Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i BBC Wildlife Magazine

Skylark Smaller than a starling, the skylark is brown and streaky with a short crest. Famed for the aerial delivery of its song, this once-common farmland bird has found that brownfield sites can function as alternatives to its traditional grassland home. Slow-worm Neither a worm or a snake, the slow-worm ( below ) is in fact a legless lizard. Reaching up to 40cm in length, this shy, nocturnal predator of slugs and earthworms is rarely seen, unless uncovered while basking in the sun. Common lizard Reaching a length of about 15cm, the common lizard has a varied pattern of dark spots and lines and a brown background colour. It appears the warmth and lack of disturbance offered by brownfield sites have turned the habitat into an unlikely saviour for this…

FLYING-ANT DAYS Balmy August days encourage hundreds of black garden ants to emerge from their nests before taking ‘nuptial flights’ to find mates and create new colonies. As their name suggests, they frequent urban and suburban areas, so you can even stay home and watch. PETRELHEAD A relative of the albatross, the fulmar is a cliff-nesting seabird that can be seen along much of the British coastline. Watch adults ride the updraughts before flying out to sea to provide for their still-flightless youngsters.…

Every entomologist will have been asked: “What is the point of wasps?” But, really, the key biological question is: “What is the point of stings?” That is, why is it that some stings seem more acceptable to us than others? And why is it that some stings really, really hurt? Wasps sting, but because wasps are, shall we say, ‘under-appreciated’, the sting in the tail has grown in the telling. Wasps are small insects, yet are exaggerated into monsters of phantasmagorical proportions. However, this is a fear based in ignorance. In reality, there are no such things as monsters. Bees sting too but engender far less fear. Bumblebees are just too cuddly for words anyway, while honeybees are lauded for their earnest and diligent industry, and the production of that…

Natural England’s plan to reduce persecution of hen harriers on grouse moors through brood management is operating this year for the first time. Operations director James Diamond announced in early June that there were nests this year that “meet the licensed criteria for trial brood management and willing landowners who want to be part of the trial.” In practice, this means there are two pairs nesting within 10km of each other, so workers have been allowed to take eggs from one of the nests and raise the chicks in captivity. Natural England has not said where the nests are. The chicks will be released back onto the same moor once they fledge. The rationale is that this will reduce hen harrier predation of grouse chicks because they won’t have young…

A few quick taps on a small screen, and voilà – a selfie is snapped, tagged and broadcast to the world. Love it or loathe it, this 21st-century twist on the self-portrait is now part of our daily digital landscape and conversation. ‘Selfie’ was even the 2013 Oxford Dictionaries’ Word of the Year. Many a selfie trend has come and gone since phones with forward-facing cameras hit the market in 2003. The #wildlifeselfie, though, has not only endured, but taken on a life of its own among Instagram and Facebook’s billions of monthly users. In some cases, it’s harmless fun – even a force for good – but in most, it’s an egotistical game that can cause immeasurable harm to the creatures we seem so eager to showcase. Loving wildlife…

Lake Macquarie, Australia For years, visitors could access the grounds of Morisett Hospital, New South Wales, to observe kangaroos that travel here from the surrounding bushland to graze. But by 2018, selfie tourism had sent things spiralling out of control, with visitor numbers soaring to more than 1,000 per day. “The change from non-problematic to problematic visitation absolutely occurred due to promotion on social media,” says local politician Greg Piper. Many kangaroos had to be euthanised following jaw injuries and gut issues, a result of unsuitable food being offered to them by tourists. The kangaroos also started to gather in unusually large numbers (exacerbating herd disease) and act aggressively. “There was no option to manage the tourism, so the site had to be closed,” says Greg. “The kangaroos are now…

“The birds eke out an existence on whatever ground they can find, including airfields and golf courses.” Birds don’t come more neurotic than the burrowing owl. “These birds are super-fun to watch,” says Mac. “They’re like cartoon characters, bobbing up and down looking for predators. But they also have some really interesting behaviour – they’re diurnal, they mimic the sound of rattlesnakes to deter predators, and they build dung piles to attract insects.” Mac’s first encounter with these quirky birds came by chance. Loading a helicopter at Homestead Airport, Florida, he spotted a few individuals on the grass beside the tarmac, perched on the cones that alert the groundsmen to the location of their burrows. “You cannot understand my elation,” he says. “I’d been wanting to see and photograph this…

