Conservation
Scaling down a Scaly Conflict
Australia is well known to support a diverse and large fauna of potentially deadly animals, and when people think about Australia it is only natural to think about snakes. […]
All Articles
Zoology
Counting Hedgehogs
It is fair to say that hedgehogs are one of our (Ireland’s) best-loved animals. While no such surveys have been carried out in Ireland, the humble hedgehog has topped several popularity contests in the UK […]
Zoology
A short synopsis about frogs
Frogs and toads play a wide variety of roles in ancient cultures, appearing in stories, myths, legends, fairy-tales, religions, art, and proverbs. Often nature is looked to for inspiring stories to explain the inexplicable; in trying to make sense […]
Zoology
The 9th World Congress of Herpetology 9: A Review
At the beginning of the year I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to present both a talk and a poster at the 9th World Congress of Herpetology in Dunedin, New Zealand. The […]
Zoology
Tardigrades: the full stop sized super beasts!
Why these micro-organisms are the real superheroes of our planet? If you have seen the movie Ant-Man and the Wasp (send me some royalties for the mention Marvel) you would have seen Hank Pim shrinking […]
Conservation
Fantastic Bats and how to Find Them – Promoting, preserving and attracting Irish Bats
Giving some information on our native flying mammals and tips on how to attract them to your doorstep. Amidst the current global pandemic, bats have been in the news quite a bit with the acquired […]
Conservation
The snakes are gone, but St. Patrick never got rid of the crocs! ECNM 2019
The snakes are gone, but St. Patrick never got rid of the crocs! European Crocodile Networking Meeting 2019 The fourth annual European Croc Networking Meeting (ECNM) has just come to an end. And as the […]
Conservation
The threats facing Hedgehogs, and some valuable advice from a Patron of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society
Britain’s favourite species, voted for by the public in 2013 was the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). Hedgehogs, characterized by their covering of protective spines and short dark legs, are an unmistakable sight over much of Europe, […]
Environment
Managing river connectivity and fish migration in a water stressed country: considerations from South Africa
A vulgarization of the scientific publication: O’Brien et al., 2019 “River connectivity and fish migration considerations in the management of multiple stressors in South Africa.” Marine and Freshwater Research, available on request for free (celine@riversoflife.co.za) […]
Environment
Coastal dunes, why are they important?
What coastal dunes have to offer? After moving to Cape Town, I have never experienced so much wind in all my life. My house is near the sea where there are quite a few dunes […]
Conservation
Turtley Awesome: My First exposure to Conservation Volunteering with the Barbados Sea Turtle Project
Brief background Before I even knew of the sea turtle project in Barbados, I already knew I loved turtles (I still have a poster hanging in my childhood home of turtles). I always knew that […]
Environment
The health benefits of spending time in nature
People have long since sought peace of mind and a sense of well-being within nature, and recently much scientific research has been conducted to evaluate the positive impact that proximity to nature can have on […]