Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others

I've killed birds by suctioning their brains, and I’ve sacrificed the lives of tiny kittens. I’ve withheld water from a live macaque. But in all the time I spent in graduate school for neurobiology, the most diabolical procedure that I performed in the name of scientific research—the one that haunts me still—was my very first: the perfusion of a mouse.

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Nine Animals That Vanished During Our Lifetime

From a Maine man delivering a baby porcupine on the road to Indian villagers pulling up a 400-pound lion that had stumbled down a well, many humans came through for wildlife in 2014. (Bless the Internet for making these heroic actions available for our viewing pleasure.) But besides the awe-inspiring videos also came dire reports about the state of animals.  Bees continued to die by the millions, thanks to decades of pesticide use. The number of poachers targeting giraffes—not just elephants—climbed. The World Wildlife Fund reported in September that the planet has lost 53 percent of its mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and fish since 1970.

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We're The Reason World Has Lost Half of Its Wildlife

The world’s population of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish has plummeted 53 percent since 1970, according to a World Wildlife Fund report released on Tuesday.  “Population sizes of vertebrate species have halved over the last 40 years,” the report said. “The state of the world’s biodiversity appears worse than ever.” During the same time, the world's human population has doubled, it noted.  The study used a Living Planet Index to measure more than 10,000 populations of the world’s vertebrates.

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10 Remarkable Arctic Birds

The warmest month in the Arctic Circle still means temperatures below 50 degrees. But that doesn’t deter about 200 species of Arctic birds from making the northernmost part of the Earth their home for at least part of the year.

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Baboons aren't the only clever animals

French researchers reported this week that they had trained six baboons to read — or at least to scan a string of four letters and determine when they form a word and when they don’t.  The experiment, which was reported Thursday in the journal Science, cements baboons’ place among an ever-growing menagerie of clever animals.

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Sparrows Change Their Tune To Be Heard In Noisy Cities

Sparrows in San Francisco's Presidio district changed their tune to soar above the increasing cacophony of car horns and engine rumbles, details new Mason research in the April edition of Animal Behaviour.

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Video: Puppy Bowl 2012: Kittens, Pigs And Birds Play Supporting Roles

What do puppies, piggies and birds that use Twitter have in common? They're all going to be a part of the Puppy Bowl, a Super Bowl alternative which celebrates cuteness over gridiron prowess. With Super Bowl XLVI barely a week away, some fans are already asking, "Are you ready for some football?" If you aren't, then get ready for some puppies. Puppy Bowl VIII, which will air on Super Bowl Sunday on Animal Planet, is the cutest bowl you've seen since, well, Puppy Bowl VII.

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Video: Crow 'Snowboards' On Snowy Rooftop In Russia

It seems snowboarding isn't just for humans anymore. Turns out birds know how to have some winter fun, too. In this astonishing footage posted on YouTube byRussia Today, a crow climbs on a round disc and slides down a rooftop in Russia. After a solid first run, the bird's second attempt is somewhat disappointing. But without delay, the crow clutches the "board" and tries again.

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San Francisco Explores Bird Safe Buildings

Legislation in San Francisco designed to prevent birds from deadly accidents involving high-rise windows has passed a Board of Supervisors committee and will be presented to the full board.

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6 Things Animals Do Just Like Us

Being a human is a pretty sweet gig, all things considered. We've got opposable thumbs so dexterous they could start their own Cirque du Soleil troupe and brains so ripped our skulls can barely contain them. But before you grab your dog and give him a triumphant "IN YOUR (FAITHFUL, ADORABLE) FACE!" you should know that some of the traits and behaviors that make us human are also demonstrated by other animals. Animals that apparently think they're people.

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