Editorial Policy
How stories are chosen, written, reviewed and corrected.
Last updated: July 4, 2026
1. Mission
Our mission is to make the natural world understandable and worth protecting. Every editorial decision serves the reader first.
2. Sourcing standards
- We prioritise peer-reviewed research, IUCN assessments, government and park authority data, and statements from named experts.
- Claims that could affect reader safety or conservation outcomes require at least two independent sources.
- We link to primary sources wherever practical.
3. Independence
Advertisers and partners have no influence over editorial coverage. Sponsored content is clearly labelled and kept separate from editorial articles. Writers must disclose any conflicts of interest.
4. Original content and AI assistance
Our articles are produced by our editorial team. Where drafting tools (including AI assistance) are used, a human editor verifies every fact, rewrites for accuracy and voice, and takes full responsibility for the published piece under our Fact-Checking Policy.
5. Images and media
Photographs are our own, licensed, or used under their published terms with credit. We do not stage harmful wildlife interactions and we avoid imagery that glamorises exploitation.
6. Corrections
When we get something wrong we fix it quickly and transparently: significant corrections are noted on the article. Report errors to mclean@wildlifeuniverse.org.
7. Comment moderation
We welcome debate and remove spam, abuse and misinformation. Automated filters may hold suspicious comments for human review.