Special Species

At a tremendous personal cost, this mama kept 160 eggs healthy and safe while perched on a rocky ledge for nearly five years. Although she slowly lost weight and her skin grew lax and pale, the only thing that remained in the spot at the end were broken shells.

With the discovery that the distress calls of babies across a range of species share certain characteristics, these researchers found that mammal mamas have an instinctive response, even when it's not their own baby. Does your pet have a motherly instinct as well?

Birds are experts at hiding symptoms of illness, making it crucial to get regular check-ups with an avian veterinarian. Even innocuous changes, like reduced singing or a change in how your bird's vocalizations sound, could be a signal that something is very wrong and necessitate a vet visit.

They're not just a showpiece. They have the capacity to suffer, be angry, and form long-term memories. And because of that, if you're the proud owner of one or more, you should make sure to provide these 10 things for a healthy, stimulating environment for them.

Poison dart frogs' brilliant colors warn would-be predators to stay away. In the wild, these frogs' skin secretes poison that can kill an adult human, but when raised in captivity the frogs are harmless.

Contrary to what you might believe, this animal species is highly intelligent and psychologically complex. They're empathetic and very social in their interactions with others and love to run and carry or shake balls and sticks. Should they have rights like other intelligent creatures?

Even though you can't legally buy one of these pets, they still sickened 473 people between 2011 and 2013. Tiny and cute, people are drawn to them like flies, so their presence in homes is making a comeback. Please resist the temptation to bring one home.

In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers revealed that horses will ask humans for help when faced with a difficult problem. Though obvious in the study, the signals are subtle. Would you recognize the signs if a horse was asking you for help?

They're very clean and easy to care for, yet they're often ignored when people consider adopting a pet. And that's too bad, because these incredibly soft creatures are affectionate and playful and more intelligent than they may look.