Nature in ‘freefall’: Global wildlife populations have declined by more than two thirds since 1970

Wildlife populations around the world have declined by more than two thirds since 1970, according to a new WWF report that claims nature is in ‘freefall’ due to human activity including intensive farming and deforestation. The WWF Living Planet Index (LPI) found mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish numbers fell by an average 68 per cent … Read more

Wildlife volunteers rescue leopard cub from a 30ft well and reunite her with mother

Wildlife volunteers rescue leopard cub from a 30ft well and reunite her with mother in heartwarming footage Volunteers gently lower cage into the well in an effort to rescue the leopard cub The three-month-old cub eventually crawls into the cage and is pulled to safety Rescuers located the cub’s mother and reunited the pair in … Read more

Countryside Alliance say BBC should drop outspoken wildlife presenter Chris Packham

The new BBC Director-General should drop Chris Packham if he is serious about staff being unbiased on social media, the head of the Countryside Alliance has urged. Tim Davie should sack the Springwatch presenter to ‘follow through’ with his call for impartiality online, Tim Bonner said. Quoting a speech Mr Davie made today, Mr Bonner … Read more

See nature by the seat of your pants: Simon Barnes offers 23 ‘spells’ to make wildlife visible again

NATURE  Rewild Yourself by Simon Barnes (Simon & Schuster £8.99, 208 pp) How do you fancy sitting on a damp patch of ground for hours on end, not moving a muscle, unable even to scratch your nose when it itches? It may sound like a form of torture, but for Simon Barnes this ‘bottomless sit’, … Read more

Some of the best entries for 2020 Wildlife Photographer of the Year have been revealed

A picture of the Amazon ablaze and a very muddy hippo are among images which have scored highly with judges of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest.  Highly commended images chosen from almost 50,000 entries to the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020 competition have been revealed. The images include … Read more

Wildlife expert warns rural UK is home to 250 black leopards and 250 pumas

Are 500 big cats are prowling the British countryside? Wildlife expert warns rural UK is home to 250 black leopards and 250 pumas as study finds five carcasses with tell-tale gnaw marks on the bones Dr Andrew Hemmings believes 80 per cent of reports he received are credible He identified bite marks on 5 animal carcasses … Read more

Scotland in miniature: Things to do in the Isle of Arran, from wildlife tours to whisky tasting

The Isle of Arran is affectionately known as ‘Scotland in miniature’. Which is not a bad promotional line — and an apposite one, given the variety of landscape from highland to lowland, all within a small space. You can fit Arran into Wales 48 times, and a leisurely drive around the island takes just under … Read more

Britain’s oldest polar bear ‘Victor’ dies aged 22 at Yorkshire Wildlife Park 

Britain’s oldest polar bear ‘Victor’ dies aged 22 at Yorkshire Wildlife Park Oldest polar bear in Britain dies aged 22 after suddenly falling ill in wildlife park He had terminal kidney failure and after he suddenly fell ill vets put him to sleep  Victor was rehomed in Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster in 2014 By … Read more

Venomous rattle snakes spotted in TREES at wildlife parks in New Mexico and Arizona

Venomous rattle snakes are known to unexpectantly slither out from holes, but what may come to a surprise is that these reptiles also climb trees. The daring feat has been captured by a number of people this summer, who have shared the astounding photos and videos online. A diamondback was seen ‘soaking up the early … Read more

Wildlife filmmaker is surrounded by playful seals who swam alongside her in the sea off Cornwall 

Seal of approval! Extraordinary moment wildlife filmmaker is surrounded by playful seals who swam alongside her for an hour in the sea off Cornwall Ellen Husain swam with the seals off the coast of Falmouth, Cornwall, this week The animals were friendly and became interested in her flippers as she swam She used her action … Read more