The animals live in large social groups or ‘clans' - and a University of Edinburgh study of meerkats in the wild has found that almost half are inbred, and thus less likely to survive.

GETTY IMAGES CONTRIBUTOR SELECTED ON FEBRUARY, 2013.

Albinism is an genetic disorder characterized by a lack of melanin in the body, the body’s color producing pigment. It is extremely rare. Here's a list of 125 rare albino animals.

There are few places (if any) more beautiful than the world's southernmost continent. Although 99 percent of Antarctica is covered with ice, the landscape still manages to be stunningly diverse—surreal blue glaciers, active volcanoes, the rough waterways of the Drake Passage, and 360-degree views of untouched snow. And those views are made even better when an emperor penguin or humpback whale makes an appearance. There truly is nowhere else on Earth like this pristine world of ice.

Interesting creature. Enjoy taking pictures of this guy. Never stop moving.

Learn how you can photograph foxes in an urban environment with this tutorial. Urban wildlife photography is becoming more popular every day!

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The animal kingdom is a vast and varied group of creatures, many of which we’ll never get a chance to see up close. Thankfully, we’ve got plenty of photos of the most bizarre animals in the world to show you what you’re missing.

From puffins to red deer, these are the Scottish wildlife species to add to your UK travel list. Here's how to see minke whales, red squirrels and more

There are about 300 species in North America with this shocking trait.

Hoppakee! De week is door de helft. En dat is goed, want dan

The fossa Credit: worldswildlifewonders | Shutterstock The fossa is a cat-like, carnivorous mammal related to the mongoose family, that is endemic to Madagascar. The fossa is the largest mammalian...

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards just revealed this year's finalists. And, as always, they offer a bit of comic relief, and the reminder that nature

The quokka is a marsupial from the smaller islands (Rottnest and Bald Island) off the coast of Western Australia. The animal looks like a baby kangaroo — they even have pouches — and appear to be smiling at all times. After all, they possess a natural and cheerful grin and teddy bear eyes. There’s even […]

I've spotted these cute creatures a couple of times, briefly crossing the alley before disappearing in the thick jungle surrounding the Mexican resort. I consider myself lucky to have spotted an entire family traveling from tree to tree, about 40ft from where I was standing. I found a small opening and carefully slipped between the trees, making sure I don't scratch myself. Te coati bunch quickly became aware of my presence and made their way deep in the jungle, retrieving the youngsters one by one from different tree branches. I've found them quite cute and intelligent. While searching for the coati latin name I've sadly ran across this recent Herald Tribune article stating that 45 coatis have recently been poisoned in Cancun's mangroves :-( www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=343607&CategoryId=...

A STRANGE thing happens in the village of Kaktovik on Alaska’s north coast in autumn. More than 80 polar bears gather on its remote shoreline to play and feast on the leftovers of bowhead whales that have been (legally) hunted by the indigenous Inupiat people.

Competition recognises lighter side of nature and promotes conservation

Marsupial anteater – the marsupial without the pouch. The Noombat is not only an amusing animal similar to the squirrel. It's a talented hunter with good eyesight

As a self-proclaimed wannabe National Geographic wildlife photographer, my aim is always to get as close as is safely possible to animals in their natural

Some folks hate squirrels. Yeah. They consider them pests, much like opossums or moles. They call them "big rats with fluffy tails." Sure, they might steal a few seeds from the bird feeder or chew a few wires, but these animals definitely should get more love.

I spent 15 years capturing incredible portraits of animals. I've been actively engaged in photography since 2006, mainly focused on nature and the wild animal world. My images show leopards, lions, tigers, and giraffes in surprisingly relaxed poses, with many of them sharing intimate moments with their companions. With my photography, I managed to place my name in many world media.

I spent 15 years capturing incredible portraits of animals. I've been actively engaged in photography since 2006, mainly focused on nature and the wild animal world. My images show leopards, lions, tigers, and giraffes in surprisingly relaxed poses, with many of them sharing intimate moments with their companions. With my photography, I managed to place my name in many world media.

Everything is beautiful, in it's own way... This board is a display of images I find beautiful! These photos do not belong to me, unless otherwise stated. I'm just enjoying their beauty, I hope you do too! Please visit my new Autumn Blog: autumns-glory.tumblr.com

© Daniel Dietrich The lure and magic of wildlife and nature images tempts many photographers to jump into the field. However, it’s not nearly as easy as many aspiring pros think or hope. The all-important “look before you leap” challenges to this photo field can be considerable and the start-up time longer than the usual commercial photography business.

Marten, (genus Martes), any of eight species of weasel-like carnivores of the genus Martes (family Mustelidae), found in Canada and parts of the United States and in the Old World from Europe to the Russian Far East, Taiwan, and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Differing in size and coloration

It can sometimes seem like the bigger the dog, the more love it has to give its owner and the world. And while we totally love our smaller canine companions, the gigantic Great Danes are a sight to behold. Friendly, social, and charming, these floppy-eared loveable dogs are considered by some to be the perfect match for families.

Dutch photographer Dick van Duijn has a real talent for capturing the beauty of wild animals. His photos are both mesmerizing and incredibly cute. The 34-year-old’s wildlife photography work is very popular, with over 46,200 people all over the world eagerly following him on Instagram. Recently, van Duijn has been causing waves on the internet with his beautiful photos of ground squirrels smelling flowers.

Images by © • Roeselien Raimond

Red squirrel 🐿

The Wild dog is South Africa’s most endangered large carnivore with their large rounded Satelite ears stand out like radars.