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.
Toad vs. Frog: Differences in Anatomy, Habitat and More
What's the Difference Between a Newt and Salamander?
Mexican Salamander Could Hold Key to Spinal Cord Regeneration in Humans
Flying Ants Aren't a Separate Species, But a Life Stage
6 Facts About How Bees Learn, Think and Make Decisions
Do These Nightmare Parasites Hack Snail Brains to Survive?
The 3 Types of Ducks Every Birdwatcher Should Know
10 Types of Owls: From Tiny Screech-owls to Great Horned Owls
What Do Ducks Eat? Why You Shouldn't Feed Ducks Bread
The Biggest Fish Ever Caught (By IGFA Standards)
The Biggest Catfish Ever Caught (That We Know Of)
The Fastest Fish in the Ocean Can Swim at Nearly 70 MPH
Squirrels Can Be Left- or Right-handed
The Happiest Animal on Earth Is the Quokka
What Is the Biggest Cat in the World? Top 9 Species in the Wild
10 Deep Sea Creatures That Are (Almost) Too Bizarre to Be Real
6 Types of Sharks Every Selachimorphaphile Should Know
The True and Tragic Story of Tilikum, SeaWorld's Captive Orca
How the Spider-tailed Horned Viper Tricks Unsuspecting Prey
The Biggest Alligator on Record, by Weight and Length
Papuan Olive Python: New Guinea's Behemoth in the Rainforest
Learn More / Page 19
Breaking multiple records, Sarah set speeds never matched by any other animal. She was euthanized earlier this week by the staff at the Cincinnati Zoo, where she lived.
It's not to entertain the insect. Figuring out how mantises perceive the world could lead to tiny, energy-efficient robots with depth perception, too.
Groups of European bison make movement and grazing decisions by popular vote, choosing to follow or ignore potential leaders' suggestions.
Advertisement
The bright colors of this Malaysian spider, first described in 2009, earned it comparisons to the flamboyant styles of David Bowie.
You were a soldier ant. Each day you mostly did that job until one day a scientist came along, jabbed a needle into your brain and your behavior changed.
Pop culture has depicted chimps and other primates as both gun-wielding villains and saviors, but should humans be concerned about the possibility of armed apes?
At night in caves around the world, dangling snakes emerge from hiding ready to scarf up flying bats.
By Sarah Gleim
Advertisement
Scientists wanted to figure out how desert ants found their way home without tree shadows to guide them. This is how they did it.
Think spiders are terrifying? It turns out that spiders with a taste for human blood are actually our allies in the fight against malaria.
Whether they're busting open a child-proof medicine bottle or prying apart Mr. Potato Head, octopuses have some crazy brains. Actually, they have nine of them.
By Julia Layton
Creatures from pachyderms to bees are better than humans at detecting scents.
Advertisement
Electric eels actually aren't eels at all, but they certainly are electric. Their shock can kill animals in surrounding waters, but could it take down a human?
The Mariana Trench is the deepest place on Earth, and we're still in the dark about much of the life that calls it home. Here are just a few of the trench's eye-popping residents.
Bugs can destroy crops and spread disease, but those little critters also pollinate our plants. These are just a few of the reasons they're important — and even cool! — to study.
By Erin Wright
Most of us would take to the seas a bit easier without any hammerheads, blacktips or bull sharks patrolling the waters below. The truth is, however, sharks help maintain a balanced ecosystem.
By Chris Opfer
Advertisement
When you handle deadly snakes for a living, caution is job one. When you handle snakes for God, it is not. Let's meet some folks in both worlds.
By Julia Layton
Bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. What differentiates the two?
Some bats are messing with their neighbor's sonar to throw them off the track of food.
We think we know all about spiders — they spin webs to trap prey; if they bite you, you might die. And if you find one in your house, you should set it free. But what if all these beliefs are a web of lies?
By Chris Opfer
Advertisement
Bats can spread deadly human diseases. Join Lauren as she interviews a virologist about the powerful immune systems of these fascinating creatures of the night.
When a friend decides to ignore their problems, you might liken them to an ostrich. But ostriches are much more likely to face a problem head-on than hide it in the sand.
By Bambi Turner
Worried about creepy-crawlies entering your mouth while you sleep? Relax, spiders have no interest in being eaten. In fact, there's no record of anyone swallowing a spider while sleeping.
By Bambi Turner
Afraid your formerly humble bonfire has grown a little out of control? Never fear: Your trusty rhinoceros firefighters brigade should be along to stomp it out at any moment. At least, that's the legend. But is there any truth to it?
Advertisement
Cheetahs share so much DNA that they're practically clones of one another. But what does this mean for the future of the species?
By Bambi Turner
Monkeys share a lot in common with us, but are they just as superstitious? We know that have the ability to gamble, but is it deeper than just a game to them.