What a year it's been! We always get a bit reminiscent at this time of year, thinking about all the outstanding achievements we've had and the fun activities we've taken part in. So, read on and see just how good our year was! This is our 2025... wrapped! ZooLab's 2025 Wrapped! First, a message from our founder... Hello! It’s that time of year again when we pause to reflect and celebrate a job well done. Each year, the company continues to grow into an even better place to work, with our core values embedded in everything we do. Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I see what an amazing and diverse company ZooLab has become. After nearly 30 years on the road, we continue to evolve our product range while finding new ways to deliver crucial environmental messaging that makes a positive impact on the planet. Looking ahead, 2026 promises to be another exciting year, with many new ideas to explore along the way. Happy New Year! Love, Diane Our 2025 at a glance Bunji's Big Clean Up 2025 saw the launch of our first-ever children's book, Bunji's Big Clean Up! This was written by our very own Ranger Anna and illustrated by our Creative Team. Aimed at children aged 2-6, this storybook teaches the next generation to care for the environment. Complete with fun illustrations and a catchy rhyme, this book was not to be missed! Buy your own copy here ! New workshops! Our creative juices were really flowing this year, as we also released three new permanent workshops! First was Dear ZooLab , inspired by the classic children's tale and ideal for teaching young children about different habitats and the animals that live in them. Next up was Slow Down with Slo Mo , designed to teach your young ones to slow down and practice mindfulness. And lastly, a new festive addition to the ZooLab roster - The Holiday Tree . Join our ZooLab elf as she decorates her tree for the festive period! Community outreach We've been continuing our goal to leave the world better than we found it by contributing to charitable organisations. This year, we supported Cool Earth  and Alzheimer's Society,  raising money towards their invaluable work. We also took part in National Clean Up Day , cleaning up our local areas. Amazing partnerships We've worked with many amazing venues, public attractions, and camps this year, including... Working at the Natural History Museum for a whole calendar of events and continuing this into 2026 Trialling ZooLab Display Tanks at RHS Garden Wisley Creating a bespoke trail at Blenheim Palace Performing theatre stage shows around the UK with Fun Kids Live Ending the year with a BANG! Finally, we launched our Biomimicry workshop, co-created with Engineering UK  for Big Bang in Schools. The workshop showcases the fantastic work that Scientists and Engineers do to improve our lives using nature-inspired solutions. We then delivered this at the Big Bang Fair 2025 , which we're happy to announce we will be reattending in 2026. Looking forward to 2026... Shh… we’ve been keeping a secret. Launching early 2026, ZooLab’s Little Explorers YouTube channel is aimed at under-5s. It’s full of animals, fun activities and facts to introduce key learning concepts.   So, that was our 2025 wrapped! There's plenty to look forward to in 2026, including Chinese New Year, Science Week and Halloween. We even have workshops for your setting that would complement these perfectly! Get in touch for all the info!

Below are a selection of locations that we will visit in May. Please check with each venue for times and ticket information. 3rd - Natural History Museum, London 4th - White Acres Holiday Park - Parkdean Resorts, Cornwall 4th - Sandy Bay Holiday Park - Parkdean Resorts, Northumberland 10th - Perton Library, Staffordshire 16th - Life Science Centre, Newcastle 17th - Natural History Museum, London 18th - Cayton Bay - Parkdean Resorts, Yorkshire 24th - 25th - Alnwick Castle, Northumberland 25th - Sandy Bay Holiday Park - Parkdean Resorts, Northumberland 25th - Camber Sands - Parkdean Resorts, East Sussex 27th and 29th - Dalby Forest, Yorkshire 27th - Alice Holt Forest, Farnham 28th - High Lodge Thetford Forest, Suffolk 29th - Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland

As good as the momentary rush we get from purchasing new clothing feels, the truth is that fast fashion brands, online influencers and corporations carefully craft their marketing strategies and website layouts to convince us to buy, and keep buying with every new season and trend. And the more clothes we buy, the more we waste, and the more we pollute the planet. More and more people are beginning to talk about the concept of “sustainable fashion”, and it’s now easier than ever to find ethically-made clothing. By implementing small changes and being more thoughtful about our purchases, we can all contribute to building a more sustainable fashion industry. What exactly do we mean by ‘sustainability’? A sustainable clothing brand makes a real and consistent effort to produce clothing which has little to no negative impact on the planet and preserves the environment, whilst also fairly treating and compensating garment workers. When determining whether or not a fashion company is ‘sustainable’, every aspect of its production process must be considered; research and design, sourcing fabric, the manufacturing process, factory emissions, the packing and postage process, and everything in between. A sustainable fashion brand carefully plans and monitors each of these stages to ensure they’re doing their part for the planet. Why is sustainable fashion important? Modern fast fashion brands promote a system of buying and wearing clothes when they’re trending, and disposing of them and buying more when they’re not. Because of this cycle, 30% of our unwanted clothing goes to landfill , and what we do keep usually ends up at the back of our wardrobes, unworn. On top of this, fast fashion brands pollute water and land with improper disposal of waste and are responsible for 8% of carbon emissions , not to mention the countless workers rights violations which are commonplace in the industry. The impact of fast fashion on wildlife is a particular concern for ZooLab. Animals