Shock for baby monkey who thought she had discovered a treat

Picking up a piece of nettle, this inquisitive baby rhesus monkey had no idea she was about to get stung.

As she explored her enclosure, the two month old primate reached out and placed the green 'food' into her mouth at Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire.

At first she appeared unsure about what to do with the leaf before she put it in her mouth.

But seconds later her face grimaced in shock as the nettle gave her a nasty nip before she spat it out in her hand and looked at it puzzlingly.

The hilarious moment was caught on camera by Longleat's deputy head warden Ian Turner who had noticed the two-month-old monkey acting curiously around the nettles.

Ian said: 'I had only hoped to get a quick close-up snap of the baby looking towards me. I didn't quite expect her to begin eating the stinging nettle.

'The monkeys here are normally pre-occupied with visitor cars but this young monkey obviously found something which appeared more interesting.

'Most animals don't generally react in the same way humans do to stinging nettles. I was quite surprised at the reaction this little one had towards it. She was a little shocked.

'She's probably no more than a couple of months old but clearly has no fear.

'We normally feed the monkeys a special primate diet as well as a mix of fruit to feed on but obviously on this occasion the temptation of a stinging nettle seemed irresistible!' But the sting from the nettle appeared to be short-lived as the animal was soon seen with the rest of the troop happily playing.

The monkey is one of more than 100 Rhesus Macaques at Longleat who normally spend their days leaping on thousands of cars that pass through their enclosure each day.

Rhesus macaque monkeys are found throughout south east Asia and across the Indian sub-continent.

In some parts of India they are believed to be sacred and have lived in close contact with humans for centuries.

They are extremely intelligent, naturally inquisitive animals which can learn to manipulate simple tools and distinguish colours and shapes.

They live in family troops of 20 or more and are led by a dominant male.

Agile bird shows off remarkable gymnastic skills

This bearded tit proved quite the acrobat when she landed on an awkward perch.

Lea Roberts photographed the agile bird doing the splits between two reeds in East Tilbury, Essex.

The 42-year-old, from East Tilbury, said: 'I spotted some of the birds flying in and out of the reeds so I decided to wait there with my camera.

'As luck would have it, this one popped up right in front of me and I was able to take a photograph.

'It's characteristic of the birds to perch like this and this one proved quite the gymnast - she managed to stay in the same position for around 15 seconds.

'It's the first time I've captured one of the birds doing this and I'm pretty chuffed.'

Bearded tits are usually spotted flying rapidly across the top of a reedbed.

But rather than having bearded the males have black 'moustaches'.

They are sociable and noisy , their 'ping' calls often being the first clue to their presence. 

They are particularly vulnerable to severe winters and their population has declined in recent years, making them an Amber List species.

Bearded tits are particularly vulnerable to long cold winters, when populations can be reduced to mere handfuls.

The Barkley, LA's most exclusive hotel... for dogs

It's not surprising that the guests of an exclusive hotel in Los Angeles feel like they are treated like top dogs.

They are not worried that the residents at the Four Seasons across the road can order breakfast in bed, have a massage or take a swim in the pool. 

For those staying at the Barkley can do the same, plus much much more -  because it has the reputation of being the most luxurious pet hotel in the world.

To its burgeoning list of guest services, the hotel In Westlake Village, has recently added swimming lessons as an alternative daily exercise routine.

Personal swim instructors take the guests for a splash with pool toys, and life jackets for the less confident swimmers. After the fun, they can relax in a poolside cabana with a cool drink and a gourmet dog treat.

On the spa treatment menu, fur dyeing is now offered. With natural dyes dogs can have their ears, paws, or tail coloured pink, blue or green or be stencilled with fetching leopard spots or zebra stripes, or even an all-American flag design. 

The design stays put for up to four weeks, and causes no harm or discomfort to the dog.

It is also a very quick process involving a paintbrush, some foils and then a trip to the high tech no-heat drying stations that gently ruffle the pooches fur to perfection. 

Since the hotel opened last spring dog parents have the option of having their pets stay on 'Rodeo Drive' or 'Hollywoof Boulevard' in suites that provide individual climate and lighting control, piped soothing music and frequently freshened air. 

Cats have smaller suites but are entertained by television screens featuring birds in flight and the tropical fish swimming in the central tank. 

The streets of 'Rodeo Drive' are lined with 'stores' with names inspired by famous brands around the world, with a pet-friendly twist of course.

