it’s friday! hug stuff — via Hi, I’m Liz
6-week-old cheetah cub named Ruuxa and his new dog companion have been spending lots of time together. The puppy, a 7-week-old Rhodesian ridgeback puppy named Raina, and Ruuxa are being introduced by animal care staff at the Safari Park. The puppy will be raised with the cheetah and serve as his lifelong companion.
Safari Park cheetahs selected for training as ambassadors are paired early in life with a domestic dog. As the two companions grow up together, the dog’s body language will communicate to the cheetah that there’s nothing to fear in new or public surroundings, which relaxes and calms the cheetah. The Safari Park currently has four cheetah ambassadors all of which are trained to participate in the Park’s Cheetah Run experience — via Youtube
I love it when someone orders a pair of octopus shoes! This is my fifth pair of octopus shoes so far, it’s been really fun to think up different ways to do the same theme. For this particular pair, the customer wanted pirate octopi in her fav colours; pink and aqua/turquoise — via Pony Chops
— via NOTFUNNY
As adults, Africa’s Serval cats are one of the world’s most successful hunters. But as kittens, these future spotted killers are one of the cutest creatures you’ve ever seen. Making their debut in Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, the brother and sister Servals are just two months old — via ZooBorns
Baby Fox, originally uploaded by Derek Purdy.
リアル猫バス…! — via Wil Wheaton
Philadelphia Zoo’s female Black-footed Cat Aza gave birth to a litter of kittens on 8 April 2014: the first Black-footed Cats ever to be born at the Philadelphia Zoo! Their names are Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. Drogon and Viserion are male and Rhaegal is female — via ZooBorns
Each squid is handmade with love from fleece, cotton, and felt, and stuffed with hypoallergenic 100% polyester filling. Two sizes are available: an 8-foot body pillow, and a 4-foot cuddle buddy or travel pillow — via Business of Flies
These Kraken were sculpted onto their vintage glassware, using a stone like material that is firmly attached to the glass. After the sculpting, the Kraken are hand-painted and gloss finished — via Etsy
— via NOTFUNNY
A Cat Cushion in burnt orange by Robin & Mould. This hand-made cushion (complete with filler) has a dashing orange cat hand-printed on a natural linen woven in the UK. It is printed using only 100% solvent-free waterbased ink; has a warm grey linen/cotton back and is finished with a concealed zip — via Howkapow
Denver Zoo’s three clouded leopard cubs, Pi, Rhu and Saya, are getting to know each other during supervised introductions. Saya, a female born on 10 April 2014, arrived on 17 May from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI). Zookeepers let the three of them play together behind the scenes two or three times a day to socialize to make sure they engage with each other — via Youtube
When I went to a recent Steampunk Ball I didn’t think my outfit looked very intricate, so I decided to spruce it up with a funky wig. In the end I used one of Arda’s Candy Stripers (Dryad) and made a hairpiece to sit atop it (using pumpkin wefts). Turned out pretty good! — via deviantART
Three Cheetahs born 16 April are frolicking, playing with each other, and cuddling up with mum now that they are on exhibit at Austria’s Schönbrunn Zoo — via ZooBorns
Denver Zoo in Colorado is celebrating the birth of three Maned Wolf pups, born 1 May. The unnamed triplets, two males and one female, were born to mother, Adrianna, and father, Inigo, and are the first of their species to be born at the Zoo since 2009. All three pups were just given a clean bill of health by zoo veterinarians. Though the pups are not yet old enough to explore the outside world on their own yet, Zoo visitors might catch glimpses of them as their protective mother totes them from den to den inside the Wolf Pack Woods exhibit — via ZooBorns
I can’t afford those Dice Dragon holders, so I made my own, octopus edition — via Let’s Frick Frack
Photo Credit: Chris Darimont/Raincoast Conservation Project
Chester Starr of the Heiltsuk First Nation knows that the wolves of British Columbia come in two varieties: timber wolves on the mainland and coastal wolves on the islands. Genetic research has finally confirmed what Starr’s tribe has always known.
It was Starr’s traditional ecological knowledge
that initially inspired Polish Academy of Sciences researcher Astrid V Stronen and University of Calgary scientist Erin Navid to take a closer look at British Columbia’s wolves. They wanted to see whether the Heiltsuk Nation’s folk knowledge was reflected in the wolves’ genes.
The puzzling thing is that wolves are capable of moving over vast geographical distances. They can easily travel more than 70 kilometers per day without even breaking a sweat. They can cross valleys and mountains, and can swim across rivers and even small channels of sea. Yet Stronen, Navid, and colleagues found stark genetic distinctions among wolf groups in an area just 2000 square kilometers.
Why are there such clear genetic groupings among wolf groups who ought to be able to intermix?
According to the researchers, it’s all about what they eat. Despite the tiny distances between the mainland and the islands — sometimes less than 1500 meters of water — there are tremendous ecological distinctions. The mainland is rugged and is home to tons of wildlife, while the islands are less mountainous and host fewer species. On the mainland, grizzly bears compete with wolves, but on islands, wolves are the top dogs. On the mainland, wolves can feast on moose and mountain goats. On the islands, wolves rely on marine resources, like fish, for 85% of their diets — via redwolf.newsvine.com
Hi guys, I made myself an octopus backpack 🙂 — via Hello, T’is Jen
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