Animals
We live on a planet with millions of species of animals -and a rich, diverse collection of known wildlife, and yet new species are being identified seemingly every day — both living and extinct.
Whether it’s the deadliest snakes, longest-living creatures or the history of the dinosaurs, at Live Science, our expert writers are here to help you understand Earth's incredible fauna — past and present — with the latest animal news, features and articles.
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Scientists have figured out when the biggest bull sharks are most active — and it's not when official advice suggests
By Lydia Smith published
Researchers tracked more than 200 bull sharks off the coast of New South Wales to find out exactly when they were most active and posed the greatest risk to humans.

Pacific lamprey: The jawless fish that survived 4 mass extinctions and sucks prey dry of blood and body fluids
By Sascha Pare published
Lampreys belong to an ancient group of fish called Agnatha that evolved 450 million years ago, predating both dinosaurs and trees.

World's oldest aquarium fish 'Methuselah' could be decades older than we originally thought, DNA clock reveals
By Harry Baker published
A new study has found that the famous Australian lungfish Methuselah, who first arrived in the U.S. in 1938, could be up to 101 years old.

See extremely rare photos of alien-looking '7-arm octopus' spotted near Washington coast
By Harry Baker published
The seven-arm octopus, which actually has eight arms, is one of the largest octopus species and is rarely seen by people because it normally dwells in the deep sea.

'True rarity': Gigantic alligator gar caught and released in Texas reservoir could break 2 world records
By Harry Baker published
Anglers in Texas reeled in a 283-pound alligator gar after a lengthy battle with the enormous fish. Experts say the catch likely breaks a 72-year record.

Indian crocodiles seen saving dog from feral pack attack, but scientists divided over what it means
By Richard Pallardy published
Crocodiles appeared to rescue a dog that had been chased into a river, and scientists said this unusual behavior could indicate empathy — but others are skeptical.

Snake choking on invasive fish the size of its head saved by scientist
By Ethan Freedman published
A snake in France had a lucky escape after attempting to eat a fish with a spiny dorsal fin that had gotten lodged into the reptile's esophagus.

Bizarre blob-like animal may hint at origins of neurons
By Stephanie Pappas published
Placozoans, animals so simple they look like blobby pancakes, have been found to contain cells that may hold the ancestors of modern neurons.

RNA extracted from a extinct Tasmanian tiger for the 1st time
By Stephanie Pappas published
Researchers analyzed RNA from the 130-year-old tissue of a Tasmanian tiger, a carnivorous marsupial that went extinct nine decades ago.

2 liver-eating orcas forced an entire population of great white sharks to flee their home waters
By Alison Kock, Matt Dicken, Alison Towner, Heather Bowlby, Toby Rogers published
Researchers have discovered that hundreds of great white sharks that vanished from their home off the Western Cape of South Africa have moved east in order to survive — but this could spell trouble for both the sharks and the people living there.
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