Home/Science/BBC Wildlife Magazine/December 2021/In This Issue
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Dreaming of a green Christmas…Looking forward to a more sustainable festive period? We’ve done the groundwork for you. Head to our website for some original ideas for presents, decorations, holiday food and suggestions for reducing seasonal waste. Whether you’re looking for gins that support wildlife causes or gifts for the animal-lover in your life, visit discoverwildlife.com. Keep in touch wildlifeletters@immediate.co.uk instagram.com/bbcwildlifemagazine twitter.com/WildlifeMag facebook.com/wildlifemagazine…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Only in BBC WildlifeNICK BAKER Have you ever noticed those spongy white bubbles tumbling around our shorelines? P.36 GILLIAN BURKE As the skies darken overhead, the presenter heads out for a walk in search of hope P.17 MARK CARWARDINE “These massacres are one of the most sickening demonstrations of animal cruelty I’ve ever seen” P.29 LUCY COOKE Apart from us humans, only four other species go through the menopause – one being the orca P.27 MIKE DILGER A murmuration of starlings is one of the UK’s most dramatic natural events – let Mike be your guide P.32…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Soft on the insideWHERE DO ALL THE SNAILS AND slugs go in winter? With garden snails, at least, you have a good chance of finding out. As molluscs, they belong to one of the planet’s most successful groups of animals, with far more species described than all of the vertebrates put together. However, these terrestrial species have a big problem. Dry air and frosts are killers for soft-bodied creatures. Being nocturnal helps, but in winter (and during heatwaves in summer), extra evasive action is called for. The snails and slugs sit it out by hibernating (in summer this dormant state is known as aestivation). Slugs often burrow into the earth, while above ground snails seal themselves into their shell with a thick layer of slime. Look for garden snails hibernating in clumps, stuck…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Primeval performers“SWALLOWED ANY FERNS LATELY? You probably have, as their minute spores are swirling around us all the time.” Ace naturalist Brett Westwood is being playful here, in his 2017 book Wonderland co-authored with Stephen Moss. But he makes a serious point. Ferns are ancient, flowerless plants that reproduce with vast quantities of spores: “specks of primeval dust, which surround us wherever we are.” Ferns become more visible in winter, when many flowering plants take a back seat. One of the most distinctive species is hart’s tongue fern, whose leathery, strap-like leaves look – ironically – rather unferny. Its green rosettes, the colour of Granny Smith apples, may be seen brightening up woods and other damp environments all over Britain. They thrive among mossy rocks beside water, and in the Pennines…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021GILLIAN BURKEAS THIS GOES TO PRESS, WHO KNOWS? The most important conference on earth will be over. The last chance to save the planet (COP26, in case you missed it) will be behind us. The combined focus and energy of all the world’s conservation and environmental sectors, along with scientists, politicians, business leaders, lawmakers, social justice campaigners, activists, protestors, artists and more, will have all been trained on this one event. At the time of writing, of the 40 countries tracked by Climate Action Tracker only one, the Gambia, has policies compatible with the 1.5ºC goal. Hope is not lost, but it is riding on a wing and a prayer. So, as I weigh up the possible outcomes at COP, I figure it’s either run away and see out my days…3 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Lydia Burgess-GambleYOU MIGHT NOT EXPECT A SCIENTIFIC CAREER to be pursued by someone who has dyslexia and dyscalculia, but it hasn’t stopped Lydia Burgess-Gamble leading research into natural flood management at the Environment Agency. “I only got diagnosed during the pandemic,” she says. “I’ve had an inkling my whole life that I was dyslexic, but I was at school in the 80s and early 90s and I don’t think it was what teachers looked out for.” It was the lockdown conditions of being confined to the desk and not getting out into the field that brought things to the fore – the fatigue brought on by constantly staring at numbers and writing reports. Since her assessment, simple changes such as the colour of her computer screen have made life easier. “I…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Ancient rootsIN BRITAIN, THE ROYAL FAMILY – especially Queen Charlotte, wife of George III – helped to popularise the Germanic tradition of bringing an evergreen tree indoors to decorate at Christmas. It’s less well known that the custom originally involved a yew tree, or just a solitary branch. Yew was used both in the British Isles, where it is one of only three native conifers, and in Germany, which is home