Land Mammals, features and articles | Educational Science

Feb 25, 2023

Could dogs survive without humans?

It's easy to look into the adoring eyes of our pampered pups and think they'd be totally helpless without us. Even the thought of a pet dog living out in the wild is enough to make some owners despair. But imagine if humans suddenly disappeared and dogs had to fend...

Mar 18, 2023

Why do dogs tilt their heads?

In the iconic painting His Master's Voice, a terrier cocks his head as he listens to his owner's voice coming from a gramophone. This gesture is one many dog owners will be familiar with, but why do dogs tilt their heads? In a 2021 study in the journal Animal Cognition,...

Apr 17, 2023

In rare attack, dingo repeatedly bites and holds girl underwater. (Luckily she survived.)

A dingo recently attacked a 6-year-old girl while she was paddling in a shallow lagoon in Australia, holding her underwater and repeatedly biting her head. The wild dog attacked the girl on K'gari, also known as Fraser Island, on April 3. The child is in stable condition, having suffered three...

Oct 9, 2023

Why do dogs eat poop?

While dogs may be man's best friend, it's hard to avoid judging Fido when he gets into his own feces. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Science surveyed about 1,400 dog owners in the United States and found that 23% of dogs had eaten poop...

Oct 29, 2023

Are dogs smarter than wolves?

At least 15,000 years ago, dogs evolved from groups of gray wolves, leading theories suggest. But does that mean modern-day pooches are smarter than their canine ancestors? According to experts, the answer is no. But that doesn't mean wolves are smarter than dogs, either. You would never say dogs or...

Nov 19, 2023

Why do dogs chase their tails?

Around and around they go — dogs are often seen spinning in endless pursuit of their own rears. But why do dogs chase their tails? There are several possible reasons for this behavior, as well as ways to thwart it, experts told Live Science. Puppies and younger dogs may simply...

Feb 7, 2024

French bulldog puppy spontaneously regrows jaw after surgery in 1st known case of its kind

A puppy has spontaneously regrown his jawbone after part of it was surgically removed because of a cancerous tumor. It is believed to be the first reported case of a dog regenerating its mandible. Veterinarians at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine's Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service first diagnosed Tyson,...

Mar 8, 2024

Genetic quirk in 25% of Labrador retrievers can lead to overeating, obesity

Retrievers are known to be food-motivated dogs, but a gene mutation found in some of these pups causes them to have not only an insatiable appetite but also lower metabolism, a combination that can lead to obesity, a new study finds. This double whammy is caused by a mutation in...

Dec 12, 2018

Huge Marsupial Lion Terrorized Ancient Australia, Sat Adorably on Its Tail

The marsupial lion — a giant carnivore that hunted in Australia tens of thousands of years ago — has long mystified scientists. But the recent discovery of more of its fossils, including a nearly complete skeleton of the extinct beast, has revealed some of its secrets. The newfound bones suggest...

Dec 20, 2018

Is It Unethical to Give Your Cat Catnip?

As the Christmas season gets underway thoughts turn to buying gifts for the entire family. For some, companion animals are on the gift list, particularly cats and dogs who share our homes and hearts. Whether they've been naughty or nice matters not, as the more than US$1 billion pet toy...

Jan 15, 2019

Third Cat in Wyoming Diagnosed with Plague: Here's Why You Shouldn't Panic

A house cat in Wyoming was recently diagnosed with bubonic plague; it is now the third feline in the state found to have contracted the deadly disease in the past six months. While the word plague conjures images of epidemics wiping out medieval communities in their entirety, the bacterial infection...

Jan 17, 2019

Small Terrapin Outsmarts Young Lion in Wild Video

Without a doubt, lions are fierce predators, capable of taking down enormous African buffalo and ripping their tough hide to shreds. But a new video shows how one adorable young lion seems to have met its match in a small but well-armored terrapin. In this exclusive clip from BBC America's...

Jan 17, 2019

In Photos: The Lions of Kenya's Masai Mara

The Marsh Pride (Image credit: Simon Blakeney/BBC America)The first episode of BBC America's new series, Dynasties, follows the Marsh Pride of the Masai Mara. Watch the series premiere this Saturday, Jan. 19 on BBC America at 8/7 C. Viewers can also watch the first episode online for free. Females in...

Jan 31, 2019

Adorable Clip of Tiger Cubs Learning to Wrestle Will Melt Your Heart on This 'Arctic' Day

Tigers are cunning predators that many cultures idolize and respect. But these iconic big cats aren't born as expert hunters. Over the first several weeks and months of their lives, adorable tiger cubs weighing just a few pounds each must learn what it takes to survive and grow into the...

Jan 31, 2019

In Photos: The Tigers of India's Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

Ruler of the forest (Image credit: BBC America)The third episode of BBC America's new series, Dynasties, follows tigress Raj Bhera and her family. Catch the episode this Saturday, Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. EST/8 p.m. CST on BBC America. Viewers can still watch the first episode, Lion, online for free....