Lone wolf plays with dogs.  A wildlife photographer has spent six years chronicling the annual escapades of a lone wolf in Alaska.

Each winter Romeo the black wolf descends from the hills of Alaska's Tongass National Forest to play with domesticated dogs on their winter walks.

For the past six years, wildlife photographer John Hyde has been following the friendly animal. And gaining the huge wolf's trust has allowed him to take these intimate photos.

"I have been following Romeo ever since I heard there was a lone wolf patrolling the surrounding area," revealed the 56-year-old from Juneau, Alaska. "Stories of his arrival in the area began in 2003 when a pregnant female wolf was found dead about one-quarter mile from a nearby glacier visitor's centre.


"Six months later, Romeo's first howl could be heard, and then first regular sightings of Romeo occurred."

Determined to find the lone wanderer, John set about studying his movements in 2004 in a bid to photograph the animal.

"Wolves are common throughout Alaska, but the opportunity to develop the trust of one and to spend extended time with the same animal is something that doesn't happen often," he said. "In fact I have never heard of anything like it before.


"Wolves are seen rarely because they avoid humans. "Initially I came across its track, after which I spent many hours exploring the area and learning as much as I could about him.

"After a while I could find him often enough to make decent photos."

The Tongass National Forest is the largest unit in the national forest system, almost 17 million acres and is home to brown bears, bald eagles, Sitka black-tail deer, porcupines and wolves.
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 Last Sunday, a mama moose gave birth to twins in the backyard of a home in Anchorage, Alaska.

Victoria Hickey and Sarah Lochner captured the video, which shows the mother moose taking care of a newborn calf while the moose gives birth to its twin.

Within a couple minutes, the calves are clean and trying to stand. By the end of the video, they’re already trying to take their first steps.

If the mother seems like a pro at giving birth, it’s because she’s done it before a number of times. According to the man speaking off camera, the moose has returned to the same yard for the last six years to birth her calves. (Source)


Female moose, or cows, give birth to one or two babies in the springtime after an eight-month gestational period. The nutrient-rich milk provided by the mother help the calves grow quickly and they are often weaned off the milk within six months.

 Scott Clare adopted 14-month-old Buck-O after his wife passed away. His new companion makes him laugh and smile every day, so when Buck-O was discovered to have a rare heart condition, there wasn’t any question in Scott’s mind of what he had to do.

Buck-O was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called tricuspid (heart) valve dysplasia. The irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) caused by the defect result in high heart rates that would put Buck-O's life at risk.

"My choices were to spend a lot of money or hang on to him until he has a horrible death and I wasn't gonna do that," told RTV 6 News.

The only option was to take Buck-O in for a surgery that had never been done on a dog before. So Scott drove Buck-O 2,300 miles away from California to Cincinnati, Ohio and after a lengthy and costly surgery, Buck-O made it through. So far Buck-O is doing well and will be going in for weekly check-ups. But Scott knows it was worth while. “He’s just a crack-up, he’s a lot of fun,” Scott said.
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A dog found in an abandoned Long Island home was brought in to an animal shelter with fur so thick and matted that the dog was barely able to walk, and authorities are searching for the person responsible for the animal's neglect.

The Shih Tzu-type dog, weighing about 11 pounds and estimated to be about 5 or 6 years old, was turned in to the Town of Babylon Animal Shelter on July 17, SPCA officials say.

The man who brought the dog in said he found it in a house he knew to be abandoned, on South 7th Street in Lindenhurst. Neighbors in the area told authorities that the last tenants had moved out nearly a year ago.


Shelter officials said it was the worst case of matting they'd ever seen on a dog, which has been nicknamed Ziggy. Nearly 4 pounds of knotted fur were shaved off, and the dog's overgrown nails were clipped.

Ziggy will also have to go through extensive physical therapy to learn how to walk correctly again, officials say. The NY Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center in Farmingdale is providing the service pro bono.

Anyone with information on the neglect of the dog is asked to contact the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722.
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Victory: State Fish and Game Department will not kill wolves in Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness during 2015-16 winter

Faced with a legal challenge by conservationists and an imminent hearing before a federal appeals court, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (“IDFG”) has abandoned its plan to resume a professional wolf-killing program in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness during the coming winter.

In a sworn statement submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on July 24, 2014, IDFG Wildlife Bureau Chief Jeff Gould stated that IDFG “will not conduct any agency control actions for wolves within the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness before November 1, 2015.” IDFG had previously advised the court that the program could resume as early as December 1, 2014.

