Conservation

Croaking Science: Giant Tortoise Conservation: some success stories

February 1, 2026 by Admin

Roger Downie, Froglife and University of Glasgow

The Reptile Database (September, 2025) lists 366 species of turtles and tortoises (Order Testudines). According to the most recent assessment (Rhodin et al., 2018), an alarming 51.9% of these species are ‘threatened’ with extinction (i.e. are in IUCN categories Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable).

In this group, the highly terrestrial, herbivorous tortoises have evolved on isolated islands multiple times into giant long-lived species (up to 1.3 m long; 400 kg in mass; some individuals are known to have lived over 200 years). Unfortunately, several characteristics of these animals have made them highly vulnerable to human exploitation: they are slow-moving and easy to catch; often unafraid of humans because of the isolation of their habitats; they can live for months without feeding, making them very convenient as living fresh meat stores on long sea voyages in pre-refrigeration times; and their meat is highly palatable. It is estimated that the Galapagos Islands held about 250,000 giant tortoises in the 16^th century, but only 15,000 by the 1970s. This massive decline is not simply the result of over-exploitation. The Galapagos Islands lacked permanent human inhabitants until the 1830s, but once humans settled, they brought other species that competed with the tortoises; goats consumed the vegetation; black rats, which arrived earlier from visiting ships, ate the eggs and hatchlings. Even scientists contributed to the declines: the California Academy of Sciences captured 385 mainly adult specimens for museum collections in 1906.

Currently, two distinct populations of giant tortoises exist: in the Galapagos Islands and in the Seychelles, including Aldabra Atoll. Considerable efforts are now being made to conserve and enhance the extant populations of giant tortoises. There are two main motivations for this (in addition to the ethical impulse to avoid extinctions caused by people):1) giant tortoises are charismatic species which attract tourists, and therefore generate income for their island homes; 2) giant tortoises provide ecological services such as seed dispersal and vegetation control. In this article, I report on some recent conservation-related studies on both populations.

Chelonoidis, the Galapagos Giant Tortoise. The Reptile Database and Wikipedia consider this a single species with historically 15 subspecies, three of them now extinct. But some researchers (see Gray et al., 2022) describe 14 separate species, all threatened with extinction. The saddest case was ‘Lonesome George’, the last remaining individual of the Pinta Island population, who died in captivity in 2012, after a long life and many unsuccessful attempts to provide him with a suitable mate.

Evelyn Jensen (Newcastle University) has led a programme of research into the genetic make-up of the Galapagos species, using new (and rapidly developing) DNA technology to compare the genomes of extant populations with those of museum specimens collected 100 years ago or more.

The uninhabited island of Fernandino held the only population of C. phantasticus. The only sighting had been in 1906, until, surprisingly, a live ‘young’ female, named Fernanda (about 50 years old) was discovered in 2019. DNA analysis has shown that its genome is essentially the same as that of the specimen collected in 1906 (Jensen et al., 2022) and quite distinct from the other Galapagos species. The existence of this individual suggests there must have been parents fairly recently, but surveys in the challenging terrain of the island have found no evidence (it is volcanically the most active of the archipelago). The fate of Fernanda will the same as that of Lonesome George, unless other specimens are discovered.

The species on Floreana, C. niger, was reported extinct by 1840. However, it was recently found that on the largest island, Isabela, which has five distinct species of giant tortoise, each inhabiting the slopes of a different volcano, that some individuals on Wolf mountain had unusual characteristics. Again, a comparison of these individuals’ genomes with those of museum specimens showed that 89 of the Wolf population are Floreana hybrids (ships’ records show that tortoises collected on one island were sometimes released or escaped on to other islands, so a known dispersal route exists). Gray et al.(2022) have tried to sort out which of these hybrids could provide the best breeding stock for an attempted recovery of C. niger. In 2023, the NGO Island Conservation accomplished a successful eradication of the rats on Floreana, and the plan is to release on the island 300 captive-bred tortoises, genetically as close as possible to the original C.niger, in 2026.

