Local veterinarian offers tips to protect pets from fireworks and holiday hazards
With the Fourth of July just days away, many families are getting ready for fireworks, cookouts, and celebrations. While the holiday brings excitement for…
Animals
Two humpback whales set records swimming between Australia and Brazil
By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have spotted two humpback whales that made separate, record-breaking crossings between Australia and Brazil. The whales were identified by their distinctive tail markings at the two locations about 9,000 miles (14,500 kilometers) apart. They traveled in…
Owl found stuck in a concrete mixer is on the mend and flying free
By THOMAS PEIPERT An adolescent owl that was found stuck in a concrete mixer in southwestern Utah is finally on the mend, flying free and maybe a bit wiser from the ordeal. The great horned owl somehow made his way into the…
Sea otters unable to return to the wild form a mother-daughter bond in Aquarium’s surrogacy program
By JOHN DONEGAN/Long Beach Post Before last month, a young southern sea otter named Rey would never have imagined she’d be a mother. That changed when she met Sunny, a pup — about two weeks old — found orphaned and alone…
Critically endangered antelopes return to Kenya from Czech zoo
By EVELYNE MUSAMBI NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Four critically endangered mountain bongos arrived in Kenya on their way to their native forests after years in the care of a zoo in the Czech Republic. Bongos, rare antelopes known for their striking…
Sickness, cold killed nearly 30 sloths at a Florida import warehouse in 2024 and 2025
By TODD RICHMOND Disease and cold temperatures killed nearly 30 sloths at a Florida animal import warehouse in 2024 and 2025, according to a report from state wildlife authorities. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation inspection report from August found that…
Farmers in Vermont expected a sheep to have twins. She ended up having rare sextuplets
By AMANDA SWINHART and PATRICK WHITTLE UNDERHILL, Vt. (AP) — Anne O’Connor just kept counting sheep, and it made her anything but sleepy. A sheep owned by O’Connor, who runs Clover & Bee Farm in Underhill, Vermont, with her husband, Gunnar, gave birth…
Meet the baby koala hiding in its mom’s pouch at a Florida zoo’s new Outback habitat
By CODY JACKSON and FREIDA FRISARO WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A zoo in Florida has two reasons to celebrate — the first birth of a koala and a newly renovated habitat for the cuddly creatures is opening to the public on…
City of Diamondhead opens new dog park
DIAMONDHEAD, Miss. (WXXV)- Dog owners in Diamondhead have a new place for their four-legged friends to run and play. The ribbon was cut Saturday on the new city dog…
World’s oldest known tortoise still very much alive despite rumor to the contrary
By BRIAN MELLEY LONDON (AP) — Reports on April Fools’ Day of the death of the world’s oldest living land animal — a 193-year-old tortoise called Jonathan — were greatly exaggerated. Jonathan is still kicking — albeit slowly — on the island of St.…
A real possum appears among plush toy animals in Australian airport gift shop
By ROD MCGUIRK MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — On shelves crammed with cuddly toy native animals in an Australian airport gift shop, one fluffy possum stood out: Its big brown eyes were moving. A browsing passenger first spotted a living Australian brushtail…
French bulldog frenzy may be cooling in US, but dachshunds are riding high
By JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — Americans still dig French bulldogs, retrievers and German shepherds. But dachshunds are increasingly hot dogs. For the first time in over two decades, the sausage-shaped hounds were among the top five most prevalent dog breeds,…
Oldest known whale recording could unlock mysteries of the ocean
By PATRICK WHITTLE PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A haunting whale song discovered on decades-old audio equipment could open up a new understanding of how the huge animals communicate, according to researchers who say it’s the oldest such recording known. The song is that of…
A red fox stows away on a cargo ship, traveling from England to the US
NEW YORK (AP) — This stowaway truly was sly as a fox. A red fox somehow slipped onto a cargo ship that traveled from Southampton, England, to New York, where the animal is now in the Bronx Zoo’s care. The zoo said…
Otters enjoy a snow day in Maryland during winter storm
BALTIMORE (AP) — A pair of otters slid into their week with an early morning romp in the snow at Baltimore’s National Aquarium. Security cameras captured the fun around 7 a.m. at the aquarium, which described the otters as “rolling,…
Eleven puppies rescued near Sam’s Club
A heartwarming rescue story out of Harrison County where much work went into rescuing eleven puppies. The elusive mama dog at Sam’s Club hid her puppies under a house in…
Puppies rescued from flood-stricken Texas arrive at Chicago shelter
By CHRISTINE FERNANDO Updated 1:57 PM CDT, July 17, 2025 CHICAGO (AP) — Nine puppies from parts of Texas submerged by catastrophic flooding that killed at least 132 people arrived Wednesday at the no-kill shelter PAWS Chicago, joining dozens of puppies that had already arrived. The…
Keeping animals of all sizes, from cats to horses, cool during record heat
By DAVID FISCHER Updated 7:35 AM CDT, July 17, 2025 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — With record temperatures hitting the U.S., pet owners have to protect their four-legged family members from dangers like heat stroke and dehydration. But keeping an animal the…
Long Beach firefighter rescues osprey from speaker
LONG BEACH, Miss. (WXXV)- The Long Beach Fire Department performed a rescue, but not one you might expect. Firefighter Brian Sumrall responded to an osprey needing help at the…
Animal Control Appreciation Week: Meet Gulfport Police's Gary Reagan
GULFPORT, Miss. (WXXV) - This week is Animal Control Appreciation Week, and in the City of Gulfport, one animal control officer goes above and beyond. Gary Reagan is accepting an award for…
Last 4 escaped monkeys are captured in South Carolina after months on the loose
YEMASSEE, S.C. (AP) — Authorities in South Carolina said Friday the last four of 43 escaped monkeys have been recaptured after two months living in the woods, weathering a rare snowstorm and being temped back into captivity by peanut butter and jelly…
Humane Society aims to alleviate overcrowding as the New Year approaches
Coming out of the holiday season, the Humane Society of South Mississippi, like many shelters across Mississippi, is dealing with overcrowding. From December 31st until January 4th, they…
Zoo Atlanta’s last 4 pandas are leaving for China
ATLANTA (AP) — Zoo Atlanta’s last four giant pandas will be moved to China next month, as its 25-year agreement with the country comes to an end. “While Zoo Atlanta will certainly miss Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun, and…
Pascagoula police officer catches chicken
Why did the chicken cross the road? Because Officer Waits was chasing him! Pascagoula Police Department shared this on their Facebook Page: “After a brief foot pursuit Officer Waits was able…