Animal Articles & News

Highly intelligent, sociable, and just plain fun to watch, the carnivorous otter is an aquatic member of the Mustelid (or weasel) family. Their lithe bodies and webbed toes and feet enable them to glide smoothly through the water and catch prey. There are some 13 species of otters around the world. Most of them are […] Read More

What Do Owls Eat? The Owl Diet Explained Owls are mysterious birds of the night. With their huge eyes and haunting hoot, they appear intelligent and menacing. They are divided into two families, the true or typical owls, and the barn owls. What keeps these feathered creatures going every day? As a bird of prey, […] Read More

Humans are believed to have domesticated sheep about 7,000 years ago and cattle 10,500 years ago. Scientists believe that dogs were domesticated as early as 32,100 years ago Somewhere down the line someone got the idea to train dogs to herd sheep and cattle by the sort of tweaking their natural instinct to hunt down […] Read More

Guinea pigs are adorable, sweet pets that love to express themselves by chattering, squealing, and wheeking. Some guinea pigs have swirls of long hair while others have a coat of soft, short hair. These little critters can be one solid color, two colors, or tri-colored! Many owners could spend hours watching these furry creatures jump, […] Read More

Guinea pigs are among the oldest and, some might say, the cutest domesticated animals in the world: sociable, gentle, and pleasant to be around, they can appeal to children and adults alike. Today there are 13 accepted guinea pig breeds, each varying by the color, texture, and patterns of their fur. The species we know […] Read More

Guinea pigs have become a beloved family pet for thousands of people around the world. To adopt one, your best bet is a pet store or even an animal shelter. They’ve been domesticated for the last 500 years, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t still spend time in the wild. Naturally, they live in […] Read More

The lifespan of an animal depends on its habitat, size, food sources, and its defensive capabilities along with other factors. The insects on this list progress through a life cycle that includes several stages. In some cases, one stage of an insect’s life cycle is much longer than another. A small rodent on this list […] Read More

Doves belong to the Columbidae family of birds and usually have plump bodies, relatively long necks for perching birds, tails that are often long, and beaks that are short and slender. Doves are found everywhere on earth save the polar regions and the driest deserts, and the rock dove has one of the greatest ranges […] Read More

In the animal kingdom, there are many types of animals that have horns or antlers. Not all of these qualify as “deer.” An antelope, for example, is similar to a deer but occupies an entirely different scientific family. So, what is a deer? A deer is a member of the Cervidae family of herbivorous mammals […] Read More

Do beavers really eat wood? These brown furry rodents with large teeth and a flat tail can often be shown gnawing on a tree. So you would think that they eat wood, but they chew on trees for a different purpose. Let’s take a look at what beavers eat. How do beavers gather food? Timber! […] Read More

While you may know of dire wolves from your favorite fantasy series, real dire wolves (Canis or Aenocyon dirus) existed in our world too, up until they went extinct around 10,000 years ago. While we know they’re much bigger than their modern domesticated family members, it can be hard to determine just how big they […] Read More

Ah, wonderful, relaxing sleep–all animals need it. Sleeping is the perfect way to recharge after a long day (or night). Some species are diurnal, while others are nocturnal or crepuscular. Some animals, like cats and sloths, sleep as much as 20 hours per day, while others like giraffes get a mere three to four hours […] Read More

For an animal that can either be smaller than some types of sharks or the largest animal in the entire world, it can be difficult to wrap your head around just how big different types of whales are – which is where a whale size comparison guide comes in handy. From whales the size of […] Read More

The biological taxonomy system can be a confusing and sometimes imperfect method for categorizing life, but it can also be an effective way for us to better understand the flow of evolution throughout history. It’s commonly recognized that birds rank among the closest direct descendants of dinosaurs, but many people wonder if they can be […] Read More

Guinea pigs are among the most beloved pets in the entire world. They’re very curious, gentle, cuddly, comical, and highly interactive animals that need frequent social interaction and care. While their lifespan isn’t as long as a cat or a dog, they’re generally quite hardy and resistant to disease. There are many factors that influence […] Read More

What’s a seal? True seals are earless, while the fur seals and sea lions both have external ears. From a taxonomic perspective (how scientists group animals) seals belong to a large clade of semi-aquatic animals called Pinnipeds that include seals, sea lions, and fur seals. There are currently 34 extant species of pinnipeds and around […] Read More

Antelope are well known for their graceful appearance and impressive horns.  However, when we think of antelope, it’s easy to assume that they are specific group of animals.  In fact, “antelope” is a term used to describe members of the Bovidae family that are not sheep, cows, or goats.  Although antelope are most often associated with […] Read More

When it comes to the smartest species within the animal kingdom, elephants are definitely near the top of the list. How smart are elephants, then? Well, for starters, they have larger brains than every other land mammal! Elephants are capable of expressing a huge range of complex emotions, and they’ve even been known to use […] Read More

Crabs look like sand dollars with legs! There are more than 4,500 species of crabs that come in a variety of sizes. The most common crabs are about the size of your hand whereas the largest crab, the giant Japanese spider crab, has a body that is 15 inches across and legs that have a […] Read More

Ladybugs are small round red insects with black spots. They can be other colors, like orange, yellow and black, but the most familiar species is the seven-spotted ladybug which is red. Ladybugs are sometimes called ladybird beetles or lady beetles; they got their name from farmers who would pray to the Virgin Mary for protection […] Read More

