Best friends fur ever: Bear cub and a chimp make most unlikely companions

By AMY OLIVER

Bam Bam the grizzly bear cub and Vali the chimp have become firm friends

Like most youngsters, their play can get a little wild. But five-month-old grizzly bear Bam Bam and 16-month-old chimpanzee Vali are the most unlikely friends.
For while together they resemble a pair of cuddly toys, they would normally live on different continents.
And when they grow up, Bam Bam is likely to be about nine times the size of his chimp pal. But the young males have been inseparable since being introduced at the Myrtle Beach Safari park in South Carolina, where they were born.

The five-month-old bear and 16-month-old chimp live at the Myrtle Beach Safari Park in South Carolina

Visitors delight in watching them wrestling and playing tag. In the wild, Bam Bam would live in the wilds of North America, while Vali’s natural home is the jungle of central Africa.
Park owner Bhagavan Antle said staff decided to see whether the pair would hit it off when Bam Bam reached the same size as Vali – even though bears grow much faster than chimps.

The pair love to play together and have been best of friends since they were introduced

‘We got them out there playing on a sunny day and they went on and on for hours,’ he said. ‘Neither of them wanted to quit. They would lie down and fall asleep at our feet, wake back up and start wrestling again.’

Staff are not sure how long the friendship will last as Bam Bam will quickly grow into a 56st adult bear, while Vali will reach only 9st

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Now that's what you call a shell suit! Tortoise owner knits dozens of adorable outfits for her pets

By ANNA EDWARDS

Tortoise-lover Katie Bradley started crocheting wooly designs - including these dinosaur outfits - for her seven pet tortoises as a family joke

At first glance, they look like elaborately-patterned tea cosies.
But these wooly designs are actually adorable outfits for tortoises - and are flying off the creators knitting needles.
Tortoise-lover Katie Bradley started crocheting the outfits for her seven pet tortoises as a family joke.

Found under the pumpkin patch! After posting pictures of the cosy designs on her tortoise blog, she was soon inundated with requests to make them for tortoises around the globe

But after posting pictures of the cosy outfits on her tortoise blog, she was soon inundated with requests to make them for tortoises around the globe.
And now tortoises around the world are being decked out dressed as sharks, pumpkins - or just in pretty patterns.
Katie, from Vancouver, Canada, said: 'My first cozy started out as a fun little joke. I came across a picture of a tortoise with a doily on its shell, and had a good laugh.
'I decided to take it a step further, and crocheted a few little cozies in simple designs, tried them on my tortoises, and took pictures.

Firestarter! Katie, from Vancouver, Canada, said: 'My first cozy started out as a fun little joke. I came across a picture of a tortoise with a doily on its shell, and had a good laugh'

'I posted pictures on my tortoise blog and shared them on one of the tortoise forums, and very quickly, they became popular.
'I started getting requests to make them to sell, so I listed some in my tortoise-themed Etsy shop. They started selling as fast as I could make them, so I just kept making more.

Katie has seven tortoises and says she loves their 'wise eyes' and how no one is frightened of them



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Minerva the owl is a real head turner: Bird spins her head 180 degrees during photoshoot

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

What a hoot: Minerva turned her head upside down as she listen to the sound of a nearby camera

This owl may have been left wondering if turning her head completely upside down was a very wise thing to do.
The intrigued bird spun her head around as she listened to a camera busily snapping away at her.
The owl, called Minerva, twisted her head in confusion and continued until it had moved a full 180 degrees.

The bizarre sight was captured at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri, U.S.

Owls cannot move their eyes in their sockets because of their large size that enable them to catch prey in the dark.
Therefore, they rely on a deceptively long and flexible neck that enables them to rotate their heads.
The birds can move their head up to 270 degrees in either direction to see their surroundings.
Photographer Lisa Kee, 48, caught the painful-looking pose on camera.

As the sound continued Minerva turned her head a full 180 degrees

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The rise of 'tattoos' for dogs: Extreme grooming trend sees New York's most pampered pups sport crystal butterflies and roses

By SADIE WHITELOCKS

Dog grooming trend: Violet, a French Bulldog, has a flower glitter tattoo on her hip to match her painted nails - her owner said that friends and work colleagues 'enjoyed' the pet's bedazzled appearance

A new dog grooming trend that sees canines branded with temporary crystal tattoos is taking the U.S. by storm.
Jorge Bendersky, a New York-based 'pet stylist' whose client list has included Sean 'Diddy' Combs
and Ralph Lauren, told DNAinfo.com that he has been inundated with bookings since launching the inking service this spring.

