Tragedy struck a zoo in Tasmania this week when vandals broke in and killed nine birds. Dozens of animals were also missing after the locks on their enclosures were cut.
In Indonesia, park rangers were working to herd 20 endangered Sumatran elephants out of a village. Five elephants have been poisoned since April, often by farmers trying to protect their crops.
Recent research has discovered the first case of skin cancer in a wild fish population which "looks eerily similar to the melanoma that plagues humans," reported LiveScience. The Australian coral trout, living under the world's largest ozeo hole, were likely impacted by excessive UV rays. "Further work needs to be carried out to establish the exact cause of the cancer, but having eliminated other likely factors such as microbial pathogens and marine pollution, UV radiation appears to be the likely cause," researcher Michael Sweet said.
In lighter animal news, this orphaned baby walrus at the Alaska SeaLife Center appears to have made quite an impression on his caretakers.
Click here to read an interview with the head veterinarian of the U.S. Olympic equestrian team. Despite the pressure, Dr. Brendan Furlong said, "I love my job. It’s such a privilege to be able to spend every day of my life around horses."
Below, check out some of the best animal photos taken this week.
