N A T U R E
T A L E S
1
EDITOR FOREWORD My perceived world has been changed little by little and I’ve been obsessed and fascinated by this internal change since I’ve started seriously journeying on the photographic world. The photography probably is a medium motivating me to perceive wider and deeper dimensions of the surrounding society and people and relentlessly driving me to keep on developing myself both physically and mentally for being ready to grab any opportunities to be able to witness the greater landscapes or moments through my own lens and capture them. Till now, this medium has given me pathway to speechlessly communicate my inner passion, my personal adventure and, sometimes, photography help keeping the events important for other people and when they reminisced those moments in life it gave me an unexplainable feeling of happiness. Sometimes photographic works and criticism drained out all of my energy and morale, but thank to those experiences, it has improved me and bring new perspective towards people and the world for me. It would be great if my photographs would become to parts of somethings in the world being a universal medium.
Portrait by Iren Seawood
20
8
GREENPRINT
TINY LITTLE MASTER
36
FROM SCALES TO THE SKY
CO
100 THE LOVE OF BIRDS
T
N T E N
FEEDING WILDLIFE
70
48
PREHISTORIC SURVIVORS
EXHIBITION
EXHIBITION
EXHIBITION
EXHIBITION
TINY
HIDDEN
TINY HIDDEN MASTERS
MASTER
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY KRITTANUN TANTRAPORN
“The insects becoming a common thing around our life are simply a proof how successful their structural strategies are.” Silently, calmly watched the movement of a spider diligently, delicately crafting her web–a perfect pattern regardless how many times it will be recreated. Annoying flies flied around my head, in circular motions again and again. No matter how many times you had tried to chase them away, they came back–no matter how many times you had tried to catch them they escaped fast–always faster. You may feel itchy on my arm, suddenly you turned my sight onto where the irritation located. Noticed a tiny black dot–but, it was too late–you was bitten by mosquito. You may wonder why can’t your sensation fast enough to catch up with its ambush. You sat at the lake water bank, still water, calmed my mind watching peaceful dragonflies hover still in the air. Catching them was supposed to be easy, yet, you missed.
8
N AT U R E TA L E S
9
TINY HIDDEN MASTERS
White, slim silks are produced from spider’s abdomen and skilfully crafted into the net pattern with strength on par with steel–or even stronger. “As one of the most beautiful, delicate, wise yet deadly lethal architectures, the spider web surely is a masterpieces innovation in nature world.”
After an unfortunate beetle was entrapped into the spider web–it was wrapped in silk. Then, the spider would spray digestive fluid over it before chewing it with the jaw
10
N AT U R E TA L E S
SUPER STURDY AND VISCOUS FIBRE
Fascinated and inspired by silk’s strength and versatilities, biotech companies like Spiber Systems and Bolt Threads have been investing their fund and fate to make large scale recombinant silk materials become not just a dream. It isn’t easy dream. In the past, many biotech innovators had risked their fate in spider silk, but failed, some even went bankrupt. But, why? Making spider silks sound simple when, for a century, humans succeeded in mass-producing the clothes from silkworm. Spiders are rather solitude than social insect–they are territorial solo hunter which can mercilessly turned their neighbours who dare come close into a sparing dinner. Thus, the real challenging is they cannot be raised together–lifetimecollected silks from a single spider are definitely not enough. As a valuable relic from the fallen, the biotech company Nexia left innovative idea of transferring silk-producing genes into other suitable animals which can make spider silk into mass production. With transgenic technique, Nexia’s ambition was to make goats milking spider silks. Following Nexia’s thought, the Swedish company Spiber System came up with the idea of genetically manipulating recombinant E. coli to produce spidroin–main element of spider web. Likewise, recombinant yeast is a selected organism by Bold Threads, the US firm. Spider silks are an inspiration for them to enhance material properties to maximise their stretchiness.
11
TINY HIDDEN MASTERS There is another story of people who try to mimic the power of micro eyes; this time is a dragonfly. They are great hunter of insect world equipped with both aerial dexterity and never-missed eyes. The dragonflies have more than 97% prey catching success rate. Within the University of Adelaide, neuroscientists and engineers have teamed up together to develop an “active vision” algorithm, the system that try to crack dragonflies’ secret. Instead of keeping target to the centre of field, this new algorithm locks a target onto the background. Then, the target is allowed to move against it. The result is impressive with the performance 20 times faster than convention optical tracking system. The compound eyes of house fly under SEM, 100x magnification. (Left) The compound eyes of damselfly under SEM, 90x magnification. (Next Page)
It is a formidable weapons known as the compound eyes.
SEMI CIRCULAR PERSPECTIVE
12
N AT U R E TA L E S
The manoeuvrability of a dragons fly make it an awful sky hunter. Moving forward, backward, upward, downward, reverse, circular, up-side-down, stay in the midst air–the locomotive versatility gives this tiny fourwinged dragon immense freedom in the air. Four wings of dragonflies can curve, flap or twist independently. Developed by Oxford University, the dragonfly mimicked drone, Skeeter, is ready for action in surveying survivor in the disaster zones in rescue mission. It was designed to be much lighter in weigh and less energy-consumption than a helicopter which relying on a single rotor. Replacing rotors, Skeeter flies with the flapping of four wings independently. The design allows it to share dragonfly capabilities of moving through buffeting winds and not losing full control despite injury of some wings.
TRACKING SYSTEM TARGET LOCK-ON
ALL DIRECTIONS MANOEUVRABILITY
To fly away from predators, evolution has given them the visions of all directions and distances. Later on, eyes are not only a thing for escaping. Our 6-legged friends has even advanced their visual abilities for hunting–tracking fast moving preys with spectacular clarity and acuity. Some can even see in 360-degree, the hemispherical vision. Inspiring by the compound eyes, the efforts to develop a full hemispherical vision and shape camera to cover whole field of vision. In order to make it happen, we need two things, flexible enough and consistent enough. The researchers from University of Illinois, US, then come up with material solution. The materials are created by integrating a slight sheet of deformable silicon photodetectors and composite optical materials. The patterns are learned from insect eyes micro-architecture. They finally invented a prototype of model that closely have whole optical properties as same as insects.
13
TINY HIDDEN MASTERS
THE WHITE BAR marking the area of an extra eye between their forehead, ocelli.
The flea leg joints under SEM, 100x magnification.
From many Hollywood films to the Netflix series, biomimetic robots especially an insect are one of the most common form of biomimicry. The reasons are simple–unique and extraordinary characteristics these arthropods. We learned their anatomies and locomotion and recreate them in electro-mechanical forms. Giving an example of fleas–one of the best jumper in the wild–they can spring up to 150 to 200 times of their length. Thank to protein–know as ‘resilin’–in their joints, the fleas can soar up more than 200 times of their body length.
The honey bee face under SEM, 19x magnification.
POWERFUL JUMPING
Never waste precious energy harvesting wrong flowers, the honey bees have been evolved for this job Have you ever wonder why the bees can accurately identify which flowers are worthy for food source? Their secret is an extra eye between their forehead–known as ocelli. This third-eye functions by assessing the colour and constantly calibrating the changes in ambient light. Then, relays information into the colour processing brain part to map all factors. Through comprehensive studies of bee ocelli-brain coordination, scientists were rewarded with the biologically inspired mathematic algorithm. Rendering this solution onto the camera imaging system, it has proven a better result in colour interpretation.
ACCURATE COLOR CALIBRATING
The flea under SEM, 33x magnification. 14
N AT U R E TA L E S
15
TINY HIDDEN MASTERS
Yet, there is actually not a single pigment locating on butterfly charming wings. Butterflies are truly splendid creatures– each species is blessed with vibrant colours and unique patterns. The butterfly wing under SEM, 110x magnification.
The annoying blood sucker can provide an immense benefit in medical treatment You may have experience a mosquito bite–like a ghost, it is seemingly clueless. We only feel pain when our skin was already penetrated. Unlike conventional needles, the mosquito mount tip is composed of multiple tiny moving structures which help relieving pain and fuss. By mimicking the form of their mount tip in the micro level, the scientists could invent the needle that deliver painless skin penetration.
200x magnification N AT U R E TA L E S
Once the sunlight hit onto their wings, in certain species, remarkably brilliant iridescence glow bright.
Impressed by this natural structure, Mark Miles–who had a degree in macro-electromechanical and material from MIT–was thinking of brighter future for electronic device display. He formed Qualcomm, technological company that exploited principle of optical interference–the display surface that composed from vast array of microscopic mirrors just like a butterfly wing. Also, Miles and his team came up with the of engineering these mirror to move up and down in microsecond– changing the angles of reflective light generate variation in colours. He named it the Mirasol, the innovative display screen that just need ambient or white light and interference principle. The fact that it does not need to generate its own light, make the Mirasol consume tenth timWes less energy than conventional LCD display.
