50 Best Animal Pictures of 2012

BEST IN SHOW 

On February 23, Malachy the Pekingese was crowned Best in Show at Westminster. The pampered pooch beat out stiff canine competition for the silver bowl with his good looks, charm and perfectly coiffed fur. 

FLOCK OF ALPACAS

Last April, fashionistas everywhere turned to Austria's alpacas for the latest spring hair trends. As an annual tradition, farmer Erwin Stadler shears his alpacas' wooly coats to keep them cool during the summer season. But farmer Erwin doesn't give them just any ol' haircut — he makes sure their looks were worthy of the runway! 

GREAT DANE MAKES HISTORY

In April, Giant George could finally fully own his name when he was crowned the world's Tallest Dog Ever. The adorable, gigantic animal even published a book about being big and beautiful. This photo shows him and his owner hanging out in bed at home. PawNation featured him as our Cute Pet of the Week in August. 

SEALED WITH A SMILE

On April 14, The Seals of Nam released a rare photo of a smiling seal swimming through a school of fish. Talk about being at the right place at the right time! Nicely done, underwater photog. 

CUB MEETS BUTTERFLY 

On May 4, a photographer at the National Zoological Museum of China was able to capture an amazing moment between a curious lion cub and a beautiful butterfly. 

ALL HAIL THE QUEEN

The monkeys at Longleat Safari & Adventure Park sure know how to throw a tea party, especially ones for her royal highness! For her Diamond Jubilee on May 30, the chimp-like chaps celebrated Queen Elizabeth with a feast fit for a king! The monkey gang had a grand ol' time noshing on fruit and cupcakes, and hope to be around for her next jubilee! 

CHILL CAT GOES VIRAL

Some cats have to jump through cardboard boxes to reach Internet fame. All this calm kitty had to do was stay cool as a cucumber and it became famous overnight. Last June, this maxin' and relaxin' feline invaded social media accounts and websites the world over.

WILD AND CRAZY VACATION 

If you'd rather be at the zoo than laying on the beach, we've got your next vacation destination. On June 4, the world was introduced to the Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, Kenya — a hotel that features an unusual crop of employees made up of Rothschild giraffes. For more details, click here. 

SURF'S UP, DOGS!

On June 18, 50 surfing dogs gathered in San Diego to battle it out on the waves for the 7th Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition that benefitted the ASPCA. This year, the athletic animals broke three Guinness Book of World Records, including most dogs surfing on one board at one time, most dogs surfing on one board at one time with a human and most dogs surfing on one board at one time with two humans. 

TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL

With the release of his book and stuffed animal, it seemed like Boo had become oversaturated. But many months later, it's apparent that the world's cutest Pomeranian has still got it. In July, he became Virgin Airline's official pet liaison. The Internet, namely Facebook, is clearly still smitten with the fluffy pup. Not only did he reach over six million likes in December, he's also got his own ornament for you to adorn your tree with this year. 

SPIDER-LIZARD

No, this lizard has not been photoshopped. The Mwanza Flat Headed Agama rose to fame in July, thanks to its superhero-like colors. His Spider-Man stance is pretty uncanny, right? 

RARE WHITE CUBS

On July 19, Yalta Zoo had the pleasure of welcoming a litter of rare white lion cubs into their family. Due to a recessive gene that was present in both of their tan-colored parents, all five cubs were born extra special. Zookeepers were not expecting any white lion cubs, so they quickly became the pride of the park. We can understand why!  

TINY DANCER

It was no surprise when Nipper the orphaned baby dolphin became Internet famous after photos of her learning how to swim surfaced online. This picture in particular captured the hearts of millions, featuring her caretaker taking her out for a swim in the ocean. Sadly, Nipper died shortly after the photos were taken. We are glad we will have these photos to remember her forever. 

SUNBATHING SWEETHEART 

On July 26, Cute Overload shared photos of a beached elephant, also known as a "bebeh trunkster," splashing around one of Thailand's beautiful beaches. He didn't seem too disappointed to be stuck by the water, however. Just take a look at this photo! 

CUTE CHECK-UP

Yakini the baby gorilla melted hearts when photos of his check-ups were re-released on the web in early August. The adorable images were captured in 1999 when Yakini was put under close supervision due to medical complications at the Melbourne Zoo. All grown-up, Yakini now lives in the Werribee Open Range Zoo in Australia.

MOLA MOLA MIRACLE

Although underwater photographer Daniel Botelho took this awesome up-close shot of an ocean sunfish in 2010, it wasn't until August 1 that he shared it with his friends on Facebook. The unusual-looking creature (also known as a mola mola) earned 1,000 likes in 36 hours! 