are mistreated in the harvesting and production of wool, leather and fur ; and cheap synthetic materials release microfibers and harmful pesticides when washed which pollute oceans and cause harm to marine life. Tips to Be More Sustainable When Buying and Wearing Clothes Wear your wardrobe in new ways One of the most sustainable things we can do is wear what we already own! Instead of throwing away an item you no longer wear, try layering it or experimenting with accessories. You might discover a whole new side to your wardrobe! Mend your worn-out clothes Sewing is an essential skill if you want to live sustainably and keep your clothes in good condition. However, a 2017 survey showed that 60% of UK residents are incapable of sewing confidently with some unsure of how to sew at all. This means that easily fixable wear and tear will often result in a piece of clothing being disposed of prematurely. If you’re one of the 60%, it’s often as simple as watching a quick YouTube tutorial on sewing, or even just asking one of your parents to show you how it’s done. Once you’ve mastered sewing a hole and reattaching a button, your clothes will last longer and the temptation to buy something new might be a little easier to resist. Shop second-hand Buying ethically-made clothing means that workers across the supply chain are paid fair, living wages. Of course, this often leads to high price tags which can make shopping sustainably seem inaccessible. The truth is, you can still significantly reduce your environmental impact without breaking the bank by shopping second-hand. In fact, it’s even more sustainable, as you’re giving a second home to clothes that may have otherwise ended up in the landfill. Charity and vintage shops are teeming with stylish pre-loved garments which could give your wardrobe the update you feel it needs with less of the downsides associated with buying new. Try upcycling If you want that new clothes feeling with none of the detrimental side-effects, consider transforming those unworn pieces at the back of your wardrobe into something completely new. This could be as simple as embroidering a top or as complex as making a crochet rug out of old t-shirts. It may seem daunting, but you’ll find hundreds of ideas and inspiration on websites like Instagram and Pinterest to get you started - all you need is a needle, thread and some creativity! If you decide to buy new, make sure you research the company and their practices. While reducing consumption is important, it’s also a good idea to support companies who sustainably manufacture clothing to increase demand. If you do decide to buy new and want to stay as environmentally friendly as possible, it’s essential to do a little digging into the brand you’re buying from beforehand. Be careful, though; sometimes companies try to market themselves as sustainable to sell clothing, when in reality they do little to reduce their environmental impact or improve their working conditions - this is known as “greenwashing”. Check resources like Good On You , which rates fashion brands based on how ethical they are, to confirm whether or not a company is being genuine. It’s also important to make sure you’re buying the item for the right reasons. Sustainable fashion brand Birdsong has a great step-by-step guide to follow before making a purchase. Consider buying made-to-order clothing to minimise the chances that you’ll be dissatisfied with the item and cut down on returns. Vivienne Westwood said it best: “buy less, choose well, make it last.” It isn’t easy to change lifelong habits and resist the expertly-crafted marketing tactics of fast fashion giants, but in doing so, your clothes will last longer and the planet will be healthier.

The phrase “survival of the fittest” is often used to describe the way species evolve over time. It highlights that only the most successful have offspring, passing on their genes to the next generation. However, by using language like this, it’s easy assumed that all species in an ecosystem are constantly working against each other, and that only the most aggressive or strongest species can survive. While it is true that predators must catch and kill their prey and parasites must take resources away from their hosts, these are only examples of a wide diversity of relationships involving multiple species collectively known as symbiosis . Humans often separate themselves from discussions of the ‘natural world’, but it shapes us as much as we shape it (if not more)! Inspired by ZooLab’s own ‘ Symbiosis ’ workshop, let’s take a look at some of the ways humans have formed relationships with the various species in our environments throughout history! Symbiosis Mutualism ‘Symbiosis’ is a term used to describe any type of long-term, repeated interaction between two different species. Mutualisms are special kinds of evolved relationships in which both partners benefit from the interaction, evolving specially to provide for their partner. Great examples are everywhere; think about how bees pollinate flowers in return for sugary nectar, or how clownfish eats an anemone’s parasites in return for a safe place to live. Often, these cooperative relationships shape ecosystems just as much as negative relationships like parasitism and predation. Let’s explore some of the most dazzling examples for human/ nature relationships below. Pets No discussion of human-animal relationships would be complete without first talking about our furry, feathery and scaly friends. Are our relationships with our pets mutualisms? It’s difficult to say for sure. Historically, dogs and cats could absolutely be described as mutualists. By encouraging ancestral dogs around our campfires, we gained both protection and a hunting companion, and the dogs gained reliable campfire scraps and warmth. The same can be said of mice-catching ancestral wildcats. In modern times, whilst we still love spoiling cats and dogs with food and warmth, the benefits we gain are less clear. Outside of specialist cases like guide and livestock-herding dogs, it seems that much of our benefit from modern relationships with pets can be chalked up to the fact that we simply enjoy their friendship, companionship, and