COLOUR FROM REFLECTIVE WINGS
The mosquito under SEM, 70x magnification
16
Every colour we see is the magic from physics of light wavelength Taking a closer look into the nanoscale frontier, the assemblage of thousand of tiny scale plates form up into the shape of wing. However, the factor really does create magic is an arrangement of nature. With precise distance, rotation and shape weaved in exceptional pattern, the colour produced from reflective light is naturally created–without the need to invest extra energy on maintaining colour pigment. It is called “structural colour”. The structure makes possible a vivid colour on ultra thin material.
SMOOTH NEEDLE
17
Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre Cripps South building University of Nottingham University Park Nottingham, NG7 2RD telephone: +44 (0) 115 748 6340 email: nmrcenquiries@nottingham.ac.uk
Never miss a single detail in your business and make it happen
With our care and dedication
Mute Swans With high-end equipment
With experienced professional personnel
GREENPRINT Paint The Town in Green
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY KRITTANUN TANTRAPORN
Since I were young, I have a dream that we could go on a nature expedition right at my home backyard forest. Yet, living in the urban area was not allowed me to accomplish it. Even nowadays, still, I have a dream that my children will have this opportunity and I altogether with my family can venture to the nature close to our home in the city.
20
N AT U R E TA L E S
As undeniable fact, the cities have been crawling further and further into the area once covered with fresh green scenery and turned them to smoky grey. But, why do we need the natural habitat to be conserved?
G R E E N P R I N T 21
Despite being difficult to see, the persistence of nature secure our safety. The nature help reducing temperature when the heat wave come, lessening flood during the monsoon, saving the land erosion during the storms or mitigating the air pollution produced from factory and farm land activities. Its implication on human are immense and irreplaceable.
“By 2030, the growth of urban areas could diminish around 290,00 km2 of nature areas.” The Nature Conservancy
However, we also cannot refuse the fact that many innovations–which have made remarkable improvement in human quality of life–have stemmed from the cities. In Asia and Africa, most of countries are defined as ‘developing’ which reflect the cities’ hunger for workforce. In response, people from every region have been heading toward single destination carrying a bag of hope for better job, better life. Innovations could be made possible because the flow of ideas condense and network within the urban.
Practically speaking, no one can stop this progressive momentum. For economists and entrepreneurs, nothing better than having all the valuable knowledge, massive human resources and strong partnerships gathered in a proximal space. It reduces logistic cost and time, yet still keeps business opportunities high. Anyway, prosperity comes with an immense cost. Some environmentalists debated that we have been sacrificing the Mother Earth’s treasures to worship the growth of her arch enemy. Nature resources consumption rates have skyrocketed as well as pollution. Grandiose mountains turned crescent from mining. As the further cities keep on crawling, the more vital nature values are to be perished.
22
N AT U R E TA L E S
G R E E N P R I N T 23
Anyway, prosperity comes with an immense cost. Some environmentalists debated that we have been sacrificing the Mother Earth’s treasures to worship the growth of her arch enemy. Nature resources consumption rates have skyrocketed as well as pollution. Grandiose mountains turned crescent from mining. As the further cities keep on crawling, the more vital nature values are to be perished. Not all the pro-nature people agree with demonising urbanisation. Their standpoints, instead, are even opposite; believing that the gathering of population into the one, or couple, centre is the cure for nature. In Thailand, for example, the rural landscapes of the countryside have been even more destructed despite no clue of urbanisation. The real culprit is agricultural practices without sustainable mindset, in other word, lack of sustainability knowledge. New mindset is basically to move most of population into the city and leave surrounding regions to breath the fresh air, recovering green areas.
But isn’t by putting country population into limited space equal confining us all into a red zone, a cancerous chamber? Indeed, the answer did not lay in a conventional city planning. Poor planning will even make things worse, leaving no space for ventilating polluted particles and adding up unnecessary energy consumption. What we actually need is an ecological, sustainable civil blueprint. Or should we actually call a ‘greenprint’. However, there is a long way to go.
24
N AT U R E TA L E S
G R E E N P R I N T 25
Basically, with easily accessible, convenient and reliable in amount enough for everybody, not many people would invest their precious time on the main road. Underground, on-ground, overground, bypass, railway or perhaps, in the sky, various means of public transportation are to be provided like blood-vessels of the city.
Compact community cut down transportation time; as things become closer, logistic cost altogether with pollution reduced.
26
N AT U R E TA L E S
In many low to mid income countries, walking to neighbourhood areas are not common when cars and motorcycles are safer and more convenient. However, we need the culture of pedestrian. There are underground walkways in many countries such as UK and Japan, where people can easily travel from to adjacent places–not to be worried avoiding cars or crossing the roads. The model can be skywalk, bike lens or even connecting tunnels–designs are not limited to on the ground.
G R E E N P R I N T 27
I had a chance to talk with brilliant young man, new generation architecture from Indonesia, he is doing his post-grad on Sustainable Energy Engineering at University of Nottingham. “Why do you choose this course?” I asked simply. With a burning passion in his eyes, he replied “Because their possibilities are endless; in my country we have wind we have wind, we have tide, we have solar power, we have biodiversity and natural resources, but we have not yet used it to their fullest potentials”. It made me think that with this thought of future generation engineer, I would love to see the future city with a promising hope.
28
N AT U R E TA L E S
G R E E N P R I N T 29
From countless ancient world myths, the Babylon Hanging Garden believed constructed during 605 to 562 BC might be the oldest historical clue of humanity 'green engineering'. The legend was told about the remarkably miraculous engineering that constructed the paradise garden in the king palace that can plant all sort of trees in the midst of mountainous landscape with complex irrigation system. Unfortunately, its existence lacked enough solid archeological supports; it will remain as a bedtime myth forever.
30
N AT U R E TA L E S
2500 years later, the similar concept of ‘green building’ ‘garden city’ will be revisited. By integrating solar panels into the surface of building, sun energy can be both main and supplementary power. Electricity generated from non-renewable sources then could be reduced. Apart from common solar power, for each geographical region, alternative designs for wind and tide may be incorporated to the buildings. Small-scaled farming on the rooftops and the balconies are encouraged for sustainable cost reduction.
G R E E N P R I N T 31
Under the flag “unified populated area and remedied ecosystem,” less than 10 percents of arable are reserved for humanity and leave the rest for the biodiversity to regrow and flourish. And the first step starts from recovering the soil, treating the wastewater and cleaning up the garbages. We need renewed soil and cleaned water for sustainable agriculture and water usages. In the future, there are three rules of thumb in food production.
32
N AT U R E TA L E S
1. Farmlands have to be close to the city hubs to cut down transport. 2. Maximising limited spaces to produce sufficient food– precise agriculture with scientific methods, rooftop garden, LED-light underground farming, soil-free hydroponic, condition-controlled glasshouses, agricultural drone and robots. 3. Sustainability practices are to be maintained across the lifecycle of production to disposal–all wastes must have their uses.
More clean lands mean we have more areas for food production. It’s simple. The key factors are giving a good treatment to the soil and water, and they will, in return, take care the rest of plants for us. I strongly believed this sustainable human-nature co-living concept can be applied throughout the world.
We still have a lots to learn from the nature; and the first thing is, learning to live together peacefully without thwarting our innovative progresses.
G R E E N P R I N T 33
Eastern Sarus Cranes
FROM SCALES
TO THE SKY
36
N AT U R E TA L E S
F R O M S C A L E S T O T H E S K Y 37
After watching Jurassic Park, there might be some moments that we let our imagination overcome reality. It would be enthralling to live in the same era, sharing the land with the giant marvellous lizards once ruled over this planet 65 million year ago. Dinosaurs have become favourite creatures ever for many people with regardless of their ages probably due to their outstanding characteristics, their unparalleled sizes or their hidden lifestyles that only slightly uncovered from archaeological and scientific researches. Most humans love secrets and the secrets buried under the multiple layer ground below for million years may evoke our curiosity nature to discover more. However, despite whatever reasons, the fact is many people in the world fallen in loved, passionately, with the creatures they have never, and will never, seen in their lifetime. We might, nevertheless, have a chance to meet these real majestic giants, but do we know that their direct ancestors are living together with us, in our planet, in our era, in our country and probably, in our backyard garden. They are familiar creatures called, birds. Before the story of birds and dinosaurs will be told, we will begin at the evolution of these big giants. During the era where every land on the planet Earth stayed merged as the single supercontinent called Pangaea, around 250 million years ago, some species had started off their land discoveries. To survive and roam the land of late Permian-Triassic period efficiently, some characteristics were indispensable. The first was an ability to conserve great amounts of water to supply their expedition throughout the highly arid period. The second was an enhanced respiratory system to combat the oxygen level drop in late Permian world. Final key of success was the ability to effectively breathing while manoeuvring–as a rule of thumb, taking a pause for refill the air are deadly in the nature world as predators would never miss this easy-meal opportunity.
