Megan Shersby
Naturalist, writer and content creator
Megan is a naturalist, writer and content creator. She is also a bookworm and a keen board gamer. She is the former editorial and digital co-ordinator at BBC Wildlife, and wrote features and sections for both the print magazine and discoverwildlife.com, including the Q&A and Go Wild sections, Poo Corner and News Species Discovery, the weekly e-newsletter and the social media accounts. Her features have included olms (cave salamanders) in Slovenia, arapaima (very big fish) in Guyana, and the role of hippos as ecosystem engineers in Zambia. She has also contributed to the website and magazine of BBC Countryfile Magazine, and has hosted some its podcast episodes. Prior to joining BBC Wildlife in 2016, she gained a degree in BSc(Hons) Animal Science, undertook behavioural research on zebras and dwarf mongooses, and worked in environmental education for a number of conservation charities.
Recent articles by Megan Shersby
Largest snake species in the world discovered in Amazon rainforest – and it's a whopper!
A 17-year study has led to the discovery of a new species of green anaconda – the largest and heaviest snake in the world.
Scientists may be about to save the world's rarest rhino. Here's what they're doing
A ground-breaking procedure involving the world's first IVF rhino pregnancy could save the northern white rhino from extinction.
Unusually high levels of fin whale DNA found in blue whale genome, finds study
Thanks to hybridisation between fin and blue whales, and a phenomenon called introgression, blue whales in the North Atlantic have surprising levels of fin whale DNA.
The olm: meet the 'human fish', a blind cave-dwelling predator that lives to 100
Journey deep beneath the ground in search of one of the world's weirdest creatures – the olm, a cave-inhabiting 'dragon' that is as elusive as it is peculiar.
Almost mythical and incredibly cute pink fairy armadillo even stranger than first thought, say scientists
The extremely rare desert-dwelling armadillo, endemic to central Argentina, looks a bit like a shrimp with claws and spends most of its life underground. Now, new research has revealed that the mammal has 'entirely unique' double skin too...
Remembering Rhinos: stunning photographs of the iconic rhino
The follow up to the highly acclaimed Remembering Elephants, this book a tribute to rhinos and comprises of images generously donated by many of the world’s best wildlife photographers.
Meet 22 blue animals, from the pretty blue-speckled tree monitor to the vivd blue poison dart frog
21 blue animals to marvel at
Extremely rare half-female, half-male bird spotted in Colombia for the first time in more than 100 years
The green honeycreeper, photographed and filmed at a bird feeding station in Columbia, is half green and half blue, with an ovary on the female side and a teste on the male side – meaning theoretically it could mate as either.
Polar bear killed by bird flu in Alaska as virus continues to spread around the globe
Bird flu continues to spread amongst mammals, with the death of a polar bear in Alaska and infections in elephant and fur seals on South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic Ocean.
11 new species discovered in 2023
We’re just over a month into 2023, and already there are plenty of newly described species. We share some of our favourites.
Remembering Cheetahs: beautiful photographs of the world's fastest mammal
Remembering Cheetahs is the fifth instalment in the charity book series by the Remembering Wildlife team, and features images donated by more than 70 of the world's top wildlife photographers.
"It's hot out here," said the caterpillar. "Is it?" replied the butterfly. Lepidoptera larvae more vulnerable to climate change than adults
Butterflies and moths are better at thermoregulating as adults than they are as caterpillars, prompting worry for future heatwaves, reveals new study.
Did you know there's an animal called Donald Trump?
How a resemblance to the former president inspired the name for an unknown moth species in the USA.
Remembering African Wild Dogs: Beautiful photographs of this wild canine, also known as painted dogs.
Remembering African Wild Dogs is the sixth instalment of the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife book series, and aims to raise awareness of this misunderstood mammal with stunning images donated by world-leading wildlife photographers.
What’s the world's smallest cat? Meet the tiny felines barely bigger than a ruler
Smaller than an adult domestic cat, there are two species of wild cat that could be considered the world’s smallest cat.
Remembering Elephants: beautiful photographs of this majestic giant
Remembering Elephants is the first instalment in the charity book series by the Remembering Wildlife team, and features images donated by 65 of the world's top wildlife photographers.
Remembering Lions: beautiful photographs of this majestic cat
Remembering Lions is the fourth instalment in the charity book series by the Remembering Wildlife team, and features images donated by more than 70 of the world's top wildlife photographers.
6 of the weirdest fungi in the world, from dead man's fingers to 'zombie fungi'
Fungi can be very strange. Here's our round-up of some of the weirdest fungi on the planet.
Australia’s earless dragon is so rare it was thought extinct, until two ecologists came across one in the wild
A Critically Endangered reptile known only to occur in the grasslands around Melbourne has been spotted for the first time in more than 50 years
Cats of the world photo gallery
There are around 40 extant species of cat around the globe, ranging from the tiny rusty-spotted cat to the well-known big cats (including tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards).
5 top places to see wildlife in Dorset
Dorset is a county rich in biological diversity and natural habitats. Here we share some of our favourite places to see wildlife there, including little terns and red squirrels.
40+ wildlife gifts for nature lovers
Looking for a wildlife-themed or sustainably sourced gift for someone that loves nature? We've got you covered, with more than 40 ideas for wildlife-friendly gifts.
Leucism vs albinism: what's the difference?
Megan Shersby takes a look at how leucism differs to albinism
Science reveals not all kangaroos hopped
Hopping as a method of high-speed endurance wasn’t used by all large kangaroos