https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/wildlife/RSS feed for WildlifeenThu, 24 Jul 2025 19:44:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-feared-the-worlds-smallest-snake-had-gone-extinct-they-just-found-it-again-180987044/When fully grown, the Barbados threadsnake is only three to four inches long—shorter than many earthwormsThu, 24 Jul 2025 19:44:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/octopuses-fall-for-the-rubber-hand-illusion-just-like-humans-pointing-to-a-sense-of-body-ownership-180987024/The trick that plays with awareness of one’s own limb appeared to fool all six of the cephalopods tested in a series of experimentsWed, 23 Jul 2025 15:35:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/meet-ten-tyrannosaurs-that-came-before-t-rex-from-small-feathery-creatures-to-30-foot-long-bone-crushers-180986968/Everyone knows the famous tyrant lizard king, but its relatives amaze, tooTue, 22 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/robo-bunnies-are-the-newest-weapon-in-the-fight-against-invasive-burmese-pythons-in-florida-180987018/Scientists are experimenting with robotic rabbits in hopes of luring the destructive snakes out of hiding so they can be euthanizedMon, 21 Jul 2025 18:55:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/see-15-images-of-sensational-slithering-snakes-180986993/These reptiles often get a bad rap, but there are plenty of reasons to celebrate snakesFri, 18 Jul 2025 16:33:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cut-marks-on-animal-bones-suggest-neanderthal-groups-had-their-own-unique-culinary-traditions-180987002/Neanderthals in two nearby caves used different techniques when butchering animal carcasses in what is now Israel, according to a new paperThu, 17 Jul 2025 20:06:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/video-reveals-an-unlikely-bond-between-ocelots-and-opossums-in-the-amazon-walking-together-like-old-friends-180986994/Researchers captured the footage by surprise, with cameras initially set up to record bird behaviorWed, 16 Jul 2025 19:50:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-california-gull-hitched-a-ride-on-a-garbage-truck-and-took-an-80-mile-journey-to-a-compost-facility-then-it-happened-again-180986979/GPS tracking data showed the bird zooming across bridges and interstates at 60 miles per hour on two occasions in 2018Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:31:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/giant-sloths-and-many-other-massive-creatures-were-once-common-on-our-planet-with-environmental-changes-such-giants-could-thrive-again-180986941/If large creatures like elephants, giraffes and bison are allowed to thrive, they could alter habitats that allow for the rise of other giantsFri, 11 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nothing-short-of-magical-scientists-discover-a-dinosaur-bone-nearly-800-feet-beneath-a-parking-lot-at-a-denver-museum-180986967/The partial vertebra appeared inside a 2.5-inch-diameter column of rock that researchers drilled, earning the title of the oldest and deepest dinosaur fossil found in DenverThu, 10 Jul 2025 19:44:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-from-the-international-aerial-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180986952/Breathtaking views of glaciers, volcanoes and animals were celebrated in the competition’s inaugural yearThu, 10 Jul 2025 15:28:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-an-ancestral-peruvian-ceremony-is-saving-the-once-endangered-vicuna-180986933/Each year in the first weeks of June, Indigenous communities in the Andes form a human chain to corral the camelids and shear their valuable woolTue, 08 Jul 2025 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bear-sized-giant-beaver-once-roamed-north-america-and-theyre-now-the-official-state-fossil-of-minnesota-180986937/The large, extinct creatures roamed the Twin Cities area more than 10,000 years ago and could grow to more than 200 poundsMon, 07 Jul 2025 19:51:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/southern-hemisphere-gull-seen-in-wisconsin-for-the-first-time-drawing-tourists-for-a-rare-glimpse-of-the-out-of-place-bird-180986918/The vagrant kelp gull mated with a local herring gull, though the chick did not survive. Experts say it's a "complete mystery" how the bird came to nest so far north in the first placeWed, 02 Jul 2025 15:40:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/orcas-appear-to-be-sharing-their-prey-with-humans-but-what-does-it-mean-180986913/Researchers documented 34 instances of purported prey-sharing behavior, which suggests orcas may be altruistic and capable of