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American Museum of Natural History @AMNH

The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world's preeminent scientific and cultural institutions. This is not a monitored account.

Joined October 2008
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13,406 Photos and videos
Meet Prevost’s squirrel! Growing ~22 in (55.8 cm) long from nose to tail, this colorful mammal inhabits forests in parts of Asia. It’s crepuscular, meaning it’s most active at dawn and dusk. Its diet includes seeds, fruit, flowers, insects, and bird eggs.
A photo of a Prevost’s squirrel on a large leaf surrounded by green vegetation. The squirrel is black toward its back, has a large irregularly shaped white stripe down its body, and is auburn toward its underbelly and limbs.

ALT A photo of a Prevost’s squirrel on a large leaf surrounded by green vegetation. The squirrel is black toward its back, has a large irregularly shaped white stripe down its body, and is auburn toward its underbelly and limbs.
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🌈 This #FossilFriday, behold the dazzling colors of an iridescent ammonite. Over millions of years, high temperatures & pressures turned its shell to a gemstone called ammolite. Along with amber & pearl, this gem is one of only a few made by living organisms.
A photo of the Museum’s iridescent ammonite. It is rainbow in color and shiny. It is photographed against a black background.

ALT A photo of the Museum’s iridescent ammonite. It is rainbow in color and shiny. It is photographed against a black background.
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The blunthead slug snake isn't like other snakes. This nocturnal reptile, which primarily feeds on slugs and snails, eats using a technique called mandibular sawing. To slice off the indigestible parts of prey, this species slides its jaws back and forth like a saw!
A photo of a blunthead slug snake curled up on a green leaf. The snake is brownish in color with disproportionately large eyes and a short, blunt face.

ALT A photo of a blunthead slug snake curled up on a green leaf. The snake is brownish in color with disproportionately large eyes and a short, blunt face.

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While the crab-eating fox’s name implies that crabs make up most of its diet, this canid is omnivorous and has a wide-ranging menu that changes with the seasons! During the dry season, it may snack more on insects; during the wet season, it favors crustaceans.🦀🦊
Wide shot of a crab-eating fox walking on short grass toward the right of the frame. It has tawny brown fur and a fox-like body. Its triangular ears are perked up and its head is turned toward the viewer.

ALT Wide shot of a crab-eating fox walking on short grass toward the right of the frame. It has tawny brown fur and a fox-like body. Its triangular ears are perked up and its head is turned toward the viewer.

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Meet Cuvier’s dwarf caiman! It's the smallest living crocodilian, growing ~4.9 ft (1.5 m) long & weighing ~15.4 lbs (7 kg). It’s native to parts of South America, where it might be spotted basking in the Sun along the shores of the Amazon or Orinoco rivers.
A nighttime photo of Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman in profile. The reptile seems to be covered in rust-colored mud. It is small in size, with a huge slitted eye.

ALT A nighttime photo of Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman in profile. The reptile seems to be covered in rust-colored mud. It is small in size, with a huge slitted eye.

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Smile like Megalochelys atlas because it’s #FossilFriday! This species was one of the largest known land turtles & lived during the Late Pliocene ~2 million years ago. This specimen’s shell measures ~7.4 ft (2.3 m) long & in life, it may have weighed over 2,000 lbs (907 kg)!
A photo of Megalochelys atlas on display in the Museum. The giant turtle's skeleton is a dark brown color.

ALT A photo of Megalochelys atlas on display in the Museum. The giant turtle's skeleton is a dark brown color.

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Looking for the emperor shrimp? Check the backs of nudibranches & sea cucumbers! Hitching a ride helps this tiny crustacean move from location to location with ease & avoid predators. Scientists think the emperor shrimp might also “clean” its hosts by removing harmful parasites.
A photo of an emperor shrimp. It is patterned with the colors cream, reddish orange, and purple. It is perched on a colorful sea critter.

ALT A photo of an emperor shrimp. It is patterned with the colors cream, reddish orange, and purple. It is perched on a colorful sea critter.

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You won’t spot the Pink-necked Green Pigeon on the streets of NYC! This colorful bird can be found throughout forests in Southeast Asia, where it forages mainly for fruit. Females of this species lack pink necks and are mostly olive-green in color.
A photo of a perched on a branch. The bird is looking up and into the distance. It has a bluish head, a pinkish neck, an orange spot at the chest, and a green body.

ALT A photo of a perched on a branch. The bird is looking up and into the distance. It has a bluish head, a pinkish neck, an orange spot at the chest, and a green body.

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When this spider eats, “glitter” comes out. Meet the black-spotted Thwaitesia! During digestion, it sequesters a chemical compound called guanine which shimmers like water droplets in the Sun. Scientists think this striking display is actually a form of camouflage!
A photo of a black-spotted Thwaitesia. The spider has a nearly translucent body with dazzling rainbow spots on its abdomen. It is framed by a black background.

ALT A photo of a black-spotted Thwaitesia. The spider has a nearly translucent body with dazzling rainbow spots on its abdomen. It is framed by a black background.

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Have you ever seen the beautiful rainbow eucalyptus? When strips of its bark peel off, they change in color: Bark starts out in shades of green, then transitions into purple, red, & orange as time goes on. Continuous peeling helps the tree keep its trunk clear of other plants.🌈
A photo of a rainbow eucalyptus. Its bark is pale grayish in color, peeling to reveal dazzling shades of yellow-green, orange, and purple.

ALT A photo of a rainbow eucalyptus. Its bark is pale grayish in color, peeling to reveal dazzling shades of yellow-green, orange, and purple.

