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EDITOR’S LETTER
I
once owned a tiny cat (or kitten) called Nixon for a few weeks. He was a stray and I nurtured him back to health before giving him to a more responsible owner. In that three weeks, Nixon (named after the power hungry ex-US President) and I formed a bond, however brief, and so I do understand man’s love affair with animals. Our designer, Roui, on the other hand, once trod on a baby pigeon, the incident traumatising him for hours afterwards. As you can see, Open Skies HQ has vast experience of animals, and how to care (or not) for them. So we feel qualified to present this issue dedicated to creatures great or small, be they furry, fast, frightening, or just plain food.
Aled Lewis taps into the spirit of this issue with his wonderfully irreverant Toy Story creations in our photo essay, as well as an original work on our cover.
Elsewhere we travel to some of the world’s best zoos, each one illustrated by the brilliant Sam Falconer. We also take a scientific view of two of nature’s most chilling creatures: the man-eaters of Tsavo, a pair of lions that wreaked havoc in a corner of Africa. We speculate on the future of food, and why the earth’s growing population could find an unlikely saviour: the insect. And we travel to Paris to check out a most unusual store, get a bullfighter’s view of the recent ban in Catalonia, and take a look at a remarkable commercial partnership between man and bird in China. Enjoy the issue. CONOR@OPENSKIESMAGAZINE.COM
Emirates takes care to ensure that all facts published herein are correct. In the event of any inaccuracy please contact The Editor. Any opinion expressed is the honest belief of the author based on all available facts. Comments and facts should not be relied upon by the reader in taking commercial, legal, financial or other decisions. Articles are by their nature general and specialist advice should always be consulted before any actions are taken. PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE Telephone: (+971 4) 282 4060 Fax:(+971 4) 282 4436 Email: emirates@motivate.ae
89,396 COPIES Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai, UAE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Obaid Humaid Al Tayer GROUP EDITOR & MANAGING PARTNER Ian Fairservice GROUP SENIOR EDITOR Gina Johnson • gina@motivate.ae SENIOR EDITOR Mark Evans • marke@motivate.ae EDITOR Conor Purcell • conor@motivate.ae DEPUTY EDITOR Gareth Rees • gareth@motivate.ae DESIGNER Roui Francisco • rom@motivate.ae STAFF WRITER Matthew Priest EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Londresa Flores SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER S Sunil Kumar PRODUCTION MANAGER C Sudhakar GENERAL MANAGER, GROUP SALES Anthony Milne • anthony@motivate.ae GROUP SALES MANAGER Jaya Balakrishnan jaya@motivate.ae ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER Murali Narayanan SENIOR SALES MANAGER Shruti Srivastava EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS FOR EMIRATES: Editor: Siobhan Bardet Arabic Editor: Hatem Omar Deputy Editor: Stephanie Byrne Website • emirates. com. CONTRIBUTORS: HG2, Alexander Fiske-Harrison, Bruce D Patterson, Sam Falconer, Mitch Blunt, John Vidal, Brian Rea, Rachel B Levin, Laura Hobson, Leonardo Finotti, Rebecca Lawn, Lowell Bennett, Andreas Preis, Gemma Correll, Edward McGowan, Axis Maps, COVER ILLUSTRATION by Aled Lewis MASTHEAD DESIGN by Quint • www.quintdubai.com
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21
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara
CONTENTS
APRIL 2012
OUR WRITER IN LA WONDERS WHY THE CITY IS SO FASCINATED WITH DOGS (P28)... LOCAL JAZZ STAR ELIE AFIF SHARES HIS FAVOURITE TRACKS WITH US (P33)... WE GO SOUTH TO BUENOS AIRES AND GET THE LOWDOWN ON THIS AMAZING CITY (P36)... AUTHOR AND
BULLFIGHTER ALEXANDER FISKE-HARRISON DEFENDS A SPORT UNDER THREAT (P41)... WE CHECK OUT ONE OF PARIS’ MOST REMARKABLE SHOPS (P50)... WE TRAVEL THE GLOBE AND COME BACK WITH AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO THE WORLD’S BEST ZOOS (P54)... WILL
INSECTS SAVE THE WORLD? OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT THINKS THEY JUST MIGHT (P64)... WE TRAVEL TO CHINA AND CHRONICLE AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND BIRD (P74)... THE MANEATING LIONS OF TSAVO WREAKED HAVOC IN KENYA MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. WE FOLLOW THE TRAIL (P84)... ALED LEWIS TAKES US ON A MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR OF HIS ANIMAL KINGDOM (P94)...
23
CONTRIBUTORS
ALEXANDER FISKE-HARRISON: An actor and writer, he wrote the acclaimed book on bullfighting, Into The Arena, last year. His immersion into the world of the matador saw him compete in Spain and survive to write about the experience. BRUCE PATTERSON: The MacAurthur Curator of Mammals at The Field Museum in Chicago, he has written a number of books on wildlife. He is currently working on a book about bats in Kenya, investigating more than one hundred species of bats in that country. JOHN VIDAL: The Guardian’s environment editor, he is the author of McLibel: Burger Culture on Trial and has contributed chapters to books on topics such as the Gulf War, new Europe and development.
BRIAN REA: The former art director for the Op-Ed page of the New York Times, his work has appeared in Playboy and Outside Magazine as well as for MTV, Honda and Billabong. He currently teaches at the Art Center in Los Angeles. ALED LEWIS: A designer, illustrator and author based in London, his Toy Stories series has been turned into greeting cards and t-shirts, and his skill and humour has been lauded around the world.
24
Aaron Basha Boutique • 685 Madison Avenue • New York • 212.935.1960 • w w w.aaronbasha.com Athens
•
Dubai
•
Hong Kong
•
Italy
•
Kiev
•
London
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Moscow
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Qatar
Harrods London • Ali Bin Ali Qatar • Levant Dubai
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Tokyo
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Toronto
INTRO P. 28 • LA’S DOG ROMANCE
P. 36 • BUENOS AIRES MAPPED
P. 41 • BULLFIGHTING
P.50 • PARIS’ ANIMAL MAGIC
E HIGHHLICIF GUIDE
OUR GRAP RLD’S TO THE WO IMALS TALLEST AN
P46
27
ILLUSTRATION: MITCH BLUNT
hen Uggie (the Jack Russell terrier that saved the day in the film The Artist) appeared onstage at the Academy Awards in February, it was, in a sense, a canine coup. Less than two weeks prior, a spokesperson for the film said that Uggie had “not been asked to appear at the Oscars”. When the dog failed to walk the red carpet, it seemed as if it would indeed be a canine shutout. But Uggie mania (the Consider Uggie Facebook campaign to add the dog as a Best Supporting Actor nominee garnered nearly 17,000 ‘likes’)
W
must have softened the Academy’s stance. As the film’s producers, director, and cast took the stage to accept the Best Picture Oscar, Uggie was right there among them, sporting an 18-carat gold bone bow tie.
OUR MAN IN
LOS ANGELES LA LOVES DOGS, BUT IS THIS CITY OF CANINE LOVERS GOING TOO FAR?
Rachel B. Levin is a writer based in Los Angeles. Her website is: www.rachelbethlevin.com 28
The very next day, canines scored another not-so-dissimilar victory in the city of Los Angeles. Department of Public Health Director Dr. Jonathan Fielding issued a decree, effective immediately, that dogs
TWITTER could now dine amid their owners on outdoor restaurant patios. Old rules had banned dogs from any patio that was enclosed by a fence or other barrier, though dogs were previously allowed to sit near sidewalk tables. Under the new rules, dogs earned a proper place at the outdoor table – not insignificant, considering that LA’s climate makes Al fresco dining possible year round. Taken together, these four-legged triumphs point to the trend of expanding dogs’ rights in Los Angeles, a city that is a hardcore dog-loving town. Increasingly, dogs are entering into social and leisure territory here once reserved only for humans.
Calling human companions dog ‘owners’ is considered blasphemy Aside from the doggie yoga classes, doggie spas, doggie bakeries and doggie birthday parties, dogs in Los Angeles are now surfing, dancing and partying alongside their owners. Or, rather, their guardians. Calling human companions ‘owners’ is considered blasphemy in the most dog-sympathetic circles in town. Even the County seems to have jumped on the dog-booster bandwagon. Fielding provided no health rationale for his sudden decree; instead, he cited the benefit for businesses to attract dog-loving customers, which assumes they are in the majority. There are numerous reasons why Los Angeles fosters so much puppy love. Many point to its expansive
outdoor opportunities, from the foothills to the beach, where dogs make natural companions. LA’s sprawl allows for big yards, large dog parks, and landscaped neighbourhoods fit for canine enjoyment. But the city’s social quirks are perhaps even more relevant than its outdoor assets. In a place where, stereotypically, no one ever walks, the obligation to walk the dog coaxes Angelenos to be social animals. It provides a rare opportunity for car-addicted residents to encounter one another in the street. Many report that owning a dog has allowed them to cultivate a neighbourhood community that they wouldn’t have otherwise. But even with supportive neighbours, Angelenos can sometimes be a lonely bunch. The single, childless creative types who flock here to make it in the entertainment industry are often disconnected from family networks and, as actors and filmmakers, prone to fragile egos. Dogs provide both a steady source of unconditional love and an ego boost in the form of “parental” pride (not “Isn’t my kid amazing?” but “Isn’t my dog amazing?”). So it’s no wonder that dogs are gaining increasing rights and privileges in this town, or that the Best Picture award went to a movie in which a dog rescued a down-on-hisluck film star from certain death. That’s not to say there aren’t doggie detractors among the LA ranks. Sure, there are those who would prefer not to be exposed to the sounds, and smells of dogs while dining al fresco. Online comment threads on the topic of the new patio laws drew plenty of complaints. But like Uggie in The Artist , their protests seem to amount to nothing more than a silent bark.
PITCH FIVE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS THAT YOU SHOULD BE FOLLOWING
Natural History Museum London’s Natural History Museum is a treasure in every way. Join us for updates on our science, our collections and all our activities. @NHM London
Field Museum With 4.6 billion years of history under one roof, Chicago’s Field Museum is your passport to travel around the world and back in time. Start discovering now! @fieldmuseum
AMNH The American Museum of Natural History in New York City is one of the world’s preeminent scientific and cultural institutions. @AMNH
Museum of Nature The Museum of Nature is Canada’s national natural sciences and natural history museum. @MuseumofNature
Museum Naturalis LiveScience reflects the essence of the collections and research of NCB Naturalis, the Netherlands Centre of Biodiversity Naturalis and museum of natural history. @museumnaturalis
29
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MARCH CALENDAR
APRIL 5-8
APRIL 7-9
APRIL 8
APRIL 14
Golf’s first Major of the year sees the world’s best teeing off at the Augusta Course in Georgia, USA, to fight for the coveted Green Jacket.
