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In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
A slideshow on some of the cutest animals from around the world.
Sand kittens
Renana, a 3-week-old sand kitten, at her enclosure near Tel Aviv.
The sand cat lives in arid areas that are too hot and dry even for the African Wildcat: the Sahara, the Arabian Desert, and the deserts of Iran and Pakistan.
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In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Fennec Fox
Baby fennec foxes sleep inside their compound at Sunshine International Aquarium in Tokyo.
The Fennec fox is a small nocturnal fox found in the Sahara of North Africa. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Egyptian Tortoise
A worker from Rome's Biopark zoo holds Testudo Kleinmanni hatchlings, an endangered species also known as Egyptian tortoises, in Rome.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Sea otter
A sea otter at Antwerp's zoo.
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Mexican Axolotl
A rare albino axolotl, a type of salamander that uniquely spends its whole life in its larval form, crawls inside an aquarium at Aquaria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur.
The species originates from numerous lakes, such as Lake Xochimilcounderlying Mexico City. Axolotls are used extensively in scientific research due to their ability to regenerate limbs.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Slow Loris
Iranian animal trainer Amir Rahbari plays with his Malaysian albino slow loris called Farzin at a grass area in a housing complex in northern Tehran.
Slow lorises have a toxic bite, a rare trait among mammals. The toxin is produced by licking a gland on their arm, and the secretion mixes with its saliva to activate it. Their toxic bite is a deterrent to predators, and the toxin is also applied to the fur during grooming as a form of protection for their infants.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Pika
The pika is a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and no external tail.
It is also known as the "whistling hare" due to its high-pitched alarm call when diving into its burrow. The name "pika" appears to be derived from the Tungus piika.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Mandarin Duck
Four Chinese mandarin ducks part of an exhibit at the 2005 New England Spring Flower Show in Boston, Massachusetts.
The species was once widespread in eastern Asia, but large-scale exports and the destruction of its forest habitat have reduced populations in eastern Russia and in China to below 1,000 pairs in each country; Japan, however, is thought to still hold some 5,000 pairs.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Beluga Whales
Yang Yang, 3, kisses a Beluga Whale during a publicity photocall at the Qingdao Polar Ocean World, in eastern China's Shandong province.
Beluga is considered 'near threatened' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature; however the subpopulation from the Cook Inlet in Alaska is considered critically endangered and is under the protection of the United States' Endangered Species Act. Of seven Canadian beluga populations, two are listed as endangered, inhabiting eastern Hudson Bay, and Ungava Bay.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Gray Gentle Lemur
The bamboo or gentle lemurs are the lemurs in genus Hapalemur. They are medium sized primates that live exclusively on Madagascar.
The Greater Bamboo Lemur was considered part of this genus, but is now classified as belonging to the genus Prolemur.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Black Footed Ferrets
Bert, a male black-footed ferret peers out from a burrow in a cage at the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Wellington, Colorado.
It is listed as endangered by the IUCN, because of its very small and restricted populations. First discovered by Audubon and Bachman in 1851, the species declined throughout the 20th century, primarily as a result of decreases in prairie dog populations and sylvatic plague.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Matschie's Tree Kangaroo
The tree kangaroos are classified under the class of mammals with milk glands and subclass of changing mammals Metatheria. They are in the family of Macropodidae in the order of Pouched Mammals i.e. Marsupialia. The tree kangaroos include about 54 species of kangaroos of the genus of Dendrolagus.
The tree kangaroos live in Huon Peninsula of the northeastern New Guinea.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Hawaiian Monk Seals
The Hawaiian monk seal is an endangered species that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of two remaining monk seal species; the other is the Mediterranean monk seal. A third species, the Caribbean monk seal, is extinct.
The Hawaiian monk seal is the only seal native to Hawaii.
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Iberian Lynx Cubs
A trio of Iberian lynx cubs born in captivity, Brecina (L), Brezo (C), and Brisa, venture out to explore their surroundings in Donana national park, Spain
In PIX: They are cute, but endangered too
Giant Panda
Yuan Zi, a male giant panda, inside his enclosure at the ZooParc de Beauval in Saint-Aignan, Central France.
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