Critter Science
The Science of Animals
The binturong, aka bearcat, aka Asian bearcat, aka Asian civet belongs to the same family as a variety of other small carnivores (eat meat) such as mongooses, civets, genets, and fossa. They also share a variety of traits with them too, including a long nose and having
The mata mata turtle originates from South America’s Amazon and Orinoco basins. With many names to its credit, the mata mata, which translates to “kill, kill” in Spanish, has been renamed 14 times over the last 200 years, with the most recent naming being in 1992. They
Native to parts of Africa and Asia, the snakehead is a dangerously invasive fish that has been introduced to several states in the U.S. and poses a huge problem for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in Hawaii, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, and Rhode Island. Due to their
The bearded vulture, aka lammergeier is one insane bird! One might even go as far to say, this vulture is the most metal of all birds. From eating bones to dying its feathers with dirt and blood, this critter is among the top of the list of insane birds. There are many legends
The peacock mantis shrimp, aka “thumb-splitter”, is a small, aggressive marine crustacean that lives in tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans from Hawaii to Eastern Africa. They are part of the same family as lobsters, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, and
Often called a “living fossil”, the frilled shark has changed little in millions of years. These strange looking, jagged toothed, monsters of the deep are the topic of today’s article. These fascinating, yet terrifying looking, sharks are quite possibly the stuff of sea serpent legend
Native to both fresh and salt water ecosystems, the lamprey is an invasive parasite that is capable of upsetting populations of fish in oceans, lakes, and rivers. During the 1940s a sharp increase in lampreys threatened and endangered a large number of commercial
The tailless whip scorpion, aka the whip spider, looks a little like a cornucopia of different types of arachnids. With long, skinny legs they look like a spider, but nope. It’s not a spider. Its first pair of legs end in antennae that are used to help it see and locate prey, as they can’t
One of the more unusual looking creatures in the animal kingdom is the star-nosed mole. This is a small mole that lives in marshes, forests, and wetlands of North America. They have a very unique star-shaped nose that is ringed with 22 fleshy appendages called “rays”, that
First off, the electric eel is a misnomer as they aren’t actually eels at all, but rather a member of the knife fish family. Electric eels are one of 500 types of fish that are able to produce electrical currents. They live in shallow, muddy areas of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers
If you’re a bug, then you have much to fear. Predators are everywhere. One scary predator in particular is the assassin bug. The name may sound a bit overkill, but these killers are quite skilled at their art of attacking unsuspecting prey and injecting a concoction of
There are many types of finches in the world. One finch in particular has gained the macabre taste for blood! Meet the vampire finch. The Galápagos Islands are known for their 15 species of finches, which inspired Charles Darwin to write the theory of evolution. This bird has gained
When the satanic leaf-tailed gecko was first discovered in Madagascar, in 1888, George Albert Boulenger described these amazing geckos as “mythical”. The camouflage abilities of these critters is incredible and helps them stay out of the view of predators. Unfortunately,
With 15 pairs of long, spindly, fast moving legs, the house centipede is enough to send shivers down the spines of anyone who fears bugs and other general creepy crawlies. These centipedes are not all that bad though and actually help to get rid of other pests in the home.
Looking like a small, ticked off bear, but actually the largest member of the weasel family, it’s the wolverine. They prefer life in the arctic and subarctic regions of North America, Canada, Northern Europe, Russia, and Siberia. Wolverines enjoy cold and snow filled boreal