cuteness! Honeyguide The honeyguides are a family of starling-sized birds from Africa and Asia. They are notable for their rather precarious fondness for beeswax and bee grubs, a taste that has led to their unique relationship with the native peoples in their range, such as the Yao, Hadza and Boran. Using a special call , some honeyguides will guide human trackers directly to honeybee nest. The humans use smoke to subdue and excavate the colony to collect its honey, leaving the wax and grubs for the birds. Studies have found that the birds reduce the hunting time of the Boran people by over 60% , and that up to 10% of the Hadza diet can be attributed to honeyguide collaboration. The relationship is thought to date back thousands if not millions of years. As both species benefit, it is a classic example of a mutualism. Gut Microbiota Almost every animal that has a gut has it's own gut microbiota, the scientific name for the population of bacteria, archaea and fungus that live inside our digestive system! In most cases, they actively help us by breaking down our food, producing essential vitamins and preventing harmful bacteria from growing by secreting chemicals and competing for space. There is even a rising body of evidence suggesting that a diverse and healthy gut community is important to protect us against conditions such as asthma and obesity . We get our first community of microbiota from our mothers during birth and go on to develop it mostly through our diet. Our microbiome benefits from transmission to the next generation as well as a safe and stable environment with lots of energy supplies, whilst we benefit for the breakdown of hard-to-digest foods and protection from disease. Each human genome contains about 23,000 genes , but a human body can contain up to 600,000 microbial genes. This incredibly diverse communities of microbes are key to our survival and adaptability, representing as close a relationship as one can find in nature. Parasitism Unlike the mutualisms discussed above, parasitisms are a more nefarious kind of association. Here, the parasite benefits by stealing resources from its host without providing anything in return. Humans are no stranger to parasites; as a result of our wide range, varied diet, proximity to animals and tendency to live close together, we are easy targets. Tapeworms The pork tapeworm follows a typical tapeworm life cycle. In its adult form, it grows to around 5 meters in length by feeding on the partially digested nutrients within our small intestines. When mature, it releases egg-containing segments of its body to be passed by the host through their poop. If an unfortunate pig encounters the eggs, it has a chance to be infected, and if people end up eating the infected pork, the cycle starts again! In the majority of cases, tapeworm infections show no obvious symptoms as the worms carefully avoid the immune system. However, large infections can cause serious health problems. These mostly occur in poorer countries, stemming from lower levels of regulation over agricultural hygiene standards, so future investment and education remains crucial to protect local communities against this threat. ‘Nits’, Head and Body Lice Most schoolchildren will come to know the horror of a new set of tiny, six-legged neighbours moving in upstairs. Head lice ( Pediculus humanus capitis ), sometimes known as ‘nits’ (although scientifically this just refers to their highly-visible white eggs) are a species of blood-sucking insect that carry out their entire lifecycle - from hatching and growing through breeding and laying eggs – on our noggins. They spread from person-to-person when we touch our heads together, so it makes sense that we most commonly encounter them when we’re young and crowded together in schools every day. Head lice are thought to be harmless. Despite their liking for human blood, they aren’t known to carry any diseases. However, the story is complicated by their evil twin: the body louse ( Pediculus humanus humanus ). While they might look extremely similar, they differ in behaviour. Unlike the head louse, the body louse prefers to lay its eggs on clothing rather than human hair. Far from being harmless, body lice are thought to transmit many diseases including typhus and trench fever. It has even been suggested that the harmless head louse may have historically acted as a human mutualist by priming the human immune system to combat the harmful body lice. Whatever the reality, these lice highlight how complicated natural relationships can be, and how they might have changed over our long history. Commensals There is a final, perhaps less appreciated type of symbiotic relationship to consider, one to which humans are no strangers. So-called commensalisms are relationships in which one partner benefits while the other suffers no costs or benefits: it is completely unaffected. Eyebrow Mites One of the best examples of human commensalism, has us turning to a very small many-legged skin-dwelling beasties, one thought to be found living on more than 99% of people across the world. We are of course talking about eyebrow mites (of the genus Demodex ). Compared to these tiny 0.3-0.4 mm long arachnids, our previously mentioned head lice are gigantic, at only 1/10th of the size. This minuscule stature comes in handy, given they live almost entirely within our hair follicles and the sebaceous glands below them, eating the oily sebum produced to moisturise our hair. In fact, they only leave the follicles at night, when they slowly prowl across our skin between their feeding sites on our eyebrows, noses and cheeks. Despite this skin-crawling nature, eyebrow mites are actually thought to be completely harmless, having inhabited our bodies for thousands of years. There have even been suggestions that they provide a housekeeping role by consuming harmful bacteria on our skin’s surface. And without articles like this, you probably wouldn’t even notice them. They represent just one more example of our interconnectedness with the natural world to a degree that we don’t fully appreciate, in that our own bodies represent a symbiotic ecosystem of hundreds or thousands of species.