A professional hunter-trapper hired by IDFG killed nine wolves in the Frank Church Wilderness last winter and state officials in February announced plans to kill 60 percent of the wolves in the Middle Fork section of the wilderness over a period of several years in an effort to inflate wilderness elk populations for the benefit of commercial outfitters and recreational hunters.

“As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act this September, we are relieved that the Frank Church Wilderness will be managed as a wild place, rather than an elk farm, for at least the coming year,” said Earthjustice attorney Timothy Preso, who is representing conservationists challenging the wilderness wolf-killing program. “Now we must make sure that wilderness values prevail for the long term.”

Earthjustice is representing long-time Idaho conservationist and wilderness advocate Ralph Maughan along with four conservation groups—Defenders of Wildlife, Western Watersheds Project, Wilderness Watch, and the Center for Biological Diversity—in the lawsuit challenging the wolf-killing program. The conservationists argue that the U.S. Forest Service, which is charged by Congress with managing and protecting the Frank Church Wilderness, violated the Wilderness Act and other laws by allowing and assisting the state wolf-killing program in the largest forest wilderness in the lower-48 states.

In a separate sworn statement filed with the Ninth Circuit on July 24, the Forest Service committed to providing the conservationists with notice by August 5, 2015 of any plans by IDFG to resume professional wolf-killing in the Frank Church Wilderness during the 2015–16 winter, as well as “a final determination by the Forest Service as to whether it concurs with or objects to such plans.”

“IDFG’s announcement now gives the Forest Service the chance to play out its mission—its obligation to protect our irreplaceable Frank Church Wilderness for the American people and for all its wildlife against an effort to turn it into a mere elk farming operation on infertile soil,” said Maughan, a retired Idaho State University professor who was a member of the citizens’ group that drew up the boundaries of the Frank Church Wilderness 35 years ago.

“We are pleased to see this truce in Idaho’s wolf reduction efforts in the Frank Church for a full year,” said Suzanne Stone, Defenders’ regional representative who has worked nearly three decades to restore wolves in Idaho. “The Frank Church is both the largest forested wilderness area and a core habitat for gray wolves in the western United States. Wolves belong here as they have made the ‘Frank’ truly wild again. Ensuring healthy wolf populations here is critical for the recovery of wolves throughout the entire northwestern region.”

“It is hard to imagine a decision more inconsistent with wilderness protection than to allow the hired killing of wolves,” added Travis Bruner, executive director of Western Watersheds Project. “Today, some relief for wild places flows from the news that IDFG will not continue that odious operation this year. Next we will see whether the Forest Service will take action to protect the Frank Church Wilderness from such atrocities in the future.”

"It’s time for the Forest Service to stand with the vast majority of the American people by taking the necessary steps to protect wolves in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness for the long-term, not just the next 15 months,” stated George Nickas, executive director of Wilderness Watch. “Wolves are the epitome of wildness. Their protection is key to preserving the area’s wilderness character.”

“We’re glad Idaho’s wolves are rightly getting a reprieve from the state’s ill-conceived predator-killing plan, at least for a year,” said Amy Atwood, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We’re also happy to see the Forest Service agree to be more transparent about any future decision to allow Idaho to kill wolves in the Frank Church.”

BACKGROUND

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had scheduled an August 25, 2014 court hearing to address the conservationists’ request for an injunction to prevent IDFG from resuming its program of professional wolf killing in the Frank Church Wilderness during the coming winter. IDFG commenced the program in December 2013 without public notice but abruptly suspended the program on January 28, 2014 amidst emergency injunction proceedings before the Ninth Circuit. Since then, the conservationists have continued to press their case for an injunction before the Ninth Circuit, which led to the scheduled August 25 court hearing.

Because IDFG has abandoned the 2014–15 professional wolf-killing program in the wilderness, the conservationists have agreed to forego the scheduled court hearing, but they renewed their call for the Forest Service to fulfill its legal duty to protect the Frank Church Wilderness.
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These tiny hedgehogs are being given a helping hand after being found by a member of the public who delivered them to the safety of a an animal rescue organisation.

The hoglets, which are just a few days old, are being cared for at Secret World - a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre in East Huntspill, Somerset - until they are big enough to fend for themselves.

Here they were snapped by wildlife photographers Ann and Steve Toon, from Northumberland National Park.

