiting for several hours.

'Jackal vs lion' by Ken Stratford, overall winner of the BBC Wildflife Magazine Camera-trap Photo of the Year 2011. A stunning set of images of a fearless black-backed jackal running rings around a male lion in Ongava Game Reserve, Namibia. The rest of the winning images are published in the December issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine. www.discoverwildlife.com

A leopard leaps onto a Land Rover for his big close up. Sergey Kotelnikov was shocked when this overly camera-friendly young leopard jumped onto the roof of his vehicle in Namibia, close to the border with Botswana. Sergey Ivanov, who snapped the photo from an adjacent vehicle, said: "My friend was scared. I was frightened, too, even though I was on the roof of the other car, as you expect it to begin attacking. But we soon relaxed when we realised that this big kitten was just playing."

This is the moment a wildlife photographer outfoxed a fox - by setting up a secret camera to capture him stealing an egg. German snapper Horst Jegen, 41, had observed the critter persistently creep into his garden and try to steal his kittens dinner. The pesky fox, which has been nicknamed Leo by Horst and his family, refused to give up and returned every day for a month in search of food. Spotting a perfect picture opportunity, wildlife snapper Horst rigged up an elaborate trap - involving a hidden button, an egg and his trusty camera. The 41-year-old placed the egg inside a hollowed log with a button underneath.

A snarling mexican grey wolf at the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois

A night heron flies away with a duckling that has wandered too far from its mother. Wildlife photographer Michael Yang was taking his wife out to spot some cute wildlife at Radio Road in California to cheer her up after being ill for a few days. He said: "We were hoping to find some baby avocets, stilts or ducklings, and were both really happy to see several families of ducklings following their mothers around the pond. As we were watching the ducklings a night heron flew in." The duckling tried to dive under water to escape the night heron; unfortunately it didn't get deep enough and the heron pulled it out of the water, grabbing the duckling by a foot. Michael said: "At some point in all this my wife had turned away and started sobbing. It didn't help that, through all this, I was taking pictures of the 'event' and not comforting her instead."

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Top Ten Beautiful Forests in China

2012-01-03T15:58:00.001+01:00

1. Tianshan Mountain Xueling Spruce Forest

The Tianshan Mountain Xueling Spruce Forest has existed for 40 million years and is like a living fossil on the Tianshan Mountains. From late October on, cold snow bearing, winds from Siberia start arriving. Blanketed in whiteness, all is quiet; the spruce trees with their elegant crowns stand like an awesome military phalanx.

Tianshan Mountain Snow Spruce Forest, Xinjiang . China

2. Changbai Mountain Mixed Korean Pine and Broadleaf Forest

The combination of Korean pine trees, broadleaf trees and other trees shows us a unique beauty of the Changbai Mountain. Along the Jingjiang Valley on the western side of the Changbai Mountain, there is a wide variety of plant species. Besides the native Korean pine, there are also the Amur linden, Mongolian oak, Japanese elm, maple, birth and more.

Mixed Korean Pine and Broadleaf Forest, Changbai Mountain . China

3. Jianfeng Ridge Tropical Rainforest

Located in the southwest of Hainan Island, the continuous and magnificent tropical rainforest of the Jianfeng Ridge Forest Reserve covers more than 400 square kilometers. More particularly, the forest has bred 449 kinds of colorful butterflies, far more even than Taiwan.

Jianfeng Ridge Tropical Rainforest

4. Baima Snow Mountain

The Baima Snow Mountain, the watershed of the Lancang River and Jinsha River, rises in the central section of the Hengduan Mountains, and is administered by Deqen County in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Diqing, Yunnan Province.

Baima Snow Mountain, China

5. Bome Gangxiang Spruce Forest

The Bome Gangxiang Spruce Forest, located at the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, has the largest, best, and last primeval forest in China. The warm, damp airflow from the Indian Ocean produces favorable water and temperature conditions so the spruces here are like towers, tall, straight, dense and sturdy.

