reptiles

Let's talk about turtles for a moment. Turtles are one of the oldest living animals on Earth, these beauties date all the way back to the time of the dinosaurs over 200 million years ago! Turtles also have an incredibly long lifespan, according to National Geographic, the oldest turtle ever recorded was named Tu"i Malila and that turtle passed away at the very impressive age of 188! 

Dear turtles, what is your secret for living so long? Sincerely, everyone in the world. It's no secret that turtles are amazing creatures. And it's important to know that these beautiful animals, regardless of how long they CAN live, are also on the endangered list. There are approximately 129 of 300 species of turtle and tortoise on Earth currently. Of those numbers, they are either vulnerable, endangered, or even critically endangered. Why? Loss of habitat, poaching, and illegal pet trade. And while these are the main reasons listed by the IUCN, we're sure all that plastic waste in our oceans isn't helping them out either. 

Let's take care of these incredible old reptiles. And let's begin by celebrating their awesomeness with a meme's list purely dedicated to them! 

Thank goodness for good people! One kind Imgur user has shared with the popular online community the new rescue that came into their care -- a gecko! A gecko named Haru. 

The Imgur user, Stereotypicallesbianbarista, saw a photo of this poor reptile who had scars and burns, and very evident tail rot and knew immediately they needed to take the poor thing into their care. Thank you so much, Stereotypicallesbianbarista, for caring about this little reptile and taking action to help heal him and give Haru a proper life. The world could use more people like you. 

The commentary below is provided by the original Imgur user:

We know snakes aren't people's favorite when it comes to animals, and we get it. They can be quite terrifying to encounter in real life. Yet, as terrifying as they are, that does not mean that they're not beautiful. When we think of the terms "dangerously beautiful" we think of snakes... and sometimes spiders. Their scales can be so exotic and breathtaking, with colors you don't see on other animals. These reptiles are mesmerizing. 

So, try to place the initial fear you may be feeling for these reptiles and let them slither into your heart for just a moment. 

While we do love our super floofy animals, we also have a love for the non-fluffy/furry animals of the world! 

Reptiles, hairless mammals, and maybe even insects? Maybe. We'll see on that one. 

This list is a celebration of all hairless animals in their true, adorable forms. Fur isn't the measure of cuteness when it comes to an animal -- it's all about personality! And these animals below are jam-packed with personality!  

Dogter just called! We've got your cuteness prescription filled for another week! 

Nothing -- and we mean nothing brings on those warm mushy feeling like a huge dose of animal cuteness! We scoured the internet to bring you the cutest animal pictures of the week! Bringing you cuteness every week - stay tuned for next week's dose! If you missed last week's dose, and you need a cuteness overload, check out last week's here.

Order up! One delicious, nutritious, various animal meme dump for you to digest and enjoy! 

We've got it all! Tweets, tumblr posts and memes, oh my! Posts about birbs, reptiles, mammals -- is it truly a feast for the meme-obsessed readers!

Grab a spork, tie your bib nice and tight -- and eat up! 

This is nightmare fuel to the max! Is there any part of Australia that is like...safer than normal? We're seriously asking. 

This list of creatures is only for the strong. Safe to say, not for us. 

So Australia, it will be a hard "nope" once again from us. 

Meet Young-sung Kim, the extraordinary artist from Seoul, Korea, that is about to take your senses on a magic ride! Kim creates insane hyperrealistic pictures that look way too real for the mind to even comprehend that it's just a painting! 

His paintings, oil on canvas, look more realistic than actual photographs!

The Insider interviewed Kim on his process of what he calls, "an advanced, extreme hyperrealism that precedes any reality — more real than photographs and high-definition monitors." 

He continued describing the process and how planning each new piece involves, "collecting small animals, taking photographs, preparing a canvas, sketching, drawing, and painting with small brushes."

Kim also informed the Insider that he works 12 hours per day on creating these masterpieces.It can take anywhere from 3 to 10 months to complete one painting. 

Since Kim was a small child, he's been "collecting, observing, and studying .. I was amazed at the detail and the subtle colors that I saw in my work, just as I looked through a microscope." 

Why hyperrealism? Kim explains, "I have chosen my genre as hyperrealism because people in today's society think of animals and nature as methods of ornament, experiment, and edibility, My genre may be able to make the people think twice about the unintentionally abusive nature of their behavior towards animals and nature."

"Let's take care of small animals," Kim said. "If they cannot live, humans cannot live either."

We completely agree, Kim! Keep creating and loving life! 

Via The Insider

Winter is just around the corner, and you know what that means, IT'S SWEATER WEATHER! And we aren't the only ones that are going to live it up in layers this year! Tortoises are going all out and have made it known that just because they have a shell, doesn't mean they don't like fashion! 

Prepare to be amazed! The artist,Tina Kraus, certainly resides in Münster, Germany, and is a freelance illustrator and paper engineer-extraordinaire! Her hyper-realistic paper sculptures will make you do a double-take! 

If you ever were to see one of these snakes in real life, the first instinct would probably be to run away -- and quickly. But if you stopped for a moment longer, you could appreciate just how magnificent their coloring can be. Some of these snakes straight-up just look like dragons. Especially bush vipers that have dragon-like scales and a dragon-shaped head.

Snakes are some of the most misunderstood creatures despite there being lots of snake facts and information available. People seem to have a natural fear and avoidance of snakes, even though some, like the zombie snake, are just big goofy nope-ropes that won't even hurt anyone. 

Snakes in general are fairly common all over the world, as it is believed snakes evolved from burrowing lizards, which were already world-wide. Some snakes are extremely rare, and seeing them is a real treat for enthusiasts. Just be sure to keep a safe distance, and make sure to do that funny dance everyone does if you touch the snake's skin and it grosses you out.

If there is one thing people don't come to zoos to see, it is flabby snakes and couch potato lizards. Melbourne Zoo has found a way to keep its reptiles buff with the creation of a water gym they think is the first in the world. The real value lies not in getting whatever snakes have instead of abs rippling, but in keeping the precious captives healthy and hopefully happy. Via: IFLScience

Do you have a scaly pet? Then you will understand these reptile shaming photos that describe the ups and downs, but unconditional, love of reptile owners. Check out some of the cutest reptiles shaming pics we could find. 

We scoured the internet to bring you the cutest animal pictures and gifs of the week! Bringing you cuteness every week - stay tuned for next week's dose!