Speedy Animal Control, San Diego CA

Indian court orders removal of thousands of stray dogs from Delhi region

Judge cites attacks on children among grounds for ruling but animal protection groups say decision is inhumane

India’s supreme court has ordered the immediate removal of thousands of stray dogs from the Delhi capital region, citing canine attacks and the country’s alarming rabies toll.

The sweeping move has set up a clash between public safety advocates and those who see the animals as beloved fixtures of their neighbourhoods.

Swarm of jellyfish shuts nuclear power plant in France

‘Massive and unpredictable’ swarm entered filter drums that pull in water, Gravelines operator EDF says

• Business live – latest updates

A swarm of jellyfish has forced the shutdown of one of the largest nuclear power plants in France after entering the water intake systems used to cool the coastal reactors.

Three reactors at the Gravelines nuclear power plant in northern France shut down automatically late on Sunday, according to the French nuclear company EDF, after the filter drums of the pumping stations became packed with a “massive and unpredictable” swarm of the marine creatures.

I was one of those pathetic males who barely noticed cats. Then I became smitten with my kitten

The mistake Cat Follower made was to allow me to be the one to pick up our little ‘fully grown’ kitten from the lost cat hotel

I’m in love with my cat. He sleeps by my writing desk all day on the cotton lining of my inside-out parka. At the end of the day, I crash into the beanbag and he climbs up on my chest and we nap.

To be clear, this is our family cat, but yes, in an eye-rollingly predictable move, the cat gravitated to the person in the household who was least interested.

Climate change is killing fireflies – threatening a US summer ritual

Scientists say lightning bugs are having a revival this year – but they’re concerned about the insects’ long-term viability

Max Vogel, a 29-year-old public defense attorney, was picnicking with friends in early August at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, when he noticed flashes of light appear in the air around him.

They were fireflies, bioluminescent insects that the Washington DC native had not seen while living in Oregon, where there are few, if any. For many Americans who live where fireflies do, their flashing lights at dusk are a tangible rite of summer – though one that may now be under threat.

A huge stick insect has been discovered in Australia. Here’s why that’s important | Gwen Pearson

Yes, they can be hard to spot – but this find highlights how little we know about creatures crucial to our ecosystem

• Gwen Pearson is adjunct professor at Michigan State University Department of Entomology

Scientists recently announced they had found an enormous new stick insect in Australia. At 41cm in length and weighing 44g, the main question I heard was: “Why didn’t scientists notice something that big before now?”

The short answer is: it’s a stick. Stick insects spent over 100m years perfecting their cosplay as leaves, branches and moss. They are diabolically difficult to spot, even with fairly acute human vision. If you disturb a stick insect, its usual response is to fall to the ground and lie still. So now you are looking for a stick lying on the ground … among all the other sticks.

Gwen Pearson is adjunct faculty at Michigan State University Department of Entomology. She received the Entomological Foundation Medal of Honor for her work in education and science communication

Fashion week for Australia’s fluffiest and silkiest alpacas, where ‘we’re all hoping for a good hair day’

At the Australian Alpaca National Show, local camelids compete in the hope of being crowned Supreme Champion. But it’s not some ‘fancy kennel club’ – this is a serious industry

It’s a scant 12C in Bendigo, but scores of fans whirr through the showground’s pavilion. The stars of this weekend’s proceedings hope to shine, but it’s important they don’t sweat too much before their time in the limelight.

“They need to keep their hair nice and well done,” says Lee Sadler, vice-president of the Australian Alpaca Association. “We’re all hoping for a good hair day.”