38
N AT U R E TA L E S
F R O M S C A L E S T O T H E S K Y 39
Around 245 million years ago, the first dinosaurs emerged to roam the planet of mid-Triassic Earth. They evolved from the lineage of successful ancestor, the archosaurs, a crocodile-like ancient reptile. The croc great, great grandmothers managed to complete all aforementioned essential characteristics. Although, many scientists were on debate what were true underlying reasons of archosaurs successes, there are the fact that this massive crocodile-like species had spread out to dominate the land. Passing through a million year environmental changes, the archosaurs gradually evolved in divergent lines: the first line was, Crocodylians, or later known as a modern-day crocodile; while the others line was Dinosauria, exactly, the dinosaurs. Dinosaurs, indeed, are a huge “clade”–they were descendants which shared the grand common ancestors– with many members. Archeologists separate two group of dinosaurs distinguishing by their hip structure– or scientifically know as “the pelvis”. From fossil studies, the orientations of the pubis bone divided dinosaurs into the “bird-hipped,” Ornithischia and “lizard-hipped,” Saurischia. The simple way to visualise is the pubis bone of lizard-grouped orients toward the front, while it reversely points to the tail. For in-depth details, the pelvis are, in fact, comprises of three bones: the pubis, ischium and ilium. Saurischia’s pubis pointed toward the knee and makes “Y-shaped” angle with another bone, ischium, while in the Ornithischia, the pubis bone lies along in parallel manner with ischium bone.
40
N AT U R E TA L E S
THEROPODA CHARACTERISTICS
Short forelimbs CONVERGENT EVOLUTION Science always has a perplexing story, interestingly, those with a lizard hip are evolutionarily closer to a modern bird than their bird-hipped relative! Scientists referred this mystifying event as convergent evolution–when two animals coincidently developed the similar structure in appearance, but do not actually shared a common ancestor. Basic example would be a dolphin and a shark which are similar by their looks. However, the shark is classified as fish, while the dolphin is actually a mammal.
At one moment in time, Order of the lizard-hipped, Saurischia branched into the Suborder of Theropoda. The wide range of members included the gigantic Tyrannosaurus rex to crowsized glider the Microraptors. Differentfrom their saurischians cousins, the theropods were obligate bipedal–having shorter forelimbs for catching and tearing their preys and the larger and longer hindlimbs for locomotion supports. Theropoda literally means ‘beast foot,’ but they actually possessed a ‘bird-liked foot’. Indeed, they were all modern birds’ great grand ancestors.
Lizard-hipped Ilium Pubis Ischium
Bird-liked hindlimbs
The male Asian Crane is jumping up in the mid air and flapping his wings, displaying dancing for courtship.
42
N AT U R E TA L E S
The replica of Archaeopteryx litrographica at University of Nottignham. It was the world first complete prehistoric bird fossils found.
F R O M S C A L E S T O T H E S K Y 43
In later stage of the Earth, 150 million year ago, the great Pangaea was split apart into two the North and the South large continents named Laurasia and Gondwana. This grand geographical event greatly impacted on one of the Earth most beautiful thing called genetic diversity. Also, from this moment in time on, the molecular clock of bird linage had stared ticking. Recently, discoveries of more fossils, altogether with many researches extend our understanding about dino-avian relationship.
The stories of feather evolution traced back even before the emergence of Archaeopteryx.
When talking about feathered dinosaurs, for many people, the famous familiar name, Archaeopteryx, may come up in their mind. They were flying over late-JurassicCretaceous sky, 150 million years ago believed by many archeologists. Discovery of its complete fossil dropped a breakthrough hint that birds were once a contemporary of the extinct reptiles. In nature survival game, greater in crude weight and size might not decide a ring winner–in reverse manner, the little with better evolutionary weapons might become a dark horse. The overpowered weapon was called feathers. These downy filaments equipped feathered dinosaurs and avian dinosaurs–later become birds–with numerous advantages: warmth, egg care, courtship, warning, hiding as well as fight and hunting. The most primitive purpose of protofeather development is thought to be for insulation. With better way to reserve heat, it saved up much energy used for warmingup the body. Warmth allowed efficient metabolism which in turn promoted faster growth and maintain smaller size. This process is called “miniaturisation” and it was the evolutionary blessing allowed bird to become the living dinosaurs today!
WHY BIRDS DID SURVIVE DISASTERS Larger size required massive amount of food, which became rare and rarer during the catastrophic time. Small-sized creatures–like birds and mammals–with less demand then made their survival route throughout one of the Earth the darkest hours. Comparing to the non-avian dinosaurs, their avian relatives were much more versatile in diet, they consumed a range of food sources. Thinking about what can our winged fellows can eat: seeds, fruits, insects, fish and smaller reptiles. Extreme climate change led to the extinction of many specialists as the food choices reduced, yet birds’ diet variation overcame this crisis. While the volcanic eruption and the lava was crawling throughout the land, ability to fly saved much energy for long-distance travelling, across environmental hindrances.
MINI ATURI SATION
Big dinosaurs looks cool, but smaller size was the key secret for survival during the C-T Mass Extinction.
44
N AT U R E TA L E S
F R O M S C A L E S T O T H E S K Y 45
INFOGRAPHIC
46
N AT U R E TA L E S
F R O M S C A L E S T O T H E S K Y 47
PREHISTORIC
SURVIVORS
Survival Lineage of the Oldest Raptile
The scared face of veteran saltwater crocodiles who have survived through countless battles within his territory.
During the summer time, the group of crocodiles will be taking sunbathing in the evening to avoid extremely harsh sunlight of the midday. The thin plantations along the lake help filtering the sunlight inviting the crocodile gathering.
50
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
51
From the prehistoric time, certain groups of creatures have managed to survive and continue the lineage throughout many ancient catastrophic events. Nowadays. Their descendants still dwell in the wild. They are the crocodiles. Almost 15 years passed, I came back to the crocodile farm again. Once the little me found out from an illustration book that the crocodiles actually are the last living dinosaurs. As a kid, I was obsessed to the life and characteristics of dinosaurs–I keenly asked my parents if they could bring me to see a crocodile. Fortunately, there was the popular crocodile farm around my neighbourhood in Thailand. And that was the first time I saw crocodiles.
SEXUAL DIMORPHISM It is not difficult to distinguish the male and female crocodiles. The male have longer face and body while the female head and body are more compacted.
Several days before the visit, I directly called to Mr. Nueng, the farm owner who have more than 30 years experiences of doing business relating to crocodiles– and he got a degree in media communication. This may be the reason he not only gave me a permission to make a documentary but also guided some visual advices for photographing crocodiles. He told me to meet Mr. Pichet, his brother who would guide me around the farm.
DISTINGUISH CROCODILE FROM SKINS
CROCODILE TYPES
FRESHWATER
In the farm there are mainly two species of crocodile: fresh water Crocodylus siamensis and salt water Crocodylus porosus. The simplest way to distinguish them is their skin patterns. The saltwater skin are finer–more deliberately patterned as scales aligning closer–while the skin of freshwater crocs are more rough and randomly aligned. This is why saltwater crocodiles are more valuable and expensive in for animal skin businessmen. Despite the fact that saltwater crocodiles in the wild are more territorial and aggressive, it seemed not in captive. Animals are living in the world where beauty is a backfire–especially if their appearance is favoured by an aesthetic value of humans. Also, If take a closer look, the saltwater have boarder body with powerful snout and uneven jawline whereas the freshwater’s faces are longer and have thiner snout–a jawline is straight and all teeth sizes are relatively equal.
The male are larger, but not many have made it through many years of ferocious battles that why there is more larger female left surviving in the pool.
SALTWATER Saltwater crocodile skin patternised texture
52
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
53
EGG CARE The position of the eggs must carefully remain at the same as when they are given by crocodile moms.
Despite staying together as a group, each crocodile indeed desperately needs an individual space. Ferocious battling to protect its private ‘zone’ can often be observed. Especially during this season, the red zone is even wider. Consuming other eggs is commonly found behaviour among the crocodiles; maternal instinct, thus, had driven female crocodiles to become even more ferocious and territorial and rarely lose her guard. As we came to snatching their eggs, accuracy to locate the nest and speed to collect are the key of success.
