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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Mayflies have the shortest adult life span of any animal, but swarms of them can still be seen on weather radar.

By Jesslyn Shields

Some cicadas are annual breeders and some show up loudly about every 17 years, but all cicadas produce a "song" that can reach 120 decibels - very close to a level that can damage human ear drums.

By Robert Valdes

What lives in water, has no gills, scales or fins and is not a fish? Yep, a starfish - which is why marine biologists have renamed these creatures sea stars.

By Mitch Ryan

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Wondering what's going on in the animal world while you're all cooped up under quarantine? Check out these webcams and get a virtual glimpse into how the animals live.

By Carrie Dennis

Known in some circles as a 'musk hog' or 'skunk pig,' the javelina's good looks may be in the eye of the beholder, but there's a lot more to this beauty than meets the eye.

By Wendy Bowman

When a half-full plate of dinner sits before you and your overstuffed tummy, have you ever been told your eyes are too big for your stomach? The pelican's got a similar problem.

By Shanna Freeman

Work by volunteers and nonprofit organizations, such as butterfly waystations and increased education efforts, has turned around long-term population decline for some butterfly species.

By Laurie L. Dove

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They both have prehistoric looking shells and squatty legs, but how are they different?

By Jesslyn Shields

Fruit flies are annoying, but we also owe them a huge debt of scientific gratitude.

By Jesslyn Shields

A bright pink manta ray named Inspector Clouseau is causing a splash on the runway of the Great Barrier Reef.

By Jesslyn Shields

Locusts are just mild-mannered grasshoppers until they swarm up and become monstrous. In parts of the world, locust plagues are becoming a way of life.

By Jesslyn Shields

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The arctic fox is able to thrive in temperatures as low as -58 degrees F (-50 degrees C), largely because it has fur on the soles of its feet and the warmest coat of any animal on Earth.

By Wendy Bowman

Puma, panther, mountain cat, mountain lion, mountain screamer, painter, catamount and, yes, cougar. This cat has a lot of names!

By Wendy Bowman

If you've never seen a botfly, it looks rather harmless - like a basic bumblebee even. Until it lays its eggs inside a living host, and that's when things get really gross.

By Mark Mancini

The green anaconda is the largest of the anaconda species, which makes it arguably the biggest snake in the world.

By Mark Mancini

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Dragonflies are fast, powerful and unbelievably aggressive, using a rudimentary form of 'trigonometry' to calculate distance and move in for the kill.

By Jesslyn Shields

With their fierce jaws and cunning hunting tactics, spotted hyenas don't seem to have much to joke about. So what do those spine-chilling peals of laughter really mean?

By Cristen Conger

Seals have long been known as dry-land clappers, but the first-ever percussive clapping observed by scientists has blown seal clapping theory out of the water. Or should we say under the water?

By Tara Yarlagadda

The maned wolf might as well be called a werewolf given its unfortunate name. You see it's not a wolf at all, and despite all appearances, it isn't a fox either.

By Mark Mancini

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The polar bear's shocking whiteness, ferocity and sheer size make it an icon of purity and power. How do these animals survive in a frigid climate?

By Julia Layton & Nathan Chandler

From its small size to its docile nature and long life span, the spotted python fills the bill as a great family pet. Our writer should know, he's got one.

By Mark Mancini

But, squirrels that strongly prefer one hand over the other aren't as good at learning, one study suggests. What does this mean for you and me?

By Patty Rasmussen

"Pure coyotes" are now much rarer than what we would consider coyote-wolf hybrids, or coywolves.

By Jesslyn Shields & Talon Homer

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Elk are some of the most majestic animals in the world, but also some of the most aggressive. Here's what you need to know about the territorial elk.

By Patty Rasmussen

Dwindling natural habitats are causing a significant decline in certain seahorse species. To bolster populations, researchers in Australia are building seahorse hotels and leaving the lights on.

By Wendy Bowman & Talon Homer