Below are a selection of locations that we will visit in July. Please check with each venue for times and ticket information. 2nd - Summerlee Museum, Coatbridge 4th, 19th, 25th - Natural History Museum, London 5th - Seale and Sands Village Show, Farnham 5th - Floors Castle, Kelso 13th - Shirebrook Leisure Centre, Mansfield 18th - Crail Community Hall, Fife 19th - The Lee Flower Show, Buckinghamshire 23rd - Stoke Library, Stoke-on-Trent 23rd - Fulham Library, London 24th - Peterlee Leisure Centre, Durham 24th - Chester-Le-Street Library, County Durham 24th - Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland 25th - Hammersmith Library, London 25th - Shepherd’s Bush Library, London 28th - Newby and Scalby Library and Information Centre, Scarborough 28th - David Lloyd Manchester Trafford, Manchester 29th - Southfields Library, London 29th - Abbey Wood Library, London 29th - Plymstock Library, Plymouth 29th - Plympton Library, Plymouth 30th - Longton Library, Stoke-on-Trent 31st - Swinton Library, Mexborough 31st - Hamilton Library and Learning Centre, Leicester 31st - Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland 31st - Tadcaster Library and Information Centre, Tadcaster

At ZooLab, our Rangers meet people of all ages with phobias of some of our creatures. In this blog, we’ll discuss what phobias are, the most common animal fears that we encounter, why they happen, and some top tips to help you see our extraordinary creatures in a whole new light.   What are phobias? Have you heard of the brain’s ‘fight or flight’ response? In order to deal with perceived threats, the brain encourages us to run or fight environmental threats - it is a primal trait passed on by our ancient ancestors. Fear keeps us safe - for the most part. However, our fear receptors can trigger when a threat is non-existent or greatly exaggerated, and from here, an irrational phobia is born.   Let’s run through some animal phobias that we encounter at our sessions…   Katsaridaphobia – Fear of cockroaches Cockroaches have a bit of a bad rep, which is not made easier by their portrayal in media. Cockroaches have been portrayed as evil in films and TV shows, like ‘The X-Files’, which showed cockroaches grouped to murder people. The evil connotations portrayed in the media can contribute towards cockroach phobia.   Cockroaches also have a reputation for being dirty and pests, but only 30 out of 4,500 species of cockroaches are considered pests - that is less than 1%! ZooLab’s cockroaches are different - Madagascan hissing cockroaches are native to the Rainforests, and unlike their cousins, they avoid human dwellings.   Lack of education about these creatures can result in an irrational fear of cockroaches. Our rangers strive to educate and inspire audiences to have a better understanding and awareness of these creatures. We can learn a lot from these six-legged critters. Engineers are studying how cockroaches manoeuvre their environment to make robots more robust (find out more here ).   Ranidaphobia – Fear of frogs Children’s fairy tales and folklore may place frogs in a negative light. These ideas are compounded by cultural norms and people’s attitudes towards frogs. Frogs have a slimy appearance, which some people find disgusting and repulsive. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, as the three witches stir their boiling cauldron, the toe of frog was one of the many ingredients included. However, further research reveals that the "toe of frog" was actually buttercups!   On the other hand, many cultures believe that the frog is a symbol of fertility, transformation, change, and good luck. During our sessions, ZooLab rangers will introduce you to White’s Tree frogs (Litoria caerulea). These amphibians are docile and very people-friendly, making them ideal candidates to help people overcome their phobias.   Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders If you suffer from this, you are not alone - arachnophobia is thought to be the most common animal phobia in the UK! An interesting study from the Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany suggests that this phobia may have an evolutionary origin. They believe that over time, our ancestors adapted to have an inbuilt survival instinct against our eight-legged friends and that this still exists in us today.   Adults who have a fear of spiders most often develop arachnophobia as young children - their parents or friends feared them, and this reaction became a conditioned response. Often when we are on visits, we find that younger participants are the keenest to meet our tarantulas - they don’t yet know that this is something to be ‘feared’!   Spiders are essential for a healthy ecosystem; without them, the world would be full of pests and disease . We have learned a lot from them - spider venom is used in medicine , and engineers have been inspired by spider silk in the creation of military grade armour .   Muriphobia: Fear of mice and rats Rats tend to divide a ZooLab audience - while a lot of people see their cute faces and playful nature, others fear or dislike them for a few reasons that we will discuss below. Some consider rats to be unclean; however, they actually clean themselves around 20 times a day. Cats and dogs are MORE likely to catch and transmit parasites and viruses than a pet rat.   Throughout history, rats have been associated with the spread of disease. The infamous Black Death, which killed tens of millions of people in the mid-1300s, was blamed on rats. However, it was not rats that carried the disease, but fleas that were carried on people.   In recent years, due to their intelligence, rats have gained a spot working alongside charities and medical staff - their extremely well-developed sense of smell has been used to detect TNT in landmines and TB in patients’ saliva .   Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes Ophidiophobia is the irrational fear of snakes and is more common than you may think. Experts believe that as many as 1/3 of adults could be ophidiophobic. Our Rangers often find that the most common reason for acute snake phobias is the lack of knowledge about our scaly friends.   A study from anthropologists at the University of California suggests that to survive, our ancestors adapted to recognise and respond quickly to snakes. While studies agree that humans have a predisposition to detect snakes, many argue that children are not born with fear. Rutgers University, New Jersey, showed babies videos of snakes monitoring startle response and heart rate - both of which were lower when our slithery friends were present, indicating that the babies were not scared. None of the three species of snake native to the UK - adder, barred grass snake and smooth snake - are deadly to humans and will shy away from human interaction.   Snakes are vital to the ecosystem, helping to keep rodent populations in balance. In doing so, they reduce the spread of Lyme's disease and other tick-borne diseases and aid farmers by preying upon pests that damage crops. Venom can be used in treatments for a range of different illnesses, including cancer, high blood pressure, and Alzheimer’s.     ZooLab’s phobia top tips If you don’t share a phobia with someone, it can be difficult and sometimes challenging to understand their fear. It can also be difficult to get through a phobia by yourself. Our top tips to help overcome your or someone else’s phobia are… Be open-minded. Phobias may seem irrational, but the fear feels all too real. Try not to judge another person for their reaction to their fear animal and take it seriously. Be an ear to talk to. Sometimes the best way to get over something is to talk it through with others and gain an insight into other ways of thinking. Do some research. Find out why this fear may exist and understand more about what can be done to overcome it. Go slowly! Don’t push yourself or anyone else to suddenly be fine around their fear animal. Change takes time, and pushing someone into a situation which triggers the fear will negatively affect their mental health. Be brave! Although it’s not the best course of action to jump headfirst into overcoming your fears, baby steps are the best way to slowly build up resilience. A supervised animal encounter is a great place to start!