The tiny island of Pinzon holds C. duncanensis. A small adult population exists, but they have had no breeding success for about 50 years because of rat predation on eggs and hatchlings. Since the adults are long-lived and can remain reproductively active, it has been possible to collect eggs, incubate them artificially and rear the hatchlings in captivity to a size where rats cease to be a threat (a procedure known as ‘head-starting’). This had been done successfully for decades, but, without removing the rats, it was an unsustainable strategy. Rats were eliminated in 2012 and by 2014, wild-born young were being found. Jensen and colleagues were concerned that genetic variability might have been reduced during the head-starting programme, but comparison with DNA from specimens collected in 1906 showed that no decline invariability.

Aldabrachelys gigantea, the Aldabra (and Seychelles) Giant Tortoise. Another perspective on giant tortoise conservation comes from Sheffield University where Seychellois Alessia Lavigne is studying reproductive failure in the Aldabra Giant Tortoise. This species is native to Aldabra Atoll and a number of the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean, with three subspecies currently extant. Evidence suggests that this population diverged from the (now extinct) Madagascar Giant Tortoise 4.5 million years ago. Aldabra Atoll lies 400 km north of Madagascar, with the Seychelles a further1000 km northeast (Aldabra is now part of the Republic of the Seychelles). Conservation has a long history on Aldabra, with Gunther at the Natural History Museum successfully campaigning for it to be declared a nature preserve. However, in the 1960s, the UK government was eyeing up Aldabra as a site for a RAF base. Julian Huxley led the opposition to this idea, with David Stoddart leading a Royal Society study of the atoll’s fauna and flora in the 1970s. The Royal Society gave way to the Seychelles Islands Foundation and, in addition to its nationally protected status, the atoll was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1982. The British government transferred its plans for a military base to the Chagos islands, with devasting consequences for the islanders (Sands, 2022), only recently resolved.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is currently very little recruitment of new individuals to the Aldabra Giant Tortoise populations, suggesting that, while the populations remain stable, this is the result of the longevity of individuals, not the health of the population. Lavigne suggests that these populations suffer from ‘extinction debt’ where the limited ability of long-lived individuals to adapt to changing environments and produce viable offspring can result in a sudden population collapse. Lavigne et al. (2025) developed a method for assessing whether unhatched turtle eggs are the result of fertilisation failure, or embryonic death at some stage or other. In a comparison of unhatched marine turtle and giant tortoise eggs, they found fertilisation failure was low in the marine turtles but much higher in their sample of Aldabran Giant Tortoise eggs. A follow-up study (Lavigne et al., 2025?) collected data on unhatched eggs from 24 clutches from six separate populations of Aldabra Giant Tortoise. Sixteen clutches showed 100% failure to hatch; the hatching success per clutch ranged from 0-91%. The Aldabra Atoll population showed 46% success, but there was 0% success in four populations. Fertilisation failure was an issue in some populations, but in most, the failure was in embryo development after fertilisation. Sample sizes were small (3-7 clutches from the different populations), but the results are nevertheless alarming. Lavigne and colleagues suggest that the underlying problem is climate change. A recent news item (Watts, 2025) reports that Lavigne has resorted to artificial incubation of a clutch of eggs (from Cousin Island, zero hatching success in the earlier study) with 13 hatchlings resulting from 18 eggs, although no details are yet available on the incubation conditions provided. Although artificial incubation is clearly not a long-term solution to the problem of reproductive failure in giant tortoises, it may provide some much-needed time for good sustainable solutions to be found.

Click to read references

Gray et al.(2022). Temporal monitoring of the Floreana Island Galapagos Giant Tortoise captive breeding programme. Integrative and Comparative Biology 62, 1864-1871.

Jensen et al. (2022). The Galapagos Giant Tortoise C. phantasticus is not extinct. Communications Biology 5, 546.

Lavigne et al. (2025). Understanding early reproductive failure in turtles and tortoises. Animal Conservation 28, 353-364.

Lavigne et al.(2025?). The illusion of stability in long-lived species: poor early-life survival threatens the persistence of Giant Aldabra tortoise populations. (published on-line)

Rhodin et al. (2018). Global conservation status of turtles and tortoises (Order Testudines). Chelonian Conservation and Biology 17, 135-161.