The streets of Perth will be awash with colours and performances at Australia’s biggest street arts festival.
Christians the world over flock to the Vatican City to see the Pope give his annual Easter Sunday blessing.
One of the world’s biggest horse races, the National, has been run at the Aintree racecourse in England since 1839.
www.masters.com
www.fremantle.wa.gov.au
www.vatican.va
www.aintree.co.uk
The Masters
30
Fremantle Street Arts Festival
Easter
The Grand National
The Leading Teppanyaki Restaurant in the World —Pioneer since 1964
U.S.A, Honolulu Hilton Hawaiian Village 808-955-5955 CANADA, Toronto Fairmont Hotels 416-368-2511 U.K., Piccadilly 44-20-7494-2525
SLOVAKIA, Bratislava 421-232-186-240 AUSTRALIA, Surfer’s Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa 61-7-5592-9700 THAILAND, Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa 66-38-412120 ext. 1395
U.K., Chelsea 44-20-7376-7799
THAILAND, Bangkok Anantara Riverside 66-2-476-0022
U.K., St. Paul Grange Hotel 44-20-7074-1001
INDONESIA, Jakarta Grand Indonesia East Mall 62-21-2358-1067
ROMANIA, Bucharest Howard Johnson Grand Plz Hotel 4021-201-5030
INDONESIA, Bali De Opera Bali LEBANON, Beirut Le Commodore Hotel 961-1-734-734
‘‘We prepare your food right before your eyes. Please enjoy our culinary performance. Domo Arigato (Thank you).’’ Keiko Ono Aoki, Ms. Benihana/CEO
JORDAN, Amman Le Meridian Amman Hotel 962-569-6511 U.A.E., Abu Dhabi Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers 971-2-697-9122 U.A.E., Dubai Al Bustan Rotana Hotel 971-4-428-2000 U.A.E., Dubai Amwaj Rotana Hotel 971-4-705-4632 SAUDI ARABIA, Jeddah Sands Hotel 966-2-668-6014 KUWAIT, Kuwait City The Avenues Mall 965-2259-7096 Coming Soon: SAUDI ARABIA, Riyadh
Benihana of Tokyo
www.benihana-of-tokyo.com
BOOKED RORY STEWART— THE PLACES IN BETWEEN Afghanistan, January 2002. Rory Stewart, a British diplomat, decides to walk from Herat to Kabul, a perilous journey of more than 600 kilometres through some of the most dangerous territory in the world. Quite what possessed Stewart to do such a thing, even he seems unable to explain, although what is not in doubt is the man’s bravery and wit. His writing is also wonderful, Stewart’s recollections are infused with humanity, humour and insight. His journey starts out in the northwest of the country, close to the Iranian border, in Herat. The darkly comic humour of his attempts to gain ‘permissions’ from various elders and warlords, illustrating the fragmented nature of the country. As his journey continues southeast into the remote central provinces, the landscape becomes the star, as do the few locals he does encounter, some so isolated they have never been more than 20km from their own house. Along the way he befriends a huge, toothless mastiff, which accompanies him all the way to Kabul. This is travel writing at its epic best: a mixture of danger, beauty, history and humanity. A stunning work. Picador, 2004
MARCH CALENDAR
APRIL 20-21
UNTIL APRIL 30
APRIL 22-29
APRIL 27 - MAY 20
Comic book, Sci-fi and television fans all over the Gulf are in luck as Comic Con Middle East heads to Dubai.
The Austrian capital hosts a monthlong music festival, featuring everything from classic Delta Blues to Rock Blues and Soul Blues to R ‘n’ B.
Munich sees a week of classical and contemporary ballet performances as companies from around the world are in town.
London’s Somerset House hosts the annual exhibition of the year’s best photos, as voted by a selection of esteemed judges.
www.mefcc.com
www.viennabluesspring.org
www.bayerische.staatsoper.de
www.worldphoto.org
Comic Con Middle East
32
Vienna Blues Spring
Week of Ballet
World Photography Awards
SKYPOD DUBAI DOUBLE BASS PLAYER ELIE AFIF SHARES HIS FAVOURITE TRACKS
THELONIOUS MONK – PANNONICA It is a ballad, a beautiful tune, and it holds a lot of memories for me. A great piano player called Barry Harris has also played it. It’s really cool.
ABBEY LINCOLN – THROW IT AWAY You will find this track on a really nice album called Turtle’s Dream, and the song has really great lyrics. Abbey Lincoln’s voice is like an instrument.
JACO PASTORIUS – DONNA LEE I love Charlie Parker’s version of this tune, but the bass player Jaco Pastorius has played it too. Being a bass player, Jaco is my hero.
SARAH VAUGHAN – NEVER LET ME GO This is a ballad, it’s beautiful, and I love it. Listen to the lyrics. I’m not a romantic guy, but sometimes I get into it, and this song has romantic lyrics. 33
ANIMAL FACTS JOHN COLTRANE – GIANT STEPS The changes on this track are really challenging, listening to it, it’s something weird and nice at the same time.
StaRfish Have
no BraIns
CHARLIE PARKER – CONFIRMATION This is a bebop track, and it’s kind of a blues, but it’s a different form of blues that Parker creates. The melody on the progression is really something.
JOHN COLTRANE – NAIMA If you love reggae (and even if you don’t) you will love this slice of dubbedup magic. One of the most prolific reggae producers ever, he is also a cracking DJ.
BARRY HARRIS – SHE Barry plays this all the time. I’ve been listening to Barry a lot lately.It’s really something. Complicated harmony and easy melody. Very smart. 34
PenGuins are Able to to
Jump 6.5ft High
MAPPED BUENOS AIRES
36
The hot, bustling capital of Argentina exudes warmth, passion and friendliness. Yet its turbulent past means Buenos Aires’ cosmopolitan character is still emerging, offering great swathes of contrast. Here, the European influence mixes with indigenous flavours; traditional architecture meets modernising flair, and even the residents are a charming blend of nostalgic old-timers and sceneseekers. Colourful just doesn’t do this place justice. One aspect that’s certain to remain, however, is their worship of the cow – leather and steak are like a religion in this tantalisingly rich city. WWW.HG2.COM
HOTELS 1. 562 Nogaro 2. Faena Hotel + Universe 3. Home 4. House of Jasmines RESTAURANTS 5. Brasserie Petanque 6. La Brigada 7. Olsen 8. Sucre BARS / CLUBS 9. 878 10. Crobar 11. El Dorrego 12. Puerta Uno GALLERIES 13. Jorge Mara - La Ruche 14. MALBA 15. MAMBA 16. Marcos Bledel 37
MAPPED BUENOS AIRES
HOTELS 1 562 NOGARO
Right near the Plaza de Mayo – the very focal point on which Buenos Aires was built – this affordable option still has a boutique feel, without any of the extras you’ll find at other hotels.
2 FAENA HOTEL +
3
UNIVERSE A modern classic, the Faena was an old red brick storehouse which was gutted and renovated by Philippe Starck, to create one of the most iconic hotels in Buenos Aires.
HOME Small but perfectly formed, Home is a 21room hotel in Palermo Viejo. The pet project of English record producer Tom Rixton is intimate, stylish and quiet, well at least until the weekend.
4 HOUSE OF JASMINES
OLSEN Sundays are popular for the salmon and scrambled eggs brunch, but you don’t really come here for the food. It’s all about the vodka and glam at this huge Scandinavian-style space.
8
If the San Bernardo mountains seem far too remote for your Jimmy Choos, then don’t bother with this place. Of course you don’t ever have to leave Robert Duvall’s wonderful property.
RESTAURANTS 5 BRASSERIE
PETANQUE A staple on the BA gastronomic scene, this stylish French bistro-cumbrasserie in San Telmo is well suited for a fun evening. Try the canard, lapin and the steak.
6 LA BRIGADA
Argentinean cuisine is famous for its glorious steaks, and La Brigada is one of the city’s best grills. Succulent cuts of beef are the order of the day against a backdrop of football memorabilia.
7
SUCRE For a quick taste of BA’s new blood, this modern Argentinian offering couldn’t be more apt. Park yourself in the hip, industrial, former bombshelter setting and devour the spit roasts.
BARS/CLUBS 9 878
A speakeasy style, complete with an exclusive doorbell policy, adds an underground charm to this bar. Cocktails are the order of the day at this place, but steer clear of the ‘Fernet Branca’.
10 CROBAR
The latest addition to the Crobar clan attracts some of the city’s most beautiful people. Its variety of bars, full rock music hall and enormous VIP section play their part too. A great addition.
11 EL DORREGO
As touristy as an airport lounge, but with an authentic vibe that still manages to shine. Carve your lover’s name on the bar and sup beers while you soak up the tango culture in San Telmo.
12 PUERTA UNO
Trendy yet unpretentious, with a cool cocktail list, this is a bar that nobody wants to share. Look for the Harley outside the ‘hidden’ entrance and ask for Robertino or Marcelo at the door.
GALLERIES 13 JORGE MARA - LA RUCHE
The focus here is young, contemporary artists based in Argentina and surrounding South American countries. The perfectly designed space showcases a new generation of artists. 38
14 MALBA
The Museum of Latin American Art is a showcase for some of the region’s finest talent from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day – with over 500 works on show.
15 MAMBA
Buenos Aires’ answer to MOMA reopened in 2010 and is the home to the cream of 20th century Argentinean artists, spanning everything from sculpture to industrial design.
16 MARCOS BLEDEL
One of Argentina’s leading galleries specialising in gaucho art, Bledel’s collection of paintings and sculptures explores the notion of rustic beauty and outdoor pursuits.
