The Columbian

Pets & Wildlife

Pacific Community Park to close for tree project

October 21, 2023, 5:55am Clark County Life

Sections of Pacific Community Park will be intermittently closed to the public in October and November for a Clark County Public Works tree health project. Read story

Cinderella, a 6-year-old brown-and-white female mixed pit bull, spent more time than any of the dogs at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' facility in Long Beach, Calif. She was adopted by a Wilmington family.

Cinderella the pit bull waited years for her happy ending

October 20, 2023, 6:03am Life

For months, video clips that circulated on social media and local newscasts told the tale of 6-year-old Cinderella, a brown-and-white female pit bull mix living at a Long Beach shelter but looking for a permanent home. Read story

The Sacramento Zoo has announced it has relocated its four chimpanzees to two much larger zoos, with much larger chimpanzee troops.

Sacramento Zoo is no longer home to chimpanzees

October 20, 2023, 6:03am Life

For the first time in 75 years, the Sacramento Zoo is no longer home to a troop of chimpanzees. Read story

Elephant dies at St. Louis Zoo shortly after her herd became agitated from a dog running loose

October 18, 2023, 1:33pm Life

A female Asian elephant at the St. Louis Zoo died shortly after her herd became agitated from a small dog running loose, zoo officials said. Read story

Tokitae, the performing orca known as Lolita at Miami’s Seaquarium, is shown with a trainer in 2011.

Tokitae the orca died from diseases linked to aging, necropsy says

October 18, 2023, 8:02am Northwest

Tokitae the orca died from chronic diseases associated with aging, according to a necropsy released on Tuesday by the Miami Seaquarium. Read story

Cpl. Tubby and his Marine handler, Guy Wachtsletter, conduct a combat training exercise during World War II. He was one of thousands of dogs enlisted into service through the Dogs for Defense program that began in 1942. Tubby was one of many canine casualties in the Pacific Theater. He died in action during the battle for Guam in 1944, and is listed on the Ridgefield Veterans Memorial. (U.S.

Clark County History: Dogs of war

October 14, 2023, 6:15am Clark County Life

Cpl. Tubby, a dog from Ridgefield, died protecting his handler in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Susan Orlean mentioned him in her book “Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend,” which tells the story of the many dogs with that name, starting with the Rin Tin Tin… Read story

A greater short-horned lizard in Grand Canyon National Park, Coconino County, Ariz.

‘Horny toads’ can shoot blood from their eyes

October 13, 2023, 6:45am Life

The next time you’re enjoying Montana’s great outdoors, be on the lookout for peculiar creatures with a bizarre defense mechanism — shooting blood out of their eyes. Read story

Workers at the Chicago Field Museum inspect the bodies of migrating birds, Thursday, Oct. 5, in Chicago, that were killed when they flew into the windows of the McCormick Place Lakeside Center, a Chicago exhibition hall, the night of Oct. 4-5.

Migrating birds perish after hitting windows

October 13, 2023, 6:45am Life

David Willard has been checking the grounds of Chicago’s lakefront exhibition center for dead birds for 40 years. On the morning of Oct. 5 he found something horrible: Hundreds of dead songbirds, so thick they looked like a carpet. Read story

5 fabulous Halloween costumes for your dog

October 13, 2023, 6:20am Life

The countdown to Halloween has begun. And with it comes a very important question: What should my dog’s costume be? Soon enough, stores will start running out of the best Halloween costumes, leaving many to take to online shopping or even a DIY approach. Read story