Animals

Ken Catania of Vanderbilt University lets a small eel zap his arm as he holds a device he designed to measure the strength of the electric current.

Science

It's Like An 'Electric-Fence Sensation,' Says Scientist Who Let An Eel Shock His Arm

5:47pm September 14, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

A neurobiologist noticed something strange whenever he tried to fish out electric eels in his lab using a net with a metal rim and handle. So he decided to roll up his sleeves and investigate.

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Adult Eastern hellbenders can grow up to 2 feet long and weigh around 5 pounds. They are currently endangered in several states.

VIDEO: Snot Otters Get A Second Chance In Ohio

9:06am September 14, 2017

by Madeline K. Sofia

North America's largest amphibian, the Hellbender salamander, is in trouble. They are endangered in several states. A team in Ohio is trying to save them before it's too late.

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The organic industry is suing the government, demanding that the U.S. Department of Agriculture implement new rules that require organic egg producers to give their chickens more space to roam.

Organic Industry Sues USDA To Push For Animal Welfare Rules

2:20pm September 13, 2017

by Dan Charles

New rules — such as giving chickens more space to roam — were approved by the Obama administration, but put on hold under Trump. Now the organic industry is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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National

Miami Animal Shelter Swells With Lost Pets In Wake Of Hurricane Irma

4:31pm September 12, 2017

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Families and businesses across Florida were hit hard by the hurricane. Animals in the state suffered, too. The biggest animal shelter in Miami is seeing its population swell with pets who were abandoned or got lost during the storm.

Campylobacter infections are common in dogs, cats and people.

Pet-Store Puppies Linked To Campylobacter Outbreak In People

4:20pm September 12, 2017

by Greta Jochem

Adorable fuzzy puppies aren't usually thought of as disease vectors. But they come with germs, too. It's not clear how pet-store puppies caused dozens of humans to get sick with Campylobacter.

Oklahoma Zoo Welcomes First-Ever Litter Of Male Liligers

6:28am September 12, 2017

A liliger is a hybrid from a male lion and a female liger. A female liger is a hybrid resulting from the coupling of a male lion and a female tiger. Liligers are bred to better survive climate change.

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Science

Manatees Rescued After Irma Leaves Them High And Dry In Sarasota Bay

2:44pm September 11, 2017

by Scott Neuman

When the approaching storm sucked the water out of the shallow bay in Florida, it left a pair of manatees stuck on the bottom. Good Samaritans and Manatee County sheriff's deputies helped out.

In the 1950s, the poultry industry began dunking birds in antibiotic baths. It was supposed to keep meat fresher and healthier. That's not what happened, as Maryn McKenna recounts in her new book.

'Big Chicken': The Medical Mystery That Traced Back To Slaughterhouse Workers

11:42pm September 10, 2017

by Maryn McKenna

In the 1950s, the poultry industry began dunking birds in antibiotic baths. It was supposed to keep meat fresher and healthier. That's not what happened, as Maryn McKenna recounts in her new book.

National

1,200 People Head To Pet-Friendly Hurricane Shelter In Sarasota County, Fla.

4:24pm September 10, 2017

Daniel Cruz is managing a pet-friendly hurricane shelter at Woodlands Middle School in Sarasota County, Florida. 1,200 people are there and more are expected to arrive before Hurricane Irma hits.

The blood-sucking conenose assassin bug (Triatoma sanguisuga) is also called a "kissing bug" because of its tendency to bite human faces. It feeds on human blood and is the vector of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease.

Drug For 'Neglected' Chagas Disease Gains FDA Approval Amid Price Worries

6:00am September 10, 2017

by Courtney Columbus

U.S. doctors treating Chagas disease have long wanted FDA approval for a treatment that's widely used in Latin America. But when Martin Shkreli took interest, those doctors panicked — then mobilized.