Awww-A-Day

The awww-a-day calendar by Cute Overload sold out in a day on Amazon:

[T]he birth of Cute Overload was almost purely accidental. Meg Frost, a 36-year-old design manager at Apple, started cuteoverload.com three years ago to test Web software. Within months, it became an online institution, drawing about 88,000 unique visitors a day — about the same as the political gossip blog Wonkette. BoingBoing linked to Cute Overload, saying that viewing the site “is like taking a happy pill.”
[...]
Ms. Frost will not talk about how much money she has made from the site, although it is enough money that she recently hired two part-time assistants. Nor will she say how many calendars have been sold. But the calendar’s top ranking in its category — accessories — and its reaching as high as No. 21 last week on the overall category — books — are indications of its success.

The site’s ads are placed by Blogads, which handles advertising for about 1,500 blogs, including the gossip site PerezHilton.com and the political site Daily Kos. On Blogads.com, advertisers can view traffic numbers for each site and the cost of various types of ads. According to Blogads, a “premium” ad on Cute Overload costs about $2,000 a week, with an estimated 808,000 page views. Hartz Mountain currently has a premium spot for its UltraGuard line of flea and tick repellents, as does American Apparel for its Essential X 3 line of underwear three-packs.

The site also offers “standard” ads for $500 a week. Those are taken up mostly by small companies serving what might be called the “cute market.” Sublime Stitching, for example, sells “cute embroidery patterns,” like “Forest Friends,” while Shanalogic offers clothing and accessories emblazoned with cute imagery.

According to Blogads, there are nine “standard” ads currently running on Cute Overload.

That’s good money for a niche site.

Naturally, you'll want one for yourself, right?

Newest attraction for the Berlin Zoo

The newest attraction for the Berlin Zoo is a Siberian tiger cub named Antares. He's pretty cute — for now:



Perhaps this is more like it:

The Spice must flow

I'm not a particularly big fan of either Dune or of lolcats, but this hit me just right:

Anteaters in Sweaters

I don't know what to say about these (lesser) anteaters in sweaters.

Engineered for Cuteness

If I didn't know better, I'd say Flocke the polar-bear cub was Engineered for Cuteness:

Flocke

Today's second dose of cute comes from Flocke, the polar bear cub at the Tiergarten Nuernberg Zoo.

Kibongo

Today's dose of cute comes from Kibongo, a baby crowned lemur (Propithecus verreauxi coronatus) making its first official appearance at a zoo in Vincennes, near Paris, February 21, 2008. Kibongo was born December 24, 2007.

Giraffe Baby

It's hard not to love this newborn giraffe, named Margaret, who was born at the Chester Zoo, in the UK.

A New Knut?

After the Knut phenomenon, you had to know that more polar-bear cubs would "need" TLC:

A handout picture shows a polar bear cub born by polar bear Vera at the zoo in Nuremberg January 11, 2008. The new baby bear was separated from her mother after officials at the Nuremberg zoo became concerned she might harm the cub. Now four keepers at the zoo are taking care of the 2 kg fur ball, who needs milk every three hours.

Addendum: Rumor has it that the cub is going by Flocke, German for [snow] flake. More importantly, our Eisbaer-Baby — Eisbaer is pronounced ice bear, by the way — has her own web page. You don't have to sprech Deutsch to enjoy it.

Mouse Bred Not To Fear Cats

I'm glad the photographer managed to catch a shot of this mouse bred not to fear cats before its inevitable demise:

In this undated photo released by Tokyo University's Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry Graduate School of Science, a genetically modified mouse approaches a cat in Tokyo. Using genetic engineering, scientists at Tokyo University say they have successfully switched off the rodents' instinct to cower at the smell or presence of cats, showing that fear is genetically hardwired and not leaned through experience, as commonly believed.

Kitten Clones

Sometimes I wonder if scientists, deep down, want to creep out normal folks. These Korean kitten clones glow in the dark — in the name of science!

This handout photo released in Seoul by the Ministry of Science and Technology shows a combo of cloned cats that have a fluorescence protein gene and glowing under ultraviolet beams. The technology could help develop treatments for human genetic diseases, the developers said.

