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Science / Wildlife

A gold-green sweat bee lands on a common boneset flower in Hull, Massachusetts. The bee is a pollen generalist, visiting a wide range of plants.

This Intrepid Team of Bee Lovers Are Doing Everything They Can to Save Rare Native Species From Extinction

Iridescent sweat bees, hairy-faced mining bees, tiny Perdita minima the size of a gnat. Thanks to swarms of apiary enthusiasts, native species are finally getting the buzz they deserve

Before taking samples, students carefully examined the environment.

Nine New Tardigrade Species Discovered Thanks to the Efforts of Danish Schoolchildren

The budding scientists collected the tiny water bears in a massive citizen science project that involved almost 30,000 participants

Individual Antarctic krill are small, but the animals live in gigantic groups that can be seen from space.

Tiny Antarctic Krill Benefit the Planet in Big Ways, but Face a Barrage of Threats

The bountiful creatures sequester carbon and are a vital food source for marine predators, but their future is uncertain

Gelada monkeys are known for long, flowing manes that continue down their backs.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See Magnificent Monkeys From Around the World in These Shots From the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

You don’t have to swing from treetops to get a close-up look at these curious creatures

A hatchling Kemp's ridley sea turtle

Inside the Herculean Effort to Study and Save the World’s Smallest Sea Turtle

After years of steady gains, a decades-long conservation program dedicated to the Kemp’s ridley hits rough seas

The title page painting in Jay Matternes: Paleoartist and Wildlife Painter features a dynamic scene from the Pliocene.

See Stunning Illustrations of Prehistoric Life From One of the Most Renowned Paleoartists in the World

A new book highlights the beautiful work of Jay Matternes, an accomplished artist who drew everything from mammoths to early humans

A mosquito stuck in resin is on its way to becoming a fossil preserved in amber.

How a Fragile Insect Living 100 Million Years Ago Becomes a Fossil

A bug, a dinosaur and a tree intersect, creating the perfect conditions for resin to capture a moment in time

A pangolin emerges from an underground tunnel at night at Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, a group that runs a pangolin conservation program inside the Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam.

Will the Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry End the Pangolin?

The creature is being trafficked across Africa and Asia to fuel a steady demand for their scales, an ingredient in unproven remedies

An albino squirrel peeks out from within a tree.

Can a Small Town’s Protections for Albino Squirrels Inspire Other Cities to Guard Wildlife Against Cats?

Olney, Illinois, has taken steps to protect an iconic mammal from domesticated felines, setting a possible model for other places to follow

Cuddly lovebirds have come to represent Valentine's Day, and their name is even used to refer to two people who are infatuated with one another.

14 Fun Facts About Lovebirds, From Their Lifelong Devotion to Surprising Aggression

The cuddly, colorful parrots have become a symbol of Valentine’s Day. Here’s what to know about the famously affectionate birds

The Punta Medanosa colony of Magellanic penguins on the coast of Argentina has nearly 8,000 breeding pairs. Other colonies number in the hundreds of thousands.

What Did Scientists Learn After Thousands of Penguins Were Slaughtered by Mountain Lions?

The thriving bird colonies likely grew over several decades because local shepherds had temporarily eliminated pumas

Are humans the only species to drive another to extinction?

Are Humans the Only Species to Drive Others to Extinction? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

This adult Rice's whale skull at the National Museum of Natural History is the only specimen of its kind.

Only 50 Rice’s Whales Are Left. Can We Do Enough to Protect Them Before It’s Too Late?

In 2021, researchers identified a new whale species and are now scrambling to save their natural habitat

With their eyes nearly front and center, owls don’t benefit much from peripheral vision, but their heads can rotate 135 degrees in any direction, giving them a great field of view.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Stunning Photos of Superb Owls to Kick Off This Year’s Super Bowl Weekend

These snapshots of the majestic bird in flight and in trees will leave your soul soaring

The coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii) depends on chaparral habitat to survive. It has declined across much of its range due to habitat loss, whether from development or invasion of non-native grasses. After fires, non-native grasses often fill in habitat and create problems for the species.

Here’s How the Los Angeles Wildfires Are Affecting Animals, From Fish to Snakes to Birds

While scientists were able to save and move some creatures in the aftermath, researchers are worried about the prospects for other species

Penguins are attentive parents, with both males and females sharing the work. Here, displaying a common practice, each partner faces the other with a bowed head.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Adorable Photos of Playful, Picture-Perfect Penguins

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show just why penguins have waddled into our hearts

A tiger keelback feeds on poisonous toads and stores the poison for its own use.

Six Clever Snakes to Celebrate as We Slither Into the Lunar New Year

These fascinating serpents embody acclaimed qualities including cunning and intelligence

Laminella venusta is a state land snail endemic to Molokai.

How a Hawaiian High School Student Inspired Nine New State Animals

Researchers hope the designation of several species of land snails, or kāhuli, will lead to conservation

A skin diver swims with a sperm whale in the Caribbean off of Dominica.

Eight Natural Phenomena Worth Traveling for in 2025

You won’t regret experiencing bioluminescence, swimming with sperm whales or witnessing the rush of a horizontal waterfall

Dinosaurs only started to live large after a mass extinction altered the planet in their favor.

How a Mass Extinction Driven by Ancient Volcanoes Led to the Age of the Dinosaurs

Roughly 201 million years ago, drastic changes extinguished many forms of life and led to conditions that allowed the terrible lizards to thrive

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