Wildlife Facts

Bats emerge from the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin.

QUIZ: Step Up to Bat

October is Bat Appreciation Month and Halloween is right around the corner. There are a wide variety of bats (not including Batman), but each plays a different role in our … Read more

American Crow

Why are Bats, Owls, Toads, and Crows Associated with Halloween?

With the spookiest season in full swing and Halloween decorations abound, you might be wondering why certain animals are so often featured in our harvest-themed festivities. Why do plastic owls … Read more

Avian migration appearing on U.S. weather radar scans.

How Do We Know Anything About Migrating Birds?

What is Aeroecology? Each August, billions of birds rally themselves for the long, dangerous migration south. With the abundant foods offered by the summer breeding season now dwindling in supply, … Read more

QUIZ: What’s Your Wildlife Personality?

We all have a wild side. What’s yours? Read more

Japanese macaques

New Science on Same-sex Behavior in Wildlife

In honor of Pride Month, we are taking the opportunity to look at same-sex sexual relationships in wildlife—from sea stars and birds, to monkeys and apes. Thanks to a cultural … Read more

Graphic: Little Larry the salmon in river

Little Larry Swims: Salmon in the Trees?

Let’s talk about the food chain! We’re all a part of it. When you are a salmon, you are a big part of it. 130 different plant and animal species … Read more

Graphic: Little Larry swimming to Pacific Ocean

Little Larry Swims: High Tailin’ Salmon

Ever hear the saying: “The odds are good, but the goods are odd?”   In my case, and for all the salmon runs in these parts, the opposite is true. The … Read more

Clockwise: humpback whales, monarch butterfly, pronghorn antelope

Heading South

Every autumn and winter, in a dramatic act of coordination and navigation, dozens of species across North America migrate vast distances for food, warmth or breeding. Monarch butterflies descend upon … Read more

Delivering Schools of Salmon

“So you’re the Egg Lady”, was the greeting I received as I entered Corbett Elementary School on a bright but cold November afternoon. I had called ahead to inform the … Read more

Pictures of the potential results of the "Spooky Creature" quiz: Red Wolf, Northern Spotted Owl., Sierra Nevada Yellow Legged Frog, Virginia Big-Eared Bat, Black Widow, and Atlantic Salt Marsh Snake

Quiz: Who’s Your Spooky Creature?

Many species get bad reputations from movies or TV shows, and that has consequences for conservation. Take our quiz to find out which spooky Halloween animal channels your inner self … Read more