Aug 10 2025
A lion’s roar rolling across an African grassland is one of the most recognizable sounds in the natural world. Lions have occupied human imaginations for thousands of years. They appear in ancient art, royal symbols, mythology, flags, literature, and popular culture. Their reputation for strength is so powerful that we still call them “kings of …
Aug 06 2025
Here come real stars to fill the upper skies,And here on earth come emulating flies,That though they never equal stars in size,(And they were never really stars at heart)Achieve at times a very star-like start.Only, of course, they can’t sustain the part. -Robert Frost, Fireflies in the Garden When the heat of the summer puts …
Aug 04 2025
Few birds seem as mysterious as owls. With their enormous forward-facing eyes, almost silent flight, haunting calls, and habit of appearing when much of the world is asleep, owls have inspired legends and superstitions for thousands of years. Behind that mysterious image, however, is an extraordinary group of birds with some remarkable adaptations for seeing, …
Jul 29 2025
Few animals command attention quite like a tiger. A flash of orange between trees, the unmistakable pattern of black stripes, enormous paws, and a face that somehow manages to look both beautiful and formidable have made the tiger one of the most recognizable animals on Earth. Yet despite their enormous cultural presence, wild tigers occupy …
Jul 25 2025
When darkness settles over the garden and butterflies disappear for the evening, another group of winged insects is only beginning its shift. Moths emerge from leaves, tree trunks, grasses, sheds, and other daytime hiding places to search for flowers, mates, and suitable places to lay their eggs. Some hover over blossoms like tiny hummingbirds. Others …
Jul 23 2025
Far beyond the shoreline, enormous whales travel ancient migration routes through open water while dolphins race through waves, communicate with whistles and clicks, care for their young, and hunt together in tightly coordinated groups. Some cetaceans cross thousands of miles of ocean each year. Others spend their lives along particular coastlines, around islands, or even …
Jul 14 2025
Few ocean animals inspire as much fascination—or as much misunderstanding—as sharks. With sleek bodies, extraordinary senses, rows of replaceable teeth, and a lineage stretching back hundreds of millions of years, sharks are among the most remarkable animals in the sea. Every July 14, Shark Awareness Day offers an opportunity to look beyond frightening movie portrayals …
Jul 10 2025
Capybaras have become unlikely internet celebrities. With their enormous barrel-shaped bodies, calm expressions, tiny ears, and apparent talent for looking completely unbothered by whatever is happening around them, these South American mammals have inspired memes, videos, toys, and a very enthusiastic global fan base. But capybaras are much more interesting than their laid-back online reputation …
Jun 16 2025
A garden filled with flowers is beautiful to us, but to a bee, butterfly, hummingbird, or moth, it can also be a place to eat, rest, reproduce, and survive. That makes National Pollinator Week a perfect time to look at the yard a little differently. Instead of thinking only about what makes a landscape neat …
Jun 11 2025
With their tufted ears, enormous paws, short tails, and watchful golden eyes, lynx look perfectly designed for a life of secrecy. That is largely how they live. These elusive wild cats move quietly through forests, mountains, snowy landscapes, and Mediterranean scrub, often remaining almost invisible even in places where they are known to live. Some …
