Photographs of a lioness and baby antelope in Uganda gained attention this week after it was suggested that the two might have become unlikely friends. Despite the heartwarming appearance of the rare sight, it was later revealed that the encounter may not have been so friendly.
According to Life's Little Mysteries, the director of the Lion Research Center at the University of Minnesota said, "It's quite common for cats to play with their prey and they can look very gentle doing it. But it always ends in tears."
It was revealed this week that a team of researchers have rediscovered a rare, venomous mammal in Cuba. The shrewlike Cuban solenodon was presumed extinct, with sightings "few and far between" since the 1970s, according to Scientific American. This spring, researchers captured and studied seven solenodons before releasing them back into the wild.
In a civil lawsuit filed in Montana state court this week, eight conservation groups requested a judge to end wolverine trapping in the state. Reuters reports, "fewer than 300 of the elusive animals roam the Northern Rockies and Northern Cascades." The group argued that allowing licensed wolverine hunting violates state policies aimed at maintaining vulnerable animal populations.
This week's weirdest animal news comes from Singapore, where researchers discovered that "soft-shelled turtles from China can essentially expel pee from their mouths," reported LiveScience. Due to their the salt-water environment, the scientists speculate, the turtles expel urea from their mouths when they dunk their heads in the water.
In case you missed it, check out pictures of Mitik, the baby walrus who arrived at the New York Aquarium this week. Rescued from the ocean near Alaska earlier this year, Mitik is 15 weeks old and already weighs 234 pounds.
Below, find some of the week's best animal photos:
