Knowledge: Animals Index

More than zoology, this is your opportunity to learn to appreciate our fellow creatures from the very small to the very large!

There is much to learn about our fellow animal species

We as humans tend to think of ourselves as the ultimate creation. A quick survey of the creatures with which we share the planet suggests that we have a myopic perspective of things. Billions of years of evolution has produced a rich diversity of animals, each exquisitely adapted to its ecological niche.

Some animals are remarkable for their physical characteristics. Take, for example, the basilisk lizard, best known for its ability to run on water; or the star-nosed mole, whose stellar accessory works uncannily like an eye in its dark, damp environs. Then there's the komodo dragon, a rare reptile whose stealth, power, and supersized proportions have earned it a fearsome reputation.

Other creatures are amazing because of their behavior. Some ants conduct warfare that would have given Genghis Khan pause. Parrots match wits with dolphins and nonhuman primates. Lions cooperate, but only when they stand to benefit; and chimpanzees pass social customs down from generation to generation—in other words, they have their own style of culture.

Animals fascinate us with the ways in which they resemble humans as well as how they differ from us.