ANIMALS

Dumbo Drop: How World War II Kept Dumbo From Becoming ’TIME’ Magazine’s “Mammal of the Year”

The precocious pachyderm nearly made the cover. Then Pearl Harbor was attacked.

Not something a driver wants to see in their rear-view mirror.

Why Do Dogs Chase Cars?

A professional dog trainer explains the instinctual reason driving the behavior and offers some expert advice on how to stop your dog from chasing cars.

11 Fierce Facts About Wolverines

These animals are elusive, and much about them remains mysterious—but here are a few things we do know.

Cats are being evicted from Old San Juan in Puerto Rico.

The National Park Service Wants to Shut Down ‘Disney World for Cats’ in Puerto Rico

Hundreds of strays roam a historic site. The NPS says they're a health hazard. Cat lovers disagree.

The Reason Dogs Love to Grab Sticks

To your dog, dragging a giant stick home makes all the sense in the world.

Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Snail Sex | Deep Look

Watch How Snails Make Baby Snails

Snail mating involves “love darts.”

Hey, Buddy: America’s 25 Most Popular Dog Names

Apparently, all the good boys are named Max or Charlie.

Skeleton projected onto life-sized elephant model at ’The Secret World of Elephants’ exhibit.

Explore the Secret World of Elephants With the American Museum of Natural History’s New Exhibition

A new exhibit coming to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City examines elephants’ past, present, and future.

Why Won’t My Cat Use the Litter Box?

A certified cat trainer suggests reasons why a cat won’t use its litter box—and offers some possible solutions.

Louis Wain at his drawing board circa 1890.

10 Facts About Louis Wain, the Cat-Obsessed Victorian Artist

Louis Wain sketched, painted, and even animated cats throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

People have kept these beautiful fish as pets for centuries.

How the Goldfish Became Everyone’s First Pet

They’re quintessential starter pets for young children. But it’s important to know how to properly care for a pet goldfish.

People often mistake a red fox’s bark for the sound of a person screaming.

11 Animals that Make Terrifying Sounds

Red foxes, barn owls, and American alligators are just a few beasts that make scary sounds.

The St. Augustine globster washed ashore in 1896.

7 Bizarre Globsters That Have Washed Ashore

Though these marine mysteries are often solved, globsters—unidentified organic masses that wash up on beaches—continue to capture the public’s imagination.

Some male lions simply don’t have manes. What’s up with that?

Why Do Some Male Lions Lack Manes?

Climate can cause a big difference in how much hair a lion grows.

Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers in John James Audubon's ‘Birds of America.’

10 Facts About Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers, North America’s Most Famous (Probably) Extinct Bird

Here’s your introduction to this legendary, (maybe?) extinct avian—and a look-alike species that might be the source of all the rumors.

What’s the Purpose of a Turkey’s Wattle?

The loose flesh that hangs from a turkey’s neck isn’t the most attractive part of the bird—to humans, at least.

*Insert Jaws theme here* / Alexyz3d via Shutterstock

Wild Misconceptions About Sharks

In this episode of Misconceptions, host Justin Dodd debunks some myths about these great beasts of the ocean, from whether punching them in the nose is a valid defense tactic to the events that inspired 'Jaws.'

11 Surprising Facts About Vampire Bats

Only three bat species, out of some 1100 in the world, actually have a taste for blood.

10 Chilling Facts About Permafrost

About 11 percent of the Earth’s surface is perpetually frozen, though that will surely change as global warming continues.

A Shot in the Dark: How to Photograph a Black Cat

With some simple adjustments, you can transform your black cat from a dark blob of fur into a handsome portrait subject.

Do Scarecrows Actually Work?

Scare crows may deter crows and blackbirds, but you'll have to make some modifications for them to really work.

4 Eco-Friendly Ways to Dispose of Halloween Pumpkins

Looking for something to do with your rotting Jack-O'-Lanterns? Here are some tips for recycling, upcycling, and responsibly disposing of old Halloween pumpkins.

Watch Millions of Bats Go Night Hunting

The nightly bat exodus, which occurs most early evenings between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., is one of the most popular attractions at Malaysian Borneo’s Mulu National Park.

Koalas Aren’t Bears, So Why Do People Call Them “Koala Bears”?

If you were an 18th-century settler in Australia with no knowledge of marsupials, you just might decide to call a koala a ‘bear,’ right?