Wild Animals

Polar bears are one of the largest mammals on land; only the African elephant can tower over the polar bear in this corner of the animal kingdom. But how do you measure the biggest bear? By height or by weight?

By Ada Tseng

Flightless species of birds (such as ostriches, which are the largest living birds) tend to outsize any of the largest birds in the sky. Bigger sizes, while a liability in the air, can keep flightless birds safer on land.

By Ada Tseng

One of the most unique about whales is that they're the largest animals to ever exist on Earth — even bigger than the largest dinosaurs to have ever roamed the planet. That's right: The biggest whale of today dwarfs the T. rex.

By Ada Tseng

The eland is one of the largest antelopes — and one of the most graceful. Known scientifically as Taurotragus oryx, the eland lives in Africa, mostly in eastern and southern Africa.

By Yara Simón

Sables are luxurious little animals. These fur-bearing mammals, native to the forests of Eurasia, have sandy yellow, light brown, dark brown and black coats, which are valuable commodities in the fur trade. Sable pelts are a symbol of wealth and elegance.

By Yara Simón

Shrimp, in addition to being a tasty addition to many cuisines around the world, is sometimes used as an insult to call a person small or short. But did you know there are over 2,000 species of shrimp, and many shrimp actually grow to be quite large? The world's biggest shrimp is not what you'd typically call shrimpy in size.

By Ada Tseng

Australia's thorny devil, Moloch horridus, looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. You might not be surprised that it's also called the "devil lizard" or "mountain devil."

By Ada Tseng

The redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti) is one of Australia's most iconic arachnids. It's a member of the widow spider family, closely related to the black widow spider. They're famous for their distinctive red markings and potent venom.

By Ada Tseng

The regal jumping spider (Phidippus regius) is a fuzzy spider that's named for its incredible jumping ability and vivid colors. They have four forward-facing eyes, giving them better vision than other spiders.

By Ada Tseng

Let's talk about spider eggs, those tiny wonders of nature that hold the next generation of arachnids.

By Ada Tseng

The brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus) is a lesser-known relative of the infamous black widow. The first brown widow spider was discovered in Los Angeles in early 2000. A member of the cobweb spiders, it is now found in warm, urban areas worldwide.

By Ada Tseng

The trapdoor spider is one of the sneakiest hunters in the arachnid world. These clever spiders are named for their unique hunting strategy: They build burrows with hinged "doors" made of soil and twigs that they use to ambush and capture prey. These burrows are lined with silk for stability.

By Ada Tseng

The sun spider is known for its great speed and powerful jaw. Oddly enough, sun spiders, which are also called wind scorpions or camel spiders, are neither spiders nor scorpions. They belong to the order Solifugae, a group of fast-moving, highly specialized arachnids.

By Ada Tseng

The savanna (sometimes mistakenly spelled as "Savannah," which is in the state of Georgia) describes an African region with grasslands and minimal tree densities. This wide-open landscape becomes a theatre where each animal's instincts and unique evolutionary skills are tested.

By Mitch Ryan

Let's talk about the woodlouse spider, an arachnid with a unique hunting style and impressive jaws. Known scientifically as Dysdera crocata, this spider has a special knack for preying on woodlice, making it an unusually dominant predator in its ecosystem.

By Mack Hayden

Let's talk about one of the most misunderstood arachnids in your backyard: the garden spider. Known for their intricate webs and striking colors, these arachnids are some of the most beneficial spiders around, keeping insect populations under control.

By Mack Hayden

The sparklemuffin peacock spider (Maratus jactatus) is a tiny spider that lives up to its vivacious name. This dazzling arachnid was given its moniker in 2015 by UC Berkeley PhD student Maddie Girard after they were discovered in Wondul Range National Park in southern Queensland, Australia.

By Ada Tseng

Spiders are some of the most common creatures we share our homes with. While they may seem scary at first, most house spider species are harmless and even helpful, keeping pest insects under control.

By Talon Homer

The grass spider is one of of the most common critters you'll find in your backyard. Part of the Agelenopsis genus, these arachnids are masters at building funnel-shaped webs in dense vegetation and brush piles, where they lie in wait for prey.

By Talon Homer

Let's talk about the orb weaver spider, an arachnid renowned for its beautiful, circular webs. Found in gardens, forests and backyards around the world, orb weavers are some of the most common spiders and play a vital role in controlling insect populations.

By Zach Taras

The yellow sac spider is one of the most common spiders humans encounter, as they're often wandering indoors or hanging out in gardens. Scientists also believe they account for more human insect bites than any other spider.

By Ada Tseng

Let's talk about the funnel web spider, one of the most notorious arachnids in the world. Known for their fast-acting venom, funnel web spiders are both fascinating and intimidating.

By Zach Taras

The wolf spider is one of the most impressive hunters in the arachnid family. Known for their speed, excellent vision and fascinating parenting habits, these spiders are a critical part of ecosystems around the world.

By Zach Taras

The huntsman spider is one of the fastest and most agile arachnids on the planet. The species is often confused with tarantulas because of the hairy bodies, but their distinguishing trait is their long, angular, crab-like legs that help them move forward and sideways quickly.

By Ada Tseng

A spider web is much more than meets the eye. These intricate structures, created entirely from silk, allow spiders to capture prey, build shelter and even communicate. Spider webs are shockingly durable, made with materials that, gram for gram, are stronger than steel!

By Zach Taras