Random Link O' the Day for 4 April 2007. Tigons and Ligers and Geep, oh my!

Okay:  today we're back to animal photographs because, honestly, I never get tired of looking at them.  I recommend to those interested in animals, and in the infinite adaptability of organisms, this page showing photographs of hybrid animals.  This time the photographs come to us from OddAnimals.com. 

Here, for example,  is a "tigon" which, contrary to my expectations is completely silver, with silver eyes.      The "Liger" on the other hand, is magnificently striped, and equally magnificently maned.   Here is a wolphin, a cross-breed between a dolphin and a killer whale.  And finally:  something called (a?) geep.  You can guess what that's like. 

It seems to me that all three hybrids are a valuable addition to the universe.

Here's one I don't think I've ever seen before, called a Bilby. It's Australian and looks a bit like a cross between a rat and a possum, perhaps---judging by the color of its nose----a bit too fond of Foster's (well, it is an Aussie).  It's really cute.  Here is a picture of a leaf deer, the smallest sort, ditto.

There are photos of normal animals which look odd or which are behaving oddly.  Here is something which I'm told won some sort of "World's Ugliest Dog" contest.  I do not believe that it is a dog.  I am not sure what it is, and it looks more like a dog than it looks like anything else, but it is a nightmare version of a dog, a small version of the dog which featured in Steven King's short story "The Sun Dog."  I wonder if it was real or just a photograph someone photoshopped?   It's got to be because:  the teeth.  How could it eat? I suppose it could eat baby food, the way my cat did when he got stung in the mouth by a yellow jacket. 

If you are not squeamish, you might be interested in some photographs of animals born with unusual deformities.  I admit I am interested in anything to do with cats.  For example, this little kitten was born with two faces (I am assuming it must have been one of those "absorbed twin" situations?)  In the photograph, it is alive, but the note says it died a few days later.  What a pity; I wonder if it could have been saved (I'm assuming it couldn't nurse properly)?  It's so cute.

Comments

[jeter harris]

hmmmm .... i don't mind a hyooman vizitin mi paje if u don't mind a cat vizitin yerz ... an today wuz a grate day to vizit becuz i saw all kindz uv amazin animalz like da grate tigon, an da grate liger, an da grate (but unforchoonit) geep.
oh mi!
laffin an laffin!
yer frend--jh