June 2009 Animal Archives

May 2009 Animal Archives

April 2009 Animal Archives

March 2009 Animal Archives

Jan-Feb 2009 Animal Archives

Huskies become 'drivers' in publicity sled race

(Mike Dunham, Anchorage Daily News) The scene at Beer Can Lake looked like a Far Side cartoon. Four sprint sleds hauled by three humans each raced for a finish line through white snow and sloggy overflow. A husky "driver" rode in each sled. This reversal of mushing roles was dreamed up by the marketing department at Snausage brand dog treats as a way to celebrate "the connection between dogs and humans." The winner of the first-ever Snausages Man Sled Race received a donation to their selected pet charity.

Dallas pet happy to hog spotlight as world's oldest pig

(Valerie Wigglesworth, Dallas Morning News) At 20 years old, Oscar is some pig. His long life – in pig years – has included a Colorado ski vacation, a TV appearance with a pet psychologist, and his photo on one of those wacky Avanti animal birthday cards. The Vietnamese potbellied pig's latest claim to fame is one for the ages: Guinness World Records recently named Oscar the world's oldest pig. "The average pig lives 15 to 20 years, so we call Oscar in bonus rounds," said his owner, Stacy Kimbell of Far North Dallas, who believes having the 130-pound porker in her house feeds her rebellious side.

Lost German Shepherd Turns Up 600 Miles Away from Home

(PeoplePets.com) About two weeks before Christmas, Deacon, an 85-lb German shepherd, went missing from his family home in rural Stuart, Va. During the first couple of days, Pamela Holt, her husband Keith, and their daughter Brooklyn, 3, weren't terribly worried because they figured their nearly two-year-old pet was running in the fields behind their home. "We have a lot of land and thought Deacon might be enjoying the outdoors," Holt, who works as a teller for SunTrust bank, tells PEOPLEPets.com. "But we soon got worried and called the area dog warden, the pound and the sheriff's office. After two weeks, we gave up, fearing he had died or was stolen."

Animals Unleashed: Cats, Dogs, Rodents Join Twittering Masses

(Ki Mae Heussner, ABC News) Only on Twitter could a rodent pick a fight with the pope. Earlier this month, Caplin, a 100-pound capybara, decided to speak up for his species. "Stupid Pope said we are fish. ...How can capybaras legally be eaten at Lent? They're MEAT?," his Twitter account said. "Long ago Pope thought Venezuelans won't be Catholic if have to eat real fish so declared capybara fish. We hates that." Melanie Typaldos, Caplin's owner (and Twitter typist), said her husband started their pet's Twitter account about a year ago. Caplin has more than 3,000 followers and uses Twitter to set the record straight on the capybara, the world's largest rodent.

Honoring a soldier's best friend

(Mike Baird, Corpus Christi Caller-Times) A former Air Force sentry dog handler in Vietnam has one last mission. He’s working with others to honor military canines with a national monument. "Our war dogs deserve recognition for the lives they saved," said Larry Chilcoat, who patrolled the combat perimeter of Camp Cameron, Vietnam, throughout 1969 with a German shepherd named Geisha. "It’s been 40 years, and I have a beautiful wife and granddaughter, but I don’t carry their pictures," Chilcoat, 62, said. "But I still carry a photo of Geisha; she changed my life."

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo gets 2 sea lions saved from the brink of death

(James Ewinger, Cleveland Plain Dealer) Buzz and Annabelle are two young California sea lions who experienced the worst of nature and humanity last year. Both almost starved to death and are nearly blind, and one suffered a gunshot wound to an eye. But thanks to the Marine Mammal Center of Sausalito, Calif., and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the sea lions, which arrived here Wednesday night, are likely to live full, healthy lives. The Cleveland zoo says this is the first time in at least 20 years that it has acquired exotic rescue-rehab animals.

Top Dog: Bomb-Sniffer Treo Wins Animal 'VC'

(Andy Jack, Sky News Online) The life-saving skills of a black Labrador have earned him a top military honour. Nine-year-old Treo's job is to sniff out roadside bombs in Afghanistan for the British Army - and he has proved rather good at it. In August, 2008, while working as a forward detection dog in Sangin, Treo found a "daisy chain" improvised explosive device (IED) that had been carefully modified and concealed by the Taliban at the side of a path.

Trunk call: How elephants communicate using a 'secret language'

(Daily Mail) Elephants are known for their loud trumpeting calls, but new research has revealed they also communicate using a secret language which humans cannot hear. Researchers at San Diego Zoo have been monitoring the conversations between a herd of African elephants at the wild animal park. They discovered that when they make a low rumbling growl, most of the call is inaudible because it is too low for us to detect.

Jesse James Reunited with Lost Dog CinnaBun

(People.com) After three weeks of desperate searching for his beloved pit bull, Jesse James Tweeted Wednesday that he and CinnaBun have been reunited. Along with a photo of Cinnabun putting her paws up to his chest in a happy greeting, James wrote, "So Happy! Thnx Everyone for all the help! She looks like she hz had quite the Adventure!" James had hired a pet detective and offered a reward of $5,000 for the dog's return.

Facebook goes to the dogs: Social media-loving pet owners create profiles for their furry friends

(Stephanie Gaskell, New York Daily News) Facebook is going to the dogs - and the cats, too. Human New Yorkers aren't the only ones updating their status and posting photos. Now their furry, four-legged friends are getting in on the action. "People love to talk about their dogs," said Jeff Simmons, a 45-year-old communications manager from Queens and former spokesman for Controller Bill Thompson, who posts Facebook status updates for his dog, Bruno. Simmons and his partner, Alfonso Quiroz, a 37-year-old Con Edison media relations rep, decided when they got their Brussels Griffon about a year ago that Facebook was a great way to let their friends and family know about their new pet.

Westminster Best in Show winner Sadie the Scottish Terrier takes victory lap

(Erica Pearson, New York Daily News) With an entourage bigger than Leonardo DiCaprio's, the city's top dog took her victory lap around Manhattan Wednesday morning. Sadie, the Scottish terrier crowned a night earlier as Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club championship, was enjoying the perks of her triumph. "You are gorgeous!" cooed Whoopi Goldberg, sharing some chicken with Sadie before they both went on "The View."

Blood bank helps four-legged patients

(Val Willingham, CNN) Diablo is not your typical blood donor. Fuzzy and four legged, the golden retriever is eager to jump up on a table and offer a half-unit or more of blood for a few goodies. His owner, Jessica Butts, a technician at the Spring Mills Veterinary Hospital in Martinsburg, West Virginia, says her pet is helping other dogs. "We see a lot of injured animals come into the clinic, especially dogs hit by cars," she explains. "Dogs, when they are hit, can lose a lot of blood internally." When it comes to pets, veterinarians say few people ever think about blood donation.

Baltic the sea dog swimming through fan mail

(AP) The incredible story of Baltic, the Polish pooch rescued from an ice sheet at sea, has struck a chord worldwide. The seagoing mutt is being bombarded with e-mail, will likely soon have a Facebook page and one family drove more than 300 miles from the Czech Republic in the false hope he was theirs. Calls and e-mails have come in from as far as Australia and Canada praising the crew of a ship that rescued Baltic and pleading for updates and photos too, Ewa Baradziej-Krzyzankowska, the dog's de facto spokeswoman, told The Associated Press on Monday.

New Breeds Showcased at 134th Westminster Dog Show

(AP) His name is Alchemy — a sleek Irish red and white setter, high-energy but gentle. And he represents one of three new breeds making their debut at the Westminster Kennel Club's world-class dog show Monday. Alchemy, a silky-coated canine from New Jersey, will also step outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to ring the closing bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange. That moment will be beamed live to a Times Square giant screen. The two other breeds entering the annual show for the first time are herding dogs — the Pyrenean shepherd and the Norwegian buhund.

Tracker dogs join growing industry to help owners find lost pets

(Steve Hendrix, Washington Post) Salsa is a working dog, a warm, wet snout for hire. And at $100 an hour, her earning power is nothing to sneeze at. "C'mon, Salsa, find your dog, find Sweetie," called Sam Connelly, Salsa's owner, handler and partner. The pair set out from a 7-Eleven on Silver Hill Road in Suitland in search of Sweetie, an errant beagle. Connelly waved a little patch of Sweetie's dog bed in front of Salsa's nose, and almost instantly, the retriever strained into her orange harness, nearly pulling her partner down a low hill.

Woman keeps world’s largest rodent as a pet

(PeoplePets.com) Caplin Rous relishes snuggling in bed, going to the pet store with his owner and doing tricks like sitting and shaking for treats. He might sound like your typical dog, but guess again. He's actually a capybara, otherwise known as the largest rodent species on earth. "People hear the word rodent and they think it's some kind of a dirty word," Caplin's owner, Melanie Typaldos, tells PEOPLEPets.com. "But many of them are very smart, clean, loving animals."