EGG COLLECTION “Yesterday I noticed several nests with eggs,” said Ms Duangjai the farm lead veterinarian. The collecting process requested at least two people–one to chest away the mother croc from her nest as well as thwart the coming-back ambush. “This time we need at least four people,” the vet talked to Mr. Pichet, one of the farm manager. They needed one people to take care of the inexperience like me when stepping into the cage of hundred crocodiles–losing composure could be extremely dangerous. I followed them onto the cage–wearing on my careful paces. “It’s dangerous! Don’t cross into their line!” the warning sound came strongly yet not too loud from behind. I paused my step and carefully looked around. There were two crocs laid around 3 to 4 metre away from my position–but it was seemingly not enough. “When approaching a croc, not just you must visualise there is an invisible circle around it,” advised by Ms Duangjai.
54
N AT U R E TA L E S
SAFE ZONE Despite having a great sense of sight, the crocodiles have the limited field of vision and leave a blind spots in the middle.
RED ZONE
The crocodiles have strong sense of smell and are sensitive to vibration, stepping into their ‘zone’ will be responded with bite or tail attacks
Crocodile eggs are hard and tough, yet vulnerable if maltreated. Reptilian eggs are composed of internal fluids, if we reverse the eggs the fluid will drown the embryo. Carefully holding the eggs, the egg collector marked the top side with a pen to ensure egg positioning upright when send them into an incubator. “Do you know, we can determine the sex of crocodile?” she asked while carefully move the egg we have just collected into another box–”Male or female, just the matter of incubating temperature”. 42-44 °C will guarantee the male crocs while 38-40 °C will be the female. To run the crocodile farm business, this is an essentially crucial trick. From my research, this sex determination is probably location and climate specific. As the report in Australia mentioned that in the incubating temperature less than 30 °C will give the female babies and the more temperature will be the other sex.
CROCODILE LIFE CYCLE They mate during November to February, considered the winter when the ambient temperature are around 20-25 °C. After around 3 months of gestation, the female will lay eggs in the summer, when the temperature is much hotter and more humid, 35 - 40 °C. Naturally, the embryo will develop into a little crocodile ready to hatch the egg–this stage occurs during the late summer to mid monsoon, June to August.
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
55
Balancing both sexes population equally will reduce the conflicts, injuries and deaths during the ferocious mating season. “It’s not a beautiful thing to say, indeed,” Mr. Pichet suddenly spoke with mixed feeling of pitiful and understanding reflected in his eyes, “causalities during mating season are common, we saw our crocodile got accidentally killed every year”. Knowing this fact doesn’t make me feel much comfortable, but as Mr. Pichet could read my mind, “It was a natural way of life,” he said. The older the crocodiles grow, the larger their size will be. And the largest one take the boss reign–prioritising access to food. Those newbies with smaller body size might not get access to sufficient food, some have survived till they are strong enough to claim more food–yet, some might not make it through.
56
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
57
CROCODILE CARE “If being treated well, the crocs can live up to a hundred year,” Ms Duangjai mentioned while pointing to one of the largest and oldest grandmother crocodile, “if I recall correctly, she is around 80 years old”. I followed her finger, it was a 4. 5 meter long, sunbathing carelessly. Some crocodiles have dwelled here since the farm’s grand opening, some are even older than that. Fresh water crocodiles raised in healthy conditions can lived up to 70 years–the lifespan on par with us, humans. Those living above the records are commonly found in the captive conditions–if they are not turned into a purse or shoe before that. “Taking care of crocodiles is not difficult–they are a primitive survivor–they are easygoing, tough and resilient,” she said with a glimpse, “with a correct understanding”. It is crucial to seperate the crocodile by age into different ponds. From, newborn, first year, second year, thrid year, the age seperations go on and on until 8 to 10 years when the crocs begin sexual maturity–they will be transfered into the large mix-aged ponds. In the wild, the newly hatched crocodiles ususally stay with their mother for 1 to 2 years. “Just like juvenile humans, crocodiles are very naughty during their three to five years, they always fight with each other,” Ms. Duangjai laughed while saying. There are several crocodile farm in Thailand, at least seven that I know. Some are focusing on a crocodile show and recreational purposes, while some do allround crocodile business–show together with crocodile product trading, leather, meat, blood and bone. Hence, witnessing such a gigantic crocodile I pretty much consider myself as lucky–very few crocodile farms would stick to a naturalistic notion of “won’t killed, treat them well till their death”.
CROCODILE SIZE The body size is definitely a good parameter, the longer they have lived, the longer they are. The boss is the largest one in the proximal area–they get most access to food. After several times of watching the crocodile feeding, the common thing observed is most of the time the smaller crocs would wait until the big ones finished first. However, it’s a different story when come to those with similar sizes–they became more territorial.
BASKING UNDER THE SUN Crocodiles are ‘ecthothemic’– they need to bask under thr sunlight for gaining body temperature to appropriate level.
Group of crocodiles are competing to grab raw chicken (Next Page Top) One crocodile is laying the neck on the other for maintaining body heat. (Next Page Bottom)
58
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
59
During the summer time, the group of crocodiles will be taking sunbathing in the evening to avoaid extremely harsh sunlight of the midday. The thin plantations along the lake help filtering the sunlight inviting the crocodile gathering.
CROCODILE SHOW The crocodile show is the kind of stage performance that the perform would “play” a thrilling show together with the crocodile. The show started with the performer walking in the crocs pool, grabbing and hualing the crocs from the water to the land stage. “Wrapppp!!!,” one the crocodile I suddenly shut his mouth as the performer put his hand into mouth. As well-trained as he was, the performer even faster at pulling his hand out to evade the crush–this followed by the big ‘Hoolayyy!’ from the audiences around the stage. The performer stepped further to another calmer crocs. This time, he slowly put his hand into the crocs again–pulled in and out for several times, making sure that this one will not amputate his limb. He then grabbed the lower floor of crocodile mouth and pulled up its tongue. The show came to the climax when the performer carefully, slowly sent his head into the crocodile mouth–suddenly, the audiences’ voices became silent with thrilling. The time came to the last performance, with his well-trained technique and body strength, the performer hugged one of the middle sized crocodile, underwent physical dual for a while before carrying up the crocodile with his two arms. The voices of enjoyment busted from audiences. Many walked down from their seats to take photo with their phones.
Behind the thrilling show, both crocodile and perfomers had to share a hardship of training together.
60
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
61
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
During the summer time, the group of crocodiles will be taking sunbathing in the evening to avoaid extremely harsh sunlight of the midday. The thin plantations along the lake help filtering the sunlight inviting the crocodile gathering.
62
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
63
64
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
65
THE CROCODILE TRAINER First of all, to train a crocs, the experience trainer would look around untrained crocodile pool and evaluated which ones can be trained. Only those with calmer personalities would be selected. Then these crocodiles would be transferred into the stage pool to make them familiar with this new home for several weeks or months. Then the trainers would initiate to approach them, from moving closer to light touching to hauling their tails. “Just like cooking, perfect timing and movement are the key to control crocodile,” Mr Sutad explained. If the crocodiles spread their hind limbs outward, they are about to dart forward, you have to be careful. Definitely, human strength cannot win in physical dual against crocodiles, but the crocs have structural limitation in their movement. We have to follow their movements, but control their force to our desired direction. The crocodile move faster in the water, so we have to tempt or drag them to the land; it is safer. However, in the stage we need some water area for them to rest; otherwise the crocodiles will be too stressed and injured by friction–that will be even more dangerous. Unlike the mammalian brain, the reptilian ones are relatively smaller. They ‘learn’ with primal instinct rather than complex brain stimulation. “The crocodiles followed us not mainly because they are learnt to get familiar with our training, indeed, they learn that by following us they can conserve more energy rather than fighting back,” before I left, Mr
“Great trainers would know how to read crocodile moods, predict crocodile next actions from briefly glimpsing behaviour signs and adjust themselves accordingly.”
Sutad shared his final wisdom from his 30 years experiences with crocodiles training.
66
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
67
It really makes me think that the crocodiles are a great investor, they will not spending even the slightest of stored energy for unworthy actions. With this characteristics together with their sharp awareness of changing environment , it may be the reason why their lineages can pass down their genes through millions of years on the Earth. They are more peaceful than humans who sometimes fight each other for futile consequences. We have so many things that we can learn from these ancient descendants. Despite their looks, they truly are a ‘wise’ survivor.
68
N AT U R E TA L E S
ANCIENT SURVIVORS
69
Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu.
