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The latest news, analysis and opinion on Animals. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Horse oil has been used for centuries to treat burned and chapped skin, and later as a beauty product. Photo: Shutterstock
Beauty

Explainer | What is horse oil and why is it a popular skin treatment in East Asia?

Horse oil is said to intensely hydrate skin, fortify hair, and diminish the appearance of wrinkles, but research is lacking on such claims.

Japan

Bear aware: Japanese drone school develops AI system to track animals

Chinese culture

‘I have witnessed magic’: how horses help Hong Kong people with disabilities

Indonesia

Indonesian elephants tasked to help in flood recovery spur conservation debate

The four elephants deployed to lift debris in Aceh last week after flooding were also involved in the 2004 post-tsunami recovery efforts.

Sumatran elephants deployed to help clear tree debris last week following flash floods in Meureudu, Pidie Jaya district, Aceh province, Indonesia. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Editorial | Tai Po pet rescues put Hong Kong’s compassion on show

Hong Kong’s efforts to save pets at a time of such heartbreak are a sign of the city’s care and compassion.

France

French farmers spray manure, block roads over cow ‘mass slaughter’ policy

Farmers in southern France are incensed by the government’s mandatory slaughter of herds to contain ‘lumpy skin disease’.

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Chinese culture

5 of the best-known horses in Chinese legend, from the Red Hare to qilin

Horses play a fascinating role in Chinese folklore, ranging from the downright disturbing – one kidnaps a girl – to the gently auspicious.

Warlord Lu Bu and his famous horse Red Hare are depicted in the 2013 video game Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends.
Art

Famous horse-related works of art as the Year of the Horse 2026 approaches

To celebrate the nearing Year of the Fire Horse, we look at paintings, books and plays that show how the use of horses in art has evolved.

Trending in China

Chinese woman with social anxiety feeds 120 stray cats with banquet leftovers

Woman has participated in wedding banquets about every 10 days in past 3 years, sometimes bringing home 30kg of untouched leftover food.

The Philippines

Brutal dog killing in Philippines sparks outrage, calls for tougher protections

Viral footage of Axle the dog’s shocking death has galvanised the country’s animal activists to demand harsh legal repercussions.

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A photo of Axle circulating on social media (left) and a screenshot from the viral video showing the moments before the dog was fatally beaten in Sadanga, Mountain Province. Photos: Handout
Indonesia

‘Could go extinct here’: orangutans at risk as Indonesia floods devastate habitat

Orangutans have disappeared since landslides struck Sipirok in North Sumatra province.

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A Tapanuli orangutan, and its young, hanging on a tree in Batang Toru, Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia in 2015. Photo: Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme/EPA-EFE
Indonesia

Meet ‘Rio’, the first giant panda cub born in Indonesia

The newborn is stable and showing healthy early signs such as strong vocalisation, effective nursing and steady weight gain.

Conservation

Florida kicks off first black bear hunt in a decade, despite outcry

The rifles and crossbows are out, after a limited 172 permits drew over 160,000 applications.

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Brazil

Teen mauled to death after climbing into lion enclosure at Brazil zoo

Authorities say 19-year-old Gerson de Melo Machado, who had mental health struggles, scaled a six-metre wall to enter the enclosure.

Viral videos of the attack showed zoo visitors watch in shock as the teen climbed down a tree into the enclosure. Photo: X @CPreparado
Science

United we stand: why mammals that band together may face lower cancer risks

In cooperative societies – like elephants or whales – natural selection seems to favour genetic mechanisms that suppress cancer, study says.

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Elephants, despite their massive size and long lifespans, have evolved powerful cancer defences in the form of 19 extra copies of the tumour-suppressor gene TP53. Photo: AFP
Spain

Suspected swine fever cases rise as Spain struggles to limit damage to exports

Two cases and 12 possible infections reported as the European Union’s top pork producer scrambles to limit economic impact.

Spain

Spain stops pork exports to China after African swine flu cases

Pork farms within a 20km radius of where two boar died, in the nation that is the EU’s leading pork producer, will face restrictions.

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Viral stories

Japan security guard’s bond with cat moves many; museum honours feline’s memory

Friendly feline made regular visits to play with venue guard; staff create calendar bearing photos of their interactions for posterity.

A special bond between a museum security guard in Japan and a black cat, who visited only when the guard was on duty, has caught the public’s attention. Photo: X.com
Pets

When did domestic cats arrive in Europe? Much later than previously thought

Domestic cats may have arrived in Europe 2,000 years ago via Roman trade routes, not with farmers in prehistoric times, a new study says.

Bird flu viruses

Bird flu could risk pandemic ‘worse than Covid’ if it mutates

French institute warns that a bird flu pandemic could be severe, and affect healthy people, including children.

Indonesia

‘Look for its benefits’: Jakarta’s dog meat lovers chew over how to stomach ban

‘The government should rethink the policy,’ a resident says, arguing fans might be forced to prey on stray dogs if the ban is enforced.

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A worker feeds rescued stray dogs at a shelter in Jakarta. Photo: AFP
Asia travel

Meet the quokka, the ‘world’s happiest animal’. Just don’t touch them, please

Famed for their perpetual smiles, quokkas are found on Australia’s Rottnest Island. But if you’re going there for a selfie, follow the rules.

A quokka smiles for the camera on Rottnest Island off Australia’s west coast. Learn more about the island’s cutest residents and how to be a responsible tourist. Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa
Donald Trump

This Thanksgiving, Trump pardons turkeys and roasts foes

The US president took aim at senior Democrats Schumer and Pelosi, predecessor Joe Biden and son Hunter, and Chicago’s J.B. Pritzker.

Indonesia

Jakarta bans dog and cat meat sales to curb rabies, in win for animal rights

Indonesia’s capital prohibits meat consumption of the animals, challenging a cultural delicacy and cheap protein source for some.

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India

Ambani zoo, India cleared of probe curbing endangered animal imports

Vantara, a 3,500-acre zoo in Gujarat run by the Ambani family, faced allegations of improper imports of some endangered animals.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Anant Ambani, son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, pose for a photograph after the inauguration of Vantara animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India, on March 4. Photo: Reuters
Canada

11 hurt as grizzly bear attacks students, teachers on Canadian walking trail

A male teacher was critically injured trying to fight off the ‘aggressive bear’, which remains on the loose.

A grizzly bear growls at the St-Felicien Wildlife Zoo in Quebec. Photo: Reuters
Science

When was the first kiss? Probably around 20 million years ago, scientists say

A new study suggests our primate ancestors were kissing - but how it emerged remains a subject of debate, as does why it persisted.

Japan

Video | Japan deploys barking drones to keep bears at bay

Bear sightings in Japan have jumped eight-fold compared to the previous year.

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