Africa’s Conservation ConundrumArticle 05.15.2023The trophy hunting industry in Africa is dying, and that should concern all of us. What, if anything, replaces it will prove critical for the protection of the continent’s wildlife and wild places.
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.
Bounding Toward RecoveryArticle 01.03.2023The Iberian lynx—one of the world’s most endangered cats—made a giant leap toward a comeback in just a few years, easing the way for other species to follow in its path.
A Way Forward with WolvesArticle 09.10.2022Washington state’s long-running conflict between wolves and ranchers mirrors our society’s bigger ideological rifts. Some are trying to bridge the gap—using both horse and technology.
Shot in the DarkSpotlight 07.14.2022Africa’s black leopards are shrouded in mystery, but groundbreaking photography is bringing them to light.
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.
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.
Hanging with DadSpotlight 10.22.2021A male African jacana has his feathers full while navigating Botswana’s rich but treacherous wetlands.
Into the WildArticle 06.18.2021North America’s rarest wolf subspecies is finally reclaiming its native territory in the Southwest, thanks in part to a fostering program that places captive-born pups into wild dens.
Are You My Mother?Spotlight 03.29.2021Before a timber rattlesnake mom leaves her babies to fend for themselves, she passes on an important piece of information: her scent.
Billfish BountySpotlight 11.25.2020A striped marlin slices through a shoal of baitfish, a beautiful reminder of the struggle between predator and prey—as well as the fragility and importance of healthy ecosystems.
A Novel DemiseSpotlight 09.22.2020Although we’ve marveled over carnivorous plants for centuries, the plants’ penchant for vertebrate flesh has been largely overlooked.
Race Against the Biological ClockSpotlight 12.24.2019It turns out some contests between predators and their prey are more genetically determined than others.
The Scent of WaterSpotlight 12.10.2019Most mammals can’t smell underwater, but Eurasian otters may have a way of sniffing out prey even while swimming.
A Great EscapeSpotlight 12.03.2019Invasive American mink, having escaped from British fur farms over the past century, are now wreaking havoc on native species—but this lucky gannet got away.
Beguiling IntruderSpotlight 10.30.2019Lionfish are hungry, long-lived, and extremely fertile invaders in their new-found Atlantic home.
Snake FakeSpotlight 10.15.2019For a plump caterpillar with no defensive body parts, masquerading as a deadly viper is an effective adaptation for survival in the Peruvian Amazon.
Strength in NumbersSpotlight 09.26.2019A spirited game of tug-of-war is more than just a sweet moment among siblings—it’s a sign of an African wild dog pack with enough members to keep its pups both safe and well-fed.
Bobcat ManorPhoto Essay 08.14.2019Despite increasing hunting pressure, bobcats have proven themselves to be remarkably resilient in the face of human encroachment—and aren’t above raising their young in rural backyards.