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Gorilla patriarch of Columbus Zoo surrogacy program dies
2012-05-19T21:53:36Z
CLEVELAND (Reuters) - A gorilla known for being the patriarch of a renowned gorilla surrogacy program at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio died on Friday at an estimated age of 47, the zoo said. The popular gorilla, Mumbah, was eating breakfast with his family when he collapsed, the zoo said in a statement. The animal care team was unable to resuscitate him. Mumbah was born in equatorial Africa around 1965 and brought to the Columbus zoo from England in 1984. He was well past a male gorilla's average life expectancy of 31 years. ...
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Cannes photo of the day: Wildlife on the Croisette
2012-05-19T06:16:17Z
 Friday afternoon, some of the cast of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, the animated family film presented out of competition, were present for a photocall on the Croisette. David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jessica Chastain as well as Chris Rock and Ben Stiller tried to hold their own and not be overshadowed by the movie's 'star,' Alex the lion.
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California chefs in stew over foie gras ban
2012-05-18T16:36:19Z
 A simmering row between animal rights campaigners and a handful of California's top chefs is coming to the boil, ahead of a looming ban on foie gras in the western US state.
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Deceptive Chimp Hides Ammo, Blasts Unsuspecting Zoo Visitors
2012-05-18T16:16:40Z
 A chimp that creates hiding places for rocks he throws at zoo visitors reveals for the first time that humanity's closest living relatives can plan to deceive, researchers say.
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California chefs in a stew over foie gras ban
2012-05-18T11:12:49Z
 A simmering row between animal rights campaigners and a handful of California's top chefs is coming to the boil, ahead of a looming ban on foie gras in the western US state.
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Oklahoma park accused of letting kids play with tigers
2012-05-18T02:37:39Z
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - The Humane Society of the United States is accusing an Oklahoma exotic animal park of allowing children to handle and pose for photographs with juvenile tigers in what they called "a petting zoo for carnivores." Joe Schreibvogel, owner of the G.W. Exotic Animal Park, 65 miles south of Oklahoma City, denies the allegations, and he said on Thursday that the humane society simply wants to bankrupt him. Wayne Pacelle, head of the animal rights organization, contends that allowing visitors to handle the unpredictable felines placed the visitors at risk. ...
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Startling Birth Control Ad for Pets
2012-05-16T20:11:43Z
Parents of teens know that at that certain age they can’t avoid having the dreaded “sex talk” with their kids, but what about with their pets? What if pet owners started thinking of their pets as their teens when it comes to avoiding pregnancy?...
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Zoo-like Cannes opens with Anderson's 'Moonrise'
2012-05-16T16:43:03Z
 The sunbaked Cannes Film Festival got under way with Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom," whose carefully composed whimsy stood in stark contrast to the zoo-like atmosphere at the annual French Riviera extravaganza.
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Whales Adjust Their Hearing Sensitivity
2012-05-16T00:05:08Z
When warned of a loud noise, a false killer whale reduced its hearing sensitivity in anticipation of the sound. Sophie Bushwick reports
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Senior living centers across US accept more pets
2012-05-15T20:03:04Z
 Shirlee and Nathan "Nick" Horowitz faced one serious health crisis after another before their doctor said they had to move into an assisted living center. They had only one condition — they weren't going anywhere without their dog.
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Giraffes die from stress as vandals terrorise Polish zoo
2012-05-14T18:09:37Z
 Two giraffes at a zoo in central Poland's Lodz died of stress after unidentified vandals went on a night-time rampage, the zoo's management said Monday.
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Paradise for Manchester City, England's new top dogs
2012-05-14T09:30:25Z
 LONDON (Reuters) - England woke up to a new name on the Premier League trophy on Monday, while thousands of Manchester City fans rose with sore heads and smiles on their faces, after the most gripping title race for more than 20 years ended in almost surreal fashion. City's remarkable comeback in stoppage time to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 amid scenes of delirium at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday meant they edged out Manchester United on goal difference to win their first title for 44 years. ...
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Eastern rattlesnake slithers closer to U.S. endangered list
2012-05-11T19:16:27Z
 BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - The eastern diamondback rattlesnake, North America's largest venomous snake, may need its own antidote. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering adding the reptile to the Endangered Species List to restrict its hunting, killing and sale. "We are going to do our best to keep these beautiful animals on the planet with us," said Dan Everson, Deputy Field Supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service in Alabama. The service on Wednesday approved further study on the declining numbers of the snake species. ...
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Kenyan ranches relocating rhinos in fear of poachers
2012-05-11T04:01:21Z
 Claus Mortensen is a private Kenyan rancher with a passion -- endangered rhinos -- and now a mission: to save his herd from slaughter by ruthless poachers who sell their horns to Asia, where they are prized as a miracle drug.
