Wildlife Extra, the web's wildlife magazine.
Tiny, new, pea-sized frog is old world's smallest
The smallest frog in the Old World (Asia, Africa and Europe) and one of the world's tiniest was discovered inside and around pitcher plants in the heath forests of Borneo.
Wildlife Extra is for people who like wildlife, who like watching wildlife, who like conserving wildlife, who like photographing wildlife and who like hearing the latest wildlife news. We bring you the latest news, a guide to UK nature reserves & National Parks, and the wildlife hotspots of the UK, a selection of wildlife and conservation jobs and let you know the best places to watch whales or go on a safari holiday.
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Other news
Extraordinary mutation of Thompson's gazelle - or fake?If it was April 1st, we wouldn't have been surprised by this story, but in August? These images appear to show a Thompson's gazelle that has been bred by crossing a gazelle with a goat or even a Scottie dog. We were immediately suspicious of the authenticity of the pictures as they seem just to extraordinary.
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First wild beavers born in Scotland for 400+ yearsThe first beaver kits to be born in the wild as part of the Scottish Beaver Trial have been seen in Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll.
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Arabian oryx mass die off caused by a fence in Saudi Arabia Die-offs of large numbers of globally threatened Arabian oryx and Arabian sand gazelles were recorded from 1991 to 2008 in the fenced Mahazat as-Sayd protected area in Saudi Arabia. Researchers found that most deaths occurred during the summer, when rainfall was negligible. The animals starved to death because of the reduced availability, accessibility and quality of food plants in the area.
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World’s biggest freshwater fish threatened by dams on MekongWild populations of the iconic Mekong giant catfish will be driven to extinction if hydropower dams planned for the Mekong River go ahead, says a new report by WWF.
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Worst year on record for bird poisoning in Scotland – 20092009 marked the highest number of confirmed poisoning incidents discovered in a single year in Scotland in the past two decades, according to an annual report by RSPB Scotland.
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First ever pictures of ‘missing’ mammal One of the rarest and most threatened primates in the world, the Horton Plains slender loris, so mysterious it was once thought to be extinct, has been has been caught on camera for the first time.
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Lake Eyre floods for the second year in a row.Following last year's spectacular sight as floodwaters filled the once dormant Lake Eyre in South Australia, the remarkable natural phenomenon is occurring for a second consecutive year, on an even bigger scale.
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Sperm whale sighting off Torbay, South DevonObservers were surprised to see a large whale very close to the shore off Torbay in South Devon. It was identified as a Sperm whale, the largest of all the toothed whales.
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Pine Marten rediscovered in England! Conservationists are ecstatic at the news that England's rarest mammal, the pine marten, has been found in the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland.
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Purple herons breed for the first time in the UKThe first purple herons ever to breed successfully in the UK have hatched their chicks on the RSPB's Dungeness Nature Reserve in Kent. It is not yet known how many chicks have hatched and confirmation will only be possible when the young fledge in a few weeks time.
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Norwegian whaler filmed taking an age to kill a Minke whaleWorld Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has released footage showing a Minke whale suffering for more than 20 minutes - and potentially 2 hours - after being shot by an exploding harpoon.
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Four Great bustard chicks hatch in the wild in the UKOne of the most spectacular birds on the planet, the Great Bustard looks set to consolidate its return to the UK with the news that four chicks hatched so far this year and that there are 4 confirmed nests.
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New highway to cut the Serengeti in half?Reports now circulating on the web suggest that the Government of Tanzania has given the go ahead for a road to be built right across the Serengeti, potentially blocking the migration route of the wildebeest, threatening the wildlife with a large amount of high speed traffic and providing easy access to many poachers.
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12,000 critically endangered Saiga antelope found dead in KazakhstanNearly 12,000 Critically Endangered Saiga antelopes have been found dead in the Ural population in western Kazakhstan.
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Extreme weather behind the deaths of four Mountain gorillas in Rwanda?Four highly endangered mountain gorillas have died - three of them infants. It is thought they could be victims of the extreme weather conditions from which the area has been suffering.
