Animals

Aliy Zirkle handles her dogs during a rest in Galena along the Yukon River, her last stop before heading towards Nulato. Late in the night, as she approached Nulato, Zirkle was attacked by a snowmobiler a few miles outside the small community.

Snowmobiler Kills Dog Competing In Iditarod; Attack Apparently Intentional

7:22pm March 12, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

Multiple dogs were injured Saturday morning after a snowmobiler repeatedly drove towards Aliy Zirkle, Jeff King and their teams. Nash, a 3-year-old male on King's team, was killed in the attack.

The mountain lion known as P-22 was captured on surveillance cameras in the LA Zoo the night before a koala was discovered dead.

National

LA's Famous Mountain Lion Suspected In Koala Killing

6:48pm March 11, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

A koala in the LA Zoo was mauled to death last week. Zookeepers have named a possible culprit: P-22, a mountain lion living in Griffith Park, was caught on zoo surveillance cameras the night before.

Labradoodle or fried chicken? The bark heard around the world.

Arts

Canine Or Cuisine? This Photo Meme Is Fetching

5:29pm March 11, 2016

by NPR Staff

Chihuahua or muffin? Labradoodle or fried chicken? These are the gnawing questions raised by the latest food images dogging the Internet. So we bit.

Why Does Russia's Military Want To Buy 5 Dolphins?

7:29am March 11, 2016

Russia Today got a hold of an official offer from the Ministry of Defense which seeks three male and two female bottlenose dolphins at a price of $4,900 each. The purpose was no disclosed.

Queue Listen Now

A still from the Mutual Rescue film about Eric and Peety.

He Rescued A Dog. Then The Dog Rescued Him

5:13pm March 10, 2016

by Nancy Shute

Eric O'Grey was 51, obese and suffering from diabetes and high cholesterol when he took home an overweight shelter dog. Now the duo are headlining a campaign on how pets improve humans' lives.

Mariel Mohns and Mustafa Rasheed are working in a University of Wisconsin lab that's trying to figure out how Zika virus could be damaging fetuses.

Scientists Report In Real Time On Challenging Zika Research

7:31pm March 08, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

It's rare for researchers to share their data as they work, but scientists in Wisconsin are reporting on their Zika virus experiments in real time. They say it's critical for stopping the virus.

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Atlantic bluefin tuna caught in fishers' nets.

How In Trouble Are Bluefin Tuna, Really? Controversial Study Makes Waves

6:41pm March 08, 2016

by Alastair Bland

A study suggests Atlantic bluefin, prized for its buttery flesh, may breed younger, and in more places, than once thought — and it may be time to rethink fishing quotas. Not so fast, critics argue.

Killer whale Tilikum watches as SeaWorld Orlando trainers take a break during a training session at the theme park's Shamu Stadium in Orlando, Fla., in 2011.

National

SeaWorld Says Health Of Tilikum The Killer Whale Is Declining

2:27pm March 08, 2016

by Greg Allen

In 2010, Tilikum killed SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau. Her death and SeaWorld's treatment of its orcas were at the center of the 2013 documentary Blackfish.

Ugly Animals Ignored In Scientific Studies, Research Shows

6:56am March 08, 2016

An Australian study found half that country's wildlife are considered ugly, such a hairy rodents, and that most of the in-depth scientific studies are devoted to charmers, like koalas and kangaroos.

NOAA says this ghostlike octopod, discovered more than 2 1/2 miles underwater near Hawaii, is almost certainly an undescribed species.

Science

Scientists Discover 'Remarkable Little Octopod,' Possibly New Species

6:47pm March 05, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

A robotic vehicle was exploring the ocean floor by Hawaii, more than 2 1/2 miles underwater. To the surprise of NOAA scientists, it came across a cute, "ghostlike" octopod. One suggested name: Casper.