A lot of models have been designed so far. Initially, the models looked very uncomfortable and tight but better technology has been used to make dog masks more effective and comfortable for the animal it is put on. The masks are designed such that the dog can see through it easily and it will have to be fitted for every dogs as they can have different sizes.

These lizards can be found in the desert, hiding under rocks. You will see how their tails are used to make a dish. The rest of the body gets wasted. They are cooked in a pot along with vegetables and rice. Although they don’t look very appetizing, in places where food is scarce, I suppose this is like a luxury.

Mmmm, tasty: Willy sticks out his grey tongue to lick up the ice cubes – and maple syrup – from his treat

What a cool gift! Willy frolics happily on his bed of ice

Willy, who weighs a staggering 800 lbs or 57 stones, is pictured licking the ice, eating an apple and lounging, in scenes more like the Arctic than a zoo. The ice cubes were donated to the zoo by a local ice company. Photographer Valerie Abbott, 51, took the pictures while watching Willy for two and a half hours. She said: ‘Willy was anxious to get out and play in the new ice. He rolled around, dug into the ice, laid on his back and would root in it with his nose.

I’m done now: Worn out from his play, a sleepy Willy plops onto his tummy for a n-ice nap

‘When the keeper threw him the apple at first he didn’t notice but his strong sense of smell eventually led him to it. ‘I was incredibly lucky to get a picture of Willy sticking his tongue out so far as he licked the ice.’ The zoo used the event to launch a fundraising appeal to raise money to expand the polar bear enclosure. Temperatures in North Carolina rarely dip below freezing.

The colossal mammal is being ruthlessly slaughtered to extinction by ivory poachers with the population – currently 600,000 – diminishing by 38,000 a year.

These figures, calculated using the annual number of illegal tusk seizures, significantly exceed elephant birth rates meaning the species could face extinction entirely within 15 years, says Samuel Wasser of the Scientific American Journal.

The worldwide illegal trade in wildlife is valued at 10s of billions of American dollars (£12.5billion) and is believed to have the same significance now as the blood-diamond trade during the peak of the African civil wars.

In 2006, 11 metric tonnes of illegal ivory were seized from ships bound for Taiwan and Japan.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) says immediate action needs to be taken. The group calls for EU and CITES members (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) to stop supporting legal ivory sales. Instead, they urge members to back Kenya’s proposal to extend the current “resting period” on elephant and ivory sales from nine to 20 years at the next CITES meeting in March 2010.

“This alarming level of illegal hunting could drive the African elephant to extinction across much of Africa in just 15 years,” said Robbie Marsland, director of IFAW UK.

He added: “Most people will be shocked to hear that, 20 years on from a ban on international ivory trade, elephants in Africa are still threatened by commercial poaching. The ivory trade must be banned once again, and comprehensively, if we want to prevent the extinction of elephants.

“Sadly, the truth is that ivory trade anywhere is a threat to elephants everywhere.”

Chad’s Zakouma National Park had 3,885 elephants in 2005 but by 2009 the figure had plummeted to just 617. At least 11 rangers were killed by poachers there over the same period.

Elephants are not alone in the illegal trafficking of wildlife parts. In the last few years, 55,000 reptile skins from India, 19,000 big-eye thresher shark fins in Ecuador and 23 metric tonnes of pangolin in Asia have all been seized.

Here is a list of some of the top father’s in the animal kingdom:

Sea Horse

The beautiful colored seahorses belong to the most magnificent and most remarkable organisms of the seas.  There are about 35 different species of seahorses spread all over the world. The Seahorses is the only creature where the male has a true reversed pregnancy. Male seahorses are equipped with a brood pouch on their ventral, or front-facing, side. When mating, the female deposits her eggs into his pouch, and the male fertilizes them internally. Within two or three weeks between 50 and 1.500 seahorse babies develop inside the males pouch, which are finally living born. Frequently not all of the babies will dismiss at one time from the pouch, but in several phases over some minutes or hours, in extreme cases it takes even one or two days. Several males die a few days after birth of the ponies because of remaining dead babies in the pouch resulting in putrefaction and bacterial infection.

