Breakdancing Gorilla Grooves Freestyle, Hint of Flashdance

Gifted Primate Dance Program Alive & Well at the Calgary Zoo
Meet Zola, the latest internet sensation and hottest one-gorilla show at the Calgary Zoo! At nine-years young, Zola is one of eight Western lowland gorillas currently living at the Calgary Zoo as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan. According to his handlers, Zola loves to dance and splash in water and keepers regularly give him the opportunity to do so as part of the enrichment activities they plan and vary on a daily basis.
As you can see from his choreography in the video below, Zola begins his routine with simple spins, utilizing the wet floor to maximize the torque behind his moves.
[Check out Hilarious Dancing Dogs]
Raising Awareness for Endangered Species
Zola and three other gorillas came to the Calgary Zoo from New York's Bronx Zoo. Western lowland gorillas are unfortunately listed as "critically endangered," thanks to poaching and habitat loss in central Africa and this video was posted near the end of the zoo's two-month "Spotlight on Gorillas" which highlights conservation challenges.
To learn about how you can help endangered species and animals in need, check out Animal Planet's Reach Out Act Respond (ROAR) program.
Editors Note: This video would be much more enjoyable if Zola were freestyling, free from dangerous poachers, in the open jungle...don't you agree?

 

 

One Life Down, Eight to Go
A 9-year-old tabby cat named Copper is being called a "miracle cat" after she survived a harrowing 12-story plunge from an apartment building in Manhattan.  Amazingly, Copper sustained only minor injuries considering the severity of her fall, and is wearing a cast on her back right paw and is now sporting a menacing scar on her face...which likely gives her more street cred.
Why'd She Jump?
The fearless feline ventured through a 3-inch gap from an open window in a 14th floor apartment and apparently fell onto the roof of a neighboring garage, 12 floors down. Copper's mom, Andrea Lang, who has never lived in a high-rise apartment before, realized Copper was missing when her other cat showed up for a late-night Monday snack, but Copper didn't. Poor little Copper spent nearly nine hours on the roof of the two-story garage because there was no access and Lang couldn't get hold of anyone who could help.
Thankfully, Lang's building service manager spotted the cat on the roof from the window of his own apartment, which is 10 floors below Lang's, and he used a ladder to rescue her. Upon examination, Copper's veterinarian was shocked that she survived the harrowing fall.
Attention City Cats: Have You Heard of High-Rise Syndrome?
Cats plunging from high rise buildings happens more often than you might think, and most cats sustain very serious injuries. The ASPCA calls it High-Rise Syndrome and says felines are especially vulnerable to fall out of open windows or off balconies because of their natural prey drive leading them to pursue birds or insects. If you do live in a high-rise with cats, it is important to keep the windows open no more than an inch. If you have a terrace or patio, only allow the cat access to the area when properly supervised and consider building a catio. Visit the ASPCA for more safety tips and info on High Rise Syndrome.

5BR, 3BA Home For Sale. Must Love Snakes.
While some houses can be money pits, an exasperated Idaho couple abandoned what was their dream home this month after discovering that their home was a bonafide snake pit...as in horror-movie-meets-Raiders-of-the-Lost-Arc scary snake pit.
When Ben and Amber Sessions moved into their Idaho home, they were horrified to find that the house was infested with thousands of garter snakes. Even featured at one point on Animal Planet's Infested, the Sessions often found that the ground outside the home was covered with so many snakes that it looked like the ground was actually moving. Ew. Epic ew.
Adding to the epic creepy factor, the slithering snakes inside the walls of the home would keep the family awake at night. In the mornings, the couple and their two small sons would do a "morning sweep" to make sure no snakes had made it inside. (SRSLY? Methinks that a certain family is going to need some serious psycho-therapy.)
Location. Location. Location. 
Why did the snakes choose to take up residence at this particular home you ask? Experts say the home was likely built on a winter snake sanctuary - also called a hibernaculum - where snakes gather to hibernate for the winter. After sadly sending more than 42 snakes back to meet their maker in just one day, Mr. Sessions and family decided that enough was enough and it was time to abandon the home and declare the snakes as the true victors in the situation.
How creepy is that!? The Cutest Fuzzy Slug You Ever Did See?

We stumbled upon this ridiculous pic yesterday, posted by our friends at Burnred, and were highly amused by what cross-breeds this odd creature resembles! We admittedly know what this creature actually is, but what do YOU think it looks like?
Some Cross-breed Options:
1) The offspring of a harp seal bred with a fuzzy caterpillar?
2) A cheery sea cucumber bred with a harp seal?
3) A harp seal bred with one of Robert Pattinson's eyebrows?
4) A fuzzy slug bred with Falcor the dragon from Neverending Story?
What do you think this fuzzy critter looks like? Share in the comments below! (In actuality, he is likely a very grounded Alpaca sporting a smug mug!)

 

It was about time! Fashionistas have been dressing up their pooches for years, but now haute couture is finally available for your pet rat.

New York City recently hosted its first rat couture convention, appropriately called "fancy rat convention." Whoever thought that the rat was New York's most hated animal was apparently wrong, as dozens of rodent lovers came to the convention to style up their beloved pets.

Pet fashion designer Ada Nieves sells her rat tuxedos and wedding dresses, or whatever other trendy getup -- complete with crystals and feathers -- for about $80 a piece. Makes a perfect gift.

A rat is one of the most intelligent animals in the world and they make great pets, say their fans. Nieves wants to change the rat's poor reputation with everyone else, a reason she decided to make clothes for these little undervalued creatures.

"Humanizing an animal makes it easier for us to bond," says Nieves.

Maybe that's why these folks taught their dogs to eat with fork and knife.

The models for the fancy rat convention were provided by the Big Apple Rattery. This rat breeder specializes in Manx (tailles) and Dwarf rats, very fancy rats that seem to be ideal for dress-up parties.

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait for the first charity to provide all the rats roaming New York (an estimated 70 million) with some cute tutus and bedazzled cardigans. Dirty gray is so 2010.