Have you met my pet cat?

By MATT BLAKE

Close bond: Timba, who is a year and six months old, can often be found playing with Annel Snyman in the garden and helping himself to food in her kitchen

Playing around in the garden and snuggling up for a quick stroke, this is Timba – the pet cat.
Except that Timba, weighing in at a whopping 120kg, is not your average tabby.
Now a year and six months old, the white lion was adopted by owner Annel Snyman when he was just a tiny cub.

Best fiends: As these remarkable pictures show, Annel has now formed an incredible bond with the 120kg lion, after adopting him as a cub in March last year

The 31-year-old, from the Waterberg region of South Africa, welcomed him into her home last year in the spring, and now shares nearly everything with her unconventional pet.
Annel, who also runs a guest house, has hand reared dozens of animals including six several kittens, a cheetah cub, five lions, a white lion and a leopard in her spare time.

Lion love: The 31-year-old, who lives in the Waterberg region of South Africa, just outside Bela-Bela, said she loved her unconventional pet

The animal-lover admitted some people struggled to adjust to her startling choice of pet.
‘The neighbours are amazed by him and I often see them driving past and slowing down to catch a glimpse,’ she said.

Couldn't let go: Big softie Timba (pictured here as a cub) also enjoys going for walks with Annel's six-year-old dog, Diesel and 'helping out' with everyday chores around the house

Paw-some buddies: As a cub Timba could often be found snoozing in Annel's bed

‘And relationships used to be a challenge as there was often some jealousy issues about who was going to snuggle up with who on the couch.’
She added: ‘There are times when it is difficult to do day-to-day things but I do manage to live a normal life – well normal for me anyway.’

Lion's lair: Annel's love for animals started six years ago when, with help from her mother and father, she opened a guest house - called Loebies Guestfarm - on the land where she lives

'They've also gotten used to having him investigating their coffee or any other sweet items they happen to have.
'He has a fantastic appetite and eats lots of meat - around 4kg every day.'
As a cub Timba could often be found snoozing in Annel's bed but having outgrown the bedroom the friendly feline still trys to cuddle up with Annel on the sofa.

Meaty treat: Naturally, Timba developed a taste for raw meat from a very early age

Training: But Timba also likes nothing more than to relax with Annel - and can be very attentive

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2429982/Annel-Snymans-pet-LION-Timba-eats-9lbs-food-day-cuddles-sofa.html
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They won't be so cute when they've grown up! Adorable white lion cubs cause a stir with their playful antics

The pair were born last month at Zoodoo Wildlife Park in Tasmania
Zoo officials are letting the public decide on the brothers' names

By TED THORNHILL

Awww-together now: The fluffy brothers were born last month at a zoo in Tasmania

Screw your eyes up and you could mistake them for lambs. But there's nothing sheepish about these little animals.
They are five-week-old white lion cubs, which were born last month at Zoodoo Wildlife Park in Tasmania.
The pair have just been allowed to meet their public - and are bound to be huge hit.

Name of the game: The zoo is letting the public decide what monikers should be given to the pair

Park officials will have to use 'here, kitty' to summon the fluffy brothers because they haven't yet been named.
And the job of deciding on their monikers is being left to the public.
Zoodoo owner Trevor Cuttriss told the Herald Sun: 'We are so excited here, especially to get two, because there are less than 300 white lions in the world and the species is extinct in the wild.

Cute alert: The cubs have been relishing all the attention and are a huge hit with zoo staff

'We will have them here for about 12 months before they will move overseas. So the public are invited in to play and interact with the cubs while they are here.'
Unsurprisingly, the zoo's staff have fallen in love with the animals, who are both relishing all the attention.
Mr Cuttriss added: 'They can get a bit feisty, especially when you are cleaning milk off their faces. And they are really starting to love their cat-and-mouse games.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2427865/Pictures-White-lion-cubs-unveiled-Zoodoo-Wildlife-Park-Tasmania.html

White lion numbers have declined by 80 per cent in the past 20 years, according to the Global White Lion Trust.
The charity explains that white lions are not albinos, but a 'genetic rarity unique to one endemic region on the globe - the Timbavati region in South Africa'.
The earliest recorded sighting of a white lion, the organisation says, was in 1938.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2427865/Pictures-White-lion-cubs-unveiled-Zoodoo-Wildlife-Park-Tasmania.html
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Zoo 'tests baby leopards and tigers' natural reflexes' by throwing them a LIVE rabbit to play with

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Nervous: These tiger cubs seem not to know what to do when confronted with a rabbit

You might think that tiger cubs would be hard-wired to go after their prey aggressively from an early age.
But when these wild-beasts-in-training were presented with a juicy rabbit, their predatory instincts seemed to fail them.
The white rabbit simply jumped around their enclosure, eluding their grasping paws as it outpaced them.

