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Zoology

Fire salamanders are among the most-studied amphibians in Europe, yet until now, no one realized they are biofluorescent.

Scientists Have Been Studying Fire Salamanders for More Than 250 Years. They Just Discovered That the Creatures Glow Under UV Light

Fire salamanders—one of Europe’s most well-researched amphibians—are biofluorescent, which means they can absorb light from an external source at one wavelength, then re-emit it at another

Pigeons that had been injected with a drug to deplete their special liver cells did not find their way home until the sun came out.

How Do Pigeons Find Their Way Home? New Research Suggests That the Birds’ Remarkable Navigational Skills Come From Their Livers

The birds might use the organs’ iron-rich immune cells as internal compasses on overcast days, when they must rely on Earth’s magnetic field, instead of the sun’s light cues, for navigation

After being declared extinct in the wild in the 1960s, Przewalski's horses are slowly making a comeback.

‘Playful Youngster’: See the Rare, Endangered Przewalski’s Horse Born at the Bronx Zoo

The foal was born on April 21 and is now romping around with the rest of the herd in the zoo’s seasonal Wild Asia Monorail exhibit. It belongs to a species whose members are often considered the last truly wild horses

In February 2020, naturalist guides Lizardo Proaño and Juan Carlos Narváez photographed a harvestman eating a live frog during a night hike at Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador.

Daddy Longlegs Seem to Hunt Frogs in South America, Revealing the Gangly Arachnids as Overlooked Predators

A new study suggests that harvestmen actively attack the slippery amphibians, rather than just scavenging them. The findings hint that the spineless creatures have a more complex relationship with vertebrates than previously thought

Human development—such as roads—affects wildlife. But so does the presence of people.

The Mere Presence of Humans—Not Just Our Changes to the Land—Can Alter Wild Animals’ Behaviors, a New Study Suggests

Researchers examined GPS tracking data from thousands of animals representing 37 species and anonymized cellphone location data from 2020, a year of Covid-19 lockdowns, and the previous year

The researchers studied four captive belugas housed at the New York Aquarium of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Belugas Can Recognize Themselves in Mirrors, Joining a Short List of Nonhuman Species That Show Signs of Self-Awareness

The researchers hope that this new understanding of cognition in the toothed whales will increase human empathy and concern for the animals, leading to more efforts to protect them

Mediterranean monk seals are among the rarest pinnipeds in the world.

Mediterranean Monk Seals Hide in Underwater ‘Bubble Caves’ to Avoid Tourists During the Busy Summer Season, a Study Suggests

Researchers caught the rare pinnipeds resting and sleeping in a secluded chamber on the Greek islet of Formicula. The findings suggest that these small caves should be included in efforts to protect the animals’ habitat

This Socorro dove recently hatched at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Conservationists have been undertaking a decades-long effort to breed the extinct-in-the-wild species and one day reintroduce it to its native Socorro Island in Mexico.

New, Rare Dove Hatchlings Are a ‘Source of Hope’ for the Extinct-in-the-Wild Birds and a Step Forward in the Ambitious Project to Save Them

The Socorro dove has not been recorded in the wild since 1972, but that could change within only a few years, conservationists say, thanks to a long-term reintroduction effort

To estimate the wolf population, researchers observed animals from planes, followed tracks on the ground and inspected kill sites this year.

Wolves Are Thriving at Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park, Reaching Their Highest Numbers in Almost 50 Years, New Data Suggests

Scientists estimate that 37 of the animals now roam the rugged archipelago, which has contributed to the dwindling moose population. But the predator-prey ratio might be stabilizing

Elephant calf Linh Mai stomps in a shallow pool in the Elephant Community Center at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on February 25.

See the Most Adorable Photos of Baby Elephant Linh Mai, the National Zoo’s Newest Star

Since her birth in early February, the calf has been growing and beginning to bond with her care team and herd. She will go on view in-person and online starting April 22

Cow sharks (one shown) and frilled sharks are members of the newly proposed lineage.

What Is a Shark? A New Genetic Analysis Throws an ‘Unexpected Wrench’ Into Our Understanding of the Ocean Predators

Some shark species might belong to their own distinct lineage, which is separate from all other sharks, rays and skates, according to a new study

Researchers recently discovered that platypuses are the only known mammals with hollow melanosomes, a pigment-filled structure that gives hair, fur, skin, feathers and eyes their color. 

Platypus Hair Shares a Puzzling Feature With Bird Feathers, Adding to the Egg-Laying Mammal’s List of Unusual Characteristics

The species’ melanosomes—tiny, pigment-filled structures inside hair cells—are hollow, a trait never before seen in mammals

Participants listened to pairs of mating calls made by numerous creatures, including male green treefrogs.

Humans and Animals Often Like the Same Mating Calls, Supporting a 150-Year-Old Observation by Charles Darwin

New research by Smithsonian scientists suggests that preferences for certain sounds might be evolutionarily conserved

European hedgehog numbers are shrinking.

European Hedgehogs’ Hearing Might Be Attuned to Ultrasonic Sounds. The Discovery Could Help Scientists Save the Declining Species

Sound-based deterrents could help keep the animals away from fast-moving cars and dangerous landscaping equipment

Researchers spent six years observing interactions between bull sharks at Fiji's Shark Reef Marine Reserve.

Bull Sharks Are Large, Aggressive Predators—but They Also Know How to Make ‘Friends,’ New Research Suggests

The animals probably socialize to learn new skills and to find food and mates

Some researchers think that two varieties of orcas are so different that they should be considered separate species. 

Do These Severed Orca Fins Covered in Tooth Marks Mean Killer Whales Are Cannibals? It’s Complicated, Scientists Say

Researchers suggest that predation by a subspecies called Bigg’s orcas might explain why members of another one, called resident orcas, stay in such large family groups

Punch with his stuffed animal

Why Has Punch, an Adorable Baby Monkey, Struggled to Fit in With His Troop? Scientists Explain the Lives of Japanese Macaques

Experts say the other monkeys’ aggressive behaviors toward Punch are pretty normal

Tiger Kingdom facilities are popular tourist attractions in Thailand.

Seventy-Two Captive Tigers in Thailand Die From Dangerous Infections, Sparking Concerns Over Animal Welfare

An animal foundation asks why the big cats weren’t vaccinated against a well-known virus

A giant phantom jelly documented by a recent deep-sea expedition

See a Rare, Bus-Size Giant Phantom Jelly Wade Through Ocean Waters Off the Coast of Argentina

A recent deep-sea expedition along the country’s entire length documented the jellyfish, along with a surprising number of other species

Humpback whales blow curtains of bubbles beneath fish and krill to trick them into thinking they're trapped.

Humpback Whales Are Probably Learning How to Catch Prey With Bubble Nets by Watching One Another

The foraging strategy may help make humpbacks more resilient to food scarcity, emphasizing the importance of preserving their cultural knowledge, a study suggests

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