Animals

If you're going to be riding a horse for a while, you're probably going to want to amble.

Today’s Smooth-Running Horses May Owe Their Genetics to the Vikings

Scientists have determined the likely origin for the "gaitkeeper" gene, which controls gaitedness in horses

Temperature-sensitive pikas store grass for winter munching.

How Climate Change Will Transform the National Parks’ Iconic Animals and Plants

Dramatic changes may force park managers to choose which species will live, and which will die

Leopard territory in Southeast Asia has been reduced by 94 percent.

The Indochinese Leopard Is Down to Just a Few Lives

These threatened cats now occupy just 8 percent of their historic range in Cambodia, new population estimate finds

EU Releases Its First Invasive Species Blacklist

Gray squirrels, raccoons and crayfish were among the prohibited species

An eastern wolf in Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park.

Rare Wolf or Common Coyote? It Shouldn't Matter, But It Does

The concept of species is flawed, but it still has a huge bearing on conservation policy

Engraving of a woolly mammoth.

Solving a Mystery of Mammoth Proportions

Dwindling freshwater sealed the demise of the St. Paul woolly mammoths, and could still pose a threat today

A pair of Scinax alcatraz frogs discreetly lay their eggs in a water-filled plant.

When Frogs Pull the Curtain: The Benefits of Mating in Secret

Smithsonian's new curator of frogs explains why some frogs seek privacy when they mate

Corvette Stingray

These Sleek, Sexy Cars Were All Inspired By Fish

You’ve heard about the Stingray, but what about the Bionic Boxfish?

One of the Forest of Stone Steles Museum's famous cats.

Protesters Prevent Chinese Museum From Evicting a Family of Cats

The furry family is famous on the internet

An English Bulldog was featured in the American Kennel Club's presentation of The Nation's Most Popular Breeds Of 2015 on February 22, 2016 in New York City.

Bulldogs Are Dangerously Unhealthy, But There May Not Be Enough Diversity in Their Genes to Save Them

How we loved this dog into a genetic bind

Migaloo and a companion in 2005.

Track the Whereabouts of This Rare White Whale on Twitter

These beautiful creatures have long delighted those lucky enough to catch a glimpse

The pony swim in 2008

Watch the Chincoteague Ponies Complete Their 91st Annual Swim

For nine decades, the local fire department has herded the horses from Assateague to Chincoteague Island to auction off the foals

Meet SwagBot, the Robot Cowboy That Can Herd and Monitor Cattle On Its Own

University of Sydney engineers have developed a four-wheeled robot to keep tabs on massive farms in Australia's outback

Crocodiles sun themselves at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Buena Vista, Florida in 2012.

Forced Closer to Humans, Crocodiles Face Their Greatest Existential Threat

These armored reptiles have long been considered indestructible, but new threats are shifting the equation

Rats' days are numbered in New Zealand.

For Kiwis' Sake New Zealand Declares War on Rats

The country unveils an ambitious plan to protect its national bird

An artistic rendering shows an early proto turtle Eunotosaurus (foreground) burrowing into the banks of a dried-up pond to escape the harsh arid environment present 260 million years ago in South Africa.

Why the Turtle Grew a Shell—It's More Than Safety

Its armor may have developed for more than safety

Yao honey-hunter Orlando Yassene holds a wild greater honeyguide male in the Niassa National Reserve, Mozambique.

Forget Bees: This Bird Has the Sweetest Deal With Honey-Seeking Humans

The effectiveness of the honeyguide call sheds light on why this golden relationship has stuck around so long

Illustration of a Velafrons, a hadrosaur whose name means "sailed forehead."

Chew on This: Powerful Jaws Fueled a Jurassic Herbivore Boom

Teeth, not flowers, might be the key to the duckbills’ success

Aye-aye

Study Shows Primates Prefer a Little Booze With Their Nectar

Two prosimian primates, the aye-aye and slow loris, show a preference for sugar-water with a higher alcohol content

Move Over, Madagascar: This Island Has the World’s Greatest Concentration of Unique Mammals

The majority of them are found nowhere else on Earth, making Luzon a biological treasure trove

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