Facts About Owls

Learn interesting facts about owls and find out what makes owls unique including their distinct calls, nocturnal habits and silent flight.

Animal Profiles - A to Z List

The following is an A to Z list of animal profiles available, sorted alphabetically by common name.

Mammal Characteristics

Mammals' characteristics include numerous adaptations that enable them to survive in a wide range of environments. Here we'll explore facts and information about mammals so we can easily identify they key characteristics of a mammal.

Polar Bear Standing on Ice

Polar bears feed primarily on seals. They have two basic hunting tactics, stalking (which involves slowly moving towards their prey and when close enough, charging in for the attack) and still hunting (which involves sitting beside a hole in the ice that a seal uses as a breathing hole; when the seal emerges to breath, the polar bear attacks).

The 10 Largest Mammals

The mammals listed here are the biggest and the bulkiest of their kind that inhabit our planet today. They include a surprisingly diverse cast of creatures—the cumbersome southern elephant seal, the majestic blue whale, the bounding European hare, the blunt-nosed capybara, the massive African elephant, and the wide-jawed hippopotamus to name a select few

Facts About Fishes

Fish are a highly diverse group of vertebrates. They include the cartilaginous fishes (sharks, skates, rays, chimera), the ray-finned fishes (paddlefishes, spoonfishes, pipefishes, seahorses, sturgeons, to name just a few), and the lobe-finned fishes (coelacanths and lungfishes).

Cnidarian Characteristics

Cnidarians are diverse and come in many shapes and sizes but there are some basic features of their anatomy that most share in common.

Great Barrier Reef Animals

Animals of the Great Barrier Reef

Structure of a Snail Shell

A snail's shell is secreted by glands in its mantle rim and consists of three layers.

Facts About Birds

Learn interesting facts about birds, a group of animals that includes albatrosses, cranes, flamingos, grebes, kingfishers, loons, owls, pelicans, penguins, songbirds, woodpeckers and many others.

Animal Characteristics

Here we'll explore facts and information about animals so we can easily identify they key characteristics of an animal.

The Basic Animal Groups

An understanding of the main groups of animals provides a good foundation for further learning. In this article, we'll take a look at six groups of animals, their characteristics and the types of organisms that belong to each group.

Facts About Zebras

Zebras, with their familiar horse-like physique and their distinct black and white striping pattern, are among the most recognizable of all mammals. We learn at an early age to distinguish zebras from other animals (when learning the alphabet, youngsters are often shown a picture of a zebra and are taught 'Z is for Zebra').

How to Protect Wildlife

It is often easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of species loss and habitat destruction. The problem is large and complex—it's common for individuals to feel powerless. Yet, everything we do is vitally important. We may only do a little bit in the grand scheme of things, but together our seemingly small actions add up to a lot.

Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes

All living organisms can be sorted into one of two groups depending on the fundamental structure of their cells. These two groups are the prokaryotes and the eukaryotes.

Facts About Amphibians

In this article, you'll learn interesting facts about amphibians and find out about their unique characteristics, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

Facts About Jellyfish

In this article, you'll learn interesting facts about jellyfish and find out about their unique characteristics, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

10 Conservation Groups

A personal inventory of the first ten organizations that come to mind when I donate my money to protect wildlife. There are many superb organizations, I'm certain this list could easily be lengthened. Still, if you're new to conservation or are looking for a well-established, reputable organization to join, this is a good starting point.

Facts About Mammals

Learn interesting facts about mammals and find out about the characteristics make them different from other animal groups, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

Facts About Giraffes

Giraffes are well-known for tall profile, their long neck, and distinct patchwork pattern and are therefore among the most recognizable creatures in the animal kingdom. Their large eyes, long tongue, sizeable ears, and tufted tail further contribute to their unique appearance. Despite giraffes being easily recognizable, there are many lesser-known facts about giraffes that make them worth a closer look.

What Is a Rain Shadow?

A rain shadow is an area of dry land that lies on the leeward (or downwind) side of a mountain. Winds carry air masses up and over the mountain range and as the air is driven upward over the mountain, falling temperatures cause the air to lose much of its moisture as precipitation.

Facts About Dolphins

Learn interesting facts about dolphins and find out about the characteristics make them different from other animal groups, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

Bird Characteristics

Bird characteristics include numerous adaptations for flight such as feathers, a furcula and hollow bones. In this article, we'll learn about the characteristics of birds and what makes them different from other types of animals.