Sands, P. (2022). The last colony: a tale of exile, justice and Britain’s colonial legacy. Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London.

Watts, J. (2025). Thirteen rare giant tortoises hatch thanks to artificial incubation trial. The Guardian 11^th October, 2025.

Tadpole diversity needs more attention if anurans are to be effectively conserved

October 1, 2025 by Admin

Roger Downie

Froglife and University of Glasgow

A quarter of a century ago, James Hanken (1999) drew attention to the ironical situation that at a time when the serious worldwide declines in amphibian populations were becoming recognised, the number of described amphibian species was increasing at a faster rate than for any other vertebrate class. In 1985, the number of species was 4003; given the current rate of new descriptions, Hanken expected the number to reach 5000 by the turn of the century (1.7% more per year). Now, half-way through 2025, Frost’s database lists 8883 species (actually 3% more per year since 1985), 7828 of them anurans (frogs and toads), with no sign that the rate of new species description is likely to decline soon. But sadly, as these numbers continue to rise, so too do the threats: the Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) in 2004 concluded that 32.5% of species were threatened with extinction, the highest proportion for any vertebrate class; GAA2 in 2022 revised that figure upwards to 40.7% (although part of the rise results from a decrease in the proportion of species classed as Data Deficient, 22.5 to 11.3%). That figure can only be a tentative estimate, since the conservation status of the newly-described species is rarely known.

If we are to roll back the wave of amphibian extinctions, a key step is to determine how many species exist and where they live (to non-biologists, it is probably a surprise to realise that after centuries of species recording, the world species catalogue is nowhere near complete). However, if we are to protect species into the future, we need to know much more than is contained in a basic species description. Hortal et al. (2015) listed the ‘shortfalls’ (or deficiencies) in our current knowledge about biodiversity under a set of headings named after prominent scientists, for example:

Linnean: description and cataloguing of species
Wallacean: distribution of species
Prestonian: abundance and population dynamics
Darwinian: relationships and variability

Faria et al.(2020) identified another class of shortfall: Haeckelian, named after the prominent 19^th century German embryologist Ernst Haeckel. This class encompasses knowledge of a species life-history stages. Now, a group of mainly Argentinian biologists has applied this idea to frogs and toads (Vera Candioti et al., 2023; Nori et al., 2025): they note that for more than 50% of species, we have only adult descriptions, with no information on embryonic, larval and juvenile stages, including on their habitats and habits. This clearly matters for species with biphasic life histories where the larval/tadpole stage is fundamentally different from the adult in form, habits and habitat, since measures aimed at conserving adults may be ineffective in assisting earlier stages. The authors note that the IUCN species assessment process does not yet take this information shortfall fully into account, finding that many species where knowledge of larval stages is entirely lacking are currently listed as of Least Concern.

Nori et al.’s (2025) paper describes a strategy for reducing the Haeckelian shortfall for anurans, using geographical and other data to identify the areas where focussed fieldwork should be capable of finding and documenting the missing larval stages, habits and habitats: these are parts of the tropical Andes, eastern Brazil, tropical Africa, India, southeast Asia and New Guinea.

In the UK, with our very limited anuran fauna, including limited larval diversity (all species having pond-dwelling algal browsers), it is hard for us to appreciate the vast diversity of larval forms found elsewhere, and to understand that much diversity remains to be discovered. A few recent examples illustrate this point:

Dias et al. (2024a) analysed the food processing mouth-parts of several so-called ‘sand-eating’ tadpoles from Madagascar: the ruffled ridges used for separating organic material from sand-grains are described as ‘astonishingly novel’ and not seen previously in any anuran larvae.
Dias et al. (2024b) described the adhesive oral discs of two Andean toad tadpoles as so different from those of relatives that they justified assignment to a new genus Adhaerobufo despite the adults being quite similar to relatives.
Romero-Carvajal et al.(2023) describe early development of a ‘plump toad’, one of eleven species found in the Andes, where early stages are previously unknown. Small numbers of large terrestrial eggs are produced, with no free-living tadpole stage; however, the pre-hatching stages include an elongated tail, unlike the findings for other direct-developing species.