MILLION DOLLAR SMILE

This adorable baby gorilla had a lot to smile about when it came into the world on August 1 — namely, the fact that he was so darn cute! The tiny gorilla was born at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey, England, to proud mom, Shanga. According to zookeepers, he adjusted quite nicely to his new home! 

UNUSUAL BESTIES

It was best friendship at first sight for Anzac the kangaroo and Peggy the wombat. On August 2, we were introduced to the cutest odd couple in the animal kingdom. These two snuggle buds from the Wildlife Kilmore Rescue Center were put in the same pouch at birth and have been inseparable since. 

HERO DOG MOM

On August 10, Amanda the German Shepherd became Reddit's hero after she was photographed saving her puppies from a fire by placing them on a firetruck. She braved the blaze in her home and was able to retrieve all but one of her 10-day-old babies. 

SHARK SAYS CHEESE

This guy smiley from Port St. Johns, South Africa is trying to break the stereotype that his kind are just chomping jaws and lurking fins. On August 16, photographer Vladimir Levantovsky captured this incredible photo of a satisfied shark post-sardine run. That explains the wide grin! 

POODLE MOTH PHOTO 

What do you get when you cross a fluffy dog with an insect? A poodle moth, DUH! On August 22, a taxonomist named Dr. Arthur Anker snapped an up-close picture of a poodle moth, also known as a muslin moth, in Venezuela. It's almost so cute, we'd consider petting it. 

BATMAN'S FAVORITE CAT

On August 23, a two-faced Chimera calico cat became an Internet sensation after its owner posted a photo of her on Reddit. Gotham city fans were quick to say that this double-sided kitty would be Batman's favorite cat. 

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

On August 24, photographer Sergy Gorshkov did the unthinkable. He dove deep into dangerous waters to capture an intimate photo of a bear underwater and became the first person to ever do so. 

INSTAGRAM'S CAT SENSATION

Snoopy the cat stole the hearts of the Instagram world last August with his big, endearing eyes and fabulously fluffy tail. When we featured him as our Paw Star, we discovered that he wasn't all looks — Snoopy had a playful and super sweet personality, too! 

BOY BEFRIENDS ALPINE MARMOTS

Michaela Walch has been taking her son Matteo up to the alps since he was a tiny boy. Since then, her son, who is now 4 years old, has created a friendship with the mountain's marmots. Every time she and her son would go up and visit, she would take photographs of Matteo and his furry friends. On August 27, she shared those photos with the world. We can't wait to see more photos of their life-long friendships!  

CHEETAH CUB AND PUPP ARE BEST PALS

On September 17, Cincinnati Zoo's cheetah cub, Savanna, was introduced to a Lab puppy named Max. The two became fast friends, proving, finally, that canines and felines can actually get along. 

HALF MALE, HALF FEMALE CARDINAL

On September 19, a reader of "Why Evolution Is True" submitted photos of a gynandromorph — half male, half female — cardinal. Half of the bird was a brilliant crimson red color, representing its male side, while the other half was a fawn, gray-brown tone, which represents its female side. Scientists are unsure how this exactly happens, which makes this cardinal even that much more remarkable. 

SHEEPDOG BOTTLE-FEEDS BABY LAMB

All together now: AWW! On September 20, Jess the caring spaniel was snapped bottle-feeding his baby lamb on farmer Louise Moorhead's property. Apparently, the 10-year-old dog has been helping around the farm since she was a puppy. So sweet! 

ROCKIN' DO

Noko the porcupette was born to be a rockstar. When Chester Zoo welcomed him into the world on September 21, the tiny animal sported some stylish bed-head. 

MAN SOOTHES DOG

A dedicated dog owner melted hearts all over the world after he was photographed soothing his arthritic dog Schoep to sleep in Lake Superior on September 25. So many people were touched by John Unger's canine compassion and donated thousands of dollars to help with Schoep's treatment. Instead of using the money towards his own dog, Unger created the Schoep Legacy Foundation to assist low-income families with aging pets. 

BEAR DOWN

When a courageous and curious bear ventured up a tree, he had no idea he'd win the Internet last September. The hilarious photo of a big brown bear falling onto a mattress-like pad produced meme after meme, until everyone on the Web was talking about him. However, the actual situation was no laughing matter — the bear had been tranquilized and dropped onto a cushion to be removed. Still, he became one of the most memorable animals of 2012. 

A WHALE OF A TAIL

Whale watchers in the Antarctic Peninsula never thought they'd get so close to one of the giant sea creatures, let alone see one! But on October 4, the group was met with a Humpback Whale's tail that breached the water right by their raft. The group was lucky enough to witness the two 48-ton whales dive and dance around during their krill feast. What a trip! 

UPSIDE DOWN ANIMAL

In October, Allan McNamara was strolling through Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, and spotted a sheep from afar that looked like it had an upside-down head. In complete disbelief, McNamara went up for a closer look and found he was completely right. Although the sheep's spine looked like it had been twisted 180 degrees, he seemed completely happy and in no pain.