Facts About Reptiles

Here are ten facts about reptiles, a group of animals that includes snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles and amphisbaenians.

What Is a Niche?

The term niche is used to describe the role an organism or population plays within its community or ecosystem. It encompasses all relationships that the organism (or population) has with its environment and with other organisms and populations in its environment.

Chordates - Phylum Chordata

The unifying characteristic of chordates (Phylum Chordata) is the presense of a notochord (an internal skeletal rod that provides support) during some stage of the animal's development.

Mammals

Learn interesting facts about mammals and find out about the characteristics make them different from other animal groups, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

Arthropods

Arthropods includes insects, spiders, crustaceans, scorpions, and centipedes. In this article, we'll explore basic facts about arthropods including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other animal groups.

Blue-Footed Booby

The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) is an adorable seabird with bright seafoam-blue webbed feet and a blue-gray face to match.

Snail Classification

Snails are invertebrates, they lack a backbone. They belong to a large and highly diverse group of invertebrates known as the Phylum Mollusca (also known more commonly as 'mollusks'). The Phylum Mollusca includes slugs, clams, oysters, mussels, squids, octopuses, and nautiluses, in addition to snails.

What Is a Keystone Species?

A keystone species is a species that plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community and whose impact on the community is greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance or total biomass.

What Is Sexual Dimorphism?

Sexual dimorphism is the difference in form between male and female members of the same species.

Jellyfish

Jellyfish (Scyphozoa) are delicate, soft-bodied animals. They are invertebrates--jellyfish have no bones, exoskeleton, or shell to protect or support them.

Facts About Arthropods

Arthropods are invertebrates that include insects, spiders, crustaceans, scorpions, and centipedes. Arthropods are a highly successful group of animals.

Facts About Invertebrates

Learn interesting facts about invertebrates and find out about the characteristics make them different from other animal groups, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

Mammal Profiles - A to Z List

The following is an A to Z list of mammal profiles available, sorted alphabetically.

Molluscs

Molluscs are a group of invertebrates that includes squid, octopuses, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, snails, slugs, limpets, sea hares, mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, as well as many less well-known animals. In this article, we'll explore basic facts about molluscs including how they are classified, what they eat and where they live.

Life Cycle of a Jellyfish

The most recognized image of a jellyfish is that of the adult jellyfish, with its bell-shaped body and long tentacles.

Facts About Molluscs

Molluscs are invertebrates that include animals such as squid, octopuses, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, snails, slugs, limpets, sea hares, mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, as well as many lesser known creatures.

Birds

Birds are vertebrates that have four limbs, wings, feathers, hollow bones and other adaptations for an arial lifestyle. In this article, we'll explore basic facts about birds including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other animal groups.

Facts About Frogs

Frogs are the most familiar group of amphibians. They have worldwide distribution with the exception of the polar regions, some oceanic islands, and the driest of deserts.

African Elephant

The African elephant is the largest living land mammal. The African elephant is one of only two species of elephants alive today, the other species is the smaller Asian elephant. Learn interesting facts about African savanna elephants and find out what makes them unique.

How Many Species

The estimated number of animals on our planet falls somewhere in the vast range of 3-30 million species (Erwin 1983, Wolosz 1988).

Vertebrates and Invertebrates

Among the most fundamental criteria by which animals are sorted is whether or not they possess a backbone. This distinction places an animal into one of two groups: the vertebrates or the invertebrates.

Reptiles

Reptiles are a group of animals that include turtles, snakes, lizards, worm lizards, crocodiles, alligators, caimans and gavials. In this article, we'll explore basic facts about reptiles including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other animal groups.

Ten Animals of the Amazon

The Amazon rainforest is a moist broadleaf forest that blankets 5,400,000 square kilometers of the Amazon River basin in South America. The shear vastness of this forest is difficult to comprehend. It stretches across the boundaries of nine nations—Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

Quiz - Basic Mammal Groups

Put your animal identification skills to the test in this quiz.

Habitat Destruction

Habitat destruction is the process by which natural habitat is damaged or destroyed to such an extent that it no longer is capable of supporting the species and ecological communities that naturally occur there.

The Basic Mammal Groups

The different types of mammals are classified into 21 groups including aardvarks, anteaters, bats, carnivores, cetaceans, elephants, marsupials, monotremes, primates, rodents, treeshrews and many others. In this article, we'll explore mammal classification in order to better understand the many different types of mammals.

