Packed with power—and ready for prey
Triangle weaver spiders (genus Hypiotes) have a unique skill in the animal kingdom. They construct webs that are loaded with tension, anchoring themselves with silk from their abdomen and pulling the web tighter with a central line. When a bug hits the web, the spider releases its anchor line, slinging…
Series Editor Picks
Rare albino panda photographed in China
An all-white giant panda is roaming a forest in the Sichuan province of China. This rare bear was caught on camera in a nature reserve. It is believed to be…
Snake gives unexpected birth to clones
An anaconda snake at the Boston New England Aquarium produced 18 babies without the help of a male. It happened through a process called parthenogenesis. The sets of genes came…
Selfies, one and all: A single mom’s unusual family
At Boston’s New England Aquarium in early 2019, a 10-foot anaconda named Anna surprised her caretakers when she gave birth to 18 baby snakes—without the involvement of a male. The…
Each book in the Animals Are Awesome series offers insight into the fascinating lives of some of the world’s most incredible animals. From what they eat and where they live to descriptions of different species and how they spend their days, readers will learn lots of fun facts about their favorite animals.