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The Wallaby Admired by the Very Hunters Who Wiped It Out
There are approximately 30 different species of wallabies in Australia. Unfortunately, some of these species are threatened or even endangered…
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How eDNA Is Finding Endangered Gorillas Without Touching Them
Rwanda is home to 26 different primate species. From apes to monkeys and even gorillas, each has its own unique…
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Why Google Wants to Release Millions of Mosquitoes on Purpose
When you think of Google, you likely think of search engines, smartphones, and artificial intelligence. You probably don’t think of…
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These Animals Make Human Serial Killers Look Tame
Nature can be surprisingly brutal. Some predators employ hunting methods so unsettling they rival human stories of our most disturbing…
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Once Thought Extinct, the Gilbert’s Potoroo Hides Survival Clues in Its Poop
The world’s rarest marsupial, once thought entirely extinct, may have a second chance for survival, thanks to the DNA in…
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This Bird Uses Its Beak as a Needle to Sew Its Nest
Found across South and Southeast Asia, the common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) is just 4 to 5 inches long and weighs…
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The Best Texas Birdwatching Spots to Visit This Summer
Everything is bigger and more exciting in Texas, and that includes the birdwatching scene. The vast state is home to…
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Texas Horned Lizards Were Vanishing, Now They’re Thriving
The Texas horned lizard has been an important part of Texas’s history and culture for centuries. Once a staple in…
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House Cats May Help Unlock New Cancer Treatments
A newly discovered genetic link between cat and human cancer may have major implications for the disease’s treatment in both…
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Tourists Feed These Macaques Junk Food. Now They Eat Dirt to Cope.
Gibraltar receives over 10 million visitors each year, and many come specifically hoping for an up-close encounter with one of…
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The Secret Navigation System Baby Sea Turtles Are Born With
Did you know that sea turtle hatchlings instinctively travel from their nests to the ocean? In a process called “sea…
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Ocean Census Finds 1,100+ New Species in Just One Year
Earth’s oceans cover more than 70 percent of our planet’s surface. That is a lot of room for species to…
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The Sea Tyrant That Hid in U.S. Museums for 150 Years
Ancient oceans were filled with massive, fearsome creatures. Based on sheer size alone, these animals put today’s aquatic giants to…
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The Noise Pollution Disrupting Beluga Whale Communication
Beluga whales are some of the most distinctive marine mammals, with their white bodies and rounded foreheads. They are also…
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Sacred and Incredibly Rare White Bison Calf Arrives in Iowa
When babies are born, it’s always a cause for celebration — but even more so when the babies in question…
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The Yellow Cardinal with a 1 in a Million Genetic Mutation
In the birding community, cardinals are a joy to watch. They’re vocal and powerful, and they don’t spook easily, making…
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How 709 Reef Animals Struggled to Survive 120 Hours Sealed in Plastic Bags
It’s estimated that at least one million plants and animals are trafficked each day. The black market is a lucrative…
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Birds With the Most Bizarre Courtship Displays
Finding a mate in the animal kingdom is not easy. It is often a competitive and dramatic process that requires…
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Weirdest Parenting Styles in Nature
Parenting in the animal kingdom can look very different from raising a human child. While some wild animals seem to…
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The Strangest Hunting Strategies in Nature
Many animals have highly effective hunting strategies that have allowed them to thrive for millions of years. These predators rely…
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The Po’o-Uli Was Nearly Gone When Scientists First Found It
When Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos archipelago, the vast bird diversity he observed helped crystallize his fledgling theories about the…
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The Arctic Penguin Humans Hunted to Extinction in 300 Years
Today, there are 18 different species of penguin. Their size varies as much as their habitats. There was once a…
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When the Queen Dies, These Wasps Step Up to Save the Colony
The leader is dead, triggering a bitter power struggle between rival factions bent on seizing control. Meanwhile, the ordinary subjects…
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Why This 89-Foot Giant May Be Southeast Asia’s Last Titan
Around 120 million years ago, dinosaur titans roamed what is now eastern Thailand. At this time, Thailand was closer to…
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Responsible Hiking Still Disrupts Wildlife, 6-Year Study Shows
Picture this. You’re quietly hiking along your favorite trail, doing all the things an outdoor enthusiast should do. You stay…
