Wildlife Q&A

Wildlife Q&A

Workers help remove oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a laughing gull at the Mississippi Wildlife Response Center in Gulfport, Mississippi, on West Ship Island in Mississippi on Saturday, July 3, 2010. (James Edward Bates/Biloxi Sun-Herald/MCT)
Oil on a bird's feathers leads to flightlessness © James Edward Bates / Biloxi Sun-Herald / MCT / Getty Images

Why is oil so deadly for birds' feathers?

Oil spill incidents always involve birds being rescued and cleaned – but why is oil so damaging, and in many cases fatal, to birds?
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Being very big is a great way to avoid becoming a target for predators © Getty

Why did dinosaurs get so darned big?

Palaeontologist Jon Tennant discusses the reasons behind dinosaurs' colossal size.
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With careful counting, it’s possible to judge how old a tree was when it was felled. © DEA/G. Cigolini/Getty

What can tree rings tell us, apart from a tree's age?

Naturalist and author Amy-Jane Beer sheds light on what tree rings can tell us.
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Reindeer in natural environment, Tromso region, Northern Norway.

From wild herds to festive favourites: All you need to know about reindeer and how they became a key part of Christmas

Reindeer may now be famed for their Christmas associations, but their history with humans goes back thousands of years
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Woodcock at nest © Mirceax / Getty

It's called a wader but doesn't wade – and doesn't like to fly either. Discover the bird that's regarded as something of an oddity

The non-wading woodland wader...
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Red kangaroo hopping © JohnCarnemolla / iStock 

How and why kangaroos hop: The secrets behind their powerful – and very speedy – bounce...

BBC Wildlife contributor Ben Phillips answers your wild question.
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A robin's nest contained blue patterned eggs. © Marcia Straub/Getty

Why do some birds’ eggs have patterns?

Many birds' eggs have patterning on them. Mike Toms explains why.
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Males throughout the animal kingdom tend to live shorter lives than females. © DeAgostini / Getty Images

Why do females often live longer than males?

Female animals tend to live longer their male counterparts, but why?
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Slug crawling on a path in a garden. © TT/Getty

Do slugs freeze in winter?

Some do, but slugs are surprisingly adept at surviving freezing conditions – very low temperatures do not have a particularly negative impact on overall numbers for the following year.
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Resplendent in red: the scarlet tanager Trevor Jones Photo/iStock

Why are red birds – well – red?

How do some birds get their exotic scarlet plumage?
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Why don’t woodpeckers get headaches and concussion when drumming?

Drumming is a springtime sound that's unrelated to feeding or nestbuilding.
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Large dragonfly on woman's hand. © Simon002/Getty

Do dragonflies bite or sting humans and can they be dangerous?

Can dragonflies bite? Can dragonflies sting? Are dragonflies dangerous? They're all common questions - read on to find out the answers!
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Close-up of a Limpet

What's the strongest material produced by animals?

Animals can produce incredibly strong substances - so who makes the toughest?
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It has 8 legs, isn't a spider and has sharp pincer claws on the front of their head – much like a scorpion – which they hunt and kill with

Although they look like spiders, harvestmen are more closely related to scorpions says Richard Jones
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A Common frog © Linnéa Ernofsson

Why do frogs scream?

Jules Howard discusses possible reasons frogs scream
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Close-up view of a two-toed sloth. © Tane Mahuta/Getty

Why are sloths so slow?

Sloth scientist Becky Cliffe discusses why being slow actually contributes to a sloth's survival.
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