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Animals
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Animals. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Tourists and deer at Todaiji Temple in Nara. Cases of deer abuse by visitors have led to more police patrols in the Japanese city. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

Oh, deer: Japan’s Nara boosts police patrols to curb animal abuse

The move follows a video of a tourist in Nara’s main park kicking one of the animals, considered sacred in the ancient city.

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Science

‘So beautiful’: colossal squid caught on camera for first time in the deep sea

The Philippines

‘Fly high, Riley’: Philippine eaglet dies 3 months after birth

Trending in China

Chinese zoo slammed for putting clothes on baby chimp, braiding its hair

Visitors ‘disinfected’ before being allowed to hold, touch baby chimpanzee, experts warn treatment could harm its mental health.

A zoo in China has been criticised for dressing a baby chimp up like a little girl and braiding the animal’s hair. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Hong Kong society

Runaway emu gets ‘princess’ treatment at Hong Kong animal shelter

Charity House of Joy and Mercy says it plans to let the public view its ‘pampered’ new resident Miu Miu.

Africa

African conservationists aim to change mindsets about unpopular vultures

Vultures are nature’s ‘best sanitation services’, and are estimated to worth US$1.8 billion a year to certain ecosystems in southern Africa.

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Medicine

Pig kidney removed from US woman after record-setting 4 months

Towana Looney’s body eventually rejected the animal organ, but previous recipients of such transplants did not survive past two months.

Towana Looney, a pig kidney transplant recipient, gets a morning check-up with Jeffrey Stern at NYU Langone Health in New York in January. Photo: AP
Germany

‘Ant-agonistic’: aggressive ants threaten Germany’s infrastructure

The ants – in colonies with hundreds of thousands to millions of individuals – have also been noticed elsewhere in Europe, including France.

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Food and Drinks

Foie gras without cruel force-feeding but tastes the same? Scientists do it

A research team says its alternative foie-gras-like pâté made without painful force-feeding is indistinguishable from the regular product.

Trending in China

Ex-China athlete raises buffalo in China rental home, keeps it secret from landlord

‘Adorable’ four-month old black calf called ‘Bull Demon King’ is washed in bathroom, only moos when hungry, rarely disturbs neighbours.

A former combat sports athlete in China who keeps a buffalo in his rented flat says it rarely bothers his neighbours. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Hong Kong society

Stiffer Hong Kong penalties helping to fight illegal wildlife trade: authorities

Number of smuggling cases involving ivory, pangolin scales and rhino horn has ‘dropped significantly’ since 2021, government says.

Pangolin scales and elephant tusks seized in Hong Kong back in 2019. Photo: Winson Wong
Indonesia

Rats and rubbish mar Indonesia’s vision of a futuristic new capital

Indonesia’s US$32 billion dream of a green new capital at Nusantara is facing an early challenge: a surge in rats fuelled by tourist trash.

Malaysia

Viral dashcam footage captures roadside panther attack in Malaysia

‘I keep having nightmares’, said the 54-year-old father of two who warded off the big cat using a water bottle.

Trending in China

China court auctions 100 tonnes of live crocodiles for US$550,000, no delivery

Enormous reptile sale sparks much amusement on social media after China’s ‘Crocodile God’ defaults, court liquidates ‘scary’ assets.

A court in China is auctioning off 100 tonnes of live crocodiles at a starting price of US$550,000, sparking much amusement online. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
Cambodia

‘Hardworking’ rat sniffs out world record for detecting landmines in Cambodia

Ronin, an African pouched rat, set a world by detecting 109 landmines in Cambodia.

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A landmine-hunting rat in Cambodia has set a new world record by sniffing out more than 100 mines and pieces of unexploded ordnance. Photo: AFP/Apopo
Music

How ‘cheap trick’ helps monkeys yodel better than humans

Human yodellers can switch up and down an octave, but monkeys have a 3½-octave range. Researchers have just discovered why that is.

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Thailand

Amid tragedy, rescue dogs offer hope to Bangkok earthquake victims’ families

Rescuers have brought in 11 dogs to search for signs of life and to provide emotional support for victims’ loved ones.

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Wellness

Meet the Irish farmer using alpacas for animal therapy for the elderly

With their ‘huge brown eyes’, camelid therapy animals ease anxiety among nursing home residents and those with special needs, farmer says.

Joe Phelan feeds some of his herd on his alpaca farm near Dublin, Ireland. Photo: Reuters
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police suspect cruelty after 2 cats allegedly fall from height, 1 dead

Force says it received report early on Friday from security guard at Tin Heng Estate in Tin Shui Wai.

Crime in Hong Kong

Snakes in the mail: Hong Kong police probe parcel with 10 reptiles for Australia

Logistics company alerted police after discovering lizards and snakes inside package during X-ray.

Japan

There’s a rat in my soup! Dead rodent hurts Japan restaurant chain’s stock price

Zensho Holdings, which operates the Sukiya chain, saw its shares fall as much as 7.1 per cent after it revealed the grisly discovery.

An image shared on social media shows the dead rodent that was found in a bowl of Sukiya soup. Photo: X/yhp_m
Pets

US woman drowned dog in airport bathroom after being denied boarding: police

Tywinn the miniature schnauzer’s body was found in the trash, while cameras showed the owner leaving the toilet before getting on her plane.

Surveillance footage shows the woman and her nine-year-old schnauzer, Tywinn, at Orlando International Airport. Photo: Orlando Police Department
New Zealand

Fin-tastic: world’s ugliest animal wins New Zealand’s fish of the year

The quirky deep-sea blobfish beat the orange roughy to claim the honour.

Indonesia

Can Jakarta’s ‘cat island’ boost tourism and solve its stray cat problem?

Jakarta’s innovative “cat island” plan aims to solve its stray cat crisis, promote tourism and establish a safe feline haven.

Trending in China

Chinese pet cloning charges up to US$52,000, raises ethical and health concerns

As people’s attachment to pets grows in China more people are forking out large amounts of cash to replicate dead ‘fur babies’.

The animal cloning industry in China is booming as more and more people become firmly attached to their pets. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
France

Hunter on trial in France for killing endangered bear

Boar hunter Andre Rives says he acted in self-defence when a mother bear attacked him in the Pyrenees in 2021.

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A brown bear in a wood near Melles, in the French Pyrenees mountains. File photo: Pays de l’Ours via AFP
Mexico

Mexico City bans violent bullfighting, sparking outrage and celebration

Mexico City, home to the world’s biggest bullring, prohibits the killing of bulls and the use of sharp objects that could injure animals.

Pacific nations

Scientists think they’ve finally figured out how iguanas got to Fiji

Most modern-day iguanas live in the Americas – thousands of miles and one giant ocean away from the collection of remote Pacific islands.

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