Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i BBC Wildlife Magazine

1 | COMMON TOAD Get a grip Never has the phrase ‘hanging on for dear life’ been more apt. This photograph of a male toad gripping his partner with all his might speaks volumes about the biological imperative to pass on your genes. So powerful is the urge driving this pumped-up amphibian, he might have grabbed any suitable object in range, were no female available. Male toads have been known to seize other male toads, frogs, small fish, tennis balls floating in the water, even the hands of volunteers running toad crossings on busy roads. Sometimes several males will all pile on, forming waddling scrums. The no-nonsense mating position is known as amplexus, from the Latin for ‘embrace’, and is used by toads and frogs worldwide. In many species, the…

We may share 96 per cent of our genetic information with chimps, but that 4 per cent allows for some striking differences. Take their system of raising young: “Chimpanzees and bonobos, our closest relatives, don’t exhibit paternal care,” says Aaron Sandel of the University of Texas. “So it seems that active paternal care as we see in humans evolved sometime on the human lineage, likely when humans formed pair bonds.” And yet Sandel and his colleagues, working in Uganda’s Kibale National Park, have found evidence that chimp fathers and sons, at least, do share a special bond. “All adolescent and young adult males seem to groom a ‘father-figure’,” says Sandel. “These older males may make ideal partners because they are still well connected in the social network, but not competing…

Human-induced extinctions are not just a modern phenomenon. After all, we managed to wipe out Australia’s giant marsupials not long after we arrived there 50,000-odd years ago. But new research suggests that the killing started much earlier. Biologists have found that the extinction of large carnivores over the past three million years or so in East Africa coincided with increases in the brain size of our hominid ancestors. The team argues that, as our ancestors’ intelligence increased, they found new ways to gather food, leading to the demise of carnivore species including bears, sabre toothed cats and giant martens, otters and civets. It’s unlikely that they would have actively hunted the predators – that would have required weapons that hadn’t yet been invented. Instead, the biologists suggest that our ancestors…

Four years ago, in BBC Wildlife, conservationist Chris Baines argued that HS2, the new high-speed railway linking London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, need not be a wildlife disaster. In fact, Europe’s largest current infrastructure project could create a 530km green corridor through lowland England. This spring, the first shovels – or more accurately, the first massive drilling rigs – hit the soil. So what happens next? What will be the impact on wildlife? Could HS2 still enhance the natural world? Most environmental charities, from the National Trust to Friends of the Earth, have sounded concern over HS2. Chris Packham’s lawyers are currently considering a crowdfunded legal challenge. Extinction Rebellion activists and concerned residents are undertaking direct action against the drillers and diggers, particularly in the Colne Valley, near London,…

Anyone under 30 may find it hard to believe that red kites – reintroduced to England during the 1990s and now so common over Reading and the M40 and M4 corridor that people barely give them a second glance – were once about to disappear from Britain. Could white-tailed eagles, recently returned to the Isle of Wight after a 240-year absence in England, soar to equally spectacular heights by 2050? “Why not?” says Tim Mackrill, a quietly confident raptor specialist who works for the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation. “These birds belong here, cheek by jowl, right among us.” Together with Forestry England, the foundation is leading an ambitious project to repopulate southern England with the huge eagles – Europe’s largest, with a wingspan of up to 2.4m. Also known as…

A Almost exactly 175 years ago, in 1845, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror sailed west from Disko Bay, Greenland on a planned three-year expedition led by Captain Sir John Franklin, aiming to navigate the ice-choked waters between Baffin Bay and the Pacific coast. By the following September, both ships were icebound; a year later Franklin perished, followed by the rest of his crew, some of whom allegedly resorted to cannibalism. None completed the journey. In September 2016, around the time the wreck of the Terror was discovered, some 1,000 tourists sailed from Anchorage to New York, enjoying close encounters with polar bears and whales – as well as a choice of restaurants and bars, a gym and pool, even a cinema and nightclub. The Crystal Serenity was the first conventional…

