Animals
News and essential information regarding animals.
Mutilation ban and microchips: The new EU laws around cat and dog welfare
Compulsory microchips as well as bans on ear-cropping and tail-docking are among a set of new rules to protect cats and dogs that have been approved by European lawmakers.
IN PHOTOS: Animals at Berlin Zoo get a belated Christmas present
Germany's Christmas tree farms are always left with a few unsold trees at the end of the season. In Berlin, they can donate them to the elephants.
In Pictures: Twin panda cubs to make public debut at Berlin zoo
Berlin Zoo visitors will from Wednesday be able to catch their first glimpse of two rabbit-sized panda cubs born almost eight weeks ago.
Berlin zoo panda gives birth to twins for second time
Berlin Zoo said Friday its resident panda Meng Meng had delivered twins for the second time, hailing the rare births as a boost to the endangered creatures.
Why a German town has held a referendum on pigeons
After months of debate over how to manage its pigeon population, a small town in Hesse has held a referendum with a controversial outcome.
Swan Late: Mourning bird holds up German trains
A swan mourning the death of its companion on a German railway track held up 23 trains for almost an hour and had to be removed by firefighters using special equipment, police said.
Why a Bavarian cheese maker could face jail over over his smelly goat
How stinky is a billy goat allowed to be? It's been the subject of a debate between neighbours in a Bavarian village for years. Now a court has come to some decisions.
First case of African swine fever confirmed in Germany
The Agriculture Ministry confirmed on Thursday that the corpse of a wild boar found in Brandenburg was infected with African swine fever, making it the first known case in Germany.
Mystery crocodile sightings captivate central Germany
Along a river in central Germany, something scaly has been scaring horses and confusing fishermen.
'Save the cheeky but peaceful sow': Berliners protest culling of wild boar
Berliners are protesting - online and in person - against the possible culling of a peaceful pig dubbed Elsa who gained worldwide fame for stealing a nudist's laptop bag as a chase ensued.
Wild boar that stole German nudist's laptop 'may be culled'
A wild boar that went viral after stealing a nudist's laptop by a lake in German capital Berlin last week could be caught up in a local cull, an official said Friday.
Bavarian brewery runs dry after storks build nest in chimney
A brewery in the German state of Bavaria has been forced to suspend beer production after a family of storks made themselves at home in one of its chimneys.
Germany and France to push EU to end shredding of male chicks
Germany is to join forces with France to end mass shredding of male chicks at the EU level by the end of 2021, agriculture ministers Julia Klöckner and Didier Guillaume have said.
Boy oh boy! Two male pandas make public debut at Berlin Zoo
The cuteness level at Berlin Zoo doubled on Monday when a pair of twin panda cubs made their public debut, with the zoo revealing the cuddly bundles of fur were both boys.
Pet kangaroo on the loose in Bavarian village
For the second time in a week, a kangaroo has escaped a private enclosure in Untertraubenbach, a small village in Bavaria.
German word of the day: Das Faultier
A sloth living in Germany was just named as the world's oldest. We take a look at Paula and the very literal German name for her species.
Hide and squeak: German scientists reveal the playful lives of rats
Scientists in Germany have been discovering the human side to rats, raising difficult ethical questions about their use in medical experiments. Here's what they found.
Same-sex penguin couple fails to hatch egg in Berlin
Berlin zoo’s star couple, Skipper and Ping, are desperate to start a family. But they had some sad news this week.
Berlin Zoo confirms panda Meng Meng is pregnant
Berlin's beloved panda Meng Meng is expecting a cub, the zoo announced on Tuesday.
Man tries to smuggle tortoises disguised as desserts through Berlin airport
A man tried to bring three tortoises into Germany by disguising them as sweet treats.
The diva and the dude: a year of Berlin’s beloved pandas
It’s been one year since two pandas arrived in Berlin on 24th June 2017, and they’ve got a very particular breakfast routine in Berlin’s Zoologischer Garten.
As wolf numbers rise, experts warn of danger of wolf-dog puppies
In light of rising wolf populations across Germany, there's a greater risk of dog-wolf interbreeding. Some organizations say these hybrid pups could be worrisome and potentially dangerous.
False alarm after five big cats 'break out' of zoo in west Germany
Five dangerous big cats - two lions, two tigers and a jaguar - reportedly broke out of a zoo in Rhineland-Palatinate and were still on the loose on Friday morning. But in the afternoon, this all turned out to be a false alarm.