Wild Life

Meet some of the strangest and most beautiful creatures on our planet, and learn about their fascinating strategies for survival.

A group of male African lions rests in the Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya, as storm clouds build overhead. Photograph by Denis-Huot Africa’s Conservation Conundrum 05.15.2023 Article - The 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 Leoparding 05.14.2023 Spotlight - Pesky or adorable as it may be, roughhousing with her sleepy mom is an important way for this leopard cub to learn crucial survival skills.
Linda Broome holds a captured mountain pygmy possum atop Mt Blue Cow, in Australia’s Kosciuszko National Park. Every spring, she returns to the park with a team of volunteers to monitor possum populations. Of Moths and Marsupials 04.26.2023 Article - The ancient relationship between the mountain pygmy possum and the bogong moth reveals the complexity of global climate change—and the lengths people may have to go to save some species from extinction.
Looking downstream near Glen Canyon’s Gretchen Bar, where relics of once-busy gold mining operations lie beneath Lake Powell. The white mineralization or “bathtub ring” along the main channel indicates the reservoir’s former high-water mark. Songs of the Dammed 04.12.2023 Article - As Lake Powell water levels drop, native plants are reclaiming Glen Canyon.
A Mediterranean rainbow wrasse shelters in Neptune seagrass, which is likely the oldest living organism on Earth. A single patch of seagrass found in the Mediterranean Sea off Spain is estimated to be between 80,000 and 200,000 years old. From Weed to Wonder 03.11.2023 Photo Essay - Once dismissed as an underwater nuisance, scientists are beginning to see seagrass meadows as vital to marine and coastal health.
Two spotted owls perched on a tree in a Northern California forest. Photograph by Danny Hofstadter What Conservation Sounds Like 02.17.2023 Article - New bioacoustic tools are revolutionizing scientific research and enabling much quicker conservation efforts around the globe.
Toothy Transport 02.14.2023 Spotlight - South America’s broad-snouted caiman is a fierce mother—and has been fiercely mothered back into abundance.
Faces stained from digging in mud, snow geese pause to take measure of their surroundings before returning to their feast. The gray birds are juveniles, the white birds with black wings are adults. Photography by Nancy Crowell Washington’s Runaway Snow Geese 01.24.2023 Article - Mae West said too much of a good thing is wonderful. But she’d never seen the beautiful, marauding snow geese that swoop in each fall to take over Washington State’s Skagit Valley.
Cats vs. Dogs 01.24.2023 Spotlight - High in the Himalayas, a photographer searches for an elusive wildcat—and finds it in an unlikely hideout.
The Newt Normal 01.13.2023 Photo Essay - Droughts, wildfires, floods, and other extreme weather events are putting an unprecedented strain on California newts. With help, scientists think these remarkable animals will be able to persevere.
Like other salmon, sockeye die after spawning, providing important nutrients to surrounding ecosystems. Trouble at Sea 01.11.2023 Article - For salmon in the North Pacific, has the ocean reached its limit?
Two Iberian lynx peer over rocky outcrops. Photograph by Andoni Canela Bounding Toward Recovery 01.03.2023 Article - The 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 western leafcutter bee visits a flower in search of pollen, Trinity Alps, California. Photograph by Clay Bolt Making Nature Less Predictable 12.02.2022 Article - In their fight against the homogenization of nature, scientists and farmers are walking well-worn paths and using innovative approaches to help bring native pollinators back to California.
Learning from the Ancients 11.22.2022 Opinion, Review - In his latest book, Elderflora, Jared Farmer chronicles a history of exploration and study, destruction and preservation that will keep humans and age-old trees intertwined for the long haul.
The Sharavati River flows through the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Photograph by Dhritiman Mukherjee Seeing the River for the Fish 11.03.2022 Article - Scientists and local communities are working to save an iconic but little-known species of fish in India—but first, they have to find it.
Forest Orphans 10.12.2022 Spotlight - Swaddled 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.
A Way Forward with Wolves 09.10.2022 Article - Washington 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.
Prince of Darkness 08.24.2022 Spotlight - Helmet jellyfish have taken over a Norwegian fjord, demonstrating the species’ tenacity and offering clues about environmental factors that can upend an ecosystem.
Returning England’s Forgotten Frog 08.24.2022 Video - As scientists were discovering a surprising detail about an often-overlooked frog, the last local population of the species was winking out of existence. The extraordinary story of England’s pool frog and the effort to bring it back.
The Saguaro Solution 08.18.2022 Article - Can a massive effort to replant cacti in the Sonoran Desert restore an ecosystem ravaged by fire?
Tiny Dancers 08.18.2022 Spotlight - Even without true wings, a subspecies of Siberian flying squirrel endemic to Japan executes astonishing aerial acrobatics.
Shot in the Dark 07.14.2022 Spotlight - Africa’s black leopards are shrouded in mystery, but groundbreaking photography is bringing them to light.
The Big Picture 2022 The Big Picture 2022 06.08.2022 Photo Gallery - From the beautiful to the bizarre, this photographic showcase of life on Earth shines a light on some of our planet's most amazing species and places.
A chambered nautilus and fuzzy nautilus swim side-by-side. Photograph by Peter Ward Downward Spiral 06.04.2022 Article - The nautilus’s lineage made it through all five of Earth’s previous mass extinctions. But can it survive the Anthropocene?
Love Train 06.03.2022 Spotlight - The Kangaroo Island echidna may seem bizarre, but the spiky mammal’s quirks have helped it survive cataclysmic change.
Methow Valley resident Ken Bevis salvages a deer recently struck by a car. Atonement in the Kitchen 06.03.2022 Article - One way to make sense of the senseless slaughter of roadkill? Salvage it for food.
A greater one-horned rhino surveys its terrain in Kaziranga National Park, India. Photograph by Anup Shah To Rewild a Rhino 05.10.2022 Article - In northeastern India, taking care of a vulnerable species also means looking after the humans who live alongside it.