Ju ne Ju 8th ly – 1s Op t – en Fi ing na i li nW n Ky ars iv aw –6 – 90 2 4 0 50 € €
Coming soon… UEFA EURO 2012™ From June 8th to July 1st … the best European football teams will play in Poland and Ukraine UEFA invites you to the exceptional Corporate Hospitality programme – Club Prestige
Reserve the First Class feeling tel.: +48 22 500 94 40, e-mail: hospitality.euro2012@uefa.ch hospitality.uefa.ch
COLUMN
in defence
of bullfighting BUL L FIG HTER AND AUTHOR ALEXANDER FISKE- HAR R ISON ON T HE MOT IVATIONS B EHIND THE R ECENT B ULLFIGHTING B AN y most vivid memories of my year watching bullfights in Spain are of fear and delight. More vivid still are my memories of the year that followed when I trained as a bullfighter: these are of terror and exultation. To see a large wild animal armed with two feet of pointed horn charge headlong at a man is scary enough to witness. And to watch the bullfighter then draw the animal past him with elegance, nonchalance and art, using only a square metre of red fabric, and do so again and again in a dance pitting technique against ferocity, courage against death, will drive you to your feet shouting, “Olé!” However, to be on the sand and feel the ground bounce as the animal’s hooves thunder over it, to hear the sonorous roll of his breath echoing around the arena, to stand your ground, to draw him towards you with movements of the cape, to see the horns plunge towards your body and then to direct and send him on his way past: that is something else altogether. To do it once can be pulled off with courage and luck. To call him back for a second pass, bringing the horns closer – his determination to destroy you now fixed – can only be done with technique. To complete a third such pass in such a manner that it leaves him standing safely
M
beyond you, his urge to kill temporarily confounded, and to turn your back and walk away with impunity: that is to earn the title ‘bullfighter’ in Spain, and as the Maestro who taught me, Eduardo Dávila Miura, put it: “to be a bullfighter
My memories of training as a bullfighter are of terror and exhultation is like talking to God.”There are various arguments against bullfighting – that it causes undue suffering as a means of killing an animal and that it brutalises the audience who watch it. I myself was converted from an agnostic stance by those two years travelling Spain: would I rather live eighteen months in prison and suffer a ‘humane death’ as the three and a half million meat cattle do in the UK, or live five years roaming wild in ranches and die fighting my killer, albeit with no hope of victory? As one of those who would rather the latter, my ethical qualms were largely – although never entirely – quieted. And if modernity is warehouse prisons followed by death factories – all hidden from the public 41
gaze – you can keep it. As for brutalising the audience, then so surely too does all violent spectacle, from Shakespeare to Spielberg, from the BBC’s Natural History Unit to the Discovery Channel. During my time researching Spain’s Fiesta Nacional, one region, it is claimed, opened its eyes to this barbarism and finally said: “Enough!” I remember it well as I had to return to England for that month – July 2010 – because my own Maestro went to Barcelona to try to lobby support in favour of bullfighting along with his fellow bullfighters and bull breeders. On the day the vote went through I was invited onto CNN in London and asked what I thought had
happened. My answer was simple: “What you have is political opportunism: an alliance between Catalan nationalists and the animal rights activists both of whom wanted to declare some sort of opening salvo in a war against the bullfight.”For this is what it was. The anti-bullfighting lobby have never been able to find a part of Spain larger than a small town in which they could get bullfighting banned because it is simply too intrinsic to their culture. Although in polls a majority of the Spanish population declare that they have no interest in bullfighting, a majority is also against a ban. However, the international pressure groups saw an opportunity in Cata-
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FAMOUS ANIMALS Alf Benji
Socks
Skippy
1
Skippy was a legend. A kangaroo with supernatural powers (maybe) who could detect trouble in ‘the bush’ and alert a passing helicopter/rancher. The show is still bizarrely popular in Iran, while it was banned in Sweden as it was feared children might think animals can do things they can’t.
2
The most famous cat in the world at one point, Socks was President Clinton’s pet of choice although, once
42
he left office Socks was left behind, due to infighting with the Clinton’s dog, Buddy. A sad end to the story, and proof that Washington partisanship even extends to pets.
3
Quite possibly the world’s smartest dog (sorry Lassie), Benji has been around since 1974, usually appearing out of nowhere solving a complicated problem, and then disappearing, leaving a trail of
befuddled but grateful humans in his shaggy-haired wake.
4
OK, so ALF (Alien Life Form) is not an animal, he’s an alien. But he looks like an animal and he talks. What more do you want? He landed on Earth and lived in suburbia with the Tanners. He also tried to convince the US President to abandon his nuclear plans. Tell us another animal who can do that? Thought so.
lonia where bullfighting’s popularity had been on the wane for decades. By the 21st century only one working bullring remained in the region, and even it was usually half-empty unless a superstar like José Tomás was fighting. In the year of the vote it hosted 18 bullfights, just one per cent of the 1,724 that went on across Spain. What began as a movement of political independence has become a defining point of identity with added value through commerce and tourism. And what better way to stake the claim to modernity and thumb your nose at Madrid than to ban bullfighting? So it should come as no surprise that three-quarters of the votes in favour of
Laika
the ban came from Catalan nationalist parties, while the two Spanish parties – conservatives and socialists – accounted for three quarters of the votes against the ban. It was passed by 68 votes to 55, with nine abstentions. I do find it a little incongruous that the Catalan national pastime of attaching fireworks and flaming torches to a bull’s horns and running it through the streets – sometimes to death – is not covered by this legislation. Compared to a man standing his ground against a half ton of bull and trying to weave the resulting dance of evasion and fury into a thrilling tapestry of beauty – well, old Spain doesn’t seem so bad after all now does it?
Bubbles Uggie Lassie
5
Darn those Russians! They took a cute, stray dog called Laika and shot her into space, rubbing their hands as they awaited information about how living organisms would fare in outer space. Poor Laika died hours after take-off. She did get a statue, however.
6
Uggie is the most famous – and soon to be most annoying – dog in the world, thanks to his turn in The Artist. Originally set for the dog pound,
he was rescued by an animal trainer and now lives in North Hollywood, bossing about his younger, less famous, extended family.
7
Is there anything to dislike about Lassie? She/he (female character played by male dogs) has it all – looks, charm, bravery, a lovely, shiny coat – and she is loved the world over. She is also a media maven with countless books, websites, movies and TV shows
to her name. And that coat – did we mention how shiny it is?
8
Michael Jackson’s one-time playmate was the most famous animal in the world at one point, and earned Jacko a reputation as a weirdo. Bubbles escaped more lightly (probably because he’s a chimpanzee) and now lives the quiet life in a Florida animal centre where, apparently he plays the flute and “sits in trees”.
43
INTERVIEW
MY TRAVELLED LIFE JOHN SHAW, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER, 66
ON TECHNOLOGY
over by a seal and losing about $10,000 of
used, particularly in advertising photography,
Film was very restrictive in terms of what could
camera equipment in the ocean.
but I agree with the National Wildlife Federation,
be captured in one image, especially in terms
which requires all image captions to specify
of contrast. Digital now allows me to work in
whether a photo was taken in the wild, under
the magical times at the edge of light. I don’t
ON MANIPULATION
controlled conditions of a captive animal.
think that digital cameras require any less skill.
I strongly disagree that using digital capture
Personally I prefer to work in the wild.
Good composition is still good composition.
and Photoshop is cheating. Photography is
I agree that it’s certainly easier for the average
not reality – never has been, never will be.
person to take an ‘OK’ picture, as cameras have
All images, whether film or digital, have to be
ON FAVOURITE LOCATIONS
gotten so automatic, but why settle for just
processed. In the film days we had Kodachrome
I’ve always joked that I have two favourite
‘OK’? In fact, if anyone can now take an ‘OK’
color, Ektachrome color, Fuijichrome color. None
locations: the northern hemisphere and the
picture, then we have to work even harder to
were ‘real’, and black and white is certainly not
southern hemisphere. If I had to pick one
create an outstanding image.
‘real’. Now with digital we are the lab, processing
location it would be the sub-Antarctic. I’ve
our own images. Simply because one uses
been to this area quite a number of times
Photoshop to process an image file does not
– and am returning again in both this year
ON NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
mean that the subject matter is composited
and next – and I’m always amazed by the
There are three key elements to shooting
or manipulated. Wildlife ‘models’ are certainly
elemental beauty of the landscape.
animals: good light on the animal, a subject in prime condition and some sort of behavioural activity. But dramatic light is the most important factor. The biggest challenge has not changed: being in the right place at the right time, with the right light and the right lens. I once sat for 19 days waiting for a break in the weather. By the time I had to leave I had managed to take exactly no photographs whatsoever.
