Weird Animals

The newly recognized species, Taksinus bambus, is the first known tarantula to nest exclusively inside bamboo stalks.

A Wildlife YouTuber Discovered This New Species of Tarantula in Thailand

The bamboo-dwelling spider is so distinct from others that it's been declared a new genus and species

Five cats pile onto a Starlink satellite dish in a snowy yard.

Outdoor Cats Are Using $500 Starlink Satellite Dishes as Self-Heating Beds

The devices—developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX—have a warming feature to prevent snow buildup from disrupting the signal

A female dolphin cald swims about her mother at the Madrid Zoo and Aquarium in 2018.

Female Dolphins Have a Fully Functional Clitoris

A new study finds surprising similarities between human and cetacean sexual anatomy

Little is known about most magnapinnid, or bigfin squid, species. The individual pictured here was spotted by the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer in the Gulf of Mexico. Recently, a magnapinnid was filmed in the Philippine Trench—the deepest ever sighting of a squid.

Scientists Find the World's Deepest-Dwelling Squid

Researchers went looking for a war wreck roughly 19,000 feet under the sea—and spotted the animal instead

A restoration of the extinct whale Phiomicetus, named by paleontologists earlier this year, preying upon a sawfish.

Whales Once Walked Along the Coasts of North America

Increasing fossil finds are helping researchers understand how such early whales made their way to the continent

The pale millipede E. persephone is roughly three and a half inches long and a millimeter wide.

Finally, a Millipede That Actually Has 1,000 Legs

The title is often a misnomer, with many species falling hundreds of appendages short of a thousand. With 1,306 feet, this new insect lives up to its name

The hydra’s unusual ability to regenerate parts of its body makes the creatures biologically immortal. 

How Tiny, 'Immortal' Hydras Regrow Their Lost Heads

A new analysis pinpoints different genes behind the tiny animal's ability to regenerate body parts

Jan Piecha earned a spot as a finalist with their picture of three young raccoons, titled "Secrets." 

Ten Hilarious Winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

The annual contest is a joyful celebration of the natural world

Spider keeper Jake Meney holding the "megaspider" that was donated to the Australian Reptile Park.

This Australian Zoo Is Milking Its Giant Funnel Web Spider to Make Lifesaving Antivenom

The Australian Reptile Park says the arachnid—nicknamed 'Megaspider'—is the largest individual of this species they've ever seen

An eastern barred bandicoot explores its space in the Werribee Open Range Zoo.

How Australia’s Eastern Barred Bandicoot Came Back From Extinction

With help from a captive breeding program and the watchful eyes of sheepdogs, the small mammal has been reintroduced to the country’s plains

Scientists counted more than 10,000 teeth to find out how quickly the fish regrows its lost chompers.

This Fish Loses and Regrows 20 Teeth Each Day

The Pacific lingcod replaces its 500-plus teeth at a rapid pace, according to new research

The special lobster will spend the rest of her life at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire.

Rare 'Cotton Candy' Blue Lobster Is a 1-in-100 Million Catch

The crustacean's bizarre blue hue could be due to genetics or diet

When the queen dies, Jerdon's jumping ants duel to select their next leader.

A Single Protein Can Switch Some Ants From a Worker Into a Queen

Changing the expression of a one protein in the brains of Jerdon's jumping ants is enough to launch the biological transition

A male (left) and female (right) Nala lividipes earwig

Half of These Earwigs Use Their Right Penis. The Other Half Use Their Left Penis. Why?

Scientists mated males with females under a microscope to try and understand why some are southpaws and others are righties

The California condor's population stooped dangerously low to 22 individuals in the 1980s, and scientists have been running a captive breeding program since then to save these birds.

California Condors Surprise Scientists With Two 'Virgin Births'

Genetic data revealed that two females laid fatherless eggs

Mosasaurus was among the largest and last of the sea-dwelling mosasaurs.

Giant Sea Lizards Ruled the Waves While T. Rex Roamed on Land

A new fossil discovery shows marine reptiles called mosasaurs lived up until the asteroid impact that killed non-avian dinosaurs

Spider silk is more than just a web for snaring prey.

Fourteen Ways That Spiders Use Their Silk

From making parachutes to building scuba tanks, the arachnids have come up with some fascinating creations

Hermit crabs are essential scavengers in the ocean. They may crawl into discarded tires looking for food or shelter, and become trapped and die of starvation.

Discarded Tires Are 'Ghost Fishing' Hermit Crabs

New research suggests these shell-swapping crustaceans are vulnerable to becoming trapped inside human debris

More than half of koalas admitted to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital are sick with chlamydia. 

Australia Begins Vaccinating Hundreds of Koalas Against Chlamydia in New Trial

The infection affects at least half of koalas living in southeast Queensland and New South Wales

A green turtle surrounded by glassfish in Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Green sea turtles, which are classified as endangered, migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beaches from where they hatched.

See Stunning Undersea Images That Showcase Our Blue Planet

From reef sharks to bioluminescent squid, the Ocean Photography Award highlights the wonders and perils of life in the sea

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