Sassy Sousliks 05.10.2022 Spotlight - Facing stiff odds and steep population declines across Europe, can these versatile and tenacious ground squirrels fight back?
Fruiting bodies of the slime mold Lamproderma scintillans photographed in Buckinghamshire, England by Andy Sands Undertakers of the Forest 05.02.2022 Spotlight - Tiny, shape-shifting slime molds have an outsized influence on the cycle of life.
Beautiful Ugly 04.22.2022 Spotlight - While the Asian sheepshead wrasse’s allure may be debatable, the fish’s color-changing, sex-changing abilities are hard to disregard.
Keeping the Magic Alive 04.19.2022 Spotlight - Paired black-browed albatrosses perform elaborate bonding rituals, but climate change may lead to higher divorce rates.
The brook trout, a species native to the eastern United States, made its way across the west in the hands of settlers looking to recreate a small, living piece of their adopted homeland. Photograph by Nick Hawkins The Tale of the Trojan Trout 02.21.2022 Article - Can the introduction of a modified invader save the West’s native fish?
Land crab and pitcher plan in Borneo Potty Plant 02.21.2022 Spotlight - A carnivorous plant in Southeast Asia offers its leftovers to local fauna, and gets fertilized by those animals’ feces in exchange.
City Owl, Country Owl 01.21.2022 Spotlight - Unlike 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 Survival 12.26.2021 Spotlight - Teamwork helps the world’s largest penguin species thrive under the harshest conditions.
Breakfast with a Garbage Bin Breakfast with a “Garbage Bin” 12.02.2021 Spotlight - Socotra’s gregarious Egyptian vultures are a bright spot in an otherwise sobering global story.
Christine Shreves of Wellfleet, Massachusetts finds a Kemp's ridley sea turtle at Great Hollow Beach on Cape Cod in November. Each fall and winter on the inner shores of Cape Cod, endangered sea turtles wash up, stunned by the cold ocean temperatures and confused by the cape’s hook-like geography. With the help from volunteers and biologists at Mass Audubon, the New England Aquarium, and rehabilitation centers, the turtles are rescued, rehabilitated, and flown to warmer waters. When Turtles Fly 11.30.2021 Article - A massive human-assisted migration lands stranded sea turtles back in warmer seas.
Nomads of the North 11.24.2021 Photo Essay - A writer and photographer shares an intimate portrait of the annual migration and uncertain future of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd.
Single Mom 11.24.2021 Spotlight - In a delicate ritual that might last only a few minutes, this female squid demonstrates remarkable self-sufficiency.
Spotted eagle rays featured in "Seeing Spots" Seeing Spots 11.12.2021 Spotlight - Spotted eagle rays’ distinctive markings are turning out to be important identifiers, and may become essential for their protection.
Water Makes a Hive Thrive 11.04.2021 Spotlight - Just 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.
Header image for Bringing out the Dead - Deep sea octopus Benthoctopus johnstoniana Bringing out the Dead 10.28.2021 Article - By sinking a wide array of carcasses into the deep ocean and studying what turns up when they fall, scientists are learning about some of the world’s most exotic scavengers and the roles they play in the darkness.
Eye Spy 10.28.2021 Spotlight - While 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.
African jacana male with babies - by Charl Stols Hanging with Dad 10.22.2021 Spotlight - A male African jacana has his feathers full while navigating Botswana’s rich but treacherous wetlands.
Heeding the Pandemic’s Warnings 08.27.2021 Article - While wildlife trafficking receives more media attention, experts are urging global leaders to clamp down on legal wildlife trade and the significant disease threats it poses.
Starling-Studded Skies 07.13.2021 Photo Essay - A modern approach to a 19th-century photography technique celebrates both the art and science behind one of the planet’s most mesmerizing spectacles.
What it Means to be Wild 07.08.2021 Opinion, Review - Against the backdrop of a world so thoroughly altered by humankind, Emma Marris's latest book, Wild Souls, challenges our assumptions about nature and how we protect it.
Mexican wolf "M1296" walks off a sedative after being processed and released back into the field during a January 2016 annual Mexican wolf count based out of Alpine, Arizona. After receiving vaccinations and a new GPS collar, M1296 was reacquainted with his mate not far from where he was initially captured. Photograph by Christina Selby Into the Wild 06.18.2021 Article - North 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.
The Big Picture 2021 05.27.2021 Photo Gallery - From the beautiful to the bizarre, this photographic showcase of life on Earth shines a light on some of our planet's most amazing species and places.
Are You My Mother? Photograph by John Cancalosi Are You My Mother? 03.29.2021 Spotlight - Before a timber rattlesnake mom leaves her babies to fend for themselves, she passes on an important piece of information: her scent.
Lew Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya—© Ami Vitale Extraordinary Animals and the People Who Love Them 03.29.2021 Review - The new book Beloved Beasts hacks through the undergrowth of the conservation movement in search of a clear path forward.
With the lighthouse peninsula in the background, a male tule elk stands on a bluff in the Tule Elk Preserve at Point Reyes National Seashore. Home on the Range 03.23.2021 Article - Once thought to be extinct, tule elk have returned to roam across California's Point Reyes National Seashore, but the park—which also supports beef and dairy cattle—is getting crowded.
How to Count a Wolf How to Count a Wolf 02.25.2021 Video - The first step in managing a rare and controversial predator—particularly in a state where it's been absent for decades—is knowing how many you have. That’s easier said than done with a species as elusive as this one.
Of the world’s 19 species of storks, the greater adjutant is the most endangered in the world. In 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature estimated the global population at just 800-1200 individuals. From Reviled to Adored 02.23.2021 Photo Essay - How one community—and one woman in particular—have found a way to protect the rarest stork in the world simply by learning to appreciate the species and embracing it as one of their own.
