The tiny gecko no bigger than a child's thumbnail that's become a house pet

Creature is believed to be a house gecko common in the Philippines
When first caught the size lizard was half the size of owner's thumbnail
After a year it has only grown to the size of his palm

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

My-newt: This is one of the worlds smallest reptiles that is no bigger than a child's thumbnail. The incredible creature, believed to be a typical house gecko common in the Philippines

This is one of the world's smallest reptiles that is no bigger than a child's thumbnail.
The incredible creature, believed to be a typical house gecko common in the Philippines, is not your typical first pet for children, but amateur snapper Corin Lenisco couldn't resist his charm.
The 14-year-old has always been excited at the sight of the mini lizards and has always been intrigued by their diminutive lives.

New pet: Amateur snapper Corin Lenisco couldn't resist his charm. When first caught the size lizard was half the size of Corin's thumbnail - and after a year it has only grown to the size of his palm

And after catching this cheeky critter to scare his sister, Corin decided to keep the lizard as a pet - as feeding and cleaning chores prove more than manageable for a teenager.

Corin, from the Philippines, said: 'My older sister has always been afraid of lizards ever since she was young so every time I see a lizard I try to catch it and scare her.
'I was just walking around the house when I saw the lizard and I moved to catch it right away. But because it was such a baby lizard I didn't think my sister would be too scared so I decided to keep him as my own.'
When first caught the size lizard was half the size of Corin's thumbnail - and after a year it has only grown to the size of his palm.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2350789/The-tiny-gecko-bigger-childs-thumbnail-thats-house-pet.html
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English student starts new 'pugs in balaclava' trend by knitting headwear for dogs

Jessica Furtado set up company after knitting hat for her adopted pug
Hats are designed to look like characters including an alien and Batman
There is also a range of bow ties, French berets and neck warmers

By JAMES RUSH

Bat-pug: Some of the balaclavas are also designed to make the pugs look like superheroes, such as this Batman hat

Entrepreneur Jessica Furtado has set tails wagging after launching her own fashion line for pug dogs.
The 22-year-old's hand knitted hats and costumes have been designed for those wishing to dress the dogs up as characters such as a ladybird, an alien, an aviator, Batman and even Minnie Mouse.
The English student has also launched a range of stylish knitted bow ties, French berets and neck warmers.

Pug fashion: Jessica Furtado has created a range of balaclavas for pugs, such as this tiger hat

Dog-mad Ms Furtado, from Massachusetts, US, was inspired to launch her canine couture after knitting her adopted pug called James Dean a hat to keep him warm through cold winters.
The Snuggly Pug Alien hat was such a hit with fellow pug owners she founded her company All You Need is Pug while still studying for her university degree. She now sells the hats for between £11 and £20.

and 'Betty Bow' hat

Ms Furtado said: 'During the winter our clothing provides warmth and comfort especially for pugs, bulldogs, Boston terriers and other breeds whose bodies are low to the ground.
'Pugs in particular are sensitive to extreme heat and extreme cold so they require their owners to be aware of the weather and to take precautions.

Dog-mad: Jessica Furtado launched the fashon range for dogs after knitting her adopted pug, James Dean, a hat to keep him warm through cold winters

'Pet owners have also used our hats to protect dogs with chronic ear infections from feeling pain in the cold.
'Frigid conditions can aggravate dogs whose ears are already raw from rash or infection, so the hats act as a shield to keep the cold from stinging.
'All You Need is Pug items are handmade from quality acrylic yarns, so they are warm and washable without being itchy.
'I don't think that only humans should have the privilege of masquerading each day in clothing.

Elephant hat: Ms Lynne said 'pugs in particular are sensitive to extreme heat and extreme cold so they require their owners to be aware of the weather and to take precautions'

'Our clothing says something about each of us.
'Many of my items are inspired by animals, acting as costumes that can transform your pet from a dog into a wild fox or a little piglet.
'Other hats are inspired by history and fashion, such as the iconic aviator helmet or the cabbie cap which resembles old fashioned "newsboy" hats.
'In my experience, most dogs enjoy dressing up now and then whether it is because they feel comfortable or because they notice the doting attention that they receive from humans when they wear clothing.'