Amphibians

Amphibians include salamanders, newts, caecilians, frogs, and toads. These animals' ancestors were the first to venture out from the water and adapt to life on land. Amphibian larvea are often aquatic and go through a complex metamorphosis process as they grow to adulthood. They have moist skin and do not have scales, feathers or hair.

Vertebrate Evolution

Vertebrates are a well-known group of animals that includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. The defining characteristic of vertebrates is their backbone, a trait that showed up in the fossil record about 500 million years ago during the Ordovician period.

Descent with Modification

Descent with modification refers to the passing on of traits from parent organisms to their offspring.

Facts About Bears

Bears are a group of carnivores known for their burly build, impressive agility and, in some species, their winter sleep habits. There are eight species of bears that inhabit a wide range of habitats throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.

What Do Reptiles Eat?

Most reptiles are carnivores that feed on small invertebrates, mammals and other reptiles. A few reptiles are herbivores that feed on plant material as varied as grasses, fruits, shrubs and marine plants such as algae and kelp.

Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef - Facts About the Great Barrier Reef

Cnidaria

Cnidarians (Phylum Cnidaria) are a group of aquatic animals that includes jellyfish, corals, sea anemones, and hydras.

Marine Fish

Well over one thousand species of marine fish inhabit the Great Barrier Reef.

Reproduction in Snails

Most terrestrial snails are hermaphroditic which means that each individual possesses both male and female reproductive organs.

Facts About Coral

If you've ever visited an aquarium or gone snorkeling when on holiday, you're probably familiar with a wide variety of corals. You may even know that corals play a fundamental role in defining the structure of marine reefs, the most complex and diverse ecosystems in our planet's oceans.

Sponges - Porifera

Sponges (Phylum Porifera) are a group of simple aquatic invertebrates that include glass sponges, demisponges, and calcareous sponges.

What is a Deciduous Forest?

The term deciduous forest is used to describe a type of forest in which the dominant species of trees and other woody vegetation that make up the forest are those species that shed their leaves during the cold months of the year and re-grows new leaves the next spring in time for the growing season.

Insects

Insects are a highly successful group of animals. The Insecta account for more species of animals than any other class of animals.

Arctic Wolf

The Arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos) is a subspecies of the Grey wolf (Canis lupus). Adult Arctic wolves are between 25 and 31 inches in height (measured at shoulder) and reach weights of up to 175 pounds. Females tend to be smaller and lighter than males. They measure between 3 and 5 feet from head to tail. Their thick coat is off-white.

Threats to Animals

Living things face a constant barrage of external stresses or threats that challenge their ability to survive and reproduce. If a species is unable to successfully cope with these threats through adaptation, they may face extinction.

Carnivores

Carnivores are animals belonging to the order Carnivora. The order Carnivora contains 7 families and about 250 species. This group of animals includes dogs and their relatives, bears, racoons, mustelids, civits, hyenas, aardwolf, and cats.

What Is a Wetland?

Wetlands are habitats that fall somewhere on the environmental spectrum between land and water.

The Basic Amphibian Groups

Amphibians include newts and salamanders, frogs and toads, and caecilians.

Facts About Octopuses

From clouds of ink to chromatophores, there's more to octopi than eight arms.

Facts About Great Horned Owls

Learn interesting facts about great horned owls and find out about the characteristics make them different from other animal groups, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

Top 10 Cutest Birds

Of all animals, birds are among the most varied in color, shape and size. In this gallery we'll catch a glimpse of a small handful of the many birds that can claim to be the cutest of their kind.

How Do Tides and Waves Work?

Waves give rhythm to the ocean. They transport energy over vast distances. Where they make landfall, waves help to sculpt a unique and dynamic mosaic of coastal habitats.

Organ Systems and What They Do

Animals' bodies are made up of various organ systems, groups of organs that work together to perform a function.

Amphibian and Reptile ID Tips

Through a series of steps, this identification key will help you to learn the basics of identifying the main families of reptiles and amphibians.

Turtles

Turtles are a unique group of reptiles that first appeared about 200 million years ago during the Late Triassic period. Since that time, turtles have changed little and it is quite possible that modern turtles closely resemble those that roamed the Earth during the time of the dinosaurs.

Cartilaginous Fishes

Sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras together make up a group of fishes known as the cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes). This group includes the largest and most formidable marine predators alive today.

