Animals news

• Why Stacey Abrams still won’t concede

  15-09-2019 21:46 via news.yahoo.com
  Stacey Abrams lost her 2018 bid for Georgia governor against Brian Kemp. Despite acknowledging Kemp as the legal victor, Abrams has refused to officially concede the election.
  
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• New Zealand bug of the year: moth named Avatar after mining threat crowned winner

  19-02-2026 21:00
  Arctesthes avatar moth, which won nearly half of the votes, was discovered in 2012 and is critically endangeredA tiny critically endangered moth, named after the Avatar films because of the proposed mining activity threatening its primary habitat, has been crowned New Zealand’s bug of the year.The Avatar moth won by a wide margin, earning 5,192 of the more than 11,000 total votes cast. It won 2,269 more votes than the runner-up, the mahoenui giant wētā, one of the world’s l
  
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• Horse meat set to be banned in Italy amid draft equine bill

  19-02-2026 15:08
  Law defines animals including horses, donkeys and mules as pets and is backed by opposition partiesItaly could soon ban horse meat as part of a law that would define equine animals including horses, donkeys and mules as pets, making it illegal to kill them.The bill has been drafted by Michela Vittoria Brambilla, a politician with Noi Moderati, a member of Giorgia Meloni’s ruling coalition, and is backed by opposition parties. Continue reading...
  
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• Kyiv zoo braves blackouts and bombardment to keep animals warm

  19-02-2026 12:32
  Staff are using stoves and generators to keep lions, camels and Ukraine’s lone gorilla safe from winter and warEurope live – latest updatesKyiv zoo’s most famous resident lays on his back watching television. On screen: a nature documentary.For a quarter of a century, Toni has been the zoo’s star attraction, drawing tens of thousands of visitors. He is Ukraine’s only gorilla. At 52 – old by western gorilla standards – he needs warm conditions similar to
  
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• TV tonight: Cecil the lion who was killed by a trophy hunter

  19-02-2026 07:10
  A powerful documentary about the death of Africa’s famous lion. Plus: on the trail of a 19th-century Australian gold prospector. Here’s what to watch this evening10pm, Channel 4
  There was worldwide outrage after the 2015 shooting of a Zimbabwean lion, Cecil, by an American trophy hunter, Walter Palmer. This documentary approaches the story from several angles. There’s the story of the pile-on – Palmer became a pariah in the aftermath of his grim holiday. But there’s
  
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• Volunteers spot first couple of beavers to settle in Norfolk for 500 years – video

  18-02-2026 15:16
  Until last week, experts believed there was only one wild beaver living in Pensthorpe nature reserve, about 20 miles outside Norwich. But just in time for Valentine’s Day, two were caught on camera going for a late-night swim together and grooming each other by the riverbankSecond wild beaver spotted living at Norfolk nature reserve Continue reading...
  
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• Unprovoked shark attacks up sharply in 2025, with 12 human deaths worldwide

  18-02-2026 15:00
  Report records 65 unprovoked attacks – but annual drowning deaths in US alone exceed 4,000The number of people killed or bitten by sharks in unprovoked attacks globally increased significantly in 2025, a report published on Wednesday has found, while a single Florida county maintained its crown as the so-called shark bite capital of the world.The International Shark Attack File, compiled by the Florida Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida, recorded 65 unprovoked attacks
  
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• Second wild beaver spotted living at Norfolk nature reserve

  18-02-2026 13:05
  Exclusive: Pensthorpe was believed to be home to just one individual but pair have been filmed grooming each otherNo one knows where they came from or how they ended up in Norfolk. But one thing is certain: now, there are two of them.Until last week, experts believed there was only one wild beaver living in Pensthorpe nature reserve, about 20 miles outside Norwich. But just in time for Valentine’s Day, two were caught on camera going for a late-night swim together and grooming each other b
  
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• Gentoo penguins the first birds on Australian territory to contract H5N1 as bird flu spreads

  17-02-2026 08:24
  Australian Antarctic Program scientists say virus on Heard Island has spread to new speciesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesSign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter hereThe gentoo penguin has become the first bird to test positive for the H5N1 bird flu on an Australian territory, with samples confirming the virus has spread on a sub-Antarctic island.The deadly and contagious strain of bird flu, which has already killed millions
  
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• The Norwich pigeon wars: how birds are dividing a UK city

  17-02-2026 06:00
  To the local people feeding the growing flock every day, they are ‘perfect’ creatures with beautiful plumage. To others, they are creating a Hitchcockian nightmare – defecating, stealing and spreading disease. But who is right?At nine o’clock on Saturday morning, Norwich market is only just stirring: shutters are still down and the aisles are quiet. In the nearby Memorial Gardens, however, a large crowd has already gathered: the market’s pigeons are waiting to be fe
  
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• Pooping menaces or ‘flying puppies’? How pigeons are dividing a UK city

