Wild Animals

They look so cute and fluffy, but koalas have a fierce side too. Still, their biggest threat to survival is mankind.

By Alia Hoyt

Gorillas can live to be about 35 to 40 years old and are much gentler (and much sleepier) than you might think.

By Jesslyn Shields

The female emu may lay the eggs, but the male emu does all the caretaking. And that's just one fascinating thing we learned.

By Patty Rasmussen

They're the cutest and most curious masked mammals around. But they also have a reputation for being a nuisance. Here's everything you need to know about the raccoon.

By Meg Sparwath

Sea otters are adorable, back from the brink of extinction and will totally bite you.

By Jesslyn Shields

Move over Dracula. These fish, birds and bats really are the vampires of the animal world — and they do need to eat (or suck) blood to sustain life.

By Mark Mancini

The largest eagle in the world has a claw the size of a grizzly bear's, a leg the size of a human's and a very disapproving gaze.

By Jesslyn Shields

Manatees are so gentle and sweet they'll break your heart, but in 2021, there have been more manatee deaths than in any year in previously recorded history. Why are these gentle giants dying in such unprecedented numbers?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

What sea creature looks like a spiny pincushion and is considered a delicacy to gastronomes around the world? Yep, the sea urchin.

By Jeremy Glass

It's a battle of the buzzing insects. We're talking hornets vs. wasps. How do these two differ and which one has the worst sting?

By Nathan Chandler

The sting of a tarantula hawk is so painful you are advised to lie on the ground as soon as you're stung to avoid falling.

By Jesslyn Shields

These modern rat snakes have an affinity for barns (and the rodents that live in them). But the myriad of colors makes them a reptile hobbyist's dream.

By Mark Mancini

From ancient times until today, people have been captivated by these iconic, mysterious birds. What is it about owls that makes them the enduring subject of myth and superstition?

By Jesslyn Shields, Nicole Antonio & Sascha Bos

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

By Jesslyn Shields

These saltwater clams are the largest on the planet, and some can live as long as 100 years. And despite their, well, looks, they're pretty darn tasty.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

The wars between mink species and humans quietly rage worldwide.

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

These impressive and intimidating animals have an illustrious past that helped them wend their way through America and settle in the heartland of the South.

By Mark Mancini

These berserker weasels are the ultimate cold weather survivors — cagey, smart and omnivorous.

By Jesslyn Shields

Groundhogs don't actually make great weathermen, but they are pretty cool in every other respect.

By Jesslyn Shields

Kinkajous, or honey bears, are generally docile creatures, but they definitely don't mix well with humans.

By Jesslyn Shields

Black soldier fly larvae will eat almost anything and they taste pretty good themselves, too.

By Jesslyn Shields

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

They're swimming in water all day so how could they ever get thirsty? The answer might surprise you.

By Nathan Chandler

These adorable marsupials look as sweet as their name. But what, exactly, are sugar gliders?

By Jamie Allen