The Life Cycle of a Frog

The life cycle of a frog consists of three stages: egg, larva, and adult. As the frog grows it moves through these stages in a process known as metamorphosis.

Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountain Range is an ancient band of mountains that stretches in a southwestern arc from the Canadian province of Newfoundland to central Alabama, the heart of southeastern United States.

Endangered Species

An animal or plant species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Ten Animals of North America

Ten Animals of North America

Snail Life Cycle / Development

Snails start life as an egg. Snails bury their eggs in a nest a few centimeters below the surface of the ground.

Tiger - Panthera tigris

Tigers are the largest and most powerful of all cats. They are also among the most recognizable of cats thanks to their distinct orange coat, black stripes and white markings. There are five living subspecies of tigers, all of which are classified as endangered. These five subspecies include Siberian tigers, Bengal tigers, Indochinese tigers, South China tigers and Sumatran tigers.

Amur Leopard

Amur Leopard - Panthera pardus orientalis

Florida Panther Pictures

Pictures of Florida panthers, an endangered subspecies of panther that scientists believe are healthier and fitter than they were fifteen years ago. They have higher genetic diversity, better immunity to disease, and fewer genetic abnormalities. They suffer fewer heart defects, enjoy higher fertility and are better able to climb trees.

Wild Side of Animal Senses

Radar, compasses, and infrared detectors are all man-made contraptions that enable humans to stretch beyond our natural senses.

Animals and Their Environment

A first step to understanding individual animals, and in turn populations of animals, is to understand the relationship they have with their environment.

Heterotroph

A heterotroph is an organism that is unable to obtain its carbon from carbon dioxide. Instead, heterotrophs obtain carbon from organic material such as other organisms, living or dead.

The Basic Bird Groups

Birds, best known for their ability to fly, are unmatched in their command of the skies. There are several different ways experts classify birds into subgroups. On this website, we recognize that there are 30 groups of birds:

Eastern Deciduous Forests

Deciduous forests once stretched from New England south to Florida and from the Atlantic Coast west to the Mississippi River.

Invertebrate

nvertebrates are animals that lack a backbone. Invertebrates account for more than 97% of all species alive today. They include animal groups such as sponges, cnidarians, flatworms, molluscs, arthropods, insects, segmented worms, and echinoderms as well as many other lesser-known groups of animals.

Leopard

The leopard (Panthera pardus) is a member of the cat family (Felidae). The leopard's coat has a background color of pale, cream-yellow on its underside that darkens slightly to an orange-brown on its back.

Elephants

Elephants belong a group of mammals that consists of only one family, the Family Elephantidea.

Animals - Metazoa

Animals (Kindom Animalia) are multicellular organisms that are capable of locomotion and rely on other organisms to obtain their nourishment.

Owls

Owls are medium to large birds with strong talons, a downward-curved bill, acute hearing and keen eyesight. In this article, we'll explore basic facts about owls including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other bird groups.

Black Rat Snake by Nicholas Segal

Black Rat Snake by Nicholas Segal

Snail Diet and Feeding Habits

Most terrestrial snails are herbivorous. They feed on plant material (such as leaves, stems, and soft bark), fruits, and algae. A few species of snails are scavengers, feeding on decaying animals. Some marine snails (which, keep in mind, aren't in the same group as terrestrial snails) feed on clams, fish, worms and mollusks.

Population Growth

Populations are groups of individuals belonging to the same species that live in a shared region at the same time.

Black Jaguar

In some cat species, a melanistic or black color morph appears on occasion in a wild population. Although these melanistic individuals may look quite different from their kin, they are color variations, not separate species. Examples of such melanistic individuals include black leopards and black jaguars. This picture shows a black jaguar.

Cats

Cats inhabit a wide variety of habitats including coasts, deserts, forests, grasslands, and mountains. They have colonized almost every corner of the globe with the exceptions of Australia, Greenland, Iceland, New Zealand, Antarctica, Madagascar, and remote oceanic islands.

What Is Desertification?

Desertification is the development of desert-like conditions in regions that have experienced human disturbance such as deforestation, overgrazing, or poorly managed agriculture.

What Do Turtles Eat

What do turtles eat? Since turtles are too slow to catch most prey by all-out pursuit, questions about what turtles eat are quite common. The answer is that turtle eating habits are varied—what turtles eat depends on the available food sources, the habitat in which the turtle lives and the turtle's behavior.

