163 new species, including technicolor gecko, discovered last year in Mekong River regionSeptember 25th, 2009 Fanged frog, 162 other new species found in MekongBANGKOK — A gecko with leopard-like spots on its body and a fanged frog that eats birds are among 163 new species discovered last year in the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia, an environmental group said Friday. WWF International said that scientists in 2008 discovered 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles, 14 amphibians, two mammals and one bird species in the region.
Jumbo Transformer, squeaking hamster among the toys on Toys R Us' holiday toy listSeptember 24th, 2009 Toys R Us makes its bets on holiday toysNEW YORK — The nation's biggest toy-store chain is placing its holiday bets — and because the stakes are high, the prices are lower. If Toys R Us' testing is any indication, a $10 toy hamster might be a runaway hit.
Fungus makes frog communities undergo "McDonaldization"September 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists have said that the frog communities are undergoing the process of "McDonaldization", thanks to a fungus hammering the biodiversity of their communities and making them resemble each other. Everyone knows that frogs are in trouble and that some species have disappeared, but a recent analysis of Central American frog surveys shows the situation is worse than had been thought.
Fla. authorities say naked man, 91, held a drunken intruder at gunpoint until help arrivedSeptember 21st, 2009 Naked man, 91, holds drunken intruder at gunpointLAKE WORTH, Fla. — Authorities say a 91-year-old South Florida man jumped out of bed naked and held an intruder at gunpoint until deputies arrived.
From the swamps of Cuba's 'Everglades,' a special push to promote eco-tourismSeptember 17th, 2009 Cuba hopes green tourism can keep it in the blackBOCA DE GUAMA, Cuba — Crocodile 0383 is too tiny to be menacing. Three weeks old and barely the length of a candy bar, the gray and brownish-yellow beast already has all 64 jagged teeth, which glint like crushed glass in the tropical sun.
Salvation from above: Volunteer pilots fetch animals from full shelters, fly them to new livesSeptember 15th, 2009 A paw and a prayer: Pilots save shelter animalsTAMPA, Fla. — Lady Di is a lovely purebred collie with a pleasant disposition, just like lots of other dogs dumped at shelters in areas that lack anywhere near enough would-be owners.
Charity's volunteer pilots save animals from death at shelters, fly them to new livesSeptember 15th, 2009 Volunteer pilots save pets from death rowTAMPA, Fla. — Thanks to a group of volunteer pilots, dogs and cats are being plucked from death row at animal shelters and flown to other states where it's easier for them to get adopted.
Japanese town Taiji in film 'The Cove' setting dolphins free, selling some to aquariumsSeptember 9th, 2009 Japanese town in 'The Cove' setting dolphins freeTOKYO — The Japanese town chronicled in the award-winning film "The Cove" for its annual dolphin hunt that turns coastal waters red with blood has suspended killing the animals — at least for this week's catch — following an international outcry. The western Japanese town of Taiji will sell some of the animals to aquariums as it does every year, but the remainder of the 100 bottlenose dolphins that were caught early Wednesday in the first catch of the season are to be released.
Dogs walk the ramp in style at Delhi showSeptember 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Dogs of diverse breeds walked down the ramp in style with their masters during a dog show here on Saturday evening.he gala event was held launch a collection of pet care products and accessories introduced by 'Petsetgo'. Pet lovers were happy to attend the event and sweamed by its quotient.
Felony criminal complaint filed against Arizona man accused of trying to feed kitten to pythonSeptember 4th, 2009 Animal cruelty complaint filed against Ariz. manPHOENIX — Arizona prosecutors have filed felony animal cruelty charges against a man who allegedly tried to feed a kitten to a python and later killed the feline by drop-kicking it.
Dogs were tamed 16,300 years ago in China as livestock, not petsSeptember 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new genetic analysis has suggested that dogs were tamed for the first time 16,300 years ago in southern China, not as pets, but as livestock. "In this region, even today, eating dog is a big cultural thing," study co-author Peter Savolainen, a biologist at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, told National Geographic News.
Federal study finds loggerhead turtles could go extinct; primary threat is commercial fishingSeptember 3rd, 2009 Study: Loggerhead turtles put at risk by fishingWASHINGTON — It's a scene that scientists say is all too common: A commercial fishing boat pulls in a net full of shrimp or tuna and finds a loggerhead sea turtle mixed in with the catch. Biologists like Matthew Godfrey say one or two such takings can happen every day among fishing fleets off the Southeast coast.
Ariz. man arrested after officials allegedly get video of him trying to feed kitten to pythonSeptember 2nd, 2009 Officials: AZ man tried to feed kitten to pythonPHOENIX — An Arizona man was arrested after authorities say they watched a video of him apparently trying to feed a kitten to a python and later killing the feline by drop-kicking it. Maricopa County sheriff's deputies arrested 28-year-old Jeremy Tuffly at his Mesa home on Monday on suspicion of felony animal cruelty.
FDA: Fla. man found frog or a toad in his soda can, unclear how it got thereSeptember 2nd, 2009 FDA says frog or toad was in Fla. man's soda canORMOND BEACH, Fla.
