Milwaukee Pug Fest

Milwaukee's Pug Fest, an annual event that helps pay for medical and dental bills for rescued pugs, attracted more than 1,700 pugs and other smushy-faced dogs along with 2,900 humans from the U.S. and Canada.

In this May 19, 2013, photo Chipper, right, and Chickory pose for a photo at the Milwaukee Pug Fest in Franklin, Wis. The annual event, that helps pay for medical and dental bills for rescued pugs, attracted more than 1,700 pugs and other smushy-faced dogs along with 2,900 humans from the U.S. and Canada. (AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger)

Injured animals keep moving with prosthetics

Here is an inspirational look at animals getting back on their "feet" with the aid of prosthetics.

A Yorkshire Terrier named Hope shows off her uni-wheel attached to a doggie vest in Longmont, Colorado April 21, 2013. Hope is missing one limb and is able to walk with the wheel attachment. Picture taken April 21, 2013. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES - Tags: SOCIETY ANIMALS HEALTH)

Manhattan rat hunt

Dog owners gather in Manhattan side streets for the New York rat hunt

Tough shell to crack

 Tough shell to crack: Turtle fends off Gator’s attack


Wildlife photographer Patrick Castleberry captured images of a titanic tussle between an eastern river cooter turtle and a 6-foot alligator in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. Surprise, surprise – the turtle won (in that it didn’t end up in the gator’s belly). After 15 minutes of trying to crack the turtle’s shell in its jaw, the gator finally gave up and went on its way in search of something a bit softer on the outside. Castleberry spoke with the U.K.’s Daily Mail about the confrontation. “It was definitely turtle one, alligator nil,” he said.

And we’re off. An alligator’s jaw is capable of thousands of pounds of pressure, but the turtle’s shell is up to the challenge. (Patrick Castleberry/ Caters)

Alpaca shearing day in Germany

The alpacas are always shorn in spring, to make the animals more comfortable for the summer months and to collect the expensive and well known alpaca wool

Pandas prep for mating season

Experts say that the giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang are likely to meet for the breeding season in the coming days. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has announced that female panda Tian Tian could possibly be in her 36 hour fertile window, and hopes are high the two pandas at the Edinburgh Zoo will successfully mate.

Yang Guang, a male giant panda, sits surrounded by bamboo in his enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland April 16, 2013. Experts at the zoo believe the 36-hour breeding window for Yang Guang and female giant panda Tian Tian may have started. REUTERS/David Moir (BRITAIN - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY)

Duck Hatches From Its Egg Shell

A Boy And His Dog

Five-year-old Julian Becker and his 165 pound pet Newfoundland Max have been best buds around all their lives. To commemorate the friendship and to keep Julian's father, a Naval officer who is often away, in the loop, Julian's mom Stasha began taking photos.

Stasha told the UK's Daily Mail, "Max usually sits there and takes orders from Julian. I just snap a few and post the photo that made me giggle the most." Max loves to swim and nap in cold weather (good thing as they live in Washington state). According to Stasha, Max never takes his eyes off his good buddy.

Funny Zoo Portraits

Labrador With Tiger Look

Lilo the 10-month-old Labrador has been dyed to look like a tiger. Owner Matt Curran from Surfers Paradise decided to turn his pup into a tiger, using animal-safe dye, for his niece's 4th birthday. It took 90 minutes to dye Lilo's coat at Mudgeeraba's Animal Magic Pet Grooming Salon.

Picture: David Clark/Newspix / Rex Features

Elephant Rescue

Elephant fights off hyenas to save baby

This is the incredible moment an elephant came to the rescue of one of its babies being attacked by a pack of hyenas. The elephant is seen charging at the hyenas to ward them off its offspring. The photos were captured by American photographer Jayesh Mehta, 47, in the Savuti region of the Chobe National Park in Botswana.

Circus Performers of the past

Circus freaks and performers of the past

From giraffe neck women to the world's tallest man (ever!), check out the so-called "freaks" and performers of the past.

Images of the Year 2012

RNPS IMAGES OF THE YEAR 2012 - A photographer jumps over a smoke canister during a demonstration by firefighters, security and military personnel against cuts in their salaries imposed by Spanish Government, in the Andalusian capital of Seville September 29, 2012. Spain's debt will reach 90.5 percent of gross domestic product by end 2013 after hitting 85.3 percent of GDP by the end of this year, the government's budget document showed on Saturday. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo (SPAIN - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS CIVIL UNREST TPX IMAGE OF THE DAY)

Macro Insects Photography

Nature is an endless inspiration for designers, photographers and artists alike. After all, nature has managed to create a complex self-sustaining system of life supporting millions of species over billions of years that has given rise to some of the most beautiful and elegant living beings that we have ever gazed our eyes upon. Evolution has resulted in transforming these living beings over the course of several millions of years. Today, there are literally millions of species of plants, animals and insects that inhabit the blue planet. And it is beyond the scope of our comprehension about how each one of these species are so unique in terms of its appearance and behavior. They are unique in terms of their organization, the way they protect their own species and also by trying to survive using complex defensive tactics that we are yet to fathom completely.

