Pet Scoop: Hound Crashes Half Marathon and Finishes 7th, Police Helps Stranded Sloth

Jan. 26, 2016: We’ve scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it’s all right here.

Bloodhound Jumps Into Race

Ludivine wasn’t planning to run in the Elkmont Half Marathon earlier this month. But when the 2-year-old Bloodhound was let out on her Alabama farm, she wandered up to the starting line of the 13.1-mile race and jumped right in, unbeknownst to her owner. “She stayed with a few of the front runners, ran off to sniff … romp in the water, and then back to the race. I understand she stayed on the course for 13.1 miles, finished seventh, and was the highest placed female," said her owner, April Hamlin. Ludivine unofficially came in seventh out of 165 runners, and looked quite proud wearing a race ribbon at the end. — Read it at CNN

Camera Traps Reveal Diversity in Tropical Forests

A network of more than 1,000 camera traps in 15 tropical forests across three continents captured 2.5 million images of birds and ground-dwelling mammals, showing highly diverse ecosystems. Fortunately, by analyzing the images, scientists have found that many of the populations were stable and multiplying, indicating that protections for the areas are helping protect endangered and threatened species. The cameras captured stunning pictures of elephants, jaguars, leopards and a giant anteater, among many others. — See photos at Live Science

Cold-Stunned Sea Turtles Fill Rescue Centers

In January alone, more than 1,000 sea turtles have been stranded in North Carolina, suffering from the cold temperatures. Most of the turtles have washed ashore in the Outer Banks, and green sea turtles have had an especially difficult time. The turtles usually head to deeper, warmer areas in the winter. But the sounds in North Carolina stayed warm for longer than usual this year, so they stayed around — then the sudden drop in temperatures left them cold-stunned and in need of rehabilitation. — Read it at North Carolina’s Star News Online

Cute Sloth Stops Traffic

Police officers in Los Rios, Ecuador, came to the rescue of an adorable sloth who was stranded in the middle of a highway, and not going anywhere fast. The Transport Commission of Ecuador posted photos of the sloth clinging to a barrier as an officer came to help it on Friday. "We want to let you know the sloth was rescued and taken by our officers to a doctor, who said the sloth was in good conditions to be returned to its habitat," the Transit Authority commented on Facebook, reported ABC News. Later that day, the sloth was happily back in his natural surroundings, the Commission reported. — Read it at Today

NYPD Rescues Kitten From Wheel

In Brooklyn, New York, two police officers came to the rescue of a cold, wet stray kitten who darted through traffic and ran up into the wheel well of a woman’s vehicle while she was stopped at a red light on Monday. The car’s owner, Geraldine Cassone, flagged down Officers Christopher Rinelli and Kenia Marte, who stopped traffic and used a jack to lift the car and remove the wheel. The 2-month-old kitten had climbed into the car’s undercarriage, but the officers were finally able to reach her. And there’s a happy ending for the little black kitten. Cassone brought her to a rescue group for what looked like an eye infection, and plans to adopt her. — Read it at the New York Daily News