Animals

A Beast With 2 Bumps Is On The Loose, Police In Netherlands Were Told

5:57am May 11, 2020

Police in Rotterdam sprang into action looking for a camel. But what they found was an emu, which, in case you're confused, looks nothing like a camel. It's an ostrich-like bird.

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Researchers Experiment To See If Dogs Can Detect COVID-19

6:30am May 07, 2020

Cynthia Otto leads a study at the University of Pennsylvania to find out if dogs can detect COVID-19 in humans. If so, a single dog could potentially screen hundreds of people an hour.

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National

The Nation's Dog Supply Chain Has Broken During The Pandemic

4:08pm May 06, 2020

by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi

Some of the U.S. animal shelters have reported having all their dogs fostered during the quarantine. But it is not just that the pandemic made people want pets more — a dog supply chain has broken.

Since Aquarium Closed To The Public, Eels Appear To Be Lonely

6:08am May 06, 2020

Employees at Tokyo's Sumida Aquarium are using video calls to keep the aquarium's eels from getting lonely during quarantine. Two biologists weigh in on the science.

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Does that chiffchaff sound chirpier to you? Ornithologists say the homebound are just noticing the sounds of birds more.

Science

Do Those Birds Sound Louder To You? An Ornithologist Says You're Just Hearing Things

5:10am May 06, 2020

by David Greene

Think of how it works in a noisy bar: people raise their voices to be heard. Same for birds. With less background noise outside these days, it's likely that birds are actually singing more quietly.

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National

Murder Hornets Invade Pacific Northwest, Threaten The Honeybee Population

4:07pm May 04, 2020

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with beekeeper Ruthie Danielsen about the race to prevent the Asian giant hornets from getting a foothold in the U.S. and threatening the honeybee population.

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Kentucky Derby Alternative Won't Be As Fast As The Horse Race

7:08am May 01, 2020

The Kentucky Derby, known as the fastest 2 minutes in sports, is postponed because of COVID-19. But there is a race this weekend: Old Forester Kentucky Turtle Derby — a competition for eight turtles.

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Pet Dog Interrupts TV Meteorologist's Forecast

6:25am May 01, 2020

WTVT meteorologist Paul Dellegatto was giving the forecast from home when his golden retriever Brody decided to make a cameo. With Brody on his lap, Dellegatto kept on talking about the weather.

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Health & Safety

Can Pets Contract The Coronavirus? A Veterinarian Answers Listener Questions

10:07pm April 30, 2020

Dr. Krista Miller, a veterinarian in Baton Rouge, La., takes listener questions about the chances of pets contracting the coronavirus and pet care during the pandemic.

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U.K. Experts Say Hedgehogs Receive More Notice Because Of Lockdowns

5:53am April 29, 2020

Naturalist Michael Walker tells the BBC that he's gotten lots of videos of hedgehogs causing a commotion in people's yards. Males noisily pursuing females. Or huffing loudly as they fight.

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