By Eddie Wrenn


Smile for the camera! The quirky and cute sloths are about to star in their own documentary

We are used to welcoming lazy, chubby sloths into our homes via the TV set.

Jim Royle manages to impart some life lessons from the comfort of his chair, Rab C Nesbitt amuses us with his unemployed, alcoholic life, and even Homer Simpson manages to have adventures despite wanting nothing more than his sofa and a Duff beer.

But now Meet the Sloths - a cheeky family of mammals predicted to become the new meerkats when their documentary launches next week.

What you looking at? The sloths will have to get used to stardom once their show goes out to UK audiences

These lovable tree-huggers live in the confines of a Costa Rican sanctuary and spend their days hanging off a climbing frame, or getting bathed by their human carers.

The documentary was the brain-child of Lucy Cooke, whose clips of sloths on YouTube were watched by six million people.

Meet the Sloths, which has already aired in the States, premiers on Animal Planet UK on Sunday.

On SlothVille.com, Lucy says she had her first encounter with sloths when she visited Aviarios, near Limon in Costa Rica, which is the world's only sloth orphanage.

Sloths of the past: Homer Simpson and Jim Royle have spent years entertaining us with their lazy ways

She said: 'I traveled 5,000 miles to a sleepy corner of Costa Rica to meet an animal I first saw on Youtube.

'I made my own little video about the sanctuary sloths, “Meet the Sloths”, which went viral within days.

'The video has now been watched by over six million people and gathered famous fans like Ashton Kutcher, Ricky Gervais and most recently Kristen Bell.'

The two-minute clip bought attention to the Sloth Sanctuary, founded by husband and wife team Luis and Judy Arroyo.

The couple, along with volunteers, teach visitors about the way of the Sloth, and passengers from passing cruise ships regularly make a stop at the sanctuary.

There they can help feed and clean the sloths, who usually arrive at the orphanage after being hit by cars or being electrocuted by overhead cables.


All grown up: The sloths started life in the orphanage, but are now flourishing as TV and web stars


Star of the show: Lucy Cooke with one of her lazy but adorable staff



source:dailymail

By Nick Enoch


Orphan fox cub Anuska has been learning acrobatic moves from her new best friend, Sadie the Jack Russell

You can't teach an old dog new tricks - but this one has taught a young fox some new ones.

Adorable orphan fox cub Anuska has been learning acrobatic moves from her new best friend, Sadie the Jack Russell.

Her non-canine heritage may not qualify her for Crufts but she could definitely give some of the show dogs a run for their money.


Unlikely playmates as they are, it brings to mind the Disney film The Fox And The Hound

The 1981 animation sees the animals strike up a friendship against all odds as they are natural enemies

When Sadie leaps into the air to catch a stick, Anuska observes and then copies her.

The same goes for playing with an orange ball - and striking some 'vogue' poses among the bluebells.

Anuska, now eight months old, was rescued by art teacher and photographer, Brian Bevan.

Just days after being born, her mother was hit by a car and Brian, from Bedfordshire, took the vulnerable cub into his home after she was found by a farmer along with nine other cubs.


Anuska poses among some bluebells... and so does her new best canine friend Sadie

Just days after being born, Anuska's mother was hit by a car. Brian Bevan, from Bedfordshire, took the vulnerable cub into his home after she was found by a farmer along with nine other cubs

Anuska immediately formed a strong bond with ten-year-old Sadie and now the pair can often be seen jumping around together - making for some unusual picture opportunities for Brian.

Unlikely playmates as they are, it brings to mind the Disney film The Fox And The Hound.

The 1981 animation sees the animals strike up a friendship against all odds as they are natural enemies.

Let's just hope Sadie doesn't scare off Anuska by explaining her terrier origins are in fox hunting...


Anuska immediately formed a strong bond with ten-year-old Sadie and now the pair can often be seen jumping around together - making for some unusual picture opportunities for Brian



source;dailymail

By Amy Oliver


Look! No paws: This giant panda cub was snapped showing off its gymnastic skills at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China


They spend most of their day eating bamboo and snoozing.

But as this young panda proves, there's still plenty of time for a spot of gymnastics despite the busy schedule.