Westminster Competitor Alert to Handler's Commands and Health

(Emily Friedman, ABC News) Vala has a collar full of ribbons, just like the hundreds of other dogs that will be competing next week at the prestigious Westiminster Kennel Club Dog Show. But unlike the pampered pooches who will be busy getting their fur styled and their nails clipped before the competition kicks off Monday, Vala will be focused on only one thing: her handler. The young man on the other end of Vala's leash is 14-year-old Ethan Miller, who trusts his life to the instincts of his award-winning dog.

Blue Whales Croon A New Tune

(NPR) Blue whales are updating their playlist, according to new research on the huge mammals. It's not quite West Side Story, but male blue whales use songs to warn away other males and attract females. It's a pulsing sound, more like a large piece of machinery than the Jets and the Sharks. But that song has been changing. John Hildebrand of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography studies whale sounds and says he's been hearing something new lately. "They've been shifting the frequency. They've been shifting the pitch to be lower each year. And that shift in pitch has resulted in song that is now about 30 percent lower than it was in the 1960s," he says. He says the change is happening in blue whale colonies all over the world.

Another Chance Ranch has super entry in 'Puppy Bowl'

(Rochester Democrat & Chronicle) If you want to inject the cute factor into your pre-Super Bowl activities on Sunday, try rooting for Blaze. Blaze, a 5-month-old puppy who lives in Livonia, is a contestant on Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl VI, which will be from 3 to 5 p.m. on cable channel 68. In October, Petfinder, a national adoption rescue Web service and one of the sponsors of the program, sent out a call to all of its member shelters to enter their puppies. Sue Mahoney, who runs Another Chance Ranch in Conesus, saw the post and happened to have a 2-month-old Australian shepherd/American Staffordshire terrier mix rescued, along with his sister, from a shelter.

Baby gorilla pictured 'relaxing' in human-like pose

(The Telegraph) Seemingly without a care in the world six-month-old lowland gorilla baby Yewande leans back with her arms behind her head. They are expertly balanced on a strip of cloth suspended between two wooden struts in her enclosure forming almost a hammock behind her head. Yewande - from Calgary Zoo, Canada - decided to take some time out after spending a good half and hour playing with her favourite pink blanket.

Gorilla at Fort Worth Zoo picks Saints to win Super Bowl

(Tasha Hayton, Dallas Morning News) Get ready to go ape, New Orleans Saints fans. This morning at the Fort Worth Zoo, Amani, a 37-year-old gorilla, cracked open a snack-filled football bearing the Saints’ logo. Zookeepers gave her the option of two papier-mache footballs filled with peanuts, popcorn, grapes and other gorilla treats. But in Amani’s eyes, the Colts football didn’t stand a chance.

The Whale Whisperer: Astonishing bond between diver and Scar the giant sperm whale

(Daily Mail) Peering solemnly nose-to-nose at each other, this is the Whale Whisperer and his friend - Scar the 10-year-old giant of the sea. These spectacular images show Andrew Armour bonding with the colossal sperm whale in the warm Caribbean waters off the island of Dominica. Taken on the weekend, the photographs offer stunning insight into the lives of other pod members travelling with Scar.

Cat Living in Nursing Home Has Uncanny Ability to Predict Death

(AP) The scientist in Dr. David Dosa was skeptical when first told that Oscar, an aloof cat kept by a nursing home, regularly predicted patients' deaths by snuggling alongside them in their final hours. Dosa's doubts eroded after he and his colleagues tallied about 50 correct calls made by Oscar over five years, a process he explains in a book released this week, "Making Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat." (Hyperion, $23.99) The feline's bizarre talent astounds Dosa, but he finds Oscar's real worth in his fierce insistence on being present when others turn away from life's most uncomfortable topic: death.

This reindeer has a very shiny leg

(Tom Knox, Columbus Dispatch) At first, Kathy Simmons thought the e-mailer was crazy. As an orthotist, she almost always works with people, for whom she's designed body bracing and artificial limbs. Occasionally, a person with an ailing cat or dog has inquired about fitting their pet with prosthetics. But in December, a woman who owns a farm in Granville e-mailed her with an odd question: "Can you put a fake leg on my reindeer?" Simmons thought it was a prank. "I never even knew reindeer were domesticated," she said. "Of course I thought she was kidding."

Using training and lovability, Amos the dog calms kids in court

(L.L. Brasier, Detroit Free Press) Amos, or Famous Amos as they're calling him around the Novi district court, is not your typical participant in the criminal justice system. He's got enormous brown eyes and routinely dispenses sloppy kisses. And he has four legs and regularly wags his tail. A 2-year-old lab mix, Amos is Michigan's first court therapy dog, a pooch trained to comfort traumatized and anxious children who are victims or witnesses in cases of domestic and sexual assault. In the weeks ahead, he will be called upon when kids are summoned to court, befriend them, and perhaps sit with them when they testify.

Dog Rescued From Baltic Sea Finds Home on Polish Rescue Ship

(AP) A dog rescued from the Baltic Sea after braving a 75-mile journey on an ice floe is making himself at home on the Polish research ship whose crew rescued him, the captain said Friday. Jerzy Wosachlo, the captain of the Baltica, said the dog slept on a blanket in the ship's laboratory, then shared a sausage breakfast with the crew. He said the dog often sticks close to the mechanic who saved him but also has started moving around as he pleases, enjoying the company of people. "We have enrolled him as a crew member," Wosachlo said.

Orca population bounces back in the Northwest

(George Tibbits, AP) A little over a year after researchers feared a drop in the Northwest's endangered killer whale population meant disaster, the number of orcas has bounced back with six new babies and no whales lost. Though scientific evidence is skimpy, some whale experts say the good news might be the result of enough salmon for the majestic black-and-white mammals to eat. Others say so little is known about orcas that the baby boom could be due to any number of factors — or simply a statistical fluke. Whatever the reason, they're overjoyed about the new arrivals.

Dog rescued after 100-mile journey on ice floe

(Reuters) A dog had a lucky escape when a boat rescued him from an ice floe that had carried him more than 100 miles up a river and out onto the Baltic Sea. "My crew saw... a shape moving on the water and we immediately decided to get closer to check if it was a dog or maybe a seal relaxing on the ice," said Jan Joachim, senior officer aboard the Baltica. "As we got closer to the ice floe we saw that it was a dog struggling not to fall into the water."

Monkeys keep chatter 'short and sweet'

(Rebecca Morelle, BBC News) Monkeys avoid long-winded chatter, preferring to keep it brief, a new study suggests. Scientists found that macaques use short calls far more often than lengthier vocalisations. Humans also do this: the words that we use most often, such as "a," "of" and "the," do not take long to say. The fact that we both share this vocal trait could shed more light on the origin of human language, the team writes in the journal Biology Letters. The relationship between the length of a word and how often it is used is described by the "law of brevity."

Movie made by chimpanzees to be broadcast on television

(Matt Walker, BBC News)The world's first film shot entirely by chimpanzees is to be broadcast by the BBC as part of a natural history documentary. The apes created the movie using a specially designed chimp-proof camera given to them by primatologists. The film-making exercise is part of a scientific study into how chimpanzees perceive the world and each other. It will be screened within the Natural World programme "Chimpcam" shown on BBC Two at 2000GMT on Wednesday 27 January. Making the movie was the brainchild of primatologist Ms Betsy Herrelko, who is studying for a PhD in primate behaviour at the University of Stirling, UK.

Prairie dogs chat with advanced 'language'

(Richard Gray, The Telegraph) On first appearances they seem to be little more than a kind of nervous ground squirrel with a loud squeak, but new research is revealing that prairie dogs are in fact some of nature's most talkative creatures. Biologists studying the burrowing rodents have found that they have one of the most sophisticated languages in the animal kingdom – second only to humans. The findings have surprised many wildlife experts as it was assumed that mankind's closest relatives, primates, or intelligent mammals such as dolphins were likely to be the most talkative species after humans.

Off-Road Racing Dog Has Need for Speed

(AP) Opee is only 8, but he's already a popular veteran in the down and dirty sport of motocross. He can pull 6 Gs. He's been the centerfold for Cycle News and poses regularly for fan photos. He's a survivor of the grueling Baja 500 and has racked up more than 10,000 hours on a dirt bike. Sometimes, you can barely see the 70-pound pooch - a blue merle Australian shepherd - through the dust on his goggles and his custom helmet, complete with cam. "I am his biggest fan," said Mike Schelin, Opee's owner, race partner and a purveyor of used motorcycle parts from a shop next to his mobile home.

Fish Are Remarkable Architects

(LiveScience.com) Red groupers were known to excavate structures in the sand in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Southeast U.S. coast, but until now scientists had no idea just how talented and resourceful the fish are. The groupers excavate and maintain complex holes and, in the process, remove sand from the sea floor, exposing rocks. The fish restructure the flat seafloor into a 3-D matrix, with the newly bared rocks encouraging the settlement and growth of corals and sponges, scientists discovered. The whole setup provides shelter to spiny lobsters and other fish, including dinner for the grouper, which kicks back and enjoys the fruits of its labor.

Bornean orangutan acts as 'peacemaker' in Japan zoo

(Matt Walker, BBC News) A captive Bornean orangutan has been seen acting as a peacemaker, breaking up fights between other warring apes. It is the first time that an orangutan has been seen behaving in this way, say scientists who published details in the journal Primates. Peacemakers likely intervene in squabbles to ensure they do not spiral out of control. That in turn stops violence affecting other apes in the group and helps the animals live harmoniously together.

