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animals (Page 52)
Nintendogs coming to a PlayStation Vita near you?
- Philip Kendall
Aug 16, 2013 - Tweet
…Wait, that’s not Nintendogs!
No, ladies and gentlemen, the house that made Mario hasn’t finally buckled under the pressure and decided to publish its first-party games on rival platforms. The above screenshot is actually from a completely new title designed specifically for Sony’s portable: PlayStation Vita Pets. Soulless rip-off or an evolution of the pet sim genre? Find out after the break.
- Global
- (animals • dogs • pets • Playstation Vita • video games)
Pet owner builds tiny ninja house for hamster, escape panels and hidden doors galore
- Philip Kendall
Aug 10, 2013
With dozens of websites dedicated to videos of their cute antics, there’s no denying that the Japanese love their pets. But when a pet owner also happens to be a rather talented craftsman, you can be sure that when their skills and love for their pet come together, the results will be terrific.
Check out this miniature ninja house that YouTuber heibonkinoko made for his pet hamster, which comes complete with hidden doors, fake walls and escape tunnels. It’s positively epic in tiny proportions.
Stuff your pooch in a microwave…Wait, make that air conditioner: Japan’s bizarre heating and cooling system for dogs
- Michelle Lynn Dinh
Aug 9, 2013
It’s the dog days of summer and your poor little poochie is sprawled out on the hardwood floor, trying to suck up as much coolness as possible. She’s looking up at you with those pleading, puppy dog eyes, hoping for some sort of relief from the heat because you’re too cheap to turn on the air conditioner. Sure, humans have handheld fans, fancy cooling sprays, and delicious ice cream, but what does Fido get? If you’re in Japan and have enough extra cash, your dog could be chilling out this summer in its own personal air conditioner box.
Chinese man tries to smuggle turtle through airport security by disguising it as a hamburger
- Andrew Miller
Aug 6, 2013
The importance of the hand luggage inspection area at airports simply cannot be underestimated. Sure, they’re time consuming and can be an irritating experience for frequent fliers, but without them it would be impossible to ensure the safety of passengers on board aircraft. However, despite procedures becoming ever more stringent in recent years, it hasn’t stopped some passengers looking for ways to slip prohibited items past security. At one Chinese airport, for example, one man recently tried a quite bizarre tactic to smuggle his pet turtle onto the plane: pretending it was a hamburger.
Fukuoka Aquarium porpoises play relay with magical underwater bubble rings
- Mike
Jul 23, 2013
Fukuoka Aquarium’s black finless porpoises proved themselves to be the true wizards of the sea earlier this month when they began blowing incredible bubble rings like Gandalf the Grey high on pipe-leaf, even passing them back and forth relay-style.
Adorable terrorists take over campaign office, hide in shoes
- Jessica
Jul 22, 2013
We recently reported on Japan’s recent trouble with traffic backups in otter pipes, but it seems the country is facing another animal menace: feathered anarchists interfering in the political process!
1.5-meter snake discovered in home, owner couldn’t be happier
- Master Blaster
Jul 3, 2013
On 18 June in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, 48-year-old Kaoru Kurosawa came home to find a 1.5-meter Japanese rat snake on the second floor. Kurosawa quickly took a picture of the serpent before it slithered down a gutter and escaped.
Now, netizens across Japan are heralding this event as a sign of good things to come for Japan or at least for Kurosawa.
- Japan
- (animals • luck • snake • superstition)
Pet sitting service extends into Nagoya, Japan
- Rachel Tackett
Jul 2, 2013
When leaving the house for days on end, whether it be for work or for pleasure, those who have pets face an additional problem in planning. Someone has to feed the critters and make certain that they don’t leave any stinky surprises. Japan offers a number of different services for traveling pet owners, but one man, Mr. Haruna from Okazaki City in Aichi Prefecture, hated to see how upset his pet became after being left in a pet hotel.
In order to limit the stress of lonely pets, Haruna quit his job as a salary man and started the Pet-Sitter Gentry. “It’s the pet version of a babysitter,” he explains, and although the business has seen some hardships, the recruitment of additional staff has now allowed him to expand his pet-sitting service area into eastern Nagoya City.
- Japan
- (Aichi Prefecture • animals • cute • Pet sitting • pets)
Say what? Animal figures live in your fridge, speak in adorable Japanese regional dialects
- Casey Baseel
Jun 28, 2013
Regional dialects can be a powerful thing. Call out “partner” or “boyo” and I might not even realize you’re talking to me, but just say the word “dude” and you’ve got my complete attention.
Despite its small land mass, Japan’s language is filled with dialects, largely the result of mountains, not to mention centuries of civil war and travel restrictions, making it hard for people different from different areas to mix for much of the country’s history. Occasionally these unique speech patterns pop up in unexpected places, like when a coworker from Osaka stubs his toe in the office, or a drinking buddy from Akita’s accent starts showing after the fifth round of beers.
And now, you can hear Japanese dialects in your refrigerator.
- Japan
- (animals • cute • Japanese language • technology)
Villagers on their guard as crocodiles escape from breeding farm in China
- Andrew Miller
Jun 27, 2013
According to Chinese media, around a hundred crocodiles escaped from a breeding farm in the Guangdong province of China late last week. Inhabitants of the area, who include young school children, are said to be fearful for their safety.
