Nightmare gnashers: 8 ordinary creatures with surprisingly terrifying teeth
Some of the most innocent creatures in the animal kingdom are secretly hiding horrifying sets of teeth. If you’re brave enough to peek inside the mouths of these seemingly normal animals, you’ll discover nightmare gnashers that look like they’ve come straight from the set of a monster movie. Have a browse of the gallery above to … Continued
Eyes in the sky: The incredible technology helping save Asia's wildlife
Drones can be an affordable and time-saving tool in wildlife conservation A few years ago, two young wildlife biologists were struggling to study Orangutan nests in the dense jungles of northern Sumatra in Indonesia—one of the most threatened rainforests on Earth. Locating the primate nests hidden high up on treetops in the dense forest was … Continued
Animals that get drunk, stoned or high
From bears to bats, a whole range of animals have discovered the dangerous vices of alcohol and drugs. Most manage to find their narcotics naturally in the wild, although some have unfortunately found human substances to be more effective at getting them high. We don’t necessarily condone the unhealthy habits of these substance-abusing beasts, but … Continued
6 incredible plans to redefine the future of space travel
Modern technologies have allowed humans to access even the most remote areas of Earth’s surface. Satellites, submarines and remotely piloted drones now traverse our world from the depths of the ocean to the thin reaches of the upper atmosphere. But our species’ future in space has only just begun. As advances in design and computing … Continued
Natural navigators: The many strange and different ways animals get home
With maps, compasses and new technology, humans find their way around the world with ease. But how non-human animals navigate has been one of nature’s great mysteries. Some species travel short distances around their home environment and some travel over vast distances, migrating to and from breeding grounds. The variety of ways in which different … Continued
Scared of snakes? Here’s 11 places you wouldn’t want to visit
It seems that snakes have never been a particularly popular member of the animal kingdom to us humans, and for good reason. Nearly 600 members of the Serpentes suborder are venomous—which when combined with their generally camouflaged appearance and startlingly strike speed if disturbed—mean they’re one of the few animals that can land you in … Continued
When the fish are gone
Vast and seemingly limitless, we traverse its edge on foot, its waves on ships and occasionally dive to its shallower depths. Our oceans cover 70% of the world’s surface and 99% of the world’s habitable space for life. However what resides within those endless blue waters for the most part remains out of sight and, … Continued
8 famous figures you didn’t know were vegetarian
Why be a veggie? According to a 2008 poll, the top three reasons American people gave for their lifestyle choice were: reservations about animal welfare, a desire to improve overall health, and environmental concerns. In India, where 40% of people are vegetarian, religious and cultural reasons play a far more significant role. Vegetarianism is certainly not … Continued
Strange facts about tongues
In humans, the tongue is used to manipulate food for chewing and swallowing. It also allows us to taste, the upper surface being covered with between 3,000 and 10,000 taste buds. We also use our tongue for speech, enabling us to make changes in sound. Our tongues are impressive but throughout the animal kingdom tongues are … Continued
Animals that go to War
With our unparalleled ability to plan, organise, and wield weaponry, it seems like humans are uniquely gifted in the art of war. However, there’s nothing on our battlefields that Mother Nature didn’t think of first. From insect suicide bombers to violent monkey revolutionaries, our non-human counterparts can sometimes be every bit as strategic, coordinated, and … Continued
We're supporting WWF to boost efforts against poaching in Cambodia
As the official content partner of WWF International, Love Nature is today helping make a difference to the great work the charity undertakes by donating toward a new WWF training programme for wildlife rangers at the Serepok Wildlife Sanctuary and Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary in north eastern Cambodia. The two sanctuaries are part of the … Continued
Camels: pack animal of the future
Camels are ultra efficient workhorses, and the secret to their success may be in their blood. While most people think of horses, cattle and oxen as the ultimate pack-animals, camels have been equally useful to humans. The perfect longhaul transport vehicle—able to travel for weeks without water or food thanks to reserves in its hump—camels … Continued
Nature’s hardest workers
It’s a tough old world out there for the honeybee, which exhausts itself for 60 hours a week to produce just a thimbleful of honey. Indeed, you’d be surprised how hard some members of the animal kingdom have to work just to survive, and they’re not exactly taking sick days or going on holiday between … Continued
The wildlife photographer’s essential kit list
‘All the gear. No idea,’ a popular adage in today’s kit-rich world of people heading out into nature. But now it’s time to flip the famous quotation on its head. Whether you’re up to your knees in mud, employing all of your fieldcraft to get closer to that perfect full-frame deer shot in the field … Continued
Conservationists welcome shark & ray listings at CITES CoP
Conservationists are delighted that CITES Parties have officially listed devil rays, thresher sharks, and the silky shark under CITES Appendix II. The listing proposals were supported by more than the two-thirds majority required for adoption in Committee on Monday, and finalised today in Plenary. ‘This is a big win for all these species of sharks … Continued
Do you know about nature's strangest symbioses?