FEEDING WILDLIFE 70
N AT U R E TA L E S
STORY BY JOSEP MORENO MULET PHOTOGRAPH BY KRITTANUN TANTRAPORN
Histrorically practiced, yet scientifically controversial
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
71
A
bout a month ago, a friend of mine whose love for Verit molupta animals tiaesequo ma sus is her most remarkable characteristic, sent me an image of a goat taken with her smartphone dolum hariaeculfrom-suspiciously-a pa exerciistium es very short distance. When I asked her how anitati did sheumquian manage to get such photo, she told me that she fed the delesti aut ditatio goat because it was hungry, that it was breeding season and that quae quibea all theodita bushes and plants were dry. So, as she had some bread with etate que in her, itvoleni made sense giving it to the wild animal. I am not the kind plit rest, unt volu. of person who enjoys imparting lessons to people, but because she is my friend, I felt the obligation to—at least—provide her with the same information that I had. She, like many other people, are not aware about the impacts of feeding wildlife—especially the negative ones—and assume that providing them with food can do nothing but good.
72
N AT U R E TA L E S
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
73
FEEDING WILDLIFE Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculThroughout history, people have had pa exerciistium es animals; in a wide close relationships with variety umquian of cultures, over many centuries, anitati particular delesti autspecies ditatiohave been bred and tamed. As a result, human beings have quae odita quibea developed a deep need to be in contact etate voleni que in with animals, and nowadays, with 90% plit rest, unt population volu. of the present of the UK being
suburban or urban, feeding has arisen as a means of achieving this closeness as well as fostering a sense of nurture and even assistance to wild animals. And even though the reasons why people feed wildlife have one thing in common—it makes you feel good— the range of motivations go far beyond. For instance, some people may feed animals opportunistically as an entertainment for the family or to see them closer and interact with them (as it happens in Wollaton Park, Nottingham, where families gather by the lakeside and feed the waterfowls), whereas others may do it out of desire to help them.
“Ultimately, people should consider and inform themselves about if these feeding actions are good or bad for the wildlife—and for us— because our actions may backfire on our intentions causing an impact we were not intending to provoke initially.
74
N AT U R E TA L E S
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
75
Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculOn the one hand, feeding wildlife has pa exerciistium numerous benefits.es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio If done properly, supplementary quae odita quibea food and water may help local etate voleni que in birds,unt especially during winter. plit rest, volu. Nevertheless, it must be stated that the majority of the advantages could be considered to be for the feeders. Firstly, it is a chance to retrieve that feeling of connection with nature and, at the same time, it brings a mixture of feelings such as pleasure, joy, gratitude and curiosity, a series of values which we seek in our lives. Secondly, it can be seen as a way to learn about animal behaviour: certain people will discover how to identify many birds by having a bird feeder in their garden and could be prone to develop a sensitivity towards wildlife and conservation. Furthermore, studies suggest that nurturing wild animals can act as a sort of therapy. As sociologist Colin Herolmack explains, people who feed pigeons tend to be isolated and marginalized individuals, and doing so can bring enormous solace to them when contact with other people is made difficult.
76
N AT U R E TA L E S
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
77 77
Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu.
On the other hand, the negative impacts of feeding wildlife are vastly varied and, what’s more important—aversely to what the majority of people would think—not only they concern wildlife but also human beings. The most obvious aspect is that by feeding wildlife it is very likely that animals will ingest things they should not. For example, a part of the population might want to feed the deer living in Wollaton Park (Nottingham, UK) during winter, but these mammals have a specialized digestive system which enables them to forage during winter and survive.
78
N AT U R E TA L E S
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
79
FEEDING WILDLIFE Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu.
Additionally, the controversy is not only about feeding wildlife, but on whose terms we are actually doing so. If wild animals are fed from a person’s hand or in some way they can associate people with food, dependency behaviours may appear. The result? Wildlife will not be wild anymore. It is very common to find seagulls and other birds wandering around the Highfields lake in Nottingham waiting for people with bread to come and feed them. Apart from being an inadequate diet, these animals are more likely to forage less and their offspring could not learn the natural foraging behaviour in the future. This phenomenon has already been followed in Australia, where dingoes have attacked people because they no longer learn to hunt naturally.
Moreover, people become feeding hotspots and propel huge gatherings of animals in relatively small spaces which would not otherwise occur. That generates competence between individuals, aggressiveness behaviours and spread of illnesses, because many animals don’t interact with others except during mating season. And this arises the issue about the negative impacts for humans. As a result of the dependency provoked through nurturing wildlife, animals tend to lose fear to people, which is an essential and natural condition which affects their overall survival. In this case, their presence in urban environments would increase and, for instance, the likelihood of cars and buses running over a Canada goose (Branta canadensis) from the population inside the grounds of the University of Nottingham would become more significant. Furthermore, the habituation to those artificial settings would trumpfurther public safety disputes: animal faeces in public spaces, harm to people because of aggressive behaviours towards them, damage in public properties, gardens, etc.
80
N AT U R E TA L E S
81
FEEDING WILDLIFE Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu.
To conclude, despite its implicit controversy, the issue of feeding wildlife cannot be ignored. And a good reason is that more than £200 million are spent every year in feeding garden wildlife only in the UK12. Although the status quo has always been feeding wild animals without taking any consideration, new efforts are being made and, for example, in the Lakeside Walk in the Highfields lake (Nottingham) several signs can be seen with the following clarification:
82
N AT U R E TA L E S
“Love to feed the birds? Then feed them what they love! Our lake seed mix (25p) contains wheat, maize, barley and oats. Though there is an old tradition to feed bread to water birds, it actually does more harm than good”
However, the number of people who see this sign in a plastic A4 paper during their weekend walk are scarce. But it is a step in the good direction, which should seek to find a compromise between citizen’s desires and animal welfare. If feeding wildlife is ever to exist in the future, it can only be without endangering you, others and the natural order11. So far, though scientific evidence on the issue was not very convincing in the past, feeding wildlife is, in general, bad for you and them for all the arguments exposed before.
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
83
FEEDING WILDLIFE Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu. So, how is a society which is used to feeding wildlife supposed to face a moment when the tendency is moving towards reducing and even eliminating it? The solution to this is obviously going to be complicated but at this point in time there are many options for people who want to feed —and help— wildlife. Basically, the common ground is to try to mimic nature, to keep it wild and let nature be. For instance, people can plant native plants in their gardens which would attract animals that feed on those vegetables in the wild or even provide natural food in conditions as controlled as possible to feed only the target species. Finally, other options worth considering would include becoming a volunteer in an organization or also take part in a wildlife trip to enjoy a close experience with nature.
84
N AT U R E TA L E S
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
85
S
E
H A
OU SE
Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Turnstones are the migrant bird species commonly found along the coastline throughout UK–particularly gravel beaches and rocky shores. Despite a migrant, they can be spotted all yearround, especially during the winter. Two plumages can be noticed: black and dark-brown during the winter and blackchequered and chestnut-brown during the summer. They mainly prey on small crustacean, insect, molluscs and also other bird eggs. With the behaviour of flipping over stones to find food, it is how they are named so.
Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae Genus: Arenaria Species: A. interpres
Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Purple sandpipers are medium-sized shorebird. They have dark-grey with slightly gloss purplish back and whitish underpart with tiny dark streaks. They have short, orange legs and down-curved beak which the colour will be brighter during the winter plumages. As the wading bird, they breed in far north region like Scandinavia, Greenland and some Arctic Islands then migrate to UK during the winter. They can be spotted around the rocky shore–mostly found flocking together with turnstone– scrabbling the seaweed for food (winkles, crustaceans and plants).
Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae Genus: Calidris Species: C. maritima
Cni
Dich ng
r lo
fou
ia
Key
dar
ous otom
Moon Jellyfish
Northern Sea Nettle Chrysaora mela naster
la
ora
Aurelia aurita
ee r h t n a less trteh long me acles tent
s
rm
tre e m e v i f four totentacles long
Black Sea Nettle
don’t have ten tacles
rm s la ora
fou
r lo
ng
Phyllorhiza punctata
l l e B g n i t a o l F
s o y l h c a a r Chrysao round body ‘bell’ tentacles haanndging fr the the bell om
Freshwater Hydra pe o c s ro ic m a d e e n to see
) s u n e G Hydra (
F U J I X - T 2F U J I X - T 2
In landscape photography, the timing and lighting are essential keys to achieve breathtaking shots. That is the reasons that we have to wake up in the early morning–better before the sunrise. In that brief moment once the soft warm light embrancing the landscape, it is truly romantic scenary worth capturing with your eyes, your mind and your camera.
LANDSCAPE WITH
FUJI X-T2 “You never quite know what mother nature will th row at you when you overcom e those challenges and capture the moment it give me the real sense of satisfaction.”
