Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i BBC Wildlife Magazine

The dedicated and intrepid photographer, Sue Flood, who has spent many years cataloguing the lives of emperor penguins in Antarctica, worked as a camerawoman in the BBC’s Natural History Unit for 11 years, notably on the first landmark series of Blue Planet and Planet Earth . Latterly, she has been concentrating on still photography, to stunning effect as you can see on p72. She spends six weeks at a time in a small tent on the ice, patiently waiting for her fish-loving models to get into frame. It pays off in lovely images, but I can’t envy the polar lifestyle! Looking forward to next April, we’ve got an exciting partnership with the Grant Arms Wildlife Book Festival in the Scottish Highlands. Many of the expert naturalists who contribute to our…

Orchards have been an integral component of Britain’s landscape for so long that it’s difficult to believe the ancestral species of cultivated apples and pears actually hail from foreign climes. With apples emanating from Central Asia, and pears originating from Central and Eastern Europe to southwest Asia, their initial introduction to Britain must be credited to the Romans. As monasteries, and then large estates, carried on the fruity tradition after the Romans departed, by World War II the orchard had become a well-established feature of small-scale mixed farming, from Kent to Herefordshire and Somerset to Worcestershire. Such became the home-grown expertise in grafting and selective breeding that it is believed as many as 3,000 different varieties now populate British orchards. Orchards are surprisingly biologically diverse for what is essentially a…

IF YOU’RE SERIOUS about getting up close and personal with some incredible wildlife, it’s time to leave the tourist trail behind and embark on an adventure to one of the most intriguing and friendly countries on the globe – the Philippines. Nestled in the Pacific, not far from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, the Philippines is a collection of more than 7,000 beautiful and unspoilt islands, each offering a completely different experience. Go island-hopping and discover stunning beaches, dramatic limestone cliffs where eagles soar, emerald jungles hide the wide-eyed tarsier and topaz-blue seas where whale sharks roam. Come between October and May and you’ll see it at its very best. TAILOR-MADE TRIPS To get the most from your Filipino wildlife adventure, talk to the travel specialists at The Turquoise Holiday Company.…

Plans to use public money to support more wildlife friendly ways of farming following the UK’s departure from the EU have reached a vital stage in their route through Parliament. The Agriculture Bill – which will result in farmers being rewarded for the benefits they provide, such as healthier soils, cleaner water and higher biodiversity, rather than for the amount of land they own – was due to have passed the committee stage in the House of Commons by mid-November. Launching the legislation in September, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said the current subsidy system – under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) – favoured the largest landowners, with the top 10 per cent of farmers receiving 50 per cent of the £3bn funding being allocated. “Under…

Significant progress was made at the UK Government’s Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London this October, according to campaigners. The high-profile event attracted representatives from more than 80 countries, who agreed to a number of new initiatives, which included reducing demand for illegal products, tackling online crime and launching a financial task force to disrupt international money flows linked to animal trafficking. “We warmly welcome the outcomes of the conference and the specific actions identified to achieve a significant reduction in wildlife criminal activities,” said Steven Broad, the executive director of TRAFFIC, an NGO working towards sustainable wildlife trading. However, some campaigners were left disappointed with the final conference declaration. “The lack of tangible, clear, time-bound, measurable commitments by attending governments within the declaration leaves a feeling of an opportunity…

When he first saw it, fisherman Charlie Coyle thought he was looking at the devil. “Throw it back in!” he said to boat mate, Raymond McElroy. But it wasn’t the devil, it was the fantastically well-preserved skull and antlers of an Irish elk, a species that died out in Ireland 10,000 years ago. The pair hauled the skull aboard on a recent fishing trip on Lough Neagh, in Northern Ireland. “I’ve been on Lough Neagh 45 years and I never thought I’d find something that historical.” says Coyle. The Irish elk was, in fact, a species of deer – the biggest to walk the earth. And it’s certainly not exclusively Irish – it roamed what is now modern-day Europe, northern Africa and Asia. The skull’s authenticity has been confirmed by…