Christmas is almost here! With the chilly weather outside and the nights drawing in, now is the perfect time to settle down with a good story. There's no better story to fill the cold nights than some classic folklore, and that extends to Christmas too! So, we thought we'd go through some of our favourite festive stories that feature our wildlife friends! Animals from Festive Folklore You May Not Know Reindeer We couldn’t talk about festive folklore without mentioning Santa and his reindeer! These festive friends have been linked with Santa since at least 1821, when a children’s poem mentioned Santa’s sleigh being pulled by a singular reindeer. Later on, more reindeer were added, eventually leading to the inclusion of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer in 1949. Reindeer were once revered as mysterious creatures among Scandinavian and Eastern European countries, where populations were large. They are still an essential part of daily life for indigenous populations in northern Europe, like the Sámi people.   Krampus This one is slightly less jolly than Santa Claus. Half demon, half goat, Krampus comes from German folklore, and his name is derived from the German ‘krampen’, meaning claw. Legend says that Krampus stalks German towns on the 5 th December and beats naughty children. When children wake up on December 6 th , also known as St. Nicholas Day, children check outside their door to see whether they’ve been left sweets from St Nicholas or a rod from Krampus.   Yule Cat Yule Cat, or  Jólakötturinn , stalks the wintery landscapes of Iceland. Preying on lazy townspeople, our fuzzy feline towners above buildings and the legend behind them links back to an important trade in Iceland – Sheep farming. In the 19 th Century, sheep farming was an essential part of daily life, with the whole town needed to work together to keep alive during brutal winters. Preparing wool contributed so much to the Icelandic economy, and preparing the wool for winter was a whole town affair. Those who helped out were rewarded with new clothes, and those who were lazy did not. So, Yule Cat would roam the towns at night, feasting on those that hadn’t received new clothes that year. Mari Lwyd This festive animal loves closer to home, coming from the hills and valleys of Wales. She appears as a spooky horse, complete with horse skull head, lights for eyes, colourful streamers or ivy as a mane, and a long pole that is controlled by someone underneath. Some believe that her name simply means ‘Grey Mare’ linking to Pale Horses in Celtic mythology, while others believe it translates as ‘Grey Mary’, and comes from a version of the Nativity story where a pregnant mare was also looking for somewhere to give birth. Now, Mari Llwyd roams the land looking for somewhere to birth her foul. On Christmas and Twelfth Night, she goes from house to house with ostlers, jesters, or Ladies, singing in Welsh and telling rude rhymes. If Mari gets entry, the household is said to have good luck for the next year, but beware, Mari Lwyd is known to be very mischievous! Want to learn more about animals from folklore? Ask us about our Myths & Legends workshop!