Bome Gangxiang Spruce Forest

6. Xishuangbannan tropical rainforest

The Xishuangbannan tropical rainforest is situated in the Dai Nationality Prefecture, Yunnan Province, through which the beautiful Lancang River flows from north to south. It is one of the important scenic spots of the whole country. Blessed by advantageous climatic conditions, it nurtures a myriad of species and is dubbed ”wildlife kingdom”.

Xishuangbannan tropical rainforest

7. Luntai County

Luntai County lying at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains and the northern edge of the Tarim Basin, boasts the world’s largest, densest and best-surviving ”living fossil of the Tertiary Age”—-a natural Huyang (diversiform-leaved) poplar forest of over 27,000 hectares.

Poplar forest, Luntai. China

8. Libo Karst Forest

The Maolan Karst located in Libo of southern Guizhou Province; the reserve is covered by a lush virgin forest. The stable ecological system means the forest is a rich biological resource. There are more than 2,000 species found in the reserve and these include some 40 new plant species.

Libo Karst Forest

9. Xing’an Larch Forest

The total area of Daxing’anling Forest is 84,600 sq kilometers. The Xing’an larch is the main tree in the Greater Xing’an Mountains Forest, part of the circum-arctic coniferous forest that extends within China north to south along the Greater Xing’an Mountains. It is also home to many arctic species, such as the snow hare, elk, cowberry and crowberry.

Xing'an Larch Forest

10. Shunan Bamboo Forest

It locates in the southwest Liantian Mountains Which border the Changning County and Jiangan County of Yibin City, and covers an area of 120 square kilometers with an elevation from 600 to 1000 meters. In its central region, more than 5000 hectares of big tall and upright bamboo (Pronounced in Chinese as Nanzhu, spelled Phyllostachys Mazelexh.

Shunan Bamboo Forest, Sichuan . China

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14 Funny Pictures of Animals Awkwardly Scratching Themselves

2011-12-29T16:08:00.001+01:00

We’ve all been there – had a terrible itch that needed immediate attention. Yet while humans and apes are blessed with deft fingers that are useful for reaching and scratching, imagine having four legs (needed for standing up on) and just paws, hooves or teeth to help out on the scratching front.

Photo: Cow passing gas image from Bigstock

As you might imagine, hilarity ensues when certain animals get an itch they’ve got to scratch but can’t quite reach, and so become involuntary contortionists. Case in point: can you look at this cow without laughing? Fourteen other funny animal pictures like this one follow.

Photo: Kangaroo image from Bigstock

With their short forelimbs, long, sturdy hind-legs and thick, long tails, kangaroos can look pretty disproportionate at the best of times. Throw a baby roo in its pouch into the equation, plus an itch that's just gotta be scratched, and you have a marsupial that looks well and truly off balance! Awkward indeed!

Photo: Wing-Chi Poon

Not to be outdone by the bigger four-legged creatures featured here, this squirrel’s giving it all it’s got – and still manages to look almost elegant! With one forefoot outstretched while it balances on the other one, the squirrel then uses its hind foot to scratch its armpit. And the scratching is so vigorous that the foot has become a blur!.

Photo: Funny donkey image from Bigstock

This donkey looks like it’s going bonkers trying to reach that itchy spot. If only a helping hand were in sight! As it is, the poor creature’s eyes appear ready to pop out while it’s biting its tail in desperation. Hard to surp-ass, this one!

Photo: An amusing deer image from Bigstock

The blacktail buck pictured here found out that a terrible itch can be a real pain in the butt. At least the three-legged aerobics (which attest to an amazing sense of balance!) look like they brought some relief.

Photo: Springbok grooming image from Bigstock

Photographed in Africa, this male springbok is trying hard to attain the same position achieved so effortlessly by the blacktail buck. He’s almost there… Just up a bit with the leg and reach with the neck… Stop shaking now! Easier said than done, though. Maybe this antelope should ask a sympathetic peer for help instead – even if it’s a different animal altogether, because as we’ve found out, interspecies grooming does happen.

Photo: Meerkat grooming itself image from Bigstock

The meerkat seated here is another animal that displays amazing agility while trying to get to that hard-to-reach spot.

