Wild Animals

Exploring the vast waters of our planet reveals some of the most awe-inspiring (or terrifying!) giants of the aquatic world. From the immense depths of the ocean to sprawling lakes and winding rivers, the largest fish represent the most enormous extant species in their habitats.

By Karina Ryan

Insects are everywhere, from the deepest jungles to your backyard. They may even make some unwanted cameo appearances in your kitchen. Ideally, those bugs would be smaller and less intimidating than the world's largest insect — a supersized creature you'll have to see to believe.

By Mack Hayden

The Guinness World Record for the heaviest snake goes to the green anaconda, a massive creature that tips the scales at over 500 pounds — basically the snake equivalent of a grand piano. But when it comes to length, some ancient species stretch even longer than a school bus. These slithering giants are the ultimate combination of "long and strong."

By Desiree Bowie

Both the European lobster and American lobster are crustaceans that people living in coastal regions love to eat, but left to their devices, the lobsters can survive many decades and grow to ridiculous sizes — particularly the American lobster, which is the largest arthropod species on Earth.

By Talon Homer

The "most dangerous snake in the world" debate is entrenched in technicalities because there are so many species of dangerous snakes that have evolved with specialized weapons and deadly skills. These predators threaten small prey in the wild, as well as occasional unlucky humans who cross their paths.

By Mitch Ryan

Ever wondered what sharks might find in their waters besides fish? Turns out, some Brazilian sharpnose sharks (Rhizoprionodon lalandii) have been swimming in some rather strange seas — ones laced with cocaine.

By Desiree Bowie

As land-dwelling humans, the ocean can be both fascinating and a little (or a lot) frightening. It's therefore not all that surprising that an appearance of the large, strange-looking oarfish might make people anxious, especially in our social-media addled age.

By Zach Taras

The life cycle of jellyfish can seem almost otherworldly. Some species are the closer to actual immortality than anything else we see in the animal kingdom!

By Mack Hayden

Animal names are a simple way to categorize the diverse species of the animal kingdom. Animals that start with "U" can be some of the most fascinating in our planet's elaborate biological patchwork.

By Mitch Ryan

For the past few years, orcas attacking boats have been making headlines, most recently off the coasts of Spain in the Atlantic Ocean. These incidents, involving a group of orcas known as the Iberian orcas, have been occurring since 2020.

By Desiree Bowie

Far below the ocean's surface, in the dark depths of the deep sea floor ecosystem (about 3,000 feet or 1,000 meters deep), exists an entire world of deep sea creatures that humans rarely glimpse.

By Sascha Bos

A study at the University of Exeter in January 2020 found that squirrels that strongly favored a paw – whether right or left – perform less well at learning tasks. Ah ... OK. So. Many. Questions.

By Patty Rasmussen

Scariness is subjective, both overall and in the animal kingdom: Some people are terrified of spiders, others are afraid of rabbits. However, certain features can make an animal look more threatening, such as a huge mouth, sharp teeth or enormous size.

By Sascha Bos

If you're afraid of sharks, stop reading now, because we're about to get in deep with six types of sharks. Learn more about these fascinating fish — big and small, solid and patterned, sluggish and speedy.

By Sascha Bos

A rainforest is simply a forest that receives a lot of rain. But when you think "rainforest," the image that comes to mind is probably a tropical rainforest: one located near the equator, between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer.

By Sascha Bos

It's small. It's cute. It's the happiest animal on Earth. The quokka earned the title of world's happiest animal because of its "smile."

By Yara Simón

There probably aren't many animals as aptly named as the spider-tailed horned viper. With a tail tip that resembles a spider and horns atop its head, it's easy to visualize this venomous snake.

By Yara Simón

Orcas are known as "killer whales" because they are apex predators. In the wild, highly social killer whales prey on sharks, seals, dolphins and even other whales.

By Sascha Bos

Scariness is subjective, both overall and in the animal kingdom: Some people are terrified of spiders, others are afraid of rabbits. However, certain features can make an animal look more threatening, such as a huge mouth, sharp teeth or enormous size.

By Sascha Bos

Far below the ocean's surface, in the dark depths of the deep sea floor ecosystem (about 3,000 feet or 1,000 meters deep), exists an entire world of deep sea creatures that humans rarely glimpse.

By Sascha Bos

Catfishing goes beyond just a leisure activity. For many, it's a pursuit of record-breaking giants that lurk in the depths of rivers and lakes. The biggest catfish ever caught has become a tale of modern-day fishing folklore, sparking slogans like: "Happiness is a big catfish and a witness."

By Katherine Millar

What makes an animal "weird"? Maybe it looks different from other animals in its family, or has an uncanny resemblance to another creature in the animal kingdom they are not closely related to.

By Sascha Bos

What makes an animal cute? In a 2016 article published in "Trends in Cognitive Sciences," researchers found that cuteness plays an important role in the infant-caregiver relationship. The world's cutest animals have features that tug on their parents' heartstrings (and increase their brain activity).

By Sascha Bos

While there are tons of fish in the sea, only a few hold the title of the fastest fish in the ocean. You might wonder how the fastest fish swim at such high speeds.

By Clarissa Mitton

The sheepshead fish is a curiosity to anglers and marine biologists alike. This unique species, found along the Atlantic coast of North America, has long received attention for its strange dental structure, resembling that of humans.

By Katherine Millar