Animals
Farewell good boy, Sergeant Ridgleigh Blue III
animalsThe Australian Army has said goodbye to their much-loved retiring blue heeler mascot, who makes way for two-month-old pup Private Ridgley Blue IV
Getting to know the mysterious blue whale
animalsUsing a bright orange heart rate machine attached with suction cups, scientists have achieved the incredible feat of measuring, in the wild, the heart rate of the world’s biggest animal
Treasure trove of Ancient Egyptian animal mummies
historyMummified crocodiles, a mongoose, birds, cats and lion cubs are among an incredible discovery uncovered by archaeologists at Egypt’s “City of the Dead”
Latest
Banning dogs makes Aussies barking mad
In our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight explains why banning dogs in Aussie pubs and bars is a backward step and a chance to draw a bar full of dogs to make his point
Get ready for a jellyfish boom!
Jellyfish populations are booming and blooming all over the world. We asked a jellyfish expert to share 10 fascinating facts to know before you head to the beach or aquarium this summer
Posties using whistles to keep dogs away
As posties get busy delivering millions of presents for Christmas, Australia Post is considering giving out hi-tech whistles to help keep staff safe from overly enthusiastic and unsafe dogs
Narwhal the Little Magical Furry Unicorn
UPDATE An abandoned puppy with a tail on his head is being called a “magical unicorn”. He will continue to live with the rescue group and he’s not having the tail removed any time soon as being different is okay
Koala Anwen’s lucky-unlucky day
With bandaged paws, singed ears and scorched fur, Anwen is one very lucky koala, receiving good care and on the mend after her home was burned in bushfires
Alive! Creature thought extinct found
A tiny, deer-like creature that “seemingly only existed as part of our imagination” has been found in a forest almost 30 years after the last official sighting
‘Missing link’ between apes and humans
The bones of an ape-like species that walked on two legs and lived 12 million years ago have been discovered in Germany and experts think it could be the ‘missing link’ between apes and humans
An Aussie Cup win … I’ll drink to that!
In our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight explains why he added an Aussie tradition to his Melbourne Cup drawing after local horse Vow and Declare finished first past the post
Aussie Vow and Declare wins 2019 Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is coming home to Australia after local horse Vow and Declare, ridden by jockey Craig Williams, finishes first in a tight contest at Flemington Racecourse
How Archer won the first Melbourne Cup
Archer was a big horse with a funny running style and a habit of hanging his tongue out. But in 1861, no horse was better than the NSW import when he took home the very first Melbourne Cup
Love animals? Here’s what a zookeeper does in a day
Danielle Ridgway has only been a zookeeper for just over a year but she has already coached a lazy, cheating cheetah to sprint and worked towards saving critically endangered native species
Abuse of ex-racehorses is a crying shame
In our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight explains his moving cartoon about the cruel abuse of ex-racehorses and why it’s a topic he feels deeply saddened by
Quick steps for world’s fastest ant
Scientists have found the fastest ant in the world — the Saharan silver — which takes 47 steps a second to cover about 90cm, the equivalent of a human running 579kmh
Mysterious creature called The Blob unveiled
A Paris zoo has unveiled a mysterious new organism, nicknamed The Blob, that looks like a fungus, acts like an animal, eats porridge, can move and can heal itself if cut in half
The most amazing wildlife photos of the year
A gripping action shot that captures “the perfect moment” between a Tibetan fox and a marmot has won its photographer the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Meet a champion racehorse and his best friend
It’s a lot of work to ready a horse for Australia’s richest race, The Everest. We explore the special bond between two-time winner Redzel and his strapper ahead of his attempt to win again
Mystery of the 7m python skin in the park
Wildlife officials believe a giant python skin may have been smuggled into Australia after it was found in a Queensland park, while in NSW the search is on for a boa constrictor on the loose
Protesting extinction is as old as the dinosaurs
In our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight looks at the Extinction Rebellion protests in Australia and around the world and wonders what the dinosaurs would have thought
Rare orange monkey born at Australian zoo
One of the world’s rarest and most endangered monkeys has been born in Australia. The baby’s distinctive bright orange hair is making him a standout at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo
Fossilised ‘Iron Dragon’ found in the outback
The fossilised bones of a winged reptile — nicknamed the Iron Dragon — which flew above Queensland during the age of dinosaurs has been uncovered in the outback
Colourful dreams of a sleeping octopus
Filmmakers have recorded the dramatic colour changes of a sleeping octopus, suggesting it is dreaming about preying on a crab, catching it and then settling down to eat it
Rare polka-dot zebra foal spotted
There’s a saying that a tiger never changes its stripes but it seems zebras can — a dotted zebra foal has been photographed for the first time at Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya
Where have all the Bogong moths gone?
