"It has – proportionally – the longest penis in the animal kingdom. The human equivalent would be a man impregnating his neighbour via the letterbox."
Nick Baker reveals all you need to know about acorn barnacles
"They were inseparable, much like human couples in the throes of passion, sharing every moment together." 7 most romantic, loved-up, animals on the planet
Whether they're offering gifts, courting for weeks or dying during sex, these are the romantic animal species doing courtship right
These photos of US wildlife are absolutely astonishing
From sun-basking alligators and feasting polar bears to iridescent hummingbirds and migrating salmon – these incredible images capture the extraordinary beauty of wildlife in the United States.
Into the wild: Where to spot rare species in 2026
Adventure on your own terms
"Come sundown it slips into a crevice and secretes a bubble of mucus that swells up and over its head like a diving helmet..."
The queen parrotfish Scarus vetula is by day a beautiful and diver-friendly reef fish. By night, it’s a reclusive slime-bag. Literally. Here's why...
"It looks like a porcupine, but has a bird-like beak, a pouch like a kangaroo and lays eggs like a reptile." 10 weirdest, bizarrest mammals on the planet
From egg-laying echidnas to star-nosed moles, the animal kingdom is full of bizarre and fascinating mammals you may not believe exist
How on Earth do sea turtles find their way back to where they hatched?
Female turtles return to the beach where they originally hatched to lay their eggs, but how do they know where it is?
Do animals play pranks on each other?
Are we only animals on the planet that like to play a prank?
“Far more than pollinators.” New TV series shows bees can build structures, solve problems – and even eat meat
Take a ‘bees-eye view’ of this incredible, yet often overlooked, insect with TV series Secrets of the Bees
“It’s classic wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Meet the most cunning and deceptive animals and plants that are masters of deadly disguises
As it turns out, the natural world is full of mischievous mimics...
Birds
Great crested grebe seen drowning and eating chiffchaffs in Spain
Birdwatcher and photographer Juan Montiel captured the unusual grebe behaviour on camera.
It's as big as a Ford Fiesta, as heavy as a polar bear and can contain more than 200 ‘apartments'
Their nests are not only as large as a car, but often built in the weirdest of places...
"They can stand up to 9 feet tall and weigh over a whopping 24 stone." 11 bonkers, rule-breaking birds that can't fly
There are some birds that can't take to the sky, despite having wings. Discover 10 curious and wonderful birds that have lost the ability to fly
“The ejaculation helmet was born.” Researchers built a “hat of condoms” in bid to save world’s heaviest parrot
A YouTube video of Sirocco the kākāpō attempting to mate with a human's head has been viewed millions of times – but he's since become a global icon representing New Zealand's endangered species
“At the height of the breeding season, the males perform this routine in sessions lasting three or four hours.”
The courtship displays of this game bird bring a flurry of flamboyance to its monotonous prairie home
Ginormous king penguin colony filmed on remote Atlantic island. The sound of it is ear-splitting
Listen to the remarkable sound of thousands of penguins calling to each other in South Georgia.
How to identify wildlife
Red squirrel vs grey squirrel: Think you know how they differ? Think again as the differences between these two squirrels will surprise you
We take a look at how the red squirrel differs to its American grey cousin
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?
LRPs, PG Tips and Jizz: Cracking the secret language of birders
You’re sitting in a hide and overhear other birders talking. The conversation ranges from ‘LRPs’ and ‘roosting Leos’ and you scratch your chin as you try to decipher their code – welcome to the world of birding jargon.
It's the fastest animal in the world and its deadly claws can catch prey mid-air: Meet one of the world's most incredible birds of prey
Peregrines are the ultimate urban predator. Learn all about them, including how to spot them ‘stooping’ to catch prey
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Plants
"There wasn't a curve in sight." Straight bananas found growing on remote Caribbean island
Is it the end of the bendy banana?
Stunning wildflower 'superbloom' sweeps through Death Valley. It's the best display in a decade
The hottest place on the planet has transformed into a sea of colour, as desert gold and notch-leaf phacelia flowers fill the valley floor.
Do plants sleep?
When the sun goes down, some flowers appear to tuck themselves in for the night.
But this curious habit is actually driven by a fascinating piece of plant science.
“These beacons of light in the mud do so much more than promise us brighter days ahead.”
The first signs of spring aren’t just beautiful – they’re essential to awakening wildlife, too
