But mum, I don't need a bath! Adorable orphan ape Mr Bernie, two, does all he can to avoid getting his fur wet

By DAVID DERBYSHIRE

I'm the king of the swimmers: Two-year-old Mr Bernie - one of 330 orphaned apes at the Orangutan Care Centre and Quarantine in Borneo - will do just about anything to avoid taking a plunge

As generations of parents will gladly testify, bath time often turns into a battleground when toddlers are involved.
And as these adorable pictures show, it’s not just human babies who get all steamed up when it’s time to take a dip.
Two-year-old Mr Bernie — one of 330 orphaned apes at the Orangutan Care Centre and Quarantine in Borneo — will do just about anything to avoid taking a plunge. With four strong hands able to firmly grasp the sides of the bath, getting him into the warm, soapy water can be a soggy struggle.

Not happy: In the wild, orangutans usually shy away from water, preferring to keep themselves clean through picking out bugs and dirt with their long fingers. But at the orphanage there are no ape mums to help out

In the wild, orangutans usually shy away from water, preferring to keep themselves and their babies clean through picking out bugs and dirt with their long fingers. But at the orphanage there are no ape mums to help out.
Some toddler apes — such as Charlie, pictured here in a green towel — are fans. Mister Bernie, however, is not. He was brought to the orphanage in July 2010.
A spokesman from the centre said: ‘He was a scrawny, scared little thing with hair matted from sticky sap. After a long bath, some motherly attention, and countless bananas, Mr Bernie started thriving in his new home. He is now strong, healthy and handsome.’

Care: The centre was set up in 1998 to help orphaned and rescued orangutans learn the skills they need to live independently in the wild

The centre was set up in 1998 to help orphaned and rescued orangutans learn the skills they need to live independently in the wild.
Located in the village of Pasir Panjang near Tanjung Puting National Park, a team of surrogate human mums live with the youngsters day and night.
Each day, the orphans are taken into the 200 acre forest surrounding the centre where they forage, play and hunt, carefully watched by their carers.

Under wraps: Some toddler apes - such as Charlie, pictured (right) - are fans. Mr Bernie (left), however, is not

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Who's that sitting on my sofa? Black bear takes a break from stealing picnic baskets and entertaining tourists

By ALEX WARD

Sitting back: This black bear assumed a strikingly human-like sitting position on this sofa in a rubbish dump in Manitoba, Canada

A bear’s life must be a tough one, stealing picnic baskets and entertaining tourists.
So what better way to sit back and relax bear-style than reclining on the sofa.
This black bear found a cosy spot, assuming a strikingly human-like sitting position at this rubbish dump in Manitoba, Canada.
Maybe it was the garbage that attracted the bear to the dump in search of food, but clearly he did not mind much about the view when it came time to put his feet up.
Manitoba has a healthy bear population with an estimated 160,000 living in the wild.

For food: The bear may have been attracted to the dump in search of food, but once he found the couch, relaxing seemed a much better idea

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Heartrending moment tiny, terrified orangutan baby is plucked to safety after he and his mother were found starving

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

At risk: A distressed baby orangutan is picked up by a charity worker as he and his mother are taken to safety from an isolated patch of forest in Sumatra caused by the spread of oil plantations

Wide-eyed in fright, a baby orangutan tries his best to escape the clutches of a looming man.
He and his mother have been threatened with starvation by the expansion of palm oil plantations which are destroying their natural habitat in the Sumatran forest.
It's no surprise the sight of yet more humans has terrified them, but these ones have arrived to take them to safety.

Cruel to be kind: The mother is attended to by medics after being tranquilised up a tree and falling into a net while clutching her baby

The pair were found by rescuers in an isolated patch of woodland which was due to be cleared for more plantations.
More orangutans are being cut off, putting them at risk of food shortages or being captured for the pet trade.
Hanna Adcock was making a film for the UK charity Orangutan SOS when their partner organisation, the Orangutan Information Centre’s Human Orangutan Conflict Response Unit attempted the relocation in Aceh, North Sumatra.
She said: 'The safest way to save these animals is to tranquilize them and relocated them to a safe area.

