PETA is celebrating the holidays—and who better to ring in a “Meowy
Catmas” than a chorus of singing, animated cats? They—along with a
special guest who pops up to wish everyone a “hoppy New Year”—are
the stars of PETA’s new holiday video, which you can view here.
http://features.peta.org/meowy-catmas/ I thought you might be
interested in sharing this fun, festive video with your readers.

Shoppers can also celebrate “Catmas” with gifts from the PETA Catalog,
which offers a Cat Gift Set—complete with organic catnip, three
toys, and a durable scratch pad—and a special Kitt-In Box, a cat
perch for home offices that allows kitties to curl up near their busy
humans. And the catalog has plenty to offer two-legged family members
as well, including holiday cards and 2012 calendars.

Thanksgiving may just be the most perilous day to be a turkey— after all, we call it Turkey Day. When the birds are under all that stress, who can blame them for wanting to take a little revenge? From chasing after mail trucks to pecking at presidents, you’ve Gotta Watch these turkeys unleash their wrath.

Wild turkey chase—A turkey might not seem like a very menacing animal — until it’s chasing you. One Sacramento TV producer went to check out reports of a turkey named “Terrible Tom” terrorizing a neighborhood. She got a lot more than she bargained for. See her hilarious reaction to this wild turkey.

Watch the hilarious videos here

Here is a hilarious picture of a lizard posing for the camera. We think he has a strong future in reptile modelling.

Here is a great picture sent to us with some guys dog trying to help him feel better. Thanks kind dog, we salute you.

Less famous than its ground-dwelling, boxing relatives, the golden-mantled tree kangaroo (pictured above) has jumped onto the list of species facing extinction. It looks similar to a kangaroo or wallaby, but has strong forearms and a long ringed tail. Tree kangaroos also have rubbery soles on shorter, wider feet to make them more adept at climbing than kangaroos on the ground. Though they are slow and clumsy on land, tree kangaroos move expertly through trees, wrapping their forearms around a limb and using the hind legs to propel themselves up. They also leap with ease between trees. The golden-mantled tree kangaroo lives in the forested areas of a mountain range in Papua New Guinea and was discovered in Indonesia in 2006 by a group of scientists. As more of the forest is cleared away to be made into cultivated land, the tree kangaroo’s home is shrinking — bad news when it has been run out of 99% of its historical habitat range. In 2008 there were only 250 of its kind left, and experts expect the number to drop under 200 in the next 10 years or so.

This Gremlin-esque little guy comes, unsurprisingly, from the island of Siau in Indonesia. Tarsiers are nocturnal primates with extremely large eyes, soft fur, and long fingers and feet. Researchers believe the Siau Island tarsier numbers in the low thousands, and local residents have said they’ve seen fewer and fewer of these tarsiers during the past 10 years. Take into account that more than half of the animal’s home is an active volcano and that the island’s human population is rumored to regularly eat five to 10 tarsiers in one sitting, and the future’s not looking good for this species. In fact, it was put on the 2008-2010 list of the 25 most endangered primates, ranking up there with heavyweight names like the Sumatran Orangutan and Cross River Gorilla.

A slightly smaller version of your average sloth found only on one small island off the coast of Panama, the pygmy three-toed sloth is inching its way toward extinction with presumably fewer than 500 of its kind remaining. Though apparently not helping it survive human threats, this sloth’s set of skills includes the ability to turn its head 360 degrees and to grow algae on its fur. The algae is thought to be a sort of camouflage, but it hasn’t been able to protect the sloth from fishermen, who hunt the sloths and can spot them easily in their habitats near open sea. And while sloths have gotten a bad name for being lazy, what with the whole seven deadly sins thing, maybe that reputation will help them in this instance. Hopefully when it comes to extinction, these sloths will go very slowly.