Snail Anatomy

Snails are very different from humans so when we think about body parts, we're often at a loss when relating the familiar parts of a human body to snails.

Snail Habitat / Adaptation

Species of snails have evolved in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. A snail's shell provides it with protection from changing weather conditions.

Biome

A distinct group lifeforms and the environment in which they are found.

The Basic Fish Groups

Fish are aquatic vertebrates that have skin covered with scales, two sets of paired fins, some unpaired fins, and a set of gills.

Facts About Marsupials

Learn interesting facts about marsupials and find out about the characteristics make them different from other animal groups, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

Aerial View of the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest tropical reef system, covering an area of 348,000 km2 and stretching along 2300km of the eastern Australian coastline. The Great Barrier Reef is made up of over 200 individual reefs and 540 inshore islands (many with fringing reefs). It is among the most complex ecosystems on the planet.

Basic Animal Groups

The list below provides the answers to the Basic Animal Groups quiz, a quiz that presents a series of pictures showing animals that belong to one of six basic groups—amphibians, birds, fishes, invertebrates, mammals, or reptiles. Review the correct answers below and find out why each animal belongs to one of the six basic animal groups.

Sponges and Echinoderms

Sponges belong to the Phylum Porifera. Sponges occur in almost every type of aquatic habitats but are most common in the marine habitats.

Diversity and Evolultion

The Great Barrier Reef is among the most complex ecosystems on the planet, providing habitat for a stunning variety and number of species.

Plankton

Plankton are microscopic organisms that drift on the oceans' currents. They include organisms such as diatoms, dinoflagillates, krill, and copepods as well as the microscopic larva of crustaceans, sea urchins, and fish.

Feather Anatomy and Function

Feathers are a unique adaptation of birds. Feathers are made up of keratin, an insoluble protein that is also found in mammalian hair and reptilian scales.

Ray-Finned Fishes

Ray-Finned fishes or 'actinopterygiians' (Actinopterygii) are an extremely diverse group of aquatic vertebrates—over half of all living vertebrate species (aquatic and terrestrial combined) belong to this class.

How Snails Move

Terrestrial snails move using their muscular foot. By creating an undulating 'wave' motion along the length of the foot, a snail is able to push against the ground and propel its body forward, albeit slowly.

Echinoderms

Echinoderms are a diverse group of marine invertebrates comprising approximately 6000 species. Subgroups of echinoderms include starfish, sea lilies, feather stars, brittlestars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins.

Siberian Tiger

The Siberian tiger inhabits eastern Russia, parts of northeastern China and northern North Korea. It prefers coniferous and broadleaf woodlands. The Siberian tiger subspecies nearly fell into extinction in the 1940s. At its lowest population count, the Siberian tiger population consisted of just 40 tigers in the wild. Thanks to great efforts of Russian conservationists, the Siberian tiger subspecies has now recovered to more stable levels.

Habitat Profiles - A to Z List

The following is an A to Z list of habitat profiles available, sorted alphabetically.

How Large Do Snails Grow?

Snails grow to a variety of different sizes depending on the species and individual.

How Do Species Interact?

Wildlife species interact with each other in numerous, complex ways. Fortunately, we can make some general statements about these interactions.

Why Do Fireflies Glow?

Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, glow to lure prey, discourage predators, and most importantly to attract mates.

Brief History of Life on Earth

It all began 4500 million years ago (Mya) with the Hadean Eon. That's when our solar system formed and, in that solar system, a molten Earth started to cool and take shape. Because there was no solid rock back then, we don't have a geological history of the Hadeon Eon. As soon as the Earth cooled and solid rock formed, that's when geological history began and the Hadeon Eon ended.

Pigs

Hogs and pigs, also known as suids, are a group of mammals that includes babirusas, pigs, warthogs, forest hogs, red river pigs, and bushpigs. The Family Suidae also includes the domestic pig, Sus scrofa. The Family Suidae is subdivided into eight genera containing a total of sixteen species of pigs.

Caecilians

Caecilians are a group of slender-bodied, limbless amphibians. In this article, we'll explore basic caecilian facts including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other amphibian groups.

The Structure of a Forest

Mature forests often have several distinct layers including the forest floor, herb layer, shrub layer, understory, canopy, and emergents.

How Animals are Classified

For centuries, the naming and classification of living organisms into groups has been an integral part of the study of nature.