A gibbon that rangers have named Ama makes her way through the canopy. These daily and necessary movements become increasingly difficult when large trees are cut down to create sunny patches on the forest floor for crops like tsaoko. A New Hope 01.27.2021 Photo Essay - Discovered a mere four years ago, the Skywalker gibbon quickly landed on the list of the world's 25 most endangered primates. While its status remains precarious, the species is inspiring a newfound effort to protect and restore the forests of…
Susanna Tuffy, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator from Duxbury, Massachusetts, feeds a baby squirrel from inside her bathroom window. Tuffy cares for about 60 animals a year in her home. The Other COVID Nurses 01.01.2021 Photo Essay - Caring for sick and injured wildlife has always been challenging, but during the pandemic, for many rehabilitators, it has become a grueling, 24/7 labor of love.
A brown paper nautilus rides atop a jellyfish in Balayan Bay, Luzon, the Philippines. The nautilus uses its jellyfish host as both a food source, and as a convenient and threatening vehicle. Convenient Conveyance 12.24.2020 Spotlight - For a jellyfish, there are few hitchhikers more harmful than this juvenile brown paper nautilus, and for the nautilus, few rides could be more handy.
Olms are aquatic, cave-dwelling salamanders found beneath the Dinaric Alps of southern and southeastern Europe. Saving Slovenia’s “Human Fish” 12.15.2020 Article - Scientists in this Central European country are leading the charge to understand and protect a charismatic, cave-dwelling salamander—and the subterranean habitats that supply much of the region's drinking water.
A grey-headed flying fox carries her pup as she flies over Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. Mother Load 12.11.2020 Spotlight - Multitasking bat moms carry their nursing pups underwing all while navigating a growing array of threats in the Australian forests they call home.
Lens on Life 12.04.2020 Photo Gallery - While 2020 has thrown an endless string of challenges at many of us, nature hasn't gone anywhere. It's just as impressive and inspiring—and in many cases, just as imperiled as ever.
A striped marlin pursues baitfish off the coast of Baja California Sur. Billfish Bounty 11.25.2020 Spotlight - A 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.
African elephant bulls display displacement behavior during fighting to determine dominance—Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Africa’s Pandemic-fueled Conservation Crisis 11.17.2020 Article - The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed long-standing weaknesses in how we protect African wilderness and species. But it has also given us an opportunity to vastly improve our approach to these urgent challenges.
Comb jelly (Cestum veneris) Northern Lights from the Deep 10.28.2020 Spotlight - What could easily be an atmospheric apparition is in fact a formidable predator, and a critical member of its strange, open-ocean ecosystem
A Novel Demise 09.22.2020 Spotlight - Although we’ve marveled over carnivorous plants for centuries, the plants’ penchant for vertebrate flesh has been largely overlooked.
Laurent Lollis looks out over a herd at Buck Island Ranch, with his father, Gene Lollis, in the background. Buck Island Ranch is owned by Archbold Biological Station and is a leading site for rangelands science, including biodiversity and carbon cycling research. Recent studies have shown that grazing of grasses in the humid soils increases the carbon sequestration by the roots. Raising Nature on Florida Ranchlands 08.11.2020 Article - “Rancher vs Environmentalist” has been a longstanding trope. But in the Sunshine State, ranching just may be the last, best hope for ecological salvation.
Wanted Alive 07.14.2020 Spotlight - For the first time in decades, Icelandic whalers have stopped hunting fin whales, thanks in part to a growing appreciation for the value these mammals bring to both marine and human communities.
Common toads mating in the Lez River, France The Big Picture 2020 05.05.2020 Photo Gallery - From the beautiful to the bizarre, this photographic showcase of life on Earth shines a light on some of our planet's most amazing species and places.
Records of Change Records of Change 01.17.2020 Video - Thanks to foresight and meticulous records collected nearly a century ago, scientists are reconstructing a picture of some of Mexico's most important ecosystems before they were transformed.
Mayflies and Preying Mantis Race Against the Biological Clock 12.24.2019 Spotlight - It turns out some contests between predators and their prey are more genetically determined than others.
Hooded grebe in Patagonia Standing Guard 12.24.2019 Photo Essay - The population of this critically endangered bird has stabilized thanks to the conservationists who look after them, but what happens if the caretakers leave?
The Scent of Water 12.10.2019 Spotlight - Most mammals can’t smell underwater, but Eurasian otters may have a way of sniffing out prey even while swimming.
A Great Escape A Great Escape 12.03.2019 Spotlight - Invasive 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.
Layers of Life Layers of Life 11.12.2019 Spotlight - On a crowded coral reef, species often make their homes on top of one another (literally), living lives that are tightly intertwined both biologically and evolutionarily.
Beguiling Intruder 10.30.2019 Spotlight - Lionfish are hungry, long-lived, and extremely fertile invaders in their new-found Atlantic home.
Sphinx hawk moth (Hemeroplanes triptolemus) caterpillar, snake mimic species, Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, Maijuna, Rio Napo, Peru Snake Fake 10.15.2019 Spotlight - For a plump caterpillar with no defensive body parts, masquerading as a deadly viper is an effective adaptation for survival in the Peruvian Amazon.
African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) Strength in Numbers 09.26.2019 Spotlight - A 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.
Margaret Nyambura Mamai, a Maasai woman, places cactus pads infested with cochineal insects into healthy (and partially infested) thickets of prickly pear plants on the Laikipia Plateau. A Plague of Cactus 09.26.2019 Article - Across Kenya’s wildlife-rich Laikipia Plateau, a thorny enemy is advancing. But a tiny sap-sucking insect may help save the region’s animals and people.
humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) observed off the coast of Sri Lanka Unexpected Playmate 08.27.2019 Spotlight - A young humpback whale is spotted off the coast of Sri Lanka. Is it a sign of a promising trend, or just a fluke?
Bobcat Manor 08.14.2019 Photo Essay - Despite 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.
