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Pets & Wildlife

Want to cut travel costs? Try caring for a stranger’s pet

March 3, 2023, 5:55am Pets & Wildlife

Would you pay to live in a stranger’s house and take care of their pet? Since TrustedHousesitters was founded in 2010, that’s been the idea behind the site: For the price of an annual membership (which starts at $129), you can apply for unlimited “house sits” around the world. Read story

Mabhulane (Mabu), right, walks with his female companion in their open roaming area of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in Fresno, Calif., Jan. 19, 2023. A community in the heart of California's farm belt has been drawn into a growing global debate over whether elephants should be in zoos. In recent years, some larger zoos have phased out elephant exhibits, but the Fresno Chaffee Zoo has gone in another direction, updating its Africa exhibit and collaborating with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on breeding.

Elephants’ future in U.S. remains unclear

Mabhulane (Mabu), right, walks with his female companion in their open roaming area of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in Fresno, Calif., Jan. 19, 2023. A community in the heart of California's farm belt has been drawn into a growing global debate over whether elephants should be in zoos. In recent years, some larger zoos have phased out elephant exhibits, but the Fresno Chaffee Zoo has gone in another direction, updating its Africa exhibit and collaborating with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on breeding.

March 3, 2023, 5:55am Life

Mabu saunters across a grassy field and raises his long, gray trunk to wrangle food from a hole carved inside a large boulder, captivating the attention of a girl propped up on her father’s shoulders. At this zoo in Central California, the 32-year-old African elephant is key not only to… Read story

Michael Konschak reads a statement during an appearance in Danbury Superior Court Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Danbury, Conn. Konschak, a hunter who told authorities he killed and skinned what he thought were two coyotes, but later discovered they were a Connecticut family's pet German shepherds, has been criminally charged. Konschak, 61, of Carmel, N.Y., said he was ashamed of what he did, during the hearing in Danbury Superior Court that drew dozens of people including the dogs' owners and animal rights advocates.

Hunter who killed Connecticut family’s pet dogs says he thought they were coyotes

Michael Konschak reads a statement during an appearance in Danbury Superior Court Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Danbury, Conn. Konschak, a hunter who told authorities he killed and skinned what he thought were two coyotes, but later discovered they were a Connecticut family's pet German shepherds, has been criminally charged. Konschak, 61, of Carmel, N.Y., said he was ashamed of what he did, during the hearing in Danbury Superior Court that drew dozens of people including the dogs' owners and animal rights advocates.

March 1, 2023, 5:36pm Life

A hunter who told authorities he killed and skinned what he thought were two coyotes, but later discovered they were a Connecticut family’s pet German shepherds, has been criminally charged. Read story

In this photo provided by Robin Silver, a feral bull is seen along the Gila River in the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico, on July 25, 2020. U.S. forest managers in New Mexico are moving ahead with plans to kill feral cattle that they say have become a threat to public safety and natural resources in the nation's first designated wilderness, setting the stage for more legal challenges over how to handle wayward livestock as drought maintains its grip on the West.

19 wild cows killed in U.S. aerial shooting operation

In this photo provided by Robin Silver, a feral bull is seen along the Gila River in the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico, on July 25, 2020. U.S. forest managers in New Mexico are moving ahead with plans to kill feral cattle that they say have become a threat to public safety and natural resources in the nation's first designated wilderness, setting the stage for more legal challenges over how to handle wayward livestock as drought maintains its grip on the West.

February 28, 2023, 5:24pm Life

A specialized team of wildlife managers has killed 19 wild cows in the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico as part of a contested project to rid the area of the unauthorized animals. Read story

In this July 15, 2021, remote game camera image released by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, a first for Washington state, wildlife biologists recently captured and fitted a female grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) with a radio collar, far left, near Metaline Falls in northeast Washington. The bear is accompanied by three yearling offspring, was then released to help biologists learn more about grizzly bears in Washington state. The bear was captured about ten miles from the Washington-Idaho border on U.S. Forest Service land by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) biologists. The three yearlings dispersed into the surrounding woods while biologists did a general health check on the mother and fitted her collar, then returned to be with mom when the humans went away.

