Pet-A-Palooza 2011: 15 Unusual And Exotic Pets

SAN%20FRANCISCO%20%26%238211%3B%20JUNE%2013%3A%20%20A%20Hedgehog%20is%20seen%20at%20the%20San%20Francisco%20Zoo%20June%2013%2C%202003%20in%20San%20Francisco.%20The%20recent%20epidemic%20of%20Monkeypox%20in%20the%20U.S.%2C%20which%20was%20linked%20to%20infected%20Prairie%20Dogs%2C%20some%20of%20which%20were%20being%20used%20as%20pets%2C%20has%20led%20the%20CDC%20to%20increase%20awareness%20to%20the%20host%20of%20health%20risks%20people%20are%20exposed%20to%20when%20dealing%20with%20exotic%20pets.%28Photo%20by%20Justin%20Sullivan%2FGetty%20Images%29

MIAMI%2C%20FL%20%26%238211%3B%20APRIL%201%3A%20%20People%20cheer%20as%20%20Vietnamese%20pot-bellied%20pigs%20compete%20at%20the%20Show-Me%20Swine%20Racers%20track%20in%20the%20Miami-Dade%20County%20fair%20April%201%2C%202004%20in%20Miami%2C%20Florida.%20The%20Fair%20celebrates%20its%2053nd%20year%20in%20Miami-Dade%20County%20this%20year.%20What%20started%20as%20a%20small%2C%20agricultural%20fair%20today%20one%20of%20the%20nation%26%238217%3Bs%20largest%20and%20most%20successful%20fairs.%20Over%20770%2C000%20people%20came%20to%20The%20Fair%20in%202003.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Joe%20Raedle%2FGetty%20Images%29

IPSWICH%2C%20UNITED%20KINGDOM%20%26%238211%3B%20SEPTEMBER%2024%3A%20%20Llamas%20are%20pictured%20at%20the%20Baylham%20Rare%20Breeds%20Farm%20on%20September%2024%2C%202007%20near%20Ipswich%20in%20Suffolk%2C%20%20England.%20Government%20vets%20are%20awaiting%20results%20to%20determine%20if%20the%20UK%26%238217%3Bs%20first%20case%20of%20Bluetongue%20disease%2C%20found%20in%20a%20cow%2C%20has%20passed%20to%20other%20animals%20on%20the%20farm%20in%20Suffolk.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Daniel%20Berehulak%2FGetty%20Images%29

CINCINNATI%2C%20OH%20%26%238211%3B%20FEBRUARY%202%3A%20%20Zoo%20Academy%20student%20Willie%20Franklin%20feeds%20baby%20Striped%20Skunks%20February%202%2C%202004%20in%20Cincinnati%2C%20Ohio.%20The%20Zoo%20Academy%20is%20part%20of%20the%20Cincinnati%20Public%20School%20system.%20The%20school%20system%20allows%20children%20to%20work%20with%20animals%20during%20lab%20and%20traditional%20classes%2C%20all%20on%20the%20grounds%20of%20the%20Cincinnati%20Zoo%20and%20Botanical%20Gardens.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Mike%20Simons%2FGetty%20Images%29

RAMAT%20GAN%2C%20ISRAEL%20%26%238211%3B%20NOVEMBER%2014%3A%20%28ISRAEL%20OUT%29%20A%20day-old%20newborn%20giraffe%20stands%20beside%20his%20mother%20and%20grandmother%20at%20Ramat%20Gan%20Safari%20Park%20on%20November%2014%2C%202011%20in%20Ramat%20Gan%2C%20Dikla%2C%20near%20Tel%20Aviv%2C%20Israel.%20Born%20on%20November%2013%2C%20the%20newborn%20Reticulated%20Giraffe%2C%20or%20Somali%20Giraffe%20%28Giraffa%20camelopardarlis%20reticulata%29%20male%20calf%20weighed%20between%2050-60kg%20and%20stood%20at%20a%20height%20of%20180cm.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Uriel%20Sinai%2FGetty%20Images%29

MILAN%2C%20ITALY%20%26%238211%3B%20JUNE%2009%3A%20%20A%20phasmatodea%20%28stick%20insect%29%20hangs%20of%20a%20branch%20in%20the%20Butterfly%20House%20opened%20at%20Milan%20Natural%20History%20Museum%20on%20June%2009%2C%202008%20in%20Milan%2C%20Italy%20%28Photo%20by%20Vittorio%20Zunino%20Celotto%2FGetty%20Images%29

NEWTON%20ABBOT%2C%20ENGLAND%20%26%238211%3B%20DECEMBER%2001%3A%20%20Former%20Home%20Office%20Minister%20Ann%20Widdecombe%20leads%20donkeys%20Teasel%20%28L%29%20and%20Dove%20%28R%29%20for%20a%20photocall%20at%20the%20launch%20of%20the%20Christmas%20campaign%20to%20save%20donkeys%20in%20the%20Holy%20Land%20on%20December%201%2C%202010%20in%20Newton%20Abbot%2C%20England.%20The%20BBC%26%238217%3Bs%20Strictly%20Come%20Dancing%20contestant%20is%20a%20supporter%20of%20Safe%20Haven%20for%20Donkeys%20%20in%20the%20Holy%20Land%20%28SHADAH%29%20which%20rescues%20injured%2C%20neglected%20and%20abused%20donkeys%20in%20Israel%20and%20the%20Palestinian%20territories.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Matt%20Cardy%2FGetty%20Images%29

