“Patient zero” isn’t exactly the title you want attached to your travel itinerary. But that’s the grim distinction Dutch ornithologist Leo Schilperoord now holds after authorities identified him as the first case in a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard a luxury cruise ship. The 70-year-old birdwatcher and his wife, Mirjam Schilperoord, 69, had toured an Argentinian … Read more
For four years, a mallard has nested behind a bush near the front door of Caitlin Deal’s home in a Minneapolis-St. Paul suburb, offering an up-close glimpse of nature for her young son and lessons for how people can coexist with wildlife. The duck, dubbed Martha by the family, sits on her nest for about … Read more
It thawed out — and then it multiplied. Scientists successfully revived a “zombie worm” that had been frozen for 24,000 years, revealing new insight into how life survives in the most unforgiving environments over extended periods of time. According to a study published in the scientific journal Current Biology, researchers found that the microscopic organism … Read more
He’s hoping they “steer” clear of his beautiful bovines. A fed-up UK farmer has pledged to breed uglier cows to curb the relentless tide of influencers lining up to snap selfies and generally harass his handsome Highland Cattle. “The intention is to make them less photogenic,” Alex Birch, from Derbyshire, told the BBC of his … Read more
A couple says their adorable dachshund is now the “breadwinner” of the household — earning over $6,000 in just one month and helping fund their $66,239 dream wedding. Shannon Edmondson, 31, from Stalybridge, Manchester, has turned her miniature long-haired dachshund, Wilson, into a social media star, bringing in thousands through user-generated content (UGC), brand deals … Read more
An unlikely friendship at a Georgia theme park is quietly melting hearts. Meet Kurtsie, a zebra and Bakari, a giraffe — they make up an adorable, inseparable duo who formed a bond shortly after Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Ga., opened its expansive Giraffe Overlook habitat, where multiple species can interact much like they do in the … Read more
OnlyFans star Sophie Rain is getting down and dirty on the farm — and her fans are going hog wild. “I constantly get comments begging for more farm content just because everyone loves the animals,” said Rain, who shelled out $1.3 million for a 20-acre farm in Central Florida last year. “And I think that they all just … Read more
Scientists hunting for treatments and cures for multiple sclerosis may have found an unlikely ally — the yak. The high-altitude, cold-hardy relative of the cow could be the key to a medical breakthrough, according to a March13 study published in the journal Neuron. At the center of it all is the myelin sheath — a … Read more
Even for Australians, the island of Tasmania is obscure. For Americans, it’s frightfully far-fetched. Its capital, Hobart, is known as the gateway to Antarctica, and that should give you some idea of its place in the world, a good deal farther south than Cape Town. “People want to go to areas that feel remote and … Read more
Indiana Jones’ greatest fear may be obesity’s biggest enemy. Scientists at three universities have turned to nature to find a property that rivals the benefits of GLP-1 drugs without the laundry list of side effects. What they’ve discovered, in the cold blood of a creature that grows up to 33 feet long, is poised to … Read more
Move over Labradors — the French Bulldog is still king of the American pup pack. For the fourth year running, these pint-sized Frenchies hold the top spot on the American Kennel Club’s 2025 most popular dog breeds list. It wasn’t long ago that Labs ruled for 31 years straight, but in 2022, the French Bulldog … Read more
A critically endangered monkey has given birth just months after surgeons saved her foot in a pioneering operation. Masaya was the first ever roloway monkey to undergo surgery which removed a golf-ball sized mass from her foot. The 15-year-old primate had one toe amputated during the procedure at University of Liverpool’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital. … Read more
This was a real order of monkey business. A Connecticut zoo asked for help naming its baby spider monkey — and revealed the winning moniker on Facebook Friday. The Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport created an online poll so the public could help select an ape-propriate name for their female Black-handed spider monkey, which born in … Read more
Punch the baby orphan macaque is outgrowing the orangutan plushie that comforted him through early rejection from his mother and other monkeys. Images of Punch dragging around the toy bigger than him drew attention to the residents of a zoo near Tokyo. When other monkeys shooed the baby away, Punch rushed back to the toy … Read more
Just when you think Pixar’s petting-zoo cute new movie “Hoppers” is flagrantly ripping off James Cameron, the characters come clean. movie review HOPPERS Running time: 105 minutes. Rated PG (action/peril, some scary images and mild language). In theaters March 6. “You guys, this is like ‘Avatar’!,” squeals 19-year-old Mabel (Piper Curda), the studio’s rare college-age … Read more
It was a pestilence of biblical proportions. Officials in Spain’s Canary Islands are sounding alarm bells after an epic swarm of locusts descended upon the popular vacation destination, as seen in dramatic footage circulating on social media. Over the past few days, the scenic islands of Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura have been beset … Read more
Call it monkey business. IKEA has sold out of its adorable Djungelskog orangutan soft toy, with the $20 item now fetching more than 10 times the retail price on eBay. The plushie has become a coveted collectible in recent weeks after playing a key part in a viral story about a bullied baby monkey at … Read more
These pet parents are paws-itively committed to their furry friends. One in three pet owners spends more on their pets each month than they do on their own health and wellness needs, according to a new survey from US News & World Report. Spending piles up quickly. Of the 1,500 questioned — with 68% identifying … Read more
Moo Deng is back in the spotlight — but not for the heartwarming reasons as before. Conservationist Siranudh Scott brought attention back on to the viral pet after calling the pygmy hippo’s living situation “sad” on social media, showing a photo of fecal matter in the habitat. “The other day I saw pictures of the … Read more
Call it “petuition”: new research has found the average pet parent worries about how happy their pets are 11 times per day, and worries about their pets’ health 10 times per day. The poll of 2,000 U.S. pet parents, nationally representative and split between respondents with dogs and respondents with cats, found they often worry … Read more