RARE RUSTY-SPOTTED CAT(S)

On October 8, the Berlin Zoo was proud to present two extremely rare baby rusty-spotted cats. Their birth was the first in the zoo's 168-year history! Their precious faces were definitely worth the wait. 

ELUSIVE SILVER FOX

Watch out, Anderson Cooper. A real silver fox was snapped by a photographer named Steffen Sailor in Canada's Yukon Territory on October 11. The beautiful creature is rarely seen, as it typically runs away upon any human encounter, so Sailor was extremely lucky to have been able to capture such intimate photographs of the stunning animal. 

SISTERLY LOVE

An orphan puppy named Buttons and a kitten named Kitty first met when they were both only two weeks old. Since then, the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home pals have become so close that they behave like sisters. The adorable pair was photographed on October 12 to show the world just how inseparable they are. 

UNDERWATER DOGS WIN THE INTERNET 

Photographer Seth Casteel struck gold when he shared his stunning photographs of dogs diving underwater. He knew they were special, but he had no idea that they'd be so well received by the public and be shared across the Internet. On October 23, Casteel released his book, "Underwater Dogs," featuring a collection of more than 80 portraits of his submerged four-legged friends. 

HALLOWEEN PARADE STAR

In October, Maddie the Spaniel mix beat out hundreds of pup participants at the Tompkins Square Park Annual Halloween Parade. It was a tough decision, but the creativity brought by Maddie's owners Bennet Leak and Brett England was a "ruff" above the rest. Click here to watch the video! 

EINSTEIN'S DOPPELGANGER

On October 25, Professor Mihail Nazarov spotted a baby monkey at Taiping National Park in Malaysia that was the spitting image of Albert Einstein. The stump-tailed macaque's fluffy white hair and wrinkly forehead was so uncanny, Nazarov couldn't resist taking photos of the adorable and funny-looking creature. 

OTTER IMITATES ART

Doug Perrine couldn't believe what he saw on October 31. The 60-year-old photographer witnessed an otter posing like the character in Edvard Munch's famous painting known as "The Scream." Otters typically press their paws against their cheeks when they are grooming themselves. 

HALLOWEEN LOBSTER IS SAVED

On November 1, fishermen caught an unusual and rare lobster in the Atlantic waters off Salem, Massachusetts. The crustacean was exceptionally unique due to its black and orange coloring, which was split down the middle of its body. The rare lobster was saved and donated to the New England Aquarium. 

GROOMING GONE WRONG 

Everybody has bad hair days, even dogs. On November 1, we reported the devastating story of a grooming gone wrong. When Snieguole Ghuman picked up her German Shepherd from the groomers after a wash, she was shocked to find that he had been fully shaved. Although it was a bad day for Simba, it did make for a hilarious photo-op. 

CUP O' CUTENESS 

In October, an adorable koala joey was found abandoned on a road in Brisbane, Australia. Thankfully, the joey, Raymond, was saved and is now on the road to recovery. To show just how well he's doing, here is a snapshot of him that was taken on November 9. 

SEA LION & HIS BOY

On November 14, photographers came out to see 5-year-old Sean Goodman and his very best animal friend, Milo the sea lion. The two have been having monthly play dates at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach for over a year and a half, but it wasn't until recently that people started coming to see the two of them perform their tricks. 

BEAR BIRTHDAY FUN

How did you celebrate your birthday? Whatever you did, it probably was nowhere near as fun as Pike the Polar Bear's snowy soiree. On November 16, the San Francisco Zoo treated the 30-year-old female Polar Bear with freshly blown snow to roll around in. 

GREAT WHITES CAN JUMP

On November 29, photographer Dana Allen caught a great white shark leaping in mid-air in Cape Town, South Africa. It wasn't an easy feat; Allen spent three days in the water with a group of other photogs trying to lure the great whites with a fake seal. Allen was the only person lucky enough to capture the incredible beast mid-leap. 

MINTY FRESH

An orangutan at the Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo, Indonesia, was caught brushing her teeth on November 20. According to the photographer, Jurgen Freund, the zoo's orangutans pick up behaviors they see from visitors. 

WHALE WATCHING FAIL 

Oops! On December 3, a group of whale watchers unfortunately missed an unbelievable photo-op  along the Cork coast of Ireland. A photographer was able to capture the hilarious moment when the whale watchers' backs were turned away from the magical moment. Better luck next time! 

FAMILY'S PET RHINO

On December 5, PawNation reported on Anne Whittall who had recently invited photographers into her house to meet her pet rhino, Jimmy. She had adopted him after her photographer friend saved the gentle giant from poachers in Zimbabwe. Whittall welcomed the animal into her home without question and raised him to be a member of her family.