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Virginia’s Most Dangerous Snakes You May Encounter This Summer
Snakes have a way of making people panic, especially in the summer when more of us are outside hiking, gardening,…
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Too Many Trees Are Killing Wildlife on the Cumberland Plateau
When we think of forests, most of us picture something really lush and green. We envision towering trees. Shade to…
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The Tough Metals Hidden Inside a Scorpion’s Venomous Stinger
Scorpions already have a pretty intimidating reputation. Between their venomous stingers, spooky-looking pincers, and their tendency to appear unexpectedly, scorpions…
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As the Kentucky Derby Nears, Can Horse Racing Ever Be Truly Ethical?
Every spring, the Kentucky Derby arrives in all of its showy glory. There are hats, mint juleps, and the familiar…
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From 16 Wild Birds to Hundreds: The Whooping Crane’s Comeback
There’s something about a whooping crane that feels almost mythical. Maybe it’s the height (they’re about five feet tall!), maybe…
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What to Do When a Mountain Lion Starts Following You on a Hike
There are moments in nature that feel sort of cinematic and magical, like a deer crossing your path or a…
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Inside the ASPCA Lab Helping Solve Animal Cruelty Crimes
In a quiet corner of Gainesville, Florida, science is speaking up for animals who can’t speak for themselves. The ASPCA…
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The Mother Who Refused to Let Go: What Tahlequah’s ‘Grief Swim’ Teaches Us About Animal Love
Have you ever wondered whether your dog or cat experiences feelings of joy and sadness? How about whether or not…
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Inside the World’s First Seaside Whale Sanctuary in Nova Scotia
For decades, the debate over keeping whales in captivity has churned like a restless tide. Does that comparison sound cliché?…
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How a Sea Lion, a Shih Tzu, and an Elephant Survived Against the Odds
Every year on December 10, advocates around the world observe International Animal Rights Day, a reminder that animals (whether they’re…
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How Elk Returned to East Tennessee After Disappearing for More than a Century
For roughly 150 years, the sound of bugling elk was missing from Tennessee’s mountains — a silence so long-lasting it…
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Meet Sara, the Supersized Florida Manatee That Weighs More Than a Toyota Corolla
If you think you’ve seen a big manatee before, think again. Meet Sara, the heavyweight queen of Florida’s gentle giants.…
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Photographer’s Project Reveals How Animals Look From Below
There are photographers who chase light and photographers who chase moments. And then, there’s the rare breed who chase entirely…
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Young Elephants Turn a Muddy Hillside Into a Playground
Is there anything quite so enticing as a mud puddle? For most kids, that’s true. Turns out, it’s also true…
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What Happens to the Animals When a Zoo Closes?
For more than four decades, the Holtsville Ecology Site in Brookhaven, New York, was a local favorite. It was the…
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Dive Into the Wild World of America’s National Marine Sanctuaries
From the sunlit shallows around Hawai‘i to the chilly depths of the Great Lakes, the United States protects some of…
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7 Sloth Superpowers (Like Farting to Float) Just in Time for International Sloth Day
Every October 20, the world slows down (at least in spirit) for International Sloth Day. It’s the perfect excuse to…
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The Devil’s Bite: How This Fierce Marsupial Crushes Bones Like No Other
If you want proof that size isn’t everything, look no further than the Tasmanian devil. This scrappy, sharp-toothed marsupial might…
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How Sniffing Out Whale Scat May Save Southern Resident Orcas
Out in the cold, blue stretch of water between Washington State and Canada, a small team of scientists is on…
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How This Once-Feared Marsupial Is Staging a Massive, Heart-Warming Comeback
If your first thought when you hear “Tasmanian devil” is a whirlwind cartoon character that spins into chaos, you’re not…
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These Rare, Tiny Turtles Offer Big Hope
At the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center in Roanoke, Virginia, a mother turtle recovering from an ear abscess recently surprised staff…
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Why October 2 Is a Turning Point for Farmed Animals, Climate, and Our Food Future
Mark your calendars! October 2 is World Farmed Animals Day, when advocates, veterinarians, policy experts, and everyday eaters examine how…
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Proof That Agriculture and Conservation Can Co-Exist — and Thrive
If you’ve ever driven through the vast fields of Minnesota, you might not picture them as havens for Bobolinks, Grasshopper…
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Monkey Myths: What Pop Culture Gets Wrong About Primates
From curious sidekicks in kids’ cartoons to over-the-top villains in Hollywood blockbusters, primates rarely get an accurate portrayal on screen.…
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This National Dog Walker Appreciation Day, Celebrate the Unsung Heroes of Our Sidewalks
Today (September 8) marks National Dog Walker Appreciation Day, a moment to recognize the people who keep tails wagging and…
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The World Watches as this Species on the Brink Fights for Survival
Once upon a time, the Northern white rhinoceros wandered the grasslands of central Africa in healthy numbers. They were giant,…
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Paws on the Ground: How K-9 Comfort Dogs Help People Heal After Tragedy
When tragedy strikes, words often fail. After the recent school shooting in Minneapolis, grief understandably swept through the community in…
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Half a Million Coyotes Are Killed Each Year. Project Coyote Wants That to Change
Coyotes and wolves have long been cast as the villains of the wild. For centuries, they’ve been trapped, poisoned, and…
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Herpetologist Geoffrey Smith Survived a Lightning Storm in a Boat Surrounded by Alligators
If you picture a herpetologist as someone who exclusively wrangles snakes and whispers to lizards, Geoffrey Smith might surprise you.…
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Forget Dogs and Cats. This Vet Treats Capybaras, Snakes, and Sugar Gliders
When most of us picture a veterinarian, we imagine someone giving vaccines to a golden retriever or listening to a…
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Rattlesnake Wrangling is a Calling for Former “City Girl” Danielle Wall
Most people’s “drive home from work” stories don’t end with a career pivot into rattlesnake wrangling. But Danielle Wall isn’t…
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How This Hit Songwriter Found Freedom in Falconry
By the time Holly Lamar discovered falconry, she had already lived several lives: investment banker, Grammy-nominated songwriter, property developer. But…
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He Played Guitar for an Okapi. It Walked Right up to Him.