Chris Upton Fujifilm Am
bassador
92
N AT U R E TA L E S
93 93
TAKE ME ANYWHERE
SEE RESULTS BEFORE SHOOTING
THE RAIN CANNOT HOLD ME BACK
GO HIKING IN WINTER
To be as much adventurous as possible is what many landscape photographer are looking for. To see the new places, enchanting location where you can spend whole day experiment ing new different angles. Camera equipment weights, hence, are crucial factors to be considered. More burdens on your back may cut down your energy to explore, less time you can spend appreciating the nature beauty. More importantly, you may miss some shot due to a physical hindrance. As the landscape
F U J I X - T 2F U J I X - T 2
Despite including memory card and battery, Fuji X-T2 has compact and lightweight. With Fuji new technology to create the APS-C sized sensors, the camera body’s weight is only 507 gram. No more worry about carrying the heavy lens and many supplementary equipment. With smaller camera bags, whether your are a traveller who love exploring the world or an urban creature who discovery city hidden places, no more heavy weight will stop your adventures. “We designed the camera to be as light and compact as possible,” said the Fujifilm team. Histogram measuring is crucial for taking exceptional landscape photography. It shows the weight of highlight and shadow thought out the scene–deliberately balancing these factors are a secret for good landscape shot. In Fuji X-T2, once the camera adjustment goes overexposure or underexposure, the warning signal will be displayed on the screen. We, hence, don’t have to be too much concerned about technical obstacles giving us a time to focus more on the real moment of nature. You see the light before your eyes, exactly the same way as you can see from the camera. And, it would be such an amazing experience if you can capture exactly that photo. Sometimes, manual focus is the key to achieve image perfection–particularly in the landscape photo where the light conditions are continuously changing. However, with a small screen, to distinguish which areas are in or out of focus is a time-taking process–also cause eye fatigue when doing continuously. Once using Fuji X-T2 in which equipped with “focus peaking” system, the manual focus becomes easier. The system places the edges of in-focus areas with coloured highlight and display in live view on the screen and viewfinder–no more missing the focus. With Fuji X-T2 camera, my landscape adventure become even more fun and fantastic.
94
N AT U R E TA L E S
95 95
The stacking images of honey under geological microscope with polarising filter. The colourful sugar cystals shows that the TESCO honey is made from multlfloral-blended mixture, rather than pure.
Hydra tentacles (cnida) photographed with dark field technique to show its shape and flexibility. These cnida work together with their neurotoxic nemotocysts to immobilise and paralyse their preys.
The tadpole within spawn taking under stereo microscope generated from stacking 10 photos. In the late egg stage, the frog embryo develops into a tadpole-like shape and starts moving in the egg.
Under the SEM, the image shows the overlaying patterns on the snake skin outter layer. The pattern benefits locomotion of a snake as well as promotes heat absorbtion.
Exmoor Ponies
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
Science behind their adorable behaviors The couple of swan swim together with their neck making the shape of “heart” symbolising “love” in many culture The swans are strictly monogamous species which mate once for lifetime.
Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in the warmth-hearted word using plit rest, unt volu.
“Love”
prevalently in many cultures. It is strong enough to make someone transcend to brand-new better individual. However, the true definition of “love” might be one of the equivocal thing in the world. Love is happiness; love is life learning; love is struggling; love is responsibility; love is sexual intercourse; love is aching.
102
N AT U R E TA L E S
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
103
Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu.
Scientists generally separate the mating in the animal world into two types. Polygamy is having more than one mate at a time; whereas monogamy is having only one mate. Some of us may make an assumption that the mammal just like us humans are the group closer to the concept of “trustworthy lovers, eternal love�. It is unfortunately wrong, when around 90% of the mammal species practice polygamy mating. Instead, most of the avian species, our winged neighbours, are monogamy. Only 3 - 5% out of the whole mammalian species are monogamy. Among the monogamy species, the duration of bond can be varies into three types.
1 2 3
104 N A T U R E T A L E S
ENTIRE SINGLE BREEDING SEASON The bonding lasts until the end of one mating season or until their babies become mature enough to living on their own, then find the new mate when the next breeding time. This type includes most of bird species like most songbirds.
SEVERAL SUCCESSIVE BREEDING SEASON The birds keep mating with the same partner for multiple breeding seasons. Some observations reported that some pair-bond of American robins, and tree swallows.
ENTIRE LIFETIME Forever bonding, the individuals will select their one and only mate and never find the new one for the rest of their lifetime. The birds included in both groups are such as albatrosses, eagles, geese, hornbills, some owls, parrots and swans. Hence, divorce between the couple may rarely occur due to the nesting failure.
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
105
Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu.
However, judging which species are more superior in term of moral judgement might not be possible. Both mating strategies are for the best of their species survivals, proven by many generations of species existence. In the animal world, the romance story might come with backing-up survival reasons. By developing the single loving bond, it come together with a number of natural, biological blessings. After putting their efforts to select the most suitable mate, monogamy believers will side-by-side dedicate all their life and energy on building territory and raising offsprings.
106 N A T U R E T A L E S
TILL DEATH DO THEM PART
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
107
Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu.
CONS
PROS
1
Greatly dedicating in parental cares leads to the altricial young greater chance to grow strong, safe and sound. Territory protecting and maleguarding are also a big concern in the wild. The larger group size with multiple mates, found in many polygamy species, might cost with more challenging in taking care of every members, while it is relatively less troubling with single couple.
3
2
Another major benefits of single mate species is less “sexual conflict” between the male and the female. It basically means that the investment and gains from both sex toward their couple life are relatively equal. Taking example of polygyny species–the male mate more than one female at a time, the male may focus the on spreading their genes only while all the rest of parental care effort down to the female.
In more extreme case, some polygyny male species may evolutionarily come up with mating strategies that harm the female, forced copulation–rape. On the other hand, the male who invest too much on promoting their sexual values to induce as much as possible females might be gone broke– in the animal world, it costs their life. To boost their popularity, the male peacock trick out himself with vivid, colourful feather, the female get attracted so do come the predators.
108 N A T U R E T A L E S
Yet, the monogamy comes with risky costs. In an unfortunate event, the death of offsprings can mean a complete waste of energy among monogamous couple. While being honest and faithful to your partner is morally and socially admiring in humans, in animals, multiple mates elevate the chance of genetic ‘trading-up’. With greater genetic variation, stronger offsprings may be produced.
1
LOVE IS WAR Not all monogamy are a romantic warmth-hearted story, once racing to exploiting from limited resources is the main goal in survival game. All the tricks up their sleeve are to be use. Enforced monogamy can be noticed in many bird species. The male may enforce female to confirm their paternities. Also, not all pair-bond birds are strictly faithful. Despite nesting with the main partner, ‘adultery’ is frequently found among the birds known to be monogamous. Scientist refers this phenomenon as extra-pair copulation (EPC), or particularly extra-pair paternity (EPP) as in the cases that it is the male who committed infidelity.
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
109
Verit molupta tiaesequo ma sus dolum hariaeculpa exerciistium es anitati umquian delesti aut ditatio quae odita quibea etate voleni que in plit rest, unt volu.
Do We Use Our Sense of Morality to Judge Animal? Before the story end, as biological behind the scene of animal romances are not that beautiful–tainted with instinctive reasons for survival. Some may link the bird behaviours back to human being. It might leads to basic biological and psychological controversial. Do animals have love? From the well-known story of Walt Disney tales to the popular Hollywood film, animals portray human characteristics are ubiquitous. Not only on the big screen, but also our everyday communication. The most basic example might be the viral cat or dog video prevalent throughout the social media new feeds; we “assign” some human-like characteristic or emotion to those cute pet–based from what they look like. We called this action as “anthropomorphism”–the inclination to attribute human characteristics to nonhuman animals or objects. Regardless of an ambiguity in scientific senses, it is ubiquitous. “Anyway, we sometimes may need to keep balance between scientific notion and romantic emotion. If we think the couple of swans swimming together is lovely, then it is lovely. If seeing the hornbill being faithful to their mate is admirable, then you may learn to be like them.
110
N AT U R E TA L E S
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
111
Mutual Respect Relationship between Elephants and Men
AUGUST 2019
Explorer WA ED Oasis C Plus
begin to know familiar birds closer compact and lightweight waterproof binocular with wide field
smaller, lighter, brighter, sharper
REFERENCES TINY HIDDEN MASTER
GREENPRINT
Arpon, J. (n.d.). NASA Biomimicry Project: Nature-inspired Exploration on Earth and in Space. [online] Grc.nasa.gov. Available at: https://www.grc.nasa.gov/vine/wp-content/uploads/sites/91/Biomimicry-Poster-PortraitArpon.pdf [Accessed 15 May 2019].
