Animals

PHOTO: Driver crosses camel on a road in the west of France

The animal had escaped from a nearby travelling circus and taken a stroll

Vulture attacks and injures woman in her garden in France

It is believed to be the first attack of its kind in the country

Expert casts doubt on claims bites from French 'violin' spider killed two

'No deaths from a spider bite' have ever been recorded in France

news

Guide dog associations angry over post-Brexit fees to visit France

Owners face increased costs and bureaucracy to travel across the Channel

Hiker dies after Asian hornet attack in Brittany

The 77-year-old was part of a group walking on a trail near a nest at the foot of a tree

Millions of insects migrate over France from northern Europe to southern Spain

These insects travel from as far as Sweden or the UK on an instinctual, genetic basis

Dogs banned from French city water spaces after pet dies

The municipality of Lille issued the order after a dog was found to have died from blue-green algae poisoning

Why did a French vet charge a €200 ‘cremation fee’?

Pets who die must also be have information on ‘pet database’ updated

Tortoise thought to be extinct in French Pyrenees rediscovered by walkers

The species is one of the most endangered reptiles in Europe

Pet care to be part of France’s school curriculum from September 2024

The new programme will aim to teach respect and compassion for pets, in a bid to fight animal mistreatment

Six French expressions around cats to use in everyday conversations

A bon chat bon rat, avoir un chat dans la gorge - how many of these do you know?

French communes share studies of local flora and fauna with residents

Town in Brittany is the latest to publish its communal biodiversity atlas

Snake bites sleeping tourist in Pau after sliding into his T-shirt

The man was taking a nap outside in grass in the Aspe Valley. It is thought he may have moved and scared the snake, which was probably seeking shade

Normandy beaches evacuated after shark spotted near coast

It was seen on Saturday and Sunday in Manche department

Invasive 'smelly' ants spark concern across France

As well as a nasty bite, tapinoma ants cause damage to crops, homes and utilities, and when squished smell like rancid butter

‘Traumatised’: Patou dogs attack puppy and owner in car park in Alps

‘My dog was on a lead,’ says the man. The farmer who owns the two Patous says the guard dogs may have been overwhelmed by the soaring numbers of visiting tourists

Wild animals on French roads: does insurance cover you for accidents?

Find out what to do and where to turn to for help, dependent on your policy

Are sandflies a problem in France, and is my dog at risk?

Bites from these insects may cause a potentially lethal disease

Jogger attacked by wolves in French zoo’s safari zone: what is known?

The woman, 37, is said to be in a severe but-stable condition in hospital. It is not clear why she was in the car-only area

Snakes in France: what kinds are there, where and what to do if bitten

'People's first reaction when they see a snake is to kill it – which is illegal'

Are pets allowed when renting a flat in France?

There are rules which relate mainly to the type of pet

RANKED: France's 10 most dog-friendly towns and cities

Criteria used include number of dog parks, dog-friendly public transport policies, and help for vulnerable owners and animals

VIDEO: Driver films three lynx by side of French road

The video also raises awareness of the real risk of traffic collisions to the endangered animals

France first-hand: We fostered a 'blind dogs' puppy

Nicole Marty talks about a rewarding time for her and partner Gérard with a guide dog in-training

Plan for sanctuary for old circus lions and tigers in south-west France

The €2.5m centre will welcome its first retired circus lions in June

Snoopy the hospital dog is a hit with patients and staff in Paris

An English setter rescue dog at one of the world’s top cancer hospitals in Paris has been described as “a bubble of oxygen”

Stray dogs to be shot after sheep attacks in southern France

But animal welfare campaigners say the dogs should be taken to shelters instead

Eagle attacks and injures paraglider mid-flight in Savoie, east France

The attack, which lasted for 13 minutes, left the man in need of stitches and surgery

Meet France's great garden acrobat

With its bright yellow and blue plumage, the Eurasian blue tit is easy to spot in the garden.

What is France’s new national plan to fight against Asian hornets?

The hornets represent a triple threat: to the beekeeping industry, to the environment and to public health, said the French minister for biodiversity

Dog-walks, airport scam, tax season: 5 French practical updates

Our round-up of recent articles you may have missed

Act now to limit tiger mosquitoes at French home this summer

The insects are now in all regions of France

Why wild animals in France may appear drunk at the moment

‘They can stagger a bit and have a desire to play, run, gallop and jump’

French town overrun by rabbits puts up posters of… rabbit stew recipe

The recipe is being shown on digital billboards after residents began complaining of burgeoning bunnies

Marineland in south of France again criticised over new whale death

An animal welfare association has filed a legal complaint but the park denies it keeps orcas in poor conditions

Petit lapin, coup du lapin: 6 commonly used French rabbit expressions

A potential new penalty for missing a doctor’s appointment has also been nicknamed la taxe lapin - we explain why

What are the rules for owning a goat in France?

