wildlife

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'No Real Options Left' for Lions at Famed NZ Preserve

Aging big cats will be euthanized at Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in Whangarei after rehoming efforts fail

(Newser) - Seven lions at the Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in Whangarei, New Zealand, are set to be euthanized this week, marking the end of an era for the famous big cat park. The lions, said to be between the ages of 18 and 21, are considered elderly, and sanctuary operator Janette Vallance...

German Rats Are Busted Attacking Bats Midair
Bats in Germany Had Better
Watch Out for the Rats
NEW STUDY
Oct 29, 2025 10:30 AM CDT

Bats in Germany Had Better Watch Out for the Rats

Urban rodents are recorded hunting bats that are flying by or on the ground

(Newser) - Rats are now on record as bat hunters. Infrared and thermal cameras set up at hibernation sites in two northern German towns captured brown rats in the act, with footage showing the rodents standing upright to snatch bats out of midair or ambushing them on the ground. This marks the...

Wild Bear Visits the Zoo, 'Looking for a Friend'

Curious cub meets Sequoia Park Zoo's resident bears before going on its way

(Newser) - A young wild black bear gave staff at California's Sequoia Park Zoo an unexpected surprise Friday morning when it decided to drop by for a visit with the zoo's three resident bears. The bear seemed "really, really interested" in Tule, Ishung, and Kunabulilh, the three captive American...

Sea Otters Are Swiping Surfboards Again

Daily encounters in Santa Cruz leave some wondering if Otter 841 has returned

(Newser) - It appears the "surfboard-stealing otter" has returned to Santa Cruz. A 21-year-old surfer named Isabella Orduna felt a "nip" on the foot Wednesday at the surf spot Steamer Lane and emerged from the water to see a "big, fuzzy, chunky bear of an otter" atop her board,...

Top Wildlife Photo Comes From a Camera Trap

Wim van den Heever's decade-long camera trap project captures rare brown hyena in Namibia

(Newser) - A rare glimpse of a brown hyena wandering through the ruins of an abandoned Namibian diamond mining town has claimed the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for 2025. Captured by South African photographer Wim van den Heever in Kolmanskop, the shot titled "Ghost Town Visitor" was the...

'Very Mean Squirrel' Is on the Warpath

At least 2 people in San Rafael, Calif., have ended up in ER after creature 'comes out of nowhere'

(Newser) - Residents of a San Francisco Bay Area city are on the lookout for an aggressive squirrel that has sent at least two people to the emergency room for medical treatment, per the AP . Joan Heblack tells ABC affiliate KGO-TV that she was walking in the Lucas Valley neighborhood of San...

Oklahoma Tiger Handler Fatally Mauled During Show

Ryan Easley, with ties to Joe Exotic, likely died instantly at Growler Pines

(Newser) - A tiger handler with ties to the now-infamous Tiger King star Joe Exotic was fatally mauled Saturday by one of his own tigers during a show at an Oklahoma zoo. Authorities say Ryan Easley, 37, was nearing the end of a performance at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve, his family'...

In Big First, Koalas Are Getting an STD Vaccine

Australia has OK'd a vaccine for chlamydia for the marsupial creatures to fight infertility, death

(Newser) - A regulator has approved a world-first vaccine to protect koalas from chlamydia, which is causing infertility and death in the iconic native species listed as endangered in parts of Australia. The single-dose vaccine was developed by Queensland's University of the Sunshine Coast after more than a decade of research...

Croc Stunts by 'Real Tarzann' Don't Play Well in Australia

Queensland officials are investigating US influencer Mike Holston for wrestling reptiles

(Newser) - A US social media star is facing heat Down Under after posting videos of himself wrangling wild crocodiles in Queensland. Mike Holston—known as "The Real Tarzann" to his millions of followers —posted two viral clips: one featuring a tussle with a freshwater croc in shallow water,...

Pride of Lions Mauls Zookeeper as Visitors Honk Horns

The man died Wednesday at Safari World Bangkok

(Newser) - A zookeeper at Safari World Bangkok was fatally attacked by lions after exiting his vehicle in an open-air safari zone, Thai officials confirmed Wednesday. The incident occurred at a park known for its close-encounter animal experiences, including lion and tiger feeding tours, reports CBS News . A rep for Thailand'...

