Wildlife

The latest on the fascinating flora and fauna of our planet.

Latest in Wildlife

Flames aren’t the only danger firefighters face. Sometimes, there’s a bear.

Environment

Flames aren’t the only danger firefighters face. Sometimes, there’s a bear. Flames aren’t the only danger firefighters face. Sometimes, there’s a bear.

By Mary Beth Griggs

Drunk birds are wreaking havoc in Minnesota

Environment

Drunk birds are wreaking havoc in Minnesota Drunk birds are wreaking havoc in Minnesota

By Charlie Wood

The toxins of our past still threaten the future of killer whales

Environment

The toxins of our past still threaten the future of killer whales The toxins of our past still threaten the future of killer whales

By Jillian Mock

Megapixels: A moth drinks tears from a bird’s eye

Environment

Megapixels: A moth drinks tears from a bird’s eye Megapixels: A moth drinks tears from a bird’s eye

By Jillian Mock

These lizards are the holy grail of herpetology—they’re also targets in the illegal wildlife trade

Environment

These lizards are the holy grail of herpetology—they’re also targets in the illegal wildlife trade These lizards are the holy grail of herpetology—they’re also targets in the illegal wildlife trade

By Rachel Love Nuwer

a satellite view of hurricane florence

Environment

Scientists followed a leatherback turtle through Hurricane Florence—here’s what they saw Scientists followed a leatherback turtle through Hurricane Florence—here’s what they saw

By Mary Beth Griggs

Sandhill cranes dancing at sunset

Environment

Our seasons are out of whack, which is really bad for migratory birds Our seasons are out of whack, which is really bad for migratory birds

By Neel V. Patel

How we found a beautiful new species of snailfish deep beneath the sea

Environment

How we found a beautiful new species of snailfish deep beneath the sea How we found a beautiful new species of snailfish deep beneath the sea

By Thomas Linley and Alan Jamieson/The Conversation

We trained crows to pick up garbage, but can we teach ourselves?

Environment

We trained crows to pick up garbage, but can we teach ourselves? We trained crows to pick up garbage, but can we teach ourselves?

Inside America’s largest collection of stuffed endangered animals

Environment

Inside America’s largest collection of stuffed endangered animals Inside America’s largest collection of stuffed endangered animals

By Bart Vandever

a tiny robot next to a penny

Environment

Itsy bitsy spider robots might crawl around inside you one day Itsy bitsy spider robots might crawl around inside you one day

What I learned from getting covered in whale snot

Environment

What I learned from getting covered in whale snot What I learned from getting covered in whale snot

By Jessica Boddy

The fate of future endangered species could hinge on a semantic argument

Environment

The fate of future endangered species could hinge on a semantic argument The fate of future endangered species could hinge on a semantic argument

The first underwater film was lost for decades—until now

Environment

The first underwater film was lost for decades—until now The first underwater film was lost for decades—until now

By Anna Brooks and Tom McNamara

Environment

These are the best bird photographs of 2018 These are the best bird photographs of 2018

By Jeanette D. Moses

Cuba’s pristine reefs are ideal for spotting great hammerhead sharks

Environment

Cuba’s pristine reefs are ideal for spotting great hammerhead sharks Cuba’s pristine reefs are ideal for spotting great hammerhead sharks

These animals will self-amputate arms, legs, and even sex organs to survive

Environment

These animals will self-amputate arms, legs, and even sex organs to survive These animals will self-amputate arms, legs, and even sex organs to survive

Environment

This map shows where commercial fishing boats and sharks butt heads This map shows where commercial fishing boats and sharks butt heads

Mark the Shark Quartiano

Environment

The U.S. protects alpha predators, but its most famous shark hunter isn’t out of business yet The U.S. protects alpha predators, but its most famous shark hunter isn’t out of business yet

By Andrew Zaleski

Environment

Here are 10 plants and animals that might have gone extinct without the Endangered Species Act Here are 10 plants and animals that might have gone extinct without the Endangered Species Act

