Science & Nature

The bald eagle was chosen as the national bird due to its majestic beauty. It is a symbol of freedom. Once on the brink of extinction, the bald eagle has survived and continues to be protected.

People travel from around the world to watch birds in Arizona. The variety of habitats ensures an opportunity to see many different species, from tiny hummingbirds to California condors with...

Coral reefs are a widespread habitat strung along the world's tropical belt. Immensely diverse, they're home to the greatest densities of animal life in the world.

Thousands of animal species are endangered throughout the world. The sheer number of animals that are in trouble can seem overwhelming. Learn about endangered animal conservation and ways that you...

The United States has more than 95,000 miles of shoreline, including more than 15,000 square miles of coastal wetlands. The coastal plains offer value that goes far beyond their beauty and...

The genus Equisetum includes a suite of plants commonly called "horsetails" or "scouring rushes." These widely-distributed organisms are the only surviving representatives of the once-mighty class...

Alligator lizards are found in the Pacific and Rocky Mountain regions of North America. They are abundant in areas of California, Oregon, Washington and the Rocky Mountain states. If you live in...

In 2009, there are only about 2,000 giant pandas left in their natural habitat, according to the Defenders of Wildlife. There are about 200 in various zoos and research centers, making this member...

Western pond turtles (also referred to as Pacific pond turtles) are found on the West Coast of North America, from Washington state in the United States to Northern Mexico. Locally these turtles...

So you're stuck in the wilderness with nothing but the clothes on your back, a growing hunger and, evidently, internet access. Or, alternatively, in this recession you've lost your job, you've...

Map turtles have a set of markings on their carapace, or top shell, that look much like the various routes outlined on a typical road map. A subspecies called the Mississippi map turtle has other...

One of the biggest threats to ecosystem diversity is the increasing introduction and spread of invasive species. After habitat lost, invasive species are the biggest threat posed to biodiversity...

Different factors lead to an animal species being considered as endangered. Human interaction with a species or with the animal's habitat often proves harmful and causes an animal's population to...

Seals are large, carnivorous marine mammals. These swift, strong swimmers are the only mammal to have evolved flippers on all four limbs. Seals are divided into three distinct families: true...

Extremely rare and poisonous, the Aruba Island rattlesnake (Crotalus unicolor) has seen its habitat diminish to 12 square miles on the island's southern tip. The International Union for the...

A variety of marine mammals has felt the effects of human interaction with them and with their habitat. Some have seen this impact become so severe that they are endangered species, in imminent...

Many animals are on endangered species lists in North America due to a variety of reasons. The term endangered means that the species of animal is in danger of becoming extinct throughout all of...

Antarctic fur seals rely on their blubber and fur to survive in their harsh environment. This fur was prized by hunters; the seals were hunted to near extinction in the 18th and 19th century. ...

Habitat destruction is defined as any process that results in a natural habitat being uninhabitable by the present species population. Human activities are the most common causes of habitat...

The giant panda is on the logo for the World Wildlife Fund, an indication of just how endangered the panda is. Their website indicates that only about 2,500 pandas exist on earth, while the San...

Giraffes are the tallest land animals. A giraffe can easily eat from tall tree branches using its long neck and tongue. Giraffes also have a spotted pattern that allows them to blend into the...

Many wildlife species sustain severe injuries each year either from other animals or humans. Their mothers leave orphaned hundreds of baby raccoons, squirrels, deer and other animals because of...

Did you ever sat down to a crab claw dinner and wondered where those succulent meaty tidbits came from? Most crab claws in restaurants come from the blue crab, but the stone crab is becoming...

The manatee, also called a sea cow, is a 3,000 lb. aquatic mammal whose closest living relative is the elephant. Its habitat requirements are, in part, what makes them unique and what contributes...

Boa constrictors are large snakes that live from Mexico south through Argentina in South America. They ambush their prey and then suffocate it by wrapping their coils around it and squeezing so...

The blue-bellied parrot (Triclaria malachitacea), a native of Brazil's coastal forests, has experienced a significant decline in population in recent decades. The International Union for...

There are many animals across the European continent with declining numbers in population. Many of those have already been listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as vulnerable,...

The box turtle acquired its name from its ability to "box itself in" when danger presents itself. The box turtle possesses a bottom shell, known as the plastron, which has a sort of hinge in the...

While many countries and continents are home to a variety of threatened and endangered species, Africa is home to many of the most known. A few of those animals (like the African Elephant) reside...

The bobcat is the most common wildcat in the United States and has the greatest habitat range of any cat native to North America. Fierce, adaptable hunters, bobcats are experts at surviving with...

The map turtle is a species of turtle that gets its name from the connected yellow lines on the backside of its upper shell and body that remind people of a road map. The map turtle is a shy...

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service defines an endangered species as an animal that is at extreme risk of extinction throughout a part of its original range or throughout its entire range....

Humankind has made many changes to the environment without first investigating and weighing the potentially negative effects. Ocean life is no exception to this alarming trend. Sockeye salmon,...

The Oscar Cichlid is part of the Astronotus Ocellatus species. It is a fish known by a number of different titles including oscar, velvet cichlid, tiger, and marble cichlid. The Oscar Cichlid...

The mission blue butterfly, Icaricia icarioides missionensis, was first described in 1937. It is a subspecies of Boisduval's blue, and is native to the San Francisco Bay area with most existing...

With the 2008 film "Kung Fu Panda," moviegoers of all ages have been introduced to China's giant panda, which is presently an endangered animal. Giant pandas spend more than 10 hours a day eating...

The Northeast is a beautiful location to begin or pursue the hobby of bird identification. The climate and flora varies from state to state enough to provide for the viewing of numerous species of...

Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973 to protect animals that were in danger of becoming extinct. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has the task and responsibility of maintaining the...

Across the planet, as habitats are lost and populations are decimated, there are thousands of plants and animals that stand on the brink of extinction and are considered endangered. Many of these...

Songbirds, in addition to their melodies, give humans other gifts. Their beauty decorates our landscapes, from prairies and forests to deserts and swamps. Populations of resident birds, such as...

Butterflyfish grace many saltwater tanks in homes and public city aquariums alike. Learning about these fish and exploring their habitat might give you an even deeper appreciation for their...

Environmentalists consider several species of animals in Canada endangered. These range from a tiny rat to the largest mammal in North America, a type of bison.

No turtle in the United States exceeds the alligator snapping turtle in size. The shells of some of these turtles are over 30 inches long. Some specimens have tipped the scales at well over 200...

The marbled murrelet is a water bird listed as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act. It breeds in coastal coniferous forests and usually nests in trees older than 200 years. The...

Chimpanzees are primates from the family of great apes, which includes gorillas and orangutans. The closest living relative of humans, chimps are highly intelligent and very easily trained.

The skua is a type of bird that resembles the members of the gull family. Skuas are an endangered species, numbering in only the thousands, but their numbers have so far been fairly protected...

Riparian woodlands refer to the wooded areas near streams, ponds and creeks. Found all over the world, these woodlands and its vegetation are home to a variety of animals that use the water and...

A butterfly's colorful wings and graceful fluttering are a joy to watch, and one of the best parts of spring and summer. Unfortunately, urban development has taken up many of their natural...

When most people think about a treefrog, they think about a little green frog that can climb trees. The American green treefrog is only one of many species of treefrogs spread throughout the...

Sugar gliders are becoming popular exotic pets. Despite being small, these arboreal marsupials require a lot of time and effort from their owners. When kept under the proper conditions, a sugar...