Tough, resourceful and omnivorous, wild boar are the ancestors of domestic pigs. From earliest times, wild boar have presented humans with both opportunity and threat: they are a …
Despite their humble appearance, beavers have a remarkable history. Ancient Greeks regarded beavers as models of chastity and prudence. Beaver fur drove the exploration of North …
The leopard is the ultimate cat. It makes the lion and the tiger appear overblown and all the other members of the cat family look puny. Whereas lions hunt in the open and then …
Woodpeckers are among the most remarkable birds in the avian world, having evolved a unique anatomy that enables them to peck and bore into solid timber both to find food and to …
As ancient creatures that once shared the Earth with dinosaurs, turtles have played a crucial role in maintaining healthy terrestrial and marine ecosystems for more than one …
Few animals elicit such a profoundly honest response of horror, fear and fright as the bedbug. Uninvited, bedbugs invade your privacy; they enter your bed, leave their marks and …
Sloths are perhaps the most recognized and loved Central and South American animals, but despite their renown and popularity as cartoon characters, toys and memes, they are not …
From the dawn of civilization scorpions have captured the human imagination. Yet the scorpion is a misunderstood animal with a bad reputation that overshadows its many exceptional …
Jellyfish are, like the mythical Medusa, both beautiful and potentially dangerous. Found from pole to tropic, these mesmeric creatures form an important part of the sea’s plankton …
The flamingo is possibly the most easily recognized bird in the world. But it is not a single species - there are six different species of flamingos, each differing in size and …
