RECENT POSTS 
Zooniverse is my new favourite form of procrastination. In seconds, I’m transported to the wilds of the Serengeti to search for warthogs and wildebeest and note down what they’re up to. Moments later, I’m skimming the ocean floor to identify and measure exotic sea creatures, without the ungraceful task of donning a wetsuit. And I’m far from alone. Across the globe, a growing army of volunteers are taking part in citizen science. They don’t wear white coats and they rarely... Read more
In March this year, the staff of a mining company noticed some unusual amphibians lurking near a swamp in Toamasina, Madagascar’s largest seaport. Biologist Jonathan Kolby raced to the scene and confirmed conservationists’ worst fears. The amphibians – which were thought to have arrived via shipping container – were non-native, and notoriously toxic, Asian toads. Kolby was understandably quick to issue a warning about the alien amphibians whose toxic secretions pose a grave threat to Madagascar’s unsuspecting snakes, birds and... Read more
Despite only occupying 1% of the marine environment, coral reefs are the rainforests of the ocean and home to a quarter of all marine life. They also provide vital food, income and storm protection to millions of people in coastal communities across the globe. Yet one voracious species poses an enormous threat to these fragile habitats. For this week's 'Invader of the Week', I look at how the crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) has become an invasive predator in its own backyard. 1. A nemesis of coral reefs around the globe... Read more
The Lego octopuses washing up on a Cornish beach this week are the latest in a series of reminders that the amount of plastic debris in the world's oceans is reaching unprecedented levels, posing a huge environmental problem. But it’s not just the debris itself that we need to be worried about, it’s what is hitching a ride on it. On a crisp spring morning in the heart of the UK’s Jurassic Coast, Steve Trewhella combs the beach for treasures. But... Read more