Dias et al. (2024a) analysed the food processing mouth-parts of several so-called ‘sand-eating’ tadpoles from Madagascar

When I started research on the amphibians of Trinidad and Tobago in the 1980s, I was lucky that the existing account (Kenny, 1969) included illustrations and natural history notes on most of the tadpoles, and we were able to extend these to cover some new species, including the glassfrog and stream-frog tadpoles of Tobago. But much remains to be done. We made observations on some key variables: for example, the time taken from hatching to metamorphosis, as little as 12 days in some cases; the time taken for the period of metamorphosis itself, and the behaviour of newly metamorphosed froglets. All these are crucial to the success of the anuran life-cycle, but remain hugely under-researched for most species. Let’s hope that the focus provided by Vera Candioti and colleagues provides an impetus for the needed research.

Acknowledgement

Thanks to Robin Bruce for drawing my attention to Nori et al’s paper.

References

Dias, P.H.S. et al. (2024a). Stranger things: on the novel buccopharyngeal anatomy and functional morphology of ‘sand-eating’ Malagasy tadpoles. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202, zlae127.

Dias, P.H.S. et al. (2024b). The remarkable larval morphology of Rhaebo nasicus with the erection of a new bufonid genus and insights into the evolution of suctorial tadpoles. Zoological Letters10, 17.

Faria, L. et al. (2021). The Haeckelian shortfall, or the tale of the missing semaphoronts. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolution Research 59, 359-369.

Hanken, J. (1999). Why are there so many new amphibian species when amphibians are declining? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 14, 7-8.

Hortal, J. et al. (2015). Seven shortfalls that beset large-scale knowledge of biodiversity. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 46, 527-549.

Kenny, J. S. (1969). The amphibia of Trinidad. Studies on the Fauna of Curacao and other Caribbean Islands 29, 1-78.

Nori, J. et al. (2025). Global key areas for anuran tadpole discovery. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 145, blaf017.

Romero-Carvajal, A. et al. (2023). Direct development or endotrophic tadpole? Morphological aspects of the early ontogeny of the plump toad Osornophryne occidentalis. Journal of Morphology 284, e21582.

Vera Candioti, F. et al. (2023). Global shortfalls of knowledge on anuran tadpoles. npj Biodiversity 2, 22.

Heaths – an ancient and unique habitat

January 1, 2025 by Admin

Written by Charles Bonnett, Transforming Lives Trainee

What Is Heathland?

Heathland is one of our most distinctive and valuable ecosystems. Found mainly in areas with nutrient-poor, sandy soils, heathlands are most commonly associated with upland and lowland regions, creating a mosaic of habitats vital for biodiversity. Historically, heathlands developed through human activity stemming back to the Neolithic period, particularly as a result of deforestation and grazing, which established and maintained their open, shrubby character.

In the UK, heathlands are divided into two main types: lowland and upland heath. Lowland heath occurs at altitudes below 300 meters and is primarily found in southern and eastern England, including Dorset, Surrey, and Hampshire. Upland heath, on the other hand, is found in Scotland, northern England, and Wales, often merging with moorland.

Ecology

Heathlands are home to a wide array of flora and fauna, many of which are rare or threatened. For example, they provide essential habitats for ground-nesting birds like the nightjar and the Dartford warbler. And, of course, our reptiles such as the sand lizard and smooth snake rely on this habitat, benefiting from the warm, open conditions. The vegetation of heathland is often characterised by low-growing shrubs such as heather, gorse, and other acid-tolerant plants.

Threats and Conservation

Despite their ecological significance, heathlands are among the most threatened habitats in the UK, with only 20% of the historic lowland heathland area remaining. Urbanisation, agricultural intensification, afforestation, and abandonment of traditional management practices have contributed to their decline.

However, fantastic conservation efforts continue, employing techniques such as controlled burning, grazing, and turf stripping to maintain the open character of heathlands and prevent succession to woodland.

