Deer, Reindeer and REM Sleep
At first glance, geese and reindeer (called “caribou” in North America) may not seem to have much in common. But there is a link: in some places, they share diets and habitats.
Nature & Wildlife
1183 stories
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Snow: Glacier Guardian, Water Supply and Mousing Medium
From my perspective, the best thing about winter is snow. When it falls, this natural element covers everything in a white blanket, creating a sense of cleanliness, purity and quiet. Snow can also symbolize peace, like in the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, one of my favorite poets.
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Cheetah Adaptation: Survival of the Fastest
Cheetahs survive on speed, but it is only one of many physical and behavioral adaptations they rely upon to survive a complex set of interlinking challenges. Recent research and developments in cheetah conservation shed new light on the cheetah’s race for survival, contributing to new ways we understand and can support cheetahs.
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Benefits of Birdsong: 5 Ways Birdsong is Good For You
One of the things I most love about Spring—and miss the rest of the year—is the raucous 5 am wake-up call from birds outside our window. It’s the only noise out there that’s welcome, really, when the sun is just beginning to rise, and the air is still cool and damp.
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Wild Turkey Chicks and Post-Flight Reindeer Feasts
Every year, without fail, Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to come right on top of each other. The four weeks between the two holidays fly by, with hardly enough time to savor one before the other is upon us. Magical, flying reindeer, in other words, quickly follow the turkey feast.
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The Social Behavior of Animals Changes with Age
If you look at almost any bird identification guide or mammal encyclopedia, you’ll typically see two to three images of any one animal: an adult female, an adult male and, perhaps, a juvenile.
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Polar Bear Paws, Problems and a Promising Plan
As the end-of-the-year holidays approach, themes of ice-skating rinks, snowflakes and cute polar bears in sweaters decorate many homes and shops.
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The Climate Change Complexities of Bird Migrations
The beginning of November always makes me think of the fall migrations of birds. In the United States, this annual ritual typically begins around August 1 and lasts through November 30; although, some birds may migrate earlier or later, and migration can start as early as mid-June and last until early January.
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Mexico’s Monarchs Return for the Day of the Dead
All Souls Day, observed on November 2, is a little-known holiday in most of the U.S. outside of some Catholic circles, but in Mexico, the date is heralded by a remarkable natural phenomenon that happens each year in the fir-clad mountains of central Mexico.
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Halloween 2024: Bat Nightclubs and Owl Haunts
With the end of October near and Halloween decorations almost everywhere you look, you might be wondering why certain animals are so often featured as we approach the spookiest holiday. Why do plastic owls decorate lawns, and fake bats hang from every nook and cranny?
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The Colors of Earth Are Changing
Our world is a colorful place. Just think of the vivid blues, greens, oranges, reds and yellows of Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, the rainbow-hued mountains of Zhangye National Geopark in China or the shimmering green and purple bands of light in the aurora borealis above the tundra in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.
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When Size in Nature Does—and Doesn’t—Matter
You’ve no doubt heard the phrase “size matters,” used today quasi-humorously in almost every imaginable context in which the size of a particular object—animate or inanimate—is discussed. For example, one ESPN Classic article by writer Mike Puma on the racehorse Seabiscuit was titled Size Doesn’t Matter.