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Hunters Battle Invasion of Hungry Hogs

Tough, wily, feral swine are spreading fast through the US

(Newser) - Hog hunters are finding their services in demand as the wild beasts spread across the country, reports the New York Times. The porkers—descendants of pigs brought by Spanish explorers, escaped swine from farms, and wild boar released by hunters—weigh up to 400 pounds and cause around $800 million...

Gator Caught&mdash;in Chicago?
 Gator Caught—in Chicago?  
Jun 21, 2008 5:32 AM CDT

Gator Caught—in Chicago?

Five-foot reptile apprehended in the Chicago River; probably a discarded pet

(Newser) - Alligator wranglers may not be the busiest of folks in metro Chicago, but they came through yesterday by yanking a 5-foot unwelcome visitor out of the Chicago River, the Tribune reports. The healthy female, probably a discarded pet, is on her way to a sanctuary in the Southeast.

Study: Cuddles Calm Chimps After Conflict

Researchers find evidence of empathy in man's closest relative

(Newser) - Chimpanzees console each other with hugs and kisses after a conflict much like humans do, researchers have discovered. After a chimp has been the victim of aggression, its stress levels are greatly reduced when it's embraced by another. The findings reveal a level of empathy in man's closest relative that...

'Unicorn' Deer Spotted in Italy
 'Unicorn' Deer Spotted in Italy 
Jun 11, 2008 6:02 PM CDT

'Unicorn' Deer Spotted in Italy

Similar anomalies may have inspired myths, experts say

(Newser) - A deer with a single horn in the center of its head has been spotted in an Italian nature preserve, triggering speculation that such anomalies may have helped give rise to unicorn myths, the AP reports. Experts say the year-old deer, born in captivity and nicknamed “Unicorn,” likely...

Swiss Cow Fights Are No Bull
 Swiss Cow Fights Are No Bull 
Jun 7, 2008 7:11 AM CDT

Swiss Cow Fights Are No Bull

Beefy battles are a big spectator sport in the Swiss Alps

(Newser) - In Spain, the bulls do the fighting, but the boot is on the other hoof in the Swiss Alps, Der Spiegel reports. The tough local breed of alpine cows naturally battle among themselves to become queen of the herd, and for centuries, farmers have organized cow fight tournaments. Nowadays, the...

Quake Pandas Delight Beijing
 Quake Pandas Delight Beijing 
Jun 6, 2008 3:51 PM CDT

Quake Pandas Delight Beijing

Olympic bears take up residence in city's zoo

(Newser) - Eight giant pandas shaken by last month's earthquake made their first appearance at the Beijing Zoo yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reports. Huge crowds visited the pandas, who seemed none the worse for wear from the move, planned before the quake to coincide with the Olympics. The zoo expects daily...

Moscow Subway Is a K9 Kingdom
 Moscow Subway
 Is a K9 Kingdom 
May 20, 2008 12:47 PM CDT

Moscow Subway Is a K9 Kingdom

Stray dogs grow ever more comfortable with life in the capital

(Newser) - It's not only humans who get around the Russian capital by subway these days. Stray dogs are now a common sight on the Moscow metro, and, as the Wall Street Journal reports, their lives are pretty cushy. Muscovites are accustomed to seeing them lounging in stations, waiting for someone to...

Like eHarmony, Only for Kitties
 Like eHarmony, Only for Kitties 
May 17, 2008 6:09 AM CDT

Like eHarmony, Only for Kitties

Shelters using Feline-ality program to match cats to owners

(Newser) - There's no shortage of dating websites that use personality profiles to come up with "scores" and assess compatibility; now, the AP reports, animal shelters are using a similar program to help pair famously fickle felines with owners. Some 45 facilities use Feline-ality, which assigns cats colorful personality types: leader...

Wildlife Populations Plunging
 Wildlife Populations Plunging 
May 16, 2008 8:25 AM CDT

Wildlife Populations Plunging

One of 'great extinction episodes in history' unfolding: report

(Newser) - Humanity is rapidly wiping out the planet's species, sending wildlife populations plunging, the BBC reports. Pollution, habitat loss, and overfishing have cut wildlife numbers as much as a third since 1970 and wipe out 1% of species each year. One of the "great extinction episodes" in Earth's history also...

