We are frugivorous and nectarivorous and thus love nectar and pollen from the flowers of trees. Moreover, we eat various fruits like bananas, mangos, figs, dates and avocados – almost any kind of pulpy fruit is good for us. Because fruit is one of our primary foods, we are also known as fruit bats. We are also called flying foxes because we can soar in the air and our cute, furry faces look quite a bit like that of a fox! Bats, including megabats and microbats, are the only mammals capable of real and sustained flight with our own wings.

Researchers have analyzed the purrs of many different cats and have determined that the sounds we make are mostly within the range of 20 to 140 hertz. Experiments have shown that vibrations in this range are therapeutic for bone growth, pain relief, mending fractures, reducing swelling, wound healing, muscle growth and repair, breathing difficulties, and relieving migraines. So, when we cats get injured, we may purr to stimulate our own healing. What’s more – since we know we have this ability – we will often cuddle up and purr when our human companion in hurt or sick, because we want to help.

As a matter of fact, two researchers did some experiments and found strong evidence that we cats are sensitive to human emotional cues. They found that the cats behaved differently when their caregivers was smiling compared to when they were frowning. When faced with their smiling companion, a cat was much more likely to show affectionate behavior such as purring, rubbing or sitting on their lap. The cats also seemed to want to spend more time with their smiling human friend than when he or she was frowning.

We are the heaviest known bony fish in the world, look like a laterally flattened oval disc. One of our fascinating characteristics is that we don’t have a real tail or caudal fin, and our back end looks truncated. It is pretty normal if you find us floating on the surface of the water with one side up towards the sun. We are well-known as the ultimate sunbathers, and that is why we are called sunfish.

Animal moms are compassionate and caring, thinking nothing of sacrificing their health and safety to defend, nurture and raise their young. Their wholehearted dedication to their babies deserves our utmost admiration and appreciation. Hens are exemplary brave mothers and very mindful of their chicks’ safety. During a rainstorm, if there is no shelter, momma hen will spread her wings and let her babies stand under them. She doesn’t care that she gets completely soaked at all!

Dr. Kang believes the best parenting style for today’s youngsters are the “dolphin parents” who strike a balance between the two previously mentioned extremes（“tiger parents” and ”jellyfish parents”）. Similar to dolphin mothers in the wild, dolphin parents are collaborative and have rules and expectations, but they also encourage independence and creativity. Did you know dolphin mothers are superheroes? They do not sleep for a whole month after they give birth to a calf! Do you know why?

In fact, I truly hope everyone can be loving and compassionate to all beings, every week of every year! And being vegan is the best way to start showing your gentleness and compassion to animals. Animals are more than just wonderfully intelligent. They are selfless, loving and devoted friends, as well as parents and spouses. No matter what species, if you give them love and respect, they will love and protect and help you in so many ways, both visibly, and invisibly.

Celebrating Be Kind to Animals Week May 5-11, 2019. Animals are loving. Animals are noble. They are fun! They are just like us. Animals are great! In honor of Be Kind to Animals Week, I invite you to join me in watching a few heartwarming clips of my fellow animal friends.

I’ve heard many people say, “Aww, he’s so adorable!” But if you really want to see how cute a chinchilla can be, you should check out my cousin BuBu. She has lots of photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram. Our super-soft fur is what we are famous for, but it is also the reason why we have almost become extinct in the wild. I’ll bet you’ve never seen a chinchilla in the wild. There are a few reasons for that. Number one: When was the last time you climbed over 3,000 meters? Number two: How well can you see in the dark?

Now, the common misconception is that those needles must be dipped in medication, steroids, something. And I say, no, no, no, they’re just stainless steel needles. There’s no magic here. There’s no medicine. When we put the needles in the acupoints, that’s where the action actually starts to occur. Oftentimes when a patient has the acupuncture, it does have a calming effect, and most clients will report that for the rest of the day or the next day, their pet is more quiet than usual.

Over the years, I’ve had a number of patients(animals) who have come in where they either couldn’t walk at all or were having a lot of difficulty walking. And through acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, I was able to get them back up and walking again to the point where they were enjoying life again. I also have some patients that are dealing with chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease. They’ve done quite well on acupuncture. Acupuncture, a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine, is an ancient form of treatment that originated in China thousands of years ago.

How do animals know when it is spring without calendars? They generally look for cues in the environment to perceive the change in season. During winter, the days are shorter and colder. As the season transitions to spring, animals detect that the days have become longer and warmer. What an intelligent way to distinguish between season! It is not only humans that feel more enthusiastic and animated at the beginning of spring. Do you know that animals sense the excitement of this period too? Birds, insects, squirrels, chipmunks and even deer catch the spirit.

Early in the morning, we sing spectacular songs awakening the stillness of the forest. Singing is very rare in mammals and, outside of humans, some say we produce the most complex songs of all land mammals. Song-bouts usually last about 10-30 minutes. Our songs reveal the singer’s sex and individual identity.

We are considered one of the most elegant antelopes because we have superb balance and grace while eating. Our strong hind legs and wedge-shaped hooves enable us to stand erect and reach branches that are more than two meters above the ground. In African folklore, my kind of animal is often referred to as “the Queen of Humbleness.” Gerenuks like me have been around for more than 7,000 years. You can see us in some ancient Egyptian art.

Many people think that culture is a characteristic only found in human societies. I am thrilled to tell you that modern scientific research shows that animals including primates, cetaceans, birds, fish and insects also have traditions that are transmitted across their social groups and to new generations. We animals that live in a community are just like humans, having our norms, traditions and cultural practices that characterize who we are and help us to adapt to our particular ecological niches.

Symbiosis is the interaction of two different organisms living together, usually with mutual benefits. There are many examples of symbiosis in our world’s diverse ecosystems, one of which is the leafcutter ants and their special crop. The original farmers on earth are thought to be the leafcutter ants. They have been intensively farming fungi in the tropical rainforests of South America as early as 60 million years ago. These ants forage for vegetation, not intending to eat it as food, but to munch the leaves into a pulp for fungi to eat which are the real source of nutrition for the ants.

Guanacos and vicunas are the wild camelids of South America. Guanacos are experts at communicating through body language. After they haven’t seen each other for some time, they greet one another by standing nose to nose and waggling their tails horizontally or in a U-shape. The vicuna is the national animal of Peru and part of the Peruvian coat of arms.

We alpacas are truly the grace bestowed by the Earth Goddess, Pachamama on the Andes. Our soft-padded feet minimize our impact on meadows. After we graze, the grassland is usually in good condition. We are here to demonstrate a virtue and a need to keep in harmony with Mother Earth. We alpacas are also very social. We live in herds with our families and friends and feel stressed if we are isolated from our community.

Traditionally, the people of Mongolia have called us “takhi,” which means “spirit” or “worthy of worship.” Mongolians consider my kind of horse to be holy and that we are their messengers to be gods. Ganbaatar means “steel hero.” You can imagine that horses like me are not only strong but swift. When we run untethered and unconstrained across the Mongolian landscape, it is a spectacular sight to see.

According to the lunar calendar and the Chinese zodiac, we are now in the Year of the Pig. Do you know much about us? Pigs are very jovial, intelligent, peaceful, social, and easygoing animals. In Chinese culture, we pigs are viewed as being honest, pure-hearted, and easily contented. Our chubby faces and big ears are signs of fortune. Therefore, pigs are a symbol of wealth and good luck.