These dramatic pictures show two lions in a dramatic fight for dominance. Seething with anger, the lions sent fur flying through the air when they came claw to claw in an intense battle. The snarling lions were clearly in disagreement about something when they began ferociously roaring at one another in Kruger National Park, South […] More
Best of luck to any insect trying to sneak past this spider. This eight-legged predator will have its meal in the blink of an eye. Actually, less. According to a study in the Journal of Experimental Biology, “flattie spiders” from the family Selenopidae can use their long legs to spin around nearly three times faster than the human eye can […] More
North America is home to two great animals: grizzly bears and bald eagles. Grizzlies are among the most feared animals in the North American wilderness. They have sharp teeth and knife-like claws that can rip off a person’s face, and they are extremely defensive of their cubs. Add to this an impressive running speed of […] More
Some rivers are more dangerous than others… In Africa, Nile crocodiles are extremely dangerous and are estimated to be responsible for 275 to 745 attacks per year, which is more than any other crocodile species combined. Yet, crocodiles are not the most dangerous animals in Africa; That title goes to the hippopotamus. Hippos are the most […] More
Humans don’t exactly have the most sterling reputation when it comes to how well we treat members of our own species. Any discussion about our propensity for violence is bound to involve the common, self-directed lambasting that among animals, humans are homicidal to a unique degree. But scientists have actually managed to quantify relative tendencies […] More
The largest deer species ever to walk the earth bore 12ft antlers but died out more than 10,000 years ago — leaving scientists debating its evolution. Megaloceros giganteus has many names, including the Irish elk and Irish giant deer, both of which are incorrect due to the fact the animal was neither an elk nor […] More
This creature is commonly regarded as the “demon fish” and boasts teeth longer than steak knives. Everyone’s heard of piranhas due to their insatiable hunger and shoaling behavior. Can you imagine falling into a river full of starved piranhas? They’d clean your flesh to the bone in minutes. Now, imagine a piranha that’s five times […] More
These fascinating frogs are peculiar — but absolutely real. Hairy frogs (Trichobatrachus robustus), also known as wolverine frogs or “horror frogs”, are unique amphibians native to Central Africa. As their name suggests, the male frogs are quite “hairy”, although the “hairs” are not actually hairs — they’re dermal papillae, which are physical extensions of the skin that […] More
Big cats, like tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars are powerful, visually stunning and intimidating predators — so it’s completely understandable that they steal much of the limelight. At the same time, small wild cats garner attention as unmatched hunters, not all that different than the cunning, domesticated felines we share our homes with. But mid-sized […] More
It’s official: humpback whales are the superheroes of the sea. Scientists have recorded 115 separate cases of humpback whales intervening in orca hunts to save various marine animals. Robert Pitman from the US National Marine Fisheries Service wrote in one published paper, “Anecdotes have been passed down for centuries about dolphins at sea coming to the […] 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
Scientists in China have revealed that one species of spider nourishes its newborns with “milk” — a behavior typically only observed in mammals. Toxeus magnus, an ant-mimicking jumping spider native to southeast Asia, secretes a highly nutritious milk-like fluid containing sugars, fats, and proteins to keep its young alive. The substance contains four times the […] More