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Peru says 5,000 birds, nearly 900 dolphins dead
2012-05-10T11:16:14Z
 The Peruvian government said Wednesday that 5,000 birds, mostly pelicans, and nearly 900 dolphins have died off the country's northern coast, possibly due to rising temperatures in Pacific waters.
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Robin Roberts, Death Stars, and Carp Dogs
2012-05-09T21:22:00Z
 We respect and value the social media editors who share the links that make our job easier. But sometimes, we have no idea what they are talking about. So after a long day spent staring at Twitter, we're sharing our favorites.
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Al Qaeda Bombmaker Designs Bombs to Hide in Cameras, Hard Drives and Pets
2012-05-09T20:54:18Z
 Ibrahim al-Asiri Is Expert at Getting Bombs Past Security Screening, Say Officials
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Iceland tax ruling could spare giant whales
2012-05-09T16:56:08Z
 A dispute over an abolished tax rebate for whalers means there will likely be no fin whale hunt off Iceland this year, the head of the only company that catches the giant whales said Wednesday.
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Kidney disease a leading killer in cats
2012-05-08T21:41:31Z
 It's one of the leading causes of death for cats, but there is no cure and no known cause: kidney disease.
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Mysterious Mass Deaths Claim Dolphins & Pelicans
2012-05-08T19:41:39Z
 Nearly 900 dead dolphins have washed up on the beaches of northern Peru since February. Autopsies have revealed air bubbles and blood in their sinuses, indicating they suffered from "the bends," or decompression sickness, after a panicked, rapid ascent to the ocean's surface. If this is the case, what is spooking so many dolphins, and is that why they died?
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Endangered wolves at NY preserve produce 8 pups
2012-05-07T23:35:40Z
 Eight rare Mexican wolf pups have been born at a preserve in the New York City suburbs, a development that could aid the federal program that has reintroduced the endangered species to the wild.
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Croatia wildlife centre gets by on love and a pittance
2012-05-04T14:00:33Z
ZAGREB (Reuters) - From afar, the rare visitor can see only the big cages covered with green nets that blend in with the lush local vegetation of hilly northwest Croatia. It is only when you come closer that you hear the flapping of wings, the screams of hawks and buzzards and the yelping and growling of 11 dogs that watch over the Centre for Protection of Wild Animals. The centre, one of only two in Croatia that cater for both birds and mammals, is run by a single man on meager government funding -- a feat that regularly impresses his wealthier colleagues from the European Union. ...
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Stress of war prompts soldiers to take Afghan dogs home
2012-05-04T11:34:21Z
 KABUL (Reuters) - Spot made the clandestine journey from the Afghan Taliban stronghold of Helmand to the capital Kabul, where he is undergoing medical treatment before moving to the United States to live with the family of the Marine who rescued him. His ears clipped and tail severed from his days as a fighting dog, the surprisingly docile ginger and white mutt is one of hundreds being adopted in increasing numbers by foreign soldiers, who pay vast sums to take their new pets home. ...
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Valuable art recovered in Alaska wildlife trafficking case
2012-05-04T05:04:40Z
(Reuters) - Federal prosecutors are seeking to take control of five paintings - one valued at up to $50,000 - seized in one of Alaska's biggest wildlife-trafficking cases in recent years. Prosecutors said they hope to ultimately return the paintings to their rightful owners. The paintings were found during last year's prosecution of two Alaskans, Jesse Leboeuf and Loretta Sternbach, who pleaded guilty in July to wildlife trafficking and weapons charges. ...
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Bob Barker opens new area at Chimp Haven
2012-05-03T15:42:10Z
Retired game-show host and animal rights advocate Bob Barker is opening a new area for five HIV-infected chimpanzees at a sanctuary in northwestern Louisiana.
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Bunking with cats, inmates learn value of teamwork
2012-05-03T14:36:16Z
 When Princess Natalie was still a kitten, before she was prison royalty, she was left in a cage with another cat for months. They were fed, given water and not much else.
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Norway whalers take first whales of hunting season: official
2012-05-02T16:13:33Z
 Norwegian whale hunters have harpooned the first three whales of the year, nearly a month after the controversial hunting season began, the country's Fishermen's Sales Organisation said Wednesday.
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Dolphins Help Fishermen Catch Fish
2012-05-01T23:11:58Z
 A visitor might stumble upon a strange sight in Laguna, Brazil, if they went down to the shore. Here, the local fishermen rely on dolphins to help them with their yearly fish catch.
