Is a platypus a mammal? Egg laying, milk and venomous spurs
The platypus is an egg-laying mammal in order Monotremata that nurses its young. Learn how it produces milk, lays eggs, and uses venomous spurs.
Species & Conservation
Octopus vs squid: arms, size records and ocean range
Octopuses have eight arms and no skeleton, while squid add two tentacles and a gladius. Compare size, movement, diet and lifespan.
Dumbo octopus: depths, typical size and umbrella species
Dumbo octopuses are deep-sea umbrella octopuses with ear-like fins, typical lengths of 20 to 30 cm, and habitats reaching 7,000 m depths.
Dolphin vs porpoise: beaks, teeth, fins and size
Dolphins are longer and leaner with beaks and cone teeth, while porpoises are smaller and stout with spade teeth. Size, sound and groups covered.
Why are blue whales endangered: history and threats
Blue whales remain endangered following heavy commercial whaling in the 1900s, with vessel strikes and gear entanglements posing the main ongoing threats.
Why are elephants endangered? Poaching and habitat loss
Elephants face extinction risks primarily from illegal ivory poaching and expanding agricultural land use that destroys and fragments their natural habitat.
Are polar bears endangered? The IUCN lists them as Vulnerable
The IUCN polar bear specialists name Arctic sea ice loss as the most serious threat. Their 2015 assessment categorized the polar bear as Vulnerable.
Similarities between a red panda and a giant panda
Red pandas and giant pandas both eat bamboo in Asia’s high forests and share a pseudo-thumb, but Smithsonian’s National Zoo says they are not closely related.
Why are red pandas endangered? Habitat loss and poaching
Red pandas are listed as Endangered on the IUCN red list. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo names habitat loss, human interference and poaching as primary threats.
Why are axolotls endangered? Habitat loss, pollution, fish
Axolotls are critically endangered because of habitat loss around Mexico City, polluted water and introduced predatory fish, with few left in the wild.