Florida's Warmed-Up Sea Turtles Return to Ocean

(AP) Hundreds of endangered sea turtles are being released back into the Atlantic Ocean now that Florida's weather has warmed enough. Officials in the Sunshine State helped rescue nearly 3,000 turtles from frigid waters in the past week, plucking them from the ocean, lagoons and rivers as air temperatures dipped into the 30s Fahrenheit along the coast. The turtles — which weigh up to 400 pounds — were found across Florida as the unseasonably chilly temperatures sent them into a cold stress, leaving them stunned and largely motionless, the perfect prey for predators. Now after about a week of treatment, including soakings in heated pools and oxygen therapy, turtles by the truckload are headed back into the wild.

Starving bison captured, happily home on the range

(Michael Sangiacomo, Cleveland Plain Dealer) Sedona, the starving bison that eluded rescue efforts for several days, is happily in her new home on the range. Annette Fisher, director of the Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary in Ravenna, said the bison was finally captured Thursday afternoon. "It could not have worked out better," Fisher said. "We took her to the Bison Ranch in Ellsworth, near Ravenna, where they have a herd of bison that will never be butchered. She got out of the trailer and ran right up to the other bison. They all ran around for about 10 minutes until she paired up with a boyfriend. Then the couple stood off by themselves."

UK Soldiers Rally to Move Beloved Dog Out of Afghanistan

(PeoplePets.com) For the past five years, Tangye, a black Labrador retriever, has been a faithful companion to the British military in Afghanistan. Patrolling with the soldiers of C Company, 3rd Battalion The Rifles (and surpassing most in tours of duty), Tangye has not only survived several gun battles but has also been a source of unfailing support for the troops. His can-do spirit – from being the first to jump into holes cleared in wall blasts to barking and wagging his tail in encouragement when soldiers are under fire – has endeared him to the troops stationed at the remote and treacherous base of Kajak.

Dog leads master -- a Pine County investigator -- straight to unconscious man

(Karla Hult, KARE11.com) A Pine City dog may not have the energy of a puppy anymore, but she mustered up enough of her skills to lead her master straight to an unconscious man. Police believe the act saved the man's life. On Monday evening, Brett Grinde took his 15-year-old dog, Effie, out for their usual walk. But within a couple minutes, Effie started pulling on the leash -- she was insisting on a different route. "She basically started pulling to the right and 99 percent we go left," Grinde said from his Pine City home on Tuesday. Effie then took off running -- causing Grinde to follow behind. Eventually, the 15-year-old German shorthair dog came to an abrupt stop in the driveway of a neighbor.

New bird species found in rainforests of Borneo

(Doreen Walton, BBC News) A new species of bird has been spotted in the rainforests of Borneo. Leeds University biologist Richard Webster first glimpsed the bird from a canopy walkway 35m above ground. The spectacled flowerpecker, a small, wren-sized, grey bird, was feeding on some flowering mistletoe in a tree. On one sighting it was heard singing. The bird has white markings around its eyes, belly and breast. It has not yet been given a scientific name because so little is known about it.

True stories of heroic dogs

(Janice Lloyd, USA TODAY) Will Buchanan walks several steps behind his toddler at the Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health. Getting around is challenging for 22-month-old Haley. She has Joubert syndrome, a disease that affects balance and muscle coordination. She uses a tiny walker and wears a harness, which her dad is holding to keep her upright. Suddenly they both smile. A big yellow dog lying in the hallway is wagging its tail at Haley. Ever so gently, her dad guides Haley to the floor to sit beside the dog. And ever so gently, Haley reaches out for the dog's muzzle.

Lessons We Can Learn From Dogs

(Bob Schieffer, CBS News) I have no idea where this came from or who wrote it - if I did I'd give them credit - but a friend who knows I love dogs e-mailed the following, which I pass along today only because it seems a nice thing to share at the beginning of a new year. It's a list of what we would learn if dogs were our teachers. Such as: Always run to greet loved ones when they come home.

$1 Million 'Cutest Dog' Winner Giving Funds to Charities

(PeoplePets.com) Denver-area dermatologist Leslie Capin always knew her Chihuahua Dr. Papidies was cute. But cute enough to win $1 million? She wasn't quite sure. However, she was willing to take that chance, and entered her 3-year-old pup in the All American Pet Brands' Cutest Dog Competition last fall in hopes of winning the big cash prize — with the intent of donating the reward to charity. "I know it wasn't going to be that easy to win," Capin tells PEOPLE."

Whooping crane numbers giving hope for the species

(Mike Baird, Caller-Times) Nineteen whooping cranes have landed in Aransas County since New Year’s Day, pushing the flock total on the ground to 263, an Aransas National Wildlife Refuge specialist said. Last spring 247 of the about 5-foot-tall cranes left for their summer home at Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Canada, where they nest and raise babies. There were 22 chicks hatched that left Canada this fall, said Vicki Muller, a specialist at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Estimates last week from an aerial survey — while the birds were in flight — accounted for 21 chicks, and 19 are now on the ground at the refuge alongside 244 adults, she said.

Fly Chihuahua!

(Lori Preuitt and Bob Redell, NBCBayArea.com) "Ay Chihuahua" was a common thought for passengers at SFO this morning after they realized a bunch of little yapping dogs were boarding with them on their non-stop flight to JFK. The passengers on a morning Virgin America flight were greeted at the gate by 15 little Chihuahuas waiting to board the same cross country flights. Not in the cargo hold, but in the main cabin itself. Perhaps that’s why there was free champagne before the flight. One man said he prefered yapping dogs to crying babies.

Lost dog story has a happy ending

(Curt Brown, New Bedford Standard Times) Katelyn Savoie feared she would never see one of her best friends again. Leo, the 8-year-old collie she'd adopted when he was 6 months old, went missing on Dec. 30 and Savoie had been searching frantically ever since. The 18-year-old, who lives with her parents on Old Fall River Road, called shelters, searched nearby streets and the woods behind her house and posted an online ad about her missing dog. Despite all of her efforts, she couldn't find Leo. It wasn't until a friend of her sister saw a news report about a collie rescued by Westport firefighters after falling through the ice on the town's Sawdy Pond that Savoie got her first glimmer of hope.

Family's 'Angel' dog saves boy from cougar attack

(Cheryl Robinson, CNN) One lucky boy in Canada can say without a doubt that he has his own personal guardian angel -- not of the spiritual kind, but of the furry. On Saturday an 18-month old golden retriever saved her owner from being attacked by a cougar while in the backyard of their home in Boston Bar, British Columbia, about 130 miles north of Vancouver. The dog -- named Angel -- leaped into action and threw herself between her owner, 11-year-old Austin Forman, and the cougar that was charging at him.

Fin Whales, Once Rare, Crowd Calif. Coast

(Sandra Hughes, CBS News) Tracking a mystery, Alisa Schulman-Janiger and other marine biologists follow an ocean footprint looking for the second largest mammal in the world, the fin whale. Sightings of the fin whale - part of the family that includes the humpback and big blue whales - used to be a rarity in the Santa Monica Bay but not anymore. They're everywhere, reports CBS News Correspondent Sandra Hughes. "The people who have done this, watching for 20, 25 years, have never seen anything like it," Schulman-Janiger, a marine biologist at the American Cetacean Society, told Hughes.

Scientists say dolphins should be treated as 'non-human persons'

(Jonathan Leake, Times Online) Dolphins have been declared the world’s second most intelligent creatures after humans, with scientists suggesting they are so bright that they should be treated as "non-human persons." Studies into dolphin behaviour have highlighted how similar their communications are to those of humans and that they are brighter than chimpanzees. These have been backed up by anatomical research showing that dolphin brains have many key features associated with high intelligence.

Gwinnett jail to house rescued dogs

(Patrick Fox, Atlanta Journal-Constitution) With a sharp decline in inmate population over the past month, Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway plans to devote a portion of the county jail to save dogs' lives. The jail will serve as a foster home for the Society of Humane Friends, a licensed pet rescue agency. With six open housing units that can accommodate up to 72 inmates, the sheriff is devoting one ground unit to the program. He will assign a dog to each of the 10 inmates in the unit.

Volunteers cure loneliness with canines

(Jeff Evans, Bakersfield Californian) Pat Willrith has a photograph of her dog Lady on the wall of her room at The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield on Mount Vernon Avenue. Willrith's face lit up Saturday morning when Bonnie Green brought Bernie, her Shih Tzu, into the room. "Gosh, he looks like Lady," Willrith said as Bernie was lifted onto her bed. "I want him on my lap. Does he kiss?" No, Bernie isn't a licker, Green said. So Willrith bent over and kissed Bernie on the forehead. "I've had dogs all my life," Willrith said after Bernie left.

