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world—is home to plants and animals found nowhere else
world—is home to plants and animals found nowhere else

wolf that lives in the United States—and nowhere else
wolf that lives in the United States—and nowhere else

Follow these steps to make rain clouds in a bottle!
cork skewer, drill bit, big needle, or something else

Mouse, cat, and dog piggyback in Taos, New Mexico.
So does everyone else, which is just what owner Greg

A 40-pound mammal creeps along a tree branch in a steamy forest. The animal looks like a cross between a cat and a bear. And its appearance isn’t even its strangest quality. What’s even weirder is the creature’s smell: It gives off the scent of buttered popcorn! This is the binturong, an animal that’s full of surprises. GET A GRIP Binturongs live in the rain forests of Southeast Asia. They belong to a family of carnivorous mammals that also includes civets. The animals spend most of their time hanging out in the treetops. When they aren’t lounging on branches, they’re looking for yummy snacks such as insects, birds, and fruit. The animal uses its tail—which is almost as long as its body—like a fifth limb as it climbs through the forest. This tail is prehensile, which means it’s capable of gripping things. The binturong is one of only two carnivores that has a prehensile tail. (The other is the kinkajou.) By grasping onto branches and trunks with the furry extension, the binturong is able to move more easily along the trees. PASS THE POPCORN As they travel, binturongs rub a pungent substance produced in their scent glands onto branches and foliage. The animals use the odor to mark territory as well as to attract mates. The substance smells like buttery popcorn. With all its cool qualities, you definitely can’t turn your nose up at this odd-smelling animal! Text by Andrea Silen, NGS Staff
Find out what else makes the binturong so freaky in

a rhino catches the scent of a human or anything else

Get the scoop on this splashy spring festival in Thailand.
collect water in buckets, squirt guns, and anything else

A rainbow-colored crustacean skitters along the ocean floor, adding a splash of brightness to the murky setting. The animal’s narrow, hard-shelled body sports orange, green, red, and blue hues. Known as the peacock mantis shrimp, this beautiful, seven-inch-long critter looks harmless. But the marine animal packs a punch—literally. SHRIMP SMACKDOWN Peacock mantis shrimp mostly live in shallow parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The crustacean spends much of its time looking for crabs and mollusks to eat. When it finds a delicious-looking snack, the animal goes into full-on boxer mode. Springing out one of its club-like front claws, the animal delivers a swift punch to its prey. The punch is 50 times faster than the blink of an eye and strong enough to break glass! These shrimp also rely on their sparing moves to keep enemies away from burrows in the ocean floor that they use as shelters. Hovering at the opening of its burrow, a peacock mantis shrimp will strike at intruders that come too close. EYES ON THE PRIZE The crustacean has another eye-popping feature in addition to its strong punch. Its eyes—which protrude from its head and move independently—can see in two different directions at once. They can also detect colors that humans are unable to see. It’s easy to be floored by this animal’s cool traits! Watch a video of the peacock mantis shrimp. Text by Andrea Silen, NGS Staff
Find out what else makes the peacock mantis shrimp

A small frog the length of a quarter leaps from one plant leaf to another, flaunting its little belly as it soars. The skin on the frog’s underside is see-through. So as the amphibian jumps you can view some of its internal organs, including its beating heart. This is a reticulated glass frog, a creature that has a lot of supercool secrets to reveal. DADDY DAY CARE Reticulated glass frogs can be found in the rain forests of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. These animals, which are active at night, inhabit vegetation along streams. Males can get pretty territorial, making squeaking noises to warn trespassing frogs to stay away from their leafy hangout spots. If an intruder doesn’t leave, the frog will wrestle it to show who’s boss. Males are also very protective of their mates’ eggs. Females lay a mass of eggs (called a clutch) on the underside of leaves, sticking them in place with a jelly-like substance. Afterward, the females leave and the males go on guard duty. They watch the eggs 24/7 until they hatch, protecting them from enemies such as wasps. The frog has even been known to kick away wasps that get too close to the egg cluster! TRICK EGGS Scientists still aren’t sure why these frogs have see-through skin on their undersides. But they think the spotted pattern on the backs of the amphibians is meant to resemble a mass of eggs. This camouflage pattern helps the males protect their offspring by confusing predators trying to get at the clutch. Sounds like these eggs are in good webbed hands! Text by Andrea Silen, NGS Staff
Find out what else makes the reticulated glass frog

Chill out with this easy recipe for a DIY treat.
form, keeping the water mixed in with everything else