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Here’s a giant African land snail to brighten your day! 🐌 Found in parts of eastern Africa, this jumbo gastropod can grow ~5.9 in (15 cm) in size—making it one of the world’s largest snails! It’s a member of the Achatinidae family, which includes other similarly sized species.
A photo of a giant land snail on a human hand. The snail composes most of the image. It is huge and dark brown in color.

ALT A photo of a giant land snail on a human hand. The snail composes most of the image. It is huge and dark brown in color.

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It's Fossil Friday! In this archival image, Museum preparators work on 3 Tyrannosaur skulls. With 4-ft- (1.2-m-) long jaws & massive teeth, T. rex was one of the largest carnivores of all time. It could bite with ~7,800 lbs of force (34,500 N)—equivalent to the weight of 3 cars!
An archival black and white photo of Museum preparators working on three Tyrannosaur skulls. They are positioned in a row on a large table.

ALT An archival black and white photo of Museum preparators working on three Tyrannosaur skulls. They are positioned in a row on a large table.

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The Common Potoo is a master of disguise. You might think its huge yellow eyes would draw the attention of predators, but the bird has a workaround: It can close its peepers while staying aware of its surroundings, thanks to slits in its eyelids.
A photo of a Common Potoo perched atop a branch. The bird is visible in profile. Its head is large, its eye is huge and yellow. Its beak is small. It is tannish in color and flecked with darker patterning.

ALT A photo of a Common Potoo perched atop a branch. The bird is visible in profile. Its head is large, its eye is huge and yellow. Its beak is small. It is tannish in color and flecked with darker patterning.

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Why the blue tongue? For this reptile, it’s a form of self defense! Though it's covered in armored scales, the blue-tongued skink can also defend itself by opening its mouth, hissing, and revealing its bold blue tongue—startling foes with a flash of vibrant color.
A photo of a blue-tongued skink. It is being held in a human hand. The lizard is gray in color with a large, bright blue tongue.

ALT A photo of a blue-tongued skink. It is being held in a human hand. The lizard is gray in color with a large, bright blue tongue.
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DYK? Fireflies use a system of flashes in some of the ways we use words: to attract, to say, “Here I am,” even to deceive. They emit light from a tiny organ, called a lantern, on the underside of their abdomen, where a biochemical reaction releases energy in the form of light.
A photo of a firefly held in a human hand. The firefly is primarily black, with some reddish and yellow markings at its head. It is emitting a warm, yellow glow.

ALT A photo of a firefly held in a human hand. The firefly is primarily black, with some reddish and yellow markings at its head. It is emitting a warm, yellow glow.

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👂Psst. Ever heard of the long-eared hedgehog? Inhabiting parts of Central Asia, this omnivore feeds on fruit, insects, & vertebrates like lizards. It has been observed rubbing its spines against toads, suggesting it might be using their toxins for its own self-defense.
A photo of a long-eared hedgehog. It is looking toward the viewer. The animal is small, tannish in color, and has large pale ears. It has beady black eyes and a slightly elongated snout.

ALT A photo of a long-eared hedgehog. It is looking toward the viewer. The animal is small, tannish in color, and has large pale ears. It has beady black eyes and a slightly elongated snout.

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It's Fossil Friday! What's the tallest freestanding dinosaur mount in the world? The Museum's Barosaurus & Allosaurus in the rotunda, which stands 50 ft (15 m) tall. How does it defy gravity? The Barosaurus is constructed using casts from real fossil bones in our collection.
A photo of the Barosaurus and Allosaurus in the Museum’s rotunda. The skeletons of the animals are dark in color. The long-necked Barosaurus is posed as if standing on its hind legs; the Allosaurus is posed as if lunging at the sauropod.

ALT A photo of the Barosaurus and Allosaurus in the Museum’s rotunda. The skeletons of the animals are dark in color. The long-necked Barosaurus is posed as if standing on its hind legs; the Allosaurus is posed as if lunging at the sauropod.

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Happy birthday to the “Mother of Paleontology,” Mary Anning! Born #OTD in 1799, she hailed from Lyme Regis on the coast of Dorset, England, & grew up collecting fossils. A few of her many accomplishments include unearthing one of the first ichthyosaurs & discovering Dimorphodon!
A painting of Mary Anning. She is standing beside a small black and white dog. She is dressed in early 19th century attire with a bonnet and long green dress.

ALT A painting of Mary Anning. She is standing beside a small black and white dog. She is dressed in early 19th century attire with a bonnet and long green dress.

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Meet the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. This bird lives in the cloud forests along South America's Andes Mountains. Its appearance isn’t its only unusual trait: This species' courtship rituals include squeaking, grunting calls that have been compared to the sound of a rubber chicken.
A photo of an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock perched on a branch. It has one wing outspread. The bird is a vibrant orange with black feathers and yellow feet. Its beak is obscured by feathers on its head.

ALT A photo of an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock perched on a branch. It has one wing outspread. The bird is a vibrant orange with black feathers and yellow feet. Its beak is obscured by feathers on its head.

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This deer says… woof? Meet the Muntjac deer. This ungulate makes bark-like calls to alert others of approaching predators like tigers. If attacked, the muntjac may bite its foe with its canine teeth.
A close-up photo of a Muntjac deer. The animal is brown in color, with two long fangs. It has dark eyes and is small in size.

ALT A close-up photo of a Muntjac deer. The animal is brown in color, with two long fangs. It has dark eyes and is small in size.

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