Raccoon Got Drunk on Peaches, Is Saved by Nurse

Kentucky's Misty Combs did chest compressions to save raccoon passed out in dumpster near distillery

(Newser) - We may have to tweak the phrase "drunk as a skunk" to "drunk as a raccoon." In a story explaining that but leaving a lot to unpack, a Kentucky woman rescued a juvenile raccoon she discovered passed out in rainwater at the bottom of a dumpster—then...

Mexico's Jaguars Make a Comeback
Mexico's Jaguars
Make a Comeback
Sep 2, 2025 10:15 AM CDT

Mexico's Jaguars Make a Comeback

Population is up 30% since 2010, though challenges remain

(Newser) - Once feared to be on the edge of extinction, Mexico's jaguars are rebounding—offering what researchers say is a rare spot of "good news" in the global fight to save the endangered species. New census data reveals a 30% surge since 2010, per the Guardian . That year,...

Rabies Cases Are Surging in Parts of the US

CDC is tracking 15 likely outbreaks

(Newser) - Rabies cases are cropping up in more corners of the US, with the CDC reporting six human deaths in the past year—the highest tally in years. "We are currently tracking 15 different likely outbreaks," said Dr. Ryan Wallace, who leads the CDC's rabies team. Regions...

Kenya Probes Tourist Who Gave Beer to Elephant

Authorities investigate viral video taken at Kenyan wildlife conservancy

(Newser) - A video of a tourist pouring beer down an elephant's trunk at a Kenyan wildlife reserve has ignited outrage online and triggered multiple investigations into his actions, the BBC reports. The Spanish man, whose online profiles use the name "Skydive_Kenya," was filmed at Ol Jogi Conservancy...

It Doesn't Look Good for North America's Reindeer
It Doesn't Look Good for
North America's Reindeer
NEW STUDY
Aug 17, 2025 1:40 PM CDT

It Doesn't Look Good for North America's Reindeer

Wild caribou in Canada and Alaska could decline up to 80% by 2100 amid warming climate

(Newser) - Reindeer populations across the Arctic are facing a steep decline, with researchers warning that numbers could drop by as much as 80% by the end of this century. The finding, led by scientists from the University of Adelaide and the University of Copenhagen, highlights the North American herds—known...

Florida's Python Hunt Scores a Record Haul

Hunters remove nearly 300 invasive snakes in 10 days

(Newser) - A record haul marked this year's Florida Python Challenge, with nearly 300 Burmese pythons removed from the wild, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials. The 10-day event, which ran from July 11 to 20, saw a significant jump in participation—934 hunters from 30 states...

Colorado's 'Frankenstein Bunnies' Are Nothing to Fear

They're infected with the mostly harmless Shope papillomavirus , which makes them grow 'horns'

(Newser) - A group of rabbits in Colorado with grotesque, hornlike growths may seem straight out of a low-budget horror film, but scientists say there's no reason to be spooked—the furry creatures merely have a relatively common virus. The cottontails recently spotted in Fort Collins are infected with the mostly...

Rabid Fox Bites 2 in Same Morning in North Carolina

Both victims treated after attacks in Aberdeen neighborhood

(Newser) - A fox tested positive for rabies after attacking two people in Aberdeen, North Carolina, in separate incidents just 30 minutes apart, authorities said this week. Both encounters occurred the morning of August 11, with the first bite reported on Midway Road around 8:05am and the second on Sycamore...

'Bear Dogs' Step In as Grizzlies Converge Upon Montana Farms

Livestock guardian breeds help keep bears away from farmyards

(Newser) - Grizzly bears, once nearly wiped out in the lower 48 states, are making a comeback on Montana's plains. And as their numbers rebound, they've developed a taste for the easy pickings found on local farms—grain, apples, chickens, and even calves. This new proximity is unnerving for...

Texas Hunter Killed by His African Prey
Texas Hunter Killed
by His African Prey
in case you missed it
Aug 10, 2025 6:50 AM CDT

Texas Hunter Killed by His African Prey

Asher Watkins was tracking Cape buffalo, one of Africa's most dangerous animals, with guides

(Newser) - A Texas man's hunting trip in South Africa ended in his own death—by a Cape buffalo he was pursuing. Asher Watkins, 52, was killed by the 1.3-ton buffalo in Limpopo province on Sunday during an expedition organized by Coenraad Vermaak Safaris. The safari company said Watkins...

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