Alien

Carrying toy dogs around like in this photograph has suddenly become very fashionable here in Chiang Mai. During an hour’s walk around one of the street markets I am guaranteed to see ten or so. I am sure they are loved and looked after but I do wonder whether they wouldn’t much prefer to have the chance to sniff the world at ground level on their own legs. Perhaps this wouldn’t be a good idea in a crowded market but these dogs seem to get carried absolutely everywhere.

The face and position of this particular dog really does make me think back to the classic movie scene where the alien bursts out of a man’s abdomen. This is the (slightly) less scary version.

Photograph taken at the “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Monkeying Around Photo

Okay, I know it’s an ape not a monkey, and also not a street photo although that is where this animal may have spent part of its life.

This gibbon may look like many people feel on Boxing Day but I suspect that it was rescued from an entertainment establishment where it had been taught to act-up like this. Always cute, gibbons are also cuddly when young but turn more belligerent as they reach adulthood and have a strong grasp and powerful teeth which often leads to problems and mistreatment. This in turn means there is a constant market for young ones which are often illegally taken from the wild.

Rather than support their use in tourist places I suggest people support those groups working on the animals’ behalf.

http://www.highland-farm.org/

http://www.gibbonproject.org/

Photographically, I used a bit of cloning in Photoshop to make her less obviously female!

Photograph taken at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Chonburi, Thailand