Environment Animals Wildlife Bears Yellowstone's first grizzly bear of 2026 emerges from his den This is not the bear that was recently spotted. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. This week, a sure sign of spring arrived in Yellowstone National Park. Biologists working in the northern part of the park reported their first grizzly bear sighting of the season on March 9 . The bear was observed scavenging on a bull bison carcass in the park's back country.

It was an exciting start to my early morning when I was able to witness the agility and effort of a pair of hares boxing. They were so close that I could hear the puffs and pants as they performed in front of me. As the activity became more intense, fur was lost, and I loved how it stayed on top of the hare's head throughout this frenetic time. So intent were they to win the battle of wills they ignored my presence lying on the ground in plain sight. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week.

Jackdaw chicks learn not to sweat the small stuff. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. How do chicks learn safe bird calls from ones that mean possible imminent death? According to new research, jackdaw (two species of bird in the genus) chicks listen to their elders--but there's also an evolutionary instinct at play. In a study recently published in the journal, researchers played the sound of predator calls paired with adult jackdaw alarm calls or the neutral adult jackdaw contact calls to 20 to 30-day-old jackdaw nestlings across 39 wild nests in southwestern England.

But the only native stork found in the U.S. is not out of the woods just yet. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. After over 40 years of recovery efforts, one population of the wood stork ()is being removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife. The large birds are as tall as 45 inches with wingspans that can reach 65 inches and are the only native storks in the United States. They are primarily found in the southeastern United States, where they feed on fish.

Fossil evidence shows a case of mistaken big cat identity. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Present-day Japan may see its fair share of bears, but the islands' big cat populations are long gone. Between 129,000 and 11,700 years ago, temporary land bridges allowed the ancient predators to migrate between mainland Asia and the islands. Paleobiologists have long believed tigers were the primary cats to make this trek, but recently analyzed evidence published in the suggests a different timeline.

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. The Society of Photographers has announced the winners of its prestigious 2025 Photographer of the Year awards. Photographer Therese Asplund earned the top honors of Photographer of the Year for an image (seen below) of young birds on branch. "Demonstrating outstanding skill, narrative depth, and execution, this bold and distinctive image emerged as a clear standout and generated animated discussion among the judges," a press release said. More than 5,000 images were submitted across 28 categories.

There's more than one way to pass down those genes. These rodents live to serve their queen, who can have over 30 babies at one time. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Valentine's Day means that love and coupling up is in the air. While our idea of romance may be lacking when it's time to reproduce, some species make up for it with fascinating strategies to pass their genes on to the next generation and ensure survival.

Their winter survival trick is a months-long power-save mode--and scientists think it could help humans, too. This bear woke up like this. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. For many animals that live in cold climates, winter means low-power mode. But no creature is more tied to the image of a long, cozy winter than hibernating bears all snuggled up in their dens.

Playful bear cubs and a swirling superpod of dolphins compete for People's Choice honors. Josef has wanted to photograph lynxes for a long time. He was delighted when the opportunity arose to spend two weeks observing them from a hide at Torre de Juan Abad, Ciudad Real, Spain. It's common for young lynxes to play with their prey before killing it. This one repeatedly threw the rodent high in the air and caught it again.

Birthing a litter with several fathers may help when food is scarce. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. If a female house mouse mates with multiple male house mice, her litter could have multiple fathers. Polyandry, as this mating practice is called, is common for various species. Yet scientists are still investigating its purpose and the potential benefits of birthing half siblings within the same litter.