Flying high: This pug is ready to take to the skies in his aviator hat

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2348957/English-student-Jessica-Furtado-starts-new-pugs-balaclava-trend-knitting-headwear-dogs.html
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If at first you don't succeed, li, li again! Zoo which already boasts a half-tiger, half-lion liger welcomes three liliger cubs

Three liliger cubs were born at a zoo in Novosibirsk, Russia, recently
They are a hybrid of a lion and a liger - which is itself a lion/tiger hybrid

By ANTHONY BOND

Bizarre: A Russian zoo is home to a unique animal - the liger. It is half-lioness, half-tiger. Mother Zita is pictured licking her one month old liliger cub

They may look familiar but these big cats are extremely unique and rare.
This big cat mother recently gave birth to three adorable liliger cubs at a zoo in Novosibirsk, Russia.
Although the mother and her cubs look like tigers, she is in fact a lion-tiger hybrid known as a liger - the biggest known cat in the world.

Cute: The first liliger was born in the zoo last year and now there's a second litter of three, all of them females

Curious: The cubs were born in May and now have grown up enough to start exploring their surroundings... much to the concern of their mother Zita

The first was born in the zoo last year and now there's a second litter of three, all of them females.
They were born in May and now have grown up enough to start exploring their surroundings, showing an endearing clumsy energy.

Loveable: The tiny cubs enjoy playing in the sand at the zoo

Their mother, Zita, was born in the zoo in 2004. Their father, Sam, is an African lion. The offspring of a lion and liger is called a liliger.
The liger is the largest known cat in the world and holds similar characteristics to both lions and tigers.

Fluffy: A liliger is a big cat breed where the father is a lion and the mother is a lion-tiger hybrid, known as a liger

Just like tigers, they enjoy swimming and are very sociable like lions.
They exist only in captivity because the habitats of tigers and lions do not cross in the wild.
Ligers are known for growing bigger than either parental species.

Protective: Zita carries one of her cubs as another walks by her side

Playful: The young cub plays around the feet of mother Zita, who has her hands full with the three cubs



source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2344461/Its-tiger-lion--liger-Mother-gives-birth-adorable-rare-cubs-grow-largest-cats-world.html
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Amazing moment a tiny fox with its head stuck in a jar approaches two men for help

Filmed on a Russian dirt road, this shows the wild fox overcome its shyness
Curiosity had got the better of the fox and it knew humans were its only help
One rescuer joked: 'Where's the thank you?' as it returned to the bushes

By HELEN LAWSON

At first the young fox wriggled as one of the men tried to pull the jar away

The young red fox had got itself in a bit of a jam. There was only one thing for it - the notoriously shy creature was going to have to ask humans for help.
It clearly couldn't resist having a look at a discarded glass jar and ended up with its head stuck inside.
In this short but sweet footage, the fox is spotted by two men on a Russian dirt road.

The fox quickly realised it needed to stand still while the man took it by the scruff of its neck and gently tugged the jar away

Instead of running away, like a wild fox normally would, the trapped fox scurried up to the men.
One of the men reached down to grab the jar, which made the creature wriggle to try to escape.
But the fox quickly realised that tactic wouldn't work and stood still for its rescuer.
The man, who appeared to be wearing camouflage army gear, grabbed the fox by the scruff of its neck and pulled the jar away with his other hand.

The fox made a quick dash to freedom while one of the men joked in Russian: 'Where's the thank you?'