Photographer Mitsuaki Iwago was able to capture the moment the bear hung upside down from a tree in a gymnastics display worthy of Olympic gold.

It then proceeded to stick its tongue out at stunned onlookers who were enjoying a day out at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China.

However, the cub then seemed to struggle to get itself upright after wedging its legs between the branches.


Mr Iwago, 61, said: 'I was just visiting the panda enclosure because they are beautiful animals and I wanted to take some photos.

'The young cub wouldn't take its eyes off me, it was fascinated. Suddenly it went over to the tree and managed to flip upside down.

'It was looking at me the whole time and I got the feeling it was showing for the camera, as if saying "look what I can do."

'I think it was also having a joke because it stuck its tongue out at me, as if blowing a raspberry.

Tree hugger: The cheeky bear put on quite a show for stunned onlookers while enjoying itself at the nature reserve before going off to eat some more bamboo

'I was so pleased with the photos and afterwards I thanked the panda for giving me such a great show.'

Mr Iwago from Tokyo, Japan, added: 'I thought it was going to be just another visit to the zoo but I ended up with something very special.'

There are only around 1,300 pandas living today. 150 giant pandas reside at the Wolong reserve, which covers around 200,000 hectares in the Qionglai Mountains region.

The average giant panda eats as much as 20 to 30lbs of bamboo a day and an adult male can grow up to 6ft long. They can weigh up to 25 stone (350lbs).



source:dailymail

By David Baker


Bear faced cheek: This hungry black bear had no hesitation in interrupting a family picnic, where he tucked into sandwiches and cakes left behind by a terrified family


When a family headed down to the woods for a spot of lunch they had no idea it would turn in to a real-life teddy bear’s picnic.

And much like the song suggests they were definitely in for a big surprise - when it was gatecrashed by this hungry black bear.

These incredible pictures were captured by terrified walkers after their lunch was brought to an abrupt end by the ravenous visitor.

Lunchtime: The bear rummages through the food left by a fleeing family in the Shenandoah National Park, Virgina

It sat happily munching on cakes and sandwiches, ignoring the hysterical crowds, after the families enjoying the sunshine in the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, had fled when the enormous black bear came to join them for lunch.

It was only when a ranger turned up and pelted him with rocks that he finally decided he had had his fill, and went back into the woods.

The snaps were captured by keen amateur wildlife photographer Rodney Cammauf, 67, from Florida.

He said: 'The bear wandered into the picnic area looking for food as it had received food there before from people who had left it out.


Teddy bear picnic: Shocked walkers captured this hungry bear trawling through food on a picnic table after it interrupted a family lunch

Caught red handed: The bear tries to claw out anything left in packets left behind by terrified diners

'The bear saw the picnic table full of food and went over to it causing the people occupying the picnic table to run away.

'After the rangers were called one came up and chased the bear away.

'It was eventually trapped and relocated to another part of the park away from people.

'My impression was that the bear was getting into big trouble by raiding the picnic table but not being aggressive to the people around it.'


Time to roll: Just as the bear looks to tuck into a bread roll he is startled by park rangers who were called when the enormous animal rudely interrupted a family picnic


Full: Having had his fill the bear makes his way back into the woods as a park ranger attempts to shoo him away



source:dailymail

By Ted Thornhill


Thirst for fancy drinks: This vervet monkey cheekily sips a tourists' cocktail

Monkeys may be closer to humans than we previously thought – because they even ape our drinking habits.

There are gangs of vervet monkeys on the Caribbean Island of St Kitts that regularly raid the local beach bars for cocktails to satisfy their thirst - and they can be seen getting their paws on them in a hilarious YouTube video.

The cheeky boozers first arrived on the island 300 years ago with slaves from West Africa who were shipped there to work in the rum industry.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Shipped in: The boozing monkeys first arrived on the island 300 years ago

They developed a taste for alcohol from eating fermented fruits on forest floors – and have now been filmed for the BBC’s Weird Science show moving on to stealing beachgoers’ fancy tipples.

However, not all of them like alcohol.

The show discovered that their drinking habits match that of human populations.

