Mike Tyson Tattoos

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Boing! One of the fox cubs leaps into the air on a trampoline in a garden in Colorado, U.S., as his sibling watches on


They're more used to bounding about, chasing each others' tails and steering clear of humans.

But for these fox cubs, the chance to enjoy a bounce on a trampoline in a back garden was clearly too much to deter their natural caution.

The two were captured on video playfighting in the garden of a home in Colorado, before curiosity got the better of them and they decided to investigate the trampoline.


Outfoxed: But the cub hasn't quite got the hang of this bouncing lark as he sniffs suspiciously at the surface of the trampoline


Perhaps the wild cubs had spotted a child having a go on the trampoline and thought they would have had a try.

But the footage - posted on YouTube by user Samron - shows they hadn't quite got the hang of bouncing as they leapt around on the springy surface.

One of the cubs repeatedly jumps into the air, but forgets to 'bounce' as it lands down again and looks bemused at the top of the trampoline.


Larking about: The two cubs playfight after climbing on to the trampoline, before jumping around in delight



Cunning: One of the foxes leaps into the air, perhaps copying children the animal had seen jumping on the trampoline





source :dailymail

By RICHARD SHEARS

Life-saving: A team of medics operate on the penguin - named Happy Feet - who ended up 3,000 miles away from home and became sick after eating sand


A chief surgeon has performed life-saving surgery on an Emperor penguin who took a wrong turn in his native Antarctica and ended up 3,000 miles away on a New Zealand beach.

Doctors believe it might take months for the bird - nicknamed 'Happy Feet' - to recover after it ate sand, sticks and stones which have been clogging up its stomach.

The penguin became ill after eating wet sand to keep cool, said surgeon John Wyeth.


Fan club: Visitors watch Happy Feet as he lies in recovery at Wellington Zoo, in New Zealand


Assisted by a six-person medical team, Dr Wyeth performed the two-hour endoscopy - using a special camera to try to see the extent of the problem.

Dr Wyeth, head of gastroenterology at Wellington Hospital, said: 'It was a memorable experience.'

He admitted that it was much trickier carrying out the operation on a bird.

He said: 'If I did a similar procedure in a human, it would take me ten minutes.'

Dr Wyeth criticised suggestions that if the penguin could not survive in New Zealand, then nature should be allowed to take its course.


The doctor will see you now: One of New Zealand's top surgeons John Wyeth (second right) led a medical team to perform an endoscopy on the ailing Emperor penguin. They removed twigs, stones and sand clogging the penguin's gut


He added: 'I think the important thing in this world is humanity and caring and if we don't show that, it doesn't reflect very well on our society.'

Lisa Argilla, veterinary manager at Wellington Zoo, said the ten-month-old bird appeared to have had a successful surgery.


P-p-p-poorly: Happy Feet in his enclosure (left) after an X-ray showed what had been clogging the Emperor penguin's gut


She said: 'The bird is being kept in an air-conditioned room which has been carpeted with crushed ice to keep it cool in the relative warmth of New Zealand.

'But he's still not out of the woods.'

Happy Feet washed up on the New Zealand beach after taking a wrong turn in Antarctica.

The penguin cannot be flown back because the continent is in the middle of winter and engulfed in 24-hour darkness.

Miss Argilla added: 'If it can be nursed back to health, the best option may be to release Happy Feet into sub-Antarctic waters south of New Zealand and from there it might be able to swim home.'



Wrong turn: The Emperor penguin washed up on Peka Peka Beach in New Zealand - 3,000 miles north of its home in Antarctica


The penguin needs time to build up its strength as it is now underweight following the long swim - which would have taken it up to two months.

Miss Argilla said staff at Wellington Zoo have become fond of Happy Feet and were pleased by the level of international interest.

'It's really awesome to see that we've pretty much got the world behind us - it's a little bit of pressure but we're doing our best.'


Penguin recovers after latest surgery


source : dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Front paw-l: Mog the cat swims around Hawksland hydrotherapy pool, near Wadebridge, Cornwall, as part of his rehabilitation after being hit by a car


A cat paralysed after being hit by a car is learning to walk again - by taking swimming lessons.

Mog the grey tabby lost the use of his front two legs but is slowly learning to use them again in a hydrotherapy pool normally used by more enthusiastic dogs.

He strikes an amusing figure in the pool as he meows loudly and makes gurgling sounds as he paddles around.


Are we done yet? Ros Boisseau leads Mog through a swimming session. She said: 'He makes a lot of noise about it.'


Mog can now bear his own weight on his front two legs after ten lessons in the pool.

Owner Veronica Ashworth said Mog initially looked 'horrified' when she was brought to the hydrotherapy centre in St Issey, Cornwall.

But she soon leapt in with a bit of encouragement by Mrs Ashworth, from Lostwithiel, Cornwall.

