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Animals

Animals
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Animals. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
Animal welfare in Hong Kong

Is it time to call an end to Hong Kong’s boar war?

Wild boar numbers have dropped by half in recent years, prompting calls from experts for an end to aggressive control measures such as culling.

New Zealand

Dog lost for a week in New Zealand bush found after strangers fund search

Hong Kong society

HKTVmall parent firm under fire for testing how long animal heads can survive

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Germany

Wolf bites woman on the face at German shopping centre in rare attack

The animal, which had previously avoided humans, was captured and taken to a wildlife park.

A wolf is seen in an enclosure in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Wolves were effectively wiped out in Germany but started returning about 30 years ago. Photo: dpa
Hong Kong society

Editorial | Balance is vital for urban Hong Kong to coexist with wild animals

Monitoring numbers and humane management will boost the city’s reputation and respect for a rich natural fabric alongside urban development.

Japan

Sacred deer have been a fixture of Japan’s Nara. Now they’re wandering away

More green spaces in nearby cities and the deer’s adaptable nature have led to them straying as far as 40km away from their habitat.

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The Philippines

A dog killer in the Philippines was fined US$17. New bills seek reform

Dedicated police units and a national watchdog. Two new bills aim to ensure animal abusers face justice, not just a US$17 fine.

Killua, a three-year-old golden retriever, was found dead inside a sack in 2024. Photo: Vina Arazas
Trending in China

Moving tale of 7 dogs’ escape from captivity in China garners 230 million views

Chinese law does not ban consumption of dog meat, although Shenzhen was one of the first mainland cities to ban eating cats, dogs in 2020.

Hong Kong society

Rodent trip: hamster hitches ride on bus to Sha Tin

Golden brown Syrian hamster spotted by a passenger on KMB bus from Central.

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong customs seizes nearly 1,000 smuggled turtles worth HK$1 million

Two men arrested after officers find reptiles in car boot at Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge control point.

Hong Kong customs officers have seized 986 smuggled live turtles. Photo: Handout
Trending in China

China game shop slammed for using live hamsters in claw machine, also fish, turtles

Images of real furry little animals displaying clear signs of stress as they cower in fear inside arcade machine spark online anger.

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A Chinese game shop has faced a backlash for using live hamsters in a claw machine, resulting in them showing signs of stress. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin
Fukushima nuclear disaster and water release

Video | Fukushima’s stray animal saviour searches for redemption

Former nuclear plant worker Toru Akama spends his time and money caring for cats and dogs abandoned after the March 2011 disaster.

Crime in Hong Kong

Man arrested after 14 endangered reptiles found in Kwai Chung industrial site

Chinese water dragon, rock iguana, crocodile, two pythons, three monitor lizards and four species of turtles were seized in operation.

Tourism

Want to see Bangkok’s ‘little Godzillas’ up close? Where and when is best

Hundreds of Asian monitor lizards live in the Thai capital’s Lumphini Park and early morning is one of the best times to see them.

Monitor lizards are often drawn to the water, where they search for food, cool off or find shelter. In places like Thailand’s capital Bangkok, these impressive reptiles thrive in urban green spaces such as Lumphini Park and can be found in canals and waterways throughout the bustling city. Photo: dpa
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s Ocean Park to open new conservation centre featuring whale skeleton

New centre to be launched in early 2027 will offer interactive exhibits on marine life and the impacts of climate change and pollution.

Ocean Park will transform its North Pole Encounter zone into a new marine mammal conservation centre. Photo: Handout
China society

Opinion | Quietly, steadily, animal rights campaigners are making headway in China

With national laws the ultimate goal, progress is being made, one local regulation and court case at a time.

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Trending in China

China zoo uses old videos of dead tiger cub to seek donations, sparks apology calls

Officials suspend operations at animal park amid controversy involving Siberian cub which had died from an infectious disease.

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Conservation

Video | Mass beach stranding of pygmy killer whales off Taiwan coast

Taiwan’s coastguard rescues 7, but 4 others in the group have died.

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Malaysia

Malaysian resort owners face huge fines, jail over ‘exotic’ pangolin menu

An official said the establishment’s action tarnished Sabah’s image as a responsible, sustainable nature tourism destination.

Thailand

Thailand’s captive tiger industry faces backlash after 72 big cats die

‘By the time we realised they were sick, it was too late,’ said an official, as welfare groups decry a life of misery and confinement.

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Trending in China

China scenic spot faces outcry over real horse carousel ride

Continuous movement in one direction, particularly in tight circles, imposes unbalanced strain on horses’ legs and joints, expert warns.

A scenic spot in China has stirred outrage for featuring real horses in a carousel ride, raising concerns about animal welfare and public safety. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin
Japan

Video | Fans flock to Japan zoo to see viral baby monkey

The baby monkey went viral for dragging a stuffed orangutan around as a surrogate mother after he was abandoned.

Fans have been flocking to a zoo in Ichikawa, Japan, to catch a glimpse of a baby monkey who went viral on social media.
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Animal welfare in Hong Kong

Police probe suspected poisoning of 4 dogs

Group says incidents among at least 19 cases documented by group and linked to poisonings in local area since last year.

Australia

Australian man who sent lizards in popcorn bags jailed record 8 years

Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from seized parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Romania.

Britain

Purrfect? Larry the cat marks 15 years – and 6 PMs – as UK’s chief mouser

Many cats have occupied the post since the 1920s with historical records even showing them in government residences in the era of Henry VIII.

Larry, the official 10 Downing Street cat. File photo: AP
Thailand

Thailand tackles mammoth human-animal problem with elephant birth control

The vaccination drive has drawn criticism that it might undermine conservation efforts of an animal seen as a symbol of the nation.

A wild elephant receives a contraception vaccine in the Trat province of Thailand on January 27. Photo: Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation/AP
Hong Kong society

Editorial | Furry friends in restaurants a big step towards a pet-friendly Hong Kong

The relaxation of public transport and dining rules acknowledges the social value of pets in a crowded city like Hong Kong.

TV shows and streaming video

Puppy Bowl XXII aims to help old dogs find new families too

Senior dogs will get their moment in the spotlight at Puppy Bowl XXII, with a halftime showdown that promotes adoption for older pets.

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