Just For Fun

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Flock of sheep in China rush rest stop and throw down the coffees like they own the joint. Picture: Newsflare via Reuters Connect

Latte-loving sheep guzzles coffee

Table manners were missing in action as a flock of sheep crashed a casual coffee catch up in China – should someone have stopped this woolly wag from chugging the caffeine? TAKE OUR POLL

Sport
emerging 11-year-old Aussie chess prodigy Reyaansh Chakrabarty composite.Picture: NewsWire

Aussie 11yo’s world champ gambit

First inspired by a fictional chess player, rising Australian whiz kid Reyaansh Chakrabarty has since beaten Grandmasters for real – here’s his plan for becoming Australia’s first world champ

UPDATEDAnimals
, , An exuberant gorilla at Werribee Open Range Zoo is challenging the common belief that this species avoids the rain – and he’s making quite a splash doing it., , , The 25-year-old silverback, Ganyeka, has been filmed on discreet keeper cameras enthusiastically enjoying the rain, putting a cheeky spin on the classic phrase ‘singing in the rain’. Picture: Zoos Victoria

Gorilla caught playing in the rain

Discreetly placed cameras have captured the wonderful moment a gorilla decided to let loose and play in the rain after his brother took shelter from the wet weather. Watch the funny footage here

Animals
Valerie the Dachshund turns three! Picture: The Paws Room

Happy Birthday! Valerie turns three

She’s the mischievous pup who captured the world’s attention after spending 529 days missing on a Kangaroo Island – now Valerie is celebrating back home with her big 3rd birthday bash

Arts
Author and illustrator Matt Stanton's drawing for Monster Monday.

Why drawing is a monster cure for boredom

Best-selling children’s author and illustrator Matt Stanton has declared the first day of every working week Monster Monday. Here he explains why drawing monsters is a cure for boredom

Arts
HIGHLY COMMENDED Category 4. Behaviour

Credit name: Alex Kydd/UPY 2019
Nationality: Australia
Image caption: A Fever of Cownose Rays
Country taken: Australia
Location: Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Camera make: NikonD810
Lens: Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens
ISO: 320
Aperture: f/9
Shutter: 1/250
Lighting used: Natural light
Housing: Aquatica Digital

Back story printed: 
A rare encounter with a fever of cownose rays on the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. This was a once in a lifetime encounter with a species that is rarely documented in this region. We unexpectedly came across the rays whilst searching for whale sharks. The rays were spiralling up and down the water column from the surface to 20 meters for a brief moment until they disappeared into the deep. The images were taken whilst freediving to approximately 6 metres. The rays were circling and rubbing together in a behaviour that is still not clearly understood. It may have been possible mating or a social behaviour. The exact species of ray is still debated, it is either Rhinoptera javanica or Rhinoptera neglecta. 

Judge's comments: 
A top down camera angle on the rays has captured the behaviour perfectly.  The balance of all four sides keeps the eye of the viewer contained within the frame.  It's not too tight either, just the right amount of space to admire the spectacle. - Martin Edge

Underwater Photographer of the Year

Five Australian photographers have blitzed the international Underwater Photographer of the Year competition with their incredible pictures of life under the sea