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Whale Sharks Migrate by Age and Sex, and Scientists Now Know Where
Whale sharks are undoubtedly the ocean’s gentle giants. These filter feeders usually reach lengths of 18 to 32.8 feet, with…
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The Bug That Spins 368 Times a Second When It Jumps
New high-speed footage and microCT scans reveal how globular springtails, tiny hexapods living in leaf litter, achieve the fastest aerial…
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Vietnam’s Rarest Wild Dog Vanished for 20 Years. One Photo Changed That.
For two decades, Vietnam’s Pu Hoat Nature Reserve in Nghe An province suffered from “empty forest syndrome,” an ecological crisis…
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How a Poppy-Seed-Sized Nymph Spreads Lyme Disease Undetected
Unlike a mosquito, which quickly bites and buzzes away, a tick latches on to you and can stay put for…
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Just How Much Can a Chipmunk Stuff into Its Cheeks?
You’ve probably seen a scene like the one in the YouTube video above at some point. A chipmunk comes near…
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3 Clues That Tell a Territorial Squirrel from a Social One
We may think of prey animals as being timid, even passive, and not prone to confrontation. Nothing could be further…
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1,600 Primates Listed for Sale on Facebook in Six Weeks
Wildlife trafficking is one of the largest black market businesses in the world. Animals are trafficked and sold as “exotics,”…
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One Landmark Study Tracked 141,500 Pest Observations and Found a Paradox
For years, it has been believed that as climate change continues to increase global temperatures, staple crops that feed the…
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South Africa Once Paid a Baboon to Operate Railroad Signals
Animals often thrive on routine and consistency. For example, if you skip your pet dog’s usual walk time, you’ll notice…
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Bears Nearly Went Extinct Here, Now They’re Back and Raiding Towns
Apex predators are often seen as a threat. Because of this, conflicts with apex predators have historically led to culling…
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Otters Were Hunted to Near Extinction and Now They’re Healing Rivers
World Otter Day is May 25th, and that’s cause to celebrate! Besides their absolute cuteness, these curious critters are also…
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A Concrete Vibration Device Could Help Farmers Control Burrowing Shrimp Without Pesticides
For as long as humans have harvested crops and animals, we have battled against ‘pests’. Any animal that destroys crops,…
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Why Lions Scent-Mark Trees and What It Tells Rivals
Lions have a variety of ways of communicating with one another. Vocal communication and body language are common ways lions…
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Why Vets Raced to Return a Fractured Wedge-Tailed Eaglet to Its Parents’ Nest
A fractured wedge-tailed eaglet found grounded in Doreen, Victoria was rehabilitated and returned to its parents' nest, a strategy backed…
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Why Delaware Bay Fills with 450-Million-Year-Old ‘Crabs’ Each Spring
Each spring, horseshoe crabs flood Delaware Bay to spawn, feeding migratory shorebirds and supplying medicine with their blue blood. A…
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Turtles Outlasted Dinosaurs But May Not Survive Us
May 23rd is World Turtle Day. It’s the perfect time to celebrate what makes these creatures so amazing and focus…
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226 Species Found in an Ocean Zone Once Thought Barren
Nearly three miles beneath the ocean’s surface exists a world rarely seen by human eyes. Little is known about the…
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How Two Maverick Whales Just Rewrote the Marine Biology Textbooks
If you’ve ever stood on a coastline or the deck of a boat during migration season, watching a 40-ton humpback…
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The Squirrel That Heats Its Tail to Outsmart a Rattlesnake
In a battle between a California ground squirrel and a rattlesnake, many would put the odds on the rattlesnake to…
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Can a Million Eggs Finally Save This Toad?
In this video, you see Texas Parks and Wildlife staff releasing toad eggs and tadpoles from the Houston Zoo into…
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Idaho Once Parachuted 76 Beavers into the Wild — and It Worked
In 1948, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game pulled off one of the strangest wildlife relocations in American history:…
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Tiny Parrots Name Themselves Before They Can Even Fly
When we think of parrots mimicking sounds, we usually picture a pet bird shouting “hello,” barking like a dog, or…
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Watch an Ogre-Faced Spider Fling Its Silk Net at Prey
Spiders are the master hunters of the insect world. Their agility, eyesight, and speed are second to none when it…
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How Bobcats Use City Creeks to Stay Hidden from Humans
Bobcats can be found from Mexico to southern Canada. They are in every U.S. contiguous state, except for Delaware. However,…
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The Smell, the Hiss, the Coil: A Garter Snake’s Defense
Garter snakes have a reputation for being one of the gentlest reptiles you can find in your garden. They might…
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84% Of Dogs Struggle with Anxiety, and It May Shorten Their Lives
Mental health is a concept we often associate only with human beings. Despite treating our furry best friends like family,…
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Eradicated for 22 Years, a Pig Virus Has Returned via Feral Hogs
For the first time since 2004, scientists have detected pseudorabies in commercial swine populations. In late April, routine testing at…
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Moles Are Not Destroying Your Yard on Purpose. They’re Rebuilding the Underground World.