Steve Wells loves looking at trees. He spends most of his weekends doing so, plus occasional evenings, alongside his day job. “I like giving my time to something worthwhile,” he says. “If I can help to preserve our beautiful trees and woodlands, then I have spent my time well.” “If the trees could talk, I imagine the stories they could tell me.” In spring 2019, Steve got involved with Observatree, which is a collaborative project between several organisations and charities. It is run with approximately 200 volunteers who have been trained to recognise new disease and pest threats to UK trees: “I joined the Woodland Trust in early 2019 when Observatree was recruiting new volunteers, and within a month I was signed up and booked onto training courses.” He visits…

Feathered fury This shot was taken in Kiskunság National Park, Hungary. I watched as a roller flew into a starling nest and threw out the chicks. I waited there until the starlings eventually returned – they were livid. The male starling used its talons to grab the roller by the neck and fiercely drove it out of the nest. Tony Zhang, London 1 Eight-legged jewel The colours of this male Stenaelurillus jumping spider in Bangalore are simply amazing. After the image was taken, another male appeared, then a female. The males started to fight each other to establish dominance. Shashank Prabhakar, Bangalore, India 2 Lost at sea This juvenile humpback whale was spotted alone two days in a row. Here, it is following a group of dolphins, as though trying…

Yawns tend to strike in moments of tedium or sleepiness. But these involuntary muscle contractions, involving an open mouth and a deep intake of breath, are anything but boring. They occur in all sorts of animals, from budgies to baboons, and have been linked to a range of functions, from stimulating alertness to co-ordinating group behaviour. In South American sealions, according to new research, yawning seems to be a signal of anxiety, occurring after aggressive interactions between individuals. “Our data show that, just after an agonistic event, there is a peak of yawning in the aggressor and the victim, which may reflect anxiety of the subjects, or may function as a stress-releaser mechanism,” says Clara Llamazares-Martín of Spain’s CEU Cardenal Herrera University. The findings chime with work on apes and…

The Sussex-based Help Our Kelp campaign, the UK’s first kelp rewilding project (Kelp: a cry for help, January 2020), achieved a milestone earlier this year when the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority agreed to a new bylaw that will see trawlers excluded from a zone of more than 300km². Kelp occurs all around British shores, but has declined in the south, particularly off the Sussex coast, where it has been reduced by 97 per cent, following decades of trawling (which uproots the seaweed from the seabed), storm events and sediment dredging. By giving this habitat chance to re-emerge, the hope is that the Sussex seas will also see a return of the myriad marine species, including seahorses and cuttlefish, that kelp supports. The plant is also renowned for locking…

Where can white-tailed eagles be found? Following reintroduction, these eagles breed in Scotland’s western Highlands and islands, and along parts of the east coast. As well as to the Isle of Wight, the species has also been reintroduced to south-west Ireland. Its global range extends through Europe to eastern Asia and Japan. Why are so many eagles being reintroduced? White-tailed eagles suffer high mortality. “If 30–40 per cent of the birds we release reach breeding age, we are doing fairly well,” Tim Mackrill says. Why choose the Isle of Wight? The last English white-tailed eagles bred on the island, at Culver Cliff. When occasional eagles wander to the UK from the Netherlands or France, they also often turn up here or in Hampshire. In addition, there is plenty of potential…

DOUG GIMESY is a conservation, wildlife and animal-welfare photojournalist based in Victoria, Australia. See more of his work at gimesy.com MORE ONLINE View more of Doug’s images of animals affected by the fires in Australia in our online gallery: discoverwildlife.com/gimesygallery…

SPRING BLACKTHORNE The delicate blossom of this hedgerow staple is a source of pollen for bees in spring. Its foliage is also enjoyed by caterpillars. HARVEST MOUSE This species constructs its nest in dense vegetation, including hedgerows. Woven grass is the building material of choice. SNOWDROPS A sign that spring is on its way, snowdrops flower from January to March and are enjoyed by early-rising queen bumblebees. SUMMER FOXGLOVE The tall spikes and bell-shaped flowers of this plant add a sculptural focus to hedgerows between June and September. ELDERFLOWER A favourite with foragers, clusters of cloud-like flowers appear amid roadside hedgerows from May. RED ADMIRAL A fan of bramble and ivy (among others) these butterflies find a veritable smorgasbord in hedgerows. DANDELION A common sight along roadside hedgerows, these bright-yellow…

