Wildtravel 03/14 by StStilinski

WILDTRAVEL March 2014 I £3.99

Discover the world’s most amazing wildlife

New look!

Zambia safari guide

Your essential wildlifewatching guide to this unsung safari nation Take me there

Scotland’s wild west Escape the crowds and discover the wildlife of Ardnamurchan Peninsula

Gallery

March hares Peek into the secret world of the brown hare as their annual courtship goes into full swing

Saving China’s giant pandas The bid to rescue China’s most iconic residents at Chengdu Research Base

Call

of Yellowstone

Follow in the paw prints of the iconic gray wolves of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA

WILDLIFE WEEKEND: BEHIND THE SCENES: REPORT: DECLINE OF SUFFOLK SANDLINGS BBC’S SPY IN THE POD LARGE CARNIVORES

WILDLIFEEXTRA.COM

Contents Features

28 Trip report: wolf-watching, Yellowstone National Park c

50 Special report: the decline of large carnivores c

Dina Mischev reports on her experience of tracking and watching Yellowstone National Park’s iconic gray wolves in the winter snows

As a new study highlights the continued decline of large carnivores across the globe, we look at how their demise is affecting their preferred habitats

38 Take me there: Ardnamurchan, Scotland c

56 Gallery: March hares c

Alexandra Pratt reveals the secrets of Scotland’s wild west, where you can enjoy encounters with an array of native wildlife far from the madding crowd

Professional wildlife photographer Andy Rouse offers a glimpse into the hidden world of the European brown or ‘mad March’ hare

Essential Zambia 78 Why? Mike Unwin explains why Zambia offers a truly unique safari experience

80 Where? c Join us on a whistle-stop tour of Zambia’s most celebrated safari destinations, from South Luangwa to Kafue National Park

92 What? We offer our guide to Zambia’s most spectacular wildlife, from shoebills to straw-coloured fruit bats

48 Anatomy of a chimpanzee

66 Trip report: Chengdu Research Base, China c

97 How?

Discover how a chimpanzee’s body is perfectly adapted for its arboreal existence in the forests of Africa

Hazel Southam reports on the efforts being made to rescue China’s giant pandas in Sichuan Province

Everything you need to know before you go, including country facts, a suggested itinerary and recommended lodges

All cover stories marked with a c

MARCH 2014 3

CONTENTS Regulars

12 Wild world We review the latest images from the world of wildlife, from Nairobi National Park in Kenya to Crystal River in Florida, as well as the latest conservation news and wildlife-watching tours

22 Wild UK c Inspiration for wild days out in March, from spotting adders in Suffolk or swans at Slimbridge to taking part in the Great Spawn Count

99 The knowledge c Our experts explain how to create bird nest sites in your roof, avoid Lyme disease and photograph displaying grebes. Plus, we interview the producer of BBC’s Spy in the Pod 22

114 Column: Confessions of a wildlife traveller Like making lists of the wildlife you’ve seen? Then it might be time to take a long, hard look at yourself, suggests Mike Unwin

Departments 06 Editor’s welcome 08 Inbox Our selection of the latest comments, tweets, photos and wildlife stories we’ve received

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issue!

4 MARCH 2014

Turn to page 55 for details of our latest subscription offer

Find out where you can spot kingfishers this month on page 26

WELCOME Contributors

Dina Mischev Dina joins the hardy ‘wolfers’ at Yellowstone to track down the National Park’s iconic predators

Alexandra Pratt

New style and substance Welcome to the new look, new format Wild Travel. Over the coming pages you’ll find a number of changes and new additions, including our revamped Wild World section (see page 12) and our new UK wildlife section (page 22), which is packed with ideas for affordable wildlife-watching experiences closer to home. Towards the back of the magazine is the first of our new country guides, providing a whistlestop tour of the key wildlife regions of Zambia (page 77), as well as our expanded Knowledge section (page 99), which now includes a regular guide to wildlife volunteering (page 101) and our new photography workshop series (page 106). Last but not least is Mike Unwin’s brilliant new column (page 114). However, that’s not to say it’s all change. Many of our tried and tested features are still here. Perhaps most importantly, our dedication to sharing the world’s most amazing wildlife-watching experiences remains firmly at the heart of everything we do. Enjoy! Matt Havercroft, Editor

To subscribe Tel: 0844 848 4211 Email: wildtravel@subscription.co.uk www.subscriptionsave.co.uk www.greatbritishmagazines.com (US only) To advertise ADVERTISING GROUP SALES MANAGER Kim Lewis, Tel: 01242 211 072; kim.lewis@archant.co.uk ACCOUNT MANAGERS Katy Byers, Tel: 01242 265 890; katy.byers@archant.co.uk Justin Parry, Tel: 01242 216 060; justin.parry@archant.co.uk To contact editorial Archant Specialist, Archant House,

6 MARCH 2014

Andy Rouse Andy went deep undercover to report on the secret world of the mad March hares

Mike Unwin

Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB Tel: 01242 211 080 Email: editorial@wildtravelmag.com EDITOR Matt Havercroft DEPUTY EDITOR Sheena Harvey EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Debbie Graham DESIGNER Steve Rayner ARCHANT SPECIALIST MANAGING DIRECTOR Mark Wright; mark.wright@archant.co.uk For customer services Tel: 01242 216 002 Email: sylvie.wheatley@archant.co.uk Email: estelle.iles@archant.co.uk Printing William Gibbons ISSN 2048-2485

© Archant Specialist 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of Archant Ltd. Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct at the time of going to press, we cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience however caused. For the latest travel and health information on all destinations covered in the magazine, go to www.fco.gov.uk

Our brilliant new columnist questions the motivations of dedicated wildlife list-makers

On the cover...

WILD TRAVEL IS AN OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER OF Cover image: The gray wolf has become an icon of Yellowstone NP, USA

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COVER IMAGE: © PAUL SAWYER/FLPA. HERE: © WWT, BRADLEY J. BONER

WILDTRAVEL

Head to Ardnamurchan to experience Scotland’s wild west, says Alexandra

InBox Winning letter Flying visit Your article, “Botswana from the Air” (In Focus, November 2013), brought back a lot of happy holiday memories. During our stay in Botswana we visited a few camps around The Delta. The only way to get there was by light aircraft, the local taxi service. This gave

Send us your thoughts on the magazine, wildlife travel pictures and recommendations, or stories of your own wildlife encounters. The author of our favourite letter, picture and story will receive a brilliant wildlife book

us the opportunity to see Botswana from above and its beauty during the winter/wet season in June/July. From that height you can see the variation of land, from the highlands which stay dry and allow lions to hunt, to the wetlands where hippos make their own “hippo highways”, treading down the tall grass and reeds. One focal point that the pilot pointed out was the Caprivi Strip. This is the northern border between Botswana and Namibia and can be seen when flying from the heart of the Okavango Delta to Chobe. It was a great experience, but how the pilots pin down the mini landing strips when the aircraft is coming in to land is amazing! Helen Gee, via email

Small matters

A bit of a mouthful

I’m a keen diver who loves watching the everyday lives of small marine creatures. Of course it’s thrilling to see a whaleshark or a giant manta ray, and those events definitely stay with you forever, but my store of memories contains little encounters, too, and I think they’re just as important. For instance, there was the time I accidentally got too close to a clown fish’s anemone where it was sheltering its brood, and the tiny creature came out to see me off, even though I was thousands of times bigger than it was. I was amazed and backed off quickly. Just one tiny magic moment I’ll never forget. Shaun Brody, Cardiff

This hungry otter (below) was snapped by photographer Dean Eades near Thetford in Norfolk. “This determined individual wrestled with his large 10lb pike for about 20 minutes,” he says. “It then put the fish in an outlet pipe up river, returning later to finish lunch. It was superb to see.” Can you think of a caption to reflect this epic battle? Let us know on www.facebook.com/wildtravelmag

Appy customer Is there an app to read Wild Travel magazine on a Kindle Fire HD? I discovered your magazine last weekend and really liked it. Since I live in the US, I would love to be able to get hold of a digital edition. Michel, by email Editor writes: Welcome to the magazine, Michel. You can subscribe to our digital version at www. subscriptionsave.co.uk/LifestyleMagazines/Wild-Travel Must watch @ blackfishmovie! Here’s a good article with a for-and-against dolphinariums argument@ WildlifeExtra tinyurl.com/kfyhyca From Hannah Allum @ZooseumUK

Picture perfect I am a keen photographer who loves wildlife, but sadly I don’t go abroad very often so I enjoyed the feature in your February issue about the UK’s best locations for wildlife photography. To be able to read about tours in places closer to home where I may get the opportunity to get near to some of our country’s own beautiful creatures, was wonderful. I am now hoping to arrange a trip to Kielder Forest so that I can try and photograph my favourite animal – the elusive red squirrel. Vicky Read, Kent

8 MARCH 2014

Interesting lunchtime read@ wild_travel about the South American maned wolf, endemic to the #FalklandIslandspic.twitter. com/UMEUa10PWH From Journey Latin America @JLA_UK

wildlifeextra.com

InBox YOUR LETTERS Your stories

From the website Strange sightings I saw a white carrion crow at Storth End on A65 (near Kendal), with another crow. I was a passenger in a passing car so had no time to study it, but I guessed it was a leucistic individual, which was exciting as I’ve never seen one before. Stephen Welch Editor writes: If you want to know more about leucism, there’s a report and photo on www.wildlifeextra.com/ go/news/kendal-crow 009.html

We spotted a black swan in the flood waters in Nounsley, near Chelmsford in Essex on 26 January. I know you can see them in various places in the UK, but we’ve never seen one here. Mick Taylor Have you had any strange sightings? Let us know at www.wildlifeextra.com/go/ forum or email us at editorial@wildtravelmag.com

Australian shark cull Last month we ran a piece in the news section of the magazine on the proposed shark cull in Western Australia and asked you to let us know your thoughts on our website www.wildlifeextra.com. Here are some of your responses: “As a regular beach-going person in Perth, what the government is doing in killing sharks makes me feel sick. As usual it’s an overreaction by the Western Australia government.” Steve Roby “The sharks need protection. We can avoid using the sea for our pleasure activities and reduce conflict between waterskiers, swimmers and the rightful owner of the sea. This policy of killing needs review.” Geevis “Our shark populations around the world are under such pressure from idiots who believe that every shark is a man-eater. In fact, the vast majority of species are harmless and even the ones that aren’t will rarely attack humans except in exceptional circumstances. It’s a complete disgrace!” Moira Sanderson

There are photos world-wide, but my little local kingfisher got picked for @WildlifeExtra’s Photo of the Week! :) pic.twitter.com/id8Cg2pSGa From Alba Wildlife @albawildlife

wildlifeextra.com

A brief encounter I was in South Africa in the Kruger National Park, and one morning we had a tip-off that there was a lion pride feeding on a buffalo kill not far from where we were. After driving through the bush for around 20 minutes, we came across the pride. The big male was lying in the middle of the road, his huge black mane blowing in the breeze, while the females and the cubs were feeding on the kill. They were my first wild lions and the sight truly took my breath away! We had been watching the lions for around 45 minutes when a white rhino came smashing through the bush. The lioness stopped feeding on the kill and whipped around, with her green eyes focused on the intruder. A rhino’s eyesight is very poor, I know, but its sense of smell is extraordinarily acute and you could see that it was smelling the lions. You could have cut the air with a knife. The white rhino and the lion pride were facing each other for what felt like hours, but in reality was probably just a couple of minutes. The cubs, which had been bounding around, were as still as statues. With bated breath we all watched as the rhino turned and lumbered back into the bush. We breathed a huge collective sigh of relief that trouble had been averted, but it will be carved into my mind forever – the day I witnessed an amazing encounter between two of Africa’s Big Five. Jack Galtress, via email

Gettting in touch POST: Letters to the Editor, Wild Travel, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB EMAIL: editorial@wildtravelmag.com PHONE: 01242 211 080 We welcome your letters but reserve the right to edit them. Please include a daytime telephone number and, if emailing, a postal address (this will not be published)

MARCH 2014 9

InBox YOUR PHOTOS 4

Winning image

Your photos A selection of photos from our Flickr site. To upload your own or view and comment on those already there visit www.flickr.com/groups/wild_travel 1 This cute speedy Gonzales looks like he wants to play with photographer David Nunn. It was taken in Tarime district in Mara, Tanzania. 2 A skulking crocodile, biding his time, was taken in the Western Cape, South Africa, by Nicola Williscroft.

3 “We arrived at a woodland by jeep to witness this beautiful leopard on a fallen tree,” says Rob Dalton, who took his image in the Masai Mara, Kenya. 4 A dramatic shot of a white-tailed eagle landing was taken from a hide in Poland in December 2013 by Chas Moonie. 5 Does this image taken by Paul Davis in Le Barp, near Bordeaux in France prove fairies exist? Ok, so it’s really a dainty wood white butterfly but why spoil the magic? 6 This oystercatcher against a vibrant blue sea was caught at Hengistbury Head near Bournemouth in Dorset by Chris Roughley, who timed it so a breaking wave was a backdrop.

10 MARCH 2014

wildlifeextra.com

Japan

Cold Comfort

A female Japanese macaque gives a juvenile male a warming hug at Jigokudani Monkey Park in the Nagano Prefecture of Japan. During the freezing winter months the monkeys come here to bathe in the park’s hot springs, or ‘onsen’, with man-made pools often accommodating dozens of preening monkeys. For the tourists who venture here, it’s an adventure just getting a spot by the thermal waters, thanks to the area’s heavy snowfalls (snow covers the ground for four months a year) and the fact that park is accessed via a narrow two kilometre footpath through the forest. The area is called Jigokudani, translated as ‘Hell’s Valley’, due to its hot waters that bubble out of the ground, surrounded by steep cliffs and frozen forests.

Wildworld Latest visions from the world of wildlife

Wildworld

Kenya

Sleep walking A male lion paces the plains of Nairobi National Park after being shot with tranquiliser darts by a team led by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The wildlife authorities are currently conducting the work in order to fit livestock-raiding lions with GPS collars that alert rangers by text message if the predators venture beyond the national park boundary. This will enable the rangers to quickly locate any errant lions and return them to safety. Nairobi National Park is the only protected area in the world close to a capital city, located just 7 km from Nairobi city centre, making it particularly prone to human-wildlife conflict.

NAMIBIA

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Contact us for personal assistance: Heike Elmering | Unique Tours & Safaris, Namibia Email: info@unique-tours-safaris.com | Web: www.unique-tours-safaris.com

Wildworld

India

ÂŠ CAISII MAO/PRESS ASSOCIATION

Moving on A hand-reared Indian rhinoceros calf, stands in a container prior to its release at Manas National Park in Assam. It is one of two sub-adult hand reared rhinos that have been transported here from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park. Although the Indian one-horned rhino once ranged across the plains and wetlands of India, they are now confined to small pockets of the north-eastern state of Assam.

Florida

Crowd control Divers swim with dozens of West Indian Manatees as they congregate around a freshwater spring at the Three Sisters Springs north of Tampa, Florida. The manatees, which are currently classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, sought sanctuary at the warm springs of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge after local temperatures dipped below freezing.

Eye to eye contact A polar bear cub gets the attention of its mother after climbing on her back at a frozen fjord in Northern Svalbard. The image, taken by Yves Adams from Belgium, won the PSA Nature Polar Bear category of the Global Arctic Awards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an international photography contest established to showcase the diversity of the North and Arctic.

