Sign up to the Discover Animals newsletter:
A tiny baby Cape porcupine has been caught on camera tucking into carrots and tomatoes and exploring its new home, as Whipsnade zookeepers shared behind the scenes video of the spiky new addition, which was born at the conservation zoo in Bedfordshire in August. Keeper Steve Merrick-White said the Cape porcupine baby’s birth in … Read more
The trail of the ‘Exmoor Beast’ recently led Discover Animals’ videographer Geoff Moore to a zoo that was not quite the most westerly in the UK. Danny Reynolds was on hand to show him around Exmoor Zoo in Devon, located within dense vegetation high on the hills of Exmoor near to Bratton Flemming. Some 130 … Read more
In this video, Discover Animals’ Geoff Moore talks to Daphne Brace of Exmoor Wildlife Safaris about spotting red deer, Highland cows and the iconic Exmoor pony, which is allegedly rarer than the giant panda, on a wildlife safari. He also explores the bird life, which includes white-tailed eagles, red kites, harriers, kestrels, skylarks and green … Read more
Leading nature organisations, including The Wildlife Trusts, have published a landmark State of Nature 2023 report. It shows that nature is continuing to decline at an alarming rate across the UK – already one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – and that one in six species is now at risk of being … Read more
Discover Animals’ videographer Geoff Moore travels to Alladale Wilderness Reserve in Scotland to meet Paul Lister, and talks to him about his vision for the site, including his desire to re-introduce wolves to the Scottish Highlands as well as other projects such as releasing red squirrels back into the wild. There are also plans to … Read more
A new sculpture trail featuring dozens of animal-inspired artworks has opened at Leeds Castle in Kent. Running until 8th October, the Sublime Sculpture Trail Safari is one of the highlights of the iconic castle’s wider Festival of Craft and Design. Visitors can explore the castle’s stunning grounds and gardens, and discover breathtaking artwork created by a … Read more
In honour of International Red Panda Day yesterday, here’s a round up of the latest red panda news and where to visit them around the UK. West Midland Safari Park welcomes new red panda cub In June, keepers at West Midland Safari Park heard tiny squeaks coming from a nesting box and noticed that resident … Read more
Popular event Autumn Fest will be back at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire from Saturday 30th September to Sunday 1st October 2023, with a bounty of activities, workshops and speakers to engage all in nature, sustainability and community. This year the festival is working alongside Humanimal Trust, the charity founded by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick. He will … Read more
A new exhibition of animal portraits – Wings and Brushstrokes – by artist Michelle Pearson Cooper will run at the Osborne Studio Gallery in London from 18th October to 11th November 2023. It brings together her fascination with bees, birds and big cats, and an affectionate understanding of the indigenous people of South Africa, inspired … Read more
Beagle Freedom Project UK (BFP UK), a leading global organisation dedicated to rescuing and rehoming animals used in experimental research, has successfully freed seven beagles from a testing facility in Europe, marking a significant step towards their mission to end animal testing. There are seven beagles all together, named after British rock stars: Jonesy, Davey, … Read more
Children at an Edinburgh hospital will soon be learning important conservation lessons from some very unusual teachers – a mob of meerkats based in an outdoor classroom within the grounds. The first programme of its kind outside of Australia, the meerkats from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo will reside at NHS … Read more
Our latest Book on the Bird Table is Can Jellyfish Live Forever? by experts from the Natural History Museum in London. Together, they’ve based the book on the weirdest facts known to the museum, as well as questions that visitors are always desperate to have answered. Each page leads with a fascinating question – essentially … Read more
Nestling in 72 acres of South Somerset is the Ferne Animal Sanctuary, which only exists because of the Second World War. Watch Discover Animals’ videographer Geoff Moore’s report here: Ferne was set up in 1939 by the late Nina, Duchess of Hamilton & Brandon (below) as she realised that with the up-coming war, there was … Read more
