“…and today we are talking about the Pirates of the Caribbean, but not the movie. More on that later.” Out on the high seas, it’s a dog eat dog eat bird eat other bird’s food kinda world. Yer never safe when you have booty to take home to the littl’uns. You’ll have to keep yer […]

“…and today we’re talking about a big-mouthed, deep-living, inflatable tube man. But more on that later.” Americans have just enjoyed a holiday of abundance. Many of us have funneled turkey into our gobblers with mirth and glee. But what if you lived in a place where food was less abundant. That’s where the spirit of […]

“…And today we’re talking about an American noodle of many varieties. But more on that later.” The Manitoban city of Narcisse is a small, quaint place with not much tourism for most of the year. However, for a few days of every spring, the ground erupts in a slithering mass of red-sided garter snakes. Why […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bookworm. Literally, but also not literally. More on that later.” In the dark of an academy library, a shining silverfish ponders some of life’s greatest questions, like, “what is a tastier snack, the pages of War and Peace or its bindings?” A true scholar, the silverfish must test his […]

“…and today we’re talking about moss that grows fat on a rolling toad. But more on that later.” Whether you’re a hungry predator or just a curious researcher, finding yourself a Vietnamese Mossy Frog isn’t going to be easy. They’re not only in the Disguisee family, but they can also deceive you with just their […]

“…and today we are talking about an animal that stands for what they believe in. But more on that later.” What do you do when you’ve saved the last slice of cake but there are other hungry eyes with thoughts of treachery. Anyone with siblings knows that you have to stake your claim quickly. Licking […]

“…and today we’re talking about a deep diving jelly-headed leviathan. But more on that later.” Deep in the water where the fish hang out lives a massive tanky mammal with a quite impressive shout.  This blockheaded blubber boi is looking for a fight, he uses his ticks and tricks to hunt with little light. But […]

“…And today we’re talking about a dastardly death–hunter, but more on that later.” The African savannah is a place where many fall to powerful predators and environmental challenges. While the dangers are many, the continent has an undertaker ready to go to work. The Marabou stork is a sinister looking bird that wears a black […]

“…and today we’re talking about an animal whose official name violated the order force rule of grammar and I hate that. But more on that later.” The rivers in China are home to one of the largest salamanders—nay, one of the largest amphibians—in the world. Blending in with the rocks that line the riverbeds, the […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bird that sings a song which is soft but it’s clear, as if maybe someone could hear. But more on that later.” Sewing is a human tradition that is as old as the shame of Adam and Eve. What started as a way to protect yourself from the elements […]

“…Today we’re talking about some rodents that make darns out of their own food. But more on that later.” If you look up into the sky and see a box parachuting toward you, it could be a Call of Duty care package, a cargo cult’s answered prayer, or a mid-century beaver relocation project. As humans […]

“…and today we’re talking about a carpet crunching fiber eater. But more on that later.” Creepy crawlies in your home are never fun. What serves as a Roomba in a bird’s nest might do some serious damage to dad’s favorite chair. The carpet beetle may not be as troublesome as its breakfast-in-bed loving kin, but […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bug that engages in more aggressive mimicry than a middle schooler repeating everything you’re saying. But more on that later.” The year was 1879. James Hingsley was an Australian journalist who returned from his voyage to Indonesia with a strange tale on his lips. He claimed that the northern […]

“…And today we’re talking about a bird who is a runner, she’s a track star. But more on that later.” There are a few paths you can go down in the animal kingdom that are tried and true. Strength and power are great, but only if you can catch what you’re after. The roadrunner is […]

“…and today we’re talking about a little king that is named after the king of kings. But more on that later.” We usually use the term “walk on water” to refer to someone above reproach. But when we say that the aggressive and belligerent basilisk lizard walks on water, we don’t mean that it can […]

“…and today we’re talking about a hole in the bottom of the sea. More on that later.” When you’re under a lot of pressure, you may get a headache. But you’ve never been under as much pressure as the Mariana snailfish. Most things at the bottom of the ocean are invertebrates. They live the squishy […]

