Animals

Polar Bear Mom Protects Her Cubs From a Hungry Male

As they embark on their long summer migration, a polar bear mother and her cubs need frequent breaks, putting the cubs at risk

The genetically modified Oncomouse has played a big role in the study and treatment of cancer.

The First Patented Animal Is Still Leading the Way on Cancer Research

Oncomouse was a genetically engineered animal designed to help scientists learn more about tumors

Two captive Przewalski’s horses at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's center in Fort Royal, Virginia

How Conservationists Use GPS to Track the Wildest Horses in the World

These horses' wildness makes them unique. It also makes them uniquely difficult for researchers to monitor and track

This whale is on is own sightseeing tour.

New York’s Upper West Side Has Its Own Whale

The mammal is on what seems to be an epic tour of Manhattan

A detailed image of the baby crocodiles inside the mummy.

Crocodile Mummy Found Packed With Dozens of Smaller Crocodile Mummies

The little critters escaped notice until high-powered modern scanners tackled the mummified remains

Many scientists believe we are standing on the edge of an unprecedented era of extinction.

Why Should Humans Care if We're Entering the Sixth Mass Extinction?

In this episode of Generation Anthropocene, learn what a new era of extinction means for diverse species—including our own

Spotted: one adventurous female panther.

Why Scientists Are Psyched About a River-Crossing Panther

This big cat is the first female thought to enter the area in over 40 years

New animal research could one day mean that a scene like this doesn't freak out hikers.

Scientists May Have Figured Out How to Make Poison Ivy Itch Less

Researchers identify a protein associated with itchy rash in mice

New Underpass Helps New Zealand Penguins Cross Busy Road

The blue penguin colony in Oamaru can now cross between their nesting area and the ocean without dodging traffic

Winner, Overall and On the Ground Angela Bohlke

Forget Nature’s Majesty. These Photos Show Wildlife’s Goofy Side

Check out the winners of the 2016 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

A tickled rat.

What Tickling Giggly Rats Can Tell Us About the Brain

Their laughter manifests in a surprising region of the cerebral cortex

The well-known dinosaur skeleton known as "Big Mama" has been hiding a secret.

Fossilized Dinos Are Bones Turned to Stone—But Sometimes, Part of the Original Dino Survives

Every fossilized skeleton is a unique snowflake. We now know that some contain biological bits of tooth and claw

Workers from the Kenya Wildlife Service carry elephant tusks from shipping containers full of ivory transported from around the country for a mass anti-poaching demonstration.

Most Ivory for Sale Comes From Recently Killed Elephants—Suggesting Poaching Is Taking Its Toll

Carbon dating finds that almost all trafficked ivory comes from animals killed less than three years before their tusks hit the market

The three-spine stickleback usually forages and builds its nest near the lake bottom. But in Enos Lake, it appears to have merged with a related species that spends its time near the surface.

Extinction or Evolution? The Answer Isn't Always Clear

The same factors that kill off some species cause others to evolve at lightning speed

The Incredible Reptiles That Flew 200 Million Years Ago

A 200-million-year-old fossil reveals the amazing body structure of a reptilian creature known as the dimorphodon

That looks nutritious.

Everyone Poops. Some Animals Eat It. Why?

Consuming feces can benefit not only the health and microbiomes of some animals, but also their environments

How does a lizard that looks like a rose stem mated with a cactus suck water out of the desert?

This Spike-Crested Lizard Drinks From Sand With Its Skin

The thirsty, thorny devils of Australia's deserts can’t quench their thirst with tongues alone

A black and white ruffed lemur in Madagascar's Vakona Forest Reserve. Worldwide, primates are particularly prone to overhunting, according to the first global assessment of bush meat hunting trends.

A New Report Says We're Hunting the World's Mammals to Death. What Can Be Done?

Solutions are multifaceted and region-specific, but conservation researchers have some ideas

Cross River gorilla photographed by a camera trap

Six-Lane Highway Threatens Nigeria's Last Rainforests

A proposed project in Cross River State would cut through protected areas and threaten endangered species like the Cross River gorilla

Griffon Vultures Depend on the Sun to Fly. Why?

The Griffon vulture is one of the largest vulture species. Because of its giant stature, it uses an immense amount of energy to take off

Page 106 of 178