ON ANIMALS I have never been injured while photographing animals. My worst accident was being knocked 45
GRAPH INFORMATION ELEGANCE
zoo animals Giraffe
17(ft)
46
Elephant
11(ft)
hippo
5(ft)
gorilla
5(ft)
by height 4(ft)
tiGer
3.5(ft)
chEetah
3(ft)
monkey
1.875(ft)
AverAge height In feEt
meErkat
1(ft)
iguana
0.8(ft)
turtle
0.75(ft)
ILLUSTRATION: LAURA HOBSON
lion
47
PLACE
PHOTO: LEONARDO FINOTTI
A RC H I T E C T U R E M APPED
48
LIVRARIA DA VILA
•
S Ã O PAU LO
•
YEAR BUILT: 2007
STORE U R BA N C ARTO G RA P H Y
•
DEYROLLE
•
PARIS
•
RETAIL
G
oing up the stairs at Deyrolle is like falling down the rabbit hole. The tea party has begun – a white owl perches on the glimmering chandelier in the centre, whilst hares, chickens and deer sit patiently round a wooden table, and the glassy eyes of panthers question your presence. After over a century in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, Deyrolle has made a place for itself in the city’s heritage. Nestled on the well-known Rue du Bac, the taxidermy and natural history store adds a dash of eccentricity to a street of galleries, fashion boutiques and Michelinstarred restaurants. The store holds a special place for Parisians, who visit loyally, generation after generation. When its collections were badly damaged during a fire in 2008, Deyrolle received an avalanche of solidarity and support from a public who refused to see it go. And for good reason – there’s nowhere else quite like it. Inside, the 18th century building has retained the grandeur of its earlier life as a private mansion, with intricate patterns on the walls and dark wooden panels. The ground floor is deceptively ordinary, selling the Prince Jardinier range of gardening tools, clothes and chairs, created by Prince Louis Albert de Broglie, who took over the store in 2001. But the first floor is somewhere between a museum and a dream, accompanied by a slightly musty smell. “The atmosphere exists by itself. It moves some, scares and surprises others. But, it can’t leave you indifferent,” says Paio Rahola, the store’s associate manager. For generations, the Deyrolle family were master tapestry TEXT & IMAGE: REBECCA LAWN
50
weavers before an interest in natural history, education and collecting took them in a new direction. The store began life on Rue du Bac in 1888. It was passed from father to son for many years, later taken over by private investors. Taxidermy was used as a way of teaching zoology students, and education is still very important to the store. One room is full of butterflies frozen in glass, alongside rows of beetles, bugs, spiders and scorpions. In the past, taxidermy was carried out in the adjoining buildings which belonged to Deyrolle. Nowadays, the store works with a couple of experts in the city. The animals come from zoos, circuses and farms. “The animals choose us, not the other way round,” Rahola says, adding that they have all had natural deaths. In its heyday, 300 people worked for Deyrolle, compared to its current handful of natural history enthusiasts. However, Rahola believes that the store is returning to its former glory. Alongside welcoming its large and varied clientele, from the child who buys an insect to the collector interested in the $60,000 polar bear, Deyrolle often holds art exhibitions, book signings and catwalk shows. It also counts filmmakers and artists among its fans; a scene in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris was filmed here, and painters such as Salvador Dali and André Breton would come to the store for inspiration. Indeed, with so much going on in the store, it’s easy to forget where you are. Says Rahola: “It is a natural history museum where everything is for sale.” Deyrolle, 46 Rue du Bac, Paris; www.deyrolle.fr; +33 142223007
51
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MAIN P. 54 • THE WORLD’S BEST ZOOS
P. 64 • THE INSECT DIET
P. 74 • CHINA’S FISHER KINGS
S THE LIONO OF T-ESATAERVS THAT THE MAN BRITAIN’S DERAILED PANSION AFRICAN EX
P84
53
ILLUSTRATIONS: SAM FALCONER
THE
world’s
best
zoos
O
ne of the most fascinating zoos in the world, Beijing Zoo started life as an imperial manor during the Ming Dynasty, before being turned into a small farm in the early 20th century. It was opened to the public in 1908 after a batch of animals were shipped in from Germany. It survived the Japanese invasion, although most of the animals did not, but it was reopened after the war in 1949. Today, the zoo has more than 220 acres of land, dotted with beautiful Qing-era
56 ZOOS
buildings. The grounds host more than 15,000 animals but most of the foreign tourists v i sit for t he ra r e Ch i nese animals not found in other zoos. Some of these include the Giant Panda, the Chinese Giant Salamander, the Chinese Alligator and the white-lipped deer. Many tourists come to escape the smog and traffic of downtown Bejing and relax in the beautifully kept grounds. Definitely one of our favourite zoos anywhere in the world. www.beijingzoo.com
O
ne of the best family zoos in the world, Berlin has a lot to offer, from the stunning aquarium to the Giant Panda enclosure. Opened in 1944, it’s the most popular zoo in Europe, with more than three million people visiting every year. One of the reasons this place is so popular is its ‘star’ animals, which are promoted by t he zoo and have large followings. Examples include Knut, the polar bear (who died last year) and Bao Bao, a Giant Panda. The zoo was almost
completely destroyed during the Second World War and only 91 of the 3,175 animals survived. These days the zoo is the poster boy for rare animal breeding, and it supports a number of conservation projects around the world. The grounds itself are not dauntingly big, but allow yourself a few hours to get the most out of the attractions. Kids will love the animal feeding and the occasional performances. If you do visit Berlin (and you should), this is a must-see. www.zoo-berlin.de ZOOS 57
T
he largest metropolitan zoo in the world with more than 267 acres of parkland, the Bronx Zoo is one of the world’s best. Set up in 1899, the land was sold to the City of New York for $1,000 on the condition that it should be used as a zoo. It opened with 843 animals on show – today it has more than 4,000. The most interesting section has to be the African Plains exhibit, where visitors can walk past African wildlife, spread over tens of acres. And its the sheer size of this place that
58 ZOOS
is most impressive – the land gives the zoo room to breathe, so different species are spread out, providing for as natural an environment as is possible for a zoo. Another aspect of the zoo’s work was highlighted when it took in a rare snow leopard cub from Pakistan, whose mother was killed in a landslide. One of the most interesting exhibits is the Madagascar exhibit which recreates – in great detail – one of the most fascinating ecospheres on the planet. www.bronxzoo.com
O
ne of the most interesting zoos in Africa – alt hou g h it m ay se e m strange for a country with as much natural wildlife as South Africa to have a zoo at all. Yet the zoo has been instrumental in breeding endangered species such as White Lions and Siberian Tigers. Both these beautiful species alone make a visit to Johannesburg Zoo worthwhile. The zoo also focuses on the care of wild animals, and has an on-site medical centre that rehabilitates animals that have
been rescued from the wild. The zoo was opened in 1904, and due to the requirements under which the land was bought, it was one of the few public places in South Africa that was not segregated during Apartheid. These days, the zoo is one of a somewhat revitalised South Africa’s most popular tourist attractions and illustrates why conventional zoos can be just as interesting as the wildlife parks that dot southern Africa. Definitely worth a visit. www.jhbzoo.org.za
ZOOS 59
P
ossibly the most celebrated zoo in the world, and certainly the most for ward thinking, San Diego Zoo has more than 4,000 animals on its 100-acre site. The best way to get around is via the overhead gondola lift (the Skyfari), which offers spectacular views of the animal enclosures, although, unless you are comfortable with heights, we suggest taking the guided bus tour instead. The zoo is broken up into ‘habitats’, ensuring that species found together in the wild are not too far
60 ZOOS
away from each other. The habitats include Arctic Tundra and an African Rain Forest and allow visitors to see the wildlife in some context – something missing from other zoos. The zoo has been featured everywhere from Citizen Kane to the cover of the Beach Boy’s album, Pet Sounds, and is held up as an example of a responsible, sustainable zoo model (complete with wonderful, professional staff). And let’s not forget, it’s also a whole lot of fun for all ages. www.sandiegozoo.org
T
he oldest zoo of them all, London Zoo was opened in April 1828, originally as a place of scientific study, before opening to the public in 1847. The zoo’s popularity has been an indicator of the British public’s attitude to animals. When it first opened, crowds flocked to see the exotic creatures, most of which had never been seen before. Contrast that with 1980s, when the zoo nearly went bank rupt, w ith dw indling visitor numbers (many
believing that zoos were inherently cruel) almost forcing the zoo to close in 1991. A generous public response saw the zoo saved and its facilities have been upgraded substantially since then. The zoo itself is huge, and you will be hard pressed to see everything in one visit. Highlights include the extensive Rainforest Life e nc lo s u r e , P e n g u i n B e ac h and the remarkable Butterfly Paradise. A London highlight. www.zsl.org/london-zoo ZOOS
61
A
r elat ively new zoo, opened in 1973, Singapore Zoo is typical of the new generation of animal enclosures, displaying the various species in open exhibits, divided by hidden moats, barriers and glass walls. This gives visitors the impression of a seamless, natural habitat, some of which is due to its geography, bordered by a wood and a reservoir. The zoo is one of the most visitor friendly in the world, with a range of methods to get around the 70-acre site, from boats and 62 ZOOS
trams to pony carriages and wagons. One of the zoo’s adjacent highlights is the Night Safari, which is the world’s first nocturnal zoo. With more than 1,000 animals (29 per cent of which are threatened), the zoo is set in a humid tropical forest only open at night. Cattle grids are laid around the park, reducing the need for barriers, giving the place a more natural feel. We recommend putting both the day-time and nocturnal zoo on your intinerary. www.zoo.com.sg
O
ne of Europe’s most respected – and most beautiful – zoos, the Tiergarten Schönbrunn, or Vienna Zoo is a splendid mix of rolling parkland, 18th century architecture, and old world charm. Opened in 1752, the zoo saw the first elephant born in captivity in 1906, and has been at the forefront of zoological innovation since then. Like many European zoos, it was decimated during the Second World War, but recovered, and despite fi na ncial pr oblem s
in the 1980s, has gone from strength to strength and is now one of Europe’s most popular destinations. One of the zoo’s highlights is the daily feedings, which start at 10am (the pigeons) all the way through to 4pm (the koalas). These take place in the various enclosures, so make sure you know your way around in order to get a good view. The Southern sea lions feeding time (at 10.30 am and 5.30pm daily) is always a big draw and well worth a visit. www.zoovienna.at/en
ZOOS 63
are insects
the future of
Food? by John Vidal
64 THE FUTURE OF FOOD
Illustration by Brian Rea
I
t’s 2060. The global price of beef doubled again last year when the Chinese and B r a z i l i a n go ve r n m e nt s went on to the world’s future markets and bought up 90 per cent of Europe’s meat reserves for the next three years. You can still buy a steak on the black market in London but a family roast costs nearly as much as a small car now, and the burger bars gave up selling real beef in favour of artificial patties years ago. They taste the same as beef always did, but people can tell the difference, so sales have plummeted. In stead , t he super ma rket s a r e pushing a new line of locally sourced, fair trade organic waterbugs. You can buy 20 – enough for a family of four – with a side dish of ‘pretty wing’ butterfly pupae, and a ‘crunchy cricket’ sauce for little more than a bottle of low-price supermarket wine. Sales went through the roof after an Indian super chef endorsed what he called ‘new grub’ at Christmas, and giant new insect farms housed in sheds the size of football pitches will shortly open in Germany and California.
