Filmmakers and developers of computer games will have a new way of animating animals in the future. A team led by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen, Germany, has developed a technique that uses photographs alone to create lifelike 3-D models of almost all quadrupeds. Animations of these avatars can realistically imitate the movements of animals. But the simple method of bringing animals to life on the computer is not only interesting for the entertainment industry. Many people have lost a beloved family pet. Now this technology can bring them back to “life” as a virtual 3-D avatar. It could also benefit biologists in species protection and help to make children in particular aware of the importance of biodiversity.