War vets, shelter dogs heal together in program

(AP) Dave Sharpe was troubled by thoughts he could not share after he returned from a tour in Iraq. "I found myself waking up in the middle of the night, punching holes in walls, kicking and beating the refrigerator door," he said. Then one day, the former Air Force senior airman went with a friend to a local pit bull rescue and took home a puppy, Cheyenne. Next time he found himself kicking something, "I saw this puppy, cocking her head, looking up at me, like, what are you doing?" Finally, Sharpe had someone he could open up to. "I froze, I put down my drink, I picked her up and laid with her in my bed," he said. "I cried and I told her the whole story. I didn't feel judged."

Rudolph the baby seal discovered in family's back garden... 18 miles from the sea

(Chris Brooke, Daily Mail) She's less than a year old but this seal pup's inquisitive nature and adventurous spirit has already landed her in a lifetime's worth of trouble. Nicknamed Rudolph, she was found by a family in their back garden in Kent, 18 miles inland from the sea. Inquiries have revealed that earlier this year the playful pup was rescued and treated at a seal centre in Ostend, Belgium, before being released back into the English Channel.

Santa Paws is Coming to Town!

(Sumaiya Malik, Good News Gazette) Surfing dog Ricochet stepped into the role of Santa Paws this Christmas following a December toy drive that raised over $3,550 in toy donations for Southern California kids. Ricochet spent the past two days decked out in her Christmas finest delivering toys to CHOC Children’s Hospital and Rady Children’s Hospital. Toys were also delivered to two domestic violence shelters in San Diego.

A hound the world in 80 days: Meet Oscar, the canine globe-trotting sensation

(Daily Mail) Oscar is a dog without equal. This year, he travelled across an incredible five continents, 29 countries and stopped off everywhere from the Eiffel Tower to the Taj Mahal. He was rescued from a South African kennel by Joanne Lefson, who is half-British, five years ago. In May the pair began an epic journey hoping to inspire millions to help save his fellow canines living as strays on the streets. After dodging crocodile-infested rivers, walking on the Great Wall of China and escaping Italian police, Oscar finally finished his tour last week.

Two-legged dog gives hope to disabled vets

(AP) For several years, Jude Stringfellow and her Lab-chow mix have toured the country with a simple message: Faith walks. Born without front legs to a junkyard dog around Christmas 2002, Faith the puppy was rejected and abused by her mother. She was rescued by Rueben Stringfellow, now an Army E-4 specialist, who had been asked to bury other puppies in the litter. "Can we fix her?," Stringfellow, then 17, asked his mom. "No, but maybe we can help her," she said.

Treasure Coast Dog Helps Save Baby's Life

(WPBF.com) A Treasure Coast dog is being hailed as a hero for helping to save a baby's life this week. Reyna Zurita said she had just walked into her Port St. Lucie home when her 2-year-old hound, Hunter, suddenly ran out the door. "I run behind my dog because that's for my kids and I don't want to lose my dog, and I run behind" Zurita said in broken English. "I say, 'What happened? Stop,' but he never listen to me." Hunter ran for nearly half a mile and led Zurita to an infant who was lying on the ground after nearly drowning.

Stowaway tomcat turns up 500 miles away in Spain after hitching a ride on cross-Channel ferry

(Daily Mail) A pet cat who went missing when let out for a night-time stroll has been reunited with his owners - after hopping on a ferry and enjoying a 1,400 mile round-trip to Spain. Ginger tom Sandi was discovered by stunned ferry staff under a lorry as they prepared to unload the Pride of Bilbao, which had travelled from Portsmouth, Hampshire. P&O ferry crew took Sandi to a vet who was able to tell from an embedded microchip that he was registered in the UK. They then vowed to give him a luxurious trip home.

Clever Octopus Builds a Mobile Home

(Charles Q. Choi, LiveScience.com) An octopus that uses coconut shells as portable armor is the latest addition to a growing list of animals that use tools. The veined octopus (Amphioctopus marginatus) apparently can stack discarded coconut shell halves just as one might pile bowls, sits atop them, makes its eight arms rigid like stilts, and then moves the entire heap across the seafloor. These soft-bodied creatures perform this ungainly "stilt walking" to use the hard shells for shelter later when needed. The discovery was a lucky accident.

Family Dog Survives 98 Days on Deserted New Jersey Island

(Joshua Rhett Miller, Fox News) Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale — a tail, really — about a brave beagle and a family's refusal to give up. Buddy, a 4-year-old beagle, was reunited with his New Jersey family on Monday after 98 days spent on unihabited Gull Island in New Jersey's Manasquan Inlet. The Kelleys, of Eatontown, N.J., lost control of Buddy on Aug. 31 as the family attempted to switch the dog's leash while frolicking on Dog Beach in Manasquan.

What do cats do all day? Kitty cam has answer

(AP) What do cats do when their owners are away? There was one way to find out — "cat cams." Fifty house cats were given collar cameras that took a photo every 15 minutes. The results put a digital dent in some human theories about catnapping. Based on the photos, about 22 percent of the cats' time was spent looking out of windows, 12 percent was used to interact with other family pets and 8 percent was spent climbing on chairs or kitty condos. Just 6 percent of their hours were spent sleeping.

Pooch platoon gives traumatised troops new life

(Christina Lamb, Sunday Times) When John Landry takes his romanian sheepdogs for a walk along the boardwalk of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, everyone stops to look. “They’re gorgeous!” gasp onlookers as they pull out mobile phones to be photographed alongside the large floppy white dogs that look like something out of Hamleys’ soft toy department in London. The dogs might be huggable to look at but they have a far more important role — to help re-integrate military veterans scarred by the horrors of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Even hairless Sphynx cats give patients a warm, fuzzy feeling

(Janice Lloyd, USA Today) Strange-looking cats? Maybe. Pam Moore concedes that if someone is accustomed to long-haired cats, a Sphynx can be off-putting at first. But after a Sphynx curls up in the lap of one of her patients, Moore, a registered nurse at J.W. Sommer Rehabilitation Unit in Muscle Shoals, Ala., says the animal brings about a transformation in the human. "They bring so much peace and happiness to the patients," she says. Serene-looking humans? Absolutely. Sphynx cats love to cuddle with people and are as soft as velvet.

Australia Throws Party for 2 New Residents: A Pair of Giant Pandas From China

(AP) Two giant pandas from China were welcomed to Australia on Saturday with gifts of bamboo and a city party before settling into their new home, a 25-acre natural enclosure at the Adelaide Zoo. Four-year-old male Wang Wang and 3-year-old female Fu Ni are on loan to the zoo for 10 years as part of a joint research program, and their arrival comes amid slightly strained relations between China and Australia.

Dogs get free flight to New York

(Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune) About 50 rescued dogs -- ranging from a 2-year-old brindle French bulldog so afraid of people that it refused to be touched to a playful Shih Tzu -- boarded a special flight Friday from Midway Airport to New York, where their chances for adoption might be higher. The animals were saved from puppy mills and shelters in the Midwest and most likely would have been euthanized, said Kelli Ohrtman, from the Best Friends Animal Society, based in Utah. The flight on Pet Airways was part of the Pup My Ride campaign, which transports dogs and cats from parts of the country that are oversaturated with unwanted pets to regions with fewer animal control problems.

Teensy Chameleon Is New Species

(Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience.com) A tiny chameleon species with a scaly horn atop its snout and blue dots on its limbs has been discovered in Tanzanian forests. "It would sit quite easily on one finger," said Andrew Marshall of the University of York and Flamingo Land, adding the chameleon's body spans just 2.8 inches (about 72 mm) with a tail of nearly equal length. Marshall first spotted the animal, now called Kinyongia magomberae, while surveying monkeys in the Magombera forest.

Zelda the wild turkey roams Battery Park for six years, becomes holiday tourist attraction

(Edgar Sandoval, New York Daily News) Run, Zelda, run! That was the word Sunday from shocked tourists as they snapped photos with New York's famous Thanksgiving mascot in Battery Park. "Go hide before someone eats you," pleaded Nicole Dhillon, 28, of Brooklyn. The wild turkey has been roosting in Battery Park for at least six years - but she still caused a stir Sunday when she showed her spectacular fan of yellow, dark blue and brown feathers. The wild turkey was named after Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, because the woman also was found wandering in the park after a nervous breakdown. Zelda now may be the nation's only wild turkey with a Wikipedia page.

Thousands of Strange Sea Creatures Discovered

(Charles Q. Choi, LiveScience.com) The deep sea is teeming with thousands of species that have never known sunlight, explorers now say. Revealed via cameras towed deep in the sea, sonar and other technologies, a stunning 17,650 species are now known to thrive in an eternal watery darkness. This menagerie of weird creatures, ranging from crabs to shrimp to worms, somehow manage a living in a frigid black world down to roughly 3 miles (5 km) below the ocean waves.

Baxter, The World's Oldest Working Therapy Dog Comforted The Dying

(Janet Kinosian, Huffington Post) I was scheduled to meet Baxter Bussey, the world's oldest therapy dog who at 19.5 years strong was still working amidst his advanced age and arthritic pain twice to three times weekly at the San Diego Hospice and Institute for Pallative Medicine. That meeting never happened as Baxter died the week prior to our rendezvous. Luckily, though, I was able to still encounter him via his emotive YouTube video which pretty much tells Baxter's powerful story and shows his amazing gift in a snapshot.

