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.
City Owl, Country OwlSpotlight 01.21.2022Unlike their more iconic cousins, diminutive northern pygmy owls occasionally manage to raise families in urban forests—some little more than a stone’s throw from the local café.
Snuggle for SurvivalSpotlight 12.26.2021Teamwork helps the world’s largest penguin species thrive under the harshest conditions.
Breakfast with a “Garbage Bin”Spotlight 12.02.2021Socotra’s gregarious Egyptian vultures are a bright spot in an otherwise sobering global story.
Single MomSpotlight 11.24.2021In a delicate ritual that might last only a few minutes, this female squid demonstrates remarkable self-sufficiency.
Seeing SpotsSpotlight 11.12.2021Spotted eagle rays’ distinctive markings are turning out to be important identifiers, and may become essential for their protection.
Water Makes a Hive ThriveSpotlight 11.04.2021Just like us, honeybees can die if they get too hot. To cool off, they’ve devised their own kind of air conditioning, ferrying water home and then fanning it with their wings.
Eye SpySpotlight 10.28.2021While this highly adapted fish peers out on its prey- and predator-rich surroundings, shapeshifting, pigmented cells enable it to all but disappear into its environment.
