After a week of fierce competition, Backpack emerged victorious as Fat Bear Week champion, the heftiest bear of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve. The nonprofit running the longstanding contest announced that the bear, known for his pacifist nature, was the winner Tuesday with more than 100,000 votes, giving him a close win over Bear … Read more
The fat bears have landed. Fat Bear Week — a bracket-style, single-elimination tournament where 16 brown bears in Alaska’s Brooks River will compete to be this year’s fattest bear — kicks off tomorrow, with voting open to the public on September 22 and concluding on September 29, when the chubby champion will be crowned. The … Read more
Tucker Budzyn, the Michigan-based golden retriever who became one of the internet’s biggest canine stars, has died after a short battle with cancer. He was 8. Tucker’s owner, Courtney Budzyn, revealed that her beloved pooch died on Wednesday — less than a week after she shared he had been diagnosed with lymphoma. “I thought that … Read more
This engine must have been really purring. A newborn kitten had the longest ride of its life — traveling 76 miles inside the engine of an SUV. Employees at the Kerrville, Texas, nonprofit Peterson Health were shocked to find the fur baby inside the engine bay of the vehicle, which belonged to their colleague — … Read more
Lions, tigers… and unicorns? Genetically modified pets including glow-in-the-dark rabbits, hypoallergenic cats and dogs, and real-life unicorns could soon become a reality after a bill to ban the sale of such creatures failed to advance in the California Senate. Assembly Bill 1382, known as the Ethics Over Aesthetics Act, stalled in the Senate Appropriations Committee … Read more
Turns out, “crazy cat ladies” may not be so crazy after all. Researchers from the University of Lucerne in Switzerland surveyed more than 2,300 Swiss adults about their relationships with animals, finding that gender was one of several factors linked to how closely people connected with their pets. But the findings were not entirely warm … Read more
He’s short-spined, a little wobbly on his tootsies, unmistakably quirky and an utter delight to those who know him. Jimothy the raccoon has gone from local curiosity to full-blown cultural mascot, and now he’s finding a permanent home on people’s epidermis in the Pacific Northwest. Tattoo shops in Seattle’s hipster neighborhood Ballard, where Jimothy has … Read more
The eagles’ home has been saved — but will it ever be a happy one? Friends of Big-Bear Valley (FOBBV), which set up a 24/7 cam for Jackie and Shadow, announced they will purchase the land the pair call home after raising $10 million, largely due to a $5.5 million donation by OpenAI co-founder Greg … 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
You are now free to roam about the cat-bin. One furry flyer’s premature bid for freedom put a smile on a plane full of Thanksgiving travelers’ faces when it escaped his carrier and started wandering the aisles. Amid the commotion on board, the frisky feline was briskly scooped into the arms of a Southwest Airlines … Read more
The days of trash-talking raccoons may be coming to an end. A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology found that city-dwelling raccoons are showing early signs of domestication — and becoming increasingly adorable to humans. “I wanted to know if living in a city environment would kickstart domestication processes in animals that … Read more
We ain’t lion. A restaurant is being slammed for offering guests the chance to snuggle with lion cubs as part of a $150 four-course meal. Wanhui restaurant in Northern China is being criticized by animal welfare advocates for its unique but unsafe attraction. Wanhui restaurant in Northern China is being slammed for offering guests the … Read more
This is moose-see TV. A majestic herd of moose is captivating millions across the globe thanks to Sweden’s now-iconic livestream, The Great Moose Migration. Dubbed “reality TV at it’s finest,” the sublime broadcast returned April 15 — a full week early — after an unusually warm spring jumpstarted the annual inland trek of the country’s … Read more
This TikTok trend is not the cat’s meow. A veterinary nurse is sounding the alarm on a viral — and allegedly dangerous — social media craze that has pet owners spinning their cats, dogs and even rabbits around by their front legs for laughs and likes. Jade, a registered veterinary nurse and popular TikTokker appropriately … Read more
Every morning, Elsie Gonzalez, a married mom of four, rolls over in bed and smooches the love of her life. That would be her 1-year-old Maltipoo pooch, Massimo, a fluffy furball she takes everywhere — from the office to France and even the bathroom. Elsie tells The Post that Massimo’s ranked No. 1 in her heart … Read more
Moo Deng is so last year. The newest cutie-patootie warming up to steal the social media spotlight is a rare orphaned Pacific walrus calf named Ukiaq — affectionately called “Uki” — rescued from the Arctic Ocean after being abandoned by her herd. The brave girl was just weeks old when she was found dehydrated, malnourished … Read more
If you’ve ever experienced the indescribable feeling of being so overwhelmed by cuteness that it almost seems unbearable, there’s now a word for that. Gigil — pronounced “ghee-gill” — is one of the 42 words added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in March that are either untranslatable or have no direct English equivalents. Gigil … Read more
Meet the monkey who befriended a dog and loves to cuddle and watch movies with his owner. Michael Robison, 45, rescued Winston four years ago after authorities busted an illegal animal broker. Michael is the founder of SPARTN Sanctuary, a rescue and rehabilitation center for primates, where he has taken in 10 spider monkeys. Among … Read more
And that’s your 2024 TikTok wrap. TikTok revealed its top trends of the year, including Jools Lebron’s “very demure, very mindful” catchphrase, the fascination with a baby hippo named Moo Deng and Logan Moffitt’s cucumber-centric recipes. Baby Animals Many people across the globe were captivated by the emergence of two popular baby animals: Moo Deng … Read more
This was one bear-y cute snowfall. Twin giant pandas were caught on camera experiencing snow falling for the first time. Rui Bao and Hui Bao, 1-year-old siblings who made history last summer as the first twin giant panda cubs born in South Korea, can be seen adorably playing together as the flakes fall around them. … Read more