Beautiful Animals

Thank you Roberta. Now that sea of otters is my temporary workplace wallpaper.

Glad to oblige. You can't go wrong with otter wall paper.

Well, I know dj is alive. I checked his stats. No B&O. Have we offended him in some way? I hope not. Sigh.

Too-Cute, the friendly otter...

nice bunnies too.

So is Roger.

LOL! Me too!

Tit-split!

A bearded tit proves quite the acrobat on an awkward perch. Lea Roberts photographed the agile bird doing the splits between two reeds in East Tilbury, Essex.
Picture: Lea Roberts/solent

This cute pika looks very pleased to have gathered some salad for its lunch. Photographer Kurt Bowman spotted the tiny mammal seemingly grinning at the camera on Mt Evans in Chatfield State Park, Colorado. Pikas are little rabbit-like mammals, native to cold climates, mostly in Asia, North America and parts of eastern Europe.
Picture: Kurt Bowman/Rex Features

Irish, Loving that little bird doing a split. What a performer. Also loving the pika. Eat your veggies, kid.

Tarantula hawk (a kind of wasp):

Incredible pic of dolphin protecting its nose from coral reefs and sharp rocks with a (frequently replaced) sponge while searching for bottom-dwelling fish; sorry only small size pic available for reposting (big pic on link): http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/07/why-dolphins-wear-sponges.html

Tres interesting, High Seas. Thanks.

Neat bunny painting.

Thoughtful otter.

Well, phooey on the bunny painting. Mistook it for a photo. It's a good one, though.

This B&O business is such a boiden.

A White Bengal tiger keeps cool by resting its head on a piece of ice at Chengdu Zoo in China.
Picture: China Foto Press / Barcroft Media

A 19-inch high black miniature horse is pictured with an elephant in Gainesville, Florida. Debbie and George Garcia-Bengochea from Gainsville, Florida run Gentle Carousel, one of the world's only mini horse therapy organisations. They use their tiny herd of horses to bring joy to the lives of foster children as well as those who are homeless or have suffered abuse.
Picture: Incredible Features / Barcroft Media

Looks BIG to be only a few days old!

Zoo keeper Jens Triebel holds an albino donkey, born on 18 July at the Bitterfeld zoo in Greppin, Germany.
Picture: Imago/Photoshot

I thought it was a painting but looked it up to make sure. It's by Jim Fortey. I like it. Oh, wait, I said that already.

Awwww.

A cheeky young squirrel seems to be making it clear that this bird box is his now. Photographer Christine Haines was confronted by the juvenile grey squirrel in a nesting box in her garden in Spokane in Washington. She says: "My husband had constructed nest boxes in our yard to attract Northern Flicker birds. One day I heard a strange noise coming from one of the boxes. I looked up and saw a young squirrel peering out. I grabbed my camera and was able to capture a few pictures with its mouth open. I believe the young squirrel was calling for its mother."
Picture: Christine Haines / Rex Features