“…and today we’re talking about a small soldier. But more on that later.” When you’re out in the wilds of the African bushland, you need to get creative when it comes to emergency wound care. One species of ant has a bite so powerful, it can be used to stave off infection. The true villain […]

“…today we’re talking about this little fish of mine. But more on that later.” When twilight comes, it’s time to light your lantern. But sometimes human technology isn’t enough to get past nature’s barriers. That was the case when early sonar came up against the lanternfish, which congregates in the millions. This tiny mesopelagic creature […]

“…and today we’re talking about petite pink primates in plush parkas. But more on that later.” In the highlands of Japan, one tufty monkey likes to season its food, play in the snow, and waylay unsuspecting people in its free time. It uses all of its simian smarts to quickly learn new behaviors and then […]

“…and today we’re talking about a flat slimy menace that will not go gently into the night. But more on that later.” Have you ever felt that you just don’t fit in. Struggling to make connections with a social group can be difficult, but what if you’re clashing with an entire ecosystem. Such is the […]

“…and today we’re talking about a Casanova with a posse. But more on that later.” If John Travolta has taught us anything, it’s that the ladies can’t resist a man who can dance. Well, at least that’s true for one species of colorful bird known as the blue manakin. But there are tons of birds […]

“…and today we’re talking about a deer whose bark is worse than its bite. But more on that later.” The forests of India are beautiful places to forage for nutritious greenery. Though the fantastic foliage looks tasty, it may be concealing a predator that’s equally appetized by you. If you’re a deer that’s detected a […]

“…and today we’re talking about a little lizard that does more than leap! But more on that later.” Man’s imagination has run wild with the idea of magical flying lizards for almost a thousand years. Dragons are a part of the mythos of cultures all over the world, but they never thought that true flying […]

“…And today we’re talking about a bird that wears t-shirts and stays on the bleachers. But more on that later.” Bird life is about taking to the skies, but it’s also about finding a place to rest, nest, and make more birds. But where do you nest when a tree branch is just too uncomfortable […]

“…and today we’re talking about another beautiful sea creature that everyone will love to look at pictures of. But more on that later.” The ocean is full of just chock-full of friendly and not-at-all scary things. One of those very fun things is the foot-long bloodworm with an extremely strong and painful, venomous bite. But […]

“…and today we’re talking about the marine of the marina that can swim, fly, and crawl. But more on that later.” The ocean is a breeding ground for aberrant creations. Pressure and struggle has formed some of the most peculiar Pisces on the planet. But one fish wanted so badly to skitter along the ocean […]

“…and today we’re talking about a little guy that is as stinky as he is striped. But more on that later.” Perhaps one of the world’s most famous (or infamous) animals is the humble skunk. But it’s not only famous in the human world, it’s also well-known in the animal kingdom. For animals that live […]

“…and today we’re talking about a flying magic carpet of the ocean. But more on that later.” Motherhood is one of nature’s most lofty challenges, especially if you’re alone, in the wild, with limited resources. Protecting eggs or young, may mean giving up your own well-being, to give your offspring a fighting chance. But Bedford’s […]

“…and today we’re talking about a fish that is built to live where fish shouldn’t live. But more on that later.”  Deep in the heart of darkness, one heart truly treasures the darkness. The African Lungfish may need water to survive, but it has a foolproof method to survive the continent’s frequent dry spells. If […]

“…and today we’re talking about a tiny deer rodent that is neither deer nor rodent. But more on that later.” If you’re off the beaten trail in Indonesia, you may catch a glimpse of a creature more elusive than a forest gnome. You may assume it was a rat or a rabbit. But was it […]

“…and today we’re talking about parasitic creatures that Andrew Ryan would absolutely hate. But more on that later.” Nature is sometimes beautiful and majestic, and sometimes it’s the most horrifying thing you’ve ever seen—but at least it’s almost always interesting! If you see a snail with large flashing horns on its head, you’re not looking […]

“…and today we’re talking about a metal bird that lives a metal lifestyle. But more on that later.” In nature, there are certain rules. Deer eat grass, wolves eat deer, and vultures eat dead things. But sometimes, animals will break the rules to survive when the going gets tough. Deer are known to occasionally eat […]

