Simple alternatives to plastic that won’t harm the planet

We all know that plastic has become a huge problem. We have seen the horrendous images of huge piles of plastic that have been dumped, the plastic that has been caught around marine life after making its way to our oceans, and generic public bins that have been filled with a mix of recyclable plastic…

International Vulture Awareness Day

When most people think of vultures, they envisage giant, feathered, dirty scavengers, the characters from the Lion King hanging around on the branch without really contributing much, and big scary birds to be afraid of. But vultures are in fact hugely important to a healthy ecosystem, and keep everything in balance in the natural world.…

What is plastic really doing to our oceans?

As I settled down to watch the new Netflix documentary ‘Chasing Coral’, the follow up to ‘Chasing Ice’ I was feeling a little apprehensive about what I would learn. I knew one thing for sure, I was very excited to see the acclaimed camera skills, stunning colours of the ocean, and fascinating sea creatures, but…

How to make fat balls in 3 easy steps

Garden birds love fat balls and bird cakes that are commonly available in pet stores, garden centres and even some major supermarkets. However, they are also super easy to make at home using a few simple ingredients. What you will need: bird seeds peanuts raisins grated cheese vegetable suet A container such as a yoghurt…

What you should do if you find a baby bird

This is Troy the tawny owl. I recently had the opportunity to meet Troy and hear his very valuable story about how he came to be a resident at a bird conservation facility called the Hawk Conservancy Trust. Troy was found by a member of the public when he was a young chick. Upon finding…

Taiwan becomes first country in Asia to ban eating cats and dogs

A bill has just been approved by Taiwan's parliament that bans the slaughter of both cats and dogs for human consumption. Despite this being a long time coming, Taiwan is the first country in Asia to ban the eating of the animals. The bill also prohibits anyone pulling their pets alongside them when travelling by…

Introduction to the animal abuse registry

In recent years, worldwide consciousness has increased with regards to topics of animal abuse and protection of the environment. Due to this, animal abuse is being taken a lot more seriously than it ever has been before, which has resulted in countries introducing new laws to adapt to this change. Recently, a number of United…

Is a spider about to eat you?

A recent entomological survey has concluded that a worldwide abundance of spiders means that, theoretically, the eight-legged arachnids could eat all of the humans currently on the planet in the space of just 12 months. This conclusion is however, only to put the amount of food that spiders eat into a comparative perspective, as spiders mostly eat…

Think twice before you throw

A turtle named "Bank" has died following surgery to remove almost 1,000 coins from her stomach, according to vets in Thailand. The coins found inside Bank were a result of tourists repeatedly throwing them into the pond that was the turtle's home. Her death was caused by blood poisoning from the loose change, which was confirmed by doctors…

Poachers target captive rhinos in brutal killing

Following the devastating news of the recent poaching attack on the orphaned rhinos at Thula Thula in South Africa, a similar tragedy has just occurred, only this time in a place that perhaps most would not expect. Reports have just come in claiming that a rhino has been murdered at a zoo in France, with poachers…

Highlights of ranger struggles

In a week that has brought terrible news which highlights the endless hazards and dangers that animal protectors face, eight wildlife rangers have recently been killed in four separate countries. Sean Willmore, founder and director of the Thin Green Line Foundation, which supports widows and children of rangers killed in the line of duty, said, "It’s a tough week…

Remembering Rhinos: a kick start in the right direction

With rhino population figures at a crucial level, there has been no better time than now to introduce an innovative new incentive to raise money to protect an animal that has roamed the earth for more than 50 million years. Rhinos are critically endangered, with only around 29,000 left across the entire world, which includes all…

Undercover investigation reveals chimps being sold as pets for £10,000

A BBC News investigation has uncovered a huge section of the wildlife trafficking business  that sells baby chimpanzees as pets for £10,000, after their families are shot dead in front of them. The well-known West African hub for wildlife trafficking, which is known as the "blue room" was uncovered by the BBC's 12 month investigation, and reveals how…

Rare species of woodlouse glows in the dark

An incredibly rare species of woodlouse has just been discovered to have glow in the dark properties. The critically endangered spiky yellow woodlouse can only be found on St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is one of many endemic and rare species on the remote island. The rare woodlouse is normally incredibly difficult…

New insect species discovered: Katydid

I always seem to get strange looks when I tell people that I love insects. I have a deep fascination with them and people always question 'why?!'. A friend recently asked me why I like them so much, and my immediate answer was that I find it so fascinating how they are so small and…

Children encouraged to climb on tiger to keep the devil away

I gaze at this video with my hand to my mouth as thoughts race through my mind of utter disbelief and disgust. Not only can I barely believe that people across the world are still treating animals like this, considering what we know about our depleting wildlife population, but also that hundreds of tourists are…