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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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

Monarch Butterfly Population Blooms This Year

After years in decline, monarchs made a spectacular comeback in 2019. Why's that — and will it continue?

By Maria Trimarchi Mar 29, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Insects

How Did Snakes Lose Their Legs?

Snakes and lizards share a common ancestor, and snakes still have the genetic coding for legs and feet. So where did those appendages go?

By Nathan Chandler Mar 25, 2019 Reptiles / Snakes

Why Is Cashmere So Expensive?

Your favorite cashmere sweater is super-soft and luxurious. It probably cost you an arm and leg, too. Here's why.

By Jamie Allen Mar 14, 2019 Mammals / Hoofed Mammals

Wallace's Giant Bee, World's Largest, Rediscovered

The world's largest bee, lost to science for 38 years, has been rediscovered on a remote island in Indonesia.

By Jesslyn Shields Mar 4, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Insects

Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys Share Nursing of Young

A group of researchers in Shennongjia National Nature Reserve discovered that these female monkeys are essentially happy to feed each other's offspring.

By Jamie Allen Feb 28, 2019 Mammals / Primates

Flying Squirrels Glow Hot Pink in UV Light

Perhaps it's a mating signal. Or meant to confuse owls and other predators. Or maybe it's just for looks.

By Jamie Allen Feb 21, 2019 Mammals / Rodents

Why Flies Prefer Honey to Vinegar

There's an old saying that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Scientists have now found out why sour tastes are so repellent to flies.

By Alia Hoyt Feb 20, 2019 Insects & Arachnids / Insects

Meet the World's Smallest, Toughest Owl

The smallest owls in the world have mad survival skills, like killing poisonous scorpions and playing dead.

By Loraine Fick Feb 12, 2019 Birds / Birds of Prey

Mexican Salamander Could Hold Key to Spinal Cord Regeneration in Humans

If salamanders can regrow or repair limbs, eyes and spinal cords, could humans do it too? After all, we share a lot of the same genes. That's what some researchers set out to find.

By Nathan Chandler Feb 8, 2019 Wild Animals / Amphibians