animal behavior – News Stories About animal behavior - Page 3

Jul 31, 2008 12:21 PM CDT

Dog Adopts Zoo's Tiger Cubs

Golden retriever cleans and feeds rare white cubs abandoned by mom

(Newser) - A golden retriever has adopted three white tiger cubs abandoned by their mother at a southeast Kansas zoo, the AP reports. The Safari Zoological Park's owner says the dog, who recently weaned her own puppies, licks, cleans, and feeds the days-old cubs as if they were her own.

Tiny Shrew Drinks More Than You

Jul 30, 2008 4:07 PM CDT

Tiny Shrew Drinks More Than You

Mouse-like mammal downs equivalent of 9 glasses of wine nightly

(Newser) - The Malaysian pentailed shrew drinks enough booze, weight for weight, to kill a human with a similar habit—prompting scientists to study the creature for clues to our own alcoholic thirst. Pentails, which share a common ancestor with primates, knock back the equivalent of nine glasses of wine every night...

Study: Cuddles Calm
Chimps After Conflict

Jun 17, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

Study: Cuddles Calm Chimps After Conflict

Researchers find evidence of empathy in man's closest relative

(Newser) - Chimpanzees console each other with hugs and kisses after a conflict much like humans do, researchers have discovered. After a chimp has been the victim of aggression, its stress levels are greatly reduced when it's embraced by another. The findings reveal a level of empathy in man's closest relative that...

German Boars
Run Wild

Mar 17, 2008 4:25 PM CDT

German Boars Run Wild

Savage beasts go shopping, try gardening, attend church

(Newser) - Wild boars wreaked havoc in a German town this weekend, attempting to shop for hardware, go to church, and do some gardening, Der Spiegel reports. One of the beasts, acting like "an elephant in a porcelain store," was eventually cornered at the checkout of the home-improvement center, police...

Cheating, Corruption Rampant in Ant Society

Mar 13, 2008 12:00 PM CDT

Cheating, Corruption Rampant in Ant Society

Secret elite exploits workers with its DNA

(Newser) - A power-mad elite is secretly rigging the system so their offspring rise to power, LiveScience reports. That’s the situation a team of researchers has discovered in ant society—not exactly the epitome of community collaboration once thought. Until now, it appeared that any properly-fed larvae could hatch into a...

Wild Boars Run Amok in France

Dec 24, 2007 11:31 AM CST

Wild Boars Run Amok in France

One scatters shoppers, while another ties up trains

(Newser) - Shoppers weren't the only thing going hog-wild over the weekend, reports the Independent. One wild boar rampaged amid last-minute gift-buyers in a clothing store in France, while another stepped in front of a high-speed train, delaying trains for hours.

Boorish Boars Overrun Texas

Nov 19, 2007 2:45 PM CST

Boorish Boars Overrun Texas

Feral swine win out in war against humans

(Newser) - Everything's bigger in Texas, and the pig population is no exception. They aren't cute porkers, either—wild boars wreck crops and cause some $52 million in annual damages in the state. For some, that means an opportunity for heavy-duty huntin', but the solo efforts aren't enough to slow a wave...

Fido Knows What You're Thinking

Sep 8, 2007 4:03 PM CDT

Fido Knows What You're Thinking

Dogs can read humans like no other animal, researchers say

(Newser) - Man's best friend, traditionally viewed by scientists as the drooling, complacent descendant of the noble wolf, are being given a fresh look by behavioral researchers who say their reasoning and ability to read human communication is unprecedented among four-leggers. Studies have suggested that dogs come out of the womb with...

'Male' Panda Gives Birth to Twins

Aug 9, 2007 3:18 PM CDT

'Male' Panda Gives Birth to Twins

Jinzhu turns out to be a 'normal girl' after all

(Newser) - A giant panda once thought to be male gave birth to twin cubs this week in China. Jinzhu was believed to be male at birth, but the panda showed zero sexual interest after being shipped to Japan in 2000 to breed with a female. When scientists attempted artificial insemination, they...

Rats! Humans, Rodents Have Lots in Common

Jul 24, 2007 5:48 PM CDT

Rats! Humans, Rodents Have Lots in Common

Much-maligned animals laugh, dream, look forward to sex

(Newser) - Rats may be repulsive to some, but scientists are finding that they're a lot like humans. A recent crop of behavioral studies shows that rats are astonishingly self-aware, Natalie Angier reports in today's Times. They laugh when tickled and dream in epic narratives. There are even rat optimists and rat...