Animal Facts
Forget Love Island: This barren Caribbean rock is the hottest dating spot on earth for an extremely Species on the Brink of extinction
A bold Caribbean conservation experiment is playing matchmaker for endangered iguanas – and it's working better than researchers could have hoped
It was home to 400 million chattering residents and almost the size of Ireland – and was deep underground
In 1901, an ecologist discovered an enormous animal 'town' in West Texas
This deadly creepy crawly is a foot long with 21 legs, venomous enough to kill a bat - and a small child – and has eaten flesh from a human corpse
Meet the biggest - and most venomous - centipede in the world
5 animals that can turn themselves inside out - from reversible anuses to exploding intestines
When it comes to these animals, the natural world proves that internal body parts shouldn't always stay that way...
“I know it’s natural but it’s bloody hard to watch.” There’s one rule in wildlife filmmaking – but this BBC team broke it
In a now-viral clip from BBC's Dynasties, the filming crew were faced with a tough decision
What's new?
This extremely rare, yet stunningly beautiful, starlit frog may be slipping quietly into extinction – needlessly
Photography tourists are posing a threat to this star-studded frog as they damage its precious habitat.
5 animals that can kill you without touching you – or at least cause serious harm...
From venomous sprays to lethal toxins , these animals can seriously injure—or even kill – without ever laying a claw, tooth or tentacle on you
"They can eat almost anything." Pumas caught hunting surprising prey on coast of Patagonia
The novel hunting behaviour was observed on the windswept shores of Monte León National Park in south-east Argentina.
16,000 dinosaur footprints discovered in Bolivia. It's the largest collection ever found
Some of the footprints recorded are 30 cm in diameter – that's the size of a large frying pan.
Mysterious animal discovered in Utah's Great Salt Lake. It may exist nowhere else on Earth
Scientists say they're not sure exactly how the newly discovered species found its way into the enormous US lake.
Amphibians
Think toads are ugly? Think again – as these stunning beauties will change your mind
These toads are definitely the princes of the amphibian world...
This creature looks like a big worm – but has teeth, tentacles, a pseudo penis and can pop its own eyes out of its head
It looks like a big worm – but has teeth, tentacles and a pseudo penis
An animal that can give birth through its back and a creature that can project its ribs through its skin to launch poison: 7 weirdest amphibians on the planet
Animal ID
Brown rat or water vole: How to tell the difference between these two lookalike-rodents
When all you've seen is a flash of brown fur, it can be hard to know whether it was a water vole or rat. Though the two species tend to live in different habitats, there are areas where they overlap, potentially leading to cases of mistaken identity. So how do you tell rats and water voles apart?
Mink or otter? What's the difference between these two slippery, semiaquatic lookalikes?
How do you tell the difference between otters and mink?
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.
Birds
They strike with clenched talons at 200mph, crush skulls, shred prey, and can inflict deep head wounds on humans – 10 deadliest birds of prey on the planet
Silent wings, razor-sharp talons, and killer precision—these apex aerial predators rule the skies. Here are the world’s deadliest birds of prey
Do birds sweat, like other animals, to cool down?
Mike Toms explains how birds keep cool in hot weather
What’s the rarest bird in the world? Discover the ones on the brink of extinction
What are the rarest birds in the world? Stuart Blackman takes a look at the contenders
Fish
8 brutal, jaw-dropping great white shark moments captured in photos and film that expose their raw, explosive power and deadly ferocity
Awesome ocean moments reveal the raw power and regal beauty of nature’s most formidable ocean predator
Why do females often live longer than males?
Female animals tend to live longer their male counterparts, but why?
Pound for pound, this little fish has the most savage, brutal bite ever measured – way stronger than a great white
It might be small but it sure is mighty...
Insects & Invertebrates
It stretches 106 square metres and spans two countries – and it's home to over one hundred thousand scuttling residents
This epic animal home lies in a huge cave system underneath Albania and Greece
Think you’re seeing a giant, humongous spider? Think again… as all is not what it seems
Meet the puppet master...
It spans 6000 km of the coasts of Portugal, Spain, France and Italy – the animal that builds cities
How one super-sized ant colony could house half a billion ants
Mammals
Fascinating facts about our warm blooded friends - the mammals.
These 9 incredible, brutal jaguar photos reveal the lethal power and fierce cunning of these top predators
These awesome images demonstrate the speed, power and skill of these deadly predators
It's the largest, most powerful and deadliest bear on the planet – AND views us as prey, able to make short work of our puny bodies...
As the world's largest bear, and largest land carnivore, polar bears are impressive mammals. They are adapted to living in the harsh Arctic environment, and threatened by climate change.
Female bonobos have “confusing” mating signals – but males have cracked their code, thanks to inflatable genitals
Scientists have discovered that male bonobos are able to track females’ unpredictable reproductive cycles
Marine Animals
"Absolutely mesmerising": aerial footage shows hundreds of sharks chasing bait balls in Byron Bay
A wildlife photographer has filmed sharks in Australia creating beautiful patterns in the sea as they swam through bait balls trying to hunt for a meal.
Can any animal kill an orca?
No other predator is able to challenge the orca, says Melissa Hobson
What’s the most intelligent animal in the ocean?
When it comes to the smartest animal in the ocean there are a number of contenders, says Melissa Hobson
Reptiles
This highly venomous sniper can fire lethal toxins from 3 metres away into your eyes with deadly accuracy, leaving you in searing pain and at risk of blindness
Meet the spitting cobras – venomous snakes capable of projecting venom with remarkable accuracy to deter threats.
Vanishing crocodile caught on camera. Blink and you'll miss it
Saltwater crocodiles can stay submerged and unseen for hours, until they’re ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey.
"Seeing them walk free was incredibly rewarding": 50 giant tortoises released on island in the Seychelles
The new castaways will help rewild the exclusive tropical island.