Bonfire Night poses 'most treacherous' time for hedgehogs — here's how you can help
Our spikey friends are dwindling in numbers, and with Guy Fawkes Night looming, the public are urged to take great care to protect them from further decline.
Dogs & Animals
From perfect pedigrees to loveable canine scamps of unknown origin, we celebrate man’s best friend. Looking for a new dog? Consider our rehoming series in association with the Dogs Trust.
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Cavalier King Charles spaniels: Handsome, good-natured and the aristocrats of the dog world
With a silken coat, affectionate nature and boundless enthusiasm for life, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel lives up to its royal heritage, says Catriona Gray
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Curious Questions: Should animals wear clothes?
Martin Fone, decidedly not an animal person, ponders whether animals should wear clothes and, indeed, what a stylish pet would wear in the case that they do.
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Britain's Naughtiest Dog 2019: All the winners, from the Jack Russell who summoned the armed police to the pointer who vomits glitter
Sociable, sun-loving and incredibly patient with children, this innocent-looking Jack Russell actually enjoys a secret life of crime. Victoria Marston finds out more and introduces the runners-up of the Britain’s Naughtiest Dog Award. Photographs of Pici by Daniel Gould.
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Curious Questions: Why are the least consequential choices the hardest to make?
Research has shown that humans and ants are similarly irrational in their decision-making tendencies.
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The best winning pictures from the 2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition — and the stories behind them
A soaring eagle, a shocked marmot and an underwater garden like you've never seen before are among the finest pictures from the Natural History Museum's 2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
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Pici the Jack Russell named Britain's Naughtiest Dog for 2019
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New Forest cattle to be dehorned — and walkers who have 'lost any respect' for nature are blamed
The New Forest Commoners Defence Association has asked cattle owners remove the horns of their stock after a rise in attacks on dog walkers.
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Animal Magic: ‘For a while because the canal was full of buffalo – they had to close it for 24 hours to get them out!’
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RSPCA begs public to adopt rather than buy dogs as 'designer' and 'handbag' dogs are abandoned in huge numbers
The public have been urged to consider rehoming a dog rather than buying a puppy, after an influx in fashionable breeds and crosses entering charity centres.
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Rudi the otter: 'we had to convince Parliament to focus on clean water and the easiest way to do that was with a baby otter'
Affectionate and loving he may be, but small-clawed otter Rudi has a purpose.
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Invasive aliens: Six of the most destructive plants and animals that have made Britain their home
Hundreds of species that we take for granted are actually non-native species. Dan Eatherley, author of Invasive Aliens: The Plants and Animals From Over There That, names some of his favourites.
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Curious Questions: Can horses really heal humans?
The claims made for how horses help humans get over all manner of trauma stretch back to ancient times. Pippa Cuckson takes a closer look — and discovers some astonishing ways that 'equine-assisted therapy' is helping people.
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The Devil’s Horsemen: The stallion who's starred in Game of Thrones, Wonder Woman and The Crown
Octavia Pollock visits Camilla Naprous of The Devil’s Horsemen to find out more about the horses they train for film.
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Glen of Imaal terriers: Wilful, adorable and sadly extremely vulnerable
They’re one of our most vulnerable native breeds – but what Glen of Imaal terriers lack in numbers, they make up for in personality, discovers Emma Hughes.
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Loch Ness Monster isn't a dinosaur, say scientists — but it might it be a giant eel
After examining 500 million DNA sequences, researchers from New Zealand's University of Otago found no evidence to support popular Loch Ness monster theories — but they think it's plausible Nessie could be an overgrown eel
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Young film-makers set out to solve the mystery of Big Cats roaming Southern England
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Urban rooster bringing a touch of the country to South London falls 'fowl' of neighbours
A vocal cockerel's wake-up calls are less than welcome in his urban environment.
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'We have been systematically shaping the brains of another species': Study reveals full impact of selective dog breeding
Selective breeding in dogs influences far more than their outer appearance.
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How white-feathered barn owls terrify their prey into submission: 'It’s like a ghost coming on it'
Scientists have found white owls are superior in their hunting ability to their darker counterparts.
