Endangered species

  1. Northumberland zoo to welcome snow leopards

    Northumberland Country Zoo is set to welcome two female snow leopard cubs next month.

    The animals, which are travelling from Scotland’s RZSS Highlands Wildlife Park, will live in a "spacious, new purpose-built enclosure" where they’ll be looked after by a team of specially trained keepers.

    The zoo plans on closing for about a week following the cubs' arrival to make sure they have time to adapt to their new surroundings in a peaceful way.

    Snow leopard
    Copyright: RZSS 2020

    Maxine Bradley from Northumberland Country Zoo said staff are "excited" to meet their new residents:

    "The cats’ arrivals represent a fantastic boost for the region at a time when good news isn’t so forthcoming; we can’t wait to welcome visitors in to see them.”

    People will be able to meet the snow leopards from 7 November.

  12. Schoolgirl wins Formula E car design competition

    A Lincolnshire school girl has won an international competition to design the livery for a Formula E car.

    Envision Virgin Racing car
    Copyright: Envision Virgin Racing

    Kitty Thwaite, 11, from Tetford, was revealed as the winner of the contest on the BBC's One Show last night.

    Describing the design, which will be recreated in full and put on display by Envision Virgin Racing, she said: I really love animals so I thought I would include some of our endangered animals on it.

    "I've also drawn the Earth in a heart to say that we should love our planet and look after it."

    The competition was organised in in partnership with National Geographic Kids and children’s illustrator Rob Biddulph.

  17. Debbie Pain on conserving globally threatened bird species

    Video content

    Video caption: Professor Debbie Pain talks to Jim Al-Khalili about conserving our endangered birdlife.

    Professor Debbie Pain talks to Jim Al-Khalili on solving hidden threats to our birdlife in a conservation career that's saved many bird species from the brink of extinction.

  18. Tree kangaroo's joey emerges for first time

    Image of Tree Kangaroo called Kitwa with her joey
    Copyright: Bristol Zoo

    A tree kangaroo joey at Bristol Zoo Gardens has emerged from its mother’s pouch for the first time.

    Bristol Zoo's keepers spotted the animal on 26 April, popping its head out of its mum, Kitawa’s pouch.

    However, much like everyone in lockdown, it will be staying home for a while and is not expected to venture out of the pouch until mid-May.

    The joey, born in November 2019, is yet to be named but keepers believe it is a male.

    Bristol Zoo’s mammal team leader, Alan Toyne, said the mum and joey are looking "very content" and the baby is healthy and strong.

    Mr Toyne said: "He has changed so much since we last saw him in the pouch, hairless and tiny.

    He added: “Tree kangaroos have an incredible sense of smell and he is already showing interest in Kitawa’s food sniffing at it curiously."

    Tree kangaroos are an endangered species originating from Australia and are part of the zoo's captive breeding programme.

    Image of Tree Kangaroo called Kitwa with her joey
    Copyright: Bristol Zoo

  20. Hope as African black rhino numbers rise

    BBC World Service

    An African black rhino at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya
    Copyright: Getty Images
    Image caption: Poaching is still a threat to the species

    Conservationists are hailing the tentative recovery of Africa's critically endangered black rhinos.

    The latest figures show there's been a modest annual increase in the black rhino population over the last six years.

    Their numbers are thought to have grown to more than 5,600 - according to a report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on Thursday.

    The rhinos' recovery is being attributed to ambitious protection efforts against poachers.

    Read more:

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