Eat, Prey, Love: Let's Give Vultures Their Due

Baby rhinoceros rejected by its mother will be raised by humans

(NEWSER) - A rhinoceros born Sunday in Germany is poised to become that country’s next cute and cuddly animal sensation, Der Spiegel reports. The as yet unnamed baby rhino, already 128 pounds, will live at the zoo in the city of Münster and be raised by humans after its mother rejected it. The 18-year-old mother, Emmi, had killed two of her offspring previously, and was acting distraught during the birth. More»

(NEWSER) - Elephants in the wild live up to three times longer as those in zoos, a new study says. The six-year report by British and Canadian scientists is sure to fire up the debate between animal rights activists and zoos over the well-being of the animals. African and Asian elephants tend to die at ages 17 to 19 in zoos, while their counterparts in the wild live 42 to 56 years, the Telegraph reports. More»

Visitor to Hong Kong zoo captures attack on tape

(NEWSER) - A giant panda bit the left leg of a Hong Kong zookeeper while he was laying bamboo leaves in the animal's pen, reports the AP. The keeper was recovering well after the panda attack, which was partially captured and posted on YouTube by a zoo visitor. The panda—a male whose name, An An, means "peace"—arrived in Hong Kong in 1999 as a gift from the Chinese mainland. More»

Frightened bear bites man who scales wall at China zoo

(NEWSER) - A student who tried to hug a panda in China yesterday got some tough love instead, BBC reports. Officials say the man, 20, climbed into the pen of Yang Yang at the Qixing Park zoo to cuddle. But the frightened bear bit him on the arms and legs. "Yang Yang was so cute," the student said later. He underwent surgery and is expected to recover after a few days in hospital. More»

Volunteer entered lion-tiger hybrid's cage during feeding

(NEWSER) - An animal handler at an Oklahoma refuge died yesterday after being attacked by a liger—a hybrid of a lion and a tiger—during the animal’s feeding Wednesday, the Tulsa World reports. Safari’s Animal Sanctuary in suburban Broken Arrow will launch an investigation into whether volunteer Peter Getz, 32, broke safety protocols by opening the liger’s cage during feeding. More»