Wildlife

Why People Believed Hippos Were Related to Whales

Hippos were once believed to be related to whales. They're both mammals, they both sleep underwater, and they both rise to breathe in their sleep

Why These Lagoons Are Full of Giant Barracuda

The maze of lagoons in Loango National Park, in Gabon, isn't just a good place to hunt barracudas--it's also an ancient migratory route

Fully 73 percent of the patents studied in the paper pertained to microbial species, which account for about 20 percent of marine life.

New Research

Nearly Half the Patents on Marine Genes Belong to Just One Company

Who owns biodiversity? No one and everyone—or maybe, a German chemical company

Braving Shark-Infested Waters for a Look at This Big Fish

Fisherman Andy Coetzee is in the middle of a dangerous dive, in the shark-filled waters of the Indian Ocean

Catching a Giant 30-lb. Perch With a Wooden Reel

Fisherman and adventurer Andy Coetzee is going traditional with his bid to snare a giant perch

Fishing for Perch in Nile Crocodile-Filled Waters

South African fisherman Andy Coetzee has his eyes set on a giant perch--a massive freshwater predator fish indigenous to the waters of Uganda

These Portuguese Libraries Are Infested With Bats—and They Like It That Way

They actually serve a very specific purpose

Terrifying Mammals That May Have Greeted Early Humans in America

Arriving in the Chesapeake Bay, the early American inhabitants' first order of business would have been to craft weapons to defend themselves

Guam kingfishers tend to incubate for 21 to 23 days. This female emerged from her shell after 22.

This Royally Adorable Baby Kingfisher Perpetuates a Species Extinct in the Wild

A fine soon-to-be-feathered friend joins the menagerie at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

Scimitar-horned oryx can go for ten months without drinking water.

Future of Conservation

Smithsonian Researchers Are Bringing the Oryx Back to the Wild

Reintroducing the species back to north-central Africa shows early signs of success

The lionfish is a maroon-and-white striped creature, but once it’s cleaned, restaurant chefs and home cooks like to grill, bake and fry its firm white flesh.

The Lionfish Have Invaded, But a Ragtag Army of Divers and Chefs Are Fighting Back

Those waging the war against this devastating wave of the venomous species have taken on an 'eat 'em to beat 'em' approach

Who needs fuzz and pudge when you have this slimy smile?

Future of Conservation

The Adorable Chinese Giant Salamander Is Slithering Toward Extinction

The amphibians could actually be five separate species, some of which may already be extinct

“Game abundant, especially rhinoceros,” explorer Henry Morton Stanley noted in the 1870s. Today is different. This blindfolded calf awaits transport.

The Dangerous Work of Relocating 5,000-Pound Rhinos

The race is on to save the species: Ride along with an armed convoy deep into the Okavango Delta

Najin, one of only two female northern white rhinos left in the world, walks in the pen where she is kept for observation.

Can the Northern White Rhino Be Brought Back From the Brink of Extinction?

One beloved African breed is extinct in the wild, but scientists still hope to rescue it from oblivion

Don't be fooled by this roly-poly furball. These mischevious creatures need constant attention and round-the-clock care.

Pandamonium

Why Photographing Pandas Is More Challenging Than You Might Think

Photojournalist Ami Vitale describes her years of work capturing the lovable furballs

Why Deception Valley's Deadly Heat is Good for Wildlife

The harsh climate of Deception Valley, a remote section of the Kalahari, deters people from living there

A very happy World Bee Day to you. Let's talk pollinators.

How to Protect Your Local Pollinators in Ten Easy Ways

As the first annual World Bee Day looms, insect and garden lovers are abuzz with excitement

Polar bears have come to be known as climate change's ultimate victim, but in some places, they're still a menace to humans.

Where the Doomed, Beloved Polar Bear Is Still a Dangerous Predator

A grassroots guard in Alaska works to keep people safe from bears, while also keeping bears safe from people

The woman behind the gun

Keeping Feathers Off Hats–and On Birds

A new exhibit examines the fashion that led to the passage, 100 years ago, of the Migratory Bird Act Treaty

Can Bringing Back Mammoths Help Stop Climate Change?

Scientists say creating hybrids of the extinct beasts could fix the Arctic tundra and stop greenhouse gas emissions

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