An eye-opening examination of those who survive 'off-grid'
Going off grid is a concept that means vastly different things to different people. For Charles Foster—Oxford don, barrister and author—it involved shunning work suits and spending extended periods of time living like various English animals, sleeping in bushes and holes in the ground, and feasting on live earthworms and raw plants. Despite his high-flying … Continued
We asked an economist whether it’s a good idea to put a price on nature
If you’re anything like us, you occasionally feel dwarfed by the incomprehensible awesomeness of the natural world. Our planet contains some incredible environments, inhabited by thousands of perfectly-adapted species—with such wonders surrounding us, it might seem vulgar to think of nature as a commodity that humans can put a price tag on. Yet in … Continued
Back to the wild: Inside the RSPCA’s wildlife rehabilitation programme
Each year some 16,000 injured, sick or orphaned wild animals pass through the doors of the RSPCA’s four wildlife hospitals, while hundreds of thousands more receive care at other wildlife centres throughout the UK. All kinds of creatures can find themselves in need of rescue, but according to Llewelyn Lowen, RSPCA Wildlife Scientific Officer, certain … Continued
8 ways to turn your garden into a wildlife sanctuary
You don’t need to go on safari in Africa or venture down into the depths of a South American rainforest to spot amazing animals. Gardens are important ecosystems, filled with a variety of extraordinary creatures. Follow these tips to increase your chances of getting up close and personal with your local wildlife. 1. Hedgehog shelters … Continued
Meet Wallace. He's here because we can't stop flushing a certain luxury down the loo
The UK’s leading marine charity and the water company that supplies Cornwall are joining forces to highlight the huge problems created by flushing wet wipes down the loo—with the help of a giant monster made out of wipes! The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is bringing Wallace the Wet Wipe Monster to Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth on … Continued
Come party with Love Nature this September!
The Good Life Experience is making a spectacular return for the third year running this September—one of many great festivals in North Wales showcasing a deep connection with the wilderness areas of the UK. And the best bit: we’ll be there too—spreading the good word about loving nature! Taking place at Hawarden Estate on September 16—18 … Continued
These incredible bird photos are beyond beautiful
A magically moody shot of a mute swan has nailed the top slot at the very first Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition, a new initiative held by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in partnership with Nature Photographers Ltd. BTO President and competition head judge, Chris Packham, made the announcement during the awards … Continued
Britain is surrounded by sharks, but don't panic
The sudden onset of summer in Britain over the last few weeks has produced a familiar surge of hysterical claims with one common denominator: sharks surround the UK coast, just waiting to chomp those swimmers, surfers and paddlers with enough pluck to enter the chilly water. In the last week alone, a fishing charter operator … Continued
The RSPB just pulled out of a government plan to save England's rarest bird of prey
The RSPB has pulled out of the UK government’s plan to save the country’s most endangered bird of prey, the hen harrier, declaring the controversial campaign a failure, and the charity is now calling for grouse shooting estates to be licensed, saying that is the only way to save the harrier from disappearing from England. … Continued
Friends, not food—Why we need to help save UK sharks
Thought UK waters were free from sharks? Think again. In fact, over 30 shark species can be found along the British coastline, amongst them some of the largest, fastest, rarest and oddest sharks on the planet. Sadly, over half of these magnificent species are under threat—but there are plenty of ways in which marine wildlife … Continued
Escaped lynx on the loose around Dartmoor could be caught by a recording of his mum
A lynx that escaped from Dartmoor Zoo on Thursday is still on the loose in rural Devon, and searchers are planning to use a recorded call of its mother to try and lure the wild cat out of hiding. The two-year-old cat, called Flaviu, is a Eurasian lynx. He arrived at Dartmoor on Wednesday, after being … Continued
The animal lover’s guide to surviving Brexit
The UK is leaving the EU, so what does that mean for the beasts of Britain? Two weeks after the monumental decision was made, Love Nature attempts to make some sense of what the future might hold Amid all the acrimony, arm flailing and desperate wailing that has followed the British people’s controversial decision to … Continued
Sad news for spoon-billed sandpipers
This was one half of a pair of critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper chicks—the first ever bred in captivity—but sadly neither survived for more than 60 hours. Each weighed only a few grammes and was barely bigger than a bumble bee. Seven eggs were laid in total at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire, of which … Continued