Why do animals itch in the first place? For the same reasons we humans do: dry skin, is a prime cause, or it might be down to an allergy or skin disease. However, parasites tend to be a bigger problem for our furry friends than they are for us. Yes, ticks, fleas and mites can really make their lives miserable. And as we’re seeing, when you’ve got an itch, you’ve just got to scratch it!

Photo: Wild horse with an itchy leg image from Bigstock

Though this wild horse is having trouble reaching its itchy flank, it does achieve the scratching feat – with a good twist of the neck and a hearty bite, followed, perhaps, by a quick lick. Athletic, to say the least!

Photo: Impala with an itch image from Bigstock

If the itch happens to be a little higher, somewhere on the back for example, four-legged animals can sometimes manage a little better, as this impala stag, snapped in Namibia, demonstrates. A vigorous bite with those teeth, and whatever was infesting the fur is gone, we’re hoping. Or at least the itch is assuaged. Impressive bend of the neck too!

Photo: Buffalo image from Bigstock

An itchy nose can be really irritating, as this buffalo found out. Still, it managed with the help of its hoof, retaining a kind of stoic grace even on three legs. Respect!

Photo: Sea Lion scratching an itch from Bigstock

What if all you have to scratch a slippery body with are flippers? Simple! Just bend a bit and use one of the flippers as we humans would a hand. In fairness, this isn't that much of an awkward looking position – but it's still a great photo! If this sea lion’s closed eyes and contented expression are anything to go by, it must have been one heck of a satisfying scratch. Ah, relief!

Photo: Adrian Pingstone

This magpie goose had an itch right where its head ended and its long neck began. Still, nothing a well-aimed scratch with the old webbed foot couldn’t solve. That’s one scary-looking foot, though! Those long, well-formed toes make it look like a giant claw – and it’s almost as big as the bird’s head! Yikes!

Photo: Frog cleaning itself isolated image from Bigstock

This red-eyed tree frog surely falls into the awesome category. Resting coolly on its belly, the frog manages to scratch (or perhaps clean) its right knee with its left foot, all while balancing on a leaf. Like a true amphibian – and a natural contortionist – it remains as cool as a cucumber while twisting one slender leg over the other.

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The Biggest Weather-Related Catastrophes Of The Year In Photos

2011-12-27T12:36:00.001+01:00

In this Wednesday Aug. 31, 2011 photo, spectators flee as waves created by a tidal bore crash over a barrier on the Qiantang river at Haining, in east China's Zhejiang province. About 20 people were injured when they were caught too close to the river while viewing the annual tidal bore, which occurs when sea water from an unusually high tide funnels into the river, creating high waves.

In this Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 photo provided by the Kinnelon Police Department, a sport utility truck is seen in a sink hole in Kinnelon, N.J., after rains from Hurricane Irene washed out a section of Kinnelon Road. Police said the section of road from Kinnelon south to the Boonton Township line will be closed for months repair. (Courtesy of the Kinnelon Police Department / AP)

A "haboob" storm that came through the Phoenix metro area in Phoenix, Arizona. It might look like a scene from an action movie, but these pictures of an enormous cloud of dust engulfing a small town isn't the latest installment from the Mummy franchise. Self-confessed storm chaser and photographer Scott Wood, 43, is fascinated by extreme weather. Setting up his camera at the Paseo Vista recreation area in Chandler, near Phoenix, Arizona, Scott captured the oncoming dust cloud with incredible clarity. The southeast valley of the Phoenix area is very flat, but this recreation area was built up to be something of a hill, it gives great 360 degree views,Scott explained. This dust storm was amazing! (Barcroft / Fame Pictures)

A ship is washed onto the city center of Kesennuma on March 12, 2011 in Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. An earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale has hit the northeast coast of Japan yesterday causing tsunami alerts throughout countries bordering the Pacific Ocean. (Sankei via Getty Images)

Billy Stinson (L) comforts his daughter Erin Stinson as they sit on the steps where their cottage once stood before it was destroyed by Hurricane Irene Aug. 28, 2011 in Nags Head, North Carolina. The cottage, built in 1903, was one of the first vacation cottages built on Roanoke Sound in Nags Head. Stinson has owned the home, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, since 1963. "We were pretending, just for a moment, that the cottage was still behind us and we were just sitting there watching the sunset," said Erin afterward. (Scott Olson, Getty Images)

