Animals

Elephants drink water in Botswana's Chobe National Park. The government is considering lifting a hunting ban to cull the population.

World News

Botswana Weighs Lifting Hunting Ban, With Eye On Reducing Elephant Population

9:04pm February 22, 2019

by Amy Held

A government group recommends elephant hunting resume within limits, and also calls for the animals to be slaughtered for meat used in pet food production.

Maleah Ballejos reunited with her dog, Kingston, who was missing for 101 days in the aftermath of the Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif.

National

Family Reunites With Dog That Disappeared During The Deadly Camp Fire

4:57pm February 21, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

The Akita, named Kingston, had been missing since the Camp Fire started. "When I found out, [it] just about brought me to tears," the dog's owner, Gabriel Ballejos, told a local television station.

National

Colorado Man Tells His Mountain Lion Attack Story

10:22am February 17, 2019

by Luke Runyon

A Colorado trail runner was attacked by a mountain lion earlier this month. Travis Kauffman managed to defend himself by killing the juvenile lion with his bare hands.

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An American coot flies over Brooklyn's Prospect Park Lake on Feb. 5.

Science

Talkin' Birds: The Great Backyard Bird Count

7:07am February 17, 2019

Bird lovers around the world are counting birds this weekend for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, which provides valuable data for avian research.

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Science

Talkin' Birds: The Great Backyard Bird Count

8:22am February 16, 2019

For years, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Great Backyard Bird Count have provided valuable data for avian research. Ray Brown from the Talkin' Birds podcast talks with Scott Simon about it.

Travis Kauffman responds to questions during a news conference Thursday about his encounter with a mountain lion while running a trail just west of Fort Collins, Colo., this month.

National

Man Who Suffocated An Attacking Mountain Lion Describes Fight For His Life

9:43am February 15, 2019

by Matthew S. Schwartz

Travis Kauffman, 31, was halfway through his run in the foothills outside Fort Collins, Colo., when he heard rustling behind him. He soon found himself in a struggle to survive.

Arts

BBC's 'Dynasties' Captures The Complicated Social Lives Of 5 Different Species

1:28pm February 14, 2019

by Dave Davies

Executive producer Michael Gunton says following lions, chimps, tigers, painted wolves and emperor penguins for two years allowed filmmakers to capture the unique social dynamics of these animals.

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A rare black leopard, caught on camera in Laikipia Wilderness Camp, Kenya.

World News

Rare, Elusive Black Leopard Caught On Camera In The Wild

8:13pm February 13, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

There have been lots of stories about the unique animal in central Kenya's Laikipia County. Now cameras have captured multiple high-quality photos and video.

National

Meet The Junior Handlers Of The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

5:09pm February 13, 2019

by Allyson McCabe

At the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show all eyes are on the canine competitors, but there are kids competing, too. Behind every great show dog is a great handler — some as young as nine years old.

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A white-tailed deer keeps its ears open while grazing in South Hero, Vt.

Science

Hungry Deer May Be Changing How Things Sound In The Forest

3:37pm February 13, 2019

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Sound travels differently through open fields than the woods. When deer eat up bushes, small trees and other forest plants, it affects the transmission of bird calls and other natural sounds.