Topic

Adaptation

Traits that only make sense against a specific pressure.

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ExplainerBobcats: The Elusive Cat Next DoorBobcats are native wild cats that can live surprisingly close to people while remaining almost invisible. A fleeting trail-camera image or a catlike animal crossing a road may be the only sign that one shares the landscape with you.
ExplainerHognose and Other Small Harmless Yard SnakesNot every snake that puts on a dramatic show is dangerous. Eastern hognose snakes may flatten the neck, hiss, bluff-strike and even play dead. DeKay’s brownsnakes, ring-necked snakes, worm snakes and garter snakes can also turn up in yards and gardens, where they consume small prey and invertebrates.
ExplainerKingsnakes: The Snakes That Even Eat Venomous SnakesKingsnakes have one of the best public-relations facts in the reptile world: they can prey on other snakes, including venomous pit vipers. That ability makes them memorable, but their value goes beyond being “the snake that eats bad snakes.” There are no bad snakes—only species filling different ecological roles.
ExplainerPygmy Rattlesnakes: Small Snake, Big MisunderstandingPygmy rattlesnakes are among the smallest rattlesnakes in North America. Their size can make them easy to overlook, and their tiny rattle may be difficult to hear. That makes footwear, lighting and situational awareness more useful than fear.
ExplainerTurtles on the Road: Help Them Cross, Not RelocateA turtle crossing a road is usually not lost. It is traveling with a destination in mind—perhaps toward feeding habitat, a mate or a nesting site. The most helpful action is often a very small one: move it out of immediate traffic in the direction it was already heading.