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Animal Photos Of The Week

PHOTOS: Leopards, Baby Belugas And Other Animal Pics Of The Week

This week saw a number of interesting animal stories emerge. In Indonesia, a 40-year-old orangutan named Gober can now see her young twins for the first time after receiving successful cataracts surgery. According to the Associated Press, the operation was the first of its kind for an orangutan in Indonesia.

A chimpanzee at a sanctuary in Uganda has been dubbed a "genius" after researchers found her to be the smartest of the 106 animals tested in "the largest and most in-depth survey of chimpanzee intelligence," according to Science. Study author Esther Herrmann of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology said, "In general, we don’t find any kind of general intelligence factor that can predict intelligence in all areas. But we did find a big variation overall, and this one outstanding individual."

Animal researchers made another interesting find this week with the discovery of the "penis head" fish in Vietnam. The fish, named Phallostethus cuulong, was discovered in the Mekong Delta, according to LiveScience. The site notes, "This penis includes a rod and a jagged hook used for grabbing the female during sex."

In Washington, D.C., the National Zoo's American Trail exhibit has re-opened after a five-year, $42 million renovation. The Zoo's Chuck Fillah told WAMU-FM, "We created a habitat here that really simulates the Pacific Northwest. We have sea lions. We have a huge wave machine that actually creates an environment similar to the West Coast."

Sadly, a California hiker was mauled to death by a grizzly bear in Alaska's Denali National Park last week. 49-year-old Richard White, of San Diego, "photographed the male bear for at least eight minutes from a distance of 50 to 100 yards" before the attack, according to AP. State troopers subsequently shot and killed the bear.

In case you missed this cute animal video, check out the koala that swims up to a canoe, hops in and hangs out with humans.

Check out some of the week's best animal photos below:

Animal Photos Of The Week 9/2/12
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In this Monday, Aug. 27, 2012 photo, Mauyak, a beluga whale at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, swims with her newly born calf at the aquarium's Abbott Oceanarium. Shedd (credit:AP)
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TAUNTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 28: Rescued young tawny owls perch on a branch as they wait to be released back into the wild at the RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre on August 28, 2012 in Taunton, England. Between January and the end of July, 33 of the baby birds were taken to the RSPCA centre in Somerset for care, a large increase on previous years. Although the exact reason for this rise is unclear, it is thought the topsy-turvy weather conditions and some extremely windy days through the spring and summer may have contributed. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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Young leopards from Sri Lanka, born in the bioparc of Doue-la-Fontaine, play with their mother Iris on September 2, 2012. The Sri Lanka leopard is the largest feline in the island country that shares its name. Rare in captivity, it is threatened by the destruction of its habitat. Three young panthera live in the Zoo of Doue-La-Fontaine, Ciuttai, Cingha and Lanka are the children of Iris (6 years) and Bonhomme (12 years). AFP PHOTO FRANK PERRY (credit:Getty)
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WASHINGTON - AUGUST 29: Two North American beavers check out a man-made beaver dam in the new beaver enclosure during a sneak peak of the new American Trail at the Smithsonian National Zoo August 29, 2012 in Washington, D.C. There are three beavers in the enclosure, Chipper, Buzz and Willow, all born in June of 2000. The trail, featuring animals and horticulture native to the Americas, opens to the public on September 1. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
(05 of19)
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In this Monday, Aug. 27, 2012 photo, Mauyak, a beluga whale at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, swims with her newly born calf at the aquarium's Abbott Oceanarium. Shedd (credit:AP)
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A five-month leopard from Sri Lanka, born in the bioparc of Doue-la-Fontaine, is pictured next to his mother Iris on September 2, 2012. The Sri Lanka leopard is the largest feline in the island country that shares its name. Rare in captivity, it is threatened by the destruction of its habitat. Three young panthera live in the Zoo of Doue-La-Fontaine, Ciuttai, Cingha and Lanka are the children of Iris (6 years) and Bonhomme (12 years). AFP PHOTO FRANK PERRY (credit:Getty)
(07 of19)
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Bonhomme, a male leopard, yawns, on September 2, 2012 in the bioparc of Doue-la-Fontaine. The Sri Lanka leopard is the largest feline in the island country that shares its name. Rare in captivity, it is threatened by the destruction of its habitat. Three young panthera live in the Zoo of Doue-La-Fontaine, Ciuttai, Cingha and Lanka are the children of Iris (6 years) and Bonhomme (12 years). AFP PHOTO FRANK PERRY (credit:Getty)
(08 of19)
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A picture taken on August 30, 2012 shows a 'Dorcus Parallelipedus' stag beetle ('Petite biche' or 'Coleoptere Lucanidae' in French), in Saint Philbert sur Risle, northwestern France. AFP PHOTO/JOEL SAGET (credit:Getty)
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NEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 28: Ruffin Henry and Scout the dog swim in the rising water of Lake Pontchartrain as Hurricane Isaac approaches on August 28, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Hurricane Isaac is expected to make landfall later today along the Lousiana coast. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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A female lion yawns past the casted shadows of visitors of Taygan park, the park of lions, some 50 km from Crimean city of Simferopol, Ukraine, on August 29, 2012. The Taygan park, newly opened in 2012, is the largest lion park of Europe with more than 50 lions coming colllected from differents zoo collections of Europe and South Africa. AFP PHOTO/ SERGEI SUPINSKY (Photo credit should read SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
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WASHINGTON - AUGUST 29: Crystal, a female gray wolf, roams the new wold enclosure during a sneak peak of the new American Trail at the Smithsonian National Zoo August 29, 2012 in Washington, D.C. The trail, featuring animals and horticulture native to the Americas, opens to the public on September 1. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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A Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina) watches the photographer in his enclosure in the zoo in Dresden, eastern Germany Thursday Aug. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/dapd/Joern Haufe) (credit:AP)
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Two circus lions rest in their cage on zoo grounds, in Asuncion, Paraguay,Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The lions are two of the seven African lions and nine Bengal tigers from an Argentine circus that were stuck in a Paraguayan border town for two months and recently moved to a shaded area at the Asuncion Zoo where Paraguay's wildlife agency hopes they will be more comfortable as circus owners and Argentine officials work out the circus animals' paperwork for re-entry. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) (credit:AP)
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A shoebill is displayed at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye) (credit:AP)
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A baby greater flamingo stands next to the adult birds at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012.(AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye) (credit:AP)
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A dog wears a colorful neckless as he passes by the Lido casino during the 69th Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2012 at Venice Lido. 'Cherchez Hortense' is presented out of competition. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (credit:Getty)
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A bird perches on a tree branch in Sydney's Royal Botanical Gardens on September 1, 2012, as the Australian city ushers in the first day of spring. A recent report shows Sydney's ranking has consistently placed in the top 10 liveable cities in the world, scoring well for having low pollution levels and abundant green spaces. AFP PHOTO / ROMEO GACAD (credit:Getty)
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WASHINGTON - AUGUST 29: A sea lion swims by a viewing area during a sneak peak of the new American Trail at the Smithsonian National Zoo August 29, 2012 in Washington, D.C. The 300,000 gallon sea lion pool, designed in the style of a rocky California beach, is complete with a wave machine and is the new home to four female California sea lions: Summer, Sidney, Calli and Sophie. The trail, featuring animals and horticulture native to the Americas, opens to the public on September 1. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
(19 of19)
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A circus tiger looks out from a cage parked on zoo grounds, in Asuncion, Paraguay,Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The tiger is one of nine Bengal tigers and seven African lions from an Argentine circus that were stuck in a Paraguayan border town for two months and recently moved to a shaded area at the Asuncion Zoo where Paraguay's wildlife agency hopes they will be more comfortable as circus owners and Argentine officials work out the circus animals' paperwork for re-entry. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) (credit:AP)

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