Knut's First Birthday

It was Knut's first birthday today — and he's not the cute, little cub he used to be:

The Berlin Zoo's famous polar bear Knut, who was rejected by his mother but went on to win the hearts of millions around the world, celebrated his first birthday Wednesday with more than 2,000 well-wishers.

But Knut — no longer a tiny cub, thanks partly to his penchant for croissants — probably didn't get a taste of his own giant birthday cake, made with 300 eggs and 22 pounds of marzipan. He now tips the scales at more than 240 pounds and has been on a diet since July.

His special treat, instead, was a healthier concoction of fresh fruit, vegetables and rice — topped with a toy wooden candle.

I hope he doesn't end up like other child stars.

Thousands of minks set loose in Germany

This cute little fellow is one of thousands of minks set loose in Germany — to die and likely destroy the local ecology in the process:

German conservationists have condemned the release of some 17,000 minks from a fur farm, apparently by animal rights activists, saying they are likely to starve in the wild and could disturb the ecological balance in the region.

Sigh.

Gesztenye

Today's dose of cute comes from a four-day old male tapir named Gesztenye, or Chestnut:

Four-day old male tapir Gesztenye (Chestnut) stands in his enclosure in the Xantus Janos Zoo of Gyoer,Hungary, as the baby is first shown to the public in Gyoer, 124 kms west of Budapest, Hungary, Monday, Oct. 29, 2007.

Female Giant Panda Cub

Today's dose of cute come from this Female Giant Panda Cub:

San Diego Zoo veterinarians confirmed Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007, in San Diego, that the 4-pound giant panda cub is a girl. Born Aug. 3, the cub is the third female panda born at the San Diego Zoo's Giant Panda Research Station since 1999. A male cub was born in 2003. Following Chinese tradition, she will receive her name after she is 100 days old. The cub and her mother Bai Yun can be seen 24-hours-a-day through the Zoo's Panda Cam at www.sandiegozoo.org.

One-Month-Old Leopard Cub

Today's dose of cute comes from this one-month-old leopard cub at Jordan Zoo, near Amman.

Animal Babies at Longleat Safari Park

Today's dose of cute comes from these Animal Babies at Longleat Safari Park in the UK.

Baby Elephant

Today's dose of cute comes from Tika the baby elephant:

Animal keeper Filipe von Gilsa, left, refreshes a baby elephant named Tika at the zoo in Wuppertal, Germany, Monday, July 16, 2007. Tika was born last Friday July 13.

Snow Leopard Cubs

Today's dose of cute comes from these adorable Snow Leopard Cubs:

A zoo worker holds two-month-old snow leopard cubs at a zoological park in Darjeeling, about 80 km (50 miles) north from the northeastern Indian city of Siliguri June 21, 2007.

Is it wrong to want to take them home? What could possibly go wrong?

Siberian Tigers in China

The Chinese are successfully breeding Siberian Tigers:

Eighty-four Siberian tigers, among the world's rarest animals, have been born since March 2007 at the Hengdaohezi Feline Breeding Center in the suburbs of Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, an official said Sunday, June 17, 2007. Fewer than 400 Siberian tigers — also known as Amur, Manchurian or Ussuri tiger — are believed to survive in the wild, about 20 of them in China and the rest in Russia.

Celebrity polar bear Knut growing into beast

We knew it had to happen. Celebrity polar bear Knut growing into beast:

Knut, Berlin Zoo's celebrity polar bear cub, is growing from a cuddly ball of fur into a shaggy, powerful predator who could soon pose a serious threat to his devoted human keeper who has nursed him from birth.

The cub, which still draws some 5,000 fans every day, turns six months on Tuesday and his 28 kg (62 pounds) are starting to show. His snout is longer, his torso chunkier and teeth sharper.

Thomas Doerflein, who for months slept in Knut's enclosure to feed him milk and porridge through the night, still rolls on the ground with the cub in his twice daily shows and lets him bite his fingers.

But he has taken to pulling his long sleeves over his hands to protect them and winces when the cub bites him on the bottom. Captivated admirers watch Doerflein duck and shoulder away Knut when he gets boisterous.