Emperor Penguin

Emperors are the largest of all penguins—an average bird stands some 45 inches (115 centimeters) tall. These flightless animals live on the Antarctic ice and in the frigid surrounding waters. After mating, the female lays one large egg. The egg is then immediately rolled to the top of the male’s feet. The egg is then incubated or kept warm on the male’s feet by a thick fold of skin that hangs from the belly of the male. During this two-month bout of babysitting the males eat nothing and are at the mercy of the Antarctic elements. When female penguins return to the breeding site, they bring a belly full of food that they regurgitate for the newly hatched chicks. Meanwhile, their duty done, male emperors take to the sea in search of food for themselves.

Giant African Bullfrog

This is a large frog, many weighing in over 2 kg. The African Bullfrog is carnivorous and a voracious eater, eating insects, small rodents, reptiles, small birds and other amphibians. The giant African bullfrog is a dad with a very special talent — he can eat anything that he can fit into his mouth. Not sure how much that helps in terms of child rearing, but with over 6,000 little ones to raise it’s got to come in handy sometimes. The South American Darwin frog is also a remarkable dad, thanks to his unique method for protecting his eggs: He swallows them, keeping them tucked inside his vocal sacs for six weeks. When they’re ready to hatch, it’s like morning sickness gone wrong — very wrong.

Jacana

African Jacanas are not known to be monogomous in their mating patterns. A mating pair can have up to 30 clutches of eggs each season, resulting from either the same partner or various partners. The female African Jacana is more dominant than her male counterpart. Females are twice as large as males and can be very picky about who they choose as a mate. The female African Jacanas does not generally choose the same male partner for every clutch of eggs that she lays. This species of birds are known as ‘lily walkers’ because their slender legs and toes give them the gracefulness to walk on the lily pads that blanket their wetlands. Due to their smaller size, males are more graceful ‘lily walkers’ than females. The female African Jacana lays several clutches of eggs between December and April, The clutches may be from a variety of mates or only one mate, depending on the circumstances. The male African Jacana is the main caretaker of the offspring, incubating the eggs and carrying the baby chicks under his wings to keep them warm and dry until the chicks are approximately 18 days old.

Stickleback

Sticklebacks are small fish (2-4 inches) characterized by a row of free dorsal spines in front of the dorsal fin combined with the absence of scales.  At mating time, the male builds a tubelike nest of vegetation glued together with a secretion from his kidneys. He then lures the female into the nest, where she lays her eggs. After fertilizing the eggs, the male guards the nest and cares for the young. Sticklebacks are popular aquarium fishes. They are usually not kept together with other kinds of fish because they are aggressive. Sticklebacks are not important forage fish and, consequently, of little value as bait. They feed on tiny aquatic animals.

Elephant  Rides

Elephants, the largest land animals in the world, inspire a feeling of awe and respect in most people. Weighing up to 6 tons (11 000lb) and reaching speeds of up to 40km/hr, this giant of the animal kingdom has an impressive presence. Elephants are extremely agile for their size. They can walk along narrow paths through a jungle and climb steep hills without loosing their balance. A ride on elephant will provide memories that last a lifetime. The elephants are prepared with a comfortable saddle  so all you have to do is hold on and enjoy the ride. One of the places where you can have this ride is Chiang Mai, Thailand. Chiang Mai is in the northern, mountainous part of the country, and elephants have been working here for centuries. Lately, more elephants are working as trekkers instead of logging help due to tourist demand. Being surrounded by these enormous animals and moving along with them is a truly wonderful experience. Being immersed so deeply in nature and interacting with such powerful creatures is deeply rewarding and satisfying and is an opportunity that should not be missed.