Al-Kodmany, K. (2018). The Vertical Farm: A Review of Developments and Implications for the Vertical City. Buildings, 8(2), p.24.
Bhushan, B. (2009). Biomimetics: lessons from nature–an overview. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 367(1893), pp.1445-1486. Bomphrey, R., Nakata, T., Henningsson, P. and Lin, H. (2016). Flight of the dragonflies and damselflies. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 371(1704), p.20150389. Choi, J., Hwang, J., Jeong, Y., Park, J., Lee, K. and Hong, J. (2015). Biomimetics: forecasting the future of science, engineering, and medicine. International Journal of Nanomedicine, p.5701. Crawford, R. (2015). Myth: Spiders only “suck juices” of prey. [online] Burke Museum. Available at: https://www.burkemuseum.org/blog/myth-spiders-only-suck-juices-prey [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Garth, J. (2017). The drone inspired by a dragonfly. [online] Oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk. Available at: http://www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk/interviews/drone-inspired-dragonfly [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Hunter, P. (2017). From imitation to inspiration. EMBO reports, 18(3), pp.363-366. Lenau, T., Hesselberg, T., Drakidis, A., Silva, P. and Gomes, S. (2017). Mosquito inspired medical needles. Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication 2017. Liu, H., Ravi, S., Kolomenskiy, D. and Tanaka, H. (2016). Biomechanics and biomimetics in insect-inspired flight systems. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 371(1704), p.20150390.
Who.int. (2018). Ambient (outdoor) air quality and health. [online] Available at: https:// www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Holmes, A. (2018). A brief history of urban gardening. [online] The Green Conspiracy. Available at: https://thegreenconspiracy.com/2018/09/13/a-brief-history-of-urban-gardening/ [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Huang, S. (2018). Urban Farming as a Transformative Planning Practice: The Contested New Territories in Hong Kong. Journal of Planning Education and Research, pp.0739456X1877208. Kolczak, A. (2017). This City Aims to Be the World’s Greenest. [online] National Geographic. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/urban-expeditions/ green-buildings/green-urban-landscape-cities-Singapore/ [Accessed 15 May 2019]. McLeod, S., Scheurer, J. and Curtis, C. (2017). Urban Public Transport. Journal of Planning Literature, 32(3), pp.223-239. The Nature Conservancy. (2019). Nature in the Urban Century. [online] Available at: https:// www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/nature-in-the-urban-century/ [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Reyes, T. (2016). Sustainable skylines: The future of green architecture in Metro Manila. [online] Rappler. Available at: https://www.rappler.com/brandrap/stories/125779-arthaland-sustainable-skylines-metro-manila [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Riffat, S., Powell, R. and Aydin, D. (2019). Future cities and environmental sustainability.
Song YM, Xie Y, Malyarchuk V, Xiao J, Jung I, Choi KJ, Liu Z, Park H, Lu C, Kim RH et al (2013) Digital cameras with designs inspired by the arthropod eye. Nature 497: 95–99.
Skår, M., Nordh, H. and Swensen, G. (2018). Green urban cemeteries: more than just parks. Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, 11(3), pp.362-382.
Vanderbilt, T. (2019). How Biomimicry is Inspiring Human Innovation. [online] Smithsonian. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-biomimicry-is-inspiring-human-innovation-17924040/ [Accessed 15 May 2019].
Tapper, J. (2019). On rooftops and in tunnels, city farms lead food revolution. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/urbanfarming-feeding-cities-of-the-future [Accessed 15 May 2019].
Wallace, T. (2017). Visionary biomimicry: five insects inspiring cutting-edge | Cosmos. [online] Cosmosmagazine.com. Available at: https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/visonary-biomimicry-five-insects-inspiring-cutting-edge-technology [Accessed 15 May 2019].
Zhang, K. and Batterman, S. (2013). Air pollution and health risks due to vehicle traffic. Science of The Total Environment, 450-451, pp.307-316.
FROM SCALES TO THE SKY
PREHISTORIC SURVIVORS
Black, R. (2010). “Bird” Wrists Evolved Among Dinosaurs. [online] Smithsonian. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/bird-wrists-evolved-among-dinosaurs-65035237/ [Accessed 15 May 2019].
Blake, D. and Loveridge, J. (1975). The role of commercial crocodile farming in crocodile conservation. Biological Conservation, 8(4), pp.261-272.
Chiappe, L. (2009). Downsized Dinosaurs: The Evolutionary Transition to Modern Birds. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 2(2), pp.248-256. Czerkas, S. and Feduccia, A. (2014). Jurassic archosaur is a non-dinosaurian bird. Journal of Ornithology, 155(4), pp.841-851.
Lapbenjakul, S., Thapana, W., Twilprawat, P., Muangmai, N., Kanchanaketu, T., Temsiripong, Y., Unajak, S., Peyachoknagul, S. and Srikulnath, K. (2017). High genetic diversity and demographic history of captive Siamese and Saltwater crocodiles suggest the first step toward the establishment of a breeding and reintroduction program in Thailand. PLOS ONE, 12(9), p.e0184526.
Henningsson, P., Hedenström, A. and Bomphrey, R. (2014). Efficiency of Lift Production in Flapping and Gliding Flight of Swifts. PLoS ONE, 9(2), p.e90170.
Molnar, J., Pierce, S., Bhullar, B., Turner, A. and Hutchinson, J. (2015). Morphological and functional changes in the vertebral column with increasing aquatic adaptation in crocodylomorphs. Royal Society Open Science, 2(11), p.150439.
Jaggard, V. (2018). These Are the Dinosaurs That Didn’t Die. [online] National Geographic. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/05/dinosaurs-survivors-birds-fossils/ [Accessed 15 May 2019].
Platt, S., Monyrath, V., Sovannara, H., Kheng, L. and Rainwater, T. (2011). Nesting Phenology and Clutch Characteristics of Captive Siamese Crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) in Cambodia. Zoo Biology, 31(5), pp.534-545.
Kaiser, G. and Dyke, G. (2015). The development of flight surfaces on the avian wing. Biology Bulletin, 42(7), pp.607-615.
Seebacher, F. and Grigg, G. (1997). Patterns of Body Temperature in Wild Freshwater Crocodiles, Crocodylus johnstoni: Thermoregulation versus Thermoconformity, Seasonal Acclimatization, and the Effect of Social Interactions. Copeia, 1997(3), p.549.
Kurochkin, E. and Bogdanovich, I. (2010). Origin of feathered flight. Paleontological Journal, 44(12), pp.1570-1588. Lee, S., Kim, J., Park, H., Jabłoński, P. and Choi, H. (2015). The Function of the Alula in Avian Flight. Scientific Reports, 5(1). Ronson, J. (2019). The Evolution of Dinosaur Flight Was Chaotic and Strange. [online] Inverse. Available at: https://www.inverse.com/article/28257-bird-dinosaur-flight-evolution-wings-feathers-brusatte [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Xing, L., Lockley, M., Marty, D., Klein, H., Yang, G., Zhang, J., Peng, G., Ye, Y., Persons, W., Yin, X. and Xu, T. (2016). A diverse saurischian (theropod–sauropod) dominated footprint assemblage from the Lower Cretaceous Jiaguan Formation in the Sichuan Basin, southwestern China: A new ornithischian ichnotaxon, pterosaur tracks and an unusual sauropod walking pattern. Cretaceous Research, 60, pp.176-193.
TOSUN, D. (2013). CROCODILE FARMING AND ITS PRESENT STATE IN GLOBAL AQUACULTURE. Journal of FisheriesSciences.com. University of Edinburgh (2014). Prehistoric crocodiles’ evolution mirrored in living species. [online] ScienceDaily. Available at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141015101725.htm [Accessed 15 May 2019].
SEAHOUSE The RSPB. (n.d.). Purple Sandpiper Bird Facts. [online] Available at: https://www.rspb.org. uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/purple-sandpiper/ [Accessed 15 May 2019]. The RSPB. (n.d.). Turnstone Bird Facts. [online] Available at: https://www.rspb.org.uk/ birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/turnstone/ [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Wildlifetrusts.org. (n.d.). Purple sandpiper. [online] Available at: https://www.wildlifetrusts. org/wildlife-explorer/birds/wading-birds/purple-sandpiper [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Wildlifetrusts.org. (n.d.). Turnstone. [online] Available at: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/ wildlife-explorer/birds/wading-birds/turnstone [Accessed 15 May 2019].
