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Animals in the News (28 photos)

It’s time once again for a look at the animal kingdom and our interactions with the countless species that share our planet. Today’s photos include genetically modified mosquitoes in Brazil, a zoo in China where visitors are caged while visiting the tigers, the Faquetaique Courir Mardi Gras chicken run in Louisiana, a wayward sea lion pup found sleeping in a booth in a California restaurant, a Russian military unit training with reindeer, eagles hunting drones in the Netherlands, and much more. These images and many others are part of this roundup of animals in the news from recent months, seen from the perspectives of their human observers, companions, captors, and caretakers, as part of an ongoing series on animals in the news.

A macaque monkey catches knives as it works with a trainer at the Qilingang Monkey Farm on February 2, 2016, in Baowan village, Xinye county, Henan province, China. The area boasts a centuries-long and lucrative history of raising and training monkeys for performance. In Xinye, villagers are seeing an increase in business with the lunar calendar’s “Year of the Monkey”. Farmers say most of the monkeys are bred and raised for domestic zoos, circuses, and performing groups, but add that some are also sold for medical research in China and the United States. Despite the popularity of the tradition, critics contend the training methods and conditions constitute animal cruelty. (Kevin Frayer / Getty)
http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2016/02/animals-in-the-news/463194/