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Ecology

Parts of New Jersey experienced severe flooding over the weekend during the nor'easter.

A Shark Was Spotted Swimming Through the Flooded Streets of New Jersey During the Nor’easter

The creature has been identified as a smooth dogfish, a harmless species found throughout the western Atlantic Ocean. It wasn’t the only animal caught in the chaos brought by the storm system

Participants in Germany liked the Eurasian blackbird's call the most out of a list of vocalizations made by more than 100 birds.

Some Birdsongs Are More Pleasing to Human Ears Than Others. Higher-Pitched, Complex Calls Tend to Sound More Beautiful to Us

In a new study, more than 80 participants rated the pleasantness of vocalizations made by 123 European bird species. Researchers then looked at the acoustic qualities of the most—and least—liked songs

Members of the public are invited to vote for their favorite name for the otter: Nessie, Ruthie or Morgan. The selections are a nod to community changemakers who have made a positive impact on the river and the Bronx more broadly.

An Otter Just Returned to New York City’s Bronx River for the First Time in a Century. Now, You Can Help Name It

A trail camera photographed the animal earlier this summer, offering a hopeful sign that the once-polluted urban waterway is recovering after decades of restoration work

These proboscis bats have chosen to roost under the soft roof of a pavilion.

These Small, Stealthy Bats Use High-Frequency Vocalizations to Keep Their Chatter Out of the Range of Predators and Prey

New research shows that proboscis bats communicate with each other and echolocate at higher frequencies than scientists expected. This could help the animals sneak up to their targets and evade creatures that want to eat them

A nine-banded armadillo in Costa Rica. The Mexican long-nosed armadillo, which is the only armadillo species found in the United States, used to be considered the same species as the nine-banded armadillo.

An Armadillo Found in Ohio Is the Latest Surprise in the Armored Animals’ Expansion North. Where Are They Now, and What’s Driving Their Movement?

Typically spotted in the South and Southeast, the creatures have been reaching increasingly distant states like North Carolina, Virginia and Illinois as winters become milder

The scythe is a less invasive tool for cutting grass than a lawnmower.

A Cutting-Edge English Initiative Replaces Lawnmowers With Scythes to Restore Wildflowers and Save the Bees

English Heritage has recruited volunteers to mow meadows the old-fashioned way at some of its historic sites

This photo of an adult male seahorse with two juveniles earned Julien Anton the overall Ocean Photographer of the Year award and first place in the wildlife category.

See Nine Stunning Images from This Year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year Contest That Show the Majesty of Marine Life

From seahorse farewells to saving a stranded whale, the photos capture the diversity and beauty of sea creatures—but also the perils they face

Williston Lake is the seventh-largest reservoir by volume in the world. 

A Lake in Canada Got a Mysterious New Island. Then, It Disappeared—and Now It’s Back

The floating forest appeared in a well-mapped reservoir in British Columbia. Its presence and vanishing act have puzzled locals and officials at the power utility that operates the lake, but other similar islands exist elsewhere

Researchers have spent the past two years studying the interactions between common octopuses and blue crabs and perfecting breeding techniques.

Blue Crabs Have Taken Over the Adriatic Sea. To Fight Them Off, Italian Researchers Just Released Thousands of Baby Octopuses

Although prized in the United States, the crustaceans have been decimating ecosystems and the fishing industry in Italy. Experts hope that an army of natural predators—common octopuses—can help contain the invasive species’ spread

The white-headed duck is “one of the true eccentrics of the waterfowl world because almost everything about it seems unusual,” says waterfowl expert Nicky Petkov.

Spain’s White-Headed Ducks Have a Signature Color Right in the Name. And That Isn’t Even Their Most Remarkable Hue

The first thing you’re likely to notice is the blue bill. But beyond appearances, the duck has an exciting story to tell about conservation and recovery

In loud conditions, a tokay gecko adjusts its call, which is typically used to find a mate or defend territory.

Reptiles Make a Surprising Amount of Noise. Here’s What Those Sounds Might Mean, From Pops to Hoots to Bellows

Scientists are realizing that turtles, lizards and crocodilians communicate vocally more than they once thought

An artist's interpretation of what Chosha praecursor might have looked like while splitting its time between water and land 324 million years ago in what is now Texas.

This Ancient Insect Had 24 Legs—and Could Help Explain How the Ancestors of Modern-Day Bugs Took Over the Land

A previously undescribed critter that lived 324 million years ago appears to have been a transitional species that lived between land and sea. It could help researchers fill an 80-million-year gap in the fossil record of how crustaceans evolved into insects

A photo of Solenostomus snuffleupagus taken in 2003

Meet the Newly Discovered Fuzzy Fish Species Named After Mr. Snuffleupagus From ‘Sesame Street’

The ghost pipefish’s scruffy appearance probably helps it look like floating algae, allowing it to blend in with its environment. Researchers had been on the hunt for this strange creature for years after first spotting one more than two decades ago

Researchers observed bearded capuchins in Brazil eating birds (shown here), lizards, rodents, opossums, snakes and other small vertebrates.

When Fruit Is Scarce, These Monkeys Hunt Animals. The Behavior May Offer Clues About the Origins of Humans’ Meat-Eating Habits

The bearded capuchins of northeastern Brazil typically eat plant-based foods, but they turn to small vertebrates when those sources are limited. Our ancestors may have done the same, eventually allowing predatory behaviors to be more frequently passed on in our lineage

A giant Atlantic cockle lies open on the beach in Fort Myers, Florida, while a beachcomber searches for shells in the background.

These Enchanting and Colorful Photos of Seashells and the Mollusks That Create Them Will Have You Marveling at the Natural World

Before they become sandy souvenirs, the baubles in the bubbles of the shoreline serve as a veritable fortress for creatures like clams, mussels and conchs

Illustration of the La Brea Tar Pit's ancient habitat, with the newly discovered toad species (center and right) and the Mexican burrowing toad (bottom)

Paleontologists Discover a New Species of Ice Age Toad at the La Brea Tar Pits, Offering Clues About the Area’s Ancient Climate

The fossilized remains, recovered in 1929, were part of La Brea’s relatively understudied amphibian collection. Since toads are cold-blooded and sensitive to environmental changes, the discovery can help researchers piece together past climate conditions

This might be the view a seal gets as it comes up from underwater to breathe: a polar bear, looking down for its prey.

See 16 Stunning Animal Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

Now in its 62nd year, the famed competition has released a sneak peek of the entries from this contest ahead of announcing the winners in October

Marmots can spend up to eight months in hibernation, so packing on the pounds during the short alpine summer is essential to their survival.

Cast Your Vote for the Chunkiest Alpine Rodent During Colorado’s First-Ever Fat Marmot Week

The inaugural competition puts eight yellow-bellied marmots head-to-head while shining a light on the science behind their seasonal weight gain and survival at high elevations

A long-clawed shrew seen in northern Japan

These Tiny Shrews Grow Bigger Snouts and Shrink Their Brains to Survive Harsh Winters, Study Suggests

Scientists have long known that some small mammals reduce their brain size during cold months and regrow them in the spring. Long-clawed shrews from Hokkaido, Japan, seem to follow that pattern—while their noses surprisingly do the opposite

The right side of the bird's body is male while the left side is female.

An ‘Extremely Rare’ Half-Male, Half-Female Bird Temporarily Took Up Residence Outside of Chicago

The unusual-looking bobolink is what’s called a bilateral gynandromorph. The bird behaved like a male, eventually wooing a mate and raising fledglings

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