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.
Learn More / Page 30
With their built-in masks and ability to snatch food, it seems raccoons were meant for a life of crime. But do these thieves wash away the evidence by rinsing food in water?
Did you know that it's the possession of feathers, not the ability to fly, that distinguishes birds from other animals? Take a view of these bird pictures to see how many you recognize.
By Marie Bobel
Mammals are a ubiquitous and diverse class of animals. Learn all about mammals, including hippopotamuses, killer whales, sugar gliders and more, by viewing this mammal image gallery.
By Marie Bobel
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Prairie dogs may look cute and cuddly, but are these rodents harbingers of deathly plague? Since there aren't any underground pharmacies in prairie dog towns, will disease wipe out these animals?
Besides our genetic similarities, gorillas also share our love of getting a good night's sleep -- except that their alarm clocks come in the form of dangerous predators and poachers.
If Bullwinkle had made the move up north, he would have felt right at home. Though moose in Alaska don't have squirrel sidekicks, they do take advantage of their urban surroundings.
Geese don't exchange vows or rings, but they do search for their lifelong mate. However, are geese really faithful, or do they take a gander at the opposite sex?
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If the animal world were school, otters would be those kids who never leave the playground. Always begging for five more minutes of recess, otters take playtime very seriously.
Marsupials are mammals that commonly bear a pouch such as kangaroos and koalas. Did you know that two thirds of marsupial species are found in Australia? Find out more by viewing this marsupial image gallery.
By Marie Bobel
If you don't make it past that first "E" during your annual vision test, you might give bats a reprieve by calling yourself "blind as a manatee."
Orangutans might be the most low-key of the world's apes, but that doesn't mean they don't like to socialize. So are these redheads miscast as loners, or are orangutans introverts?
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If you come across a cougar, you might scream in fear. So if this predator could easily devour you, why might it harmonize your screech with its own tone-deaf shriek?
Their genetic similarity to humans makes chimps great subjects for medical research. But some countries are banning this research because these apelike similarities are a little too close for comfort.
With powerful jaws, massive paws and piercing claws, the leopard is built for hunting. But how can this cat possibly take down animals three times its size?
Avoiding eye contact is a form of body language (and a sign you're probably lying). Gazelles might not use body language to lie, but they do rely on it to survive.
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The Millennium Falcon might be fast in a galaxy far, far away, but the peregrine falcon reigns supreme on Earth. This bird doesn't have warp speed, but it sure can zoom.
When cats go swimming, is it still considered doggy paddling? Tigers might not be invited to your next pool party, but they sure do love taking a dip.
It takes brains to tan leather is and we're not just talking keen intellect and skill. Sometimes that soft, supple feel of leather literally comes from using the old noggin.
Penguins and puffins might love formal wear and waddling, but the similarities end there. These fish-loving birds don't see eye to eye on issues like transportation and real estate.
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Vindictive whales like Moby Dick sometimes give these giants of the sea a bad rap. But whales do a lot for their ecosystem, especially after they go to Davy Jones' locker.
Some animals are home hoppers - they'll leave small or damaged shells behind when they find better digs. Are turtles the same, or are they more invested in their keratin coverings?
Giant squid are aggressive creatures that prey on almost anything that comes their way. How big do these monsters of the sea get, and could they really take down a watercraft?
What? You've never heard of a narwhal? Well, it's a cold-water-dwelling, deep-diving, vocalizing, halibut-munching wonder with its very own ivory crown. Did we mention its crazy tusk?
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Loners might seem intriguing, but they lead dangerous lives -- a least those in the wolf world do. Lone wolves are outsiders, relying only on themselves to survive without a pack.
Riddle me this: Why are bats showing up dead with a white powder streaked across their faces? Could a poorly understood fungus wipe them out? To the bat cave, readers!