Most people meet moles through frustration. Or maybe it’s just me? I play ball in the backyard with my dog,…
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The Whale with Only 70 Breeding Females Still Fighting to Survive
There are approximately 90 species of whales, and they live in oceans all around the world. One of the rarest…
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The Bear Warning Sign Hidden on Forest Trees
Trees can speak to the health of a forest. They can also identify animals living within the boundaries. From holes…
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The Incredible Way Alligators Freeze in Ice and Survive
As winter sets in, many warm-blooded animals tuck themselves in to escape the cold and hibernate until conditions thaw. During…
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The Moment a Mama Elephant Kicked a Crocodile Away from Her Baby
Mama bears are notorious for their protective instincts, but that doesn’t mean other animals don’t fiercely protect their young as…
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In Saving a Rescue Dog, You May Find One Who Saves You
Celebrated on May 20, National Rescue Dog Day shines a light on the millions of dogs in shelters and foster…
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Why a Crocodile’s Deadly Jaws Are Safe for Her 15 Babies
Crocodiles are not animals that many would describe as gentle. Surprisingly, when it comes to their young, female crocodiles are…
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The Bugs You Casually Kill May Actually Feel Long-Term Pain
Somewhere along the way, most humans were taught that killing insects is not only common but occasionally even good. We’ve…
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Too Many Trees Are Killing Wildlife on the Cumberland Plateau
When we think of forests, most of us picture something really lush and green. We envision towering trees. Shade to…
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How to Tell Cottonmouths from Coral Snakes, According to an Expert
Many people confuse cottonmouth snakes and coral snakes, as they’re both venomous. However, these snakes differ in many ways, from…
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Study of 4,000 Dogs Finds a Path to Healthier Flat-Faced Breeds
Flat-faced dogs, specifically French bulldogs, bulldogs, and pugs, are among the most popular breeds. Years of selective breeding have produced…
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How a Jellyfish Invaded Six Continents Without Anyone Noticing
There is a stealthy invader in European waters, and the people who live there are blissfully unaware. A freshwater jellyfish…
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Animals That Rely on Faking Death to Stay Alive
Many animals survive predation by running, fighting, or hiding. However, some take a much stranger approach: they play dead. This…
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Going From Transparent to Orange in an Instant is How This Octopus Fools Predators
A new MBARI video showcases Japetella diaphana, a rare open-water octopus that switches between transparent and opaque orange to evade…
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Meet the Photographer Who Discovered a Bee New to Science
Fascination with the natural world can arrive in a person’s life through the most unusual pathways. Krystle Hickman was browsing…
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How Lionesses Protect Newborns Through a Secret Creche System
This heart-warming Instagram post perfectly captures the dedication of a mother lion. It shows a very young cub being licked…
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Magnus the Walrus Left Scotland. Will He Ever Return?
After spending weeks along the coast of Scotland, on what appears to have been a farewell tour, a local celebrity…
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King Arthur’s “Ghost” Birds Return to Tintagel After 100 Years
After an absence of a hundred years, a bird steeped in English legend has returned to its atmospheric castle home.…
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Horse Domestication Took 6,000 Years and Reshaped Civilization
Domestic horses have played a vital role in the development of human civilization. From agriculture and transport to warfare and…
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How a Canary’s Unique Lungs Kept Coal Miners Alive
Idioms help people express complex ideas in familiar ways. Yet there is one saying in this category with a significant…
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The Beavers California Once Killed Are Now Fighting Wildfires
California is no stranger to wildfires, but how is nature able to bounce back from these relentless events? When the…
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How Bald Eagles Spot Fish from 1,500 Feet Away and Strike Fast
Bald eagles have exceptional eyesight. Nothing shows this better than an eagle soaring overhead, suddenly moving at high speeds to…
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Do Animals Enjoy Music? Zoömusicology Has Surprising Answers
Have you ever heard of the term “zoömusicology”? Essentially, it refers to the study of sounds and communication produced and…