THE GLORIOUS SUMMERS OF 2018 and 1976 have something else in common – ladybirds (and lots of them). In the 70s, it was native seven- and 11-spots. This time, it’s harlequin ladybirds – introductions from Asia – entering our homes en masse to overwinter. If news reports are to be believed, this ‘cannibalistic’, ‘STD-ridden’, ‘biblical plague’ is stinking out our homes, staining our furnishings, poisoning our pets, biting people, inducing allergic reactions and generally ‘wreaking havoc’. But are the reports to be believed? Not according to ecologist Helen Roy, who explains that there may be little doubt that harlequins are having an impact on our wildlife – they eat and outcompete native two-spot ladybirds. “But from the human perspective, they are nothing more than a very minor nuisance,” she says.…

The olm is renowned for being a pale creature lacking skin pigmentation. However, not all olms are the same. In fact, there is one recognised subspecies, Proteus anguinus parkelj, the black olm, which can be dark brown as well as black. Discovered in 1986, the black olm is restricted to an area smaller than 100sq km near Crnomelj ÿ in Slovenia. As well as having pigmentation, the black olm has a number of other differences to the nominate subspecies (P. a. anguinus). Its head is slightly shorter, with strong jaw muscles, and it has shorter legs. Though its body length is slightly longer (it has 34–35 vertebrae compared to 29–32 in the nominate subspecies), its tail is shorter, in proportion. In addition, rather than having completely regressed eyes, the eyes…

“The image was shaped by nature itself, as if Earth was telling us to slow down and refocus.” The world was still recovering from the shock of the Boxing Day Tsunami when Cyclone Gudrun hurtled through southern Sweden (and Denmark) on 8 January 2005. It was the worst storm the country had known, pulling roofs off houses, tearing down phone masts and ravaging the landscape. The spruce pines that characterise the region’s forests didn’t stand a chance against Gudrun, whose 165kmph gusts ripped out their shallow roots and snapped their trunks in half “like matchsticks”. In five hours, 75 million m3 of forest was felled, plunging its owners into financial ruin and creating a timber stockpile so enormous that it became something of a tourist attraction. Calm after the storm…

A‘Super coral’ is a term coined as scientists search for innovative solutions to the coral bleaching crisis. Just as we have bred domestic animals for desirable features – speed in greyhounds, for instance – it might be possible to breed corals that are more tolerant to ocean warming. There are various ways to achieve this. Scientists can cross hardy types of coral together; use genetic engineering to enhance heat tolerance; inoculate corals with bleaching-resistant symbiotic algae or even ‘train’ corals in tanks by exposing them to heat. We can also collect and breed from wild corals that have survived bleaching events. While it’s important to explore all options to help save our reefs, super coral is not ultimately a globally scalable solution. Super corals could be replanted to help repair…

Area: 225km2 Length of coastal track: 60km Created: 1942…

One of my ‘terms and conditions’ when booking a family beach holiday to Sri Lanka was that we added a three-day excursion to Yala National Park. This short break from the sunbeds allowed me to photograph some of the island’s wildlife. Based at a hotel adjacent to Yala, we enjoyed fantastic safaris – highlights being an unexpected appearance by a sloth bear, the chance to watch elephants bathing, and a sighting of a leopard resting in the fork of a tree. The hotel grounds also hosted a wealth of wild animals, including a troop of grey langurs. So, I set my sights on photographing the monkeys as they came to drink from a small waterhole. There were around 20 in the group, including youngsters that entertained themselves by climbing on…

Redwing A combination of rusty-red flanks and underwings along with a creamy-white supercilium above the eye easily distinguish the smallest of our native thrushes. Arriving in southern Britain from Scandinavia, wintering flocks are generally shy and easily disturbed. Their soft, thin ‘sssip’ flight call is also immediately diagnostic, once learnt. Fieldfare Slightly smaller than a mistle thrush, this winter visitor from northerly latitudes has a grey head and rump, which contrasts with a chestnut back and a spotty breast. With its distinct ‘chack, chack, chack’ call, this bossy denizen of winter hedgerows and orchards is frequently heard before seen, so keep your eyes and ears open. Mistle thrush A ‘mistle’ on the ground appears both larger and with greyer upperparts than its song thrush cousin. The distinctive white underwings and…

