December 23, 2011: We've scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it's all right here.

Polar Bear cub

Cute Polar Bear Cub Captures Hearts

We have a holiday gift for you: an adorable polar bear cub video. Siku, who was born last month at the Scandinavian Wildlife Park in Denmark, will have a trio of people to take care of him 24 hours a day for the first year of his life.

Now weighing in at just 7 pounds, the cub was only 3 pounds and 2 days old when he was taken in because his mom wasn’t producing enough milk. Warning: After watching Siku, you may want the job of one of those people. —  BBC News

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas . . . at the Zoo

A penguin in a Santa suit, edible ornaments and gift-wrapped salmon are some of the holiday sights on display at zoos around the world. — See the photos at Today

Study Finds That Pigeons Can Master Higher Math

That pigeon cooing on your window ledge is smarter than you think. According to researchers in New Zealand, pigeons did just as well as monkeys in a test of math skills. An experiment that was originally conducted with primates in the 1990s showed that the birds (with a year of training) can learn abstract rules about numbers. — Read it at The New York Times

Gorillas make tourist one of their own

Ugandan Gorillas Groom an American Tourist

“I just feel like one of the gang,” said a man identified as John in a video that shows him surrounded by gorillas while on a tour in Uganda. An adult female and her babies wandered into the sanctuary where the American tourist was staying — and then decided to make John one of their own. They appear to groom the delighted (and awestruck) tourist. — Watch it at USA Today

Second Rare White Kiwi Hatches in New Zealand

The newbie kiwi is believed to have the same parents as Manukura, the feisty kiwi we told you about last month who was recovering from surgery after swallowing stones. This chick is named Mauriora. — Read it at the New Zealand Herald