Animal Facts
10 biggest hearts in the animal kingdom, including one the size of a piano
In the animal kingdom, the creatures with the biggest hearts – relative to their size – are often the tiniest among us.
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.
10 ruthless queens that rule their worlds: Meet the female leaders that like to dominate, including murderess meerkats
From matriarchs who guide entire herds to queens that dominate their hives, the animal kingdom is full of powerful females calling the shots.
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.
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
What's new?
Can any animal kill a blue whale? At 33 metres long and heavier than a Boeing 737, it is the largest creature ever to have lived
It would be a brave animal that took on the world's biggest creature
8 deadly animals that can kill you in minutes
You want to give these animals a wide berth
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
Camera footage shows wolf doing something astonishing that's never been seen before - staggering scientists
Remarkable new footage shows a wild gray wolf using a human crab trap with startling precision, challenging what we thought we knew about wolf intelligence.
Killer whales filmed hunting with dolphins and sharing prey for first time
Aerial and underwater footage captured around Vancouver Island in Canada shows the two marine animals working together to hunt salmon.
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
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
Which insect can be crowned the UK's largest? There's one that's an impressive 12cm long
The charity Buglife takes a look at the contenders for the UK's biggest insects
Mammals
Fascinating facts about our warm blooded friends - the mammals.
Crocodile attacks lion cub on Zambian river. Here's how its pride reacts...
In BBC TV series Kingdom, a lion pride must cross croc-infested waters. Will they make it?
It’s not just glow worms or fireflies that glow in the dark… this is the first ever image of a wild marsupial lighting up under UV
Biofluorescence is most common in marsupials such as platypuses and quolls
11 ferocious big cat photos that reveal the savage strength of these ruthless, brutal apex predators
These incredible images are raw and powerful.
Marine Animals
10 deadly, mind-blowing and simply ingenious ways whales and dolphins hunt and kill their prey – from bubble net fishing to wave washing
Whales and dolphins are some of the smartest animals on Earth – and when it comes to hunting prey, they are particularly ingenious
10 incredible, dramatic shipwrecks around the world that are just teeming with marine life
Shipwrecks are not just fascinating reminds of history – they can also become biodiversity hotspots. The experts
How do the ocean's deadliest predators catch their prey in the vast blue wilderness?
How do you track down prey in a vast, seemingly featureless ‘blue desert’?
Reptiles
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.
Bones of giant anacondas found in Venezuela. Here's what scientists discovered when they pieced them together
A new study has revealed South America’s wetlands have been home to 5.2m-long anacondas for more than 12 million years…