Latest fromPets & Animals

'Extinct' bird could still be alive
A claimed sighting of the South Island kokako, a bird declared extinct six years ago, has fuelled hopes the species could still be alive.

Zoo tiger attacks man, puncturing his neck
A man has been attacked by a tiger at a Queensland zoo.

Franklin Zoo elephant finds new home in San Diego
The Auckland elephant that killed its keeper has found a new home at San Diego Zoo.

'Lord's soldier' fights to keep his snakes
As beads of sweat slithered down his temples, Andrew Hamblin stared in wide-eyed wonder at the 1m timber rattlesnake he had thrust towards his congregation.

Kerre McIvor: Shooter of farmed wildlife fails sporting test
When Melissa Bachman posted a photo of herself posing with an assault rifle and a very dead lion, she must have known she was being deliberately provocative.

Where to find a kiwi
Our national bird may be shy and retiring, but here's a handful of places where you might be able to get close to them.

NZ possum population explodes
The DoC could be facing one of its worst possum infestations in decades, partly because workers who helped with pest control were sent to fight bushfires in Australia.

Game Animal Council to keep eye on herds and hunting
A new Game Animal Council is to be set up to take a leading role in the management of game animals - deer, tahr, chamois and wild pigs.

Ngala's visit to the dentist
Auckland Zoo's 11-year-old African Lion, Ngala undergoes a root canal on a tooth at Auckland Zoo.

Elephant v croc: Trunk and disorderly
An over-ambitious crocodile gave a thirsty elephant an unwanted surprise at a Zambian national park.

Pet dog attacks SPCA volunteer
The SPCA is reviewing its procedures around dogs after a volunteer was mauled by a "family" dog that had shown no hint of aggression until it attacked.

Otter-ly absorbed in Southland
Lloyd Esler describes himself as a "cold hard sceptic", but even he is starting to believe otters may have made themselves at home in Southland.

Eat horse meat says Princess
Princess Anne has suggested people in Britain should consider eating horse meat as it would help to improve the welfare of the animals.

Man's best friend & employee
Dogs may be man's best friend but, on many New Zealand farms, they are also often their best employees.

Kea joins list of threatened birds
Several of New Zealand's most cherished birds - among them the kea and two types of albatross - have been shifted to a more serious conservation status following a national survey.

Blue ducklings' first splash outside
Six fluffy blue ducklings will take their first outing, to an outside pool, for the first time this afternoon.

Dog suffers due to cheap collar
'Clearly this is not rocket science.' The SPCA is shocked by an Otara woman's cruelty in neglecting to change her dog's collar, causing it a serious neck wound.

Dog locked in kennel chews off own foot
A farmer has been convicted of ill-treating an animal after his dogs were locked in filthy kennels so long one chewed off its own foot.

Shark finning banned in NZ waters
Shark finning will be banned in New Zealand waters under a government proposal announced today.

SPCA clips wings of bird scheme
The SPCA has clipped the wings of a programme that looked after injured birds.

A dog in the bush is worth a copter
A runaway police dog named Zinny sparked an all-out search this week after bolting from a handler during a comfort stop.

A barking mad rule
Sequoia the dog is classified as a menace to the community, though she has done nothing wrong.

The eagle has landed?
A giant wedge-tailed eagle has reportedly been blown off course from Australia and taken up residence on a coast west of Auckland.

Polar bear researchers to try crowdsourcing
Researchers studying the effects of climate change on polar bears are experimenting with the idea of crowdsourcing data as improving technology allows anybody with an internet connection to monitor the animals' annual migration in Canada.

SPCA releases 2013 List of Shame
Black swans run over by a boat, a pet sheep bashed and set on fire, and fowl found stuffed in a chest of drawers have topped the SPCA's 2013 List of Shame.