ÂŠ MATTHEW BECK/PRESS ASSOCIATION, YVES ADAMS

Svalbard

Shorts

Our roundup of the latest news, discoveries and tours that the wildlife world is talking about. For more, visit our website at www.wildlifeextra.com

New species

India and Africa

Vulture victims Good and bad news for India and East Africa’s vultures

On the other side of the Indian Ocean, however, life for vultures is not looking quite so good. In East Africa, rhino and elephant poachers shoot vultures to stop them revealing the location of their kills, while farmers lace carcasses with poison to kill lions and hyenas, which also causes the deaths of the birds. Due to the vultures’ decline, the number of feral dogs is increasing, bringing an increased risk of rabies with them.

By numbers

44,000 MILES The annual migration of an Arctic tern

DOLPHIN DISCOVERY For the first time in nearly a century, a new species of river dolphin has been found living in the Araguaia River basin of Brazil. It had been thought that the dolphins, which have been given the name of Inia araguaiaensis, were of the species I. geoffrensis, but genetic sequencing and a comparison of the two skulls proved that they are, in fact, separate. This discovery brings the number of river dolphin species in the world up to five. The study also revealed that the two species separated about two million years ago, at about the same time the Araguaia River altered direction to empty directly into the Atlantic Ocean rather than the Amazon River.

SOURCE: ARCTICTERN.INFO

Europe

GOING BATTY Thanks to targeted conservation efforts over the past two decades, populations of 16 of the 45 bat species across Europe have increased by more than 40 per cent, according to a study by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Using data from 6,000 hibernating sites across nine countries between 1993 and 2011, scientists found that eight species, including Daubenton’s, whiskered and Brandt’s bats, increased moderately, while the 16 species studied increased collectively by 43 per cent.

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European bat populations had previously declined significantly, due to intensifying agriculture, changes in land use, intentional killings and the destruction of roost sites. It is thought that the positive increases are due to changes in European Legislation, improved awareness and site protection. The battle is not over, however, as European Environment Agency Director, Hans Bruyninckx warns: “Many bat species are still endangered, so preserving their habitats is still an important priority. Monitoring bats also helps us understand changes in wider ecosystems, as they are highly sensitive to environmental change.”

wildlifeextra.com

The future is looking a little brighter for India’s beleaguered vultures after BirdLife India announced its collaboration with global mining company Rio Tinto to create a 30,000 km sq vulture safe zone in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. It is hoped this new reserve will go some way to restoring populations of Indian and white-rumped vultures, which have been devastated by the use of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac in treating cattle. After feeding on the carcasses of treated cows, many vultures have died from renal failure and visceral gout. Use of the drug will now be banned in this and future safe zones.

Wildlife weekends

Serpents of the Sandlings T

he early spring sun proves simply too pleasant, so you pause on your heathland walk to soak it up. The morning air is further warmed by effortless southerly winds that whisper the evolution of the seasons. You bask, then, with a grimace, notice a dog turd a few metres along the sandy path. Suddenly, the ‘turd’ flicks out a tongue! It is in fact a curled serpent. Like you, the male adder is lapping up solar rays, sprawling on sandy soil beneath a gorse bush. Few places are better than the Suffolk Sandlings to watch adders freshly emerged from winter slumber. And few Sandling sites are as good for our only venomous reptile as sheltered, south-facing slopes on Dunwich Heath. Males vacate their winter den before females and stake out territories. Early in the season, the snakes are sluggish and often allow prolonged views. As the slopes heat up and coldblooded bodies thaw, the serpents slither

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off to hunt. It’s now time, too, for you to meander on. Dominated by bell heather, the Sandlings have hosted a remarkable avian comeback. Extinct in Suffolk by the 1920s, Dartford warblers recolonised 70 years later. Today, the Sandlings’ population is vibrant. Dunwich and Westleton heaths form the warblers’ heartland. You should see several fiery-eyed males scratching out a song atop a prominent perch and additional longtailed, punk-crested forms flitting between heathery clumps. In terrain peppered by birch or Scots pine, listen for the liquid lullaby of a wood lark or the yaffle of a green woodpecker. Damper areas occupied by birches offer further interest. Birch polypore wreathe dying trees. Once used to sharpen cut-throat razors (hence the alternative name, razorstrop fungus), this unmistakable white bracket fungus can reach 20cm in diameter. If you have a

botanical bent, drop to your knees and scour the ground for the diminutive and rare mossy stonecrop at one of its sole sites outside Breckland. Returning to the car park above Dunwich cliffs, the trail traverses the gorse-rich territories of a pair or two of stonechat. Near the coastguard cottages, a similarsized, smoky-brown bird shivers its russet tail: a black redstart. A classic March migrant, only adult males are coal-black, so this is a female or immature. From the clifftop, look out to sea for harbour porpoise. Up to five of these (comparatively) pint-sized cetaceans regularly cruise offshore. End the day as you started, relaxing in the sun. Park yourself on a cliff-top bench, imbibing the vista southwards towards RSPB Minsmere. Treat yourself to a literal overview of Britain’s most renowned reserve, where you will spend day two. With its majestic diversity of habitats –

wildlifeextra.com

Head to Suffolk in March for adder, Dartford warbler, otter, brown hare and mossy stonecrop, writes James Lowen

WildUK Clockwise from left: a European adder rests on leaf litter at Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Suffolk; two European otters fight in the River Thet, Norfolk; March is traditionally the best month to see brown hares; a female Dartford warbler surveys her territory from a treetop

PRACTICALITIES

scrub and scrape, wood and reed, heath and beach – Minsmere is a splendid stage for celebrating the arrival of spring. The Mediterranean breeze has accelerated the arrival of a vanguard of summer migrants. A sand martin worries its way north. A chiffchaff sings its name from the scrub. On the beach, a wheatear bobs, flashing white. And there are further signs of the shifting seasons. The pond near the visitor centre may host a libidinous ball of mating common toad. Woodland resounds with the territorial outpourings of resident birds. The first brimstone and small tortoiseshell wing across a sunny glade. On the ‘levels’ in the south of the reserve, male brown hares pursue a female, which boxes away their attentions: it is ‘mad March’, after all. Nearby, a Cetti’s warbler explodes into song where bush meets reed. It is the reedbeds that provide the day’s major interest. To see all of Minsmere’s reedy specialities, you must look in, on, beside and above the sea of sedge. Deep within this painstakingly managed habitat, a bittern ‘booms’ as if blowing across the top of a beer bottle. Wait awhile at Island Mere or Bittern

wildlifeextra.com

Hide and you should see one of these scarce herons feeding in the reedbed fringes or offering a deep-chested, heavy-winged fly-past. Parties of bearded tit perch on stems, pinging to retain contact. In water sheltered by reeds – if you are patient – a family of otter may forage, unmolested and unwary. Up above, a marsh harrier pair displays. The male circles at height before tumbling towards the reeds. In established pairs, the female locks talons with her partner, and they flail downwards conjoined. Once you have filled your boots, explore the rest of the reserve. Rabbits thrive in the sandy hollow near the visitor centre. Mossy stonecrop blazes paths red. A muntjac grazes beside wooded trails. On ‘the Scrape’, Minsmere’s famous lagoon, avocets bleat through upturned bills: the RSPB’s flagship species in its most iconic location. Nearby, stunning Mediterranean gulls display with head-bowing and mewing. As you leave for the evening, a herd of red deer hinds bumbles through the ‘south belt’ woods, pausing to observe you just as you paused in the Dunwich sun at the outset of the weekend.

WHERE TO GO: Both Dunwich Heath and RSPB Minsmere are signposted from the A12 northeast of Yoxford. For Dunwich Heath National Trust Reserve (TM475683; Tel: 01728 648 501; www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ dunwich-heath), approach from Westleton, pass Westleton Heath on your left, turn right 1.5km before Dunwich onto Minsmere road, then continue 1.5km to the National Trust car park (fee for non-members). For RSPB Minsmere (TM473672; Tel: 01728 648 281; www.rspb.org.uk/ minsmere), leave Westleton village east on minor roads and follow the signs. No dogs allowed. SUGGESTED BASES: Yoxford and Saxmundham (www.saxmundham. org), with villages including Eastbridge and Westleton. In Yoxford, try the remarkable Old Methodist Chapel (Tel: 01728 668 333; www. users.waitrose.com/~dfabrown/ accommodation.htm), which offers a cosy bedroom with its own entrance. FLEXIBILITY: Any March weekend would work. Adders emerge on sunny days from late February. Brown hares ‘box’ any time from late winter into late spring. The first spring migrants pass through in early March, but later in March is more reliable. Otter and Dartford warbler are resident; mossy stonecrop is easily seen in spring but does not flower until June. RECOMMENDED READING: You can purchase James Lowen’s 52 Wildlife Weekends at the special price of £7.79 (including free UK p&p) by visiting www.bradtguides. com and using the discount code WT52. Offer expires 19/02/15

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WildUK Spotter’s guide

Small carnivores

Amy Lewis from The Wildlife Trust shares some top tips for getting a sighting of these elusive members of the UK weasel family

BADGER MELES MELES Most striking and recognisable if seen at night, the badger is the UK’s largest mustelid. You will often see the shallow scrapings they make in grassy areas near woods as they dig for earthworms, insect larvae and roots. Several large holes in woodland banks with track ways leading away and through gaps in the undergrowth will signal the existence of a sett where family groups live together underground. Look for piles of grass at the entrance holes to identify an active one and sit and wait downwind as the sun goes down. Active: At dusk, especially in summer

PINE MARTEN MARTES MARTES These mustelids are at home in trees where their flexible bodies, strong claws and long tails help them find berries, bird eggs, fungi, invertebrates and small mammals. They will also nest in a hole high up in a tree. Like otters, martens use their dropping to mark territory so they place them in strategic and prominent places along forest paths. They are twisted like a spring and smell faintly of fruit. Finding martens is hard, but they can be tempted to a hide with peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Best seen: At night in a Scottish forest; occasionally in daylight if feeding kits

POLECAT MUSTELA PUTORIUS The polecat has a two-toned coat, with thick, dark guard hairs overlaying lighter under fur. The pale eyebrows, ear tips and muzzle give it a masked bandit look. Ferrets are their domesticated descendents so they share characteristics. These secretive mammals are difficult to spot because they’ve become so rare in the UK, although numbers are gradually increasing. They often hunt along hedgerows and wood margins and are drawn to road kill so keep an eye on verges at night. Best seen: At night in central and northwest England and parts of Scotland

STOAT MUSTELA ERMINEA Stoats and weasels can be difficult to tell apart if seen in isolation. However, stoats are the larger at 30cm, and have a black tip to their much longer tail. Some individuals also turn white in winter to camouflage themselves in snow-covered landscapes, when they are known as ermine. Stoat droppings are dark, elongated, coiled and twisted with fur and feathers, like mini dreadlocks. They are most often found in large piles near their den area. Best seen: In spring when they are more active feeding their young

OTTER LUTRA LUTRA Large rounded paw prints in the mud under a bridge, with a hint of webbing between the toes, are a good sign of otters being there, as are piles of fish bones left on a flat stone. Otters eat every scrap of flesh, leaving only the spine, bony parts of the skull and the skin rolled back towards the tail. Otter poo, known as ‘spraint’, is used as a territorial marker so look for piles of digested fish scales and small bones near rivers on tree stumps and fallen logs, and around the foundations of a bridge. Best seen: Dawn/dusk on lowland rivers

WEASEL MUSTELA NIVALIS Our smallest mustelid is also one of our most voracious predators. At just 23cm long, the weasel’s compact size and body shape allows it to hunt small mammals in their burrows. Rather than the stoat’s bounding, energetic gait, weasels run quickly and close to the ground. They use the cover of hedgerows and field margins to range across their territories and remains of small birds and mammals near holes and crevices can indicate they’re around. Best seen: Before spring growth provides them with shelter

wildlifeextra.com

MARCH 2014 25

Clockwise from left: aerial view of WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre; say goodbye to the reserve’s Bewick swans; say hello to its kingfishers

Tour of Britain

WWT Slimbridge Established by naturalist Sir Peter Scott when he founded the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge has become a sanctuary for native and rare birds

The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve of Slimbridge sits in the middle of a vast expanse of mudflats and marsh land on the southern shore of the River Severn, between Gloucester and Bristol. Here they attract thousands of ducks, geese and waders to forage in the nutrient rich environment.

History Naturalist and artist Sir Peter Scott was a visionary conservationist who realised the importance of bringing people and wildlife together for the benefit of both. He was the only child of Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott, whose last letter to his wife before his final ill-fated expedition contained the plea: “Make the boy interested in natural history if you can. It is better than games…” That nurtured interest in natural history led the adult Peter Scott to the founding of what was then called the Severn Wildfowl Trust, later the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and the creation of Slimbridge in 1946. Now this, and the eight other WWT centres in the UK, preserve 2,600 hectares of globally important wetland habitat across the country, and lead conservation efforts around the world.

Wildlife White-fronted geese were what first attracted Scott to the area. They, along with Bewick’s swans, favour Slimbridge for their ‘summer holidays’, finding the temperatures and feeding opportunities more favourable here than in Arctic Russia in winter. Because of its conservation standing, Slimbridge

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is also known for its captive breeding programme of some of the world’s rarest birds. In Sir Peter Scott’s time the very rare Hawaiian goose, also called the nene, was saved from extinction here. Descendents of these gentle geese still live at Slimbridge, providing a pool of birds to call on should their numbers drop on their native islands. Other captive breeding projects include the Eurasian crane and the spoon-billed sandpiper. Eggs from these tiny, highly endangered migratory birds have been taken from their breeding grounds in the Russian Far East, prompting the parents to hatch a second clutch. The harvested eggs have been hatched and the chicks raised at Slimbridge. In the next stage, some of the eggs from the Slimbridge flock go back to Russia so hatchlings can be released back into the wild. In the meantime, conservationists are tackling the problems the birds face that have led to their endangered status.

Seasonal highlights Say goodbye to the Bewick’s: Peter Scott began studying Bewick’s swans at Slimbridge in 1964. It is one of the world’s longest running survey of a single species. Scott observed that the bill pattern on each individual was unique, so it was possible to track them on migration. Each year bonded pairs bring their young to the reserve to over-winter. Say hello to the kingfishers: The aptly named Kingfisher hide is positioned across the river from a mud bank where kingfishers make their nesting burrows. The four nesting pairs at Slimbridge start to gather there from March onwards.

NEED TO KNOW OPENING TIMES: November to March 9.30am to 5.00pm (Christmas Eve to 3.00pm); April to October 9.30am to 5.30pm. Last admission one hour before closing. PRICES (with Gift Aid): adults £12.50; children £6.70; concs £9.50; under-4s free FACILITIES: restaurant; snack kiosks; gift shop; binocular hire; wheelchair loan; mobility scooter hire (book in advance) ACCESSIBILITY: paths are level access; step-free entry to hides; accessible toilets; some gates but assistance provided EVENTS: daily walks and talks; Landrover safari; wild bird feeds. Until the end of February you can see the swans on the Rushy Pen lakes and during the afternoon feeds in the reserve’s Peng Observatory at around 4.00pm each day. CONTACT DETAILS: Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT. Tel: 01453 891900 Email: info.slimbridge@ wwt.org.uk Web: www.wwt.org.uk/ wetland-centres/slimbridge wildlifeextra.com

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Troubled waters

Our freshwater wildlife is in trouble, but we can all be part of the solution, says Kathryn Walker of the Freshwater Habitats Trust What does the Trust classify as a freshwater habitat?

WALLACE: THE FORGOTTEN EVOLUTIONIST Until 9 March National Museum, Cardiff This exhibition explores the life and work of Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace who co-discovered the process of evolution alongside Charles Darwin, yet he has become a largely forgotten figure.

Freshwater habitats include both flowing and standing waters such as ponds, canals, ditches, flushes, lakes, rivers, springs and streams.