Cars sit in the northbound lanes of Lake Shore Drive after accidents and drifting snow stranded the drivers during last night's blizzard Feb. 2, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. As of late morning over 20 inches of snow had fallen, making this snowstorm the third largest recorded in the city. (Scott Olson, Getty Images)

Cars, some overturned, that were swept into a pile by Friday's torrential rains are seen on a street in Genoa, Italy Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011. Italy's Premier Silvio Berlusconi says improper construction in flood plains was partly to blame for devastating floods that have killed at least six people in the port city of Genoa. Torrential rains lashing Genoa and Italy's western coast on Friday triggered flash floods that broke the banks of at least two rivers. (Matteo Corner, LaPresse / AP)

Tayo Kitamura, 40, kneels in the street to caress and talk to the wrapped body of her mother Kuniko Kitamura, 69, after Japanese firemen discovered the de*d woman inside the ruins of her home in Onagawa, northeastern Japan Saturday, March 19, 2011. (David Guttenfelder, AP)

Toyoki Sugawara looks out from his destroyed liquor shop where he is collecting any items he can salvage on March 18, 2011 in Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. Thousands have been killed as a result of the 9.0 earthquake and consequent tsunami that struck the northeast coast of Japan six days ago. A potential humanitarian crisis looms as nearly half a million people who have been displaced by the disaster continue to suffer a shortage of food and fuel as freezing weather conditions set in. (Paula Bronstein, Getty Images)

Sigo Hatareyama works to clean out what is left of his house on March 21, 2011 in Kesennuma, Japan. The 9.0 magnitude strong earthquake struck offshore on March 11 at 2:46pm local time, triggering a tsunami wave of up to ten metres which engulfed large parts of north-eastern Japan, and also damaging the Fukushima nuclear plant and threatening a nuclear catastrophe. The death toll continues to rise with numbers of dead and missing exceeding 20,000 in a tragedy not seen since World War II in Japan. (Chris McGrath, Getty Images)

A weed grows out of the dry cracked bed of O.C. Fisher Lake on July 25, 2011 in San Angelo, Texas. The 5,440 acre lake which was established to provide flood control and serve as a secondary drinking water source for San Angelo and the surrounding communities is now dry following an extended drought in the region. The lake which has a maximum depth of 58 feet is also used for boating, fishing and swimming. The San Angelo area has seen only 2.5 inches of rain this year. The past nine months have been the driest in Texas since record keeping began in 1895, with 75% of the state classified as exceptional drought, the worst level. (Scott Olson, Getty Images)

A woman and her baby look out over a flooded street on Aug. 31, 2011 in Wallington, New Jersey. New Jersey was especially hard hit by Hurricane Irene with thousands of residents forced into shelters due to flooded homes and many more still without electricity as rivers and creeks overflowed in the aftermath of the storm. President Barack Obama, who plans to visit Paterson, New Jersey on Sunday, has signed a disaster declaration for five counties in New Jersey, making residents eligible for federal assistance. (Spencer Platt, Getty Images)

The damaged Christchurch Cathedral in Cathedral Square on Sept. 28, 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand. On Feb. 22 this year a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Christchurch. The quake took hundreds of lives, and seven months on, the community continues to rebuild. (Cameron Spencer, Getty Images)

A man is rescued by emergency workers after he was stranded clinging to a tree on a flooded street in Toowoomba, Australia, during a flash flood Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. Flash floods swept through the northeastern Australian community killing one woman, trapping others in cars and leaving some clinging to trees as relentless rains brought more misery to a region battling its worst flooding in decades. (ABC / AP)

Damage to the Washington National Cathedral is seen the day after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook Washington and much of the East Coast, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011. (J. Scott Applewhite, AP)

Beverly Winans hugs her daughter Debbie Surlin while salvaging items from Winans' devastated home in Joplin, Mo. Wednesday, May 25, 2011. Winans and her husband rode out the EF-5 tornado by hiding under a bed in the home. The tornado tore through much of the city Sunday, damaging a hospital and hundreds of homes and businesses and killing at least 123 people. (Charlie Riedel, AP)

