Conservation

Before the early 1900s, if it walked like a Christmas Island rat and talked like a Christmas Island rat, it probably was a Christmas Island rat. But if one of these now-extinct rats ever walks the Earth again, it will actually be a genetically modified Norway brown rat. And the rodent won’t be as similar to the Christmas Island rat as some would hope, a new study finds

A pack of dogs have been trained to protect South Africa’s wildlife, and have already saved 45 rhinos from: being poached.

Many breeds of dog from beagles to bloodhounds have – been used to protect the endangered species from poachers. The dogs begin training from birth and learn how to handle all – the pressures of real operations before beginning to work at 18 months old.

As bombs rattle their enclosures, thank heavens for the heroic keepers caring for the animals in Kyiv zoo

After surviving a stressful journey being smuggled into Jordan for the exotic pet trade, the confiscated Nile crocodile “Mahzooz” (meaning “Lucky” in Arabic) is currently in the process of making its way back home to the wild.

From a blind salamander to a tap-dancing spider, scientists have revealed a new list of the ’25 most wanted lost species’ around the world.

Drawn up by Austin, Texas-based organisation Re:wild, the list sheds light on global species that are evading detection – and could possibly be extinct.

First they were hit by claims they planned to cull wallabies on the Scottish island they are buying, triggering uproar.

Now the broadcaster Kirsty Young and her husband, the Soho House founder Nick Jones, have been hit by another hurdle: a formal objection from the Woodland Trust against their plans to chop down scores of trees on Inchconnachan, an idyllic, heavily wooded island on Loch Lomond.

The couple’s quest to restore Inchconnachan, owned until now by the same aristocratic Scottish family for more than 700 years, to its wild, natural beauty is under fire from a host of influential critics.

A successful pregnancy for Elizabeth Ann may help ensure her species avoids extinction.

Local vets collaborated with an international team to figure out why the animal was dazed and wandering near the capital city.

This cute little pup is the first giant anteater to be born at Dudley Zoo, in Birmingham, for 85 years!

The baby – who doesn’t have a name yet – was born on 17 January and keepers say it is “healthy and alert”.

Its parents Lyra and Bubbles surprised keepers when they found out they had had a baby, but said it was “fabulous news”.

Paignton Zoo in Devon, is the latest organisation to team up with a charity, called Nature’s Safe, which cryogenically freezes genetic samples of animals.

So far, the charity has made a ‘biobank’ of frozen samples from around 80 different species at its laboratories.

Nature’s Safe is one of Europe’s first biobanks dedicated to preserving endangered animals in this way.