"He's just playing and it doesn't hurt, it just pinches a bit. It only hurts when he gets angry," the bearded Doerflein, who already has a few bruises, told Reuters.

In addition to porridge, the young star now tucks into fish, meat and cat food and is putting on around 200 grams a day.

Last week, he learned how to swim and Doerflein takes Knut for a walk round the Zoo every morning to build up his muscles. His coat is no longer white and fluffy, but yellow and shaggy.

"He is getting bigger and is gruffer than he used to be and is learning his role as a loner," said zoo vet Andre Schuele, who estimates that Knut will not be fully grown for another four years or so.
[...]
Doerflein thinks he will be able to play with Knut until he is about a year-old, by which time the cub will be 60-80 kg, compared to about 500 kg when he is fully grown.

The keepers say the cub regards Doerflein as his mother and is therefore unlikely to attack him, but some experts fear he could get dangerous sooner and point to worrying precedents.

In the 1920s, a Norwegian explorer had to put down "Marie," a polar bear cub he had reared, after she attacked him. Historians put the cub's age at only four months, although some experts suspect she might have been older.

Knut Rock Me

Douglas Kern pokes sarcastic fun at German animal rights "spokeskiller" Frank Albrecht in Knut Rock Me:

Don't take it from me. Look at the pictures. Read the story. The Germans have precision-engineered Knut to win your heart with a kind of cuteness whose intensity borders on the ruthless. Behold: Knut, playing with a ball. Knut, rasslin' with his blankie. Knut, waving to his adoring fans. He sleeps every night with a teddy bear. The zookeepers play guitar for him. Show me the man who can reject such sweetness, and I'll show you German animal rights spokeskiller Frank Albrecht, the Grim Reaper of Lovable Animals. "The zoo must kill the bear," said Captain Killjoy. "Feeding by hand is not species appropriate, blah blah blah kill the cute bear, blah blah blah goofy animal rights reasons, blah blah blah I hate everything good and pure." I paraphrase, but only a little. In fairness, Albrecht has clarified his homicidal rant, claiming that he only wanted to see the little fellow croaked when he was tiny and especially helpless. "'If a polar bear mother rejected the baby, then I believe the zoo must follow the instincts of nature,' Albrecht said. 'In the wild, it would have been left to die.'" Thanks for the explanation, Angel of Baby Polar Bear Death. Can't we just buy some dead baby polar bear offsets instead?

Then he gets to his real point:

Don't think for a minute that the sheer perversion of killing a sweet cuddly baby polar bear is incidental to the goals of Frank Albrecht and those of his ilk. The sheer perversion is the point. For example: have you ever noticed how the global warming aficionados almost seem to relish the prospect of massive economic rollback and worldwide belt-tightening? Al Gore and his minions aren't interested in arguments that global warming might make people healthier and richer on balance; neither do they care about proposals to reverse global warming through relatively simple attempts at global weather engineering (e.g., lacing the world's oceans with iron to stimulate plankton production, thereby changing the atmospheric CO2 balance). To make such arguments is to misunderstand why global warming alarmism is so popular. Its adherents embrace it because they savor the doom that it portends. They want a massive shrinkage of the world's economies. They want reduced industrial development. They want a world made spiritually pure, liberated from the defilement of modern life. And in the same way, radical greens want little Knut sacrificed on the altar of a fictitious, pristine nature. They want these things because some neglected part of the human heart yearns for sacrifice; for a rejection of worldly goods and concerns in pursuit of higher goals.

Baby Tapir

Today's dose of cute comes from Vasan, the Baby Tapir:

Vasan, a baby Tapir explores its enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland, Friday March 30, 2007. The birth is a special event as it is the first time a Malayan Tapir has been born at the zoo and is also the first baby for this particular adult Tapir. Tapirs are hoofed mammals and are related to rhinos and horses.

Knut Day

It was Knut Day in Berlin on Friday as Cute Knut made his public debut:

Knut stole the heart of Berliners after he was born in December but rejected by his mother Tosca. A bearded zookeeper moved into the enclosure to look after him round the clock.

