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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

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

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

Dundreggan Rewilding Centre to be site of new 8 Out of 10 Bats show

Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin will present 8 Out Of 10 Bats

Television presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin will be live presenting a week of anarchic and inspiring autumn wildlife programmes called 8 Out Of 10 Bats from Trees for Life’s Dundreggan Rewilding Centre near Loch Ness in the Highlands from 23rd to 26th October. Chris, Megan and a team of talented young conservationists will be … Read more

Baby Cape porcupine born at Whipsnade Zoo 

The baby Cape porcupine at Whipsnade Zoo

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

On the trail of the ‘Exmoor Beast’

The Exmoor Beast at Exmoor Zoo

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

New video: Going on an Exmoor Wildlife Safari

The Exmoor pony can be seen on an Exmoor Wildlife Safari

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

State of Nature Report 2023 published

The State of Nature Report 2023 talks about nature-friendly farming

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

Alladale – a new wildlife vision for the Scottish Highlands

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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

Spectacular animal sculpture trail opens at Leeds Castle

Visitors to Leeds Castle walk past a metallic giraffe, part of a new outdoor sculpture trail at the Kent attraction

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

Where to visit red panda in the UK

One of the endangered red panda twins at Longleat

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

Autumn Fest at Blenheim Palace – What Animals Teach Us

Autumn Fest at Blenheim Palace

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

Wings and Brushstrokes exhibition to open in London

Image of cheetahs from Wings and Brushstokes

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

Rescued beagles get first taste of freedom

The beagles experiencing their first taste of freedom

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

Meerkats to teach children in hospital about nature

Rosa Carter RHCYP patient says hello to the mw

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

Book on the Bird Table: Can Jellyfish Live Forever?

Book on the Bird Table, Can Jellyfish Live Forever?

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

Discover Ferne, the WW2 animal sanctuary still going strong

A cat at Ferne Animal Sanctuary

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

Loro Parque Foundation reintroduces nearly extinct Lear’s Macaw into the wild

Lear's Macaw which have been successfully reintroduced into the wild

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

New Lewes wetland habitat takes step forward

The new Lewes wetland

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

Protect Scotland’s Wildlife campaign launched

Protect Scotland's Wildlife hopes to help birds such as ospreys

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

Meet Bluey, Bingo and Hey Duggee at Marwell Zoo!

Bluey and Bingo at Marwell Zoo

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