5 animal tales to make you smile

Cuddles are the best

Cincinnati—Blakely the Australian Shepherd may not look like a typical nanny, but the resident canine at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is a pro at providing comfort to baby zoo animals. His most recent job: snuggling with adorable 1-month-old Malayan tiger cubs Chira, Batari and Izzy.

Who goes there?

Santa Rosa, Argentina— Photographer Mario Gustavo Fiorucci was lucky enough to come upon a group of pigeon burrowing owls, who politely posed for a snapshot—until their friend couldn’t resist livening things up by striking a silly pose. The bird’s hilarious antics led Fiorucci to win the portfolio category in the 2016 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, a program that supports animal conservation.

Boogie down bears

Port Alsworth, AK—These grizzy bear cubs were spotted engaging in an entertaining dance battle during a playdate at Lake Clark National Park & Preserve. Photographer Eric Esterle captured this shot of the pair as they stepped around each another in circles, waving their paws and kicking their feet. Both cubs showed off some impressive dance moves and the contest ended in a tie.

Ahh…this is the life

Morro Bay, CA—This precious sea otter was in pure bliss while soaking up the sun at Morro Bay Harbor. After chowing down on an early morning breakfast of clams, the cutie happily glided into the water before flipping over onto his back to relax. Sea otters are known to spend much of their time floating, even enjoying a meal in the serene pose.

Mommy and me time

Kent, UK—Meet Bakora, the 1-week-old Rothschild’s giraffe melting hearts at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park. The not-so-tiny tot (she’s already 51⁄ feet tall!)

2 isn’t quite ready to venture too far from her stable, and that’s perfectly fine with first-time mama, Lehana, who is keeping a close eye on her baby. After noshing on a tasty snack of bark and leaves from acacia trees, the pair will settle down for a nap—but not for long: Giraffes sleep for just two hours a day!