Carnivores

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

By Logan Smith

Servals have long legs and necks, which allow them to spot prey over the tall grasses of the savanna, but their huge ears give them their best weapon — an acute sense of hearing.

By Mark Mancini

These wily canines are probably best known because of the phrase "a dingo ate my baby." But come on. Did a dingo really eat a baby? And do they even attack humans?

By Meg Sparwath

This kitten-looking wild cat is known as the 'hummingbird of the cat family' and could almost fit in the palm of your hand, but its diminutive size belies a ferocious personality.

By Wendy Bowman

Aardwolves aren't closely related to either aardvarks or wolves, but these little hyenas resemble both in some ways.

By Jesslyn Shields

The arctic fox is able to thrive in temperatures as low as -58 degrees F (-50 degrees C), largely because it has fur on the soles of its feet and the warmest coat of any animal on Earth.

By Wendy Bowman

Puma, panther, mountain cat, mountain lion, mountain screamer, painter, catamount and, yes, cougar. This cat has a lot of names!

By Wendy Bowman

With their fierce jaws and cunning hunting tactics, spotted hyenas don't seem to have much to joke about. So what do those spine-chilling peals of laughter really mean?

By Cristen Conger

The maned wolf might as well be called a werewolf given its unfortunate name. You see it's not a wolf at all, and despite all appearances, it isn't a fox either.

By Mark Mancini

They have been called both “coywolf” and “coydog,” but the majority of the scientific community recognizes this hybrid animal simply as the “eastern coyote.”

By Jesslyn Shields

With lightning speed and incredible vision, the cheetah is the fastest land animal on Earth and the best hunter on the savanna.

By Jesslyn Shields

Whaddya get when you cross a lion and a tiger? Yep — you get a liger, of course. But why are they considered controversial?

By Wendy Bowman

The proverbial "king of the beasts," lions are second in size to just one other cat in the world, the tiger. But a lion's biggest fear? Tangling with a porcupine the size of a small dog.

By Mark Mancini

It turns out that bobcats do just fine if not actively hunted by humans.

By Jesslyn Shields

Though ol' Wile E. never did catch the Road Runner, coyotes are some of the most ingenious and adaptable animals on the planet.

By Tara Yarlagadda

Jackals, formidable members of the canine family, are often portrayed in traditional world folklore as wily tricksters, up to no good. They are actually brilliant survivalists.

By Tara Yarlagadda

As much as human beings have encroached on wildlife over recent decades, there are still several species of big cats living wild in the U.S. today.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

The ocelot may look like a slightly wilder version of a domesticated tabby cat, but they are three times the size of house cats, much fiercer and, though abundant in some areas, still endangered.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

When we think of big cats in the wild, we most likely think of lions and tigers. But there are so many more amazing wild cats you've probably never even heard of. Here are five.

By Oisin Curran

A first-of-its-kind study reaffirms why wolves are vital to the health of our ecosystem.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

By frightening top predators, the fear of humans may be distorting ecosystem processes even more than previously imagined.

By Jesslyn Shields

A new scientific study reveals that the smells unique to meerkat communities aren't produced by the meerkats themselves.

By Chris Opfer

House cats seem to love chasing laser pointers. But what about their larger, wilder cousins?

By Laurie L. Dove

The cuddly cubs were born in the same zoo that experienced disastrous flooding in 2015.

By Christopher Hassiotis

Motion-sensing cameras, detailed maps and a special poop-detecting dog all played a part in finding the jaguar nicknamed "El Jefe."

By Christopher Hassiotis