When you think of serenading an audience, you probably imagine a packed concert hall or a cozy coffeehouse stage. French…
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Inside Audubon’s Fight to Reverse a 3-Billion-Bird Decline
If you’ve ever been dive-bombed by a protective mother bird while innocently strolling through a park, you already know that…
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Ranger Rick, Monarchs, and a Mission: The Untold Story of the National Wildlife Federation
If you spent your childhood flipping through Ranger Rick magazine, hiked a trail peppered with native wildflowers, or felt moved…
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Meet the Veterinarian Turning Equine Healing Upside Down
If your horse has ever had a mystery ailment that no X-ray, injection, or saddle swap could solve, meet Dr.…
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Meet Man’s “Other Best Friend”: Inside the Mission of Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue
In a world where horses get the glory, dogs get the devotion, and cats get the memes, donkeys have long…
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From the Texas Floods to the Turkey Earthquakes: These Rescue Dogs are Ready for Anything
If you think your dog’s obsession with fetching a tennis ball is impressive, you should meet the pups at the…
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Protecting 30% by 2030: The Sierra Club’s Bold Plan to Save the Wild
When John Muir founded the Sierra Club in 1892, he couldn’t have imagined the world we live in now —…
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This Beloved Theme Park Is Also a Leading Force in Raptor Conservation
It’s no secret that the 130-acre Dolly Parton-founded Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, TN, is a big draw to…
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1-on-1 With Animal Welfare Auditor Jacquelyn Babcock
When you hear “animal welfare auditor,” you might envision someone in a suit, clipboard in hand, giving pigs performance reviews.…
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Ever Met a Bee Veterinarian? You Have Now.
When most people think of veterinarians, they picture stethoscopes, wagging tails, and perhaps the occasional disgruntled cat. But Dr. Elizabeth…
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War Zones + Wagging Tails: Cesar Millan Joins the Mission to Save Soldiers’ Dogs
In tough economic times, charities like Paws of War feel the squeeze while trying to carry out their life-changing missions.…
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The Tireless Work Continues to Save Florida’s Unofficial State Mascot
Manatees might just be Florida’s unofficial mascot — the lumbering, lovable sea cows are some of the state’s most iconic…
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She’s an Animal Whisperer, and She Can Teach You to Be One Too
For some, talking to animals is the stuff of fairy tales, cartoons, or quirky movies starring Eddie Murphy. But for…
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They Traded 5 Motorcycles for a Lion, and Thus Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Was Born
If you think your family’s pet history is wild, wait until you meet Tanya Smith, founder of Turpentine Creek Wildlife…
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Will Harris Makes a Strong Case for Regenerative Ranching – and We’re On Board
Will Harris doesn’t just talk the talk — he wrangles it, grazes it, and regenerates the soil beneath its hooves.…
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‘No Mating, Only Dating’ is the Motto at This Colorado Animal Sanctuary
Some sanctuaries offer shelter; The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado, offers rescued animals a place to reclaim their wild…
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Primatologist Dr. Craig Stanford on Working With Jane Goodall, His Most Shocking Discoveries and Being Attacked by a Chimp
Dr. Craig Stanford is a leading primatologist whose research has transformed how we understand great apes and their world. As…
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Racing to Rescue: One Woman’s Fight Against Horse Slaughter and Neglect
Equine Advocates has become a sanctuary for horses in distress. Founded in 1996 by Susan Wagner, this nonprofit organization in…