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Science / Wildlife

Chimpanzee Yawning

Wild Things: Yawning Chimps, Humpback Whales and More…

Leaping beetles, Pacific salmon, prehistoric mammals and other news updates in wildlife research

Weighing up to several tons, whale sharks are also notable for their markings. Each pattern of spots is unique and scientists identify individual fish using computer programs first developed to study star constellations.

Swimming With Whale Sharks

Wildlife researchers and tourists are heading to a tiny Mexican village to learn about the mystery of the largest fish in the sea

Feral cats can roam over great distances, a new study finds.

The Secret Lives of Feral Cats

Free-roaming, unowned kitties live differently from our beloved pets

Most fatal black bear attacks are carried out by hungry males

How To Avoid Being Eaten By A Black Bear

A recent study of fatal black bear attacks shows that hungry males are the ones to really worry about

Asian carp, imported from China in 1973 to clean algae from Southern ponds, broke from their confines and infested the Mississippi River waterways.

Making the Best of Invasive Species

Garlic mustard and Asian carp can wreak havoc on their ecosystems, but do they have a future on your dinner plate?

Llamas can still be found at Machu Picchu today.

The Secret to Machu Picchu’s Success: Llama Poop

The Incas used llama dung as fertilizer to grow maize, and fuel an empire

Black-footed ferrets at the National Zoo

Black-Footed Ferrets and Other Endangered Critters

The subject of endangered species can be a depressing one, but there are also many reasons to be hopeful

Kemp's ridleys are the world's smallest sea turtles and are also the most endangered.

North America’s Most Endangered Animals

Snails, marmots, condors and coral reef are among the many species on the continent that are close to extinction

A guanaco in Chile

Vegetation Determines Animal Migration Patterns

Scientists show that patterns in vegetation across a species’ range determine whether and how it moves

In April 2005, Zazi, one of the National Zoo’s female cheetahs, gave birth to six cubs.

What Animal is the Best Mother?

Cheetahs and gorillas have some of the strongest maternal instincts, according to a National Zoo biologist

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Wicked Bugs (and Spiders and Worms and Other Creepy Crawlies)

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Bonobos Tell Each Other Where to Find the Yummy Foods

Spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) hangs by tail with mouth open.

Wild Things: Spider Monkeys, Fire Ants, Hagfish and More…

Dinosaur “thunder thighs” and fast-flying moths

Matina Kalcounis-Rueppell deciphers the ultrasonic chatter, shown here plotted on a spectrograph, of a deer mouse.

The Mystery of the Singing Mice

A scientist has discovered that high-pitched sounds made by the small rodents could actually be melodious songs

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The Gold and Silver Beetles of Costa Rica

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What Price Do We Put on an Endangered Bird?

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Billionaire Branson to Release Lemurs on Caribbean Island

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Humpback Whale Songs Spread From West to East

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Fourteen Fun Facts About Golden Lion Tamarins

Splendid Fairy-wren (Malurus splendens splendens) calling.

Wild Things: Mongooses, Bladderworts and More…

Fairy-wrens, wasps, and a nearly 3,000 year old big toe

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