Escape: The rabbit's leaping abilities apparently enabled it to avoid a grisly fate

The charming scenes took place at Qingdao Forestry Zoo in Shandong province in northern China.
Zookeepers there put the rabbit in with the tiger and leopard cubs when they reached the age of two months.

Athletic: The rabbit's canny escape attempt seemed to outpace this leopard on the prowl

They hoped to test how well developed the big cats' wild instincts were by seeing if they would be able to hunt down the rabbit.
However, the intended prey was apparently able to escape the fierce animals' attention.

Success? One leopard cub got his teeth on the rabbit - but only managed to chomp on its ear

Stand-off: The tiger apparently tried intimidating the rabbit by giving it the hairdryer treatment

The tiny tigers even seemed to shy away from the rabbit, though it was only a quarter of its size.
Photographs of the chase show that the worst any of the predators was able to do was to grab hold of one of the rabbit's ears.
The scene was presided over by a mother tiger, separated from the youngsters in another cage.

Playful: The big cats toyed with the rabbit but were not pictured going in for the kill

Disapproving: The mother tiger would have had no problems catching and eating the white rabbit

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2417494/Zoo-China-tests-tigers-reflexes-throwing-live-rabbit.html
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My mane ambition is to be a big cat! Moggy looks like a lion after owners shave her fur

By SARA MALM

Queen of the jungle: Daily the Persian has been turned into a little lion - and it has even affected her personality

Little Daisy the cat is proof that it is not about size but about the attitude as she prowls the kitchen floor thinking she is the king of the jungle.
The 18-month-old mini lion has taken on the personality of the much larger predator after her owners were forced to shave her.
The long-tail Persian has ended up with an impressive as a result of a grooming problem and the vet’s scissors.

According to her owners, since being shaved by the vet to rid her of her tangled hair, Daisy has even started to take on the personality of a young lion - by pouncing on human visitors as well as fellow cats.
Australian owner, Ben Torode, 36, lives in Tokyo, Japan with his wife Miki, 32.

On the prowl: After a trip to the vet, Daisy came home with a mane, a pom-pom tail and fluffy feet

Ben, who works as a translator, explained the story behind Daisy's transformation from a typical Persian cat to one that is more on the wild side.
‘Daisy really embraced her look after a few days,’ said Ben. ‘The lion cut has rekindled the popularity of her kitten days.'

Persian predator: Daisy ponders her next attack on her owner's feet

Lioness: Displaying fierce attitude, Daisy pounces on a piece of string

Personality change: Since her shave, Daisy has gone from timid house cat to feral beast - at least when it comes to toys and feet

Her favourite attack is to get low down and pounce at toys - and feet - from cover, after a wiggle of her tail to mentally prepare.
‘We think she's picked up a little lion DNA somewhere along the way.’
‘It's been a couple of months now and her hair is growing back steadily. Another few months and she'll be back to normal and ready for winter.’

Back in the day: In her kitten months, Daisy became an online celebrity thanks to her owner's videos

Walk on the wild side: Do not let Daisy's big eyes fool you - she really is a right little lion

Vet victim: Daisy's style change came after she tangled her fur to the point where her owner's had to shave it off

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2398729/Daisy-Persian-cat-looks-like-lion-owners-shave-fur.html
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Is that purse fur real? New Yorker's unusual doggy bag turns heads on the streets of Manhattan

By TAMARA ABRAHAM

What a carry-on: A Brussels Griffon was seen hanging from a harness in New York this week, the straps of the carrier slung messenger-style across his owner's bright red dress

It is not uncommon to see a small dog peeking from a handbag in pet-friendly New York City.
But one young woman turned heads on the streets of Manhattan this week when she stepped out with her Brussels Griffon hanging from a harness, the straps slung messenger-style across her body.
Her four-legged friend certainly didn't seem to mind his legs hanging free from the camo-print fabric, but it was certainly startling to see a living creature hanging from the end of her strap in lieu of a bag.

Content? The dog certainly didn't seem to mind his legs hanging free from the camo-print fabric

It didn't take long for fellow dog-owning Manhattanites to cast their verdict on the unusual pet carrier - and they weren't impressed.
'It doesn't look comfortable,' one told MailOnline. 'The poor thing's legs will probably fall asleep! I'd want to carry my dog in front of me so I could pet her, or see any discomfort.

