Reptiles
It can count to six, recognise faces, reproduce without a male, kill prey much larger than itself – and has a nasty, venomous bite
From Komodo dragons to Nile monitors, here's everything you need to know about the monitor lizard genus
"Even amongst their fellow apex predators, they are still top of the food chain…" 7 animals so formidable they have virtually no predators
While most animals that have no predators are what we call ‘apex predators’, meaning they are right at the top of the food chain, this is not always the case.
‘Ghost’ green mamba rediscovered after 90 years
Snake experts try to solve a 150-year-old mystery thanks to surprise discovery.
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We thought Britain only had one venomous snake. These scientists think they've found another
Britain’s rarest reptile, the smooth snake, to be reclassified as a potentially venomous species – but it represents absolutely no threat to humans, say researchers.
They form a terrifying, deadly ‘fence’ to catch and kill their prey
Science writer Stuart Blackman analyses hunting strategies of the slithery kind.
It's a tiny island, just 3 football pitches in size, filled with thousands of deadly venomous cobras and just 100 humans… This is what happens…
This tiny island in Uganda is home to deadly forest cobras, and local fisherman have strange beliefs to keep them friendly
It bites its own tail to transform into a brutal spiked wheel – one of nature’s strangest defences
Coiled in self-defence, this armoured creature turns its body into a formidable fortress to evade predators
At 10m long this snake is not only the world's longest and heaviest, but one of the deadliest too, capable of swallowing a human whole
A familiar snake species to zoo visitors, the reticulated python is a very impressive reptile and on record as the world’s longest snake.
Night-hunting snake discovered in New Guinea. It’s almost a metre long and waits for prey at the bottom of trees
The groundsnake, named Slash’s groundsnake, was deemed new to science through genetic analysis
It might look like a harmless twig, but it’s anything but… "Its venom affects blood clotting and can cause severe bleeding. There is no antivenom."
The strange island where trees bleed, deadly cucumber trees grow and nature has evolved in ways found nowhere else on Earth
Found at the entrance to the Gulf of Aden, Socotra island has the weirdest species
Remote camera catches bobcat attacking biggest rattlesnake species on Earth
Camera-trap images show the wild cat biting and clawing a large eastern diamondback rattlesnake in Florida.
What’s the most dangerous, deadliest snake in the USA? There are quite a few contenders…
The USA is home to around 250 different of snake – but which is the deadliest? The answer lies in the potency of its venom.
“We would find piles of rattlesnakes.” Scientists witness undocumented snake behaviour in Wyoming's mountains
Prairie rattlesnakes gather in groups to shed their skins – and researchers are trying to figure out why.
This highly venomous sniper can shoot lethal toxins into your eyes with deadly accuracy, leaving you in searing pain and at risk of blindness
Meet the spitting cobras – venomous snakes capable of projecting venom with remarkable accuracy to deter threats.
It's 2m long, blue and incredibly beautiful – the mysterious snake from North America that rattles its tail like a rattlesnake
Blue racer snakes are a stunning blue-grey snake found in parts of Northern America. Learn more about this harmless snake in our expert guide by herper and wildlife biology student Jordan Hill.
What's the world's fastest snake? At a speedy 15kmh it could move quicker than you
BBC Wildlife section editor Sarah McPherson answers your wild question.
"Some weigh up to a massive 300kg and can grow to be 1.3m long…" Where do giant tortoises live and why on Earth are they so big?
Nick Baker explains how giant tortoises became - well - giant
"A sting from one of these deadly creatures can kill a human in a matter of hours…" 10 most dangerous, deadliest animals in the Indian Ocean
From tiny stinging jellies to huge predatory sharks, these are some of the most dangerous animals in the Indian Ocean
It spans over 1 million acres, contains rare creatures and is the only place on Earth where two watery, deadly apex predators clash
Everglades National Park, in the US state of Florida, is the largest subtropical wilderness in North America
These birds have never seen rattlesnakes before. Here's what happened when the two of them met
Red-winged blackbirds differentiate between venomous and non-venomous snakes when defending their nests, even if they've never come across the species before, according to a new study.
Scientists looked inside the heads of crocodiles – and made an astounding discovery
Researchers have discovered that the brains of crocodiles and their close relatives have remained almost completely unchanged for 100 million years.
It is as long as shipping container, contains enough neurotoxins to kill 20 humans and can swallow prey whole
All you need to know about one of the world's most venomous snakes, the king cobra
The humongous, deadly and highly venomous Komodo dragon can kill a human, yet Indonesian villagers let them roam on school playing fields
On the remote reaches of Komodo island, people live alongside dragons. We find out how they do it – and why they're willing to take the risk.
