tiger

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 day, we hear about breaking stories of animals being rescued, and every day, we feel grateful for the rescuers. We try our very best to tell you about these heartwarming stories here, but there are just far too many to keep count of. Some of these rescuers are firefighters, some are shelters, and others are just regular people like us who saw an animal in need and decided to do their best to save them. So, to show some more gratitude, highlight the wonderful people who put in their time and effort to save our furry little friends, and celebrate the animals saved, we made a collection of some of these stories from the past month.

Week by week, we bring you the best that animal twitter has to offer - the most popular animal tweets. This week's lineup is starring: showering otters, muscular tigers, and bats with pacifiers. We know that the best way to start off any week is to dive into the mindhive of twitter and be truly amazed by the things that twitter users enjoy. Some will have you smiling, others awwing, some will have you snorting, some will remind you that Halloween is nearing, and others will make your hear flutter with gratitude. 

So, enjoy this week's animal tweets, give your pet a treat if you have one and make sure to wish for them to have a good week too. And our wish this week to you is to meet a cute dog this week and have it lick your hand.

Some pictures are impossible to capture in just a few words, the stories behind them are far too fascinating. Week by week, we bring you a collection of photos just like these. 

When it comes to pictures that are worth more than 1000 words, there is complexity. It's not just that these pictures are beautiful, which they are, but we also see the story behind them - the emotions, the atmosphere, the endless possible situations which might have led to the pictures being taken. They could be funny, heartwarming, or awe-inspiring. They might make you smile, or they might make you think. What's for sure is that there is no way we could sum them up in anything less than 1000 words. 

A terrifying story with a happy ending. Three years ago, a six week old Bengal tiger cub was rescued from a wildlife trafficking attempt at a San Diego area border crossing. Today, the fully grown tiger, Moka, is living happily with another rescued tiger named Nola.

Moka was discovered in the floorboard of a sports car driven by an 18-year-old man who was attempting to smuggle the tiger from Tijuana through the U.S.-Mexico border. As reported by the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy and Border Report, the passenger under whose legs the cub was hidden had at first said that it was "just a cat." The driver, Luis Valencia, when questioned, claimed that he had bought the tiger in Tijuana after seeing someone walking it on a leash and wanted to keep it as a pet. Later, of course, it was discovered that both statements were false, and Luis was sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges.

The cub was taken to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and had a surgery that saved his life. At the time, his weight was less than that of the average house cat - just 6 pounds. His name, Moka, means "chance" in Bengali and was given to him as a way of commemorating the story of his discovery. There, he got to meet Rakan, "a Sumartan tiger cub whose mother was unable to care for him," and together they grew up, played, wrestled, and pounced, becoming stronger and happier.

After a few months of care, still only a few months old, Moka was moved into an animal sanctuary called Lions, Tigers & Bears east of San Diego where he met Nola from Louisiana - another now fully grown tiger who was rescued as a cub.

The founder and director of Lions, Tigers & bears, Bobbi Brink, told Border Report that "[Moka and Nola] were both the same age, so they made great roommates, now they're best of friends," as well as that "[h]e's kind of shy but Nola is his strength. She'll be the first one to go out and check out something then slowly but surely he'll be right behind her," and no ending could make us happier.

Take a look at pictures of Moka from three years ago, over the first three months at the safari (with Rakan!) and today below.

Happy International Tiger Day! 

We shared an update from India's Tiger Reserves earlier this morning, and we're happy to hear the numbers for these endangered animals have been climbing, over the years!

However, there's always more work to be done! On this day, it's important to raise awareness for their conservation. Sadly, tigers have lost 90% of their natural habitat and their population has dwindled down to less than 4,000. India shared a report that revealed their tiger population increased from 1,400 in 2014 to a total of 2,967. That's more than double! While there is still a long way to go, it feels like we're on the right track. 

Let's continue to help this beautiful species thrive by spreading the word and donating what we can! You can even adopt a big cat at World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). 

Over the past 12 years, India has nearly doubled its tiger population! Did you know that Tigers in India hold up to 70% of the world's tiger population? How wild is that! 

In honor of International Tiger Day, Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister, released a report about the current status of Tigers in India. His report states, "In 1973, there were just nine tiger reserves which have now increased to 50. It is important to know that none of these reserves are of poor quality. Either they are good or the best."

Three tiger reverses (out of 50 reserves) shared in 2018 that they have no tigers left. The reserve with the most tiger population is Corbett at 231 tigers, followed by Nagarhole with 127 and Bandipore with 126 tigers. 

Check out some gorgeous tigers from India's Tiger Reserves below:

Story via Business Insider

Meet photographer extraordinaire, Mr Perou! 

Perou spent months working with The Big Cat Sanctuary in the UK, where he photographed big cats in hope to raise awareness about the animals at the sanctuary and their endangered wild cousins.

Perou created a 'lion's den,' using Siros lights and photographed the animals as he would rock stars, fashion models or actos.

The result? Simply eye-stopping and STUNNING.  You can follow his work on Instagram as well.

Prepare to be enchanted! 

The tiger is the largest of the world's big cats and this magnificent creature, with its distinctive orange and black stripes and beautifully marked face, has a day that is dedicated to it. This was first celebrated in 2010 and was founded at an international summit that had been called in response to the shocking news that 97% of all wild tigers had disappeared in the last century, with only around 3,000 left alive. Tigers are on the brink of extinction and International World Tiger Day aims to bring attention to this fact and try to halt their decline. Many factors have caused their numbers to fall, including habitat loss, climate change, hunting and poaching and Tiger Day aims to protect and expand their habitats and raise awareness of the need for conservation.

The feeling when you come home and there's a tiger taking a catnap in your living room...Amid flooding in Assam, India, a 200-pound (91-kg) tiger escaped from a wildlife park and found shelter in a nearby home. The Wildlife Trust India says it will ensure the tiger finds a safe passage home.

Tigers: big, cuddly, stripy, slightly dangerous and very cute. Who wouldn't want one as a pet? If you do, check out these tiger GIFs and get your daily dose of tigers.