11 spectacular rat facts you (probably) don't know about one of the world's most vilified species... You won't believe number 9 - and won't see rats the same again
Despite their slightly bad press, rats are intelligent and fascinating creatures. From their super-sensitive whiskers to their surprising ability to laugh, there's plenty to admire about these impressive animals
These bees aren’t vegetarian – they’re flesh-eaters and can smell food from half a mile away
Some bees have a taste for flesh, as the National Geographic TV series Secrets of the Bees explores
Two spiders were sent to the International Space Station. Scientists were surprised to see what happened next
Two ‘spidernauts’ were studied to see how they adapted to microgravity – with surprising results
Three wildlife tours that can help protect fragile ecosystems — and bring you face-to-face with incredible species
Tailor your next wildlife trip to help affect change
"It’s all very well squeezing the living breath out of your victims before swallowing them whole, but how do you avoid asphyxiating yourself in the process?"
Researchers reveals how these heavy-bodied snakes consume prey while inhaling and exhaling.
"It's up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide." 10 most poisonous animals in the world, from frogs to sharks – and even butterflies. Yes that's right...
From frogs and toads to butterflies and beetles, there is no shortage of toxicity in the animal kingdom. Read on to discover our list of poisonous animals - some you may know well, others may surprise you.
Satellite images reveal more than 1,000 unmapped coral reefs in Australia
The discovery of thousands of previously unchartered coral reefs could reinforce conservation efforts in northern Australian waters, say researchers.
"It's the largest biomechanical event on Earth. Just 3 lunges burn as much energy as an average human." Just how do baleen whales eat so much without teeth?
All you need to know about how baleen whales manage to eat such vast quantities of prey
Camera traps film predators descending on cave filled with 40,000 bats. What happens next is staggering
Incredible footage from Python Cave in Uganda shows leopards, monkeys and eagles all catching and feasting on virus-riddled fruit bats. Scientists say the behaviour has never been seen before.
The Colorado River vanished for 5 million years. Scientists may have just figured out where it went
University of California researchers may have solved the mystery of the US river's disappearance from the geological record.
Birds
"The only way a female avoids starvation is by being fed by males hoping to mate with her. Females might have up to five males in attendance..."
Often male birds are more colourful than their female counterparts, but the ecelctus parrot bucks the trend, as zoologist and broadcaster Lucy Cooke explains.
Crow vs raven: what's the difference between these two very similar-looking black birds?
Don't know how to tell a crow from a raven? Stuart Blackman explains how to tell the difference between these two common corvids
What's the slowest bird on the planet? Clue – it's also a pretty slow walker and fairly dumpy...
Contenders, ready! Stuart Blackman ponders which bird would win the slow race of the skies
Oregon’s biggest city was drowning in crow poop. Then a new predator came to town
As thousands of crows darken the winter skies above Portland, Oregon, it makes sense to mind your step
“An entire colony of breeding penguins disappeared.” Bird flu is out of control – now it’s reached the Antarctic
The spread of avian flu to Southern Ocean islands is an alarming sign that the virus is out of control
A great predator has returned the towering cliffs of Yosemite National Park
New peregrine nest sites herald a record-breaking year for the world’s fastest bird.
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
It rains poison, blinds on contact – and its fruit could kill: Inside the ‘Tree of Death'
"The ghostly trunks of a vast forest, submerged for tens of thousands of years, rose out of the sediment. These mighty trees had lived for hundreds of years before their watery grave"
The mystery of 60,000-year-old trees that still smell like fresh incense
"It explodes with a loud bang, flinging toxic seeds at speeds of up to 150MPH." 8 weirdest, wackiest trees on the planet, including one that walks...
Meet some of the weirdest and oddest trees on the planet
"It looks like an extra-terrestrial being that fell to Earth and behaves like a subterranean vampire." 10 weirdest, wackiest plants on the planet...
Meet some of the weirdest and oddest plants on Earth.