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New species of pigeon, spike-nosed frogs and world’s smallest wallaby found in New GuineaThe array of new species includes several new mammals, a reptile, an amphibian, no fewer than twelve insects.
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Six eagles and nine buzzards amongst twenty one raptors poisoned across Britain & IrelandA horrific total of 6 eagles, 10 buzzards, 3 red kites, a Peregrine falcon and a sparrowhawk have all been poisoned in recent weeks across Ireland, England and Scotland. And these are just the ones that we know about and have been discovered.
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Critically Endangered Javan rhino killed in Vietnam A Javan rhino has been found dead in Vietnam's Cat Tien National, further endangering the population of one of the world's rarest large mammals. It is now uncertain how many, if any, Javan rhinos are left in Vietnam, WWF said.
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Killer whales are probably several different speciesScientists report finding strong genetic evidence supporting the theory that there are several species of killer whales in the world's oceans.
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IWC proposal will allow commercial whaling in Antarctic OceanA new proposal announced by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) would, if adopted, for the first time in 25 years, endorse the killing of whales in their most precious feeding grounds, the Southern Ocean.
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First wild born cheetah for 40 years in Arabia The last known Arabian cheetah was shot in Saudi Arabia in 1950, though they may have hung on in Oman until around 1970. Now 4 cubs have been born in the wild in a nature reserve on an island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
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Millions of sea turtles are killed as ‘collateral damage’ in the race for fish Millions of sea turtles have become the unintended victims of a failure to properly manage the worlds' fisheries, with more and more of their habitats clogged with hooks and nets.
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Chinese bulk carrier runs aground on the Great Barrier Reef – Oil leakingA Chinese-registered coal carrier ran aground 38 nautical miles east of Great Keppel Island on the 3rd April. The vessel was in a restricted zone of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, approximately 13 nautical miles off its set course and well outside the authorised shipping corridor.
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Thousands of seal pups die as sea ice fails in CanadaThousands of harp seal pups are presumed dead in Canada's Gulf of St Lawrence and starving pups are being found abandoned on the beaches of Prince Edward Island, tragic victims of the worst ice conditions recorded in eastern Canada.
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Elephant ivory imports allowed into the USA - Rednecks versus villagersWildlife Extra was under the misapprehension that it was illegal to import ivory into the USA. Given the very recent decision by CITES to prevent Tanzania and Zambia from down listing the elephants to appendix 2, Wildlife Extra is speechless to discover that it is perfectly legal to kill wild elephants in some parts of Africa, including Tanzania, and then import the tusks, skin and other disgusting mementos into the USA.
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75 starlings die in mystery crash landing Mystery surrounds the death of 75 starlings which crashed to the ground and died on a single driveway in Somerset.
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Whale shark butchered for its fins in the PhilippinesAn 18-foot long Whale shark has been mutilated in the Philippines by having its fins cut off for the shark fin trade. The shark was left to die by the so called fishermen who butchered it.
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Huge Fin whale strands in CornwallThe body of a huge whale has been found on the north coast of Cornwall; The Cornwall Wildlife Trust believes it to be a Fin whale, which had been reported floating close to the shore off Pendeen.
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Wildlife photographer of the year winner disqualifiedIn response to a lot of disquiet about the winning image of the 2009 Wildlife Photographer of the Year, The judging panel was reconvened; they concluded that it was likely that the wolf featured in the image was an animal model that can be hired for photographic purposes and, as a result, that the image had been entered in breach of Rule 10 of the Competition.
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Sea Shepherd vessel sinks after 'collision' with Japanese whaling shipThe Sea Shepherd Society claims that the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru No. 2 deliberately rammed the Ady Gil and caused catastrophic damage to the Sea Shepherd catamaran.
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UK wildlife photography competition - 2009 - resultsSuccessful wildlife and wilderness photography does not necessarily involve long flights and equally long immigration queues. The inaugural Wildlife Extra UK wildlife photography competition is not only a fabulous example of just how beautiful the British Isles are, but also that it does not need a fat pay cheque to seduce talented photographers into wanting their work displayed. There are no remote cameras involved (yes, that is a dig) and no ludicrous Photoshop sorcery either, just a litany of belting images.
