Dedicated Scientists and Birdwatchers Tracked Down These Five ‘Lost’ Birds
A worldwide search party is using 21st-century tools to uncover long-unseen species, one of which hadn’t been found since the 19th century
The Hero Who Convinced His Fellow Ornithologists of the Obvious: Stop Shooting Rare Birds and Watch Them Instead
Too late to save the ivory-billed woodpecker, Arthur Allen changed science forever with his seemingly simple idea
The Andes’ Translucent Glass Frogs Need to Be Seen to Be Saved
The amphibians are at the mercy of mining operations that are destroying their ecosystems, but local communities throughout South America are fighting back
The Most Infamous Komodo Dragon Encounters of the Century, From a Fatal Attack on an 8-Year-Old Boy to a Zookeeper Bitten by a Battling Animal
As tourism to see the endangered species is on the rise and their habitat decreases, on some very rare occasions, the animals bite
How Frogs Are Kicking Back Against a Lethal Fungus
Scientists are seeing signs of resistance to the infections that have been wiping out the world’s amphibian populations—and they’re developing methods to fight the pathogen
How to Make a Mammal in Nine Evolutionary Steps
From the formation of inner ear bones to the rise of hair to cover our bodies, these developments made us distinct from other animals
This Parasitic Fungus Turns Flies Into Zombie Insects
The pathogen takes over the brains of its hosts and controls them for its own sinister ends
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Celebrate the Beloved Yet Threatened Polar Bear With These 15 Photos
These amazing images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show the Arctic animals at their fierce but adorable best
Hurricane Helene Battered the ‘Salamander Capital of the World’ With Floods and Landslides. Will the Beloved Amphibians Survive the Aftermath?
The storm decimated a region rich with dozens of species already struggling with habitat loss and disease
From Prolonging Wallaby Pregnancies to Disorienting Hatchling Turtles, 11 Ways Artificial Lights Affect Animals
From the busy cities to ocean waters, our need to illuminate the world has had some strange and tragic consequences
Even as A.I. Technology Races Ahead, the Prehistoric Science of Wildlife Tracking Is Making a Comeback
Humans perfected how to identify wild animals over millennia, and now biologists are rediscovering the exceptional worth of the tracks and marks left behind
How Scientists’ Tender Loving Care Could Save This Endangered Penguin Species
From fish smoothies to oral antibiotics, researchers are taking matters into their own hands in a radical effort to save New Zealand’s yellow-eyed penguins
Could Anyone Bring an Extinct Animal Back to Life? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
Can Lynx Be Saved in the Balkans?
A small team of local scientists are fighting rapid industrialization, misinformation and more to save Europe’s iconic cat
From Silk Moths to Fruit Flies, These Five Insects Have Changed the World
It’s easy to write bugs off as pests, but consider the ways in which they have positively impacted our lives
See 11 of the Best Wildlife Photographs From Years Past
A new book reveals striking images from six decades of the beloved Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition
Uncovering the Secrets Behind Hummingbirds’ Extreme Lifestyle
Here’s how the aerial acrobats are able to survive on a nearly all-sugar diet, fly higher than many helicopters can and migrate over the open ocean
The Chonky Superstar of Fat Bear Week Is Missing, and the Competition Won’t Be the Same Without Him
While other bears battled over fish in a prime spot, Otis would sit off to the side and wait for the fish to come to him. But so far this year, he hasn’t been spotted in Katmai National Park and Preserve
How Did Two Bowhead Whales That Were 60 Miles Apart Sync Their Diving?
Researchers suspect the marine mammals may have been communicating across the vast distance
Is Wildfire Smoke Causing Birds to Tend to Empty Nests?
New studies suggest smoke from western megafires may be damaging bird health and leading to strange behavior
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