Camel Ride

While camels are are widely acknowledged efficient pack animals. Their long strides and strong humps make a camel ride a fast and fun experience. A good portion of them are used for labor and transportation, but a fair share are used in eco-tourism and soft adventure tours, mostly in the Middle East. The problem with camels, besides their disposition, their body odor and tendency to expectorate unexpectedly, is the way they walk. Camels, on the other hand, lift both front and back hooves of the left side, then front and back of the right side. This creates a very powerful swaying motion from right to left. Considering that most camels are about 6.5 feet (2 meters) tall, and the passenger sits on top of the hump, which is another 12 inches (30 cm) upward, that’s a lot of motion high in the sky. If you really want to ride camel, high chances for this are in Egypt. Camels are relatively emotional and intelligent animals and respond best to familiar handlers. Be sure to ride a domesticated camel under the supervision of someone who knows how to control the animal.

Ostrich Rides

If you’re ever in South Africa and would like to do something different, try riding an ostrich. It can be a fun and exciting activity, assuming you’re up for the challenge. Ostriches are the tallest living birds on the planet. The Ostrich is a large, flightless bird – the largest living bird on earth. When fully grown it weighs over 120kg pounds. Ostrich have long necks, small heads, large eyes, long, powerful legs, and two toes on each foot. Ostriches have great vision and because of their strong legs can run at 70 km per hour. Ostriches are inquisitive birds that will peck anyone or anything. You will certainly feel the peck but it doesn’t hurt. But, be cautioned, beware of their claws! They kick forward, not backward, and their claws are sharp enough to inflict wounds. Especially the males who become aggressive as they get older.

Dog Sledding

Sled dogs, known also as sleightman dogs, sledge dogs, or sleddogs are types of dogs that are used to pull a wheel-less vehicle on runners (a sled or sleigh) over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines. Several distinct dog breeds are in common use as sled dogs, although any medium-sized breed may be used to pull a sled. Purebred sled dog breeds range from the well-known Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute to rarer breeds such as the Mackenzie River Husky or the Canadian Eskimo Dog (Canadian Inuit Dog). Dog drivers, however, have a long history of using other breeds or crossbreds as sled dogs. In the days of the Gold Rush in The Yukon, mongrel teams were the rule, but there were also teams of Foxhounds and Staghounds.  If you want a ride like this, go to Bern, Switzerland.

Ox-Cart Rides

For those who love old ethnic traditional way of transportation, can drive in an Ox- cart. This will give you an experience of the unique mode of transport. Ox Carts, Carretas, are the true traditions. They’re not great on the freeway, but for short stretches, riding an ox-cart is a great experience. It will take you through Nepal’s rugged, rural terrain, but also on a trip back in time.

This astonishing picture taken by specialist aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand shows flamingos on Lake Nakuru in Kenya’s Rift Valley, where up to 1.5 million have been seen at a time.

Widely regarded as the greatest bird spectacle on earth, the myriad flamingos gather there to feed on the abundant blue-green algae which thrive in the warm alkaline waters, with their high soda content caused by intense evaporation in the burning African sun.

Scientists believe that the vast flamingo population at Nakuru can consume as much as 500 tons of algae every day.

They feed with their long necks bent down and their bills upside down in the water, using their tongues to pump in and out to suck in the salty, alkaline water and mud.

Filters in the bill catch the microscopic algae floating in the water, as well as the small shrimps which give them their pink colour.

Fortunately, given the brackish water, flamingos have a poor sense of taste and no sense of smell.

There are two types of flamingo species on the lake: the Lesser flamingo, distinguished by its deep red carmine bill and pink plumage, and the Greater, which has a bill with a black tip.

Conservationists are increasingly concerned that pollution from local industries is causing the flamingo population at Lake Nakuru – a protected area – to fall.

Arthus-Bertrand has travelled the world photographing flamingos – and has captured their elegance in flight with this astonishing picture (right) taken in the Saharan oasis of Ouargla, eastern Algeria.