But Knut's fate grabbed global attention after an animal rights campaigner said hand-rearing polar bears was a violation of animal rights. German media interpreted his comments as a call for Knut to be put to sleep.

If I were to engineer an animal for cuteness, it would look an awful lot like a polar bear cub. If you can withstand the cute overload, enjoy the slideshow and video.

Baby Elephant

Today's dose of cute comes from this Baby Elephant:

In this photo released by The San Diego Zoo, A one-day-old African elephant calf peeks out from underneath his mothers legs at the San Diego Zoos Wild Animal Park Monda, March 12, 2007, in San Diego. The male calf, the first of three African elephant calves expected in 2007 at the park, was born at 9:14 p.m. Sunday. The mother, Litsemba was one of seven African elephants rescued by thepPark in August 2003, when officials in Swazilands Big Game Parks felt they had two options, kill a number of their elephants or export them to a zoo willing to care for the pachyderms.

Baby Lemur

Today's dose of cute comes from this Baby Lemur born outside Paris:

One of two babies crowned lemurs (Propithecus verreauxi coronatus) born in early January 2007 is seen in this recent photo at the Parc Zoologique de Paris in nearby Vincennes. The birth of the two baby lemurs, part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programmes, increases the population to ten lemurs in captivity at the Zoo.

Three White Bengal Tiger Cubs

Today's dose of cute comes from these Three White Bengal Tiger Cubs in a cage at Buenos Aires' Zoo. Their mother, a white tiger named Betty, gave birth to the three cubs on December 23, 2006.

Snow Leopard Cub

Today's dose of cute comes from this Snow Leopard Cub:

Snow leopard cub Gul'cha (L), born July 8, 2006, plays with his mother Dshamilja in their outdoor pen at the zoo of Zurich January 17, 2007.

Year of the Pig

Today's dose of cute comes thanks to China's Year of the Pig celebrations:

In this photo released by China's Xinhua news agency, a dozen of Dongba pigs from Thailand, which are said to be small and agile, compete in a swimming game at a park in Nanchang, in east China's Jiangxi province, on Saturday February 3, 2007. China is preparing to usher in the lunar New Year - the Year of the Pig — in the Chinese zodiac, falling on February 18 this year.

They've also got pigs in silly outfits jumping through hoops.

Baby Koala

Today's dose of cute comes from this Baby Koala with its mother, at the Tama Zoo in suburban Tokyo.

Polar Bear Cub Knut in Berlin

Today's dose of cute comes from Polar Bear Cub Knut in Berlin:

Berlin zoo employee Thomas Doerflein plays with polar bear cub Knut in this undated picture, released on January 24, 2007. Knut, born on December 5, 2006, has had to be hand fed by Doerflein after its mother Tosca refused the baby.

Real Life Bambi and Thumper

Today's dose of cute comes from this Real Life Bambi and Thumper photo, taken by German photographer Tanja Askani.

The penguin who goes shopping

Lala, the penguin who goes shopping, was rescued by a Japanese fisherman years ago. Now Lala lives in an air-conditioned room and walks to the fish store each day, wearing a penguin backpack. The video is quite kawaii.

Orphaned Squirrel Monkey

Today's dose of cute comes from an Orphaned Squirrel Monkey named Loki — an excellent name for a monkey, by the way:

Orphaned squirrel monkey Loki clings to his toy duck at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, in this Jan. 19, 2006, file photo. Loki, who lost his mother shortly after birth eight weeks ago, has been hand raised by zoo staff and will be introduced to the rest of the Squirrel Monkey's when once he is weaned and learns to regulate his body temperature.

Wet Panda

Today's dose of cute comes from this Wet Panda in the Munich Zoo:

The young Wet Panda peeks from a hole in his stump home at the Zoo in Munich, southern Germany, Friday, Dec. 1, 2006. The female panda bear was born last June, has spent the last months in the litter box and is now exploring her enclosure. Wet Pandas have their home in the Himalayan mountains."