Tricky operation: The rescuers had to track the orangutans through the trees before picking the right place and time to fire the tranquiliser gun

'In this instance, the team first had to track and find the orangutan and move them to safer, less-dense area in order to be tranquilised.
'Rescues often take a long time and they are extremely tiring as the team have to keep up pace on the ground through streams, mud and vines whilst the orangutan swing quickly in the canopy trees.
'The team make noises to try and steer the orangutan into their desired location and there were spotters on the ground and up in the hills in order to ensure that we didn’t lose her.'

Conflict of two species: The mother had two air rifle bullets under her skin, suggesting she had already been in contact with hostile humans

When the team finally got the chance, they shot the mother with a tranquiliser gun, but it took little effect so they had to wait until she tired enough to hit her again, this time with a blow pipe.
Hanna said: 'The mother was aggressive and struggled to hold on with everything she could as she grew weaker in the tree.

Ravaged: Experts believe around two million hectares of forest cover are burned down or cleared for oil plantations in Indonesia each year

'As she was carrying a young male baby, the team believed she resisted falling and letting go even more as she thought that the fall would kill the baby.
'The team positioned themselves underneath her on a steep hill carrying a large net, moving together in order to predict where she might fall.
'Eventually, the struggle was too much for the mother and she fell into the net.'

source: dailymail

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We told you not to look down: Owl can't resist a peek at drop as he prepares for his first flight

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Contemplating drop: These three Little Owls prepared for their first flight as they emerged from their burrows

When you’re taking a leap of faith, you need a little support from your friends.
But as these fledgling owls in Israel prepared for their first flight, even a group hug wasn’t enough to stop one opening its eyes and appearing to contemplate the drop below.
Amateur photographer Vladimir Kogan hid nearby and waited patiently for these three owls to emerge from their burrows near the town of Beit She’an.

Group hug: The three birds got close on their perch as amateur photographer Vladimir Kogan photographed them in Israel

Known as Athene noctua or Little Owls, these birds were sacred to the goddess Athena in Greek mythology and is usually found in the warmer parts of Europe, Asia and North Africa.
They grow to up to 10 inches in length and prey on insects, earthworms and even small birds and mammals.
They were introduced to Great Britain in 1842 by British aristocrat Thomas Powys and are now acclimatised here.

Sacred to goddess: Known as Athene noctua or Little Owls, these birds were sacred to the goddess Athena

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Burglars blinded beloved pet dog by kicking it in the head when they broke into home of elderly woman, 86, while she was at church

By LARISA BROWN

Brutal: The dog was left blinded in one eye after burglars viciously beat it when they were ransacking an old woman's home

A beloved dog was left blinded after burglars kicked it in the head as it tried to defend its elderly owner's home while she was at a church service.
Vicious thugs attacked the border collie Kiri, 8, as they ransacked an 86-year-old woman's home in the leafy village of Stoke Prior, West Midlands.
Neighbours in the village were so disgusted by the brutal attack that they have united to offer a £500 reward to find the burglars.

Mark Jones, a close friend and neighbour of the owner of the dog, right, is trying to find those responsible

The dog's owner, who has been widowed for several years, is too frightened to be identified for fear of the thugs returning to her home.
She said at the time: 'This has come as a real shock and I am gutted by what has happened to Kiri.
'She is my daily companion and all I am concerned about at the moment. I can’t believe anyone could be so heartless and cruel to an animal. It has made me very nervous about going out and leaving her alone.

Eight-year-old Kiri now follows its owner around the house as it is scared after the attack

'Kiri appears to be fearful and is following me everywhere about the house as if she needs constant reassurance.
'It’s terrible and I just hope someone can come forward with information to help the police catch the burglar.'
Her close friend and neighbour, Mark Jones, has been leading the community in a bid to find those responsible.

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Runaway rabbit who escaped from his hutch is rescued by firefighters after hopping up onto the ROOF of a three-floor block of flats

By MARK DUELL

Back in safety: Sophie Witchell and her son Logan's pet rabbit Barney had to be rescued by firefighters after he escaped onto the roof of their block of flats in Southend, Essex

A runaway pet bunny rabbit was rescued by firefighters after an adventurous escape bid from his hutch that saw him climb onto the roof of a three-floor block of flats.
Logan Witchell, aged three, was distraught when he found Barney the bunny had gone missing from his second-floor flat in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, before his mother spotted him above their home.
Sophie Witchell, 28, and her partner Grant Wyatt, 29, spent nearly two hours attempting to entice the white and grey one-year-old bunny to safety using lettuce leaves and carrots.

