Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i BBC Wildlife Magazine

Guillemot With its chocolate-brown back, white front and long, dark bill, the guillemot ( below ) can equally be recognised by its upright posture while on the ledge, or duck-like appearance out at sea. With no nest, incubation of the single, pear-shaped egg, and the subsequent feeding of the chick, are duties shared by both parents. Razorbill Slightly smaller and darker-backed than a guillemot, the proportionally thicker neck, larger head and snub-nosed bill should differentiate this closely related member of the auk family. July will see the flightless chicks take a leap of faith, as they leave the colony to join their dads in the water below. Kittiwake Marginally larger than a black-headed gull, the kittiwake also has a ‘kinder’ face, black legs and distinctive ink-black wingtips when seen in…

Hoverflies are important pollinators, and are among our prettiest insects. The grubs of some also perform vital roles as predators of aphids, while others have aquatic grubs that prefer to live in rot holes – small puddles full of rotting leaves that form in the forks of old trees. These grubs have long, snorkel-like ‘tails’ that allow them to breathe under the murky water, from which they gain their common name – rat-tailed maggots. Breeding habitat for these delightful creatures can be provided by filling any waterproof container – such as a plastic milk carton chopped in half – with water and leaves. Provide a few protruding twigs for the full-grown grubs to climb up, as they pupate outside the rot hole. hoverflylagoons.co.uk…

VENOM SPUR Males have a spur connected to a venom-secreting gland on each hind ankle. They use these against rival males to secure their territories. FRONT LEG Webbed front feet are used for swimming. The webbing is folded under the toes when the platypus walks or burrows on land. CHEEK POUCHES Platypuses store larvae, snails, shrimps and other prey in cheek pouches while swimming, and devour them on the surface. TAIL During courtship, the male grips on to the female’s tail with his bill. She may do the same to him, before the pair swim in circles or near each other. EYES Folds of skin cover the eyes (and the ear slits next to them) when the platypus dives underwater – the nostrils are closed tight, too. BILL The soft,…

Forestry laws in England and Wales should be amended to protect some of the UK’s rarest species, such as red squirrels and bats, according to a prominent conservationist. Craig Shuttleworth, of the Red Squirrels Trust Wales, says that forestry legislation does not allow felling licences in England and Wales to take account of the impact on wildlife. It means that trees can be taken out during the breeding season, when many animals are at their most vulnerable. Shuttleworth became aware of the issue last year when tree felling was given the go-ahead in an area of Anglesey that is home to a high number of breeding red squirrels. “The density of squirrels was so high that the probability of young animals being in nests and getting destroyed by harvesting machines…

Jake Fiennes’ pick-up truck bumps down a track across marshy meadows, as we follow the low dash of a female sparrowhawk. A buzzard squats in a hawthorn, and a marsh harrier glides over the reedbed. In the space of five minutes, there’s also a quivering kestrel, a red kite, a grey heron, two brown hares, a Chinese water deer and the swirling majesty of 5,000 honking brent and pink-footed geese choosing a place to land. This uplifting abundance of wildlife has made the 9,000-acre nature reserve at Holkham a justly popular place of pilgrimage on the North Norfolk coast. But Holkham is not simply a paradise for wild birds and a mecca for 800,000 annual visitors – about eight times more than the RSPB’s celebrated Minsmere reserve. This 25,000-acre estate…

Every minute of every day, the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of plastic is emptied into the world’s oceans. To drive this message home, this three-part series begins with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall overseeing truck after truck tipping their contents over the promenade of a British seaside resort. It’s a stunt, of course, but the shocking truth of the sheer quantity of plastic waste we create hits hard. ‘But I recycle’, you might say. Well, Hugh and co-presenter Anita Rani swiftly shatter any illusions we might have about that. A trip to Malaysia reveals where much of it really goes – illegal dumpsites. “It looks like another planet – a plastic planet,” says Hugh in the show. “These mountains of broken bales and mixed plastics are clearly never going to be…

When I asked my five-year-old to help me review this book, his first impression was an instant thumbs up. It’s a classic format – press the buttons to hear 12 different sounds as you read. But it packs a few surprises that elevate it beyond being simply a tropical ‘my first animals’ sort of affair. Atmospheric sounds of the rainforest augment every howl, whistle or grunt, giving a real sense of the jungle. A selection of animals from off the beaten track includes tree hyrax, Goldie’s bird of paradise (my son’s favourite) and indri (mine). Each page sets the animal in question within its natural surroundings, and is full of the sort of facts that left my son and me staring dumfounded at each other (did you know that if…

