20 Animal Photos Made Famous By The Internet

19. PRECIOUS CARGO

If you want to get with this guy, you must love cats. This Indian villager become a savior to cat lovers everywhere when he risked his life to save a litter of kittens from floods affecting Cuttack City, India. Hopefully he got some loving headbutts in return. (Cute Overload)

18. AIR SAFETY

The Web freaked out when they saw that rhinos beat out pigs when it came to unexpected animals taking flight. This rhino's wild ride is actually for a good cause. Conservation groups move the animals upside-down via helicopter to new homes in order to save them from falling victim to poachers on the ground. 

17. IS THIS A CROC?

The pictured monster croc started hitting inboxes in 2010, puzzling people everywhere. There has been an ongoing dispute about the legitimacy of the photo, claiming to show a monster Nile crocodile caught in Zimbabwe for killing cattle. While there has been no confirmation on whether the animal is real, it is possible for a Nile crocodile to reach this size. (Snopes)

16. DR. ADORABLE

Yanki the gorilla was hit with a late dose of fame when his 1999 baby photos resurfaced on the Web. The pics of the primate's first check-up gave everyone a good dose of cute and Yanki some time in the spotlight. 

15. WATCH YOUR STEP 

We all have our vices. For some, it's martinis. For this moose, it's fermented apples. The animal gorged on so many of these boozy fruits that he got drunk and tangled in a tree. Luckily, the moose was removed from the tree without injury, except whatever harm came to his ego. (Discovery)

14. CAUGHT JAM-HANDED

This possum taught computer users everywhere an important lesson: If you're going to steal someone's sweets, make sure you're able to flee the scene afterwards. This critter got a little too enthusiastic when he broke into a pastry shop and fell into a food-induced coma. The little guy awoke to the stunned shop owners the next day. (Daily Mail) 

13. OH SWEET CHILD OF MINE

While this Mastiff's endearing choice to adopt an orphaned chimp brought home by her zookeeper owners happened several years ago, it wasn't until the pictures hit the Internet that the pooch got the praise she deserved. 

12. CHILL KITTY

This feline became a meme faster than you can say "meow." Users quickly gave personality to this relaxed cat, expressing the kitty's desire to lay back and let the good times roll. (UpRoxx)

11. RIDING THE WAVES

Nipper the orphaned baby dolphin became a must-follow story once pictures of her learning to swim were shared. Her caretaker also became one of the most envied men around. Sadly, Nipper died shortly after these photos were taken, but we still have the memories. (Global Animal)

10. I WOULD WALK 500 MILES

Sometimes things just seem too storybook-perfect to be true. Good thing we have cameras and computers to prove they're real. A furry and fantastic example? This series of snapshots that shows a cat waiting for her dog buddy so they can take their daily walk. (The Daily Blender)

9. THOSE TEARS ARE BULL

This picture was bounced around the Web boasting a story that it depicts the moment matador Alvaro Munera Builes decided to give up bull fighting due to animal cruelty. Only some parts of this tale are true. Munera did give up bull fighting for moral reasons, but only after receiving devastating injuries from one of the animals. The picture is not of Munera, but Antonio Gala Velasco, a matador who just got captured by a cameraman while he was wiping sweat from his face. (The Last Arena)

8. HIGH FIN

For one diver, this will probably go down as the best day ever. The captured moment offered endless giggles for the Internet, who always seems eager to show the softer side of sharks. Many have called out this picture as a fake, but the diver captured in the shot continues to swear the underwater high-five is real. (New.com.au)

7. DARING BEAR

This picture produced thousands of captions across the Web, everything from Yogi Bear jokes to genuine concern. The real story is that an adventurous bear got stuck in a tree and had to be tranquilized and dropped onto a cushion to be removed. (Yahoo!)

6. MOM OF THE YEAR

One dog went from everyday mutt to super mom, after the canine's photo was spread across the Web via Reddit. The pooch was pictured saving her pups from a burning home and ensuring their safety by placing each one on a nearby firetruck. Obviously, major "awwws" ensued. 

5. SHEER EXCITEMENT

Sometimes all it takes is some jumbled words to make someone a star. As soon as a crafty Web user popped this odd caption onto this eager dog's photo, a meme was born. Now animals pics everywhere are getting the "ERHMAGERD" treatment. (Quick Meme)

4. NEW BATMAN CAT VILLAIN

Venus the two-faced cat got Batman fanboys everywhere geeked out when her dual-sided look debuted on the Web. Plenty of people said the markings were the work of Photoshop, but a little digging revealed that Venus is the real deal, known as a chimera cat.

3. JUNGLE BUDDIES 

We know lions can't sing and dance, but it is still nice to think that some part of the "Lion King" characters do translate into real life. That's why everyone went gaga for this snapshot of a potentially legit Timon and Pumba. There has been no final verdict on the photo's legitimacy, but most Disney lovers still believe. (Urlesque)

2. WOOKIE WOOFS

Take Twitter, an adorable dog and a hot air vent, and you have Internet star. This unknown dog became canines' newest "it" animal after a picture of the Chewbacca lookalike sitting in front of a car air vent was tweeted around the World Wide Web. Everyone knows this face now, but almost no other information has been gathered about the furry space fighter from a galaxy far, far away. (Daily Mail)