Evolution

Natural selection is the means by which beneficial variations in a population tend to be preserved while unfavorable variations tend to be lost.

Armadillos, Sloths and Anteaters

Armadillos, sloths, and anteaters belong to the Xenarthra, an ancient group of placental mammals that once roamed across Gondwanaland before the continents of the Southern Hemisphere separated into their present day configuration.

Facts About Snowy Owls

Snowy owls are large owls notable for their striking white plumage and their extreme northerly range which includes tundra habitat throughout Alaska, Canada and Eurasia. Here you'll learn interesting facts about snowy owls and find out what makes them unique.

Saltwater Crocodile

The saltwater crocodile inhabits a range that includes the Northern Australia, India and Southeast Asia. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles and can reach weights of between 1,300 and 2,200 pounds and lengths of 13 to 18 feet.

Classification of Cats

Cats belong to the group of vertebrates known as mammals. Within the mammals cats are classified with other meat eaters in the Order Carnivora (known commonly as 'carnivores').

A Timeline of Evolution

This chart provides brief information about the various eons, eras, periods, and epochs that are used to describe the Earth's history.

Mammalian Temperature

Does it surprise you that reindeer, who spend much time standing in snow, don't get cold feet? Likewise, dolphins, whose thin flippers glide constantly through cool water, seem to be just fine.

How Do Coral Reefs Form?

Stony corals are a remarkable group of animals that inhabit tropical marine waters around the world and form vast colonies known as coral reefs

Snail Senses

Terrestrial snails have eyes that are located on the tips of their upper, longer pair of tentacles. But snails don't see in the same way we do. Their eyes are less complex and provide them with a general sense of light and dark in their surroundings.

Species

The term species can be defined as a group of individual organisms that are capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring in nature.

Snail Estivation and Hibernation

Snails are usually active in the summer, but if it gets too warm and dry for them, they enter a period of inactivity known as estivation.

Komodo Dragon

Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are the largest of all lizards, they can grow to lengths of 3m and can weigh as much as 165kg. Komodo dragons belong to the Family Varanidae, a group of reptiles known more commonly as the monitor lizards.

Density Independent

A factor that influences individuals in a population in a manner that does not vary with the extent of crowding present in the population.

Facts About Animals

Animals are one of the basic groups of life on Earth. All animals share a set of fundamental characteristics—they move, they feed on other organisms, they're multicellular and they reproduce sexually. Here you'll learn interesting facts about animals and find out what makes them unique.

Komodo Dragon Pictures

Komodo dragons are the largest of all lizards, they can grow to lengths of 3m and can weigh as much as 165kg. Komodo dragons belong to the Family Varanidae, a group of reptiles known more commonly as the monitor lizards. Adult Komodo dragons are dull brown, dark grey, or reddish in color, while juveniles are green with yellow and black stripes.

Fish

The term fish is used to refer to any aquatic vertebrate that has a skin covered with scales, two sets of paired fins, some unpaired fins, and a set of gills.

Great Barrier Reef Predators

Predators on the reef come in many shapes and sizes. Sharks are the iconic reef predator and species that visit the reef include tiger sharks, black-tipped reef sharks, and white-tipped reef sharks.

Feather Stars

animals wildlife coral reef Great Barrier Reef marine life feather stars echinoderms

Barn Owls

Barn owls are a group of owls that have a heart-shaped face, long legs and powerful talons.

Coastal Sand Dunes

Sand dunes are mounds of sand that line a coast that have been sculpted by winds and waves.

Giraffe

Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are hoofed mammals with long legs and a long neck. Their skin is a patchwork of dark chestnut spots separated by thin cream colored lines.

Crocodilians

Crocodilians (Crocodilia) are a group of large reptiles that includes crocodiles, alligators, caimans and the gharial.

Nene Goose

The nene goose is the state bird of Hawaii. The nene goose is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Wild populations are present on Hawaii, Maui and the lowlands of Kauai.

Giant Panda

Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) belong to the bear family (Ursidae). They have distinct black and white coloration.

Newts and Salamanders

Newts and salamanders are slender bodied amphibians with a long tail and usually two pairs of limbs. In this article, we'll explore basic facts about newts and salamanders including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other animal groups.

Lion

The lion (Panthera leo) is a species of large cat that has a buff colored coat, white underparts, and a long tail that ends in a black tuft of fur. Lions are the second largest species of cat, they are smaller than the tiger (Panthera tigris).

