“…and today…yeah, we’re talking about a really beautiful animal… But more on that later.” They say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but you need more than wit to stake your claim in the animal kingdom. The ocean is a vast place, so you wouldn’t think that finding a place to live would be […]

“…and today we are talking about a rip van winkle for the ages. But more on that later.” What if you could talk to someone from thousands of years ago? What could they tell you about the world and what it was like to navigate through it? Researchers in Siberia are asking similar questions. Unfortunately, […]

“…and today we are talking about an ant that is absolutely canceled. But more on that later.” In Pixar’s A Bug’s Life, the ants are the good guys, but studying ants shows that ants aren’t exactly on the right side of history. If you didn’t already know that the bug world was a brutal one, […]

“…and today we are talking about some sleepy mountain rodents, but more on that later.” If your circumstances are difficult, sometimes it helps to sleep on it. When you wake up, you’ll feel renewed and ready to tackle life’s challenges. That’s exactly what the yellow bellied marmot does, and his biggest problem is winter. But […]

“…and today we’re talking about an assertive insertive fish in the sea. But more on that later.” The ocean is full of situations where animals work together toward a common goal. Whether it’s finding food, fighting off predators, or setting up a place to live, it’s important to pick your underwater teammate carefully. However, while […]

“…and today we’re talking about a boss that puts the team on his back. But more on that later.” In everyday life, it’s often necessary to wear many different hats. You’re a student, an employee, a parent, and more. In nature, it’s no different. While it’s rare for animals to wear actual hats, the sponge […]

“…and today we’re talking about an arboreal ignoramus. But more on that later.” Way out in the land down under, a famous little gray puff gremlin spends its days as a literal tree-hugger. Like its equally famous black and white counterpart in China, the Panda, the Koala is a threatened cutie that eats terribly, sleeps […]

“…and today we’re talking about a tiny barrel in the sea. But more on that later.” Humans, like many animals, go through a familiar generational cycle. Your parents made you and their parents made them. But when you look closer, so close you can see the tiny things floating in the sea, things start to […]

“…and today we’re talking about an ice cold krill killer. But more on that later.” The trend of swimming in cold water for health benefits is doggy paddling its way into the public zeitgeist. But what if you absolutely had to live in freezing waters in order to survive? The crocodile icefish lives up to […]

“And today we’re talking about a reptile that’s coming in our state trying to take our rabbits! But more on that later…” A “fish out of water” is someone who feels out of place because their surroundings are not suitable for their designed purpose. The Burmese python is out of place in Florida, but, unfortunately, […]

“…and today we’re talking about the most popular villain of nursery rhymes. But more on that later.” Pack leader. Top dog. Dominant male. Head honcho. Alpha male. It’s a common misconception that wolves fight for dominance within their packs to see who becomes and stays the alpha wolf. But that doesn’t mean packs don’t have […]

“…and today we are talking about an animal whose mind commands the body to roll and it obeys. But more on that later.” Members of the animal kingdom know that survival is the ability to swim in strange water–and sometimes that water is sand. Sand is coarse and rough and gets everywhere, but many animals, […]

“…and today we’re talking about spicy calamari, but not really. More on that later.” When you’re a teeny tiny cerulean cephalopod in a big bad cephalopod’s world, you need to have some tricks up all eight of your sleeves. The blue-ringed octopus’s diminutive form hides a deadly secret to deter predators that may want to […]

“…and today we’re talking about something with a name that sounds like it could be a fish, bird, or flower. But more on that later…” Butterflies are truly one of God’s gifts of nature. A creature that sports brilliant colors, flutters around gracefully, and dines only on the nectar provided by beautiful flowers. But there’s […]

“…and today we’re talking about an Olympic-level bug. But more on that later.” “Jack, be nimble. Jack, be quick. Jack jumps over the candle stick.” Jumping over a whole candle stick might be an easy proposition for a young boy named Jack, but it’s a much different feat for a tiny ant. The Jack jumper […]

“…and today we’re talking about a crustacean that’s coming for your rice crispy treats. But more on that later.”  What if you lived in a place that was sometimes uninhabitable for years? You’d have to prepare for the lean years. In fact, you’d need a bunker. Such is the way of the tadpole shrimp. They […]