This aerial photograph shows a neighborhood destroyed by a powerful tornado in Joplin, Mo. Tuesday, May 24, 2011. A tornado moved through much of the city Sunday, damaging a hospital and hundreds of homes and businesses and killing at least 116 people. (Charlie Riedel, AP)

The head of a lawn deer remains above the flood waters from the Souris River in an evacuated western neighborhood of Minot, N.D. Friday, June 24, 2011. About one-fourth of the city's 40,000 residents have evacuated their homes. (Charles Rex Arbogast, AP)

A levee protects a home surrounded by floodwater from the Yazoo River May 18, 2011 near Vicksburg, Mississippi. The flooded Mississippi River is forcing the Yazoo River to top its banks where the two meet near Vicksburg causing towns and farms upstream on the Yazoo to flood. The Mississippi River at Vicksburg is expected to crest May 19. Heavy rains have left the ground saturated, rivers swollen, and have caused widespread flooding along the Mississippi River from Illinois to Louisiana. (Scott Olson, Getty Images)

A woman sifts through the destruction of a former T Mobile office after a tornado struck, Wednesday, April 27, 2011 Tuscaloosa, Ala. wave of severe storms laced with tornadoes strafed the South on Wednesday, killing at least 16 people around the region and splintering buildings across swaths of an Alabama university town. (Caroline Summers, AP)

Resident wade through floods in Rangsit district on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand on Friday Oct. 21, 2011. Thailand's prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra urged Bangkok's residents to get ready to move their belongings to higher ground Friday as the country's worst floods in half a century began seeping into the capital's outer districts. (Aaron Favila, AP)

Vehicles at a Honda car factory submerge in floodwaters in the Rojana industrial district in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. Monsoon deluges that have pounded Thailand since late July have affected 8 million people and swept across two-thirds of the country, drowning agricultural land and swallowing low-lying villages along the way. More than 200 major highways and roads are impassable, and the main rail lines to the north have been shut down. Authorities say property damage and losses could reach $3 billion dollars. (Sakchai Lalit, AP)

A pet dog follows a Thai woman as she wades through floodwaters carrying her baby to receive food distributed by Thai soldiers at a flooded neighborhood in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011. The flooding began in late July and the water has reached parts of Bangkok, where residents are frustrated by government confusion over how much worse the flooding will get. (Altaf Qadri, AP)

Vehicles are submerged in floodwater after heavy rain in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, July 28, 2011. Thousands of rescuers used heavy machinery and shovels Thursday to clear mud and search for survivors after huge landslides and flooding killed more than 40 people in South Korea.(Ahn Young-joon, AP)

Two-year-old, Aden Salaad, looks up toward his mother, unseen, as she bathes him in a tub at a Doctors Without Borders hospital, where Aden is receiving treatment for malnutrition, in Dagahaley Camp, outside Dadaab, Kenya, Monday, July 11, 2011. U.N. refugee chief Antonio Guterres said Sunday that drought-ridden Somalia is the "worst humanitarian disaster" in the world, after meeting with refugees who endured unspeakable hardship to reach the world's largest refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya. (Rebecca Blackwell, AP)

Residents look at a transformer that lies in the middle of Maple Ave. in Newton, N.J. Monday Oct. 31, 2011. An unusual October snow storm this past Saturday dumped up to 15 inches of snow in some areas of N.J. causing power outages across the state. (Rich Schultz, AP)

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Rare White Lion Cubs Make Debut at Serbian Zoo

2011-12-25T17:52:00.001+01:00

The four one-day-old cubs, with mom Sumba, have become the Belgrade Zoo’s biggest attraction.

Day-old white lion cubs lie next to their mother Sumba in their enclosure at Belgrade’s Zoo December 21, 2011. The four white lions cubs, an extremely rare subspecies of the African lion, have become the zoo’s greatest attraction. Another four white lion cubs were born in April earlier this year.

Three of four newly born white lion cubs lie next to their mother in their enclosure in Belgrade's Zoo December 21, 2011. The four white lions cubs, an extremely rare subspecies of the African lion have become the zoo's greatest attraction. Another four white lion cubs were born in April earlier this year.