Cleveland zoo realizes after 50 years that Mary the giant tortoise is a boy

(John Horton, Cleveland Plain Dealer) Mary the giant tortoise came out of her shell in a very unladylike way last week at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. There's a reason, though: She's a he. After more than a half-century at the zoo, the 400-pound tortoise showed veterinarians something extra during a routine physical exam. The find left the medical staff a little shell-shocked. Nobody ever viewed Mary as a male, zoo Director Steve Taylor said.

Tiny insect brains can solve big problems

(Discovery News) Insects may have tiny brains, but they can perform some seriously impressive feats of mental gymnastics. According to a growing number of studies, some insects can count, categorize objects, even recognize human faces — all with brains the size of pinheads. Despite many attempts to link the volume of an animal's brain with the depth of its intelligence, scientists now propose that it's the complexity of connections between brain cells that matters most.

Dolphin Therapy Program Helps Children Recover

(Shannon Hori, CBS 4) Sometimes, one exceptional encounter can change the entire course of a person's life. That's the case for one South Florida family; it wasn't a meeting with a person, however, but a very special dolphin. Now similar encounters are impacting thousands of children each year. Joe Hoagland, 23, has an amazing story to tell. When he was three years old, he had a massive stroke during open heart surgery. He was in a coma; when he came out, Joe couldn't stand, walk or eat. "His left side of body was paralyzed," his mother Deena said. Worse, Joe was not responding to traditional therapies.

MIA Dog Found in Afghanistan After 14 Months

(AP) A bomb-sniffing dog that disappeared during a fierce battle in Afghanistan between Australian troops and militant fighters has been found and returned to its unit after more than a year. And Sabi the black Labrador is getting a celebrity welcome home. Sabi was with a joint Australian-Afghan army patrol ambushed in restive Uruzgan province in September 2008, triggering a gunfight that wounded nine troops and earned one Australian soldier the country's highest bravery medal. But there was no sign of Sabi after the battle, and months of searching failed to find any sign of the retriever — until now.

Cats are trainable — and that’s not a punchline

(AP) People have low expectations of cats. Sam Connelly tells of the time that she and her cat Storm observed a Canine Good Citizen test while they were waiting for their feline agility class to start. "I’m watching the dogs and I commented to the evaluator, ’My cat can do all that,’" said Connelly. "At the end she said, ’Want to take a shot?’ like it was a big joke."

West Africa's giraffes make a big comeback

(Todd Pitman, AP) A crisp African dawn is breaking overhead, and Zibo Mounkaila is on the back of a pickup truck bounding across a sparse landscape of rocky orange soil. The tallest animals on earth are here, the guide says, somewhere amid the scant green bush on one side, and the thatched dome villages on the other. They're here, but by all accounts, they shouldn't be.

Spirit bears become 'invisible'

(Jody Bourton, BBC News) On a few islands in western Canada, white 'spirit bears' walk the woods. Now scientists have discovered why these striking animals, a race of black bear, survive. White bears are less visible to fish than their black counterparts, making them 30% more efficient at capturing salmon in the islands' rivers. Elsewhere, similar white bears appear rarely, probably because those that do become vulnerable to predators such as grizzly bears and wolves. The researchers have published their findings in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.

Unlikely friends: Why we love odd animal pairs

(Kim Campbell Thornton, MSNBC.com) A video of best buddies Suriya (orangutan) and Roscoe (pooch) is a YouTube sensation. An old tortoise and a young hippo have their own Web site and line of books detailing their friendship. You see stories of unlikely animal friends on the news: horses nuzzling cats, dogs caring for kittens and a pig nursing tiger cubs — and in May, Oprah even featured a dog and elephant who are best friends on her show. These unusual relationships are celebrated and admired. But are they genuine — or do we just want them to be?

Andre the dog gets some fancy new limbs

(PeoplePets.com) That 3-year-old Andre is even alive is a miracle. That he can do one of his favorite things —chase after a tennis ball — shows what a little silicone and a lot of love can do. A sweet-natured, jet-black Alsatian-Rottweiler mix, Andre survived a nightmare in the woods near his home in Wasilla, Alaska, last May. He went for a walk on his own and stepped into an illegal hunting trap, which snapped around his left front and back legs. Hopelessly scared and desperate, Andre did what he had to do to stay alive — he chewed through both paws to free himself.

Good Dog, Smart Dog

(Sarah Kershaw, New York Times) Life as a Labradoodle may sound free and easy, but if you’re Jet, who lives in New Jersey, there is a lot of work to be done. He is both a seizure alert dog and a psychiatric service dog whose owner has epilepsy, severe anxiety, depression, various phobias and hypoglycemia. Jet has been trained to anticipate seizures, panic attacks and plunging blood sugar and will alert his owner to these things by staring intently at her until she does something about the problem.

Oldest Known Spider Webs Discovered

(Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience.com) Silken spider webs dating back some 140 million years have been discovered preserved in amber, scientists announce today. The viscous tree sap flowed over the spider webs before hardening and preserving the contents, which were discovered in Sussex, England. Other bits sealed up in the amber included plant matter, insect droppings and ancient microbes. "These turn out to be the earliest webs that have ever been incorporated in the fossil record to our knowledge," said lead researcher Martin Brasier, a paleontologist at the University of Oxford.

Bow-wows help ease hospital patients' boo-boos

(Ellen Gilmer, The Oregonian) Samantha sits in a hospital bed, an IV in her arm, nurses and therapists bustling in and out, and a smiling dog at her feet. Four-year-old Samantha is undergoing growth hormone testing, and Bonnie the border collie is there to calm her nerves. Hormone testing can take up to five hours, so Samantha's parents are thankful Bonnie is there. "It's a good distraction from the monotony of the day," said her mother, Colette Verbanic of Tigard. "At 4 years old, it's hard to sit still for five hours."

Barking mad: The dogs that strike yoga poses for a bizarre new yoga calendar

(Daily Mail) Relax, breathe in and hold it, stretch and stop that tail from wagging... these bendy pooches show off their athletic prowess by striking incredible poses for the 2010 Yoga Dogs calendar. A golden retriever in a warrior posture and a chihuahua chilling out in the pendant position are the dogs that are featured in the calendar, which will bring a smile to the faces of pet lovers. The tongue-in-cheek calendar hosts a year full of images showing popular dog breeds positioned in classic yoga postures created using computer wizardry by Texan couple Dan and Alejandra Borris.

Learning to read? Try talking to a dog

(Rachel Rodriguez, CNN) Meet Bailey. She's a registered therapy dog, but you won't find her in hospitals or nursing homes. Instead, Bailey makes weekly visits to libraries and schools. She sits quietly or snuggles up to kids as they read her a book. And no, she's not napping, and the kids don't have treats in their pockets. She's actually helping these children learn to read. It sounds implausible. After all, dogs can't read. How could they possibly help someone learn a skill that they themselves can't grasp? But it's a growing trend, and it seems to be working.

Pig barks up the wrong tree: Prudence the porker thinks she's a dog

(Daily Mail) A sickly piglet who was saved from death by an animal rescue charity has befriended six dogs who helped raise her. The real-life Babe the pig, who was born a runt, was due to be shot by owners until staff at the rescue centre took pity on her and adopted her. The five-week-old piglet, called Prudence, made unlikely friends with a pack of six puppies at the centre and became one of the gang - even chasing sticks and curling up to doze with them.

We're all-white mum! Trio of rare lion cubs unveiled in British zoo

(Kirsty Ross, Daily Mail) The world can be a daunting place when you're growing up - even if you're a lion. So this rather sheepish character hid in her mother's comforting shadow yesterday before plucking up the courage to come out and play. The white lion cub is one of three born 12 weeks ago at West Midland Safari Park near Bewdley in Worcestershire. As if giving birth to triplets isn't hard enough - new mother Natasha now has a lifetime of raising the 'mischievous yet enchanting' girls.

Endangered Sea Turtles Return To Mexico's Beaches

(Jason Beaubien, NPR) Mexico has deployed its navy to several beaches in the Pacific Coast state of Oaxaca. Its mission isn't to fight the drug cartels or protect European tourists, but to guard the nesting grounds of an endangered sea turtle. In the 1970s and '80s, Olive Ridley turtles were harvested to the brink of extinction. But the Mexican government has orchestrated a remarkable comeback for the sea creatures.

Ruff love: How a Rottweiler saved a runt piglet's bacon

(Daily Mail) A baby pig abandoned by her mother has found a new home after being adopted... by a Rottweiler. The little piggy called Apple Sauce faced starving when she was rejected by her mum as the runt of a litter of 13. But animal lover Heidi Rhiann hoped her pet Rottweiler Sasha might help after having eight puppies of her own. The family were delighted when the piglet was accepted by Sasha - and became piggy in the middle of the Rottweiler pups.

