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Spring into a new adventure on Brownsea Island  

Red squirrels can be spotted on Brownsea Island

The National Trust team who care for Brownsea Island in Dorset are looking forward to welcoming back day visitors when it re-opens on Saturday 16th March. Discover Animals’ Geoff Moore made a trip to find out more. Springtime on Brownsea is a great time to look out for a number of key species including red … Read more

Baby Cape porcupine ‘quill’ melt your heart 

Baby Cape Porcupine Dakari at Whipsnade Zoo

A Cape porcupine family at the UK’s largest zoo has grown from three to four, with a spiky new baby joining the prickle – with the little one starting to venture outside just in time for Mother’s Day. Mum Kimya gave birth to the baby, known as a porcupette, at 3.34AM on 13th February  2024 … Read more

Meet the alligators of Florida

One of the alligators of Florida

In this short film, Discover Animals’ videographer Geoff Moore visits Florida to explore Sawgrass Recreation Park and meet its rescued alligators as well as those living wild. He finds out some fascinating facts such as: alligators in the wild can have a life-span of 30-50 years they can’t survive in salt water they are the … Read more

Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s annual animal audit

The animal audit at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Dedicated rangers needed patience, invention and tasty treats to get the measure of all creatures great and small at Yorkshire Wildlife Park‘s annual animal audit. Each of the hundreds of animals, from tiny meerkats to Eastern black rhinos and giraffes, has to be counted and have their vital statistics recorded as part of a national … Read more

Whipsnade Zoo launches soft play sleepover

Whipsnade Zoo soft play sleepover

Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire is inviting kids to live out their dreams and spend the night at soft play, with the launch of Hullaba-snooze – a brand new sleepover experience at Whipsnade Zoo‘s Hullabazoo indoor play.     Spending the evening within roaring distance of the zoo’s amazing animals, groups of 20 or more can bed down … Read more

Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Ali Morse, who is being celebrated as part of nternational Day of Women and Girls in Science 2024

Today marks International Day of Women and Girls in Science and The Wildlife Trusts are celebrating some of their colleagues and their achievements. The organisation is fortunate to be supported by many inspiring female experts who are creating remarkable impact for both science and nature: Kathryn Brown OBE – director of climate change and evidence … Read more

Earn a Green Tree Badge this half term

Children take part in the Green Tree Badge challenge

Children can start looking for signs of Spring this February half term with the Green Tree Badge initiative, which puts trees and nature centre stage for young people, parents, teachers and communities. Challenging primary school children to go on a fun journey of activities that will encourage scientific curiosity, creativity, and promote responsible citizenship of … Read more

Critically endangered gorilla born at London Zoo

Western lowland gorilla Mjukuu holds her newborn at London Zoo

London Zoo has welcomed a critically endangered western lowland gorilla infant. The tiny infant was born at the conservation zoo to mum Mjukuu at 9:34am on Wednesday 17th January 2024, following an approximately eight-and-a-half-month long pregnancy. London Zoo‘s gorilla keepers were carrying out their usual morning duties when they first spotted that Mjukuu was in … Read more

Visiting Europe’s first cat cafe in Vienna

One of the resident's of Europe's first cat cafe

Discover Animals’ videographer Geoff Moore recently visited Vienna to check out Europe’s first dedicated cat cafe, which opened in 2012. Just a stone’s throw away from the city’s busy shopping area in Blumenstockgasse, Cafe Neko provides a haven for the resident cats, with customers buying food and drink from vending machines and then enjoying time … Read more

Birth of baby white rhino caught on camera

The rare baby southern white rhino born at WMSP

The amazing moment a rare baby southern white rhino was born at West Midland Safari Park has been caught on CCTV. Keepers watching the live footage behind-the-scenes saw the female calf arrive at 1:48am on 11th January 2024, following a tricky breach birth for 15-year-old mum Keyah. After a few attempts, keepers noticed that the … Read more

Take part in the 2024 Big Garden Birdwatch!