Peruvian Tarantula (Pamphobeteus sp.) adult, walking over Humming Frog (Chiasmocleis royi) without preying on it. Los Amigos Biological Station, Madre de Dios, Amazonia, Peru. Enemy of My Enemy 08.14.2019 Spotlight - An Amazonian frog finds refuge under the watchful compound gaze of a surprising guardian.
Lens of Time: Jaw Jumpers Lens of Time: Jaw Jumpers 07.30.2019 Video - Sometimes the best solution to a sticky situation is a quick escape, and few escapes are faster than a trap-jaw ant’s.
glowing sucker octopus (Stauroteuthis syrtensis) Sucker Deception 07.30.2019 Spotlight - Mesmerizing bioluminescence is a rare trait—and a clever lure—for this deep-sea drifter.
Pangolin Handle With Care 06.26.2019 Spotlight - For one of the most heavily persecuted creatures on the planet, protection sometimes requires a very hands-on approach.
Brown Hyena Bounty Hunter 06.12.2019 Spotlight - When the Cape fur seals along the Namibian coast have their pups each December, the desert’s top scavengers become seal-hunting specialists.
Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) Assume the Position 05.29.2019 Spotlight - A master of disguise, this rainforest dweller doesn’t just wear the perfect outfit, it also performs the flawless impression of a tree branch.
western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) Hands Full 05.13.2019 Spotlight - Successfully raising a single infant is challenging enough that gorillas rarely have twins. But both of these babies are thriving, thanks to a few extra helping hands.
<strong>Taking Center Stage by Audun Rikardsen</strong><em>—Grand Prize Winner</em> <p>While the beauty of Norway’s spectacular northern coastline might be lost on this male black grouse (Tetrao tetrix), the prime vantage point offered by its perch is certainly not. For a ground-dwelling bird known for exuberant territorial displays during the breeding season, what better place to see and be seen than this branch, which provides an eagle’s-eye perspective of the terrain below. What initially drew photographer Audun Rikardsen to this spot high above the sea was, in fact, a resident golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) that frequented the perch. Having constructed a blind nearby, Rikardsen spent many frigid winter days photographing the eagle. But by spring, it had been replaced by a new subject: a black grouse in proud display. Not only did the grouse quickly become accustomed to Rikardsen’s rapidly firing camera shutter and flash, he says, it was almost as if the bird enjoyed being in the spotlight.</p> The Big Picture 2019 04.30.2019 Photo Gallery - From the beautiful to the bizarre, this photographic showcase of life on Earth shines a light on some of our planet's most amazing species and places.
blue dragon sea slug (Glaucus atlanticus) and Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis) Deathly Beautiful 04.18.2019 Spotlight - This picturesque battle between a blue dragon sea slug and a Portuguese man o’ war is a matter of life or death—for both parties.
Dalmatian pelicans (Pelecanus crispus) Below the Bill 04.09.2019 Spotlight - One of the world’s largest birds has long been persecuted for both its outsized bill and its eating habits, but an ambitious cross-border plan is helping this threatened pelican bounce back.
Alchisme grossa treehopper Mighty Mom 03.17.2019 Spotlight - One of the most attentive of all insect parents, this tiny treehopper fiercely defends her offspring until they're fully grown, using her thorn-shaped headdress as both shield and intimidation tool.
flower hat jelly (Olindias formosus) Allure of the Flower Hat 02.27.2019 Spotlight - What looks like a flamboyant fashion accessory is actually this jelly's brilliant evolutionary strategy for attracting prey.
Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) Herding Meerkats 02.07.2019 Spotlight - To understand how and why these highly social animals have evolved such complex systems of cooperation, scientists have resorted to a very simple strategy.
A cutthroat trout feeds at the surface of a clear lake in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Photograph by William Hughes Resurrecting the Greenback, Take Two 02.07.2019 Article - After a case of mistaken identity, scientists face an upstream swim to save a fabled fish.
Maori octopus (Macroctopus maorum) Banquet on Legs 01.25.2019 Spotlight - When an octopus known for its size and hunting prowess encounters a football-field-sized team of spider crabs, the outcome isn’t what you might expect.
Unidentified bagworm (family Psychidae) moth caterpillar Mobile Home 12.18.2018 Spotlight - This caterpillar combines next-level camouflage and shelter-building to disappear into one of the most vibrant and biodiverse ecosystems on the planet.
Lionfish feeding on SIlversides Pterois Volitans Red Sea, Egypt The Wreckers 12.12.2018 Spotlight - The lionfish that haunt one of the world’s most famous shipwrecks are now laying claim to new battlegrounds.
Huntsman spider (family Sparassidae) feeding on a young Madagascar day gecko (Phelsuma quadriocellata). Spider House Rules 11.06.2018 Spotlight - For these hunters, no right-sized target is off-limits—regardless of whether or not it has a backbone.
keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) and a brown-hooded parrot (Pionopsitta haematotis) The Better to Bite You With 10.23.2018 Spotlight - Finding—and defending—prime fruit-picking perches is no easy task in the rainforest, but toucans have a few tricks up their beaks.
Feeding Indian Mackerel - Rastrelliger kanagurta - Marsa Nakari, Egypt Open Wide 10.09.2018 Spotlight - Their prey may be tiny, but these Indian mackerel need both gaping mouths and an assist from their school-mates to successfully snag a meal.
Sounds of Survival 10.09.2018 Video - A quest to record a quiet frog’s call may mean the difference between its survival and its extinction.
hawkmoth caterpillar It’s a Wasp-Eat-Caterpillar World 09.11.2018 Spotlight - Shockingly, being eaten alive by dozens of hungry wasp larvae may have its advantages.
Lens of Time: The Art of Staying Stable Lens of Time: The Art of Staying Stable 08.27.2018 Video - A tiny copper cannonball is no match for this hawkmoth's hovering prowess.