Recreational Value

As well as their ecological importance, heaths hold beneficial recreational value. Often positioned close to urban areas, heathlands are popular destinations for walking, birdwatching, and other outdoor activities, connecting people with nature.

Overall, heathlands are a crucial component of the UK landscape, with significant historical, ecological, and recreational value, and so the ongoing conservation work to maintain these habitats will continue to be of significant importance, now and into the future.

Find out more about how we are working to restore heathlands for our species here.

Froglife Black History Month ‘Reclaiming Narratives’

October 28, 2024 by Admin

Froglife Trustee Xavier Mahele with Froglife Patron Kate Bradbury working on our London Blue Chain project © Oliver Dixon

Written by Xavier Mahele, Trustee, Froglife

Nature is for everyone. All of us are intrinsically connected to nature. It underpins our physical and ecological reality and provides a wondrous enchantment that enriches our existence. Meanwhile access to wild spaces is a key determinant of environmental quality, physical and mental well-being. Thus, being able to interact with and have a say in nature conservation must be a cherished, universal right. Yet certain groups have been traditionally marginalised from many of the stories and management decisions relating to nature at multiple levels. From natural history and scientific research to conservation efforts and nature storytelling, the contributions of black voices and their opportunities have been minimised presenting a serious social and environmental justice issue which hinders the effectiveness and reach of conservation.

I have long sought out inspiring black voices and legends in natural history and ecology. But why do we so rarely hear of their stories and why are black voices in the natural history and conservation sector less visible?

Professor Tyrone Hayes ©Flickr, E. Neikirk.

Growing up as an avid frog geek, I was mesmerised by the adventures and stories of UC Berkeley Professor Tyrone Hayes. Watching him blissfully splashing around catching frogs in waterfalls on the BBC documentary Expedition Borneo was highly influential in my dream to become a biologist and work with amphibians. Meanwhile his heroic fight against the devastating agrochemical industry through his research on frog environmental endocrinology helped cement the idea for me that science should work for the betterment of our social and environmental wellbeing. Throughout his career, he has had to overcome significant amounts of racism but has pioneered the way forward for inclusion and equality in ecology. Professor Hayes remains a shining light of being black and proud in amphibian and reptile science and ecology more broadly, yet I have heard so few stories like his.

In my personal experiences throughout my youth as a naturalist and during my limited time as an early career researcher in ecology, I have encountered startlingly few black colleagues. Certainly a qualitatively lower number than would be expected from the background population. Many times I have been the only person with black heritage in the room, and even at large conferences colleagues can be few and far between. While conservation seems to be a predominantly white field in this country, it is also profoundly ‘non-black’. There is a distinct disproportionate lack of black diversity even when looking at people of colour in particular. Is natural history overall just not a particularly black ‘thing’? No, there are deep cultural connections with nature in the black community and it is a source of profound joy and inspiration. Rather, entrenched barriers contribute to this underrepresentation and constrain the proliferation of black voices in ecology and conservation as well as amateur natural history. This requires holistic thinking to overcome and change the narrative that nature and conservation is a ‘white, middle class’ endeavour which will ultimately greatly improve the field.

A lack of diversity in conservation severely limits its effectiveness and tackling this is fundamental for progressing the field. We know from ecosystems that diversity and modularity builds resilience and functioning. Different lived experiences provide novel perspectives, ideas and the ability to more productively reach underrepresented communities and the important habitats they steward. Furthermore, biases in conservation allocation against black communities limits ecological and social gains. Nature restoration has huge potential for improving communities and generating momentum for social progress. It is an act of sociological and environmental regeneration, and has the power to act as a potent positive multiplier for improving living standards and building resilience to stress. It is therefore imperative that all communities are reached and no one is left behind to suffer the fallout of conservation neglect and degradation that marginalised communities are more frequently exposed to. Cultivating diversity and tackling biases in the conservation community is therefore fundamental.

Likewise in the research world, barriers to entry, participation, research opportunities and publishing disproportionately silences black authors and the important work they represent – especially in the global south. Restricting these contributions impedes effective conservation particularly as these regions harbour most of earth’s biodiversity, including for herpetofauna. This has severe implications for data deficiencies and risks conservation neglect for these important areas and the communities that live there. These are important stories to tell and must be heard.