His name was Dorothy: A tomcat with attitude taught me to shrug off city life for a slower pace

(Theodosia T. Greene, Christian Science Monitor) I first saw Dorothy in the bushes, his gray stripes blending in with the brambles, as immobile as a cat waiting for a bird. "Here kitty, kitty," I called, offering him a breakfast crepe from my plate. His big yellow eyes widened as he weighed what might be in it for him. Slowly he yawned and picked his way out of his pile of dead leaves, stretched and walked nonchalantly up to my summer cabin in the mountains. He wasn't in a hungry hurry, although I could see that he was thin under his mass of long fur.

Rare Crow, Thought Extinct, Is Rediscovered

(LiveScience.com) A critically endangered Indonesian crow — long feared extinct — has been rediscovered in its native habitat, scientists announced today. The all-black Banggai Crow (Corvus unicolor), known to science only by two specimens described in 1900, was found again by Indonesian biologists on Peleng Island, off the east coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia, in 2007. Pamela Rasmussen, a Michigan State University zoologist verified the finding.

Paralysed dog walks again after pioneering treatment that could help humans with spinal injuries

(Daily Mail) A paralysed dog has been put back on his feet again, raising hopes of a treatment for humans with severe spinal injuries. Henry the miniature dachshund was unable to walk after discs ruptured in his spine last November. In a pioneering treatment, scientists at Cambridge University took cells from his nose and injected them into his spine.

Philadelphia Zoo greets newborn orangutan

(Tom Avril, Philadelphia Inquirer) Zookeepers peeked into the would-be mother's bedroom periodically to make sure all was ok. An obstetrician from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital was on call, if needed. But in the end, nature took its course with no human assistance. Tua, the 16-year-old Sumatran orangutan at the Philadelphia Zoo, delivered a baby today at 8 a.m. The keepers are not getting too close for now, and the public won't get a look for at least a week. No one wants to interfere with the bond between the mom and the zoo's first baby orang in 17 years.

Golden retrievers happy together

(Eileen Mitchell, San Francisco Chronicle) When Walnut Creek resident Carolyn Arnold got divorced after 32 years of marriage, her financial situation forced her to sell her home and move to a small apartment. She was also forced to give up her three golden retrievers, which, she says, was almost harder than signing the divorce papers. What she never expected was a joyous ending, thanks to the kindness of a stranger.

Menari, the Audubon Zoo's new baby orangutan, proves she is camera-ready

(Ramon Antonio Vargas, New Orleans Times-Picayune) She has only two tiny front teeth, at the bottom of her mouth. She wears a baby's diaper. Her unruly orange hair looks ungroomed. The thought of having to appear before a crowd looking like that would unnerve most people, but it doesn't seem to faze Menari, the Audubon Zoo's baby Sumatran orangutan.

Dogs save life of owner who slipped and broke his neck while out walking them

(Daily Mail) A man who slipped and broke his neck while walking his dogs was kept alive overnight after his two pets cuddled up to him to keep him warm. Father-of-two Michael Dyer, 66, fell down a 30ft slope at a remote beauty spot as he exercised Jack Russells, Mickey, three and Boz, five. He fractured an elbow and broke his neck in the fall and lay unconscious in temperatures as low as 7C (44F). But amazingly, Mr Dyer survived after his two dedicated dogs snuggled up to him for 16 hours and helped stave off hypothermia.

Tortoise goes for a wander across five lanes of rush-hour traffic

(Vanessa Allen, Daily Mail) Perhaps the grass looked greener on the other side of the M25, or maybe he just needed the exercise. For whatever reason, this tortoise decided to take a stroll through the rush-hour traffic. He was spotted plodding along the fast lane, miraculously avoiding the wheels as cars roared over him at 70mph and more. And by the time he was rescued unharmed, he had made it almost all the way across five lanes from the central reservation to the verge.

Rescued dogs train to serve war veterans

(Cynthia Hubert, Sacramento Bee) Perhaps Sonny the miniature schnauzer was nervous about his new assignment. Perhaps he just craved a little freedom. Minutes after he was introduced Wednesday as a future service dog who would be trained to help a war veteran cope with the anxieties of civilian life, Sonny made a run for it. He dashed across the grass at Mather Community Campus, eluding a posse of volunteers before one of them corralled him. Then Sonny and eight other dogs, most of them rescued from death row at the Sacramento city animal shelter, met their new caretakers and began their serious careers.

Researchers find rare bird in Fiji

(Kristen Gelineau, AP) A group of researchers in Fiji has captured images of an endangered and elusive seabird, the first confirmed sighting of the chocolate-colored creature at sea. Scientists photographed the Fiji petrel soaring above the ocean about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Fiji’s remote island of Gau in May, according to the Britain.-based conservation group BirdLife International, which helped fund the expedition. The researchers’ findings were described in a paper published in this week’s Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club.

Dog days of summer: Surfing pets take to the water for charity

(Daily Mail) During one of the last dog days of summer nearly 4,000 spectators turned out yesterday to watch San Diego's pets hit the beach for 'the world's largest dog surfing event'. The dogs were taking part in the 4th annual Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon in order to raise money for a local animal shelter. The surfers rode waves at North Beach, also known as Dog Beach, in California. The event, hosted by and benefiting the Helen Woodward Animal Centre in Rancho Santa Fe, has so far raised more than £17,500.

Kangaroo yearns to hug zoo-goers

(John Switzer, Columbus Dispatch) I almost had an up-close and personal encounter with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium's hugging kangaroo. Matari, the only male kangaroo in the zoo's Australian exhibit, was raised by humans, and some think that's why he wants to hug visitors walking through the exhibit. He does hug his keepers. There are no barriers between the kangaroos and visitors, only a zoo employee who is always on hand to see that Matari behaves himself and doesn't approach somebody with hugging on his mind.

Dog helps keep diabetic teen alive and well

(Mike Archbold, News Tribune) Max has a nose for health. His job: Keep 14-year-old Liam Kelly alive and well. The Gig Harbor-area teen lives with the sugar highs and lows of Type 1 diabetes and the real possibility he might slip into a diabetic coma while asleep. That’s why Max, a 55-pound black Labrador, is nearly always with him. "He’s my continuous glucose monitor but with four legs and a tail," Kelly quipped recently.

Abandoned piglet is lost and hound: Giant farm dog saves baby pig's bacon by adopting it as one of its own

(Liam Miller, Daily Mail) A giant farm dog and a tiny piglet cuddle up as if they were family after the baby runt was dismissed by its own mother. Surrogate mum Katjinga, an eight-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback, took on motherly duties for grunter Paulinchen - a tiny pot-bellied pig - and seems to be taking the adoption in her stride. Lonely Paulinchen was luckily discovered moments from death and placed in the care of the dog who gladly accepted it as one of her own.

Shelter dogs travel in style to find new homes

(Linda Lombardi, AP) Dogs arriving at an animal shelter is usually a sad story. But the mood is more like Christmas morning as staff at the Washington (D.C.) Animal Rescue League wait for the Rescue Waggin' truck to open its doors. The people and the animals have never met, but some greet like old friends. A basset shoots out to lick a face. Jodie Martin holds a small black puppy, one of the almost 40 dogs that she and the driver picked up that morning from two shelters in Ohio, and kisses it on the head before she hands it over.

Pit bulls find redemption in new homes

(Wendy E. Normandy, Chicago Tribune) Guests at Catherine Hedges' home in Chicago are surprised when Holland gives them a high-five. The 2-year-old dog is playful like that, often frolicking with her other dogs and cats. Hedges describes him as affectionate and sweet, but because he's a pit bull rescued from a dog-fighting ring, some people doubt he can be saved. Holland was one of 39 dogs, most of them pit bulls, Hedges and others helped rescue after a dogfighting ring was broken up in South Holland two years ago.

‘Miracle cat’ survives 26 days stuck in fire debris

(Rick McCrabb, Dayton Daily News) Smoka was given the perfect name, but not because of her color. The 1-year-old cat survived a fire that destroyed a Franklin florist shop, falling two stories, thousands of gallons of water used to fight the fire, and being buried under stacks of charred wood for 26 days. "It restores my faith in God," Norma Witte, who works for Miamisburg’s Stark Wrecking Co., said Friday, Sept. 4.

Zoo's endangered Sumatran orangutan is pregnant

(Tom Avril, Philadelphia Inquirer) The first clue was that her boyfriend started to lose interest. Then she started to eat more, and now she spends much of her time lolling about in a big blue tub. Some days, she doesn't even want to get out of bed. Philadelphia Zoo officials say it all points to one thing: Tua, the 16-year-old Sumatran orangutan, is pregnant.

Bee Celestial Navigation and Non-Human Intelligence

(Laurance R. Doyle, SETI Institute) Millions of years ago a group of wasps "decided to" become vegetarians and so today we have the bee. Some of their cousins "decided to" quit flying and so became the ants, but that is another story. Although only about 20% of bees are social, honey bees are very social indeed. It has been stated by several biologists that, if it were not for the honey bee pollinating plants, humans would only last 3 or 4 years as our food supply would disappear.