Adventurous: The three-storey block of flats where Barney was rescued from in Southend-on-Sea, Essex

But the couple were forced to call for help from firefighters battling a blaze in a neighbouring street.
Miss Witchell said: ‘Barney was hanging on for dear life. I kept thinking he was going to fall down because he was slipping down the roof tiles as he got higher and higher. But the couple were forced to call for help from firefighters battling a blaze in a neighbouring street.
Miss Witchell said: ‘Barney was hanging on for dear life. I kept thinking he was going to fall down because he was slipping down the roof tiles as he got higher and higher.

source: dailymail

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It's a ram-raid! Flock of sheep cause havoc as they barge their way into Alpine ski shop

By SARAH JOHNSON

What a baa-gain! Sheep storm a sports shop in the Austrian ski resort St Anton

The owners of a shop were left gobsmacked when eighty sheep flocked to their store in an Austrian ski resort.
The ram-raiders drove the owners and perplexed shoppers baa-my when they invaded the shop in St Anton and caused thousands of pounds of damage.
A spokesman for the Intersport shop said: 'We think one of them saw its reflection in a mirror and came in to investigate'.

Ewe know what it's like when you've spotted a bargain: The sheep drove the shop' s owners baa-my when they flocked in and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage

The spokesman added: 'And being sheep, of course the rest of them decided to follow'.
Negotiations are currently under way between lawyers and the owner of the sheep over the cost of damage to stock within the shop.
Last year, a cow invaded another branch of the sports store and has since become a star after she was featured in their TV advertisements.
Her owner Hans Schroder had to foot a massive bill for everything she trampled or tried to eat. He said: 'I had to buy everything - even the bras Laura chewed'.

source: dailymail

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Bears skipping, lions walking on balls and monkeys riding a bike: Inside the park where animals train to 'entertain' the public

By LEON WATSON

On stage: A lion being trained in a cage at the Niao Yu Lin Park in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province

This is the place that fuels China's appetite for watching wild animals perform.
At the Niao Yu Lin Park in Harbin, capital of the north-eastern Heilongjiang Province, animals are trained in horrific conditions to do tricks ahead of China's Mid-autumn Festival and National Day.
The park's 'entertainment' programs include bear rope skipping, dogs jumping through hoops, ball walking for lions and bike riding for monkeys.

A monkey riding a bicycle (left) and a lion standing on its hind legs at the park where they are being trained ahead of China's Mid-autumn Festival and National Day

Zoos and circuses that features stunts involving animals are widely popular across China. But campaigners have warned thousands of animals are routinely beaten and abused to make shows happen.
Charity workers claim bears are whipped and beaten with sticks, elephants are prodded with metal hooks, while tigers and lions are made to endure chronic pain by being defanged and declawed.

The park's 'entertainment' programs include bear rope skipping, dogs jumping through hoops, ball walking for lions and bike riding for monkeys

A report by Animal Asia Foundation said: 'The combined aspects of performances, abusive training methods and inadequate housing conditions are causing severe animal suffering for many thousands of performing animals across China.'

A report by the Animal Asia Foundation said thousands of animals are made to perform in Chinese zoos

A dog going through hoops (left) and a monkey and goat balancing trick (right)

The Animal Asia Foundation said: 'The combined aspects of performances, abusive training methods and inadequate housing conditions are causing severe animal suffering for many thousands of performing animals across China.'

source: dailymail

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Heartbreak of pining panda mum after keepers replace dead six-day-old cub with a soft toy to comfort her

By MICHAEL ZENNIE

Can you see her? Mei Xiang clutched her tiny cub so tight to her that even zookeepers had a hard time spotting her

The heartbroken mother panda at the Nation Zoo clutched a familiar toy for comfort one day after her six-day-old cub died in her arms.
Mei Xiang huddled in her den on Monday, clinging to a rubber 'kong' in place the baby girl she gave birth to less than a week ago.
The newborn panda had been a welcome surprise for zookeepers in Washington, D.C. They had tried unsuccessfully to impregnate her on five separate occasions and did not think the 14-year-old Chinese great panda would ever conceive again.

