In Pictures: Adorable and awe-inspiring images of the animal kingdom in 2023
PA Reporter
·2-min read
The past year has seemed full of bad news, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East along with extreme weather and a cost-of-living crisis, with the King’s coronation providing one of the few bright spots. And, of course, the animal kingdom continued to delight us.
Here are some of the highlights from the last 12 months.
JANUARY
Competitors take part in The Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain’s 39th Aviemore Sled Dog Rally on forest trails around Loch Morlich, in the shadow of the Cairngorm mountains (Paul Campbell/PA)
FEBRUARY
A newborn Southern white rhinoceros takes its first steps alongside mother Nyala at Dublin Zoo (Niall Carson/PA)
A red ruffed lemur enjoys some traditional red roses to mark Valentine’s Day at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park, near Stirling (Andrew Milligan/PA)
MARCH
A baby Grevy’s zebra makes its public debut with its mother Akuna at the West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley (Aaron Chown/PA)
APRIL
Newborn spring lambs on Nethermorton Farm at Moreton Morrell College in Warwickshire (Jacob King/PA)
MAY
One-year-old North American black bear cubs explore their surroundings in the drive-through enclosure at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire (Joe Giddens/PA)
Tawny owl chicks that hatched in the Kielder Forest in Northumberland were part of a mini baby boom (Owen Humphreys/PA)
JUNE
Newborn alpaca Sir Steveo, named after one of his keepers, ventures outside in the Pets Farm area of Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Grey squirrels in the trees in Liverpool’s Sefton Park (Peter Byrne/PA)
JULY
Polar bear Hope and her cubs, Nanook and Noori, in their new habitat at Peak Wildlife Park near Leek, Staffordshire (Jacob King/PA)
A litter of German Shepherd puppies take part in an appeal by Guide Dogs to dispel stereotypes and misconceptions regarding the breed (Ben Birchall/PA)
AUGUST
Meerkat pup Busta munches on a mealworm at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park, near Stirling (Andrew Milligan/PA)
SEPTEMBER
The only surviving critically endangered Amur leopard cub born in Europe this year takes its first steps into its reserve at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster (Danny Lawson/PA)
OCTOBER
Fourteen-year-old pet cat Bella, from Cambridgeshire, broke the Guinness World Record for the loudest purr – 54.6 decibels (Guinness World Records/Whiskas/PA)
A Galapagos tortoise searches for Halloween treats hidden inside a pumpkin at ZSL London Zoo (Jonathan Brady/PA)
NOVEMBER
Fire investigation dog Reqs receives his PDSA Order of Merit medal at Hertfordshire’s Joint Emergency Services Academy, for his devotion to duty and service to society during his 11-year career (Joe Giddens/PA)
DECEMBER
Giant panda Yang Guang says goodbye to visitors at Edinburgh Zoo before keepers got him and his companion Tian Tian ready to make their way back to China (Jane Barlow/PA)
Elizabeth Hurley showed off her incredible physique in a yellow string bikini as she posed for Instagram – and the Gossip Girl actress, 59, looked better than ever. See photos.
George Clooney and his wife, Amal, were spotted in St Tropez this past week, and Amal made the most of the glorious sunshine with a flirty floral mini dress. See the pictures here...
Five Indian soldiers were killed when a military tank they were travelling in sank while crossing a river in the remote region of Ladakh that borders China, officials said Saturday. The tank sank early Saturday due to sudden increase in the water levels of Shyok River during a military training activity, according to an Indian army command center statement. It said the accident took place in Saser Brangsa near the Line of Actual Control that divides India and China in the Ladakh region.
On Friday afternoon, in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate against Donald Trump, private murmurs and public calls for an “intervention” ricocheted through Democratic circles. But then a hold-up emerged.Some 17 hours after Biden botched his big debate moment, his former boss came to the rescue.For many high-ranking Democrats, a single tweet from former President Barack Obama appeared to nix any chance of the 44th president meeting with the 46th and urging him to drop out.Rea
All of a sudden, the US Air Force is considering cancelling a multibillion-dollar effort to develop a new stealth fighter. Citing the high cost of the so-called “Next-Generation Air Dominance” programme and the competing demands of other projects, USAF leaders have warned they may have no choice but to cancel NGAD – and find other ways of winning control of the air in future wars.
An Uber driver has shared heartwarming footage after he got an unexpected surprise when he unknowingly picked up passenger that turned out to be an old friend he hadn't seen in over 20 years. The serendipitous moment posted on June 19 has since gone viral, bringing smiles to many online users, with nearly 10 million views and nearly 2 million likes.
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Arzo survived a suicide attempt but now faces a new threat that could send her family – and millions like them – back to Afghanistan and a life that has become so intolerable for women and girls that some would rather die.