Protecting whales I was pleased to read Comeback for Humpbacks (Wild News, January 2020) but was amazed that the article finished by discussing the possibility of resuming commercial whaling as the humpbacks were doing so well! Surely it is time to disband the outdated International Whaling Commission and, through the UN, declare all whales and dolphins as protected species. This ruling should be backed-up by force, if necessary, and whaling ships destroyed and crews brought before the international court. Countries that ignore this ruling should be boycotted and ostracised. The barbaric butchering of these intelligent creatures belongs in the history books, so let’s make 2020 the year we really do save the whale! John B Wadsworth, via email Plea for plastic-free There is nothing sadder in the natural world than…

“I knew I shouldn’t run, but I was desperately looking for a tree to climb.” It was 3 June 2018, the day after an asteroid, known as 2018 LA, had collided with Earth, landing in Botswana. We had heard the bang, seen the Kalahari light up as if it were day and felt the deep vibrations that followed the impact. It was only later that we discovered we had witnessed an extra-terrestrial event. Still reeling from the excitement, we had few expectations for our walk with two San tribesmen that afternoon. We – five experienced safari travellers and Bonali, our guide – met the tribesmen a short drive from camp. We were joined by two other visitors and their guide, Lucas, who delivered a safety briefing, assuring us afterwards that…

Moving in Found on every continent except Antarctica, house sparrows are experts at making themselves at home wherever they are. Their proximity to humans throughout history has served them well. Happily living alongside us, they make use of our handouts, crops and buildings – often turning cracks and holes in houses into cosy nest sites. Here, an air vent set into the colourful wall of a Moroccan supermarket will do nicely. Budge up It’s always the same – you head to a peaceful spot on the beach for a bit of R&R, only to find that everyone else has had the same idea. Though sociable creatures – found in groups of just a handful up to several thousand – walruses are increasingly having to jostle for space. Used to hauling…

Sand martin The earliest hirundine (martin or swallow) to arrive back to the UK in spring, the sand martin has a gently forked tail and distinct brown breast-band, which contrasts with its bright-white underparts. Rarely seen far from water, it nests in crowded colonies in the crumbling cliffs found at many pits and quarries. Great crested grebe In full breeding plumage this grebe definitely belongs in the ‘unmistakable’ category, with its long white neck, black-and-chestnut frill and dark head plumes. Pairings generally form in winter. In spring, the partners reaffirm their bonds with a complex series of dances on the water, sometimes leading up to the much-celebrated ‘weed dance’. Little ringed plover This dinky wading bird mostly nests on shingle or gravel away from the coast, making it heavily reliant…

How did this flightless species become extinct in the wild? A lot of shipments were coming to Guam, a US island territory in the western Pacific, in an effort to rebuild the island after World War II, and the brown tree snake was accidentally introduced. The island’s birds had never encountered a predator like this before and, consequently, both the Guam rail and Guam kingfisher became extinct in the wild. How was the Guam rail saved from extinction? Once the threat of the snake had been identified, staff at the Guam Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources tried to capture as many native birds on Guam, including the rail, as possible. They brought in anything they could find, from adults to chicks and even eggs from the…

WHAT IS IT? Like all leafhoppers, this colourful new species is equipped with piercing mouthparts, which it uses to tap sap from plant stems. It’s a member of a group known as sharpshooters, as they fire excess plant sap from their rear ends. WHERE IS IT? Discovered in the mountainous region of Itatiaia National Park, southeastern Brazil, it is one of only two leafhopper species known to feed on bromeliads, which are notoriously non-nutritious. Ten specimens have been collected so far, though three were lost in a fire at the National Museum of Brazil in 2018. FIND OUT MORE Zoologia: bit.ly/2Sxg2Ea…

THE ANSWER ISN’T STRAIGHTFORWARD. A coronavirus is a ‘zoonotic’ disease – it can be transmitted from animals to humans. The latest, Covid-19, is the sixth variant to have made this jump from species to species; for example, SARS in 2003 probably originated in bats, while MERS in 2012 may have come from camels. Possible hosts for Covid-19 include pangolins, bats and snakes, all of which are sold (live and as meat) in Chinese markets, sometimes in unsanitary conditions. “It’s well past time to close all live wildlife markets globally,” said WildAid CEO Peter Knights in response, echoing calls from health professionals and animal-rights activists. Knights added: “It’s our hope Asian and African governments will clamp down on the illegal wildlife trade.” However, some academics and conservationists argue that the ‘anti-Chinese’…

