Lions might be the rulers of the savannah, but even kings get lonely sometimes. These big cats are the only ones that live in large groups, and they’ve got good reason to do so. From keeping safe to forming hunting teams, lions get more done together. But even though they’re at the top of the foo...

Buffalos have a reputation as one of the most dangerous animals in the Big Five. They’re known for their fiery temperament and destructive horns, which they use with precision to fight for dominance and attack their enemies. But could these brutes have an Achilles heel?
Buffalos are susceptible t...

It’s no secret that a cheetah’s superpower is its unbeatable speed. But did you know that this is also its downfall? Designed for agility, cheetahs can disappear into the distance at speeds up to 130 kilometres per hour. The naturally shy creatures will go to extreme lengths to avoid confrontatio...

For a land mammal, hippos spend a significantly long time submerged in water – 16 hours a day to be precise. They weigh up to 1 800 kilograms and are unable to swim, so it might seem easier to stay on land. Yet hippos are considered amphibious, and even give birth to their young underwater.
Their...

No safari is complete without spotting a leopard lounging atop a tree branch. Climbing is a tactical move to keep themselves high on the food chain. Leopards carry prey up to three times their body weight, dragging them metres above the ground with effortless agility. In the trees, they can feast...

Chimpanzees are highly social animals, native to the tropical forests of central and west Africa. They’re arguably the world's smartest animal, and share over 98% of their genetic blueprint with humans. Because of this, many of them were plucked out of their tropical havens and placed in laborato...

Cheetahs are the fastest animals on Earth. They’re built for speed and stealth. They can go days without eating, then take down an impala and devour it within a matter of hours. A human would stand no chance in the presence of this big cat. Except Kim Wolhuter – the man who walks among cheetahs. ...

In March 2012, the Kariega Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Africa was targeted by poachers. Three rhinos were left for dead. All hope that there would be any survivors seemed lost. And yet, Thandi – the only female in the attack – made it. Her name means love, and it’s thanks to the tir...

They’re skittish, have a penchant for termites, and there’s fewer than 1 000 of them left. Numbats were once widespread across Australia. But today, the indigenous marsupials have all but disappeared from the country.
The two remaining wild populations of numbats live in the Dryandra Woodland and...

The second largest mammal in Africa faces constant threat as a result of poaching activity. This story serves as a reminder of why taking rhino horns makes the species more vulnerable in the wild and deprives it from behavioural functions.

The butterfly is known as the symbol of warmer months and renowned for its spectacular colours, but so often our knowledge of these flying insects stops there.

They’re known as the clowns of the sea, and puffins certainly know how to entertain a crowd with their comical antics and cartoon-like appearance. In winter, they settle off the coast of Iceland – the breeding home of 60% of the world’s Atlantic puffins. Lovers for life, they breed with their mat...

There’s a reason why the coastal town of Porbandar in India is known as Surkhabi Nagri. Translated from Gujarati, it means ‘Flamingo City’, and every year up to 40 000 lesser flamingos flock here. Some birds come from as far as eastern and southern Africa to breed in the algae-filled wetlands.
Th...

One of our greatest allies in the fight against climate change is the tapir. These mammals resemble pigs, but they’re related to horses and rhinos and have a distinct trunk which they use to grab leaves and fruit. Like many other animals, tapirs consume fruit and disperse seeds through their scat...

The main contributor to human-elephant conflict is not the animal’s iconic tusks, but their voracious appetite. African elephants are the largest land mammals on Earth. In one day, they consume up to 100 kilograms of food and 189 litres of water. African elephants require an abundance of vegetati...

The sloths of the Costa Rican rainforests have mastered the art of slow living. The arboreal mammals sleep for 10 to 12 hours a day, and spend up to 90% of their time hanging upside-down from the trees. They have everything they need up there, surviving off fruit, shoots, and leaves.
Known for th...

Compassionate handlers at the Wild Is Life Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery in Harare are committed to rescuing elephant orphans. Under their care, calves receive the nurturing they need to begin life again in the wild at a sanctuary close to Victoria Falls.
The WIL-ZEN rewilding facility is situated at...

Unlike other great apes, orangutans prefer solitude. You won’t find them in groups, but rather swinging through the trees of Sumatra and Borneo on their own, supported by their arms that span over two metres. Content with their own company, they spend their days foraging for fruit or resting in t...

A truck driver and a former stonemason join forces to advocate for the Australian native Numbat.

There’s nothing ordinary about this pup. His name is Bear, he’s a selfless hero hailing from Australia, and his life’s mission is to save koalas. The rescue pup was trained by the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Detection Dogs for Conservation (USC’s DDC) team, in partnership with IFAW.
Bear i...