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Following a bumper year for conservation breeding at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, keepers have begun the mammoth task of taking all of the weights and measurements across the zoo. From giant giraffes to tiny cheetah cubs, every weight and measurement is recorded to help keepers and veterinarians monitor the health and wellbeing of the animals … Read more
Our latest Book on the Bird Table is Wild Footprints, published by Scholastic, a debut non-fiction picture book from author Judy Wise, which aims to teach young readers about the importance of the natural world through the curious and diverse footprints left by Earth’s varied wildlife. It captures young imaginations and provides the catalyst for … Read more
The joke often seen on Austrian tourism merchandise is ‘no kangaroos in Austria’. Not strictly true as there are wallabies at the entrance to the city’s zoo in Vienna as Discover Animals’ Geoff Moore finds out in this short film. Being the oldest zoo in the world still operating and drawing in around 2 million … Read more
Tiger and red panda cubs at West Midlands Safari Park have been enjoying some early festive treats to celebrate their first Christmas. The youngsters were gifted carefully planned Christmas enrichment by their keepers, with species appropriate treats hidden inside sacks and stockings. The 11-month-old Sumatran tiger cubs, Nova, Nadirah and Naresh, along with their older … Read more
While stargazers were searching the skies for the Leonids meteor display last month, zookeepers at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire were observing their own other-worldly spectacle – the birth of a giraffe calf. After a 15-month gestation period, the female reticulated giraffe calf was born to aptly named mum Luna at 8:50am on Tuesday 18th November, … Read more
Annual swan counts suggest that Britain could have lost up to 43% of its population of Bewick’s swans in just five years. WWT, the charity for wetlands and wildlife, is warning that the species could soon be a rare sight, after only 700 Bewick’s swans and only five cygnets were recorded during annual winter counts. … Read more
The Wildlife Trusts are creating a British Rainforest Garden, designed by award-winning Zoe Claymore, for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. The garden will evoke the lush, wet woodlands that once swathed vast areas of the west coast of the British Isles and is sponsored by grant giving charity, Project Giving Back, and supported by insurer, … Read more
Nearly 40 rare species have been recorded in the New Forest during a project to restore areas for nature. The species were identified during surveys undertaken by Wild New Forest last year as part of the Species Survival Fund, which is restoring and creating habitats to halt species decline. The surveys were completed at 10 … Read more
A trio of rare Northern African lion cubs have been born at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, marking a huge conservation success for the vulnerable subspecies. Born to three-year-old lioness Winta, and three-year-old dad Malik, the litter of three arrived on 25th November 2024. Footage captured by the conservation zoo‘s ‘cub cam’ CCTV shows attentive mum … Read more
Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation has launched its first ever Youth Panel, championing its mission to engage more young people with nature. This groundbreaking initiative brings together 10 passionate young people aged 16-25 from all corners of the UK to help shape the future of butterfly and moth conservation. The Youth Panel aims to break down … Read more
Hampshire-based Marwell Zoo‘s male red panda, Tashi, welcomed a companion in September following the arrival of a female red panda called Cherry from Manor Wildlife Park in Wales. Cherry is settling into her new home where she will share the zoo’s red panda habitat with Tashi, who arrived last year. Cherry is seven years old … Read more
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo is encouraging visitors to celebrate Halloween with a range of family-friendly and adult-only events this October. Carve pumpkins for the wildlife conservation charity’s animals to enjoy, learn more about species anatomy at the adult-only Skulls and Sips or get up close with wee beasties, nocturnal birds … Read more
Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire has welcomed a second endangered reticulated giraffe calf, just a few weeks after the arrival of another. The baby boy, an important addition to the conservation breeding programme, was born to mum Luna and dad Bashu on Monday 15th July, just three weeks after fellow mum Ijuma had her baby girl … Read more
London Zoo‘s trio of 10-week-old Endangered lion cubs had their first health check this week, and their eager keepers were finally able to confirm the sexes of the zoo‘s newest big cats. The zoo‘s veterinary team and keepers carried out the medical exam in the cubs’ familiar dens, where they are most relaxed. The team … Read more
Steve Backshall, one of Britain’s best-loved and most intrepid naturalists and television presenters, is returning to Longleat in Wiltshire for the first time in over a decade this May half term. He will present an all-new wildlife show, created exclusively for Longleat, from Saturday 25th May until Sunday 2nd June. Tickets are on sale now. … Read more
Our latest Book on the Bird Table is the wonderful Saving Sun Bears by Dr Sarah Pye, which follows the inspirational work of Malaysian ecologist Dr Wong Siew Te or ‘papa bear’ as he tries to save the sun bear from extinction. The sun bear has become know as the forgotten bear, being the least … Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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