Transport is Britain’s largest greenhouse-gas emitting sector and the government is committed to a target of net zero by 2050. HS2 could potentially cut carbon, by shifting people from vehicles and planes onto electric trains. But building HS2 requires a lot of carbon-emitting concrete, drilling and movement of soil by truck. HS2’s operation could be nearly carbon neutral if powered by renewable energy, though railway maintenance adds emissions. The government calculates that over its 120-year lifespan, HS2 will not save carbon but add emissions of 1.49 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This represents just 1.18 per cent of Britain’s annual transport emissions. But it is still increasing transport carbon when emissions need to fall. According to the pro-HS2 High Speed Rail Group, HS2 could reduce emissions more than forecast.…

1780 Last English pair breed at Culver Cliff, Isle of Wight. 1901 Extinct in Ireland. 1918 Last Scottish bird shot in Shetland; extinct in Britain. 1959-68 Failed reintroduction attempts at Argyll and Fair Isle. 1975-85 82 Norwegian chicks reintroduced to Isle of Rum, Inner Hebrides. 1985 First successful breeding, on nearby Isle of Mull. 2007-12 85 Norwegian chicks reintroduced to Fife, on Scotland’s east coast. 2007-11 100 Norwegian chicks reintroduced to County Kerry, Ireland. 2015 Scottish population reaches 106 breeding pairs, plus juveniles and non-breeding adults. 2019 Six Scottish chicks taken to Isle of Wight. 2020-24 Further releases (up to 54 birds) planned on Isle of Wight. 2025 First breeding in southern England?…

Hedgerows meander through the British countryside – ever-changing dividers of road from field, and field from pasture. In spring, their bases are speckled with a constellation of flowers; in summer, the sides and tops are bright green and brimming with foxgloves and roses; in autumn, they become a tapestry of red, orange, yellow and brown leaves and glistening berries; and in winter, they are dense and twiggy and strung with fluffy old man’s beard. Though a constant presence, hedgerows can often be overlooked and taken for granted. Yet they have much more to offer than merely acting as boundary markers. Look beneath the surface and you’ll discover they are hugely varied, containing hundreds of plant species, which support dozens of invertebrates, mammals and birds. And all of this in a…

A hedgerow is maintained by ‘laying’ – a highly skilled but brutal looking process that involves cutting the stems almost all the way through and then laying them close to the horizontal. This spurs side shoots into sprouting, and so thickens up the hedge. This is the basic premise but, throughout the country, there are many different styles and techniques. In Devon and Dorset, the hedge is most often laid on the top of a bank of earth; in the Midlands, they are laid with all the brushy growth left on and laid on one side with a binder of hazel woven along the top; meanwhile, in Somerset, all bushy growth is cut away and the growth is woven around a series of uprights pushed into the soil.…

1 HOW DO WOODLICE START LIFE? These common or garden crustaceans are live-born, hatching from eggs retained inside the female. The babies, called mancas, hatch into a moist pouch, the marsupium, which forms between the mother’s legs. She carries the 0.5mm babies, all 15–30 of them, for a day or two. When set free, they have six main body segments and 12 legs. Within a few hours, they moult to reveal an additional body segment and two more legs. 2 HOW LONG DO THEY LIVE? Most woodlice survive one or two years, but in captivity (yes, some people really do keep them as pets) individuals will occasionally reach the grand old age of four. As woodlice grow, from the manca stage to sexual maturity, they must moult repeatedly.…

What do naturalists bring to the table? Knowledge, humour and an eclectic mix of curios found in nature, that’s what. NATURE TABLE AVAILABLE ON BBC SOUNDS Radio may not be the first medium that springs to mind for a show-and-tell format but, for the most part, this new programme really makes it work. Sue Perkins chairs a changing panel of comedians and naturalists – including BBC Wildlife regulars Helen Scales, Nick Baker and Doug Allan – who bring along interesting items from the natural world to be discussed, and reveal a raft of fascinating facts in the process. In the first episode, the diverse objects offered up for deliberation include a 15-million-year-old sperm whale ear bone and… a piece of broccoli. There’s more to it than you might think. The…