Critically endangered mountain pygmy-possums need your help to solve the mystery of the missing Bogong moths that have disappeared somewhere between Queensland and Victoria
Hide and seek with giggling rats
If you see a rat disappearing around a corner one day, try not to freak out — scientists have discovered it may just want to play and could even be laughing at the fun of it all
Shock find: superpowered Amazon eel
For more than 250 years, we thought there was only one species of electric eel on Earth. Scientists have discovered two more species, one of which can shock its prey with 860 volts
Double cuddle: twin panda cubs born
Meng Meng placed the pink panda cub gently on her belly and warmed it lovingly with her big paws, warm breath and the soft fur of her cheeks. An hour later, its twin was born
Teaching bees to save lives
Honeybees are being trained to do jobs too dangerous for humans and too difficult for sniffer dogs, detecting the smell of bombs and chemicals and helping test for life-threatening radioactivity
Innocent victims of the Amazon fires
In our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight explains why he used the faces of innocent animals to measure the destruction of the Amazon fires
Baby hope for last northern white rhinos
Seven eggs from the world’s last two northern white rhinos have been successfully fertilised artificially, giving hope for a future baby rhino that could save the species from extinction
Move to add giraffes to endangered list
World nations have called for giraffes to be added to the endangered species list as numbers in the wild continue to drop because of loss of habitat, drought and hunting
New, much older stegosaurus species found
Fossil hunters have found a new species of the ferocious-looking, armour-plated stegosaurus, much older than previous finds and in a location that could lead palaeontologists to rewrite history
Mountain lion gets world’s biggest wildlife bridge
A famous Hollywood mountain lion is about to get a $128 million bridge to cross a freeway. And though he’s unlikely to cross it, it could help save his and many other species from extinction
Human-sized extinct penguin found
A citizen scientist has found fossilised bones from an extinct penguin that was the size of an adult human and swam in the ocean around New Zealand about 60 million years ago
512-year-old shark is oldest living vertebrate
Scientists believe they have found the world’s oldest living vertebrate, a massive Greenland shark estimated to be up to 512 years old and described as a living time capsule
Meet the minibeasts crawling all over Earth
Microscopic tardigrades made the news for crash-landing on the Moon. Earth is teeming with other tiny creatures just as fascinating. Here are a few you won’t be able to stop looking at
Herd of Earth’s toughest animals left on Moon
Thousands of cuddly looking animals called tardigrades — sometimes called “moss pigs” or “water bears” — have been left on the Moon by a lunar lander that crashed on impact
Giant parrot nicknamed ‘Squawkzilla’ found
Australian palaeontologists have discovered a toddler-sized parrot so tall it could poke an adult in the belly button and at least twice as big as the largest parrot alive today
Counting penguins and trying not to get blown away
The wind is ferocious and the temperature hovers close to zero, but Andrea Turbett has only warm words to describe her job on the remote, sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island as Australia's southernmost ranger
Meet Tallow, Australia’s cutest koala joey
A tiny, wide-eyed koala has been named Australia’s cutest koala joey. And now she’s out of her mother’s pouch, her important work as an ambassador for her species’ conservation really begins
First known case of dolphin adopting whale calf
In a real-life version of the fairytale “The Ugly Duckling”, scientists have filmed a three-year relationship between a bottlenose dolphin mum and its adopted orphan whale calf
Humpback whale spits out very lucky sea lion
Humpback whales hunt with their mouths wide open and this one accidentally got a mouthful of sea lion. Fortunately for both animals, the whale noticed and set the sea lion free
World-record 19 dalmatian pups born in Australia
It’s not quite 101 dalmatians like in the Disney movie, but a litter of 19 spotty pups born in Australia has set a new world record for the breed
Great photos of animals interrupting humans’ sports
There are 7.7 billion humans on Earth but many, many more animals of other species, so it's no wonder animals sometimes interrupt humans’ sports matches. And that can make for a great photo
Fighting extinction with world’s longest cat fence
Thirty endangered rufous hare-wallabies have been released in Australia’s Central Desert into a sanctuary created as part of a project building the world’s longest cat-proof fence
Incredible fluther of human-size jellyfish
Big, beautiful barrel jellyfish in their hundreds are lurking off the UK coast and washing up on beaches. Marine experts say they have seen more in a week than in the past 15 years
Hurt manta ray begs Aussie snorkeller for help