recognizing sentience in another speciesTue, 01 Jul 2025 20:21:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/celebrate-the-50th-anniversary-of-jaws-with-15-shark-snapshots-180986869/The classic thriller might discourage you from getting in the water, so check out these sensational shark images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest insteadFri, 27 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ten-stunning-nature-photos-from-the-big-picture-2025-180986835/From the beautiful to the bizarre, this annual photographic showcase shines a light on some of our planet’s most breathtaking species and placesFri, 27 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-shared-fate-180986805/In Vermont, researchers have investigated the types of creepy, crawly bugs that their avian predators consume and may have found the answers to keeping them both aliveFri, 27 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/after-crocs-and-lemurs-went-extinct-on-the-mainland-many-survived-on-islands-for-millions-of-years-180986875/Isolation allows creatures to thrive as their relatives perish due to the threats present on much larger landmassesWed, 25 Jun 2025 14:24:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australian-moths-are-the-first-known-insects-to-navigate-by-the-stars-revealing-a-migratory-superpower-180986857/Bogong moths use both Earth's magnetic field and the starry night sky to make twice-yearly migrations spanning hundreds of miles, according to new researchMon, 23 Jun 2025 19:05:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/majestic-monkey-become-beloved-neighbor-millions-vietnam-180986808/For the critically endangered red-shanked douc, proximity to an urban center has had surprising benefitsMon, 23 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/explore-the-history-of-the-planet-with-david-attenborough-at-this-new-immersive-experience-in-london-180986836/"Our Story With David Attenborough" at the Natural History Museum is a 50-minute program that explores humankind's role in the planet's ongoing storyFri, 20 Jun 2025 20:52:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scavenger-animals-are-in-trouble-and-that-could-spell-bad-news-for-human-health-180986845/More than one-third of species that eat some amount of carrion are threatened or declining, a new analysis finds, and that could lead to a rise in zoonotic diseasesWed, 18 Jun 2025 19:57:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/these-sandhill-cranes-have-adopted-a-canadian-gosling-and-birders-have-flocked-to-watch-the-strange-family-180986828/Ornithologists and locals wonder what the future holds for this chick being raised by much taller, but still doting parentsWed, 18 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-most-trafficked-mammal-might-soon-be-protected-on-the-us-endangered-species-act-180986832/The Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing seven species of pangolin, often poached for their scales and meat, as endangeredTue, 17 Jun 2025 20:34:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/14000-year-old-puppies-found-in-siberia-were-young-wolf-littermates-who-dined-on-wooly-rhino-180986834/Researchers studied chemicals found in the animals’ bones, teeth and tissues, as well as genetic material from their stomach contentsTue, 17 Jun 2025 18:31:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-has-this-north-carolina-town-embraced-a-strange-salamander-180986824/The city of Boone has put a giant mural of the eastern hellbender downtown and its residents often imbibe a local Hazy IPA named after the amphibianMon, 16 Jun 2025 19:43:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-are-using-drones-to-unleash-thousands-of-mosquitoes-in-hawaii-in-a-bid-to-save-native-birds-heres-how-it-works-180986821/The lab-raised, non-biting male mosquitoes are meant to breed with the invasive ones on the islands and produce sterile eggs that will help suppress avian malariaMon, 16 Jun 2025 19:24:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-mountain-lion-kittens-spotted-on-trail-cameras-suggest-the-big-cats-may-be-reestablishing-a-population-in-oklahoma-180986789/Two separate adult mountain lions were recorded with cubs in different parts of the state last year, offering the first evidence confirmed by state biologists that the cats could be breeding thereThu, 12 Jun 2025 18:17:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/axolotls-may-hold-the-key-to-regrowing-limbs-and-scientists-are-unraveling-their-secrets-to-help-humans-do-the-same-180986781/With the help of gene-edited axolotls, researchers have gotten one step closer to enabling human limb regenerationThu, 12 