MAHOGANY SPRINGS Stay at the luxurious Mahogany Springs lodge in Bwindi, Uganda, home of the mountain gorillas. Track the mountain gorillas through Bwindi Forest and spend time watching them interact. Mahogany Springs is a luxury lodge on the edge of the forest and the perfect base to begin your adventure. Bwindi is also home to more bird species per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in the world! mahoganysprings.com MISSION AFRICA SAFARIS Mission Africa Safaris helps put together amazing safaris in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and DR Congo. We specialize in gorilla trekking, but our tours also include bird watching, game drives, nature walks, mountain hiking, mission trips, and cultural visits among many others. We provide high quality services so why not join us on an adventure? silverbackgorillatours.com WILD LODGES…

Katy is curatorial assistant in the Coleoptera section of London’s Natural History Museum (NHM), but her passion for these creatures goes beyond working nine to five – she also spends her spare time managing the National Longhorn Beetle Recording Scheme. “I love everything about beetles, and longhorns are such an interesting and beautiful group, so taking on the volunteer role was a no-brainer,” she says. “I was taught about some of the UK’s more cryptic groups of wildlife.” Katy and fellow entomologist Wil Heeney were approached to run the scheme by Martin Harvey from the Biological Records Centre. Since it began in 2016, the citizen-science project has received over 10,000 records from across the UK, including sightings of the invasive Asian longhorn beetle. “Our focus is to get people interested…

Like Robert Macfarlane (Beneath the surface, May 2019), I spent much of my youth in the far north of Scotland. I went on to spend the next 40 years living and working around the Highlands and islands. From that perspective, I have to say that the words attributed to Robert regarding the uplands and land reform seem rather out of touch with the reality. The catalyst for the present debate was in 1992 when the Assynt Crofters’ Trust acquired their land. As a result of the process that followed the formation of the Community Land Unit, we now see a much greater diversity of landholding interests in the Highlands and islands, with community land trusts and woodland groups joining environmental charities and others. Yes, it would be nice to have…

1 | ROE DEER Hitching a lift Magpies perch on the haunches of a roe deer, which has paused to look at the photographer while strolling through a Sussex hay meadow awash with buttercups and wild grasses. It’s a poignant scene reminiscent of oxpeckers riding piggyback on zebras and antelopes in the African savannah – poignant because Britain has long since lost virtually all of its wild megafauna. Much like oxpeckers, these piebald corvids perform a useful service for the deer, by removing troublesome ticks. Unlike them, however, there is no evidence to show that magpies also take advantage of their host by opening wounds to sip blood. Ageing roes on sight can be tricky, but deer expert Alastair Ward of the University of Hull reckons this one’s a beauty.…

Spring has arrived and my garden is buzzing with life. The dandelions, daisies, bugle and speedwell are blooming in my unmown lawn. Petals are drifting down from the cherry and apple trees, and red mason bees are busy gathering the last of the fruit tree pollen to stock their nests in my various home-made bee hotels. The comfrey patch has just come into flower and is swarming with fluffy yellow-faced male bumblebees, while an orange-tip butterfly quarters the garden in search of a mate. Among the medley of bird song and sparrow chatter, the stubbornly incessant chant of a chiffchaff stands out. We have not yet given a name to four-fifths of the 5 million insect species that are thought to exist. I’m very lucky, for I have a large…

1 Start growing the right kinds of flowers There are many beautiful flowers to choose from that are highly attractive to pollinating insects (visit bit.ly/bestgardenflowers). In general, old fashioned, cottage-garden perennials are best. Many wildflowers are wonderful in the garden. Avoid double varieties, and annual bedding plants such as pansy, primula, begonia, pelargonium and busy lizzie, which are more or less useless for insects. Try out the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s ‘BeeKind’ tool, to find out how bee friendly your garden is: bit.ly/beekindapp 3 Add a water feature by digging a pond Once you’ve created your pond, watch how quickly it is colonised by dragonflies, whirligig beetles, newts and pond skaters! Even an old sink or bath can be turned into a water feature to support lots of insect life. 4…

