MOSCOW – A Russian researcher gets naked to tame whales.

A skinny dipping Russian researcher took a ten meter sub-zero plunge in a bid to get up close and personal with two beautiful 15 foot long beluga whales.

Scientists believe that the whales could be more friendly with humans if they swim naked – but as these pictures show the clever-looking marine mammals called Matrena and Nilma seem happy to swim with the same lady whether bears all or not.

Champion free diver, Natalia Avseenko, 36, from Moscow gamely jumped into an ice hole in the White Sea off the coast of northern Russia. She was able to hold her breath and swim underwater for an incredible 11 minutes.

The pictures show her swimming in the minus one degree Centigrade waters – cold enough to kill a normal person in 15 minutes. Beluga whales generally shy away from conventional scuba divers because they dislike the bubbles they produce. It is thought the synthetic materials used to make wet suits smell bad to them.

JUNEAU, AK – Sarah Palin has landed the cover of Portfolio’s April 2009 issue with a photo of her wearing a Bigfoot skin coat, and she is not pleased.

Joe McGinniss’ cover story, “Palin and Wildlife: The Cold Hard Truth”, focuses on her terrible track record when dealing with wildlife conservation. She has opposed strengthening protections for beluga whales and polar bears, and has encouraged the control of wolf populations through promoting bounties and aerial hunting.

But the most damning charges pertain to the treatment of Sasquatches in Alaska. As loyal Weekly World News readers may recall, Sarah Palin posed with a Bigfoot she shot dead from a helicopter.

Since then she has constantly battled with conservationists over placing them on the Endangered Species list. As a seemingly provocative move, Portfolio used a photo of Palin wearing a Bigfoot skin coat, possibly the skin of the creature she shot last year.

Palin spokesman Bill McAllister has already released a statement about the piece: “Show me one shred of truth for this accusation: ‘Palin has systematically targeted the Sasquatch population time and time again.’ Senator Palin’s first and foremost responsibility is to the citizens of Alaska. She must protect them and their livelihood from these creature.”

“If that means not bending over backwards for radical conversationists, then so be it. She is ready and willing to take on their criticism, when it is fair and factual.”

Ashley Judd, a recent foe of Palin, is already planning a new video with the World Cryptid Federation in order to bring Palin’s treatment of Sasquatches to light. Judd will shoot on location in Alaska, where she will be filmed handfeeding a pack of Sasquatches Twinkies to prove they are not dangerous.