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Sure, Conan O’Brien is funny, but a puppy with his iconic hair, now that’s must-see TV right there! Of course, they would have to switch up guest stars pretty regularly. Puppy Justin Bieber is cute, but I’d like to see puppy Zooey Deschanel. -via Buzzfeed

C.G.P. Grey busts some myths you may have heard about animals. He goes pretty fast, so in case you want to check the facts more slowly, the script is available at his site. Link -via The Daily What

Sometimes it’s too hard to actually get your kitty in a costume. Fortunately, with a simple cardboard box and a marker, you can make your little one the coolest geek kitty in town. Click the link to see the picture even bigger.

Link Via I Can Has Cheezburger

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, these kitties want to show us just how to celebrate the upcoming holiday. Isn’t love beautiful?

Via I Can Has Cheezburger

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Getting ready for a big move is tough, especially when you have a cat. Fortunately, this video shows you just how to box up your kitty so you the move to your new house is quick and smooth as possible.

Via I Can Has Cheezburger

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I don’t know about you guys, but I have never had a dog that actually enjoyed baths, especially one that pretty much laid back and soaked like this one does. I can tell you it would be a welcome change though.

Via Cute Overload

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Wikki wikki wikki what. Go Frenchie, it’s your birthday.

Via I Has A Hot Dog

Of course, I’d hate to see this Dovahkiin actually slay the equally adorable elder dragon.

Link Via Geekosystem

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Silly rabbit, herding sheep is for dogs, not herbivores.

Via io9

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What more could an amorous porcupine ask for than a heart-shaped box of corn and a bouquet of red roses? It’s all just so romantic.

Via BoingBoing

Is giving a cow whiskey the secret to ensuring it will live a long healthy life? It might sound silly, but if Bertha, the world’s longest-living cow had a few shots every year before staring in the St. Patrick’s Day parade, then who knows, maybe it helps. Interestingly, Bertha also holds the record for most calves birthed by one cow.

Read about more long-living animals over at Mental Floss.

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This is what I look like after a night of hardcore blogging. To be fair, a dog this lazy could only belong to a lazy person who obviously didn’t want to bother cleaning up the spilled food himself.

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There you have it gamblers, go put your money down on the Giants. Teddy the Porcupine has called it and you can’t deny his foresight.

This adorable little critter is the newest addition to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in New York. But it has a problem -the chick (whose gender remains unknown as of yet) still doesn’t have a name. That’s where you come in. You can submit two names, one for each gender and Spanish names are preferred. The zoo staff will narrow the selections down to five finalists and the public will get to vote on the official name. As for prizes:

The winner will receive a VIP tour of the zoo and will become the adoptive parent of the named chick for one year.

Any ideas?

Link Via ZooBorns

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We’ve shown videos of the Big Cat Rescue group before, but one thing left out of their usual videos are all the tiny cats and the non-cat species living on the organization’s property.

Via I Can Has Cheezburger

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Just like the king of internet kitties, little Bo just swears he’s small enough to fit in any box.

Via Reddit

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Living in San Diego, I always think snow is awesome, but for those of you who live in it and are getting tired of the flurries, it can be nice to remember that at least someone is having fun in the frost.

National Geographic magazine photographer Joel Sartore is taking a working tour of the American zoos in order to take portraits of the world’s animals. It’s all part of the the Biodiversity Project. Learn more about the Biodiversity Project and see some of those awesome portraits up close at the Neatorama Spotlight Blog. Link

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If that last post creeped you out a bit, here’s a great palate cleanser for you. Of course, like many adorable animal videos, you might want to watch it on mute.

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What happens when a little dog finds a giant pile of leaves to play in? Hilarity, of course.

via Geekosystem

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You never know which box he will choose and how he will approach entering each one. Likewise, you never know if he will actually fit into each box.

Via Cute Overload

From wolphins to ligers to beefalos, hybrid animals may not be true species yet, but they are still fascinating both biologically and visually. The Daily Beast has a great article featuring twelve such species with some cool photos to go along with them. Enjoy!