Mourning: Mei Xiang has been huddled in her den, clutching a toy zookeepers gave her, since the death of her cub on Sunday -- less than one week after it was born

Veterinarians still aren't certain what killed the tiny cub, which was no bigger than a stick of butter. A necropsy revealed that the newborn had an abnormal liver and worrying fluid buildup in its abdomen.
Zoo staff were alerted to the cub's death on Sunday morning when the baby's contented coos faded and Mei Xiang panicked and began uttering distressed howls from her den.

Sad news: Dennis W. Kelly (L), Director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo, and Suzan Murray (R), chief veterinarian, talk about the sudden death of the giant panda cub during a press conference

The panda carried the rubber toy into her den when she was pregnant and began building her nest. As the gestation grew farther along, she began cuddling the object, holding it close to her, zoo officials told Mail Online.
When the cub was born at 10.45pm on September 16, she cast the toy aside and held her tiny baby tight in her paws so that it would be warm and have easy access to her milk.

The panda died just eight days after it was born

She kept the cub so tight to her chest that zookeepers were scarcely able to catch a glimpse of the newborn from the camera inside the panda den.
Zookeepers recorded the purrs and 'honks' of the contented newborn and took the noises as confirmation that she was healthy.
Zoo keepers left the pair alone, hoping Mei Xiang could raise the cub without interference.
However, at 8.53am on Sunday, something went horribly wrong. It was the last time the veterinarians heard a peep from the cub.

Watch: Dennis Kelly, the zoo's director, monitor's Mei via the panda cam

By 9.17am Mei Xiang began uttering distress howls. Her disturbed cries alerted zookeepers that something terrible had happened.
They stood behind iron bars in the panda paddock and distracted Mei Xiang with honey, while other staffers used to stick to slid the cub away from her.
After an hour, they had the lifeless cub in their hands and tried to perform emergency resuscitation, but it was no use. The top exotic animal veterinarians in the country were unable to revive the cub.

Yummy: Mei is rewarded with honey water when she participates in an ultrasound earlier in September

With her cub gone, Mei Xiang returned to her familiar toy for comfort. Soon after she lost the cub, she began clutching it again, just as she had before the baby was born.
Zoo officials tell Mail Online that the panda has risen to eat and drink water, but she will not let go of the rubber toy that occupied her before the birth.



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Meet Sergei, the rescued dog struggling to find a new home - because people think that he looks like a MEERKAT

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Sergei with Birmingham Dogs' Home volunteer Hannah Guy: The poor pup has been shunned by prospective owners because of his short lower jaw which makes him look like a meerkat

This is the little rescue dog who's too ugly to find a loving home - because people think he looks like a meerkat.
The pup was taken in by Birmingham Dogs' Home after dog wardens found him malnourished and abandoned on the streets of Wolverhampton, West Midlands.
But staff have struggled to find him a loving home after he has been shunned by potential owners - because of his short lower jaw, which makes him look like a meerkat.

Namesakes: Because of the uncanny resemblance, volunteers named the rescued puppy after Sergei the meerkat from adverts for the insurance price checking website comparethemarket.com

Carers even named the pup Sergei, after the meerkat on the insurance adverts - but he is still struggling to find someone to love him.
He has spent weeks living at the home, waiting for someone to take him in; but so far, hasn't managed to attract a new owner.
Now, the dogs' home is making a special call for a loving home for Sergei.

Salvation: Sergei was taken in by Birmingham Dogs' Home after dog wardens found him malnourished and abandoned on the streets of Wolverhampton, West Midlands

The home's manager, Karen Doy, said: 'Sergei has been here some time now.
'It's such a shame as this lovely little dog is being passed over every time because he has a short lower jaw that gives him a Meerkat expression and it worries potential owners.
'We really hope someone will look past his unconventional looks and give him a loving home.
'He is such a friendly, loving little creature who will make a fabulous family pet.'

source: dailymail

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The caveman cartoons: How prehistoric artists make their paintings MOVE

By DAMIEN GAYLE

Clever: Ancient artists at France's Chauvet Cave superimposed drawings of two bison to create an eight-legged beast intended to depict trotting or running, two researchers say

Prehistoric cave artists used cartoon-like techniques to give the impression that their images were moving across cave walls, two French researchers have suggested.
A new study of cave art across France - in which animals appear to have multiple limbs, heads and tails - has found that the paintings are actually primitive attempts at animation.
When the images are viewed under the unsteady light of flickering flames the images can appear to move as the animals they represent do, the research claims.