to a wider range of conifer species. Yews in fact have a rich and ancient relationship with the peoples of these islands, long predating the Christmas festival. In pre-Christian times, they were associated with death rituals and important spiritual sites. So while many of the oldest yews survive in churchyards, these wonderful gnarly specimens were already old when the churches’…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Ghost in the gloomDURING THE WINTER MONTHS, HEN harriers roost communally. The roosts are on the ground, among tussocky grass and in reedbeds. Sometimes, especially in southern England, they choose downs or heaths. This behaviour, shared with marsh harriers, is a little unusual for raptors and sadly makes these magnificent birds very vulnerable to anyone minded to persecute them. In late afternoon as the light fades, the harriers begin to drift in to the roost. There is an ease to hen harrier flight that is breathtaking; they seem to row through the air without any effort at all, hugging the ground and following its contours. They glide frequently between beats, on wings lifted in a ‘V’. Females and juveniles, nicknamed ‘ringtails’, are mostly brown, with a contrasting white rump and barred tail. But…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Intensive farming protects biodiversityA NEW REVIEW BOLSTERS THE IDEA THAT, to best conserve global biodiversity while feeding a growing human population, agriculture needs to become more intensive rather than more wildlife friendly. The review, published in the Journal of Zoology, looks at 2,500 species worldwide in a range of agricultural landscapes and finds that most species fare better in ‘land sparing’ systems where agriculture is high-yield, intensive and confined to a smaller area, rather than in ‘land sharing’ systems where the farming itself is more wildlife-friendly but needs more land to produce the same amount of food. The findings challenge the current push for wildlife-friendly agriculture. “We’ve paid billions for land sharing over the past 30 years in the form of agri-environment schemes,” says the review’s author Andrew Balmford of the University of…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021LOOK CLOSEREarly bird If your starling fix hasn’t been satiated with the dusk murmuration, returning before dawn will reward you with their departure. Seeing the flock rising as one for a day’s foraging is an unforgettable experience, even if it’s not a murmuration. Watch out for raptors While sparrowhawks and peregrines are the most common birds of prey at starling murmurations, it’s also worth watching out for a merlin. In reedbed roosts, you might spot marsh harriers skimming over the grass at dawn and dusk. Joining the chorus If your roost of choice is located in a reedbed, then, while waiting for the starlings to arrive, listen our for the ‘piglet squealing’ display calls of the water rail (below), called sharming, or the loud song of the Cetti’s warbler, which has…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021POLESTARWaiting game It’s late November in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada. Having spent the summer fasting on land, a polar bear waits for the sea-ice to form so it can return to its usual business of hunting seals. Polar bears lead largely solitary lives, but in October and November they congregate on the shores of Hudson Bay as the deep freeze gets underway. Arctic antics While most bears head out onto the sea-ice in winter, pregnant females stay in maternity dens on land, giving birth in December. At the age of about three months, the cubs emerge and frolic out in the open. They don’t seem to mind the cold, even when temperatures plummet to as low as -40°C. Exercise is a vital means of building resistance and strength in…5 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021MANGROVEMAY HEMWHEN IT COMES TO WILDLIFE, PERU is a special place. It’s one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet, and ranks third in the world for avian riches. Peru owes its incredible wild heritage to the fact that it’s something of a biogeographical melting pot. It has an equatorial, tropical location; a section of the Andes mountains, which host a variety of microclimates at various elevations; and its waters are blasted by the chilly Humboldt Current, which moves north from Antarctica’s Southern Ocean along the Pacific coasts of South America. The result is a rich tapestry of habitats, each home to hundreds of species of birds – many of them endemic – alongside a host of other wildlife. Essentially, the frigate is a tropical bird that has taken to…9 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 202110 most amazing objects to find in BritainJay wing feather This small feather, a greater covert covering the base of flight feathers, is from a Eurasian jay’s wing. Its fabulous blue is an optical illusion created by the feather structure not by pigment. Spider silk There are seven different types of silk produced by spiders, used