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Manuela Hoelterhoff

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Manuela Hoelterhoff
JOURNALIST | AUTHOR
Kabul Small Animal Rescue Carries On in Tough Conditions
Apr 13

Apr 13 Kabul Small Animal Rescue Carries On in Tough Conditions

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Heros, Animal Welfare
How Americans Went from Bird Killers to Nature Lovers
Apr 11

Apr 11 How Americans Went from Bird Killers to Nature Lovers

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare

Something profound happened to Americans in the early part of the 20th century, right around the time they had erased the passenger pigeon from existence. The destruction we had brought to these and other avians led to a wake up call, giving rise to avian conservation – and to environmentalism itself.

Long Lost Lion, Returned to Parents (in Minnesota)
Apr 6

Apr 6 Long Lost Lion, Returned to Parents (in Minnesota)

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare, Conservation

A young lion that went missing after being sold – illegally – as a cub has been reunited with his parents after a year and a half separation. His ordeal began in Quebec, where the feline family had been separated after a roadside zoo was shut down.

Rare African Penguin Chick Joins Family at NY Aquarium
Apr 5

Apr 5 Rare African Penguin Chick Joins Family at NY Aquarium

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare, Conservation

A critically endangered African penguin is making his debut at the New York Aquarium, joining his parents and 35 other penguins at the Coney island aquarium’s Sea Cliffs habitat. 

Endangered Species Protections Lifted in Gulf for Big Oil
Apr 2

Apr 2 Endangered Species Protections Lifted in Gulf for Big Oil

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare, Conservation, Environment

This week a committee of Trump administration officials voted unanimously to exempt the oil and gas industry from requirements of the Endangered Species Act in the Gulf of Mexico. The exemption – which will  lift protections for endangered whales, turtles, and other species – is being invoked now for “national security.”

Biologists Track Three-Legged Sea Turtle from Space
Mar 28

Mar 28 Biologists Track Three-Legged Sea Turtle from Space

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare, Conservation

This week, a sea turtle hospital in Florida released a rare Kemp’s ridley sea turtle back into the sea after its months-long rehab. The turtle, which the Loggerhead Marinelife Center named Amelie, had had her right forelimb amputated after a traumatic injury. The vets will monitor Amelie’s travels from space.

Pack of Kidnapped Dogs Escapes the Butcher in China
Mar 25

Mar 25 Pack of Kidnapped Dogs Escapes the Butcher in China

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Companions, Animal Welfare

A small pack of dogs were spotted walking together this month along the highway in Changchun, the capital of China’s north-east Jilin province. According to multiple media reports, it appears the seven dogs had escaped from kidnappers who were taking them to a dog-meat shop.

Costumed Llamas Ease Airport Stress in Portland 
Mar 24

Mar 24 Costumed Llamas Ease Airport Stress in Portland 

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Companions, Humans & Their Companions

 The crowd at Portland International Airport is not necessarily in the security line waiting for TSA clearance. It could be the throng that assembles around the airport's therapy animals: llamas and alpacas wearing wacky costumes.

Birds Have Figured Out That Cigarettes Are Good for Them
Mar 22

Mar 22 Birds Have Figured Out That Cigarettes Are Good for Them

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Behavior

Researchers have known for years that some birds use discarded cigarette butts to build nests. A new study has compiled evidence to show what’s behind this behavior: the butts keep parasites at bay.

‘Baywatch’ Actress Arrested in Beagle Rescue
Mar 18

Mar 18 ‘Baywatch’ Actress Arrested in Beagle Rescue

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Heroes, Animal Welfare

A group of 20 animal rights activists were arrested this week for trespassing following their rescue operation at Ridglan Farms, a beagle-breeding facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. Among them was 62-year-old actress Alexandra Paul, best known for her role in the 1990s TV series “Baywatch.”

Five-foot Lizards Invade Florida, Threaten Wildlife
Mar 16

Mar 16 Five-foot Lizards Invade Florida, Threaten Wildlife

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Environment, Conservation

Move over, Burmese python. There’s another invasive species chomping through Florida: the Nile monitor, a big omnivorous lizard naturally found in Sub-Saharan Africa. Like the invasive python, the Nile monitor has been on the loose in Florida for decades, likely escapees from the exotic pet trade.

