Wild Animals

Whether they crawl, fly, swim, slither, walk, run or pounce, wild animals rely on their instincts. Read about all kinds of wild animals, mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles and amphibians.

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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

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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

The frilled shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus), also known as the scaffold shark, is often called a "living fossil." This ancient shark has remained largely unchanged for millions of years, offering us a glimpse into the distant past. It's the only living species from its family of sharks.

By Mack Hayden

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The barreleye fish (Macropinna microstoma) is known for its strange eyes and transparent dome for a head head — features that make it look more like a creature from science fiction than reality.

By Mack Hayden

The soft, cylindrical sea cucumber looks like a vegetable — and in some countries, it's a delicacy because of its nutritional value and health benefits. But it actually belongs to the phylum of echinoderms, closely related to starfish (aka sea stars), sand dollars, sea urchins and sea lilies.

By Ada Tseng

The deep-sea dragonfish is one of the most mysterious and fearsome creatures lurking in the ocean's depths. Known as a top predator in the deep sea, this fish has evolved incredible adaptations to survive in underwater areas that have never known so much as a glimpse of sunlight.

By Mack Hayden

The immortal jellyfish, known as Turritopsis dohrnii, has the ability to reverse age and theoretically live an eternal life. Because of its ability to regrow its cells, it could theoretically escape death over and over again.

By Ada Tseng

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The ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) is a clam that redefines what it means to have a long lifespan. This species is famous for being one of the longest-lived animals on Earth, with individuals surviving up to 500 years! That's older than Shakespeare's first play.

By Zach Taras

The marine iguana is found only in the Galápagos Islands. From their sleek swimming skills underwater to their clumsy movements on land, they're perfectly adapted to their marine environment.

By Zach Taras

The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is found in the dry regions of East Africa. These hairless, wrinkly rodents live in underground colonies that function more like insect hives than typical mammal groups.

By Mack Hayden

By the time the oldest human dies, odds are there's a giant tortoise out there somewhere who'll live twice as long as they did. Hailing from the Indian Ocean and the Galapagos islands, giant tortoises have been one of the most durable and long-living species for centuries upon centuries.

By Mack Hayden

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The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is found in the icy waters of the Arctic. These are the longest-living mammals; some bowhead whales live for over 200 years. That's older than many countries' independence!

By Nicole Antonio & Mack Hayden

Let's get the obvious out of the way: The geoduck (Panopea generosa) looks more than a little NSFW. But it's totally PG, we swear! Found primarily in the Pacific Northwest, this massive mollusk has captured the attention of scientists, seafood lovers and curious minds alike.

By Mack Hayden

The albatross is one of nature's most impressive flyers, soaring effortlessly over the ocean for days or weeks at a time, often without flapping its wings for hours. These majestic seabirds are built for gliding across vast distances as they search for food and connect distant parts of the world.

By Karina Ryan

Lizards are some of the most diverse and fascinating creatures on the planet. There are so many types of reptiles that come in an incredible variety of shapes, sizes and colors, from worm-sized snakes and tiny turtles to gargantuan crocodiles and giant monitor lizards that could pass for modern-day dinosaurs.

By Mack Hayden

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Winter animals have to be resilient to endure cold temperatures and adapt to food scarcity in order to survive in extreme environments.

By Mack Hayden

Deep in the ocean, living in eternal darkness, is the dumbo octopus (of the genus Grimpoteuthis), a creature that few humans have seen face-to-face. When someone is lucky enough to spot one, they're often captivated by its charms.

By Kimberly Olson

If you've ever seen a lizard running across the surface of water, you've likely witnessed the amazing basilisk lizard in action. This stunning feat earned the basilisk the nickname "Jesus Christ lizard." Like the founder of Christianity, this slithery critter can walk across lakes and seas.

By Mack Hayden

The Galapagos tortoise is one of the most iconic reptiles on Earth, and for good reason. These gentle giants are the largest tortoises in the world, living on the Galápagos Islands and playing a key role in their ecosystems.

By Karina Ryan

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Let's dig into the key traits, differences and surprising similarities of these cold-blooded creatures.

By Mack Hayden

Did you know green iguanas have a third eye and can grow up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) long?

By Ada Tseng