Buzz of excitement over bumblebee

(BBC News) The great yellow bumblebee - one of Britain's rarest bees - has been found at its most southerly site in 30 years. Once widespread, its numbers declined in the face of intensive farming and has clung to survival on Orkney and the Western Isles. The far north Highlands are home to the last mainland population. Bob Dawson, of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BCT), has now discovered the species near Lybster, on the east Caithness coast.

Cancer-Sniffing Canines Could Save Your Life

(PeoplePets.com) At first glance, cancer researcher Michael McCulloch’s lab at the Pine Street Foundation in San Rafael, Calif., looks predictably humdrum – a computer, a few beakers and some vials. And yet, if you look a little closer, there’s something downright peculiar about the place. Most notably, the water bowls, leashes and the roll of paper towels used for sopping up slobber. For the past 10 years, McCulloch, an acupuncturist by training, has been exploring whether the sensitive nose of his furry, four-legged research subjects can detect cancer.

Southern Right whales return to breed in Tasmania

(Sophie Tedmanson, Times Online) Endangered Southern Right whales have returned to give birth in waters in southern Australia for the first time in 200 years. Australian scientists confirmed yesterday what they have suspected for years — that the waters around the southern island of Tasmania have once again been turned into a nursery for Southern Right whales, which became scarce after excessive whaling in the early 1800s.

Freed dolphin splashes out in gratitude

(Anna Rushworth, New Zealand Herald) Dolphins are famed for helping humans in trouble at sea and now fishermen off Northland have returned the favour by freeing a dolphin caught in a fishing long-line. The dolphin, feeble and facing death, approached their charter vessel for help. When the crew freed him, he farewelled his human helpers with a lap around their boat, before being joined by another 100 clacking, leaping dolphins.

Canine Lifeguards Hit Italy's Beaches

(Jeff Israely, Time) In a program run by the National Civil Protection Agency, dozens of Labradors, Newfoundlands and golden retrievers have been trained to act as lifeguards and are now patrolling beaches and lakes around the country to help save people from drowning. In a program run by the National Civil Protection Agency, dozens of Labradors, Newfoundlands and golden retrievers have been trained to act as lifeguards and are now patrolling beaches and lakes around the country to help save people from drowning.

Bella Hope unleashes her inner 'adoptable dog'

(Sharon L. Peters, USA Today) In just 30 days, Bella Hope has mastered a pretty solid sit/stay. She's leash-trained. She waits politely at doors until she's told it's OK to enter or exit. And she has learned to retrieve on command and bring the item back as requested — most of the time, at least. All of this while she has adjusted to a new home (probably her first real one, truth be known) with four kids and five other dogs. "She's just so smart and so eager to please," says Tammy Campos. "She's got a happy disposition, and she's quick to bond." The Campos home is a way station in the former stray's journey to what everyone hopes will be a happy ending.

Second brood for rare butterfly

(BBC News) One of the UK's rarest butterflies has produced a second brood in what conservationists are describing as an extremely rare event. A second generation of the endangered Duke of Burgundy butterfly has now been spotted in Gloucestershire - the furthest north recorded so far. Normally the butterfly produces one generation a year, taking to the wing in late April. But a second brood has been recorded in August in Gloucestershire.

Need to Sniff Out Water Pollution? Call in the Dogs

(Taryn Luntz, Scientific American) To the long list of jobs that dogs do for humans, add another: the detection of water pollution. Meet Sable, a German shepherd mix with a nose for sewage. Sable's trainer, Scott Reynolds, who works for an environmental consulting firm, Tetra Tech in Lansing, Mich., said the three-and-a-half-year-old mutt is the only canine known to reliably detect raw sewage or detergents flowing into sewers from illegal or bungled pipe connections.

At doggy socials, Fido can let his fur down

(Jennifer McClellan, Arizona Republic) The popularity of doggy playdates and online pet communities is a clear indication that man's best friend enjoys a social life as much as his human companion. While their pooches party at dog-friendly events around the Valley, owners also expand their social circles as they meet other dog lovers. The gatherings are informal, informational and inexpensive. And they are always B.Y.O.D. (bring your own dog).

Red panda quadruplets born at Denver Zoo

(Howard Pankratz, Denver Post) Four furry little red pandas have been born at the Denver Zoo - only the fifth recorded birth of quadruplets at an accredited U.S. zoo. The four cubs, three males and one female, were born to mother Sophia and father, He-Ping, on July 9. The red pandas are classified as endangered, with an estimated population of less than 2,500 mature pandas remaining in the wilds of the mountains of southeast Asia.

Lucky the duckling takes a step in the right direction

(Daily Mail) A duck who faced being put down after fracturing a leg has been given a new lease of life thanks to a specially-made sandal. Lucky the duckling faced a bleak future following an accident which left one foot pointing in the wrong direction when it healed. Undeterred, owner Allison Morgan from the Lliswerry area of Newport, south Wales, decided to get a second opinion and, in the meantime, enlist the services of a local cobbler Kelvin Reddicliffe to aid the bird's recovery.

Family finds dog, and can't live without him

(Lane DeGregory, St. Petersburg Times) Yolanda Segovia heard a knock on her door one morning, just before 8 a.m. Her neighbor was on the porch, with a dog and a story. Stacey Savige had found the little dog in front of an elementary school. He wasn't very big, looked like some sort of terrier. Burrs clung to his belly. His honey fur was caked in mud. He didn't have a collar. Stacey had taken him to the vet and he didn't have a chip, either.

Animal Lover Kevin Richardson Serenades 350-Pound Lionesses With Love

(Kimberly Launier, ABC News) In the scorching South African heat, Kevin Richardson knows it's best to let sleeping lions, lie. And sometimes he joins them. As the sun rises to its full ascent, a pride can be seen resting in the shade of a tree. And nestled against the stomachs of lions drifting in and out of consciousness, is 34-year-old Richardson -- fast asleep.

Your family dog may be smarter than your toddler

(Doug Gross, CNN) Your dog may not actually be smarter than somebody's honor student -- popular bumper stickers aside. But your canine companion might well be smarter than their toddler, according to a growing body of research on how dogs think. Using adapted tests designed for human children, psychologists have learned that average dogs can count, reason and recognize words and gestures on par with a human 2 -year-old.

Puppy love: The cute chihuahua with a heart on his coat that matches older brother's

(Chris Johnson, Daily Mail) This is the adorable chihuahua puppy who, like his older brother, was born with a perfect heart-shaped patch on his side. The cute little pooch has been suitably named Lovekun by its owner in northern Japan. At three days old, the long-haired chihuahua has been catching up on his sleep between bouts of suckling on his mother with the other three pups in the litter.

Clever Crows Prove Aesop’s Fable Is More Than Fiction

(Hadley Leggett, Wired) Aesop’s fables are full of talking frogs and mice who wear clothes, but it turns out at least one of the classic tales is scientifically accurate. Researchers presented four crows with a challenge from Aesop’s fable “The Crow and the Pitcher”: a container of water not quite full enough for the birds to reach with their beaks. Just like Aesop’s crow, all four birds figured out how to raise the water level by dropping stones into the glass.

Giant panda gives birth to fifth cub at the San Diego Zoo

(CNN) A giant panda at the San Diego Zoo gave birth to a cub the size of a stick of butter on Wednesday, her fifth cub born in the zoo since 1999. The sex of the mostly hairless, pink newborn, which was born around 5 a.m., is not known yet, said Dr. Ron Swaisgood of the zoo's Institute of Conservation Research. It will take about one month for the iconic black-and-white coloration of the giant panda to become visible, Swaisgood said.

Pet sanctuary offers animals a slice of heaven

(Marjorie Cortez, Deseret News) It caught me a little flat-footed. At the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary outside Kanab, the no-kill policy extends even to rattlesnakes. If they happen to slither into one of the improved areas of the 33,000-acre sanctuary, they're captured live and relocated. No kill, no exceptions. For someone of my thoroughly Western sensibilities, it seemed a bit much.

Dolphins' body language mirrors human word patterns

(Fiona MacRae, Daily Mail) Anyone who has seen dolphins at play will know how they constantly communicate with clicks and whistles. But the clever creatures also speak in sign language to stop rivals listening in, scientists believe. Manoeuvres often dismissed as mere play could actually contain important messages - particularly those which are short and to the point. Scientists spent four years in New Zealand observing the behaviour of a school of 60 or so bottlenose dolphins.

12-year-old cat commutes by bus in England

(People Pets) In his golden years, 12-year-old Casper the cat has discovered a very efficient way to get around the English city of Plymouth. He leaves his house, trots across the street to the bus stop, waits his turn in line and hops on the city bus! The cat even has a favorite seat — in the middle of the aisle — where he kicks back for a spin around town before hopping off at his destination.

Pen pals: Giraffe and goat form unlikely friendship when kept in same enclosure

(Daily Mail) They'll always have a very different outlook on life. But even though Gerald the giraffe is rather lofty and Eddie the goat is more down to earth, they are the perfect pairing. They have formed an unlikely bond after Eddie was placed with 15ft Gerald as a short-term solution to keep the giraffe company at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm in Bristol.