Step-by-step: Mr Bendersky marks out the tattoo design (left) before applying glitter and rhinestone pieces

The designs, which cost $100 each and last a few weeks, are typically applied to the animal's hip or tailbone, with roses, butterflies, hearts and anchors among the most popular requests.
Fallon O'Brien, 33, who lives in Manhattan's Upper East Side decided to get a butterfly 'tattooed' on her seven-year-old Chihuahua named Fletch.
She said it was a way of making him 'stand out' without spending hundreds of dollars on fancy outfits, which are also too hot for him to wear in the summer months.

Finished look: Mr Bendersky says that he has been inundated with bookings since launching the inking service this spring - many owners see it as a way of making their pooch 'stand out'

'Sometimes, my dog and I dress in the same color if we're going to a red carpet event. During the summer, it's just too hot to have him wearing outfits like that,' she explained.
'It was something I could do to make my dog stand out that wasn't that expensive. The tattoo is a good option.'

Tool box: Mr Bendersky uses canine-safe products to apply the colorful tattoos

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MailOnline readers take up the cat camouflage challenge: Now see your pictures of crafty felines blending into the background

By SARA MALM and JILL REILLY

Inceptional: A nifty camouflage cat takes inspiration from the inspiration to the chair cover and blends in like a zebra with its stripes

Camouflage is a handy technique used by the army to avoid detection, but it turns out that cats are just as good at concealing themselves in their surroundings.
When we asked our readers to send us examples of their feline friends' fantastic abilities to blend into the background, the responses show some impressive skills.
These camouflage cats turn hide and seek into an art-form with some going for carpets and cushions a similar shade to their fur, while others make use of blankets and teddy bears.

Nothing to see here: This fluffy little cats blends well into the fur of his play apparatus

When you are a cream-coloured Persian, disappearing into a fluffy white climbing frame may not be the most difficult task, but a meaner feat is that of one Bengal cat who managed to find a leopard print blanket that perfectly matched its fur.
MailOnline reader Gemma Kiernan's cunning kitten displays all the traits of a future camouflage connoisseur in two snaps where even the most trained eye will struggle to locate the young feline.

Paw-sing a problem: The owner of this kitten must have a struggle finding him after he's had a nap!

Who me? This cat turns around and almost looks in surprise at the camera than it has been discovered

Hide and seek: Clearly set to be an expert camouflage cat when he grows up

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I knew I shouldn't have had that last piece of sweetcorn: Prairie dog pup needs a nap after eating too much

By STEVE NOLAN

Flat out: This cute prairie dog pup needed a lie down after indulging in too much fruit and vegetables while having a break from playing with its mother

At just a few days old and on his first adventure outside of his underground burrow home, it's little wonder that this tiny prairie dog pup overindulged on tasty snacks and needed to lie down.
Surrounded by fresh fruit and vegetables that were almost as big as them, the pup and his siblings weren't shy in tucking in to their lunch while out playing with their mother.
Two of the siblings even nibbled on the same lettuce leaf as they enjoyed their healthy meal.

Hungry: The little animals aren't shy in tucking into their healthy lunch at Maryland Zoo, Baltimore

Animal loving photographer Jen Lockridge spent more than an hour watching the pups play with their mother at Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
Jen, from Annapolis, Maryland, said: 'I was amused to watch the younger pups sitting in the exhibit surrounded by animal chow that was almost bigger than them.

Adventure: The mischievous creatures were enjoying one of their first forays outside of their underground burrow

'The prairie dogs are fun to watch as they are very active and clever.'
The black-tailed prairie dogs live in family territories called coteries.
There's usually one male, around three females and their babies in each group.

Tucking in: Two of the siblings share a piece of food as they enjoy lunch in the Baltimore sun

Loving: Mother keeps a protective eye on her pubs as she was photographed playing and sharing lunch with her offspring

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Is this the cutest cat in the world? Lil Bub melting hearts as she becomes the latest feline internet sensation

By STEVE NOLAN

So cute: Lil Bub, the latest famous feline to become a global web sensation, is pictured posing with her favourite cuddly toy

She has her own clothing label, book, millions of followers on Facebook and Twitter, counts Hollywood stars as her friends and her debut film has just been shown at an acclaimed film festival.
And looking at these cute snaps of the star it's easy to see why.
Lil Bub the cat is the latest feline sensation sweeping the web and earning legions of fans across the globe.

Much-loved: The disabled cat has millions of followers on social media websites, her own blog and fashion label

But Lil Bub has become a worldwide internet hit despite her unusual look - she suffers a rare bone deformity which leaves her unable to close her mouth and her tongue almost constantly sticking out.
The tiny cat's disability also means she has no teeth, a deformity in her paws, and six claws.

