A-Z Animals Blogs

While elk and caribou share many similarities there are several differences between these two mammals. Elk and caribou are both members of the deer family and are herbivores. However, an adult elk is taller and weighs more than an adult caribou. When it comes to antlers, only male elk have them whereas antlers are found […] Read More

Bowfin vs. Snakehead The bowfin and snakehead are both predatory freshwater fish that look superficially similar to each other because of their long bodies and big dorsal fins. People in the eastern United States often mistake them for each other because they happen to overlap here. However, when we compare the bowfin vs snakehead, whereas […] Read More

What is a dog’s age in human years? Your dog’s current age is the most decisive determining factor. For example, a dog’s first year adds up to 15 human years, and then the second year adds nine years. Each subsequent year after the second adds about five years. Some breeds also age differently, which makes […] Read More

The sailfish and the swordfish are both examples of billfish, or fish with beaks that have been elongated to resemble spears or lances. To a casual observer, the swordfish and sailfish look alike, and both are prized as game fish and make good eating. Females of both species produce millions of eggs at spawning time. […] Read More

Whales are huge, long-lived mammals. The blue whale is the largest animal that’s ever lived on earth – it is bigger than the dinosaurs. It can live an estimated 80 to 90 years! The bowhead whale, a somewhat smaller species, may live more than 200 years. But eventually, life comes to an end even for […] Read More

You may think butterflies look so small and delicate that they can barely eat anything. But, like all animals, butterflies need nourishment. Their favorite food is sweet nectar from plants and flowers. How and when do butterflies feed? Read on to learn all about it. Interesting Facts About How Butterflies Eat Butterflies love sugary foods.Some […] Read More

Have you ever heard of zoophobia? That is the medical term given for the general fear of animals, from the roots “zoo” meaning animal and “phobia” meaning dread or fear. Around six percent of all people suffer from some form of zoophobia during a period of their lives. For most, they fear or are disgusted […] Read More

Despite being concentrated to a small surface area of the Earth’s oceans, coral reefs are home to roughly a quarter of all marine life. The two biggest reefs — the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Belize Barrier Reef in the Caribbean — are popular sites for divers and snorkelers who are looking to […] Read More

All living organisms must get rid of waste in their bodies, right? Because vertebrates poop, it’s normal for humans to think other animals must poop as well. But some animals don’t do that — there are even some that don’t get rid of waste at all! These creatures have developed alternative means that are unique, […] Read More

Of all the creatures lurking within the immense depths of the ocean, the great white shark inspires more terror and awe in people than almost anything else. This fearsome animal, which makes for quite a spectacle in the water, is the largest predatory fish in the world (though not the largest predatory marine animal; the […] Read More

Animals are all around us. Because of their close proximity, many people take for granted how truly dangerous some of the animals that are right within our communities really are. In this article, we’ll discuss the 10 deadliest animals in the world ranked by the number of deaths that they are responsible for with some […] Read More

There are a lot of smart animals out there. Some are so smart, in fact, that they learn how to use things like tools or create their own devices and build things like humans do. Even animals that don’t have a history with humans know a thing or two about adapting from their environment to […] Read More

Volcanoes are dangerous and a risky place to call home. Humankind has daringly settled in the nest of many of these literally explosive environments, and so has a series of incredible animals who don’t merely survive but thrive. From birds to shrimp, these animals are among the most resilient wildlife in the world. Believe it […] Read More

The animal kingdom is full of interesting organisms that have the ability to glow. Most people know about the humble firefly, but the vast majority of glowing animals actually lurk deep within the oceans. If you’ve ever ventured beneath the surface in a submarine, you can sometimes catch glimpses of ghostly flickers looming against the […] Read More

The phrase “blind as a bat” is a serious misnomer, as most species of bats are believed to have eyesight as good as or even better than humans. It’s an old wives tale that’s been passed down due to the nocturnal nature of the species, but there are a surprising number of animals that get […] Read More

Animals that are vivid, primary yellow — not tawny or orange-yellow or any of those tones and shades — are somewhat uncommon. When they are found, their bright yellow coloration adds to their beauty. Bright yellow animals have their color not because humans find it attractive, but to warn predators that they are poisonous, attract […] Read More

As you may know, history appears to consistently portray the dinosaur as a form of reptile. Most media seems to agree, as does a lot of science. But were they? Are dinos reptiles? The answer isn’t an easy one. Dinosaurs were once masters of the universe. The animals, a diverse group of creatures, ran the […] Read More