If something’s not done to protect the beluga, the rich and famous may have to do without their caviar dreams permanently. The beluga, or European sturgeon, is one of the few sturgeons whose egg masses are used to make traditional caviar. Because of this notoriety, though, the beluga is frequently overfished and poached. And because it takes about 15 years for a beluga to mature, it is difficult for the fish to recover from being hunted. Not to be confused with the beluga whale, this ugly fish looks like something that could’ve gone extinct with the dinosaurs. A fully grown sturgeon can grow up to 15 feet long and weigh 2500 pounds. The largest one ever recorded was more than 3000 pounds and measured almost 25 feet. But the numbers of this big fish are dwindling, decreasing about 90% during the last 60 years. Most of the beluga in the world today are raised in hatcheries, and it may not be long until this animal is extinct in the wild.

You would think that a mammal that is able to fly would be evolved enough to avoid facing extinction, but that’s not the case with the Namdapha flying squirrel. Being fuzzy and adorable apparently isn’t helping either. This squirrel has only been found in one park in northeastern India so it is in great danger of disappearing. Among the top threats to the squirrel are human and animal predators and the degradation of its habitat. Like other flying squirrels, the Namdapha flying squirrel is able to soar from tree to tree using a parachute-like muscle membrane on the sides of its body. As it’s soaring, the squirrel is able to steer itself by moving its legs, tail and the membrane. The main differences between this squirrel and its cousins, like Rocky the Flying Squirrel, are the coloring and some variations in its features. Maybe this flying squirrel needs some help from Bullwinkle to save the day.

This species of cat is just about out of lives. The near-relative to the common bobcat has earned the title of “world’s most threatened species of cat” and could become the first feral cat to become extinct in about 2000 years. The Iberian lynx lives in Spain and possibly in Portugal, and while this cat’s preferred food is rabbits, it has been forced to hunt other types of prey as the rabbit population has decreased drastically due to disease. The lynx has also increasingly been killed by speeding traffic on Spain’s growing network of roads. In 2000, there were thought to be 400 Iberian lynx remaining. By 2003, that number had been cut to about 160 and then possibly to 100 by 2005. It’s rumored that the Spanish government is releasing rabbits into the wild to replenish the lynx’s hunting grounds and organizations are calling for the closure of the busiest road that runs through the lynx habitat. It’s yet to be seen if these actions could help this cat species land on its feet.

Considered by many to be the world’s most beautiful tortoise species, the radiated tortoise is in a losing race against time. It’s found on the southern coast of Madagascar, and though it once numbered in the millions, it has been hunted to a point that the species may not survive. People use its meat for food, but it is also said to be an aphrodisiac — some people from China will pay $50 to eat one. The bright star pattern on its shell also makes the tortoise a commodity in the illegal pet trade market. Madagascar park authorities and law enforcement are poorly equipped to deal with poachers, and the poachers have even started hunting the radiated tortoise on protected areas, like reserves or World Heritage Sites. Some scientists have predicted that this tortoise could be extinct in 20 years if drastic measures aren’t taken.

Only two kinds of monk seals still exist: the Hawaiian monk seal and the Mediterranean monk seal. And both are close to extinction. To make matters more serious, the third monk seal species, the Caribbean monk seal, went extinct sometime in the last 60 years. (To make matters less serious, native Hawaiians call their monk seal ‘Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua, a name that means “dog that runs in rough water.”) The threats to monk seals include angry fisherman who are afraid they can’t compete with the seals for fish, water pollution and the use of boats and the beaches where seals frequent. There are about 1000 Hawaiian monk seals alive today, but experts predict that number will fall to 200 in the next 20 years. Only 350 to 450 Mediterranean monk seals remain and that number is also falling.

This blue-and-yellow Bolivian bird has quickly decreased in number during the past few generations. Its bright feathers makes it a favorite as a pet, and though it’s illegal to trade macaws, it continues to happen. Parrot-stealing seems like the perfect crime for a pirate. There are also a few instances of the bird being hunted for its feathers to make indigenous headdresses or for its meat to bait fish hooks. This parrot’s habitat is also being threatened because it’s located on cattle farms where trees are being cut down to create pastures and provide fuel. The blue-throated macaw is also facing competition for nesting sites from other birds such as toucans and big woodpeckers, as well as other macaws. There are only about 300 blue-throated macaws in the wild today.