To tackle biases and representation issues in ecology and conservation we must mitigate the barriers to entry, inclusion, and participation that stifle the recruitment and flourishing of black voices. Firstly, the future of conservation hinges on young people having passions for nature. However, in general, children are not getting enough exposure to nature and wildlife with many unable to identify common species. This lack of a fundamental natural history proficiency is hugely concerning for conservation and public attitudes towards biodiversity as people do not protect what they don’t know and don’t love. This is coupled with shifting baseline syndromes in perceptions of nature loss which normalises the ecological emergency and can lead to stalled action. A lack of access to high quality, local natural spaces due to regional biases in their distribution and conservation effort can disproportionately affect black communities and reduce opportunities to kindle an interest in natural history. This may diminish the number of committed advocates for those spaces and our natural heritage. Conservation outreach to help foster these experiences and relationships is really important. Prioritising nature protection firmly within the ethos and planning of our communities can help create a positive feedback between ecological and community regeneration in previously neglected areas whilst inspiring the next generation of environmentalists, naturalists and ecologists, especially those from underrepresented communities.

To allow this pool of interested young, black ecologists to thrive and encourage the community to grow, investments to make the field inclusive and supportive are vital. Well paying entry level jobs with opportunities for rapid progression are necessary to encourage people from a variety of financial backgrounds to consider ecology as a viable career pathway and prevent ecology pricing out talented prospects which may disproportionately affect certain groups.

It is also important for natural history and conservation to acknowledge it’s colonial and exploitative past. Many key discoveries in classical biology were only possible due to the work of black explorers and local indigenous knowledge. For example Darwin relied on John Edmonstone, a former slave from Guyana, to teach him taxidermy which was essential to preserve the specimens he collected on his voyage on HMS Beagle. Wallace was assisted by teenager ‘Ali’ on his expedition to Malaysia. Many more are hidden from history, their contributions unrecorded and we have to reconstruct their stories from the margins of more famous scientists.

Miranda Lowe of the Natural History museum is trying to change this narrative by acknowledging the expertise of indigenous people was crucial to the success of expeditions led by European naturalists and collectors. ‘Their knowledge of local nature and landscapes helped these scientists to navigate and find specimens that they would have been unable to source on their own.’

She believes scientific nomenclature is too exclusive and the language needs to change. There are very few examples of species in the Natural History collection being given indigenous names, a rare example is Cassia Amara named after botanist Gramman Kwarsi, ‘It is really unusual that a European would name a plant scientifically after a previously enslaved African’. Reclaiming the narrative about the history of natural science as well as doing work of reparations for history’s ills is important to make the field just and welcoming.

Finally, a key aspect for making this space welcoming for black ecologists, activists, and amateur naturalists is to spotlight the stories of trailblazers forging exciting pathways in the movement. This helps generate a sense of relatability, support, solidarity, confidence and belonging in the community. Reclaiming the narrative on black relationships with nature and conservation play a vital role here by highlighting that black ecologists are out here and have played a significant role in pioneering science and environmental protection all over the world.

Herpetologist and science communicator, Earyn McGee © Wikimedia, E. McGee

Highlighting figures who have played key parts in the history of natural science and the modern environmental movement can be transformative. It is fantastic to see the increasing representation of black voices in the natural history community. With a collection of black naturalists and scientists such as Liz Bonnin, Patrick Aryee, Gillian Burke, David Lindo ‘The Urban Birder’, and Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka often featuring on screen in natural history documentary programming, it is becoming more relatable for black audiences. Additionally, it is inspiring to see a new generation of online black environmentalists and scientists showcasing their important work in conservation and ecology. Initiatives and organisations such as Black in Marine Science, Black in Environment, Black Birders Week, and more help highlight these important stories in the environmental sector. For the amphibian and reptile community in particular, researcher Dr Earyn McGee, “The Lizard Lassoer”, is a huge inspiration for young black ecologists and is pushing for more black women to be represented in environmental careers as well as the decolonisation of herpetology. Together, elevating these stories and champions promotes better connection, networking, and opportunities for this vibrant community of black conservationists and scholars to grow.

