Mammals
Fascinating facts about our warm blooded friends - the mammals.
It looks like a guinea pig on steroids, is nearly as big as a single mattress, weighs the same as a tumble dryer – and is a dab hand at swimming underwater too
All you need to know about the worlds largest rodent, capybara
Odd-looking, tiny killers, expert underwater swimmers and the grumpiest cats: 10 weirdest wild cats in the world
From tiny but deadly hunters to grumpy-looking felines, the world is home to some truly bizarre wild cats
Why do beavers build dams? And how on Earth do they do it?
All you need to know about why beavers make dams
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Are humans really the only species that trade?
This animal’s sex session lasts longer than a working day
Small, cute, and surprisingly single-minded about mating
Can chimpanzees and other great apes breed with monkeys?
Can any primates interbreed? James Fair investigates
It's wider than a doorway, bigger than a buzzard yet weighs less than a suitcase...
Did you know the biggest bats in the world are bigger than buzzards? Stuart Blackman takes a look at the contenders
A rapidly melting ‘Doomsday Glacier’ and a monstrous deep-sea fish: 6 of nature’s signals that could warn of the end of the world
Whether these signs are rooted in science (like the Doomsday Glacier) or simply popular myth, they have been associated with the end of the world – or at least life as we know it
Did you know the biggest rat in the world is nearly a metre long? That's one whopping rat...
Meet the two biggest rats in the world - one in length and one in weight...almost 4kg to be precise
“Astonishing behaviour.” Filmmakers left a robot orangutan in the Borneo rainforest. The footage helped solve a mystery that puzzled scientists
Wild orangutans in the Borneo rainforest have been observed washing themselves with soap – but researchers weren't sure why
“I see it before the wolves do.” A huge predator encroaches on a wolf pack. They have no choice but to confront it
In tense footage filmed for the BBC's A Wolf Called Storm, a wolf pack's den is threatened by a predator much larger than them
"22% of US men believe they could beat a chimpanzee in a fight" – Here’s how humans actually stack up against the world’s 10 strongest primates
Discover the strongest primates on the planet…
It's equal to 6.5 tennis courts, has 178 entrances and 50 rooms and can rival some of our grandest, ancestral homes
Badgers are the only members of the weasel family to live communally, and that requires the building of spacious accommodation. So how big do badger setts get?
11 deadliest females on the planet: Discover some ferocious female animals that you wouldn't want to mess with
'For the female of the species is more deadly than the male' – here are our top 11 deadliest females that prove just that.
What is ivory and is it any different to bone? And is it just elephants that have ivory?
What is ivory? Is it just elephants that have ivory? JV Chamary explains all you need to know about ivory
It stretches up to 2.5 miles, is 2.5 metres deep and is home to 300 of the weirdest, most rule-breaking animals on the planet
Hundreds of these mammals can be found in vast subterranean networks in East Africa
Is it really safe to airlift rhinos by their ankles, dangling two-tonne giants in midair?
In Southern Africa, white and black rhinos are often translocated to avoid inbreeding or overpopulation of an area. Previously, rhinos were moved, fully awake, in crates or on pallets, but there were problems, including the possibility of injury to the huge herbivores. When lifted by helicopter, the crates also had a tendency to swing around dangerously. The preferred technique has often been to dart rhinos with anaesthetic from the air, then blindfold the immobilised pachyderms and airlift them in a giant sling, suspended by their ankles. After a short flight, the animals are transferred to a truck. A 2021 study
Remote cameras in Yellowstone capture cougars and wolves on the hunt. The footage reveals something important
Researchers installed cameras in the US national park to monitor cougar density and abundance – and to see how these apex predators interact with other species, such as wolves.
“Lifted her enormous foot.” Herd of elephants stomps towards photographer's camera in Kenya, then this happens
A wildlife photographer set up his camera and moved away to give the elephants plenty of space. But the curious herd had other ideas for his camera...
"It has a nasty habit of going on an explosive attack if startled, using sharp claws to rake down their victims' fronts, ripping off faces and gouging out eyes"
If provoked the sloth bear is one of the world's deadliest bears
“She’s trying to hit it with the camera!” Researchers attached a camera to a baby chimp – and recorded something incredible
The chimpanzee was being studied to see if it could detect dangers in the wild
It's as tall as Brad Pitt, weighs 169kg, up to 10 times stronger than a human and is the master of knuckle-walking
Our guide to one of our closest relatives – the gorilla, including the difference between the two species, why they're endangered and conservation work.
It's only 32cm long, yet it can drink alcohol all day long and never get drunk or hungover
"If you see any of these signs, back away slowly" – how to stay safe around wild elephants
Always remember wild elephants can be dangerous, especially if they feel threatened
