animals

Hog Wild: Pig Feast Goes Viral, Overwhelms Village in China

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

A woman posted a casual plea online for help with slaughtering the animals. It turned into a national sensation.

He Qitong

The Archeological Menagerie: China Uncovers 3,000-Year-Old ‘Zoo’

The findings shed light on an ancient system of acquiring and keeping captive a variety of wild animals, likely for use as sacrifices by ancient elites.

Jiang Xinyi

China Takes a Shot at Pet Obesity — Using Weight-Loss Drugs

Pharma giants in China are racing to adapt GLP-1 drugs for pets, among others, betting that health-conscious owners will pay up.

Li Xin

Ancient Fossil in China Rewrites Story of Early Animal Migration

The discovery of a new dicynodont species suggests early land animals moved across Pangaea later and more widely than previously thought.

Chen Yiru

China Loves Zootopia’s Blue Snake. Now Fans Are Buying Real Ones.

Amid the sequel’s box office success, fans are flocking to e-commerce platforms to buy live vipers that resemble a new character.

Fan Yiying

Can Chinese Temples Help the Souls of Dead Pets? It’s Complicated

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

As Chinese people increasingly see pets as beloved friends, the question of what to do when a cat or dog passes away has many asking temples for guidance. They don’t always have the answers.

Zhu Yiwen

Taste for Waste: Rare Bears Swap Hunting for Landfill Scraps

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

As more wild bears become reliant on a county landfill for food, conservationists warn of the potential impacts on the animals and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The  Beijing News

China’s Boar-Hunting Drones Fly Into a Legal Vacuum

Drones modified to hunt boars operate in a legal gray area, leading to illegal hunting and livestock theft and prompting calls for tighter regulations.

Shanghai’s Pet&Fresh to Close All Locations

Inspired by its company’s grocery stores for people, the pet grocery store chain had offered freshly made pet meals and dining spaces for animals and their owners, but made little profit.

Leapfrogging Ahead: Chinese Scientists Discover New Frog Species

Leptobrachella kungfu is the most recent discovery by a team of wildlife researchers in China’s southern Guangdong province, highlighting the region’s recent championing of biodiversity initiatives.

Minding Nemo: Vlogger Finds Fatal Flaws at China’s Aquariums

A social media influencer touring aquatic attractions nationwide is exposing the perilous problems he finds in water quality, staff training, and erroneous signage.

Original (Jiefang Daily)

China’s Mice See Stars as Nation Sends Its First Rodents to Space

The mice launched on Oct. 31 and are currently aboard China’s Tiangong space station, where they are being studied for their behavioral response to the spatial environment.

Bloodcats: Video of Stray Cat Blood Trade Scandalizes China

The video, showing a cat being forcibly bled, sparked public outrage and an investigation by the local forestry and parks bureau.

China’s First Macaque Biobank Addresses Lab Monkey Shortage

Chinese scientists have analyzed the genomes and physical characteristics of nearly 1,000 macaques to provide domestic researchers with improved human disease modeling techniques.

The Dugong, Mammal of Mermaid Lore, Returns to China’s Waters

Just two years after being declared extinct, the dugong has been sighted again in the South China Sea, a sign of progress in ecological restoration.

China’s Latest Conservation Weapon Is a Robot Antelope

Researchers hope that the furry, remote-controlled quadruped will help them collect first-hand data about migration routes and birthing behaviors of Tibetan antelope on the remote Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.

How China’s Urban Youth Became Obsessed With Birding

Driven by social media, more and more urbanites are taking up birdwatching, helping to increase ecological awareness and molding photography trends to their aesthetic preferences in the process.

Chen Zhenyang

China’s Illegal Hunting Livestreams Disguised as ‘Outdoor Sports’

Police in northeastern China have uncovered a black market involving livestreamers killing wildlife — including some protected species — to sell hunting gear.

The Art of Reviving an Abandoned Chinese Village — With Stray Cats

Back in the village he once left behind, an artist turned abandoned homes into a sanctuary for more than 200 cats — and watched it become a magnet for strays, artists, and thousands of tourists.

China’s New Bet to Spur Urban Spending: Pet-Friendly Buses

To invigorate pet-related markets, some Chinese cities have launched animal-friendly public transportation services — but their economic viability remains unclear.