- Japan
- (animals • China • crocodiles • escape)
Dude, you ‘otter’ check this out! It’s ‘otterly’ adorable!
- Preston Phro
Jun 21, 2013
While the Internet may run on cats, they’re certainly not the only cute creatures on the planet. (We’ll leave it up to you to decide if they’re the cutest or not…)
One of the underdog challengers to the Internet Cuteness Throne is the otter.
And this otter, named Piisu-kun, is bringing more than cuteness—he’s helpful, too!!
Tourists in China pose with dying dolphin, anger netizens
- Rona Moon
Jun 20, 2013
On June 16, locals spotted a stranded dolphin at popular tourist destination, Sanya, in Hainan Province, China. The relevant authorities were contacted, but while waiting for help to arrive, people swimming nearby seized the photo op, lifting the dying dolphin out of the water to strike their most flattering poses.
- China
- (animals • dolphin • Hainan • wildlife rescue)
Proof that not all cats hate water – Korean kitty takes a dip 【Video】
- Philip Kendall
Jun 18, 2013
Since the average domestic cat’s experience of water is limited to being shut out in the rain or being pinned down and bathed by their owner because, after one too many garden adventures, their fur is a filthy, matted mess (and that was not a fun afternoon, let me assure you), it’s little wonder that there’s a commonly held belief that all cats hate H2O. As the following video proves, however, there are some cats out there that love nothing more than a nice, long dip in the hot water.
Heroic dog in Thailand warms our hearts, makes us feel inadequate by comparison
- Casey Baseel
Jun 14, 2013
While travelling in Thailand, I was surprised by the large number of unattended dogs roaming about town. Much like the country’s citizens, though, they’re generally good-natured, and you’ll often see the laid-back pooches sleeping peacefully in plazas, next to temples, and along riverbanks.
Thai society appreciates the value of a good nap, but one canine in the city of Ayutthaya has more than just cultural justification for taking a snooze. Pui the Bangkaew dog has earned himself a little bit of rest and relaxation by saving a baby’s life.
Moulting spider crab is horrifying and mouth watering at the same time
- Mike
Jun 13, 2013
The spider crab is the largest living crab on the planet and, as its name suggests, looks like the terrifying offspring of the unholy mating of a coconut crab and a Goliath tarantula. So it’s no wonder that watching one of these monstrosities shed its entire exoskeleton is nightmare-inducing, as this video shows.
Korean Remote Controlled Turtle Project Making Slow But Steady Progress
- Casey Baseel
May 16, 2013
One year when I was in junior high school my parents gave me a radio controlled car for Christmas. It was the perfect gift for a young boy right in the middle of dealing with the most awkward, confusing psychological change that comes with puberty (no longer thinking riding a bike is cool, but still being too young to drive a car). I loved that R/C car, so much that I kept playing with it outside as it started to rain one day, eventually frying the circuits so that it never ran again.
But things would have been different if my parents had been researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, or KAIST. First, everyone would have been surprised by how two Korean scientists ended up with a Caucasian son with blond hair. And next, they could have hooked me up with a controllable water-resistant reptile, like the remote controlled turtle KAIST is currently developing. Read More
Interspecies Love Story: Dog and Wounded Bird Become BFFs
- Jessica
Feb 15, 2013
Five years ago, a dog and bird met for the first time, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Here is their story. Read More
Worried About Your Pooch or Pussy? Watch it From Your Smartphone Wherever You Go!
- Philip Kendall
Dec 15, 2012
If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a pet-owning gadget-loving friend, this may be just the thing!
Thanks to its clever design and built-in wireless wizardry, this new pet monitor allows pet owners to keep an eye on their fluffy friends from work, on the train or while sipping overpriced coffee at any number of trendy coffee houses.
Those without pets but convinced that their home is haunted or that their toys come to life while they’re out, meanwhile, may be interested to know that the camera can be controlled via smartphone and features full rotation and zoom capabilities!
Videos of Two Animal Mimicers From Different Sides of the Globe
- Karen Bremer Masuda
Dec 13, 2012
Close your eyes and find yourself in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by the cries of tropical birds and laughter of monkeys in the treetops. But wait! Suddenly you’ve jumped to the barnyard, the clucking of chickens and neighing of horses filling the air. Now open your eyes because you’ll miss the great facial expressions it takes for these two master mimicers, one from India and one from New Zealand (kinda), to produce these animal sounds. Read More
- C Asia, New Zealand
- (animals • mimic • YouTube)
Outbreak of Rare Phantom Squid in Pacific Coast of Japan May Herald Imminent Earthquake
- Master Blaster
Nov 30, 2012
Deep below the ocean lives the squid Chiroteuthis, known in Japan by the name Yurei Ika (Phantom Squid). The Japanese name comes from its ghost-like fluttering and floating movement.
It’s a squid seldom seen by people who don’t have access to a submarine and can visit their habitat 200 to 600 meters beneath the ocean. So when they started turning up in unprecedented numbers around the southeastern coast of Japan, experts became understandably alarmed.
- Japan
- (animals • Chirteuthis • disaster • earthquake • Sagami Bay • squid)
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Today
Japanese milk carton cakes are a genius idea that the world needs to know about
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Monthly
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A faster, easier way to make cake: Use a rice cooker【SoraKitchen】
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