Among the stores are Chewnel, Sniffany & Co, and Chewy Vuitton.

Every area of the hotel is under 24-hour surveillance and pet parents can check in on their fur baby via webcam or even on their phone as they sit poolside on their own vacation.

If they feel their pet looks like he's missing home too much, the hotel offers a special list of add-on services to ensure their total comfort.

A dog can get an ice-cream social with his friends, a bedtime biscuit and tummy rub or a limousine ride to McDonalds where the chauffeur will pick them up a cheeseburger, hamburger or McNuggets. 

For those who take their pet's diet as seriously as they take their own, Barkley staff will order in steak from the Four Season's room service menu. 

There's tuna sushi for the cats that don't like their dinner from a tin. 

The Barkley is also home to the Barkley Academy - a pet training facility run by dog trainers that is the first choice for many celebrities, including Sandra Bullock, who submitted her large family of rescued dogs to the programme. 

Barkley trainers Nichola Bond and Vendy Fris offer 'Pawsitive Power' training, utilising only positive methods and rewards. Owners can opt for a full doggie camp, as many celebrities do, and board their dog with the hotel for six weeks. 

An at-home training facility is within the hotel grounds with a dining room, bedroom and kitchen for intensive daily training within a natural environment. 

When the dog graduates - complete with cap and gown ceremony - their behaviour has a life-time guarantee for goodness. 

After a hard day's work, there's the spa. Pet parents can choose from a massage, facial or 'pawdicure' with optional nail jewels and glitter. 

A trained pet masseuse relaxes your dog before his summer trim with a back rub. If your dog prefers to relieve stress with a good game of fetch, there's always the day camp where they can play with fifty pals in a park equipped with all manner of distractions. 

Meet the naked mole rat...ugly, has a tail and holds the secret to eternal youth

Scientists have long searched for an elixir to eternal youth.

But it's unlikely they thought it would come in the shape of the naked mole rat. 

The animal is revolting looking - bald and wrinkly with worm-like tails and walrus-style teeth - but healthy.

These East African animals live for 30 years, seven times longer than a normal rat, and they seem to be immune to cancer. 

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have just finished mapping the mole rat’s genome structure for the first time, in the hope of understanding what keeps them so healthy.

Lead scientist Dr Joao Magalhaes said: ‘The level of resistance these animals have to disease, particularly cancer, might give us clues as to why some creatures are more prone to disease than others.

'We want to establish the naked mole rat as the first model of resistance to chronic diseases of ageing.’ 

All good, so long as they can promise we don’t end up looking like the beast. 

Nothing’s worth that - even living for ever.

Birds of a feather flocking together: Awesome migration pictures captured from 1,000ft up

These amazing pictures, taken from a dilapidated World War Two aeroplane, show a true bird's-eye-view of enormous flocks migrating hundreds of miles across the hemispheres.

The incredible project is the work of German photographer Florian Schulz who has travelled across the globe to document some of nature's greatest events. 

Using a two-seater Piper Cub aircraft, Florian, 35, was able to soar to over 1000ft thousand feet up and capture birds on the wing in Alaska, Canada and Mexico. The plane may be ancient but it is nimble and it allowed dedicated Florian to land almost anywhere.  He slept in a bivouac and his pilot slept in the plane.

He even dived underwater braving -1.5 Celsius temperatures to capture Thick Billed Murre's swimming, before snapping them from above in his plane.

Other species captured on film in his trip included sandpipers in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Eight million of the birds pass through the area over a week as they migrate from Mexico to the Arctic Tundra.

He also pictured frigate birds in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, and American Avocets wading in the afternoon sun on the Colorada River Delta, Mexico. after going to Mexico and seeing how some birds raise their young in freezing temperatures.

Florian said: 'It's a good example to show the interconnectedness to the natural world. They move with the seasons depending on what they need to do like mating, eating and birthing.

'It's fascinating how the same birds adapt from the cold of the high Arctic to the heat of the deserts in the south.'

Meet Robomutt... The world's first bionic dog

A dog who had all four of his paws amputated when he was just a puppy is going walkies once again, thanks to a brand new set of bionic legs.

Naki'o, a Red Heeler cattle dog, was abandoned in a frozen puddle and suffered such severe frostbite that he was left with just stumps to move about on.