66 THE FUTURE OF FOOD
OK, 2060 is a long way off, but with populations soaring and devastating droughts and floods hitting harvests more and more often, people could well be feasting on insects in the future – both as a way to save money and to provide themselves with tasty, nutritious food. If people do take to eating insects, it will be a return to the future. In Ghana during the spring rains, winged termites have long been collected and fried, roasted or made into delicious bread. In South Africa they are eaten with a maize (corn) porridge. Chocolate-coated bees are popular in Nigeria, certain caterpillars are eaten in Zimbabwe, and rice cooked with wasps was a favourite meal of the late Emperor Hirohito in Japan. Throughout much of the world, insects are already considered special food, to be consumed on special occasions. Dragonflies boiled in coconut milk with ginger are an Indonesian delicacy; beekeepers in parts of China are considered virile because
Insects are plentiful, cheap, nutritious, and could save millions of lives
they eat larvae from their hives, and tarantulas are popular in Cambodia. From mealy bugs in New Guinea and Australia, to cicadas and ants in Latin America and Africa, insects have long been part of the human diet. The UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) states that over 1,400 species of insect are regularly eaten. The most consumed are the beetles (468 species), followed by ants, bees and wasps (351), crickets, locusts and cockroaches (267), and butterflies, moths and silkworms (253). Termites, mealybugs, dung beetles, stink bugs, leafcutters, paper wasps, even certain species of mosquitoes are all relished by someone, somewhere. And now, as the global population soars to more than 7 billion people on its probable path to in excess of 9.5 billion within 30 years, and questions are raised over how the world can feed so many people, scientists, governments and farmers are starting to investigate the potential of rearing insects on an industrial scale to provide sources of cheap, protein-rich food for millions of humans and other animals. To do so will mean overcoming some cultural
taboos, but history suggests that insect eating has been part of most cultures at some point in their history, and it is only quite recently that people in Europe and the US were persuaded to consider them inedible. The Old Testament encouraged people to consume locusts, beetles and grasshoppers, and insect eating was widely popular in ancient Greece and Rome. Pliny, the Roman scholar, wrote that aristocrats “loved to eat
There is a tendency to think of old habits as primitive. This is wrong 68 THE FUTURE OF FOOD
beetle lar vae reared on flour and wine”, while Aristotle, 300 years later in Greece, described the best time to harvest cicadas: “The larva on attaining full size becomes a nymph; then it tastes best, before the husk is broken. At first the males are better to eat, but after copulation the females, which are then full of white eggs”, he wrote. But in the last 50 years entomophagy – the human consumption of insects – has declined in many societies and is sometimes ridiculed as old-fashioned and unhealthy, says UN FAO officer Patrick Durst. “There is a tendency to think of traditional habits and customs as outdated or primitive. Yet the practice of eating insects goes back thousands of years and has been documented in nearly every part of the world,” he says. “In the past there has been a tendency to say insects are for primitive, stupid people. This is nonsense, a misconception that must be corrected,” says Arnold Van Huis, an entomologist at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Durst and Van Huis investigate the nutritional and environmental potential of insects as human food and
are shocked at the way western diets have been adopted at the expense of healthy, local food. “In modern times, entomophagy has declined in many societies, and has often been shunned as old-fashioned, dirty or unhealthy. For some members of the rapidly growing upper and middle classes of urban society in some developing countries, insects are becoming ‘nostalgia food’, reminding them of earlier, simpler days in the rural countryside,” says Van Huis. The reason for the decline could be the rise and rise of cattle rearing, to provide meat for burgers. In countries where the forests have been mostly felled, and land given mainly to cattle, insects are increasingly seen as threats to be destroyed with powerful chemicals. “It’s mankind’s growing obsession with cattle which has led to the demonisation of insects. Two thirds of the word’s farmland is now given over to cattle rearing, which in turn has denuded the planet of vegetation and the bugs and insects. We turned to in livestock, and bugs became the enemy,” says David George Gordon, a biologist
and author of The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook. All cultures pass down their staple foods from generation to generation, but ancient habits can be ruptured by major changes in lifestyles, such as people moving from rural to urban areas, or from farming to working in factories. Hundreds of million of families across China, India, Latin America and Africa have left the land in the last 50 years to live in cities where they often adopt different diets and leave old habits behind. Psychologically, “progress” for many people has been linked with people adopting western, insect-free diets. But interest in insect eating is growing because farmers can barely keep up with the explosion in human numbers that is taking place in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Already one billion people go to bed hungry every night, but in the next 30 years 2.5 billion more people – the equivalent of another China and another India – are likely to be living. High food prices and shortages are certain to continue and extreme weather events and climate change will only make growing food harder. The UN expects significant price shocks in the future, potentially putting foods that we consider cheap now way out of the
price range of ordinary people. But with most seas denuded of fish, little new land left to open up for farming and developments in high-yielding new crop varieties proving slow to bring to markets, the options for farmers are limited. Insects could be one answer to rising food prices and shortages, say entomologists, who have found that insects will not only eat just about anything, but that they are nearly twice as efficient at converting what they eat into tissue that can be consumed by others as chickens and pigs, and more than five times as efficient as cattle. If you take into account their rapid reproduction rates, then the actual food conversion efficiency of many insects is over 20 times that of cattle. Moreover, say entomologists, compared to most animals grown for human consumption on a large scale, they make for exceptionally healthy food. Most insects eaten now are caught in the wild and are therefore not subject to antibiotics, pesticides and the low quality feed that most cattle or chickens must consume. Instead, they feed on a wide range of plants which mans many insects contain more protein, weight for weight, than beef, chicken, pork meat or fish. Some are very rich in
fish ARE running out and there is little new farmland left to open up fat and most contain amino acids and essential vitamins and minerals that larger animals do not have. Eating insects is also much better for the environment than eating meat from most other animals, says Van Huis. “We estimate that commerciallyfarmed edible insects would produce 10 times less methane and 100 times less nitrous oxide than the livestock the west currently consumes,” he says. It is precisely because insects are metabolically more efficient, that is potentially far cheaper to raise them on a large scale than any other animal, says Van Huis. But because of the psy-
THE FUTURE OF FOOD 69
chological factors [the belief that many people will not like the idea of eating insects directly] the greatest potential in the short term at least, could be to rear insects to provide animal feed. “Insects reproduce at a much quicker rate than cattle, so are much easier to raise. The [animal] feed industry is looking for high protein alternatives to what they use today because they know the cost of grain and cereals will rise dramatically. The biggest advantage for the industry is that insects can be reared on waste streams. So you end up with nutritious food grown intensively very cheaply and you would have less waste”, he says Entomologists others are working with the UN and a handful of companies in Holland who are keen to scale up insect production for animal feed. It makes sense: nearly half of all the cropland in the world grown is given to crops to feed animals. If you
70 THE FUTURE OF FOOD
can feed cattle, or fish, or chicken on healthy crickets or locusts, not only would there be more space to grow crops directly for humans, but the environmental pressure on the land would be relieved. UN advisers see potentially great benefits in farming insects as miniature livestock. It would be, they say, a s m a r t e r, m o r e e ffic i e n t a n d ultimately environmentally safer means of sustaining a healthy and convenient food supply, which could also provide financial opportunities for poor rural women. They envisage large, fully-automated insect factories being set up close to breweries or other food factories that produce high volumes of farm waste. Each could produce hundreds of tonnes of insects a year that would be fed to other animals. Com mercial grow ing of insects would not be new. The culture of eating insects is based largely on people collecting them from the wild, but some scorpions, crickets and water beetles are already raised on an industrial or semi-industrial scale in China. In Europe and the US, insect rearing companies produce insects as feed for pets, reptiles and primates. “In the Netherlands three insect growers have set up special production lines to produce for human consumption. In other parts of the world attempts are being made to rear insects artificially such as palm weevil, mopane worm, and wasps. Mass rearing methods for maggots and soldier flies as livestock feed are available. These are grown on side streams reducing organic waste disposal problems”, says the UN in a new paper “Most promising for industrial production are the larvae of soldier fly, housefly, mealworm, silkworm and grasshoppers. Feeding animals with
protein sources such as meat meal, fish meal and soybean meal often represents up to 60-70 per cent of production costs. Dutch st ud ies have fou nd t hat chickens, pigs, rainbow trout all eat insect food happily. “Housefly larvae can provide an excellent source of animal proteins for local poultry farms and their production alleviates the environmental problem of manure accumulation. Also mealworms can be grown on low nutritive waste products and fed to broiler chickens”, says the UN. Apart from providing nutritious food, insect rearing can provide much needed jobs for people often in poor rural areas. A recent study suggested that the billions of mopane caterpillar larvae that are harvested every year in South Africa’s forests are worth $85 million to the locval economy. Another found that that there are 20,000 households in Thailand rearing insects for human food. Most villagers in Laos engage collect and sell insects. Elsewhere, there are opportunities for some traditional forest dwellers working with scientists.
Insects have less waste and are a smarter and more convenient food source
Van Huis thinks commercially grown insects could be significantly cheaper than other meats and proposes a twophase plan: first just farming insects to feed to more conventional livestock; and then gradually introducing them directly to the menu for humans. “We’re looking at ways of grinding the meat into some sort of patty, which would be more recognizable to western palates,” he says. “Above all, research is desperately needed, says FAO officer Patrick Durst, who is based in Bangkok. “Insects remain the least studied group of animals and surprisingly little is known about their life cycles, population dy namics, commercial and management potential of most edible forest insects. “On the other hand, traditional forest dwellers often possess remarkable knowledge of the insects and their management, offering excellent opportunities for both modern science and traditional knowledge to work together in this field. 72 THE FUTURE OF FOOD
In the end, though, people consume edible insects not because they are environmentally-friendly or because they nutritious – or even because they are cheap compared to meat or poultry. Rather, they choose to eat insects simply because they taste good. But what does a mealybug, a grasshopper or a scorpion taste like? In the US, a small organisation called Insects Are Food has tried to popularise insect eating and describes their taste. “Dry-toasted crickets taste like sunflower seeds; katydid like toasted avocado; palm grub like bacon soup with a chewy, sweet finish. Weaver ant pupae have practically no flavour, while the meat of the giant water bug is like a salty, fruity, flowery Jolly Rancher”, says Dave Gracer, advisor to the group Insects Are Food. “Often, insects taste the way that people expect them to. If insects were delicious then we’d all know it and we’d eat them, since we like delicious food. Whereas if insects are perceived, however incorrectly as