Two Giraffes

Intertidal Zone

The intertidal zone (or littoral zone) is the area of the sea floor that lies between the high and low tide marks, bridging the gap between land and sea.

Snow Leopard

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a large species of cat that roams the mountain ranges of central and southern Asia.

Alpine / Montane Ecosystems

Mountains are masses of rock that have been pushed upward, high above the surrounding land.

Seas and Oceans

The Earth's oceans form this planet's most extensive habitat. Oceans span pole to pole and reach around the globe.

The Basic Reptile Groups

Reptiles are a group of cold-blooded tetrapod vertebrates that diverged from ancestral amphibians about 340 million years ago.

Cats of Africa - Caracal, Serval, Cheetah, Leopards, and Lions

The cats of Africa include the caracal, serval, cheetah, lion, and leopard.

King Cheetah

Another example of a cat with a rare coat pattern is the king cheetah. Normally, adult cheetahs have a light yellow coat that is covered in dark spots. But in the case of the king cheetah, the spots along the spine of the cheetah blend together to form long stripes that run from the cheetah's neck to its tail.

Gastropods

Gastropods are molluscs that undergo torsion when they develop and (in most cases) have a spirally coiled shell. In this article, we'll explore basic facts about gastropods including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other mollusk groups.

American Black Bear

The American black bear is a large carnivore that inhabits the forests, swamps, tundra throughout the more northerly reaches of North America.

Transition from Water to Land

The vertebrates that underwent the evolutionary transition from life in water to life on land faced four basic adaptive challenges

Evolution of Snails

The earliest known snails were similar in structure to limpets. These creatures lived in shallow sea water and fed on algae and they had a pair of gills.

Adelie Penguin

The Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) has a black back and a white belly and white rings around their eyes. Their wings are black on top and white underneath.

Density Dependent

Describes a factor that influences individuals in a population to a degree that varies in response to how crowded (dense) the population is.

Axolotl

The axolotl is a salamander native to Lake Xochimilco in central Mexico.

Anemonefish

Anemonefish are a unique group of fish that live amongst the tentacles of sea anemones. The anemone's tentacles sting and paralyze most fish that brush against them.

Owl Pictures

Pictures of owls, including owl photos such as snowy owls, northern saw whet owls, great horned owls, barn owls and more.

Facts About Carnivores

Learn interesting facts about mammals and find out about the characteristics make them different from other animal groups, their life cycle and their evolutionary history.

Amniote

Amniotes are a group of tetrapod vertebrates that have an egg (referred to as an amniotic egg) that is specially adapted to a terrestrial environment.

Domestication of Horses

Domestication is the process by which humans take wild species and acclimatize them to breeding and surviving in captivity.

White Lion Pride

Like black jaguars and black leopards, white lions are a color morph of lions, not a different species. White lions possess a recessive gene that causes their coat to be a very light color. It should be noted that white lions are not albinos. Instead their coloration is due to a condition known as leucism in which all types of pigment are reduce, not just melanin as in albinos.

Amphibian Pictures

Amphibians are delicate, soft-skinned creatures that to this day retain close ties to the watery habitats their ancestors stepped out of some 365 million years ago. Here you can browse a collection of pictures and photographs of a variety of amphibians—from frogs and toads, to newts and salamanders.

Lion Pride

Lions are the only cat species that forms social groups. All other cats are lone hunters. The social groups lions form are called prides. A pride of lions typically includes about five females and two males and their young.

Guide to Buying Binoculars

I was recently in the market for a new pair of binoculars and when I first started shopping around, I was bewildered by the vast number of makes and models available these days. Since I received my first pair of binoculars as a gift more than twenty years ago, I lacked experience shopping for the gadgets myself. I knew I had a lot to learn if I was going to invest my money wisely.

Florida Panther

Male Florida panther seeks refuge in a tree while scientists hope to fit him with a radio transmitter.

Sharks, Skates, and Rays

Sharks, rays, and skates form a group of boneless fishes called the elasmobranchs (Subclass Elasmobranchii). There are about 800 species of elasmobranchs, of which over half (between 450 and 500 species) belong to the Superorder Batoidea, a group that includes skates and rays.

Scientific Method

The scientific method consists of the following activities: (1) asking questions in the form of a hypothesis, (2) looking for patterns in observations, (3) formulating theories, and (4) designing experiments to test theories.