His future was looking grim until veterinary surgeon Christie Tomlinson, who was looking for a playmate for her golden retriever, saw him at a Colorado rescue centre.

She said: 'I've always had a soft spot for animals with problems. I knew I had the skills and knowledge to be able to take care of him properly. 

'I took him to work with me every day and was able to x-ray his legs regularly to see how they were developing.'

At first Naki'o was small and light enough to hold himself up on his stumps without too much difficulty.

But as he grew and gained weight it became painful for him to walk, especially on hard surfaces. 

'I felt so bad for him as his condition worsened,' said Christie.

'He is such a hyper and happy dog, but I was having to take him for walks in a stroller and carry him around. 

'He couldn't be a normal dog, he couldn't lead the life he wanted.'

Eventually Naki'o had to crawl along on his tummy at home and at the clinic's daycare centre.

Then Christie heard about a company called Orthopets in Denver, Colorado.

Founded by husband and wife team Martin and Amy Kaufmann, Orthopets began when Martin saw that his experience in creating human orthotic devices could be adapted for animals.

'I felt it was barbaric that in the 20th century we were still amputating dogs' legs,' said Martin, who carried out the operation free of charge.

'I thought we should be using the technology used for humans on our pets. 

'An animal is a much better patient than a human. They have drive, determination and they just won't quit. 

'They don't feel sorry for themselves.'

Since undergoing the pioneering surgery Naki'o can leap and bound with the best of them.

Christie is amazed at her pet's motivation and joy for life. 

'He was always a happy dog, but now he's much more confident,' she said.

'It's great to see him interact with other dogs at the park and play without a care.

'Naki'o can now not only chase after a ball with other dogs, but he can beat them to the catch!'

Orthopets is working to open clinics worldwide. As well as dogs, they have fitted cats, horses, llamas and a stork with state of the art prosthetics.

Digit the gorilla, huge beast is treated like one of the family

Admittedly, Mum and Dad are a lot less hairy. And smaller. And not half as grumpy. But lack of resemblance aside, Digit the gorilla has always been one of the family. 

Pierre and Elaine Thivillon, who own a zoo near Lyon, have looked after their ‘little one’ since Digit was abandoned as a baby. 

What started out as a bit of bottle-feeding turned into a full-time adoption, with the young gorilla having the run of the couple’s apartment. The family album is full of snaps of Digit cuddling up to the Thivillons and even pecking them on the lips.

But now 13, and a hefty 176lb, it’s time for this lumbering adolescent to leave the nest.  Mum and Dad are close to retirement and they think it is time for Digit to find out about life as a gorilla rather than a human.

Like many parents they are giving their child a hand to get on the property ladder – they plan to open a gorilla sanctuary which will become Digit’s new home.

The snake with a sssplit personality: Meet the python born with two heads Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2009430/The-snake-sssplit-personality-Meet-python-born-heads.html#ixzz1e7pgQdOx

This is one snake who is likely to be more than a little snappy if provoked.

The mutant black and gold python regius - royal python or ball python - was born in Villingen-Schwenningen, southern Germany, with two heads.

Snake breeder Stefan Broghammer said the slippery customer is around one years old and has grown to around 20 inches.

He said the creature is only the second python known to be born with two heads.

The snake is non-venomous, found in Africa and are a popular pet.

Adults generally grow up to around 4ft and when threatened their instinctively curl into a ball to defend themselves.

Polar bear trainer's jaw-dropping photos

Grizzly man Mark Abbot Dumas is the only man in the world who can touch a polar bear. 

The fearless animal trainer even goes for dip in a swimming pool where he and 16-year-old polar bear Agee enjoy a watery cuddle together. 

Back on dry land he wrestles with the 60-stone (800lb) beast in her enclosure and bravely lets Agee clamp her huge jaws around his head.

And when the wrestling has tired both the animal expert and huge Agee out, they both enjoy a nap together inside Agee's enclosure.

Mark, 60, and wife Dawn, 49, from Abbotsford, British Columbia (BC), Canada, train the polar bear  - the world's largest land predator - to star in high-budget TV adverts. 

She even appeared in movies like Alaska in 1995 when she was just a few weeks old. 

With their incredibly intimate bond Agee even bear hugs owner Mark as she rears up on her hind legs to over seven feet.

‘If anyone else tried this they would end up as Agee's dinner,’ said Mark.

‘The only people in the whole world she likes are me and my wife.