Western Grey Kangaroos— Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) Raising Joey 08.27.2018 Spotlight - Kangaroo Island’s iconic animals are orphaned all too often by speeding cars. But a dedicated group of volunteers is working to save as many survivors as possible.
sooty albatross (Phoebetria fusca) The Long Haul 08.15.2018 Spotlight - While its partner is away on a long-distance foraging expedition, this sooty albatross patiently holds down the nest and awaits its turn to find food—contributing to an equal partnership that will last a lifetime.
boxer crab (Lybia tessellata) Double Fisted 07.31.2018 Spotlight - Grabbing ahold with both claws, a crab defends itself—and steers the course of another species’ evolution.
king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) Facing the Day 07.18.2018 Spotlight - Before embarking on an icy fishing expedition in the Southern Ocean, king penguins pause to soak up the morning’s first light.
American pika (Ochotona princeps) Dine and Dash 06.12.2018 Spotlight - For American pikas, the rush to store enough food for winter is becoming more hazardous—and climate change isn’t the only culprit.
coral Lens of Time: Growing Against the Odds 06.12.2018 Video - As reefs endure another onslaught, scientists are taking a closer look at how corals live and grow—and what may enable some of them to persist in a changing world.
Hatchling gharials from multiple females congregate near the dominant male—likely their father—on the territory where they hatched. Basking on the Brink 06.05.2018 Photo Essay - An "unholy" river in India may be the last, best hope for one of the world's largest and most imperiled crocodilians.
Isolated in the Pacific, the island of Nauru, world's smallest republic, was once world's richest country because of phosphate resources. Nauru holds currently diabetes and obesity highest levels though weightlifting is the national sport. By the Skin of His Teeth 05.08.2018 Spotlight - On the island of Nauru, a young noddy hunter practices a skill that’s been passed down for centuries—one that now requires more patience.
The Big Picture 2018 05.01.2018 Photo Gallery - From the beautiful to the bizarre, this photographic showcase of life on Earth shines a light on some of our planet's most amazing species and places.
penguins Lens of Time: Huddle Masters 04.24.2018 Video - Emperor penguins just may be the best huddlers on Earth—and scientists are finally revealing the secrets to their success.
Minipizza Batfish (Halieutaea stellata) | Japan Mystic Minipizza 04.24.2018 Spotlight - This might be your only chance to meet the best-named fish in the sea.
Imapla being attacked by a Nile crocodile during drought of Kruger National Park, South Africa High Drama 04.19.2018 Spotlight - Sometimes the best way out of a sticky situation is up, up and away.
brittle stars (Ophiactis savignyi) and leopard sea cucumbers (Bohadschia argus) Pacific Piggyback 03.27.2018 Spotlight - Aboard a reef dweller that acts as a living cruise ship, this tiny hitchhiker may receive much more than just a free ride from one patch of coral to another.
A Grand Experiment on the Grasslands 03.13.2018 Immersive - A decades-long debate over protection of the lesser prairie-chicken could usher the Endangered Species Act into a new and very different era.
goliath frog (Conraua goliath). Taking Down Goliath 03.08.2018 Spotlight - The world’s largest frogs are also among the most coveted in the African bushmeat trade. Can grassroots efforts save the goliath frog from extinction?
indri (Indri indri) A Helping Hand 02.28.2018 Spotlight - Specialized though it may be, Madagascar’s largest living lemur may need an extra hand to survive in a rapidly changing world.
A pygmy three-toed sloth paddles off Panama’s Isla Escudo de Veraguas. Keeping Pygmy Sloths Afloat 02.20.2018 Photo Essay - They do almost everything else in slow motion, but Panama’s pygmy sloths are surprisingly proficient swimmers—and they find relative safety in the sea.
fence post jumping spider (Marpissa muscosa) Face Off 02.20.2018 Spotlight - With eight eyes, two hydraulic legs, and impressive cognitive abilities, this jumping spider has a leg up on even the feistiest prey.
Humpback Whale Male and Female Courtship Pair Head over Heels 02.13.2018 Spotlight - To woo a potential mate, a male humpback whale pulls out some surprisingly smooth—and tender—moves.
orca (Orcinus orca) Beach Crashers 02.06.2018 Spotlight - Risking it all, some orcas have taken their hunt onto the shore, and their strategy is catching on.
chameleon Lens of Time: A Record-Breaking Tongue Lashing 01.17.2018 Video - The smallest chameleons on Earth perform one of the most explosive movements in the animal kingdom.
Guianan cocks-of-the-rock (Rupicola rupicola) Golden Hour 01.17.2018 Spotlight - For these spectacular South American birds, the key to attracting a mate is finding—and fighting for—the right time and place to shine.
Mountain hares (Lepus timidus) Boxing Day 01.02.2018 Spotlight - Female hares can deftly defend themselves when unwelcome suitors pay a visit, but when climate change comes calling, fighting back proves more difficult.
Aerial photo of a school of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in shallow waters with both Humpback whales (Megaptera novaenliae) and Killer whales (Orcinus orca) feeding, coast of Kvaloya, Norway January Unexpected Dinner Guests 12.19.2017 Spotlight - Something strange is happening off the northern coast of Norway—transforming natural enemies into unlikely partners.
A unique underwater shark portrait shows a great hammerhead shark quickly turning, twisting its body into a U shape, its eye close to the camera. Hammerhead Gaze 12.13.2017 Spotlight - This apex predator's widely set eyes give it much better binocular vision than most sharks—just one of several reasons why hammerheads are such successful hunters.
With its iridescent turquoise markings and four pairs of eyes, this jumping spider (Thania bhamoensis) is well-equipped to recognize and assess members of its own species. The spider’s large central eyes are responsible for acute vision and allow it to differentiate between potential mates and rivals. (Among other differences, females tend to be greener, while males are bluer.) Meanwhile, the spider’s three smaller pairs of eyes can detect movement on all sides, which comes in handy both when fighting off rivals and being on the lookout for potential prey. The Rainforest Next Door 12.05.2017 Photo Gallery - Just minutes from a major metropolis, Malaysia’s Penang Hill rainforest boasts some of the richest backyard biodiversity on the planet.
catepillar on thorns Lens of Time: When Plants Fight Back 11.07.2017 Video - Under cover of subtlety and slow-motion, plants not only perceive the organisms around them, they respond—and in some cases, prepare for battle.
