Italian police yesterday revealed an enormous collection of animals confiscated in recent months from jailed or arrested mafia bosses.

The actions of a Cobden man who set a cat on fire, beat another to death and cut off their paws has been described as "nasty and sadistic" by his own laywer.

A mouse's bid to stowaway in a hollowed-out baguette from the Cook Islands to New Zealand has failed after biosecurity officials stopped it at the border.

A man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was attacked by a rhino at Whipsnade Zoo in Britain.

A sheep on an escape bid had a lucky break after it took a wrong turn and headed into the sea at Makorori.

Auckland Museum is disappointing some of its younger patrons by "retiring" its menagerie of live creatures - partly because of welfare concerns.

A police officer rescued a storm-drenched baby morepork from the side of the road before making a bed for it at the Hamilton police station.

A police officer rescued a storm-drenched baby morepork from the side of the road before making a bed for it at the Hamilton Police Station.

With Christmas upon us there will undoubtedly be some animals thrust into the noise and excitement of the day, writes Sally Hibbard.

It’s pitch black and Kina Scollay is in a cage at the bottom of the ocean as huge shapes emerge from the darkness.

An SPCA boss disgusted by how many dogs are starving in her patch will tomorrow begin a three-day hunger strike.

About 200 police officers, 30 members of the armed forces, a helicopter and specialist dogs trained to sniff out their quarry.

A kiwi with unusual ginger colouring has been released to the Wairakei Golf and Sanctuary Kiwi Creche in Taupo after hatching at Rainbow Springs’ Kiwi Encounter.

Kiwi are likely to be lost from mainland New Zealand "within our grandchildren's lifetimes" and without continuing intervention could be extinct within 50 years.

A Pahiatua man who took part in the organised killing of 16 sheep has pleaded guilty today in the Palmerston North District Court.

Heartbreaking photographs have emerged of a group of badly abused lions rescued from a circus in Peru as they await their move to a safe animal shelter in America.

A man who has outraged animal rights activists after donning a "snake-proof" suit in order to be eaten alive by a snake for a TV show has welcomed the backlash against his stunt.

Builders accidentally sealed a Christchurch cat into a wall of a house for two days, before sealing her again into a neighbouring house's ceiling for a week.

Even small human populations can wipe out big animal species, according to local researchers who suggest moa extinction was rapid.

Hearing a baby cry makes people uncomfortable and new research has revealed it also stresses out man's best friend.

Invercargill family hit hard after lamb affectionately known as Two Face succumbed to infection.

The Department of Conservation is appealing to the public for sightings of a rope-entangled humpback whale.

Some 22 whales that had restranded on a beach near Ohope overnight have all died - some of natural causes and the remainder after being euthanised.

Never have those opposed to horseracing had their point proved so emphatically as in yesterday's Melbourne Cup, writes Sally Hibbard.