The Evolution of Flight

Flight is not only an extraordinary ability, but a huge evolutionary advantage. Occasionally, when I see a bird soaring high up in the sky I imagine what it would be like to fly. To see the world from a whole new perspective and feel so free. Powered flight has evolved at least four separate times …

The Plight Of The Pangolin

Pangolins are the world's most trafficked animal - making up around 20% of the entire illegal wildlife trade. Their mass slaughter for use in traditional medicine and as luxury food has caused their numbers to plummet. Of the eight species of pangolin, six are listed as either endangered or critically endangered. It is thought that …

My Top 10 Animals (100th Post!)

This is my 100th blog post! To celebrate this milestone, I thought I'd kick off this new decade by sharing my top 10 animals. It was quite a challenge coming up with this list but I think I've managed it. I've tried to include a diverse selection of animals, considering them based on their adaptations, …

The Komodo Dragon

The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is endemic to a few Indonesian islands, including the island of Komodo, hence their name. They can reach up to 3 metres in length and weigh over 100kg. The Komodo dragon is a formidable predator since no other carnivore occupies the same ecological niche. Their varied …

The Reindeer

To celebrate the festive season, today I am going to write about an animal that symbolises Christmas - the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Also known as Caribou in North America, the reindeer has a circumpolar distribution, meaning it is found across North America, Siberia and Northern Europe. Their habitats include Arctic tundra and boreal forest. The …

The Secretary Bird

Imagine a bird with the head of an eagle, the legs of a crane and the crest of a cockatoo. Imagine that this creature has a bright orange face, stands over a metre tall and stamps its prey to death. It's probably quite hard to imagine such a beast, luckily there's an animal that fits …

The Cheetah

Home to some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on our planet, Africa is a continent of utter majesty. Covering around 20% of the Earth's land surface, Africa is also the second largest continent. Africa's vast array of habitats, from the Sahara in the north to tropical rainforests and grasslands, provides a world for animals to …

The American Badger

North America is the penultimate continent I will be focusing on, in line with the next episode of 'Seven Worlds, One Planet'. As we enter December, there is no better continent to discuss when it comes to drastic seasonal change. North America's deserts, tundra, prairie, forests, coasts and wetlands will all be experiencing changes as …

The Olm Salamander

The 5th episode of 'Seven Worlds, One Planet' airs today, focusing on Europe - a continent transformed by mankind. Sometimes, Europe's crowded cities and intensive agriculture can make it seem devoid of unique wildlife. However, fascinating species can be found here, you just have to look a little closer. Take for example, an amphibian that …

The Duck-Billed Platypus

Australia is a world of pure wonder. It houses countless species found nowhere else of earth. Australia's unique fauna can be traced back to the supercontinent Gondwana. 140 million years ago, Gondwana began to break up. 50 million years ago, Australia separated from Antarctica and became a lone, drifting island. Whilst placental mammals began to …