Out in the natural world it’s survival of the fittest. Whether that means being the fastest or strongest, the best camouflaged or most poisonous, or perhaps simply the most intelligent—nature has thought of it all. Amongst the most ingenious strategies are symbioses. These are species that have adapted, through chance, to rely on and benefit … Continued
Bereaved behaviour: Animals that mourn their loved ones
Historically, science has radically underestimated animal intelligence and emotions. Just a few decades ago we considered animals to have vastly different brains to our own, lacking moment-to-moment consciousness, emotions and foresight, but modern science has shown this is simply not the case. In 2012 leading scientists published the ‘Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness in Non-Human Animals’, … Continued
How can we reconnect children with the natural world?
Not so very long ago, roaming through the woods, climbing trees, building dens and generally having a wild time would have been considered part and parcel of a normal, healthy childhood. But within a matter of decades, the wild child has become a critically endangered species. These days, just one in 10 children ever play in … Continued
Animal Overlords: 5 creatures that keep their own pets
Humans aren’t the only ones to keep pets, you know. All sorts of animals from right around the world have been spotted forming masterful relationships with other species. But unlike us with our cats and dogs, these mutualistic creature companionships are usually essential for both animals’ well being, if not their very survival. Tarantulas and … Continued
5 animals that are almost immortal (and one that actually is)
The typical lifecycle of animals is familiar to us all. We’re born, we reach sexual maturity, we grow old and—eventually—we die. Old age, or ‘senescence’, is the gradual accumulation of cellular degradation and happens to all humans. The older we get, the more likely we are to die. Yet there are some animals for whom … Continued
Innovation for conservation: 5 technologies that are saving species
Since the new millennium, technology has advanced at a rate never before seen in the history of humankind. Yet so far we have only made relatively small steps when it comes to applying these new advances to the most pressing issue of all: the health of our planet. Today we teeter at a critical tipping … Continued
10 of the world’s most threatened cats
We all know and love Africa’s large savannah cats or Asia’s iconic Tigers, but did you know that the felid family extends far beyond the classic ‘Big Six’ (Cheetah, Lion, Jaguar, Tiger, Leopard Snow and Leopard)? In fact it contains at least 38 known species, spread right across the planet’s temperate and tropical regions. Once … Continued
5 amazing spectacles of nature
As the enigmatic Jeff Goldblum once said in the iconic 90s cinema classic Jurassic Park: ‘life finds a way’. No matter how hard the challenge, how far the distance, how tough the conditions, our planet’s fauna keep soldiering on, in a world where half of all wildlife has disappeared over the last 40 years. A … Continued
Deadly discoveries: 8 of the world’s most ecologically devastating inventions
They have kept us warm, prevented malaria, improved sanitation and extended the shelf life of our food, but some of humankind’s most celebrated inventions are also responsible for millions of deaths, catastrophic environmental contamination and the hastening of global warming. In fact, one supposedly safe discovery even indirectly led to the demise of its inventor. … Continued
5 easy ways you can help animals by using modern technology
Passionate about helping the world’s most amazing animals? There are all sorts of things you can do, simply, quickly and by using the vast array of modern technology already at your disposal. Smartphones, social media sites and a single click of your computer mouse have all become powerful tools in the fight to save our … Continued
We tackle the age-old question: Do animals experience consciousness?
Cogito ergo sum. ‘I think, therefore I am.’ Descartes’ famous statement from 1637 was possibly one of the first attempts at philosophically determining what consciousness is exactly. He believed that just the capability of thought proved consciousness is there. But what is consciousness, really? We know it’s there—we live it every day. It’s that intangible … Continued