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Animals

California Academy of Sciences botanist and moss expert Jim Shevoc inspects a collected specimen on Mt. Isarog.

A New Species Bonanza in the Philippines

Sharks, starfish, ferns and sci-fi-worthy sea creatures have been discovered in a new massive survey

A pig-nosed turtle at the Shedd Aquarium

The Decline of the Pig-Nosed Turtle

Saving the turtle from extinction could be complicated, scientists find

Rhinos and pigs wallow and coat themselves in mud, which protects them from the sun and helps to keep moisture in their skin.

Ask an Expert: Do Animals Get Sunburned?

Staffers at the National Zoo clue us in to how animals like elephants and hippos protect themselves from harmful UV rays

Chimpanzee Yawning

Wild Things: Yawning Chimps, Humpback Whales and More…

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

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

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

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge contains vital habitat for polar bears who rely on the border of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Fifty Years of Arctic National Wildlife Preservation

Biologist George Schaller on the debate over ANWR conservation and why the refuge must be saved

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Wild Things: Giant Pandas, an Ancient Ibis and More…

Panda-friendly forests, one bizarre bird and foxes on junk food

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Wild Things: Great Whites, Tree Snakes, Drongos and More

These animals redefine life as we know it

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Giant Crayfish Species Found in Tennessee

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Wild Things: Life as We Know It

Flamingos, T. rex Tails, Burmese monkeys and more…

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Wild Things: Life as We Know It

Drought crises, Florida panthers, humpback whales and more…

According to author Richard Conniff, "what really got the species seekers started was that a Swedish botanist named Linnaeus had invented a system of scientific classification."

Richard Conniff on The Species Seekers

The 18th century was an age of discovery when a frontiersman mentality yielded scientific breakthroughs in natural history

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Wild Things: Life as We Know It

Caterpillars, Bonobos, European Songbirds and More…

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Wild Things: Life as We Know It

Caterpillars, Frogs, Big Birds and More…

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Wild Things: Life as We Know It

Orchids, Baboons, Ancient Reptiles and More…

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Toads Closer to Tanzanian Home

The silver spotted skipper butterfly is one of the most common butterflies caught during the census.

Name That Butterfly

Citizen scientists on a sharp learning curve are carrying out an important census in fields and gardens across the country

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Ferrets Have a Record-Breaking Breeding Season at the National Zoo

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Two New Onagers Born Thanks to Artificial Insemination

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