It looks like a friendly garden bird, sings like one too – but it’s one of the most toxic creatures alive

It looks like a friendly garden bird, sings like one too – but it’s one of the most toxic creatures alive

What do a poison dart frog from South America and a perching bird from New Guinea have in common? Well, both exude neurotoxins that are, gram for gram, some of the most powerful poisons in nature. That Phyllobates poison dart frogs are highly poisonous is well known – it’s in their name, after all, and a single frog can […]

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“The thought of them lurking under the water is enough to give you the shivers – After drowning its victim it rapidly rolls it to remove its limbs…

“The thought of them lurking under the water is enough to give you the shivers – After drowning its victim it rapidly rolls it to remove its limbs…

Saltwater crocodiles are one of the world’s most famous and deadliest predators. Just the thought of them lurking under the water is enough to give you the shivers. We named it one of the most deadliest animals in the world Learn about more about saltwater crocodiles in our expert guide, including whether crocodiles really sleep with […]

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“The male torpedoed into it and it exploded into smithereens…” Ocean’s deadliest predator filmed ‘head butting’ massive fish so hard it explodes

“The male torpedoed into it and it exploded into smithereens…” Ocean’s deadliest predator filmed ‘head butting’ massive fish so hard it explodes

In unprecedented footage, orcas have been filmed ramming one of the world’s heaviest fish so hard that it explodes. It’s thought that the bizarre behaviour could be a type of feeding strategy – or alternatively, maybe orcas just like blowing things up. Under the heat of the midday sun, a pod of orcas loitered in the sun-drenched […]

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It’s one of the world’s most intelligent birds – whose curiosity – & taste for meat – led the New Zealand government to encourage their mass killing

It’s one of the world’s most intelligent birds – whose curiosity – & taste for meat – led the New Zealand government to encourage their mass killing

As some of the world’s most intelligent birds, kea are extremely inquisitive, appear to enjoy problem-solving and engage in playful activities, seemingly for fun – qualities that endear them to us yet bring them into conflict. Endemic to New Zealand’s South Island, kea have evolved over millennia to survive harsh alpine conditions. They became omnivores, […]

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“When they use these spines, they puncture them really deeply into their attacker. They can deliver venom into the wound”

“When they use these spines, they puncture them really deeply into their attacker. They can deliver venom into the wound”

In a new study, researchers compared the features of 30 different stingray spines to find out why some break off while others remain sturdy Scientists have gained a fascinating insight into how stingrays‘ iconic spines differ across species and the trade-off between different features. “Stingray spines are highly modified scales,” says Emily Poulin, a PhD candidate […]

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“One of the ocean’s fastest and most powerful predators.” Photographer witnesses elegant hunter prowling for prey

“One of the ocean’s fastest and most powerful predators.” Photographer witnesses elegant hunter prowling for prey

As a school of fish swirls above, a marlin prowls through the blue water, its distinctive stripes glinting in the sun. This is the stunning moment caught on film by wildlife filmmaker Alex Westover. Westover shared the spectacular video on Instagram with the caption “marlin magic”. He describes the event as “a rare encounter with one of the ocean’s fastest […]

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