Virginia Morell
National Geographic
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Past articles by Virginia:
What are elephants really ‘saying?’ First-ever library reveals communication mysteries.
National Geographic Explorer Joyce Poole reflects on her life’s achievement: an ethogram cataloguing nearly 50 years of data on African elephant behavior. → Read More
Ancient wolves that played with humans likely evolved into today's friendly dogs
Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors sought out wild canines with a frisky streak that lives on in modern dogs—particularly herding and hunting breeds. → Read More
Hummingbirds see colors we can’t even imagine
The tiny birds’ ability to see colors outside the rainbow is “one of the most exciting things I’ve ever witnessed,” one scientist says. → Read More
Snakes have friends too
The study is the latest in a growing body of evidence that animals form tight bonds—suggesting that they’re more like us than we thought. → Read More
Wild dolphins have bold and shy personalities—just like us
For the first time, a scientist has discovered personalities in wild dolphins—traits that could affect their survival. → Read More
Many wild animals 'count'—and it helps them survive to another day
One of the most sweeping analyses of animals using numbers has revealed it’s a widespread—and likely vital—skill in nature. → Read More
How a tiger's record-breaking journey ended in tragedy
The big cat's epic trek gives hope that one day another tiger will complete a journey to the Gir Forest, home to lions and leopards. → Read More
Ancient Temple Reveals Secrets of Mexico’s Meat-Eating Bats
These rare, mysterious carnivores aren’t after insects or blood: They want rodents, songbirds, and even other bats. → Read More
Think ‘Birdbrain’ Is an Insult? Think Again.
Meet Figaro, a Goffin’s cockatoo. He taught himself how to turn cardboard into a tool. Birds, it turns out, are actually brainiacs. → Read More
Meet This Newly Discovered Flying Squirrel
North America’s newest mammal, Humboldt’s Flying Squirrel, helps solve an evolutionary mystery. → Read More
Inside the Fight to Stop Giraffes’ ‘Silent Extinction’
Numbers of the famous African animal have fallen by nearly half in the past 15 years, prompting urgent—and sometimes risky—actions to help. → Read More
How Orcas Work Together to Whip Up a Meal
Cooperative hunting techniques provide a glimpse into the culture of killer whales. → Read More
After Vote, Baiting Bears With Doughnuts Poised to Stay Legal in Maine
With most of the votes counted, Mainers appear to reject a ban on the controversial hunting method of baiting black bears with doughnuts. → Read More
Should We Bait Black Bears With Doughnuts? Maine Voters Will Decide
On Tuesday, Maine voters will decide whether it's cruel or necessary to hunt the state's black bears by baiting them with doughnuts. → Read More
Boom in Retiring Lab Chimpanzees Fills New Sanctuaries With Apes
Former research subjects move from labs to sunny havens. → Read More
Vaquita Porpoise Faces Imminent Extinction—Can It Be Saved?
A scientific team commissioned by Mexico says vaquitas could be extinct by 2018 if gillnetting isn't banned immediately. → Read More
Q&A: National Aquarium CEO Discusses Dolphins' Retirement
Will the National Aquarium retire its dolphins-and create the first dolphin seaside sanctuary in the U.S.? → Read More
Dolphin Exhibits May Close at the National Aquarium
Baltimore's National Aquarium studies whether to close its dolphin exhibits. Will others follow? → Read More
African Bird Shouts False Alarms to Deceive and Steal, Study Shows
A new study reveals that a songbird in the Kalahari Desert uses a repertoire of more than 50 warning calls to trick other animals into abandoning their meals. → Read More
Researcher Explains How Crows Solved a Challenge From "Aesop's Fables."
In a new study, crows solved a challenge from Aesop's Fables, showing scientists how their minds work. → Read More