Blown off course and washed away, wildlife hit by hurricanes
Hurricanes Helene and Milton disrupted wildlife. Some have capitalized on the destruction, in search of groceries now suddenly available. Far more have been displaced or killed.
By Mark Johnson
Man, 84, fell outside his home, was rescued by his dog
“With 100 percent certainty, she knew what she was doing,” said Deputy Colton Wright of the Steven’s County Sheriff’s Office.
By Sydney Page
Woman attempted to kayak to Canada with bag full of protected turtles
Border Patrol agents in Vermont stopped the woman on the shore of Lake Wallace, on the U.S.-Canada border, with a duffel bag containing $40,000 worth of turtles.
By Frances Vinall
How farm animals survived Milton: ‘Animals are smarter than us’
The safest thing for most farm animals during a hurricane is to leave them outside rather than in a barn.
By Sydney Page
‘Dogs don’t carry cash’: Dog treats are free in this frontyard gumball machine
“I do not plan on stopping,” said Doug Owen, who set up the treat dispenser last month. “I don’t want dogs mad at me.”
By Sydney Page
Earth’s wildlife populations have disappeared at a ‘catastrophic’ rate in the past half-century, new analysis says
The Living Planet Index tracks thousands of vertebrate species globally and found the worst declines were in Latin America and the Caribbean.
By Frances Vinall and Allyson Chiu
Tampa zoo and aquarium staff to ride out Milton with the animals
Evacuation is unrealistic for many zoo and aquarium animals, so staffers are rolling out all their safety precautions as Hurricane Milton bears down.
By Ben Brasch
Hvaldimir autopsy finds no gunshot wounds in alleged Russian spy whale
Animal rights groups questioned the report’s conclusion that there were no human-caused injuries, and they called for further police investigation.
By Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff
Celebrity ‘diva’ beaver caught in dramatic court case over her future
A rescue center took in Nibi the beaver after she was orphaned. MassWildlife officials say she must be released — but her caregivers say she won’t survive.
By Adela Suliman
Intricate map of tiny fruit fly brain marks major neuroscience milestone
Scientists mapped the fruit fly brain’s more than 50 million connections, a step in aiding future human brain research.
By Mark Johnson
Rancher sentenced to 6 months in prison for illegally cloning giant sheep
Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, 81, previously pleaded guilty to creating giant hybrid sheep via illegally imported genetic material.
By Kyle Melnick
The G.O.A.T. of a Canadian half marathon was — an actual goat
Joshua the goat escaped from a pumpkin patch and joined his Canadian town’s half marathon. He received a medal for finishing.
By Kyle Melnick
This firefly delighted beachgoers. Now it’s flickering out of existence.
The U.S. government is proposing to declare the Bethany Beach firefly as threatened, the first time officials have sought to add a firefly to the Endangered Species Act list.
By Dino Grandoni
A woman was trapped in a house fire. Her dog helped save her life.
“That dog absolutely saved her life and is a hero,” said Capt. Josh Leonard of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
By Cathy Free
Why does the internet love baby hippo Moo Deng? There’s a science to it.
Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo, has become the internet’s latest craze. But what seems like unlikely celebrity has a simple explanation, scientists said: Her cuteness is hijacking our brains.
By María Luisa Paúl
River otter attacks and drags child underwater in Washington state
The child suffered bites to the head, legs and face in the attack at a Seattle-area marina. River otters can be territorial, wildlife authorities say.
By Rachel Pannett
These birds are almost extinct. A radical idea could save them.
As habitats disappear, biologists are trying to find new homes for birds like the Guam kingfisher and other animals beyond their native habitats.
By Dino Grandoni and Matt McClain
A tuxedo-wearing, music-loving dog gets invite to Vancouver orchestra
Billy, a German Shepherd-mix puppy adopted from a rescue farm in Texas, displayed an ear for the sounds his musician owners played soon after joining them.
By Jiselle Lee
Meet Benjamin Button, Taylor Swift’s cat and star of her Harris endorsement
Benjamin Button, one of Swift’s three cats, grabs the spotlight in the social media post signed “Childless Cat Lady.” Her felines are cult figures to Swifties.
By Frances Vinall
A city fires an officer charged with animal abuse after his K-9 died
The Savannah, Mo., Board of Aldermen voted to terminate Police Lt. Daniel Zeigler, whose K-9 Horus died in June of overheating inside Zeigler’s police SUV.
By Jonathan Edwards