Goats are sociable and energetic animals that can help keep your grass tidy

VIDEO: Hunters say they caught (and released) golden jackal in France

They are ‘90% sure’ the animal was a jackal, and are now waiting for DNA test results

Work to protect birds from dangers of French ski resorts is a success

Simple actions like attaching brightly coloured discs to electricity wires and ski lift cables is helping to prevent accidents

Adopt a goat scheme in France looks for landowners to save animals

Around 1,000 goats have been saved from the abattoir in five years

SEE: How French dog stole the show at the Oscars

Messi, from Anatomy of a Fall , was one of the biggest hits of the star studded night

Mystery around deaths of pigeons in Dordogne village

Autopsy points to stomach inflammation caused by an infection; tests have ruled out bird flu or poisoning

How do I bring my pet into France from the US?

There are strict rules which must be followed

Mystery of 130 dead seabirds found on France’s Atlantic beaches

A lack of fish, climate change and accidental capture has been cited as possible reasons

Unmuzzled dog on train in France sparks complaint

A former MP complained about the Golden Retriever on social media, saying a ticket inspector and other passengers failed to tackle the owner

Processionary caterpillars in French forest blamed for sick dogs

A woman who walked her pets in a tree-covered area had to rush them to the vet

Starling ‘invasion’ wreaks havoc on French city

Thousands of the birds have set up camp on roofs, leading to piles of mess, excessive noise and a bad smell. Children’s play areas have been closed

Why France's national symbol - the Gallic cockerel - is under threat

How the ‘coq gaulois’ became the nation’s emblem and what is being done to save it

New war monument in Paris honours animals that died in service

The project was inspired by similar artworks in London

What to do if you cross a boar while out walking in France?

The animals can be aggressive but generally only if they feel threatened

Find my lost dogs and I will give you my car, pleads Frenchman

Dog owner will reward anyone who brings back his missing animals with a Peugeot 107, worth around €3,400

‘Hyper-aggressive' seabirds force Marseille to take action

Some say the gulls ‘represent the city’ but authorities now have permission to act to reduce their number

Cockerel in French village must leave as it crows too loudly

‘He’s just doing his job as a rooster!’ claims the bird’s owner but neighbours say they cannot sleep

Cat compensation case is 'turning point' for animal rights in France

The sum due - €100 - is mainly symbolic but has been welcomed by animal-rights defenders

VIDEO: French mayor frees fox whose head was stuck in pipe

The mayor came across the animal during a visit to the city’s old fortifications

Migratory birds you may see overhead or stopping off in France

Large, small, white, black or brightly-coloured - here are six species of birds you may spot as they make their journeys

France bans nitrates for pet food but only reduces them for people

How a pack of food for President Macron’s dog highlighted a curious discrepancy between pet and human food - and the latter’s links to colon cancer

French Palaeolithic cave art shows deep human connection with animals

Nature watcher Jonathan Kemp goes underground to marvel at the bison, deer and aurochs drawn 14,000 years ago

VIDEO: new film released of bear and cubs in Pyrenees before winter

The shots were collected in September and November and are part of analyses into the state of the bear population

Bat invasion and buying at auction: French property news and updates

Our pick of recent property articles that you might have missed

Brittany couple saved from fire by parrot shrieking ‘It's hot!’

The ‘hero’ parrot was the first to notice something was wrong in the dead of night

State pays €95,000 to couple after hundreds of bats invade French home

The property lost 30% of its value due to damage caused by the protected species

Ticks carrying Crimean-Congo fever found in France for first time

No human cases have yet been detected but health authorities warn that the virus could spread due to climate change. It is already in Spain

‘Cow Covid’ virus spreading fast among cattle in France

Cases have risen from 39 last month to almost 1,200 now. The virus spreads more easily due to climate change, the agriculture minister has said

Bid to stop marmot hunting in France fails

Six environmental associations denounced the hunting as ‘scandalous’ but the court did not rule in their favour

Chaos as stag falls through garage roof at house in south-west France

The 150kg animal panicked as it could not escape, damaging the garage. The home in the Dordogne is at the foot of a cliff and the stag is thought to have fallen

Young golden jackal found in France for first time

The female whose dead body was discovered by the side of a road near Marseille is thought to have been born locally, meaning the animals are reproducing here

King’s visits boosts wine, and other good news stories from France

We also look at a kitten which found a home after being found in a car bumper, and a man who donates repaired computers to children in need

Two escaped bulls delay flights at French airport for five hours

Animals needed to be put to sedated before being fully removed from the site

PHOTOS: why there are so many more storks in France now

Birds usually migrate south to Africa but more are opting to stay - as these images show

Hunting season opens in many areas of France: what's good to know

What do they hunt? When does hunting start? How to stop hunters going on your land? We answer the key questions.

Giant 800-metre ant colony beneath beach in the south of France

‘Hundreds of millions of ants’ have been building a megacolony below the sand dunes

Drivers warned about wandering cats and hedgehogs on new French signs

The signs ask drivers to slow down and were the idea of a council worker who runs a shelter for stray cats and was saddened by how many are run over

From fox cubs to singing mayors: Five good news stories from France

Our pick of feel-good stories this week

Positive news from France: our pick of feel good stories

We look at how a golden retriever is helping children to read more confidently, a boy who saved his mother and a father-daughter bike ride for charity