Animals

National

In More Cities, That Doggie In The Window Is Not For Sale

11:47am October 22, 2014

by Greg Allen

Almost 50 U.S. cities and towns have banned pet stores from selling puppies. The laws are aimed at cracking down on substandard, large-scale breeders, but many store owners say the bans are unfair.

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The proposed overpass would allow mountain lions to cross this section of freeway. One mountain lion was hit near here after apparently failing to make it over this wall.

National

Why Did The Mountain Lion Cross The Freeway? To Breed

7:09pm October 19, 2014

by NPR Staff

The 101 Freeway slices right through the wilderness in and around Los Angeles, separating local mountain lion populations. To mate and avoid inbreeding, the animals must risk the dangerous crossing.

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Missing Parrot Returns But Doesn't Speak English Anymore

8:00am October 14, 2014

A parrot from Torrance, Calif., disappeared four years ago. It was a talking parrot, and according to the owner, spoke with a British accent. It speaks Spanish now, according to the Daily Breeze.

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In the northwestern United States, this crayfish would be just a friendly bit of local fauna. But in Scotland, it's an invasive species wreaking havoc on trout streams.

American Intruder Lurks In Scottish Streams, Clawed And Hungry

1:14pm October 12, 2014

by Ari Shapiro

Scotland has some of the best trout fishing in the world. Now the North American signal crayfish is taking over waterways, threatening to wipe out native populations of insects those trout eat.

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Science

Researchers Say Beavers Are More Than Simple Pests

2:20pm October 11, 2014

Most people think of beavers as pests — they cause floods and block irrigation. But as Mel Babik tells NPR's Scott Simon, she's finding a new use for the buck-toothed critters in the Yakima Basin.

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Did You Hear About The Horse That Walked Into A Police Station?

8:05am October 10, 2014

In Winsford, England, the police superintendent wrote, "We were somewhat saddled with our unexpected guest. The visitor "quickly became the mane event of the night shift."

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Science

Dolphins: Adorable, Playful, Not As Smart As You Might Think

9:27am October 07, 2014

by NPR Staff

Dolphins are often considered the geniuses of the ocean. But some researchers have begun to challenge that notion, saying many mammals have similar skills and dolphins might not be that special.

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Is That A Lark I Hear? A Nightingale? Surprise! It's A Bat

2:19pm October 06, 2014

by Robert Krulwich

There are animals famous for their songs. Whales sing. Birds sing. We humans have Aretha, Elvis, Ray Charles, Pavarotti. But bats — who knew?

Falcon Has Surgery To Remove Cataracts

10:07am October 03, 2014

A 4-year-old falcon in New Hampshire underwent eye surgery to remove cataracts and has received new synthetic lenses. It appears the surgery was successful.

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Federal Judges Sends Wyo. Wolves Back To Endangered Species List

6:46pm September 30, 2014

by Nathan Rott

Just two years after the Obama administration removed federal protections for wolves in the state of Wyoming, a federal judge has reinstated them, saying that the state's plan for managing the species was inadequate and largely unenforceable.

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