A weekly round-up of the most important animal stories happening around the world.
We are currently accepting feature pitches. Learn more →
Wildlife charity WWF “helping facilitate” trade in polar bear fur, reveals investigation
The NGO’s controversial stance on backing some forms of trophy hunting including the continued trade of polar bear fur has sparked surprise and outrage from supporters who say donations shouldn’t be used to fund animal exploitation.
Prawns have their eye stalks cut off whilst still alive to speed up breeding process, animal welfare groups warn as leading retailers reevaluate common seafood industry practises
Despite around 440 billion shrimps being farmed each year, the species has typically faced little-to-no animal welfare protection.
France will no longer ban “meaty” labels on plant-based foods
The country’s top court has ruled against government attempts to outlaw food companies from using terms like “steak” and “burger” on plant-based meat.
Paying extra for plant milks could be a thing of the past as Tim Hortons, Dutch Bros Coffee and Scooter's Coffee end surcharge following Starbucks' lead
As the popularity of oat, almond, and soy milk continues to soar, coffee chains across the US are making it free for customers to swap cow’s milk for plant milks.
President Trump is “declaring war” on wolves, grizzlies, and other imperiled wildlife with his nominee for Fish and Wildlife Service, warns leading conservation group
The nominee Brian Nesvik is described as having an “extreme record” on wildlife issues with a history of “anti-conservation” decisions.
The number of US dairy farms infected with bird flu has been underestimated, suggests new study from the CDC
Government testing reveals that livestock veterinarians have tested positive for the H5N1 virus despite working on farms that had no reported cases in cattle.
Why feeding seaweed to cows is not a solution, but a distraction
Seaweed is being hailed as a breakthrough solution to reduce methane emissions from cattle - but it doesn’t fix the environmental crisis caused by animal agriculture. Here’s why.
The future of food is now: world’s first cultivated pet food goes on sale
The UK’s largest retailer of pet supplies is now selling Meatly’s new ‘Chick Bites’, which have been cultivated from cells taken from a single chicken egg.
Vegan restaurant becomes first in UK to receive prestigious Michelin star
The award shows how plant-based food is continuing to become increasingly popular in the fine dining industry.
Victory: Wyoming bill that would allow ‘unlimited’ hunting of mountain lions is defeated
The controversial legislation aimed to replace the current science-based management of the species with unrestricted hunting including trapping.
Gorilla’s “untimely” death reignites animal welfare concerns at the San Francisco Zoo
The city’s own Animal Commission has already labeled the facility as “unsafe for visitors and animals” in a recent report.
Saved: foxes, raccoons and wolf-dogs among the hundreds of animals rescued from Ohio fur farm
The animals were kept in “filthy” wire cages with little-to-no protection from the cold weather, and many were emaciated and severely dehydrated.
India’s wild tiger population doubles within a decade as conservation efforts continue to offer hope for the species
The country now has the largest global population of tigers, with a new study confirming that areas of protected habitat have helped to successfully boost numbers.
Zoo elephants in US have no right to freedom as they are not “human,” says landmark legal ruling
The Colorado Supreme Court made the legal judgement during a case this week that called for five elephants held captive at a Colorado zoo to be retired to a sanctuary.
US man sentenced to 475 years for dog fighting
Authorities discovered over 100 dogs on the defendant’s property, along with numerous items associated with dog fighting including a treadmill designed for dogs and a breeding stand.
Over 200,000 ducks to be killed after bird flu outbreaks discovered at farms in New York and California
Bird flu is continuing to devastate populations of farmed animals in the US, as a new variant discovered this week raises further concern among scientists.
Calls for a ban on live animal mascots at US college sports games
The 2024/25 college sports season has “devolved into a chaotic circus” campaigners say, as a tiger and longhorn steer have been brought into stadiums.
US to ban seafood imports tied to deadly bycatch of whales, dolphins, and other marine animals
Over half a million marine animals are caught and killed in fishing gear every year as unintentional “bycatch”.
Trump administration urged to cut cruel experiments funded by taxpayers
A reported $23 billion was “wasted” on government-approved animal tests last year.
Alaska set to resume gunning of bears and wolves from helicopters
Under the state’s plans, up to 80 percent of predators across a 20,000-acre range will be shot on sight.