Red Rules

No, this isn't a posting about the virtues of Communism. I only want to point out why red hair is the best. However, I won't make the argument; nay, I will let this photo of a "Francois leaf-eating monkey" (wha?) in Sydney, Australia, do the talking. Nuff said.

Panda Napda

Who could possibly fall asleep in this position? I mean, it's one thing of you're a relatively small creature, like a sloth or a monkey, but a massively fat panda? His back-fat alone (and it IS a big male, in China) is threatening to break the branches that he's decided to call "mattress." He's so fat that he can use his own giant tummy as a pillow. But he's surprisingly flexible for a porker. Maybe I'm just jealous, though. If I could sleep in this position, then I'd never dread an overseas flight again!

R.I.P. Knut

ANW is sorry to report the passing of Knut, the polar bear who was hand-raised by humans at the Berlin Zoo after being rejected by his mother, and who stole hearts of millions of other humans the world over. He became famous because animal activists saw in his birth and raising the essence of what they see as zoo cruelty, and called for the zoo keepers to let him die -- which, of course, caused outrage in those who couldn't stand to see such a beautiful creature die. It's a difficult situation. All ANW can say at this point -- from having seen him "in bear" at the Berlin Zoo -- is that we're sorry to see him go at such a young age (he was only 4 years old). R.I.P., Knut. We hope that you are catching salmon and skipping on ice floes in polar-bear-heaven.

Adorable Alpacas

Funny thing is that I was just meditating last week on how much I've always loved the Camelid family -- camels, of course (such snobs, who can't love them? A cat-lover's dream!), vicunas, and alpacas, as shown here. Those huge eyes! That soft, fuzzy hair! The pert little mouth! And their very existence -- along with vicunas -- makes one think of the wonder of evolution and the shifting of the tectonic plates. They are so obviously related to their Arabian cousins, but an entire continent away.

Christian the Lion

Ah, the Swinging Sixties in London! When and where else could you share your neeps and tatties, your crisps and biscuits, with a lion? This is the story of Christian the Lion, sold at Harrod's a long time ago to a pair of guys who loved him. He made it home to Kenya . . . only to meet them again, but in his home years later. You don't want to miss this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvCjyWp3rEk

Le Flâneur

Meet Ambam. He's at an animal sanctuary in Kent, England, and he's attracting quite a lot of attention for his tendency to take strolls, as in this photo. His keepers say he does it when he wants to look over the fence, or when he's carrying something, as he appears to be doing here. Apparently he comes from a long line of strollers -- as we humans do!