But for sheer breathtaking spectacle, nowhere can match the flamingos of Kenya’s Rift Valley.

Koopa is the world’s first internationally collected, professional turtle artist. His paintings are the finest quality nonhuman-created art available anywhere. Koopa is under no stress when he paints. The slippery texture is just like mud to him and it is equally safe. Every gorgeous detail is created through Koopa’s natural walking motion. He is not coerced, assisted, or guided in any way during the painting process. A Certificate of Authenticity and a CD rom (containing at least 30 photos of this painting’s creation) will be included with the artwork. Koopa’s goal is to have at least one of his paintings hang in all 50 states, and at least one on every continent, except Antarctica. No small feat for a box turtle! Koopa knows that life isn’t so good for all turtles, so 20% of the purchase price from all of Koopa’s paintings will be donated to a non-profit organization that cares for sick/injured/abandoned turtles and tortoises. Koopa’s art has raised over $10,000.00 for turtle rescue organizations.

Piggy Painters: Van Snout and his pal Bottabelli. A farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon, England has stumbled upon a novel idea to raise funds for their Farm Crisis Network charity. The farm has enlisted the help of two piglets, known as “Van Snout” and “Bottabelli” who one day accidentally got into a few cans of non-toxic paint, and the next day had become artists. Their work is comparable to a Jackson Pollock painting for its messy and loose design, and wild mix of colors. Farm owner Chris Murray said “The pigs tended to go more for pointilism – they weren’t too keen on cubism. We think of them as our little Pigassos.” The paintings sell for up to £16 each and have raised more than £150 so far, which is sure to grow once the news spreads. The quality of the paintings is actually quite good, so good that you may be surprised to see who the true artists are behind the works.

He is the artist who paints without putting brush to canvas. Instead, Steven Kutcher uses moths, beetles, spiders, flies, honey bees, butterflies, grasshoppers – and even Hissing Cockroaches from Madagascar. He dips the insects in paint, places them on a blank canvas and lets their movement create a string of colourful paintings. Mr Kutcher, 63, uses insects as living paintbrushes, guiding them by using their reaction to light or simply letting them wriggle at will. He said: “I’ll take a bug in my hand and, leg by leg, load the paint on to each leg. Then I put them on to the canvas and off they go, leaving a tiny trail of coloured footprints in their wake. “I can switch colours and even insects to create the effect I am looking for. “If a bug is sensitive to light, I can influence its movement on the canvas by controlling the lighting. “Insects have different footprints and behaviours so I use both my entomological and artistic knowledge to create fine works of art.” The artist, who lives in Los Angeles, is a keen environmentalist and says he ensures his paint-soaked insects are unharmed. He said: “I use water-based, nontoxic gouache paints which easily wash off. I have to take good care of them. After all, they are artists.”

The girl, aged about 12, saw the echidna dart down a stormwater drain at McDonald’s on the Princes Freeway about 6.30pm and became concerned for its welfare.

CFA operations officer Simon Bloink said the girl wrapped her arm and hand in a towel and reached in to try and pull the echidna out.

But the wildlife rescue turned into a human rescue when the echidna’s quills trapped the girl’s arm and left her caught with a dislocated shoulder.

“As she started to try and pull the echidna backwards, all the echidna’s done is stand up and jammed her hand and arm between the wall of the drain so that the spines were sticking into her hand and arm so every time she moved that was the process,” Mr Bloink said.

“Once the firefighters got there, obviously with gloves on, put their hand down, removed a bit of dirt but also touched the echidna and the echidna just walked forward which released her arm.”

The girl was taken to Latrobe Regional Hospital with a dislocated shoulder.

Mr Bloink said the echidna stayed hidden from the drama and locals had told firefighters it was often seen in and around the drain.

“As emergency services, calls never cease to amaze you. You go to so many different things at different times and this was just one of those interesting ones,” he said.