Herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians. They are often grouped together as “cold-blooded” animals and share similar characteristics, but they are actually separated into two distinct classes (Reptilia and Amphibia) of “herps”  that shared a common ancestor about 350 million years ago before diverging down different evolutionary paths.  Cold- and warm-blooded are colloquial, over-simplified terms that refer to the way animals regulate their body temperature. Endot

A barn owl ( Tyto alba ) captured by one of our wildlife cameras at the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve. There are approximately 200 species of owls recognized around the world that are found on every continent except Antarctica. They’ve adapted to thrive in all types of habitat, from snowy tundra to dense jungles, nesting in everything from saguaro cavities to palm tree bootjacks. Across their taxonomic order, Strigiformes, owls exhibit remarkable diversity in size, plumage an

This summer’s monsoons were few but far between — starting off strong and raising hopes in July, the storms were nowhere near significant...

As someone who has never been sprayed by a skunk, it is easy for me to gush about how cute and small and fluffy they seem, although I...