diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Util.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Util.js
index 661c00d320..43a8399268 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Util.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Util.js
@@ -1697,8 +1697,16 @@ OpenLayers.Util.getFormattedLonLat = function(coordinate, axis, dmsOption) {
     return str;
 };
 
-OpenLayers.Util.requestAnimationFrame = (function() {
-    return window.requestAnimationFrame ||
+/**
+ * Function: requestAnimationFrame
+ * Schedule a function to be called at the next available animation frame.
+ *     Uses the native method where available.  Where requestAnimationFrame is
+ *     not available, setTimeout will be called with a 16ms delay.
+ *
+ * Parameters:
+ * callback - {Function} The function to be called at the next animation frame.
+ * element - {DOMElement} Optional element that visually bounds the animation.
+ */
 OpenLayers.Util.requestAnimationFrame = (function(window) {
     var request = window.requestAnimationFrame ||
         window.webkitRequestAnimationFrame ||
@@ -1720,6 +1728,21 @@ OpenLayers.Util.requestAnimationFrame = (function(window) {
     var loops = {};
     var request = OpenLayers.Util.requestAnimationFrame;
     
+    /**
+     * Function: startAnimation
+     * Executes a method with <requestAnimationFrame> in series for some 
+     *     duration.
+     *
+     * Parameters:
+     * callback - {Function} The function to be called at the next animation frame.
+     * duration - {Number} Optional duration for the loop.  If not provided, the
+     *     animation loop will execute indefinitely.
+     * element - {DOMElement} Optional element that visually bounds the animation.
+     *
+     * Returns:
+     * {Number} Identifier for the animation loop.  Used to stop animations with
+     *     <stopAnimation>.
+     */
     OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation = function(callback, duration, element) {
         duration = duration > 0 ? duration : Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
         var id = ++counter;
@@ -1738,6 +1761,13 @@ OpenLayers.Util.requestAnimationFrame = (function(window) {
         return id;
     }
     
+    /**
+     * Function: stopAnimation
+     * Terminates an animation loop started with <startAnimation>.
+     *
+     * Parameters:
+     * {Number} Identifier returned from <startAnimation>.
+     */
     OpenLayers.Util.stopAnimation = function(id) {
         delete loops[id];
     }
diff --git a/tests/Kinetic.html b/tests/Kinetic.html
index 8d5ef9e528..92107b98da 100644
--- a/tests/Kinetic.html
+++ b/tests/Kinetic.html
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@
         
         var interval = 10; // arbitrary value for tests 
 
-        var originalLoopAnimation = OpenLayers.Util.loopAnimation;
-        OpenLayers.Util.loopAnimation = function(callback) {
+        var originalLoopAnimation = OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation;
+        OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation = function(callback) {
             while (!finish) {
                 var time = new Date().getTime();
                 Date.prototype.getTime = function() { return time+interval };
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
         });
         
         Date.prototype.getTime = originalGetTime;
-        OpenLayers.Util.loopAnimation = originalLoopAnimation;
+        OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation = originalLoopAnimation;
     }
 
     function test_Angle (t) {
diff --git a/tests/Tween.html b/tests/Tween.html
index 4cd1970710..fe8f114517 100644
--- a/tests/Tween.html
+++ b/tests/Tween.html
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@
         t.plan(2);
         
         var tween = new OpenLayers.Tween();
-        tween.animationId = OpenLayers.Util.loopAnimation(function() {});
+        tween.animationId = OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation(function() {});
         tween.playing = true;
         tween.stop();
         t.eq(tween.animationId, null, "tween correctly stopped");
         
-        tween.animationId = OpenLayers.Util.loopAnimation(function() {});
+        tween.animationId = OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation(function() {});
         tween.playing = false;
         tween.stop();
         t.ok(tween.animationId != null, "stop method doesn't do anything if tween isn't running");
diff --git a/tests/Util.html b/tests/Util.html
index 51eabd244a..984b3d9ec4 100644
--- a/tests/Util.html
+++ b/tests/Util.html
@@ -1120,6 +1120,69 @@
         t.eq(OpenLayers.Util.getFormattedLonLat(-181, "lon"), "179°00'00\"E", "crossing dateline from the west results in correct east coordinate");
         t.eq(OpenLayers.Util.getFormattedLonLat(181, "lon"), "179°00'00\"W", "crossing dateline from the east results in correct west coordinate");
     }
+    
+    function test_requestAnimationFrame(t) {
+        t.plan(2);
+        
+        t.eq(typeof OpenLayers.Util.requestAnimationFrame, "function", "requestAnimationFrame is a function");
+        
+        var calls = 0;
+        OpenLayers.Util.requestAnimationFrame(function() {
+            ++calls;
+        });
+        t.delay_call(0.1, function() {
+            t.ok(calls > 0, "callback called: " + calls);
+        });
+    }
+    
+    function test_startAnimation(t) {
+        t.plan(1);
+        
+        var calls = 0;
+        var id = OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation(function() {
+            ++calls;
+        });
+        t.delay_call(0.1, function() {
+            t.ok(calls > 1, "looped: " + calls);
+            OpenLayers.Util.stopAnimation(id);
+        });
+    }
+
+    function test_startAnimation_duration(t) {
+        t.plan(2);
+        
+        var calls = 0;
+        var id = OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation(function() {
+            ++calls;
+        }, 100);
+        var first;
+        t.delay_call(0.2, function() {
+            first = calls;
+            t.ok(calls > 1, "looped: " + calls);
+        });
+        t.delay_call(0.3, function() {
+            t.eq(calls, first, "not being called any more");
+        });
+    }
+    
+    function test_stopAnimation(t) {
+        t.plan(2);
+        
+        var calls = 0;
+        var id = OpenLayers.Util.startAnimation(function() {
+            ++calls;
+        });
+        var first;
+        t.delay_call(0.2, function() {
+            first = calls;
+            t.ok(calls > 1, "looped: " + calls);
+            OpenLayers.Util.stopAnimation(id);
+        });
+        t.delay_call(0.3, function() {
+            t.eq(calls, first, "not being called any more");
+        });
+    }
+    
   </script>
 </head>
 <body>