11 ferocious vulture photos that demonstrate the power and brutality of life for these scavenging predators
These striking images highlight the brutal (yet essential) behaviour of vultures
Pobblebonk, Chachalaca, dik-dik – 10 crazy animals who sound like their bizarre names
Animals are often given very descriptive names, whether after their fur colour or scale pattern, or a particular aspect of their size or shape. And some are named after the sounds they make, which can have sometimes humorous results. Here are 10 of our favourites.
"A flying block of ice the size of a truck nearly knocked our helicopter out of the air” – A stark reminder of the colossal power of nature
A sober reminder never to underestimate the power of nature.
This unusual Asian gem is this summer's must-visit destination for elusive wildlife
See it before everyone else
"22% of US men believe they could beat a chimpanzee in a fight" – Here’s how humans actually stack up against the world’s 10 strongest primates
Discover the strongest primates on the planet…
"Trying to pull the hook out might have driven it in further and caused the turtle serious pain and distress. And we had nothing with us to remove it..."
A group of snorkellers found themselves face-to-face with a hooked turtle. Could they free it from the caught line without anything on them?
It's equal to 6.5 tennis courts, has 178 entrances and 50 rooms and can rival some of our grandest, ancestral homes
Badgers are the only members of the weasel family to live communally, and that requires the building of spacious accommodation. So how big do badger setts get?
"The entire family of a deceased matriarch surrounded her corpse, gently touching her with their trunks, as if trying to lift her" – Do animals understand death...?
Do animals grieve for their dead? Do they have an awareness of what death is? Researchers have been trying to find out…
Looks that kill: It has 12 eyes and a fearsome array of biting, slicing mouthparts that are able to tear prey to shreds
Is this nature's best looking killer beetle?
11 deadliest females on the planet: Discover some ferocious female animals that you wouldn't want to mess with
'For the female of the species is more deadly than the male' – here are our top 11 deadliest females that prove just that.
Birds
“It can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up”
The call of a whooper swan is one of winter's most atmospheric sounds, says naturalist and author Ben Hoare.
It’s the size of a soccer pitch and is home to 1,000 adorable penguins – and the world’s most southerly post office
Known as the ‘penguin post office’, Port Lockroy is a former British military base-turned-research station
They're tiny. They're fast. And they're very deadly. Meet 10 smallest birds of prey on the planet
You might think birds are all big with huge wingspans - but think again...
Scientists went into an ancient cave in New Zealand and found a 'lost world' hiding within
Fossils of birds and other animals unearthed from the cavern provide a "missing volume" in New Zealand’s natural history, say researchers.
Australian officials declared war on this giant bird after it destroyed crops. But even machine guns couldn’t stop it
In 1932, Australia declared war on 20,000 emus – and lost. This is the incredible story of the Emu War
“We may get close someday.” Genetic engineers are working to bring the dodo back from extinction – and it may save existing wildlife on Mauritius
Back in 2022, the dodo's genome was sequenced from a DNA sample. Now the company trying to resurrect the long-extinct flightless bird is working with Mauritian conservationists to restore habitat ready for eventual re-wilding.
How to identify wildlife
Red squirrel vs grey squirrel: Think you know how they differ? Think again as the differences between these two squirrels will surprise you
We take a look at how the red squirrel differs to its American grey cousin
Brown rat or water vole: How to tell the difference between these two lookalike-rodents
When all you've seen is a flash of brown fur, it can be hard to know whether it was a water vole or rat. Though the two species tend to live in different habitats, there are areas where they overlap, potentially leading to cases of mistaken identity. So how do you tell rats and water voles apart?
Mink or otter? What's the difference between these two slippery, semiaquatic lookalikes?
How do you tell the difference between otters and mink?
LRPs, PG Tips and Jizz: Cracking the secret language of birders
You’re sitting in a hide and overhear other birders talking. The conversation ranges from ‘LRPs’ and ‘roosting Leos’ and you scratch your chin as you try to decipher their code – welcome to the world of birding jargon.
It's the fastest animal in the world and its deadly claws can catch prey mid-air: Meet one of the world's most incredible birds of prey
Peregrines are the ultimate urban predator. Learn all about them, including how to spot them ‘stooping’ to catch prey
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Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Plants
It's the equivalent of a humongous 1,500 soccer fields and is 8,650 years old
This humongous fungus is the biggest organism in the world
"Ingestion can lead to liver failure, kidney failure, encephalopathy, and death" – 10 deadliest poisons found in nature
The natural world has produced some of the most potent poisons known to science. Here are some of the deadliest to humans
This ancient plant helped scientists solve a homicide investigation. This is how
A team of researchers have demonstrated how moss can act as a forensic ‘fingerprint’ when confirming details about a crime
"Poisoning causes lung collapse, brain haemorrhage and death" – discover the world’s 10 most poisonous, deadliest plants
There is an incredible number of dangerous and deadly plants around the world. here are just 10, including some with the ability to kill