A day-old white lion cub lies next to his mother Sumba in their enclosure at Belgrade’s Zoo December 21, 2011. The four white lions cubs, an extremely rare subspecies of the African lion, have become the zoo’s greatest attraction. Another four white lion cubs were born in April earlier this year.

photo: source

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Infographic: The Geology of Yellowstone

2011-12-23T12:37:00.001+01:00

Yellowstone National Park may be one of the nation's most well-known landmarks and is one of the most visited national parks in the country. The unique geology of the park is part of what makes it such a big draw for tourists; in particular, the many hot springs and geysers that dot the park are the most famous features of Yellowstone.

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Top 10 Most Awesome Dogs of 2011

2011-12-20T17:05:00.001+01:00

The year 2011 was absolutely brimming with historic, hilarious and downright heart-warming moments of doggie awesomeness! Stories of heroic hounds, comedic canines and doggie Dilbert's certifiably made life so much richer this year and we've selected some of our favorite four-legged stand-outs of 2011.

It was not easy, sifting through the incredible, insane, inane and sometimes hair-brained dog stories of 2011, but for you, dear readers, The Daily Treat will stop at nothing to keep you on the cusp of mutt's hot and mutt's not.

Our Top 10 Most Awesome Dogs of 2011

1. Loyal Dog, Hawkeye, Lays at the Casket of Fallen Navy Seal

A beautiful tribute and demonstration of a dogs loyal and unconditional love. Reportedly this story alone is responsible for a 32.36% increase in Kleenex's stock price in 2011. : ) Full story here >

2. The Amazing Commando Dog That Helped Snare Osama Bin Laden

This special four-legged soldier was a heavily-armored, explosive-sniffing pooch who was strapped to an assault team member and lowered into Bin Laden's hideout from a Black Hawk helicopter! To ensure their safety, these special four-legged forces are given oxygen masks for helicopter jumps as well as helmets with videocameras for remote monitoring. Read story here>

3. Eco-minded French Bulldog Saves Water with Inventive Pup Pre-wash Cycle

Does this ridiculous scenario look familiar? This ridiculous French Bulldog is engaged in what is commonly known as the water saving "pre-wash cycle" in my household. In fact, during a recent pre-wash cycle, Zazou's collar inadvertently became attached to the lower dishwasher tray. He reared back, taking twelve plates and the entire silverware basket with him. Only two plates survived! Read story here >

4. Dog Saves New Family Only Six Hours After Being Adopted

Gentle giant Hercules proved his worth as a loyal canine companion only six hours after being rescued from an animal shelter by chasing after an intruder who was attempting to break into his new adoptive family's house. Read the whole story here >

5. Static Cling Dog Channels a White Porcupine

Combine super dry air, a fluffy white dog, a synthetic fiber blanket and a monotone voice-over narrator and you've got a nugget of YouTube gold. See for yourself in the video below and read the full story here >

As the narrator suggests, this dog needs a good groooming or perhaps some good conditioner?

Enjoy!

6. Uber Happy Dog Plays Hide-n-Seek with Bouncy Sheep

The most adoro interspecies love affair between a bouncing, fluffy sheep and one scrappy happy dog. Dingleberries and all, watch what a good ole time this sheep is having clomp-a-clomping around the barnyard with a dog that seems to have decided "...to hell with the whole herding thing." Read the full story here >

7. Greece's Riot Dog

Allegedly present at nearly every importantGrecian riot since in 2008, and even braving police with teargas, it is unknown what this tenacious yellow dog, Loukanikos, was protesing, but he is deserving of a nod for getting up out of his tent and getting into the action. Read the full story here>

8. I Lean: Seeing-Eye Goose Befriends Blind Dog.

This heart-warming animal odd couple shows that love really is blind! A blind boxer named Baks got a whole new lease on life this year thanks to a good samaritan goose named Buttons who leads vision-impaired Baks around everywhere either by hanging onto him with her neck, or by honking to tell him which way to go. Read the full story here >