Established: 1997 Land area: 2,300km2 Marine parks: 100km2 The largest of Madagascar’s national parks is also one of its least visited. Situated a two-to-three-hour boat ride from the market town of Maroantsetra, mountainous Masoala is in the north-east of the island. Comprising pristine primary rainforest, which abuts deserted beaches, the area is home to a diverse collection of flora and fauna, including rare endemic species. When to go August is cool and dry, making it an ideal time to explore, but Madagascar can be visited at any time of year, depending on what you want to see while you’re there. GO THERE WITH • Audley Travel • Malagasya • Steppes Travel…

Human population Duncan Geere’s article (Are there too many people? May 2019) said much of what I have been thinking for a long time. If it were any other animal, we would look at humans and say: “this species has grossly exceeded the carrying capacity of its environment. It now needs to be culled.” I agree with him that the liberation and education of women is the key to reducing human numbers, but also wanted to point out another factor. Where having a son is of paramount importance, a couple may have several less-wanted female babies during their quest for the desired male, and it is the number of females that affects population growth. Susan Francis, Malvern Wolves in Scotland I agree with all that was written in Jim Crumley’s…

What is special about the great yellow bumblebee? It’s gorgeous. It’s one of the largest species of bumblebee and is distinctive in that it’s almost entirely sandy yellow, with the exception of a black band in the middle of its thorax – it looks like a little f lying teddy bear. It’s one of Britain’s rarest bumblebees. 100 years ago, there were scattered populations all over the country but they’ve now been pushed right up to the far northwest of Scotland and Orkney. It’s declined by 80 per cent in 100 years and it could become extinct in our lifetime. This summer, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust launched a citizen science survey to record it in remote areas. Why have they declined? The main reason is probably loss of habitat –…

Gazing down on a swirling flock of flamingos, from the lofty position of our six-seater Piper Cherokee, is perhaps the best, and most privileged, way to enjoy one of South America’s greatest avian gatherings. Taking in the huge expanse of water below, it’s hard to believe we’re not flying over ocean but rather the continent’s second-largest inland water body – Mar Chiquita. Translating as ‘little sea’, Mar Chiquita is a vast endorheic saline lake in north-central Argentina, extending for some 80km by 45km. Designated as both a Ramsar site and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), it plays host to most of the world’s Chilean flamingos, a population boosted in winter by up to 18,000 rare Andean flamingos and a smaller number of puna flamingos – completing the holy…

VISIT THE BBC WILDLIFE MAGAZINE TEAM! Come to see us in Marquee 2, stands 97–100, to find out about our amazing subscription offer, enter our competition to win a luxury stay in Woburn, and have a chat about the magazine. HUNT FOR TREASURE New for this year, Birdfair is launching a treasure trail for younger visitors. There will be 12 beautiful paintings of native wildlife around the fair, each with interesting facts about the species. Following the trail, visitors need to collect clues and submit their answers in the Wild Zone. All participants will receive a bookmark, and one lucky person will win a Sony HX99 compact camera, worth £450. EVENING EVENTS On Friday night, head to Question Time, chaired by Dominic Dyer. Put your questions to a panel of…

1 | GRASS SNAKE Water world An idyllic pond, strewn with enough water lilies to keep Monet busy for hours, might seem an unlikely place to meet our largest, most abundant snake. Rather chilly for a sun-worshipping serpent, you might think. But the grass snake is a strong swimmer, and, by mid-morning on a summer’s day, having warmed up nicely by basking in a sheltered spot, it sets off to hunt. Top of the menu are amphibians and fish, which it stalks above and below the surface – sliding among floating lilies and weeds and through lush bankside vegetation to hide its approach. A decent meal will last the reptile two or even three weeks. Sharing this particular Nottinghamshire garden pond was photographer Jack Perks, an underwater specialist who, in…

Grab your binoculars, crabbing net and camera, and get ready to track down some of the country’s most incredible creatures – from the biggest fish in our seas to minuscule moths and nocturnal marvels (and that’s just for starters). Make the most of August’s distinctly clement temperatures, which provide perfect conditions in which to view a variety of flora and fauna, whether via land, sea or air. While it’s always a thrill to spot your favourite species, and while some inquisitive individuals may approach you for a closer look, remember to keep your distance, to avoid any disturbance (find out about the code for watching wildlife on page 62) while enjoying the natural world’s summer spectacular. 1 | OTTER The return of the native August is prime time to celebrate…

