Kevin Parr
Writer and amateur naturalist
Kevin Parr is a writer and amateur naturalist who lives in West Dorset, England, with his wife and a colony of grass snakes.
Recent articles by Kevin Parr
Ancient animal found in "unprecedented" numbers in Georgian river
Local 'sturgeon inspectors' aid recovery of critically endangered fish in Georgia's Rioni River.
Trap wires, sub-aqua bubbles and a nightmarish 500-metre superweb... 10 weirdest spider webs on the planet – arachnophobes shouldn't read number 3
From the rounded, geometrical-perfection of orb-webs, to the trip wires laid beside trap doors and funnel webs, there is more than one way to trap a fly.
This snake was just seen hunting and eating fish for the first time ever
Oman saw-scaled vipers are exploiting fishy food sources from the Arabian Peninsula's drying desert pools, according to a new study.
Australian ‘insect detectives’ discover stick insect as long as a toothbrush in Queensland rainforest
A 16cm-long stick insect found in Northern Queensland's Mabi Rainforest in one of two new species revealed in a recent study.
"Prey are suspended in the air in a tangled web of tunnels and trip-wires." 10 most terrifying spider webs built by some of the deadliest spiders on Earth
A web is not just a home to a spider - oftentimes, it's also a trap.
"Its front teeth are sharp enough to bite through wood and bone – and bites to swimmers can result in painful wounds and even severed fingers and toes"
The silver-cheeked toadfish is making its mark in the Mediterranean, but not in a good way
"It has powerful jaws that deliver a crushing bite and their teeth are coated in toxic mucus." 10 most aggressive, dangerous saltwater fish - that bite back
Any mention of fish with teeth and we invariably think of sharks, but there are plenty more saltwater species that are capable of delivering a nasty bite.
Burmese pythons are climbing trees in the swamps of Florida. These people tracked them to find out why
The pythons use trees to bask and rest, gather in groups, and even to brood eggs, say researchers.
Millions-strong cicada swarms may be doomed, say US biologists
The mass emergence of periodical cicadas is one of North America’s most spectacular natural events – but new research suggests changes to habitat and deforestation may spell the end for these remarkable insects.
"In the shadow of the Himalayas swims a fish that seems to have developed a taste for human flesh…" 10 most aggressive freshwater fish
These fish will bite back - so careful where you paddle...
This snake's "outrageous" tail looks exactly like a spider. Scientists just looked inside it and found something odd
Researchers examined the bone structure of the spider-tailed horn viper that lures dinner with an extraordinary flick of its tail.
This 2-metre monster latched onto a diver's face with its needle-sharp teeth and left him needing more than 20 stitches and plastic surgery…
This terrifying eel is worth avoiding because of it's ability to latch on and spin like a crocodile
Its 4 to 6 fang-like front teeth deliver the most severe damage – and its snapping jaw reflex can even be triggered after death
Here's why the wolf-fish is named after a canine
"A fish the size of a dining table and as heavy as a grizzly bear, yet reports of specimens twice that size exist..." 10 largest river fish on the planet
Rivers and lakes don't seem like the perfect habitat for very large fish – but you'd be surprised...
It has human-like, sharp chisel teeth and a powerful bite. Divers are advised to swim away, as making for the surface only encourages an attack…
Here's everything you need to know about the titan triggerfish
‘Ghost’ green mamba rediscovered after 90 years
Snake experts try to solve a 150-year-old mystery thanks to surprise discovery.
We thought Britain only had one venomous snake. These scientists think they've found another
Britain’s rarest reptile, the smooth snake, to be reclassified as a potentially venomous species – but it represents absolutely no threat to humans, say researchers.
Scientists hid cameras in an abandoned house in Argentina – and found carnivores sharing a room inside it
Images captured in the house show black vultures sharing a nest site with American barn owls. In another abandoned structure, the researchers recorded black vultures nesting beside Chaco eagles.
These birds have never seen rattlesnakes before. Here's what happened when the two of them met
Red-winged blackbirds differentiate between venomous and non-venomous snakes when defending their nests, even if they've never come across the species before, according to a new study.
It weighs the same as a gorilla, can reach 3m long and has a huge mouth packed with rasping teeth – and it’s been biting swimmers
The 3 metre freshwater fish wreaking havoc in Spanish rivers
Does this 25kg fish deliberately go after a man’s testicles? The 'nut-crusher' that mimics the ferocious piranha
It is no coincidence that the red-bellied pacu bears a strong similarity to the red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri), especially as juveniles.
"It's bigger than a full-size snooker table and has a 40cm-long stinging spine."10 most fearsome, deadly river monsters, including a grisly giant leech
Freshwater holds fewer deadly surprises than the sea - rivers, lakes and streams are places of peaceful serenity. Or are they...?
It grows to 2m and weighs 200kg… but its greatest weapon devastated an entire ecosystem
The sacred fish that has collapsed an ecosystem
Forest eagle finds goose eggs in nest. What happens next is staggering
A pair of crowned eagles in South Africa successfully incubated the eggs of an Egyptian goose. They hatched, then this happened...