Despite their reputation as pests, the trillions of insects, bugs, and spiders that inhabit the Earth can make some of the most fascinating and dramatic close-up photography subjects.  Insects and their tiny environments offer the macro photographer an unlimited amount of color, texture, and physical architecture to explore.  They are as unique as we are, and they are obviously much more plentiful.

She Has The Biggest Pussy(Cat)

This is not what you were probably thinking, still you have to admit this picture did make you laugh…

Cutest Cat Ever

If you feel down, disappointed, depressed, feel like nothing’s working right for you, just stop. Take a minute, take a big breath and go buy a cat. What a cat? Don’t you mean a dog? Dogs are supposed to be men best friend? True, but the cutest creature a human can own is surely the cat. Don’t believe it? Take a look at this fur ball… now go buy a cat and start living your life to the fullest!

Turkey Roasting Tips

Let's dispense with the regular turkey gobbledygook that permeates the media at this time of year and get down to basics: You've got a big, raw bird sitting in your fridge, a bunch of guests coming with holiday-high expectations in tow, and you need help. Sure, you may have heard all kinds of rules, lore, and even a few horror stories, but here's what you really need to know to successfully roast a turkey on Thanksgiving. 

1. Don't Wash the Turkey

This directive alone will probably shock you. And it holds true for chicken, too. Would you believe it comes directly from the super-cautious folks at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a division of the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)? They've been advocating sparing your birds a bath for several years. 

Here's why: The moment you run water on your poultry, you start spewing a mist of unwanted pathogens all over the sink and nearby items, such as your dish rack, where clean plates and flatware are probably air-drying. You probably think you are washing bacteria off the bird--but you aren't. Instead, the easiest and most effective way to eliminate bacteria is to kill them in the heat of the oven. So get that bird onto the rack in your roasting pan, and then dry it inside and out with paper towels. Or if you're brining your bird, put it directly into its salt bath (more on that next). 

And don't forget to wash every surface the turkey or its juices might have touched. Use hot soapy water, and it doesn't hurt to follow up with disinfectant. When that's done, wash your hands well with warm soapy water. Pretend you're a surgeon prepping for an operation, and scrub both sides of your hands and under your nails. 

World's Most Endangered Species

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna – Tuna is perhaps the most high profile victim of unregulated and uncontrolled overfishing. Bluefin tuna populations have declined alarmingly over the past few decades. World Wildlife Fund has put together a top 10 list of endangered species to be on the look-out for in 2012. 

World Wildlife Fund has published a top 10 list of endangered species, which includes the Javan rhinoceros, along with the Asian elephant. Twenty-five species of monkeys, langurs, lemurs and gorillas are also on the brink of extinction and need global action to protect them from increasing deforestation and illegal trafficking. Help protect their future by visiting www.WorldWildlife.org/how to see what you can do to make a difference for our planet.

Sculptures Made from Old Tires

Korean artist Yong Ho Ji recycles old tires and turns them into incredible works of art. From animals to humans and even animal/human hybrids these tire sculptures are truly amazing.

Yong Ho Ji obtains his Masters in Fine Arts in 2008 from New York University, New York. He also received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture at Hongik University, Seoul in 2005.

With a host of solo and group exhibitions under his belt, you can find permanent collections of Yong Ho Ji’s works at: the International Contemporary Art Foundation / 21C Museum; West Collection; Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul.

Cliff Camping in Norway

In this stunning evening photograph, we see a group of hikers camping out on the famous cliff of Preikestolen in Norway. In English this place may be known as Preacher’s Pulpit or Pulpit Rock, or by the old local name, Hyvlatonna (“the carpenter-plane’s blade”).

Preikestolen is a massive cliff 604 meters (1982 feet) above Lysefjorden, opposite the Kjerag plateau, in Forsand, Ryfylke, Norway. The top of the cliff is approximately 25 by 25 metres (82 by 82 feet) square, almost flat, and is a famous tourist attraction in Norway.

A trip to Preikestolen from the closest car park takes about 3-4 hours for a round-trip hike. Even though the elevation differential is only 334 metres (1096 feet) and the walk is not particularly long (3.8 km each way), the total elevation gain and loss over the course of the hike is more than one might initially expect, as the path climbs and descends various ridges.