There’s a lot of chatter at this time of year about Santa and his journey around the Earth delivering presents. Rightly so! However, we thought we’d take some time to talk about the incredible animals that live around his home – the North Pole! So, read on and get in the festive spirit! ZooLab's Top 10 Animals from the North Pole Polar bear These bears are some of the largest land predators in the world! Their white fur helps them to blend into the snowy landscape of the North Pole, but the skin underneath is actually black! This allows them to absorb as much heat from the sun as possible. They’re also excellent hunters, able to smell their prey from up to 20 miles away and under 3 feet of snow!   Arctic fox Arctic foxes have some pretty unique adaptations to live in the Arctic Circle! They are among the few canids to grow fur on their toe pads to keep their feet warm when travelling across snow and ice. They also have a thick, fluffy coat that can change colour depending on the season and the amount of snow around them! Reindeer Reindeer are the only deer species in which both males and females have antlers. They migrate across the North Pole, grazing on the lichen that grows on the ground under layers of snow. Rising temperatures mean that lichen levels are reducing, and thus reindeer have less food to graze on in a smaller area.   FUN FACT: Canada’s postal code for the North Pole is H0H 0H0!   Ringed seal These seals are some of the most common in the Arctic Circle. They have some amazing adaptations to survive harsh winters in this part of the world. They have incredibly sharp claws, which they use to dig up to 6 feet under the ice, mostly to create breathing holes while they’re underwater. They usually prefer to live alone, but it’s not uncommon to see larger groups of them during moulting season.   Narwhal Narwhals are sometimes called the ‘unicorns of the sea’ thanks to the long horn that comes out of their forehead. This ‘horn’, however, is actually a long canine tooth! They use this to signify dominance and to help sense the world around them, thanks to the millions of nerve endings found on it. It can give them information about the temperature and pressure of the water around them, as well as any particles present. The horn also works as a way to attract mates.   Orca Orcas, also known as killer whales, are actually the world’s largest dolphins. They hunt in pods of up to 40 orcas, and each pod has distinctive calls. These animals are at the top of the food chain and have a very diverse diet, eating fish, seals, jellyfish, and even seabirds. The pods are excellent team players and use expert hunting techniques to catch their prey.   Red knot These birds are migratory wading birds, spending some of their time in estuaries across the UK. They feed off insects that live on the arctic snow, but due to rising temperatures, the insects are hatching faster and aren’t at peak levels by the time the birds migrate to the Arctic.   FUN FACT: Temperatures as low as -70°C have been recorded in the Arctic Circle.   Lemming Lemmings have a bit of a bad reputation in popular culture. They are boom-and-bust animals, meaning their populations rapidly increase and then decline. During peak times, resources are spread thin, and many migrate in large groups to seek new pastures. They quite often fall off cliffs during their migration, and this has led to the myth that they commit mass suicide as a way to stem population growth. This is indeed false; they’re just a little clumsy!   Arctic Fritillary Butterfly This delicate butterfly is found all over the Arctic Circle and even in parts of the USA. It loves cold habitats like tundra, taiga, and alpine meadows. Males patrol the edges of boggy areas, waiting for their mate to arrive. After breeding, their eggs are left under the leaves of a singular hot plant, ready to hatch.   Snowy Owl Soaring high above the snowy arctic landscape, these owls spend their days hunting lemmings and other small mammals. Snowy owls go against stereotype, choosing to hunt in the day rather than the night, especially in the summer. They can eat as many as 1600 lemmings a year!   These animals all have amazing adaptations to live in the Arctic. Want to find out more? Check out our Adaptations workshop!

Every year, our planet loses species that have survived for thousands (sometimes millions) of years, only to vanish in a single human lifetime. In 2025, several animals were officially declared extinct or extinct in the wild, each disappearance a reminder of how fragile Earth’s ecosystems truly are. In this post, we’ll explore some of the animals that went extinct in 2025, what led to their decline, and why paying attention to these extinctions matters now more than ever.   5 Animals That Went Extinct in 2025 Slender-billed Curlew This bird lived on the shores of mainland Europe, North Africa, and Asia. They were last sighted in Morocco in 1995 and, although extensive efforts were made to sight the bird in its main migratory areas, they were considered extinct by this year. There aren’t many records on the behaviour of the curlew, so it’s not entirely known why they went extinct. It is believed that the destruction of their habitats for agriculture and breeding could have played a part.   Image in the public domain Desert Rat-kangaroo These small nocturnal mammals were part of the marsupial family and lived in deserts in South Australia and Queensland. It is believed that invasive species may have contributed to their extinction; in this case, the invasive species were domestic cats and red foxes! Habitat destruction is also thought to have played a role, with their homes destroyed to make way for livestock.   Mecodema punctellum These insects were large black flightless beetles endemic to Stephens Island in New Zealand. Very little is known about them and their habitat, but it’s believed that they lived under large logs in wet areas. They were last seen in 1931, and their cause of extinction is recorded as habitat destruction, mainly due to the removal of the forests on the island.   Hawaiian Crow Hawaiian Crows are still alive but have been registered as extinct in the wild. As of September 2023, only 112 adults were recorded in captivity. These crows were considered family gods by some native Hawaiians, and extensive breeding and rewilding programs have been ongoing. The efforts made to reintroduce them to the wild have been unsuccessful, and all birds were returned to captivity.   Image in the public domain Madeiran Large White Butterfly These butterflies were endemic to Madeira. They were first discovered in 1886, and their population was in gradual decline. Their last known sighting was in 1994. Their extinction is believed to be linked to the introduction of the small white butterfly into the area, which carried a viral infection that may have killed off the large white butterfly.   As well as the animals that went extinct this year, many animals were considered (or continue to be considered) at risk of extinction this year, such as… Steppe tortoise Mountain chicken frog Whale shark European mink Yellow-crested cockatoo Great hornbill African wild dog Antillean manatee Orangutan Want to learn more about how humans impact the world (and wildlife) around us? Check out our Climate Crusaders workshop.