Think of a beach on a summer’s day in the UK, and there’s a good chance that wildlife will come to mind. Perhaps wading birds, or the crabs, starfish and anemones of a rockpool. However, the seaside is also popular with human visitors, and when the two meet, issues can arise. Whether it’s the construction of houses, tourist attractions or harbours, the disturbance of animals by humans or dogs, or the trampling of vulnerable plants, people can have a devastating impact on wildlife in coastal areas. And these problems become more severe where sensitive and rare species rely on small nature reserves. At Dawlish Warren, a National Nature Reserve in the Exe Estuary, Devon, there’s a precarious balance between encouraging people to enjoy the outdoors and conserving wildlife. The seaward…

Following a public inquiry, the Welsh Assembly has scrapped plans to build a six-lane motorway because the scheme was too expensive and harmful to the environment. “I attach very significant weight to the fact that the project would have a substantial adverse impact on the Gwent Levels SSSIs and their reen network and wildlife, and on other species,” says Mark Drakeford, who took office as First Minister in December 2018. The Gwent Levels is a coastal wetland between Newport and the River Severn that is considered vital for nature, as its waterways are home to an array of species, including water vole, shrill carder bee, king diving beetle, rare rootless duckweed and common crane. Conservationists and environmentalists alike welcomed the decision of the Senedd in June 2019, which followed years…

A development scheme on the outskirts of Glasgow is proving that what’s good for people is good for wildlife. Water voles inhabit the area around Easterhouse on the east side of the city, though they are unusual in their behaviour because they live 2km from any fresh water. But where there was previously derelict land and unused sports pitches, the council is creating a network of habitats, including wetlands, wildflower meadows, grasslands and woodlands. The idea is not just to make a more attractive environment for local people, who live in one of the most deprived areas of Scotland. The re-creation of wildlife habitat will also make it more resilient to flooding. And, of course, the local water voles will benefit, too. The city council is proud of its extraordinary…

African conservationists have questioned Botswana lifting its ban on the trophy hunting of elephants and other wildlife. The country’s Ministry of Environment announced in May that it would allow hunting to take place for the first time since 2014 after “extensive consultations with all stakeholders,” including communities, tourism businesses and NGOs. It said that communities that had previously benefited from consumptive utilisation of wildlife had lost income since the ban was brought in and that human-elephant conflict was increasing and having a negative impact on people’s livelihoods. But according to WildlifeDirect, originally set up as the African Conservation Fund by the Kenyan conservationist Dr Richard Leakey, most money generated from hunting either goes to the state or the hunting companies themselves. “Studies have shown that less than 2 per cent…

THE SHORT ANSWER is that it’s too soon to tell: management of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) only began in 2017, and that’s not enough time to provide evidence for their effectiveness. But, says Jean-Luc Solandt, a marine biologist for the Marine Conservation Society, there is evidence that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) – a catch-all term for any marine reserve including, in Europe, areas designated under the EU Birds or Habitats Directives – do indeed work as conservation initiatives. Solandt says an important piece of research published in 2014 demonstrated that MPAs are effective, but only as long as they included five key ingredients. “They have to be big – larger than 100km² if not more. They must also be no-take [ie no fishing allowed] and at least 10 years old.…

Tiger selfies (with cubs and adults) are particularly associated with Thailand. Their popularity is reflected in the sharp increase in the number of tigers at entertainment venues across the country, which rose from 623 in 2010 to 830 in 2016. Typically, cubs are removed from their mothers within a few weeks of birth, so they can be bottle-fed by tourists. At three months old, when the cubs are too large to be handled, they continue to pose in photos, are used for breeding or are sold for body parts. Of 17 venues visited by WAP in 2016, 12 encouraged visitors to have a selfie with a tiger cub; 13 with an adult.…

When we break a bone or strain a muscle, usually, it’s a case of shrouding the offending body part in a cast or sling, and taking our recovery for granted. But for a bird, such an injury has far more serious implications. Birds in Britain are fortunate enough to have a plethora of wildlife hospitals at their disposal to cater for bumps, bangs and breaks. On the continent, however, avian first aid is not always so readily available. One of the richest areas for birdlife in Western Europe is Extremadura, Spain, a largely rural area along the Portuguese border. Though it is twice the size of Wales, Extremadura is the most sparsely populated region in the country, with just 1.1 million inhabitants in its two provinces: Badajoz in the south;…