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This might just be the happiest the dog I’ve ever seen online…which is saying a lot.

Via Laughing Squid

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Regular readers might recognize this adorable little guy from Miss C’s post on him from last month, but just in case you don’t recognize him, here’s the original post. Now that you’re familiar with Lil’ Drac, you can watch this update on the cute little bat that stole the world’s heart.

Via Cute Overload

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Life is hard as a cute little panda who just doesn’t want to be stuck in its crib.

When big storms hit the coast, adult seals can swim through the rough seas, but little guys often end up abandoned on the beach. Fortunately, the RSPCA is there to help treat them and care for them until the cool weather recedes. Best of all, we’re left with dozens of adorable baby seal pictures to cheer us up during these cold months.

Link Via Discovery

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I don’t often use the word “squee,” but this video just evokes the noise from my lips. What about you guys?

To be fair, Ewoks already look a lot like cute little puppies and Darth doesn’t look quite right without his helmet. That being said, Princess Leia looks spot on.

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You’ve already seen a picture of the AT-AT dog, but this shot of the little one munching on dinner is simply too precious to ignore.

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As a proud chinchilla owner, I can tell you, it’s hard enough to socialize them, let alone train them. That’s why this video is just so darn impressive -aside from how adorable the little guy is on his own.

Cute Overload is the internet Mecca for all things cute, which is why their list of top ten cutest critter photos might just be one of the best  end of the year lists you’ll see this month. While many of the pictures were featured on Neatorama over the last year, not all of them have been…yet.

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These two critters are rescued animals that now reside over at the Hillside Animal Sanctuary. Aren’t they adorable together?

Via Geekosystem

New Year’s babies are considered to be good luck, but when you’re as adorable as these baby leopard tortoises, you certainly don’t need to worry about luck. These little cuties were born at the Zoo Pragu, three on New Year’s Eve and three after midnight on New Year’s Day. While they’re tiny enough to fit all six in one woman’s hand right now, they won’t be for long…these guys will grow to up to 120 pounds each. At least their keepers will have plenty of photos to remember them in their infancy.

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While some people criticize the efforts put into these prosthetics, particularly in species that are not under threat of extinction, it is important to realize that these developments could help save a critical breeding member of an endangered species one day. Additionally, many of these techniques are brand new and by testing them on animals, researchers are developing useful insights to see if they may one day work on humans. If you end up losing a body part and get a bionic replacement twenty years from now, you might just have a cat or dog to thank for your top-of-the-line prosthetic.

Oscar the Cat

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Oscar lost his two rear legs in an accident with a combine harvester. After losing so much blood, his owners were told to expect the worst, but even after he survived the ordeal, their vet warned that cats rarely live happy lives with only two legs. Fortunately, he referred Oscars owners, Kate Allen and Mike Nolan to a veterinary surgeon who specializes in state-of-the-art animal medicine.

After looking at Oscar’s situation, Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick agreed to take on the new patient, surgically fitting him with implants that can eventually be attached to prosthetic paws. The surgery makes Oscar a notable kitty as he is the first cat to ever have prosthetic paws.

While the process was a success, Oscar’s paws haven’t yet been perfected for outdoor use. He has been made to be a house cat for the rest of his life, but really…that’s not all that bad now is it, especially when you consider how he was injured in the first place.

Storm the Dog

The first animal to receive such treatment though was Storm, a Belgian Sheperd, who lost his paw after it became infected with a tumor. The same vet that would later provide Oscar with his bionic paws, Noel Fitzpatrick, was the first to offer this service to any animal and Storm was the perfect candidate. Fitzpatrick says that he hopes his developments can eventually be used to help soldiers returning from Iraq and victims of the July 7^th bombings in London.

