10. Reef Manta Ray The Manta alfredi is the second biggest species of ray and the tenth biggest fish species living in the world today. The fish

Mountain lions are carnivorous mammals that go by many names. They are known as the puma, panther, catamount, panther, red deer, deer tiger, and yes,

America’s most iconic animal, the bald eagle, has been the symbol of the United States since 1782. These eagles are characterized by their snow-white head

Emperor penguins are the largest penguins in the world. They can grow up to around 115 to 122 cm tall—around the size of an average

Red Panda Facts A red panda.  Red pandas are mammals that belong to the order Carnivora. They are the only living species in the family

Amazing Sharks You Never Knew Existed A chain catshark. A sawshark is a distinct looking shark named for its long saw-like snout. Leopard sharks are

  Experts have many answers to that question. Some say domestic cats hate water because they aren’t around it early in life. If cats don’t spend much

Anyone who’s seen Jaws knows how scary shark attacks look. While they aren’t common, shark attacks do happen.  What do you picture when you think of sharks?

The octopus will eat its own tentacles when hungry. 2. Performing surgery without anesthesia on an octopus is considered illegal in some countries. This is

Vision is the dominant sense of nearly all birds. In most, the eyes are placed so far to the side of the head that they

Where do you think mud dauber wasps got their name? You guessed it! They’re named for the fact that they make their nests out of

They live in a variety of habitats. You can find wild hedgehogs in Africa, Europe, Asia, and New Zealand. In cold areas, hedgehogs hibernate during the winter,

“Forge” refers to a couple of different things. Sometimes, it’s what people call a blacksmith’s workspace. Blacksmiths are people who make things with metal, usually iron. And

Seahorses are animals that I’ve always been very fascinated by. They are an important part of the aquatic ecology but unfortunately, seahorse populations have been

The short answer is yes, animals can get sunburns. However, many of them have natural protection against the sun. That seagull flying overhead? Its feathers provide

Why are they called carpenter bees? Do they build furniture? Construct house frames? No, but carpenter bees sure love wood! So much so that many

Zika virus. Malaria. West Nile virus. Dengue fever. Have you ever heard of these illnesses? If so, you likely know what they all have in common.

It’s a very large type of duck that’s also called the paradise shelduck. It has lived in New Zealand for thousands of years. The Indigenous Maori

In fact, the four species of echidna are the only mammals other than the platypus who do so. Female echidnas lay a single egg per year and

It may come as no surprise that many animals have a strong sense of hearing. In fact, several can hear a wider range of frequencies than humans can. Cats, for example, hear

What was the helicoprion? For a long time, paleontologists thought it was a shark. Today, they know it’s most closely related to the modern ratfish. The helicoprion swam

The Great Indian Bustard, one of the heaviest flying birds, can weigh up to 15 kg and grow up to one meter in height. It

Birds seem to think so, too. Their feathers are unique. In fact, you might say they’re one of the bird’s defining characteristics. If it’s got feathers, it’s

Birds have many different ways they adapt to life in the coldest months. They have a hard time in cold weather because their body temperatures

There are actually two mammals that can lay claim to the title of the world’s smallest mammal. The winner depends upon how you define “smallest.”

The cockroach comes in an amazing number of different types. Scientists believe there are over 4,500 different species of cockroaches around the world. Of those

Elephants are huge, which means they produce a lot of body heat. Since elephants also typically live in very hot climates, it’s essential that they have a very efficient way to get rid

Do fish sleep? And assuming they do, HOW do fish sleep? If you’ve ever watched fish for any length of time, you know they get

As you might suspect, the number of teeth a shark has depends upon exactly what type of shark it is. There are many, many different types of

As the weather begins to turn cold in the north, many birds pack their bags and head south to warmer areas for the winter. Do

Not quite! But the giraffe is known for having a long tongue. It’s also known for having a tongue that’s dark black, blue, or purple in color. So what’s

Do birds simply hate cold weather? Not necessarily! Many birds can do just fine in cold weather as long as there is plenty of food.

The simple answer is that snakes shed their skin because they are just like all other animals. All animals shed their skin — even you! In mammals, especially humans, this is an ongoing process that’s

But did you know that dolphins also possess a unique ability to see with a sound that still amazes and mystifies scientists to this very

When most of us hear the word “pony,” we think of a small horse. In fact, it’s not unusual for people to believe that a pony is

Snails and slugs are both parts of the same class of creatures called gastropods. Gastropod comes from the Greek words gastros (stomach) and podos (foot).

Have you ever seen a caterpillar transform into a beautiful butterfly? There are few transformations in nature as miraculous and fascinating as the process of becoming a butterfly. Butterflies go through a life cycle

Monkeys probably don’t know much about nutrition, but they know they love bananas. Why? It’s probably because bananas tend to grow in the hot, tropical areas where monkeys

Have you ever seen a murmuration? If you have, you would know it. Seeing hundreds — even thousands — of starlings flying together in a whirling, ever-changing pattern is