In the end, people will consume insects because they actually taste good disgusting, the chances that they’ll be deemed delicious are pretty low.” People ask how safe are bugs to eat. If you see them for sale and people eating them, then you can be pretty sure they are OK to eat, but, Insects Are Food says a good rule of thumb is to avoid eating any brightly coloured, hairy or spiny bugs, as they are likely to be poisonous. If you think such debates are for Amazonian tribes — think again. The future of food is a lot closer than you think. John Vidal is the environment editor at the Guardian newspaper
74 THE FISHER KINGS
R E H S I F E TH S G N I K HINA , CAN C , N I L I U G WORK . S IN O N T O E R S E U H F E E H R T ND EVEN A H C INATING T C A S C A , F T A N U S O C DISCOVER T T E N N E B AND BIRD LOWELL N A M N E E BETW INTERPLAY
THE FISHER KINGS 75
THE BIRDS ARE ALLOWED TO KEEP ONE IN EIGHT FISH, A METHOD THAT KEEPS THEM PRODUCTIVE
T
he landscape is otherworldly. It is as if the canoe ferrying the foreigner to this isolated sliver of shore passed through a portal and he disembarked into a fantastical, centuries-old Chinese painting. The indigo water flows into a background of ashen mist and cobalt stone. In the muted foreground, poised upon their bamboo craft, man and bird leave us. Gliding deeper into that serene scene, into that hushed hued setting, they drift downstream to begin their 76 THE FISHER KINGS
work. For centuries, fishermen and their cormorant partners have plied the sustaining waters of the Lijiang River between what is today the city of Guilin and the age-old town of Yangshuo, about 80 kilometres downriver in the lush fertile land now known as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Typically, the fishing team consists of three partners; a man and two cormorants. The birds spend most of their time perched upon their designated posts at the bow and at the stern, re-
spectively. The human stands midpoint, gently propelling and guiding the raft with his long pole. The instant fish are sensed or sighted the avian associate takes over. Forming her body into a sleek diving form the cormorant springs from her perch, flashes over the side and into the water, shooting dart-like through the currents. Minutes later she surfaces and leaps from the water to reassume her personal perch aboard the raft. While submerged the bird may have snacked on one or two smaller fish, but it is the larger still bulging in her throat which will be on the human’s dinner table this evening. The partnership may seem onesided. The avian member bears the brunt of the labours, slicing the currents, sensing and capturing her prey, returning to the raft – only to be prohibited from swallowing the larger fish by the straw ring wrapped around the base of her long neck. If not a par-
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ticularly enthusiastic team player, the cormorant may be upended to disgorge the catch – a painless, if perhaps undignified process. But most birds seem to go with the flow. Some have decidedly come to terms with the deal, no longer requiring the restrictive throat ring. And others will unhesitatingly issue a command to their human; for instance, when returning with a fish too heavy to carry aboard the raft a bird may call out to the man to bring a net. Still others have been known to hold their human partner to assumed contractual obligations. Abiding by t radition, many fisher men allow their birds to consume the eighth fish caught. Par ticularly professional cormorants tend to consider
78 THE FISHER KINGS
this a binding provision. In the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Pamela Egremont recounted that birds having caught and turned over seven consecutive fish to their human will then “stubbornly refuse to move again until their neck ring is loosened. They ignore an order to dive and even resist a rough push or a knock, sitting glum and motionless on their perches”. Only after the ring is removed so that eighth fish can be consumed whole does the bird leap overboard, Egremont explains. “One is forced to conclude that these highly intelligent birds can count up to seven.” At the helm of one such present-day partnership is 42-year-old Liu Gang, a native of Xing Ping, a tiny ancient town on the banks of the Lijiang (also commonly known as the Li River) about midway between Guilin and Yangshuo. He describes his inherited profession with a touch of wistfulness, “I
SOME BIRDS WILL CALL OUT FOR THE FISHERMAN TO BRING A NET IF THE FISH THEY CATCH IS TOO HEAVY
AFTER THE BIRDS ARE TOO OLD TO WORK, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO STAY ON THEIR RAFT AND FISH FOR THEMSELVES have worked on this river since I was a small boy. My father and grandfather fished with the birds. My father taught me how to work with the birds and the best places to fish. It is not an easy life. The river is not as deep as it was. But I am happy.” If the river is sustained and Liu and his cormorants maintain their association, he, his wife and teenage son will never lack for fish. A single strong bird can sustain a small family while the three-member team’s excess catch 80 THE FISHER KINGS
is sold at market. “I can make enough money doing this. My son will sometimes help me. Together, with four birds and two rafts, we make more.” But, he adds, “He won’t become a fisherman like me. I want him to finish his studies, go to university and get a good office job in Guilin.” In centuries past, to draw fish closer, the cormorant fishermen would extend torches over the water. Today they use propane lanterns, but the practical and visual effects are nearly the same. And if garbed in traditional manner, with a protective shoulder shroud jutting out at a sharp angle and wide hat, the man takes on a bird-like appearance in his assumed plumage. The hat serves to guard against the sun in the day. A now customary design conceived long ago, the wing-like shoulder protection shielded against sparks when open torches were extended out over the water at night. The cormorants, too, have their
adapted and very functional work wear. Unlike most water fowl, the feathers of the cormorant are not waterproof and do not hold air while diving. This enables the birds to more easily rocket to the bottom of the river where the big fish linger. This is also why the birds are so often perched with wings outstretched – to dry. In return for their good work most birds are cared for and treated with a measure of respect. Besides fish, they are treated to bits of cooked and raw meats. Some become, in essence, family members, with names bestowed in accordance with their particular characteristics and attributes. Cormorants can live up to 20 to 25 years. The senior work birds, slowing
THE FISHER KINGS
81
down and deemed to have fulfilled their contract, are permitted to retire. Their neck rings are removed a final time and thereafter they may ride on the raft and fish for themselves. The stretch of the Li south of Guilin has changed a lot since Liu’s father fished these waters. China’s economic development has brought an everincreasing flow of environmentallyoblivious tour groups, huge dieselpowered cr uise boats, speedboat operators and the inevitable and allinvasive environmental degradation. But Liu says has no plans to retire anytime soon. “I like my life . It is hard work. I don’t make much money, but I am a lot freer than most. The river is still very beautiful. I like being here every day.” He pauses, then adds, “Of course, I wish things were more like they were when my father was fishing. I am not sure how much longer there will be people like me here.” Lowell Bennett is a writer and photographer currently living in China 82 THE FISHER KINGS
THE RIVER IS FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE DUE TO THE INFLUX OF TOURISTS IN THE AREA
National, regional, international: a UOWD degree can take you anywhere
ILLUSTRATION: ANDREAS PREIS
W
hat is it like to confront a nightmare? To face a terror that weakens your knees, freezing you in place precisely when you need to run? Rabbits and antelope react to an approaching predator with instinct and reflex, but humans can’t avoid forecasting the outcome of a predatory encounter. What i s a habit ua l m a n- eater thinking as he closes in on his next victim? Can steely purpose and lack of remorse be seen in his eyes? Maybe it is impossible to see past his fingerlong fangs. For most of a century, visitors to The Field Museum in Chicago have done precisely that, staring into the jaws of the infamous ‘Man-eaters of Tsavo’, These two lions stopped the British colonisation of East Africa literally in its tracks. Col. JH Patterson, the man who shot them, eventually sold their remains to the natural history museum where they have been exhibited ever since. The remarkable story of these fabled lions has given rise to countless newspaper articles, books, documentaries, and at least three Hollywood films. The latest blockbuster, The Ghost and
the Darkness, carried the lions’ story to a whole new generation. Inevitably, creative writing, artistic license, analogy, and fuzzy science have embellished the lion’s storied history, making it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. What do we really know about the Man-eaters of Tsavo? We know that the lions were shot in a place called Tsavo, in what is today southeastern Kenya, some 180 km north west of Mombasa. Tsavo now lies in the heart of the Greater Tsavo Ecosystem, a system of national parks, reserves, and adjoining ranchlands that covers 40,000 sq km, the nation’s largest wilderness. But when 86 LIONS
A lion looks inside a train car in kenya in the 1950s
A massive lion dragged a worker by the throat from his tent, dumping the body nearby the lions roamed this wilderness, Tsavo was just a resting place for the occasional caravan along a permanently flowing stream. Despite its idyllic forests and cool waters, Tsavo was yet another obstacle for the British East A frica Company, which was responsible for the British Empire’s holdings there. Charged with constructing a railroad from Mombasa to Lake Victoria, the company faced challenges so numerous, varied, and unexpected that the Uganda Railway was satirically dubbed the Lunatic Express. To begin with, few Africans wanted to help the British build the ‘Iron Snake’, the vehicle and showcase of their political hegemony. So the British needed to bring railway workers from its colonies in the Indian subcontinent, chiefly via Mumbai and Karachi. By 1903, a total of 31,983 Asians had been employed by the railway, many of whom chose to remain in Kenya after their labour contracts were fulfilled. The land they worked in was pestilential, and the unhealthy conditions were exacerbated by unclean water. Workers suffered from ulcers, diarrhoea, dysenter y, scur v y, and burrowing fleas, and their draught animals fared worse. Veterinary statistics from 1897 and 1898 show that all 63 camels in the Railway corrals died, as did 128 of 350 mules, 579 of 639 bullocks, and 774 of 800 donkeys.
Impediments like these led to cost and schedule over-runs. Initially budgeted at $2 million in 1891, Railway construction eventually cost $8 million (in excess of $500 million in today’s terms) and took more than a decade to complete. But these challenges paled next to those the railway faced in Tsavo. Sure, it was easy enough to build a wooden trestle across the Tsavo River, so that the advancing railhead could creep westward toward Lake Victoria. But it was much more involved to build the permanent stoneworks and embankments along the route. That charge fell to a civil engineer, John Henry Patterson, who arrived in Mombasa from India in March 1898. No sooner had Patterson arrived in Tsavo than the first workers disappeared. Their remains were later found in the surrounding scrub, the cause of death obliterated by scavengers but possibly a fatal dispute over the recent payroll. However, the brutal death of Patterson’s trusted manager Ungan Singh left no doubt that they were dealing with man-eating lions. A tent-mate had witnessed a massive lion stick his head in the tent’s open door, seize Singh by the throat, and carry him off, his heels plowing furrows in the soil. Setting out at daybreak, Patterson found Singh’s remains, his body largely consumed but his head still intact, pierced by giant canines and with an expression of horror frozen on his face. Patterson, who was an excellent marksman, resolved to rid the camp of this scourge, but accomplishing this proved more difficult than he imagined. At nightfall, as the men huddled in their tents, Patterson would lie in wait for the lions over bait or at the scene of the last attack. But the screams that later pierced the air LIONS 87
would come from the other side of the s prawl i n g ca mp, to o fa r away for him to intervene. The lions’ cunning ability to evade Patterson and avoid traps around camp soon lent them supernatural airs. When the lions roared at dusk from the surrounding jungle, the workers called tent-to-tent “Khabar dar, bhaieon, shaitan ata” (Beware, brothers, the devil is coming). Ungan Singh was killed and eaten in March 1898, but it was not until December, after many other deaths, that Patterson shot the first man-eater, “a huge brute” measuring almost 3 metres long and 1.1 metres tall. Over the next three weeks, the man-eater’s partner made several attacks on camp but succeeded only in carrying off goats and donkeys. Patterson eventually shot and killed the second maneater on 27 December, 1897, ending a nine-month nightmare. Celebrated by his work-crews for delivering them from these terrors, Patterson saved the skins and skulls of the man-eaters as trophies. The Railway reached Lake Victoria three years later, in 1901. Patterson returned to England and in 1907 published The Man-eaters of Tsavo and