“…and today we’re talking about the cousin of an alumni. But more on that later.” Deep in the water where no fish hang out lives a glum, gloomy swimmer with some ever-present clout. The hadal snailfish lives where pretty much nothing else can live – the hadal zone. The pressure and temperature of the water […]

“…and today we’re talking about the wolfpack of the sky. But more on that later.” Now this is the Law of the desert— as blue and as vast as the sky; And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, like the birds that hunt as they fly?  The family that hunts together, eats together. […]

“…and today we’re talking about a sea creature that somebody at some point apparently thought was quite attractive. But more on that later.” The coral reefs of the shallow tropics are home to a wide variety of dazzling displays, but none so alluring as the vibrant dance of the sexy shrimp. From its colorful home […]

“…and today we’re talking about the cold-blooded king of the jungle. But more on that later.” Everyone knows that a true king must wear a crown. In the jungles of Southeast Asia, the kingly crown isn’t a mane but a hood. The King Cobra is an infamous monarch who uses his regal headwear to intimidate […]

“…and today we’re talking about a ghoulish ground bird. But more on that later.” Description Males are black, and females are gray with brown streaks. They have squat bodies like a typical finch.  Their beaks are short, sharp, and curved slightly downward. Some have orange or partially orange beaks. Measure Up Welcome to the beloved […]

“And today we are talking about sea critters with their own clear, plastic-looking straw. But more on that later.” Humans are social creatures, but we aren’t the only ones. Gregarious animals hang out together, especially during mating seasons. But what if you are both sedentary and gregarious, which is another way to say a friendly […]

“…and today we’re talking about a slimy little yellow guy. But more on that later.” So we know how animals make more animals, but how do plants make more plants? With the help of animals, of course! Whether it’s spreading seeds on the ground or getting animals to eat them, plants have a unique way […]

“…and today we’re talking about a master thief who is the king of trash mountain. But more on that later.” A generalist has a general wish To bandit with reckless abandon. Bird eggs, crumb cakes, delicious fried fish… Dining fine? Easier said than done. A cunning mind will help raccoons find The dishes to delight […]

“…and today we were talking about Captain America of the sea with similar headwear. But more on that later.” Description of the Winghead Shark Grey and white hammerhead shark. The shark cuts a thin, torpedo-shaped silhouette with a large dorsal and caudal fin. They have a pronounced hammer with a larger wingspan than your typical […]

“…and today we’re talking about what KJV onliest thinks ancient Hebrews made themselves bald as. But more on that later.” To soar sorely is such a bore. A raptor up high has a real chore. Hunting for prey far down below, Is a bald eagle’s typical M.O. But how can they fly for so long, […]

“…and today we’re talking about the swamp’s angriest stone. But more on that later.” As if you needed another reason not to go traipsing around the swamps of the American South, the alligator snapping turtle brings a few hundred pounds of armored power to the equation. But swamps aren’t really known for having crystal clear […]

“…and today we’re talking about the specter of the Sundarbans. But more on that later.” How can black and orange go unseen In a place of vertical green? The world’s most immense panthera Can hide among the Themeda. Though it likes meat held up by hooves You may have a taste it approves. It’s a […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bird that would make a terrible nickname. But more on that later.” In the valley of the dry bones, God showed Ezekiel his power over life and death by breathing life into the long desiccated skeletons that lay there in the valley. But for birds, breathing life into your […]

“…and today we’re talking about a primate with its finger on the pulse of the forest. But more on that later.” Once upon a drizzling Madagascar night, a small insect awoke, focusing his sight. While nestled safe in his place of bamboo peace, a sound disturbed him and it would not cease. All of a […]

“…and today we’re talking about carb-eating beetles that scoff at the mere mention of the keto diet. But more on that later.” Finding a solution to an invasive species is rarely an easy task. But when Americans’ cereal is at stake, it’s time for drastic action. The cereal leaf beetle is a serious problem for […]

“…and today we’re talking about a frog that sticks to its plans. But more on that later.” For most creatures, finding a mate is a top priority–up there with getting a good meal. But the common rain frog is a funny shape that makes the mating season a bit awkward–and that shape is round. How […]

