lion

There's a reason that one of the ultimate prizes for any cat owner is having their cat stretch and turn and yawn and allow us to rub its soft fluffy squishy belly. It's one of the ultimate indicators of trust that cats have. It shows you just how comfortable they are with you. So, we all have the biggest soft spot for cat bellies. 

Combine that with the soft spot that we have for big wild cats being adorable and boom ultimate cuteness. So, as a special treat, today, we've collected a bunch of pictures of big cats showing off their big bellies. Cubs and adults alike, sometimes you just gotta let loose and let your belly hang free. We only wish we could reach into the screen and give those bellies some love.

Every week, we bring you a new collection of animal pictures that are simply too incredible to describe in anything less than 1000 words. Some pictures are just like that, the stories behind them are too vast and complex. And many times, even though we may not know the story, it takes all but one glimpse to know that it's there. Something must have led to this special moment in time being caught, either something hilarious, adorable, or shocking. 

So, look at these incredible photos and let your imagination take over. Who knows? Maybe you'll see one that will inspire you and have you wanting to make something incredible of your own.

Breaking tweets! Start your week with this week's freshest viral animal tweets and see which animals are making news. Laugh at the memes, have your heart melt from adorableness, and get inspired by some incredible photos. 

Week by week, we bring you the best of animal twitter, so if this week's tweets weren't enough, you can always check out last week's. 

We wish you a lovely day, and may you pet a cute cat this week!

And not a moment too soon! This is a heartbreaking story but it has a happy ending. 

A lion cub, by the name of Simba, was one a few weeks old when he was taken away from his mother and forced to pose for pictures with tourists. 

The Russian owners were dragging the poor cub around and using him as a prop for tourists and their holiday photos. And as Simba grew, the owners broke his legs to keep him from running away. 

Tortured and beaten by his owners, the lion soon became ill to the point of death, according to reports. 

Simba was no longer able to take photos with tourists, due to his ill state, that the owners had tied him up and dumped him in a dilapidated barn in Russia. 

It is at the moment that Simba would be rescued from his life of torture. Yulia Agaeva, one of Simba's rescuers, had said, "This was a real hell. He was practically not fed, and for some reason in the frost. Water was constantly poured over him."

News of Simba's cruel torture spread across Russia, and even Vladimir Putin personally ordered a criminal probe into this senseless cruelty. 

Karen Dallakyan, the veterinary surgeon who saved Simba's life, helped Simba regain the use of his legs, thanks to several surgeries. Dallakyan had said that Simba suffered an "ocean of pain from humans" and that the recovery was a "miracle".

There had been over 30 offers from organizations to take the cub in, but Yulia was convinced that Tanzania, a rehabilitation center, was the right choice. 

"The rehabilitation center we selected employs highly trained, kind, animal-loving doctors who will take care of Simba 24/7. It is located in a beautiful area where elephants, zebras, caracals, servals, and other fauna live near Mount Kilimanjaro," said Yulia.

Simba will have a "huge unfenced space" to roam. 

Simba's transfer to a better life is expected at the end of this month. 

Our hearts break for this little cub and wish him all the best. We love you, Simba! 

Story via The Sun 

Meet Brandy! The most beautiful moon bear in the world! 

Brandy was rescued in 1999, by Free the Bears, when she was found clinging to a tree in Southern California, once a forested area that was converted to a palm oil plantation. Now Brandy currently resides at the Cambodia Bear Sanctuary, which is the world's largest sun bear sanctuary. And according to Free the Bears, Brandy is a gentle bear.

Brandy is a Golden moon bear, which is an extremely rare genetic color phase of moon bear. Whenever she emerges from the trees, you see a burst of golden yellow and because of her beautiful coloring, she is often mistaken for a lion! 

Sun bears and moon bears are both vulnerable species listed on the IUCN Red List. You can help by sponsoring Brandy or even become a Bear Carer, all for less than the usual cup of coffee per week! 

Here's a strange story. 

In the Spanish town of Molina de Segura, police got an unusual call about a wildcat on the loose. Imagine their surprise when they realize that the animal in question was no lion at all, just a really big dog, with an odd haircut. 

When the arrived on scene, the police were about to detain the animal (not realizing yet that it was in fact a canine) and scan for a microchip, which revealed the truth. 

Molina de Segura local police told HuffPost that officers were able to reunite the pooch with its owner. "We're investigating and waiting for some results," a spokesperson said in a message that has been translated to English. "We don't know the motive for shaving it that way. For now, there's no justifiable motive. We have to confirm the vaccines and documents are correct, but fortunately, the dog is fine."

Living in suburbia, there is nothing like getting away from it all and going into nature, and experiencing everything that urbanization can't offer. Some take it a step further, and seek out foreign lands in order to experience the real wild. So they go on a guided Safari tour with guides and cars that gives them the most authentic experience possible.

But there is no doubt that being up close and personal with animal is an incredible opportunity they probably won't have again. And for some of these people, after their experience, they might never want to again.

Well...what can we say? Amazon never ceases to surprise us with fun silly products for our pets. Check out this silly hat.

The Tobe Zoo in Japan shared its procedure for an escaped lion complete with a person in a furry costume. As you will see, the Zoo's resident lions were not so impressed with it. 

Lions: the most majestic creatures in the animal kingdom. Fierce, caring and playful, lions are the animals we all admire and fear a little. Continue reading to see beautiful pictures of lots of lions.