This week is Children’s Mental Health Week, and the theme is ‘ Let’s Connect ’ . Over the last eight years, Place2Be’s themed week has aimed to improve the lives of young people throughout the UK by raising awareness of mental health and providing free resources to get children and adults thinking. Why is Children’s Mental Health Week important? The NHS reports that 1 in 6 young people aged 5-16 has a diagnosable mental health condition. During COVID, the health service saw the highest record of under-18s in touch with NHS child and adolescent psychiatric teams . With only severe cases referred, school staff are witnessing an increase in pupils needing extra support due to anger, anxiety, attention problems, depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem and self-harm (see NAHT for more information). Focusing on emotional well-being is essential, not just for those suffering from mental health issues but for everyone. It helps teach stress management, encourages a more positive outlook, aids communication and decision-making and teaches resources and techniques to mitigate problems when they arise. Below we look at a few connections that help us with wellbeing. Human Connection Humans are social animals; we need companionship. From Aristotle to Maslow , philosophers and psychologists agree that we have a fundamental need to group together - bonds with family, making friends and harnessing community. We need to feel like we belong! Connecting with others improves our mental health and stops us from becoming lonely. When we need an emotional well-being lift or know a friend is feeling low, reaching out for a chat or taking part in a combined interest is a sure-fire way to help raise the mood. Connection with Nature Hands up if you spent more time exploring your natural surroundings during the lockdown. We did too, and it has become an essential part of our wellbeing journey - it helps settle worries and reduces everyday stress, providing time to relax and allowing us to take a step back. In Japan, there is a term for this - ‘ shinrin yoku ’: the practice of slowing down and immersing yourself in the outdoor environment (particularly forests), which is thought to have a whole host of different health benefits, including boosting mental health and lowering blood pressure . Children also feel the benefit of the outdoors on their emotional wellbeing. The UK National Association for Environmental Education has been studying the i mpact of nature on children’s wellbeing ; they have found that children who have spent more time connecting with nature reported feeling calmer, refreshed, and more confident, and it helped build social connections. Connection with Animals We all know that spending time with animals is an excellent way to alleviate stress and anxiety. Apart from lightening your mood, it is proven to have long-term health benefits - studies show that interacting with animals can lower blood pressure and decrease cortisol, a hormone linked to stress. The ZooLab animals help improve well-being in multiple settings - we have an entire blog post here on the benefits of animal therapy. Place2Be's free resources for schools will help you to get involved; with assembly guides, activities, fundraising ideas and more.

Tracking animals can often be difficult. I often find myself in envy of bird watchers; they can use bird calls to call in a specific species. Insects can be attracted using special lamps. Tracking mammals, however, can be much more challenging; unless you have physical tracks in soil, scats or other signs. For example, I asked my guide in Sumatra, 'What are my odds of seeing a tiger?' He responded, 'In 40 years, I've seen two.' That itself shows how difficult it can be to see a specific species. Here's some of my best mammal sightings throughout my travels. Bush Babies A very common question is, 'Have you seen a monkey?' Monkeys are very easy animals to find; they are very social, so they are found in large groups and are very noisy, so tracking them is very easy. They're usually one of the first animals I locate in a rainforest. However, their lesser-known and rarely-seen relatives are much harder. Bush babies and galagos are more primitive than monkeys and are entirely nocturnal. They move through the forest by jumping huge distances between the trees, and their huge eyes reflect any light from your torch. I've often been surprised to see a pair of huge eyes bouncing through the forest incredibly fast. They sound like a crying baby (hence their common name, bush baby) and are held with great superstition in East Africa. I've only managed to see them a couple of times. Ant Eaters I have a soft spot for ant eaters; they really are such unusual mammals. They have a bottom jaw that's fused to their skull and a long tube-like mandible that houses their wonderfully long sticky tongue. Again, many are nocturnal, so spotting one can be difficult. I once held up a plane leaving the Pantanal to Rio because on my way to the airport, a giant anteater was crossing the road, and I told my driver to wait while I attempted to photograph it. The airline was not impressed, but they still let me board! My favourite anteater, however, is also the smallest. The silky anteater would fit into the palm of your hand and found around mangroves in South America. Although not exceptionally rare, to see such a cute creature was quite the treat. Given their 'dopey' demeanour, you'd be forgiven to think they're vulnerable to predators but the claws they have would put most dinosaurs to shame! Cats Spotting cats in the wild is often high on many wildlife enthusiast's lists; as I mentioned at the start of this blog, they are extremely difficult. They are generally solitary, and their amazing senses allow them to avoid humans easily. Of the (literal) years I've spent in rainforests, I've found them just a handful of times — lions in Budongo forest, Uganda; Puma in Costa Rica; a Caracal in South Africa; and my favourite, a Leopard in Sri Lanka. Here, I got lucky and had a female and three cubs walk past me. I shot 200 photos in 5 seconds, and all were blurry except one; thankfully, it was the best one! I'm currently gearing up for my next wildlife adventure... at the end of November, I will be travelling to India to spend 10 days in a couple of the best tiger reserves in the world! I feel my odds are quite good (the Bengal tiger is more common then the Sumatran), and if successful, it will truly be a bucket list item completed. Watch this space because I'll be writing my experiences in detail. Who is Natureman? Meet Natureman – Chris Knowles . He has travelled to every continent (but not the poles!) in search of the world’s most incredible wildlife and habitats. He’s been stalked by lions, survived malaria, swam with sharks, squeezed into a bat cave, sat on a scorpion and been savaged by a lemur! You name an animal and there is a good chance he’s spotted it, photographed it and studied it in great detail! Chris has spent more than a year of his life living in rainforests all over the world. Who better to teach pupils about Rainforests, nature and habitats. He enjoys passing on some of the more interesting stories about his adventures during workshops!

