Dogs, in a biological and taxonomic context, correspond to the genus Canis, which comprises medium to large carnivorous mammals in the family Canidae, including species such as Canis lupus (gray wolf), Canis latrans (coyote), and the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris (a subspecies). Members of Canis are characterized by a digitigrade stance, non-retractile claws, well-developed social behavior, and dentition adapted for an omnivorous–carnivorous diet. They exhibit complex vocal and olfactory communication, flexible social structures, and broad ecological adaptability across diverse habitats in the Northern Hemisphere and, via human-mediated dispersal, globally.
The fossilized spines of saber-toothed cats in the La Brea Tar Pits reveal evidence of an unexpectedly high prevalence of rare spinal nerve tumors, suggesting that the species became inbred just before extinction. These tumors, ...
Evolution
Jul 27, 2026
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Wildlife protection frameworks in both the EU and the UK need stronger and more consistent implementation—and must recognize animals as "individuals capable of experiencing suffering," rather than mere ecological assets.
Plants & Animals
Jul 16, 2026
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It wouldn't make much sense to prohibit people from shooting a threatened woodpecker while allowing its forest to be cut down, or to bar killing endangered salmon while allowing a dam to dry out their habitat.
Ecology
Jul 13, 2026
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Throughout human ecological history, we have played a variety of roles within ecosystems around the world. In this so-called Anthropocene era, genomic innovations have given us new and powerful ways to influence the environment ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 3, 2026
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Superworms, a mealworm-like form of beetle larva commonly used as pet food, are efficient cleaners of skeletons, according to a study published in PLOS One by Fatemeh Rastekar of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, and ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 1, 2026
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A biotech company that aims to resurrect lost creatures said Tuesday it has hatched live chicks in an artificial environment—a development that was met with mixed reviews from scientists and critics of its de-extinction mission.
Plants & Animals
May 19, 2026
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Wolves in India, like the pack that raised Mowgli in "The Jungle Book," can often feel disconnected from both the research and storytelling of wolves. Rice University professor Lauren Hennelly is working to change that. Her ...
Plants & Animals
May 18, 2026
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A new genetic test has revealed that most of the free-roaming canines in Australia, often labeled "wild dogs," carry a significant amount of dingo ancestry. A team of Adelaide University researchers from the Australian Center ...
Ecology
May 14, 2026
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A lone coyote stunned biologists and others when it paddled its way to remote Alcatraz Island earlier this year, a former federal prison in the San Francisco Bay surrounded by swift, choppy waters notorious for thwarting ...
Ecology
May 5, 2026
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13
Graceful, brown-eyed, and a staple of local folklore, the roe deer is one of Romania's most iconic forest dwellers. But behind the serene image of these animals lies a hidden crisis: a new study reveals the roe deer is the ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 30, 2026
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