Animal rescue volunteers have told how a cat riddled with cancer was forced to ripped off its own ears after it was abandoned by its owners. Poor Victoria was so ravaged by cancer that she had torn off her own ears by the time she was discovered wandering the streets by a passer-by distraught at her obvious plight. At first it was thought she had been mauled by a dog but on closer inspection by a vet it became clear the pain of the tumours had been so severe the little black and white cat had made a desperate bid to escape the agony. Victoria was found walking the streets of Newent, Gloucs., and handed over to charity workers at the New Start Cat Rescue Centre who took her in and paid for an operation on her ears. It is costing them thousands of pounds to rehabilitate her but volunteers there say the affectionate feline deserves a new chance at life..
An adorable orangutan named Pongo celebrates his first birthday at Zoo Atlanta, Georgia, America .
Clinging on to their furry backs, mischievous monkeys appeared to enjoy the free transport as they rode around on a perturbed Capybara .
HUDDLED together in the hollow of a tree, it would be easy to overlook these two sleepy owls as they blend into the trunk .
CARRYING a fully grown goat on his back, this five-year-old boy is a child shepherd in the mountains of northern Ethiopia .
A cheeky chipmunk offers some of his spare food, before deciding against the idea and shoving the extra peanut into his already crammed mouth .
ROLLING around in the snow, these young brown bears take a break from their play fight to share a tender hug with one another .
DASHING through the snow, this little stoat is on the lookout for a Christmas feast .
HOPPING onto the scales, these adorable baby Humboldt penguins are ready for their first weigh-in .
At least three people have been killed and more than 100 injured, some seriously, in two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon .
A SPECTRUM of colours fills the sky during this spectacular and natural display of light .
MESMERIZING night sky photographs offer a spellbinding look at the stars .