How (and why) to teach a polar bear to walk on a treadmill

Environment

How (and why) to teach a polar bear to walk on a treadmill How (and why) to teach a polar bear to walk on a treadmill

How whale corpses feed ocean floors

Environment

How whale corpses feed ocean floors How whale corpses feed ocean floors

By Eleanor Cummins

spider on a flower

Environment

Arachnids may sense electrical fields to gain a true spidey sense Arachnids may sense electrical fields to gain a true spidey sense

manta ray swims through Flower Garden Banks

Environment

Why biologists are so excited to find a bunch of puny manta rays Why biologists are so excited to find a bunch of puny manta rays

Koko, the beloved gorilla who communicated through sign-language, dies at age 46

Environment

Koko, the beloved gorilla who communicated through sign-language, dies at age 46 Koko, the beloved gorilla who communicated through sign-language, dies at age 46

Environment

Everything you think you know about bald eagles is wrong Everything you think you know about bald eagles is wrong

By Sara Chodosh

Yes, a tax bill can—and likely will—spoil America’s most pristine wildlife refuge

Environment

Yes, a tax bill can—and likely will—spoil America’s most pristine wildlife refuge Yes, a tax bill can—and likely will—spoil America’s most pristine wildlife refuge

By Lauren Steele

Spiders are secretly great roommates

Environment

Spiders are secretly great roommates Spiders are secretly great roommates

By Matt Bertone/The Conversation

Scientists just discovered 125 million-year-old dinosaur dandruff

Science

Scientists just discovered 125 million-year-old dinosaur dandruff Scientists just discovered 125 million-year-old dinosaur dandruff

By Neel V. Patel

How modern-day dinosaurs survived the apocalypse

Science

How modern-day dinosaurs survived the apocalypse How modern-day dinosaurs survived the apocalypse

Scientists taught a spider how to jump so they can one day do the same for robots

Environment

Scientists taught a spider how to jump so they can one day do the same for robots Scientists taught a spider how to jump so they can one day do the same for robots

Russian cuckoos are taking over Alaska

Environment

Russian cuckoos are taking over Alaska Russian cuckoos are taking over Alaska

This albatross couple adopted a baby of another species

Environment

This albatross couple adopted a baby of another species This albatross couple adopted a baby of another species

By Kim Steutermann Rogers

Technology

Drones can take scientists to strange new places—like inside whale snot Drones can take scientists to strange new places—like inside whale snot

By Jessica Boddy

Environment

You’d have to give birth to a 30-pound baby to truly know how a kiwi bird feels You’d have to give birth to a 30-pound baby to truly know how a kiwi bird feels

By Sara Chodosh

Rising temperatures are opening new territories for venomous creatures—including your backyard

Environment

Rising temperatures are opening new territories for venomous creatures—including your backyard Rising temperatures are opening new territories for venomous creatures—including your backyard

By Kate Baggaley

Bat echolocation could help us understand ADHD

Environment

Bat echolocation could help us understand ADHD Bat echolocation could help us understand ADHD

By Kate Baggaley

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

Science

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

atlantic puffin

Environment

Puffins are donning sexy little sunglasses in the name of science Puffins are donning sexy little sunglasses in the name of science

By Sara Chodosh

These fish build group homes that double as devious shrimp traps

Environment

These fish build group homes that double as devious shrimp traps These fish build group homes that double as devious shrimp traps

By Kate Baggaley

Look to large bodies to understand long life spans

Health

Look to large bodies to understand long life spans Look to large bodies to understand long life spans

By Kate Baggaley

This little baby bird lived 127 million years ago and died the size of your pinky

Science

This little baby bird lived 127 million years ago and died the size of your pinky This little baby bird lived 127 million years ago and died the size of your pinky

By Rachel Feltman

Bats help grow our crops, but climate change has them on the move

Environment

Bats help grow our crops, but climate change has them on the move Bats help grow our crops, but climate change has them on the move

By Marlene Cimons

Americans used to eat pigeon all the time—and it could be making a comeback

Environment

Americans used to eat pigeon all the time—and it could be making a comeback Americans used to eat pigeon all the time—and it could be making a comeback

By Eleanor Cummins

What if hibernating animals formed an orchestra and performed a symphony about their winter’s sleep?