No matter how many bat signals Florida authorities cast into the sky, the bonneted bats aren’t coming out. This bat, Florida’s largest with a wingspan of up to 18 inches, is named for its big ears that stick out over its eyes like a hat and can only be found on the southern tip of the state. It lives in hollowed-out trees, in suburban places like attics or under Spanish roof tiles and sometimes in foliage or under rocks. But because the suitable hiding places are normally older buildings or trees with large cavities, many of the bat’s habitats are being destroyed, by both humans and hurricanes. With only 250 or so bonneted bats left, this species could be on its way out. Holy extinction, Batman!

Dama gazelles used to graze all across northern Africa, presumably showing up in herds to join in a chorus of “The Circle of Life.” But now the animals that once numbered up to 10,000 on just one reserve can only be found in a few isolated areas in Chad, Mali, and Niger. Experts say there are definitely less than 500 of these gazelles left in the wild and they can’t be found in groups of more than 20, which are normally hundreds of miles apart. The main threats to this gazelle are hunting by nomads, military and hunting parties, and a loss of its habitat because of overgrazing of domestic livestock. The dama gazelle is expected to follow the same path out of the circle of life as the Scimitar-horned Oryx, which is now extinct in the wild.

A critically endangered macaque monkey took his own photographs after grabbing a camera that had been left lying around by award-winning photographer David Slater!

While visiting a national park in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Mr. Slater inadvertently left his camera unattended for a while. The forgotten camera soon attracted the attention of an inquisitive female from a local group of crested black macaque monkeys, known for their intelligence and dexterity. Fascinated by her reflection in the lens, she then somehow managed to start the camera and capture a most excellent self-portrait! Brilliant!

More monkeys then joined in on the photo shoot. “One of them must have accidentally knocked the camera and set it off because the sound caused a bit of a frenzy,” Slater told the Daily Mail UK this week. “At first there was a lot of grimacing with their teeth showing because it was probably the first time they had ever seen a reflection.”

This is a just a really cool picture of a unique frog named the Hypnotoad. We though we go a step further and post some fun facts about frogs while your here:

In General Frog Facts

There is evidence that frogs have roamed the Earth for more than 200 million years, at least as long as the dinosaurs.
The world’s largest frog is the goliath frog of West Africa—it can grow to 15 inches and weigh up to 7 pounds. A goliath frog skeleton is featured in Frogs: A Chorus of Colors.
One of the smallest is the Cuban tree toad, which grows to half an inch long.
While the life spans of frogs in the wild are unknown, frogs in captivity have been known to live more than 20 years.
There are over 4,900 species of frogs worldwide. Scientists continue to search for new ones and estimate that more than 1,000 frog species have yet to be described.
Toads are frogs—the word “toad” is usually used for frogs that have warty and dry skin, and shorter hind legs.

The Frog Physiology

Frogs have excellent night vision and are very sensitive to movement. The bulging eyes of most frogs allow them to see in front, to the sides, and partially behind them. When a frog swallows food, it pulls its eyes down into the roof of its mouth, to help push the food down its throat.
Frogs were the first land animals with vocal cords. Male frogs have vocal sacs—pouches of skin that fill with air. These balloons resonate sounds like a megaphone, and some frog sounds can be heard from a mile away.

Frog Locomotion

Launched by their long legs, many frogs can leap more than 20 times their body length.
The Costa Rican flying tree frog soars from branch to branch with the help of its feet. Webbing between the frog’s fingers and toes extends out, helping the frog glide.

Frog Camouflage

To blend into the environment, the Budgett’s frog is muddy brown in color while the Vietnamese mossy frog has spotty skin and bumps to make them look like little clumps of moss or lichen.
Many poisonous frogs, such as the golden poison frog and dyeing poison frog, are boldly colored to warn predators of their dangerous toxic skins. Some colorful frogs, such as the Fort Randolph robber frog, have developed the same coloring as a coexisting poisonous species. Although their skins are not toxic, these mimics may gain protection from predators by looking dangerous.