Why are they important? Water covers 70 per cent of our planet but only three per cent of the world’s water is freshwater, making it incredibly rare. Clean water is a critical pre-requisite if freshwaters are to support the natural range of plants and animals they should. Small waters are particularly important: our research shows that most freshwater biodiversity lives in small waterbodies. However, in the UK freshwater protection and monitoring is almost completely focussed on large waterbodies such as rivers and lakes.

Why have we been losing freshwater habitats UK? Even moderate pollution degrades freshwaters irrevocably. From headwater streams down to the sea, and from tiny ponds to great lakes, a shockingly large proportion of our freshwaters are damaged by pollution. For people this means dirty polluted water to avoid, not enjoy, but for wildlife it means the loss of species that once thrived.

What species have been worst affected by the decline? So many freshwater species are threatened by pollution and habitat loss that lowland English counties have now seen a host of vulnerable species like the shining ram’s-horn snail and water-violet go extinct. The pearl mussels in our northern streams have a life span of 100 years, but are now in danger of extinction because their young can no longer survive. Water voles have significantly declined on the past 50 years. Even among common species, there has been massive loss in the past decade, and, shockingly, the common toad is now on the list of threatened species in the UK.

What’s the solution? First we need to protect the remaining hot spots for freshwater wildlife – especially the clean waters because the evidence is that once we mess up

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ponds, streams and rivers it’s very hard to put them right. It’s also very hard to control pollution – indeed the impact of water pollution can seem overwhelming, but here is one surprisingly simple solution. By making new clean water ponds we can quickly put unpolluted water back into the countryside. In 2008 we launched a 50-year partnership initiative, the Million Ponds Project, to do just this, with the aim of getting back to the million ponds that enriched the British landscape 100 years ago.

WHALE FEST 14-16 March Hilton Brighton Metropole This event is for anyone with an enthusiasm for whales, sharks, dolphins, and the marine environment. A family friendly event with exhibitors, talks, films, music, comedy and lots of activities with an expert line-up sharing their passion. www.whale-fest.com

How can people get involved in helping the charity? Throughout the year we run a number of volunteer surveys. The Big Spawn Count is a great way for people to help us learn more about the importance of ponds for our native amphibians. The survey runs from January to the end of April and anyone can take part by going to their garden pond, counting the number of spawn clumps and entering the results on-line. Following this, we then launch our second survey of the year – the Big Pond Dip. Pond dipping is something that makes a childhood memory. The information gathered will begin to tell us how good garden ponds are for wildlife and what types of pond support the most animal life. Find out more at www.freshwaterhabitats.org.uk

WILD NIGHT AT THE MOVIES 21 March BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London Join Virginia McKenna for a screening of the film Born Free, in which she starred with her late husband Bill Travers, in aid of The Born Free Foundation which they founded in 1984. Tickets are £80 and it starts at 7pm with drinks and canapés. www.bornfree.org.uk MARCH 2014 27

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Trip Report

YELLOWSTONE WOLVES

Hunting PACK WITH THE

In the last century the gray wolf was hunted to extinction all over the US, but since 1995 they have been gradually repopulating the ecosystem of Yellowstone Park in Montana, to the delight of dedicated ‘wolfers’ from around the world. WORDS BY DINA MISHEV

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includes Yellowstone National Park, as well as the Gallatin, Custer, Caribou-Targhee, Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests, the John D Rockefeller, Jr Memorial Parkway, the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park. About 80 wolves still live in Yellowstone National Park’s 2.2 million acres. Because Yellowstone also comes with the only four o’clock in the afternoon, but at this time of year opportunity to see bison, bighorn sheep and other-worldly geological features, it remains that means dusk in Montana’s Lamar Valley. Low clouds the best place in the area – and some would scudding across the sky further subdue the little sunlight say the world – to see gray wolves in the wild. And the best time is winter because wolves, that’s left. I’m standing outside in sub-zero temperatures like most animals, stand out against the peering through a high-powered spotting scope. season’s white backdrop. The Park can get upwards of 3m (10ft) of Without the scope, I see only black and grey dots in the snow annually. If you have a decent spotting rolling white fields stretching to the west. With it the dots scope and binoculars, it’s not difficult to wolf watch on your own. The visitor centres happily are brought into focus – they’re wolves. They’ve been share information on pack whereabouts. sleeping, curled into tight balls, for the past 30 minutes. Having neither a spotting scope nor a pair of decent binoculars of my own and wanting not only to see wolves, but also learn about them, I opt to go with the pros. Several outfits send groups out with Having signed on for three days of wolf watching, and this wildlife biologists and naturalist guides. (Or, if you’d rather not being only the first afternoon, I have my fingers crossed that be part of a large group, you can arrange for private guides.) the animals will get more energetic before the end of the trip. By six o’clock on that first morning we are in the van Gray wolves were hunted and poisoned to extinction in what lumbering east towards the Lamar Valley from the historic are known as the Lower 48 states, ie all of continental United Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Despite the early hour and minus States, but not including Alaska and Hawaii, in the 1930s. They 20 deg C temperature, we aren’t the first wolfers to get going. were considered varmints, or troublesome wild animals, and The community of Yellowstone wolf watchers (professionals the US government paid bounties for them. and hobbyists) are obsessive, but in a harmless, helpful way. Then, in 1995 a repopulation programme began in One, with a licence plate that reads “WLFR” waves us down to Yellowstone National Park when 14 wolves were brought down share that the information that the Lamar Canyon pack is from Canada. In 1996, a further 17 were introduced. In the visible nearby, on a kill. years since they have multiplied to about 500 animals and have The dead animal, which could be an elk or bison, is in a ditch spread throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This

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IT’S

Clockwise from right: howling is audible over great distances and can be used by pack members to keep in touch when separated; Yellowstone’s rugged hills and rapid rivers sustain a wealth of wildlife; the sharp eyes and keen nose of the gray wolf

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Yellowstone comes with the opportunity to see bison, bighorn sheep and otherworldly geological features

Here: a herd of bison block one of the roads through the park. Below: the shy and reclusive red fox

and hidden from view, but we see some of last year’s pups playing around it. When not ambushing each other, they jump in and tackle the carcass, emerging with a hunk of flesh dangling from their mouths. Their gory table manners aside, the pups are adorable. They are bright eyed and fluffy. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen tails wag so much. They’re also full of personality. Each pup, as well as the adults who get up to restore order every so often, or to feed themselves, has a distinct personality and place in the pack. I’VE SEEN A COUPLE of wolves in the wild before today. Years ago, when driving through Grand Teton National Park 45km (27 miles) from my home in Jackson, Wyoming, one ran in front of my vehicle. It was dusk and snowing, so visibility wasn’t the best. At first I didn’t think the blur could have been a wolf. Its shoulders were nearly as tall as my car’s bonnet so I thought maybe it was a mule deer. My passenger insisted it was a wolf, though. A couple of kilometers later we were each still adamant we were right. I was curious enough to turn around. Back at the scene of the blur, in the fresh snow on the side of the road, were tracks that were most definitely not a mule deer’s. They were canine, and they were huge. The center pad was bigger than

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the entirety of my palm. Each of the four “toes” was the size of my thumb. Wolves are that big. Last summer, camping in the Hoback Basin in the BridgerTeton National Forest about 145km (90 miles) south of Yellowstone, I got a much closer and longer look at a wolf. I was cooking noodles for dinner, and glanced up from the camp stove. There was a lone wolf standing no more than 10m (32ft) away. Just standing and watching. I wondered how long it had been there. We made eye contact. Neither of us moved. It felt like minutes that we were surveying each other, but it was probably closer to several seconds. Then the wolf, black and grey with tawny eyes, slowly turned and trotted away. He never once looked back. I didn’t quite believe I had just had a moment with a wolf. My friend, because she was on the other side of the tent and I didn’t say anything when the wolf was around lest I scare him off, didn’t believe it when I told her. The conversation went this way. Me, in a squeaky voice: “Wolf. A wolf. Right here. Watching me cook dinner.” Her: “And I’m Buffalo Bill Cody.” “Let’s look at the tracks,” I said. “If I’m lying, I’ll cook dinner and breakfast. If I’m not, you cook both. And pack up the tent.” This wolf wasn’t nearly as gi-normous as the one that had

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Clockwise from left: a bighorn sheep living up to its name; elk dozing in the winter sunshine; a coyote pouncing on a hapless vole; the magnificent wilderness that is Yellowstone National Park

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Trip Report

YELLOWSTONE WOLVES darted in front of my car, but its tracks were just as big and unmistakable. Crawling into my tent and sleeping bag that night I reminded myself that, despite what television, movies and Jack London novels suggest, wolf attacks on humans are very, very rare. In North America, there have only been two documented cases of fatal attacks. Ever. One in Alaska and another in Saskatchewan. On top of that, over the past century or so there have only been about two dozen non-fatal attacks. WITH MY TWO WOLF ENCOUNTERS, I’m in the middle of my Yellowstone group so far as wolf experiences goes. Three others have never before seen a wolf, but there are two friends of mine from Los Angeles who are seasoned pros. They have been following the Yellowstone wolves for years and call watching them “an addiction”. While I’m jumping up and down trying to keep warm, these two are glued to spotting scopes, breathlessly talking about the sleeping wolves like they’re long-lost friends. They fly out for a wolf “fix” at least once a winter. “One winter I came out three times,” one says. I ask if that was because it took three trips before she saw a wolf. “Nope, I saw wolves almost every day on all three trips,” she replies. I applaud her dedication, but don’t begin to understand it until the afternoon of day two. We are just thinking about setting up our picnic lunch when the radio crackles to life with reports of the same pack we saw the first afternoon. They’re now visible on the flats below Jasper Ridge. Lunch can wait. Jasper Ridge is long, but there’s no mistaking where the wolves are. When we pull up we find a circus: maybe a dozen

cars, even more spotting scopes, SLR cameras with lenses the size of small children, and a frenzy of biologists and Joe Public walking around. There is both animated pointing and conversation that involves serious head nodding. Feeling somewhat familiar with these wolves from the first day, I get on a scope, looking for wolf 375. Those in the know think she soon might be the pack’s alpha female. Watching her on day one, I liked her calm and cool demeanour. I find her. She might not yet be the alpha, but she has the stand-at-attention-and-look-like-I’m-surveying-my-kingdom gaze. I move the scope and another pack member, wolf 302 catches my eye. Not that I know it’s 302. The two Los Angeles women do, though. They also know his entire story, which is exciting even for the world of wolves. Number 302 is a male. He’s not the pack’s alpha male and has proved himself to be a scardey cat on a few occasions. Still, he manages to be quite the favourite with the pack’s ladies. Apparently, a few years ago 302 decided he wanted a pack of his own. He took his brother, wolf 301, and three females from the existing pack and set off. Things seemed to be going well. But then his new pack had a run-in with the Slough Creek Pack, the Hell’s Angels of the wolf world. There’s footage of the Slough Creek Pack taking down a bison. This is no mean feat considering that wolves weigh between 40 to 65kg (6 to 10st) each and a bison can weigh 1,300kg (204st). So when the Slough Creek boys came calling, 302 didn’t even stay around to see how it would go; he hightailed it out, leaving his brother and his pregnant women to defend themselves. The

Gray area

How the comeback of Yellowstone’s wolves is putting them at risk again

nce poisoned and hunted out of existence in Yellowstone, gray wolves suffered a similar fate beyond the national park’s perimeter. Although first listed as an Endangered Species across the Lower 48 States and Mexico in 1974, the warnings were ignored and, by the mid-1900s, the wolves had been effectively extirpated from the region. Following the start of a reintroduction programme in 1995, the gray wolves’ gradual recovery in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem has been so successful the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) population goal was met in 2002. However, the subsequent removal of gray

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wolves from the Endangered Species list has been one of the Northern Rockies’s biggest wildlife controversies. In October 2012, Wyoming was the last state in the region to have its gray wolf population taken off the list, following the example of both Idaho and Montana. As a result, any wolves that happen to stray outside the perimeter of Yellowstone National Park can now be shot on sight anywhere within these three states.

“The issue of wolves and the management of wolves is a very hot political issue,” said Ken Voorhis, Director of Education for the Yellowstone Association, Yellowstone National Park’s official nonprofit education partner. “There are people on both sides of the issue – some feel the hunting of wolves is not appropriate and others feel like they need to be managed because of the growth of the population.” Wherever you stand on the politics of the issue, Yellowstone National Park’s mission “is the preservation of wolves within the park,” said Voorhis. “In terms of seeing wolves in the park, they are still out there and we continue to see them regularly. The park’s population is still a healthy population.” Dr. Doug Smith, a senior wildlife biologist in Yellowstone, is in no doubt. “Yellowstone remains the best place in the world to view wild wolves, especially in winter,” he said.

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Trip Report

YELLOWSTONE WOLVES

women returned to the original pack within days and 301 came skulking home shortly after. Now back with the original pack, 302 isn’t at liberty to mate with whichever female he chooses. In fact, he’s so far down the pack’s hierarchy he’s not really allowed to mate with any of them. As I’m watching, wolf 375, the female that has the potential to become the pack’s alpha, teases him. She walks up, bites his tail, sniffs his rear and tackles him, which are all signs of sexual interest in wolfdom. But 302 ignores her. He knows that if he doesn’t, trouble with the name of alpha male 480 will be heading his way. But 375 persists and 302 can only take so much and finally flirts back. At that, 480 is up and on his way and 302 quickly trots away. It’s like a soap opera. We’re not just seeing a still shot or a highlight reel, but the ins and outs, the good and bad, the boredom and excitement of wolf life. And it gets better. Obviously inspired by the activity, 480 turns his attention to 286, the current alpha female and they mate. This is a much bigger deal for us than it seems to be for either 286 or 480. She looks like she’s merely putting up with it. He showed more energy yesterday when he was eating. But the wolfers are going crazy. “OMG. That’s the wildest thing I’ve ever seen.” (Repeated breathlessly five times.) “People wait their entire lives to see that.” FOR WOLFERS WHO DIDN’T MAKE IT HERE IN TIME, important details are shared over radios. One reply sounds as sad as a child who’s just heard the truth about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy all at once. “They mated? You saw that? It was visible from the road?” The car with that radio voice pulls up minutes later. The man looks to be on the verge of tears. Most of my group consider the mating to be the highlight of the four days, but it’s a chorus of howls we see and hear the last day that gets to me more. It starts with one wolf. I count as others join in, but quickly lose track. Pack members howl together, without a unifying rhythm or obvious call-and-answer. Watching them through the scope, it’s like fantasy artwork, except that it’s daylight so there’s no full moon behind them. Necks are extended, ears back and noses to the sky. Each animal has a different pitch, and all are lower than I expect. They could almost be bellowing cows… except bellowing cows don’t send thrills up my spine.

A harsh winter in Yellowstone is tolerated by its wolf population, although keeping camouflaged is not so easy

TRIP ADVISER

COST RATING

SAMPLE PACKAGE TOUR: The Yellowstone Association Institute offers three-day/four-night Winter Wolf Discovery trips for $719 per person in a double room and $899/single (£439/549). There is also a more general three-day/four-night Winter Wildlife Expedition for $679 per person in a double room and $859/single (£414/524), which looks at the park’s bighorn sheep, bison, and elk, in addition to wolves. Both trips include four nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel.

