"I dived and latched onto her shell. My world span. We began to corkscrew, round and round. My chest burned and heaved"
Conservationist Elliot Conner gets rather more than he bargained for when he attempted to tag a turtle
Do spiders talk to each other?
We take a look at how spiders communicate with each other
"It exposes natural selection as little more than an unskilled electrician choosing to buy a cheap extension lead and hide it under the carpet."
A 'vampire' deer, the grumpiest cat, a bearded vulture – meet Mongolia's strangest animals
Cazenove+loyd's private expeditions can help you see the world's most elusive creatures
It looks like a squat, cuddly little bear, chirps like a bird and has webbed feet for swimming – meet the very rare and bizarre wild dog that's like no other
“This bizarre egg-laying animal looks like a cross between a duck and a beaver” – 10 prehistoric ‘living fossil’ animals still alive today
eet the ‘living fossils’ that look just like their ancient ancestors and give us an idea of what life on Earth may have been like millions of years ago…
8 smartest primates on Earth – Just how do they measure up against us humans?
From tool-using chimpanzees to puzzle-solving capuchins, the primate world is packed with surprising brainpower. But how do the planet’s cleverest monkeys and apes really compare with human intelligence
Behind a waterfall lies a 200-metre-deep elephant cave harbouring a deadly virus that has a terrifying 88% fatality rate
This is no place for the cautious: venturing deep into the cave is a perilous gamble that only the foolhardy would attempt.
How did eyes evolve? The bizarre story behind your vision and why octopuses are truly the greatest of all life-forms
The incredible story of our vision
"If it reaches the nervous system it can cause meningitis – meaning headaches, nausea, vomiting, fever..." A deadly parasite that could be in your garden
How one slimy garden pest can make you ill
Birds
It builds skyscraper cities full of cosy, egg-shaped hammocks 30 metres above the ground
If Coco Chanel gave the common blackbird a makeover, the result would be the oropendola. With a minimalist colour palette and an occasional pop of colour, these mid-sized birds ooze chic simplicity.
“Our guide told us there was a bear cave 300m away. We didn’t take him seriously. It was a miracle we survived”
Boris Belchev on birds, batteries and battling bears with pop music
“At first, we were puzzled.” Scientists track 69 ravens through Yellowstone – and make remarkable discovery
The researchers wanted to find out exactly how ravens find wolf kills in the US national park.
Fiery eyes, fluffy 'horns' and a strange hoot – meet one of Britain's most mysterious predators
Long-eared owls are one of the most secretive birds in Britain.
Researchers in Oxford have been studying great tits for 75 years. They discovered something odd (and human-like) about their song
As part of the long-running Wytham Wood research project, great tits and blue tits are being studied
Why don’t baby birds make less noise to avoid attracting predators?
To be honest making a noise isn't always the best strategy for staying alive...
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
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Plants
Do plants sleep?
When the sun goes down, some flowers appear to tuck themselves in for the night.
But this curious habit is actually driven by a fascinating piece of plant science.
“These beacons of light in the mud do so much more than promise us brighter days ahead.”
The first signs of spring aren’t just beautiful – they’re essential to awakening wildlife, too
Stunning wildflower 'superbloom' sweeps through Death Valley. It's the best display in a decade
The hottest place on the planet has transformed into a sea of colour, as desert gold and notch-leaf phacelia flowers fill the valley floor.
It's as big as a tractor tyre and smells like a rotting corpse
Why the biggest flower in the world is also the smelliest...
