Wild Animals

Leopard seals are the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic after the southern elephant seal. They're fast, powerful and eat basically anything that moves. Their only natural predator? The killer whale.

By Jesslyn Shields

Even washed up on the beach, the Portuguese man-of-war can deliver searing pain with its stinging tentacles, so whatever you do, don't touch it.

By Mark Mancini

For decades scientists assumed these insects looked so much like orchids as a form of camouflage. But they were wrong. They look this way because they're deceptive predators.

By Allison Troutner

The elusive hagfish is a master at hiding in holes and crevices, but its main defense is its ability to release a noxious, suffocating and sometimes poisonous slime when attacked.

By Mark Mancini

An orangutan who could unscrew bolts to bust out? A gorilla who climbed the vines out of her enclosure to just roam the zoo? These are wild animals, and these are their wild escape stories.

By Allison Troutner

Creating an insect hotel gives local bugs and pollinators a place to live and people of all ages a super cool garden project.

By Jesslyn Shields

Budgies are the same species as parakeets and make fabulous pets – and, yes, they love to talk!

By Laurie L. Dove

The Atlas moth is one of the largest moths out there, with a wingspan of up to 12 inches, but the 'cobra' faces on its wings are even more frightening to predators than its size.

By Laurie L. Dove

A bullet ant's sting will hurt for a long time, but it probably won't kill you.

By Jesslyn Shields

Pine martens are elusive and love to stay hidden in deep forests, but with strong claws, they are great climbers and hunters.

By Katie Carman

Marmosets are some of the smallest monkeys in the world and are found primarily in the forested areas of central Brazil. And the males support their mates in a very unique way.

By Patty Rasmussen

A federal judge reversed a Trump administration ruling that removed the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act. Here's why.

By Logan Smith

You might not think a worm could be longer than a whale, but allow us to introduce you to the bootlace worm, one of the longest animals on the planet. And, oh and it packs a potent toxin, too.

By Mark Mancini

Kodiak bears are some of the largest bears in the world and live only in the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska.

By Jesslyn Shields

Hibernating mammals like ground squirrels can build some muscle mass during their big sleep, with the help of gut bacteria.

By Jesslyn Shields

There are 126 species of birds that don't have the ability to fly, for various evolutionary reasons. Let's meet seven of them.

By Katie Carman

Welcome to the wild, wild world of dual penises, delayed fertilization, mama python incubators and springtime "mating balls."

By Mark Mancini

Pallas's cats appear cantankerous, in part due to their flat faces and large, owl-like eyes with round pupils.

By Katie Carman

Flamingos use a secretion from a gland near their rear end to touch up their feathers when they've been bleached by the sun.

By Jesslyn Shields

Porbeagles are related to great whites, but while they're also athletic killers, they're smaller and far less ferocious. And what's with the funny dog name?

By Mark Mancini

Looks can be deceiving. That's definitely true for the blue-ringed octopus. It's tiny, stunningly beautiful and looks harmless. Yet its venom could kill 26 men in minutes.

By Stephanie Parker

Native to East Asia, the Joro spider has adapted to life in the southern U.S. and, as far as we know, is a beneficial addition to the ecosystem.

By Allison Troutner

The boxing kangaroo as a symbol of the Australian fighting spirit dates back to the 1890s, but what's the truth? Do kangaroos actually box?

By Jesslyn Shields

They love your lawn and, in 2021, they're everywhere. Here's what to do about armyworms and how to spot the little critters.

By Jesslyn Shields

If you're looking for the venomous timber rattler, the U.S. is the place to be, as these bad boys are found in at least 27 states.

By Mark Mancini