ANIMAL BABIES: FIRST YEAR ON EARTH BBC TWO,THREE EPISODES, CATCH UP ON IPLAYER. Baby animals – what’s not to like? At a time when natural history programmes tend towards grave conservation issues, this series following six adorable animals in their first year makes for a refreshing break. But that’s not to say it’s all fun and games. To survive, they must overcome the threats of predators, rivals and the elements. We witness events through the eyes of three camera operators, who take us around the globe and show us the challenges facing the young of our most iconic species. From a bobbing boat in Monterey Bay, cameraman Colin Stafford-Johnson watches as a fluffy sea otter cub is towed out into deep, open waters by his mother for diving practice. “It’s…

There have been so many books published about getting kids into wildlife and nature that my first reaction to Get Your Boots On was: do we need another one? But this one is different because it was written by a kid – well, okay, Alex White is a teenager, but hopefully he knows how they think. He certainly seems to understand that some teenagers are put off wildlife-related hobbies because of what their friends think; that they rarely stop eating, and that expensive waterproof trousers can get ruined quickly out in the field. The book covers all the basics of getting into wildlife, from fieldcraft and photography tips to getting connected with like-minded people. The chances are you know someone who really wants to know more about this funny business…

AVIAN ADVENTURES WORLDWIDE TOURS Avian Adventures have been operating quality worldwide birdwatching and wildlife tours for 26 years. Whether you wish to see Steller’s sea eagles and ‘snow monkeys’ in Japan, resplendent quetzals in Costa Rica or the fantastic wildlife of Tanzania’s Serengeti, then join us for an amazing Avian Adventure. Please visit us at the Birdfair – Marquee 3. avianadventures.co.uk BIRDING TOURS COLOMBIA Birding Tours Colombia offers high-quality birding trips to the best localities in the country. It operates customised and regular tours, with close attention to detail and smooth logistics, covering the endemics and specialties. Thanks to its local knowledge of the country and experienced guides, it provides the best birding opportunities in Colombia. birdingtourscolombia.com SHENTON SAFARIS There is no better place to observe and photograph the astounding…

Neil Hulme was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2017 for his long-standing services to wildlife conservation. During the summer months, he focuses on recording and monitoring butterflies. “We need to know exactly what’s happening to populations in order to guide practical conservation work,” he says. The full-time volunteer has been a member of South Downs Volunteer Ranger Service for two years but has also partnered with South Downs National Park Authority with his ‘butterfly hat’ on for over 15 years as a Butterfly Conservation volunteer and continues to do so: “I’ve worked on so many sites between the Sussex-Hampshire border and Eastbourne that I’ve lost count!” Neil is interested in the entire fauna and flora of the South Downs, but his main passion…

It was delightful to read Matthew Oates’ story from the forefront of butterfly ecology (The emperor strikes back, July 2019), which had the power to give one hope, contrasting to the dour news of many other species. Not only hope for the well-being and health of the overall population of the purple emperor species, but hope as well for the increased likelihood of my seeing one once again on my next visit to England. While we have a wide range of butterfly species here in the United States, including such showy beauties as the pipevine swallowtail and the western tiger swallowtail, we have nothing that quite compares to the subtle yet eye-arresting beauty of the purple emperor. So plain at first glance, yet in a heartbeat, what was of seemingly…

PURPLE HAZE The UK hosts one-fifth of the world’s lowland heathland, yet we have destroyed 85 per cent of it since 1800. This landscape is at its best in August, when the rosy flowers of ling are interspersed with the blooms of bell heather. FIRST FLIGHT The year’s crop of ospreys is fattening up ahead of their first autumn migration southwards. Wandering youngsters often spend weeks at fish-rich waterbodies countrywide. Each August, up to six usually frequent Poole Harbour in Dorset, which is one reason why the location has been chosen for an exciting translocation project.…

He bares his teeth and reveals inch-long pointed canines. Raised eyebrows and widened eyes make the big guy’s displeasure obvious. Despite the distance between them, the two-year-old juvenile backs off and hides behind a bush. He’s done nothing to upset the boss, but he’s taking no chances. However, the upstart isn’t getting away this time. In the next instant, the 10kg adult male macaque bounds towards his potential rival, who runs screaming. Meanwhile, the harem of four females and their offspring watch the fracas from a distance. Only when the youngster is out of sight does the chase end. The adult has served notice – this juvenile’s days with the group are numbered. Bonnet macaques, like many wild primates, are fascinating to watch, as their riveting family dramas play out…

