Nearly a century after the extinction of the paradise parrot, a tiny team is trying to protect its cousin – by using land clearing In 1922, Cyril Jerrard captured the first and only photographs of the paradise parrot, the only Australian bird to be off…
Ever heard a shrew warble? Secret sounds of small mammals revealed
Discover how bat detectors are used to capture the hypersonic world of voles, shrews and wood mice – and listen in yourselfIt sounds like the alarm call of a macaque but is in fact the slowed-down squeak of a pygmy shrew. This warbling call is an insig…
‘People think you’re an idiot’: death metal Irish baron rewilds his estate
Trees, grasses and wildlife are returning as Lord Randal Plunkett recreates a vanished landscape in County MeathLord Randal Plunkett strides through the hip-high grass of Dunsany, a 650-hectare (1,600-acre) estate in the middle of Ireland, trailed by a…
The week in wildlife – in pictures
The best of this week’s wildlife pictures, including baby pandas, common red soldier beetles and flight from wildfires Continue reading…
Scottish forests could save red squirrel from extinction
Researchers found 20 areas where the mammal would survive even if grey squirrels colonised all of BritainTwenty forest strongholds in Scotland would save the red squirrel from extinction even if grey squirrels were to colonise the whole of Britain, acc…
Top seeds: artists capture global efforts to future-proof nature – in pictures
Scientists, ecologists and artists have collaborated to showcase global work to protect seeds in an exhibition at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & art gallery (Ramm) in Exeter.Seedscapes: future-proofing nature runs until 5 September Continue rea…
Delta blues: why estuaries are the canaries in the climate crisis coalmine
These fragile ecosystems are where the impacts of the climate crisis are often felt first, say expertsThe Ebro delta appears to be in robust health, to a casual observer. There is water gurgling in the canals and irrigation channels, and what appears t…
Evolutionary ‘trap’ leading young sea turtles to ingest plastic, study says
Researchers find fragments in innards of species that have adapted to develop in open ocean, which has highly polluted areasYoung marine turtles are swallowing large quantities of plastic, with ocean pollution changing habitats that were once ideal for…
Norfolk’s rediscovered ‘ghost ponds’ offer up trove of long-lost plants
Rewilding projects reveal rare species preserved in buried ancient wetlandsThe fertile land of Norfolk is home to a host of stately homes, rare wildlife and more ponds than any other county. Now, estates in the area are trying to hunt down ancient “gho…
Decimated by famine, Florida’s manatees face an uncertain future
2021 is already the deadliest year on record for Florida manatees. Scientists and activists are scrambling to avert further disasterOn a bright morning in July, a crowd gathered on a boat ramp in St Augustine, Florida, awaiting the arrival of a young m…