Getting By with a Little Help from His FriendsNovember 11, 2014 – “The right assistant is worth their weight in gold. The wrong assistant is shark food.”— Thomas Peschak For the past month, Proof has been sharing the stories behind Thomas Peschak’s photographic expedition to Aldabra atoll—a remote island group in the Indian Ocean that’s part of the Seychelles. Aldabra has undergone a unique resurgence in its […]
The Moment: Mesoamerican ReefOctober 01, 2012 – Trapped under ice, lost at sea, chased by sharks—Brian Skerry has had more than a few scares in 35 years of photographing underwater wildlife. This close encounter with a whale shark was quite the opposite.
Magazine Extras!October 09, 2017 – In this issue of National Geographic Kids, scientists explain how cute animals can affect your brain. Meet rescued clouded leopard orphan cubs that are learning to survive in the wild. You'll get the scoop on five amazing toys and the technology that makes them so clever. Plus get cool collector's cards. Check out the giveaway page from November 23 to 30 for a chance to win a copy of the National Geographic Kids Almamac 2019. Other Stories in This Month's Issue: Bet You Didn't Know: Unwrap fun facts about winter holidays. Weird But True!: Learn fun facts you can share with your friends. Amazing Animals: Meet alpacas with crazy haircuts, a rescued great white shark, and a stray kanagroo. Guinness World Records: Read astonishing stories about a family cat with superlong tail and Lego superhero sculptures. Check out these stories and more in this issue of
OrcaMarch 01, 2014 – Six tons of pure power whacks an ice floe floating in cold Arctic waters. The seal lying on top of the ice doesn't stand a chance. Knocked into the sea, the seal becomes a meal for one of the ocean's top predators—the huge orca, or killer whale. Orcas hunt everything from fish to walruses, seals, sea lions, penguins, squid, sea turtles, sharks, and even other kinds of whales. Depending on the season and where they are, their diet varies—some orcas eat more fishes and squid than seals and penguins. But wherever they are in any of the world's oceans, average-sized orcas may eat about 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of food a day. Orcas have many hunting techniques, and bumping seals off ice is just one of them. Often referred to as wolves of the sea, orcas live and hunt together in cooperative pods, or family groups, much like a pack of wolves. They work together as they hunt. Groups of orcas cooperate to herd fish into a compact area so that they're easier to eat. They will also slap their tails onto the water's surface, causing a wave to wash prey, such as penguins or sea lions, off ice floes and into the water. Sometimes a pod of whales will join forces to surround a larger animal, such as a blue whale. They chase, bite, and wear it down until it becomes a meal. Orcas' teeth, numbering about 45 and each measuring about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) long, are shaped for ripping and tearing prey. Orcas do not chew their food. They can swallow small seals and sea lions whole. The prey slides down the orcas' throats! Bigger prey is eaten in chunks. The color pattern of orcas may help them sneak up on and attack their prey. Their backs are black, their stomachs are white. Animals looking down on an orca from above, such as a seal on an ice floe, might not see it because the whale's dark back blends with the water below. On the other hand, the whale's white underside blends with the light streaming down into the sea from the surface, making it hard to spot from below. With orcas camouflaged so well, those prey fish, penguins, or seals are likely to miss the danger heading their way, as the killer whale once again proves it is the oceans' superbly designed hunter.
Primal Travel: Alone in PapuaApril 14, 2014 – Two years ago, National Geographic Traveler contributing editor Carl Hoffman shared with me an idea for his next book. It struck a chord because when I was ten I was drawn to the subject: the mysterious disappearance in 1961 of Michael Rockefeller in what was then Netherlands New Guinea. Did he drown? Was he shredded by a crocodile or shark? Or, most grisly, was he eaten by cannibals?
The Artist: Renan OzturkNovember 01, 2012 – “The creativity and climbing go hand in hand,” says Renan Ozturk.
First Ascent of Meru: Climbers Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk to Present at 5Point Film FestivalApril 16, 2012 – In October of 2011, Conrad Anker (now on Everest with our team), Renan Ozturk, and Jimmy Chincompleted a historic first ascent of the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru in the Garwhal Himalaya. This was Anker’s third attempt at the climb, Ozturk and Chin’s second. The three-person climbing team had last climbed and suffered on the…
Jimmy Chin on Making a Climbing Film that Speaks to Family, Friendship, PerseveranceJuly 12, 2012 – Adventure movie fans fortunate enough to attend 5Point or Mountainfilm festivals in 2012 got a sneak peek of an amazing film project in progress. House of Cards from Camp 4 Productions details the three-year journey of climbers Jimmy Chin, Renan Ozturk, and Conrad Anker as they make an epic first ascent of the Shark’s Fin…
"Dramatic" New Maya Temple Found, Covered With Giant FacesJuly 22, 2012 – Once blood red, the monument depicts the sun god as shark, blood drinker, and jaguar—and sheds new light on the Maya god-king connection.
A Feast of Feathery Fossil PostsNovember 21, 2012 – Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and the American holiday wouldn’t be the same without moist slabs of gravy-drenched dinosaur meat on the table. Of course, our species was not the first to dine on dinosaur, not by a long shot, but we do it with a bit more style than the alligators, lice, sharks, and other creatures […]
I’ve got your missing links right here (7 May 2011)May 07, 2011 – Top thirteen picks This Pulitzer-winning series on a desperate bid to identify and treat a rare genetic disorder is incredible science writing. Truly incredible. You have to read it (and the story behind the story). BLOODY HELL!! Those are whale sharks! 420 of them! Read Al Dove’s take on his own paper for a textbook […]
Ocean Pictures: Contest Winners Show Sea Life in PerilOctober 23, 2010 – Netted turtles, a finned whale shark, and a drowned albatross feature among the winning frames in a 2010 marine-conservation photo contest.
Colossal Sea CreaturesNovember 12, 2009 – See photos of colossal sea creatures (including great white sharks, jellyfish, giant clams, and more) in this oceans photo gallery from National Geographic.
Photo of the Day: Best of 2011December 31, 2011 – View the most popular Photo of the Day images from 2011, featuring Namibian thorn trees, a whitetip shark and diver in the Bahamas, a birch-covered boulder in the Adirondacks, Dubai skyscrapers emerging above the clouds, and more.
Zulu Muthi MarketMay 04, 2012 – A dead, dried-up monkey hangs from the shop, next to a gaping set of shark jaws. Strips of dried animal skin dangle in a row, and as I walk past, I guess at each remnant’s former animal life: a crocodile, an antelope, a vulture, and several long black mambas. Beneath the display, on a hand-constructed…
Dangerous and Deadly Sea CreaturesDecember 02, 2009 – The ocean is full of beautiful creatures—but some of them can be hazardous to your health.