Articles
The Invisible Stinger: The Terror of the Irukandji Jellyfish
One minute, you’re swimming in the sparkling water off the Queensland coast. The next minute, you’re fighting for your life.…
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Articles
Can The Vaquita Recover from Single Digits? What Conservation Science Says
Whenever an animal species drops into the single digits, every risk to them matters. While not necessarily a common occurrence,…
Articles
Survive or Starve: How Chickadees Rewrite Their Brains Each Winter
Birds don’t get enough credit for the magnificent creatures they are. Many people have heard a black-capped chickadee trilling or…
Blog
Born to Chase: Dog Breeds with the Highest Natural Prey Drive
Some dogs are born with a powerful instinct to chase, stalk, and pursue. These traits once made them exceptional hunters,…
Articles
Fading Summer Lights: Why Firefly Populations Are Declining Worldwide
Many of our most precious childhood memories feature the magnificent firefly. Known for their charming bioluminescence, lightning bugs can make…
Articles
30% Reduced Glide Efficiency: How Turbine Wakes Negatively Affect Soaring Birds
Wind turbines may seem innocuous enough, but they have the potential to reshape the air birds fly through. In a…
Blog
The Most Jaw-Dropping Hybrid Animals on Earth
Nature is full of surprises, but few are as fascinating as hybrid animals, creatures born from crossing two different species.…
Articles
Slithering Threat: Asian Swamp Eels Spread in U.S. Waterways, Alarm Wildlife Experts
The Asian swamp eel is an air-breathing, mud-loving predator spreading throughout the United States. These slithering threats are hard to…
Articles
Controversy in the Sunshine State: Inside Florida’s Black Bear Hunt Backlash
Florida’s first state-sanctioned black bear hunt in a decade finished on December 28th, 2025. Arguments and backlash about this hunt…
Video
Meet Five Strange Creatures That Lurk in the Ocean’s Deepest Depths
Few have explored the ocean’s deepest depths – but those rare few have shared images of the strangest, most mysterious…
Articles
Conservation Isn’t Just Saving Beaches: This Turtle Study Says Reefs and Routes Matter Too
Three species of sea turtles are regularly observed in the Red Sea, which is an inlet of the Indian Ocean:…
Articles
Polar Bears Float and Warm Themselves With the Same Trick—How Does Hollow Hair Pull It Off?
Did you ever wonder how an animal as large as a polar bear or reindeer floats? The answer is hollow…
Articles
These Tiny Moths Navigate Hundreds of Miles Using the Stars
Humans have used the stars for navigation for centuries, relying on them as maps for long journeys. But did you…
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These Desert Beetles Drink Water Straight From the Air Using an Incredible Survival Trick
Nature is full of amazing adaptations, some of which are almost difficult to imagine. One such example is that of…
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How a Giraffe’s First Steps at the Zoo Echo a Battle 7 Countries Have Already Lost
There’s nothing tiny about a baby giraffe. Standing about six feet tall and weighing around 150 pounds at birth, a…
Articles
Once Perfectly Adapted for Survival, This Rare Rhino Is Disappearing
The Sumatran rhino looks like it wandered out of another era and somehow got lost in the present day. Smaller…
Articles
Millions of Migrating Wildebeests Are Powering One of the World’s Largest Natural Carbon Sinks
Every year, a massive migration takes place in the Serengeti. Many animals participate in the migration, but the wildebeest stands…
Articles
Why Ants Bounce—And Humans Break—After a 100-Story Fall
Most ants are less than an inch long, making them very small insects. While their petite stature may seem like…
Articles
Did Half a Million Cats Really Serve in World War I?
A claim has recently surfaced stating that around 500,000 cats were sent to the trenches of WWI. In our archival…
Video
These Dependable Horse Breeds Are Best for Riding
Horses are one of the most beautiful animals on the planet. They are intelligent creatures and wonderful pets bred for…
Articles
When Bison Become ‘Big Game’: The Survival Stakes Behind Colorado’s Controversial Draw
Once hunted to near-extinction and brought back from the brink, bison are protected as wildlife in some parts of the…
Articles
This Iconic Minnesota Bird Needs a Football Field of Water Just to Take Off
Minnesota chose the common loon as its state bird in 1961 because lawmakers and bird experts agreed that no other…
Blog
10 States Widely Considered the Most Spider-Heavy
For many people, spiders are a minor nuisance, but for others, they’re a full-blown nightmare. While spiders can be found…
Tarantula
From Pink Toes to Trapdoors: What Sets Caribbean Tarantulas Apart From Their South American Cousins
There are over 700 islands in the Caribbean Sea, formed by volcanic activity and tectonic shifts. Many diverse ecological regions…
Articles
How Climate Change Is Making Hunting Less Predictable Than Ever
My family is full of hunters, and over the past several years, they have watched their hunting seasons change in…
Articles
Meet Japan’s Sacred Deer Said to Carry Messages From the Gods
For centuries, animals have been worshipped by cultures around the world. Some, such as deer, are even considered sacred in…
Articles
Think You Can Read Animal Emotions at the Zoo? Think Again
Have you ever been to a zoo and thought that the animals looked sad? Or perhaps you’ve visited a wildlife…
Articles
The Human-Sized Bat That Inspired Vampire Legends
Bats have inspired many pop culture references, most famously vampires. But did you know there is a species of bat…
Articles
Coyotes Now Live in Even in Cities. What Does That Mean for You?