‘I have worked with bears in this way for over 40 years, so I can read Agee's body language and know how to behave safely around her.

‘Agee has rules and we are always working inside those.’

Mark and Dawn took Agee on when she was just eight weeks old. 

With links to Hollywood through previous work with animals, Mark was approached by director Fraser Heston - the son of screen legend Charlton - 16 years ago.

Heston needed a polar bear cub for his forthcoming film Alaska and Mark found Agee - a surplus cub at Kolmarden Zoo, Sweden.

Mark and Dawn went through a lengthy application to show they had the facilities to care for her.

After being approved they transported the tiny cub - seen here at their old family home in Mission, BC, just after her arrival - to Canada.

‘She lived inside our home for the first few weeks and we hand-reared her,’ said Mark.

‘Eventually a time came when she was so big we had to move her outside into her own enclosure.’

Now Agee spends her time living in her new enclosure on rented land near Mark and Dawn's home in Abbotsford, and on the road working on TV and film sets.

At home, Mark enjoys 'play time' with her.

‘Earlier in the morning she's more playful and relaxed and she lets me roll around with her.

‘We wrestle for fun and sometimes we fall asleep on her grassy lawn together. It's a great way to unwind after a bad day.

‘I feel pretty privileged to be able to nap with my head resting on a fully-grown polar bear.’

Later in the day - when they are preparing for filming - Mark 'works' her, training Agee for the requested script requirements.

Agee performs a variety of commands in exchange for her favourite treats - steak, cookies, salmon and chocolates.

On cue from Mark, she rears up on her hind legs and will even pretend she's roaring when instructed to 'smile'.

‘She doesn't actually roar but she makes the action,’ said animal handler Dawn. ‘Film crews will later add in the sound of the roar if that's what they need for their production.’

Agee will also lie down, crawl and sit up in returnfor reward foods.

‘She loves her work,’ said Mark. ‘They are extremely intelligent animals and you can see she gets enjoyment out of being stimulated through her work.

‘She could never have lived wild so it's important to us that we keep her active and thinking. 

‘That's why I like swimming with her and playing on the lawn.’

In the evenings Agee is fed on mountains of protein-rich salmon, chicken or other meats, along with carbohydrates she gets from high-quality dog food and vitamin supplements.

‘In the wild she would be eating seal but we can't buy that so we have to try and replicate a fat-rich diet,’ said Mark.

‘Because they scavenge in the summer - when they are off the sea ice and on dry land - they have very adaptable diets.

Amazingly, Agee seems to have favourites between men and women.

‘She gets very jealous of other women talking to Mark,’ said Dawn.

Hairless baby Aardvark makes first public appearance after being born at zoo

Despite being completely bald, this adorable aardvark nevertheless faced a rather hairy situation when it was rejected by his mother moments after being born.

Staff at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, were forced to step in and care for the clumsy creature just hours after its birth on April 10.

But despite a rocky start the new arrival is now thriving and has made his first public appearance at the USA park.

A spokesman for the park said: 'Obviously we like to let nature take its course but we had to step in when we discovered his mother wasn't being attentive.

'We were scared she might accidentally step on him or even bury her cub as aardvarks have a primary instinct to dig for food and burrow for shelter.'

In the wild, female aardvarks typically give birth to one newborn each year.

The baby, which is yet to be named, is one of just 35 in zoos in North America.

The animals have a huge appetite for insects and have been known to suck up 50,000 of them in just one hour.

Taking photos with Polar bear at paw's length

Don’t be put off by the icy stare and fearsome claws.

This 40st polar bear actually gets along swimmingly with visitors who join her in the water at the Polar Bear Plunge.

Of course, eight-year-old Tatqiq’s friendly disposition is helped in no small part by a glass wall which lets her keep guests at a paw’s length.

Although the flexible screen gives slightly when pressed, it’s strong enough to withstand the force of a typical male polar bear – such as Tatqiq’s brother Kalluk, who weighs more than 70st.

The pair are part of an exhibit at San Diego Zoo which allows guests to see the bears up close while learning about how melting ice caps are affecting their species.

Two wild elephants invade Indian city and gore security guard to death in three-hour rampage

At least one man was killed amid widespread panic when two wild elephants went on a three-hour rampage across a city in southern Indian.

The raging elephants left a trail of destruction across a suburb of the city of Mysore, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, after they wandered in from a nearby forest.