GETTING THERE: Most winter visitors fly into Bozeman, Montana, where guides will meet the flight. There are a number of airlines that fly from London Heathrow to Bozeman with a change in New York, Minneapolis or Seattle, from around £600 return. To arrange the trip on your own, you can rent a car at Bozeman airport and from there the drive to the park is just over an hour. There are various forms of accommodation available in the towns of Bozeman and Livingston, Montana, if you don’t want to stay in the park, which is isolated. VISA REQUIREMENTS FROM THE UK: UK passport holders can travel under the US Visa Waiver System providing they fulfil certain criteria outlined at www.visitusa.org.uk/visa-and-ESTA-information/125

TIPS & WARNINGS: Between the park’s Gardiner entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs, there is a thermal section of the Boiling River where visitors can soak themselves for free year-round, however be aware that it is a several hundred-metre walk from a parking area. Winter temperatures in the area are routinely well below zero, so be sure to pack warm layers and waterproofs. To reduce the impact on nature of the number of visitors the park hosts every year, the food outlets do not provide disposable water bottles so it’s important to bring your own reusable one.

TOUR OPERATORS

YELLOWSTONE ASSOCIATION INSTITUTE, TEL: +1 406-848-2400; www.yellowstoneassociation.org GRAND AMERICAN ADVENTURES, TEL: 0333 999 7961; www.grandamericanadventures.com 36 MARCH 2014

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WHEN TO GO: Yellowstone’s wolves can be seen at all times of year, but they are most easily visible in the winter. In spring and summer the park’s other wildlife – bison, moose, elk and numerous birds – are more plentiful than they are in winter.

On Scotland’s remote Ardnamurchan peninsula wildlife thrives as it has for centuries, untroubled by crowds and the modern curses of noise and pollution. It’s a glimpse of what Britain was like 1,000 years ago WORDS BY ALEXANDRA PRATT

The

wild west

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Take me there

ARDNAMURCHAN, SCOTLAND

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back, digesting the satisfying snack. I am in Ardnamurchan: a place where creatures threatened elsewhere thrive, where ancient oak woods crowd out the fir plantations and where the pure air carries only the scents of sea and forest. Lying west of Fort William and culminating in mainland Britain’s most westerly point, the peninsula reaches out almost 30 miles into the Atlantic, bordered by the sea loch Sunart to the south and the fresh water Loch Shiel to the north. Far off the tourist trail, Ardnamurchan is a gem. The most direct route here is via the small ferry at Onich on Loch Linnhe. Once you’re across, the pace changes immediately, dictated by the single track road that leaves the shadow of Ben Nevis, weaving through the hills and past crofts until it reaches Strontian. This picturesque village at the head of Loch Sunart is framed by hills clad in

native woodland and far – very far – from crowds, development and pollution of any kind. These ancient coastal oak woods are a designated European ‘Special Area of Conservation’ and part of a staggering 5,500 hectare SSSI. A relic of a temperate rainforest that would once have stretched from Scotland to Spain, this fragment survives thanks to a variety of official bodies, private estates and the local community, which have pursued an aggressive conservation programme to eradicate non-native conifers and rhododendron and reduce damage by grazing. This benefits a variety of species, from frogs and butterflies to real rarities such as the Scottish wildcat. Although undoubtedly at their most colourful in autumn, spring in Loch Sunart’s woodlands is nonetheless glorious. The soft fronds of a dozen wildlifeextra.com

t’s early morning on the west coast of Scotland and a light mist is slowly resolving into sunlight, revealing the loch, a rocky island, the forested shoreline and, at last, the tops of the mountains and dazzling blue sky beyond. I scan the island for signs of seals, then something on the edge of my vision moves. I swing my binoculars to catch movement in the wrack. There’s a long tail, brown fur; it’s an otter! Alone and busy fishing, it ignores our excited whispers and dives into the water, quickly surfacing again with a fish wriggling in his paws. There’s a flash of sharp teeth, the fish is devoured and the otter lies contentedly on his

Take me there

Clockwise from here: red deer on the hillside near Glas Bheinn, Kilchoan; sheep grazing by the beach at Portuairk; an otter feeding on a crab caught on the seaweedy shoreline

ARDNAMURCHAN, SCOTLAND

TOP 5 LOCAL HABITATS Ardnamurchan peninsula offers a wide variety of environments

1 BEACH AND DUNE The west of Scotland is rightly famed for its white sand beaches, and Ardnamurchan has some of the best. Sanna in the far west is easily accessible, with a nice mix of dunes and tidal flats. It’s a feeding ground for dunlin, curlew and ringed plover, and good for cockles and razor clams. Ardtoe and Achateny on the northern sea coast are also worth a visit, but if you crave solitude go to Gortenfern as it can only be reached on foot via the path from Ockle to Kentra Bay. This is a good choice for otters, if you can drag your gaze away from views of Rum, Eigg and Muck.

2 FRESH WATER HABITATS A place with rainfall as high as the west of Scotland inevitably has numerous small rivers and streams where you can watch out for dippers. You may even be rewarded with the colourful flash of a kingfisher. Loch Shiel boasts goldeneye, blackthroated divers and red-breasted merganser, while the smaller lochans often have a pair of red-throated divers in the summer months, as well as healthy numbers of frogs, toads and newts.

3 BOG AND SALT MARSH Not the most romantic sounding habitat, but around the peninsula they support all of the British insectivorous plants. Claish Moss and Kentra Moss, on the northern side of Ardnamurchan, are protected by Scottish Natural Heritage, and although difficult or even dangerous in parts to explore, you can find several species of dragonfly and moths here, as well as mosses and sedges. Areas of salt marsh at Glenborrowdale, Salen and Kilchoan are good for more unusual wild flowers.

4 MOUNTAIN TOPS Ardnamurchan doesn’t have any ‘Munros’ which is quite possibly why it is so firmly off the beaten track. However, several of the bens come close and are high enough to support species more commonly associated with the Cairngorms, such as ptarmigan. Watch out, too, for shadows in the sky performing an unstopping slow curve; mountains are favourite hunting grounds of golden eagles.

5 WOODLAND It’s a place of ancient oak woods, but Ardnamurchan also has significant areas of birch and pine. The latter is good for bird species that feed on conifers, including the parrot-like cross-bill and both long and short eared owls, while birch woods contain tawny owls, vocal on springtime nights. Woodlands also include rowan, ash, hazel and alder, while the crags above Salen Bay are topped by aspen that turns as yellow as gorse in the autumn.

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Take me there

ARDNAMURCHAN, SCOTLAND Left: red squirrels thrive in the native woodland on the peninsula; a male great spotted woodpecker forages on the trunk of a birch tree

types of moss which love the clean air turn boulders into fluffy balls, and wild flowers fill the valleys with colour. A walk in the Ariundle Reserve, a forest half a mile from Strontian, is to the tune of a spring chorus that has all but disappeared elsewhere in the country. Both wood and willow warblers contribute their evocative songs, as do tree pipits, redstarts and spotted flycatchers. Listen out for the drum rattle of a great spotted woodpecker providing a rhythm to the rumble of the Strontian River. The open glades also support a healthy population of dragonflies, butterflies and moths, so the sharp-eyed may catch a brief glimpse of a small pearl-bordered fritillary, or the goldsplashed chocolate of the chequered skipper; a rarity which lays its eggs in the purple moor grass. These woodlands have their share of extraordinary mammals, too. There are no grey squirrels in Ardnamurchan, so red squirrels prosper. They live in several areas of woodland along Loch Sunart, including the RSPB reserve at

Glenborrowdale. Here, the native woods merge into moorland filled with the ever-rising notes of skylarks and the skittering of lizards, while those with keener eyes may be able to catch sight of the rare northern emerald dragonfly. When the weather is kind this is the most beautiful place on earth, but should the midges and /or rain prove

and advice on the best places for spotting something special. Pine martens can be seen anywhere on the peninsula, even in domestic gardens, but the remote woodlands on the south shore of Loch Sunart are prime territory. The Glencripesdale Nature Reserve can only be reached by boat or on foot, but it’s possible to get a private ferry across Loch Sunart from Laga Bay. Your reward will almost certainly be having the 93 hectares of protected woodland all to yourself. This reserve is so remote there is also a much better chance here of seeing that other local speciality, Scottish wildcat. Profoundly endangered, mostly because of inter-breeding with domestic felines, Scottish wildcats have found a last redoubt in Ardnamurchan, which has probably the highest density of genetically pure wildcats in Scotland. Sightings, although rare, are more likely in the area than just about anywhere else, particularly in the least accessible parts of the Sunart woods. Yet the main reason for the Special Area of Conservation designation is not

Ancient oak woods crowd out the fir plantations and the pure air carries only the scents of sea and forest

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too much you can take the opportunity to explore Glenborrowdale’s turf-roofed Nadurra Centre. This award-winning natural history centre has a cafe, activities, an AV show and exhibits to entertain children, including a pine marten den, a roost of long-eared bats and a camera link to the nearby heronry. It also offers a list of recent sightings – anything from hen harriers to foxes –

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the most endangered. Ancient peoples revered them but, by the 20th century, the entire British population of the birds had been poisoned or shot by sheep farmers and gamekeepers. Their re-introduction to Rum in 1975 has led to their establishment on Mull. On this island, which lies across the Sound from Ardnamurchan, there are now thought to be 16 pairs. As a result, the birds regularly fish on Loch Sunart, although my only sighting of these iconic raptors was at Loch Linnhe on the

Scottish wildcats survival What is Wildcat Haven? It’s a project to monitor and protect the wildcat population by trapping feral cats and neutering them to prevent hybridisation. I worked on it for three years on Ardnamurchan and now it’s being rolled out across the wider district of Lochaber. On Ardnamurchan, we are able to trap along the neck of the promontory and build a ‘border control’. Wildcats we trap are given radio collars so we can monitor their use of the landscape, food sources, etc. This will guide future policy, such as whether more woodland is needed. We think it is, but little is known currently. How many wildcats have you found? There are around 10 wildcats to be found on Ardnamurchan. We need to expand out to all of Lochaber and raise the numbers to between 50 and 100 cats, and then they’ll be safe in a monitored area. The estimate that has been put forward of there being around 400 cats in Scotland is not accurate. Research now suggests 30-40 cats. Numbers could be that low. In eastern Scotland, we’ve found the cats have very large territories of up to 40 sq m, due to low prey numbers. That’s bigger than some lion and tiger territories.

44 MARCH 2014

east side of Ardnamurchan. There, a white-tailed eagle skimmed low off the loch and across the track in front of me, before disappearing into the hills. While such a sighting will make your trip, white tailed eagles are just one of the raptors regularly seen patrolling the skies over Ardnamurchan. Golden eagles are often a slow-circling presence, easily distinguishable from the smaller, flapping buzzards. In spring, the whole area is a key destination and staging post for the spring and autumn bird migrations, particularly Loch Shiel on the northern side of the peninsula, where whitefronted and pink-footed geese can give a spectacular display of evening flight. In summertime, you might catch the rusty croak of the corncrake, which nests in various locations around the peninsula, especially Kilchoan. The shores of Loch Shiel also offer unrivalled views of red deer. They regularly visit the front lawn of the Ardshealach Lodge restaurant. Red deer are common locally (as are roe deer), and autumn is a wonderful time to visit

STEVE PIPER OF THE SCOTTISH WILDCAT ASSOCIATION REVEALS HOW A PROTECTED AREA IS BEING SET UP

What has been the local response to the Haven project? The community has been really supportive. Some landowners were worried about visitors wandering around looking for cats. On Ardnamurchan it’s easy to get lost and maybe disturb the cats. We suggest getting advice from the Nadurra Centre. www.nadurracentre.co.uk Are you optimistic about the future? We’re confident we have an action plan that can work. The problem is: are there enough pure-bred cats? We may have to live with some hybridisation, but it’s important to conserve the [natural] behaviour of the animal. The Aspinall Foundation, world leader in captive breeding of rare species, has a plan for Scottish wildcats, with enclosures on an island off the coast. The cats they breed there will be released on the mainland. Your best tips for seeing a wildcat? Speak to local people, find a spot and sit still. If you don’t, and a wildcat sees you, it’ll be gone! Tell us about sightings and also about suspected feral cats in the area. www.scottishwildcats.co.uk

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the wildcats, but the otters. It seems the little fellow I saw belongs to one of 1400 holts. If you aren’t lucky enough to see one from the road that hugs the rocky shoreline (the car makes a convenient hide in the rain), the Garbh Eilean wildlife hide at Ardery on Loch Sunart will improve your chances considerably. The hide also provides excellent viewings of a common seal colony and a heronry, while the report log records plenty of harbour porpoise sightings. Although they are certainly a common visitor to the loch, Eilidh-Ann Madden, Senior Ranger for the Highland Council, suspects many of the reports mistake the splashing of seals at play for porpoise. I have noticed that the Sunart seals are possibly the liveliest bunch I have seen anywhere, frequently putting on a show of acrobatics that keeps wildlife watchers thrilled for hours. Tantalisingly, Eilidh-Ann has also seen white-tailed eagles from the hide. With 2.5m (8ft) wings that have been described as being ‘like a barn door’, white tailed, or sea eagles are the world’s fourth largest bird, and one of

Take me there

ARDNAMURCHAN PENINSULA, SCOTLAND

Far left: a green hairstreak callophrys rubi on a bracken frond at Drum Liath. Clockwise from above: common seals on rocks in Loch Teacuis; a wildlife hide at Sunart Oakwoods; a white-tailed eagle taking a fish; the Strontian River

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MARCH 2014 45

Take me there

Loch Sunart, that provides the southern boundary to the Ardnamurchan peninsula

ARDNAMURCHAN, SCOTLAND

TRIP ADVISER

COST RATING

SAMPLE TOURS: A two-hour wildlife watching trip on Loch Sunart with Ardnamurchan Charters starts at £25 per adult (£20 for under 16s), rising to £75 per adult for a full day whale watching. Available Easter to October, and weather dependent. Wild Highland Tours offers a mix of standard four-hour trips in the day (£25/15), twilight (£34/20) and night (£90/45), looking for a cross section of local wildlife from bats to pine martens. Guided photographic stalking tours are also available (£45/25), as are tailor-made trips from four hours to week-long packages. 46 MARCH 2014

life as getting out on the water is. The waters of the Hebrides are home to 70 per cent of Europe’s whale, dolphin and porpoise species, and common dolphins are often seen from the lighthouse. Other species to watch out for are harbour porpoise and, in the summer, basking sharks. Keep an eye on the seabirds, too; repeated diving in one position could indicate a bait ball is about to be gulped down by minke, humpback or even killer whales. Despite serious concerns nationally about seabird numbers, they are a recent

GETTING THERE: Strontian is a two-hour drive from Inverness Airport, which is served by KLM, Flybe (departing from Birmingham, Bristol, Gatwick and several Scottish regional airports) and Easyjet (London Gatwick and Luton). The peninsula can be reached via ferry from Mull, or by road either from the north on the A861 or via the Onich to Ardgour ferry at Corran, south of Fort William. WHERE TO STAY: There’s a wide range of high quality accommodation, from Kilcamb Lodge (www. kilcamblodge.co.uk) on Loch Sunart, to Resipole Holiday Park for camping, caravans and motor homes (www. resipoleholidaypark.co.uk ). A list of holiday cottages and B&Bs can be found at www.ardnamurchan.com.

success story in Ardnamurchan. A conservation programme aimed at eradicating mink has directly helped the breeding seabird population by allowing gulls, oystercatchers and greylag geese, to nest, when just a few years ago they were struggling to raise any chicks. It’s another victory for this – somewhat damp – Eden. Ardnamurchan, with its rich complex of habitats, active conservation policies and absence of visitors, is fast becoming one of Britain’s most important wildlife havens. My otter has a bright future.