Mesoamerican mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii mesoamericanus) Bat Odds 10.31.2017 Spotlight - We’ve feared and maligned them for centuries, but it’s the bats that really have something to be afraid of.
Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) Hide and Glow Seek 10.24.2017 Spotlight - The secret to this squid’s disguise lies in its relationship with a smaller, brighter species.
African elephants (Loxodonta africana) Are You My Allomother? 10.19.2017 Spotlight - A newborn elephant's aunts, sisters, and cousins all lend a helping trunk to support the newest member of their clan.
woodpecker The Anomalies: The Acorn Woodpecker 10.10.2017 Video - These highly social birds defy the typical two-parent family structure, proving that cooperation can make good evolutionary sense.
Bearded fireworm (Hermodice carunculata) photographed with UV light. Atlantic, Bonaire, Leeward Antilles, Caribbean region, Netherlands Antilles Fire on the Reef 10.10.2017 Spotlight - Normally invisible to humans, fluorescent light shows like the one this fireworm puts on are helping medical researchers fight disease.
clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) Tongue-tied 10.03.2017 Spotlight - These clownfish host some uninvited, and undesirable, guests on the tips of their tongues.
Fangtooth moray eel (Enchelycore anatina) with mouth open, Grand Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. East Atlantic Ocean. Last Grasp 09.26.2017 Spotlight - To catch and swallow their prey, these eels use both an obvious set of tools and an even more remarkable secret weapon.
Anthony's poison-frog (Epipedobates anthonyi) seen through hole in leaf. Buenaventura Reserve, El Oro, Ecuador. Framed Frog 09.19.2017 Spotlight - Portrait-worthy for more than just its beauty, this toxic frog may revolutionize our approach to pain management.
green turtles (Chelonia mydas) Turning Turtle 09.13.2017 Spotlight - Even sea turtles’ taste buds change with age.
Southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus), scavenging on seal carcass, South Georgia, January. Fight or Forage 08.29.2017 Spotlight - At the bottom of the Earth, this dauntless bird finds calories wherever it can.
Male Red footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) with rodent for fledgling, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. August. Please Pass the Vole 08.23.2017 Spotlight - Doting falcon fathers deliver meals to their young even after they’ve left the nest.
Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression Salts of the Earth 08.15.2017 Spotlight - Life can be fleeting in one of the world’s hottest and most tectonically active environments.
school of fish Lens of Time: Secrets of Schooling 08.08.2017 Video - Shimmering schools of fish have dazzled scientists for centuries with their synchronized maneuvers. Now, high-speed video is revealing how—and why—they do it.
Dwarf puff adder / Peringueys Sidewinding Adder (Bitis peringueyi) moving over the loose sand in typical mode of locomotion, Namib desert, Namibia Making Tracks 08.01.2017 Spotlight - For some snakes, taking the path of least resistance requires getting off the ground.
bipes Bipes Aren’t Coming for You 07.26.2017 Video - A mysterious worm lizard squirms its way out of the Baja sand and straight into our hearts.
a rufous-eyed brook frog (Duellmanohyla rufioculis) Golden Eye 07.18.2017 Spotlight - This rufous-eyed brook frog has a sparkle in its eye, thanks to a third eyelid strewn with flecks of gold.
Spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) just hatched from egg case that is on Seafan (Paramuricea clavata), Ullastres seamount, Costa Brava, Llafranch, Catalunya, Spain Swimming with Shark Pups 07.11.2017 Spotlight - A young shark wriggles its way into the world, and one lucky—and dedicated—photographer is there to capture the moment.
Poplar Hawkmoth {Laothoe populi} male, detail of head showing finely divided antennae. Derbyshire, UK. July. A Moth’s-Eye View 06.27.2017 Spotlight - Even the commonest of creatures can reveal stunning beauty (and impressive ingenuity) upon closer inspection.
A common frog species takes an unusual approach to winter—one that would kill most other vertebrates. Invisible Nature: Return of the Wood Frog 06.27.2017 Video - A common frog species takes an unusual approach to winter—one that would kill most other vertebrates.
Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) feeding in deep water to find algae, off the coast of Fernandina island on Galapagos. April 2016. Much of the algae on coast and at shallower depths have been killed by unusually warm El Nino weather. Survival of the Smallest 06.13.2017 Spotlight - When El Niño hits the Galápagos Islands, marine iguanas struggle to find enough food—then they undergo a remarkable transformation.
South African fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) bull breaking apart octopus. False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa. Catch of the Day 06.07.2017 Spotlight - Octopus is on the menu for this Cape fur seal—and the powerful predator has developed a surprisingly effective method for preparing its meal.
Wheatear, (Oenanthe oenanthe) perched on gritstone rock amongst flowering heather (Ericaceae sp), Peak District NP, August 2011. 2020. World Traveler 05.31.2017 Spotlight - This tiny songbird treks cross-hemisphere over deserts, oceans, and mountain ranges in one of the animal kingdom’s most impressive migrations.
fisher Forgotten but not Gone: The Pacific Fisher 05.23.2017 Video - Facing new threats—including toxins from illegal marijuana grows—the fate of this little-known mammal hangs in the balance.
Giant Titicaca Lake frog {Telmatobius culeus} Lake Titicaca. Bolivia / Peru Troubled Waters 05.16.2017 Spotlight - The world’s largest aquatic frog may soon vanish from its namesake home high in the Andes.
Greater Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea apoda) displaying on canopy lek display site, Badigaki Forest, Wokam Island in the Aru Islands, Indonesia. Winner, Special Award Portfolio, Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPOY) 2014 competition. Dawn Display 05.09.2017 Spotlight - An intrepid photographer climbs high into the rainforest canopy to capture one of the world's most dazzling courtship rituals.
