Animal Facts
"Time is ticking" for world’s rarest turtle – this new DNA test could help save it from extinction
The portable eDNA test can detect incredibly rare Swinhoe’s softshell turtles in vast bodies of water, say scientists.
From the tiniest and most adorable to the most majestic, here's a group of stunning cat photographs showcasing beautiful species from across the world.
There are around 40 extant species of cat around the globe, ranging from the tiny rusty-spotted cat to the well-known big cats (including tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards).
What is the smallest owl in the world? Meet a tiny cutie
The world's smallest raptor is by no means the least deadly, despite weighing less than your average tennis ball. Here we introduce the elf owl, the smallest owl in the world
Why scientists extracted blood from eight dogs in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
The samples, taken from two different dog populations within the radioactive area, were analysed by the geneticists. Here’s what they found…
Why this San Francisco park has suddenly become a hunting ground for meat-eating squirrels
The carnivorous squirrels have been observed hunting, killing and eating California voles at Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County.
What's new?
It's slow, covered in algae, likes hanging out upside down and is always smiling - meet the rainforest cutie that is a surprisingly good swimmer
One of the internet’s favourite animals, sloths are native to Central and South America. Learn about them in our expert guide – plus, what happened to the giant sloth.
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Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Earth: Over 4 Billion Years in the Making
Why are people scared of spiders? The weird reasons they give us nightmares
We take a look at just why people are scared of spiders
Limbless amphibians, vegetarian piranhas and murderous spiders: 15 weird and wonderful animals discovered in 2024
Natural History Museum scientists described and named nearly 200 new species in 2024. Here are some of the most extraordinary finds...
Researchers just tracked a huge animal through the Peruvian Andes – what they found could be critical
They were particularly interested in what the two-metre-long creature was eating…
Amphibians
Mating is a deadly business for these females, as the males are so desperate to breed they don't care if the females get killed in the process
Why necrophilia is an evolutionary advantage for the Rhinella proboscidea
80 prehistoric tombs filled with bizarre animal skulls found in Wyoming
The chambers were built as refuges, but the animals that created them ended up getting trapped inside then fossilised for 230 million years, a new study finds.
A long-lost sound has returned to the great mountains of Yosemite National Park
And it could have positive implications for wildlife around the world, say scientists.
Animal ID
10 animals with the wrong names: Discover misleading monikers and curious cases of mistaken identity
Common names for animals are often easier to remember than their Latin names, but they can often lead to confusion. Here are 10 animals with some very misleading names.
How to identify animal droppings: Our guide to the wildlife poop you might find in your garden or out on a walk
Droppings or scats can tell us a lot about which animals have been visiting our gardens, parks and countryside, including hedgehogs, foxes and badgers. Our expert guide explains how to identify which poos belong to which species. Plus, animal droppings from species from around the world – and fungi and insects you might spot on droppings.
How to identify wildlife paths and beds
Tall vegetation in midsummer makes it easy to spot the regular paths that wild animals take - and where they rested.
Birds
What exactly is echolocation and how does it work? The incredible adaptation that allows animals to ‘see’ and communicate in the dark
Discover how animals use echolocation to navigate, hunt, identify other species and avoid obstacles.
What's the loudest bird? Meet the strange bird that produces a deafening sound, more like a train horn than a sweet musical bird song
Just which bird has the loudest call? And how do they produce such a peace-shattering sound?
The UK's most spectacular winter bird flocks
Millions of starlings, tens of thousands of waders, hundreds of pied wagtails - the UK is home to some incredible winter flocks, and we've got everything you need to know to track them down.
Fish
Diver films close up of a shark's extraordinarily powerful secret weapon - and it's not its jaw - when hunting prey
Thresher sharks have an unusual way of hunting prey – which means their elongated tails aren’t just for show
Why are pufferfish so deadly poisonous - able to kill a human - and how on earth do they avoid poisoning themselves?
Helen Scales takes a look at the highly poisonous pufferfish
How and why do male seahorses get pregnant?
Matt Doggett explains why it's the male seahorse that become pregnant, rather than the female
Insects & Invertebrates
There are 40,000 spiders in the world - and just one is vegetarian. Weird right? However that's not its only oddity...
Thought all spiders eat meat? Meet the jumping spider on a vegetarian diet
How can butterflies fly so well?
Richard Jones explains the secrets behind a butterfly's flight
How maggots are able to help solve crimes
Did you know maggots can help solve crime - and even murders? Erica McAlister explains how
Mammals
Fascinating facts about our warm blooded friends - the mammals.
From a tender lioness cuddling her cub to a majestic male, king of all he surveys - 13 beautiful lion photographs from the book 'Remembering Lions'
Remembering Lions is the fourth installment in the charity book series by the
Hyena pseudopenis: Just why do female spotted hyenas have a fake penis? Discover the strange benefits it gives them
Did you know some female spotted hyenas have a pseudopenis? Arjun Dheer explains
From a hungry mother and her cubs to a bin-ransacking bear these stunning photos capture Romania's bears adapting to town life after losing their habitat
As their mountainous forest habitat is depleted, Romania’s brown bears increasingly venture into towns and villages looking for food, bringing them in close contact with local people
Marine Animals
It swallows prey whole, can reproduce at any time and is named after a Disney character – meet this elusive deep-sea marine animal
This animal's population is also unknown, as specimens are rarely found intact by scientists
This snorkelling biologist just bumped into something very surprising at a UNESCO World Heritage Site in South Africa
It was a reef manta ray feeding hotspot, discovered 500km further south than the species' known distribution range in the Africa.
This strange dinky glowing ocean creature, which disguises itself as a moonbeam and dies as soon as it breeds, amazes scientists at night
This colourful marine animal can also eject ink as another layer of protection against predators
Reptiles
At 10 metres long this snake is not only the world's longest and heaviest, but one of the deadliest too, capable of swallowing a human whole
A familiar snake species to zoo visitors, the reticulated python is a very impressive reptile and on record as the world’s longest snake.
Discover the fascinating world of one of nature's weirdest creatures - the chameleon - and the secrets behind its colour-changing talents
All you need to know about the amazing chameleons
How do snake fangs work? How snakes quickly strike prey twice their size
Snakes can easily take down creatures twice their size, thanks to their fangs which quickly inject venom. But how do snake fangs work? Stuart Blackman investigates