Hurricane Sandy Pet Emergency Plan

As Hurricane Sandy threatens the East Coast, don’t forget about your pets when preparing for the storm. Below is a review of some top pet preparation tips to ensure their safety if Hurricane Sandy and other looming storms reach your region.

http://tinyurl.com/9st83hf

Emperor Penguin Photos Documented In National Geographic Magazine

When an emperor penguin swims through the water, it is slowed by the friction between its body and the water, keeping its maximum speed somewhere between four and nine feet a second. But in short bursts the penguin can double or even triple its speed by releasing air from its feathers in the form of tiny bubbles. These reduce the density and viscosity of the water around the penguin’s body, cutting drag and enabling the bird to reach speeds that would otherwise be impossible.

http://tinyurl.com/8hk2vkb

Chicago-Area Pets Get Dressed Up In Halloween Costumes

It is no secret that we’re big animal lovers in these parts — and that’s perhaps never more true than the Halloween season. Last year, we asked our readers to submit photos of their furry friends decked out in their best costumes for the season. We were so impressed by the many submissions, that we’re doing it again this year!

http://tinyurl.com/9yov5rc

Grand Cayman Island’s Blue Iguanas Now Listed As Endangered

Blue iguanas on Grand Cayman island are no longer considered a critically endangered species. A decade ago, there were just 10 to 25 blue iguanas living in the wild and they were listed as critically endangered. But now that the wild population has risen to 750, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has downlisted the species from critically endangered to endangered. It’s a major victory for a breeding program that rears and releases blue iguanas on Grand Cayman, the only place in the world where the turquoise-colored reptiles live in the wild.

http://tinyurl.com/9uf8hmg

Brazil: Saving Endangered Monkey Helps Forest

Three tiny flaming orange monkeys crouched on a tree branch, cocking their heads as if to better hear the high-pitched whistles and yaps that came from deep within the dense green foliage. Then they answered in kind, rending the morning with their sharp calls and cautiously greeting each other in the forest. That the cries of Brazil’s endangered golden lion tamarins should fill the air at all on a recent afternoon was cause for celebration, the result of one of the world’s most inspired species restoration efforts. In fact, that campaign has transformed the lush forest where the monkeys live and has become a model widely cited for saving other animals.

http://tinyurl.com/9ns9kee

In America, Pudgy Pets Hit The Treadmill, Too

As the obesity rate soars among Americans, their dogs are getting potbellied, too, encouraging fitness companies to come up with a range of equipment and classes to get pampered pets back into shape. From canine-tailored treadmills, to puppy pedometers and group fitness classes, there’s no shortage of tools to trim and tone the sagging paunches of pooches. As part of his fitness routine, Rocky, a rotund dachshund, traipses a mini-treadmill designed for small dogs.

http://tinyurl.com/bvklfwj

42 Animals Who Are Watching You

Who knows what pets do when we’re away at work or school, but one thing is for sure: when you’re home, they’re watching you. They see everything. If pets could talk, they’d probably just discuss the weird things we do when no one’s watching (luckily, they can only tweet so far). Still, it’s pretty funny when you catch them in the act.

http://tinyurl.com/cnyxbzk