The average human being needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night to function properly, but that’s not the case for all of our brethren out in the wild. Sleep offers a way to recuperate from the day and rebuild the energy that creatures spend their waking days exhausting, but it also offers a […] Read More

It must be said that few terrestrial animals don’t eat insects. Wolves have been known to eat insects at need, and humans make surprisingly tasty meals of crickets, locusts, and the enormous grubs of Hercules beetles. They don’t even need to be terrestrial, for the archerfish uses a well-aimed stream of water to knock an […] Read More

Have you herd? Groups of various animals often have unique and sometimes funny names. You’re probably familiar with common farm and backyard animals – flocks of birds and herds of cows or sheep. These terms often encompass the animals listed below. But there are so many more names of animal groups to discover! Why are […] Read More

Hawks and falcons are both birds of prey. However, you may have likely heard people using the terms interchangeably. The reality is that they are two different species of birds. Hawks are adaptable but prefer living in the open spaces of North America, Central America, Jamaica, and the West Indies. Falcons live in several countries […] Read More

How many times have you considered adopting a Labrador, only to remain perplexed about which one is the right one for you? Even though this animal is generally categorized as only one breed, the English Lab and the American Lab differentiate in many ways. They both come from the same ancestors, but the breeding that […] Read More

When most people think of ferocious predators, lizards like the Komodo dragon might come to mind with their fearsome jaws and huge build. However, despite being consistently aggressive during hunting, the praying mantis may not even get a second thought. Interestingly, these two animals battle each other more often than you might think, and each […] Read More

When you think of flying animals, the first things that come to mind are birds. Birds are some of the closest relatives to dinosaurs, and they pretty much own the skies except for insects. However, there are plenty of animals that fly that aren’t birds as well. In this article, we’ll discuss nine of the […] Read More

For a lot of people, a blue bird can be a lot of birds. Depending on where they live and what they see, it can be a jay bird, or a bluebird, an indigo bunting, a giant pitta, a blue whistling thrush, or a blue grosbeak. This blog concerns two of the most popular blue […] Read More

Have you ever wondered if there are animals that reproduce asexually? Sexual reproduction is by far the most common method of procreation in the animal kingdom. It’s been estimated that around 99% of all multi-cellular organisms engage in some form of sex. The ability to recombine DNA from two entirely different genomes is so common […] Read More

It’s said the eyes are the windows to the soul. But when we say that are we including animals? As our list of the animals with the biggest eyes in the world shows, perhaps we should include creatures in the wild as well. Housepets like dogs and cats have amazing ways of letting us know […] Read More

You’ve all heard of the massive sharks of the world and oceans past. The megalodon, the great white shark, and the whale shark get most of the attention, but did you know that there are a shocking number of shark species that can all fit in the palm of your hand? The challenge in ranking […] Read More

Mimicry means the act of imitation, but in the animal world, it is defined as “the close external resemblance of an animal… to another animal, plant, or inanimate object.” Animals mimic other animals, plants, and other things, in a wide variety of ways, from visual mimicry to auditory or olfactory imitation. At its core, animal […] Read More

A turkey gobbles and a chicken clucks. They also look completely different from each other, even though these two ground-feeding heavy-bodied birds are in the same order, Galliformes, and the same family, Phasianidae. But while the turkey is from the genus Meleagris, the chicken is from the genus Gallus, which includes all junglefowl. What about […] Read More

Haddock and cod are both very popular white fish. Similar in body and nutrition, and about equally affordable, there are nonetheless some differences in appearance, flavor, and nutrients. The main physical differences are in their colors, size, body shape, front dorsal fins, and lateral lines, while there are a few differences in flavor and when […] Read More

If you’re looking to adopt a new dog, you may be trying to decide between a Bernedoodle and a Goldendoodle. Both of these breeds are Poodle mixes and share some similar characteristics. However, since Bernedoodles have one parent that is a Bernese Mountain Dog and Goldendoodles have one parent that is a Golden Retriever, there […] Read More

There are many ways to measure strength, and this fact stands true across the animal kingdom as well. Every animal has to eat, and there are few things more terrifying than staring down the maw of a hungry predator. On this list of the top 10 strongest animal bite forces in the world, we’ll rank […] Read More

Every animal is interesting, but some animals are more interesting than others. The fascination may come from the way the animal looks, behaves, reproduces, or a combination of some or all of those characteristics. This blog takes a look at nine of the most fascinating animals in the world and examines what makes them so […] Read More

