Animals

December 1, 2025

Gramma the Galapagos Tortoise, Oldest Resident of the San Diego Zoo, Dies at 141

Gramma, a Galapagos tortoise known for being the oldest animal in the San Diego Zoo, has died at about 141 years old. Born in her native habitat on the Galapagos Islands, her caretakers weren’t sure about her exact age. But what they did know is that she spent almost a century delighting visitors and serving as a beacon for conservation efforts around this endangered species.

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November 25, 2025

Photographer Shares Why His Animal Portraits Are Shot From Bottom Up [Interview]

Photographer Andrius Burba captures his animal portraiture from the bottom up. That’s not just an expression—it’s the basis of his ongoing project (now brand) known as Underlook. The premise is simple, but the logistics can be complex: Burba places a cat, dog, reptile, or even horse on a piece of glass and then photographs their bellies, feet, and whatever else they care to share with us.

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October 30, 2025

Composer Rewired an Old Pay Phone To Play Local Bird Sounds

Public pay phones may seem like relics of the past, but one structure still standing on Flower Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland, has been given a new lease on life as a piece of public art. In 2016, local resident, composer, and audio producer David Schulman transformed an old pay phone into an interactive art installation that plays recordings of different bird species from the area.

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October 24, 2025

Watch the Mesmerizing Beauty of the Annual Mobula Ray Migration

Every year, between May and July, the Sea of Cortez transforms into one of the world’s most breathtaking scenes: the mobula ray migration. The rays, which are also commonly referred to as flying rays, travel in enormous groups called “fevers,” their diamond-shaped bodies gracefully gliding through the water. Sometimes, they’ll even break through the waves, launching themselves up to 6 feet into the air all while flapping their long fins.

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My Modern Met

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