“…and today we’re talking about a crustacean that appears as if it comes pre-deep fried. But more on that later.” The true master of disguise is able to use their environment to their advantage. Just like a cold war era Russian spy, you want to blend in with the locals if you want to avoid […]

“…and today we’re talking about an Alaskan with a taste for salmon, but I repeat myself. But more on that later.”  As a mini me to its cousin the great white, the salmon shark seems like an adorable football-shaped friend in the sea. But these seven footers are no small fries. These sharks are born […]

“…and today we’re talking about a big bushy eyebrow. But more on that later…” South America is home to a lot of interesting looking animals. Possibly the goofiest one is the giant anteater. With a tube snoot, a bushy tail, and a panda for an arm, the anteater prowls the shrublands looking for, you guessed […]

“…and today we’re talking about a parasite on the prowl. But more on that later.” By now you may have heard of Cordyceps, the fungus among use that can take over the brain of an ant. But is there such a threat in the kingdom Animalia. The horsehair worm is a parasite that bears no […]

“…and today we’re talking about the sea bull to the manatee’s sea cow, but much more scary. But more on later.” If Huck Finn knew what might have been lurking in the waters of the ol Missisip, he may have thought twice about rafting down it for as long as he did. The bull shark […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bug with junk in the trunk, but more on that later.” Precious resources are often fiercely guarded. Only a clever wolf will ever taste mutton, and the rules remain in place in the insect world. The lacewing is a graceful insect that some mistake for delicate fairies, but their […]

“…and today we’re talking about my manned man, but more on that later.” Look! In the woods! It’s a wolf, it’s a fox! No, it’s the maned wolf and his mild-mannered alter ego, uh Phil. Keeping taxonomy researchers and podcast hosts on their toes is the name of the game sweetheart as this glamazon from […]

“…and today we’re talking about the familiar of a ferocious female. But more on that later.” The life of a pet is a charmed one–at least when your owner is a kind and benevolent ruler. But what if you lived in the home of a giant arachnid, ten times your size. Would you still want […]

“…and today we’re talking about the lurker in the cathedral, the stained aranea. But more on that later.” In the forests of Australia, the glistening dew of a rain-kissed leaf might be a little more than just a water droplet. The mirror spider takes what would be waste to another spider and turns it into […]

“…and today we’re talking about a frog with a killer skincare routine. But more on that later.” For too long, amphibians have only dared to come out at night. But the waxy monkey frog says no more. This amphibian has chosen to step into the sun and lay eyes upon an earth in the full […]

“…and today we’re talking about a ba… I mean bird. But more on that later.” The caves of the Caribbean are home to a slick bird that thinks it’s a bat. Deep in these midnight caverns, shining an unwelcome light will be met with the anguished screeches of the little devil known as the oilbird. […]

“…and today we’re talking about a canis comrade, but more on that later.” There are many symbiotic relationships in nature, but there is no closer interspecies bond than the one found between humanity and their dogs. Canines and humans have been close companions for so long that we’ve influenced the course of dog adaptation and […]

“…and today we’re talking about a stone at the bottom of the sea. Definitely don’t be on that later.” It’s no surprise that the most venomous fish in the world is found in none other than the land down under. Hidden among the rocks and coral in Australia and the surrounding islands, the reef stonefish […]

“…and today we are talking about Godwit the Soarin. But more on that later.” If you’re looking wistfully out the window at a frozen or snowy gray day, you know that winter can be a real drag. Some birds fly south for the winter, and sometimes those birds clog up South Florida roadways. But what […]

“…and today we’re talking about a flat character in the animal kingdom, but more on that later.” There are hundreds of species of spiders that call Australia home. Some small, some big, some deadly, and some…hidden. But one master of disguise tends to order a side of contortion with its camoflauge entre. Taking the term […]

“…and today we are talking about an impostor that’s not among us, but among the fish of the sea. But more on that later.” Humans have explored nearly every biome on earth, but when it comes to getting around in the ocean, we are clearly outmatched. Fish are built to ride waves and currents with […]