2015's Online Animals of the Year

Animals can melt the human heart, tickle the funny bone or bring us to tears. And thanks to Instagram, YouTube and other online options, you can enjoy their antics simply by following, liking or pinning them.  Dr. Bonnie Beaver, executive director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and a professor at Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine, says two things make animal photos and videos so popular.

http://tinyurl.com/zqudk4m

Online Animals of 2015: Cute Faces and a Rat’s Resolve

Animals can melt the human heart, tickle the funny bone or bring us to tears. And thanks to Instagram, YouTube and other online options, you can enjoy their antics simply by following, liking or pinning them.  Dr. Bonnie Beaver, executive director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and a professor at Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine, says two things make animal photos and videos so popular.

http://tinyurl.com/h3h2da7

Video: 100 Sharks Having Lunch on the Beach

Does Sharknado need another sequel? Not when there is jaw-dropping, real-life footage like this (among other reasons).  A surfer captured this video of dozens of sharks feeding on a school of blue fish at Cape Lookout National Seashore off the coast of North Carolina. According to Brian Recker, who uploaded the viral clip on YouTube, the feeding frenzy lasted more than five minutes. Seagulls and pelicans joined the apex predators, and a group of people who were out to fish began gathering catch as well.

http://tinyurl.com/odt8d4v

Very Smart Ape Demonstrates How to Roast Marshmallows

For one very talented ape, having no trainer and no assistance is no problem when it comes to making a favorite fireside snack.  Kanzi the bonobo is not your average animal. The ape knows some American Sign Language, can create stone tools, and apparently cooks. That last trait is highlighted in a viral video from BBC One. The U.K. network's show "Monkey Planet" explores "your animal family as you've never seen it before." In the series, the characteristics that primates share with humans are explored. A shining example comes courtesy of Kanzi.  George McGavin, the host of the show, narrates the video. In the minute-long clip published to the BBC's YouTube channel, Kanzi is shown building a fire. The bonobo breaks debris and wood before piling the pieces neatly. He then lights a match and uses a small branch to ignite the fire.

http://tinyurl.com/m3jjt33

-Igor Purlantov

Video: Baby Animals Taking Their First Steps

Animals may come in all shapes and sizes, but there's one thing they have in common: They all stumble on their first few steps.  In an adorable video posted to YouTube last month, baby animals take their first steps. Most of the younglings struggle to find their balance, while others quickly get the hang of it.  Though the baby animals in the video have twice the number of legs to deal with, it just goes to show that we're all a little unsteady at first.



http://tinyurl.com/lyyyulh

-Igor Purlantov

Video: Baby Elephant Plays In Ocean For First Time

We hope the little guy doesn't get swimmer's ear. According to YouTube user Nancy Belal, who uploaded the video above, this baby elephant is enjoying its first time in the sea.  The splash session took place in the ocean off a Thai island, Power 94.9 FM reported.  It makes for one adorable aquatic encounter.

http://tinyurl.com/k4s8m68

Lil Bub Hits the Tribeca Film Festival

If you are the type of person who is inclined to watch YouTube videos of cute animals doing even cuter things, you’ve probably encountered Lil Bub: the adorable, wall-eyed kitten with a perpetually protruding strawberry pink tongue.

http://tinyurl.com/bynyzn2

Video: Goldfish Uses Harness To Help Stay Afloat While Swimming

We’ve seen plenty of animals aided by human ingenuity lately: “Flipper,” a cat who lucked into a sweet set of wheels, and “ Chris P. Bacon,” the piglet given a new lease on life with K’Nex toys, rank pretty high on the cute list. But, as it turns out, we hadn’t seen anything yet. Enter this goldfish. The fish has trouble staying afloat, so her owner — apparently an aquatic MacGyver — fashioned her a homemade, floating harness.

 http://tinyurl.com/alj84nm

Video: Adorable Video Of Baby Panda Startled By Zookeeper Goes Viral

A baby panda gets quite a fright and it's caught on camera. In the footage, an adorable baby red panda in Japan throws up her paws and falls on her back after a zookeeper surprises her. The video was posted on YouTube and has been viewed more than 460,000 times in just five days.

http://tinyurl.com/acnc38p

Video: 19 Dogs Fetching Beer On YouTube

A long time ago, a man (probably) was sitting on a couch (probably) and had a thought: "If my dog can fetch tennis balls, why not a beer?" Lo and behold, the Internet was flooded with videos of dogs fetching beers for their masters. To think: an actually USEFUL pet trick!

http://tinyurl.com/cx7m82m

Video: Polo The Macaw Laughs Like An Evil Villain

There's hardly anything funnier than when an animal thinks he's people. Take Polo the Macaw here, for example. Doesn't he laugh just like an evil villain plotting world domination? What's even more amazing is how he shrugs his shoulders, "stomps" his feet and appears to double over with laughter, just like we do when we can't stop laughing.

http://tinyurl.com/7bxs57k

Video: Adorable Rescue Cat Cuddles Dog

Just because someone is bigger than you doesn't mean you can't be friends. And this heartwarming YouTube video is further proof of that. The clip features a rescue cat named Thomas O'Malley Flufferpants cuddling next to a dog named Murkin.

http://tinyurl.com/bnv4g8h