A furry animal with a body the size of a hot-water bottle is cavorting through the waters of a clear, blue stream emerging from Jenolan caves, three hours west of Sydney. There is a splash as it dives down, paddling vigorously with its webbed front feet. When it reaches the bottom, the animal begins sweeping its flat, duck-like bill back and forth above the silt. The platypus is using thousands of minute receptors in its bill to detect the electrical fields made by the muscle movements of its prey – mainly insect larvae, aquatic insects, and sometimes freshwater crayfish and shrimp. It is relatively easy to spot a platypus in the limpid stream and Blue Lake at Jenolan, but normally they are far harder to detect. Their waterproof brown coats…

Amphibians around the world seem to have been contending with more than their fair share of infectious diseases – fungal, bacterial and viral – in recent decades. New research bolsters the idea that climate change is part of the problem. Tropical amphibians have been hardest hit by infections, but lethal epidemics of Ranavirus have been spreading across England and Wales since the 1980s. An analysis of historical Ranavirus outbreaks among wild frog populations has found that epidemics are both more frequent and more severe when temperatures are higher. This was supported by laboratory experiments showing that frogs can better withstand infections when in cooler conditions. “This is one of the first studies that provides strong evidence of the impact of climate change on wildlife disease,” says Stephen Price, lead author…

According to a report by the Wild Canids India Project, golden jackals are being poached in order for their ‘horns’ to then be traded. Jackals do not have horns, but locals believe that a deformity in the canid’s skull, thought to be present in one in a thousand jackals, creates this horn. The use of jackal horn, known locally as siyar singhi, has been promoted by black magic practitioners and some South Asian astrologers. Consumers of jackal horn believe it is a living entity, even after extracted from the dead animal. Between 2013 and 2019, Indian officials seized over 400 of these horns, despite golden jackals being a protected species in India. While demand for this product mostly comes from Asia, the researchers found that online retailers in the UK,…

NEWSPAPERS AND WEBSITES went into a frenzy back in April when a beluga whale wearing a harness was spotted in Norwegian waters. Many quickly reached the conclusion it had been sent by the Russian navy on a spying operation, and that the harness had been designed to be fitted with a recording device, such as a GoPro. The beluga was habituated to people, so it was relatively easy for the Norwegian fishing boats it approached to free it from the harness. This, reports marine scientist Martin Biuw, was labelled as being ‘Equipment of St Petersburg’, adding credence to the theory that the animal – which is more closely related to dolphins and porpoises than great whales – had swum there from Russia. But Biuw says there is little evidence to…

There are four main classes of gut-dwelling worms: tapeworms (cestodes), flukes (trematodes), roundworms (nematodes) and spiny-headed worms (acanthocephalans). In this seal, Natalia finds round and spiny-headed ones. Such creatures feed on a seal’s gut contents, then reach sexual maturity and breed in the seal’s intestines. Their eggs exit in the faeces. Then tiny, free-living larvae swim in search of an initial host, which are then eaten by fish, which, in turn, are eaten by seals. The number and type of hosts can differ between worms, but this is the basic idea. Research on intestinal parasites has traditionally focused on those that can live in humans, and their clinical effects, plus on those affecting human livestock. The diversity of worms living in other vertebrates, especially aquatic ones, remains mysterious. Natalia will…

Ever since mariners began to set sail and explore far reaches of the oceans, they’ve come back and told stories of their journeys and encounters with  extraordinary beasts. In his memoire The Deep, Alex Rogers continues this tradition and tells captivating tales of his voyages and discoveries as professor of marine biology. There are great wonders to be found on these pages, from deep coral reefs to hairy ‘Hoff’ crabs on Antarctic hydrothermal vents. Readers will find out what it’s like to be a marine scientist through descriptions of Rogers’ collaborative work with the many students and colleagues he introduces. Human-made troubles in the oceans also feature throughout. Reassuringly, for someone who has witnessed so much change, Rogers remains optimistic about the ocean’s ability to restore itself, given a chance.…