Jun 2025 16:55:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/engineers-are-racing-to-harness-dazzling-magic-feathers-they-havent-solved-mystery-yet-180986759/The natural marvels, which do everything from enabling acrobatic flight to insulating against Antarctic cold, continue to inspire new designs and technologiesTue, 10 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-large-invasive-lizard-was-spotted-in-a-california-park-180986763/Hikers at Joseph D. Grant County Park, just outside of San Jose, saw an Argentine black and white tegu last week—and rangers are now searching for the out-of-place reptileMon, 09 Jun 2025 20:14:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-15-best-small-towns-to-visit-in-2025-180986681/From a barbecue capital in Texas to the site of the first offensive victory for American forces in the Revolutionary War in New York, these spots are worthy of a visit this yearMon, 09 Jun 2025 19:05:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dehorning-rhinos-curbs-poaching-new-study-finds-180986760/Researchers in South Africa find that cutting the animals' horns reduces poaching by almost 80 percentMon, 09 Jun 2025 18:28:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/seahorse-smuggling-is-a-big-problem-despite-global-efforts-to-protect-these-beloved-aquatic-creatures-180986757/Between 2010 and 2021, authorities seized around five million individual sea horses worth more than $21 millionFri, 06 Jun 2025 17:47:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tiny-endangered-creature-that-moves-like-greased-lightning-has-been-found-in-an-unexpected-place-180986749/Trail cameras captured an elusive Leadbeater's possum in the Australian state of New South Wales, where they were thought to be locally extinctThu, 05 Jun 2025 19:59:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-australian-cockatoos-learned-to-operate-drinking-fountains-with-their-feet-to-quench-their-thirst-180986742/Birds in Sydney’s western suburbs have figured out how to get a sip from the fountains, even though they have access to nearby streamsWed, 04 Jun 2025 20:36:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/inside-the-formidable-effort-to-rehabilitate-bears-harmed-by-bile-farming-in-asia-180986688/Veterinarians in Vietnam perform surgeries, prepare special diets and craft recovery routines for moon bears to give them a better lifeWed, 04 Jun 2025 18:03:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/florida-bobcat-kills-13-foot-python-for-the-first-time-on-record-its-a-sign-of-nature-fighting-back-against-the-invasive-snakes-180986735/Burmese pythons are wreaking havoc on the Everglades ecosystem, but some native animals have been known to prey on the enormous reptilesTue, 03 Jun 2025 19:57:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-wildlife-tunnels-are-saving-thousands-of-amphibians-from-being-crushed-by-cars-in-vermont-180986727/New research finds a pair of underpasses installed under a road that crosses a migration corridor have led to an 80.2 percent reduction in amphibian deathsTue, 03 Jun 2025 15:24:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/explore-the-spectacular-landscapes-and-awesome-animals-of-western-canada-180986709/Enjoy some northern exposure with these 15 images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo ContestFri, 30 May 2025 14:40:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/once-in-dire-straits-atlantic-sturgeon-are-staging-a-comeback-on-the-east-coast-180986664/From Maine to Florida, the endangered, prehistoric fish is rebounding, but a recent study shows just how vulnerable the U.S. population remainsThu, 29 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-the-oldest-known-tools-made-from-whale-bones-crafted-in-western-europe-20000-years-ago-180986696/Stone Age humans scavenged the skeletons of several whale species along the Bay of Biscay in what is now southwestern France and northern Spain, according to a new studyWed, 28 May 2025 17:04:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/californias-hummingbirds-have-changed-their-beaks-in-response-to-backyard-feeders-study-finds-180986693/With plenty of artificial nectar available, Anna’s hummingbirds have expanded their range northward and their beaks have tended to become longer and largerTue, 27 May 2025 18:19:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/penguin-poop-helps-drive-cloud-formation-over-antarctica-according-to-a-new-study-180986686/The ammonia from Adélie penguin guano reacts with sulfur-containing gases in the atmosphere to aid in forming clouds, which scientists say may be significant to regulating the climateTue, 27 May 2025 17:02:13 +0000