On March 7th 2018, Humane Society International/Europe, Luonto-Liiton susiryhmä and Eurogroup for Animals organised an event at the European Parliament to discuss the various possible solutions and strategies that member states have at their disposal to achieve long term coexistence with large carnivores for the benefit of people and wildlife conservation.
Fascinating news released today from Sumatra, a new Great Ape Species has been discovered on the Indonesia island of Sumatra named – The Tapanuli Orangutan Pongo tapanuliensis. A team of Indonesian and international scientists have demonstrated that the Tapanuli orangutan, Pongo tapanuliensis, is genetically and morphologically distinct from both Bornean (Pongo pygmaeus) and Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii), and is therefore a separate species.
Recent evidence suggests that Planet Earth is at the beginning of its sixth mass extinction event, the most rapid loss of species since dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago. The disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species, caused almost entirely by human activity, will have serious ecological, economic and social consequences, experts have warned.
The Week UK teamed up with Nat Geo Wild UK to discuss and explore the astonishing wildlife found on the tropical islands between Asia and Australia. Paradise Islands is a three-part series exploring the fascinating diversity of life that has developed over millions of years on these islands.
I have just returned from a couple of wonderful days at this years British Birdwatching Fair in Rutland. It was my first time there as an speaker after many years going as a visitor and an exhibitor back in 2010. I was invited there by the fair itself to do my talk “Conservation with a Camera” The talk covered how I use my camera too help wildlife here in the UK and around the world. My talk went down really well I thought with lots of interest and questions from the audience afterwards.
Harrier Day 2017 was celebrated all over the country with ten events over the weekend marking this special day. Since the first Hen Harrier day back in 2014 this event has gone from strength to strength as the public have become more aware of the cruelty on our moorlands. The destructive nature of driven grouse shooting on the lead up to, during and after is killing so much wildlife and leaving us with a controlled, managed landscape that only benefits the landowners.
The beauty of photographing wildlife is that it is always changing and evolving, encountering the unexpected. In this environment the photographer must learn to work with these changing environmental conditions and behaviours, and the result cannot always be predicted. For me this only adds to the excitement of wildlife photography. Its been a really busy period for one to ones and workshops with clients over the last several weeks. Here are a few images from the field I took alongside them all, as well as a few from my own project.
After a few days in a specially built holding area the door was pulled back and a family of captive born Pygmy Hogs took their first steps into the wild. They paused for a moment, then the adult male led them all out. This was the image that captured that moment I still remember fondly from last May in Assam, India. Critically endangered in the wild this breeding program is trying to ensure these wonderful and enduring Pygmy Hogs don’t go extinct.
