New species discovered in 2010
From invisible squids to bald parrots to deep-sea fish with teeth on their tongues, guardian.co.uk picks the best of of 2010's newly discovered animals.
This image provided by NOAA shows a deep-sea chimaera. Chimaeras are most closely related to sharks, although their evolutionary lineage branched off from sharks nearly 400m years ago, and they have remained an isolated group ever since.
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via: Neatorama
A fascinating man - Ed Wilson is the ant man.
Over six decades at Harvard University he has discovered more about ants than anyone else in history. He has thrown into relief for the general public just how important ants are—how they represent 25% or more of the insect biomass on the planet, how collectively they weigh more than all the humans in the world, how they assist humans by aerating the soil, suturing wounds, or, as in South Africa, harvesting the rooibos seeds for farm workers to collect. And how ancient they are: in 1966 Wilson and his colleagues identified an ant in a shard of amber that was 80m years old. Ants emerged along with flowering plants 130m years ago. By contrast, the genus Homo diverged 2m years ago, has existed as Homo sapiens for a fraction of that time, with a civilization of 20,000 years or so.
Read more: Ants and Us, Published on More Intelligent Life
or watch NOVA: Lord of the Ants on YouTube
via: http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/
An 8-month-old German shepherd named Rebel somehow squeezed his head through a hole in an 18-inch block wall at his Desert Hot Springs home Monday.
Then he got stuck.
Rebel may have been chasing another animal or was just curious about the hole, said Sgt. James Huffman of Riverside County Animal Services. The dog cried and whimpered until a friend of the owner heard him and called authorities. The dog’s owner wasn’t home at the time.
County Animal Services officers arrived about 12:30 p.m. and determined that the dog was not in serious danger. Huffman said they concluded that if the dog was able to get his head into the hole, they would be able to pull him out without damaging the wall, but their main concern was not to hurt Rebel while getting him out.
An officer got on either side of the wall, tucked in the dog’s ears and nudged him back and forth for about 30 minutes before getting him out safely.
Source
This bald, grey-skinned creature was shot and killed in Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, after it emerged from woodland into the garden of a home.
The animal, which has large ears, whiskers and a long tail, has sparked intense debate on the internet, with some claiming it is one of the mythical chupacabras.
Source
... I don't know, it kind of looks like a hairless raccoon. What do you think?
Doesn't this look like fun?
via MetaFilter
Pictures of Dogs Akbash Dog Pictures and Akbash Dog Breed Information
There are two varieties of Akbash longhaired, which are better for cold regions and shorthaired, which are suitable for warmer climate. Coat is soft, wavy and coarse on the outside and with finely textured hairs on the undercoat and it invariably comes in white color. It has a blunt and large skull with long legs, V-Shaped ears, long feathered and curved tail and gentle brown eyes. Akbash weigh around 90-130 pounds. It has a height of about 32 inches. Its life expectancy is about 10-11 years. Akbash dogs are suitable as guard dogs or companion dogs if trained suitably.
An AP-Petside.com Poll, conducted October 13-20, 2010, by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, found that 53 percent of pet owners plan to get their animals a present this holiday season. Of these, fifty-six percent of the dog owners say they'll buy their pets a gift this Christmas, but only 48 percent of the cat owners plan a gift.
Also interesting: women (56 percent) are somewhat more likely than men (49 percent) to buy their animals a gift. The poll also showed that renters (66 percent) are more apt to pamper their pets than homeowners (49 percent). And while fewer than half of those who attend religious services weekly or more often say they plan to buy their pets a gift, 60 percent of those who never attend services do.
And while we're talking about Christmas gifts for pets, don't forget to get yours, at i-pets.com.
Pictures of Dogs Alaskan Klee Kai Pictures and Alaskan Klee Kai Breed Information
Alaska Klee Kai is a northern breed of dog that was basically developed to create a companion type of Alaskan Husky. Klee Kai is also known as Mini Husky or Miniature Alaskan Husky although it resembles Siberian Husky. Alaskan Klee Kai, short AKK, is an energetic and dynamic apartment sized dog with an appearance that reflects northern heritage.
