Animal news, feature and articles

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A collage of a woolly mammoth inside a petri dish with a pipet above it
'Closer than people think': Woolly mammoth 'de-extinction' is nearing reality — and we have no idea what happens next Scientists are getting very close to bringing a few iconic species, like woolly mammoths and dodos, back from extinction. That may not be a good thing.
Greate white shark photo taken from a shark diving cage.
How did sharks become Earth's 'ultimate survivors'? Paleontologist John Long finds answers in new book 'The Secret History of Sharks' "The Secret History of Sharks" author John Long met with Live Science to discuss his new book, recent revelations about megalodons, and how he got over his fear of great whites.
an eastern lowland gorilla mother with a baby nursing in the jungle
'The simplicity of life just hits you': Watch rare footage of critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla feeding her baby in the wild Filmmakers captured a mother eastern lowland gorilla nursing her infant for the PBS show "Silverback."

Latest about Animals

A frozen green iguana clings onto a tree.

Why do iguanas fall from trees in Florida?

By Olivia Ferrari published

Florida's non-native green iguanas become paralyzed and drop from trees when temperatures dip. Climate change could bring this problem to new areas.

Reptiles
Split image shows a carnivorous squirrel with a vole in its mouth and an ancient silver amulet.

Killer squirrels and an unexpected amulet

By Pandora Dewan published

Science news this week Dec. 20, 2024: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Science news this week
Officials removing a "murder hornet" nest in Washington in 2021.

'Murder hornets' eradicated, but officials say they'll keep 'an eye out' for more

By Patrick Pester published

Officials say they've eradicated northern giant hornets, nicknamed "murder hornets," after years of tracking the invasive giant wasps in Washington state.

Bees & Wasps
A squirrel running with a vole in its mouth in Briones Regional Park, California.

Killer squirrels have developed taste for flesh — and voles are running for their lives

By Patrick Pester published

Ground squirrels have turned into carnivorous killers in a local park after vole numbers exploded in Contra Costa County, California.

Land Mammals
A reconstruction of a 4 legged animal identified as the oldest known gorgonopsian in life.

270 million-year-old saber-toothed predator from 'ghost' lineage looked like a bald dog

By Patrick Pester published

Fossils of the oldest saber-toothed predator are helping researchers understand the evolution of early mammal relatives called gorgonopsians and our shared origins in the therapsid group.

Extinct Species
GIF image showing before and after of the common murre population; in first photo the common murre population seems to thrive with loads of birds present on the cliffside, in the second photo of the same cliffside bird numbers have dramatically dropped.

Worst die-off of a single species in the modern era discovered — and 'the blob' was to blame

By María de los Ángeles Orfila published

The blob — an extreme marine heatwave that hit the northeast Pacific between 2014 and 2016 — killed approximately 4 million common murre, and the population is yet to recover, a new study finds.

Birds
Nile crocodile with head above water.

Henry the giant crocodile, who has sired 10,000 babies, celebrates 124th birthday

By Jacklin Kwan published

Henry the Nile crocodile will celebrate his 124th birthday at the Crocworld Conservation Centre in South Africa on Dec. 16.

Alligators & Crocodiles
Marine otter (Lontra felina) resting on the shore, Peru.

Chungungo: The mini sea otter that lives on rocky cliffs and mates for life

By María de los Ángeles Orfila published

Marine otters live on rocky coasts with extreme swells and strong winds, with their dens built into crevices and caves.

Animals
a cat with gray spots crouches on a blue background

How do cats get their spots?

By Ashley P. Taylor published

Scientists have identified some of the involved genes behind cats' spots, but there's still a piece missing.

Cats
A photograph of a humpback whale in the ocean

Male humpback whale crossed 3 oceans for sex, inadvertently breaking distance record for species

By Sascha Pare published

A male humpback whale swam 8,106 miles (13,046 km) from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, mingling with other whale populations and potentially having sex with them along the way.

Humpback Whales
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