Caveman animation: This sequence of grabs shows how the cave paintings apparently show movement by superimposing different sets of legs

It is also believed that prehistoric relics previously thought to have been used as buttons were actually designed as thaumatropes - double sided pictures that can be spun to blur the images into an animation.
The startling findings are reported by archaeologist Marc Azéma of the University of Toulouse-Le Mirail and artist Florent Rivère in the June issue of Antiquity.
They make the incredible claim that prehistoric man foreshadowed the invention of cinema by creating art with a rudimentary understanding of the principle of persistence of vision.

Mr Azéma, after 20 years researching Stone Age animation techniques, has identified 53 paintings in 12 French caves which superimpose two or more images to apparently represent movement.
They show animals trotting, galloping, tossing their heads or shaking their tails.
'Lascaux (a complex of caves in south-west France] is the cave with the greatest number of cases of split-action movement by superimposition of successive images,' Mr Azéma was quoted by Discovery as saying.

The hunt: Another painting in the Chauvet cave. Seen lit by flickering torchlight, the images appear to move thanks to the optical phenomenon known as the persistence of vision, the researchers claim

'Some 20 animals, principally horses, have the head, legs or tail multiplied.' When these paintings are viewed by flickering torchlight the animated effect 'achieves its full imact', he added.
Mr Azéma and Mr Rivère claim their remarkable theory is backed up by the discovery that ancient engraved discs were used as thaumatropes - formerly claimed to have been invented in 1825 by astronomer John Hershel.

Caveman animation: This sequence of grabs shows how the cave paintings apparently show movement by superimposing different sets of legs
A popular toy in Victorian times, thaumatropes (literally meaning 'miracle wheels') were discs or cards with a picture in each side attached to a piece of string.
When the string was twirled quickly between the fingers the two pictures appear to combine into a single animated image.
Mr Rivère believes that Palaeolithic artists created similar optical toys well before their apparent invention in the 19th century.
He examined pierced bone discs found in the area around the Pyrenees, which have previously been interpreted as buttons or pendants.
The researchers discovered that if a string was threaded through the central hole of some of these discs and stretched tight to make it spin, the result was a single persistent image of movement

source: dailymail

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Talk about having eyes in the back of your head! Insect with unusual marking showing it smiling from behind found in France

By LEON WATSON

Eyes in the back of its head: On closer inspection, it becomes clear that this insect's bright eyes and enormous smile are actually just markings on the back of his head

This insect keeps a beady eye on his food wherever he goes - with a smiling face on the back of his head.
At first glance, it looks as though the friendly insect is grinning straight into the lens.
But on closer inspection, it becomes clear that his bright eyes and enormous smile are actually just markings on the back of his head.

It looks as though the friendly insect is grinning straight into the lens

Photographer Bertrand Kulik was thrilled when he spotted the unusual marking on one praying mantis, as he took shots in his hometown of Issy l'Evjque, in the Burgundy region of France.
Mr Kulik said: 'Praying Mantis actually have excellent vision, and have two big green eyes.
'But when I spotted this one, I noticed his unusual eyes straight away. Then I realised that I wasn't looking at his face at all.

Big smile: Photographer Bertrand Kulik was thrilled when he spotted the unusual marking on the praying mantis

Mr Kulik took the shots in his hometown of Issy l'Evjque, in the Burgundy region of France

Mr Kulik said: 'Praying Mantis actually have excellent vision, and have two big green eyes.'

