Shells, composed mostly of invasive zebra mussels pile up at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. The Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Control and Prevention Act of 1990 and the United States Geological Survey's Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database were created in response to this mussel. corfoto/Getty Images hide caption
The central European bicolored ant, L. emarginatus, wanders around a rock in New York City. Researchers hope that people will continue uploading sightings of the so-called ManhattAnt to sites like iNaturalist so they can track the ants' movement and learn more about their behaviors. Julian F./iNaturalist hide caption
Researchers glued cameras and tracking instruments to small pieces of neoprene, that they then glued to the fur of the sea lions Nathan Angelakis hide caption
There are over eight hundred species of leeches, but researchers estimate that only ten percent of all leeches are terrestrial. Auscape/Contributor/Getty Images hide caption
Two chimpanzees groom each other — a behavior that can involve several gestures. Anup Shah/Getty Images hide caption
A cuttlefish swims on seagrass. Cuttlefish can change the color and texture of their bodies. cinoby/Getty Images hide caption
Synchronous fireflies, known as Photuris frontalis, blink in the woods near the Congaree River on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Columbia, S.C. Sam Wolfe for NPR hide caption
Some ants, like the Florida carpenter ant, treat the injured legs of comrades, and will even perform medical amputations when necessary. Zen Rial/Getty Images hide caption
A blue shark captured from below off the coast of New Zealand. Cultura RM Exclusive/Richard Robinson/Getty Images hide caption
Reconstruction of a Lokiceratops rangiformis being surprised by a crocodilian in the 78-million-year-old swamps that would have existed in what is now northern Montana. Andrey Atuchin/Museum of Evolution hide caption
The 'i'iwi is one of Hawaii's honeycreepers, forest birds that are found nowhere else. There were once more than 50 species. Now, only 17 remain. Ryan Kellman/NPR hide caption
The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Live animals that are caught, like this box turtle, need immediate and long-term care at facilities like The Turtle Conservancy. Ryan Kellman/NPR hide caption
This 2005 electron microscope image shows an avian influenza A H5N1 virion. On Wednesday, Michigan health officials said a farmworker has been diagnosed with bird flu, the second human case connected to an outbreak in U.S. dairy cows. Cynthia Goldsmith, Jackie Katz/CDC/AP hide caption
Harlan Gough holds a recently collected tiger beetle on a tether. Lawrence Reeves hide caption
A sea otter in Monterey Bay with a rock anvil on its belly and a scallop in its forepaws. Jessica Fujii hide caption
New Zealand Department of Conservation staff assess the remains of a deceased sperm whale. Department of Conservation (NZ) hide caption
A Phoenix Herpetological Society rattlesnake class attendee moves to pick up a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake with snake tongs under the supervision of instructor Cale Morris at the Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park in Scottsdale, Arizona. Caitlin O'Hara for NPR hide caption
Cynthia Hornor poses with Nimble, the first mixed-breed dog ever to win the Westminster Kennel Club dog show's agility competition, in New York on Monday. Jennifer Peltz/AP hide caption
Lauren Hill, a graduate student at Cal State LA, holds a bird at the bird banding site at Bear Divide in the San Gabriel Mountains. Grace Widyatmadja/NPR hide caption
Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling has named the mosquito as the world's scariest animal. He has a point. David Gannon/AFP via Getty Images; Paul Sarosta/Getty Images hide caption
Traveling internationally with a dog — or adopting one from abroad — just got a bit more complicated. The CDC issued new rules intended to reduce the risk of importing rabies. mauinow1/Getty Images/iStockphoto hide caption