Massive 52-foot fin whale washes up on San Diego's Pacific Beach

“We thought it was a tarp from out in the water, but eventually we realized it was a whale and I’ve never seen anything like it," a local surfer told FOX 5 San Diego.

Mole with super hearing thought to be extinct found on South African beach

Golden moles are skilled burrowers with sensitive hearing that allows them to detect vibrations from surface movements. Unlike other burrowing mammals, they do not leave visible tunnels behind while moving under the sand.

Woman killed in what's believed to be the first deadly elk attack in Arizona

A woman was killed in what's believed to be the first deadly elk attack in Arizona. There were no witnesses nearby, but her husband says he saw a bucket of spilled corn nearby, leading investigators to think she was feeding the elk.

Black bear spotted at Disney World's Magic Kingdom captured, FWC says

An adult black bear that found its way into a tree near Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, forcing more than a dozen attractions, rides, and lands to temporarily close, has been captured, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Chronic wasting disease identified in Michigan deer for first time this year

Tracking cases of CWD is tricky due to the slow progression of the illness before symptoms show up. Once they do, the animal's death is imminent.

Oklahoma teen hunter bags rare 'Cactus buck' during youth season

Oklahoma teen hunter, Major Edmonds, made headlines for his rare catch – a "Cactus buck." During the youth hunting season, Edmonds encountered a deer with abnormal antler growth, retaining its velvet, resembling a cactus.

Detroit Audubon Society changing name as it drops namesake's racist legacy

John Audubon, which the National Audubon Society is named after, loved painting scenes of North American birds. He was also a strong advocate for slavery and exhumed the bodies of indigenous people.

Arctic grayling can now be fished in Michigan as state readies for depleted species' return

The species was once among the most dominant populations in Michigan until habitat loss and over harvesting decimated its numbers. It's return to the state is almost a century in the making.

Some female frogs play dead to avoid unwanted male advances, study says

Female frogs may take extreme measures to avoid the pile-up that frequently happens during “explosive" mating in the spring, according to the researchers.

Fat Bear Week 2023: This absolute unit blew the competition out of the water

Fat Bear Week celebrates Katmai's brown bear population's resilience, adaptability, and strength as the animals prepare to hibernate, according to the National Park Service.

Watch: Bodycam footage shows deputies rescuing elk tangled in tree swing

When the deputies arrived at the scene, they saw the bull elk, or male elk, frantically running back and forth behind the tree where the swing was attached.

Tarantula mating season begins as males are led to their death

Tarantulas typically remain in the burrows throughout most of the year, and only come out at night. But come mating season, adult male tarantulas throw caution to the wind for the sake of finding a female. The annual migration happens just before Halloween, from late September through early October in the Southwest.