Newfound Bird Is Bald

(Clara Moscowitz, LiveScience.com) Scientists have discovered a rare new bird species with a bald head. The creature, dubbed the bare-faced bulbul, was found in Laos, and is the only known bald songbird in mainland Asia. It's also the first time in over 100 years that a new Asian species of bulbul bird has been uncovered. "To find a new bird species is very rare these days," said Peter Clyne, assistant director for Asia Programs at the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York.

Lost Brisbane dog found in Melbourne... nine years later

(Kelly Ryan, Herald Sun) A flea-bitten dog rescued from a squalid Melbourne back yard is to be reunited with her overjoyed Brisbane owner - nine years after she disappeared. And 17-year-old Chloe Rushby, who was only eight when her best mate disappeared, can't wait to have Muffy back in her arms. Chloe and her family screamed with joy when the RSPCA called to say Muffy was alive - much older, very scruffy and 2000km away in Melbourne.

Zoo unveils endangered tiger cubs

(Irish Times) The baby boom at Dublin Zoo is continuing this summer, with the birth of two endangered tiger cubs. The as yet unnamed Sumatran tigers were born on May 29th to mother Sigra and are being officially introduced by the zoo today. The male cub weighed 1kg at birth, with the female at 0.85 kg. The nine-week-old cubs are the result of an international breeding programme among zoos.

Ahu & Me: A Dog Is Lost, Hope Is Found In Pakistan

(Pamela Constable, Washington Post) I almost missed her at first, a small dusty dog curled up under a taxi in a crowded airport. But when I whistled, she poked her head out and looked up with a faintly hopeful expression. She had a slender face and huge brown eyes, like a doe. I had just landed after a long flight from the States, tired and harried, but I bought her a chicken sandwich near the taxi stand and watched her gulp it down. As I started to walk away, pushing a trolley full of luggage, she raced after me and clung to my legs like a child. It was an act of rash, desperate trust I could not bear to reject.

Monkey magic at the rodeo as primate rounds up sheep riding a border collie

(Paul Henderson, Daily Mail) Dogs can be darned tricky critters. So when you're in the saddle hold tight, keep your hat on and above all, let him know who's boss. This, at least, is how this tiny cowboy has stayed king of the rodeo for 18 years. That and his fabulous outfit of course. From the moment he rides into the rodeo ring on the back of his border collie, Whiplash the capuchin monkey is the star of the show.

Nearly extinct California frog rediscovered

(Discovery) For the first time in nearly 50 years, a population of a nearly extinct type of frog has been rediscovered in California’s San Bernardino National Forest. The rare mountain yellow-legged frog was re-found when biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and scientists from the San Diego Natural History Museum retraced a 1908 expedition through the San Jacinto Wilderness near Idyllwild, Calif.

Meet the inseparable Bonnie and Clyde: A blind border collie... who has his own guide dog

(Daily Mail) Bonnie and Clyde do everything together, from walking and wagging to bounding and burying. But Clyde is always just one faltering step behind. That's because he is blind - and his fellow border collie Bonnie acts as his guide dog. She leads him to food or water, and lets him rest his head on her haunches when he feels a bit lost.

Lonesome George, the last Galápagos giant tortoise, may become a dad

(Mark Tran, The Guardian) Lonesome George, the last remaining Galápagos giant tortoise, may soon be a father after years of efforts by scientists trying to get him to mate. Ecuadorian officials are keeping their fingers crossed for Lonesome George, aged between 90 and 100 and described by the Guinness book of world records as the "rarest living creature," after one of the two female tortoises kept with him laid five eggs. George, said to be at his sexual peak, is the only known living Geochelone abigdoni tortoise. His companions are of a similar but different species.

The badger whisperer: Grandfather accepted into world of UK's most secretive creatures

(Daily Mail) A nature-lover has been coined the 'The Badgerman' after a badger sett accepted him into their community. Gareth Morgan, from Newtown in Powys, was birdwatching when he stumbled upon the secretive animals in the Welsh countryside. The 68-year-old visited the site three times a week for more than five years, as the animals slowly became accustomed to his presence.

N.Y.ers send puppy love to woman who saved 5-legged dog from freak show

(Samuel Goldsmith, New York Daily News) New Yorkers opened their hearts and wallets on Sunday for the North Carolina woman who saved a five-legged puppy from a Coney Island freak show as they hailed the big-hearted animal lover as a hero. A Manhattan vet was so touched by the actions of Allyson Siegel, the Charlotte woman who bought Lilly for $4,000 to spare her from a life as a Surf Ave. freak puppy, that he offered to remove the dog's extra leg for free.

Zoo keeper wears abandoned baby kangaroo

(Janet McConnaughey, AP) Christina Cooper has been wearing a kangaroo lately — a foundling named Skippy, who was rejected by his mother at a wildlife park in eastern Louisiana. Inside a canvas carryall over Cooper's shoulder is an artificial kangaroo pouch for the 6-month-old red kangaroo. It's demanding duty — Skippy must be bottle fed every four hours, though he's starting to eat grass and other green stuff.

Meet Dare: The two-legged dog who knows how to get ahead of the pack

(Daily Mail) He may only have half the limbs of a normal dog, but Dare the Shetlie dog hasn't let them stop him having twice as much fun as other canines. The three-year-old dog had a rocky start to life after having his back left leg chewed off when he was a week old, and having a front leg amputated after it was badly broken in several places. The little pup's owner had given up all hope of selling him and the Colorado Sheltie Rescue before coming to the attention of new owner Tami Skinner.

Dog Wet Nurse Saves Panda Cubs in China

(AP) Two red panda cubs abandoned by their mother at birth are thriving at a northern China zoo thanks to milk and loving care from an unlikely surrogate mother — a dog, state media reported on Thursday. The cubs, born June 25, were abandoned immediately by their mother after giving birth in front of a crowd of visitors at the Taiyuan Zoo in northern China's Shanxi province, according to Ha Guojiang, a zoo employee quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency.

Dogs understand gestures as well as toddlers

(Discovery) Dogs possess a 2-year-old child's capacity to understand human pointing gestures, with dogs requiring next to zero learning time to figure out the visual communication, according to two recent studies. The comparison with kids doesn't end there. Due to domestication, dogs appear to be predisposed to read other human visual signals, including head-turning and gazing. Pet owners often use baby talk, scientifically known as "motherese," with both children and dogs, allowing canines and kids to receive similar social stimulation.

Meet Spud, the bald hedgehog whose spines are making a dramatic comeback

(Beth Hale, Daily Mail) To put it baldly, there are few sadder sights than a spineless hedgehog. But after some tender loving care at an animal sanctuary, this little fellow is bristling with good health again. Brought in after being spotted wandering forlornly in a garden, Spud, as he was named, was obviously suffering from a serious skin condition.

Story of burned bear cub told in children's book

(Christine Vovakes, Sacramento Bee) Li'l Smokey, the burned bear cub rescued from a Shasta County forest fire a year ago and eventually released back into the wilderness, now has the starring role in a children's book. Adam Deem, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection forester who on July 17, 2008, saved the American black bear cub from smoldering rubble left from the Moon fire, has retold the saga in "Saving Li'l Smokey, a True Story."

Turtles find sanctuary with Garland family

(Mariana Greene, Dallas Morning News) Rose Schroeder stands just outside her back door, having managed to keep the dogs from slipping out by using one leg as a gate, and bangs the aluminum pie pan with a spoon. Sure enough, just as she promised, they come running from all corners of the yard. Well, not running exactly – but moving speedily for a turtle.

New monkey discovered in Brazilian Amazon

(Stuart Grudgings, Reuters) Researchers have discovered a new sub-species of monkey in a remote part of the Amazon rain forest, a U.S.-based wildlife conservation group said on Tuesday. The newly found monkey was first spotted by scientists in 2007 in the Brazilian state of Amazonas and is related to the saddleback tamarin monkeys, known for their distinctively marked backs, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) said.

Mummy, where are my stripes? Pure white Bengal tiger astonishes keepers

(Daily Mail) It doesn't take a wildlife expert to spot the difference between this white Bengal tiger cub and the rest of her family. For six-month-old Fareeda missed out when they were handing out the stripes. That makes her an extreme rarity - and a major attraction at the South African conservation centre where she was born. Fareeda's mother Geena and father Shiva are kept at Cango Wildlife Ranch, near Cape Town, as part of a breeding programme to keep their species alive.

Rare red pandas welcome triplet babies

(People Pets) Three cheers for Shan Tou and Yukiko! The rare red panda couple are the proud parents of triplets born at the Red River Zoo in Fargo, N.D., on June 11. And the still-to-be-named panda babies are quite the big deal. "The last time triplets were born in North America was 10 years [ago]," the zoo's animal keeper, Marcy Thompson, tells PEOPLE Pets, adding that last year the pair had twins — two of the five red pandas born in all of North America in 2008.

'Wall of dolphins' caught on film

(BBC News) A "superpod" of around 1,500 dolphins has been captured on film off the coast of Pembrokeshire by conservationists. Eight volunteer members of the Sea Trust came across the "mile-long wall of dolphins" near the Smalls Lighthouse in the Irish Sea. The charity's founder Cliff Benson said in wildlife terms the sight "was like winning the lottery."