Long-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus capensis) feeding on sardine run, East London, South Africa, June. Greatest Shoal on Earth 05.02.2017 Spotlight - One of the planet’s most massive migrations, the KwaZulu-Natal sardine run triggers a dazzling feeding frenzy off the coast of South Africa.
chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus) The Great Divide 04.25.2017 Spotlight - A fateful crossing of the Congo River by ancestral apes led to the rise of the modern bonobo.
Julia heleconia (Dryas iulia) butterfly on head of Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare). Butterflies often land on caiman's head to drink the salt from its eyes.Pantanal, Brazil. Tear Hunter 04.11.2017 Spotlight - In one of nature’s more surprising interactions, a butterfly hunts crocodilian tears in search of life-sustaining salts.
Members of Pilot’s family stand at the gate of his new boma. Lion Guardians 04.11.2017 Photo Essay - With human-wildlife conflicts on the rise across East Africa, Kenya’s iconic predators find some unlikely allies.
Common frog (Rana temporaria) sitting on snow in the breeding season in the Alps, France, June.. The Ice Frog Cometh 04.04.2017 Spotlight - Living at the extreme edge of its range, an alpine frog begins its breeding season with a march across a rather forbidding landscape.
Chilean flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis) in flight over mountain peaks with glacier in the distance, Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile. Winner of Landscape category, Nature's Best / Windland Smith Rice Awards competition 2010 High Fliers 03.28.2017 Spotlight - Lancing their granite backdrop with a streak of pink, Chilean flamingos soar over Torres del Paine National Park.
From national parks and forests to tribal lands, an estimated $31 billion worth of marijuana is grown annually by international drug trafficking organizations in California. Similar operations are known to occur in at least a dozen other states. Backcountry Drug War 03.28.2017 Article - In the Golden State, dangerous drug cartels are growing pot on public lands—putting wildlife, water supplies, and outdoor enthusiasts at grave risk.
Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) swimming in s motion, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean. Graceful Giant 03.21.2017 Spotlight - Their record-setting heft doesn't stop blue whales from being surprisingly sinuous swimmers.
Venomous Weaponry 03.21.2017 Photo Essay - Nature’s arsenal contains thousands of venomous creatures and a diverse array of armaments that are as brilliant, varied, and surprising as the creatures that wield them.
Japanese cranes (Grus japonensis) displaying in snow, Hokkiado, Japan, February Dancing for Their Lives 02.21.2017 Spotlight - To cultivate long-lasting pair bonds, red-crowned cranes perform an intricate—and stunningly graceful—pas de deux.
squid Invisible Nature: The Glowing Squid 02.21.2017 Video - Instead of hiding in the dark, the Hawaiian bobtail squid cruises through moonlit waters—and hides its own shadow.
butterfly Lens of Time: Building a Butterfly Wing 02.15.2017 Video - Scientists open a window—literally—into a process that normally remains hidden deep inside a butterfly’s chrysalis.
Darwin's Fox (Pseudalopex fulvipes) portrait, in temperate rainforest, Chiloe Island, Chile, November, Critically Endangered Darwin’s Fox 02.07.2017 Spotlight - His finches may be more famous, but this small fox also helped Darwin develop his revolutionary theory of evolution.
Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) low angle shot of group taken with remote camera. Liuwa Plain National Park, Zambia. May Savanna Socialites 01.31.2017 Spotlight - In spotted hyena society, it's not the strength of the bite, but a strong network of allies that matters most.
Portrait of a Nudibranch (Flabellina pellucida) on a kelp frond with star trails. Gulen, Norway. North East Atlantic Ocean. Star Attraction 01.24.2017 Spotlight - Even a night sky of pirouetting stars can’t upstage the otherworldly beauty of a red-gilled nudibranch.
Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) portrait. Red Sea, Egypt. October. For the Love of Fish Lips 01.18.2017 Spotlight - In a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction tale, a fish’s lips have become both its most prized asset and its greatest liability.
Long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis) breaching in front of large ship during sardine run, East London, South Africa, June. Ahead of the Curve 01.10.2017 Spotlight - A dolphin frolics unperturbed in the bow wave of one of the open ocean’s clumsier and less-efficient seafarers.
lizard The Anomalies: The Dewlap 01.03.2017 Video - An apparent inconsistency leads scientists to a new discovery about the role the environment plays in animal communication.
Demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo) winter migratory bird, fisheye perspective of feeding cranes. Khichan, Western Rajasthan, India. February 2015 Bird’s-eye View 12.27.2016 Spotlight - What began as the seasonal arrival of just a few dozen cranes has become one of India’s most renowned wildlife spectacles.
caterpillar Invisible Nature: Invasion of the Caterpillars 12.27.2016 Video - Gypsy moths have been gaining ground in North American forests for 150 years. Can a caterpillar-melting virus keep them in check?
velvet worm Lens of Time: Velvet Worms—Secret of the Slime 12.13.2016 Video - Physics and biology meet to create one of the world's strangest weapons: the slime cannon.
During mating season, flying squirrels engage in dizzying aerial acrobatics far exceeding the routine glides typically observed in the laboratory settings. Moonlight Gliders 12.13.2016 Photo Essay - Wintertime in a remote Montana forest heralds the arrival of mating season for the flying squirrel—and one of nature's most spectacular air shows.
Stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) males fighting on oak tree branch, Elbe, Germany, June. Up in Arms 12.06.2016 Spotlight - A pair of male stag beetles bring their oversized mandibles to bear in the age-old fight to find a mate.
Bronze whaler shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus), caught in traditional seine net and released by fisherman, Muizenberg beach, Cape Town, South Africa, January 2014 The Return of Jaws 11.29.2016 Spotlight - A brave fisherman drags a mighty fish-out-of-water back to the relative safety of the sea.
Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) with Snow goose egg in mouth, mid moult from winter to summer fur, Wrangel Island, Far Eastern Russia, June. High Stakes Fox Trot 11.15.2016 Spotlight - While scouring the frozen tundra, an arctic fox scores a goose egg—and secures a critical meal for its pups.
bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Blood, White, and Blue 11.08.2016 Spotlight - Weary, bloodstained, and ultimately victorious, one bird symbolizes the plight, fight, and recovery of our nation’s most iconic species.
a young green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) Sink or Swim 10.18.2016 Spotlight - When its partially eaten prey starts to lose buoyancy, a young green sea turtle struggles to hold on to its lunch.
Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens perched in a tree backed against a white sky, Cloud Rainforest, Coast Rica. Head in the Clouds 10.11.2016 Spotlight - By feasting on tropical fruits—and later dispersing the seeds—this canopy-dwelling bird helps to ensure the survival of its cloud forest home.
This desert cricket (Acanthoplus discoidalis), armored with spines, walks among a very spiny herb in the Namib Desert. Having spines in such environment means being less attractive to predators and, for the plants, it helps a lot on retaining water. Sossusvlei, Namibia. Nikon D800, 15mm fisheye, F/16, 1/100, ISO 100, fill-flash used Spikes and Malice 10.04.2016 Spotlight - For the armored bush cricket, survival in the Namib Desert requires a diverse and surprising arsenal of defenses.
lesser long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) Agave Whisperers 09.27.2016 Spotlight - As they follow—and mentally map—flowering agaves from Arizona to Mexico, lesser long-nosed bats pollinate the plants that bring the world tequila.
The rusty-patched bumblebee (seen here alongside this butterfly) is the first wild bee to be added to the endangered species list. Its presence on farms in Little Valley, Virginia has halted construction of the pipeline in the region. Photograph by Steven David Johnson Forgotten But Not Gone: The Rusty Patched Bumble Bee 09.27.2016 Video - Despite rapid population declines, this native bee has never received formal protection. Can a listing save it from extinction?
southern marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops) Digging Down Under 09.20.2016 Spotlight - For this marsupial mole, surfacing to snack on a centipede is a rare respite from tunneling through the dark, sandy underground.
spider Lens of Time: Spider Seduction 09.13.2016 Video - For these jumping spiders, stayin' alive requires all the right dance moves—and the perfect soundtrack, too.
Eurasian sparrowhawks (Accipter nisus) Predator in Training 09.06.2016 Spotlight - Feathered foes practice one of nature’s most routine but perilous interactions.
Adult Division - Big Picture Caption: Imperator Shrimp Red Sea Tra Le Branchie Nikon D300 Category: Insects, Reptiles, Marine Mammals, Fish and Amphibians Photographer: filippo borghi Taken on: 7/7/2010 Email: filippoborghi5@gmail.com Address: via s.eugenia,56, siena, italy, 53100, Italy Telephone: +393351997133 The Emperor’s Throne 08.30.2016 Spotlight - Perched atop the elegant back of a Spanish dancer nudibranch, this tiny shrimp enjoys one of the safest seats in the sea.
snow leopard (Panthera uncia) Hiding in Plain Sight 08.23.2016 Spotlight - In one of the world’s harshest environments, and pressured by human encroachment, blending in is the snow leopard’s best option.
Borneo Orangutan - Pongo pygmaeus - female with baby on a tree looking up - holding leaves over their heads "roof" to protect themselves from rain - Camp Leakey - Tanjung Puting National Park - Kalimantan - Borneo - Indonesia A Life Aloft 08.09.2016 Spotlight - Orangutans weather the storm against an onslaught of threats to their canopy home.
bats Lens of Time: Bat Ballet 08.02.2016 Video - Hundreds of thousands of bats emerge from a hole in the ground, and scientists with high-speed video cameras are there to make sense of the overwhelming spectacle.
lemon shark pup (Negaprion brevirostris) Shark Haven 08.02.2016 Spotlight - A lemon shark cruises through the submerged branches of a mangrove forest, oblivious to the many threats this critical habitat faces.
San Diego, CA. November 19, 2015. A sunfish (Mola mola) watches as a California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) breaks its tough skin. Due to the current El Nino regime, much of the sea lion’s usual prey is up north in cooler waters. Forcing them to eat whatever is available. Holey Mola 07.26.2016 Spotlight - A sea lion’s desperate foray into unusual prey reflects recent dramatic shifts in the marine ecosystem off California’s coast.
Wild boar (Sus scrofa) at night with the milky way in the background, Gyulaj, Tolna, Hungary. August. Taken using long exposure with flash at night. Winner of the Mammals Category of the GDT Awards 2015. Overall winner of the MontPhoto Competition 2015. Foraging by Starlight 07.12.2016 Spotlight - It's no accident that the opportunistic wild boar has become one of the most widely distributed mammals on the planet.
microbe Invisible Nature: Life in the Clouds 07.05.2016 Video - Scientists are looking skyward to explore one of biology’s last frontiers, and discovering a rich diversity of microbial life high above our heads.
Black Rhino, Etosha National Park, Namibia - 2015 Arid Apparition 07.05.2016 Spotlight - Once driven to near extinction by trophy hunting, the black rhino’s slow recovery is now encountering a new threat.
European Elk / Moose bull shedding his velvet, Alces alces, Sarek National Park, Laponia World Heritage area, Norrbotten, Lapland, Sweden Red Velvet 06.28.2016 Spotlight - While shedding velvet is a common annual occurrence among bull moose, photographers aren't often on hand to document the graphic details.
Otter (lutra lutra) is eating a wintering common frog it just caught from a river in Southern Estonia. Frog Leg Feast 06.21.2016 Spotlight - With native fish populations in decline, resourceful European otters have turned their attention to frogs and toads, a food source that presents its own challenges.
coral Lens of Time: Corals in Motion 06.18.2016 Video - Corals occupy their own time dimension, but if given enough time, they reveal a surprising array of behaviors that give them an edge deep below the ocean's surface.

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