Norway kills more whales than any other country and it has no plans to slow down, despite a global moratorium on commercial whaling enacted by the International Whaling Commission back in 1982. In fact, the country recently announced that it would increase its annual whaling quota to 1,641 minke whales for 2026 in an attempt […] 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
Often, when we think about war, we think about soldiers taking potshots at each other, tanks rolling through the streets, and jets carpet-bombing enemy targets. In fact, the mere concept of “war” seems distinctly human. It turns out, though, that chimpanzees have their own version. In the late 1970s, famed primatologist Jane Goodall observed a violent conflict […] More
In the wild and untamed Amazon, a variety of amazing and dangerous animals lurk, but few are more feared than jaguars and anacondas. Jaguars are big cats that dominate Latin American jungles. Anacondas are enormous snakes that dominate South American rivers. So, with that in mind, what happens when these two top predators meet? This: […] More
Hundreds of years ago, a massive predatory bird soared through the skies and struck terror into the hearts of the first humans to arrive in New Zealand, the Maori. This fear is reflected in the Maori legend of Poukai, an enormous man-eating bird. Known to scientists as Haast’s eagle (Harpagornis moorei), the terrifying — and […] More
The praying mantis is regarded as a fierce hunter in the insect world. Younger mantises often have to contend with bigger and badder bugs, such as jumping spiders and other mantises, but adults have far fewer predators. Generally, adult mantises only need to worry about birds — but in some cases, birds need to worry about […] More
This unique crystalline caterpillar truly catches the eye, but dangerous barbs make for looking only. The spun glass caterpillar Isochaetes beutenmuelleri is a member of the slug moth family and persists throughout much of the United States. It boasts a nearly transparent, glassy body core inset with extensions covered in dozens of dazzling crystal green […] More
The vibrant rainforests of Central and South America have no shortage of impressive predators. Jaguars slink through the understory, caimans and anacondas patrol murky waterways, and venomous lancehead vipers wait coiled below the leaf litter. But one of the region’s most proficient and deadly hunters rains fear down from the balmy canopy: the harpy eagle […] More
This unusual jumping spider boasts an exquisite variety of colors on its hind end — which serve an important physiological purpose. Some animals sing to impress females, such as songbirds and humpback whales. Others, including elephant seals and deer, will fight each other for the right to mate with females. Peacock spiders have a much more unusual […] More
The fennec fox is the world’s smallest canid, but has surprisingly few predators and is adapted to survive in the harshest environmental conditions. Vulpes zerda is an omnivore native to the scorching Sahara Desert and other areas around North Africa. The fennec fox weighs anywhere from 1-4 lbs and stands eight inches tall, comparable in […] More
This is the extremely rare Ribbon Seal, a unique seal with four beautiful stripes that has captured the hearts and imaginations of thousands of people. Another one of these unique seals was recently spotted on the shore of a beach in Washington. The ribbon seal is hardly ever seen by humans because it spends the […] More
The great white shark has often been seen as the ocean’s uncontested ultimate predator. But beneath the surface, the hunter has become the hunted… For the mighty great white is no match for the killer whale. Since the initial discoveries, dozens of great white carcasses have been found washed up off the coast of Gansbaai […] More
