Sphynxes love everyone; while they seem to enjoy human attention, they love the company of other cats, dogs, even little gray aliens. Back in 1974 singer Ray Stevens recorded “The Streak” about well, streakers. For the under 50-crowd, streakers are people who pranked by shedding their clothes and running through crowds. They put it all out there for everyone to see. Stevens could have written his entertaining ditty about the Sphynx, a unique, hairless breed of cat who looks like the product of mating between a domestic cat and an extraterrestrial gray. Almost a decade before Stevens wrote his song, a black and white cat in Toronto had the same idea. In 1966, Elizabeth, a Domestic Shorthair, gave birth to a bald kitten named Prune. While rare, the birth of kittens in the buff have been reported all over the world as early as 1830. A breeding program began around Prune. To increase the depth of the gene pool, breeders of the bare-naked kitties outcrossed their domestic no-hairs with American Shorthairs, Domestic Shorthairs, and Devon Rex. And the rest, as they say, is history. In 2002, Sphynx were accepted by the Cat Fanciers Association for competition in the Championship class. Personality Alien or not, Sphynxes love everyone. They seem to prefer human attention but enjoy the company of other cats, dogs, little gray aliens, everyone. It’s a good thing they have so many friends. These kitties need help staying warm and will get cold easily without blankets or sweaters. Being cold-natured, they enjoy a nice warm lap and burrowing under the covers. These little extroverts will also curl up with up with the dog if they get chilly. As innovative as they are, they’re not a great choice for homes with thermostats that hover at 68 degrees. To read more on this story, click here: Get to Know the Sphynx: The Naked Aliens of the Cat World
Tesla already has a feature to prevent its electric car interiors from overheating. Not everyone knows that, though, and that's a problem when people may call the cops or break into your ride to rescue a pet that's actually quite safe. You might not have to post a please-don't-worry sign on your window for much longer, however. Elon Musk has signaled that he'll implement a "dog mode" in future Tesla software that would tell passers-by not to panic. While he only just agreed to the idea (it's likely a long way off), it could include both a message and the current cabin temperature to assuage jittery humans. To read more on this story, click here: Tesla's Future 'Dog Mode' Would Prevent Humans From Panicking
Those colorful fish you frequently see in large ponds in Japanese restaurants or shopping areas are becoming increasingly popular as the centerpiece of a backyard garden. The brightly-colored fish are called Koi, and they are the result of selective breeding of German and Asian carp. If you are considering installing a Koi pond, you should first study how to raise Koi. 1 - Select a proper pond. You can purchase a Koi pond made of several different materials from pet stores or Koi specialty retailers. A good rule of thumb is that the Koi pond measurements should be at least 3 feet (0.914 m) deep and contain 300 gallons (1136 liters) per fish. You may want to get a larger pond than you need right away, so that you can add additional fish later. To read more on this story, click here: How to Raise Koi
Quentin, the dog who came out alive from the St. Louis gas chamber for dogs, has died, according to a tweet from his owner, Randy Grim. Grim, founder of Stray Rescue, on Twitter said he was saying goodbye “to a legend, my best friend, my kid. Love you Quentin forever.” Quentin was the only survivor among eight dogs that were being euthanized at the St. Louis city pound’s gas chamber one day in 2003. An Aug. 10, 2003, story said the owners had dropped Quentin off at the city animal shelter, saying they were moving to an apartment that didn’t allow pets. Eight days later, “Workers tranquilized eight dogs, including Quentin, and placed them in an airtight box. They pumped in carbon monoxide. Fifteen minutes passed. Seven dogs succumbed. Quentin, for reasons that experts can only guess at, survived with no ill effects.” To read more on this story, click here: Quentin,The Dog Who Survived The Gas Chamber At The St. Louis Dog Pound, Dies
A deep-sea swimming sea cucumber has been filmed in the Southern Ocean off East Antarctica for the first time. Real name Enypniastes eximia, commonly known as the "headless chicken sea monster", the creature had previously only been filmed in the Gulf of Mexico. Data from the underwater cameras will be fed back to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the international body managing the Southern Ocean.
Pekin ducks are a large-breed, white dabbling duck that was domesticated over 2000 years ago. Although the location is often disputed, all agree it was probably somewhere in Southeast Asia. By using selective breeding habits, these birds were bred to produce bigger eggs, more meat, and to have a visual appearance that appeases the eye. Since then, Pekins have become one of the most common production ducks in the world today! In general, a Pekin is a big, white duck with an orange beak that is a hearty, friendly bird. These ducks were bred specifically for meat and egg production but have become almost synonymous with the word duck today. These calm-natured ducks are a little bit skittish but make excellent pets due to their unique personalities and overall durability. Raising Pekins is easier than raising most any other breed of domestic duck because of their strong immune systems and ability to survive in extreme conditions. What Does a Duck Eat? Ducks are scavengers and they will eat just about anything that will fit into their mouths. To get the maximum lifespan from this feathered creature, help it eat healthily. Although ducks will not overeat, they will devour unhealthy junk food. So what do ducks eat? In the wild, depending on the time of year and location, ducks eat a wide variety of things. These little guys can eat so many things the list is just too big to list, so here are a few random healthier items to help you get an idea of how broad a wild duck's typical diet is. Ducks eat aquatic things like fish, frogs, and algae. They also eat nuts, berries, seeds, and forage. Even worms, crickets flies, and mosquitos are on the menu. To read more on this story, click here:Everything You Need to Know About Pekin Ducks
It’s a case of life imitating art ― wildlife, that is. Nature photographer Dafna Ben Nun was in Zimbabwe when she saw something straight out of a movie: “The Lion King,” to be exact. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw an adult baboon holding a baby, looking exactly like Simba in ‘The Lion King,’” she told Caters News Agency. “It was just a split second, but it was fascinating to watch.” Nun said the baboons were all in the same group, so no harm was done to any of them. She posted the photo Wednesday on Facebook. To read more on this story, and see the video, click here: Baboon In Zimbabwe Holds Infant Just Like Rafiki In ‘Lion King’ It’s The Circle of Life
You're walking in your grandmother's backyard, approaching a creek you played in during your childhood. You're with your dog, and nostalgia hits you sweet and salty like an ocean breeze. Then, suddenly, you notice something is off. In fact, you notice the head of some animal rearing out of the water, an animal taller than you are. Your pupils dilate. You want to screech in fear. It's a 200+ pound six-foot-five kangaroo, just taking a bath in your grandma's creek. Jackson from Perth sighted the animal at 11:30 am: "I have been going to that creek since I was a little boy and there have always been kangaroos on the property. I was walking my dog and we saw this huge roo standing in the water. I have never seen a kangaroo standing in the water like that, we could just see his head at first, and he was one of the biggest I have ever seen. "As I ran around him to take a picture he came closer and that was when I realised he was coming right at me and he was really big. I am pretty confident around animals but the moment when he started to come out of the water my heart definitely jumped and I decided to take a few steps back. He looked to be at least two metres (6ft 5in) tall, or taller, and must have weighed at least 100 kg (16st)." U wot, m8? "He had a really big body and was taller than me. There are a lot of roos at my grandma's place but I have never seen one that muscular before - he was a big macho male. I decided to get Dharma out of there as we thought the kangaroo was going to lure him into the water to drown him. To read more on this story, click here:Man Stumbles Upon Gigantic Muscular Kangaroo Bathing in Australian Creek
