Animal Photos Of The Week

This was certainly a week for interesting animal news.

Penguins may be flightless birds, but we learned that they can fly first class. Two penguins, named Pete and Penny, made an appearance on a Delta flight from San Antonio to Atlanta this week. The penguins were reportedly en route to New York for the premiere of "Frozen Planet."

In other strange but true animal news, opossums can snowboard -- and they're not that bad at it. A ski resort in Pennsylvania used an opossum named Ratatouille for a recent promotional campaign. Maybe its not the opossum's favorite activity, but in this video clip he doesn't seem too hesitant to shred.

It was revealed this week that an elderly gorilla at a zoo in Pennsylvania received a new companion. Samantha, a 47-year-old western lowland gorilla, was given a rabbit last month to keep her company. According to the Associated Press, Samantha had been without "a full-time friend" since a male gorilla died in 2005.

Beachgoers near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil helped save around 30 dolphins this week after the animals beached themselves en masse, according to AP. All of the dolphins were reportedly saved.

Five months after the animal farm release that resulted in the deaths of 48 exotic and endangered animals, legislation was introduced in Ohio to "ban new ownership of exotic animals in the state and immediately prohibit people from acquiring new or additional dangerous wildlife," explained AP. Ohio reportedly has "some of the nation's weakest restrictions on exotic pets."

Below, check out some of the cutest, coolest and most interesting animal photos from around the world this week.

Launch Slideshow

 HIDE THUMBNAILS

SHARE

BACK TO ARTICLE

1 of 33

PLAY ALL

VOTE ON THIS SLIDE

ADVERTISEMENT

[{"entry_id":"3293227","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/17\/puffin-lays-egg-farne-islands-census_n_3293227.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/239976\/slide_239976_1256758_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/239976\/slide_239976_1256758_small.jpg","title":"Weirdest Animal Mating Rituals (GRAPHIC)","slideshow_id":"239976","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3294843","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/national-geographic-traveler-photo-contest_n_3294843.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298212\/slide_298212_2468734_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298212\/slide_298212_2468734_small.jpg","title":"National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest","slideshow_id":"298212","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3303294","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/19\/animal-photos-of-the-week_n_3303294.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/275776\/slide_275776_2471981_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/275776\/slide_275776_2471981_small.jpg","title":"Awesome Animal Photos Of 2013","slideshow_id":"275776","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3302961","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/19\/alaska-kulluk-hearing-drill-sip-shell_n_3302961.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/272465\/slide_272465_1948633_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/272465\/slide_272465_1948633_small.jpg","title":"Shell Drill Ship","slideshow_id":"272465","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3294006","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/17\/criminology-animal-poaching_n_3294006.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/269585\/slide_269585_1878054_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/269585\/slide_269585_1878054_small.jpg","title":"Elephant Poaching","slideshow_id":"269585","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3306625","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/20\/lifeguard-saves-shark-cocoa-beach_n_3306625.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/230566\/slide_230566_1056134_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/230566\/slide_230566_1056134_small.jpg","title":"Sharks!","slideshow_id":"230566","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3303810","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/19\/kansas-oklahoma-tornado_n_3303810.html","content_type":"video","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298353\/slide_298353_2475302_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298353\/slide_298353_2475302_small.jpg","title":"Great Plains Tornadoes, 5\/19\/2013","slideshow_id":"298353","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3304521","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/20\/california-hydrogen-highway-schwarzenegger_n_3304521.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/231248\/slide_231248_1069627_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/231248\/slide_231248_1069627_small.jpg","title":"Hybrid Cars","slideshow_id":"231248","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3300098","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/climate-change-tornado-intensity_n_3300098.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297890\/slide_297890_2463292_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297890\/slide_297890_2463292_small.jpg","title":"Texas Tornadoes 5\/15\/2013","slideshow_id":"297890","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3294436","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/sea-butterfly-photos_n_3294436.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297970\/slide_297970_2460303_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297970\/slide_297970_2460303_small.jpg","title":"Sea Butterfly Photos Show Incredible Underwater Diversity","slideshow_id":"297970","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3296217","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/athens-alabama-tornado-2013_n_3296217.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/249441\/slide_249441_1491990_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/249441\/slide_249441_1491990_small.jpg","title":"Tornadoes & Clouds","slideshow_id":"249441","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3302051","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/19\/honeybees-croatia-land-mines-bees_n_3302051.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/294188\/slide_294188_2383657_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/294188\/slide_294188_2383657_small.jpg","title":"London Beekeepers Protest -- April 2013","slideshow_id":"294188","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3298795","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/sea-turtle-comeback-caribbean_n_3298795.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/230574\/slide_230574_1056291_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/230574\/slide_230574_1056291_small.jpg","title":"Threatened Animals","slideshow_id":"230574","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3299140","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/ron-poirier-marine-camp-lejeune-toxins-cancer_n_3299140.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/282236\/slide_282236_2132932_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/282236\/slide_282236_2132932_small.jpg","title":"Least Environmental Senators","slideshow_id":"282236","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3298316","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/18\/camp-lejeune-clean_n_3298316.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/259176\/slide_259176_1682623_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/259176\/slide_259176_1682623_small.jpg","title":"Top 10 Toxic Industries","slideshow_id":"259176","vertical":"green"},{"entry_id":"3303784","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/19\/global-warming-climate-change-study-2013_n_3303784.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/237999\/slide_237999_1211339_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/237999\/slide_237999_1211339_small.jpg","title":"What Climate Change Just Might Ruin","slideshow_id":"237999","vertical":"green"}]