Life Under the Surface event as part of Froglife’s London Dragon Finder project

Conservation charities like Froglife have enormous potential to help further some of these ideas. With a large focus on ‘Transforming Lives’ through outreach into schools and community spaces, Froglife projects are able to kindle passions for wildlife with natural history learning experiences which help generate a vital excitement for protecting and advocating for biodiversity. Meanwhile the habitat improvements Froglife conducts across green spaces helps to make nature more accessible and provide these local opportunities for connecting with it. Meanwhile, Froglife traineeships help to provide entry positions for establishing new voices in the field, especially those from underrepresented communities.

Xavier surveying ponds at Ruskin Park in Lambeth, London for the London Blue Chain project development

Dismantling these barriers and reclaiming the narrative requires action and inclusive storytelling across the natural history community, fostering opportunities for nurturing passions and advancement as well as creating an accessible, relatable environment. Tackling systemic inequalities that historically marginalised communities face regarding nature access, vulnerabilities and environmental peripheralisation is also vital. This includes linking the synergisms between various systems of oppression, deprivation, and narrative erasure as well as a rejection of neocolonial western imperialist ideals which also greatly contribute to biodiversity destruction and the suppression of livelihoods.

The pursuit of environmental justice and action to stem climate and ecological disaster is the fight of all of our lives and everyone must be involved, and able to have their voice and perspectives heard. In this way we can drive a unified, and inclusive charge for a better present and future. Reclaiming the narrative on nature and the black community is a hugely significant step in promoting this inclusion.

World Volunteer Day

November 28, 2023 by Admin

Written by Kaitlin Oliver, Transforming Lives Trainee

scottish volunteers Volunteers play a big part in the world of conservation. Without volunteers many nature reserves wouldn’t be where they are today. December 5^th is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers worldwide and to promote the value of volunteerism.

Volunteering is a fantastic way of connecting to the community and making a difference, especially in conservation. Not only are you helping nature and all its inhabitants, but volunteering can also benefit you personally in a multitude of ways. Being out in nature can significantly improve your mental health, as well as be a great source of exercise. Making friends and being social with others allows you to integrate yourself as an important member of the community and volunteering in conservation is a good entryway for getting a job in the sector.

There are lots of different ways you could give your time to help us in our mission to protect amphibians and reptiles! Froglife has multiple volunteering opportunities across the country with different projects needing help. We aim to make volunteering with us as fun and rewarding as possible, so that you get as much out of it as the wildlife you are helping.

We at Froglife express endless gratitude to their volunteers, share success stories, and highlight the diverse ways in which volunteers make a difference. Froglife is extremely proud of all their volunteers and the work that they’ve achieved.

Find more information about volunteering with us here.

National Marine Week

June 27, 2023 by Admin

Written by Ellia Cobb, Transforming Lives Trainee.

Did you know that oceans are home to more than half of the world’s wildlife with over 30,000 species of marine plants and animals found here in the UK, ranging from seahorse to orcas? National Marine Week is an opportunity to celebrate and appreciate the wonderful wildlife we have here in our seas. We have only explored 5% of our oceans, so who knows what other marine life is out there yet to be discovered!

The world’s seas and oceans hold the largest ecosystems and biodiversity. It is estimated 50-80% of the world’s oxygen is produced by the oceans of which marine plants and animals contribute to, it is so important that we do our best to conserve our oceans and marine life.

National Marine Week, held by The Wildlife Trust from 22nd July- 6th August, gives people the opportunity to explore the shorelines of local beaches to try and spot some of the incredibly diverse marine life we have here in the UK. Taking advantage of the low tides, this helps encourage people to better understand and protect these species.

It is a great opportunity to learn about marine life and how we can help protect it. There are many different activities being held such as exploring rock pools, snorkeling and beach clean-ups for all ages to get involved with.

Take the opportunity this upcoming National Marine Week to learn more about our marine wildlife, how we as Individuals can help protect them and why it is so important. There are so many beautiful, diverse, and interesting creatures to learn about.

Conservation

Footer