Bats, those unique and magnificent mammals of the air, might be the last creatures you'd associate with the deep, vast ocean. But as that ocean becomes ever deeper and vaster through accelerating ...

Hellbenders may not be pretty to everyone, but these strictly aquatic salamanders are as interesting as their awesome name implies — and they grow up to 2 feet long and sometimes top 4 pounds, making ...

DESCRIPTION: Loggerhead sea turtles are named for their large heads, which contain powerful jaws and a thick beak. An adult loggerhead's top shell is slightly heart-shaped with a reddish-brown color; ...

DESCRIPTION: Both species are moderately sized salamanders that are black to chocolate-black, with light gray lines and specks that form a cross-banded pattern across their backs. They can be ...

An analysis of oil and gas pipeline safety in the United States reveals a troubling history of spills, contamination, injuries and deaths. This time-lapse video shows pipeline incidents from 1986 to ...

The word jaguar comes from the South American Tupi and Guarani languages. A likely origin is the word yaguareté, meaning “true, fierce beast.” DESCRIPTION: The largest cat native to North America and ...

After Hurricane Andrew ripped through South Florida in 1992, the already-scarce Miami blue butterfly almost went extinct: No one recorded a single sighting for years. Finally, in 1999, a cheer went up ...

Gentle and playful marine mammals, Florida manatees have come to represent the amazing biodiversity of Florida. With their large size, slow-moving nature, and fondness of seagrass, it's easy to see ...

A cherished icon of the West, the prehistoric-looking California condor remains one of the world's most endangered species. North America's largest avian narrowly escaped extinction in the mid-1980s ...

For every county in the United States, the map below shows information on all the animals and plants protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered. To see the number of ...

Native to the Gila River basin, the loach minnow and spikedace are adapted to the beautiful yet vulnerable ecology of southwestern desert rivers. These rare, pint-sized fish are just two of many river ...

DESCRIPTION: Gray wolves are the largest wild members of the dog family, with adults ranging from 40 to 175 pounds. Wolves' fur color is frequently a grizzled gray, but it can vary from pure white to ...