
A baby elephant under its mom foot. Baby Animals are super cute.
Paul Gilham via Getty ImagesBaby Animals. They are quite possibly the cutest beings ever. So cute we can't help but want to run and “Coochie Coochie” them. We, or at least I, lose all sense of dignity and become a gushing puddle of goo goo over a baby animal.
And it seems I'm not alone.
Yellowstone Public radio recently sent out a release telling people not to move baby animals they find in the wild. Basically, leave them alone. Reaching out to authorities or trying to move them could endanger them. In fact, It could lead them to being euthanized or living a life in captivity. So in other words, if you see Bambi kicking it in the wild, all by herself, let her be. Mom is somewhere close.
But it's hard to to want to get close to these babies in the wild. And there are so many cuties to pet but can’t or shouldn't.
Baby Animals in The Wild
Like the Meerkat pups, also known as Meerkittens. I mean look at these little babies. But don't blink, because according to the Smithsonian national Zoo, these babies look like an adult after only 2 months. The adults are cute too. Hell, I want to pet them all.
And don't get me started on Seal pups. They call these animal babies Puppies of the sea. And by the looks of it, they aren't wrong. This animal baby almost looks like my Staffy, Betty Blue.
I’m not a huge fan of birds because I’m not a fan of anything that can fly. Maybe I’m jealous? I don't know. My therapist probably has a better grip on that than I do, but Owlettes are damn cute. And the fact that Owls are connected to the spiritual world, So they say anyways, makes them unlike other baby animal with wings.
Polar Bear cubs are unbelievably cute, and in most cases, impossible to pet. Their moms usually frown about that, and the last thing you want is a Polar bear frowing up you. However, in the case of Nora the Polar bear Cub, her mom bailed on her. So, this is a rare case of being able to get close to a polar bear cub.
And of course I’m not going to forget Bambi, AKA Fawns. This baby animal is not only cute, but very friendly. If they are bold, they'll come right to you and bam, you have yourself a “Coochie Coochie” moment and possibly a new pet.
I could go on about baby animals, there are so many adorable babies out there. But let me wrap it up with one of my favorite animals on the planet. The baby elephant. I want one, especially one willing to mess with people like this little guy does.
Death Valley: 25 Reasons To Visit This Stunning National Park
When people think about America's famous national parks, usually the same list of names will come up. Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon are undoubtedly on the top of that list. Even more locally for us in the Las Vegas area, we'd probably mention Bryce Canyon or Zion before talking about Death Valley. But this national park on the eastern California border is in a world of its own. It's a place that combines history, record-breaking topography, incredible views, and even a bit of mystery.
When we do talk about this national park, there's plenty to say. Many enjoy the tales of the disappearing lake that happens after a big storm. Or the rocks that have minds of their own. Death Valley has also made a name for its extremes. Not only the temperatures in the summer, but the depth of the area. According to the National Park Service, Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, at 282 feet below sea level.
What Makes Death Valley So Different
While Death Valley is not the most popular of the national parks, it is one of the largest. According to nationalparks.org, Death Valley covers 3.4 million acres, making it the fifth largest national park in the country. It is over 1 million acres larger than Yellowstone and over 2 million acres larger than Grand Canyon. The park is 140 miles long and lies mostly in California. But a small portion does overlap the state line and reach into the Bullfrog Hills in Nevada.
But the size is not the most impressive thing about Death Valley. Actually, it would be difficult to narrow down what is. Though many people would agree it is the night sky. Once the sun sets, the lack of light pollution makes the sky in Death Valley so dark, that some objects are visible that can't be seen anywhere else in the world, according to nps.org. Including the International Space Station.
Death Valley is one of only eight places in the country where you can see the Milky Way with the naked eye. Which makes the park a very popular place for campers. Of course, summer months are not an ideal time to visit the park, which, according to nationalparks.org, is the hottest and driest national park in the country. Summer temperatures in the park typically reach a high of 120 in the shade, nps.gov reports. Though they recorded the hottest temperature in 1913, when the heat climbed up to 134 degrees.

An unofficial thermometer reads 133 degrees Fahrenheit/56 degrees Celsius at Furnace Creek Visitor Center on July 11, 2021 in Death Valley National Park, California. Just one degree lower than the record high of 134 degrees, recorded in 1913. Climate models almost unanimously predict that heat waves will become more intense and frequent as the planet continues to warm. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
May is a very popular month for visitors in the park. Even though temperatures have already gotten to 100 degrees typically by this time, Star Wars fans flock to the area for May the Fourth. Specifically to take the self-driving Star Wars tour of the areas where two of the famous movies in the franchise were filmed.
Historians of all kinds also visit to see glimpses of what was once a thriving mining community. Death Valley's mining history goes back to about the 1850's. Minerals of all kinds were found in the California hills, according to nationalparks.org. Including gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, antimony, and borax. The mining communities include Harmony Borax Works, Keane Wonder Mine and the popular town of Rhyolite.
Even without all the mining and movie history, Death Valley has so much to see. In addition to the disappearing lake and mysterious moving rocks, there's an extinct volcano, ghost towns and much more. Here are just a few of the amazing sites you would see if you visited.
25 Reasons To Visit Death Valley National Park
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Zabriskie Point At Sunset
DEBOVE SOPHIE via Getty ImagesZabriskie Point At Sunrise
DEBOVE SOPHIE via Getty ImagesMesquite Flat Sand Dunes
DougLemke via Getty ImagesDunes At Sunset
Abubakar Abdul Khaliq via Getty ImagesOld Stovepipe Wells
sprokop via Getty ImagesWildrose Charcoal Kilns
desertsolitaire via Getty ImagesThe Milky Way At Dusk
Emre Corbaci via Getty ImagesThe Milky Way In Dead Of Night
Beboy_ltd via Getty ImagesTeakettle Junction
miroslav_1 via Getty ImagesRacetrack Playa
jamesdvdsn via Getty ImagesSailing Stones On the Racetrack Playa
pabradyphoto via Getty ImagesUbehebe Crater
lucky-photographer via Getty ImagesUbehebe Crater From The Outside
Noah Sauve via Getty ImagesMosiac Canyon
desertsolitaire via Getty Images20 Mule Train Wagon
Aurobindo Sundaram via Getty ImagesHarmony Borax Works
Edward Palm via Getty ImagesLake Manly At Badwater Basin Salt Flats
JUN DONG via Getty ImagesTemporary Lake At Badwater Basin Salt Flats
Mario Tama / Staff via Getty ImagesSunrise Over Badwater Basin
DGHayes via Getty ImagesBadwater Basin Crystal Formations
Nature, food, landscape, travel via Getty ImagesArtists Palette
bullsiphoto via Getty ImagesDeath Valley Wildflowers
Nature, food, landscape, travel via Getty ImagesWild Burros At Death Valley
Jill McAdoo via Getty ImagesA Stroll At Sunset
DEBOVE SOPHIE via Getty ImagesNatural Bridge Canyon
Nature, food, landscape, travel via Getty Images