Mr Toon, 51, said: 'We love the character of the hoglets’ wrinkly faces.'With adult hedgehogs, it’s hard to see much of their faces - you just see a little wet nose and a couple of beady eyes. 'But with these little guys, you can really see their cute character.' The hoglets measure no more than the length of an index finger.


Mr Toon reckons these hoglets were abandoned, but warned that not all hedgehogs out in thw old on their own have been deserted by their mothers. Hedgehogs often leave their young alone for hours while they forage or sleep, so babies like these are not always abandoned.


Mr Toon said: 'People should get expert advice before picking up apparently abandoned baby animals. 'A lot of perfectly healthy animals are ‘rescued’ by well-meaning members of the public.


'With very young hedgehogs like this, it’s now touch and go if they will survive the first few days at the centre. 'But if they do, there’s a very good chance of them eventually being released back into the wild.' The hedgehogs are fed every couple of hours through the day and night with a substitute milk formula.


They will be released back into the wild once they have reached a big enough weight to survive hibernating an entire winter on their own.
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Ever opened your door to find yourself nose-to-nose with a mother black bear?

That’s what happened to Laura Combee one Sunday afternoon in Lake County, Florida. When she heard strange noises outside, Combee told The Huffington Post, she opened the door to find a mother bear and two cubs. After grabbing her iPhone to capture this video, she saw the bears walking away.

When she started talking to them, however, the trio of bears turned back into the yard and came right up to her door. The video shows the two cubs playfully climbing a tree and investigating the porch.

Combee said she knows of as many as 8 different bears in the area, but this one seems to be especially unafraid of people. “I fear for these particular bears and their friendly nature,” she said. Combee knows that trash is unsecured and people often don’t think about leaving scraps outside.


She also said that, though the video was taken at quite a close angle, she stood behind a heavy door to capture the video and never felt threatened by the bears.
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This baby fox got itself hopelessly caught in a cricket net in someone's backyard, and was unable to escape without human help.

The trapped cub kept twisting and turning, becoming further entangled. Fortunately, a rescuer from the Wildlife Aid Foundation, which has been coming to the aid of the U.K.'s wild animals for more than 30 years, came to help extract the fox from the net.

In the video, shot with a GoPro camera, the rescuer says he saw the baby's parents run off when he entered the backyard, so there's hope that the little one could easily join them once freed.

Initially, the poor baby was pretty distressed...


... but after some strategic use of protective gloves and a pair of pliers, the cub was off to rejoin its foxy family in their den.

Enjoy the freedom, little one, and stay away from nets!
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These two dogs entertain themselves in the family's swimming pool.

While one plays fetch the other splashes the water like a little kid. He's so cute!

Summer is in full swing, and it's a prime time to enjoy outdoor time with your pets! These two pups are making the most of their pool-time this summer, and they have NO intention of being typical sunbathers.

While one shows off his diving prowess by fetching a ball from the bottom of the pool, the other prefers sitting and splashing... but, like, he REALLY loves splashing.


It's essentially his favorite thing ever. Because is there any better way to celebrate an awesome summer than lots of pool-time splashiness?
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 They will sleep in the open, bunched together, separated, under a tree, on the edge of the water, in a cave, on some rocks, sometimes on a log (they rest their head on it and sleep) on each other. it all depends. their rank is also extremely important. the alpha pair will usually sleep together while the omega sleeps alone during the summer.

After feeding for a few hours on a fresh kill, wolves sprawl out or curl up in the snow and sleep. To eat a large meal with one’s family, and then to rest. To stretch out and just rest. When we observe wolves during the winter, about 30% of the time they are just sleeping or resting near a recent kill. Wolves have plenty of reason to rest.

When wolves are active, they are really active. On a daily basis, wolves burn about 70% more calories compared to typical animals of similar size.




While spending all this energy, wolves may eat only once every five to ten days. During the time between kills a wolf may lose as much as 8-10% of its body weight. However, a wolf can regain all of this lost weight in just two days of ad libitum eating and resting.


When food is plentiful, wolves spend a substantial amount of time simply resting, because they can. When food is scarce, wolves spend much time resting because they need to.

Wolves work tremendously hard, but they also take resting very seriously.

A Bear Got Trapped Under A Bridge With No Way To Escape. How They Saved His Life Is Brilliant.

This wild animal rescue is one that you’ll have to see to believe! A bear was walking across a highway bridge in California when he got scared by traffic. He crawled over top of the concrete railing and got stuck under the bridge arc. With no way to climb back up or crawl down, the bear was stuck. And with a 100 foot drop to the rocks below, the bear’s life was in danger.

