Animal Facts
Learn about some of the strange and unusual facts and terms in the animal kingdom.
7 of the World's Smallest Dog Breeds
Are Table Scraps Actually That Bad for Dogs?
Chief Mouser Larry the Cat Now Serves His Fifth British PM
Do These Nightmare Parasites Hack Snail Brains to Survive?
How Long Do Squirrels Live?
Earth's 20 Quadrillion Ants Outweigh All Wild Birds and Mammals, Combined
Could California Condor 'Virgin Birth' Rescue the Species?
Among Other Amazing Creatures, the Amazon Has Pink Dolphins
Meet 5 Lazarus Species, Animals Once Presumed Extinct, But Alive and Well
Real Life 'Jurassic Park'? Scientists Work to Bring Back Extinct Thylacine
Utahraptor: The Salty Saga of a Killer Dinosaur
Think Dimetrodon Was a Dinosaur? Think Again
Learn More / Page 5
Your kitten's strange faces and chirps might seem perfectly intelligible, but how much meaning can you really read into them? Can animals display happiness, sadness, empathy or fear?
All animals might not be able to speak, but they certainly have other ways of communicating. How do animals pass on information to their own species, and how do they pick up cues from other members of the animal kingdom?
Sleep might seem pretty simple, but scientists are still scratching their heads over questions surrounding the slumbering state. What does sleep mean to a whale, a brown bat, a migratory bird or even an invertebrate?
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Distressed birds will peck out their feathers until they expose their flesh to infection. Whales will die stranded on beaches for no obvious reason. But do animals willingly end their own lives?
Whether you're talking about a swarm of bees buzzing about, a cluster of butterflies sucking down nectar or a nest of cockroaches hidden in a corner of your house, insects are really plentiful. How plentiful?
By Chris Jones
Most of us know not to pet an angry dog with a foaming mouth, and that perhaps snuggling with a bat isn't the brightest rabies-prevention plan. But how does rabies choose its victims, and what can it do to humans?
Coyotes and badgers? This unlikely partnership is actually a surefire thing when it comes to catching a tasty dinner.
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As you visit each amazing exhibit at your local zoo, do you ever feel a twinge of guilt or remorse when watching these enclosed creatures? Are zoos helping or hurting animals?
Many kinds of animals are native only to Africa, such as gorillas, chimpanzees, zebras, giraffes, hippopotamuses. Take a gander at these amazing African animals and see how many you recognize.
By Marie Bobel
The next "CSI" spin-off may not take place at a zoo or wildlife preserve, but there are real-life detectives working to solve cases of the furry, feathered variety.
A Komodo dragon's bite is a deadly cocktail of bacteria and venom. But is it worse than a cobra's bite? Who would win in the hypothetical battle of lizards versus snakes?
By Julia Layton
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Ever since Teddy Roosevelt witnessed a piranha feeding frenzy, the fish have been known as fearsome predators. But can they really strip a cow to the bone?
By Julia Layton
Arctic animals, such as polar bears, puffins and narwhals, have developed amazing adaptations to be able to survive in the arctic tundra. Check out these Arctic animal pictures to catch a glimpse of animals that you'll probably never see up close.
By Marie Bobel
Approximately 10,000 species of birds make up the class Aves--a diverse group that has long fascinated the human race with peculiar behaviors and adaptations.
Where do we get all the fish and other seafood that we eat? How do fish farmers keep up with the heavy demand?
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Forks. Knives. Spoons. Chopsticks. All those utensils are a pain to pick up and set down again. What if you could just open your mouth wide?
Surprisingly, the gentle, loafing moose could be more threatening than a grizzly bear. Find out what you should do if that looming moose barrels at you like a bull.
Domesticated animals provide us with innumerable products, hours of labor and even loving companionship. Find out why the dog was so easily domesticated and why you'll never see someone riding a zebra.
By Jane McGrath
Well, duh. Of course animals have personalities, right? Find out how scientists are proving what pets owners have always suspected: animals -- both pets and wild animals -- possess personality.
By Jane McGrath
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Walking, breathing, thinking: All of these activities burn energy. But in the winter when food supplies are scarce, some animals conserve their energy -- by hibernating.
The droopy-faced bloodhound. The prancing poodle. The small Maltese you could easily mistake for a mop. How can these impossibly different dogs compete for the same prize?
By Jane McGrath
Dogsled race officials and mushers say that they put the welfare of the dogs first. But animal rights activists say they will continue to protest the Iditarod and other sled dog races.
Caribou travel 2,000 miles over arctic tundra in order to migrate. The annual migration of monarch butterflies lasts longer than a typical monarch's lifespan. What makes these animals so determined to move?
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What would happen if birds were released into space? Well, we don't know, but we think that birds in space would actually do quite well because their wings would help stabilize them as they float through space.
The Audubon Society promotes legislation that protects wildlife, birds and the ecosystems that support them. Learn about the society's past and present.
By Sarah Dowdey