THE LOVE OF BIRDS
Ant SEM Magnification x23
Mosquito with Mouth Tip SEM Magnification x35
Berger, M. (2012). Till Death Do Them Part: 8 Birds that Mate for Life. [online] Audubon. Available at: https://www.audubon.org/news/till-death-do-them-part-8-birds-mate-life [Accessed 15 May 2019]. Brockelman, W. (2005). Ulrich H. Reichard, Christophe Boesch (eds): Monogamy: mating strategies and partnerships in birds, humans and other mammals. Primates, 46(2), pp.151153.
Spider SEM Magnification x22
Beetle Trapped with Spider Silk under SEM SEM Magnification x17
Delbaere, M., McQuarrie, E. and Phillips, B. (2011). Personification in Advertising. Journal of Advertising, 40(1), pp.121-130. Ehrlich, P., Dobkin, D. and Wheye, D. (2019). Monogamy. [online] Web.stanford.edu. Available at: https://web.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Monogamy.html [Accessed 30 Mar. 2019]. Hart, P. and Royne, M. (2017). Being Human: How Anthropomorphic Presentations Can Enhance Advertising Effectiveness. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 38(2), pp.129-145. Johnsgard, P. (2016). Swans: Their Biology and Natural History. 38th ed. [ebook] Zea E-Books. Available at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1037&context=zeabook [Accessed 15 May 2019].
Fly Compound Eye SEM Magnification x100
Damsel Fly Compound Eye SEM Magnification x43
Honey Bee Third Eye SEM Magnification x19
Flea Legs SEM Magnification x80
Flea Full Body SEM Magnification x33
Butterfly Wing Scattered SEM Magnification x90
Kvarnemo, C. (2018). Why do some animals mate with one partner rather than many? A review of causes and consequences of monogamy. Biological Reviews, 93(4), pp.1795-1812. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/brv.12421 Parker, G. (2006). Sexual conflict over mating and fertilization: an overview. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 361(1466), pp.235-259. Schuiling, G. (2003). The benefit and the doubt: why monogamy?. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 24(1), pp.55-61. Welsh, T., McDougall, L. and Paulson, S. (2014). The personification of animals: Coding of human and nonhuman body parts based on posture and function. Cognition, 132(3), pp.398-415. Urquiza-Haas, E. and Kotrschal, K. (2015). The mind behind anthropomorphic thinking: attribution of mental states to other species. Animal Behaviour, 109, pp.167-176.
Mosquito with Broken Mouth Tip SEM Magnification x70
Mosquito with Broken Mouth Tip SEM Magnification x70
Butterfly Wing Texture Close-up SEM Magnification x110 Pseudo-Coloured in Photoshop
Green City Front Page f/11 SS 1/500 ISO 100 HDR with 2 photos The Quiraing, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Spider SEM Magnification x22
Elephant Along the Road in Green Urban f/8 SS 1/30 ISO 800 Khao Yai National Park, Thailand
Green City Panoramic View Panorama view merging 13 photos all photos taken with same camera setting f/8 SS 1/250 ISO 200 The Quiraing, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Background for From Scales to the Sky Front Cover Panorama view merging 13 photos all photos taken with same camera setting f/8 SS 1/250 ISO 200 The Quiraing, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Urbanisation and Deforestation Overlaying 2 photos Tree Cut Down f/5.6 SS 1/250 ISO 640 Isle of Skye, Scotland
Deinonychus Skull Replica Facing Right f/8 SS 1/200 ISO 100 Uni University of Nottingham, Life Science Building Studio
Archaeopteryx Fossil Replica f/8 SS 1/200 ISO 100 Uni University of Nottingham, Life Science Building Studio
Deinonychus Skull Replica Facing Left f/8 SS 1/200 ISO 100 Uni University of Nottingham, Life Science Building Studio
Velociraptor Skull Replica f/8 SS 1/200 ISO 100 Uni University of Nottingham, Life Science Building Studio
Electricity Pole f/8 SS 1/100 ISO 100 Isle of Skye, Scotland
Wind Turbine Field f/8 SS 1/500 ISO 100 Isle of Skye, Scotland
Glasshouse Fields f/11 SS 1/400 ISO 100 Isle of Skye, Scotland
Archaeopteryx Skull Replica f/8 SS 1/200 ISO 100 Uni University of Nottingham, Life Science Building Studio
Crocodile Face Close-Up f/8 SS 1/250 ISO 400 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Saltwater Crocodiles Sunbathing under the Trees f/5.6 SS 1/640 ISO 400 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Human Hand Approaching Swans f/5.6 SS 1/640 ISO 320 St James’s Park, London, UK
Group of Tourists Taking Photo of Elephant f/5 SS 1/60 ISO 400 Khao Yai National Park, Thailand
Crocodile Skin Texture Close-Up f/6.3 SS 1/125 ISO 400 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Crocodile Egg Collecting Top View f/6.3 SS 1/160 ISO 400 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Deers Laying Down Next to Human Home f/6.3 SS 1/320 ISO 200 Khao Yai National Park, Thailand
Swans Eating Seeds Low Angle f/5.6 SS 1/320 ISO 100 Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UK
Crocodile Egg Collecting Close View f/5.6 SS 1/640 ISO 400 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Two Crocodiles Catching Raw Meat f/5.6 SS 1/800 ISO 800 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
One Crocodile Laying Head on top of the Other f/5.6 SS 1/320 ISO 400 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Performer Laying Head in Crocodile Mouth f/8 SS 1/125 ISO 500 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Crocodile Show Stage with Audiences f/8 SS 1/200 ISO 500 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Performer Scar from Crocodile Bite f/5.6 SS 1/200 ISO 640 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Performer Lifting Crocodile Up f/5.6 SS 1/320 ISO 500 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Portrait of Crocodile Trainer f/5.6 SS 1/100 ISO 200 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Crocodile Trainer against Crocodile f/8 SS 1/1000 ISO 400 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Crocodile with Half-Face over the Water f/9 SS 1/2000 ISO 400 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Squirrel Accepting Food from Human f/5.6 SS 1/800 ISO 400 St James’s Park, London, UK
Bird Eating Bread f/5.6 SS 1/640 ISO 200 Green Park, London, UK
Group of Crocodiles in Water f/4.5 SS 1/400 ISO 200 Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand
Group of Swans Following the Feeder f/8 SS 1/500 ISO 200 Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UK
Bird in Flight Approaching the Seeds f/5.6 SS 1/800 ISO 400 Attenborough Nature Centre, Nottingham, UK
f/5.6 SS 1/200 ISO 160 Seahouse, Northumberland, UK
f/5.6 SS 1/160 ISO 160 Seahouse, Northumberland, UK
f/5.6 SS 1/1250 ISO 200 Seahouse, Northumberland, UK
f/8 SS 1/800 ISO 125 Seahouse, Northumberland, UK
Moon Jellyfish f/5.6 SS 1/200 ISO 800 Sealife, Birmingham, UK
Floating Bell f/4.5 SS 1/40 ISO 800 Sealife, Birmingham, UK
Freshwater Hydra attached camera with light microscope dark field technique 40x magnification SS 1/60 ISO 800 University of Nottingham, UK
f/5.6 SS 1/125 ISO 160 Seahouse, Northumberland, UK
Rockturn f/5.6 SS 1/800 ISO 400 Seahouse, Northumberland, UK Northern Sea Nettle f/5.6 SS 1/200 ISO 800 Sealife, Birmingham, UK
f/5.6 SS 1/125 ISO 160 Seahouse, Northumberland, UK
Purple Sandpiper f/5.6 SS 1/1000 ISO 200 Seahouse, Northumberland, UK Black Sea Nettle f/7.1 SS 1/80 ISO 2000 Sealife, Birmingham, UK
Swan Couple f/5.6 SS 1/800 ISO 400 St James’s Park, London, UK
Asian Crane Couple f/5.6 SS 1/250 ISO 200 Jakreamak Reservoir, Buriram, Thailand
Blue Tits f/5.6 SS 1/640 ISO 200 Richmond Park, London, UK
Mountain Dove f/8 SS 1/200 ISO 100 Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
Hornbill f/5.6 SS 1/125 ISO 400 Sakaeo, Thailand
Parrot Guarding the Nest f/5.6 SS 1/320 ISO 500 Richmond Park, London, UK
Two Moorhens with Nest f/5.6 SS 1/320 ISO 200 St James’s Park, London, UK
Parrot Couple f/5.6 SS 1/400 ISO 400 Richmond Park, London, UK
Two Egyptian Geese Fighting f/ 5.6 SS 1/640 ISO 400 St James’s Park, London, UK
1 Biological Photography and Imaging MSc Professional Techniques in the Field C14204
Krittanun Tantraporn 4338214