“For the man who has everything, this year’s prize bauble in China is a $1.8 million sheep bred in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar. Only 1,000 Dolan sheep exist in the world, according to breeders, and their extraordinary features have made them the latest collectors’ item for ultra-rich Chinese. “Big bosses come here in their luxury cars and load the sheep into the back seat,” said Liu, a 48-year-old sheep breeder in the city of Aksu, in the far western region of Xinjiang. “Usually the bosses are Uighur Muslims who have made their money in the sheep industry and want a prize sheep for a pet,” he added. The Dolan breed has a distinctive curved nose and twin tails, as well as a long floppy ears. Originally bred from sheep in Kashgar to grow quickly and to yield more meat, the breed has since become ornamental. “The price depends on the pedigree,” said Mr Liu. “The darker the fleece, the better. The bigger the ears the better. The more curved the face, the better, like an eagle’s beak. The best ones have a dark body and white tail.” w/ photos

“A rare albino squirrel nicknamed Snow White will have to spend the rest of her life in captivity – because she will be killed by her cousins in the wild. The squirrel was found bloodied after being attacked by two grey squirrels and taken to an animal rescue center. Nicknamed after the Grimms’ fairy tale character because she enjoys staring at her reflection in a mirror, Snow White has now recovered after three days on painkillers and antibiotics. The chances of an albino squirrel being born are one in 100,000, so with a grey squirrel population of 2.5million it is thought there are only 25 with the genetic mutation alive at any one time. ‘She had blood coming from her nose and was in a very poor way when she came in,’ said Crag Hunter, senior clinical assistant at the HART wildlife center near Alton, Hampshire. ‘We put a mirror in her cage so we could keep an eye on her and she loves looking at herself in it. I’m sure she is asking the mirror, “Who is the fairest of them all?”, like in the fairy tale.” w/ photo

“Holidaymakers are now being offered the chance to stay in hotel rooms – made from oil rig survival capsules. The bright orange pods have undergone an incredible transformation and are now available to visitors to Den Haag, Holland, for about $66 a night. They have been kitted out with lights, a survival suitcase and sleeping bags and guests can choose between simple hammocks or a normal bed. Creator Denis Oudendijk even made one with a James Bond theme, which comes complete with silk sheets on the bed, champagne and a vodka martini bar. He said: “Since we launched them the pods have been very popular – they’ve even saved some relationships!” w/ photo