The Urban Birder, David Lindo, (theurbanbirderworld.com/tours) runs owl-spotting tours to northern Serbia in December, led by himself and Milan Ruzic. The 2018 tour costs £1,200, plus flights via Belgrade. Spring tours to Serbia are also available, but these will have a different focus. kk There are many other interesting birdwatching tours in Serbia that are offered by Birdwatch Serbia, whose website also offers useful information about the country: birdwatchserbia.rs…

Around 6 o’clock in the evening a shout of “Bath time!” eventually brings my four-year-old son running. While he’s getting washed we play a number of games, most of which involve me getting drenched. The most popular is when we fill the bath with Octonauts toys, and various models of sea creatures, and have an aquatic adventure with them. Dried and dressed, he snuggles up on the sofa with me and his mum to watch an episode of his favourite TV show. Octonauts , a smash-hit on the BBC’s preschool channel, CBeebies, consumes our household. We’ve got roughly 130 episodes recorded now and there isn’t a duffer among them. It’s not only my boy’s favourite show; his mum and I love it, too. If we’d had Octonauts when I was…

Why is the return of giant manta rays to the Sea of Cortez significant? These beautiful sea creatures, with an average wingspan of 6m across and the largest specimens weighing as much as 1,350kg, haven’t been seen in the south part of the Baja California Peninsula since 2002 – possibly due to the threat of bycatch and overfishing encountered by the small population of around 50 individuals. The new sightings of 15 different juvenile manta rays in the summer of 2018 might be an indicator of a possible nursery, which is why their return is so important. How does tourism impact the rays? Uncontrolled overfishing is the biggest threat to the species but dive tourism can also have a negative impact if not properly regulated. In the Sea of Cortez,…

WHAT IS IT? The colloquial name of this gorgeous new species was coined by divers who thought it looked a little porcine. But it’s no more a pig than it is a horse. It’s a pygmy seahorse. And there’s no doubt it’s small – no bigger than 16mm – which may help explain why it has been missed until now. WHERE IS IT? Hippocampus japapigu is the fifth species of pygmy seahorse to have been recorded in Japanese waters. The blotches of colour provide camouflage among algae-encrusted rocks in shallow water. It seems to live in pairs, because whenever one individual was spotted, another was often found lurking nearby. SOURCE Read the ZooKeys article: https://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=24799…

From the organisers’ point of view, there are things that could have gone better. The main BBC or ITV news programmes and websites could have covered the event, and more than two MPs could have showed their support – step forward the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas and Labour’s Kerry McCarthy. There were also comments on Twitter from, among others, Tim Bonner of the Countryside Alliance: “Once you get beyond the amusement at the pathetic turnout for @ChrisGPackham’s march, there is a serious issue. The nasty, divisive politics he and his camp followers promote is only negative for wildlife and the countryside.” “Perfect doesn’t happen,” Packham says, a couple of days after the event, “but 10,000 people with polite banners turning out on a rainy September morning, and kids dressed up…

WATERSHIP DOWN BBC ONE, DUE TO AIR AT XMAS. SEE RADIO TIMES Hear the names Fiver, Bigwig, Hazel and Captain Holly and a chord is struck with many a 40-something who grew up with Richard Adams’s tale of a plucky band of rabbits fleeing Sandleford Warren in search of pastures new. This Christmas, we meet those legendary characters again, in a two-part animation for BBC One, voiced by the likes of James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley. Adapting an intensely loved classic from page to screen is always a challenge, particularly when the 1978 animation is indelibly burned on our collective memories – uncomfortably brutal yet widely adored as a tragic, beautiful portrayal of courage and adventure in an English countryside replete with teeth and claws. “We…

Since evolution has become a popular primary school topic in the UK, a fleet of books on the subject has hit the shelves. Most opt for the all-too-familiar tale of the intrepid Darwin aboard the HMS Beagle and finches in the Galápagos, or the peppered moths that would follow. Here, Dougal Dixon and illustrator Hannah Bailey opt for something else, offering 13 stories about the early experimentation of animal forms in a bid to help younger readers understand how we got here. Besides the eponymous whale, there are chapters on early dinosaur flight and warm-blooded crocodiles, alongside more familiar stories of snakes with legs and fish with feet. Delivered with playfulness, colour and charm, Dixon’s aim is clearly to ‘show and don’t tell’, drawing readers in with wonder, rather than…