other East African Adventures. There, he claimed “[the lions] had devoured between them no less than 28 Indian coolies, in addition to scores of unfortunate Africans of whom no official record was kept”. In a later account written for The Field Museum in 1925, he stated: “these two ferocious brutes killed and devoured, under the most appalling circumstances, 135 Indian and African artisans and labourers employed in the construction of the Uganda Railway.” Railway records confirm that the families of 28 men 88 LIONS
were compensated for their workrelated deaths at Tsavo, but the full extent of the lions’ toll remained conjectural, cloaked in the mists of time. Recently, a graduate student at the University of California, Justin Yeakel, conceived a novel means of testing Patterson’s claims. Although lion diets vary across their geographic range, lions invariably specialise on grazing animals, especially wildebeest, zebra, and buffalo. Through the food chain, grazers assimilate the distinctive chemical signature of their grasses and in turn pass this on to the predators that eat them. So lions
the full extent of the lion’s toll was initially a mystery - some claimed 135 people died the jaws of a tsavo lion
normally exhibit the strong C4 signature of their usual prey, grazing animals. But because people don’t graze, a man-eating lion should exhibit an anomalously strong C3 signature, and the strength of this signal should be proportional to the number of people he has eaten. Testing this idea depended critically on the availability of museum samples. We compared our man-eater samples to modern lions from Tsavo that eat wildlife, their prey (grazers and browsers from Tsavo East and Tsavo West), and even the remains of Taita people who lived in the surrounding hills during the man-eaters’ reign. Sure enough, bone samples of the man-eaters showed an anomalous C3 signal, and this signal was much stronger in the first man-eater than the second. But bone develops slowly and reflects the lions’ diets over the last several years of their lives. So we also analysed hair samples from the man-eaters –seasonal replacement (moulting) ensures that hair can only reflect the diet over the last few
Colonel pat terson with the first of the two lions he killed by the tsavaro river in kenya, 1898
90 LIONS
months. Again, we found far stronger C3 signals in the first man-eater and more muted signals in his companion. Translating these signals into human fatalities required a mathematical model that incorporated the man-eaters’ energy requirements, the amount of flesh they consumed per victim, and the rate at which they assimilated what they ate into their bodies. The model estimated that the first maneater ate the equivalent of 24 victims and the second ate 10.5. Thus, our best estimate (35 people) exceeds those documented (28 Railway workers) but falls far short of Patterson’s claim of 135 victims. But why were the lions eating people at all? Of course, an easy answer is because they could, but lions very rarely turn to man-eating. In fact, a host of reasons have been suggested for the events in Tsavo, each with its own adherents among commentators. Some maintained that an epidemic of rinderpest, a viral plague of cattle and other hoofed stock, decimated the lions’ natural prey, leaving them no recourse but to hunt people. Others observed that the Railway had followed a caravan trail used for centuries to bring ivory and slaves to the coast; a steady supply of dead and dying slaves along this trail could have fostered man-eating traditions in nearby predators. Naiveté among the railway crews (for example, failing to surround their camps with thorn stockades, as native cultures did) might also have invited the maneating incident. But again, the remains of the maneaters permit a scientific investigation and suggest that none of these possibilities triggered the events in Tsavo (although they might well have contributed to them). Instead, “infirmity” was involved. Jim Corbett, a game
officer in colonial India, shot numerous man-eating tigers and leopards, some of which had claimed hundreds of victims. In virtually every case, Corbett found that the man-eater had become incapacitated in some manner, with broken teeth, claws, bones, arthritis, or even porcupine quills in the flesh. Unable to pursue their normal prey, the predators had turned to eating people. With this in mind, dentist Skip Neiburger and I carefully examined the Tsavo man-eaters, both 7-to-8year-old males in prime condition. As is typical of adult lions, both have a number of worn and broken teeth, a consequence of gnawing and cracking bones when prey is scarce. However, the lower jaw of the first man-eater shows only the broken stump of the right canine, and the pulp cavity of this tooth is fully exposed. Wear on its margins suggests that the tooth’s tip broke off years earlier, probably from a desperate hoof-kick. Pulp exposures (“cavities”) in people quickly lead to tooth decay, but this is seldom the case in cats. Nevertheless, x-radiographs showed that this tooth had become infected with a severe root-tip abscess, so that any pressure on this tooth would have caused the lion excruciating pain. Lions use their canine teeth to kill and hold onto large struggling prey, and the first-maneater could no longer do this. In these straits, he would undoubtedly have greeted the arrival of the Railway and 3000 workers in his territory with considerable enthusiasm. Shortly after shooting the maneaters, Patterson discovered a small cave or rock shelter not far from camp. Dramatically, he wrote “I saw on the other side a fearsome-looking cave
which seemed to run back for a considerable distance under the rocky bank. Round the entrance and inside the cavern I was thunderstruck to find a number of human bones, with here and there a copper bangle such as the natives wear. Beyond all doubt, the man-eaters’ den!” But this claim seems dubious. As a rule, lions don’t live in dens and don’t transport prey to them – this is something that hyenas often do. In addition, the neighbouring Taita people routinely inter the bones of their ancestors in rock
lions ate humans because they were injured and humans made for easier prey
shelters and consult them in times of trouble. It seems possible that Patterson mistook an abandoned or disturbed Taita funerary niche as the man-eaters’ den. When Samuel Andanje, Tom Gnoske, and Julian Kerbis rediscovered this shelter in 1997, it was finally possible to reexamine Patterson’s interpretation. Despite a thorough excavation in 1998, archaeologist Chapurukha Kusimba failed to recover a single human bone or artifact from either the ‘Man-eaters’ Den’ or the sand-pit in front of it. One of the most remarkable features of the Tsavo man-eaters is their appearance: despite being fullygrown adult males, neither has much of a mane. In fact, the first man-eater had only wisps of hair on his chest, and the second was virtually maneless. The heavily maned lions that LIONS
91
the lions have no manes due to their arid location rather than them being a new species starred in The Ghost and the Darkness hailed from the Bowmansville (Ontario) Zoo. And the man-eaters aren’t alone. The maneless condition typifies lions in Tsavo today, particularly those in the drier areas of Tsavo East. What is a lion without his mane, and how can we explain this anomaly? Lions are the only cats with manes, and this tells us that the ancestor of modern lions lacked a mane. This raised the exciting possibility that Tsavo lions might be a separate species of lion, like the maneless cave lions of Ice Age Europe. Anticipating this possibility, some even christened Tsavo lions “buffalo lions” to distinguish them from normal “pride lions”. But genetic analysis offers a convincing rebuttal to this speculation. Gene sequences show that Tsavo lions are typical East African lions. Maneless lions from Tsavo East have the same genetic makeup as maned lions from Tsavo West and the Chyulu Hills, and identical genetic types are found as far away as South Africa’s Kruger Park. Far from signaling a separate species, the genetic data suggests that manelessness may be triggered by the environment. 92 LIONS
The two man-eating lions at the chicago field museum
Tsavo lies near the equator, so it is war m year-rou nd. In addition, Tsavo is dr y and the entire region is subject to an annua l five -mont h d r oug ht . When animals begin to overheat, the only ways they can cool dow n involve water (sweating or panting). This becomes impractical where water is in short supply. A big flowing mane acts like a giant blanket over the neck and shoulders. Maned lions in hot, dry environments need more water and, without it, they are at a disadvantage: they can’t travel as far or as long when they hunt or search for mates. So while the Tsavo lions’ lack of manes are due to a prosaic genetic reason, it did not stop speculation, that they were part of a breed of extremely ferocious lions. For those that survived the nine-month of terror back in 1898, this reputation will be easy to understand. For the rest of us, a visit to The Field Museum should be an equally compelling argument. Bruce D. Patterson is the MacArthur Curator of Mammals at The Field Museum in Chicago LIONS 93
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BRIEFING P. 106 • BOEING MILESTONE P. 107 • SAN FRAN LOUNGING
P. 108 • CHINA BEACH
GOOD G N MORNIA MEST TEN VPIRE AT L E H T IL OF
WE ESTINATION EMIRATES D AST ASIA IN SOUTHE
P106
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EMIRATES EMI RATES NEWS NEWS
FLEET GU I DE
Boeing celebrates
milestone
LEADING AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER, Boeing, has delivered its 1,000th Boeing 777 to Emirates. The long-range aircraft has long been a favourite of Emirates, with the company being the world’s largest operator of Boeing 777s. It is therefore fitting that the landmark aircraft will become the 102nd 777 in Emirates’ fleet. “Emirates is already the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 and our order for an additional 93 is further testament to our belief in the product and the role this aircraft will play as we build our fleet for tomorrow and further establish Dubai’s position as one of the world’s leading air travel hubs,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group.
TIMED TO PERFECTION
In air travel, timing is crucial. To ensure that you don’t miss your next flight, you should aim to be at your departure gate no later than 35 minutes before the flight departs. For all Emirates flights boarding gates close 15 minutes before departure, if you report any later than this you risk not being accepted for travel so make sure you are aware of your travel and boarding times.
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FLEET GUI DE
EMIRATES NEWS EMIRATES NEWS
New West Coast Lounge SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL Airport is the home of Emirates’ first airport lounge on the West Coast of the America. The new lounge will provide first class comfort for customers as well as a complimentary chauffeur drive service to and from the airport for First and Business Class travellers. The lounge is the second one to open in the USA, joining the award-winning lounge in New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
1 REUNIFICATION PALACE
The stately building, once the South Vietnamese presidential palace, is now a museum documenting the country’s history. It was also the site where the war ended on 30 April 1975, when a tank crashed through the gate. A replica is outside.
2 CENTRAL MOSQUE
Built in 1935 by South Indian Muslims, the Central Mosque is an oasis of serenity in the middle of the bustling Dong Khoi area. Tourists are allowed to visit, but remember to be respectful of the local and religious culture.
3 TWENTY-THREE SEPTEMBER PARK
Running the full length of Phan Ngu Lao Street, this park is the perfect place to go for a spot of people watching. Locals throng the park every day, exercising, playing sports and getting away from the cluttered streets.
ILLUSTRATIONS: EDWARD MCGOWAN
4 JADE EMPEROR PAGODA
HO CHI MINH CITY
Arguably the most beautiful Chinese temple in Vietnam, the Jade Emperor pagoda – built in 1909 – is filled with statues representing characters from Buddhism and Taoism traditions. The pagoda is dedicated to the Emperor of Jade.
5 BEN THANH MARKET
There are several hundred small stalls in this, the largest old-style market in Ho Chi Minh City’s central district. It is very popular with tourists, and because of that the market is divided between tourist goods and regular items. 107
EMI RATES NEWS
EN VIRONMENT
65 TONNES THE AMOUNT OF CARDBOARD PACKAGING RECYCLED BY EMIRATES FLIGHT CATERING PER MONTH SOURCE: EMIRATES FLIGHT CATERING
BIG FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND THE BEST CHINA FOR OYSTERS CHINAWARE THAT WAS previously on Emirates’ aircraft has been used to construct an artificial reef on the seabed just off the coast of Dubai. The Emirates-spearheaded initiative to create a 10,000m2 man-made seabed aims to help protect the Gulf’s marine life, and to offer a more eco-friendly alternative for the disused china, diverting it away from landfills. The project, run by the Emirates Marine Environmental Group (EMEG), looks to use the broken crockery to form a substrate on the sea floor in order to attract pearl
oysters. The crockery will stay in place under the pressure of its own weight and the china-covered bottom should make it easier for oysters to attach themselves on to. “I’m confident the chosen location and broken crockery will help create a flourishing oyster bed in an otherwise open sandy area,” said Keith Wilson, EMEG Programme Director. Last year’s relaunch of premium dining services included more than 3,000,000 pieces of eco-friendly lightweight china. Over 120 tonnes has been recycled, with 18 tonnes of that used for this project.
