Meet the giant short-faced bear, a massive beast that roamed North and South America and dominated all sorts of other large predators until it went extinct about 11,000 years ago. View post on imgur.com Standing at 6 ft tall on all fours and weighing about 2,500 pounds, the short-faced bear was the largest carnivorous predator […] More
On a cold, quiet night, a fierce, hairy beast roams the Sonora Desert. Its teeth are sharp and deadly, and its eyes are as dark as the night itself. Rearing up on its hind legs, the creature howls at the full moon, shattering the silence as it defends its territory. But what is this fearsome […] 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
Horsehair worms, often perceived as among the most unsettling creatures in the natural world, have a way of challenging even the strongest of stomachs. Yet, there’s an undeniable intrigue to them. Why do they evoke such a strong reaction? The answer lies in their larval stage, during which they inhabit the bodies of insects and […] More
Everybody loves elephants. The biggest living land animals in the world, they are beautiful creatures that are revered worldwide. Although generally thought of as gentle animals, they are actually incredibly dangerous — which can be mostly attributed to their impressive size — although there are times when elephants can be frighteningly aggressive too. And I mean aggressive. […] 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
If pigs could fly, we’d have a lot more bacon lying around, but if snakes could fly, we’d have a lot more fallout shelters everywhere. But here’s the thing: in real life, pigs can’t fly, but snakes CAN. Yes, snakes can fly. Well, glide actually, since they aren’t capable of flying like birds. But, still, […] More
A rare and mysterious octopus was recently filmed with prey for the first time ever, and it turns out it eats jellyfish. The giant octopus, named Haliprhon atlanticus, was spotted carrying an egg-yolk jellyfish in its mouth while taking care to let the toxic tentacles hang free. Researchers think the cephalopod might have been strategically […] More
This is the golden poison frog. Setting aside the name, it seems harmless enough, right? Just look at those adorable, beady little eyes. It’s just like a slimy gerbil! Well, don’t get your hopes up. This tiny creature would NOT make a good pet. If poison dart frogs aren’t already dangerous enough, the golden poison […] More
Female elk have the capacity to learn how to avoid hunters as they age — and they learn from each other’s mistakes, it turns out. While female elk (Cervus elaphus) tend to live longer than their male counterparts simply because they are less targeted by predators, age also seems to correlate with predation rates. Cows over […] More
Freshwater snails cause more than 200,000 deaths on an annual basis — more than any predatory mammal. Freshwater snails are found in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from small pools to large lakes. These gastropod mollusks feed on algae, detritus, and suspended matter found in the water. They are parasitic animals responsible for the transmission of schistosomiasis, which has […] More
Gorillas don’t always take kindly to trespassers in their territory. Lions have traditionally been dubbed “king of the jungle”, yet they don’t actually live in jungles. Gorillas do. And they have no problem asserting their authority. In a previous article, we demonstrated why you shouldn’t beat your chest in front of a gorilla, especially a […] More