Traditionally Tomorrow Beautiful leather bags and accessories lovingly made in Britain. brit-stitch.com  • @britstitchuk ROY KIRKHAM are proud to be working with the RSPB transforming beautiful images on to ceramics and 100% cotton textiles. The collections range include mugs and tea towels. roykirkham.co.uk Kaimu Illustrations Capturing the wild world in watercolour, Kaimu Illustrations offers a wide range of original watercolours and prints of wildlife, from the high seas to the African savannah. kaimuillustrations.com The Boonies Outdoor Survival Grab Bag is a premium 59pc survival kit for those who love the outdoors, wild camp or travel extensively. There are two options to choose from. greenmanbushcraft.co.uk Gardenature A unique gift for someone special this Christmas! Create your very own wildlife TV channel with a Gardenature nest box camera system. Call our sales line…

A'Drumming’ is a courtship behaviour performed by the males of several members of the snipe family, including both British species – the common snipe and the rarer jack snipe. Also referred to as ‘bleating’ or ‘winnowing’, it's one of the most atmospheric sounds of the natural world, particularly when heard on a still, moonlit night. How the sound is made has been the subject of much conjecture. There were beliefs that it was emitted by spirits or created by bats. In 1912, ornithologist Philip Manson-Bahr finally succeeded in proving that the eerie noise was produced as the snipe rose high in the sky and performed a series of descending loops, holding out two stiffened outer tail feathers to catch the air in the process. With numbers of breeding common snipe…

A Such is the flexibility of grass (and other) snakes that they can sometimes tie themselves in knots as they settle into tight grasses or slither into narrow cracks. How intentional this behaviour is remains largely unknown. It certainly doesn’t seem to cause grass snakes any obvious problems. They usually simply pull the knot wide with their super-muscular skeleton and slide through the loop as if the knot weren’t there. Tying itself in a knot can also be an accidental by-product of the grass snake’s famous ‘play dead’ response. When threatened by predators, these reptiles often bunch their coils and stay stock still, lolling their tongues and rolling their eyes into their skulls with theatrical aplomb. The behaviour is reasonably common in adults, but rarer in young snakes. One study…

Rosie Bishop gently examines a tiny, 180g hedgehog in her hands, on the doorstep of her home. “I’ll get her on a heat mat, administer warm fluids and carry out microscopy testing once I have a faecal sample to see if she has a parasitic overburden,” she explains. “I can then decide on the most appropriate treatment and monitor her progress.” This lucky hog was found wandering around during the day near a busy road and is one of seven prickly residents currently in Rosie’s care. “Hogs need to be at least 600g to survive hibernation,” says Rosie. “This one won’t make it through the winter if she is released now so we need to look after her until the spring.” The trainee pharmacy dispenser established Hobo’s Hedgehog Rescue in…

I was observing bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth when I was surprised to hear and see two drones flying just above the cetaceans, presumably taking photos. Were the dolphins affected by a noisy drone? Drones are banned in Antarctica and I cannot imagine any nature reserve permitting them. Patrick Frew, via email Colin Jackson, BBC Natural History Unit Drone Lead, replies: Here at the BBC, if animals show signs of stress we will always put the welfare of the animal above filming. Increasingly, we are able to use drones with longer focal lens cameras than 'hobby' drones. This allows us to capture our imagery from further away and reduce our risk of disturbance. There have been very few studies on the effect of drones on animals, but one often…

1 | KINGFISHER Frozen out When the ‘Beast from the East’ brought Siberian weather to much of Europe in March this year, a photograph of an unlucky kingfisher frozen solid in the ice of a Dutch canal was widely published in newspapers and went viral on social media. Ice looks pretty, but it’s a killer. For some birds, freezing spells lasting any longer than a couple of days can be a major cause of mortality. Kingfishers are particularly susceptible, as are grey herons, barn owls (because their rodent prey stays underground), and insectivorous species such as goldcrests and Dartford warblers. A big freeze sends their populations tumbling, though numbers recover after a run of mild winters. Data from the UK’s BirdTrack citizen-science project shows the impact clearly, explains Dawn Balmer,…