AKK has long, thick and usually white fur, pointed ears and muzzles, wedge shaped head, masked face, picked ears, solid black nose, medium and different shaped eyes and double coat. Klee Kai comes in four colors varieties Black and White, Gray and White, red, white, and solid white. AKK is highly agile, curious, swift and active type of dog breed. AKK is very alert and sensitive to any type of sound. Being extremely loyal, affectionate with the family, cautious and reserved with strangers, it is ideally suitable as a watchdog and as a family companion. Generally, its weight is around 22-25 pounds and height is about 16 inches. AKK has a life expectancy of about 14 years.
Pictures of Dogs African Boerboel Pictures and African Boerboel Breed Information
African Boerboel is a large, muscular and working breed of dog from South Africa. Boerboel is an Afrikaans word that translates into farmer's dog. Known as South African Mastiff, it was bred for guarding homestead and farms. Boerboels are regarded as obedient and intelligent dogs with strong territorial instincts. By its very nature, if Boerboels are left alone without human companionship, they can become extremely destructive, reckless and dangerous.
African Boerboel has a very strong, large and square shaped head proportionate to the body and a medium thick muzzle. It has an immense power, strength and physical ability. It has a flat skull with high set, triangular and folded ears. Eyes are horizontal in orientation with a color that generally matches with the coat color. It has a black nose with well-developed nostrils. It weighs around 150-200 pounds and height is around 24-29 inches. It has a life expectancy of about 12 tears. African Boerboel is suitable as watchdogs.
Picture: Newspix / Rex Features
LAKELAND, Fla. -- A reindeer escaped from a nativity scene in Lakeland, but was later caught hiding under an elf house, police said Tuesday.
While the story sounds like a Christmas tale, police say it's true. A caller to police early Tuesday morning said the reindeer had escaped from the nativity scene at Highland Park Church of the Nazarene on Lake Highlands Road.
Church personnel responded to the area where the reindeer, appropriately named Rudy (short for Rudolph, of course), was seen running loose. They chased the deer around the property before finding Rudy hiding under the "elf house," police said.
Rudy, who was unharmed, is now in the care of his owner and being kept at his house to prevent another escape from his enclosure on the church property. Police said Rudy is small in stature and, while he looks like a baby deer, he is actually 3 years old.
Source
A well-researched article in boston.com examines anthropologist Pat Shipman's premise that the unique ability to observe and control the behavior of other animals is what allowed us to become the humans that we are.
While some of Shipman's colleagues are skeptical, others describe her work as a promising new framework for looking at human evolution, one that highlights the extent to which the human story has been a collection of interspecies collaborations — between humans and dogs and horses, goats and cats and cows, and even microbes.
read more
Sotheby's: Audubon sells for record £7.3m
LONDON 7 DECEMBER 2010 --- This evening, one of the most magnificent printed books ever produced, John James Audubon’s Birds of America, sold at Sotheby’s London for £7,321,250/ US$11,542,683, establishing a new world record for any printed book ever sold at auction. A fiery enthusiasm among four collectors bidding on the phones and in the room drove the price rapidly beyond pre-sale expectations (£4-6 million/ US$6.3-9.5 million). The book was bought by London dealer Michael Tollemache, who was bidding in the room and who described the work after the sale as “priceless”.
Source
LONDON -- Sotheby's is auctioning a rare copy of John James Audubon's "Birds of America," billed as the world's most expensive book - a treasure that could sell for 6 million pounds ($9.5 million).
One of only 100 or so remaining copies of "Birds of America," the tome will be on the block Tuesday in London alongside a first edition of Shakespeare's plays expected to fetch at least 1 million pounds ($1.6 million).
The books come from the estate of the 2nd Baron Hesketh, an aristocratic book collector who died in 1955. Another complete copy of "Birds of America" was sold by Christie's for $8.8 million in 2000, a record for a printed book at auction.
The collection of 435 hand-colored prints is made from engravings of Audubon's illustrations.
Source
What a great idea!
Morton® Safe-T-Pet™ Ice Melt was developed with veterinarians to be safer for your furry friends. It's completely salt and chloride free - so it won't irritate pets' paws or stomachs. Morton® Safe-T-PetT Ice Melt is also non-toxic, and it won't irritate skin, so it's better for people and plants, as well as paved surfaces.
