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Mammals

Epiatheracerium itjilik lived in a forested lake habitat on Devon Island 23 million years ago. 

Scientists Discover ‘Frosty’ Polar Rhino That Roamed the Canadian Arctic 23 Million Years Ago

The newly identified species was small, hornless and possibly covered in fur, which would have helped it survive dark, cold winters above the Arctic Circle

The otter-surfer interaction last Wednesday 

‘Feisty’ Otters Are Once Again Hijacking Surfboards in Santa Cruz

Is the playful otter stealing surfboards a repeat offender?

What made the U.S. Post Office Department decide to start its airmail service so early, before air travel was even common?

Why Did the U.S. Post Office Start Airmail So Early? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Camel racing is a popular past-time among people in areas of Inner Mongolia. This rider is dressed in traditional attire.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Remarkable Photographs of Camera-Ready Camels

Join these caravanners on a scenic journey across the desert from snapshots taken by entrants to the Smithsonian magazine photo contest

Camels evolved into a range of shapes and sizes, including small forms like these Stenomylus on display at the American Museum of Natural History.

Meet the Extinct Camels of North America, From Ice Age Giants to Sheep-Size Runners

Largely outshone by fossils of horses, the earliest camels are getting another look from scientists determined to sort out the relationships and adaptations of these “absolutely bonkers” herbivores

A male and female olive baboon

Research Sheds Light on Why Women Live Longer Than Men—and Why This Pattern Will Likely Continue

Scientists studied hundreds of mammal and bird species to shed light on sex-based lifespan differences

A close-up of a gum leaf skeletonizer caterpillar, also known as a "Mad Hatterpillar" because of its distinctive stacked head capsules, left behind with every molt. The photo won the invertebrate behavior category.

See 15 Wondrous Winning Images From the 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

The eye-catching wildlife photos highlight both the beauty and the harsh realities of nature

Two new studies are shedding more light on the behavior and lifespans of naked mole rats.

Scientists Explore the Mysterious Lives and Longevity Superpowers of Naked Mole Rats

The nearly hairless rodents are extremely resistant to cancer—and can live to be 37 years old

Large whales can get wrapped up in fishing lines, buoys, nets and other gear, which can lead to injuries and death.

U.S. Whale Entanglements Are on the Rise, New Data Shows

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed 95 large whale entanglement cases last year, a 48 percent increase from 2023

Bear 32, nicknamed Chunk, was crowned the 2025 Fat Bear Week champion.

After Two Years as Runner-Up, Chunk Is Finally Crowned Winner of Fat Bear Week

The brown bear heavyweight persevered through a jaw injury this year that will permanently hinder his ability to fight and hunt

Jane Goodall visiting a chimpanzee rescue center in 2018 in Entebbe, Uganda

Jane Goodall, Legendary Primatologist and Anthropologist, Dies at 91

She was considered the world’s leading expert on chimpanzees and was renowned for her global conservation efforts

An 1844 illustration of mink

The Life, Loss and Lore of the Sea Mink

It might be among the first mammals to go extinct in North America after colonization. But can scientists prove it was even a distinct species?

The orca known as “Old Thom” swims in front of researchers in the Bay of Fundy.

The Curious Case of ‘Old Thom,’ an Orca Traveling Alone in the North Atlantic

Sightings of the marine mammal captivate the public and baffle scientists

A jaguar, not the one documented in the new study, swims in the Pantanal in Brazil.

A Jaguar in Brazil Makes the Longest Recorded Swim by the Species, Traversing at Least 0.79 Miles Through Water

The new record could help conservationists strategize ways to consider feline movements during construction of hydroelectric dams

Moms and dads of just about every species can relate to this image of a cub climbing on its parent’s back.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Behold These 15 Photographs of Big, Beautiful Bears

Get an up-close look at these massive mammals … from a safe distance

Many rodents have nails on their thumbs and claws on the rest of their fingers. A new study suggests this trait might have been key to their world domination.

Rodents Conquered the World With the Help of Their Thumbnails, Study Suggests

The trait might have given rodents greater manual dexterity, allowing them to access new foods, such as nuts

Researchers studied genetic samples from 483 mammoths, including from their tusks, bones, skin and molars (shown here).

Scientists Investigate the Bacteria That Colonized Extinct Mammoths—and Uncover the Oldest Known Microbial DNA From a Host

Some of the microbes might have been benign or helpful, while others could have caused deadly diseases

Many different types of animals, from birds to orcas, are affected by human noise.

Five Dramatic Ways Animals Respond to Human Noise, From Mimicking Car Alarms While Wooing Mates to Calling Higher Over the Din of Traffic

As human-caused sound gets louder around the world, some animals change their behavior and many creatures suffer health issues

An aardvark emerges from its burrow.

Could Aardvark Burrows Be Ground Zero for the Next Pandemic?

Animals of all kinds mix and mingle in the underground refuges, offering troubling opportunities for diseases to jump species

Yagi (left) and Quinn (right) are searching for evidence of critically endangered Sumatran rhinos in Indonesia's Way Kambas National Park.

Two Sniffer Dogs Might Have Just Found a Lost Population of Critically Endangered Rhinos

Yagi and Quinn identified scat that was likely left by a Sumatran rhinoceros in Indonesia’s Way Kambas National Park, where scientists thought the animals had disappeared

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