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At least 80 pairs recorded in 2023 after species began breeding again in 1979, having disappeared from UK in 16th centuryBritain’s tallest bird, the spectacular, wetland-loving crane bred in higher numbers last summer than at any point since they disappeared from the UK in the 16th century.At least 80 pairs of cranes were recorded in 2023, up from the previous high of 72 two...

Sawangjit Kosoognern charged with illegal possession after video showing animal being driven around Pattaya gains 2.6m viewsA Thai woman has been charged with illegal possession of a lion cub, police said on Friday, after a video of the animal cruising in a Bentley went viral online.The police ordered an investigation after a video showing a lion cub riding around the raucous Thai resort town...

Hunting by Kenyan lions impeded in ‘ecological chain reaction’ as big-headed ants fail to stop elephants stripping acacia trees – the cats’ ambush coverWhen a lion decides to chase down a zebra it seems as though nothing can stop it. But now researchers have discovered these enormous predators are being thwarted by a tiny foe: ants.Scientists have found the spread of big-headed ants in...

Drought in Hwange national park was the cause of most of the deaths, and wildlife experts fear the climate crisis could make such events look normalAt least 160 elephants have died as drought conditions hit Zimbabwe, and with hot, dry weather likely to continue, conservationists fear there could be more deaths to come.The elephants died between August and December last year in the 14,651...

University of Sassari research suggests change in habits might expose animals to more predatorsGlobal heating is pushing mountain goats into a more nocturnal lifestyle that could expose them to more predators, scientists have found.A team of researchers at the University of Sassari, in Sardinia, used GPS collars equipped with motion sensors to track the activity of the Alpine ibex, a species of mountain goat,...

Conservation groups target ‘impossible dream' of eradicating invasive predators after success of East Anglia trialAmerican mink – the mustelids escaped from fur farms who have decimated populations of water voles and other native birds, fish and amphibians – have been eradicated from a swath of East Anglia.Until now, mink have never been successfully removed from any large area of Britain but the success of...

Scientist say animals still need protecting and also connecting to restore habitats fragmented by human activitiesAfrican elephant populations have stabilised in their southern heartlands after huge losses over the last century, according to the most comprehensive analysis of growth rates to date.The latest analysis also provides the strongest data so far showing that protected areas that are connected to other places are far better...

Spider measuring record 7.9cm across is almost as big as largest female collected in 2021, which was named Megaspider by Australian Reptile ParkWith fangs that could pierce a human fingernail, the largest male specimen of the world’s most venomous arachnid has found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park where it will help save lives after a member of the public discovered it...

Several species have vanished across swathes of the continent – and scientists say their disappearance holds unknown risks for humansAfrica’s birds of prey have experienced a widespread population collapse that risks unforeseen consequences for humans, according to a new study.Tropical raptor species including the martial eagle, the bateleur and the dark chanting goshawk have vanished from swathes of the African continent over the past...

Expert says if you see a snake you should leave it alone and call for a professional catcherWhen Tennille Bankes walked into a toilet cubicle in Goondiwindi, Queensland, she was greeted by the scaly tail of a spotted black snake peaking out beneath a closed lid.The wildlife carer and snake catcher was called by police to the public bathroom after a local, surprised by...

Photograph taken at wildlife reserve shows baby nestled with his mother after his return A baby elephant who was separated from his mother and the rest of his herd in a wildlife park in Tamil Nadu, south India, has been reunited with them by park officials.An aerial photograph taken by officials shows the mother and calf, three days later, enjoying a nap on a...

The Department of Primary Industries is investigating after protected fish species allegedly killed in CronullaThe killing of a protected fish species by a spear fisher in Sydney over the weekend is being investigated.According to local reports, onlookers were left outraged after an endangered blue groper (Achoerodus viridis) was allegedly speared and killed at Oak Park in Cronulla on Saturday. Continue reading...

A group of 10 orcas has been seen leaping into the air to catch prey, delighting watchers and experts for the past two weeksExperts and whale watchers have been dazzled by a series of orca sightings off the southern California coast that are being described as “extremely rare”.A group of 10 whales – including a calf just a few months old – has been...

Conservationists say government strategy to recover England’s degraded temperate rainforest is a good start but want a target to double the area by 2050Conservationists have praised the launch of a new government strategy to revive the remaining fragments of the vast temperate rainforests that were once “one of the jewels of Britain’s nature crown”.Temperate rainforest, also known as Atlantic woodland or Celtic rainforest, once...

Temporary roadside barriers set up to channel tens of millions of crabs migrating to the coastlineThe welcome mat has been rolled out for scores of red crabs as they make their annual coastal dash on Christmas Island.Each year, the first substantial rain of the wet season triggers tens of millions of adult red crabs to leave their forest homes, in the interior of the...

Wolves are the first part of a plan to reintroduce the endangered species into the state after it was eradicated in the regionIn an effort to restore an endangered species, Colorado just released five gray wolves in the western part of the state.On Monday, Colorado parks and wildlife released two female and three male wolves on to remote public land. The predators were captured...