This juvenile trevally, photographed at a depth of 15m, during a night dive off the Philippine coast of Batangas, may look as if it’s been ensnared by a jellyfish but, in fact, the opposite is true. “Young fish spend most of their time swimming high in the water column, where they are extremely visible and susceptible to predators,” says marine ecologist Kylie Pitt. “Many species therefore associate with jellies, swimming among their tentacles for protection. Occasionally, a trevally will take this strategy a step further, hiding right inside a jellyfish’s bell, and even steering it along." Seemingly unaffected by the stings, this individual has actually wedged itself between the jelly’s bell and its tentacles. The peculiar, one-eyed jelly-travelly hybrid emerging from the union might just be enough to confuse any…

What happened? I run a large citizen science project that monitors seabird mortalities as an indicator of coastal ecosystem health. On St Paul, a small island in the middle of the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska, we’ve worked with the Aleut Community of St Paul Island Ecosystem Conservation Office since 2006. Their employees walk the island’s beaches and record dead and dying birds washed up on the tides. Recently, they found many more dead and dying birds than usual – hundreds of times as many. These were mostly tufted puffins, but also crested auklets. They were free of disease, but severely emaciated with no body fat at all, so were clearly dying of starvation. What’s killing them? There are many oceanographers and biologists working in the Bering Sea,…

WHAT IS IT? This moth, discovered by Finnish biologists, belongs to a whole new family, which makes it roughly as different to existing moth families as cats are to dogs. Though the adult is rather drab, the larva boasts bright colours, which are thought to signal a warning to predators. WHERE IS IT? Ustyurtia zygophyllivora lives in the hot desert habitat of Kazakhstan’s Ustyurt Nature Reserve. Unlike most desert caterpillars, which escape the heat of the sun by burrowing underground, emerging to feed only at night, it stays out in the open throughout the day. The adult moth, too, is diurnal. FIND OUT MORE Insect Systematics & Evolution bit.ly/2J69HLe…

The brown-throated, three-toed sloth is a selfie ‘celebrity’ of the Amazon, probably because it looks as if it is smiling. In the two towns they visited, WAP’s researchers discovered 14 individuals available for ‘close or direct encounters’, many of them juveniles taken from their mothers. Sloths are intensely fragile creatures that need to sleep for 15–18 hours per day, and to move between sun and shade to maintain their core body temperature. Intense handling (one individual can be held by five people within a few minutes), combined with being taken from their natural environment is likely to cause immense psychological stress and anxiety, to the extent that sloths used as props are estimated to survive for no longer than six months.…

THEO BOSBOOM hails from the Netherlands and specialises in wildlife and landscape photography. He is author of three books and leads tours and workshops. theobosboom.nl…

Following on from a challenging day on the water, I look for a warm, dry place to rest. While circumnavigating Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands, off the Californian coast, in my trusty blue kayak, this didn’t quite go to plan. These two large isles form part of the Channel Islands National Park. And despite being only 96km west of Los Angeles, the protected area is known as ‘the Galápagos Islands of the north’ for its unique biodiversity. During the winter, I was paddling into a nasty headwind around Santa Rosa when the wind speed increased, resulting in a 1.8m swell. After sneaking between several knobby sea stacks cloaked in acorn barnacles in search of shelter, my luck ran out and I was ejected from my kayak into the choppy…

WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS Don’t miss the opportunity to explore Rutland Water and see its fantastic wildlife. As well as the glorious ospreys, there are plenty of species to spot, including water voles, sand martins, kingfishers, swallows and more. Join Nigel Marven, Simon King or Mike Dilger for a guided cruise or walk. A young birders’ walk, run by the British Trust for Ornithology and Cameron Bespolka Trust, and led by Toby Carter, will meet at the ringing demonstration area at midday on Saturday. CAREERS CLINIC Young naturalists and environmentalists can learn about the different career paths available in conservation and natural history in the Wild Zone. There will be mini careers talks, a CV workshop, a volunteering debate, a campaigning workshop and the chance to have an informal chat with various…

When he brakes his motorbike suddenly, I almost collide with Mem Mai, whose balding rear tyre is furrowing the sandy soil. I’d been concentrating on keeping my bike upright as we juddered over tree roots in the dry, open forest of Western Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary in northern Cambodia, and by the time I dismount, Mem’s already peering through binoculars and pointing enthusiastically through some long grass. I have to be quick – the national bird of Cambodia is as shy as it is tall. But there it is no mistaking its iridescent glossy flanks and iconic down-curved bill – the giant ibis, by far the largest of all ibis species. I just catch a glimpse of its dark red eyes before it’s gone, but that moment has stuck with…