for all sorts of purposes, from transportation to nesting or trapping prey. Some spider silk is five times stronger than steel of the same diameter. Cuttlefish bone Not really a bone, but the skeleton-like internal structure of this cephalopod. The marine treasures wash up on beaches around the UK, looking like tiny white surfboards. Conker Everyone’s favourite autumn game, conkers was first recorded being played on the Isle of Wight in 1848. The spiky green case is the fruit of the…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Laurie Campbell’s tips for photographing otters1 Now that otters have recolonised almost every river in the UK, it makes sense to concentrate on looking for them close to home, so you can enjoy repeated access and visit at different times of day. Begin by making sure you use a pair of binoculars. Those in the 8x42 range perform best in marginal lighting. 2 Camouflaged clothing is not essential, but drab colours, such as dark browns and greens, are ideal. It’s also worth wearing gloves and face veils to cover pale skin. Appreciating an otter’s acute senses of smell and hearing is much more important however, so wear rustle-free clothing and stay downwind or above their noses – bridges make ideal vantage points. 3 Mirrorless cameras, which can be operated silently, offer a huge advantage when…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Where to go in a weekWith a week available, possibilities expand. Two British destinations offer diverse summer wildlife without burning excessive carbon, while three European countries may tempt you further afield. Take the train to Norwich, then hire a car to enjoy Norfolk’s varied wildlife. On the coast, visit Britain’s largest spoonbill colony at Holkham, the mixed seal colony at Blakeney Point and Winterton’s natterjack toads. Insect stars of Broadland sites such as Hickling include the mesmerising swallowtail butterfly and Norfolk hawker dragonfly. In the Brecks – Britain’s answer to the steppes – watch stone curlews evade stoats at Weeting Heath before enjoying the thriving colony of Spanish catchfly (a rare plant) plus scarce day-flying moths such as the forester at Cranwich Camp. A train ride north transports you to Inverness, from where hiring a…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Why aren’t Britain’s insects better adapted to rain?They are – they just don’t like running or flying in wet weather. When it rains, flying (and crawling) insects shelter by roosting under leaves or logs, resting in the leaf litter or pressing themselves down into the grassroot thatch. They resume activity as soon as the sun comes out. British species need to be able to function in our wet, damp, cool, temperate oceanic climate – insects with a more Mediterranean range can’t survive here. A quick look at distribution maps shows that most British insect species occur in south-east England, where it’s warmer and drier, and each has a range petering out at a zone where the damp and cool gets just too much for it to survive. This is particularly obvious with warmth-loving bees, wasps and ants,…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Fruits of the forestIf you’ve ever wondered where the candyfloss trees grow… this image won’t help, unfortunately. Because these are not trees, nor even plants, nor even fungi. They are slime moulds, which are members of an entirely different kingdom of single-celled, amoeba-like organisms that live solitary lives until they come together to produce the fruiting bodies visible here. These were photographed in the New Forest in August – where and when you might be lucky enough to see them for yourself. You’ll have to look closely, though: they stand just 2mm tall. And you’d best bring your own candyfloss.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021AMBER?What is amber? Amber is fossilised resin, a viscous liquid that’s produced by certain plants. It’s solid but not very hard, reaching 2.5 on the 10-point Mohs hardness scale (diamond is 10), the same as a fingernail. Though considered a gemstone because it’s used in jewellery, amber isn’t a ‘natural’ mineral because it’s formed by organisms, not geological processes. And despite its name, colours range from transparent to black and it can come in rare, desirable forms such as blue amber. And what’s resin? Resin is released in response to injury. Most resins are made by trees and are secreted if a trunk is gouged open, a branch is snapped off or an insect bores through wood. Resin is a liquid bandage for the tree, protecting it by sealing the…3 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Fearless FemalesIN THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, THIS PHOTO book from German publishing company teNeues focusses exclusively on the female half of the animal kingdom and their extraordinary stories. The book is split into five sections looking at different aspects of their lives, with facts and incredible stories in both English and German by biologist, author and podcast