The voiceover explained: ‘Some monkeys are teetotal and reject alcohol in favour of soft drinks.


This monkey was caught enjoying a cocktail - but some are teetotal


Thieves: The monkeys regularly steal drinks as beachgoers sunbathe

‘The percentage of teetotal monkeys matches the non-drinkers in the human population.

‘In line with human habits, most drink in moderation, 12 per cent are steady drinkers and five per cent drink to the last drop.

‘It shows that our liking for alcohol is determined largely by our genes.’

Just like humans, the monkeys that have been drinking end the day by falling over a lot and getting involved in scuffles.

But unlike humans, the monkeys that drink are respected by those that don’t.




source:dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter


With spectacular polar landscapes and amazing animal behaviour, often filmed for the first time, Frozen Planet captures the drama of an extreme natural world

It remains one of the most extraordinary natural history programmes ever made. Sir David Attenborough’s landmark Frozen Planet series stunned and amazed us all with astonishing footage of the frozen wildernesses of the Arctic and Antarctic.

Ambitious and epic in scale, Frozen Planet captures all the jaw-dropping beauty of these hostile and little-known regions as well as the awe-inspiring power of the elements. Yet these harsh environments are teeming with life - from polar bears, reindeer, seals and killer whales to Arctic wolves.


Unforgettable: Re-live the amazing imagery from the BBC's Frozen Planet series with these incredible posters. This incredible picture shows a female polar bear with her two cubs

Majestic: A great grey owl is captured in flight. So reclusive that it is often referred to as the 'Great Grey Ghost' or 'Phantom of the North', it is one of the largest owls in the world with a wingspan of between four and five feet

Who can forget the incredible photography that made the series such a worldwide success? The images of penguins cavorting in caves, pods of Orca whales emerging through the ice, of dazzling blue meltwater lakes that form and disappear within days, and astonishing footage from below the ice, where tiny fish have natural antifreeze in their blood.

Now the Mail gives you the opportunity to collect a series of posters featuring remarkable stills from Frozen Planet, absolutely free.

Coming up for air: Orca whales swim to the surface of a frozen landscape (left) while a baby seal and its mother rest on the ice surface (right)

The first poster, included in Saturday’s Daily Mail, is a stunning image of an adult polar bear with two young cubs. Inside every copy of this weekend’s Mail on Sunday is a poster featuring a great grey owl in flight.

So reclusive that it is often referred to as the ‘Great Grey Ghost’ or Phantom of the North, the great grey is one of the largest owls in the world, with a wingspan of between four and five feet. Unlike dark-eyed nocturnal owls, it has distinctive piercing eyes, which may be an adaptation to hunting by day.

Get another poster in Monday’s Daily Mail - and a new one every day until next Friday. Once you have completed your collection, they combine to make a super-sized breath-taking image on the reverse.

Frozen Planet is now available on DVD and Blu-ray through BBC Worldwide, featuring stunning scenes of the lives of these extraordinary creatures throughout the seasons as they struggle to survive.

With spectacular polar landscapes and amazing animal behaviour, often filmed for the first time, Frozen Planet captures the drama of an extreme natural world.

This is the poles as you’ve never seen them before, and may never see them again…
You can collect the Frozen Planet posters every day inside the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday until Friday (2 March).


The penguin nursery: This is the poles as you've never seen them before, and may never see them again. These harsh environments are teeming with life


Jaw-dropping drama: The stunning eyes of an Arctic wolf. Frozen Planet captures the beauty of the Artic and Antarctic creatures as well as that of the hostile and little-known regions



source:dailymail

By Graham Smith


It certainly beats having to learn the art of swimming.

This baby alligator did not feel like getting his feet wet when his mother wanted to go for a swim.

So the crafty creature simply climbed on her head and hitched a ride instead.

Hitching a ride: A baby alligator sits on his mother's head as she swims at Brazos Bend State Park in Texas

After a spell enjoying the warm Texan sunshine, the mother alligator decided to go for a quick dip to cool off from the heat.

But her grinning child was having none of it - and climbed on top of her head knowing she would keep it above the surface so he could soak up some more sun.