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The Fly Introduced to Save Fiji’s Coconuts Caused an Extinction
For centuries, coconuts have played a vital role in the development and sustenance of Fijian society. The coconut tree is…
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Osprey Catches a Fish — Then a Pelican Swoops In
Pelicans are known for both plunge-diving and feeding at the surface of bodies of water. However, they are also known…
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This ‘Predatory Worm’ Doesn’t Drink Blood, and It Lives in Your Park
We pass by extraordinary wonders every single day without realizing it. This is a fact well known to Richard Hasegawa,…
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Bobcat Kills Rattlesnake, Then Acts Like a Playful Kitten
Bobcats are stealthy and skillful hunters. When they see an opportunity for an easy meal, they strike. Rattlesnakes are prey…
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America’s Last Heath Hen Died Calling for a Mate
Few people know about America’s long-extinct chicken species. While chickens are common on nearly every farm across the country, only…
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This Lynx Soaks Prey in Water — and Teaches Her Cubs to Do It
Stepping quietly out of the scrublands of central Spain, an Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) carries a freshly killed rabbit tightly…
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The Fish That Survived the Desert But Couldn’t Survive Humans
Desert habitats are extreme. Therefore, it seems odd that fish could survive such environments. However, there are several that not…
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Ancient Bug Found on eBay Had Crab-Like Claws
There is a huge variety of life on Earth, but we sometimes see similarities in organisms that live in very…
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The Bird That Wraps Its Tongue Around Its Skull to Hunt Ants
Aside from perhaps experiencing a tidal wave a hundred feet high crashing onto a city, there is likely nothing in…
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Is Gorilla Trekking Ethical? An Expert Breaks It Down
If you’re a wildlife lover, you’ve likely heard of the eco-tourism activity called gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking is a guided…
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18% Gone: How a Megadrought Is Shrinking Cougar Territory
In 2000, the spring season began to look different in the Southwestern U.S. The expected rain never came, and the…
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The Precious Moment a Newborn Buffalo Calf Finds Its Footing
Watching a baby take his or her first steps is miraculous, no matter if it’s a human or an animal…
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Meet Rio, the First Panda Born Outside China in 3 Years
A rare event is about to take place at Indonesia’s Taman Safari Zoo: for the first time in three years,…
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Ghost Shark or Rabbitfish? The Strange Truth About Chimaeras
In Ancient Greek mythology, the chimera was a monstrous creature. It was a mishmash of different animals, some of which…
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The Caribbean Monk Seal Trusted Humans and Went Extinct by 1952
Seals are typically thought of as living in cold water habitats. With their thick layers of blubber and dense fur,…
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How 6 Months of Baths and a Medieval Surgery Saved an Owl
Not all life-saving miracles happen in hospitals. Some are quieter, although no less miraculous, and involve the careful hands of…
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Humans Killed the Moa in 150 Years. Can a Biotech Firm Bring It Back?
Chicks hatched in artificial environments aren’t anything new, and it’s usually not newsworthy. For decades, researchers have experimented with crude…
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Nature’s Most Stubby-Legged Mammals
Mammals come in a variety of proportions, and some species evolved legs so short they almost look goofy. Many of…
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This Bird Kicks Snakes with Five Times Its Own Body Weight
Nature is full of different rivals and enemies. These conflicts often result in unique ways for animals to fight one…
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Why 90% of Humans Are Right-Handed: It’s How We Walk
If you’re a lefty and have ever felt excluded from the right-handed club as you write a letter, throw a…
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The Forgotten Tragedy of the U.S.’s Only Native Parrot
Flocks of free-flying non-native parrots can be spotted in several areas of the United States. In California alone, there are…
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This Water Moccasin Tried to Strike a Boat
If you’ve ever spent time at a river or lake, you’ve most likely been warned about a water moccasin or…
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Bats Don’t Just Hear Sound — They Actively Reshape It to Hunt
As darkness falls, a greater Japanese horseshoe bat gets ready to head out for the night’s hunt. As it takes…
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How a Bearded Vulture’s Stomach Acid Dissolves Entire Bones
Vultures are some of the most unusual birds in the world. With so many species, there is always something new…
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The Last Wild Japanese Otter Was Photographed in 1979. Then It Was Gone.
For centuries, Japanese folklore warned travelers about the kawauso lurking along quiet riverbanks at night. Locals feared and loved these…