Amazing images taken by our readers Enter our Your Photos competition at discoverwildlife. com/submit-your-photos 1 Flora and fauna We discovered this peacock day gecko among the flowers. It provided a welcome respite to the strenuous hiking on our tour of Madagascar in 2018. We loved how the plant showed off this animal. James Douse, Chelmsford 2 Peek-a-boo I spotted this bronze grass skink climbing through a hole in a dry leaf in Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary, India, during the monsoon season. I took the shot silently, without moving, so as not to disturb the reptile. Anuj Raina, Gujarat, India 3 Taking flight I visited a lake near my home to photograph some water birds. After a few minutes, this Indian spot-billed duck swam across the water and decided to fly…

“A sudden uproar caught my attention as hornbills and drongos flew in alarm.” Moving with extreme caution and military efficiency, they crossed their territory to settle in safer quarters. As I followed, I carefully counted each individual several times, and soon discovered that poor Rumple was gone. Spending six months studying dwarf mongooses in the South African bushveld for my behavioural ecology degree, I was bound to encounter interesting wildlife. During my fieldwork in Limpopo province, I witnessed stand-offs between mongooses and Mozambique spitting Until that moment, I hadn’t realised how attached I had become to these wild mammals. As a zoologist, I understand the balance of nature – I would record absent individuals, noting ‘assumed predated’ – but mongooses are endearing creatures, especially when you’re studying them for 12…

Let’s be honest, given our size and geographical position, the UK appears low down on any global list that ranks countries according to their levels of biodiversity and endemism. However, with ‘Old Blighty’ hosting up to eight million seabirds throughout the summer months, this is one wildlife grouping where we can confidently compete on the world stage. So, why does our assorted collection of islands hold internationally important numbers of seabirds? Well, firstly, and perhaps most obviously, the UK’s long and convoluted coastlines have an abundance of maritime cliffs. Secondly, our coastal waters have a wide range of depths, and strong surface currents, both ensuring high levels of zooplankton productivity, which in turn drives healthy fish stocks. Also, with commercial fishing still a key industry in many coastal towns, a…

There are about 250 different kinds of solitary bee in the UK, some of which will happily adopt a bee hotel as home. All they need are horizontal holes, in a range of diameters from about 5–10mm. You can drill holes in a block of wood (right), as deep as your longest drill bit will go, or gather together lengths of bamboo with wire and shove them into a tin can or piece of drain pipe. Attach the hotel to a sunny, south-facing wall or fence, ideally 1–2m above the ground, and wait. With luck, you will see red mason bees (April to June) and leafcutter bees (June to July) moving in. Do not attach the homes to a tree, unless you’d prefer to house earwigs.…

Despite spending many years photographing big cats, Suzi had always been eluded by leopards. Then she met an individual known as Camp Female, at Tubu Tree in Botswana’s Jao Reserve. “The animals here live in a haven, protected from poachers, vehicle crowding and harassment,” says Suzi. “Camp Female grew up around safari vehicles behaving responsibly and, as a result, is the most relaxed leopard I have ever known. Without such trust, these photos would not have been possible.” SUZI ESZTERHAS is a photographer known for documenting newborn animals. She worked with tracker guide Kambango Sinimbo, at Tubu Tree Camp, to capture these images. suzieszterhas.com…

Female platypuses are in charge of breeding encounters, according to Dr Jessica Thomas, senior keeper at Healesville Sanctuary. Observing captive platypuses courting and mating as part of her doctoral research, Jessica said the female took evasive action to avoid the male until she was ready to breed. “The males have got very high testosterone levels during the breeding season, which also makes them very aggressive.” In the wild, they sometimes try to dig their venomous spurs into rival males. As the female came into season, she began playing around in the same pond as the male. “Then the next stage is the male bites the female on the tail and she bites him on the tail”, says Jessica. The couple then began an elaborate courtship dance, doing barrel rolls, twists…

It’s fitting that white storks are symbols of rebirth and renewal, as the species – which hasn’t bred successfully in Britain for hundreds of years – is on the cusp of a comeback thanks to the Sussex-based White Stork Project. Reintroduction› work›began›in›››››››with›a›colony› of›rehabilitated›wild›individuals›from› France›and›Poland››This›summer›has› been›the›first›that›the›birds›››now› sexually›mature›and›free-flying››after› two›years›in›an›enclosure›››could›have› bred›in›the›wild› One›pair›nearly›managed›it›› bypassing›the›wooden›nesting› platforms›provided›to›create›a›typically› large››shaggy›home›atop›an›oak›tree›› in›which›the›female›began›brooding› three›eggs››But›the›immaturity›of›the› pair›meant›the›flitter-flutter›of›tiny› wings›wasn’t›to›be››as›both›partners› repeatedly›left›the›nest››However›› the›project›team›is›hopeful›that›the› storks›will›try›again›next›year›› whitestorkproject›org Photo: Nick Upton…