Caring for our pets and other animals becomes even more crucial as the temperature drops and winter settles in. Cold weather can pose serious risks to animals, whether they live indoors or outdoors, and being proactive in their care can help ensure their health and safety through the harshest months. There are simple yet important steps every pet owner can take to keep their animals comfortable and safe during the winter season. In this post, we'll explore practical tips and essential guidelines for caring for your furry, feathered, or scaly friends when the chill sets in. Caring for animals in winter Pets When it comes to our pets, we have more control over how we can keep them happy and healthy during the colder months of the year. A great place to start is their environment. Indoor pets like dogs and cats should have appropriate levels of bedding and warm places to get away from drafts. Outdoor pets like rabbits or birds in enclosures also need to be provided with extra bedding to burrow and for use as insulation. Any outdoor enclosures should ideally have sloped rooves to allow rainwater to drain, as well as face away from wind and rain.   When out and about, consider putting your dog in warm clothes for walks, as well as reflective leads and clothing for when the nights draw in. It’s also really important to wash off their paws after a walk, as rock salt and antifreeze are both poisonous to dogs. You should also thoroughly dry their feet to prevent sores. Be sure to keep animals with weaker joints steady on icy roads. Outdoor cats also tend to hunker down under cars for warmth, so give your car a quick check before setting off on any journey.   Festive reminder: Some plants that you may choose to decorate your home with are poisonous to your animals. Poinsettias, holly, ivy, mistletoe and lilies can be toxic, so keep them away from your pets. Wildlife As well as your own animal friends, it’s important to also give a thought for the wildlife around you during the colder seasons. The best way to help out during this time is in mindful gardening practices. In particular, choosing not to prune certain healthy herbaceous and hollow-stemmed plants, as well as fruit-bearing bushes, provides indispensable food and shelter for birds and local wildlife.   Choosing to leave fallen leaves and twigs provides food and shelter for insects and small animals, which in turn become food for larger insects. This contribution to the food chain is really important at the harshest time of the year. You can even do this on a balcony, leaving a small corner of leaves and dust for sheltering insects. If you have a pond in your garden, toxic gases can build up under the surface if it freezes over. Heat a saucepan and gently place it on the surface of the ice to melt a small hole. This will help expel those gases, allow a space to drink, and provide a place for animals to enter and exit the pond.   REMINDER: When lighting bonfires this winter, check for hibernating animals. If you find any, leave them be. It's also a good idea to make sure there’s plenty of food and water around for birds and small animals. Some ways you can do this are: Keep fat balls or coconut halves filled with suet outside for birds to eat If you live in a flat with a balcony, you could even buy bird feeders that suction to windows or clamp onto balcony railings Pop a shallow dish at ground level for ground-feeding birds and small wildlife Provide a variety of food for different birds, like seeds for sparrows and finches, and fat for robins and tits. Tips from our Ranger Team Reptiles and Amhibians   Being ectotherms, our reptiles and amphibians rely on external sources of heat to keep warm. In the wild that would be the sun and over winter naturally they would find somewhere cozy to hide and hibernate through the winter months. Our setups require heat lamps to keep the overall temp of the enclosures warm for our animals Plus the hot end of the enclosure will have a spot for the animal to bask and absorb heat in order to digest it’s food  When we are traveling, rangers travel with a heat mat in the bag next to our reptiles and amphibians to keep them cozy. We also travel with a hot water bottle as a back up! (This requires electricity, so when owning a reptile expect your bill to go up during winter) Invertebrates  Some minibeasts require heat too - especially those that are not native to our country such as the ones we work with.  As with our reptiles and amphibians, our invertebrates may need a heat mat at home during the winter months if the room temp drops below 16C. If it’s too cold they start to slow down a lot and stop feeding. Heat mats must always be placed on the side of the enclosure and never the bottom! (This allows the animals to move away from the heat if needed)  Mammals  Mammals are a bit more resilient to colder weathers due to being warm-blooded. They are called endotherms and make their own body heat. Mammals usually have fur or hair too which helps to keep them warm. However, this doesn’t mean they are completely cold-resistant and still need to be cared for in winter. Small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs can be provided with pet safe heat pads that warm up in the microwave. These can be put under blankets or under straw bedding for a cozy sleeping spot. For other animals such as gerbils/hamsters etc its not recommended to put anything inside the enclosure due to chewing hazards. Instead they should always be housed inside and if the room temperature drops very low perhaps a hot water bottle could be placed outside the enclosure.  For all mammals remember to provide lots of extra bedding, lots of snuggly hiding spots and if it is a species that should be housed in groups or pairs - make sure they are so they can snuggle together too.