Animals

A Philadelphia Phillies fan was refused entry into the ballpark. Why?

8:10am September 29, 2023

The fan's support animal was not a service dog, and the Phillies have a rule about that. The fan's support animal happened to be 5' long alligator named Wally.

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Politics & Government

Pandas and the government shutdown

4:41pm September 28, 2023

by Emma Bowman

The National Zoo is holding a series of panda-themed events to commemorate the departure of its only three pandas. But the looming government shutdown is threatening to spoil the party.

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Environment

Quagga Mussels Invade Idaho

4:41pm September 28, 2023

by Rachel Cohen

Tiny, highly invasive mussels have been found in the Snake River in Idaho, prompting an urgent response from officials. The mussels can devastate ecosystems, hydroelectric dams and more.

A collage of our audience members' beloved pets and their memorials to their animal companions. Clockwise from top left: Mena Bingham's sunflower garden for her cat Sara; a statue to honor Beth Fadely's dog, Bella; Linda Smith's cat Holly; Sheryl Bauerschmidt's dog Birdie; a glass cat figurine in the bay window where Marie Hernandez's cat, Fina, used to sit.

Arts

8 loving ways to honor a pet's memory: Write an obit, grow a garden, dedicate a day

2:48pm September 27, 2023

by Malaka Gharib

How do you deal with the heartbreak of losing a beloved pet? Our audience shares creative and inspiring ways to process grief — and celebrate the lives of our animal companions.

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A reptile named 'Tank' has escaped from a vet's office in Pennsylvania

6:42am September 27, 2023

Don't worry, he's not a threat to residents. Tank is a tortoise, and it's his third time on the loose. Tank made a break for it after finding a hole in his wired fenced pen.

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Environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb says in nature, the weaker animals are usually the ones killed by predators. That changes when cars are involved: "Roadkill is not only eliminating animals, it's in many cases eliminating those healthy animals that populations need to remain strong,"

Cars are a major predator for wildlife. How is nature adapting to our roads?

1:44pm September 26, 2023

by Terry Gross

Environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb says cars are killing animals, while highways cut off them off from their food sources and migration paths. His new book is Crossings.

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Specialists say birds, blown off course, should be able to make their way home

7:25am September 26, 2023

Wayward flamingoes have been spotted even farther north — in a Milwaukee suburb. A hurricane had blown the birds away from their homes around the Gulf of Mexico.

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Sheep with a serious case of the munchies snuck into a greenhouse in Greece

6:01am September 26, 2023

The sheep were looking for shelter after a storm brought heavy rain to the region. Inside they found 600 pounds of medical marijuana. The farm owner said the sheep were "jumping higher than goats."

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Here's why 6,000 octopuses like to be under the sea at an 'octopus garden'

5:10am September 26, 2023

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Scientists are learning the secrets of the largest known collective of octopuses. Over 6,000 of them are huddle around an extinct sea volcano in the Pacific. (Story aired on ATC on 8/23/23.)

Male giant panda Xiao Qi Ji rolls around in his enclosure during a "Panda Palooza" event at the Smithsonian National Zoo on Saturday, in Washington, D.C. We're guessing he hasn't heard about the looming government shutdown.

National

A government shutdown could cut short the National Zoo's panda goodbye celebrations

5:01am September 25, 2023

by Emma Bowman

Through the rest of the month, the zoo is inviting the public to commemorate the departure of the three giant pandas who will return to China in December. A shutdown could kill the party's finale.