Animals
We live on a planet with millions of species of animals -and a rich, diverse collection of known wildlife, and yet new species are being identified seemingly every day — both living and extinct.
Whether it’s the deadliest snakes, longest-living creatures or the history of the dinosaurs, at Live Science, our expert writers are here to help you understand Earth's incredible fauna — past and present — with the latest animal news, features and articles.
Explore Animals
Editor's Picks
Latest about Animals
![A guanaco stands behind red flowered bushes an in front of a snowy mountain range and lake](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUKZEQC58iSSGfMpzo6LCm-320-80.jpg)
Which continent has the most animal species?
By Katherine Irving published
The diversity of even the largest animals depends on the smallest factors.
![Two polar bears, one with its mouth wide open and another with its paw on its head](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YoBoxbgmCEuB2N7PJTEju8-320-80.jpg)
Zany polar bears and a '3-headed' giraffe star in Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
By Elise Poore published
Nikon release its best entries so far for the Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024.
![tasselled wobbegong resting on coral.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8AWEu7PxnsPGY666mYKDj7-320-80.jpg)
Tasselled wobbegong: The master of disguise that can eat a shark almost as big as itself
By Lydia Smith published
Tasselled wobbegong sharks are so well camouflaged they can vanish on the seafloor, waiting for unsuspecting prey to pass before lunging forward to suck their victims into their giant mouths.
![Monkey looks at himself in a handheld mirror](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kHJyXPT4Tb6chK8xuky7pC-320-80.jpg)
Which animals can recognize themselves in the mirror?
By Richard Pallardy published
Research on whether animals can recognize themselves in the mirror began in 1970 1 and just a handful of species have since passed the test ever since.
![Irritator challengeri lets out a loud roar while walking along a Cretaceous shoreline.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aMejaMffr7hmyudjL7Q5D7-320-80.jpg)
20 of the best named animal species on Earth, from Boops boop to Agra vation
By Elise Poore published
From cave-dwelling creatures to weird-looking animals this countdown covers animals with the wittiest names.
![on the left, a baby snake in a person's palm, on the right, a box with straw with lots of baby snakes in it](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bnNpdWrhxi7oPAzeDiBcn6-320-80.jpg)
'Ronaldo had been looking slightly fatter than usual': Snake thought to be male has 14 babies in rare 'virgin birth'
By Hannah Osborne published
A captive Brazilian rainbow boa initially declared male by a vet gives birth to 14 snakelets in a rare case of parthenogenesis at a U.K. college.
![A collage of a goldfish, house cat, mushroom, cow, butterfly, and bird](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xayKaipEpEEpUUXaci5XaK-320-80.jpg)
What is a species?
By Ethan Freedman published
To biologists, a "species" is the fundamental unit of categorization for life on Earth and a key tool for protecting living creatures.
![Manta rays swimming underwater](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rGLAe5buVBfAWPBWTYKX44-320-80.jpg)
6 species that scientists got wrong
By Amanda Heidt published
The definition of a species is surprisingly unsettled, and the classifications of some of the best-known animals have come under scrutiny.
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