In an amazing moment between man and beast, an injured manta ray has recognised an Aussie snorkeller and begged him for help to remove three fishing hooks from beneath her eye
Lions battle to become king of the pride
With teeth gnashing and muscles rippling, two big Maasai lions wrestle in a dramatic fight for supremacy captured in a sequence of incredible images in Africa
Giant squid attacks fake jellyfish near midnight zone
A terrifying looking creature with one massive eye, three hearts, blue blood and moving by jet propulsion has been filmed lurking deep underwater in complete darkness
Massive Australian spider eats a whole possum
If you hate spiders, don’t click on this. But if you’re fascinated by Australia’s enormous creepy crawly carnivorous predators, then this is definitely a Kids News story for you
Humans can’t resist those sad, puppy dog eyes
New research shows dogs have special muscles above their eyes that have developed over thousands of years of humans domesticating dogs. Wolves can’t make the same sad-eye face
World’s knitters send jumpers for Aussie lambs
In an incredible, global expression of compassion for Australian farmers and their sheep battling drought, knitters have knitted thousands of tiny, colourful woolly jumpers for lambs
Hairy, scary, frozen Ice Age wolf head found
The head of a giant wolf that would have roamed the land alongside woolly mammoths has been found in Siberia, complete with perfectly preserved brain, shaggy hair and fierce teeth
City bans big pig from walking streets
Grunt is a local star but that hasn’t stopped the council from banning the pig from walking on a lead like a dog would around the streets where he lives
The mystery of the ‘monster’s’ invisible teeth
Scientists have solved the mystery of the invisible teeth of the monstrous, ferocious, glow-in-the-dark dragonfish that lives in the dark in the deepest parts of the ocean
Entire herd of dinosaurs found in Australia
Scientists have been stunned after an entire herd of 100-million-year-old dinosaurs was discovered in Lightning Ridge in outback Australia
Where is Migaloo, the famous white whale?
As whale watching season begins in Australia, everyone is on the lookout for a very special white humpback whale who has been cruising the east coast every year for up to 30 years
Incredible nature photos are a call to action
It’s a photography contest that aims to inspire the viewer to protect life on Earth and the winning entries are nothing short of breathtaking
Australian-first dolphin happiness study
Bucky, Calamity, Bella, Zippy and Jet the dolphins are the subjects of an Australian-first study to discover if they are happier in their pool or in a sea pen
Baby giraffe’s special new shoes
Hasani was born with wonky back legs, so everyone at his zoo worked together to make a pair of strong shoes to help the giraffe walk until he’s as good as new
New laws to protect animals’ feelings
The ACT could become the first state or territory of Australia to recognise in law that animals have feelings and that humans should care for their physical and mental wellbeing
Zoo poo test puts glitter in kitty litter
Big cat keepers are feeding lions glitter. But it’s not because anyone is having a party. It’s a safe and stress-free way to check a lion’s poo and their health
Mysterious ‘Yeti’ footprints found in Himalayas
Soldiers on an expedition in Nepal have found and photographed large footprints in the snow they believed to belong to the Yeti, or abominable snowman
Antarctica’s emperor penguins go missing
Scientists thought Antarctica’s Halley Bay would be a refuge from global warming for emperor penguins, but many breeding pairs are already missing
Baby koala saved in world-first operation
Hermit the joey koala has been saved by a vet and a surrogate koala mother named Crumble in a daring medical procedure at an Australian wildlife sanctuary
Taking selfies with endangered mountain gorillas
Anti-poaching rangers have shared a series of incredible and heartwarming snaps posing and relaxing with the magnificent gorillas they risk their lives to protect
Ancient four-legged whale walked on land
Scientists have uncovered fossils of an ancient four-legged whale that walked on land and swam in the sea 43 million year ago
Australia’s surprising supermum skink
Scientists have called a three-toed skink one of the weirdest lizards in the world after watching it lay eggs and then give birth to a baby, all in one litter
The massive mako shark mystery
An Australian fisherman pulled in what he thought was an enormous shark, only to find it was just the head. His gruesome discovery has intrigued the world
World’s biggest T-rex unearthed
A massive, fierce dinosaur nicknamed Scotty has been dug from sandstone. Its leg bones are so big it is thought to have weighed 8800kg when it roamed the Earth
Kookaburra named Thunder for sale in US
An Australian woman has found a lone kookaburra for sale in a cage in a US pet shop. Unfortunately, she’s not allowed to bring it home to its native habitat
Weird, wacky, wonderful nature photos
We’ve compiled an incredible collection of photographs of creatures big and small interacting with the world in amazing ways. Which photo do you like best?