Playful, agile, sleek, and compassionate: dolphins have both fascinated and confused people for thousands of years. The Roman author Pliny the Elder, writing around 77 AD, referred to dolphins and whales as fish in his “Natural History” book. While the confusion still runs rampant today, it is actually a wonderful testament to the diversity of […] Read More

The art of cool. Who doesn’t want to think they have a firm grasp of what it takes to be cool? We like to practice and hope to perfect the skill. Our wardrobe, the walk, the dance, our Top Gun shades. Many of us aim — struggle — to project cool. But the best cool […] Read More

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it’s a good bet that most people would consider the following animals some of the fairest of them all. Of course, in most cases, the beauty of these beasts didn’t arise to please the human eye, but to provide camouflage or warning or make the animal […] Read More

As climates and circumstances change, species must either evolve or fall victim to any number of threats to their existence. Habitat loss, excessive hunting, and disease are all potential hazards faced by many animals in the world both past and present. In this article, we will discuss the 10 rarest animals in the world that […] Read More

Animals are always on the move. But sometimes, animals’ instincts drive them to make arduous, dangerous, and incredible treks in search of food, water, or better weather – not as a single animal, but as a group. These travels are known as migrations. Some animal migrations take place once a year, others every day. Some […] Read More

The sea bunny, whose scientific name is Jorunna parva, is a species of soft-bodied, shell-less, marine-based slugs. Although first described by Japanese zoologist Kikutaro Baba in the 1930s, these cute, fluffy, and wiggly little marine organisms rose to prominence on social media when people began to notice their remarkable resemblance to a rabbit. Measuring less […] Read More

We tend to associate anything tiny creature that creeps us out as a bug, an insect. Spiders certainly fall into that list. So much so there’s even a scientific term (not to mention a kabillion movies), that reminds us why we ought to be afraid: arachnophobia. But are spiders insects? Read on. We may surprise […] Read More

Animal analogies make learning about the world’s amazing animals easy. They’re a fun way to remember important facts about each animal species. Our list of analogies covers everything from sounds to movement, habitats, and physical characteristics. How Should You Use Our Animal Analogies? There are many ways you can use them. If you’re teaching biology, […] Read More

The animal kingdom is full of useful survival strategies, from poison to thick skin. But no matter the medium in which they move, including land, air, and even water, speed seems to be a universal and important asset to have evolved. If you cannot surprise, outlast, or outwit your predator or prey, then it’s very […] Read More

Apex predators dominate the ecological niche they’re in and are important for keeping prey populations down. Many have bright, colorful, or striking markings as a warning to prey animals of their danger. These markings also make them very beautiful, so determining the most stunning boils down to looking at the top apex predators of each […] Read More

When the Discovery Channel unveiled their 2021 Shark Week lineup one title stood out among the 33 shark-related specials: Ninja Sharks 2: Mutants Rising. While the title sounds more like a comic book (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, anyone?) than a serious nature documentary, Ninja Sharks 2 delivered on its promise of detailing four sharks that […] Read More

Jackson Galaxy has dedicated his life's work toward saving cats by working with shelters, offering behavioral counseling & his hit TV show, "My Cat From Hell." Meet this gentle spirit and find out more about the Cat Daddy. Read More

What is the oldest dog ever? Lots of claims can be found on the internet about one breed lasting longer than another. However, the oldest animals of a few very popular breeds actually lived to be around the same age as each other. While there are certain factors that can make one breed last longer […] Read More

A heavy animal is generally a big animal, but some big animals aren’t as heavy as a person would suppose. The ostrich, which can grow to nearly 7 feet tall, usually weighs between 198 and 286 pounds. A large adult male dromedary, which may be the same height, can weigh 1320 pounds. So, an animal’s […] Read More

On July 15th, 2021, Discovery launched a new special: The Mystery of the Black Demon Shark. The promise of the show is hair-raising: hunting a shark as dark as the night that could grow up to 60-feet long! For perspective, that size would mean the black demon shark (known to locals as El Domonio Negro) […] Read More

Cougars, and pumas, and mountain lions, oh my! Depending on where you live or what you are watching, you may hear America’s big cat called by a number of different names. Are there differences between cougars and mountain lions? Where do they live? Keep reading to find out. Cougar vs. Mountain Lion Mountain lion and […] Read More