rare

White Sparrow

Rare white sparrow discovered by Heligan

A rare bird has been discovered in a Cornish garden. Polgooth resident Barry Hitchens was puzzled by an unusual looking, small, white plumed bird visiting his garden and called experts at the nearby Lost Gardens of Heligan to investigate.

The Heligan team identified the garden visitor as a rare leucistic sparrow. From a distance the sparrow looks completely white but upon closer...

Rare toads arrive at Devon zoo

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park has become the only institution in the UK to keep a rare and special type of South American toad.

The Devon zoo is now home to around 30 harlequin toads, Atelopus spumarius, after adding more individuals from Manchester Museum to its existing group.

Atelopus is a genus – a group of species – of small, attractive true toads from Central and South...

World First at South Devon Zoo

Shaldon Wildlife Trust in Devon is delighted to announce the birth of a very rare Owston’s civet.

One of the most endangered species of civet, the Owston’s is a curious creature native to Asia. With its long nose, cat-like whiskers and slender mongoose body, it would be well suited to the pages of a Roald Dahl storybook!

This is an exceptionally special birth as the population...

Critically endangered turtle washed up on Devon beach

A rare, warm water Kemp’s Ridley turtle has washed up on Woolacombe Beach, North Devon.

The small dead turtle was reported to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) on Tuesday 28 January.

Just 30cm in length, the creature is not the first Kemp’s ridley to be washed up along the UK coastline this winter. According to Dr Peter Richardson, MCS Biodiversity Programme Manager: "Two...