Why study this species? Baird’s tapirs were barely known or researched 30 years ago, and they still receive little attention from ecologists and the general public, compared to felines, monkeys and raptors, which are considered more charismatic. However, we now know that Baird’s tapirs are an ideal focal species to assess the impacts of forest fragmentation. Where do they live? These herbivores inhabit lowland tropical forests, palm swamps and cloud forests, which provide food, cover and water sources, where they can escape predators, seek relief from the heat and try to get rid of irritating parasites. Historically, Baird’s tapirs were found throughout southern Mexico, Central America and north-western South America, but they have now disappeared from most of their original range. Currently, they reside in fragmented forests in parts of…

WHAT IS IT? White-eyes are a family of tropical and subtropical birds closely related to warblers and, more surprisingly perhaps, swallows and martins. They are an adaptable group and are particularly adept at colonising remote oceanic islands, many of which have their own endemic white-eye species. WHERE IS IT? The Wangi-wangi white-eye is endemic to a tiny island of the same name in Indonesia’s Wakatobi archipelago near Sulawesi. Though other white-eye species occur in the region, the closest relative of the Wangi-wangi lives more than 3,000km away in the Solomon Islands. FIND OUT MORE Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society: bit.ly/wangiwangi…

Two and a half months before writing this, a young adult grey seal washed up on a beach in Kent. Two days ago, it was removed from a freezer at London’s Natural History Museum and, today, I’m going to watch it being dissected. I’m currently wondering what exactly I’ll witness and looking at everyone on the Tube while thinking: ‘I bet you don’t have a date with a dead seal.’ My only guide is an email saying the museum’s staff will inspect the seal’s forelimbs and collect any parasites and plastic the animal contains. The last time I saw seals was in Norfolk – the local colony evoked perfectly these mammals’ dichotomous nature. On a shingle beach, about 100 of them lay like stuffed socks. Most remained motionless. And the…

1 HOW AND WHY DO GLOWWORMS CREATE LIGHT? Glow-worms are actually beetles, found in species-rich meadows and grassland across much of the UK. Only the adult females glow, to attract the flying males. The yellow-green light – produced by mixing two chemicals, luciferin and luciferase – is beamed out of the final segment of a female’s abdomen during evenings in June and July. 2 CAN YOU GET GOOD AND BAD GLOW-WORM YEARS? Yes. A combination of circumstances (that are still not fully understood), can lead to boom years at certain sites. Glowworms typically spend two years in larval form, hunting snails and slugs that they paralyse with a toxic bite. Damp years, when their mollusc prey is plentiful, can help to boost numbers of glowing adult females the…

Area: 19,185km2 Denali peak: 6,190m Annual visitors: 594,660 A wilderness at the heart of Alaska that features taiga forest, alpine tundra and snow-capped mountains, this national park was established in 1917. It’s famous for the highest peak in North America – ‘Denali’ is the native name for the mountain – and visitors flock to the park in summer to try and see its ‘big five’ – wolf, bear, moose, caribou and Dall sheep. When to go Denali experiences its longest daylight hours during the summer months. Most tours operate during this time to coincide with the best wildlife viewing, when the animals increase their foraging activities. GO THERE WITH • Grand American Adventures • Wildlife Worldwide • Naturetrek…

Returning wolves I disagree with Jim Crumley’s flowery and dreamy article (A land fit for wolves, June 2019). I think you would find that only a small minority would relish the return of wolves. Firstly, we are all encouraged to get outside and enjoy the countryside, but having wolves roaming about would make it too dangerous. Secondly, wolves would no doubt predate livestock – something we already see with sea eagles and ravens. The farmers have a tough enough time with existing predators, so another would not help. This country is not large enough for wolves, and there are plenty of other countries that have the room. Tricia Brown, Perthshire Jim Crumley’s writing on wolves’ return was outstanding and thought-provoking. A strong argument in favour would be that wolves would…