The whale that stranded itself at Pt Chevalier in Auckland is now heading into the channel past Kauri Point and out to sea.

He was 2011 Rugby World Cup lucky charm, but the unofficial mascot's luck has run out after being sold to the meatworks last year.

A Queenstown couple have asked for a second chance for their pet schnauzer dogs after they were found responsible for killing three lambs on a neighbouring farm.

Since 2009 DoC staffing has been slashed by 323. Funding cuts continue, writes Brian Rudman. In the last Budget, operational funding was cut by $8.7 million and natural heritage management by $7 million.

DIY home-building fever has struck the gentoo penguins at Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium on the Auckland waterfront.

Patrick, 30, Ballarat Wildlife Park - the world's oldest wombat has joined Tinder.

A paralysed rabbit is hopping for joy after being given the chance to walk again - with a bunny wheelchair.

Bubba the cat has attended high school for the last six years - so it's fitting that this learned feline has received his own ID card.

A seal has been spotted sunning itself on rocks along Auckland's Tamaki Drive today.

An animal advocacy group says it had previously investigated the Waikato farm where 400 pigs burnt to death over the weekend.

We're a nation of dog-lovers - and a new book pays tribute to the canines who are our loyal companions.

Alan Perrott spends the day with Coers and his 1600kg new charge, Anjalee, and discovers what makes our zoo different from any other in the world.

Volunteers who spent decades restoring Motutapu are devastated and angry that hunters mistakenly shot four of their takahe "friends" on the island.

The people involved in the shooting of four critically endangered takahe are "very, very upset", the president of the Deerstalkers' Association says.

"The baby seal arrived sometime earlier this morning, and has been sunning itself on our pontoon ever since."- Museum worker

The cost of bringing Anjalee to New Zealand in June included $600,000 to build a quarantine facility in Niue.

Failed attempt off Monomoy, Cape Cod - filmed by Dr. Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries working with Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. www.atlanticwhiteshark.org. Source: Atlantic White Shark Conservancy/YouTube

Breaking News cameraman Geoff Mackley, had an exclusive ride along on the Eastbound Tranz Alpine train from Greymouth to Christchurch, filming from the locomotive cab. While filming he captured something pretty amazing, a Hawk was on the tracks and narrowly misses the camera/train by metres.

This is the comical moment when a bear stuck its head through a cat flap and cased the joint.

This koala shows a surprising turn of pace and a heck of a lot of ticker chasing down a quad bike on an Australian farm.

More hearing-impaired Kiwis are set to benefit from the Hearing Dogs NZ charity, after it received a $30,000 grant from Jetstar's Flying Start programme.

Say hello to Corduroy. He lives in Oregon with Ashley Reed Okura, and, at 26 years old, he's the oldest documented living cat in the world.

Close encounter with "the most beautiful of sharks" earns place among New Zealand Geographic's Photographer of the Year finalists.

Emergency services were called to downtown Auckland this morning after a seagull became trapped inside a lamp post.

Photos from an illegal bear hunt carried out by Walter Palmer, the American dentist who shot dead Cecil the lion, have been obtained by an American television show.

Everyone loves the animals of the internet - especially on the weekend. We've handpicked our top nine social media savvy animals to shine a spotlight on.

The Pound Pups TV star is labelled an animal behaviourist but says that changing human behaviour is the hard part of his work.

Fishermen capture incredible selfie with a whale that wanted them to help remove plastic bags caught in its mouth.

Uggie, the canine star of the Oscar-winning silent movie The Artist, has lost his battle with prostate cancer.