Warmer climate may help grizzles

In this July 15, 2021, remote game camera image released by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, a first for Washington state, wildlife biologists recently captured and fitted a female grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) with a radio collar, far left, near Metaline Falls in northeast Washington. The bear is accompanied by three yearling offspring, was then released to help biologists learn more about grizzly bears in Washington state. The bear was captured about ten miles from the Washington-Idaho border on U.S. Forest Service land by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) biologists. The three yearlings dispersed into the surrounding woods while biologists did a general health check on the mother and fitted her collar, then returned to be with mom when the humans went away.

February 27, 2023, 4:56pm Life

As climate change affects ecosystems, one species may benefit from its effects in the North Cascades. Read story

Orphaned cougar cubs Holly, top, and Hazel have found new homes the Oakland Zoo in California.

Orphaned cubs gain strength, fans

Orphaned cougar cubs Holly, top, and Hazel have found new homes the Oakland Zoo in California.

February 24, 2023, 6:46am Pets & Wildlife

One week after Los Angeles bid farewell to its resident celebrity mountain lion, P-22, during a three-hour memorial at the Greek Theatre, two cubs at the Oakland Zoo have become the latest darlings of California’s wildlife set. Read story

"Gunther's Millions" is a Netflix docuseries about the world's richest dog.

A cat reviews series about a dog

"Gunther's Millions" is a Netflix docuseries about the world's richest dog.

February 24, 2023, 6:46am Entertainment

Editor’s note: This review was written by Los Angeles Times TV critic Robert Lloyd’s cat, Visity Kitty. Read story

FILE - A northern spotted owl sits on a branch in Point Reyes, Calif., in June 1995. Federal wildlife officials on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, announced a proposal to classify one of two dwindling California spotted owl populations as endangered after a court ordered them to reassess a Trump administration decision not to protect the brown and white birds.

Federal agency proposes California spotted owl protection

FILE - A northern spotted owl sits on a branch in Point Reyes, Calif., in June 1995. Federal wildlife officials on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, announced a proposal to classify one of two dwindling California spotted owl populations as endangered after a court ordered them to reassess a Trump administration decision not to protect the brown and white birds.

February 22, 2023, 5:36pm Life

Federal wildlife officials on Wednesday announced a proposal to classify one of two dwindling California spotted owl populations as endangered after a lawsuit by conservation groups required the government to reassess a Trump administration decision not to protect the brown and white birds. Read story

In this photo provided by Robin Silver, a feral bull is seen along the Gila River in the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico, on July 25, 2020. U.S. forest managers in New Mexico are moving ahead with plans to kill feral cattle that they say have become a threat to public safety and natural resources in the nation's first designated wilderness, setting the stage for more legal challenges over how to handle wayward livestock as drought maintains its grip on the West.

U.S. gets OK for cattle-shooting operation in New Mexico

In this photo provided by Robin Silver, a feral bull is seen along the Gila River in the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico, on July 25, 2020. U.S. forest managers in New Mexico are moving ahead with plans to kill feral cattle that they say have become a threat to public safety and natural resources in the nation's first designated wilderness, setting the stage for more legal challenges over how to handle wayward livestock as drought maintains its grip on the West.

February 22, 2023, 5:10pm Business

A U.S. district judge on Wednesday cleared the way for federal officials to move ahead with plans to take to the air and shoot dozens of wild cattle in a rugged area of southwestern New Mexico. Read story

FILE - A man folds his umbrella on the beach Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, in Laguna Beach, Calif. Environmental advocates are celebrating in Laguna Beach -- but it won't be with balloons. The hilly, seaside city is weighing a plan to ban the sale and public use of balloons to curtail the risk of devastating wildfires and eliminate a major source of trash floating near the community's scenic shores. (AP Photo/Jae C.

California beach city weighs balloon ban to protect coast

FILE - A man folds his umbrella on the beach Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, in Laguna Beach, Calif. Environmental advocates are celebrating in Laguna Beach -- but it won't be with balloons. The hilly, seaside city is weighing a plan to ban the sale and public use of balloons to curtail the risk of devastating wildfires and eliminate a major source of trash floating near the community's scenic shores. (AP Photo/Jae C.

February 21, 2023, 8:33am Life

Environmental advocates are celebrating in Laguna Beach — but it won’t be with balloons. Read story