TIPS & WARNINGS: If planning to spend a lot of time in the hills, be aware of the deer stalking season, which is July to February. However, most shooting estates only stalk for a few weeks a year so it’s best to check for updates locally, either through the Highland Council Ranger Service, the tourist information centres at Strontian and Kilchoan. Always check the forecast and ensure you are well equipped as the weather can change quickly. Outside of nature reserves, there are few formal paths. There is superb local food in many restaurants, hotels and cafés. Try the White House at Lochaline (www. thewhitehouserestaurant.co.uk ), Kilcamb Lodge at Strontian, or Ardshealach Lodge at Acharacle (www.ardshealach-lodge.co.uk).

WHEN TO GO: In spring and autumn the woodlands are at their best with lots of birds. Most tourist facilities, including wildlife cruises and walks by the Countryside Rangers are April to October only. The Nadurra Centre at Glenborrowdale and the ferries, including private ones from Laga Bay (www.west-scotlandmarine.com), are year-round. TOUR OPERATORS

WILD HIGHLAND TOURS www.wildhighlandtours.co.uk T: 01972 510 270 ARDNAMURCHAN CHARTERS www.west-scotland-marine.com T: 01972 500 208 HEBRIDEAN ADVENTURE www.hebrideanadventure.co.uk T: 01688 302 044

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as the woods and valleys echo to the roar of rutting stags. The route (there’s no definite path) up Ben Hiant, mid way along the peninsula, not only gives wonderful views of the loch and across the sea to the inner Hebrides, but the lower slopes immediately above the tree line can often reveal the hinds with their testosterone-driven protectors battling for supremacy. This is what makes Ardnamurchan so special: the variety of landscapes. Drive the narrow, winding track along the shore of Loch Sunart, from Strontian going west, and you will pass woodland, salt marsh, bog, heath and, of course, mountains. Kilchoan is the largest settlement at the western end which boasts a castle, a seal colony and a ringside seat for the Aurora Borealis. Much of the peninsula is well served by paths and areas of open access, and local estates and crofting townships allow entry to 150 sq km of countryside. Pushing even further west, there are the stunning white beaches at Sanna, where it’s not unusual to find an otter’s prints in the sand, or common lizards basking in the dunes. The panorama of blue water, blue sky and hazy purple islands at Ardnamurchan lighthouse is wonderful, and it’s almost as good a place to see some of the area’s marine

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Anatomy of a...

chimpanzee Chimpanzees are our closest living relative, intelligent makers and users of tools which have complex social and emotional lives

Arms These are longer than chimpsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; legs, which assists them with climbing and swinging, an activity known as brachiation. The arm bones bow outwards which gives them greater leverage.

Legs and feet Unlike humans, chimps do not have arches in their feet which stops them from comfortably walking upright, but they do have an opposable big toe so they can use their feet for grasping. They cannot lock their knees and so have to use their leg muscles alone for support if they occasioanlly have to walk upright when carrying something.

Head

The sloping forehead and heavy browbone that protects the eyes restricts the space available for the brain, which takes up 400cc as opposed to the human brain at around 1400cc. The jaw is large and powerful and juts outwards, with large canine teeth that overlap to enable it to kill prey easily. The eyes are large because of all their senses they have a greater reliance on sight.

Hand

Chimps have opposable thumbs like humans, which makes them dexterous. However, the digits are shorter than a human’s so they do not have such a precise grip and this limits their tool-making abilities. Their fingers curve under to keep the nails from being worn as they walk on their tough knuckles.

Where in the world? Body

Males stand more than 1.2m (4ft) tall and weigh 59k (130lb), females are around 900cm (3ft) tall and weigh 45k (100lb). They have a shortened spine with tall projections on the vertebrae from which their powerful back muscles are attached. Their broad chest gives them a wide range of shoulder movement.

Hair

Chimps have black or dark brown hair covering most of their bodies except for their face, hands, armpits and the bottoms of their feet. As they use facial expressions extensively for communication, a hairless visage is important. Grooming each other’s hair bonds family groups.

Most chimpanzee safari tours are in Uganda and Tanzania. On the shores of Lake Tanganyika is Gombe National Park, home to the pioneering chimp research of Dr Jane Goodall. It is the smallest of Tanzania’s national parks and around 100 chimps live there. Further south is Mahale Mountains NP with its 900 chimpanzees. In Uganda you can find Kibale NP, which is a research site with around 1,450 chimps. At Kyambura Gorge, 16 apes live in a rich forest ‘island’ surrounded by savannah, which they will not venture across. In Budongo Forest Reserve there are about 600 chimps. You can view chimpanzees all year round, but the dry season from June to October is the most popular. It is a privilege to observe these apes in their natural habitat, but viewings should be managed carefully to avoid disturbance to their daily lives and social structures.

Restoring

the

A cheetah chases a blue wildebeest in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

50 MARCH 2014

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Special report

LARGE CARNIVORES

WORDS BY DREWS CRISPIN AN

The continued decline of large carnivores across the world is not only a tragedy for individual species, it is also changing the nature of the habitats in which they once thrived

magine a world, many years in the future, when all the large carnivores have gone. With no top predators to keep their numbers down, grazing animals multiply and munch grasslands and forests into deserts. Then, as the grass begins torun out and the trees die off, so all life that depends on them disappears. In some places this bleak ecological picture is beginning to become a reality. Fewer wolves and pumas in parts of North America has meant more elk and deer, browsing the land and altering the landscape for smaller mammals and birds that rely on a particular habitat for food, shelter and breeding places. Studies show that in Europe and North America deer populations increase six fold when there are no wolves around. When pumas moved out of Utah’s Zion Canyon National Park, mule deer moved in and decimated plant life around the river banks. Exposed to the elements, the banks eroded which adversely affected the lives of the reptiles, amphibians and small mammals that relied on them. In the early 1880s in the fertile south-east of Australia, a 5,614k (3,488 mile) fence was constructed to protect sheep flocks from dingoes. As a result, rabbits, kangaroos, red foxes and feral cats

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thrived. The former competed with the sheep for grazing and the latter preyed on smaller indigenous animals, lessening diversity. In the marine world, coasts without predatory sea otters are now home to increasing numbers of sea urchins. The sea urchins eat kelp, which is important for storing carbon and helping to protect vulnerable coastlines against waves and currents. It’s the same story in Africa, where fewer lions eating fewer olive baboons has meant more baboons decimating crops and attacking livestock. In some place, farmers have had to keep their children out of school to guard their crops from baboon raids. It’s a picture of a changing environment, and one not necessarily for the better. Recent research suggests that three quarters of the world’s top predators are in decline. One particular study, The Status and Ecological Effects of the World’s Largest Carnivores, was published recently in the journal Science and revealed that the drop in numbers is a trend afflicting every continent. Fourteen researchers from around the world found that 61 per cent of the world’s 31 species of large mammalian carnivores are classified as threatened by the IUCN, and a further 16 per cent are considered

MARCH 2014 51

large carnivores have been pushed back from their historic ranges, some into isolated pockets of territory with consequent effects on the health of the population. Sometimes human influence has been indirect but no less harmful. In the North Pacific, between Kodiak Island and the Aleutians, sea otter numbers are down by up to 98 per cent. These are the world’s heaviest mustelids, growing to 1.5m – not as big as a seal, but a healthy meal for a hungry orca. “We don’t know for sure why killer whales have started taking otters to this extent,” said Jim Estes from the University of California, who also took part in the study. His theory is that it has something to do with whaling and orcas being very adaptable predators. “Post war industrial whaling has seen a marked decline in the number of great whales that once fed orcas in these parts,” he said.

ccording to the study, if large carnivores go extinct, the knock-on effect for the natural world and eventually for humanity could be devastating. “Large predators have a strong influence on the food web,” Bill Ripple says. “If they die out, Earth’s ecosystems will suffer.” At the moment, Europe seems to be an exception to the gloomy trend. Here, large carnivore populations are stable. Wolves, bears and lynx have managed to hold on to big parts of their historic range, and are even moving back into places from which they’d previously been absent. So there are now healthy populations of wolves in Germany, France and Spain and brown bear numbers have doubled between 1970 and 2005. “European predators are very adaptable and can live in a

THE EUROPEAN MODEL Why are large predators doing relatively well in Europe? Legislation protects them and authorities enforce it. Brown bears, lynx [right] and wolves adapt to a variety of managed ecosystems. So as long as there’s space and some prey around, these animals can thrive. When did things start to turn round? A lot of favourable legislation came in during the late 60s, 70s and into the 80s. Before that, the law supported extermination. For my parents’ generation, extermination was the norm, but people of my age – I’m 45 – have grown up seeing conservation as normal. Are attitudes towards large carnivores the same throughout Europe? In the south and the east, rural people tolerate wolves, bears and lynx. You won’t get a shepherd who 52 MARCH 2014

JOHN LINNELL from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research answers questions on why Europe is bucking the trend for large carnivore decline

likes large predators, but the animals have always been here so they’re viewed as part of what you have to cope with, like the cold and the rain. In these regions people are more tolerant of risk and uncertainty, although it doesn’t mean that locals won’t ever kill any animals, sometimes they do as a protest against the animal’s presence and efforts to conserve it. In the west and the north, however, where large predators have been absent for many years, there is more fuss about the threat they cause. Here, you get shepherds complaining that wolf or lynx conservation breaks their own human rights.

What lessons can be learned from Europe? That large predators and humans can co-exist and you don’t need huge wilderness areas to support these animals. One of Europe’s biggest wolf populations lives in central Spain, which has an arid landscape. Large predators can live in semi-agricultural areas, and not just in Europe. There are leopards in India and jaguars in Brazil. What needs to happen to save large predators from extinction? We have to limit the number being killed by getting a greater acceptance from people living near them that these animals are a legitimate part of the ecosystem. That means stakeholders, round a table, discussing it. Will rewilding help? There’s a conservation group, Rewilding Europe, that wants to put animals, including predators, back into more of their historical range. But it has only been going a short while and at the moment the concentration is on bison. Bringing back predators is always more controversial and comes up against opposition. That’s why we need to open discussions. wildlifeextra.com

to be in decline. There is particular pressure on populations around the Amazon, in South East Asia, and in southern and East Africa. Humans are to blame, of course, through habitat destruction and persecution. “People kill large carnivores because they’re afraid of them, and to make money,” said Bill Ripple from Oregon State University, who led the study. “Many of these animals are at risk of extinction, either globally or locally.” Human impact on large carnivores isn’t a new phenomenon. The trend began many hundreds of thousands of years ago, when our ancestors first threw a spear at a cave bear or a dire wolf. The problem for Earth’s other predators is that although we have comparatively weak and vulnerable bodies, we have fingers to manipulate tools and a brain to think of plans to keep us safe and help us prosper. Security for ourselves and our livelihoods has been an essential requirement no matter what the consequences. And, as human civilisation developed, we preyed on anything that threatened us, or exploited it for financial gain or sport. Under such a regime, humans prospered but other carnivores suffered. With man’s populations increasing and spreading into new areas to live and farm, the wide ranges needed by large carnivores shrank. Until the 19th century, lions and cheetahs roamed from the tip of Africa, through Turkey and the Middle East, all the way to India. Tigers once lived throughout Asia and much of Asiatic Russia but, since the beginning of the 20th century, their range has shrunk by 93 per cent. Pumas have gone from the Eastern United States and wild dogs from much of central and southern Africa. All these

61 per cent of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 31 species of large mammalian carnivores are threatened

Clockwise from top: a lion in Kafue NP in Zambia is one of the lucky ones; loss of lions elsewhere is allowing olive baboons, like this troop in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, to flourish and damage farmland; a rare cougar in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; a tiger that was seen as a threat to villagers in Bangladesh

MARCH 2014 53

Special report

range of environments,” says John Linnell from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. He is a member of the Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe, a group of specialists from various European universities and conservation organisations. He explains that there are no longer any true wilderness areas in Europe, but what has been going on here shows that large predators can live in ecosystems that have been modified by humans, if the relationship is managed effectively. Bill Ripple and his colleagues in the study would like to see more collaboration between conservationists and groups in other parts of the world, forming one voice for the carnivores and a force to lobby governments.

his June, the European Commission plans to launch a forum where conservationists, landowners, farmers and other stakeholders can come together to talk about the place of large carnivores in modern Europe. “We need to promote a better understanding of the issues involved,” said John Linnell. Ripple’s study concluded that when large carnivores were reintroduced, ecosystems responded quickly. In

54 MARCH 2014

Clockwise from top: a Bengal tiger pauses for a drink in Madhya Pradesh, India; a mountain lion in the US; a sea otter floating in kelp at Point Lobos State Reserve, California

Yellowstone National Park in the US, hardwood trees thrived when pumas and wolves were brought back. When sea otters were restored from Vancouver Island to the western edge of the Aleutians, underwater kelp forests recovered, showing a 4.4 to 8.7 teragram increase in stored carbon over 40 years. The potential financial picture this presents is clear if you take the value of that carbon. If it were to be harvested from the kelp it would be valued at $205m to $408m (£123m to £246m) on the European exchange. Further research is needed to find out just how dense a population of a particular large carnivore will maintain a particular ecosystem. Then the work will be to conserve these predators in peaceful co-existence with humans. To promote this aim, John Linnell believes that local initiatives are as important as international ones. There is a need to convince people who live alongside large carnivores not to see them as purely a threat or a nuisance, but as creatures vital to the future of their descendants.

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LARGE CARNIVORES

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March sees the height of the mating season of the European brown hare, when courtship is in full swing and bitter rivalries are played out across the English countryside

56 MARCH 2014

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Gallery

Hare raising PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDY ROUSE

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MARCH 2014 57

BOXING CLEVER Previous page: Ouch!! A female lands a perfect punch into the maleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s midriff, I could feel his pain from where I was watching. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen females with perfect uppercuts, well timed straight armed jabs but this midriff punch was by far the most effective as the over-amorous male gave up immediately and slunk off into the undergrowth. Girl power at its most raw!

58 MARCH 2014

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Gallery

TAKING FLIGHT Hares are not fussy about where they live so long as the ecosystem is right for them. I have photographed them on all kinds of habitats, this one was an old grass strip airfield which provided a fantastic location for them as it was only managed for the aircraft (in terms of cutting runways) and the rest of the grassland was left untouched. wildlifeextra.com

MARCH 2014 59

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Gallery

ON HIGH ALERT With beautiful erect ears, and a permanently twitching nose, hares are always alert and watching for danger. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve often seen them standing right up on their hind legs too, rising above the tall grass to get a better view.

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MARCH 2014 61

A BITTER RIVALRY

Left: A courtship chase can be a very serious affair. The “chosen” male chases off a younger suitor. I never thought about hares biting until I saw this image. It’s a picture of pure aggression.

I LOVE HARES. I’m not sure why I’m so

drawn to them but when the weather looks right I’m always excited at the chance of photographing them. I think it’s because they always get the upper hand, no matter how much I try to blend in and look like a dodgy patch of grass. Of course, to most people hares are only famous for one thing – punching each other at the first opportunity. This is a shame as they are such amazing animals that exhibit really fascinating behaviour all year round. However, it’s their pugilistic tendencies that gets everyone excited, and I do get a real thrill from watching their courtship when it’s in full swing. Hares box each other as part of their courtship ritual. From my observations in the field, which are extensive because I’m a lifelong hare fan, the whole mating process begins one evening when the female comes into season. Males from the locality smell her and immediately head in her direction. The result is a comical looking ring of males surrounding her, which is a fascinating sight to see. At this stage she will always have a favourite male because she only wants to mate with the best, but others have a chance and know it, so the ring consists of the female, the favoured male and a number of other ‘chancers’! All is usually quiet in the evening, but as morning comes the chaos begins. As the female gets further into season she emits a stronger odour and it drives the males wild. They come up and sniff her to see if she’s receptive, but if she’s not ready she will turn and punch them, including her chosen male. Hard and repeatedly. She will often jump out of the ring and run away, which causes other punch-ups between the males. It’s total chaos, but very entertaining, even if it means getting up for lots of early mornings. Usually by mid-morning all is quiet again. The female has run off with the chosen suitor to mate, and the others have retired to lick their wounds. Hare courtship and boxing is fantastically addictive and I never get tired of it. They are such cool animals! ANDY ROUSE is a multi award-winning wildlife photographer, who also runs a regular programme of workshops, safaris and talks. To see his latest projects and image library, go to www.andyrouse.co.uk

62 MARCH 2014

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Gallery LIGHTNESS OF BEING Hares are creatures that exist on the edges of light, most active in the early morning or late evening. In this shot I managed to get one in beautiful spring light, the backlit glow of the rising sun casting a lovely aura around the hare as it made its way across the grassland.