In a flash, the fox made the most of its freedom and ran away.
The man joked in Russian: 'Where is the thank you?' according to 9 MSN.
He then said: 'Thank you' in a higher-pitched voice, pretending to be their bushy-tailed friend.
The other man pointed out: 'He would have died that way.'



source: dailymail
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Whatever you do, don't kiss it! Scientists successfully breed tiny blue frog that's so poisonous it can kill TEN men

The blue poison dart frog is naturally found in Costa Rica and Brazil
But it is under threat in South America, where habitat is being destroyed
Now experts at Walford and North Shropshire College have successfully bred one of the deadly amphibians in their lab

By RACHEL REILLY

A blue poison dart frog, found naturally in the tropical forests of Costa Rica and Brazil, has been successfully bred at Walford and North Shropshire College

British experts have successfully bred a rare species of frog that is so poisonous it can kill ten men.
The blue poison dart frog is only 2.5cm long and is usually found in the tropical forests of Costa Rica and Brazil. But the species is under threat in South America, where their habitat is being destroyed.
Now animal experts at Walford and North Shropshire College have successfully bred one of the deadly amphibians in their lab.

Despite its diminutive size, the tropical frog can kill ten men with a single dose of its venom

Simon Metcalfe, the animal technician who led the project, said: 'Although eggs were laid on several occasions, the students had been unsuccessful in getting the eggs to progress to tadpoles.
'They had always gone mouldy and not formed. After researching environmental conditions required and their breeding behaviour, a few adjustments were made and we waited for the first clutch of eggs to be laid.

Until now the eggs that had been laid had gone mouldy and not formed properly. But after researching environmental conditions and breeding behaviour, the scientists were able to successfully breed a frog

'Now all our research and effort has paid off and our first froglet was moved out of water and on to dry land, its metamorphosis now complete.'
A male and female blue poison dart frog were donated to the college by a student who left to join the army.
Once the pair had produce a fertilised egg, the team placed it in an inside pond, where it took 12 weeks for the froglet to develop.

The Blue Poison Dart froglet will grow to be just 2.5cm long when it reaches adulthood

The team of four experts set the water's temperature at 27C (80F), and lit it with UV lights, to recreate the conditions of the frog's natural habitat.
But despite the frog's fearsome reputation, the students have nothing to fear from the tiny frog because it only becomes venomous after eating certain toxic tree barks and insects in the wild.

The striking frog took 12 weeks for to develop. During this time it was kept in a pond heated to a constant 27C and lit with UV lights



source: dailymail
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Who you calling pug ugly? Meet the ruff contenders battling it out at the world's ugliest dog competition

By PAUL MILLIGAN

Chupee is one of the contenders for the crown of World's Ugliest Dog

Mangy mutts from around the globe will gather this week at the only beauty pageant they might ever stand a chance of winning - the world's ugliest dog contest.
The annual show in California, welcomes all dogs from pugs to terriers, sausage dogs and chihuahuas in an attempt to discover the worst-looking canine on Earth.
Now in its 25th year, the contest - which has even spawned a book - sees dogs judged in four main categories - first impressions, unique features, personality, and audience reaction.

This strange looking mutt, called Icky, could well be walking away with the coveted prize

The aesthetically-challenged winner will not only be able to boast they're the polar opposite of the champion at Crufts, but will also take home a trophy, $1500 and a meal at a local restaurant prepared by a top chef.
Among the contenders this year are Creature with a huge under bite, Icky with sporadic wiry fur and Boolah who appears to have an uncontrollable tongue.

Could Boolah's uncontrollable tongue sway the judges to pick up the top prize?

The dogs are marked on four categories: first impressions, unique features, personality, and audience reaction

Isaboo will be hoping to win the title, now in its 25th year of competition

Event producer, Vicki DeArmon, 54, said: 'I've been producing the world's ugliest dog contest for seven years now - it's been a wild ride.
'The contest has grown from a small hometown fair event to one in which the entire world is engaged.
'The announcement of the winner each year ricochets around the world with that dog's photo being shared from China to Bolivia to France.

If he wins, Reggie will win a trophy and a meal at a local restaurant prepared by a top chef

'We usually have between 20 and 30 dogs and we're on target for that again this year.
'In fact, 50 per cent of our contestants this year are first time participants and very often, the winner is a new dog. So one of those may well be our winner.
'The winning dog will get world fame and recognition, hitting the talk show circuit and appearing at local dog events.
'Many go on to become doggy ambassadors in their hometowns for the rescue dog movement as many of our contestants are rescue dogs who are now living in their forever homes and are much loved.'

