Our planet now faces a global extinction crisis never witnessed by humankind. Scientists predict that more than 1 million species are on track for extinction in the coming decades. But there’s still ...

We're in the midst of the Earth’s sixth mass extinction crisis. Harvard biologist E. O. Wilson estimated that 30,000 species per year (or three species per hour) are being driven to extinction.

DESCRIPTION: Humphead wrasse are enormous reef fish, having been measured as long as seven feet and weighing up to 420 pounds. The wrasse has thick, full lips and a forehead hump that becomes more ...

Bluefin tuna are an ocean-going fish that grow up to 10 feet long and can weigh as much as 1,200 pounds. Unlike almost all fish, bluefin tuna are warm-blooded and able to regulate their body ...

DESCRIPTION: The Bay checkerspot is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of a little more than two inches. The top surfaces of its wings have black bands along all the veins that sharply contrast ...

Mojave fringe-toed lizards have numerous traits tailored to their sand-dwelling lifestyle. Foremost are the lizards' scaly hind toes, which resemble snowshoes and keep them from sinking as they sprint ...

DESCRIPTION: The San Joaquin kit fox is the smallest member of the dog family in North America, with an average body length of 20 inches, an average tail length of 12 inches, and a height of about ...

With its cryptic coloration and flat body, the flat-tailed horned lizard is capable of disappearing on the desert floor. When a predator threatens, the lizard may run a short distance and then stop ...

Description: The tallest land mammal, with a neck as long as 6 feet, the giraffe is also well known for the unique brown and white pattern on its coat (“pelage”) and its lengthy eyelashes and legs.

Desert tortoises have lived in the deserts of California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah since the Pleistocene. In the early years of the 20th century, they still thrived within the Southwest's arid ...

For every county in the United States, the map below shows information on all the animals and plants protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered. To see the number of ...

The United States has an amazing and diverse array of native bees. Across the country live about 4,000 native bee species — most of which are solitary and nest in the ground — coming in nearly every ...