Animals

Photographer Captures Perfectly Timed Image of Butterflies Drinking Turtle Tears

By Jackson Chung August 13, 2015

Photo credit: Amalavida.tv via Peta Pixel

Being able to capture a butterfly resting on another animal is an incredible feat already, but this perfectly timed photo, captured in Ecuador, shows a pair of Julia Butterflies drinking tears from the eyes of two turtles. Scientifically speaking, “tear-feeding” is referred to as “lachryphagy” in nature, and by the looks of things, the turtles are used to it. Click here to view the first image in this weeks funny school pictures gallery. Continue reading for a viral video of NASA testing the rocket that will eventually take humans to Mars.

This Creature is Not a Megalodon, Just Deep Blue, the Largest Great White Shark Ever Caught on Film

By Jackson Chung August 13, 2015

Shark researcher Mauricio Hoyos Padilla has just released new footage of Deep Blue, a 20-foot-long great white shark believed to be the largest of its kind in the world, swimming near researchers in steel cages. It was captured off Mexico’s Guadalupe Island in 2013, but the researcher just recently found the recording on his computer. Near the end of the clip, you’ll see the shark bumping into one of the cages with its nose, showing off it’s rows of razor-sharp teeth to the camera below. Continue reading for another video of Deep Blue.

Photographer Captures Enchanting Portraits of a Baby and Bulldog Born on the Same Day

By Jackson Chung August 12, 2015

Photo credit: Ivette Ivans

Ivette Ivens, a 25-year-old mother from Chicago, saw a French bulldog puppy – whom she later named Farley – that was born on the same day as her baby son Dilan about 8-months ago, she knew it was a sign. “I saw Farley’s birth date and just knew it’s meant. I’m pretty sure Dilan thinks they’re both the same species, as they walk at the same level and are both going through the stage of chewing on everything,” said Ivens. Continue reading for more pictures.

Geek Builds Arduino-Powered Machine That Requires His Clever Cat to Hunt, Before Receiving a Meal

By Jackson Chung August 7, 2015

Geek and cat lover Ben Millam decided to make things interesting around the house. So, he built an Arduino-powered machine that dispenses food when a ball is dropped into the chute. His cat, Monkey, basically runs around the house, hunting for a ball, and once found, he brings it over to the funnel. “It’s partly to establish and survey their territory, but they’re also practicing ‘mobile’ hunting: moving about, being curious, and poking their noses around in the hopes of upsetting potential prey and finding a meal. So what if my cat, while out on patrol, actually found its prey? Surely this would bring him one step closer towards a more fulfilled and self-actualized indoor kitty existence,” said Millam. In related news, continue reading for a viral video of 10 awesome cat facts.

He Found Some Chipmunks and Placed Figures Around Them, What Happened Next Looks Like a Star Wars Parody

By Jackson Chung July 29, 2015

Brick artist Chris McVeigh decided to make use of a fun group of chipmunks he found wandering his parent’s backyard, and started “Chipmunk Adventures”. This photo series depicts plastic Star Wars action figures interacting with the small creatures, with everything from Darth Vader taking a joyride to Chewbacca offering a rodent an almond. He became so familiar with these little critters that certain chipmunks would return to the lawn when he whistled. Continue reading for more pictures.

Photographers Capture 24 Animals Who Might Have Been Camera Operators in Past Lives

By Jackson Chung July 28, 2015

There are skateboarding dogs, cats that can play keyboards, and apparently, animals who just might have been camera operators / photographers in past lives. Above, we have a koala that seems to have taken over a television broadcast, and filled in for whoever was there before. Not every animal is capable of using such complex equipment, but having a pet that knows how to operate a point-and-shoot camera would be good enough for most road trips. Continue reading for more.

This is Not an Alien Creature, Just a Weird Sea Slug That Devours So Much Algae it Can Photosynthesize

By Jackson Chung July 22, 2015

At first glance, this appears to be an other-worldly alien creature, but it’s just a Costasiella kuroshimae, also known as a “Leaf Sheep”. Unlike other sea slugs, the cartoon-like kuroshimae feeds on algae, and is one of the only animals in the world that can photosynthesize. In other words, they suck out the chloroplasts from algate and incorporate them into their own bodies in a process called kleptoplasty, essentially making them solar-powered slugs. They can be found in waters near Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. Continue reading for a video and more pictures.

These 20 Perfectly Timed Photos Transform Normal Dogs Into Giant Creatures

By Jackson Chung July 18, 2015

No, you’re not looking at a giant dog running towards the camera, just a clever photography trick known as forced-perspective. This technique employs an optical illusion to make an object appear farther away, closer, larger or smaller than it actually is. It manipulates human visual perception through the use of scaled objects and the correlation between them and the vantage point of the spectator or camera. Continue reading for more perfectly timed photos that transform normal dogs into giant creatures.

Photographers Capture 24 Kittens Who Can Sleep Just About Anywhere

By Jackson Chung July 16, 2015

Humans may require at least a bed or couch to sleep comfortably, but these photographers captured a few kittens who can snooze just about anywhere, including in the middle of a book. On a related note, did you know that on average, cats sleep about two thirds of every day? That’s right, and if you do the math, it means your 9-year-old kitty has slept away about six years of life. Chances are, they will find a favorite napping spot and go back to it each day, regardless of if they outgrow it. Continue reading for more.

Artist Envisions What Skeletons Trying to Escape Animal Bodies Would Look Like

By Jackson Chung July 7, 2015

Photo credit: Paul Jackson

British artist Paul Jackson, who now resides in Toronto, Canada, specializes in dark pen-and-pencil drawings of various animals’ skeletons (sometimes organs) trying to escape their bodies. He started drawing when he was 5 and always knew that the career path of a professional artist was his life’s calling. That’s not to say he didn’t try other things first, as Jackson toured the world with a band for 8-years first. Continue reading for more.