Pet and people friendly: Veterinarian approved, chloride-free, non-toxic
Safer for environment: Better for plants and concrete than regular salt
Easy to see: Colored pellets provide clear visibility
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To celebrate Morton Salt’s new Facebook Fan Page, they have launched a contest, “What’s Your Morton Salt Secret?” They’re looking for readers to share a photo of their best nifty tip, trick or use of Morton Salt.
The grand prize winner will receive a $1,000 AMEX gift card and a Morton Salt prize pack. Morton Salt will also be awarding four Runner-up winners and six Sweepstakes winners with prize packs!
You can enter the contest here
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via Cute Overload
Most of us, by now, know that koala are not really "bears."
But did you also know that koalas are social animals and can communicate with each other over long distances? But the most important fact about koalas is that the impact of intense urbanization has resulted in the destruction of their habitat, while the attacks of other animals, like domestic dogs and foxes, and traffic accidents, are causing the koala population to decline.
Source: Environmental Graffiti
Ashley Olsen touched down at Los Angeles airport with her adorable traveling companion.
Source
Actor Gilles Marini and his French Bulldog Mila.
via People Pets
During this happy season of gift giving, please take a moment to give a gift to a hard working, tireless, and very worthy Animal Welfare or Animal Rescue organization in your neighborhood.
i-pets.com appreciates and supports the hard work and valuable services performed by animal welfare agencies and rescue organizations, so we offer them FREE SHIPPING on their orders. If you are ordering for a welfare or rescue, please e-mail me for the coupon code and you will receive free shipping on any order delivered to a rescue, welfare, or humane society address.
If you're looking for the best value, to gift many rescued animals, consider USA Rawhide Seconds/Irregulars, 10 pounds of USA Rawhide (approx. 15 to 25 pieces) for $22.50, or Dog Toys, starting as low as $1.00 each.
i-pets.com also has a great selection of Christmas Themed treats and chewies, some in bulk packs of 50 pieces - great gifts to keep homeless pets busy and happy at any time.
So much to be THANKFUL for . . .
. . . Loving family
. . . Great friends
. . . Delightful pets
. . . A beautiful world ...
Have an excellent Thanksgiving, everyone.
PEACE!
Photograph by Michael McEvoy, DEEP Indonesia/Barcroft/Fame Pictures
A close-up of a blue-eyed moray eel in Indonesia captured an honorable mention in the "Indonesia Residents" category of the fourth annual Deep Indonesia International Underwater Photo Competition, whose winning photos were released to the press earlier this month.
Known to grow as long as about 5 feet (1.5 meters), moray species generally lack pectoral fins, unlike most other eel species.
Source
In the early 1940s, a woman in Washington, DC, adopted a squirrel after she found the critter orphaned in a tree. The squirrel, dubbed Tommy Tucker by the family -- of which he soon became a part -- accompanied the lady of the house on shopping trips, visits to the local children's hospital, and the like. She also, it turned out, enjoyed dressing him up in specially made outfits. 
Source
via The Pet Museum
FT. LEONARD WOOD, MO -- Families and friends said their farewells to about a dozen military men, women, and dogs Monday.
Ft. Leonard Wood held a deployment ceremony for the Engineer Canine Company, 5th Engineer Battalion.
The group included 5 working dogs and their handlers, plus 4 veterinarian technicians.
The soldiers are headed to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom.
Source
Wouldn't it be great if more wealthy celebrities would do this?
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This holiday season, Ray is donating 100 percent of proceeds from her Nutrish and Just 6 pet food and treat lines to animal shelters nationwide, giving away a total of $775,000 before Dec. 31.
Currently on the road to promote her newest cookbook, Look + Cook, Ray is also sponsoring pop-up adoption events for the shelters she's supporting in the hopes of raising awareness for her cause. "We only give to no-kill shelters," she says. "But we give to small and large; no one's excluded. We want to keep as many animals alive as possible."
Source
The mountains of southeastern Arizona have been a favorite collecting site for lepidopterists for generations. Yet new species continue to be described at the rate of about three per year.
One of the latest discoveries is the largest member of the genus Lithophane, a group of particularly large and beautifully coloured moths. Lithophane leeae has a forewing length 25% larger than the previous record, measuring 25mm, and more extensive and brighter pink coloration. So far known from a single female collected at 7,700ft elevation in mid-June in the Chiricahua Mountains, this species is predicted to feed on pine, like related species.