Naki’o the Dog

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Earlier this year, Naki’o became the first dog in the world to be fitted with a full set of bionic paws from Orthopets, a leader in the pet prosthetics industry. Far from just helping him walk easier, the paws are so well attached that he can now run and swim just as he did before the accident. Naki’o lost his paws due to severe frostbite after his previous owners abandoned him to fend for himself throughout the freezing winter in Nebraska. Despite the fact that the poor pup had to crawl on his stomach to move, he still found a loving adoptive family who worked tirelessly to raise the money to get Naki’o the prosthetics he desperately needed. Their efforts paid off as Naki’o is now thrilled to have his bionic paws and is eager to run, jump and fetch with his new family.

Boonie the Goat

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Boonie was a happy little goat, until he got tangled in a rope and broke his leg trying to escape back in 2008. Unfortunately, the break was so bad that his leg had to be amputated. Fortunately, Boonie’s owner cared enough about her little goat to get in touch with Orthopets, the same company that would later help Naki’o. He now happily frolics and forages with his own specially-designed leg.

Coal the Dog

Coal was eight years old in 2008, when his left paw had to be amputated due to cancer. Vets warned that he might have to be put down because his other legs were too weak to carry him. But his loving owner, Reg Walker, refused to accept this fate and instead shelled out more than $15,000 to get Coal his own bionic leg that was completely compatible with Coal’s tissue. The titanium alloy used is specially designed to mimic the dog’s skin so the natural skin and bone will seal with the metal implant without being rejected by the body. Veterinarians involved with the process are hopeful this new technique can be adapted to help bombing victims recover from their traumatic injuries much more quickly and easily.

Fuji the Dolphin

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Fuji was a popular inhabitant at the Okinawa aquarium where she lived…that is, until an unknown disease started eating away at her tail fin. To save her life, veterinarians had to amputate almost all of her tail. Unfortunately, for a dolphin, that is practically a death sentence in itself as it leaves them unable to swim, jump or dive in the water.

Fortunately, the Bridgestone tire company heard about poor Fuji and stepped in with a team of researchers dedicated to helping the little dolphin get back to her old hijinks. They tried design after design, carefully perfecting a prosthetic tail that Fuji would feel comfortable with that would also be strong enough to support her swimming. Eventually, they got it right and now Fuji is back in the limelight where she is most happy, swimming and jumping with a new lease on life.

Winter the Dolphin

Image via crimfants [Flickr]

While Fuji was the first dolphin to receive a prosthetic tail, Winter is certainly the most famous. In fact, after Winter received her prosthetic, a documentary was soon made about her, titled Winter, the Dolphin That Could, and not long after that, Warner Bros made a fictionalized version of the story starring Morgan Freeman, Dolphin Tale.

Just in case you haven’t seen either of the movies though, it all started when the three-month-old dolphin got tangled up in a crab trap line and ended up losing her tail and two vertebrae in the process. Like Fuji, she was left unable to swim. Fortunately, Hanger Orthopedic Group stepped forward to help provide her with a prosthetic. Eventually Winter learned to swim again and become a star attraction at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Yu Chan the Sea Turtle

Images via Kawamura Gishi

Of course, dolphins aren’t the only critters that rely on their fins to swim. When Yu Chan was discovered without two front flippers, presumably due to a shark attack, the Sea Turtle Association of Japan stepped in to help her out with two prosthetic flippers. Many designs were tested, with the Association hoping to eventually develop fins that could be bionically attached to the animal, as the prosthetics will have to be very sturdy and attached quite tightly if they are to be expected to last throughout the rest of Yu Chan’s life, which could go on another 50 years.

Not only is the rescue a big deal for Yu Chan, but also for sea turtle enthusiasts throughout the world, as only one other sea turtle was ever fitted with a false flipper, but the attempt failed after her stump proved too small to hold the prosthetic.

Beauty the Eagle

Beauty lost her top beak due to a reckless poacher. She had difficulty preening her feathers, drinking and eating had become practically impossible for her until she was taken to a recovery center in Anchorage.