The wonderful moment at Brazos Bend State Park was captured by keen photographer Clayton Bownds, 40.

Mr Bownds could not believe his eyes as the baby alligator sat tight and enjoyed the ride.

He said: 'I was really surprised when I spotted the baby being carried by his mother on her head - I've never heard of this kind of behaviour.'


Bonding: The wonderful moment between mother and son was captured by photographer Clayton Bownds

'He seemed pretty content there,' Mr Bownds added. 'I stayed for around half an hour just watching and he remained on top of the "perch" for the whole time.

'Occasionally his mother was swimming with him sat on her head and the rest of the time they were very still almost like statues.

'It seems this sort of thing is quite rare and to have been fortunate enough to not only witness it, but have a camera handy to document it too, was a great feeling.'



source:dailymail

By Nina Golgowski


Little paws: The pug named Toby and his young feline friend are caught on camera during a carefully kneaded back and neck massage

Who else but a cat could give a four-footed back massage without breaking bones or striking a terribly awkward-looking pose?

In an adorable video posted to YouTube a gray kitten is caught carefully kneading the back of a slumbering, albeit audibly snoring, pug.

Not the couple's first YouTube debut, the kitten and pug - who's identified as Toby - have a history of back massages where the gray puff ball climbs on his back for some intense kneading.

Scroll down for video

Slumber: They may be small paws but the cat uses all four of them to dig into the sleeping pug's coat as he peacefully snores below

Toby snores and the cat gets to work, sometimes gripping with all four paws in and out below his collar line.

As the uploader writes to a previous video of the pair:

'Our kitten loves to do this to Toby the pug when he's feeling tired!'

Kneading, a common behaviour seen among kittens and adult cats, is described by some as being both a juvenile habit recalled from their earlier days nursing as well a later sexual behaviour.


Stress reliever: The video's uploader writes that whenever Toby the pug is tired the cat will get to work kneading his back

Reasons: Kneading is not an uncommon action for cats, especially young ones who perhaps still recall their infancy with their mother, while it's also seen as a sign of affection

Either the case, it's believed by some to also be a sign of affection and shown when the cat's not under stress and in good spirits.

In a separate suggested reason for the kneading, prompted by one YouTube viewer:

'The cat's obviously feeling him up for vital organs... planning its attack out strategically,' user Agemrepus wrote.

The video appears as the last massage video posted between Toby and the gray kitten.

Watch the video here:




source:dailymail

By Leon Watson


Hello world! Palle-Jooseppi the brown bear waking up after hibernation at Ranua Zoo, Finland

Doesn't this furry fellow look grumpy? Don't worry though, he'll bear-up.

Bleary-eyed and dozy, Palle-Jooseppi the brown bear is decidedly bad-tempered as he pokes his nose out of the snow to say hello to the world.

But who could blame him - this old beast has been asleep over winter and his biological alarm clock has just gone off.

Breaking through: Palle-Jooseppi has been in his den for months. this is the moment he emerged

Palle-Jooseppi is a mainstay of Ranua Zoo in Lapland, Finland, and he's just woken up from his winter hibernation.

Pictured yesterday emerging from his den, he hauled himself out of bed and, eventually, went for a short stroll. Then he decided to have a much-needed nap in a soft snow bank.

Although they are not full hibernators, and can be woken easily, brown bears do like to den in a protected spot, such as a cave, crevice, or hollow log, during the winter months.

They eat all summer long to gain weight for the winter months. And it shows, Palle-Jooseppi, who had been sleeping since October, weighs around 300lbs.


At last! Palle-Jooseppi is out, but exhausted after his big sleep he takes a much-needed nap



source:dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter


Frosty: This infant Japanese snow monkey curls up his paws to protect them from the icy cold weather

This little fellow looked a bit down in the dumps shivering in freezing cold weather in the mountains of Japan.

But these stunning photos captured the moment when it quickly changed to an expression of delight after he jumped in to a hot natural spring to warm up.

And if this young monkey's reaction to slipping into a warm bath is anything to go by, these primates really are like humans.