The owners of Creature will surely win the prize for the most apt name of a dog

Maybe Scamp will be the winner of the $1500 prize money

source: dailymail
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From the gaping jaws of a giant shark to the intricate dance of mating seahorses - the Best Underwater Photographer of the Year Competition reveals its winner

By SARA SMYTH

Jaws: Sam Cahir won first prize in the wide angle category with this spectacular image of the moment a mako shark opens its jaws and swims towards his camera off the coast of Australia

Thousands of amateur and professional photographers slipped into their wetsuits and came face-to-face with extreme danger in the pursuit of the best underwater photograph of the year.
From an open-mouthed shark to the wreckage of a ship, the spectacular photographs taken from the depths of the sea baffle the imagination and show nature at its most spectacular.

Golden seabed: Thousands of entries mean the competition boasts a spectacular range of photographs. Here, a cloud of tadpoles float in the golden Campbell River in British Columbia, Canada

Hamid Rad won best in show with his portrait of a fish-eye view of the world. The picture, taken in New Guinea, won the reefscapes category and was selected as the best overall shot in this year's competition.
Thousands of photographers from 15 countries entered into the seven categories- compact cameras, divers, animal portraits, animal behaviour, reefscapes, surfs and sharks.

Graceful: This group of mantra rays were captured in a peaceful moment by an amateur photographer. Some of the winning entries include human subjects, such as the diver who is following in their path

15 per cent of proceeds from the entries are donated to marine conservation projects. More than £50,000 worth of prizes have been awarded to group finalists and winners.
The competition, in its seventh year, is part of a series of underwater imaging events and has become one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world.

Whirlpool: A diver on the seabed in Cabo, New Mexico, works next to a huge shoal of fish who swirl around each other

Swimming with sharks: You could be forgiven for thinking this image was photoshopped. A model darts through the water with a white shark n the Philippines

Close up: From the bulbous eyes of this tiny goby fish to its fluorescent lips, this image shows the benefits of compact photography

Watery depths: A large fish is encircled by a shoal of thousands off the coast of Eden Rock in Grand Cayman

Aquatic dancing: Two seahorses embrace in a mating ritual in Singer Island, Florida. This photograph won bronze in the animal behaviour category

source: more photos at dailymail
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Don't let go! Adorable baby opossum scrambles to safety after tumbling off branch and hanging by its tail

By SAM WEBB

Uh-oh! These baby opossums were forced to cling on for dear life after taking a spill from the thin branch they perched precariously on

These cute and fluffy baby marsupials took are still finding their feet in the world - which is perhaps why a couple still haven't quite mastered their balance.
Two of the tiny opossums got slightly overconfident sitting on a thin branch and one ended up desperately clinging on using just its tail.

Reach out: After a couple of minutes it hauled itself up onto the branch

The brood of six grey babies, about three months old, were spotted by photographer Ronald Wittek gathered on and around their mother's back on a farm in Minnesota in the U.S.
But, when a couple of the small marsupials decided to explore their surroundings, they almost fell from their perch.
After slipping from the branch and hanging by its tail, one of the opossum babies appeared to wear a very uncomfortable expression.

Balancing act: The pictures were taken on a farm in Minnesota

Thankfully though, after a couple of minutes clinging on, the adorable animal managed to heave itself back to safety.
Ronald, 48, from Speyer, Germany, said: 'Opossum babies tend to leave their mother's pouch when they are about two months old.'

Brood: The tiny opossums are then carried on their parent's back - adults can have up to 15 babies at one time

Play nice! The parent opossum is swamped by the youngsters, which were just six weeks old when the pictures were taken

source: read more at dailymail

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Auditioning for panto? No, they're sporting the very latest in equine fashion: Customers are chomping at the bit for horse onesies

By HANNAH ELLIS-PETERSEN

Runaway success: The must have for your horse, a onesie from Shwmae Products as modelled by Bee

It is the bizarre fashion trend championed by everyone from Cheryl Cole to Nick Clegg. Now it seems the onesie has become a must-have item in the equine world as well.
Customers in Britain and abroad have been chomping at the bit to buy the garments – which come in a range of colours and designs – since they went on sale just three weeks ago.
Although the equine onesies were originally created to prevent horses suffering fly irritations, allergies, and other forms of skin conditions, they are also being snapped up by owners eager to keep their animals’ coats clean before a show.