Three new Lear’s Macaw chicks have successfully hatched in their natural habitat in the Brazilian Caatinga. The species, which has reached near extinction as a result of poaching and deforestation, has a worldwide population of just 1,700, including just 12 birds in the UK. The chicks are the offspring of a pair bred in Tenerife … Read more
A project to create a new wetland habitat in Lewes in East Sussex took a major step forward this week as diggers broke through a riverbank allowing water from the old channel to rush into the new 6.8-hectare wetland area. Adjacent to the Lewes Brooks, the Cockshut is a 3km long chalk stream that flows … Read more
Forestry & Land Scotland (FLS) has launched the ‘Protect Scotland’s Wildlife’ campaign, supported by research, to combat the effects of human behaviour on forest ecosystems during the summer months. While Scotland’s natural areas are a valuable resource and support people’s wellbeing, people visiting Scotland’s forests to watch – and photograph – birds and other wildlife … Read more
Visitors to Marwell Zoo in Hampshire have been enjoying meeting CBeebies favourites, Bluey, Bingo and Hey Duggee on special Thursday Fun Days throughout the school holidays. There’s still a chance to see Bluey and her little sister Bingo, from the much-loved children’s TV show Bluey, on one more date – 24th August – while Hey Duggee … Read more
In celebration of World Elephant Day today, Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire has released fascinating footage to offer a unique insight into their herd of Asian elephants‘ nocturnal habits and encourage support for their work protecting the Endangered species. Night vision cameras at Whipsnade Zoo‘s Centre for Elephant Care show 11-month-old Asian elephant Nang Phaya crawling … Read more
Today is World Lion Day and what better way to visit these majestic creatures than in the wild in South Africa. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, which covers 441 square miles of the southern Kalahari, has opened its new Loapi tented camp in the country. Tswalu is unique in that it has a foundation dedicated to research that … Read more
This summer, Visit Isle of Man is encouraging tourists to come and visit the natural playground in the middle of the Irish sea, to spot some of the UK’s natural wonders including rare birds and wildlife. The island, which is reachable by ferry or plane in as little as 30 minutes from the UK and Ireland, is … Read more
Norfolk-based wildlife reserve Watatunga was recently awarded a prestigious Gold in the Visit England Award for Excellence 2023, in the category of Best Small Visitor Attraction. The park is a must-visit for those looking for an authentic nature reserve that specialises in conservation. Visitors are taken on a self-drive discovery tour around the 170-acre site on electric buggies. Everyone receives a … Read more
Wallabies backlit by the setting sun, rhinos enjoying twilight snacks and aardvarks scampering outside at dusk are all snapped in a set of photos taken by zookeepers that give a peek at life beyond closing time at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire – something visitors will be able to experience for themselves on ‘Summer Saturday’ evenings. … Read more
Inspired by Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count, which runs until 6th August, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire is reminding visitors about its revamped Butterfly House this summer. The ever-popular attraction has undergone a huge transformation over the last six months, making it a fun-filled visit for the whole family. Alongside new technology to help monitor temperature, humidity … Read more
Blackpool Zoo has welcomed its first critically endangered Bornean orangutan baby for more than two decades after first-time mother Jingga gave birth in June. Visitors can now see the infant, which keepers have confirmed as male, in the orangutan house, which reopened on 1st July following a short period of closure to allow mother and … Read more
Those travelling to the island of Ulko-Tammio, located in the Eastern Gulf of Finland National Park, will be asked to keep their phones in their pockets this summer. The aim is to encourage holidaymakers to switch off their smart devices, take a break from social media and enjoy nature. Ulko-Tammio is believed to be the … Read more
From honeycomb worms to solar powered sea slugs, this summer’s National Marine Week from The Wildlife Trusts will shine a light on some of the lesser-known creatures and plants found in UK seas. The annual seaside celebration aims to inspire a new generation of marine conservationists and volunteers through rock pool rambles, snorkel trails, beach … Read more
Sign up to the Discover Animals newsletter: