Victoria Gill

This is a story with some very tiny main characters, the Desertus Island land snails. They were rescued from the brink of extinction and brought to Chester Zoo, where they've been living and breeding inside this converted shipping container.

This is a story with some very tiny main characters, the Desertus Island land snails. They were rescued from the brink of extinction and brought to Chester Zoo, where they've been living and breeding inside this converted shipping container.

There are two snail species that the team are bringing back to their wild island home off the coast of Portugal. Discular snails and the even smaller Geometra. They're prepared for their journey with a little scientific makeover.

There are two snail species that the team are bringing back to their wild island home off the coast of Portugal. Discular snails and the even smaller Geometra. They're prepared for their journey with a little scientific makeover.

Why do they need to be marked?

Why do they need to be marked?

The desertus islands close to Madeira in Portugal are their destination and their natural home. The largest of the islands, where the last snails were found, has had its habitat decimated, eaten away by goats, rats and mice that were brought here by people. So the team has transported the snails to the protected neighbouring island of Bugio. It's meant a long and precarious journey.

The desertus islands close to Madeira in Portugal are their destination and their natural home. The largest of the islands, where the last snails were found, has had its habitat decimated, eaten away by goats, rats and mice that were brought here by people. So the team has transported the snails to the protected neighbouring island of Bugio. It's meant a long and precarious journey.

After waiting for the ideal cooler evening conditions, it's finally time to set the snails free.

After waiting for the ideal cooler evening conditions, it's finally time to set the snails free.

This is a small but significant part of a mission to restore the natural habitat and wildlife on these mountainous Atlantic islands. If it goes well, more snails will be brought here next year, each bringing a small splash of colour back to their habitat. Victoria Gill.

This is a small but significant part of a mission to restore the natural habitat and wildlife on these mountainous Atlantic islands. If it goes well, more snails will be brought here next year, each bringing a small splash of colour back to their habitat. Victoria Gill.

Oh, really?

Oh, really?

Ian Van Nest is a ranger for the Polar Bear Alert programme in Churchill, Manitoba. It's his job to move bears away from the town and from people.

Ian Van Nest is a ranger for the Polar Bear Alert programme in Churchill, Manitoba. It's his job to move bears away from the town and from people.

In a warming Arctic, living alongside polar bears is becoming even more complicated. So while Ian and his colleagues keep bears and people apart, conservation scientists head to Churchill every year because as the sea ice forms here at the start of winter, the bears gather, waiting.

In a warming Arctic, living alongside polar bears is becoming even more complicated. So while Ian and his colleagues keep bears and people apart, conservation scientists head to Churchill every year because as the sea ice forms here at the start of winter, the bears gather, waiting.

Elisa McCall is from the organisation Polar Bears International.

Elisa McCall is from the organisation Polar Bears International.