host Mario Ludwig. In a collaboration with the specialist photography agency Nature Picture Library it features some 150 stunning images by a range of the world’s best wildlife photographers, including Tim Laman, Anup Shah, Fiona Rogers and Sergey Gorshkov. Text and images combined make for a captivating book covering a wide spectrum of animal behaviour and species, from the remarkable breeding balls of the green anaconda (and the females’ ingenious solution for when…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Welcome to EarthFollowing the success of his One Strange Rock documentary series in 2018 for National Geographic, Will Smith once again explores our extraordinary planet. This time he’s meeting up with professional explorers, vulcanologists and marine biologists to experience the Earth’s most amazing places. From diving into the ocean in a submersible to kayaking through a gorge in Iceland, it’s a thrilling journey with Will as our curious and excited host.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Photo CLUBPRIZE-WINNING PHOTO Early morning blues This male banded demoiselle revealed his vibrant metallic colouring while drying off the night’s dew. As he was still in a state of torpor, I was able to set up a tripod and get this shot. I had a 60mm f2.8 Nikon Nikkor lens on my Nikon D5100 camera, along with a shutter-release cable, and set them to F9, ISO 1000, 1/15. It’s always a pleasure to capture these spectacular insects when they arrive back on the scene and it was well worth getting up so early for this opportunity. Michael Blacknell, Hampshire Loitering with intent I snapped this photo of a saltwater crocodile lurking in some water just north of Brisbane. I didn’t think the shot was anything special, until I got a closer…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021They say the darkest hour is right before the dawnTHIS TIME LAST YEAR, we were working on a feature celebrating positive conservation stories – 50 Reasons to be Cheerful, we called it. Sarah McPherson spoke to conservationists, scientists, volunteers and rangers from around the world about the incredible work they were doing. It made me feel hopeful for 2021. By the end of February, I had my doubts. I really struggled with that post-Christmas lockdown period. But then, as spring burst into summer, I felt my senses reignite, and took great comfort in nature’s insistence at carrying on. In her beautiful column this issue, Gillian Burke reminds us that nature can bring us hope in winter too. As I type, COP26 has just begun – an end to deforestation is this morning’s headline. It’s too early to celebrate, but…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021wild TIMESWHISPER IT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, humpbacks are drawn to the warm equatorial waters surrounding Tonga, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean – where this mother and calf were photographed. Despite being between 3-4m when born and weighing up to a ton, baby humpback whales are vulnerable to attack. To stay safe, mum and calf swim very close together and ‘whisper’ to one another using quiet grunts and squeaks to avoid being overheard by predatory orcas. The mother will continue to nurse her calf for about a year.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Roy Dennis receives RSPB awardFIELD ORNITHOLOGIST, WILDLIFE consultant and raptor specialist, Roy Dennis MBE, has devoted his whole life to protecting and enhancing nature. He was recently awarded this year’s RSPB Medal “in recognition of major achievement in the cause of conservation”. The success and range of projects undertaken by Dennis over the years has been phenomenal, most notably involving rare birds and the reintroduction of lost species, such as the white-tailed sea eagle. “My lifetime in conservation has been wonderfully rewarding, from the first pair of ospreys with the RSPB at Loch Garten to the restoration of red kites to England and Scotland, and sea eagles to the Isle of Wight,” he says. In 1992, Dennis was awarded an MBE for services to nature conservation in Scotland, and in 2004 he was voted…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Fall of the finchesCHUNKY GREENFINCHES TEND TO dominate feeders, as they come high in the garden-bird pecking order, behind only great spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches (and ring-necked parakeets, if you have them). Their visits are extra-special nowadays, due to a tragic collapse in their UK population. Greenfinch numbers have fallen by over 60 per cent since the late 1990s. The scale of decline first became evident in 2006 in data from people taking part in the BTO’s popular Garden BirdWatch survey. Research by the Garden Wildlife Health project has since shown a link with trichom*onosis, a highly infectious disease found in doves, pigeons and various other garden birds. By bringing birds together at feeders, nature lovers have unwittingly created the perfect conditions for avian disease. To help control its spread, clean feeders fortnightly…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021GETTING AN EARFULBritain and Ireland’s native red squirrels are now at their most photogenic. Though they have adorable ear tufts all year, these become longer and even more extravagantly fluffy in winter, after the autumn moult. Despite their name, the squirrels’ coat colour may vary a great deal, from brick-red to dark brown, often with blonde highlights in the ears or tail. 10 Christmas species…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Something fishyCLEANER WRASSE HAVE LONG BEEN suspected of punching above their weight intellectually. They are the only fish known to recognise themselves in a mirror and can remember events that happened months previously. And according to new research, they can understand what others know, too. These colourful little coral-reef fish are famous for operating cleaning stations where, working in teams, they remove parasites and dead tissue from the bodies of visiting ‘client’ fish. However, the wrasse are also partial to their clients’ nutritious skin mucous. Giving in to temptation, though, causes the client to flee and their co-workers to miss out on a meal, so greedy fish are liable to be punished with violence by their team mates. The new study, published in the journal Communications Biology, demonstrates that wrasse are…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Koalas in crisisKOALAS ARE IN FREEFALL, WITH POSSIBLY as few as 32,000 remaining in the wild, according to figures released by the Australian Koala Foundation, which show that the country has lost nearly a third of its koala population over the last three years. As the climate crisis intensifies in Australia, koalas are under increasing pressure from bushfires, heat waves and a lack of available drinking water. The destruction of koala habitat is also a major factor in their decline. “Over the past few years, we have seen huge land clearance, particularly across New South Wales and South-East Queensland, for farming, housing development and mining,” says Deborah Tabart, chair of the Australian Koala Foundation. The foundation is calling for urgent action to stop land clearing in prime koala habitat and for a…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021NEWS ROUND UPBig Butterfly Count 2021 results Butterfly Conservation’s annual survey, which ran from 16th July to 8th August, has reported the lowest number of butterflies recorded since it began 12 years ago. It has revealed a continued decline of butterflies and moths across the UK, including the much-loved small tortoiseshell and peaco*ck butterflies. Infectious disease confirmed in wild chimps Leprosy has been found in wild chimpanzees for the first time, according to a study in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology. Cases of the disease have been confirmed in two unconnected populations in Guinea-Bissau and the Ivory Coast. The origins of the infections are unclear but humans are considered the main host for the bacteria that causes the illness. Bird eggshells evolve to suit environment Research conducted at Royal Holloway, University of…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Grey wolfUnlike their domestic cousins, the poo of a grey wolf isn’t completely nausea-inducing. “A fresh wolf scat doesn’t have a strong or bad smell, instead it’s bit spicy or like herbs,” says Alexander Kopatz from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Normally grey-brown in colour, with the twist at the end that’s typical for canids, the size of wolf scat can vary depending on the animal and what it’s been eating recently.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021I heard it chew my headBBC Wildlife ran this attention-grabbing (and somewhat bizarre) headline this month back in 1991. Writer Bill Cater set out on a mission to discover tales of parasites picked up on exotic expeditions. “Wildlife film-makers and tropical biologists have an enviable life,” he begins. “On the other hand, they are working among disease-bearing ticks, chiggers, botflies, sandflies, hookworms, leeches and, by no means last or least, the dreaded candiru.” The candiru is 2.5cm-long parasitic fish which is attracted to streams of urine… Look it up, if you dare.