Blackbirds can be spotted as part of the Big Garden Birdwatch

The world’s largest garden wildlife survey – the RSPB‘s Big Garden Birdwatch – returns this month, with hundreds of thousands of people watching and counting the UK’s garden birds over the last weekend in January. Across the UK, over half a million people took part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2023, counting a whopping 9.1 million … Read more

Annual stocktake at London Zoo 2024!

London Zoo stocktake 2024

London Zoo carried out its annual stocktake this week, a mammoth task which involves tallying up every furred, feathered and scaled creature in its care.  The conservation zoo is home to more than 300 different species, from Endangered Galapagos giant tortoises and Asiatic lions to Critically Endangered Sumatran tigers – all of which are logged … Read more

A magical journey through Chrimbo Limbo at Marwell

Beat the Chrimbo Limbo at Glow Marwell

As the festive cheer of Christmas fades, a magical world awaits at Marwell Zoo in Hampshire where Glow Marwell is still in full swing. Beat the gloom of the Chrimbo Limbo with uplifting light displays featuring more than half a million LED bulbs, playful interactive elements and tasty treats. Until 30th December, pay a visit … Read more

Banish the winter blues with The Wildlife Trusts’ 12 Days Wild!

You might spot a collared dove as part of 12 Days Wild

The Wildlife Trusts are encouraging people across the country to brighten up wintery days by signing up for their 12 Days Wild challenge by doing one wild thing each day from 25th December to 5th January. You’ll receive daily inspirational emails jam-packed with fun ideas to help you connect with wildlife and lift your mood. … Read more

‘Champion a Tiny Forest Tree’ this Christmas

Tiny Forest planting at Black Mountain Primary

Nature organisation Earthwatch is highlighting its ‘Champion a Tiny Forest Tree’ campaign this Christmas as an alternative gifting option. Whether your favourite tree is an Oak, Hazel, Rowan, Silver Birch, Hawthorn or Elm, for £18 you can pick the species you would like to sponsor in one of over 200 Tiny Forests across the UK. … Read more

£1.4 million Youth for Climate and Nature scheme secured

Taking part in the Youth for Climate and Nature scheme

The New Forest National Park Authority is celebrating receiving £1.4 million to connect young people to nature and help communities across the region tackle climate change as part of the Youth for Climate and Nature scheme.  The Youth for Climate and Nature scheme (YouCAN) has secured a £1.2 million Climate Action Fund grant from The … Read more

New project highlights damaging impact of plastic pollution on donkeys

Donkeys in Lamu

In one of the first studies of its kind, scientists from the University of Portsmouth and The Donkey Sanctuary are investigating the effects of plastic pollution on land-based animals in Kenya, specifically the donkeys and livestock that play a pivotal role in the lives of local communities. Whilst extensive research has previously focused on the … Read more

Countdown to Christmas at London Zoo

Sumatran tigers Crispin and Zac pounce on their tiger advent calendar as part of the countdown to Christmas at London Zoo

Tigers, meerkats and squirrel monkeys kicked off the countdown to Christmas at London Zoo today, opening three very different advent calendars.  Sumatran tiger cubs Zac and Crispin got paws-on in the seasonal frost, racing along a festive scent trail of cinnamon and nutmeg to find their advent tower – which they promptly pounced on – while … Read more

Yorkshire Wildlife Park celebrates birth of baby dik-dik

The baby did-dik at YWP

Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster is celebrating the birth of one of the world’s smallest antelopes. The tiny Kirk’s dik-dik calf, named Acorn, will soon be winning the hearts of visitors exploring the reserve under the watchful care of parents Davos and Crissy (pictured below). The species with long limbs and extraordinarily big eyes is … Read more

Book on the Bird Table: Home

Book on the Bird Table: Home

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Our latest Book on the Bird Table is Home by Isabelle Simler, translated by Vineet Lal and published by Quarto.

Home is a beautiful book of reflective poems that look at all sorts of homes made and found in nature. From the leaf fortress of the weaver ant and the silk apartment of the Madagascan moon moth to the cactus cabin of the elf owl and the bunk bed in the branches of the Sumatran orangutan, young children can discover the fascinating ways in which over 25 of our planet’s creatures make their homes safe and secure.

