Skip to main content

Animals

United States

Where the Buffalo Roam

November 11, 2016

The North American bison is now the official national mammal. What does the honor mean for the animal’s long-term survival? For 234 years, the bald eagle has been the U.S. national animal. But in May, President Barack Obama signed a…

Audio
Video
Spanish

Science

Earth's Cleaning Crew

October 28, 2016

Vultures play an important role in ecosystems. With vulture populations dropping fast, researchers are racing to save these strange birds. Vultures are often seen as scary creatures. Their bald heads, huge wings, hooked beaks, and long necks make the birds…

Audio
Video
Spanish

Science

Return of the Grizzlies

October 7, 2016

Thanks to government protections, grizzly bears have bounced back from near-extinction. But can they survive in the wild without help? Grizzly bears have all but disappeared from the continental United States (see map). But they are making a comeback in…

Audio
Video
Spanish

Environment

Shell Game

April 15, 2016

The ploughshare (plow -share) tortoise is one of the world's most endangered animals. Experts believe there are fewer than 300 adults in the wild. A small piece of land in northwest Madagascar is the species' only natural habitat. With their…

Science

Wildlife Detectives

January 22, 2016

It was June 6, 1989, and President George H.W. Bush had just stopped elephant ivory from coming into the United States. A wildlife inspector spotted a shipment of 200 ivory buttons. The person shipping them said they came from the…

Environment

Shark Hunt

September 25, 2015

A shark smells prey and swims toward it. The meal is some bait attached to a camera on the ocean floor. The big fish heads to the camera, and it is caught on video. The scene is not for a…