No Puppy Mills- Obama will adopt a dog for the girls

After announcing they planned to buy a dog as a reward for their daughters being such good sports about the grueling campaign, animal rights and animal welfare groups started campaigns of their own — for the Obamas to adopt a shelter dog and not buy a dog from a breeder.

PETA's president sent them a letter. Best Friends Animal Society launched a petition drive on the Web site www.obamafamilydog.com that collected 50,000 signatures in just two weeks. The Humane Society of the United States made an appeal.

Then the news broke on "Entertainment Tonight" a little over a month ago: Michelle Obama announced the family would, indeed, adopt a rescue dog.

What breed? Probably a Poodle!
The Poodle dog breed was originally bred to hunt birds, and today still tends to be fairly athletic and agile. Poodles can also be hard-working, and are used by French customs in inspections. But the Poodle breed also tends to be playful, which sometimes takes away a bit from their competitive spirit in sports. With their families, Poodles tend to be loyal, sometimes to the point of possessiveness.

24 new species discovered in South America-purple frog

An atelopus frog found in the remote mountains of Suriname

Scientists have discovered 24 new species of wildlife in the South American highlands of Suriname, including a frog with fluorescent purple markings.

But conservationists have now warned that these creatures are threatened by illegal gold mining.

The discovery of so many species outside the insect realm is extraordinary and points up the need to survey distant regions, said Leeanne Alonso of Conservation International, which led the expedition that found the new species.

"When you go to these places that are so unexplored and so remote, we do tend to find new species...but most of them are insects," Alonso said.

"What's really exciting here is we found a lot of new species of frogs and fish as well."

The two-tone frog - whose skin is covered with irregular fluorescent lavender loops on a background of aubergine - was discovered in 2006 as part of a survey of Suriname's Nassau plateau, the conservation group said.

24 new species discovered in South America-purple frog

An atelopus frog found in the remote mountains of Suriname

Scientists have discovered 24 new species of wildlife in the South American highlands of Suriname, including a frog with fluorescent purple markings.

But conservationists have now warned that these creatures are threatened by illegal gold mining.

The discovery of so many species outside the insect realm is extraordinary and points up the need to survey distant regions, said Leeanne Alonso of Conservation International, which led the expedition that found the new species.

"When you go to these places that are so unexplored and so remote, we do tend to find new species...but most of them are insects," Alonso said.

"What's really exciting here is we found a lot of new species of frogs and fish as well."

The two-tone frog - whose skin is covered with irregular fluorescent lavender loops on a background of aubergine - was discovered in 2006 as part of a survey of Suriname's Nassau plateau, the conservation group said.