Queen of CooperationSpotlight 11.13.2023Meerkats are famous for their teamwork, but their communal behavior is enforced by a matriarch with an iron fist.
Parental PeriscopeSpotlight 11.02.2023In Brazil, intact populations of capybaras and jaguars lead to surprising interactions—and remarkable adaptations.
Night SwimmingSpotlight 10.12.2023Specialized underwater photographers take to the ocean at night to reveal worlds beyond our own, right here on Earth.
The Tenacious TakahēSpotlight 09.20.2023Once declared extinct, the world’s largest species of rail is returning to its former range in New Zealand.
A Fly by Any Other NameSpotlight 07.19.2023European crane flies emerge in vast numbers each summer and fall, inspiring a welter of monikers—and some unjustified paranoia.
Good MedicineSpotlight 07.05.2023In Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, veterinarians provide a crucial helping hand in the recovery of one of the world’s most endangered creatures.
Sky BathingSpotlight 06.09.2023With their habitat recovering following the eradication of invasive goats, giant tortoises are once again flourishing and bathing in abundance on the slopes of Isabela’s Alcedo Volcano and on other Galápagos islands.
Lessons in LeopardingSpotlight 05.14.2023Pesky or adorable as it may be, roughhousing with her sleepy mom is an important way for this leopard cub to learn crucial survival skills.
Toothy TransportSpotlight 02.14.2023South America’s broad-snouted caiman is a fierce mother—and has been fiercely mothered back into abundance.
Cats vs. DogsSpotlight 01.24.2023High in the Himalayas, a photographer searches for an elusive wildcat—and finds it in an unlikely hideout.
Forest OrphansSpotlight 10.12.2022Swaddled symbols of hope and regeneration, orphaned flying foxes rest up and grow, preparing for their role as some of Australia’s most important forest stewards.
Prince of DarknessSpotlight 08.24.2022Helmet jellyfish have taken over a Norwegian fjord, demonstrating the species’ tenacity and offering clues about environmental factors that can upend an ecosystem.
Tiny DancersSpotlight 08.18.2022Even without true wings, a subspecies of Siberian flying squirrel endemic to Japan executes astonishing aerial acrobatics.
Shot in the DarkSpotlight 07.14.2022Africa’s black leopards are shrouded in mystery, but groundbreaking photography is bringing them to light.
Love TrainSpotlight 06.03.2022The Kangaroo Island echidna may seem bizarre, but the spiky mammal’s quirks have helped it survive cataclysmic change.
Sassy SousliksSpotlight 05.10.2022Facing stiff odds and steep population declines across Europe, can these versatile and tenacious ground squirrels fight back?
Undertakers of the ForestSpotlight 05.02.2022Tiny, shape-shifting slime molds have an outsized influence on the cycle of life.
Beautiful UglySpotlight 04.22.2022While the Asian sheepshead wrasse’s allure may be debatable, the fish’s color-changing, sex-changing abilities are hard to disregard.
Keeping the Magic AliveSpotlight 04.19.2022Paired black-browed albatrosses perform elaborate bonding rituals, but climate change may lead to higher divorce rates.
Potty PlantSpotlight 02.21.2022A carnivorous plant in Southeast Asia offers its leftovers to local fauna, and gets fertilized by those animals’ feces in exchange.