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Wildlife trade raping Africa – Hundreds of species for sale on the internetWe were recently approached by a Tanzanian wildlife dealer, offering us an eye-wateringly wide range of species. Although it is not currently legal to import wild birds into the UK (This was not implemented with any thought for wildlife, but because of bird flu.), it is still legal in many countries.
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An end to Japanese whaling?A major review of Japanese government spending could spell the end to whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
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Madagascar Pochard - The world’s rarest ducklings hatched in captive breeding programmeA complicated and challenging mission to a remote lake in Madagascar has resulted in a huge step being taken in efforts to save the world's rarest duck from extinction.
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New population of world’s rarest lemur discovered in MadagascarMajor discovery as less than 100 Greater Bamboo Lemur were thought to exist
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Desperate year for Northern bald ibis as birds are shot and electrocutedOne of the last remaining wild birds in the Middle East has been shot by a hunter in Saudi Arabia.
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First ever recorded Humpback in Thames found dead. A 28ft (9.5m) Humpback whale has been found dead in the River Thames near the Dartford Bridge.
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Giant rat and new marsupial amongst 40 new species discovered in Papua New GuineaA new species of giant rat is one of 40 new species discovered on a recent expedition to a remote rainforest in Papua New Guinea.
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Saola antelope, only discovered in 1992, is on the brink of extinction.One of the world's most enigmatic mammals, the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), could be on the brink of extinction.
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Albino Humpback returns to Queensland watersNot seen since 2007, Migaloo - bigger than a truck and iridescent white - made his annual migration north past Cairns unnoticed.
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Poaching boom is once again threatening the world’s rhinosRhino poaching worldwide is poised to hit a 15-year-high driven by increased demand in Asia, according to new research.
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33,000 sharks, 2000 dolphins & 2000 turtles killed to boost beach tourism in South AfricaIt is difficult to believe in this day in age, with all that we know about sharks' plummeting populations, their critical role in ocean ecosystems and the minimal risk they pose to humans, that the archaic and destructive practice of installing shark nets for "bather protection" still exists.
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Ospreys breed in Northumberland for first time in over two centuriesFor the first time in at least 200 years ospreys are nesting and are believed to have hatched chicks in Northumberland.
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Scotland welcomes back the beaver – Wildlife Extra questions the costMarking the first formal reintroduction of a native mammal species into the wild in the UK, three beaver families have now been released at carefully selected sites in Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll.
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UK Seahorse tagging project at Studland Bay in DorsetSince the discovery of Seahorses at Studland Bay, the site has proven to be internationally important and has thrown up some amazing surprises. The bay has a surprising concentration of Seahorses; with more than 40 in recorded in 2008. This density has made it a site of international importance as nowhere else in the British Isles, or indeed for that matter in the world; except the Rio Formosa in Portugal is there this concentration of Seahorses.
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Lost and abandoned fishing nets, crab pots and marine debris killing marine wildlife and choking the oceans. The total input of marine litter into the oceans per year has been estimated at approximately 6.4 million tonnes annually, of which nearly 5.6 million tonnes (88 percent) comes from merchant shipping.
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Albino Fallow deer spotted in SussexVolunteer rescuers had a surprise when they went to rescue a deer that was caught in a rope swing in some Sussex woods. To their amazement the deer, a male fallow deer, was completely white and is thought to be a very rare albino.
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Rare Megamouth shark found in PhilippinesSo rare are these sharks (only 41 have ever been recorded) that each of them is designated with a number.
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Lake Eyre filling up for the first time in 10 years – wildlife spectacleThe world's largest salt lake, Lake Eyre in South Australia is once again bursting into life as Queensland floodwaters flow along normally dormant creeks and rivers to reach Australia's lowest point, 15 metres below sea level.
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Latest competitions
- UK wildlife photography competition.
- Enter the latest Wildlife Extra competition. Click here
Chris Packham's thoughts
Popular wildlife articles
'Golden' lion of the South Luangwa National ParkOne of our readers, Egil Dröge, has sent us photos photos of a very unusual young lion that is clearly much lighter than his siblings.