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MARCH 2014 63

Gallery SUNSET ROMANCE Like so many of my hare shots I remember so well taking this, as it had been a very frustrating day. I couldn’t get close to anything. Every hare legged it for the horizon as soon as I showed up. Then I found this courting couple, right at the start of the female coming into season, and they were intent on each other and not on me. A beautiful shot against the setting sun, two animals that belong in our agricultural landscape.

EARLY LEARNING Born in a friend’s garden that backed onto downland, these two leverets were wonderful to watch. They are amazingly tough little things, cast out from a very early age to fend for themselves for 23 hours of the day. Then, as night falls, they gather in a special place to wait for the mother, who nurses them every night for the first few months of their lives. It’s a very special animal, the hare.

64 MARCH 2014

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Here: two adolescent pandas enjoy a friendly wrestling match

66 MARCH 2014

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Trip Report

CHENGDU RESEARCH BASE, CHINA

As China’s giant pandas edge ever closer to extinction, the country’s captive reserves, including Chengdu Research Base in Sichuan Province, provide a final refuge for its most famous inhabitants WORDS BY HAZEL SOUTHAM PHOTOGRAPHS BY CLARE KENDALL

eeking Sanctuary wildlifeextra.com

MARCH 2014 67

Far right: a young panda catches forty winks in the cleft of a tree; a mother rolls her baby around in play

BUNDLE! IT WAS PLAYTIME AT CHENGDU RESEARCH BASE AS A GANG OF SEVEN YOUNG PANDAS WOKE FROM A POST-LUNCH NAP. They began throwing themselves on top of each other in a huge pile before rolling away, only to launch another frenzied assault on their playmates. Their obvious pleasure in this game had inspired a similar childish delight among those of us who observed them, not to mention a volley of clicking cameras and phones as the impromptu wrestling match unfolded before us. This kind of interaction among pandas is a rare sight as they live alone after becoming sexually mature (roughly at the age five). From this point on they only come together to breed during their notoriously brief mating season before separating and heading back into the remote bamboo thickets alone. As a result it is incredibly difficult to see a single panda in their natural habitat, let alone seven cubs, which is why I had opted to travel to this captive reserve in Sichuan Province. Pandas were originally carnivores but have adapted to an herbivorous life, requiring large territories to provide enough food. Their diet is largely comprised of bamboo, of which there are some 2,000 varieties in China. But while pandas can eat 60 of these species, they favour just 20. Being a fussy eater doesn’t help the pandas’ bid for survival;

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nor do loss of habitat or climate change. A report out last year in the journal Nature Climate Change reported that global warming is set to wipe out much of the bamboo on which the bears rely for food. The panda’s habitat has already been badly affected by the region’s earthquakes, the last of which struck in 2008. It is also under attack by man, as roads are built and farming land cut out of the forests. It’s a bleak time to be a panda, though it’s hard to gauge exactly how bleak. The United Nations reports that there are just 800 pandas remaining in the wild and some 100 in captivity. The Chinese State Forestry Bureau says that there are in fact around 1,600 pandas in the wild, with a further 300 in captivity. Certainly Chengdu says it hosts some 70 pandas at any one time, with a further 46 on loan to other countries. Whatever the exact numbers, it’s not looking good for pandas. Although it is possible to see wild pandas in Shan Xi Province, these treks, which take place in areas set aside to protect the panda, are illegal and best avoided. If you want to see panda, that means selecting one of China’s 41 reserves. I had chosen Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, to give it its full title, which quickly lived up to its reputation as Panda Central. Here, most of the research into the panda’s life, habit, environment and, crucially, breeding has been taking place since 1987.

The centre started with just six pandas rescued from the wild, and has since bred more than 100. It was breeding season during my visit. Behind-the-scenes, bears are being introduced, and some do manage to breed naturally, despite lack of experience and the males’ very small penis. Around half of the pandas here mate naturally, while the other half need a little help and have cubs born by artificial insemination. One who’s up for fatherhood this year is Bing Dian, a 13-year-old panda I found reclining nonchalantly on stones by a pool, with a view through the trees down the hillside. He was a sizeable chap, weighing in at 115kg, though

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Clockwise from here: a pair of pandas observing one of the common sights in Chengdu Research Base – a curious tourist; the misty Qin Ling mountains, home to pandas; writer Hazel Southam feeding panda treats as part of her volunteering duties

CHENGDU RESEARCH BASE, CHINA

Freedom fighters Working to preserve the pandas’ natural habitat in China’s Qin Ling mountains

by no means the largest of the pandas at Chengdu. Adult males can weigh up to 150kg once fully grown. Nonetheless Bing was a stately bear. I had decided to volunteer at the research base for the morning as a means of getting up close to the bears without being invasive. As a result, I found myself robed in turquoise overalls with matching plastic shoe covers and gloves, passing Bing Dian pieces of apple by way of treats before his big moment arrived. After taking the bounty, he was quick to demonstrate his climbing skills, making fast work of a tall tree, and resting in the crook of a branch to chew his apple.

Pandas still roam freely in the Qin Ling mountains, that lie north of Xi’an, home to the Terracotta Warriors. It’s thought that as many as 280 pandas could be living here, but exact numbers are hard to come by. The mountain range, which peaks at around 3,700m (12,000ft), forms a natural barrier between the Han River Valley and the Tibetan Plateau. On its edges, close to the major road that runs from Xi’an to Hanzhong, it is lightly farmed. But these are well-scattered, small, subsistence farmers scratching a living from tiny terraces of rapeseed, vegetables and small cherry and walnut orchards. Beyond the road (and its 75 tunnels) the mountains stretch for miles and hours. Their deciduous forests provide a larder and home for the pandas and as many as 3,000 other species,

including the clouded leopard, golden eagle and snub-nosed monkey. Giant billboards by the roadside announce the Qin Ling mountains to be ‘The Home of the Pandas’. Truthfully, their home is far from the road and has State protection. But the presence of any roads and farms creates boundaries to the pandas’ territory and limits the numbers that can thrive here, far from the eyes of tourists or poachers.

Nothing can prepare you for just how endearing pandas are. Of course, I knew that they’d be striking. After all, you don’t become the iconic image of the World Wildlife Fund (and thus, by proxy, conservation) without being good-looking. Witness the fate of China’s Yangtze River dolphin. It looked, said naturalist Chris Packham recently, “Like a worn-out piece of pink soap with piggy eyes and was never going to make it onto anyone’s t-shirt.” If it had been more presentable to us, it might still be around. Instead it looked ‘pig-ugly’ and swam in a river where no-one saw it. Now it’s extinct. You could argue that the panda has avoided a similar fate primarily because of its loveable teddy-bear-like appearance. Each year many millions of pounds are spent on panda conservation and plans for their re-introduction into the wild. Chengdu has nearly completed work on a 133-hectare reserve in the Zhao Gong Mountains a 90-minute drive away. Here, it ishoped, pandas will be re-introduced into what remains of the

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Having six digits allows a panda to grip, and the cubs learn from their mothers how to hold on to their food 72 MARCH 2014

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CHENGDU RESEARCH BASE, CHINA

Despite being fussy when it comes to deciding which species of bamboo to eat, pandas canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t resist a rosy apple

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CHENGDU RESEARCH BASE, CHINA wilderness. But first, panda numbers need to rise, so this won’t be for several decades. Still, for those who like their animal viewing to be totally wild, this holds out the prospect of future possibilities in an entirely natural habitat. Having six digits allows the bear to grip, rather like we do, and I was greeted by the sight of one of last year’s babies, Cheng Shuang, making his first attempt to hold on to some bamboo. Mimicking his mother, he slumped back and stretched out a paw for the smallest possible piece. For now, however, this was learning, not eating. Panda cubs exist wholly on a diet of their mother’s milk until they are a year old.

Early morning is the best time to see the pandas, as they prefer the cool of the day. So we had a 6am start to be at the Chengdu Research Base for 8am, when the gates open. It was well worth the effort as I enjoyed an audience with Cheng Ji and her cubs as they rolled, tumbled, nipped and slithered off their bamboo platform. Despite weighing just 150g at birth, the cubs had grown massively in their seven months, plumping up to more than 10kg. Even at this age they are still highly dependent on their mother, living on her milk and learning the basics of life from her. Still young enough to move as if their back legs hadn’t been formally introduced to their front legs, the cubs’ attempts to climb up and down their bamboo platform were somewhat haphazard. They performed slow-motion forward rolls onto the grass. Despite their difficulties coordinating, they could whisk their way up a tree with alacrity, heading up for a doze between the branches as the morning wore on. Three days wandering round the 100-hectare site watching the pandas weren’t enough. One of Chengdu’s educationalists, Bo Xiang, told me that he could spend all day watching just one set of twins who are in his care. He’s been with them for two years now and knows their habits very well. But every day brings greater learning, insight and delight. One afternoon I watched last year’s cubs, Cheng Jui and

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COST RATING

SAMPLE TOUR: Hazel travelled with On the Go Tours. A nine-day tour from Beijing to Shanghai starts at £699, including an optional half-day visit to the Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Centre. A three-day visit to Chengdu starts at £650 per person, including a half-day visit to Chengdu Research Base plus a half day volunteering, accommodation on a full board basis, market excursions, sightseeing, entrance fees and services of an English-speaking guide. All of these prices exclude flights.

GETTING THERE: From London Heathrow it is a 10-hour flight to Beijing Capital International 74 MARCH 2014

A young panda depends totally on its mother for its first year of life

Cheng Shuang for three hours. They slept, twitched, licked their lips, hung limply from trees, and finally stirred themselves for some rough and tumble. As I watched I felt my heart rate slowing, my stresses and concerns falling away, except for one: will the giant panda survive in the wild in the future? A big question mark hangs over this, despite the laudable efforts of Chengdu and other panda reserves in China. The pandas are up against man, environmental destruction and climate change. Good looks and tourist dollars probably aren’t going to be enough to save them in the wild. So the future for the panda is more than likely going to be in captivity. Sadly Cheng Jui and Cheng Shuang won’t be roaming free in the hills of Qin Ling any time soon.

Airport (PEK). From the capital it is possible to take a three-hour connecting flight to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) with China Airways.

VISA REQUIREMENTS FROM THE UK: British passport holders need to get a visa for entry to mainland China prior to arrival. For details contact the Chinese Embassy (www.chinese-embassy.org. uk/eng). You must register your place of residence with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours of arrival. If you are staying in a hotel, this is done as part of the checking-in process.

TIPS & WARNINGS: Aim to arrive at Chengdu at 8am, as the pandas are more active early in the morning (and during the night) when temperatures are lower. After about 10am – when temperatures have risen and they have eaten – they tend to be far less active.

WHEN TO GO: The best time to travel is during March and April when the temperatures are in the mid-20s. The pandas don’t like temperatures much over 25 degrees, so they are most comfortable during the spring. If you travel in the summer you are only likely to see the bears retreating to their air-conditioned dens.

TOUR OPERATORS ON THE GO TOURS, TEL: 020 7371 1113; www.onthegotours.com WENDY WU TOURS TEL: 0844 288 5396; www.wendywutours.co.uk ASIAN HORIZONS TEL: 020 7470 8811; www.asianhorizons.co.uk wildlifeextra.com

ESSENTIAL ZAMBIA Your complete wildlife-watching guide

78 WHY?

Explore this unsung safari nation as it celebrates 50 years of independence

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Join us on a whistle-stop tour of Zambia’s key wildlife-watching areas from South Luangwa to Liuwa Plain

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Our guide to the country’s most spectacular wildlife, including Thornicroft’s giraffe and shoebill

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Everything you need to know before booking your Zambia safari trip

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ROBBIE CHAZANGWE WILDLIFE GUIDE The South Luangwa offers a great treat for serious wildlife aficionados. Big game does make up the mainstream of safari experience, but spirited bird watchers hike to see the spectacular breeding of the carmine bee-eaters from September to November. The birds pair up and look for a steep and clear space along the banks of Luangwa River. They excavate tunnels ranging between 2-3m deep and parallel to each other. As the breeding peaks, lengths of bank (often 6m long) will be drilled into hundreds of holes, each leading to an independent breeding chamber. As you approach, they often flush from the banks in a cloud of brilliant red and pink wings, in beautiful photogenic light! www.flatdogscamp.com

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Luangwa Valley Luangwa is the one safari destination in Zambia that consistently makes any African top 10 – ranked alongside the likes of the Serengeti and Okavango. This annex of Africa’s Great Rift Valley lies in the east of the country and marks the winding course of the Luangwa River southwards to its confluence with the Zambezi. It is here that you will find the country’s greatest wildlife concentrations, and many of its best lodges and safari operators. The valley’s distinctive terrain comprises a ribbon of floodplains that flank the meandering loops and oxbow lakes of the Luangwa River. Groves of statuesque ebony trees punctuate the riverside tangle. Away from the river, a hinterland of dense mopane bush stretches away to the hazy backdrop of the Muchinga escarpment in the west. Onto this picturesque stage, the dry season brings an impressive concentration of wildlife. Countless hippos squeeze into the shrinking

pools, while herds of elephant and buffalo move down from the escarpment to the river. Giraffe – the valley’s endemic Thornicroft race – tower over puku, impala, bushbuck and other herbivores, while lion, leopard and spotted hyena are prominent among the predators, and rare African wild dogs sometimes put in an appearance. Luangwa’s supporting cast of smaller creatures also get a better look-in than you find in many safari destinations. Thus, walking trails allow you to enjoy the prolific birdlife, from sandbank colonies of carmine bee-eaters to elusive Pel’s fishing owls hiding in riverine fig trees, while spotlit night drives reveal such nocturnal creatures as porcupines, civets and elephant shrews – not to mention larger predators on the prowl. South Luangwa National Park is the larger and better known of the valley’s two national parks. This is where most lodges are based wildlifeextra.com

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While you’re there...

and is home to the highest concentrations of game. For the more adventurous, however, there is also the remote North Luangwa, which offers a genuine wilderness experience, conducted mostly on foot from a handful of seasonal bush camps. Walkers frequently encounter the lion prides that tail this region’s large buffalo herds, and the recent reintroduction of black rhino has restored to the valley a species that was abundant until the poaching onslaught of the 1980s. Convention suggests that the best time to visit the Luangwa Valley is the late dry season, when wildlife concentrates at the shrinking water sources; indeed, after the November rains, much of the valley becomes impassable and many camps close. However, several operators now offer ‘emerald season’ safaris, using boats to follow the flooded channels and explore the rejuvenated bush. Bird life is outstanding in this season and the light at its best for photography. wildlifeextra.com

Safari-goers in South Luangwa can enjoy a fascinating insight into local life with a visit to Kawaza Cultural Village (left). This farming community is one of several located on the outskirts of the national park. Guests stay overnight in one of the mud-andthatch huts set aside for tourists and, under the guidance of the headman, can observe and participate in daily village life. This may involve helping with the cooking, collecting water, tending the fields or brewing the beer, and you will be encouraged to take a class at the local primary school. There is no electricity. Evening entertainment revolves around the fire, with singing, dancing and storytelling (right) drawn from the roots of the local Kunda Culture. Revenue from tourism goes straight to local development projects and, since most tourists are in the area primarily to see the wildlife, the project ensures a vital community incentive for conservation.