SYDNEY%2C%20AUSTRALIA%20%26%238211%3B%20DECEMBER%2023%3A%20%20A%20wallaby%20enjoys%20a%20festive%20food%20Christmas%20treat%20at%20Taronga%20Zoo%20on%20December%2023%2C%202009%20in%20Sydney%2C%20Australia.%20The%20Christmas-themed%20treats%2C%20enrichment%20gifts%20and%20festive%20activities%20are%20designed%20to%20highlight%20the%20animals%20behavioural%20diversity%20as%20the%20zoo%20prepares%20for%20the%20festive%20period.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Cameron%20Spencer%2FGetty%20Images%29

LONDON%20%3F%20AUGUST%205%3A%20London%20Zoo%3Fs%20as%20yet%20unnamed%20baby%20giant%20anteater%20examines%20zookeeper%20Seb%20Grant%26%238217%3Bs%20nose%20%20as%20he%20makes%20his%20public%20debut%20on%20August%205%2C%202005%20in%20London%2C%20England.%20The%20new%20addition%20to%20the%20zoo%20was%20born%20on%20July%204%20to%20parents%20Sauna%20and%20Bonito.%20To%20celebrate%20his%20birth%20London%20Zoo%20are%20holding%20Big%20Nose%20Day%20all%20this%20weekend%2013%20%26%238211%3B%2014%20August%2C%20offering%20free%20entry%20to%20visitors%20who%20have%20got%20big%20noses%20and%20a%20voucher%20from%20their%20website.%20%28Photo%20by%20Scott%20Barbour%2FGetty%20Images%29

LONDON%2C%20ENGLAND%20%26%238211%3B%20AUGUST%2018%3A%20%20A%20Bolivian%20Squirrel%20monkey%20plays%20with%20a%20toy%20football%20at%20London%20Zoo%20on%20August%2018%2C%202011%20in%20London%2C%20England.%20Male%20monkey%20Bounty%20has%20fathered%20eleven%20baby%20monkeys%20in%20the%20last%20three%20years%20since%20his%20arrival%2C%20enough%20to%20make%20up%20a%20football%20team.%20His%20latest%20offspring%20named%20Rolo%20was%20the%20eleventh%20and%20arrived%20last%20month.%20%28Photo%20by%20Dan%20Kitwood%2FGetty%20Images%29

390303%2018%3A%20A%20gopher%20snake%20tastes%20the%20air%20with%20its%20tongue%20in%20the%20Carrizo%20Plain%20National%20Monument%2C%20June%201%2C%202001.%20The%20snake%20was%20looking%20for%20food%20around%20the%20burrows%20of%20giant%20kangaroo%20rats%2C%20an%20endangered%20species.%20President%20Bill%20Clinton%20established%20the%20national%20monument%20in%20his%20final%20days%20in%20office%20to%20save%20the%20last%20large%20remnant%20of%20the%20aboriginal%20ocean%20of%20grassland%20that%20once%20covered%20central%20California.%20In%20late%20March%2C%20President%20George%20W.%20Bush%20announced%20his%20intention%20to%20review%20the%20Carrizo%20with%20an%20eye%20toward%20opening%20the%20monument%20to%20oil%20exploration.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20McNew%2FGetty%20Images%29

BRISBANE%2C%20QSL%20%26%238211%3B%20JANUARY%2011%3A%20%20Garnett%20Kruger%20of%20South%20Africa%20holds%20onto%20a%20Green%20Iguana%20named%20Peru%20during%20a%20visit%20to%20Australia%20Zoo%20on%20January%2011%2C%202005%20on%20the%20Sunshine%20Coast%2C%20Australia.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Jonathan%20Wood%2FGetty%20Images%29

DOHA%2C%20QATAR%20%26%238211%3B%20JANUARY%2012%3A%20Turtles%20are%20seen%20for%20sale%20in%20the%20Souq%20Waqif%20on%20January%2012%2C%202011%20in%20Doha%2C%20Qatar.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Robert%20Cianflone%2FGetty%20Images%29

WUHAN%2C%20CHINA%20%26%238211%3B%20SEPTEMBER%2020%3A%20%28CHINA%20OUT%29%20An%20owner%20displays%20his%20Tibetan%20Mastiff%20during%20a%20Tibetan%20mastiff%20show%20on%20September%2020%2C%202008%20in%20Wuhan%20of%20Hubei%20Province%2C%20China.%20Tibetan%20Mastiffs%2C%20a%20rare%20breed%20of%20dog%20tamed%20by%20humans%20some%206%2C000%20years%20ago%2C%20were%20originally%20bred%20to%20guard%20monasteries%2C%20villages%2C%20nomadic%20camps%2C%20livestock%20herds%20on%20the%20Qinghai-Tibet%20Plateau%20and%20are%20renowned%20for%20being%20loyal%20and%20territorial%20in%20nature.%20%28Photo%20by%20China%20Photos%2FGetty%20Images%29