Taking big risks in the hope of high rewards may be a fundamental part of our biological nature, the pigeon study has shown.

Scientists have shown what many dog owners have suspected - while some canines are joyfully optimistic about life, others have a tendency for gloomy pessimism.

Here are New Zealand's Top 10 favourite native birds as voted on ForestandBird.org.nz, with the kakariki taking out Bird of the Year 2010.

Hal Herzog, one of America's foremost psychologists, is dedicated to understanding our often contradictory behaviour towards different species.

Auckland Zoo has been given the go-ahead to a $13m proposal to bring in a herd of up to 10 Asian elephants, and expand into Western Springs park.

The wildlife of Argentina's Esteros del Ibera enchants Pat Baskett.

Watch this video - filmed by a tourist - of two lions attacking their trainer in front of horrified onlookers at a circus in the Ukraine.

Three companies are trying again to secure land use rights for large-scale dairy farming in the Omarama and Ohau regions.

There's Facebook, Bebo, MySpace, Twitter ... and now Dogbook.

If the kids are city slickers, get visit a local petting farm to get them in touch with some of New Zealand's favourite animals.