THE DISCOVERY OF seven million year old footprints in the Arabian desert means it is likely that elephants once roamed the region, according to a recent study. Long lanes of footprints preserved in mud found in the western region of Abu Dhabi, are believed to have been made by elephant herds millions of years ago, according to a study published in the World Journal for Biological Research. The findings indicate the oldest known information about migratory traits of elephants with regards to environmental patterns. Archaeological scientists from the UAE, France, Germany and the USA said that the fossil passage in Baynouna – covering five hectares – is one of the biggest known routes in the world.
EU’S LOW-CARBON FARMING PLANS THE EUROPEAN UNION has called on its member governments to include CO2 emission data from their farming and forestry industries in their efforts to tackle climate change. The EU aims to measure CO2 emissions from across the industry from logging to food production. The draft law is in line with guidelines that were agreed at the Durban climate change conference last year.
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118,000 THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF INFLIGHT MEALS CONSUMED DAILY SOURCE: EMIRATES FLIGHT CATERING
EMI RATES NEWS
COMFORT
BEFORE YOU R JOU R N EY CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TRAVELLING IF YOU HAVE ANY MEDICAL CONCERNS ABOUT MAKING A LONG JOURNEY, OR IF YOU SUFFER FROM A RESPIRATORY OR
IN THE AIR
CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITION. PLAN FOR THE DESTINATION – WILL
TO HELP YOU arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed, Emirates has developed this collection of helpful travel tips. Regardless of whether you need to
rejuvenate for your holiday or be effective at achieving your goals on a business trip, these simple tips will help you to enjoy your journey and time on board with Emirates today.
SPECIAL MEDICATIONS? GET A GOOD NIGHT’S REST BEFORE THE FLIGHT. EAT LIGHTLY AND SENSIBLY.
AT TH E AI R PORT
SMART TRAVELLER DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
YOU NEED ANY VACCINATIONS OR
ALLOW YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME FOR CHECK-IN.
TRAVEL LIGHTLY
AVOID CARRYING HEAVY BAGS THROUGH THE AIRPORT AND ONTO THE FLIGHT AS THIS CAN PLACE THE BODY UNDER CONSIDERABLE STRESS. ONCE THROUGH TO DEPARTURES TRY AND RELAX AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
REHYDRATE WITH WATER OR JUICES FREQUENTLY.
CARRY ONLY THE ESSENTIAL ITEMS THAT
DRINK TEA AND COFFEE IN MODERATION.
YOU WILL NEED DURING YOUR FLIGHT.
MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE
DU R ING THE FLIGHT CHEWING AND SWALLOWING WILL HELP EQUALISE YOUR EAR PRESSURE
KEEP MOVING
DURING ASCENT AND DESCENT. BABIES AND YOUNG PASSENGERS MAY SUFFER MORE ACUTELY WITH POPPING EARS, THEREFORE CONSIDER PROVIDING A DUMMY.
LOOSEN CLOTHING, REMOVE JACKET AND
EXERCISE YOUR LOWER LEGS AND CALF
GET AS COMFORTABLE AS
AVOID ANYTHING PRESSING AGAINST YOUR BODY.
MUSCLES. THIS ENCOURAGES BLOOD FLOW.
POSSIBLE WHEN RESTING AND TURN FREQUENTLY.
WEAR GLASSES
USE SKIN MOISTURISER
AVOID SLEEPING FOR LONG PERIODS IN THE SAME POSITION.
W H EN YOU ARR IV E TRY SOME LIGHT EXERCISE OR READ IF YOU CAN’T SLEEP AFTER ARRIVAL.
CABIN AIR IS DRIER THAN NORMAL THEREFORE
APPLY A GOOD QUALITY MOISTURISER TO
SWAP YOUR CONTACT LENSES FOR GLASSES.
ENSURE YOUR SKIN DOESN’T DRY OUT.
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1939
1999
2008
From when there was no bridge at Maqta crossing to Abu Dhabi island. All captured in the ‘Building a Nation’. To celebrate 40 years of the UAE, Gulf News brings to you the story of this great nation in one book. This captures the country’s remarkable journey in just 40 years through pictures that showcase major national developments, the UAE’s growth and its traditions. To enjoy this book at your leisure, buy your copy today. Available at all leading bookstores across the UAE. For AED 200 only. For more information, call 8004585 or visit www.gulfnews.com today.
EMI RATES NEWS
CABIN L BE CREW WIL LP HE HAPPY TO D E IF YOU NE
CUSTOMS & VISAS
E C N A T S I S S A PLETING COM THE FORMS
TO US CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION FORMS WHETHER YOU’RE TRAVELLING to, or through, the United States today, this simple guide to completing the US customs and immigration forms will help to ensure that your journey is
as hassle free as possible. The Cabin Crew will offer you two forms when you are nearing your destination. We provide guidelines below, so you can correctly complete the forms.
CUSTOMS DECLAR ATION FORM
IMMIGR ATION FORM
All passengers arriving into the US need to complete a CUSTOMS DECLARATION FORM. If you are travelling as a family this should be completed by one member only. The form must be completed in English, in capital letters, and must be signed where indicated.
The IMMIGRATION FORM I-94 (Arrival / Departure Record) should be completed if you are a non-US citizen in possession of a valid US visa and your final destination is the US or if you are in transit to a country outside the US. A separate form must be completed for each person, including children travelling on their parents’ passport. The form includes a Departure Record which must be kept safe and given to your airline when you leave the US. If you hold a US or Canadian passport, US Alien Resident Visa (Green Card), US Immigrant Visa or a valid ESTA (right), you are not required to complete an immigration form.
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FLEET GUI DE
ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR
WILL EXPIRE ALONG WITH
TRAVEL AUTHORISATION (ESTA)
YOUR PASSPORT.
IF YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL
APPLY ONLINE AT WWW.CBP.GOV/ESTA
EMIRATES NEWS
TRAVELLER WISHING TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE
NATIONALITIES ELIGIBLE
VISA WAIVER PROGRAMME,
FOR THE VISA WAIVER *:
YOU MUST APPLY FOR
ANDORRA, AUSTRALIA,
ELECTRONIC AUTHORISATION
AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, BRUNEI,
(ESTA) UP TO 72 HOURS PRIOR
CZECH REPUBLIC, DENMARK,
TO YOUR DEPARTURE.
ESTONIA, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, HUNGARY, ICELAND,
ESTA FACTS:
IRELAND, ITALY, JAPAN, LATVIA,
CHILDREN AND
LIECHTENSTEIN, LITHUANIA,
INFANTS REQUIRE AN
LUXEMBURG, MALTA, MONACO,
INDIVIDUAL ESTA.
THE NETHERLANDS, NEW
THE ONLINE ESTA SYSTEM
ZEALAND, NORWAY, PORTUGAL,
WILL INFORM YOU WHETHER
SAN MARINO, SINGAPORE,
YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN
SLOVAKIA, SLOVENIA, SOUTH
AUTHORISED, NOT AUTHORISED
KOREA, SPAIN, SWEDEN,
OR IF AUTHORISATION
SWITZERLAND AND THE
IS PENDING.
UNITED KINGDOM**.
A SUCCESSFUL ESTA
*
APPLICATION IS VALID
** ONLY BRITISH CITIZENS QUALIFY UNDER THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAMME.
FOR TWO YEARS, HOWEVER
AD
80 mm wide x 224 mm high
SUBJECT TO CHANGE
THIS MAY BE REVOKED OR
2000 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE EMIRATES AVIATION COLLEGE
136
THE SIZE IN ACRES OF THE EMIRATES ENGINEERING CENTRE AT DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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ROUTE MA P
ROUTE MA P
EMIRATES NEWS
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EMI RATES NEWS
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ROUTE MA P
ROUTE MA P
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AD 117
EMIRATES EMI RATES NEWS NEWS
FLEET FLEETGUI GU DE I DE
ET INS E L F THE NTA
CO OF LEET ADE UP F R S OU ES. M PLANE LAN R E P S 2 G E 7 N 1 N ASSE GO PLA 164 P R A 8C AND
Boeing 777-300ER Number of Aircraft: 67 Capacity: 354-442 Range: 14,594km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 64.8m
Boeing 777-300 Number of Aircraft: 12 Capacity: 364 Range: 11,029km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 60.9m
Boeing 777-200LR Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 266 Range: 17,446km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m
Boeing 777-200 Number of Aircraft: 9 Capacity: 274-346 Range: 9,649km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 60.9m
Boeing 777F Number of Aircraft: 4 Range: 9,260km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m 118
FOR MORE INFORMATION: WWW.EMIRATES.COM/OURFLEET
FLEET GUI DE
EMIRATES NEWS
Airbus A380-800 Number of Aircraft: 22 Capacity: 489-517 Range: 15,000km Length: 72.7m Wingspan: 79.8m
Airbus A340-500 Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 258 Range: 16,050km Length: 67.9m Wingspan: 63.4m
Airbus A340-300 Number of Aircraft: 8 Capacity: 267 Range: 13,350km Length: 63.6m Wingspan: 60.3m
Airbus A330-200 Number of Aircraft: 26 Capacity: 237-278 Range: 12,200km Length: 58.8m Wingspan: 60.3m
Boeing 747-400F/747-400ERF Number of Aircraft: 2/2 Range: 8,232km/9,204km Length: 70.6m Wingspan: 64.4m
AI RCRAFT N UMBERS AS OF 3 0 / 0 4 / 2 0 1 2
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N
ext month we are going underground, literally and metaphorically, in our grittiest issue yet. Japan’s only western crime reporter takes a look at the Yakuza and their influence on the country, and asks if their time has finally passed. We take a stunning photographic look at one of the most underrated film industries in the world: Iran. We discover a most unusual underground park deep below New York City and get to grips with one of literature’s Russian masters. See you on the other side.
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Amazing camera. Authentic sound.
Shot on Nick’s HTC One X while free falling at 126 miles per hour
As recommended by Nick Jojola Freefall fashion photographer
Watch Nick’s personal experience at htc.com
| Capture HD video and photos at the same time | | Includes HTC Sense |
L.U.C Lunar One. Chopard brings the universe to the wrist in a stellar model precisely reproducing the phases of the moon and following the celestial patterns governing our division of time into days, nights, weeks, months and leap years. An exquisitely balanced dial highlights the poetry and romance of a starlit sky portraying the orbital moonphase display, complementing the perpetual calendar functions including a 24-hour scale. These aesthetically appealing and useful indications are powered by a chronometer-certified self-winding movement bearing the “Poinçon de Genève” quality hallmark.
Lunar One: available in two limited and numbered series in platinum and 18-carat rose gold with two dial versions turing either Roman or Arabic numerals.