'It takes a long time to catch a good macro photography because you can't make any movement at all.
'I have to try not to breathe when I take photos, the focus has to be so precise. You have to ben very zen!
'To take these pictures, I was very close, just a matter of centimetres away from the mantis.
'It's very intimidating to be in front of a mantis who is looking at you so intensely.You can really feel that the mantis observes you and notice your presence.
'I love macro photography because often there is kind of privacy with the subject.
'Time is different. Often I have to wait a long time before catching this precious even a brief moment.
'I can be very patient and can wait a long time before seeing the good moment, often in a very uncomfortable position which can hurt your back.
'But it's so exciting when you finally capture that perfect image, it's all worth it.'

source: dailymail

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Wildlife through a lens: Glory of the animal kingdom captured in stunning award-winning photographs

By LARISA BROWN

'Monkey Snapper': Chickaboo the baby gorilla was snapped by Daily Mail photographer Lucy Ray in Cameroon and will be displayed at the exhibition

From a baby gorilla snapped as it looks through a camera lens to a fish-eating crocodile as it glides across the water, these are some of the dramatic images judged to best depict the essence of the animal world.
The striking photographs are a just a selection taken from the entries of the Zoological Society of London's Animal Photography Prize, which will be on display in an exhibition from today.
Photographers were asked to capture the glory of the animal kingdom in return for a cash prize and to see their work displayed at London Zoo.

'Reflective Gharial': An award-winning photograph of a gharial as it swims in a river, captured by Robert Heischman

Two manatees as they emerge from the dark waters of a Floridian river, snapped by Ibrahim Roushdl

The exhibition includes manatees emerging from the dark water of a Floridian river and a stunning shot of a baby gorilla called Chickaboo, titled 'Money Snapper', looking through the lens of a camera.
Chickaboo was saved by Ape Action Africa, a UK charity who run a sanctuary in Cameroon.
Daily Mail photographer Lucy Ray captured the scene while she was in the country filming a life-saving operation on a gorilla with a gunshot wound.
Other images that will be on display at the Zoo include an African elephant on the Busanga Plains in Zambia, a crab spider and a close-up of an Amur Leopard bearing its teeth.

Close-up: An Amur Leopard is captured bearing its teeth by photographer Jason Brown

One photograph captures a Madagascan giant leaf-tailed gecko showing off its incredible camouflage skill.
The competition, the first of its kind run by the society, launched in April in a bid to inspire amateur and professional photographers to get out and capture the wonders of the natural world.
Photographer Robert Heischman, who captured the winning shot of the reflective gharial in the adult’s Weird and Wonderful category said: 'Photographing reflections effectively requires a bunch of factors to come together.

Celtic Meredith captures an ostrich and in the 'Weird and Wonderful' category, Jeremy Cal, snaps a close-up of an insect

A picture in category three, 'Size Matters', of a crab spider taken by Ross Thornhill, a junior participant in the competition

Every little detail: A tiny frog on a leaf taken by Bex Saunders

'You need intense light, still water, a low camera angle, and an interesting subject to make it work.
'I love gharials for how sharp and angular they are, so when I saw this individual holding his head at such a steep angle, I knew I had an interesting shot on my hands.
'ZSL London Zoo stands out to me for the quality and design of its exhibits, as well as the extensive efforts ZSL has put into conservation projects across the world. However small my contribution, I am honoured to help promote ZSL’s cause through my photography'.
ZSL’s event manager Sarah Barron added: 'ZSL’s project manager for the exhibition Sarah Barron added: 'We’ve been blown away by the calibre of the images submitted for the ZSL Animal Photography Prize.

Startling: Taken by Samuel Runge, this is an award winning picture from the category 'Last Chance To See' and is titled 'Hide And Seek'

An African elephant on the Busanga Plains in Zambia taken by Tyrone McKeith

'The Human Animal': This picture of a diver in the depths of the ocean was titled 'Curiosity' by Matthew Coutts

'These photographers have managed to capture some truly amazing shots which will challenge peoples’ perception of the animal kingdom.
'The exhibition at ZSL London Zoo will not only be a fantastic visual experience for visitors, but will help us to share our passion for and inspire people about the world’s wildlife.'
Adult and junior photographers submitted entries for the competition’s seven categories including The Human Animal and Birds and the Bees, to be in with the chance of winning part of the £10,000 prize fund.
The competition was open to all, with free entry for children and £5 for adults to enter up to seven categories and individual prizes range from £250 to £2,000.

source: dailymail

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