Animals

An etching of carts laden with corpses in the Piazza San Babila, Milan during the plague of 1630.

How Proteins Helped Scientists Read Between the Lines of a 1630 Plague Death Registry

New tech reveals bacterial contamination, what scribes were eating and how many rats were around

Eriauchenius milajaneae is one of the 18 new species of pelican spiders from Madagascar described by the scientists. This species was named after Wood’s daughter, and is known only from one remote mountain in southeast Madagascar.

Madagascar's Ancient 'Pelican Spiders' Are As Striking As They Are Strange

New research offers an in-depth look at the island's fascinating spider scene

A de-horned rhino lies in the sand at Hoedspruit endangered species centre in South Africa. Rhinos are particularly vulnerable during wartime due to illegal trade of their horns for weapons.

The Animal Cost of War

Even low-level human conflict can drive dramatic wildlife declines

Heatwave Kills Hundreds of Flying Fox Pups in Australia

With temperatures hot enough to melt asphalt, the searing heat "boiled" the tiny creatures

Nilgai antelope, like the cattle fever ticks they carry, are considered an invasive species in places like Texas.

Why We Should Rethink How We Talk About "Alien" Species

In a trend that echoes the U.S.-Mexico border debate, some say that calling non-native animals "foreigners" and "invaders" only worsens the problem

Climate Change Is Turning Green Sea Turtles Female. That's a Problem

Over 99 percent of turtle hatchlings in northern Australia are female due to increasing sand and sea temperatures

Few realize that the lovable, cotton-candy-pink amphibian is on the edge of extinction.

How to Save the Paradoxical Axolotl

Despite being a common pet and beloved cultural icon, the grinning amphibian is nearly extinct in the wild

Humans Like Helpers, But Bonobos Prefer Bullies

A new study has found that bonobos gravitate towards characters that push and steal toys

Pavel will be on hand for viewing at the Great Cats habitat, rotating with the Zoo's Sumatran tiger and African lions.

Say Hello to Pavel, the National Zoo's Latest Addition, an Amur Tiger

For the first time since 1948, a 10-year-old male Siberian big cat graces the D.C. menagerie

Low oxygen caused the death of these corals and others in Bocas del Toro, Panama. The dead crabs pictured also succumbed to the loss of dissolved oxygen.

Why Our Oceans Are Starting to Suffocate

A new paper links global warming to diminished oxygen concentrations at sea

An African lion enjoying an afternoon snack in the falling snow of 2012 at the National Zoo.

How Zoo Animals Stay Safe and Warm in the Arctic Blast

From flamingo 'hot tubs' to heated termite mounds, zoos have plenty of tricks to keep creatures safe when the forecast freezes over

Wisdom's mate Akeakamai tends to their egg in December, 2017

Wisdom the Oldest Known Albatross Is Expecting (Again)

The Laysan albatross is now 67 years old and is thought to have raised 30 to 35 chicks in her lifetime

How Augmented Reality Is Helping Raise Awareness About One of Armenia's Most Endangered Species

Coast guard officers in Costa Rica say they’re understaffed and overwhelmed. “We’re just order,” says Colonel Miguel Madrigal. “Not the law.”

An Unexpected Victim of Costa Rica's Drug Trade: Fish

The archipelago was once synonymous with tourism, sustainability and biodiversity. Now collapsing fisheries have led to turmoil

A Polar Bear Released Back Into the Wild by Helicopter

A marauding polar bear is about to be returned to the the wild, as far away as possible from the town of Churchill

"I'm swimmering! For science!"

How Baby Sea Turtles on Treadmills Can Help Researchers Understand Wild Turtle Survival

No doubt it's adorable, but the study offers clues into the impact of disorienting light pollution on the reptiles' health

The stunning image that opens the Siphonophorae chapter in The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel. Each gelatinous siphonophore is actually a group of colonial organisms all living and working together. To grow, they clone themselves—each new minion specialized for a specific function.

This 19th-Century Illustrator Found Beauty in the Slimiest of Sea Creatures

A new book chronicles Ernst Haeckel's life and his gorgeous renderings of wild things—scales, spikes, tentacles and all

English dolphins gliding through their home turf

England Has Its Own Pod of Dolphins

Researchers discover that the group of 28 animals are actually local residents, not just visitors

MICRO's Smallest Mollusk Museum is inside the central branch of Brooklyn Public Library.

Putting Miniature Museums Where You Are Likely To See Them

The nonprofit MICRO is on a mission to meet people where they are, staging small exhibitions in busy, public places

Large animal skeletons at the Finnish Natural History Museum.

The Hidden Biases That Shape Natural History Museums

Here's why museum visitors rarely see lady animals, penis bones or cats floating in formaldehyde

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