Wildlife & Conservation
Anne McAlpine discovers the power of peat in new documentary series
From the boreal peatlands of Canada, to the expansive peat plains of Finland and the beautiful blanket bogs of home – Anne McAlpine takes us on a journey exploring spectacular peatlands around the world. The BBC ALBA documentary series takes us to Iron Age bog bodies, remarkable pool systems, shielings which built communities on the…
Read MoreNumber of golden eagles in southern Scotland soars to highest in 300 years
The number of golden eagles in southern Scotland has risen to its highest in three hundred years, it has been revealed. The birds are extremely rare in the UK and experts have been helping the population grow. As part of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project eight chicks were successfully moved from other parts…
Read MoreUK’s only giant pandas to return to China
The UK’s only giant pandas will return to China in December, it has been announced. Tian Tian and Yang Guang have been residents at Edinburgh Zoo since 2011 on a 10-year loan, which was extended by two years due to the Covid pandemic. The two were brought to Edinburgh after an agreement between The Royal Zoological…
Read MoreCritically endangered piglets born at Edinburgh Zoo
Four critically endangered piglets born at Edinburgh Zoo have been named. Vets discovered the ten-week-old Visayan warty piglets were are all female at their first health check and keepers have named the adorable sisters Hilda, Effy, Esme and Ruth. Visayan warty pigs are critically endangered and there is thought to be as few as 200…
Read MoreWhat a beauty: Moth on brink of extinction found flying at Scottish site
A moth on the brink of extinction in Britain has been found flying in the Highlands following breeding efforts to boost its dwindling population. Due to habitat loss, the dark bordered beauty moth is only found at three locations across Britain, with two in Scotland and one in England. Last year the Royal Zoological Society of…
Read MoreWee beasties: Incredible macro photographs of Scots insects
IT WAS in an unassuming park in Glasgow during lockdown that David Hamilton tried out macro photography for the first time. The photographs are typically close-ups of bugs and flowers, and David found Ruchill Park was the perfect place to snap some tiny, colourful creepy-crawlies. David was blown away by what he found in this…
Read MoreBeavers could return to Cairngorms in efforts to boost numbers
Beavers could return to the Cairngorms as part of efforts to boost their population. The animals died out in Scotland around 400 years ago but were reintroduced in 2009. The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) is now set to speak to the public about a number of possible release sites. As part of the plans…
Read MoreNumber of critically-endangered capercaillie increases
Numbers of critically-endangered capercaillie have increased for the first time in eight years. The birds are on the verge of extinction in Scotland with numbers having decreased by more than 50% in the last five years. The latest national survey (2021/2022) estimated there are only 542 capercaillie left in Scotland. But the latest lek count…
Read MoreCheeky barn owl spotted retreating to rabbit hole to escape noisy brood
Sometimes we all need a bit of peace and quiet. But gamekeepers in the Lammermuirs were astonished when this male barn owl was spotted retreating to a disused rabbit hole everyday for some downtime away from his chicks. The owl is father to a brood of chicks nesting 200 yards down the valley in a…
Read MoreScots adventurer to attempt record-breaking kayaking voyage in Arctic
The Arctic’s Northwest Passage is steeped in mystery and tragedy. The beguiling sea route, which connects Europe to Asia, has claimed the lives of many of those brave enough to have attempted it. Weaving amongst the hostile Canadian arctic archipelagos over the top of the world, it has captured the imagination of Europe’s foremost explorers…
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