Latest from Pets & Animals

Monster jellyfish stuns scientists

'Wow, this guy's a whopper,' said experts of a 1.5m monster jellyfish that washed up on a Hobart beach last month. So what does its sting feel like?

Kiwi's key to ancient seas

Research by an Otago University geology student has uncovered a strange pre-Ice Age world where primitive porpoises and baleen whales roamed the North Pacific alongside comparatively modern marine mammals.

Killer horse virus source likely to remain mystery

The Ministry for Primary Industries says it may never know the origin of a neurological strain of equine herpes which has so far killed seven thoroughbred horses.

Plastic bag kitten shocks SPCA

A 4-week-old kitten found in a tied up plastic bag at Whangarei's Mair Park has shocked the local SPCA which wants people to take unwanted animals to its drop-off boxes.

Horses die in stud herpes outbreak

A neurological strain of equine herpes has struck in New Zealand for the first time - killing six thoroughbred horses and infecting six others.

Bumblebees could fly over Mt Everest - study

The flight of the bumblebee - once thought to be aerodynamically impossible - has proven to be even more scientifically astounding than previously believed.

Camel contradictions in Bible

A new finding about the domestication of camels in Israel casts doubt on the historical accuracy of some Bible stories.

Bludgeoning calves okay if humanely done

It is not illegal to kill an animal in New Zealand as long as it is done humanely, which includes bludgeoning bobby calves with hefty objects, Mid Canterbury SPCA inspector John Keeley says.

Pomeranian pack rescued

A carload of Pomeranian dogs is among almost 200 emergency calls about animals and children locked cars dealt with by the Automobile Association so far this summer.

Dog rescued from apartment fire

Slow down around mammals, boaties told

The death of a young bottlenose dolphin who was cut to the bone by a propeller in the Hauraki Gulf has prompted pleas for boat and jetski operators to slow down around marine mammals.

Cow shoot: Was it udderly necessary?

Several cows have been shot over fears a motorist could be injured or killed in a collision with one of the wandering animals.

Auckland Zoo's new twins

Animal-lovers hoping to catch a glimpse of Auckland Zoo's brand new baby pandas should plan for a viewing date in March.

Cow farts spark explosion in Germany

Flatulence from 90 cows in a German barn sparked a methane gas explosion that damaged the building and left one cow slightly injured with burns, police said.

Cadbury's new bar gives you a buzz

Cadbury has vowed to launch an investigation after a picture of a wasp embedded into one of its chocolate bars was posted on Twitter.

Whaling fleet factory ship boxed in

Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd says it has boxed in the Japanese whaling fleet's factory ship, effectively suspending whaling in the Southern Ocean.