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Ain't No Party Like a Scalia Party, Dolphins, and Ex-Best Friends
2012-05-01T21:17:07Z
We respect and value the social media editors who share the links that make our job easier. But sometimes, we have no idea what they are talking about. So after a long day spent staring at Twitter, we're sharing our favorites.
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32 Dead Porpoises Worry Wildlife Experts
2012-05-01T20:06:05Z
More than 32 Yangtze finless porpoises have been found dead in the Dongting and Poyang lakes in China in the last two months, leading wildlife experts to worry whether the rare animals are being pushed closer to extinction, the World Wildlife Fund has reported.
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Tigers' Young banned seven days for hate crime
2012-05-01T02:58:08Z
 (Reuters) - Detroit Tigers outfielder Delmon Young has been suspended seven days following his arrest in New York City for allegedly yelling anti-Semitic remarks during a scuffle with tourists, Major League Baseball (MLB) said on Monday. Young, 26, was in New York for a three-game series with the Yankees when he was arrested early last Friday and charged with a hate crime. "An incident like this cannot and will not be tolerated," MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "I understand that Mr. Young is regretful, and it is my expectation that he will learn from this unfortunate episode. ...
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Bronx Zoo Deaths a Reminder to Celebrate Family
2012-04-30T22:36:00Z
COMMENTARY | I'm weeping as I listen to family members speak about loved ones lost in the SUV crash on the Bronx River Parkway into Bronx Zoo property on Sunday. The Lookout reports seven people spanning three generations died when their vehicle flew over a guard rail and plummeted more than 50 feet into a wooded area.
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May 3: National Two Different Colored Shoes Day, Raspberry Tart Day, Garden Meditation Day, National Specially Abled Pets Day
2012-04-30T21:37:00Z
National Two Different Colored Shoes Day
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Female Panda's Insemination Live-Tweeted by National Zoo
2012-04-30T21:11:33Z
 Spring is in the air, and baby panda-making is in the minds of zookeepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo — if not those of their panda charges.
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Bomb-sniffing dogs enlisted to stem Florida python invasion
2012-04-30T20:58:26Z
ORLANDO (Reuters) - Some bomb-sniffing dogs trained to help fight terrorism are turning their olfactory attention toward a different scourge: Burmese pythons in Florida's Everglades National Park. The dogs are members of "EcoDogs," a three-year-old collaboration at Alabama's Auburn University between the science departments and the school's Canine Detection Research Institute, which trains dogs to detect explosives. "The dogs are really, really good," said Christina Romagosa, a biologist at Auburn. She said in a test of python detection in south Florida, the dogs could cover a search area 2. ...
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At Least Seven Dead in Bronx Zoo Crash
2012-04-29T18:00:41Z
ABC News’ Richard Esposito reports: Seven people are dead after a van swerved out of control and plunged 50 to 60 feet into the Bronx Zoo, the New York City Fire Department and Emergency Management officials reported. The midday road incident trapped the victims inside...
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Newest Wildlife Tracking Tool: Leeches?
2012-04-29T12:12:41Z
Leeches may be a wildlife biologist's new best friend when in the field.
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Ohio struggles to draft tougher law after exotic animals' escape
2012-04-26T23:09:29Z
 COLUMBUS, Ohio (Reuters) - Ohio legislation designed to clamp down on ownership of wild animals after the escape last year from a farm of dozens of dangerous beasts including lions, tigers and bears, is drawing criticism from private animal owners for being too tough and from animal rights activists as too weak. More than four dozen exotic animals caused a panic near Zanesville, Ohio last year when their owner turned them loose and then committed suicide. Sheriff's deputies had to go on a big game hunt to track them down and killed most of them. ...
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The rise and rise of the humble £5 note
2012-04-26T16:04:57Z
 LONDON (Reuters) - Once hovering on the brink of being classified as an endangered species, the humble five pound note is back with a vengeance. Britons are using 10 times more "fivers" than they were two years ago, the Bank of England said on Thursday, as the notes become more widely available in cash machines and scruffy old ones are replaced. Consumers in Britain now withdraw almost 200 million pounds worth of fivers from cash machines every month, the Bank said. ...
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The rise and rise of the humble 5-pound note
2012-04-26T15:28:01Z
 LONDON (Reuters) - Once hovering on the brink of being classified as an endangered species, the humble five pound note is back with a vengeance. Britons are using 10 times more "fivers" than they were two years ago, the Bank of England said on Thursday, as the notes become more widely available in cash machines and scruffy old ones are replaced. Consumers in Britain now withdraw almost 200 million pounds worth of fivers from cash machines every month, the Bank said. ...
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