Big win in fight against extinction
A heat lamp, a feather duster and lots of expert care has helped nine precious plains-wanderer chicks hatch and thrive, an important species-saving step
Rare albino penguin comes out to play
A rare albino penguin has made its first public appearance at a Polish zoo. Normally other penguins reject albinos, but this bird is feeling the love from its parents and two special friends
Incredible video of snake eating snake
An Australian woman has filmed extraordinary video of a fight to the death of two snakes of different species, with one getting a big meal for its efforts
Big fish catches fishermen by surprise
A group of friends thought they saw a massive rock on the sand, but we now know it was an ocean sunfish, one of the world’s biggest fish and very rare in these waters
New wallaby-sized Australian dinosaur found
Millions of years before wallabies, a wallaby-sized dinosaur was running around a long-vanished valley between the continents we call Australia and Antarctica
Three disco-dancing peacock spiders found
An Australian citizen scientist has discovered three beautiful new species of disco-dancing peacock spiders. Arachnophobes needn’t worry: they’re the size of a grain of rice
Diver trapped in whale’s mouth … and lives
Rainer Schimpf didn’t realise he’d been swallowed by a 15m whale until everything went black. Luckily, it didn’t like the taste of him and spat him out. This is his amazing survival story
Researchers find dingoes are not dogs
Researchers from several Australian universities have determined the dingo is not a dog but a unique native species of its own
Saddest elephant in the world dies
She was the face of animal rights campaigns and suffered from depression, and now, Flavia the elephant has died after being kept on her own for 43 years in a Spanish zoo
Scientists find giant bee thought to be extinct
Scientists have rediscovered a giant bee, nicknamed the ‘flying bulldog’, on a remote Indonesian island after thinking it had been extinct for 30 years
Whale found in Amazon jungle
Scientists have rushed to examine an 8m humpback whale found in thick mangroves in the Amazon jungle, a long way from its natural habitat
Scientists discover why zebras have stripes
It’s a question everyone asks — why do zebras have black-and-white stripes? Now scientists have found the answer and it’s all about blood-sucking insects and protection from diseases
Rare baby otters pass first test
Three rare otter pups have passed their first hands-on health checks by vets at Perth Zoo, a big milestone in the international program to save the species from extinction
Pandas may have to leave Australia
Adelaide Zoo’s giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni have failed to have a baby panda and will be sent back to China unless the Australian government steps in
Huge dinosaur tracks found in Queensland
Detailed sauropod, ornithopod and theropod tracks 95 million years old have been discovered in a Queensland creekbed and will soon be safe from floods and on show to the public
Our insects are in big trouble
The first major review of insect research has revealed the world’s insect populations are disappearing much faster than mammals, birds and reptiles
Bees know how to do basic maths
An Australian study has found that despite having tiny brains, bees can learn to add and subtract
Murray cod to be trucked to safety
After pictures of millions of dead fish shocked the world, the NSW government has begun a bold plan to catch trapped Darling River fish and truck them downstream
Horse trainer Darren Weir gets 4-year ban
Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Darren Weir has been banned from training racehorses for 4 years after he was found with electronic devices linked to animal cruelty and cheating
Little mammals our bushfire heroes
A new study of Tasmania’s forests found that the many small native animals that live there have a vital role to play in reducing the impact of bushfires
Drones to collect Antarctic whale poo
Scientists want to know whether the shape of massive Antarctic krill swarms affect how whales eat, poo and fertilise the ocean. Luckily, drones will do the dirty work
World’s rarest shark spotted by fishermen
One of the world’s rarest sharks, the flat-bodied angel shark, has been spotted off the coast of Wales by a group of fishermen
Honour for shark victim turned shark saviour
Lifetime award given to shark victim turned shark saviour Rodney Fox, who overcame his fear of the ocean predators after almost dying in a vicious attack
Beware tiny creatures hiding in seashells
After a day of building sandcastles and collecting shells on a Western Australian beach a young girl unknowingly took home a very dangerous creature
Last Galapagos tortoise helping humans
Lonesome George was known as the rarest creature in the world, the last of his kind. But even after his death, the tortoise could hold the key to a long and healthy life for humans
“Holy Cow!” story goes viral
Giant Australian steer Knickers is so big his story has gone viral around the world. Back on the farm, Knickers is just getting on with his job of coaching his herd of 20,000 much smaller bovines
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