Animals

A Holstein calf has melted the hearts of dairy farmers in Australia

6:01am March 20, 2023

The cow known as Happy was born with a birthmark that looks like a smiley face. Breeders Megan and Barry Coster say they have never seen a calf with such a unique marking before.

Dead fish lay on the bank of the Darling River near Menindee, Australia, Sunday, March 19, 2023.

Millions of dead fish have been found in an Australian river due to low oxygen levels

4:25am March 20, 2023

by Ayana Archie

Millions of dead fish have been found dead in an Australian river due to dangerously low oxygen levels in the water caused by receding flood waters, government officials said.

John James Audubon inspired generation with his Birds of America compendium. But his legacy also includes racist views and the owning and selling of enslaved people — bringing calls for the National Audubon Society to change its name.

National

Audubon faces a backlash after deciding to keep name that evokes a racist enslaver

2:39pm March 18, 2023

by Bill Chappell

Three board members resigned after the National Audubon Society rejected calls to change its name. Some local groups are renaming themselves anyway.

A raccoon dog looks out of its cage in a Chinese live animal market in January 2004. Raccoon dogs could have been an initial host for the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

World News

Raccoon dogs may have been linked to the pandemic. What are they?

11:40am March 18, 2023

by Kaitlyn Radde

The wild animals are more similar to foxes than to domesticated dogs. Data that suggested a link between raccoon dogs and the origins of the COVID pandemic was removed from an international database.

These two photos, taken in 2014 by scientist Eddie Holmes, show raccoon dogs and unknown birds caged in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. GPS coordinates of these images confirm that the animals were housed in the southwest corner of the market, where researchers found evidence of the coronavirus in January 2020.

WHO calls on China to share data on raccoon dog link to pandemic. Here's what we know

4:11pm March 17, 2023

Data was released briefly, then rescinded. As NPR reported previously, there is already strong evidence pointing to these animals in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan.

Hugging a bear, which sounds dangerous, is an actual job in New Mexico

5:51am March 17, 2023

State officials in New Mexico are hiring professional bear huggers. The listing reads: "must have the ability to hike in strenuous conditions" and "the courage to crawl into a bear den."

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National

Denver donates 35 bison to Native American tribes

5:25pm March 16, 2023

by Kaitlyn Radde

The transfers marked another example of Indigenous people reclaiming stewardship over the land and animals that their ancestors managed for thousands of years.

Four or five goats scrambled across San Francisco last week, captured in videos posted on social media. So how do goats fare in urban settings?

Health & Safety

Runaway goats in San Francisco were probably ... freaked out

12:53pm March 16, 2023

by Marc Silver

The video of goats dashing through the streets of San Francisco drew thousands of views on Twitter and was the subject of much joking. We asked a goat specialist to weigh in.

Lola, a French bulldog, lies on the floor prior to the start of a St. Francis Day service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Oct. 7, 2007, in New York. French bulldogs have become the United States' most prevalent dog breed, ending Labrador retrievers' record-breaking 31 years at the top, the American Kennel Club announced Wednesday.

National

The small but mighty French bulldog is now the top purebred dog breed in America

6:17pm March 15, 2023

by Joe Hernandez

The crinkly-faced canine became the most popular breed in the U.S. last year, according to the American Kennel Club, breaking the Labrador retriever's 31-year reign.

Beautiful white cat, breed Siberian Neva Masquerade in a plastic collar

A veterinarian says pets have a lot to teach us about love and grief

4:53pm March 13, 2023

by Dave Davies

Karen Fine says "I feel like I learn from my patients all the time. ... They really have skills and senses that we don't." Her new memoir is The Other Family Doctor.

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