Rare Komodo Dragons Hatch at Denver Zoo  

As Halloween draws near, Denver Zoo is hatching dragons! Komodo dragons, that is. Four have already hatched and four more eggs remain in an incubator.

Four Caiman Lizards Hatch at Denver Zoo  

Denver Zoo has four young caiman lizards crawling around inside its Tropical Discovery exhibit.  They hatched on September 22 and 23 and October 3. Their genders are not yet known.

Attorney: PETA worker neglected snakes in his care  

Attorneys for an exotic animal dealer have accused an employee of intentionally neglecting animals to further his work as an undercover investigator for an animal rights group.

Singapore Zoo breeds rare Komodo dragon  

Singapore Zoo has successfully bred the highly-endangered Komodo dragon, officials said on Monday, reporting that the rare baby reptile was in good health.

Over 17,000 species threatened by extinction  

A rare Panamanian tree frog, a rodent from Madagascar and two lizards found only in the Philippines are among over 17,000 species threatened with extinction, a leading environmental group said Tuesday.

82 healthy sea turtles hatch at San Diego SeaWorld  

The population of endangered green sea turtles at SeaWorld in San Diego grew by 82 in October when the eggs hatched on Shipwreck Beach without human help.

Lucky survivors rescued by Florida turtle hospital  

The turtles at this waterfront hospital have been hit by boat propellers, caught in fishing nets, attacked by sharks, stricken with tumors and lost flippers. Or, as their veterinarian puts it, they've had a heck of a lot of luck.

Scientists discover deadly secret of Komodo's bite  

The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, has a snake-like venom in its bite which sends victims into shock and stops their blood from clotting, according to Australian research.

Turtles returning to local beaches  

A loggerhead sea turtle that scientists first tagged on Casey Key 21 years ago is recovering from an illness at Mote Marine Laboratory, a reminder of the growing number of sick sea turtles statewide and the beginning of nesting season.

Man accused of killing tortoise  

A North Port man was arrested Sunday and accused of killing a gopher tortoise, a protected species in Florida.

Group sues feds over endangered species protection  

An environmental group is suing the federal government, saying the Obama administration has failed to address a backlog of animals and plants that need to be considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Baby pythons escape during flight in Australia  

Four baby pythons escaped from a container aboard a passenger plane in Australia, leading to a search that forced the cancellation of two flights, the airline said Thursday.

Scientists find new species in Papua New Guinea  

A brilliant green tree frog with huge black eyes, jumping spiders and a striped gecko are among more than 50 new animal species scientists have discovered in a remote, mountainous region of Papua New Guinea.

Two Komodo dragons kill man in eastern Indonesia  

Two Komodo dragons mauled a fruit-picker to death in eastern Indonesia, police and witnesses said Tuesday, the latest in a string of attacks on humans by the world's largest lizard species.

Florida tests using magnets to repel crocodiles  

Florida wildlife managers have launched an experiment to see if they can keep crocodiles from returning to residential neighborhoods by temporarily taping magnets to their heads to disrupt their "homing" ability.

Tadpoles could help develop skin cancer drugs  

A compound that blocked the development of the distinctive markings of tadpoles in experiments could help to prevent the deadliest form of skin cancer, British scientists said on Thursday.

Lizards' Dance Avoids Deadly Ants  

Some lizards have developed long legs and a dance move that helps them avoid being possibly eaten alive by lethal fire ants.

New Zealand reptile becomes dad at 111 years old  

A captive reptile in New Zealand has unexpectedly become a father at the ripe old age of 111 after receiving treatment for a cancer that made him hostile toward prospective mates.

Lizards evolving to escape fire ants  

Scientists say they've discovered U.S. fence lizards in the southeastern United States are evolving to avoid potentially fatal attacks by fire ants.

Plenty spent on endangered species list's tortoise  

Leathery, shy and a bit world-weary, the Mojave desert tortoise doesn't come across as a high-roller.  But among land-going critters on the endangered species list, it's among the top recipients of money spent by state and federal agencies trying to keep it from the brink of extinction, according to an Associated Press analysis of the last 11 years of available data.

Komodo dragon in Virginia bites the hand that feeds it  

A Komodo dragon at the Virginia Aquarium bit the hand that fed it - literally - but aquarium officials said the incident Friday was likely more due to excitement than betrayal as the popular expression implies.

Satellite to keep eye on Ecuadorian turtle  

Scientists will use space technology to help them monitor a rare hawksbill turtle as it lives out its life along the coast of Ecuador, the government says.

New reptiles found in Tanzania's shrinking forests  

Seventeen previously unknown species of reptiles and amphibians have been found in the threatened rainforests of eastern Tanzania, Italian and Tanzanian scientists reported on Monday.

Pink iguanas unseen by Darwin offer evolution clue  

Pink iguanas unknown to Charles Darwin during his visits to the Galapagos islands may provide evidence of species divergence far earlier than the English naturalist's famous finches, researchers said on Monday.

Slow-to-mate turtles at risk in Ontario  

Snapping turtles, the 14-year-old virgins of Ontario wetlands, may soon make it onto the province's "special concern" list. The turtles don't mate until they're 15 years old and produce few offspring with a high mortality rate. They don't even move far from home - usually living within one to four kilometres of where they were hatched.

Dinosaur killer may have been volcanism, not asteroid  

Scientists have found even more evidence that volcanism, not a space rock, may be the culprit behind the dinosaurs' demise.

