Animal Facts

Animals leave their marks on the ecosystem in ways you probably never imagined.

By Mark Mancini

The common shrew takes some pretty drastic measures to survive winter.

By Robert Lamb

Connecticut new "Desmond's Law" is the first in the nation that appoints legal advocates in animal abuse cases.

By John Perritano

Mummified seals. Skeletal penguins. Massive whale bones. Antarctica is a weird and wonderful place.

By Christopher Hassiotis

What do mammals have in common? We're warm-blooded. We feed their young with milk. And we all take the same amount of time to defecate.

By Jesslyn Shields

Do non-human animals have equivalent categories to our A, B and O blood designations? Can animals donate blood?

By Jesslyn Shields

The Beagle Brigade is an important part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The dogs are trained to sniff out fruits, foods and plants in international passengers' luggage as they arrive in the airport terminals.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Whether through biology or behavior, nonhuman animals have to avoid sun damage just like we do.

By Jesslyn Shields

Pets might have more to do with a child's psychological well-being than previously thought, and moreso than even their brothers and sisters.

By Jesslyn Shields

No, a tardigrade's not a type of time-traveling police box on "Doctor Who." It's an ancient water bear, of course!

By Oisin Curran

The toughest animal in the world has just released its first sex tape, and as with all things water bear, things get pretty freaky.

By Jesslyn Shields

A new tool helps visualize how a changing climate will force animal species to relocate.

By Jesslyn Shields

There's little we can imagine that Mother Nature hasn't already dreamed up in one of her fouler moods. Care to meet some creatures with frightful features?

By Nicholas Gerbis & Melanie Radzicki McManus

There's no way humans will outlive the tardigrade, but we might be able to steal some of its powers while we have the chance.

By Julia Layton

If you think there's one easy explanation behind this cute canine behavior, think again.

By Laurie L. Dove

But how do you diagnose a pet's mental state when it can't talk to you?

By Alia Hoyt

Hate to say it, but some animals have jobs that are far more interesting — and more lucrative — than yours. Who are these lucky dogs?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

The Hydra is a fearsome, tiny predator that stings and swallows its prey — through a mouth it had to rip its own skin to create. But how does it do that?

By Robert Lamb

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, said FDR, but he wasn't a biologist. Scientists examined what impact the fear of apex predators can have on an ecosystem.

By Jesslyn Shields

Don't worry about transmitting the cold or flu to your furry friends. In fact, some time cuddled up can help with your sickness.

By Laurie L. Dove

Will we witness personhood for other animals in our lifetime? It's not out of the question, thanks to a recent court decision.

By Dave Roos

In times of strife and conflict, it's good to remember that differences are OK. Here's a dose of adorable: nine interspecies interactions that didn't end up in a meal.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

No matter what your imagination can cook up, real life is weirder. Whether it's parasitic wasps or super-controlling ferns, reproduction can be mysterious, gross or even scary.

By Oisin Curran

Picture a herd of hundreds of horses fleeing a burning forest and running headlong into a wintery lake, which quickly flash-freezes the whole lot of them. Sounds pretty gruesome — and flat-out unbelievable. But did it actually happen? Could it?

By Kate Kershner

Researchers have investigated whether animals are capable of making a unique sound in response to joy.

By Debbie Swanson