The Grant Arms Wildlife Book Festival, now in its second year, is a gathering in the Scottish Highlands of some of the most prominent authors in the field of natural history. The festival, hosted by the Grant Arms Hotel in Grantownon Spey, runs from 15-19 April 2019 and features daily talks given by the participating authors, who will also be mingling with the guests and signing books. The discussion following each talk will be led by naturalist and former BBC natural history producer Stephen Moss – himself a popular author of books about British wildlife. The four-star Grant Arms is a specialist wildlife hotel with a distinguished history. Built in 1765, in the reign of George III, and situated within the Cairngorms National Park close to Anagach Woods and the…

With its chameleon-like ability to meld perfectly into a background of bark and foliage, the long-eared owl is possibly one of the hardest to see in Britain. It is one of our most nocturnal and shy owls, and rare too – on average, there is thought to be around 3,500 breeding pairs here in summer. If you do spot one it might be the startling, orange-sapphire eyes that you’ll see first – its tall ear tufts (not true ears but soft, feathery protrusions) confirm the owl’s identity. So, with UK sightings usually few and far between, where’s the best place to see this elusive beauty? Luckily, I had had a tip-off. “Serbia?” my husband Rick said. I could see him picturing landmines and armed police. But all that was out…

At Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina, alligators are as much a part of the scenery as pleated shorts and sand bunkers. Like many other large, luxury golf courses on America's east coast, Kiawah's mosaic of ponds, lakes, roughs and greens is prime habitat for these ancient crocodilians. After spending the winter hunkering in watery dens, spring sees the males emerge and start to roam for food and mates. “Males displaced from a stretch of water by rivals often have to seek new territory on foot, which means ambling across fairways and past driving ranges,” says producer Mark Wheeler, who filmed the behaviour for the forthcoming BBC Two series Cities: Nature’s New Wild . Roaming in built-up areas can bring the animals into conflict with humans, but out on the…

Kwazii A daredevil cat, Kwazii has a mysterious pirate past and enjoys a fight (unless it’s with a spider – or spider crab!) Really though, he’s a softy at heart who would do anything for his shipmates. Professor Inkling The father figure and founder of the Octonauts is a Dumbo octopus. He’s most likely to be found in his extensive library, reading up to eight of his precious books at a time – one for each arm! Captain Barnacles The brave leader of the Octonauts crew, Barnacles is an unshrinking polar bear whose phenomenal strength gets his crew out of all kinds of scrapes. When push comes to shove, who wouldn’t want Barnacles at the helm? Shellington A sea otter from Scotland, Shellington’s love of science makes him crucial in…

Well, this is embarrassing. Humans have long been thought to be the only animals that blush but, it turns out, we are not alone. New research suggests that certain parrots can also communicate emotional states with a rush of blood to the face. Darwin considered blushing to be ‘the most peculiar and most human of all expressions’. But French biologists have discovered that it’s something we share with macaws. Part of the reason for the rarity of blushing animals is that the skin is usually obscured by fur or feathers. But macaws and humans are both unusual in having bare cheeks. Working with captive blue-and-yellow macaws, the biologists found the parrots’ white cheek skin blushes pink when they interact positively with human handlers, with whom they have made strong bonds.…

MYA-ROSE CRAIG MINISTRY OF DIVERSITY IN NATURE AND CONSERVATION • Environmental organisations to find ways of “making nature relevant” to Visible Minority Ethnic (VME) people. • Print, online and broadcast media to become more diverse in their content and use VME role models. • Provision of public transport from inner cities to national parks and nature reserves. • Universities to provide support to VME students taking nature-related degrees, to combat racism and isolation. MILES KING MINISTRY OF FOOD AND FARMING • Introduction of a fertiliser tax to fund environmental clean-ups and conversion to organic farming. • Pay farmers a fair price for food they produce – in return, they must farm in a more sustainable way. • 10 per cent of every farm to be managed for wildlife through field…

