Special Species

Wildlife biologist Mike Cove had his heart set on studying big cats in exotic locations, but instead, he and his team ended up championing a precious creature that engineers an entire ecosystem, complete with separate rooms. And not a day too soon, as these animals are rare and endangered.

Nix, an adorable miniature donkey, began having collapsing episodes at only a few months of age. Faced with the prospect of euthanasia simply because the parts of her heart weren't communicating with each other, her owners made a bold decision that'd allow her to live out her life to its fullest.