Residents of the Caribbean island of Montserrat call one of their edible frog species mountain chicken, but this edible amphibian is now endangered, conservationists say.

First-ever footage released by a conservation group shows a rare Hispaniolan solenodon, one of the few living mammals that use venom.

Call it "ovulation on demand"—a bizarre male bark jump-starts a female cheetah's reproductive system, adding a much-needed boost to breeding the rare big cats in captivity, experts say.With audio.

If a worker ant attempts to reproduce in the presence of the queen, the worker inadvertently produces a chemical that causes her sisters to attack.

A piglet nuzzles a chicken as Ebola threatens, a Chinese mummy has a surprisingly good hair day, and more in the week's best news photos.

Up and down California's coast, brown pelicans are dying in alarming numbers, and sick and disoriented pelicans have been found wandering on roads and in other unusual places—and scientists are stumped.

Scientists are studying bees' aggressive behavior and ocular and navigational skills in hopes of improving missile technology.

See natural treasures to be protected in three new marine monuments announced by U.S. President Bush—world's largest land crab, giant coral, and more.

Gibbons, apes known for their speed and distinctive singing, were wiped out through poaching by the 1980s on Thailand's popular Phuket island. Now they're making a comeback.

The little-known reptile from the Galapagos fills a crucial gap in the evolution of land iguanas, scientists say. But its future may not be as rosy.

See the National Geographic Digital Media photo editors' favorite photos from National Geographic News's 2008 "Week in Photos" galleries.

The big cats originated in Africa or Asia, not North America as previously thought, according to a new study on a two-million-year-old skull.

Kayakers survive an encounter with a great white shark. Amateur video shows the shark circling the kayakers in the waters near Sydney, Australia.

A vampire moth, a gremlin-like primate, and an "alien" squid were among the discoveries that haunted the animal kingdom in the most read stories about creatures covered by National Geographic News in 2008.

The aftermath of an earthquake, a friendly cow, and an ethereal Paris sunset are three of the six winners of the National Geographic International Photo Contest 2008.