She said: 'I know it's quite unusual for cats to swim but he's such a character.

'Most cats do anything to avoid water, but he seems to really like swimming in the pool. He takes it quite seriously.

'Now he can do circuits of the pool, he makes a lot of noise about it but he does it.

'He does a sort of funny doggy paddle, it's hilarious to watch. I think he realises it is doing him good.

'He has always liked water, and used to hang round the bath and wash basin.


Worse for wear: Mog the cat after the car accident which left him with no feeling in his front two legs. Owner Veronica Ashworth was told he would never walk again


'He's such an extrovert that when there were some students in watching him swim he was really showing off.

'The therapy is working and there's definitely improvement.'

Mog sustained horrific injuries and spent six weeks on a drip after a car smashed into him in a hit-and-run incident in February.

The one-year-old did not break any bones in the smash - but suffered nerve damage which left his two front legs completely paralysed.

Mrs Ashworth, 62, was told her pet would never walk again and watched as he slowly learned to move by pushing himself along with his back legs. He could also only sit up on his hind legs - like a Meerkat - as he could not put any weight on his damaged front legs.

A local vet suggested that hydrotherapy classes with could help.


'Hilarious': Mog is said to have made amazing progress after ten hydrotherapy lessons


He has now been attending the £30 sessions for ten weeks and has made has made a 'vast improvement', according to Mrs Ashworth.

Trainer Ros Boisseau said Mog was the first cat she had ever treated at the centre and she was 'amazed' with by his progress.

She said: 'The first time I put him in the water he looked at me in horror but I told Veronica to call him and then he meowed at her and struck out across the pool to her.

'By using and stretching out his legs he is slowly regaining the strength in them.

'He really is amazing. I've never treated a cat with hydrotherapy before - cats don't tend to like swimming.





source: dailymail

By LUKE SALKELD

Border collie Ci has developed a fear of sheep


He has sharper teeth, faster legs, and is bred to be bossy.

But as he cowers in front of a flock of sheep, Ci the border collie is definitely not top dog.

His owner says four-year-old Ci, whose name is Welsh for dog, has been intimidated by sheep ever since he was introduced to them as a pup.

And although not the brightest animals, the 100-strong flock quickly realised there was safety in numbers and reset the natural order on their Somerset farm.


It's a fleece off: A nervous Ci tries to stand his ground as the flock approaches him


Now Ci’s reaction to the flock borders on the ridiculous. When faced with the woolly bullies, he simply turns tail and flees.

Owner Jane Lippington, 54, has become so exasperated she has given up using him as a working dog.

‘I have tried to use Ci to herd the sheep and get them in the right place lots of times but they are just too scary for him,’ she said at the 200-acre farm she runs at Langridge, near Bath with husband Donald, 62.


Can't we talk about this chaps? The sheep surge forward and Ci prepares to make his move


'Collies are very instinctive and they want to work the sheep and Ci wants to do it but he is terrified of them.

‘If they run away from him he will go after them and act like a proper sheepdog.

‘But the moment they turn and face him he runs away. Sheep can be quite aggressive if they think they have the upper hand – they stamp their feet and gang up and act like an army.

‘Now they’ve worked out that he can’t push them around because he is too soft.
‘He might be the worst sheepdog in Britain but there’s no way we would be without Ci, he’s part of the family.’


I'm out of here: Ci runs away from the flock as they claim victory


'Sheep can be quite aggressive if they think they have the upper hand - they stamp their feet and gang up in numbers and act like an army.

'When that happens Ci gets intimidated and runs off.

'The only way to make it work is for me to get behind them first and shoo them so they run away from you and then Ci joins in. It just means a lot more work for us to do.


Jane Lippington says she needs to give up trying to use Ci as a working dog


'He might be the worst sheepdog in Britain but there's no way we would be without Ci, he's part of the family.'

She added: 'I took some footage of it simply because I thought it was funny.

'But somebody told me I should put it on YouTube because it is quite unusual.

'I don't think he would get very far on One Man and His Dog, he's more suited to You've Been Framed.'


Sheep dog terrified of sheep


source: dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Udder genius: Daisy the cow expertly picks the lock of her pen gate in Co Armagh, Northern Ireland


A farmer has been forced to beef up the security in his cowshed after an unusually smart heifer found a way for her and her friends to escape.

Daisy the cow, from a farm in Co Armagh, Northern Ireland, has learned the trick to unbolting the gate to her pen with her tongue.

She deftly and accurately unfastens both bolts, allowing her and her bovine buddies access to the verdant fields outside for breakfast.


Making a break for it: The cunning cow casually strolls out from her enclosure after the amazing escape


Farmer Tom Grant was left scratching his head after he found his cattle out munching grass in the morning, despite locking them up the night before.