Birds pushed to the edge by floods
A flock of cranes that ended up at the centre of a once-in-200-year flood has given researchers a rare insight into how wildlife copes with extreme weather. The cranes’ progress was being tracked by researchers from the University of Exeter, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and RSPB when severe flooding hit the Somerset Levels … Continued
Common markets. Exploring the ethics and idiosyncrasies of live animal markets, near and far, old and new
A friend of mine recently came across a live owl for sale in a market in Bali, South East Asia. The nocturnal bird was scrunched up in tiny cage, left out in the brutal heat and unforgiving sunlight of the day. Incensed at seeing such a magnificent creature being kept in the most miserable circumstances, … Continued
Everything you ever wanted to know about the common swift
Swifts are the quintessential birds, surpassing all others in their mastery of the air. Elegant, bewitching and indefatigable, from the moment a young swift takes flight for the first time, they will not touch land again for two years. This article explores how swifts have evolved as a synanthrophic species, making use of buildings and … Continued
One of the world’s rarest birds has laid eggs in captivity for the first time
Seven eggs have been laid so far by two spoon-billed sandpipers at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UK. The flock was established in 2011 as a back-up in case conservationists run out of time to save the wild population from extinction. In the wild, only around 200 breeding pairs are left on … Continued
How did this dog find its way home, across 240 miles of strange terrain?
Last month, an English sheepdog shocked its former owners by turning up on their doorstep in Ceredigion, Wales, after they had given him to another farm in Cockermouth, Cumbria, some 240 miles away. Amazingly, it seems as though, over a periods of two weeks, Pero (positively identified through his microchip) had negotiated the epic journey … Continued
Here's a novel use for that machine which usually cleans chewing gum off streets
WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre in Lancashire is using the Cardley-Wave machine to eradicate aquatic non-native weeds from its wetlands, while protecting native wildlife. The machine sprays a targeted jet of hot water—a bit like a carpet cleaner—which can also be used to kill individual weeds. Unlike chemical-based weed killers, there is no danger of … Continued
In or out? What the EU referendum means for nature in Britain
On Thursday 23rd June 2016 there will be a referendum to decide whether or not the UK remains a member of the European Union (EU). There has been much debate in the media on the pros and cons of Britain’s potential exit or ‘Brexit’ from the EU. Most discussions have centred on issues like business, … Continued
Leprosy outbreak hits Britain's endangered red squirrels
Britain’s native population of red squirrels, already under threat from the introduced American grey squirrel, are facing a new deadly danger in the form of leprosy. The disease was first identified in Scottish red squirrels two years ago, but it has since been identified on Brownsea Island in Dorset, and in animals on the Isle … Continued
Virtual brutality—The cruel online world of animal atrocities
From live-animal smugglers to rare body-part merchants, puppy farmers to underground hunters—there’s a wild worldwide web of nastiness going on behind your computer screen, but thanks to a new app, you can help do something about it. The modern magic of social media gives us connectivity to entire communities at the swipe of a screen … Continued
The strange history of Britain's 'Anthrax Island'
In a remote part of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides there’s an island, but it’s not much to look at. Just over a mile long and half a mile wide, windswept, the place lies lifeless; ‘dozens of rabbit holes but no rabbits’, remarked visiting journalist David Harrison back in 2001. Originally ‘full of woods’ and a ‘guid for fostering … Continued
London: The world’s first National Park City?
A couple of years ago, Daniel Raven Ellison, a geography teacher from Ealing, had an interesting thought: What if London became a National Park? In his vision, Daniel saw London as a place where people and nature were better connected, where the air was clean to breathe and the rivers safe to swim in, and … Continued
The spree of London’s Serial Cat Killer continues, but what about the pet owners left behind?
At seven years old, Merlin was still quite a young and sprightly cat, smallish but with big paws and a big face. He was always looking for attention from Georgie Grange and her family, and from those he knew and liked around the quiet patch of suburban south London where they all lived. But the … Continued
These are the last of the UK’s resident orca population
Orcinus orca, the killer whale, the highly intelligent and adaptable apex predator of the oceans, second only to human beings in global distribution. If you were to ask the average person where the best place to see an orca would be, their response might be the Antarctic, Vancouver Island, Iceland or a number of other … Continued