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Image: Masha, a female raccoon, yawns in her wooden refuge inside an open-air cage where she hibernates at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Krasnoyarsk

Pets

Say cheese! Meet 21 animals who love smiling for the camera

From a cheeky chameleon to an overjoyed otter, these happy animals are sure to put a grin on your face.

/ 21 PHOTOS
Image: Curious giraffe in zoo in Duisburg.

Hey!

Humans aren't the only ones to put on a happy face. These animals also know how to grin, giggle and ham it up with the best of them.

A giraffe gives visitors a distinctive look at the zoo in Duisburg, Germany.

Roland Weihrauch / DPA
Image: A zoo employee holds a six-day-old white lion cub at the zoo in Tbilisi

Starting out with a smile

A zoo employee holds a 6-day-old white lion cub at the zoo in Tbilisi. Four white lion cubs were born on Dec. 10, and three survived at Tbilisi Zoo. The white lions, which are only found in the Timbavati nature reserve in South Africa, are not albinos but a genetic rarity, according to the zoo.

David Mdzinarishvili / X01222
Image: US-ANIMALS-SEA LIONS-FISHERMAN'S WHARF

Fighting for fun

Sea lions fight with each other on Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. The sea lions have become a favorite attraction for tourists who visit the area.

Don Emmert / AFP
Image: GERMANY-ANIMALS

Just squawking

A nandu bird appears as happy as can be at Zoo Krefeld in Germany.

Roland Weihrauch / DPA
Image: GERMANY-ANIMALS-LEMUR

Boo!

A ring-tailed lemur reacts in an enclosure at the Tierpark zoo in Straubing, southern Germany. The animals are native to the arid regions in the southwest of Madagascar.

Armin Weigel / DPA
Stephen Schmidt from Try It Emu Farm in Marburg, Australia - 30 Mar 2007

Saying hello

This emu definitely isn't camera shy. Stephen Schmidt, from the Try It Emu Farm in Marburg, Australia, must be doing something right to generate such a big smile from one of his residents.

Jamie Hanson/newspix / Rex Usa / REX
Smiling chameleon at Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, Africa - 26 Sep 2011

Give us a smile

This cheeky chameleon looks pleased about having his photo taken at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Along with his happy grin, he ensured he was an eye-catching green and yellow color for the picture.

Dave Stevenson/rex / Rex Usa / REX
Curious meerkat examines a meerkat cuddly toy at Chessington World of Adventures, Surrey, Britain - 29 Aug 2011

No worries

This meerkat decided to befriend the plush toy version of himself that was accidently dropped into his enclosure by an excited child. From the goofy grin on his face, it looks like this meerkat might have a new pal!

Solent News/rex / Rex Usa / REX
World's smallest piglets at Pennywell Farm, Devon, Britain  - 18 Aug 2008

Hamming it up

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home, and this little piggy smiled for a closeup!

Richard Austin / Rex Usa / REX
Winter Scene in West Berkshire, Britain - 02 Feb 2009

Let it snow

This swan is having a laugh in its winter wonderland in West Berkshire, Britain.

Rupert/david Hartley / Rex Usa / REX
A tiny 8 week old Otter Cub found alone and wandering the roads of Exmoor near Winsford, Somerset, Britain - Mar 2009

I laugh in the face of danger!

Hope the otter has every reason to be smiling after cheating death. The underweight 8-week-old cub was found wandering alone along the road until she was rescued by a kind-hearted human. She then recovered made some new friends, like this teddy bear.

Richard Austin / Rex Usa / REX
Young thornback ray, Blue Reef Aquarium, Southsea, Hampshire, Britain  - 20 Feb 2008

Ray of sunshine

With it's alien-like smiling face, this baby thornback ray attracted a lot of attention at an aquarium in Hampshire, Britain.

Solent News / Rex Usa / REX
Giggle the laughing fox, New Forest Otter, Owl,and Wildlife Park, Longdown, Hampshire, Britain - May 2007

Laugh it up, fuzzball

This young fox couldn't conceal its happiness at getting attention.

Chris Balcombe / Rex Usa / REX
37-year-old Dolly, who is thought to be the oldest cow in Britain, Mistley Place Park Animal Rescue Centre, Essex, Britain - 15 May 2008

What's not to smile about?

In this 2008 photo, Dolly was living out her golden years in at the Mistley Place Park Animal Rescue Centre in Essex, Britain. After being rescued from the slaughterhouse, she was allowed to live out the rest of her days in style. Who wouldn't smile at such luck?

Rex Usa / REX
Riley the smiling dog second birthday, San Jose, America - 18 Jan 2011

Party pup

Riley celebrates his second birthday at a party thrown by his owner, Maureen Ravelo.

Maureen Ravelo/rex / Rex Usa / REX
Laughing mountain goat, Mt. Evans, Colorado, America - Sep 2011

You've got to be kid-ding!

This cheerful mountain goat laughs for a photographer at Mount Evans in Colorado after he and his pals interrupted a photo shoot of the picturesque sunrise.

Dejan Smaic/rex / Rex Usa / REX
STOCK

A seal of a good time

This grey adult male seal displays a happy grin while lying on the beach.

Splashdowndirect / Michael Hutch / REX
Smiling dolphin, Planete Sauvage, Port Saint Pere, France - Apr 2011

Under the sea

Cessol the dolphin smiles and blows a welcoming bubble for the camera.

Yohann Aberkane/rex / Rex Usa / REX
Image: Masha, a female raccoon, yawns in her wooden refuge inside an open-air cage where she hibernates at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Krasnoyarsk

A happy yawn

Masha, a female raccoon, shows of her photogenic good looks at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia.

Ilya Naymushin / X01151
5 yrs old Yakini in the Gorilla Enclosure at Melbourne Zoo, Australia - 23 Nov 2004

A laughing matter

A 5-year-old gorilla named Yakini rolls around playfully in his enclosure at Australia's Melbourne Zoo.

Ian Currie/newspix / Rex Usa / REX
Boxer dog given rugby club membership after retrieving 180 lost balls in past three years, Havant, Hampshire, Britain - 05 Oct 2010

They're mine! All mine!

Bess the boxer would be the envy of every dog in the world with her collection of 180 rugby balls, but sadly her owners keep returning them. She discovers the balls while walking near the Havant Rugby Club in Hampshire, England and their return has saved the club a lot of money. It also earned Bess her own lifetime membership to the club.

Mike Walker/rex / Rex Usa / REX
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