HowStuffWorks Newsletter
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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They look a lot like beavers and the two rodents have a lot in common. But muskrats are their own species with their own signature scent.
By Meg Sparwath
Badgers love to dig — one den, or "sett," in southern England is thought to cover a territory of over a square mile and have up to 100 entrances.
The cartoon Roadrunner beep-beeped his way through the desert, outfoxing Wile E. Coyote every time, but the real bird can run up to 27 mph and, in some Native American traditions, offers protection from evil spirits.
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Red squirrels have a big attitude, which might have to due with their small size. They have to act big. And they do so with noisy and aggressive behavior.
By Mark Mancini
When threatened, the slow loris licks venom secreted from a gland under its arm. Licked and loaded, the loris is ready to poison an attacker with a bite.
There are over 60 species of langur in the world, all of which eat a plant-based diet and most of which burp a lot.
By Wendy Bowman
Suet is a fat long used in British cooking. But in the U.S., this high-calorie, nutritious item is favored as bird food. Here's why.
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These chunky little guys aren't dogs at all. They're actually part of the rodent family, and they're shockingly smart.
By Meg Sparwath
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
The name dik-dik comes from the repetitive 'dik' sound the tiny female dik-dik makes when she feels threatened.
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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
Vampire bats do it and so should we: socially distance when ill, that is. That's what a new study found.
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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
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.
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The praying mantis is a powerful predator, and not as robotic (or as romantic!) as it seems.
The blue-footed booby is known as much for its comical mating dance as for its intensely colored blue feet.
Caracals have really cool ears and can also jump 10 feet in the air from a seated position.
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
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Are these strong and dependable animals all the same? If so, why the different names? If not, what makes them different?
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