Wild Animals

The showy lionfish is a stunning beauty. But this invasive species, which was released into the wild in the 1980s, is wreaking havoc on delicate reef ecosystems worldwide.

By Wendy Bowman

Pit vipers also carry venom in twin glands behind their eyes, delivered through movable fangs that can be folded up against the roof of their mouth.

By Mark Mancini & Talon Homer

The name dik-dik comes from the repetitive 'dik' sound the tiny female dik-dik makes when she feels threatened.

By Patty Rasmussen

These two amphibians look similar and are often confused for each other. So how many traits do they share?

By Mark Mancini

The lemon shark isn't as aggressive as some other sharks and it isn't quite as yellow as its name suggests.

By Katie Carman

Servals have long legs and necks, which allow them to spot prey over the tall grasses of the savanna, but their huge ears give them their best weapon - an acute sense of hearing.

By Mark Mancini

Sperm whales are one of the largest creatures in the ocean. And they have the biggest brain on the planet. So are they also the smartest? We'll tell you.

By Wendy Bowman

These snakes are some of the best reptilian actors you'll ever meet, but don't let the act fool you.

By Mark Mancini & Talon Homer

This denizen of the frigid deep not only lives a crazy long life, it also can grow up to 24 feet in length and eating its flesh can make humans "shark drunk."

By Katie Carman

Yes, this terrifying worm was named after the infamous Bobbitt case. And with good reason.

By Mitch Ryan

The praying mantis is a powerful predator, and not as robotic (or as romantic!) as it seems.

By Jesslyn Shields

The blue-footed booby is known as much for its comical mating dance as for its intensely colored blue feet.

By Laurie L. Dove

Caracals have really cool ears and can also jump 10 feet in the air from a seated position.

By Jesslyn Shields & Zach Taras

Yes, the obvious fur color seems like a dead giveaway, but you can't always judge a bear by the color of its fur.

By Mark Mancini

Are these strong and dependable animals all the same? If so, why the different names? If not, what makes them different?

By Stephanie Vermillion

From the fictional Hedwig in the Harry Potter series, to those that live wild and free, the snowy owl is one of the most captivating species of owl in the world.

By Wendy Bowman & Talon Homer

These wily canines are probably best known because of the phrase "a dingo ate my baby." But come on. Did a dingo really eat a baby? And do they even attack humans?

By Meg Sparwath

There's more to Australia's kookaburra than the cheery song you learned as a kid, but what is it that makes the kookaburra laugh?

By Patty Rasmussen & Mack Hayden

To some, the thought of snakes flying through the air is the scariest thought imaginable, but, as we'll explain, flying snakes don't actually fly, they "fall with style."

By Mark Mancini

Macaws mate for life, can speak human words and have even been known to blush when delighted.

By Laurie L. Dove & Zach Taras

Their mamas may be the only ones who can tell them apart, but there are major differences between these cousins, one being the type of water in which they can survive.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Despite their name, rat snakes don't eat just rodents. This huge family of snakes, which lives on every continent except Antarctica, also eats lizards and amphibians.

By Mark Mancini & Zach Taras

From the four-headed male reproductive organ to hosting the world's largest flea and sporting a body covered in spiny hairs, this cute little creature takes the cake for mammalian weirdness.

By Wendy Bowman

Most species of the rarely seen anglerfish live up to a mile beneath the ocean, where the females lure prey with a head-dangling hook appendage and permanently fuse with male suitors. It doesn't get much stranger than that.

By Katie Carman & Talon Homer

Black widow spider venom can be deadly but how likely are you to be bitten? It might surprise you that these arachnids are on the shy side.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey