People & Wildlife

"We had to break the polar bear’s stride, or one of us would be dead within seconds..”
“The news headline flashed through my mind. ‘Film crew eaten by polar bear’. Was this really how it was going to end?”

Brits are going crazy for pet snakes. And it’s getting out of hand
The reptile pet trade is thriving, but demands are increasing for tighter regulatory controls

Teeth “too big” for TV and his most feared animal: 15 facts you (probably) didn’t know about David Attenborough
David Attenborough is known for his incredible natural history documentaries – but here are some facts you might not know about the legendary broadcaster

‘The leopard was crouched 3m away, its golden eyes locked on mine. What happened next is still a blur’
Be careful when joking about leopards – they may take inspiration, as Elliot Connor found out while on safari

“As if I’m in the real Yellowstone.” These epic, secret mountains are teeming with predators
Deep within Romania’s Făgăraș Mountains, a vast, untouched forest of ancient woodland teems with wildlife. Could this be the Yellowstone of Europe?
What's new?

“I found myself standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a huge male grizzly bear.”
Amy Gulick on playing with humpbacks, packing slippers and competing for salmon

"In our hands now lies not only our own future but that of all other living creatures..." - 15 inspiring quotes from Sir David Attenborough
Our favourite quotes from the legendary naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough, as he celebrates his 99th birthday.

"The dreaded call came: a rhino cow was killed for her horns, and her calf was missing..."
In Southern Africa, many wild rhinos, no matter how young, face rhino poaching. Thankfully, there are people doing everything in their power to give them a second chance at life.

“We can’t escape.” How Attenborough’s greatest adventure almost never made it to air
Life on Earth changed wildlife TV programming forever and made a star of its presenter – but the story behind the making of the 13-part epic is just as astonishing

Sir David Attenborough – key moments in his record-breaking, decades-long career
To celebrate Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday, here are only some of the milestones from his decades-long career.
Meet The Scientist

Real-life horror: How a scientist's harrowing death-by-snake in the 1950s inspired the movie 'Killer Shrews'
Karl P Schmidt documented his harrowing symptoms from a deadly snake bite as his condition deteriorated

Who first realised the Earth was very, very old?
How the father of geology - and biology - James Hutton challenged 18th century beliefs

Rachel Louise Carson: the renowned writer, scientist, biologist, and ecologist
We explore the life of scientist Rachel Carson, perhaps the finest and most important nature writer of the 20th Century.
Opinion

“We leave footprints that disappear within minutes, not to be made again for 6 months.” How the equinox reveals an underwater world
The equinox reveals an underwater world usually hidden from view, says Kate Bradbury

"People still believe there’s a ticking human population time-bomb," says Gillian Burke
Springwatch presenter, Gillian Burke, explores the complex issue of our planet's population growth

“They’re like giant airships crossing the city.” This monumental gathering may be the world’s most incredible natural spectacle
In Brighton, tens of thousands of starlings gather to form incredible murmurations
Tales from the Bush

“Security tapped me on the shoulder. A deadly green mamba was slithering across the desk”
While attending the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Luke Foddy had a run-in with a green mamba. Or was it?

“My stomach lurched as the hippo drifted in our direction, only her pink, sweaty face visible – like a shark’s fin.”
Oscar was on a river safari in Niger when one mother hippo began to approach the boat

A massive wave capsized my kayak, leaving me stranded in waters known for great whites. Then something peculiar happened
Chuck Graham shares an incredible encounter in California’s ‘Shark Park’
Volunteers

Surveying birds and restoring wetland habitat
Megan Shersby and Ann Chadwick meet Joe Fryer who volunteers at the nature reserve where he spent his childhood birdwatching with his grandad.

Habitat restoration in the Falkland Islands
Megan Shersby meets Captain Joe Harris RLC, an army captain who is helping wildlife while deployed in the Falkland Islands.

Verifying bird records in Guyana
Megan Shersby meets Leon Moore, a birder and wildlife tour guide who verifies eBird records for Guyana.
Wildlife Champion

Who is Chris Packham? Everything you need to know about the Springwatch presenter
Naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham is best-known for presenting BBC nature series Springwatch and for his conservation work. Here is everything you need to know about Chris Packham.

Thousands of exotic animals were abandoned when war broke out in Ukraine, but one woman stayed behind to save them
Witness the resilience and compassion of individuals and organisations as they work tirelessly to safeguard the Ukraine's precious wildlife during challenging times.

Lucy Cooke explains why she cares so much about pygmy three-toed sloths
We asked zoologist and author Lucy Cooke about the Critically Endangered pygmy three-toed sloth and its remarkable adaptations, and why she set up the Sloth Appreciation Society.