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World's rarest cockatoo rediscovered in Indonesia90 years after it was first discovered, Abbott's Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo has been rediscovered in Indonesia
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Legendary deer rediscovered in Sumatran national parkThe Sumatran muntjac, a 'lost' species of deer, has been rediscovered in the remote mountains of western Sumatra, Indonesia, nearly a century after it was last recorded.
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Mud, Man-eaters and Mangroves: Fighting to save the Sundarbans TigersThere is only one place on earth where wild tigers live in a mangrove swamp. At 10,000km2 the Indian and Bangladeshi Sundarbans is the biggest and most bio-diverse mangrove forest in the world, and home to the tiger.
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Blue whales sighted off Irish coastBlue whales have been seen off the south west coast of Ireland for the first time in recorded history.
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Most popular stories and pages within the site
Wildlife holidays, vital to conservation - The where and how guide
Guide to wildlife watching in New Zealand
New species discoveries.
Leucistic, white and albino animals and birds.
Swimming with Orca (Killer whales).
Whales and dolphins of Oman.
Wildlife book reviews.
Nature reserves guide to England, Scotland, Wales & Ireland.
New species recently discoveredNew species are still being discovered at a remarkable rate, and in remarkable places.
Click here to see the latest newly discovered species.
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Yangtse River dolphin declared extinctAfter an exhaustive search, the Baiji has been declared extinct. However just two weeks later a Baiji has been sighted, and filmed.
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Amazing Specimen Of World's Largest Squid Caught In New ZealandA Colossal squid, thought to be the largest largest invertebrate ever seen, has been caught by an NZ fishing boat.
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Spate of Blue whale deaths off CaliforniaSeptember 2007. Three Blue whales found dead in 2 weeks off California.
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India’s plans to ban tiger tourism could signal the end for the tigerIndia's National Tiger Conservation Authority has announced that it plans to phase out tourism in its 37 tiger reserves. As more and more ‘luxury' lodges are built in tiger habitat, and across tiger corridors, and more and more people crowd into those tiger reserves where it is still possible to see tigers, it is undeniable that this has a negative affect on tiger conservation.
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BBC Wildlife Magazine
This is not the website for the BBC Wildlife Magazine. If you are looking for the website of the BBC Wildlife, please click here.
This is not the website for the BBC Wildlife Magazine. If you are looking for the website of the BBC Wildlife, please click here.
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Vast herds of wildlife found in Southern SudanAn aerial survey of southern Sudan has found herds of antelope that may be larger than those of the Serengeti.
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West African black rhino thought to be extinctRecent surveys in West Africa failed to find any trace of the Western Black rhino across its former range. Further more only 4 Northern White rhino could be found and it will almost certainly disappear in the near future.
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Laotian rock rat rediscovered after 11 million years.The Laotian Rock rat was rediscovered being sold as bush meat in a market. Now living specimens have been filmed and photographed.
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Most searched for nature reserves
Darwin, morals, altruism, violence and chimpanzees – An essay by Daniel Beaton
Between 5 and 8 million years ago, somewhere within the African continent lived an animal that was an ancestor to both modern humans and the chimpanzee, or rather chimpanzees - as we must not forget the bonobo.
Click here to read Daniel's essay
Between 5 and 8 million years ago, somewhere within the African continent lived an animal that was an ancestor to both modern humans and the chimpanzee, or rather chimpanzees - as we must not forget the bonobo.
Click here to read Daniel's essay
People in Wildife
- Dr Jonathan Baillie, global authority on the status and trends of threatened species:
- Austin Stevens - Snakeman
- Chris Bakkes talks about Rhino poaching, hunting & good news from Namibia
- An interview with Ginny Busch, President of the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund in the UK.
- Andy Fisher, head of the Met Police wildlife crime investigation unit.
- David Mayer - Wildlife artist
- Colin Woolf - Wildlife artist
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Garden plant list for wildlife.The RSPB and RHS have got together to create a list of plants recommended for wildlife gardening. The list advises you on which plants to use, which soils they can grow in, what wildlife they attract and when.
See the full list.
See the full list.
England nature
Read about the nature of England, and see a guide to nature reserves in England.
Click here to see more about English Nature
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