Mammals

Fascinating facts about our warm blooded friends - the mammals.

Community-led conservation offers new hope for the world's most trafficked mammal

A new action plan unites experts and communities to protect pangolins in southern Africa.
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Watch agonising BBC footage of an adorable baby ibex running for its life up perilous cliffs, with hungry foxes in pursuit

Ibex go to extraordinary lengths to escape red foxes
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Gob-smacking BBC footage shows young wildebeest faced with a lethal almost suicidal cliff-face drop – does he jump?

Before they even reach the treacherous currents of the river, these wildebeest must leap from the sheer side of a cliff
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Just how and why did the elephant get its remarkable trunk?

What is an elephant's trunk used for and how many muscles are in it?
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Scientists took DNA from 280 cats and discovered something curious about their purring

A new study links cats’ purring and vocal behaviour to variations in the androgen receptor gene – with implications for cat welfare
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Coastal wolf found dead in lair on Alaskan island – dissection reveals curious thing that caused it

Scientists investigating the coastal wolf's death tested tissue samples for viruses, disease, algal toxins and contaminants. Here's what they found...
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Deadly prehistoric cats: 10 ruthless hunters that roamed the planet thousands of years ago – including one that was the size of a polar bear

From tigers to tabbies, today’s cats come in many different shapes, sizes, and temperaments. Their ancestors were just as diverse, if not more so, says Will Newton. Here are our top 10 prehistoric cats…
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It's harpoon-proof, 'sings' jazz music, and lives up to 200 years – meet the bowhead whale, a record-breaking giant of the animal world

The animal can also smash through solid ice and has no teeth – and has left scientists baffled over the years
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"My grandfather became an orangutan”: The people who believe family members turn into great apes

Some among Sarawak's Iban consider their local orangutans to be 'family'. Mark Eveleigh joins these descendents of Bornean headhunters to discover why.
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When monkey researchers spent 36 days watching baboons, they discovered something very 'human' about the way they walk

New research uncovers the surprising truth behind the mysterious march of these wild primates – and it’s got nothing to do with predators or food.
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Why the world's biggest land baby stumbles before they can stomp. Watch adorable BBC footage of clumsy baby elephants taking their first steps

Watch this adorable BBC Earth footage of an elephant calf mastering its first steps and bonding with the herd.
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Watch amazing footage of dolphins performing spectacular 3 metre-high aerial corkscrews – and learn how and why they do it

Spinner dolphins are famed for the acrobatic spins, but just why and how do they perform these gymnastic moves?
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The thylacine became extinct in the 1960s... or did it?

Tantalising sightings of this enigmatic Australian marsupial continue to inspire the belief that it could still be out there.
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Swimming pigs? The island where wild pigs roam - and swim out to welcome visitors. Watch the amazing footage here...

How did pigs get to the Bahamas? Well, there are several explanations – some more likely than others...
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"Incredibly emotional": moving footage shows orphaned gorillas returning to wild after 10 years of rehabilitation

These four female eastern lowland gorillas were rescued from poachers a decade ago – discover their incredible journey back to the wild.
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"No way!" Gob-smacking footage of a gigantic two-tonne elephant seal taking a rest on a South African police car

After shocking residents in the coastal community of Gordon's Bay, the southern elephant seal was safely relocated to the sea.
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These 11 intimate photographs capture the stunning beauty of wild wolves

Teamwork, resilience and community – wolves have it all. We journey across continents to meet some of the most charismatic members of the wolf family
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It has supermodel legs, walks like a camel, hunts like a cat and loves fruit. Meet one of the weirdest dogs on the planet

James Fair tracks down the enigmatic and strange maned wolf
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Smallest otter in the world rediscovered in Nepal after 185-year absence

The rediscovery of the Asian short-clawed otter in Nepal comes at the halfway point of a three-year otter conservation project on the Lower Karnali River.
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Rehoming centres or moggie exploitation: are cat cafes ever ethical? Whatever you think, they’re sweeping the UK

The number of cat cafes in the UK has risen significantly over the past year – but are they safe and ethical for the cats? James Fair takes a look
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Alpacas vs llamas – what's the difference between these two South American camelids?

Though they share many similarities as close relatives in the camelid family, alpacas and llamas have several distinct differences
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Moose vs elk – what’s the difference between these enormous deer species?

Same animal or different species? The terms “moose” and “elk” are often used interchangeably – but depending on where you are in the world, they might refer to entirely different animals. So what’s the real difference between these two giants of the deer family?
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You’re eating bananas all wrong – here’s why

If we were to follow the lead of monkeys, we’d realise that what we think of as the top of a banana is actually the bottom…
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Can dogs crossbreed with wolves?

Although it’s easy to think a wolf is a long way from a domesticated puppy, they’re more closely related than we may realise – so closely, in fact, that they can produce viable, fertile offspring together
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