Animal News & Articles

Key Points Prairie dogs kiss each other as a form of greeting. Pups kiss their mothers to derive comfort from them. The practice also enables them to identify one another.… Read More

By Dana Mayor 3 years ago

Quick Answer: Foxes typically scream during the night to defend their territory and to attract a mate during the mating season. They have a higher pitch to their vocalizations that… Read More

By Heather Hall 3 years ago

Key Points: A well-adapted cardiovascular system is vital to the survival of any animal. Some creatures need more than one heart to supply blood flow throughout their bodies. A variety… Read More

By Patrick Sather 3 years ago

Key Points Seals are mammals and posses all of the features that make an animal a mammal.Seals don’t have fur all over their bodies, but they have so many sensitive… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Researchers say lobster intelligence rivals that of octopuses, long considered the smartest invertebrate. Think of a fancy, white tablecloth, candlelit dinner. Is there a lobster on the table? Lobsters are… Read More

By Jesse Elop 3 years ago

Sea turtles are renowned for being one of the oldest animals living today, having been around for 110 million years.  Known as marine reptiles, sea turtles are one of only… Read More

By Hannah Ward 3 years ago

Quick Answer: Playing dead is the most effective way opossums can protect themselves against predators. Most predators don’t want to eat an animal that’s already dead, so they will usually… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Elephants have a gestational period of 22 months following which they birth their young live. They nurse their young for 6 months. They also have hair on their… Read More

By A-Z Animals Staff 3 years ago

Gorillas are the largest apes around and have been on Earth for approximately 7 million years.  These huge mammals are usually found in forests and mountain regions and are easily… Read More

By Hannah Ward 3 years ago

Have you ever had a tiny animal buzz by your head, tickle the back of your neck, or crawl out of your shoe? Well, it may have been one of… Read More

By Jesse Elop 3 years ago

While some dog breeds can run fast, you’ll occasionally come across a dog that can run like the wind. These lightning-quick canines really know how to put the pedal to… Read More

By Patrick Sather 3 years ago

In a new study out of China, researchers have made some significant discoveries linking habitat fragmentation and giant panda reproduction and ultimately conservation. Giant pandas are one of the world’s… Read More

By Austin S. 3 years ago

Key Points Chickens are not considered mammals, they are birds. Chickens are the descendants of Galliformes, a species of animal that survived the asteroid that killed off the dinosaurs. Removal… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points These unique critters are tough to categorize because they have many characteristics of other animals. Despite being mostly known for roadkill, the armadillo has many great survival adaptations… Read More

By Heather Ross 3 years ago

Key Points Dolphins follow boats out of curiosity, entertainment, and to catch a free ride with the current pressure.Dolphins burn less energy while achieving a higher speed when they swim… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

The largest wild American bison ever recorded was a bull weighing 2,800 pounds. In North America, bigger is usually better. Both Canada and the United States are amongst the 10… Read More

By Jesse Elop 3 years ago

Key Points Trout are normally much smaller than salmon. They typically range from 4 to 16 inches in length with brown or grey with orange spots, while Salmon ranges from… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Raccoons generally prefer to avoid conflict with humans. However, if they feel cornered, are protecting their young, or are suffering from a disease, they may act aggressively. They… Read More

By Dana Mayor 3 years ago

Key Points Wolves howling at the moon is just Hollywood fantasy and folklore.Howling is a vocalization and a way wolves communicate to other members of their pack.Scientists have discovered that… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Neurons are activated when pets are stroked and are most responsive at temperatures that are equivalent to human skin.Do not pet wild animals as it may put you,… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Raccoons tend to eat differently in the summer than they do in the winter. In the fall, raccoons have to stock up on fat due to the winter… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points There are many reasons why otters are seen holding hands.Water flow can be dangerous to otters, that is why reason why you can sometimes see a pair holding… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points: Grizzly bears actually don't eat much meat - only 10% of their diet is protein while the rest is berries and plants. A polar bear eats almost all… Read More

By Michelle Stacy 3 years ago

For a lot of animals speed is essential to their survival and whether they can outrun a predator depends on how fast they can run.  When we think of the… Read More

By Hannah Ward 3 years ago

Key Points Wolves eat meat, they are carnivores and prefer to eat large hoofed mammals. Wolves like to eat elk, deer, rabbits, and mice. Wolves may also hunt smaller mammals… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points: The larger dog breeds can weigh from 70 pounds to over 200 pounds. These big dogs originated in regions all over the world: East Asia, Turkey, Newfoundland, Italy,… Read More

By Patrick Sather 3 years ago

Which dog breed is the tallest? With so many breeds out there, it’s difficult to say for sure which breeds stand head and shoulders above the rest. That said, some… Read More

By Patrick Sather 3 years ago

Lions are carnivores that eat prey which includes zebras, cattle, warthogs, and gazelles Key Facts Lions are pretty voracious although they have a good reason to be since they're capable… Read More

By Dana Mayor 3 years ago

Key Points Cassowaries are not dinosaurs, but they are one of the closest living relatives. Cassowaries are one of only about 60 flightless bird species. There was a recent discovery… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points: Of 221 cassowary attacks, 150 were against humans. The majority were due to humans feeding the birds or the birds protecting their young. Of these, 7 led to… Read More

By Heather Ross 3 years ago

Key Points Cassowary feet have three toes each with claws on the end.Cassowaries are not predators.Two of the cassowaries toes have relatively short claws, measuring around an inch in length.… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Armyworms aren't worms. They're caterpillars. Many people use common, organic remedies to get rid of armyworms.The Fall Armyworm is a species of armyworm that live in the United… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points It is typical for animals to hibernate in the winter. Hibernation during the summer is called estivation or aestivation. The difference between hibernation and torpor is that hibernation… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Southern cassowaries are the most common cassowary species.Cassowaries live in three locations: Australia, Indonesian islands, and the island of New Guinea.Northern cassowaries have a smaller range than their… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Cassowaries are frugivores that receive the majority of their nutrition from fruits! In addition they'll eat insects, eggs, and other opportunistic foods Key Points Cassowaries eat a wide variety of… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Cassowaries can run up to 31 miles per hour (50 km).An ostrich can maintain speeds equivalent to a cassowaries top speed for miles of range. Emus top speed… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Cassowary birds are considered to be flightless birds.Females are larger than males, with females reaching up to 5 feet 9 inches.Dwarf cassowaries reach a maximum weight of about… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Key Points Yes, a cassowary is a bird.The closest relative to the cassowary is the emu.Cassowaries are the closest living relative to dinosaurs. Cassowaries are genus of large animals from… Read More

By Rebecca Bales 3 years ago

Did you know that every person once possessed a tail? We grow tails in utero around the time we’re 31 to 35 days old, but then our tails regress and… Read More

By Heather Hall 3 years ago

In the animal kingdom, reptiles have always been especially interesting. Clever behaviors, fascinating adaptations, and vibrant colors all make this class of animals incredibly unique. Reptiles come in a broad… Read More

By Jesse Elop 3 years ago