Designers: Jessica Clarke, right, and Annie Brown who make the onesies in their workshop

Jessica Clarke, 20, who created the designs with Annie Brown, 18, said: ‘We started off making hoods and rugs for my grandfather’s horses and from there we built up a business.
‘All the designs led up to making the onesie, and as far as we know, we’re the only ones in the world making these products. They have been selling all over the place and have made our little company, Shwmae Products, international in just a matter of weeks.

Snapped up: The onesies were originally created to prevent horses suffering fly irritations and allergies

‘They’re particularly popular in Australia and America. We used to do the odd shipment abroad, but now it’s every day. We have three horses of our own which we use to model them.’
Each onesie costs £169.99 and is custom-made by the pair, from Pontypool, South Wales, in their Hereford workshop.
Since it emerged in 2009, the human onesie has been eagerly adopted by celebrities including One Direction, TV presenters Holly Willoughby and Amanda Holden, and even film star Brad Pitt.
In January, Nick Clegg admitted he had been given ‘a big green onesie’ as a present – although the Deputy Prime Minister later insisted he has never worn it.

Equine chic: Rodo sporting a leopard print number in his stable

source: dailymail

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Out on purr-role: Cute kittens born in a prison van are rescued after their mother 'broke in' to jail to give birth

By SUZANNAH HILLS

Jailcats: Kittens Jessica, Sherlock, Christie, Marple, Kojak and Morse were born inside a high security prison van

Prison staff found themselves lumbered with some extra inmates after a cat broke in to a high security prison van to give birth to six kittens.
Wardens discovered the adorable cats when they opened the rear doors of the van parked inside Parc Prison in Bridgend, South Wales.
They immediately called an animal centre to come and relieve the young kittens from their brief stretch behind bars.

Line up: Staff at Cats Protection in Bridgend named the kittens after detective legends Jessica, Sherlock, Christie, Marple, Kojak, and Morse

But their frightened mother ran off before she could be caught - and left the kittens behind. They were bottle-fed every two hours and all were doing well today.
Staff at Cats Protection in Bridgend named the kittens which were discovered on May 8 after detective legends Jessica, Sherlock, Christie, Marple, Kojak, and Morse
Centre manager Sue Dobbs, 46, said: 'It’s the first time we’ve rescued a cat from inside the walls of a well-guarded prison.
'We don’t know how the mother cat got in there - maybe inside the van.
'When staff opened the door at 8am they saw the cat and her six kittens lying there.

Freedom: The kittens pictured with their mother after being rescued from the van by Cats Protection

Adorable: It is still a mystery how the cat got in to the high security van to give birth to her kittens

'The temptation was to call them after notorious villains - but we decided to name them after more positive criminal-busting legends.'
It is thought that the cats were only in the van for one night as it is used daily.
The mother cat was later captured at the Parc Prison which houses 1200 men and young offenders.

Purr-fect: Kittens Marple and Kojak cuddle up after being rescued from Parc Prison in Bridgend, South Wales

Staff were concerned she would reject her kittens as they had been bottle fed and handled by humans.
But they solved the problem by smearing the kittens with cat food to disguise the human smell.
She has been named Agatha and was today back happily mothering her six kittens.
They will spend the next eight weeks at the cat rescue centre before being microchipped and re-homed.

On the mend: The tiny kittens need to be fed every two hours but are healthy and growing well

Sleepyhead: The kittens will spend the next eight weeks at the cat rescue centre before they are microchipped and re-homed

Hungry kitten: Morse the kitten being fed at Cats Protection in Bridgend, south Wales

source: dailymail

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