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Wildlife

A population of black-and-white ruffed lemurs on Madagascar is experiencing changes in the cadence of its breeding, researchers say.

Lemurs Are Having a Mysterious ‘Baby Boom’ in Madagascar. Here’s Why That Might Not Be a Good Thing

Researchers are investigating a sudden spike in pregnancies in one black-and-white ruffed lemur population that might signal environmental stress to the mammals

The giant structure—made up of thousands of individual funnel-shaped webs—spans over 1,000 square feet.

This Massive Web—Home to More Than 100,000 Spiders—Found in a Cave in Europe Could Be the World’s Largest

The cavern along the border of Greece and Albania is home to a terrifyingly high number of two species of arachnids that live together peacefully in complete darkness

While seaching for Ernest Shackleton's lost ship Endurance in 2019, researchers stumbled across clusters of indentations on the seafloor.

Researchers Found Hundreds of Mysterious Dimples on the Seafloor Near Antarctica. Now They Know What Creature Made Them

The indentations are nests of fish called yellowfin notie, and they are not randomly scattered—rather, they appear to have been arranged in distinct patterns

Veterinarian Ruben Aleman surgically removed the hooks and wire, setting the bird on the path to recovery.

Fishing Line and Hooks Were Tangled in This Albatross’s Stomach. After Surgery, the Bird Is Once Again Flying Free

The juvenile Salvin’s albatross was discovered by a fisherman in Anconcito, Ecuador

The orcas went after the juvenile great white sharks’ livers, which are rich in nutrients and high in calories. Here, an orca swims alongside a wounded shark.

Orcas in Mexico Have Learned to Attack Young Great White Sharks—by Flipping Them Upside Down and Eating Their Livers

Researchers captured the novel behavior on video in the Gulf of California, recording three separate takedowns across two hunts carried out by members of the Moctezuma pod

Bat? Meet rat. Scientists recorded brown rats snatching bats from the air and eating them.

Rats Are Snatching Bats Out of the Air and Eating Them—and Researchers Got It on Video

Rodents in northern Germany were spotted using two different hunting strategies at major urban bat hibernation sites

Six species of North American bats—big brown bats (pictured), eastern red bats, Seminole bats, southeastern myotis, gray bats and Brazilian free-tailed bats—glow green under ultraviolet light, new research shows.

These Bats Glow Green Under UV Light, Joining a Growing List of Photoluminescent Mammals

A recent study identifies a consistent glow across six species of North American bats, but the underlying reason for the animals’ green gleam is still unclear

Gloria Acevedo, a diver with the Sirenas de Oriente in Mexico, removes a fishing line from coral near Cozumel Island.

‘Ghost Gear,’ or Abandoned Fishing Equipment, Is Haunting the Oceans. Here’s How Conservationists Are Fighting Back

Discarded nets, lines and traps are a hazard to marine life and ecosystems around the world, but pioneering programs are tackling the problem creatively through education, prevention, ocean cleanups and recycling

Common cuckoos are medium-size birds typically found in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Rare, Out-of-Place Cuckoo Sends Birders Flocking to Long Island in Hopes of a Once-in-a-Lifetime Sighting

The common cuckoo spends most of the year in Europe and Asia but migrates to Africa for the winter

Bowhead whales' cold-water habitats help the animals make more CIRBP protein.  

Bowhead Whales Live Long Lives. Do They Hold the Key to Human Longevity?

A cold-activated gene that helps the mammals repair their DNA may also help humans live longer

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

For two days at the start of monsoon season on the Indian subcontinent, male Asian common toads (right) turn bright yellow, while females (left) stay brown.

For Two Days Each Year, These Drab Brown Toads Turn a Dazzling Neon Yellow—and Scientists Finally Know Why

When monsoon rains begin to fall on the Indian subcontinent, Asian common toads congregate at temporary puddles for a frenzied, two-day mating spree

Navigating based on natural signs, writes Tristan Gooley, “sharpens our powers of observation, deduction and prediction.”

It’s Almost Impossible for Tristan Gooley to Get Lost. That’s One Reason He Has Millions of Followers

The British adventurer has crossed the Atlantic solo in a plane and a boat. Now he reads tree leaves, puddles and moss to get his bearings

Cameras captured nematodes attaching themselves to electrically charged fruit flies. 

These Parasitic Worms Use Static Electricity to Hitch a Ride on Flies

The tiny experiment yielded big results, showing how nematodes hop onto fruit fly hosts

Researchers collected images of lizards with missing limbs from experts around the world. Pictured here: an American green anole.

These ‘Pirate Lizards’ Thrive With Three Legs

A new study finds that many lizards with missing limbs fare surprisingly well despite their impairment

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?

Green sea turtles are rebounding, thanks to global conservation efforts.

After Decades of Decline, Some Good News Is Here for Green Sea Turtles

The International Union for Conservation of Nature no longer considers the marine creatures endangered and has instead reclassified them as a species of least concern

Jackie's unusual coloring results from changes to her natural pigmentation process.

Meet Jackie, a 1-in-30-Million Calico Lobster Caught Off the Coast of Massachusetts

Now living at Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center, the striking crustacean has a bright orange shell with black freckles and blue joints

The V-shaped traps funneled animals downhill into a circular enclosure.

New Research

High in the Andes of Northern Chile, Hunters Once Used These Stone Wall Traps to Capture Prey

Archaeologist Adrián Oyaneder discovered dozens of structures called chacu while reviewing satellite images of the Camarones River Basin

Coins left behind as offerings helped the researchers measure the size of the imprint from photos.

Chicago’s Famous ‘Rat Hole’ Wasn’t Actually Made by a Rat, According to a Statistical Analysis

Scientists are almost certain the viral imprint in a city sidewalk was actually made by an unlucky squirrel

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