One man, a 55-year-old security guard from the Bamboo Bazaar district, was trampled to death after he came out of his house to see what was going on.

Footage shown on New Delhi Television news shows the body of the man at the feet of one of the animals being repeatedly gored, butted and trampled into a doorway.

The footage also shows an elephant angrily butting a cow.

An eyewitness said: 'The two elephants entered our city and started stomping over everything that came in their way.

'One of them even entered a market place and crushed a man to death within minutes.'

Karnataka state higher education minister S.A. Ramdas told the AFP news agency the elephants entered the city from a nearby forest early in the morning.

One elephant barged into a women's college compound and stalked the grounds, while the other wreaked havoc in a residential area.

Schools and colleges were closed for the day, said Mr Ramdas, and extra police were deployed as forest rangers while staff from Mysore zoo tried desperately to contain the animals.

Officials ordered residents to stay indoors and urged them not to throw stones at the raging elephants for fear of provoking them further.

The two young elephants came with two others from a forest about 22 miles from Mysore. The other pair remain at large on the outskirts of the city, which is 87 miles from Bangalore.

Every year hundreds of people across India die when wild animals wander into cities as their natural habitats become ever smaller and they have to range farther and farther for food.

India's national parks suffer massive encroachment from people who live and forage for food in the forests or graze their cattle inside.

'Unregulated expansion of farm lands and increasing movement of people and transport vehicles through the elephant corridor are making the wild jumbos enter into villages and towns in search of food and shelter,' one official told AFP.

After a three-hour hunt, the two elephants who went into the city were eventually brought down with tranquilliser darts and captured. They are set to be released back into the wild.

The 12-year-old whose best friend is a two-ton battering Rhino

With one stamp of its feet, this two-ton wild rhino could crush a human with ease.

But oblivious Elizaveta Tishchenko, 12, has become best friends with the beast and loves nothing more than to cuddle his leathery skin.

The pair have struck up an extraordinary relationship since orphaned white rhino Max was found wandering through the Laikipia District of Kenya as a youngster.

After being taken into the centre of rehabilitation at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya around three years ago, Max took a shine to the young girl while she was visiting the country.

Despite being renowned for their aggressive nature, five-year-old Max likes Elizaveta to stroke his back gently as he tucks into some grass.

And he even rolls around in the grass on his back so she can pet his stomach like a dog.

Her father Alexey, 40, said: 'We were told by guards in the area a new rhinoceros had been abandoned and taken in by the centre to look after him.

'After driving for about 20 minutes through the bush we noticed a white rhino jogging towards us.

'That wasn't too unusual as they aren't afraid of jeeps - but it stayed with us for a long time.

'We realised it was the young rhino workers were talking about so asked our guides to let us out of the jeeps and they did.

'Max paid no attention to the rest of us - he was too busy with eating grass while my daughter started to pat him like a puppy.

'He even let her pull his tail and didn't react to it in the slightest. He was completely comfortable with her and it just went on from there.

'Elizaveta couldn't have been happier. She loved it and loved her new friend. She doesn't stop talking about Max.'

Stunning pictures of island where penguins have created the world's largest crèche

These stunning aerial images of a King Penguin colony in South Georgia show just how extraordinary penguin parenting really is.

In what looks to be the world's largest creche, thousands of King Penguins instinctively herd their recently born young into giant huddles to stop them freezing to death.

 Parental instinct takes over in the inhospitable climate of the South Atlantic and the chicks with their long, brown, downy coats are made to crowd together to retain their body warmth in the equivalent of bird creches - visible as brown swathes on our photo.

Meanwhile their extraordinary parents waddle down to the shore to bring back dinner for their offspring.

The chicks, which take between 10 to 13 months to raise - cannot regulate their body temperature and the parents care for them round the clock for the first three weeks.

They then put the chicks in one of the creches, returning every two or three days with food. The picture was taken at the shoreline of South Georgia, a British territory close to the Falklands.

It is one of the main breeding colonies for the birds. A full penguin breeding cycle lasts more than a year and pairs generally breed twice every three years.

The King Penguin is the second largest species of penguin, weighing up to 35lbs. The Emperor penguins are the largest. They eat small fish - mainly lanternfish, and squid and repeatedly dive to more than 100 metres to find lunch.

There are an estimated 2.23million pairs of King Penguins with numbers increasing.