Cruel? Fellow dog-owning Manhattanites were not impressed by the unusual pet carrier though

'It looks fashiony but I'd never use it,' she added.
'That's so cruel!' another remarked. 'Although mine does love it when I carry him around.'
One remarked that it could be uncomfortable for the owner too.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2394009/Is-purse-fur-real-New-Yorkers-unusual-doggy-bag-turns-heads-streets-Manhattan.html
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Adorable panda cub Yuan Zai melts hearts at Taiwan zoo as she gets licked clean by her mother

Little Yuan Zai was the first Giant Panda to be born in Taiwan
Staff at Taipei Zoo are caring for her around the clock

By HELEN COLLIS

Heart-melting: Little girl Yuan Zai is being cared for around the clock by staff at Taipei City Zoo, Taiwan

Adorable Yuan Zai - the first panda to be born in Taiwan - is starting to show her little personality as she grows stronger.
New pictures of the heart-melting Giant Panda cub, who was born last month, show the cute creature rolling around and showing an interest in others.
Little girl Yuan Zai was born at Taipei City Zoo, Taiwan, to Giant Pandas Yuan Yuan and Tuan Tuan.

Spreadeagled: Her little arms and legs outstretched, tiny Yuan Zai is growing stronger after being born to captive parents last month

A team of keepers have been working around the clock to take care of the cub, who was initially kept in an incubator.
But the public will have to wait three months to catch a glimpse of Taiwan's first newborn panda, officials said in July.
The little girl in the meantime is starting to gain some strength and show some interest in things around her.

The public will have to wait three months to catch a glimpse of Yuan Zai, the first panda born in Taiwan, officials said in July

When held up to her mother's cage, the cute cub reached out her tiny paws. The mother, transfixed by the tiny bear cub, licked her through the cage.
Staff at Taipei City Zoo have been caring for the miniature panda around the clock.
Their daily routine includes feeding the cub, taking her temperature after each meal, changing her bedding and keeping track of her weight, zoo official Chang Chi-hua said.
Yuan Yuan and her mate, Tuan Tuan, were gifted to Taiwan by China in late 2008 as a cross-Taiwan Strait gesture of goodwill and Yuan Zai is their first cub.
In the wild, female Giant Pandas usually give birth to a cub every two years, for about 15 years.

Bonding: When held up to her mother's cage, the cute cub reached out her tiny paws

The mother then licked the nose of her adorable little cub through the cage

During the mating season several male pandas usually compete for a female and the dominant male will go on to mate with the female several times.
However, breeding in captivity has proven to be difficult.
It appears that male pandas show little interest in females and seem not to know how to mate.
Many zoos pair one female panda with one male panda, and often the pair have struggled to produce offspring.

Transfixed: The mother of the newborn panda cub stays close be the little girl's side, watching her constantly through the cage

It has been suggested that without other male pandas, males do not compete for females.
Also, female pandas only have a small window each year in which to fall pregnant. Every spring, they are in heat for 12 to 25 days, but they are only fertile for 24 to 36 hours of this time.
In order to produce panda cubs, some zoos have used artificial insemination techniques.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2389790/Adorable-tiny-panda-cub-melts-hearts-Taiwan-zoo-rolls-gets-lick-mother.html
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What do you get when you cross a lion with a tiger? A liger! And these cute cubs will grow into the biggest felines on the planet

Three rare liger cubs were born at Novosibirsk Zoo in southern Russia
The month old female cubs have a lion father and a tiger mother
The cubs will eventually grow to be the largest known feline species

By STEVE NOLAN

Adorable: Three rare liger cubs took their first steps in the outside world after being born at a Russian zoo last month

With the facial features of a lioness but the stripes of a tiger, these adorable cubs are a rarity in the feline world.
The three little cubs may look cute now, but they will grow to be the largest known species of big cat in the world - the liger.
The three rare ligers cubs, which can grow up to 3.5 metres in length, have been keeping their liger mother Zita and lion father Sam on their toes at the Novosibirsk Zoo in southern Russia.

Loving: The liger's mother Zita is pictured lovingly grooming one of her cubs

Big cats: The cubs will grow up to be the largest known species of feline in the world

Playful: The liger cubs were pictured playing with their mother on their first foray into the great outdoors

The female cubs were all born a month ago but have just taken their first steps outside.
The tiny trio are all on a diet of their mother's milk at the moment but will tuck in to up to 100lb of meat in one sitting when they are fully grown.