“…and today we’ll spend Easter on Christmas Island. Maybe we’ll spend Christmas on Easter Island. Not much more on that later.” Every year, the festively named Christmas Island takes on one of its holiday hues as millions of its inhabitants make their way to the edge of the briny sea. The Christmas Island Red Crab […]

“…And today we’re talking about another fox with shifty, untrustworthy eyes. But more on that later.”  The Eurasian Steppe is a vast plain where water and food can be scarce. But a wily creature can take advantage of the forbidding environment. Foxes live and thrive on every continent except for Antarctica. But to survive in […]

“…and today we’re talking about a tiny tiger that’s got its mind set on you. But more on that later.” When it comes to the speediest speedsters, you don’t often look for champions in the insect world. They may be small, but they can be quick once you factor in their size. The Australian tiger […]

“…and today we’re talking about a curious king with a golden crown. But more on that later.” When you’re the king of the swingers it means you’ve reached the top and had to stop. But balancing at the top branches of an Indian forest requires considerable skill. For a monkey that spends most of his […]

“…and today we’re talking about the type of guy who will never settle down, where delicious bugs are, well you know that he’s around. But more on that later.” When Harry Belafonte tells his fellow banana pickers to hide the deadly black tarantula, he may have been talking about a different spider entirely. The Brazilian […]

“…and today we’re talking about a Gouldian bird with a golden mouth. But more on that later…” Nature has all kinds of odd developments where several species are in close competition. When resources are limited, it takes some stand out skills to survive and grow. For a species of finch, the stand out performance starts […]

“…and today we’re talking about lipstick?! In my Honduran white bat?!” The apostle Paul was known as a tent-maker, which could mean that he created a shelter of hope for the gentiles in the first century. It could also mean that he created actual tents since it costs money to travel the known world. Probably […]

“…and today we’re talking about a familiar creature with a Lovecraftian feature. But more on that later.” The sea is full of creatures aberrant to polite society. They swim in the murky depths or live in dark crevasses. But even a familiar sea creature may be alien to you when you really get to know […]

“…and today we’re talking about the pink panther of the river. But more on that later.” The Amazon River is one of the world’s longest rivers and flows through some of the most biologically fascinating places on Earth. It’s home to all manner of animals, but what you may not have known is that it’s […]

“…and today we’re talking about a reptilian mood ring. But more on that later.” You ain’t been blue till you’ve had that mood indigo? Maybe you’ve experienced red hot anger. For humans, it’s mostly metaphor, but there’s one animal that does display real mood-ring-like qualities. The chameleon is an alien looking reptile, a fact that […]

“…and today we’re talking about the most romantic sea creature. A brown lump! But more on that later.” At the bottom of the ocean, a brown lump inches along the coral and sands, keeping its notable lack of eyes out for potential predators. But when trouble does come a-sniffin, the slow sea cucumber has a […]

“…And today we’re talking about a woman who doesn’t give a darn about her bad reputation.” The black widow spider is nature’s ultimate example of the femme fatale. An unyielding queen in the middle of her silken throne, waiting for the lowly male, driven to her by an instinct most basic.  Though her signature red […]

“…and today we’re talking about the titans of the tundra, the cervids of Santa. But more on that later.” Reindeer are famous for flying, being rude to those that are different from them, and fiercely defending Johnny’s Turbo Man action figure. But one reindeer has an unusual nose that’s even more famous. Researchers have spent […]

“…and today we forgot to say an intro blurb because we had housekeeping stuff.” Life among the rocks provides cover from predators and a quick escape when necessary, but it also comes with its challenges. But the rock hyrax has accepted the task of adapting to this rugged terrain. For a nice warm spot to […]

“…And today we’re walking about a lanky tooth missile that isn’t scared of nobody. But more on that later.” The Amazon is home to many of the western hemisphere’s most successful predators. But the most surprising apex predator isn’t the piranha, the anaconda, or even the legendary jaguar – it’s the giant otter! Alone, they […]

“…and today we’re talking about an insect that wants you to think it floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.” What would you do if you only had energy from the food you ate when you were a kid? You may move as little as possible, and only when you had to. That’s […]