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.

Topics to Explore

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Red Pandas Are Not the Lesser Pandas

Despite being known as the "lesser panda," the red panda is so totally cute, we simply can't use that moniker. No way. Not now. Not ever.

By John Perritano Jun 25, 2019 Mammals / Bears

Where Did San Francisco's Wild Parrots Come From?

The parrots of the Telegraph Hill neighborhood of San Francisco are legendary, but how did they get there?

By Jesslyn Shields Jun 24, 2019 Birds / Miscellaneous Birds

Dive Inside the Weird World of the Ocean Sunfish

It's one of the gentle giants of the sea. It loves sunbathing, dining on crabs and taking deep dives to the ocean floor.

By Mark Mancini Jun 20, 2019 Fish / Saltwater Fish

6 Wild Cats Still Found Roaming the U.S.

As much as human beings have encroached on wildlife over recent decades, there are still several species of big cats living wild in the U.S. today.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Jun 20, 2019 Mammals / Carnivores

Meet the Ocelot: The Cutest Little Big Cat

The ocelot may look like a slightly wilder version of a domesticated tabby cat, but they are three times the size of house cats, much fiercer and, though abundant in some areas, still endangered.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Jun 19, 2019 Mammals / Carnivores

The Harmless Garter Snake Is Your Garden's Best Friend

Garter snakes are harmless, very common and beneficially feed on slugs, leeches, large insects and small rodents in North American gardens.

By John Perritano Jun 17, 2019 Reptiles / Snakes

The Brown Recluse Spider: Its Reputation Is Worse Than Its Bite

Ninety percent of brown recluse bites don't have any effect at all — but the mythology around these creatures and their bites is legendary.

By Jesslyn Shields Jun 13, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Arachnids

Rules for Keeping a Pet Chinchilla

These adorable little rodents are popular as pets, but they require some special care.

By Jesslyn Shields Jun 7, 2019 Mammals / Rodents

Will the Real Banana Spider Please Stand Up?

Is the "banana spider" you're looking at the one that sits around harmlessly catching flies, or could its bite kill a small child? If we rely solely on common names, this question is complicated.

By Jesslyn Shields Jun 6, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Arachnids

6 Reasons Monkeys Should Never Be Pets

It may seem like just the cutest thing in the world to you, but owning a pet monkey is a really bad idea. Here's why.

By Tara Yarlagadda Jun 5, 2019 Mammals / Primates

How Did Weasels Get Such a Bad Rap?

These little critters are super cute, so why do they have a reputation for being one of the worst of the mammal world?

By Mark Mancini Jun 4, 2019 Mammals / Other Mammals

Alpacas Are Totally Not Llamas

Alpacas are highly intelligent and they're not pets. They require a lot of research and specialized knowledge if you plan to bring a few home.

By Jesslyn Shields Jun 3, 2019 Mammals / Other Mammals

That Blob on the Beach Is Sea Pork

Is that a dolphin pancreas? Some extremely firm manatee vomit? Nope, it's sea pork!

By Jesslyn Shields Jun 3, 2019 Marine Life / Other Marine Life

Honey Badgers Don't Care Because They're Ferocious

Because most of what we know about honey badgers comes from a three-minute comedy video, there are a lot of misconceptions about these wily weasels.

By Jesslyn Shields May 22, 2019 Mammals / Other Mammals

Coconut Crabs: Crustaceans on Steroids

The biggest land-dwelling arthropod can crack into everything from coconuts to carcasses, but they're also really vulnerable.

By Jesslyn Shields May 21, 2019 Marine Life / Crustaceans

Don't Get Bitten by the Kissing Bug

These nasty little bugs have been reported in 28 U.S. states and can cause an illness called Chagas disease.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky May 16, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Insects

Camel Spiders: Murderous Speed Demons of the Desert

These arachnids are aggressive, unbelievably fast and love to murder ants for no reason, but don't worry — they're harmless.

By Jesslyn Shields May 7, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Arachnids

How Many Legs Does a Millipede Really Have?

If you think the answer is 1,000, you're way way off.

By Danielle Douez May 1, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Arachnids

Don't Be Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf Spider

Wolf spiders might find their way into your house and can look threatening, but they're really harmless.

By Jesslyn Shields Apr 30, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Arachnids

Hedgehogs: Adorable, But Do They Make Good Pets?

Sure, hedgehogs are cute as heck, but do you think one really wants to live in your house?

By Jesslyn Shields Apr 24, 2019 Mammals / Other Mammals

Blobfish: World's Ugliest Animal or Someone's Grandpa?

The blobfish is actually pretty average looking in its normal habitat.

By Jesslyn Shields Apr 11, 2019 Fish / Saltwater Fish

The Great Squirrel Debate: To Feed or Not to Feed?

There doesn't seem to be much of a gray area. Most people are a hard yes or yard no.

By Meg Sparwath Apr 8, 2019 Mammals / Rodents

Opossums: So Darn Ugly They're Adorable

Sure, opossums eat out of your trashcan, but they're also strange little superheroes.

By Jesslyn Shields Apr 5, 2019 Mammals / Marsupials

Hummingbirds: What to Feed Them and a Springtime Q&A

There's a lot of conversation around what we should be feeding our backyard hummingbird visitors, so we threw the question, along with others, to an expert.

By Jamie Allen Apr 2, 2019 Birds / Miscellaneous Birds