  17-02-2026 06:00
  The growing number of birds in Norwich market has pushed the council to adopt extreme measures – including a hawk and oral contraceptives. But for the city’s pigeon-loving activists, they are just misunderstood creaturesAt nine o’clock on Saturday morning, Norwich market is only just stirring: shutters are still down and the aisles are quiet. In the nearby Memorial Gardens, however, a large crowd has already gathered: the market’s pigeons are waiting to be fed.Jenny Coupl
  
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• Agnes Winter obituary

  16-02-2026 21:26
  My friend Agnes Winter, who has died aged 83 after a short illness, was a leading veterinary surgeon and scientist, and like me a Wensleydale sheep breeder.She aspired to be a vet from an early age. Brought up on a North Yorkshire farm, with Guernsey cattle and Wensleydale sheep, she loved working with the animals, and gained a place at Liverpool University in 1960 to study veterinary science, one of only six women out of the 35 successful applicants for the course. Continue reading...
  
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• The pet I’ll never forget: Otto, the wild, people-loving golden retriever who had 20 volunteer dog walkers

  16-02-2026 12:00
  His charm and excitement helped us see the world as he did – full of kindness and joyWhen we bought Otto, a golden retriever, a year after the death of our previous dog Bertie, we were sceptical that he could live up to our high expectations. What quickly became apparent, during the routine humiliation of our puppy training classes, was that Otto was a law unto himself.“He’s not normal” quickly became a stock family phrase, as Otto demonstrated a series of wild, mischievo
  
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• Country diary: An anxious buzzard has me mirroring its movements in a moment of true empathy | Derek Niemann

  16-02-2026 06:30
  Frome, Somerset: As the large raptor squirms and uses its wings to try to balance on a precarious perch, I find my own arms lifting in solidaritySix, seven, eight, nine long‑tailed tits are on a foraging flit through hawthorn bushes, and the straggler drops obligingly on to a berry‑stacked twig before my eyes. Its tail works like the hand of a clock as the clinging bird jiggle‑jumps through a full 360-degree rotation, beak pecking for who knows what. The twig is unmov
  
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• Country diary: An anxious buzzard has me mirroring its movements | Derek Niemann

  16-02-2026 06:30
  Frome, Somerset: As the large raptor squirms and uses its wings to try to balance on a precarious perch, I find my own arms lifting in solidaritySix, seven, eight, nine long‑tailed tits are on a foraging flit through hawthorn bushes, and the straggler drops obligingly on to a berry‑stacked twig before my eyes. Its tail works like the hand of a clock as the clinging bird jiggle‑jumps through a full 360-degree rotation, beak pecking for who knows what. The twig is unmov
  
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• From cigarette-smoking orangutans to lavender for lions: Melbourne zoo’s dark history gives way to progressive animal care

  14-02-2026 20:00
  Tackling the tension between promoting conservation, keeping animals in captivity and its heavy history, the zoo has been reshaped around environmental awarenessOn the other side of wire mesh, two large lions pace, shaking their shaggy manes and occasionally letting out a low rumbling, not quite a roar. They think – or perhaps hope – it is feeding day but their keepers have other plans.“We sort of mimic what happens in the wild,” Meryl says. “They got fed on Monday.
  
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• Chief mouser Palmerston dies after swapping Foreign Office for Bermuda

  14-02-2026 16:10
  Social media account for Palmerston, who retired in 2020, announces death of ‘Diplocat extraordinaire’Palmerston, a rescue cat who became the chief mouser of the Foreign Office, has died in Bermuda.The cat, adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, retired in 2020 after four years of service in Whitehall. Continue reading...
  
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• Peta calls for pork-free menus as Peppa Pig show rolls into Grimsby

  14-02-2026 08:00
  Auditorium to remove bacon and sausages from cafe during stage run after request from campaign groupCampaigners are calling on theatre bosses to stop serving bacon, sausages and ham in their cafes – at least while Peppa Pig and her family are performing in the same building.Grimsby Auditorium in Lincolnshire said this week it would remove pork from the menu when Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show opens next month, after a request from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta UK). T
  
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• Social inequality is thriving in the hive | Brief letters

  13-02-2026 18:46
  Beehive socialism | Ratcliffe’s apology | Tommy Cooper’s dream | Valentine’s Day | Love boat The beehive may not be quite the utopian dream it first appears to be (Letters, 9 February). Worker bees need to be so active during the summer months that they typically only survive for about four to six weeks. Drone bees’ longevity is not much better. The lucky ones may get to service the queen, but die as a consequence. Unsurprisingly, the queen fares much better.
  Tom Challeno
  
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• Mountain lions gain protection under California’s Endangered Species Act

  13-02-2026 18:08
  State agencies are now mandated to protect the big cats, which have been increasingly vulnerable due to habitat lossMore than 1,400 mountain lions across California are now protected by the state’s Endangered Species Act, the state’s fish and game commission announced on Thursday.The commission unanimously voted to list six groups of central coast and southern California mountain lions under the California Endangered Species Act, meaning the agency determined that they are likely to
  
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• California’s mountain lion population now protected by state’s Endangered Species Act

  13-02-2026 18:08
  State agencies are now mandated to protect the big cats, which have been increasingly vulnerable due to habitat lossMore than 1,400 mountain lions across California are now protected by the state’s Endangered Species Act, the state’s fish and game commission announced on Thursday.The commission unanimously voted to list six groups of central coast and southern California mountain lions under the California Endangered Species Act, meaning the agency determined that they are likely to
  
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• Week in wildlife: a thirsty raccoon, a superhero squid and a delinquent swan

  13-02-2026 09:00
  This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...
  
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• Gold thief flees scene of the crime on donkey in central Turkey – video

  13-02-2026 04:40
  A suspect who broke into a jewellery store using a forklift, allegedly stole 150 grams of gold, and fled the scene on a donkey was arrested in Kayseri, central Turkey. Police teams from the provincial police department identified the suspect after reviewing security camera footage following the incident. Continue reading...
  
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• We want to protect red squirrels – so why don’t we protect their habitats? | Letter

  12-02-2026 18:06
  Conservation efforts to improve red squirrel numbers in mid Wales are being undermined by developers, writes Lorna Brazell of the Cambrian Mountains SocietyI was interested to read about the efforts being debated to conserve England’s embattled red squirrel population (‘On a knife edge’: can England’s red squirrel population be saved?, 6 February). In view of the inexorable spread of the greys across Great Britain, it was actually a surprise to learn there are still reds
  
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• São Paulo names new law after dog that stayed by owner’s grave for 10 years

  12-02-2026 17:50
  The Bob Coveiro (the Gravedigger) Law ‘recognises the emotional bond between guardians and their pets’A dog that remained beside his former owner’s grave for 10 years has now given his name to a new state law allowing pets to be buried alongside their loved ones in São Paulo.The new law – already being informally referred to as the Bob Coveiro (the Gravedigger) Law, in tribute to its inspiration – was signed this week by the governor of Brazil’s most po
  
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• Birdwatch: Rain, water, wings – a winter’s gift at Cheddar reservoir

  11-02-2026 07:00
  Vast flocks of birds return to Somerset and a rare grebe turns an ordinary walk into something specialAfter weeks of heavy rain, Cheddar reservoir in Somerset is finally full again – of water, and of birds. Thousands of coots, hundreds of gulls and ducks, and dozens of great crested grebes crowd the surface, some already moulting into their smart breeding plumage, crests and all.They feed almost constantly, building up energy reserves for the breeding season. Among the throng are some less
  
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• Country diary: Echoes of Iona at this tiny, precious church | Merryn Glover

  11-02-2026 06:30
  Kincraig, Badenoch: The Loch Insh Old Kirk is a compelling place, and yet, like the copious wildlife here, it is on the edge of existenceThe snow has retreated to the tops of the Cairngorms and the last fragments of ice are crumbling at the edges of Loch Insh. In a muddy landscape, an old white church rises on a knoll on the northern shore. The simple stone building with its bell tower and arched windows dates to 1792, though the site was established by early monks from Iona, probably as fa
  
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• Gray wolf appears in Los Angeles county for first time in more than 100 years

  11-02-2026 00:43
  Three-year-old black coat female, known as BEY03F, crossed into LA county around 6am on 7 FebruaryA gray wolf wandered into Los Angeles county for the first time in more than a century on Saturday morning.“This is the most southern verified record of a gray wolf in modern times,” Axel Hunnicutt, gray wolf coordinator for the California department of fish and wildlife, said. Continue reading...
  
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• ‘We feel kinda bad when a solo bird shows up’: Canada sees its first European robin – but how did it get there?

  10-02-2026 13:00
  Birdwatchers flock to Montréal for rare sighting of ‘vagrant’ bird that has made its home during a bitterly cold winterOn a quiet Montréal street of low-rise brick apartment buildings on one side and cement barrier wall on the other, a crowd has gathered, binoculars around their necks and cameras at the ready. A European robin has taken up residence in the neighbourhood, which is sandwiched between two industrial areas with warehouses and railway lines and, a few blocks
  
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• Misery for many as rain falls for 40 days in some parts of UK

  10-02-2026 10:00
  Persistent wet weather is affecting farmers, builders, sports, wildlife – and damaging roads and homes“Feel like it hasn’t stopped raining?” the Met Office asked on Monday. For some places, the forecaster said, it really had rained every day so far this year.People who live in parts of Devon, Cornwall and Worcestershire have been dodging deluges or showers for 40 days – the same number of days that it rained in the Bible’s Noah’s ark story, the same numb
  
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