Animals

The five Asian small-clawed otters recently born at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo are the first of their kind to be born there in almost a decade.

Gainesville Regional Airport's efforts to reduce the number of animals struck by airplanes have been effective. The number of animal strikes at GNV has been trending downward over the past five years, even as total number of flights into and out of the airport has trended upward since 2014.

After four years of Food and Drug Administration nicotine addiction studies, 26 male squirrel monkeys became the first monkeys to ever be retired by the FDA and finally found their home at Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary just north of Gainesville city limits.

Despite recent changes in marijuana laws nationwide, the Gainesville Police Department’s drug-sniffing K-9s aren’t going anywhere.

“When you see them flourish and you see that light come back into their eyes, that's what keeps you able to do this,” Finelli said. “If you don't see that, and you don't find great homes for them, this will just really kill you.”