Bronx Zoo Takes in Mysterious StowawayWho Crossed Atlantic
Mar 15

Mar 15 Bronx Zoo Takes in Mysterious StowawayWho Crossed Atlantic

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare

A young male fox snuck aboard a cargo ship in Southampton, England and, two weeks later, finds himself in New York City. On his arrival the US Customs and Border Protection and government wildlife officials delivered the sly stowaway to the Bronx Zoo, where his fate is being decided.

Turkish Soccer Player Saves Seagull Using CPR
Mar 11

Mar 11 Turkish Soccer Player Saves Seagull Using CPR

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare

An amateur soccer match in Istanbul was interrupted last week when a low-flying seagull collided with the ball and crumbled to the field in an unconscious heap. Yurdum Spor's team captain, Gani Catan, astonished everyone by performing CPR chest compressions on the stunned bird until it was revived.

Why Are Chimpanzees So Fascinated by Crystals?
Mar 6

Mar 6 Why Are Chimpanzees So Fascinated by Crystals?

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Behavior, Animals

A crystallographer in Spain wondered what would happen if chimpanzees were shown crystals of various shapes and sizes. The results were surprising, and Juan Manuel García-Ruiz of the Donostia International Physics Center believes the findings reveal something about our own ancestry. 

Abandoned Baby Monkey Punch and His IKEA Toy Win the Internet
Feb 28

Feb 28 Abandoned Baby Monkey Punch and His IKEA Toy Win the Internet

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare, Animals

A macaque monkey named Punch has an international legion of fans after videos of the 7-month-old being bullied by other monkeys and rejected by his mother went viral in recent weeks.

No more  Spezzatino Di Cavallo for Italian Foodies?
Feb 25

Feb 25 No more Spezzatino Di Cavallo for Italian Foodies?

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Welfare

Italy might ban horsemeat soon as its legislature redefines equine animals  – horses, donkeys, and mules – as pets, prohibiting their slaughter and use for food. If approved, the new law would impose jail terms of up to three years and fines of up to €100,000 ($120,000 USD) for the slaughter of equines.

Memories of Nazgul the Wolfdog Who Crashed Olympics Race
Feb 24

Feb 24 Memories of Nazgul the Wolfdog Who Crashed Olympics Race

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Behavior, Animal Companions

A wolfdog named Nazgul crashed the Olympics last week when he escaped his enclosure and chased down a pair of skiers just as they crossed the finish line. Nazgul had slipped out of his indoor kennel, then squeezed past the eight-foot-tall fence separating him from Olympic glory, then dashed into the race. 

Horned ‘Hell Heron’ Dinosaur Discovered in Sahara
Feb 22

Feb 22 Horned ‘Hell Heron’ Dinosaur Discovered in Sahara

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola

Paleontologists from the University of Chicago have discovered a new dinosaur species while digging up fossils in Niger in the central Sahara. The new beast – actually an old beast, having stomped the earth about 95 millions years ago – is described in the journal Science.

Rat Terrier Henry Takes Viagra, Raises Cash for Other Seniors
Feb 19

Feb 19 Rat Terrier Henry Takes Viagra, Raises Cash for Other Seniors

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Companions, Animal Heroes

A rat terrier in Hoboken, Georgia named Henry celebrated his 25th birthday in January. As he gets his papers together to vie for Guiness World Records’ oldest living dog honors, Henry is using his celebrity to raise money for other senior pets.

Larry the Cat Marks 15 Years of Service as Chief Mouser
Feb 16

Feb 16 Larry the Cat Marks 15 Years of Service as Chief Mouser

Manuela Hoelterhoff & Mike DiPaola
Animal Companions, Humans & Their Companions

This week marks 15 years of service by Larry, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office at 10 Downing Street. The 19-year-old tabby has served at the pleasure of six prime ministers, ostensibly as the official ratter but more practically as the welcoming face of the UK government.

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