Wildlife

None

Rare and Intimate Photos of a Gorilla Family in the Wild

Two photographers ventured deep into the forests of central Africa to capture touching photos of a 33-year-old wild silverback and his clan

Black-headed Spider Monkey (Ateles fusciceps)

Alan Dudley’s Wondrous Array of Animal Skulls

A new book delivers fascinating photographs of over 300 skulls from the British taxidermist's personal collection—the largest in the world

An artist’s reconstruction of Purgatorius, a probable primate ancestor.

Five Early Primates You Should Know

Scientists have identified dozens of early primates, based on teeth, but still have a hard time assessing how these mammals relate to modern primates

Defying its reputation as aloof, this tortoiseshell cat was labelled “the friendliest cat we met”

Judging a Cat (Wrongly) by the Color of its Coat

Black cats aren't evil, and torties aren't always aloof. But people often think coat color and behavior are linked

Black swifts, with their preference for nesting on steep, wet, cold rock faces, are among the most enigmatic birds in North America.

What is North America’s Most Mysterious Bird?

Nesting behind waterfalls and in caves, the rarely seen black swift is only beginning to shed its secrets

Neanderthals may have collected feathers from dark birds, such as black vultures (shown), for ornamental purposes, a new study suggests.

Do Feathers Reveal Neanderthal Brainpower?

Neanderthals may have used feathers as personal ornaments, which suggests our cousins were capable of symbolic expression

Scientists are learning that bacteria play a crucial role in our digestion of food, including our intake of fats.

Biologists Pinpoint Bacteria That Increase Digestive Intake of Fat

A new study in zebrafish found that certain types of gut bacteria lead to a greater absorption of fat during digestion

None

Bears, Up Close and Personal, in the Alaskan Wilderness

A newly built retreat gives visitors a chance to see the Kodiaks in their element

Gastroptychus spinifer is capable of seeing UV light, researchers discovered.

How Do Crabs See Food on the Ocean Floor? UV Vision

Marine biologists took a submersible more than half a mile below the surface to understand the strange creatures that glow on the ocean floor

Amazing Underwater Photos of Ocean Creatures

Check out these incredible images by photojournalist Brian Skerry, and help select which photographs will appear in an upcoming exhibit

Shanthi, 34, and Kandula, 8, in the Elephant Trails yard after the first phase of renovations were completed in 2010 at the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Found: A Time Capsule at the National Zoo

While renovating the Elephant House, construction workers discovered a mysterious box hidden in a wall

None

How Biomimicry is Inspiring Human Innovation

Creative minds are increasingly turning to nature—banyan tree leaves, butterfly wings, a bird's beak— for fresh design solutions

None

How Can a Jellyfish This Slow Be So Deadly? It's Invisible

One of the world's most devastating predators is brainless, slow and voracious

Studying animals can help greatly with the advancement of human medicine.

How Looking to Animals Can Improve Human Medicine

In a new book, UCLA cardiologist Barbara Natterson-Horowitz reminds us that humans are animals too. Now, if only other doctors could think that way

The giant swallowtail, a Southern butterfly, has historically not been found in Massachusetts, but in recent years it has appeared more and more frequently.

New Evidence for Climate Change: Butterflies

The meticulous records of an amateur butterfly club in New England are opening a window into changes happening to the regional climate

A new study reveals that the African grey parrot is capable of abstract reasoning.

African Grey Parrots Have the Reasoning Skills of 3-Year-Olds

A new experiment showed that the birds are capable of abstract logical reasoning, a trait previously shown only by primates

One of the snow leopard cubs discovered in Mongolia’s Tost Mountains.

First Ever Video of Wild Snow Leopard Mother and Cubs

Researchers came upon a wild snow leopard den in the Tost Mountains of Mongolia and captured a mother with cub on camera for the first time

None

The Fate(s) of Australia’s Mega-Mammals

None

White-Nose Syndrome Kills Social Bats Most Frequently

Scientists have found that bat species that hibernate in clusters are more likely to be struck by the dreaded disease and may be at risk of extinction

Steven Amstrup has studied polar bears in the arctic for decades and seen the impacts of climate change firsthand.

Interview With Indianapolis Prize Winner and Polar Bear Researcher Steven Amstrup

Recognized for his role in animal conservation, Amstrup explains what climate change is doing to the arctic and what he's doing to stop it

Page 95 of 134