Human-animal hybrids - or ‘chimeras’ - might sound strange, but they offer great hope for new life saving therapies, as long as key ethical boundaries are respected.
Harness Racing Australia has announced it will ban the use of the whip. The decision is a world first for any horse sporting body, so what about the rest of the horse racing industry?
Why do so many people take safety risks or abuse wild animals for the sake of a photo with them? In one researcher’s view, scientists may encourage this trend by sharing their own wildlife selfies.
The grizzly bear of Yellowstone is expected to be delisted from the Endangered Species Act. But a survey of grizzly bear researchers finds flaws in how wildlife experts evaluate scientific data.
The history of displaying exotic animals seems to be one of evolving public expectations about what constitutes acceptable conditions. Is it a case of the more things change, the more they stay the same?
An exhibition of works by contemporary French artist Pierre Huyghe raises questions around the ethical treatment of animals by artists - and whether live animals have a place in the visual arts.
Draft guildelines for the use of non-human primates in research will dilute what protections these animals have, despite numerous reasons to stop the practice entirely.
Today, many zoos promote the protection of biodiversity as a significant part of their mission. As conservation “arks” for endangered species and, increasingly, as leaders in field conservation projects…
A US appeals court is currently hearing the case of a chimpanzee named Tommy and is to decide if he has the right to bodily integrity and liberty, just like a person. The case, brought by the Nonhuman…
An online video apparently showing a French tourist kicking a squirrel off a cliff in Grand Canyon National Park was greeted with horror and incredulity after being posted (and since removed) on YouTube…
The idea of animals as spectacle – in zoos, circuses, aquaria, tests of strength and even criminal proceedings – is an old one, dating back to at least ancient Greece and Rome. Similarly, the use of animals…
More than 20 years ago, the university department where I was doing my PhD was fire bombed by animal rights activists. At the time, I was conducting research into animal welfare, as were many of the staff…