National Badger Week 2016

During national Badger week up and down the country there are lots of events being staged that you can attend. I’m pleased to announce that I’m doing a talk as part of one event in Stafford where all money goes to the trust that try and fight for our native Badgers that live below us and come into our world when weve gone to bed.

So if you want to come along to be inspired by our natural world, learn the simple ways in which I work, get advice or help with your own photography or anything I can help while helping the Badgers with then please do so.

The aim of the event is to raise awareness of the political stunt known as the Badger cull and how flawed it is and if it goes ahead unchecked then the Badger will be pushed closer to extinction and that simply can’t happen without one massive fight.

I have also been invited to talk at this years Badger Conference 2016 which is amazing alongside some of the industries finest experts. This year the event is spread over two days and offers something for everyone while showing your support for our Badgers that are under great pressure at the moment with the cull in place.

ASSAM, INDIA – UPDATE –

Ive now returned from two amazing weeks in Assam, India covering the 100th release of the Pygmy Hog there. I’ve seen, met and witnessed so many wonderful places, people, wildlife during my two weeks there. Ive stayed in homestay, my hammock, different places its been amazing. The first week was spent covering the Pygmy Hogs which are such enduring creatures. Top heavy, great legs and nice feet is the best way for me to describe them. Incredibly clever, cute animals and so vulnerable once you spend time with them and observe their ways.

It was very special seeing and documenting the 100th release, as the gate was pulled back from their holding pen and six of them tasted freedom for the very first time. “Good luck little fellows” I said under my breath as they went off. It made lots of the newspapers in India and there was some great support from locals for the amazing project.

So much hard work, so much time and effort has gone into helping them not go extinct by so many dedicated people, truly amazing work. Once that was done I spent the rest of my time with local guides and people and visited Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park and met the forest guards and the anti poaching teams there. Then visited local work going on to save so many different animals too so many other great people all helping to conserve the wildlife in this whole area. Then I stayed in a forest lodge which is the last land mass of India right on the river and over the river was the kingdom of Bhutan.

I slept in my hammock overlooking the hills to be woken with the biggest thunderstorm I’ve ever seen and the whole sky lit up for ages I wanted to sleep in my hammock in the forest but it was too dangerous with Tigers, Elephants and Leopards there so I settled for the balcony. Ive spoken in a local school to 15-16 year olds and shared my own life story and how it led to my passion for wildlife and how I try to use my photographs to help now, and how we can all do something to help wildlife on “World Environment Day“- June 5^th 2016.

Its been amazing and I will post my full blog soon covering the trip. Before all of that I head to the Shetland Islands next week for some time working on my own work before my clients arrive the following week for their “Stunning Shetland” photo tour for the week.

Then Im home for a few weeks before heading back to Finland with my clients for my “Wolves, bears and Wolverines” trip which I can’t wait for. It will be great to be back in Finland after my very successful trip there in April.

Before I go I just wanted to ask please show your support for one of our own; the Badger during the national badger week, we cant let this wonderful creature go extinct and suffer at the hands of the few we just cant, thank you.