The first time I saw a coyote, I was a college student and an inexperienced driver. Driving a heavily wooded…
Articles
These Bugs Don’t Just Walk on Water—They Row and Skate Across It
When we think about creatures skimming across water, images of birds landing or frogs leaping come to mind. But some…
Alligator Facts
Dive or Flee? What Most Swimmers Miss About Alabama’s Alligator Hotspots
The southern United States might not be home to king cobras, polar bears, or koalas, but it is home to…
Great White Shark Facts
Track or Lose: The Race to Follow America’s Largest Sharks Before They Vanish
Great white sharks occur all around the world. However, this species has high concentrations near New Zealand, Australia, South Africa,…
Articles
This Alaskan Frog Freezes Solid Every Winter, Then Comes Back to Life
The animal kingdom is full of fascinating tricks for enduring sub-freezing temperatures. Birds, for example, often just take flight for…
Articles
How a Genetic Fluke Created the World’s Shortest Living Horse
Deep in the rolling countryside of Breckerfeld, Germany, lives the tiny superstar featured in this YouTube video — an impressive…
Articles
The “Boggle” of Joy: Why a Happy Rat’s Eyes Pulse in Their Sockets
The first time you see a rat boggling its eyes, it can be a startling sight. Their eyeballs visibly vibrate…
Articles
These Awkward-Looking Penguins Are in the Most Dangerous Phase of Their Lives
We’ve all had our own fair share of embarrassing fashion choices. As we grow up, we make some interesting decisions…
Video
The Most Dangerous Dog Breeds Revealed
Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years and are one of the most popular animals to keep as pets.…
Video
Where Do Wasps Build Their Nests?
Have you ever wondered how wasps choose where to build their nests? Do their choices have anything to do with…
Articles
How Much Exercise Is Too Much for Your Dog?
Dogs are seen as walking and jogging companions for many. They motivate people to get out of the house and…
Articles
Think Otter Poop Is Gross? It’s Actually the Key to Saving Chesapeake Bay’s Apex Predator
Biologists and ecologists have long wished to gather high-quality data on exactly what the animals they study are eating, but…
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These Solitary Geckos Were Caught Defending Each Other on Camera
Geckos are known as solitary creatures, but according to some scientists, these little guys look out for one another. As…
Articles
What Happens When You Poke Sleeping Black Shield Hornets?
Many people are terrified of hornets, and for good reason—their potent, painful stings are extremely unpleasant and provide ample reason…
Articles
This Mandarin Duck Looks Like It Was Painted by Hand
What do Wilson’s bird-of-paradise, the red-necked tanager, and the keel-billed toucan all have in common? They are all beautifully colored…
Articles
Can 15 Calves Save the North Atlantic Right Whale Population?
North Atlantic right whales are at a breaking point. Because of this, 2026 is a “make-or-break” year for the whales.…
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First Look: Smithsonian National Zoo’s Newest Arrivals
For the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), Christmas came early in 2025. Zookeepers were delighted to welcome…
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From Ground Nest to Sky Giant: The Albatross Growth Curve
Albatrosses are some of the largest birds in the world. While they might be smaller in height and size than…
Articles
Will These Vulnerable Wildlife Species Survive 2026?
Every year, scientists around the world continue to discover new plants, animals, and mammals in the far corners of our…
Articles
The Best Children’s Books to Help Kids Cope With the Loss of a Pet
Many of us have experienced the loss of a pet. It’s a feeling that words can hardly capture—horrendous, often surprisingly…
Articles
This Texas Cave Has Been Home to Bats for More Than 10,000 Years
Every evening, millions of bats swarm out of a single cave in Texas, making it one of the most stunning…
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From Pest to Pride: How the Coyote Became South Dakota’s State Animal
An animal once considered a pest with a bounty on its head managed to become the official state animal of…