Facts About Pelicans

Pelicans and their relatives include the blue-footed booby, brown pelican, red-billed tropicbird, cormorants, gannets, and the great frigatebird. Pelicaniformes have webbed feet and are well adapted to catching fish, their primary food source. Many species dive or swim underwater to capture their prey.

Birds of Prey

Birds of prey include eagles, hawks, kites, the secretary bird, ospreys, and falcons. These birds are skilled hunters with superb eyesight, strong legs and talons and a sharp, hooked bill. This profile explores basic facts about birds of prey including their classification, diet, habitat and what makes them different from other bird groups.

Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Cheetahs and Other Cats

In this photographic guide, find out more about cats, their classification, adaptations, and natural history.

Asian Elephant

Asian elephants are large herbivorous land mammals. They are one of two species of elephants, the other being the larger African elephant. Learn interesting facts about Asian elephants and find out what makes them unique.

Arthropod Pictures

The Arthropoda includes invertebrates such as insects, spiders, crustaceans, scorpions, and centipedes. Arthropods are a highly successful group of animals.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

The red-eyed tree frog has large bright red eyes, a green body, and light blue sides with yellow strips. In this article, we'll explore basic facts about red-eyed tree frogs including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other amphibian groups.

Marsupial Evolution

By 110 million years ago, mammals had diverged into two distinct groups: the placental mammals-a group that includes humans and most modern mammals-and the marsupial mammals-a group that includes koalas, kangaroos, wombats, and pouched mice.

Vulnerability of Snails

Snails are small and slow. They have few defenses. They must retain enough moisture so their tiny bodies don't dry out, and they must obtain enough food to give them energy to sleep through the long cold winter. So despite living in tough shells, snails are really quite vulnerable.

American Bison

American bison are among the largest members of the Family Bovidae, the group of animals that also includes domestic cattle, sheep, and goats as well as wild species such as antelope, and mountain goats.

American Beaver

The American beaver is the world's second largest rodent, only the capybara of South America is larger. Learn interesting facts about American beavers and find out what makes them unique.

Quiz - 6 Basic Animal Groups

Put your animal identification skills to the test in this quiz.

Squamates

Squamates (Squamata) are a group of reptiles that includes amphisbaenians, lizards, and snakes.

Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains stretch through western North America from Alaska to New Mexico, forming the middle section of the Western Cordillera, an extensive belt of mountains that reaches from the Arctic Circle to Mexico.

Blue Whale

The magnificent blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is our planet's largest animal, reaching lengths of 66 to 98 feet and weights of 110 to 176 tons. Blue whales belong to the group of whales know as the baleen whales.

Meerkat

Meerkats are highly social mammals that form packs of between 10 and 30 individuals consisting of several breeding pairs.

Reptile Pictures

Reptiles, with their tough skins and hard-shelled eggs, were the first group of vertebrates to fully sever the bonds with aquatic habitats and colonize the land to an extent that amphibians never could. Modern reptiles are a diverse bunch and include snakes, amphisbaenians, lizards, crocodilians, turtles and tuataras. Here you can browse a collection of pictures and photographs of a variety of reptiles.

Frogs

Frogs and toads (Order Anura) are one of three main groups of amphibians, the other two being newts and salamanders and caecilians.

Ostrich

The ostrich is a record-breaking bird. It's the tallest and heaviest species of all living birds. Although its bulky body means that flying is out of the question, the ostrich has adapted to life on the ground with impressive agility.

Vertebrate

A vertebrate is an animal that has cartilaginous or bony vertebrae that surround a nerve cord and a skull that protects the brain.

Cheetah and Cubs

Young cheetahs have a long fringe of fur on the scruff of their neck and less distinct spots than adult cheetahs.

Character Displacement

The divergence of adaptations or other characteristics in two similar species in locations where the animals share habitat. This divergence is spurred on by competition between the two species in areas where their ranges overlap.

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy joins forces with governments, non-profit organizations, local stakeholders, indigenous communities, corporate partners, and international organizations to find solutions to conservation challenges.

Hares, Rabbits, and Pikas

Hares, pikas and rabbits (Lagomorpha) are small terrestrial mammals that include jackrabbits, cottontails, hares and pikas. In this article, explore basic facts about hares, rabbits and pikas including how they are classified, what they eat, where they live and the characteristics that make them different from other mammal groups.