Organic Meat Is Climate Culprit

Livestock raised indoors is better for environment, reports say

(Newser) - The gas production, need for space, and food requirements required by organic and free-range livestock hurt the environment more than their traditional counterparts, the BBC reports. Organic poultry can heat the earth some 45% more than indoor poultry, one group said; and a UN division found that farm animals heat...

Canadian Town Split on Bear Birth Control

'Garbage bear' takes her cubs downtown for dinner

(Newser) - Plans to put a British Columbia bear on birth control have stirred up controversy in Whistler, reports the Victoria Times-Colonist. The wild bear, known as Jeanie, is a local celebrity who's been featured in a BBC documentary, but authorities say she is putting her life in danger by coming to...

As Currency, Dolphin Teeth Feel Recession's Bite

In South Pacific, Solomon Islands putting more stock in ancient trading chip

(Newser) - Spinner dolphins had better watch out—their pearly whites are again a fast-growing currency in the South Pacific, the Wall Street Journal reports. Economic troubles in the Solomon Islands have caused many to return to the traditional trading chip. “Dolphin teeth are like gold,” says the governor of...

Canada Declares Polar Bears 'At Risk'

Bears not quite endangered but still require protection

(Newser) - Canada has classified polar bears as a species of “special concern” requiring legislative protection, the BBC reports. While the panel of experts stopped short of declaring the bears endangered, it said that melting ice and hunting problems had put the bears in jeopardy. Canada is home to 15,000...

Penguin Takes the Plunge in a Wetsuit

Custom dive gear puts balding bird back in the swim

(Newser) - A wetsuit for a penguin might  sound as useful as a fur coat for a bear, but it was just the thing for an elderly penguin at San Francisco's Academy of Sciences who was losing his feathers, reports AP.  A suit designed by dive experts made it possible for...

Cop Saves Woman in Python's Death Grip

12-foot snake attacks pet shop owner

(Newser) - A cop and several firemen struggled to rescue an Oregon pet shop owner after she stuck her hand in a python's cage, the Eugene Register-Guard reports. Teresa Rossiter was showing off 12-foot Darla to customers when the snake bit her, wrapped around her, and knocked her down. A policeman came...

Cougar Killed on Chicago Street

Cops kill cougar after weekend-long hunt

(Newser) - The first cougar spotted in Chicago since the city's 19th-century founding ran loose around the Windy City over the weekend only to be shot dead last night in a North Side neighborhood by police officers who feared it was going to attack them, the Chicago Tribune reports. As the police...

Greenhouse Gases Destroying Koalas' Food

Extinction threat as eucalyptus becomes inedible

(Newser) - The koala and its marsupial cousins are in serious danger of extinction because greenhouse gases are rendering the eucalyptus leaves they rely on nutritionally worthless, reports the Australian. "What we're seeing is that the staple diet of these animals is being turned to leather," a professor said. "...

Kinky Octopus Sex Startles Scientists

Aquariums apparently don't put them in the mood

(Newser) - Octopuses are sexier in the wild than in the aquarium, report stunned researchers who snorkeled among the frisky cephalopods for several weeks in Indonesia. Some Abdopus aculeatus males employ deceit, mimicking females with their changeable colors and sneaking up on them from the reef bottom. Others jealously guard their mates,...

Kangaroo Cull Canceled
 Kangaroo Cull Canceled 
Apr 2, 2008 2:40 AM CDT

Kangaroo Cull Canceled

Hopping mad protesters win reprieve for Canberra 'roos

(Newser) - Hundreds of kangaroos living on a former Australian naval base have won a stay of execution, the Independent reports. Plans to cull the animals met with a public outcry, and protesters vowed to form a human shield to protect the 'roos. The animals have been grazing heavily on grassland at...

Thief Nabs Tiny Croc From Norway Aquarium

Dwarf caiman will chomp fingers, but not organs, says director

(Newser) - A thief has managed to walk out of a Norwegian aquarium with a croc stuffed in a bag, Reuters reports. The 2.3-foot long Schneider's dwarf caiman named "Taggen" was spirited away sometime over the weekend while the aquarium was busy. Police are investigating, and a $5,000 reward...

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