Their Ability in Surviving Extremes

Like all amphibians, frogs are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperatures change with the temperature of their surroundings. When temperatures drop, some frogs dig burrows underground or in the mud at the bottom of ponds. They hibernate in these burrows until spring, completely still and scarcely breathing.
The wood frog can live north of the Arctic Circle, surviving for weeks with 65% of its body frozen. This frog uses glucose in its blood as a kind of antifreeze that concentrates in its vital organs, protecting them from damage while the rest of the body freezes solid.
The Australian water-holding frog is a desert dweller that can wait up to seven years for rain. It burrows underground and surrounds itself in a transparent cocoon made of its own shed skin.
Frogs are freshwater creatures, although some frogs such as the Florida leopard frog are able to live in brackish or nearly completely salt waters.

Frog Mating and Hatching

Almost all frogs fertilize the eggs outside of the female’s body. The male holds the female around the waist in a mating hug called amplexus. He fertilizes the eggs as the female lays them. Amplexus can last hours or days—one pair of Andean toads stayed in amplexus for four months.
The marsupial frog keeps her eggs in a pouch like a kangaroo. When the eggs hatch into tadpoles, she opens the pouch with her toes and spills them into the water.
Pipa pipa, the Suriname toad of South America (an enlarged model of a female with froglets is featured in the Museum’s Hall of Reptiles and Amphibians), carries her young embedded in the skin of her back. After mating, the eggs sink gradually into the female’s back, and a skin pad forms over the eggs. The developing juvenile frogs are visible inside their pockets for several days before hatching. They emerge over a period of days, thrusting their head and forelegs out first, then struggling free.
The gastric brooding frog of Australia swallows her fertilized eggs. The tadpoles remain in her stomach for up to eight weeks, finally hopping out of her mouth as little frogs. During the brooding period, gastric secretions cease—otherwise she would digest her own offspring.
Among Darwin frogs, it is the male who swallows and stores the developing tadpoles in his vocal sac until juvenile frogs emerge.

Despite having the coolest dog name possible Yoda is now the coolest ugly dog in the world.

Yoda, a Chinese-crested Chihuahau, wasn’t exactly blessed with good looks. But now this 14-year-old pooch has something to show for it.

The strange-looking dog was crowned World’s Ugliest Dog at the annual contest held at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in California.

The small canine weighs in at just 1.8 pounds and has wiry hair, off-set eyes and large, protruding ears.

Yoda’s owner, Terry Devine Schumacher, explained that she first thought the dog was a rat when the canine was found by her daughter in a field. But the family quickly grew to love Yoda, despite her bizarre looks.

And sometimes it pays to be ugly. Yoda takes home a prize of $1,000 and a big trophy. The pup will also have a special photo session with Kira Stackhouse of Nuena Photography and a pampered overnight stay in the luxurious Loft Suite at the Sheraton Sonoma County.

Yoda was a crowd favorite and easily won the vote. This year, the officials of the contest allowed people to send in votes via text message and Yoda quickly skyrocketed to the top spot in the competition.

We’re sure that this dog will enjoy plenty of fame and fortune now that she has a new title under her belt.

But, we have to admit, we think Yoda is far from ugly. She’s one adorable dog.

A trio of rare Snow Leopard cubs have made their public debut at a zoo in Switzerland this week.

The as yet unnamed triplets, born in Basel Zoo eight weeks ago, were displayed on Wednesday with their proud parents.

Mayhan, the cubs’ mother, was paired with father Pator in 2009 as part of a Europe-wide zoo breeding program. The pregnancy was confirmed in January this year.

The zoo said the cubs, who are still being suckled by their mother, are expected to remain in Basel for their first three years but will later travel as ambassadors for their endangered species.

Snow leopards are usually found in the Himalayan ranges of central Asia at altitudes of up to 6,000 meters.

The species has been pushed to the brink of extinction by farmers protecting their livestock and hunters who sell its fur and body parts, which are prized by some traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.

There are now an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards left living in the wild, according to the Snow Leopard Trust.