Relaxing: The cat became an internet hit after her owner Michael Bridavsky began posting pictures on the blog of his recording studio

But she has followed in the pawsteps of other famous felines such as Maru and Grumpy Cat and hit the big time.
Her rise to stardom began when owner Michael Bridavsky began taking pictures of Lil Bub with some of the music artists who came to record at his Indiana music studio.

Popular: Lil Bub's first film debuted at the acclaimed Tribeca film festival last week

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Cat on a hot-PLATE: Does any pet really need protective boots to explore the kitchen?

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Smart: Mischief the cat modeling his bespoke heatproof 'Kitten Mittens'

Curiosity will no longer necessarily kill the cat.
Thanks to these groundbreaking kitten mittens, cats investigating dangerous hot hobs and other kitchen surfaces will not burn themselves - as long as they remember to put their heatproof boots on.
The launch of the bespoke boots comes after a survey found 43 per cent of all cat owners worry that their kitchens are unsafe for their beloved pets.

Snug fit: Inquisitive Mischief the cat will no longer scald his paws when he goes to investigate what's cooking in the kitchen

Owners such as housewife Jackie Cable find that their curious cats ended up burning their paws when seeing what's for dinner.
Her pet Mischief regularly lives up to his name as he clambers on to the ceramic kitchen hob.

Safe at last: Housewife Jackie Cable, with Mischief, can finally relax about him snooping around the kitchen thanks to his bespoke boots

Mrs Cable, 35, from Newbury in Berkshire, said: 'My cat means the world to me, but cooking anything when he is around is a nightmare.
'He gets under your feet when he senses food is being prepared.
'Several times Mischief has hopped up on to the ceramic cooking plate and burnt his paws quite badly.
'Once I had to take him to the vet as the burns were so bad they caused a cyst.'

Innovative: The boots were launched after a survey showed cat owners are concerned about their dangerous kitchen surfaces

Mischief's new mittens means he now is free to explore the kitchen without the risk of scalding himself.
Mrs Cable added: 'He is happy to wear them and it's a big relief to know he is safe, particularly because of how badly burned his paws used to get.'
The survey, of 2,000 pet owners, was carried out to mark National Pet Month.

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Thanks dad: Orphaned chimpanzee who is now star of new Disney film pictured embracing his adopted father who saved him from death in the jungle

By SHARI MILLER

Cuddles with daddy: Oscar sleeps inside the protective arms of his adopted father Freddy, as captured in Disney's new documentary, Chimpanzee

After he was orphaned two years ago, scientists did not think a young chimp could survive without help from an adopted parent - and least of all from the alpha male.
But that's exactly what happened to 'Oscar', the star of new Disney documentary, Chimpanzee, when he was welcomed in by patriarch 'Freddy'.

Alone: Oscar was orphaned after his mother was killed, possibly by a leopard

Having previously shown great aggression over the other males to secure leadership of his chimp colony, Freddy now proved he could also be the daddy of them all.Never before have film-makers or scientists witnessed a male taking on the mothering role of a young baby in this way.
They watched in amazement as Freddy showed a tenderness towards the young orphan. He allowed tiny Oscar to ride on his back, cracked nuts for him and delicately groomed his fur.

Helping hand: Freddy cracks open nuts for the orphaned Oscar

Before long, Freddy was sharing his nest with Oscar cradled inside his massive arms.
Such an adoption, which is extremely rare, is captured in all its poignancy in the film, which is released in the UK next month.

Father and son: The adoption of Oscar by a dominant male like Freddy surprised scientists

World-renowned primatologist Professor Christophe Boesch, who has spent more than 30 years studying the chimpanzees of Taï Forest National Park in Africa's Ivory Coast, where the filming took place, said such behaviour in the animal kingdom was almost unheard of.
‘I’ve never seen a male like Freddy take up the role of a mother like that,’ he said.

Swing time: Oscar plays among the woodland of the Tai Forest, in Africa's Ivory Coast

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Just don't try to wake them up! Adorable moment two lions settle down for afternoon snooze in the sun

By MARK DUELL

Sweet: The adorable moment two big cats settled down for an afternoon snooze in the sun was captured on camera by British photographer Mike Krom

It might remind you of a game for quietening down children, where they lie down on the floor and try to remain still while someone tries to disturb them.
But although these sleeping lions might look exceptionally cute now in the sunshine - they would probably look a lot scarier if you tried to wake them up.

The adorable moment two big cats settled down for an afternoon snooze in the sun was captured on camera by British photographer Mike Krom. They looked at ease in the Portuguese sunshine at Lisbon Zoo, and at one point the larger male gently put one of his paws on the other lion.

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