Comments

[GirlUsingBrain]

05:48 PM on 03/12/2012

I just love the photo of the gorilla with her bunny.

And the meerkats! I have seen them in the wild, in Namibia! Nothing cuter! Nothing with more personality!

[henrypapillon]

09:47 AM on 03/12/2012

Where do those John Deere's grow wild?

[DA5050]

06:53 AM on 03/13/2012

I think I've seen them hangin' around grain fields in the midwest mainly, but in this economy they're becoming extinct.

[Devin Garner]

08:45 AM on 03/12/2012

Those aren't meercats, that's a GOP strategy session.

[GirlUsingBrain]

05:48 PM on 03/12/2012

Oh no ... they are much too cool to be Republicans!

[IBWatching]

07:08 PM on 03/12/2012

Thank you.

[hueylover]

04:45 AM on 03/12/2012

If Samantha the gorilla of Pennsylvania had been without an animal companion, why did it take 7 years to find her a rabbit ?!?

[IBWatching]

03:44 AM on 03/12/2012

Did you catch the picture of my Uncle Sal and my Cousin Marty and his girlfriend?

[Kali03]

06:02 AM on 03/12/2012

:)

[Nclghtning]

03:20 AM on 03/12/2012

Those Meerkats are too cool. That's what I call "kicking back" chillin' out.

[karen lyons kalmenson]

05:54 AM on 03/12/2012

meerkats rock...i painted a picture of a few hangin' out

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=349032365127812&set=a.177406225623761.39268.104800036217714&type=3&theater

[Jan Shim]

08:40 PM on 03/11/2012

I would like to include my pictures of the Pygmy Squirrel found in the pristine tropical rainforest of Brunei Darussalam's Temburong jungle. I entered the pictures into a Asian Geographic photography competition and received an Honourable Mention: http://shimworld.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/asian-geographic-honourable-mention.

[Gladys1963]

04:25 AM on 03/12/2012

Great picture; congratulations!

[Jan Shim]

04:43 AM on 03/12/2012

Thanks! Pygmy squirrels move fast, I stood perfectly still, lifting the camera slowly, fired off some shots and got these before it disappeared for good.

[Kali03]

06:03 AM on 03/12/2012

Oh, that's a wonderful picture!

Thanks for sharing it.