Highlights include the European fan worm, which uses its home like a telescope, fanning out its long feathery lashes  that disappear inside at the slightest hint of danger, and the satin bowerbird, which creates an arched home decorated with vibrant blue items that have caught its eye.

not just a non-fiction book but a rhythmic exploration of what nature can teach us

Interior pages from Home

Each animal and its home is accompanied by poetic text making this not just a non-fiction book but a rhythmic exploration of what nature can teach us. The vivid colour of the illustrations and exquisite language mean that children and their parents alike can discover amazing facts about animals’ innovative building techniques and the importance of making a house a home.

 

About the author:

Isabelle Simler has written and illustrated over 20 books for children. Sweet Dreamers, My Wild Cat, Plume and The Blue Hour were all featured in the Society of Illustrators “The Original Art” annual exhibition. Plume was also named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book 2017. Isabelle lives in France.

About the translator:

Vineet Lal is a literary translator of books from French to English, including A Perfect Spot and a Head Full of Birds. He studied French at Princeton University and the University of Edinburgh. Vineet lives in Scotland.

Home is aimed at children between 5-7 years old and can be bought from book stores including Amazon, Waterstones and Foyles.

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Home

From the winner of the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book comes a beautiful meditation on what makes a home. Each creature featured in this beautiful collection shows a unique way that they build their home, and poetic text accompanies each, making this both a narrative, non-fiction treasury and a poetic reflection on what nature can teach us. Discover how a beaver builds a safe dam for its family and how a tailor bird forages for grasses and animal hairs to use as threads, to sew a truly tailor-made nest. In this book, children and parents alike will discover in vivid colour and poetry, all the wild ways there are to build a home.

£13.99

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Adventure to the North Pole this Christmas with SEA LIFE!

SEALIFE celebrates the North Pole

SEA LIFE has launched a family-friendly interactive trail to help visitors learn about the North Pole’s animals this Christmas. Taking place at sites in Birmingham, Brighton, Great Yarmouth, Hunstanton, Loch Lomond, Manchester, Scarborough and Weymouth, you will be able to dive into an arctic adventure to join Snowy, the frosty explorer, on an exciting Christmas … Read more

New video: The Pannage Pigs of the New Forest

Pannage Pigs in the New Forest

Discover Animals’ Geoff Moore delves into the world of Pannage in this latest video, where pigs are released into the New Forest in Hampshire to eat the acorns from the many oak trees that grow there. This is a service which helps to save the lives of other animals as the acorns are very poisonous … Read more

Minke whales visiting Scotland’s west coast set European record

A minke whale in the Hebrides

Scotland’s west coast seas are a vitally important area for minke whales – with some of these spectacular but vulnerable marine mammals notching up Europe’s longest sighting histories of almost 30 years, research by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust shows. A newly published digital catalogue – bringing together photographic identification records submitted by members … Read more

Mounted Rural Volunteers to help Dorset Police

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Discover Animals’ Geoff Moore went to visit the Dorset Police Rural Crime Team recently to find out how it is introducing a new volunteer role on horseback as part of its on-going commitment to support residents living in rural communities across the county. The volunteers and their horses will engage with local rural communities while … Read more

Pumpkin play for SEA LIFE animals this Halloween

Eugene the Iguana enjoys Halloween at SEA LIFE Brighton

With Halloween just around the corner, SEA LIFE centres up and down the country are ensuring their animals don’t miss out on the spooktacular celebrations. Penguins, otters, ants, iguanas and seals have all enjoyed pumpkin treats this October as part of their enrichment program, helping them to enjoy the spooky season. At SEA LIFE Weymouth, … Read more

Celebrating 10 years of International Snow Leopard Day

A snow leopard in Qilianshan, China

Marwell Zoo is today celebrating 10 years of International Snow Leopard Day. Known as the ‘Ghost of the Mountains’, snow leopards live amongst the rugged landscapes of Central and South Asia and their conservation has never been more critical. Marwell is proud to work on initiatives to safeguard snow leopards in China, Kazakhstan and Bhutan … Read more