Source
Five month-old Tungo was found on a beach in Rio de Janeiro with a shattered bill that had been damaged by a boat propeller.
Discovering that he was unable to eat, vets at Rio de Janeiro zoo built him a brand-new acrylic beak, shaped from a broken piece of the original.
This is the first operation of its type on a penguin in Latin America.
Source
via Neatorama
A California couple returning from a trip to the grocery store Thursday found a 9-foot boa constrictor under the hood of their car.
Animal control workers used a little cooking oil to loosen the red tail boa's grip on the car engine.
It's not clear where the snake came from. But animal control workers said they suspect it broke free from its owner's care.
Source
Photo credit: Tim Flach . . . the best dog photos I've seen in a long time.
Afghan hound is an ancient sight hound breed of dog. Its origin lie in Afghanistan and it has nicknames of Baluchi, Baluchi Hound and Kabuli Hound. Regarded as a royal breed of dogs, Afghan hound has distinct thin, fine and silky coat. Overall, it looks like a tall and longhaired greyhound. Afghan hound possesses great speed and ability to cover long distances effortlessly like greyhound dogs. The breed has acquired its unique features in the cold mountains of Afghanistan. Afghan hound was used to hunt hares and gazelles by coursing the preys.
It has a long, naturally silky, finely textured and profuse coat that comes in many colors. Coat requires special care and attention for its proper maintenance. Its head is long and narrow and muzzle is tapered. Eyes are calm, intelligent, dark, prominent and triangular. Tail is long, thin and tapered. Ears are long and set across from the eyes. It weighs around 50-60 pounds and its height is about 24-30 inches. Afghan hound is considered as an aloof, dignified and relatively disobedient type of dog breed. It lives for about 12-13 years.
This incredible scene was captured minutes after a herd of buffalo tried to drive a lioness and her babies from their den.
The watchful lioness carefully nestled each one-day-old cub between her jaws and padded to a nearby bush for safety in Okavago, Botswana.
Source
Akita, a powerful and majestic looking dog, is a large breed of dog with its origin in Japan. It is also known as Japanese Akita or Great Japanese Dog. Akita is quite uncommon in many countries and American Akita is a separate breed. It is famous due to it’s almost bear shaped head.
Outer coat is thick and waterproof that is suitable for fierce winters in Northern Japan. Undercoat is dense, straight and soft. Japanese Akita comes in five colors brindle, pure white, sesame, red and fawn. It has an alert and intelligent looking blunt wedge shaped head with dark and deep set eyes. Ears are triangular, wide and prickled. It has a broad and wide forehead with a strong looking and short muzzle. Black or brownish colored nose is well formed. Overall body is strong, muscular and powerful with thick legs and a deep body. Webbed toes make them excellent swimmers. Tail is tightly curved over the back. It weighs around 80-120 pounds and its height is about 24 inches. It has a life span of about 12-15 years. Akita is a loyal, docile, aloof, clean, intelligent and loyal dog and is excellent as a housedog.
Pictures of dogs - airedale dogs
Airedale Terrier also called is a dog breed that comes from Yorkshire in the UK. We also call them kings of terriers. That is because the airedale dogsare the biggest in the terrier breeds. They can grow to 20-40 kilograms. One of the names that the airedale dogs breed has in waterside Terrier. That is because people were using airedale dogs to capture otters by the river Aire. That is where they get their names from.
UK supermarket Lidl is under fire for stocking reindeer meat and is accused of destroying the magic of Christmas.
Story includes a recipe for reindeer stew if you're interested.
Source
Pictures of Dogs Affenpinscher Pictures and Affenpinscher Breed Information
Affenpinscher is a terrier like small breed or toy breed of dog. Its country of origin is Germany and it has a nickname of Monkey Dog. Despite being a toy breed, Affenpinscher, it is not a fragile dog. It has a stout and tough physical appearance. Although Affenpinscher is terrier-like but they have a very much different appearance.
Affenpinscher has a harsh, rough and a wiry coat that is shaggier than the head with shorter coat over the back and hindquarters. Color of coat comes in black, grey, silver, red, tan and a mixture of red,
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