Articles tagged as Animals | Smithsonian Magazine

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What’s the Difference Between Invasive and Nonnative Species? Plus, More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

July 2016

For the first time in 32 years, the Smithsonian's National Zoo’s celebrated the arrival of a sea lion pup.

Proud Sea Lion Mom Shows Off Her New Pup in These Adorable Pictures From the Zoo

Calli, the 11-year-old sea lion gave birth on June 26; mother and pup are bonding and doing well

June 30, 2016

A recent survey shows that the fish have colonized Cyprus and may continue to spread

June 29, 2016

The Brazilian rainforest faces threats beyond deforestation.

Unfortunately, Reducing Deforestation Isn’t Enough To Protect Amazon Biodiversity

Logging, wildfires and other human disturbances lead to species die-offs

June 29, 2016

Shark Week

Sharks and Humans: A Love-Hate Story

A short history of our relationship with the ocean’s most intimidating fish

June 29, 2016

Jayson Mesman and his truffle hunting dog Samson hard at work at The Truffle Farm.

These Adorable Rescue Dogs Lead Truffle Hunting Tours in Australia’s Majura Valley

An Australian farmer trains these abandoned canines to sleuth out a gourmet delicacy

June 28, 2016

Cool Finds

Spix’s Macaw, Star of “Rio,” Spotted in the Wild for the First Time in 15 Years

Captured in a backlit cellphone video, the sighting gives conservationists hope for the survival of Brazil’s little blue birds

June 27, 2016

Shark Week

How Realistic Is the Shark Science in “The Shallows”?

We ask shark expert Chris Lowe whether the science in the upcoming shark thriller has any teeth. Beachgoers: You’re welcome.

June 22, 2016

New Research

Every Sperm Whale Alive Today May Have Descended From the Same Female

An 80,000-year-old “Eve” was the mother of all modern sperm whales—literally

June 21, 2016

Cool Finds

Watch a Horde of Giant Crabs Amass Off of the Australian Coast

Hundreds. Of thousands. Of crabs.

June 17, 2016

A pair of nilgai, Asia's largest species of antelope.

The cull will include a range of animals deemed troublesome to people—including rhesus monkeys and wild boar in some places

June 17, 2016

New Research

Cats Are Adorable Physicists

Beneath that fluffy exterior lies a shrewd understanding of how the world works

June 16, 2016

Artist's rendering of the first U.S. dolphin sanctuary

Under mounting public pressure, the aquarium’s eight bottle-nosed dolphins will soon move to a seaside retreat in the tropics

June 15, 2016

African dogs, it turns out, make some of the best dads in the mammal world.

Rare ‘Family Guy’ Mammal Dads Give Us All Something to Strive For

Let’s give a Father’s Day shout-out to mammal dads who put family first—and benefit themselves as well

June 15, 2016

A male Bombay night frog getting his call on.

The Frog Kamasutra Gains a Chapter, Thanks to Camera-Wielding Biologists

One newly described sexual position for frogs could mean one giant leap for frog conservationists

June 14, 2016

Life is about to become a bit more humane for male chicks.

Better technology could make “maceration” go the way of the dodo

June 13, 2016

The world's first ring designed for racing cars, built in 1907. It's one of 21 sites Historic England is asking more information on from the public

Cool Finds

Help England Crowdsource Its History

Historic England is asking the public for information and photos on 21 weird and wonderful sites on its list of historic places

June 10, 2016

Cool Finds

Extremeophile Worms Discovered Living in Toxic Colorado Cave

Sulphur Cave in Steamboat Springs is home to a new species of blood-red worm capable of living in a cave full of hydrogen sulfide

June 9, 2016

A preserved specimen of the Blue Lanternfish with bioluminescent spots. New research shows that the blue lanternfish's glow isn't that unique - among ocean-dwelling fish, four out of five are bioluminescent.

Way More Fish Can Make Their Own Light Than We Thought

Bioluminescence evolved a whopping 27 separate times among finned fishes living in the open ocean

June 8, 2016

Bretagne was the last surviving dog from the 300 that worked at the World Trade Center site

June 7, 2016