Latest fromPets & Animals

Names sought for zoo's capybara pups
Auckland Zoo needs your help to name two new arrivals - a pair of male capybara pups.

Twelve Questions with Apollo Taito
Apollo Taito is a sergeant in the NZ Army, an ambassador for animal rights organisation Safe and one of an estimated five Samoan vegans in the country.

Puppy found in bin hoping for a home
A petition has been set up in an attempt to find a loving family for this dumped dog.

Hideous dog takes home top prize
Chihuahua-Chinese Crested mix takes home world's ugliest dog honours in California competiton

Cat owners smarter than dog owners
Dog lovers might think cat owners often feel superior to them - and they might be barking up the right tree.

Where feathers, fur and scales come from
The current diversity of feathers, fur and scales is part of what made their origins so mystifying to scientists.

Future uncertain for pound pup Chip
An Auckland electrician who rescued a young pup out of a rubbish bin is disappointed to his good deed might end with it being put down.

Fiesta the llama keeps cool with leaf blower
A Texan zoo has found a creative way to keep a llama cool in temperatures of more than 40C.

Blood, threat and steers
A group of tourists had a lucky escape after crashing their car into a cow in Te Kuiti last week. The cow and the car were not so lucky.

Creating a wētā future
Under a full moon and clear skies on an unseasonably warm evening in late June, I am hiking across Otata Island in The Noises.

Watch: Auckland Zoo release hundreds of young giant Weta on Otata Island
Auckland Zoo hope that the release of hundreds of captive-bred young Wetapunga (Giant Weta) on Otata Island in the Hauraki Gulf will help the health of the islands forests.

NZ garden bird survey seeks helpers
Organisers of a nationwide survey are urging people to keep a sharp eye out for feathered visitors to their back gardens.

Meet latest weapon against child porn
A new detective has arrived. He is an altogether different species of investigator.

Rescued kitten motors off
Whangarei mechanic Michael Smith's job title usually doesn't include rescuing cats - but today was a different story.

How super sticky spit helps chameleons snag prey
Chameleon spit is 400 times more viscous than our saliva.

Woman totally chill with massive snake
When Trina Hibberd woke up Monday morning, she found herself in a living nightmare after discovering a five-metre python draped around her living room.

Jaguar shot during Olympic ceremony
An Amazon jaguar has been shot dead by the Brazilian army after participating as a 'mascot' for an Olympic torch ceremony.

Kiwis go mad for pet pics
New Zealanders have long been a nation of animal lovers, and now we're also a country that loves to post pictures of our pets online.

Watch: Dolphin pod rides waves in Australia
A large dolphin pod rides the waves at West Beach in Esperance, Western Australia. Source: Youtube / David Smith777

Little blue penguin nursed back to health
A little blue penguin found lethargic and emaciated at Moa Pt in Wellington has been returned to the wild after Wellington Zoo staff nursed it back to health.

Banned owner puts deposit down on puppy
Jennifer Layton was disqualified by the council of owning a dog for five years from October 2013, but after a third appeal that time has been halved.

Shark dies as tourists take selfies
Shocking footage has emerged of a shark being dragged out of the water so a group of tourists could take photographs with it.

Woman attacked by bear while running a marathon
The woman who was attacked by a bear suffered several bites and scratches and had injuries to her head, neck and upper body.

Elephant survives bullet to the head
The male elephant, nicknamed Pretty Boy, is believed to be about 25 and is the latest casualty of poachers supplying the ivory trade.

Top 5: Tips for your overweight cat
It's not just humans who battle weight issues - our dogs, cats and other pets all run the risk of obesity too.

Is enslavement worth the entertainment?
Research has long shown that animals suffer psychological damage in captivity, yet we've always found a way to justify confining them to tanks and cages.

Mum pulls son's head from cougar's jaws
The woman discovered the animal on her 5-year-old son in their Colorado back yard.

Is there anybody out there?
It's morning in the Murchison, a desolate, sunbaked corner of the midwest of Western Australia, and a trio of wedge-tailed eagles are circling.

Future of zoo's elephant calf uncertain
Melbourne Zoo's newborn elephant cannot stand, which leaves her future uncertain.