Author: Andrew Rogers

A pair of Eurasian beavers introduced to the Old River Bed nature reserve in Shrewsbury in February are settling in well and starting to make an impact on their surroundings. The reintroduction is part of an experiment aimed at helping naturally manage the wetland area. Tom Freeland, from the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, said there was already evidence of the beavers felling and stripping trees and digging new channels. In the coming months, he expects to see more visible changes as the beavers continue to shape the landscape. The Old River Bed is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and Shropshire…

Wild chimpanzees in Uganda and Ivory Coast are getting a daily dose of alcohol from fermented fruit, researchers have found. Measurements of ethanol in fallen fruit in Kibale and Taï national parks suggest that chimps consume about 14g of pure ethanol per day—roughly the equivalent of one standard US drink or half a pint of 5% ABV beer. Individual fruits contained less than 0.5% alcohol, but the apes eat 5–10% of their body weight in ripe fruit daily, with figs among their favorites. Despite consuming around 4.5kg of fruit each day, the chimps show no obvious signs of intoxication. The…

More than 400 vultures have died in poisoning incidents in and around Kruger National Park this year, raising fears for the species’ survival. Since 2015, over 2,000 vultures have been killed across the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA), which spans South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. Many deaths this year involved critically endangered white-backed vultures, with incidents also affecting crocodiles, jackals, and other wildlife. Experts warn the poisonings are part of an organized effort by poachers to eliminate vultures, which act as early warning systems for illegal activity, while also impacting other carnivores such as lions. Poisoned carcasses used for…

Natural England has warned that this summer’s drought is putting wildlife at serious risk, affecting hedgehogs, garden birds, salmon, amphibians, and wetland species. The prolonged dry conditions have left soil compacted, spawning pools dry, and marshy habitats depleted, while peatlands and thousands of hectares of protected land have been damaged by wildfires. Hedgehogs and garden birds are struggling to find insects and water, while Atlantic salmon and natterjack toads experienced poor breeding seasons due to drying pools. Wetland birds like shoveler ducks and curlews have lost critical marshland, and the hot, dry summer—the warmest on record in the UK since…

Australia has a reputation for dangerous wildlife, and with good reason. The continent is home to sharks, spiders, and snakes, but also creatures like the box jellyfish, whose tentacles contain thousands of venomous stinging cells, and the blue-lined octopus, one of the most toxic animals on the planet. Even the platypus is venomous, with males delivering venom via spurs on their hind legs. The abundance of venomous species can be traced back to Australia’s geological history. About 100 million years ago, Australia separated from the supercontinent Gondwana. Many venomous species, such as trap-jaw ants and venomous cephalopods, were already established…

More than 630,000 American tourists visit Iceland each year, and they are being urged not to consume whale meat during their vacation. Instead, visitors are encouraged to appreciate whales alive and wild at sea. Most Icelanders do not eat whale meat, and the vast majority of consumption comes from the 2.3 million foreign tourists who visit the country annually. The “For the Love of Iceland” campaign, initiated by Iceland’s Hvalavinir (Whale Friends) and Humane World for Animals, aims to protect whales by promoting ethical tourism rather than whale meat consumption. Tourists are invited to take the #fortheloveoficeland pledge as a…

Steve the Beaver, named after The Great Escape star Steve McQueen, captured hearts with his repeated breakouts from a “secure” enclosure at the National Trust’s Wallington Estate in Northumberland. His adventures, seemingly driven by a search for a mate, included trips to nearby farms and streams, before he was eventually relocated to Wales with a female companion to start a family. The Wallington enclosure, part of a 2023 release of four beavers, has been praised for boosting biodiversity, attracting mayflies, dragonflies, bats, and frogspawn. However, Steve’s escapades also caused some local frustration, including damage to volunteer-planted trees along the River…

Researchers found octopuses favour their front arms for most tasks, despite all eight being capable of all actions.The study analysed 25 one-minute videos of wild octopuses from three species across six global sites.Scientists identified 15 behaviours and 12 arm actions, including crawling, object fetching, parachute attacks, and backward swimming.Front arms were used more often for reaching, raising, lowering, and curling, while rear arms handled stilt and roll actions.All eight arms can perform every action and deform in four ways: shortening, elongating, bending, and twisting.Multiple arm actions often occurred simultaneously on the same or adjacent limbs, showing high flexibility and adaptability.Overall,…

Scientists are working to protect Yangtze finless porpoises, whose numbers have plunged in recent decades.The river, one of the world’s busiest, faces ecological damage from pollution, boat traffic, and overfishing.Finless porpoise populations fell from over 2,500 in the 1990s to 1,012 in 2017.Veteran researcher Wang Ding warns other species could “disappear like dominoes” if the porpoises cannot survive.Conservation measures include the 2021 Yangtze River Protection Law, banning fishing and restricting industrial runoff.The finless porpoise population has increased to around 1,300 under these protections.Scientists are also breeding and releasing Chinese sturgeon to restore wild populations.They urge stricter shipping regulations and an…

Butterfly numbers bounced back after 2024’s poor summer, reaching only average levels in this year’s Big Butterfly Count.Over 125,000 citizen scientists recorded an average of 10.3 butterflies per 15-minute count across the UK.This marked improvement followed 2024’s record low of seven butterflies per count.The large white saw a 131% increase, the small white 128%, and the red admiral 185% compared with last year.Butterfly Conservation warned that numbers have returned only to average and remain below earlier summers.Dr Richard Fox noted that more than twice as many widespread species have declined than increased over 15 years.One-third of species performed poorly despite…