Articles
The Only Fossil of Its Kind May Reveal How Animals First Left the Sea
Since time immemorial, humankind has wondered about its lineage: where it came from and how it got here. Modern science…
Articles
Articles
This ‘Ugly’ Toadfish’s Gut Bacteria May Be Regulating Our Oceans
The future of the world’s oceans may depend on one unusual fish that’s often overlooked due to its appearance. The…
Blog
The Amazing Arctic Fox is Master of the Snowy Tundra
The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), also known as the white fox or polar fox, is one of the most resilient…
Articles
Declared Extinct Twice — Now One Pair Has 55 Chicks to Show
It is not often that one or two animals can be singled out for saving an entire species. But thanks…
Articles
How the World’s Most Abundant Bird Went Extinct
Have you heard the heartbreaking story of the last passenger pigeon to ever live? Flocks of this pigeon species were…
Articles
The Most Ear-Piercing Sound Elk Make
Animals like elk and moose have unique and fascinating behaviors during the breeding season. To compete for females, males often…
Articles
Our Living Seas: The Crisis in Marine Ecosystems and How the World Is Responding
I live on the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire, a place blessed with a shallow fringing reef just steps from…
Articles
A Snake Eagle Was Caught By a Black Mamba. Then a Lion Appeared
This video captures a remarkable encounter between three predators—a snake eagle, a black mamba, and a lion—that, momentarily, become prey…
Articles
Inside the Stanley Pup, The Star-Studded, Hockey-Themed Event Saving Shelter Pets
The Stanley Cup is the biggest event in professional hockey. It routinely gets millions of viewers a year, and the…
Articles
How Japan Brought a Sacred Bird Back from Extinction
The crested ibis, once known for its beautiful plumage, looks like a creature out of a storybook. And it would…
Articles
Did We Kill the World’s Most Unique Predator?
One of the most unusual animals in the world was the thylacine, which was a marsupial with a dog-shaped body…
Articles
A French Hospital Is Treating PTSD Patients with Donkeys
At the Ville-Evrard hospital complex in Neuilly-sur-Marne, France, patients find comfort in a surprising way. Animal-assisted therapy, known in the…
Articles
The Tortoise That Went Extinct Twice May Not Be Gone Yet
Each day, 200 species of flora and fauna go extinct. Despite these numbers, it is rare to watch a species…
Blog
Why Police Were Ordered to Escort ‘Donald Trump’ to a National Zoo
Every once in a while, the internet throws a story our way that feels entirely surreal. If you’ve spent any…
Articles
24,000 Flamingos Are Wintering in Venice. Will They Stay?
Wetlands projects are being implemented around the world to combat climate change. Restoring these habitats has the welcome side effect…
Articles
Spotted a Turtle on the Road? Experts Say Do This First
As temperatures rise, the turtle nesting season is beginning. There are several hundred species of turtles, but many of them…
Articles
DNA Uncovers 5 Species Hiding in 1 Himalayan Pit Viper Name
Himalayan pit vipers are not often seen. However, like other pit vipers, they can be deadly if encountered. Knowing the…
Articles
A Fungus with a 40% Kill Rate Is Spreading Through Snake Dens
Reptiles aren’t typically the first animals considered in the face of fungal infections. Although mammals are more susceptible to disease,…
Articles
A ‘Bear-Dog’ That’s Neither: New Species Found in Spain
It’s a bear, it’s a dog, it’s… neither? One can imagine a paleontologist thinking this upon first discovering members of…
Animal Lists
12 of the World’s Deadliest Animals That Eat Humans
Some predators don't just attack humans out of fear or desperation. They hunt us deliberately, returning again and again until…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Blog
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…
Blog
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
Sacred and Incredibly Rare White Bison Calf Arrives in Iowa
A bison calf born at an Iowa wildlife refuge carries a coat so rare that Native American traditions treat its…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Blog
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…
Blog
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…
Blog
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…
Articles
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,…
Articles
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…
Articles
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…