Clockwise from far left: elephants gather at the Luangwa River; a Burchells zebra sees off a young lion; a family of savanna baboons; Thornicroft’s giraffes, that are endemic to the Luangwa Valley

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ESSENTIAL ZAMBIA WHERE? A large flock of cattle egrets rise into the air ahead of a herd of buffalo

MY ZAMBIA PHIL JEFFERY SAFARI GUIDE When asked to distinguish the Kafue from other parks I always turn to the river; its crystal clear and unhurried waters are the park’s lifeblood and have provided me with memorable wildlife encounters. Elephant and buffalo are common on its banks, as are big cats, and birdlife is prolific. The view from water level provides fantastic photo opportunities. I can’t think of a better way to end a day than floating downstream in a small boat, cold drink in hand, with large pods of inquisitive hippos for company. As an avid walking guide, I am a massive fan of the Kafue wilderness, with its enormous tracts of bush to be discovered. And the best thing is that you often have it all to yourself... www.jmsafaris-zambia.com

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Kafue National Park Kafue National Park is Zambia’s largest – indeed, at some 22,500 sq km it is one of the biggest in Africa – and boasts its greatest variety of wildlife, including more than 160 species of mammal and 500 of birds. Located west of Lusaka, years of neglect once saw this huge reserve slip down Africa’s safari agenda. In recent times, however, some enlightened conservation and new visitor developments have been restoring its once enviable reputation. The key to Kafue’s impressive biodiversity is its rich mix of habitats. These range from the dense riverine bush along the Kufue River and its several major tributaries, to the flooded grasslands of Busanga Plain in the north and the expansive savanna of Nanzila Plains to the south, with great tracts of miombo woodland stretched out in between them. All the region’s large mammals occur, with

the exception of rhino. Elephant are widespread, as are buffalo and hippo – the latter often found alongside some of the biggest crocodiles in Africa. Among numerous antelope are such specials as sable, oribi and Lichstenstein’s hartebeest – all unlikely to be seen in Luangwa – while notable predators are Zambia’s biggest populations of cheetah and wild dog. The prolific birdlife, meanwhile, includes wattled cranes on the northern grasslands, African finfoots nosing along riverbanks and – for serious listers – rare black-faced lovebirds flocking on Nanzhila Plains. A safari that takes in all of Kafue is a serious undertaking; the distances are vast and the terrain often rough. But each sector has its own charms. Busanga Plains is Zambia’s answer to the Okavango, a vast seasonal wetland where herds of lechwe splash through the swampy shallows and MARCH 2014 83

ESSENTIAL ZAMBIA WHERE?

lions laze on palm islands. The Lufupa sector, with its meandering riverine forest, is as good a place to see leopard as anywhere in Africa. Huge herds of buffalo gather on the shores of Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, while otters frequent the river’s jumbled rock playground in the Kaingu sector. And roan antelope and cheetah roam the remote Nanzhila Plain to the south. Kafue, undeniably, requires a little more work than Luangwa. One legacy of past poaching is the skittishness of game in many regions. Finding it generally demands a little more time and persistence. That said, there are an increasing number of lodges – including some upmarket options – where excellent guiding promises a superb wildlife experience. As in Luangwa, night-drives are a key Kafue activity and an excellent way to track down predators, while many camps also offer guided walks, river cruises and canoeing. What’s more, wherever you go and however you choose to explore, you are likely to have the place pretty much to yourself. 84 MARCH 2014

It is just a three-hour drive from the south entrance of Kafue NP to the town of Livingstone, gateway to Victoria Falls. The local Tonga name for Africa’s most spectacular cataract, Mosi-oa-Tunya, translates as ‘the smoke that thunders’ and perfectly captures most visitors’ first experience of this wonder of nature. At nearly 1.7km across and 108m high, Victoria Falls is the world’s largest waterfall and in peak flow sends more than 400,000 cubic metres of water per second thundering through the succession of gorges downstream. Livingstone – named after the Scottish explorer who was the first European to lay eyes upon the falls – has blossomed into a regional safari hub. As well as enjoying the rich history and spectacular views, visitors can now take river cruises along the Zambezi, go rafting through the Batoka gorges beneath the falls or bungee-jump from the famous Victoria Falls Bridge (above), completed in 1905 as part of Cecil Rhodes’ unfulfilled plan to build a Cape to Cairo railway.

Top: a male red lechwe hurdles the swampy shallows on Busanga Plains. Above: the marshlands are home to herds of hippos. Left: a white-fronted bee-eater

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CHRIS BREEN, MD of WILDLIFE WORLDWIDE Flying into Lower Zambezi you’ve got the escarpment on one side, and on the other the broad river with its sandy islands fringed with crocodiles and hippos. On my first visit I couldn’t believe how huge the elephants were by comparison to their relatives in the Luangwa. Were they really much bigger or was it just that I was looking up their wrinkled grey trunks from a canoe? After a picnic lunch by the river, there was an afternoon game drive and one of the best leopard sightings I have ever had. After dark a fully co-ordinated pride of lions came hunting and feeding. It is this diversity of game-viewing, outstanding camps and brilliant guides that make the area so compelling. www.wildlifeworldwide.com

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Lower Zambezi National Park The very name Zambezi conjures up David Livingstone and a sepia-tinted age of Victorian exploration. Today, the river forms Zambia’s southern border with Zimbabwe, flowing east over Victoria Falls and through the vast manmade lake of Kariba to exit, via Mozambique, into the Indian Ocean. For wildlife lovers, its lower reaches – after the river emerges from the dramatic Kariba Gorge – remain one of Africa’s most exciting destinations. And it is here that the Lower Zambezi National Park is located, with its compelling vista of winding river and rugged escarpment backdrop forming possibly Zambia’s most scenic reserve. The country’s chunk of this stunning wilderness mirrors Zimbabwe’s World Heritage-listed Mana Pools National Park, which lies across the river on the other bank. The two share similar terrain. The river itself is flanked by broad sandbanks, with numerous islands and side channels. The

flat floodplain is characterised by park-like river terraces, where the smoky light beneath the tall winterthorns and sausage trees adds a quality unique to the valley. Further from the river, this habitat gives way to dense mopane scrub and tangled bush that carpet the flanks of the rocky cliffs that enclose the valley on both sides. In peak dry season, the valley teems with big game. Large herds of elephant and buffalo move down from the escarpment, along with zebra, impala, eland and other herbivores. Predators, including good populations of lion, leopard and spotted hyena, tail the herds as the action begins to concentrate along the riverbank. At this time of year a safari can be a thrilling experience, as the wildlife moves at will through camps and lodges. It can be hard to reach your chalet without bumping into an elephant. Truly Africa in the raw. The river itself is packed with wildife and

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the best way to appreciate this is by canoe. The leisurely swish of your paddle joins the grunting of hippos, the ringing cry of the fish eagle and the overhead flutter of bee-eaters. Bushbuck tiptoe from the riverine thickets, and browsing buffalo scarcely look up as you ease past. Among the riverbank birdlife are large colonies of Lilian’s lovebirds, numerous herons and kingfishers and even, in season, rare Angola pittas in the thickets. Other

smaller attractions around camp include large water monitor lizards and nocturnal wildlife such as honey badgers. Activities at most camps include game drives, boat cruises, canoe trips and – as elsewhere in Zambia – outstanding walking safaris. Once November comes and brings the rains, however, most camps and lodges close down, as the waterlogged terrain becomes impassable. They do not open again until April.

Fishermen know the Zambezi River as the location of one of the world’s great angling challenges: hooking a tiger fish (Hydrocynus vittatus). It is a combative predator, named for its aggressive nature and its fierce interlocking teeth. It ambushes smaller baitfish from the cover of waterweed and has even been known to leap from the water to catch birds in flight. Although individuals of more than 12kg have been caught, the average is closer to half that weight. But it is for its feisty nature rather than its size that the tiger fish has earned its reputation as the best gamefish in Africa. Both the Upper and Lower Zambezi offer good opportunities for anglers. In addition to the professional fishing lodges, most safari operators offer tiger fishing – responsible ones doing so on a strictly catch-andrelease basis. The best months are from June to September, when the river is at its lowest level.

Clockwise from far left: a bull elephant comes down for a drink to the delight of visitors in a passing canoe; a large Nile crocodile; the prehistoriclooking water monitor lizard; a cattle egret hitches a ride on a buffalo

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TAILOR MADE WILDLIFE SAFARIS THAT DON’T COST THE EARTH

Welcome to Paradise…. Mayukuyuku Bush Camp is located on the banks of the Kafue River in Kafue National Park, one of the world’s largest game sanctuaries, about the size of Wales. It is well known for it’s wide variety of terrain, wildlife and birds, and still fairly unexplored to date. Four of the Big Five are here, plus Cheetah, Wild Dog, and over 450 species of birds.

Join us in Zambia!

MAYUKUYUKU BUSH CAMP | KAFUE CAMPS & SAFARIS LTD info@kafuecamps.com (General enquiries) kafuecamps@btinternet.com (Tour Operator bookings) FOR FURTHER DETAILS:

Visit: www.wildlifetrails.co.uk or Tel: 0800 999 4334

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ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOME EXPERT ADVICE ON AN ITINERARY TO ZAMBIA? BUSHTRACKS AFRICA IS A DMC THAT SPECIALIZES IN ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE AND BOTSWANA. With operational offices located in Livingstone (Zambia), Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and Kasane (Botswana) as well as owning a large fleet of vehicles in these areas, we are ideally placed to provide a full and experienced offering to these countries. Our reservations and accounts office is located in Johannesburg for easy accessibility.

The Cumings Family own and run what is acknowledged by many to be one of Africa’s very ﬁnest safari operations with their two sensational camps Chiawa Camp and Old Mondoro in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, each totally experiential where it’s all about the bush, the river, the wildlife... and you; each a unique haven of warmth and hospitality dedicated to making your safari dreams come true.

Apart from handling most of the FIT guests in the area and having won the tender to manage all of Sun International’s groups, we have also grown into the most knowledgeable company to handle all types of groups, incentives and conferences into these areas. Both our FIT and Groups Department can provide you with the best up-to-date suggestions for tours, accommodation, dinners and activities.

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Kasanka and Bangweulu

Clockwise from top left: the delicate wings of the straw-coloured fruit bat; huge flocks leaving the roost at dusk; a shoebill with its chick

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Kasanka National Park, at a mere 420 sq km, may be just a postage stamp compared with Zambia’s more famous reserves, but it has several unique wildlife attractions. Not least is the spectacle of perhaps the greatest concentration of mammals on earth. Every October, some eight million straw-coloured fruit bats arrive overnight to fast on the abundant figs and other fruits that festoon the reserve’s riparian forests. The dusk air fills with leathery wings as the bats set out from their roost for the night’s foraging, drawing a retinue of raptors which pick off any casualties from the throng. The reserve’s other attractions include the shy and semi-aquatic sitatunga. An excellent tree hide in the park offers dawn views of this elusive antelope. There are also hippos, crocodiles and a

rich birdlife that includes such prized specials as Pel’s fishing owl, wattled crane and Ross’s turaco. A trip to Kasanka is easily combined with one to the much larger Bangweulu wetlands. Best known to historians as the spot where explorer David Livingstone met his end during a fruitless search for the source of the Nile, its allure to wildlife travellers rests on sighting the rare and charismatic shoebill – a huge stork-like bird with an enormous beak. Other attractions include huge migratory herds of the endemic black lechwe splashing through the wetlands, plus a smattering of other big game, including elephant, buffalo and occasional lion. This is a park to explore by water – ideally in the dugout of a local fisherman. Shoebills are easiest to find at the end of the wet season, around May to June. MARCH 2014 89

ESSENTIAL ZAMBIA WHERE? Clockwise from left: a herd of approximately 200 buffalo running across the plains of Liuwa; blue wildebeest raise a dust cloud on their migration; termite mounds on the grasslands; wattled cranes, drawn ot the floodplain in the rainy season

Liuwa Plain is the stuff of myth. This remote, little-visited corner of western Zambia, reputedly home to one of Africa’s greatest animal gatherings, was for years off the safari map. Now, with the help of some enterprising conservationists and operators, adventurous travellers can again discover its beguiling attractions. The park’s expansive grasslands lie on the floodplain of the upper Zambezi and are prone to extensive flooding during the rainy season, making access very difficult from December to July. The reward for getting to this great salad bowl, however, can be the sight of tens of thousands of grazing animals – notably Africa’s largest concentration of blue wildebeest outside the Serengeti, now re-establishing their historic migration circuit over the border with Angola. Alongside the wildebeest are zebra, tsessebe and red lechwe, all prey for the 90 MARCH 2014

spotted hyenas that, in the relative absence of lions, have established themselves as the reserve’s dominant predator. Lions, however, are on the way back – courtesy of an innovative new conservation scheme – while both cheetah and wild dog are also establishing more stable populations. Liuwa, ultimately, is a not a place in which to go chasing the Big Five. It is a place of vast horizons, where seasonal rains splash the grasslands with the vibrant reds of fireball lilies. The ever-filling pans draw huge flocks of water birds, including wattled and crowned cranes, storks and pelicans. It is wilderness on a grand scale, and with just a single camp the sense of isolation is hard to beat. The park is at its driest and most accessible during September and October, which is also when the wildebeest begin to mass on the plains. wildlifeextra.com

Liuwa Plain

AFFORDABLE MOBILE SAFARIS TO LIUWA PLAINS NATIONAL PARK, KAFUE NATIONAL PARK & WESTERN ZAMBIA

Bundu Safaris Ltd, Livingstone, Zambia

www.bunduadventures.com email: info@bunduadventures.com Tel: +260 213 324406 -7 | Mobile: +260 978 203 988

Since 1968, the natural meeting place

Ndutu Safari Lodge Tanzania www.ndutu.com

Ones to watch Introducing the best of Zambiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tall, small, rare and regal wildlife

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ESSENTIAL ZAMBIA WHAT?

Thornicroft’s giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti The giraffes of Zambia’s Luangwa Valley belong to a distinct race known as Thornicroft’s that is found nowhere else in Africa. They are distinguished from other types, including the Angolan giraffe of southwest Zambia, by the star- or leaf-shaped blotches that make up the patterned coat. This genetic isolation means that Thornicroft’s giraffe has the potential to develop full species status. Unfortunately, there are now little more than a thousand of them left. They are best seen on the eastern side of the Luangwa Valley, where they can still be found in reasonable numbers, even outside the National Park. Spotting tip: Look out for telltale steam-iron hoofprints and widely scattered clusters of their acorn-sized droppings, You may even spot strings of saliva, high in acacia trees where the animals have recently been browsing.