Stanislav, our guide to Postojna Cave, reassures us: “I'll only turn the lights off for a minute or so.” Still, it’s a shock when we are plunged into pitch-black. My eyes strain to pick up even the faintest hint of light, but there is none. We were warned it might be a bit overwhelming, and I’m starting to feel a little disorientated. The only thing I can hear is the quiet breathing of those with me, and the only thing I can feel is the cool metal rail that I’m gripping to steady myself. I feel completely inadequate in terms of being adapted for the dark, and it’s bizarre to think that anything could live in this kind of environment, but Stanislav assures me that there are over 100 species…

SUE FLOOD is a photographer and former BBC film-maker who has worked in polar regions for nearly two decades. Her latest book is Emperor: the Perfect Penguin (ACC Art Books, £25). sueflood.com ON SCREEN SEE EMPERORS IN CATCH UP ON IPLAYER…

With thousands of kilometres of wrapping paper destined for landfill on Boxing Day, keep your eye out for gift-wrap that’s recycled (and recyclable) or that carries the FSC logo. These handsome products from educational charity the Eden Project – whose ethos is to connect us with the living world – are made from recycled paper. Adorned with delicate gold snowflakes and stars, and satisfyingly thick and papery to touch, these 3m rolls are supplied to the Eden Project by East of India, which is involved in sustainable tree plantations in Indonesia. Open your presents with love and care; salvage and re-use whatever you can.…

This is an incandescent photographic portrait of the tigress Noor – her cubs, hunts, mates and home in India’s beautiful Ranthambhore National Park. If you want to understand what separates the thousands of tiger snapshots drilled out every year by indiscriminate, machine-gun cameras from real photography, then take some time to study these images. Meaningful composition, low angles, piercing eye lines, intimate action and intelligent post-production all indicate two professionals at the top of their game The tigress is stunning, too. One picture shows her descending a vertical cliff with a casual agility that beggars belief. The book is testimony to the great skill of its authors and the success of Ranthambhore’s management – you can only achieve this sort of day-by-day photo coverage in a well-managed reserve. Together, Ranthambhore,…

TWO CAMPS WITH exclusive star beds, safari drives, and five world-renowned specialised hides. Shenton Safaris offers a wildlife experience that allows their guests to get close in complete safety. Located deep within the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia, Shenton Safaris’ camps, Kaingo and Mwamba, are in one of the most irrefutably untouched and dense game locations in Africa. These camps and hides are created by the Shenton Family, a family of wildlife conservationists spanning three generations, making their camps Africa’s Best Place to Hide. Derek and Juliet Shenton ensure their fundamental values are lived every day in their camps, through the experience, people and location. Three generations of wildlife conservationists make these camps Africa’s Best Place to Hide The stunning diversity of wildlife to be seen, matched with the…

A The Amur leopard is a contender for the most threatened of all large carnivores. Since the 1970s, this Critically Endangered, small-bodied, thick-furred subspecies has been limited to a single population straddling the border of south-east Russia and China (north-east of the Korean Peninsula). In 2010, it was feared that as few as 25 individuals remained, but this figure was based on snow tracks, which is a fairly rough-and-ready measure. The latest survey, published in the journal Conservation Letters and which utilised hundreds of camera-traps, provides an estimate of 84 animals. One-third of these were photographed in both China and Russia, showing that the leopards routinely cross the barbed wire border fence.…

A The nostrils of tubenoses, an order of seabirds made up of albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters and storm petrels are, as their name suggests, encased in tubes along the sides or top of the bill. The tissue inside the tubes is intricate and has a large surface area, giving the birds a stronger sense of smell than many other species. This heightened olfactory system is used to forage near the surface of the sea and also to sniff out land-based nest burrows. The latter is a particularly useful strategy for smaller tubenoses, such as thin-billed prions, which return to their colonies under cover of darkness to evade predatory skuas. The tubes also drain excess salt taken in when the birds drink seawater, which is then excreted from glands above their eyes.…