A SCHOOLBOY bone collector has been named one of Britain's 50 most influential "conservation heroes", alongside Sir David Attenborough, Chris Packham and Dr Jane Goodall.

Jake McGowan-Lowe, 13, from Braco, Perthshire, started collecting animal bones aged six.

He has been writing a weekly blog about his finds since 2009 and last year presented a copy of his first children's book on the "brilliant world of animal bones" to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The second year Crieff High School pupil is the youngest person to feature in the BBC Wildlife magazine's first "Wildlife Power List".

The list of "Britain's 50 most influential conservation heroes" is topped by English zoologist Dr Jane Goodall, considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees.

Springwatch presenter Packham is second, followed by zoologist David Macdonald and broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

Jake, who receives around 100 emails, letters and messages every month from fans across the world, said he was "honoured"to be included at number 40.

His entry reads: "Aged six, Jake's discovery of a rabbit skull sparked his passion for bones; seven years later he has one of the UK's largest private collections with over 3000 specimens. He explains how to identify and preserve bones via his website (www.jakes-bones.com) and has a global following. He's shared the One Show sofa with David Attenborough and proves hands-on biology can be cool."

Jake said: "I'm very proud and honoured to be on the list of influential conservationists alongside people like Sir David Attenborough and Chris Packham.

"These people are heroes of mine, so be be mentioned alongside them is amazing. It inspires me to keep going and hopefully climb the list as I get older.

"If it shows other people my age that biology and bones are cool, that's great."

Jake started collecting animal skeletons after going on walks with his family in the countryside around their home. His first bones were from a dead rabbit from a hill in Blackford, Perthshire, which he cleaned and kept in his bedroom.

His first full skeleton was a roe deer that died in woods near Braco, which he re-assembled and named Eddie.

Jake plans to become a archaeozoologist - someone who studies animal bones - and he is already becoming the youngest expert in his field.

His blog is followed by more than 150,000 different people from nearly 200 countries around the world.

His book, Jake's Bones; My Guide to the Brilliant World of Animal Bones, based on his blog, has received rave reviews in countries as far afield as the USA, Australia and South Africa as well as in the UK.

Jake has also appeared on the BBC's Autumnwatch and Winterwatch programmes, where he earned praise from wildlife presenter Chris Packham.

Packham, who has helped inspire Jake, said the young bone collector was "one of the greatest young naturalists" he had met in recent years.

He added: "For old guys like us, to see young people doing this kind of thing is absolutely fantastic."

BBC Wildlife Magazine is the UKs best-selling natural history magazine, which has been running for over 50 years and is known for its coverage of conservation issues and species around the world.

Matt Swaine, BBC Wildlife Magazine editor, said: "These are the people who we believe will shape the way we see the natural world in the coming years and who have the greatest potential to deliver a positive outcome for wildlife both in the UK and abroad. "