Leopard Panthera pardus Pretty much all of Africa’s major conservation areas are home to leopards but Zambia has an especially good reputation for sightings of this enigmatic cat. This is partly because of the sheer size of the population – pretty much every metre of the Luangwa’s banks falls within the territory of one leopard or another – wildlifeextra.com

and partly due to the expertise of local guides in tracking down the animals. Night drives are especially effective in this respect, with sightings of three or more individuals not uncommon and often in close proximity to the vehicle. By day, scan the large riverine trees where leopards like to rest up. And stay alert to the behaviour of other animals: it is often alarm calls – the bark of baboons, whistle of puku or clucking of guineafowl

– that will give the predator away. Top spots to see leopard include the dry river gullies and ebony groves alongside the Luangwa river and the riverbanks of the Lufupa in Kafue, where rocky outcrops also offer good daytime retreats. Spotting tip: Listen out at night for the cat’s distinctive territorial call: a rhythmic, resonant grunting that somewhat resembles the sound of a heavy saw. MARCH 2014 93

Hippopotamus amphibius Hippos dominate Zambia’s wild rivers. Not only the waterways themselves, where their territorial honks echo far across the water and provoke a chorus of reaction among neighbouring pods further downstream, but also on land, where their networks of grazing pathways radiate far and wide through the bush. Canoeists on the Zambezi or Kafue rivers will have regular pulse-quickening encounters – the protocol being to hug the bank and allow the hippos the security of the deep water. But perhaps the greatest concentrations occur in the Luangwa Valley’s dry season, where shrinking lagoons and meander loops fill with hundreds of these heavyweight herbivores, jostling irritably as they strive to escape the blazing dry-season sun. Such gatherings allow an opportunity to observe at close quarters the massive canines exposed in aggressively territorial ‘yawns’ and the flocks of oxpeckers that pick over the hippos’ battle-scarred hides in search of blood and ticks. At this time of year walkers need to look out for wandering bulls, ousted in battle, lurking in thickets nursing their wounds and grudges. Spotting tip: When in hippo country look out for the four-toed tracks that wind in distinctive parallel tramlines through the bush, and the dung scattered at waist height on trailside vegetation by the animal’s flicking tail.

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Hippopotamus

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ESSENTIAL ZAMBIA WHAT?

Shoebill

Baleaniceps rex With a scientific name that translates as ‘king whalehead’, this 1.3m tall wading bird is one of the species most sought after by birdwatchers in Africa. A shoebill is quickly identified by its long legs and slate grey plumage, but what most catches the eye is its preposterous bill. This impressive appendage is shaped like a Dutch clog and sports lethal cutting edges and a sharp hook on the tip of the upper mandible. It serves to scoop up and dispatch the lungfish and other aquatic prey, including even baby crocodiles, that the bird ambushes in the shallow waters of the Bangweulu wetlands – its only home in Zambia. Spotting tip: Shoebills nest on islands deep in the swamps. They are best seen at the end of the rainy season, when the waters recede and it is easier to approach their breeding territory.

Recent years have seen Zambia established as the aficionado’s safari choice

Lechwe

Kobus leche This medium-sized, reddish antelope is found in flooded grasslands, where powerful raised hindquarters allow it to leap and bound through the shallows. Large herds may form – males presiding over harems of females, from which they are distinguished by their sweeping lyre-shaped horns. Three distinct races occur in Zambia: the red lechwe is found in the far north and west; the Kafue lechwe, which has black forelimbs and a browner coat, occurs on the Kafue flats; and the black lechwe – in which males sport a chocolate to blackish coat – is endemic to the Bangwuelu region. Spotting tip: The black lechwe can be a spectacular sight as they splash through the shallows in herds many hundreds strong.

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MARCH 2014 95

ESSENTIAL ZAMBIA WHAT?

Merops nubicoides A flock of carmine bee-eaters taking to the air from their Luangwa riverbank colony is one of Africa’s most colourful bird spectacles. With their long tail streamers, and their plumage a vivid palette of reds and pinks, set off by a blue crown and undertail coverts, there are few more showy birds on the continent. Like all bee-eaters, the carmine is adapted to capture insects in flight, darting out in aerobatic sallies then returning with its prey to the same perch. Nesting pairs excavate a 1–2m long tunnel in a sandbank, laying their 2–5 eggs in a chamber at the end. The colony is vulnerable to attack by egg-raiding monitor lizards, while fish eagles may even snatch an unwary adult. Spotting tip: Carmine bee-eaters are interAfrican migrants, arriving in Zambia around September to start breeding.

Carmine bee-eater

Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus Africa’s largest reptile thrives in Zambia’s rivers, especially along protected stretches of the Zambezi, Kafue and Luangwa, and along the shorelines of Lake Kariba. This apex predator may exceed 5m in length and take prey up to the size of buffalo. It breeds in November and December, at the start of the rains, and females will stand guard day and night over their sandbank nest – in which they lay around 50 eggs. Crocodiles are most visible

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during the late dry season, when water sources shrink and the reptiles spend more time lying out on land. The numbers in South Luangwa at this time are phenomenal. Spotting tip: A hippo carcass in the water will attract a seething mass of the reptiles, which spin and churn to secure a piece for themselves. You may even observe crocodiles leaving the water to challenge lions for a riverbank kill.

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ESSENTIAL ZAMBIA HOW?

Factfile

COUNTRY FACTS ■ Location: south-central Africa ■ Capital city: Lusaka ■ Terrain: mostly high plateau with woodland savanna, grasslands and evergreen forest ■ Highest point: Mafinga Hills ■ Lowest point: Zambezi River ■ Population: around 11 million ■ Most widely spoken language: Bemba, one of 70+ regional languages. English is most commonly used second language. ■ Useful words: shani = hello; shalapo pitani = goodbye; natotela = thank you; mukwai = please; ee = yes; awe = no ■ Currency: the Kwacha, subdivided into Ngwee ■ Time zone: GMT + 2:00 ■ Flight time from UK: around 10 hours ■ Visas: UK citizens require a tourist visa ■ Vaccinations: hepatitis A; tetanus; typhoid; plus malaria precautions are essential CLIMATE Tropical which is tempered by altitude. The rainy season stretches from October to April WHEN TO GO ■ April and May the landscape is still green

■ June, July and August nights are cooler, days clear

KAFUE

and warm, game easy to see ■ September and October temperatures climb, game becomes concentrated at water holes

■ Konkamoya Lodge – small lodge beside Lake

Itezhi-Tezhi in Kafue N P, with luxury tents furnished in a colonial style. www.konkamoya.com ■ Mukambi Plains Camp – in the centre of the game-rich grassy Busanga flood plains and open from July to November. www.mukambi.com KASANKA & BANGWEULU ■ Wasa Lodge – chalets and rondvels overlooking Lake Wasa in the small, privately run Kasanka National Park. www.kasanka.com ■ Shoebill Camp – on an island in the Bangweulu Wetlands with accommodation in safari tents. www. kasanka.com/shoebill_island_camp.htm LIUWA PLAINS ■ Matamanene Camp – the only permanent camp in the National Park, often used as a ranger station. www. expertafrica.com/zambia/liuwa-plain-national-park/ matamanene-camp/in-detail

TIPS & WARNINGS ■ Care should be taken if travelling to provinces close to

the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly after dark. ■ Medical facilities and communications in rural areas are variable and it is advisable to know your blood group and carry a sterile medical kit, including surgical needles. Customs officials may ask to see prescriptions for any medication you bring into the country. LODGES AND CAMPS SOUTH LUANGWA ■ Thornicroft Lodge – a small independent lodge beside the Luangwa River that is designed to fit in with the natural environment. www.thornicroft-lodge.com ■ Flatdogs Camp – chalet rooms, safari tents and a giant treehouse on the banks of the Luangwa River. www.flatdogscamp.com LOWER ZAMBEZI ■ Royal Zambezi Lodge – luxury and fine dining on the edge of Lower Zambezi National Park. www.royalzambezilodge.com ■ Old Mondoro Camp – on the banks of the Zambezi a camp that gives you close to nature, ‘back to the bush’ experience. www.oldmondoro.com

MORE INFORMATION www.zambiatourism.com TOUR OPERATORS ■ Tribes Tailormade Travel

Tel: 01473 890499; www.tribes.co.uk ■ Yellow Zebra Safaris

Tel: 01932 807 505; www.yellowzebrasafaris.com

Classic Itinerary Lake Tanganyika

A 12-day tour of the top three national parks in Zambia will give you a wildlife experience to remember forever

Lake Bangweulu

Shiwa Ng’andu

North Luangua National Park South Luangua National Park

Kasanka National Park

Liuwa Plain National Park Kafue National Park Kafue National Park DAY 9 TO 12 ■ Open plains and riverine forest ■ Antelopes, cheetah, Nile crocodile, leopard

Lower Zambezi National Park

South Luangwa National Park DAY 1 TO 4 ■ Bush camp, safari walks and night drives ■ Elephants, lions, giraffe, carmine bee-eater, lechwe

Lusaka Lower Zambezi National Park DAY 5 TO 8 ■ Game drives, river banks and backwaters ■ Hippos, buffalo, wild dogs Victoria Falls

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MARCH 2014 97

Your wildlife travel survival guide

Theknowledge HOW TO SKILLS VOLUNTEERING BOOKS DVDS KIT LIST PHOTO WORKSHOP How to...

Create a roof nest site You can help a wide variety of birds by allowing them to nest in your roof space or outbuildings. Richard James from the RSPB explains how to invite them in

wifts, swallows, house sparrows, starlings and house martins all take advantage of the safety and shelter our houses, garages and sheds can provide. Swifts, swallows and martins return to the UK each spring after spending the winter in Africa. The sound of swifts’ screaming calls as they arrive on our shores is a sure sign summer is nearly here. Traditional cave nesters, they now almost all make their home in barns and house roofs, usually under the eaves, or gaining access to the inside of the roof through gaps in the tiles, or between the walls and the tiles. They are very faithful to their nest sites and can struggle to find alternatives, especially since their stay in the UK is relatively short. The house martin is another summer visitor to the UK. Like swifts and swallows, they rarely nest anywhere other than on buildings. They make their muddy domes under the eaves, tucked away from the elements. They will often nest together in colonies and can have two or three broods throughout the spring and summer.

rH e n a e swallows build their delicate mud nests high up inside barns and sheds

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Starlings and house sparrows, which have been in severe decline over the past few years, will also take advantage of gaps in roofs. These familiar birds could be in the eaves or under a roof tile. They can nest from March right through to September. When the chicks fledge they can be seen for some time around the garden being fed by their parents and learning all about how to behave like starlings. Where possible, for all these birds it is best to leave existing nest holes alone and work around them when carrying out repairs and renovations. If this is not possible then the best way to help is to incorporate a nest site into the renovation in exactly the same location as the original. In extensions and newly built houses, as well as in walls that are being repaired, this could be done by deliberately creating a hole and installing an internal nestbox. These are

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particularly important for swifts because they are less likely to use external boxes than other birds. Special ‘swift bricks’ can be purchased and installed during construction to provide a ready-made home for these summer visitors. House sparrows, house martins and starlings like to nest in loose colonies and may choose the outside of the roof in a nest box if they cannot get inside. These nest boxes are best placed high up under the eaves on a north or east facing wall where they will be sheltered from the elements. Nesting birds are protected by law so it is important not to block up their nests while they are in active use. Most birds will have finished nesting by September and won’t start again until March so this gives plenty of time to get any essential renovation work done before the birds return. www.rspb.org.uk

Have you hosted a bird family around your home? Write and tell us about it by emailing editorial@wildtravelmag.com

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MARCH 2014 99

Theknowledge Insider’s guide to...

Avoiding Lyme Disease Walking in the UK can expose you to Lyme Disease from infected ticks. Stella Huyshe-Shires, of Lyme Disease Action, has some sensible precautions

Tick removal

yme disease causes unpleasant symptoms and if left untreated can permanently affect the joints, heart and nervous system. Ticks peak from April to October and tiny ones, the size of a pin prick, can easily go undetected.

Use a tick removal tool. Don’t try to pull the tick out with your fingers, burn it or cover it with cream or chemicals. If you don’t have a tick remover, use a length of cotton thread wound round close to the skin and pulled upwards.

To reduce the risk of being bitten: • Where possible, wear long sleeves and trousers • Brush clothing off before going inside • Use an insect repellent which works on ticks (ie, one containing the chemical DEET ) • Check for ticks carefully when you shower after being out for a country walk • Try to avoid areas of overgrown vegetation • Remove any attached ticks as soon as possible • Check animals for ticks – if they’ve been bitten so could you

Treatment If, after a walk, you suffer from a circular red rash, stiff neck, headache, extreme fatigue, muscle and joint pain, disturbance of sight, hearing, digestion or sleep, seek medical help straight away. With early diagnosis Lyme Disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics. www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk

AFRICAN BUFFALO versus

ALO AFRICAN BUFF a ric Af Habitat: Diet: Grasses Height: 1-1.7m 00kg Weight: 500 -9 obbing potential predators s, m rn ho : Defences ern nc co t as Le : sk Ri HABITAT The African buffalo grazes the swamps, floodplains, grasslands and forests of the major mountains of Africa. European bison occupy woodland in several countries in Europe including Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan and Germany. The European bison lives in herds of between eight and 13, while buffalo herds number a few hundred up to 1,000. Bison became extinct in the wild in the early 20th century but thanks to reintroduction free-roaming numbers now exceed 2,000. DIET Both are ruminants (animals with a fourcompartment stomach) and favour grasses, although bison will also eat tree foliage, bark, mosses and fungi. In the summer it can consume 32kg of herbage a day.

100 MARCH 2014

EUROPEAN BISON Discover which is the heaviest and which exacts a nasty revenge if attacked DEFENCES The African buffalo has few predators - the crocodile and lion are the main ones, however it typically takes a few lions to bring one down. Buffaloes will engage in mobbing behaviour when fighting off predators and have been known to kill a lion. The herd will also come to the rescue of a calf in distress. In one memorable video clip found on YouTube, known as Battle at Kruger, a calf survives an attack by both lions and a crocodile after the intervention of the herd. Buffalos also have a strong revenge streak and have been known to chase a lion up a tree and keep it there for some hours after it has killed one of the herd. They will also attack pursuers and trophy hunters. The European bison doesn’t have any natural predators, and although there is evidence of wolves attacking them in the

EUROPEAN BI SON Habitat: Europe and the Caucasus Diet: Grasses Height: 1.6 -2 m Weight: up to 1, 00 Defences: horn 0 kg s, fighting Risk: Vulnerable

last century, there have not been any attacks reported in recent times. Their safety depends on deer being easier targets. MORPHOLOGY The European bison is the bigger, weighing up to a ton and at 2m in height. Both have horns but the bison’s point forward through the plane of its face, while the horns of a buffalo have fused bases forming a continuous bone shield called a ‘boss’. There are several sub-species of African buffalo, including the forest and the Cape varieties. RISK The IUCN list the buffalo as Least Concern, while the bison was endangered but has now been downgraded to Vulnerable following successful reintroduction. Political instability continues to be a threat to European bison in the Caucasus.

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Theknowledge

Volunteering Back to basics Thinking about signing up to become a voluntourist? Kathy Gill, Director of Biosphere Expeditions, explains what to consider first

STEP 1: THE EXPERIENCE This can be broken into three key aspects: Type of work: Do you want to work out in the field or in the more controlled environment of a sanctuary? Within these environments the work can be surveys or

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www.thegreatprojects.com

Project profile

Voluntourism

oliday volunteering: the act of paying (usually) to work while on holiday, giving your time and money in exchange for a memorable experience. Sounds good, right? The world of holiday volunteering has developed over the past 10 years or so into an overflowing travel bazaar. It offers everything from the holiday equivalent of a beautifully woven rug to a trashy plastic toy that falls apart at a touch. This fast growing sector of the travel industry has even developed its own name, ‘voluntourism’. Some of the biggest organisations in travel have bought into the sector, but the smaller communitybased organisations are still there, too, in increasing numbers as they are able to promote themselves on the world stage through a plethora of brokering websites. Type ‘wildlife holiday volunteering’ into Google to glimpse the dazzling array of experiences on offer – literally thousands of different projects, offered by hundreds of different organisations. With an estimated £18 million being spent annually by tourists from the UK on wildlife volunteering, there is a world of wildlife supported in this way. Choosing one worthwhile project from another may seem like a near impossible task, but try this two-step approach: