Video: Duck Fashion Show: Animals Go Waddling Down The Catwalk In Australia

The models at a fashion show in Sydney, Australia, waddled a little more than usual on the runway. But it wasn't because any of the models were retaining water that month ... it was because the models were, well, ducks.

http://tinyurl.com/7lduq9s

Dolphin Spends Third Day In California Wetlands

A wayward dolphin is spending a third straight day in a narrow wetlands channel along the Southern California coast, under the watchful eyes of wildlife experts. Peter Wallerstein of Marine Animal Rescue said Sunday that the 6-foot-long, black-and-white common dolphin looks healthy, but appears slightly disoriented.

http://tinyurl.com/82d2y57y

Hen Gives Birth To Live 'Eggless' Chick In Sri Lanka

It's a bizarre story that is sure to reinvigorate the age old philosophical question of 'What came first: the chicken or the egg?': a chick in Sri Lanka has been born live, without an egg. The oddball event, which has been confirmed by certified veterinary officers in the area, is actually more of a biological mystery than a philosophical one. Quite simply, birds are supposed to lay eggs. In fact, no bird species has ever been discovered which gives birth to live young. Could this Sri Lankan hen therefore be the first bird ever to do so?

http://tinyurl.com/d625vwd

First Camera Trap Photos Of Rare Leopard In China

The first-known camera trap photos of an Amur leopard in China have recently been taken by protected area staff in Hunchun Amur Tiger National Nature Reserve in Jilin Province according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. Coupled with Jilin Province's recent announcement of a survey estimating 8-11 leopards across that northern province, the photographs suggest that leopards may be returning to China.

http://tinyurl.com/7t7cy95

Video: White Russian Killer Whale

Researchers in the Far East Russia Orca Project have discovered the worlds only known all-white male orca. The footage released of “Iceberg,” named for the way the white dorsal fin looks coming up out of the water, shows the mammal swimming with his pod off Russia’s Commander Islands in the Bering Sea. The researchers announced that they are hoping to relocate the mammal this summer and find out whether Iceberg is a true albino orca, or just a beautiful, rare white version of the species.

http://tinyurl.com/brs2wsq

Lizard Moms May Prepare Their Babies For A Stressful World

Stressed out lizard moms tend to give their developing embryos short shrift, but the hardship may ultimately be a good thing for the babies once they're born, according to a study published in the journal Physiological and Biochemical Zoology.

http://tinyurl.com/7vwpcc3

Polar Bear DNA Study Shows Split From Brown Bears Earlier Than Previously Thought

Polar bears have been chilling on the ice far longer than is generally thought, new research suggests, and they probably interbred with brown bears at one point after the two species separated. The new German study contradicts data from a study published last July in the journal Current Biology that suggested polar bears separated from brown bears150,000 years ago. The new study analyzed the bears' mitochondrial DNA, a special "additional genome" that lives in the cell's energy factories and is passed down only from the mother. The new study concludes that the bears became separate species closer to 600,000 years ago.

http://tinyurl.com/6ltz2a4

The Health Benefits Of Having A Dog

Picture it: You come home from a long day to your dog bounding toward you with the unbridled excitement equivalent to a celebrity spotting and giving you one big, wet lick on your cheek. It's hard to imagine a better instant mood-booster. But there are a myriad of other benefits to welcoming a furry friend into your fold, from increased self-esteem to more exercise and less loneliness.

http://tinyurl.com/6lgd6yr

Endangered Philippine Raptor Bred In Captivity

A Philippine hawk-eagle feared to be heading for extinction has been bred in captivity for the first time, its breeders said Thursday. Hand-fed with ground quail meat, the chick has swiftly bulked up to 157 grams (0.04 ounces), three times its weight when hatched in an artificial incubator 16 days ago, the Philippine Eagle Foundation said.

http://tinyurl.com/6nhg2z8

‘Polly’ Wins Contest To Become New Animal On Frontier Tails

There’s a new spokes-animal for Frontier Airlines: Polly the parrot. She triumphed over 18 other animals, holding off Chloe the chipmunk and Enrique the tree frog in the final round.Frontier asked customers to vote on their favorite animal for a contest on who would be the next to grace the tails on Frontier airplanes. Polly was announced as the winner.

http://tinyurl.com/ce6jao5