Puma Cub Nursed by Dog

Today's dose of cute comes from this puma cub:

Two-month-old North American Puma cub Baron plays with a plush tiger in a zoo in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk November 24, 2006. Baron was breastfed by a dog because its mother refused to feed it.

Cute Overload

This Cute Overload is, well, a cute overload. The bunny is just the beginning.

Penguin in Blue Shoes

Today's dose of cute comes from a wee li'l Penguin in Blue Shoes:

A penguin called Elvis wears a new pair of blue shoes at the Antarctic Centre's Penguin Encounter display in Christchurch, November 7, 2006. Elvis and 16 other penguins who arrived at the International Antarctic Centre in September have been given specially designed shoes after several penguins developed sore feet in their new home, according to Antarctic Centre director Richard Benton. Picture taken November 7, 2006.

Kiwi

It took me a while to realize what this cute li'l animated Kiwi was up to. Very cute, but very sad, too. Watch it.

(It was Dony Permedi's master's thesis in a visual arts program.)

Polar Bear Plus Foreshortening

Take one Polar Bear, add foreshortening, and you have today's dose of cute:

A polar bear climbs on a tundra buggy near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. The bears are slowly congregating along the coast, anticipating the winter freeze-up of Hudson Bay. When the bay freezes, the polar bears can get onto the ice to hunt their favorite meal, ringed seal.

Yahoo! News has an entire slide show of polar bear photos. They're such delightfully cute man-killing carnivores...

Baby monkeys make faces

As Olivier points out, "The first thing you notice about today's paper by mirror-neurons famous Giaccomo Rizzolatti's team, just published in PLoS biology, is that it is sooooooo cute."

Why? Because it demonstrates that baby monkeys make faces.

Jaguar Cub at La Aurora Zoo in Guatemala City

Today's dose of cute comes from this Jaguar Cub at La Aurora Zoo in Guatemala City:

A child watches a jaguar cub at La Aurora zoo in Guatemala city, in 2003. The United States announced its biggest ever "debt-for-nature" swap, forgiving 24 million dollars of Guatemala's foreign debt to Washington in exchange for a pledge to protect tropical forests in the central American nation.

Lioness adopts third baby antelope

Lioness adopts third baby antelope:

A lioness in Kenya has adopted another baby oryx — her third in as many months, game wardens at the northern Samburu National Park have reported.

The lioness is said to allow a female oryx several minutes each day to feed the new-born calf.

The oryx would normally represent a tasty meal to a lion, but this is not the first time the lioness has placed a calf under her protection.

One was seen in her company in December last year, but it was eaten by other lions after two weeks. Another calf was taken away from her in February and placed in a zoo because it showed signs of malnourishment.

Ring-Tailed Lemur and Fennec Fox

Today's dose of cute comes from this Ring-Tailed Lemur and Fennec Fox at the Sunshine International Aquarium in Tokyo.

Lesser Panda Cub Twins

Today's dose of cute comes from these Lesser Panda Cub Twins:

Lesser panda twins are seen near their mother, rear, at Chiba Zoological Park in Chiba, east of Tokyo Friday, Sept. 1, 2006. The twins are the cubs of a male lesser panda Futa, which became famous last year for standing upright by a pair of legs. The park opened the cubs, born in June, to the public Friday.

Meerkat Cubs

Today's dose of cute comes from these Meerkat Cubs:

In this photograph provided by the Smithsonian Institution, two of the National Zoos three meerkat pups peer out of a den at the Small Mammal House at the zoo Sunday, Aug. 20 in Washington. Born nearly two weeks earlier, the cubs are the first surviving litter born at the National Zoo in the past three decades.

Two-Week-Old Puma

Today's dose of cute comes from Filomena, a two-week-old puma at the National Zoo in Managua, Nicaragua.

Helper Monkey Pitching

Today's dose of cute comes from this Helper Monkey "throwing" out the first pitch at Fenway:

Ayla, a service monkey for the disabled, throws out the first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park in Boston, Wednesday evening, Aug. 16, 2006.

If you're not familiar with helper monkeys, don't worry; I wasn't either.