More than 1,000 species discovered in Mekong  

A rat thought extinct for 11 million years and a hot-pink, cyanide-producing dragon millipede are among a thousand new species discovered in the Greater Mekong Region of Southeast Asia in the last decade, according to a new report launched by World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Dwarf crocodiles split into 3 species  

Looking at the genes of the African dwarf crocodile, researchers found that the group comprises three distinct species rather than one.

176-year-old tortoise revealed as world's oldest animal  

At 176, Jonathan the tortoise is knocking on a bit. In fact, he's said to be one of the world's oldest living animals. A photograph from about 1900 has been found which apparently backs up this claim.

Cold causes more stranded sea turtles on Cape Cod  

A cold snap has caused a high number of endangered sea turtles to wash ashore dead on Cape Cod beaches.

Malaysian mosques to give turtle conservation sermon  

Mosques in Malaysia's Terengganu state, which was once a major turtle breeding ground, will give an unusual sermon on protecting the endangered animals this Friday, conservationists said.

Rare snake bred at London zoo  

The London Zoo is celebrating eight blessed events - the hatching of a clutch of rhino rat snakes, a rare species from Southeast Asia.

Snake vs. Frog "Deadlock" photo among best of 2008  

2008 Wildlife Photographer of the Year, David Maitland observed as a rare Morelet's tree frog doggedly refused to become supper for a cat-eyed snake in a Belizean rain forest.

French scientists discover new species of gecko  

French scientists say they have discovered a new species of gecko, after hatching an egg 12,000 miles from its South Pacific island home.

Frog Embryos Actively Seek Oxygen  

Though unconscious and underdeveloped, red-eyed treefrog embryos can rotate inside their eggs to get more oxygen if levels start to drop, prolonging chances for survival, a new study shows.

Mexico City's "water monster" nears extinction  

Beneath the tourist gondolas in the remains of a great Aztec lake lives a creature that resembles a monster — and a Muppet — with its slimy tail, plumage-like gills and mouth that curls into an odd smile.

Rare, prehistoric-age reptile found nesting in NZ  

A rare reptile with lineage dating back to the dinosaur age has been found nesting on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in about 200 years, officials said Friday.

Mystery of the 5-Legged Freaks  

Oddly high rates of deformation among salamanders, frogs and other amphibians have puzzled scientists in recent years. Possible causes include inbreeding, parasites or pollution that permeates the animals' skin.

Ohio family finds 7-foot snake under car hood  

Animal authorities in western Ohio have a possible sequel to "Snakes on a Plane": a case of a snake in a car. The Clark County Humane Society is looking for the owner of a 7-foot-long boa constrictor found under the hood of a vehicle in Springfield.

Aussie boy breaks into zoo, feeds animals to croc  

A 7-year-old boy broke into a popular Outback zoo, fed a string of animals to the resident crocodile and bashed several lizards to death with a rock, the zoo's director said Friday.

Extinct Giant Tortoise Could Be Revived  

An extinct giant tortoise could make a comeback now that living turtles in the Galapagos Islands have been confirmed as hybrid descendents.

Nevada game wardens seize illegal African frogs  

Authorities who seized scores of illegal African clawed frogs from Nevada residents say they have traced the creatures — banned because of their potential for ecological damage — to a company that sells tadpoles over the Internet.

Fossil of Ancient Pregnant Turtle Discovered  

A turtle that toddled alongside the dinosaurs died just days before laying a clutch of eggs. Now, about 75 million years later, paleontologists are announcing their find of the fossilized mother-to-be and the eggs tucked inside her body.

Confused sea turtles march into Italian restaurant  

About 60 newly hatched sea turtles lost their way during their ritual passage to the sea and marched into an Italian restaurant instead, a conservation worker said on Monday.

Will Deadly Pythons Spread Beyond Florida?  

Earlier this year, a U.S. Geological Survey report found that climate conditions favored the possible spread of Burmese pythons from Florida to as many as 32 states as the planet warms.

Deep mystery: why sea turtles plumb the depths  

Researchers say they have figured out why sea turtles that normally feed and breed in shallow water or on land will, very rarely, go deep sea diving: the reptiles are on reconnaissance.

Chameleons: Masters of Disguise or Display?  

In popular culture, chameleons are considered masters of disguise. They can swiftly change their body coloration and thus blend in with their environment.

Scientist: World's smallest snake in Barbados  

A U.S. scientist said he has discovered the globe's tiniest species of snake in the easternmost Caribbean island of Barbados, with full-grown adults typically stretching less than 4 inches long.

Snake-fang evolution mystery solved - "Major surprise"  

The diverse and deadly array of venomous snakes living today all arose from a single fanged ancestor, a new study suggests.

Mexico finds dozens of dead sea turtles  

Environmental officials in Mexico say dozens of dead sea turtles apparently killed in fishing nets have washed up on beaches in recent days.

Ultrasonic frog tunes its ears like a radio dial  

A Chinese frog that uses ultrasonic communication can tune its ears like a radio dial to block out lower pitched background noise, a new study finds.

Global warming forces innovative sea turtle protection  

When nearly 900 endangered leatherback sea turtles emerged from the sand on this remote Pacific beach this spring, scientists rejoiced.

Record-breaking chameleons live only a few months  

Members of a rare chameleon species all hatch in the same month, then die only four to five months later — making them the shortest-lived four-limbed vertebrates, a new study says.

Frogs pierce skin with claws of bone  

Eleven species of African frogs sport a Wolverine-like defense mechanism, scientists have announced. When threatened, the amphibians pierce their skin with toe bones, sprouting makeshift claws with which to attack predators.

Scientists probe dead turtle mystery  

There have been an unprecedented number of loggerhead turtle strandings this year; 18 have been recorded so far on the UK coast.