It took a full three years for researchers to develop a working artificial beak that would help her grasp food. Even so, the beak pictured isn’t even a permanent solution. This first model was created to help engineers develop more precise measurements for her second prosthetic. While the final beak will fit better and be designed with tougher materials, there are no plans to release Beauty back into the wild, as the team fears she has spent far too much time relying on humans to survive on her own again.

Motala the Elephant

Motala made headlines in 1999 when the Thai elephant lost her foot after stepping on a landmine. While vets were able to save most of her leg, it still was left shorter than the others. It took researchers six years to develop a prosthetic that would work for the pachyderm. She then had to use a temporary prosthetic made with wood shaving for another eight months until she became strong enough to be fitted with the permanent one made with fiberglass and silicone. That’s because poor Motala became so used to not using that leg that she had to become reaccustomed to walking with it.

Of course, there are plenty more animal prosthetic stories out there. In fact, while this article focuses on the newest and most high-tech versions, I’m sure many of you know an animal that has been fitted with a prosthetic of one kind or another. If you have any of your own stories, feel free to share them in the comments.

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Is triple Maru too much to handle?

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It almost sounds like they have horns in their throat aside from the ones on their faces.

Via Geekosystem

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Who knew they made such weirdly adorable noises?

Via I Can Has Cheezburger

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You’ve already seen the video of the horned lizard playing Ant Crusher, but if you were curious what a bullfrog would do in the same situation, here’s your answer. Apparently, they are a lot more bitter about being cheated out of a meal.

Via Geekosystem

If you’re getting sick of all the Christmas posts today, perhaps this will be a refreshing change of pace. Here is a great collection of adorable critters wearing yarmulkes. Of course, if you’re tired of holiday posts in general, well, this won’t help you much.

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You may recall Teddy’s earlier video where he eats corn, but here he is getting into the holiday spirit with a delicious Christmas cookie.

Via I Can Has Cheezburger

BuzzFeed brings us this silly little gallery full of chuckle-worthy images of bizarre things on leashes. Some of them are questionable in terms of strangeness (people leash their kids all the time, right?) while others are truly weird, and really make you wonder what we humans will be leashing up next?

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Most of the dogs in this gallery have an expression on their face that says “Why me? What did I do to deserve this?”, and all this dressing up business is clearly giving them a case of the holiday blues. Owners, don’t be surprised if these dogs have left some presents of their own in your shoes!

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It’s almost Christmas, so the critters from the Queens Zoo and Prospect Park Zoo in New York have started celebrating! The dwarf mongooses were given brightly wrapped mealworm treats, and the Andean bears were given packages full of a nutty treat, and I think it’s safe to say they won’t be needing gift receipts!

–via Gothamist

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Hua’ao and Qingfeng’s from the Nanshan Park in Shandong, China are big fans of snow, as you can see from the way they roll around in the powdery covering.

Via BuzzFeed

Ant farms are cool in and of themselves, but that doesn’t mean their designs can’t be improved on to look even more fascinating. WebEcoist has a great collection of some of the coolest ant farms around. From flags of different nations to the Clone Trooper farm, these toys make me want to go buy my own ant farm.

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Sure baby Jesus might be a little more hairy than he is in the traditional versions, but the entire cast as a whole is much cuter in this manger scene. Anyone know where this took place?

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You’ve already seen a dog dance the meringue, but if you prefer solo dances, then you’ll love seeing Stuart salsa dance.

Via The Laughing Squid

I don’t care how great your family photos came out this year, they are almost certainly not as cute as this tortoise’s portrait with her new brood of 45 hatchlings. Granted, not all of them could make it to the photo session, but fortunately they look similar enough that in a few year, mom won’t remember who was there and who wasn’t.

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Huskies have evolved to survive in some of the most extreme environments on earth, so what do they do when removed from the cold and allowed to live in a warm home? Help themselves to cooling implements of course.

Via BuzzFeed

Meet the newest critter at Perth’s Zoo, a baby echidna. It’s even known by an adorable/ugly name, as echidna babies are called “puggles.” There are even more pictures over at the link.

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