The bizarre wildlife stories of 2009

Photo issued by African Journal of Herpetology of a new chameleon species called Kinyongia magomberae that has been discovered in Tanzania, East Africa. Photograph: Andrew Marshall/African Journal/guardian.co.uk

A rare albino dolphin, which has been spotted at Calcasieu Lake in Louisiana, US Photograph: Captain Erik Rue /guardian.co.uk

In the forests of northern Minnesota, biologist Lynn Rogers uses food to gain the trust of wild black bears - a controversial technique. Following the fortunes of mother bear June and her three cubs over a year, the film reveals an intimate portrait of the lives of black bears Photograph: guardian.co.uk

The Bosavi woolly rat had no fear of humans when it was discovered Photograph: Jonny Keeling/guardian.co.uk

In this undated photo released by David Hall of seaphotos.com, recently discovered fish named "psychedelica" is shown in the waters off Ambon island, Indonesia Photograph: David Hall/guardian.co.uk

This undated photo released by Census of Marine Life and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution shows a transparent sea cucumber, Enypniastes, creeping forward on its many tentacles at about 2 cm per minute while sweeping detritus-rich sediment into its mouth at 2,750 meters in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of marine species eke out an existence in the ocean's pitch-black depths by feeding on the snowlike decaying matter that cascades down, and even sunken whale bones, according to a report released Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. Photograph: Larry Madin/Wood Hole Oceanographic Institution/guardian.co.uk

A rare victoria crowned pigeon hatched out of its shell last month, and is the very first of its kind to have been bred at the London zoo Photograph: guardian.co.uk

In this undated photo released by the Wildlife Conservation Society, a close-up shot of a Maleo, that can only be found on Sulawesi island in eastern Indonesia, is seen. Photograph: Julie Larsen Maher/WCS/AP Photograph: Julie Larsen Maher/WCS/guardian.co.uk