Wild World

I used to think deserts were just empty wastelands where nothing interesting happened. Turns out, I was completely wrong—and honestly, the more I learned

I used to think elephant families were simple—matriarch leads, everyone follows, end of story. Turns out the social architecture of African elephants is

I used to think whale songs were just, you know, background noise—nature’s ambient soundtrack for documentaries. The Unexpected Complexity of Humpback

I used to think naked mole rats were just wrinkly little potatoes with teeth. Then I learned about their queen, and everything got weird.

I used to think wildebeest were basically just awkward-looking cows with bad PR. Then I spent three weeks following the migration through the Serengeti

I used to think okapis were just zebras that got lost in the wrong neighborhood. Turns out, these striped-legged creatures are actually the only living

I used to think sea turtles just kind of drifted around the ocean until they randomly bumped into food. Turns out, loggerhead sea turtles are navigating

I used to think blue whales just sort of wandered around the ocean, but turns out their migrations are absurdly precise—like, thousands of miles precise.

I used to think oxpeckers were just another pretty bird on the savanna. Then I watched one land on a buffalo’s back in Kruger National Park, and

I used to think wolverines were just angry weasels with better PR, but then I watched one bury a caribou leg in snowpack like it was opening a savings account.