Lesser Panda Cub

Today's dose of cute comes from this Lesser Panda Cub:

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, one of the lesser panda twin cubs is weighed as 645 grams at the safari park in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, Monday, July 31, 2006. The male twins, born on June 16, began to receive artificial feeding on Monday.

Baby Pygmy Slow Loris

Today's dose of cute comes from this Baby Pygmy Slow Loris:

This photo provided by the Zoological Society of San Diego shows a baby pygmy slow loris at the San Diego, Calif., zoo's nursery Thursday, July 27, 2006. The male was born June 24, and is now on display in a larger enclosure as it becomes more active. When the baby was born, it weighed 17 grams, and was one of the smallest babies the nursery has cared for. The loris, which now weighs 60 grams, was taken to the nursery after his mother was not giving him proper care.

Piglets with Ice Lolly

Today's does of cute comes from Pinky and Perky:

Pinky and Perky two four week old miniature piglets cool off at Pennywell Farm and Wildlife centre near Buckfastleigh, south western England Wednesday July 19, 2006 in this photo provided by the centre. The piglets were keeping cool with a huge lolly packed with carrots and other vegetables. 'The recent heatwave has been exhausting for everyone and animals are no exception,' said Catherine Tozer, assistant manager of the farm. 'All the animals have been struggling with the heat so we have just tried to do everything we can to make them more comfortable. 'After the initial shock and a bit of investigation, the ice lollies went down a real treat,' she said.

The Cute Character

Warner Bros.' The Cute Character explains, visually as much as verbally, that "cuteness is based on the basic proportions of a baby + expressions of shyness or coyness."

Tigress with Piglets

Evidently this Tigress at the Chonburi zoo east of Bangkok was born in captivity and nursed by a pig for four months. Now it plays with piglets — in little tiger sweaters. Frankly, it's almost too cute.

I just have to think it will all go terribly, terribly wrong one day.

Polar Bear Cub in Water

Today's dose of cute comes from this Polar Bear Cub swimming with his toy hippo:

The weak and hungry orphaned cub was delivered in May from a scientific polar station on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean to the zoo, where it is recovering.

Polar Bear Cub

Today's dose of cute comes from an orphaned Polar Bear Cub:

A four-month-old polar bear cub peeks out of a shed in an enclosure in a zoo in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk June 6, 2006. The weak and hungry orphaned cub was delivered in May from a scientific polar station on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean to Krasnoyarsk zoo to recover, as it lags behind in its development by about one month.

Egyptian Tortoise

Baby animals, even baby reptiles, are cute, like this Egyptian Tortoise:

A new born Egyptian tortoise sits on the finger of its keeper at Chester Zoo, north west England, May 23, 2006. The zoo has hatched six of the tortoises also known as Testudo Kleinmanni, which are currently on the critically endangered list.

Baby Siberian Tigers

Today's dose of cute comes from these three baby Siberian tigers with their mother at the Siberian Tiger Park in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province:

More than 100 Siberian tigers, one of the rarest animals, are expected to be born this year at a breeding center in China's northeast.

African Cheetah Cub

Today's dose of cute comes from this African Cheetah Cub:

An orphaned eight-week-old African cheetah cub licks its lips inside its enclosure at the Wilson airport in Nairobi, Kenya April 23, 2006. The male cub was rescued by the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) wardens in Mandera district, 1500 km (932 miles) northeast of Nairobi, and is currently being held at the Nairobi animal orphanage.

Baby Albino Wallaby

Today's dose of cute comes from this Baby Albino Wallaby:

A three-month Wallaby albino eats beside its Red Necked mother inside their enclosure of the Buenos Aires' zoo, Argentina, April 12, 2006. The baby wallaby is the zoo's new attraction and its name will be chosen by children in a contest.

Lioness and Jindo Dog

Another cute At the Zoo photo:

Lioness 'Soonee' and South Korean traditional breed Jindo dog 'Tangchil' play together at a zoo in Chinhae, about 410 km (255 miles) southeast of Seoul March 20, 2006. The 10-year-old Soonee who was raised by zoo keepers and the 5-year-old male dog Tangchil have lived together in the same cage since 2002.