Thankfully, 2011 wasn't only stuffed full of natural disasters, Bloomberg's nannying, global protest movements and sketchy politician scandals—it was also filled with adorable animals! Whether they were a terrifying creature washed ashore on Long Island Beach, sitting snuggly in a Baby Bjorn or being serenaded by a Mariachi band, some of our favorite stories of the year were about animals. Click through to check out some of our favorite critters of 2011.