Whether a person thinks that they’re fascinating marvels of evolution or so creepy that they can’t bear to be in the same room with one, spiders are an invaluable part of any ecosystem. They keep nature in balance by devouring insects, including the ones people consider pests, whose numbers might otherwise be overwhelming. In turn, […] Read More

The hairless guinea pig is a relatively new breed that’s gaining in popularity. Their unique appearance makes them stand out from among the bunch. But like any new pet fad, it’s important to be prepared and do your research first before rushing out to buy one. Pet ownership is both a responsibility and a privilege. […] Read More

You can learn a lot about an animal by looking at its physical features. Its features can give you clues about its habitat, the type of climate it lives in as well as its predators. Tough skin is one feature many animals have in common. The following ten animals have the toughest skin in the […] Read More

Birds are beautiful creatures. Birds sing for the world. The vast majority fly and even the ones that do not can be fascinating. Colorful and graceful, they make excellent home companions. And there is certainly a huge library to choose from. One of those library volumes includes birds that might be way out of most […] Read More

Squirrels belong to the family Sciuridae, which includes hundreds of species. Generally speaking, there are three varieties, ground squirrels, tree squirrels, and flying squirrels. After stacking members of each up against one another, we’ve found the ten largest squirrels in the world; take a look! (But, before we begin, a few notes about the list) […] Read More

Giraffes are one of the world’s most amazing animals. They are a part of the Giraffidae family, with the only other member being the okapi. These even-toed ungulates tower over all other animals and are the world’s tallest living mammal. Once having a wide range over Africa, today they can only be found spread out throughout […] Read More

Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world and inhabit the Subsaharan of Africa. Weighing up to 3,000 pounds the giraffe is the eighth heaviest land mammal and is covered with a beautiful decorative spot pattern on its body. Being so big they are constantly eating and foraging.  In a land filled with predators like […] Read More

There are over 6,000 species of crab inhabiting the world. Crabs are decapods, which also include lobsters, shrimps, and prawns. These invertebrates belong to the family of Brachyura and are covered in a hard shell to protect their body, have ten legs, and two claws. In oceans, on land, and in freshwater crabs stretch their […] Read More

Do moths really eat sweaters? You may have pulled out a sweater from the back of your closet and found holes nibbled in it. Do you blame it on the moth? Yes, you could. Moths are like butterflies, they are small insects that have wings and come out mostly at night. The adult moths are […] Read More

Birds are among the most intelligent and talkative animals in the entire world. Their babbling, chatty, and loose-lipped mimicry have inspired various stories, both humorous and dark, from across all human cultures. True mimicry is a rare phenomenon. However, it is largely restricted to parrots and only a few songbirds. This makes parrots ideal test […] Read More

If you were asked to name a spooky animal, bats would likely be near the top of the list! But what makes bats so spooky? Is it because they come out at night, have sharp fangs and big beady eyes? Yeah, that’s a start! But should we be afraid of bats? What about vampire bats? […] Read More

If you’ve ever seen pictures of videos of elephants walking, eating, or perhaps playing together, you’ve probably wondered at some point: what is a group of elephants called? Research has shown that elephants are incredibly emotionally intelligent animals who are capable of expressing complex emotions like joy, love, anger, empathy, and even grief. They are […] Read More

For the most part, people tend to pay attention to a bird’s intelligence only when the bird is very smart. But what about dumb birds? You’ve heard that the ostrich putting its head in the sand is an idiom for avoiding a problem. We do say “bird-brain” as an insult, but it’s not about a […] Read More

Before we can define the smallest birds in North America, we have to understand what that region includes. Although many people think of North America as just the United States and Canada, many countries make up this region, including Greenland, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Because this area is so large and so full of different […] Read More

What are some nicknames for birds? These names range from the ordinary that you would expect for birds to the unusual and possibly exotic. When you have a pet bird, some of the reasons behind its name can include personality traits and the bird’s appearance. There are all kinds of exciting names for birds out […] Read More

When you contemplate what foods beetles eat, it is tempting to say “just about everything.” Indeed, beetles do eat everything from carrion to plants to carpet fibers to dung to the roses in your garden, but not every beetle eats everything. A lot are picky when it comes to what’s on their diet. Perhaps beetles […] Read More

Red birds are found throughout the world, in all types of habitats. They can be found in dry prairie lands or deep in pine forests. Some species of birds have both females and males with these brightly colored feathers. For most species of red birds, however, the male is brightly colored while the female is […] Read More

The lion may be considered the king of the jungle, but that doesn’t mean that this predator is invincible. The African habitats that these big cats call home have bred a variety of dangerous creatures — and many of them are willing to take down a lion whether it’s in self-defense or as an act […] Read More

Lots of animals are nocturnal, or active at night. Raccoons, owls, bats, and foxes are just a few examples of nocturnal wild animals. Many types of pets are also nocturnal. Domesticated cats run, play, and explore at night. Pet mice and hamsters are actively digging in their shavings and running on their exercise wheels at […] Read More

If you want a great pet that requires minimal maintenance and cost, go with a guinea pig. They live longer than other rodents and happen to be a lot cuter. These animals can be extremely vocal, have unique personalities, and develop great attachments to loved ones. The guinea pig is sweet and affectionate. These animals […] Read More

Meet the Goliath Tarantula Humans are built with an innate fear of spiders, instilled in us by evolution as a means to protect us against some of our most credible threats in the wild. And there’s never been better proof of why than the aptly named Goliath Tarantula. This is the world’s largest spider, and […] Read More