Cosy: A month old liger cub snuggles up to its mother

A keeper at the zoo said: 'All three of the girls have completely different characters.
'One is always near their mother's side, one enjoys exploring and one is always misbehaving and play fighting.

Big eaters: The cubs are currently on a diet of their mother's milk but will eat up to 100lbs of meat in one sitting when they are older

'Visitors coming to the zoo have been desperate to get a glimpse of the newborns as they are so rare.
'People always comment on how it's hard to believe they grow to be so big as they are so cute and tiny at there moment.'
The animals have faint tiger stripes on a lionesque tawny background.
Male ligers can grow to up to 3.5 metres in length.
The first known liger dates back to 19th century India.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2384011/Cute-Liger-cubs-grow-biggest-cats-world.html
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Mystery over bizarre behaviour of baboons at Dutch zoo who have been turning their backs on visitors

Baboons at Emmen Dierenpark have behaved this way four times in 20 years
Animals have stopped eating and have been sitting frozen on the ground
Baffled zoologists have failed to find an explanation for bizarre behaviour

By KERRY MCDERMOTT

Mystery: Everything from an unseen predator to a natural disaster has been put forward as a possible explanation for the strange behaviour of the baboons

The bizarre behaviour of a troop of 'hysterical' baboons at a Dutch zoo has been blamed on everything from an earthquake to a UFO.
Ordinarily seen scampering around on their island at the Emmen Dierenpark in the northern Netherlands, the gang of 112 monkeys have been sitting frozen on the ground and turning their backs on visitors this week.
The baboons have even lost their appetites, say baffled zoologists at the park, who have heard various theories as to what may be behind the animals' strange behaviour.

'Hysterical': The baboons at the zoo in the Netherlands have been turning their backs to visitors this week

'They became panicked at the end of the day on Monday, they were hysterical, not jumping around but behaving strangely,' zoologist Wijbren Landman told AFP.
'On Tuesday and Wednesday they just sat in the trees or on the ground, hardly moving or eating.'
Mr Landman described various theories put forward to explain the bizarre scenes at the zoo, with some suggesting the baboons may have spotted a predator - either a real one or an image of one on a visitor's t-shirt - or felt the rumblings of an earthquake.

Baffled: Zoologists told Dutch news outlets they have failed to hit on an explanation for the animals' strange behaviour

The zoologist admitted he was yet to hear an explanation that 'holds water'.
'The craziest suggestion was that it was caused by a UFO,' Mr Landman said.
Baboons at the zoo, who were all born in captivity, have behaved this way four times in the past 20 years, the team at Emmen Dierenpark said.

Theories: The baboons at the zoo have been sitting motionless in trees or on the ground at the zoo

Traumatised: The team at the zoo consulted outside experts, but they have so far failed to shed any light on the mystery

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2384032/Baboons-Dutch-zoo-sitting-backs-turned-visitors.html
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Twiggy the water-skiing squirrel sends crowd nuts

Talented rodent is towed around by a remote-controlled toy powerboat

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Making a splash: Twiggy the squirrel shows off her skills at the Family Fun Zone in St. Joseph, Michigan

You might not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but you can certainly teach a squirrel how to water-ski, as these remarkable pictures show.
Twiggy the squirrel sent the crowd nuts at the Family Fun Zone in St. Joseph, Michigan yesterday az she displayed her amazing aquatic skills.
The talented rodent stands on a specially made skis holding a miniature cable as her owner tows her around the pool with a remote-controlled toy powerboat.

Off you go: Twiggy's owner Lou Ann Best, places the talented rodent on her specially made skis before towing her behind a remote controlled boat

Keen to promote a message of safety to the youngsters in the audience, Twiggy never ventures into the water without her custom-made miniature life vest.
There have in fact been four Twiggys over the years. The original was rescued as a baby by Chuck and Lou Best of Florida in 1978 after it was blown from its nest during a hurricane.
The idea to teach her to water ski began as a joke after Mr Best bought his daughter, Lalainia, a remote-control boat.

Keen to promote a message of safety Twiggy never ventures into the water without her custom-made miniature life vest

When his friends accused him of having bought it for himself he replied: 'I have to learn to drive the boat so I can teach my squirrel to water-ski.'
Twiggy has now achieved celebrity status and currently tours the U.S, drawing large crowds wherever she goes.
She has appeared in two films, 'Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story' and 'Anchorman: the Legend of Ron Burgundy.'

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2384261/Waterskiing-squirrel.html
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