Writer for A-Z Animals

Stephanie Manka

Stephanie Manka is a writer at A-Z Animals, where her primary focus is on wildlife, nature, and conservation. Stephanie holds a Ph.D. in biological sciences, where she specialized in the social behavior and genetics of African forest elephants. She has been working in the wildlife field since 2003 and writing about animals, her research, and nature for nearly 20 years. A current resident in the Chicago suburbs and an Illinois Master Naturalist, Stephanie enjoys exploring local biodiversity with her dogs, sharing her findings through YouTube and social media, and cooking delicious vegan food.

17 Articles

May 2025 Member Since

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Articles by Stephanie Manka

17 articles published

Majestic Howl: The Grace and Power of a Dire White Wolf Isolated on White Background

Can Genetically Engineered ‘De‑Extinct’ Animals Ever Be Real? Scientists Weigh In

In April of 2025, headlines across the world announced that the dire wolf had been brought back from extinction. This…

Three giraffes standing together while the sun sets behind them. Krueger National Park in South Africa.

4 Species of Giraffe Explained: How Scientists Rethought the Classification of Giraffa

For over 200 years, there has been just one species of giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis. This unmistakable African animal is easily…

Observing a rhinoceros beetle with a magnifying glass

How Insects Decide Which Plants Survive in Forests and Grasslands

When looking at a terrestrial ecosystem like a forest or grassland, the way plants are arranged across the landscape might…

Closeup on the colorful and rare Blue-spotted Salamander , Ambystoma laterale on green moss

How Simple Tunnels Are Preventing Thousands of Amphibian Road Deaths

Wildlife overpasses have gained popularity over recent years. You may have even seen images from places like Banff National Park…

Two white-tailed deer bucks sparring in a frost covered open meadow

How to Spot Rutting Deer in Indiana This Fall

Every fall in North America, millions of deer engage in a fascinating mating ritual over the course of several months…

Copperhead

These Are the Most Venomous Snakes in North Carolina

North Carolina is a state full of biodiversity, and snakes are no exception. Its diverse environments, from the mountains in…

Real tiger footprints

How Well Do You Know These Animal Tracks?

Some animals are so secretive and mysterious that they are rarely ever seen, even by the scientists who study them.…

Common bottlenose dolphin tursiops truncatus underwater

Common Animal Confusions, Solved by Experts

Are dolphins and porpoises just different words for the same kinds of animals? Are bison and buffalo okay to use…

An adult jaguar stalking in the grass

What’s the Difference Between a Leopard and a Jaguar?

Leopards (Panthera pardus) and jaguars (Panthera onca) are two big cats with lots of spots, and although they look a…

Eastern Bluebirds Splashing in Bird Bath During Summer Heat in Louisiana

How to Make Your Yard a Summer Sanctuary for Wildlife

Summers across the globe have been getting hotter with temperatures reaching record highs in many areas of the world, and…

Birds that eat bees: Purple Martin

What’s That Swarm Over Nashville? Purple Martins Take Flight

This video shows hundreds of thousands of purple martins swarming throughout downtown Nashville, Tennessee, last summer. Each night for several…

Two american black bear cub interacting with mama on the road of Yellowstone National Park.

What to Do If You See a Black Bear in Your Neighborhood

With approximately 300,000 black bears in the United States, this species is the country’s most abundant bear, and their numbers…

Check Out the Newly Discovered Bee Species Found in Texas and Oklahoma

When it comes to bees, most people think of the honeybee or maybe a bumblebee, but bees are an incredibly…

Female Monarch on Butterfly Weed

How to Spot Migrating Monarch Butterflies in Indiana

Every fall, an incredible migration occurs through the state of Indiana, where millions of tiny monarch butterflies fly on their…

Two white-tailed deer bucks fighting during rutting season on a snowy day in Canada

The Wild Animal Ritual Happening All Around Illinois — And Most People Don’t Even Notice

Deer rut is a biological spectacle that takes place every year in Illinois throughout the state with an estimated 660,000…

Full view of dusky Pygmy or pigmy rattlesnake -Sistrurus miliarius barbouri - with orange red dorsal stripe. View from above. Central Florida while crossing remote gravel road

Six Hours Too Late: Study Finds Dangerous Delays in Florida Snakebite Treatment

Bites from venomous snakes can be a death sentence, but not if antivenom is administered shortly afterward. Yet the first…

Crayfish frog, Lithobates areolatus, a large frog of the central and southern United States, that spends most of its life in the burrows of large crayfishes.

Burrowed and in Trouble: The Crawfish Frog’s Hidden Fight for Survival

Crawfish frogs (Lithobates areolatus) were once common throughout the central and southern United States, but are now in decline in…