Animal control arrived and were afraid that the bear was going to fall. They could see him making several attempts to crawl down the bridge!

They knew they needed something special to rescue the bear. They went especially to Nevada and got a large nylon net. Several rock climbers and tree service employees joined in to help, bringing ropes and pulleys.


They positioned the net beneath the bridge and then tranquilized the bear. Shortly after, the bear fell unconscious and an officer lowered himself down to the bear and gently pushed the 250-pound bear into the net. About a dozen people pulled the bear back up to safety.

They took him to a shaded area where he gradually woke up and headed back into the wilderness.
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First Wolves Born In Oregon Cascades Since The 1940s Caught On Camera (And They’re Adorable)

 Wolf pups have officially returned to Oregon. The dad, OR-7, is the “wandering wolf” who made headlines when he traveled across Oregon to California and back while wearing a GPS collar.

And his pups -- at least three, by the last count -- are the first to be born in Oregon’s Cascade Mountain region since the 1940s, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

The USFWS recently spotted OR-7, the female wolf and her pups on camera traps in a remote part of southern Oregon:


The gray wolf, extirpated across most of western America in the early 1900s, has made a successful return to states like Wyoming, Montana -- and now south Oregon. Welcome back, pups.


U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) biologists returned to the area Monday and observed two pups. It would be the first known wolves to breed in the Oregon Cascades since the mid-1940s.
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A group of researchers studying sea lions in Round Island, Alaska, decided to hide a GoPro camera to film a fox they saw heading their way.

Unfortunately, the fox was more aware of its surroundings than the sea lions. The animal immediately spotted the camera, chomped down on it and tried to carry it away to eat later.

After a brief chase, the researchers were able to recover the camera.

The GoPro worked even after the fox managed to chew off part of the lens.(Source)

The story buy Youtube User: "I went to Round Island, Alaska, to film wildlife with the University of Alaska Anchorage. My friends were photographing and filming sea lions when I spotted this fox come along. So I stupidly put my gopro on the ground in hopes of getting a close-up. When the fox ran off, I thought I'd never see my camera again. For about 8 minutes we looked for it, then there it was! It turns on and records, but the lens is messed up and I'll need to have it repaired. I'm glad the fox itself didn't get hurt or swallow anything that could have harmed it."

Volume required! These Alaskan Malamute puppies are adorable and love to "sing". Each seems to have a differently toned howl too! Too cute!

Dignified yet playful, the Alaskan Malamute is a working dog who thrives when exercised regularly.

When you first see an Alaskan Malamute, it's easy to be impressed by his large stature, wolf-like facial markings, and huge plumed tail waving at you. It's often believed that Malamutes are part wolf. They might play a wolf on TV or in the movies, but in truth they're all domestic dog.

The Alaskan Malamute possesses tremendous strength, energy, endurance, independence, and intelligence. He was originally sought to pull heavy sleds over long distances as well as to hunt seals and polar bears.


Now chosen primarily for companionship, Alaskan Malamutes succeed in several dog sports, including conformation, obedience competition, weight pulling, skijoring, backpacking, and recreational sledding.

Owing to its beautiful coat and bushy tail, which can be fiery red, steely gray or snow-white, the fox has held a special place in our hearts since time immemorial as a beautiful and mysterious woodland creature. These 15 pictures will make you fall in love with the fox all over again.

The common red woodland fox that most of us know certainly is beautiful, but this cunning creature has managed to adapt to diverse climates throughout the world – the fennec fox of the Sahara desert and kit fox in the southwest U.S. both sport larger ears that help them stay cool in the desert, while the arctic fox has a thick and snow-white insulated coat and small ears that help it retain its body heat.

The fox is a member of the canidae family, which also includes dogs, wolves and other similar animals. After 50 years of breeding experimentation in the Soviet Union, they’ve also provided us with extraordinary insight into the domestication process.





 Over several generations of selective breeding (by choosing foxes with less fear of humans), Soviet scientist Dmitry Belyaev was able to breed silver foxes that began to exhibit domestic traits like floppy ears, tail wagging and spotted coats.


No matter how each fox looks, however, their wide range ensures that they have become elements of local folklore around the world. Various cultures throughout Europe, Asia and Africa consider the fox to be a cunning and sly creature that often plays the part of the trickster in folktales and myths.
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