UK wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation is urging us all to take part in The Big Butterfly Count to help asses the health of our environment. Launching today and celebrating its 10th year, the world’s largest butterfly survey attracted more than 100,000 people in 2018 who counted over one million butterflies. Participants are encouraged to spot […]
BBC2’s Animal Babies: First Year on Earth is a fascinating new three-part wildlife series following the first difficult and dangerous year of six animal infants as they overcome daily threats to survive. In episode one, we learn how the first three months are critical as our animal babies rapidly get to grips with their new […]
One of the biggest international birding events will take place in England’s smallest county next month. Birdfair, held on the shores of Rutland Water Nature Reserve, attracts thousands of visitors from around the world each year, all passionate about bird watching, eco-tourism and wildlife conservation. Often referred to as the ‘Glastonbury of the birding world’, Birdfair is […]
BAFTA award-winning Michaela Strachan has been a regular on our TV screens for many years presenting popular wildlife programmes including The Really Wild Show, Countryfile, Orangutan Diaries and, most recently, Springwatch. In an exclusive interview for Discover Animals, Michaela talks to Abbe & Simone about some memorable wildlife encounters, living in South Africa, conservation projects […]
To celebrate our glorious UK birdlife – and to highlight the devastating loss of over 40 million birds from the UK in 50 years – the RSPB has launched a free birdsong radio app. Broadcasting a soothing soundscape featuring species in serious decline, such as the turtle dove, nightingale, snipe, greenfinch and curlew, Birdsong Radio […]
Sea sparkle – or bioluminescent plankton – is a magical blue light, made famous in Leonardo DiCaprio’s film The Beach, and whilst it usually occurs in tropical waters such as those around the Maldives islands, it made headlines recently on BBC Earth when a display was captured off the shore of North Wales. How to find […]
The Wildlife Trusts has welcomed news that the Government is designating 41 new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) to help protect the seas around our shores. The new zones will form a vital series of underwater habitats which can be nursed back to health and join 50 previous MCZs awarded by the Government in 2013 and […]
If your kids love nature, why not send them on a butterfly trail with these inspiring books – perfect to enjoy alongside The Big Butterfly Count taking place this July too … How to be a Butterfly Written by Laura Knowles and illustrated by Catell Ronca Ideal for younger children eager to learn more about […]
The world’s leading conservation charity WWF is encouraging everyone to Wear it Wild on Friday 7th June and help raise vital funds to protect our planet. One in six species is at risk of extinction because of climate change. WWF believes that if we are going to tackle this crisis we need to be fiercer, braver and […]
A new national beetle survey has been launched by wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and Royal Holloway University of London. Volunteers are needed for a two week period in June to help find and record sightings of the noble chafer beetle, to help conservationists save this threatened species. Noble chafers are small, […]
The Wildlife Trusts’ annual nature challenge is back for its 5th year and promises to be wilder than ever! Last year, over 350,000 people took part in 30 Days Wild, all pledging to experience nature every day during June. Those signing up to the challenge this year will receive a free pack of inspirational ideas to […]
World Penguin Day is celebrated every year across the world on the 25th April to raise awareness for these amazing flightless birds. A penguin adoption with World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) offers a great way to help protect the future of these captivating creatures and their habitat – and would make a great gift too! […]
Children’s classic The Wind in the Willows has been adapted by The Wildlife Trusts as part of a new hard-hitting campaign on general release in cinemas this weekend. The film trailer, voiced and backed by conservationists and actors Sir David Attenborough, Stephen Fry, Catherine Tate, Alison Steadman and Asim Chaudhry, calls for a wilder future […]
The Tropical Butterfly House, Falconry and Wildlife Park in Sheffield will be holding a celebration event this weekend to mark its 25th anniversary. Renowned for keeping a collection of exotic animals and endangered species from around the world, the park has seen many changes over the years. From opening with just three staff, a butterfly […]
Today (Wednesday 20 March) marks the official arrival of spring. It is also a chance for wildlife lovers across the UK to add their entries to the first ever crowd-sourced nature diary to celebrate the fact. The digital diary – a project by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), researchers at Land Lines, the […]
Forests are found all over the world in many different climates. From the rainforests of South America to the evergreen in Germany, the mangrove forest in India to the redwood in the USA, a huge variety of animals call the forest their home. In this wonderful hardback book by Robert Hunter, little readers are introduced […]
Hedgehog numbers are falling and a recent report revealed that the population of the nation’s favourite mammal has dropped by an alarming 50% in the British countryside since 2000. Hedgehog Street, a joint campaign run by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, has now released a free guide to […]
Oliver Hellowell is a celebrated young wildlife photographer, and quite rightly so because the images he takes of his passion – birds – are stunning. Oliver’s work is sold around the world, winning awards, TV appearances and praise from other professionals. However, what sets Oliver apart from others is that he has Down Syndrome. Having […]
If amazing wildlife is a must when planning your travels, you really don’t need to go abroad to see it. With a huge variety right here on our doorstep wildlife expert and television presenter Nick Baker teamed up with Premier Inn to create a wildlife calendar showing the best places to visit in the UK; JANUARY: Animal: White […]
Professional photographer David Lloyd is the winner of the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. His photograph of a pair of male lions, entitled ‘Bond of Brothers’, saw off competition from more than 45,000 entries. The two adult males, likely brothers, rubbed faces for around 30 seconds before settling down. […]
As a special Valentine’s Day treat keepers at West Midland Safari Park added a romantic twist to the ring-tailed lemurs daily enrichment. The troop of 13 lemurs had fun foraging for red roses hidden within Lemur Woods, with the flowers concealing some of their favourite treats amongst the petals. Deputy Head Keeper, Shelley Tudor, said, “Our troop […]
Vets at Paignton Zoo in Devon have selected a number of striking x-rays to demonstrate just how eye-catching veterinary science can be. From mammals to reptiles, the x-rays – or radiographs – show animals with specific conditions, while others simply reveal the internal beauty of animal biology. The x-ray of the baby monkey inside its […]
In 1966, Longleat became the first location outside Africa to open a drive-through Safari. Over 50 years on, Longleat remains one of the UK’s leading tourist attractions. Boasting animals, Elizabethan architecture, 900 acres of parkland, and easy access from the A350, A36 and A361 Longleat truly is the perfect choice for a day out. A trip to Longleat affords you the chance to […]
The girl who really, really, really loves dinosaurs (Natural History Museum) With its bright colours and simple observations, ‘The girl who really, really loves dinosaurs’ by artist John Hamilton was a hit with my eighteen-month-old, who not only loved spotting the dinosaurs in the book but also the other animals that appear along the way. […]
It’s been a bumper year for grey seal pups at the National Trust’s Blakeney National Nature Reserve in Norfolk with rangers recording 3,012 born over the winter. This is the highest number of births since records began 30 years ago when the first grey seal pup was spotted on Blakeney Point in 1988. A rookery – or […]