He initially suspected cattle rustlers so, with the help of his brother, Vincent, Mr Brown set up a hidden camera to get to the bottom of the cattle conundrum.


Suspicions: Farmer Tom Grant suspected cow rustlers had undone the gate, but later discovered Daisy's talent through a hidden camera


'I was a wee bit suspicious because I thought there was a bit of rustling in the area, and that maybe there were boys about during the night trying to steal one of them,' he told the Belfast Telegraph.


After viewing the footage, both Mr Grant and his brother were amazed to see what their cow had learned to do.

'People have the impression that a cow is a dumb animal, but as you can see from the footage, it's far from dumb, it's quite intelligent,' Vincent told the Belfast Telegraph.



Great escape: Daisy's bolt-loosening exploits give other cows in her pen a brief taste of freedom too


Funny Daisy The Cow's Great Escape


source: dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Best of friends: Suryia the Orangutan and Roscoe the dog at their book signing


They make an unlikely duo. But after meeting at a reserve for endangered animals, Suryia the orangutan and Roscoe the Bluetick hound have become inseparable.

And now the pals have released a picture book capturing their unorthodox friendship.

The best friends were besieged by young fans as they held their own signing for the new release at a bookstore in Georgetown, South Carolina.


Smile for the camera: But I do wonder if Cheetah and Rin Tin Tin got bored with book signings too?


Entitled Suryia And Roscoe, the book shows the pair enjoying each other's company at the South Carolina wildlife reserve where they met.

In one photo, a stubborn Roscoe refuses to eat a banana offered by his friend.
Another shows Suryia in a life jacket closely watching over Roscoe as he goes for a doggie-paddle.

And, as if posing for holiday snaps, they are also captured taking walks through the gardens and posing in front of an elephant.

The friends have garnered worldwide media attention, appearing in the National Geographic magazine and on the Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres shows in the U.S.


Pooling their talents: Roscoe gets a helping hand for the doggie paddle while the pair are clearly in love


They met four years ago when Roscoe followed staff from The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS) in Myrtle Beach as they walked home.

He was immediately spotted by the orangutan, who ambled over to make friends.
Dr Bhagavan Antle, the reserve's founder, said: 'Roscoe looked really thin and a little lost so we fed him and took care of him.

'He followed us through the gate and ran over and found Suryia. As soon as he saw Roscoe, Suryia ran over to him and they started playing.

'Dogs are usually scared of primates, but they took to each other straight away. We made a few calls to see if he belonged to anyone and when no one came forward, Roscoe ended up staying.'

Suryia And Roscoe, by Dr Antle, Thea Feldman and photographer Barry Bland, on sale for £10.49.


A proper nana: Actually, I'd prefer something with a bit more pedigree, chum


Just hanging around: The king of the swingers up a tree alongside orangutan's best friend


Prime mates: Thanks to you, I'll always have a woof over my head


Your future's orange: Yes, I'd say our friendship has been a howling success


The Jungle Book: I've a feeling that this story has a happy ending


Suryia the Orangutan and Roscoe the Dog- Friends at First Sight


source: dailymail

By BRIAN CLARK HOWARD


Bust a move: Zola, a nine-year-old Western lowland gorilla at the Calgary Zoo, shows his fancy footwork


Who needs to be king of the jungle when you can be king of the b-boys? This breakdancing gorilla must have learned his slick moves in New York.

Nine-year-old Zola, one of eight Western lowland gorillas currently living at the Calgary Zoo in Canada, has become the latest Internet video star, thanks to a YouTube clip that shows him stomping and spinning, as if he were breakdancing.

It's a welcome change for Canada from the Internet video clips of mass rioting in Vancouver after the local team was beaten in the Stanley Cup hockey final.


Zola came to Calgary from the Bronx Zoo in New York City about two years ago. He 'loves to play in water'


Zola was moved to the Calgary Zoo two years ago along with three other young gorillas from the Bronx Zoo in New York City.

New York, of course, is where breakdancing - or b-boying, as it is often popularly known - was born.

According to his current keepers, Zola 'loves to play in water and keepers regularly give him the opportunity to do so as part of the enrichment activities they plan and vary on a daily basis'.


Senior zookeeper Garth Irvine said: 'He's way more talented than I am. But he's got all day to practice'


Senior zookeeper Garth Irvine told Metro that when he first received Zola, he was told the young animal liked to splash around.

Mr Irvine said: 'He's way more talented than I am. But he's got all day to practice'.


Zola is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan, to save the species


On Friday, June 17 at about 3:30 pm, the Calgary Zoo posted a short video on YouTube and their Facebook page of Zola playing in a puddle of water.

Within 72 hours, the video had been viewed more than 15,000 times.

Zola is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan.
Both the Western and Eastern species of gorillas are highly endangered, thanks to poaching and habitat loss in their native central Africa.


Hit: Within 72 hours, the video of Zola 'break dancing' had been viewed more than 15,000 times


Zola out: After putting on an amazing show, the gorilla heads out the door into another part of the enclosure


Some gorillas continue to be taken from the wild for the 'pet' trade and some zoos, though most reputable zoos now source their animals from captive breeding.

Gorillas are threatened by the 'bushmeat' trade as well, in which hungry people living in their vicinity hunt them for meat.

Gorillas are the closest living relatives of humans next to two chimpanzee species.
Gorillas share 95-99 per cent of their DNA with human beings, depending on how you measure it.

But one thing remains certain: few human beings can break dance as well as Zola.


Break Dancing Gorilla at the Zoo


source : dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Got it! This furry competitor clasps his paws around the disc, leaping over the heads of a woman and girl


They're at the top of their game. Fit and focused, they show the same grit and determination as any other athlete with their eye on the prize.

But these are no ordinary athletes. While it might seem barking to some, these are the furry competitors of the Skyhoundz Disc Dog European Championship in Budapest

Hounds from all over Europe descended on the Hungarian tournament to show off their finely-tuned skills in the sport known as 'disc dog' which is played alongside their owners.


Man's best friend: German competitors Jergen Bartz and his dog Summi compete in the Skyhoundz Disc Dog European Championship in Budapest


In what looks like a complicated move, a border collie jumps over two human competitors to catch the frisbee


Disc dog - of frisbee dog - is described by enthusiasts as a sport celebrating the bond between handler and canine and involves thedog and its handler keeping the frisbee in the air for as long as possible.

It began in the early 1970s, and sees both dog and human working together as team mates to keep the disc in the air for as long as possible.

According to enthusiasts of the sport, it can handlers a while to get the animals to understand the concept of the game as most dog might not instinctively know to turn and chase a disc thrown over its head.

Handlers training hounds for competition start by throwing the disc straight to the dog over short distances.

Once the animal has learned how to catch handlers teach them the concept of running for the disc.


Team work: Krisztina Herberling of Hungary and her dog Roni. Hounds from all over Europe descended on the Hungarian tournament


Taking the lead: Eva Nagy, of Hungary, with her dog Babu and Jergen Bartz with Summi


Flying through the air: A border collie leaps over its owner as it reaches for the frisbee


Further on in the training, the disc should be thrown at increasing heights to encourage the dog to leap higher to catch it.

It's only once the dog has mastered these moves that it will instinctively follow the disc wherever it goes, meaning it has the skills to be capable of competing.
The handler can then enter the dog in a number of categories, which include 'toss and fetch' and freestyle.

In competition categories, dogs chase multiple discs in short routines choreographed to music.

Skyhoundz staged its first ever World Canine Disc Championship in 2000 and is now the largest disco dog competition series in the world, with more than 100 free local events held in the United States and other countries, including the European championships.


Gotcha: Hungary's Zsuzsanna Varga and her dog Alex compete. The sport is described by enthusiasts as a celebration of the bond between human and canine


Acrobatic: The dogs show off their finely-tuned skills in the sport which is played alongside their owners



Eye on the prize: The dogs must master routine manouevres to ensure the grasp the concept of the game


Skyhoundz Worlds 2009 / Christina Weiß & Ronja



source :dailymail

By RICHARD HARTLEY-PARKINSON

Bedraggled: Dogs from across the US flock to the beach to take part in the event


Hundreds of people took to a beach in the US over the weekend to cheer on a dog race of a different kind.

Rather than going for 'walkies' these incredible canines enjoy going for 'surfies' as they take part in the sixth annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog competition.

More than 60 dogs from across the country took part in the competition where they had 10 minutes to catch two decent waves.


The competition is in its sixth year at the Loews Coronado Bay resort


Taking a tumble: One unfortunate pooch goes for an early bath after falling off his board


They were then judged on their confidence level, length of ride and overall ability to 'grip it and rip it'. The winners then get the ultimate holiday at the resort along with exclusive bragging rights to being the best dog surfer.

There are three categories for small dogs, large dogs and tandem dogs. The most decorated dog was Abbie Girl, an Australian Kelpie, which won the small dog category and came third in the tandems section.

Money from the event goest to donorschoose.org where school teachers in San Diego can post classroom needs and request and receive funding for school supplies from private sponsors.


Despite its size, this young dog manages to keep control of its oversized surfboard


Champion: Happy with his days work, this dog sits on the beach enjoying the sun and all the attention


Three's not a crowd on this surfboard while another dog rests on its owners shoulders before heading into the water to catch more waves


Dogs and their owners competed in the annual Surf Dog Competition at the weekend


Surf dog Ricochet - Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf competition


Dogs take to the waves for Californian surfing competition



source: dailymail