When you think about predators, you might imagine sharks, tigers, and crocodiles. But some predators don’t have nearly as much street cred as others, even if they’re just as (if not more) vicious as the “famous” predators. Enter the giant petrel. Giant petrels are among the world’s most underrated predators. Why? Because, chance are, you […] More
Rhinoceroses are archetypal African animals, and they are renowned for their size and aggression. Generally, they are indifferent to other creatures around them, but when you invade their personal space, you’d better watch out! Few animals are deadlier than an angry rhino. In fact, rhinos have been known to flip smaller animals, such as warthogs, […] More
Asia is a continent of extremes. It’s home to Earth’s highest mountain range (the Himalayas) and one of the largest expanses of forest on the planet (Eastern Siberia’s vast taiga.) Plus, half of the world’s ten longest rivers are in Asia, including colossal waterways like the Yangtze, the Yellow, and Amur Rivers. These huge river systems […] More
Take a look at this insect. Does it look like a wasp to you? If you said yes, we can’t blame you, since it does, indeed, look like one. It has all of the features of a wasp, including the wasp-like head, the recognizable black and yellow stripes, and the bulbous thorax. Even the wings […] More
Polar bears are rather unique among bears. Not only do they inhabit the hostile, frigid ice floes in the North Pole, but they are also adept swimmers. In the cold, arctic seas, they can swim 6 mph (10 km/hr), and in one case, a female polar bear swam continuously for 9 days in the Bering Sea, […] More
This lizard is a master of disguise, easily taking on the form of brown foliage to blend in with its surroundings. Uroplatus phantasticus, or the satanic leaf-tailed gecko as its commonly called, is endemic to tropical forests within the central to northeastern regions of Madagascar. This unusual creature is small in size, growing no more than half […] More
This giant moth boasts five-inch wings, a humongous body, and when agitated, it is capable of producing a loud hissing noise to scare off its enemies. The privet hawkmoth (Sphinx ligustri) is an strange creature endemic to the northern half of the eastern hemisphere including much of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Although they inhabit large woodland […] More
Meet the Japanese giant hornet: massive, extremely aggressive, and a honey bee’s worst nightmare. A single giant hornet can kill 40 European honey bees in one minute, and a group of 30 could wipe out an entire hive of 30,000 European honey bees in little more than three hours. Growing up to 2 inches in length, with […] More
A “fire tornado” doesn’t seem like it would be real. The combination of inferno and whirlwind sounds like the sort of over-the-top phenomenon you’d see in an apocalyptic disaster film. But given the right conditions, “firenados” are very real events with the potential to be incredibly destructive. Watch the incredible footage below to see a […] More
Throughout history, fewer epic brawls in the animal kingdom have gained more renown than the classic battle between the cobra and the mongoose. In ancient Egyptian and Indian civilizations, cobras were feared for their venom and worshiped as deities, and mongooses were revered for their ability to dispatch venomous snakes. Now, of course, cobras are […] More
You just got home from a long day at work. You’re miserable, tired, and cranky. “Tuesdays suck,” you mutter to yourself. “A nice shower should set me straight.” If only. You saunter into your bathroom, flip on the light, and are greeted by a truly horrifying sight: a giant, spider-like creature clinging to the rim […] More
A water buffalo moves slowly through a shaded woodland on Rinca Island. It’s the dry season, so the grass rustles with each footfall, and it’s oppressively hot. Without warning, a massive reptile—the size of a full-grown man—bursts through the shrubbery. It’s a Komodo dragon, and before the buffalo can react, it lands a deep, gouging […] More
