Deep in Cameroon's rainforests, poachers are killing primates for food. Evan Williams reports from Yokadouma on a practice that could create a pandemic

Vietnam's rare mammals may be sliding towards extinction, but Britain's rarest butterfly is going from strength to strength, a series of contrasting announcements makes clear today.

Crucifixion, Channel 4's film about Gunther von Hagens' latest exercise in human taxidermy, was like one of those fairground chimeras mocked up in the 19th century to milk the gullible of their pennies.

Zoologist, conservationist and TV presenter Mark Carwardine has had his share of exotic animal encounters. Here, he reveals some of his favourites

For any hoax to work, it needs a hint of credibility. But those responsible for making them up were surely astonished when they actually came true

Mankind's ancestors may have started walking on two legs simply because it allowed them to carry more food away in their hands, boosting their chance of survival, scientists believe.

When the former rebel leader, Irwandi Yusuf, became governor of Indonesia's Aceh province, he proclaimed a "green vision" for the war-torn region. Lush forests would not be sacrificed for short-term profit, he promised. True to his word, he chased illegal loggers in his jeep.

Laughter is the most obvious outward sign of happiness. But is it better for our health than we ever imagined?

Ever since Camus, and perhaps in an inevitable reaction to his pessimism, Algeria has specialised in producing writers whose works are both hopeful and ripe with horror. The post-Independence Algerian novel is unmistakable: it will be engagé, unrelentingly violent, and its plot will gyrate around either the revolution (1954-1962) or the civil war (1992-2002). This is not to say that these books are predictable; in fact quite the opposite.

Hoof It, beaten favourite for the Nunthorpe Stakes at York 11 days ago, is to be given another chance at Group One level in the Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday. Mick Easterby's charge was yesterday added to the field for the six-furlong contest as a late entry and is one of 17 contenders at this stage for the £225,000 purse.

A Scottish zoo is planning to start a new breeding programme for chimpanzees, in the wake of recent research suggesting that captivity drives chimps mad.

An American woman who underwent a full face transplant after being mauled by a chimpanzee in 2009 revealed her new face for the first time yesterday.

At the end of a difficult week for those of us who like to believe in the forward progress of human evolution, some small comfort is to be derived from Hollywood. In the latest outing of the Planet of the Apes franchise, there are definite signs that, even in popular culture, a more grown-up attitude towards animals is beginning to emerge. You can tell a lot about a society from the way it portrays on screen man's nearest genetic relations. In King Kong, the gorilla represented misunderstood savagery. Films from Monkey Business to Every Which Way But Loose portrayed chimpanzees or orang-utans as zany, humanoid pets. The original Planet of the Apes contained a satirical take on human greed and violence.