Environment

What if hibernating animals formed an orchestra and performed a symphony about their winter’s sleep? What if hibernating animals formed an orchestra and performed a symphony about their winter’s sleep?

By Tom McNamara

A fish that barely sleeps could help turn humans into all-night party animals

Environment

A fish that barely sleeps could help turn humans into all-night party animals A fish that barely sleeps could help turn humans into all-night party animals

By Claire Maldarelli

Meet the birds that work as wingmen for other males

Environment

Meet the birds that work as wingmen for other males Meet the birds that work as wingmen for other males

By Kate Baggaley

This year’s Super Bowl stadium is an avian death trap

Environment

This year’s Super Bowl stadium is an avian death trap This year’s Super Bowl stadium is an avian death trap

By Jessica Boddy

Environment

Listen to this orca saying ‘hello’—for science! Listen to this orca saying ‘hello’—for science!

By Sara Chodosh

This tiny shark eats grass and it’s doing just fine

Environment

This tiny shark eats grass and it’s doing just fine This tiny shark eats grass and it’s doing just fine

By Kate Baggaley

male superb bird of paradise

Environment

These bird feathers are so black your eyes can’t focus on them These bird feathers are so black your eyes can’t focus on them

By Dakota McCoy/The Conversation

Most male Emperor penguins fast for 115 days—but a few of them may sneak snacks

Environment

Most male Emperor penguins fast for 115 days—but a few of them may sneak snacks Most male Emperor penguins fast for 115 days—but a few of them may sneak snacks

By Mary Beth Griggs

Seagulls are eating all of our garbage

Environment

Seagulls are eating all of our garbage Seagulls are eating all of our garbage

By Kate Baggaley

The world’s fastest shark is no match for a sack of flaccid hagfish skin

Environment

The world’s fastest shark is no match for a sack of flaccid hagfish skin The world’s fastest shark is no match for a sack of flaccid hagfish skin

By Sara Chodosh

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

Science

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

By Rachel Feltman

Humans may be scaring narwhals to death

Environment

Humans may be scaring narwhals to death Humans may be scaring narwhals to death

By Kate Baggaley

Reconstruction of the amphibious bird-like dinosaur Halszkaraptor

Science

This new, duck-like dinosaur is so wacky scientists thought it was fake This new, duck-like dinosaur is so wacky scientists thought it was fake

By Rachel Feltman

Environment

Local knowledge can save endangered animals Local knowledge can save endangered animals

By Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, Benjamin L. Jones, and Richard K.F. Unsworth/The Conversation

Cecil the Lion’s infamous death didn’t actually do much to change trophy-hunting laws

Environment

Cecil the Lion’s infamous death didn’t actually do much to change trophy-hunting laws Cecil the Lion’s infamous death didn’t actually do much to change trophy-hunting laws

By Kate Baggaley

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

Science

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

By Sara Chodosh

Environment

Ranking the Types of Bear Species Ranking the Types of Bear Species

By Dan Nosowitz

stuffed frill shark head

Environment

Yes, the frilled shark is really freaky. But there are other ‘living fossils’ that are just as weird. Yes, the frilled shark is really freaky. But there are other ‘living fossils’ that are just as weird.

By Rachel Feltman

silvertip shark

Environment

Why some sharks are like blimps, and others are like airplanes Why some sharks are like blimps, and others are like airplanes

By Sara Chodosh

Orangutan skull

Environment

We may have a new cousin in this orangutan species—but it’s in big trouble We may have a new cousin in this orangutan species—but it’s in big trouble

By Rachel Feltman