9. Tenacity Defined - Brave Terrier With Knife Stuck Squarely in Head Chases Robbers

Bella, a brave terrier mix, happily chased robbers down her street earlier this year despite the ginormous Ginzu protruding from her forehead ! She survived the ordeal with flying colors and gets extra kick-ass doggy awesomeness points for her selfless heroicism! Read the full story here>

10. Determined Pit Pup Harper, Rescued from Trash Bag, Learns to Walk

Severely deformed, yet darling pitbull pup Harper was abandoned to die in a trash bag, but angelic shelter workers rescued her and provided her with proper therapy and now she has a new leash on life! Today, Harper is a frisky, happy pup who is gaining more and more mobility each day, to the astonishment of onlookers and medical professionals. Read the full story here >

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The Nature Animals

7 Mutts Going Nuts At Mardi Gras

Ice Age Flower Revived in Russia

Fruit and seeds hidden in an Ice Age squirrel's burrow in Siberian permafrost have been resurrected into a flower by Russian scientists.

Underwater Dog Photography Reveals New Animal Perspectives

Rare ‘White’ Black Beast Captured on Camera is Not a Polar Bear

5 Cute Animals That Show Heart All Year Round

11 Horrifically Violent Animal Mating Rituals

Seals: Humping Their Way Onto The Endangered Species List

Bedbugs: Impaler? I Hardly Know Her

Squid: Those Slippery, No-Good Cephalopods

Quolls: De*th By Fornication

Seed Beetles: Take A Stab At Quenching Your Thirst

Flatworms: Fencing As Foreplay

Slugs and Snails: Playing Cupid Is Less Romantic Than It Sounds

Bees: Pop Goes The Penis

Wasp Spiders: Breaking Off A Piece of That…Literally

Octopuses: Watch Which Hand You Shake

Praying Mantis: Post-Coitus Snack Anyone?

32 Stunning and Spectacular Sea Arches

Let’s Go Play

(image credits: Cyril BRETON, Stefan Mendelsohn, thefatcat44)

France, Italy, Mexico

(image credits: Erroba, nespyxel, Wonderlane)

Hawaii, Spain, Greece

(image credits: j o s h, siskud, episa)

Corona del Mar CA and Island of Gozo, Malta

(image credits: UCI Sociology Department, Vin60)

Yesnaby Scotland to Berry Head England

(image credits: windywolf,>> Hal <<)

From Kap Dyrholaey to Normandy

(image credits: Kenny Muir, gilgpictures)

Durdle Door

Take it in — London “Bridge” Arch and La Jolla

(image credits: sorgun68, AMagill)

Mermaids and Adventurers

(image credits: djgr, cláudia gabriela marques vieira, acampm1)

Sea Windows

(image credits: vgm8383, Dat The Man, little_frank, Patrick Smith)

Mouth and Heart of the Sea

(image credits: Andrea Cucconi, little_frank)

Warm Water for Sea Arch Connoisseurs

(image credits: Len Borden, Retinol)

Island Archway, Australia – Hvítserkur, Iceland

(image credits: sachman75, sigfus.sigmundsson)

8 Real Photographs That Prove Hell Exists on Earth

50 Fun Facts about Tigers

Solar Storms Trigger Northern Lights

Arctic Auroras

Aurora Storm

Aurora Hunting

Aurora Trek

Aurora on Ice

Ghostly Glow

Green Lantern

Wings of Lights

Abisko Auroras

Iceland Auroras

Seeing a Solar Flare

Aurora Ahoy

"White" Albino-like Penguin Found in Antarctica

14 The Most Creative Natural Leather Snake

The Cutest Hybrid Dogs

Maltipoo

Puggle

American Bandogge Mastiff

St. Berdoodle

Doodles

Wolfdogs

Dogo Argentinos

EngAm Bulldog

Corgi Dalmatian Hybrid

Frug

Crow Roof Tubing Crowboarding

Antarctic "Lost World" Found

"Lost World" Yeti Crab Swarm

Jockeying for Position

Antarctic "Car Wash" Barnacles

Black Smokers of the Lost World

Antarctic Anemones in the Pink

Quolls: Deth By Fornication*