Delight: But the Japanese snow monkey's expression turns to one of bliss as he submerges into the hot spring

The juvenile Japanese snow monkey was photographed enjoying the famous hot springs at Jigokudani monkey park in Nagano.

Photographer Ben Torode captured these intimate scenes of grooming and social interaction among the group of Japanese macaques - who are drawn to the welcoming waterhole to warm up during the winter.

The group descend from the steep cliffs and forest to sit in the warm waters of the onsen - hotsprings - before returning to the security of the forests in the evenings.

Ben, 35, from Adelaide, who took up photography after relocating to Tokyo, said: 'It seemed the little monkey was just starting to enjoy some time away from its mother, but would often run out of the bath to check where she was.

'Although in the images it looks like it is in pure heaven as it slips into the bath, its true joy is the seed it has hidden in its mouth.

'My favourite images would have to be the ones that show intense preening because it reveals how many traits these monkeys share with humans.

Monkeying around: And this young Snow Monkey seemed in no rush to get out - happy to stay enjoying the warm water

'Their hands are extremely delicate and dextrous, they are very social and they are capable of intense concentration. In fact, Japanese macaques spend 27.9 per cent of their waking hours engaged in social grooming, as opposed to just 23.5 per cent feeding.

'While you photograph these monkeys, you are not supposed to stare at them too long with your naked eyes because they take it as a sign of aggression, but they don't mind lenses.

'The young ones, however, are much more inquisitive about everything, including the humans.'

Jigokudani is located in a mountainous area in central Japan and at 850 meters in elevation, it is a harsh environment where snow covers the ground for one-third of the year.

It is named Jigokudani, Hell's Valley, due to the eerie spectacle of boiling water and steam rising from the steep cliffs.


Touching: Photographer Ben Torode also captured heart-warming scenes of grooming among the group of Japanese macaques


Family fun: A group of Japanese Snow Monkeys descend from the forest to sit in the warm waters of the hotsprings



source:dailymail

By Emma Reynolds


Udderly adorable: Three-week-old Clementine sleeps in a dog basket and is looked after by the farm's collie and labradoodle

This is Clementine, the tiniest calf in Britain, who is so small she sleeps in a dog basket and is fed every three hours with special milk.

The adorable three-week-old calf was born prematurely in Torrington, Devon, weighing in at a minuscule 33lbs.

She is smaller than even the farm's collie and labradoodle - who have become her protectors and follow her wherever she totters.

Doggy-guards: The farm's collie and labradoodle have become the cute calf's protectors

Cute Clementine is less than half the size of an average newborn calf, which would normally weigh around 77lbs.

Two-day-old Juno, who also lives at the farm, towers above her.

Organic farmer Tracey Martin, of Torrington, said: 'She is smaller than our two dogs, the collie and the labradoodle, who have both taken her under their wing.

'They are all quite happy running around the garden together and nuzzle up in the bed keeping each other company.

'When we first brought her in, the collie would lick her face to make sure she was all cleaned up.'


Gambolling around the farm: The delicate baby calf enjoys the sunshine in a lush field

Close to home: The three-week-old calf cannot stray far from the farmhouse and needs two-and-a-half litres of milk a day

She added: 'I have been in farming my whole life and I have never seen a calf of this breed survive so small.

'Her mother nearly died giving birth and she was poorly throughout the pregnancy so it is a blessing Clementine has survived.'

The delicate calf needs two-and-a-half litres of milk a day and is being kept inside at a constant temperature.

Her petite size and lack of muscle weight mean she has no defence against bad weather or catching cold.


Miniature: Clementine looks small and fragile beside the younger two-day-old Juno


Pastures new: Clementine with organic farmer Tracey Martin, who is hand-feeding her every three hours until she is strong enough to join the other calves

Mrs Martin said: 'For now she is cuddling up by the Aga in the dog bed, she seems quite content being inside. She's even had a doze on the sofa.

'The farmer's four children - aged six, seven and nine - plan to show Clementine at young handler's events.

Mrs Martin, who says the small calf has put on two kilos in the last week, said: 'We thought about naming her after her mother Tangerine.

'Instead the children thought of Clementine because it is like a mini-orange.'



source:dailymail