2011 August 05

The Week in Animal News: Miracle Turtles, Taking a Bite Out of Shark Week, and More (Slideshow)

Photo: edanley/Creative Commons Last year, a sea turtle was discovered on a sandbar clinging to life after its body was split by the propellers of boats. It might have seemed futile to try and save the animal, but a team of veterinarians did anyways -- and now, after a hard-fought recovery, the sea turtle is heading home with a patched shell and a new chance at life. Read more about the turtle's miraculous recovery -- plus stories of endangered sharks, tiger meat served up to a television reporter, people-watching whales,...Read the full story on TreeHugger

Rare Flower Bounces Back From Presumed Extinction

Photo: John Delano The delicately hued petals and striking brown florets of Tennessee's purple coneflower once seemed fated to live on only in description, or as a ghostly sketch yellowing on the page of some dusty botanical volume, yet today it's thriving. For over half a century after it was first discovered, the flower was believed to have died out entirely, never to be seen again dotting the cedar glades of central Tennessee. But now, after years on the endangered species list, the purple coneflower has made a remarkable ...Read the full story on TreeHugger