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021BLOWING BUBBLESCOMMON WHELKTHEY CATCH A DIVER’S EYE IN THE SAME way a discarded plastic bag or yogurt pot might. An unexpected glimmer in the gloom of a typical offshore winter dive. But on closer inspection, the object is moving. It’s white with black speckles, like a melted Friesian cow, and turns out to be dragging a familiar item around on its ‘back’. A common whelk or ‘buckie’, Buccinum undatum, this sea snail, or at least its shell, is a common sight on almost any shoreline at this time of the year. In fact, it’s our largest gastropod, whose dull creamy shell can grow to be 10-11cm long. But it’s not the adult snail that fascinates as much as another related item you can find on the beach this winter. The sea wash…3 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021The shocking truth about the UK’s primate tradeCURRENTLY, IF I SO WISHED, I could walk into my local pet shop and buy a monkey. I wouldn’t need to get a licence, there would be no home check, and I probably wouldn’t even be asked how I would care for it. Where do I live? Manchester. In the UK it is currently - and shockingly - still perfectly legal to buy 85 species of monkey as easily as one might buy a goldfish. Yet, thankfully, this is about to change, thanks to a new Animal Welfare Bill that is making its way through parliament. Though not an outright ban, the new legislation is set to make private ownership of primates much more difficult and highly regulated, by requiring anyone who wishes to sell or own one to have…8 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021When to pick up, when to leave alone“There are only so many acorns in a forest”KELLY THOMAS, RSPB IN MY CUPPED HAND IS ONE OF nature’s treasures. A feather I’ve often dreamed of finding. It is quite small – shorter than my little finger – but the most remarkable thing about it is the colour. There are 11 stripes of the purest blue, as brilliant as a cloudless alpine sky. In the gloomy wood, the feather appears to glow. This wonderful object, one of the greater coverts that cover the base of the flight feathers on a jay’s wing, is perfectly fresh. The bird was obviously in the middle of its annual moult and had just plucked it out of its plumage. Somehow – what are the chances? – it drifted down to earth at precisely the…8 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021HOME DRYBUT NOT QUITE“I SAW AN OTTER! AN OTTER! RIGHT HERE… BY THE bus stop!” I was in the bath, appropriately enough, when my friend Ellen phoned on her way home from work. It could have been more than a decade ago, but I still remember sinking back into the water, splashing and smiling at the Attenborough-esque charge of wonder in her voice. For otters seemed remote, almost mythical creatures, belonging to another, wilder realm. Seeing one during the mundane routine of the daily commute into Glasgow seemed implausible, like a golden eagle soaring over the school run. Such surprise and delight were shared by many around the turn of the millennium, as otters were appearing in places they hadn’t been seen for decades. Though still mostly nocturnal and elusive by nature, glimpses…9 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS FROM ONLY £29.99FOOD HOMES AND GARDENING LIFESTYLE SCIENCE AND NATURE HISTORY SPORT CRAFT TAKE THE HASSLE OUT OF YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AND GIVE A GIFT THAT LASTS ALL YEAR ORDER NOW! Subscribing online is quick and easy. Visit buysubscriptions.com/christmas ✔mobile-friendly site ✔safe and secure ✔easy search or call our hotline 0330 053 8660† QUOTE CODE: X21AD Remember ordering online is safe and secure, choose from any of these payment options SEE OUR FULL RANGE OF MAGAZINES ONLINE This offer closes on the 31st December 2021 and is valid for UK delivery addresses only. The discounts shown are savings calculated as a percentage of the full shop price, excluding Match of the Day which is calculated as a percentage of the Basic Annual Rate. For overseas rates visit www.buysubscriptions.com. All Christmas gift subscriptions…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Where to go in a fortnightThere’s no need to fly to spend a fortnight watching wildlife in Europe. Take your car on a ferry across the Bay of Biscay for a carbon-minimising journey to northern Spain – with decent prospects of fin and Cuvier’s beaked whales thrown in. Then, split your time between Picos de Europa National Park and Somiedo Natural Park. In the Picos, enjoy lammergeiers, wallcreepers, Pyrenean chamois and a kaleidoscope of butterflies, including the majestic Apollo. In Somiedo, focus on mammals: brown bears and wildcats are readily seen, but Iberian grey wolves require local guides. If flying is essential for that holiday of a lifetime, make it count: offset carbon emissions, use responsible service providers and spend locally. Glamping in Botswana’s Okavango Delta is a case in point. At Moremi and Khwai,…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Why are fisher cats socalled if they’re weasels?Not only are fisher cats not cats, but they don’t fish. These denizens of Canada and the northern US belong to the mustelid family of carnivores, along with weasels, martens, otters, badgers and the wolverine. They’re about twice the weight of a pine marten and are adept tree climbers. Mustelids have a reputation for punching above their weight (think of a weasel taking down a rabbit, or a wolverine tackling a reindeer) and fisher cats are no exception, having been documented killing lynx twice their size. They also routinely hunt porcupines, overcoming them with bites to the face to avoid their lethal quills. Historically, fisher cats have been hunted for their fur. Indeed, the ‘fisher’ part of the name is thought to derive from various European words for the pelt…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021How do birds eat berries that poison us?One creature eating a certain type of food doesn’t make it safe for another. Birds and animals evolve different mechanisms over time to break down poisons, usually in the liver and kidneys. For example, during a time of famine some 5,000 years ago, some humans – mostly in western Europe – developed an enzyme to break down cow’s milk. We can therefore hypothesise that a similar evolutionary stimulus would have allowed squirrels to eat death-cap mushrooms and nightshade berries. Likewise, many species of bird have adapted to eat mistletoe and holly, two berries that are poisonous to humans. Interestingly, mistletoe berries produce a sticky substance in the digestive tract that’s difficult for birds to excrete. When it’s time for an individual to defecate, it has to ‘wipe’ its bottom along…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021An inside look at Jacques CousteauBecoming Cousteau Showing in UK cinemas from 12 November COMMANDER JACQUES-YVES COUSTEAU was many things: an explorer, a conservationist, a film-maker, an innovater, an author, a husband, a father, and much more. Directed and produced by the award-winning documentary maker Liz Garbus, this film from National Geographic takes on the tough challenge of bringing the life of this extraordinary man to the silver screen in just 90 minutes. With footage taken by Cousteau himself or by his family and crew, we are allowed an insight into who he was as a person and as an explorer, renowned around the world for his films, books and conservation activism. There is a lot to cover, so the film only lightly touches on different aspects of his work and life, but still doesn’t…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021BOOKS ROUND UPWhen There Were Birds By Roy and Lesley Adkins,Little, Brown Book Group, £25 This latest book by the historians and married couple, the Adkins, looks at the long, varied and complex relationship between humans and birds in Britain, including their appearances in our literature and myths, and how we’ve hunted different species as pests or for trophies. Wild Waters By Susanne Masters, illustrated by Alice Goodridge,Vertebrate Graphics, £20 Plant scientist Susanne Masters takes us for a delightful dive into marine and freshwater wildlife. Whether you’re a wild swimmer, like Susanne, or a land-based wildlife-watcher, there’s plenty to enjoy, with a wide range of species covered as well as a variety of topics, including foraging, preserving seaweed and citizen science. The Redemption of Wolf 302 By Rick McIntyre,Greystone Books, £18.99 In…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021“It’s only a hop, skip and a jump to the woodland”KAY AND HER HUSBAND JAMES HAVE BEEN volunteering with the Woodland Trust in their local woods in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Why do you volunteer? I’ve always had an interest in nature and work as a professional gardener locally. I feel happiest when I’m outdoors, so it was a natural progression to volunteer, especially as it’s only a hop, skip and a jump to the woodland. James is a retired helicopter engineer. He also loves being outside and is especially passionate about trees. What does your volunteering involve? We have both been volunteering for the past couple of years, helping with dormouse surveys and tree planting. The former involves laying out tubes to try and identify the presence of dormice or other small mammals within the recently…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021SNAP-CHATHow did you get into photography? I tried being a normal person with a respectable career, but that got old really quickly. I started dabbling with underwater photography and within a few years I had traded business suits for wetsuits. What shot is most meaningful to you? In 2000, I met a juvenile sperm whale who used me as a chew toy. We then became best friends and spent three hours together. One of the resulting photos, a shot into its open mouth, won a major contest in Japan. It also made the headlines, because the whale had a longline and hook embedded in its mouth. Many of your shots are of whales defecating. Which poo stands out? So many… If I have to pick one, then the great defecation…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Conservation groups are not up to the jobWELL DONE MARK FOR YOUR September column on responses to the UK’s biodiversity dilemma (My Way Of Thinking). I have long thought, just like you, that the various nature, environmental and conservation pressure groups have been nowhere near vociferous and hard-hitting enough to do the job they are attempting to do. And as for our politicians, oh dear, what a miserably ineffective lot they have been for far too long. I only hope that your message gets repeated, again and again, in the corridors of power and wherever else the points can be made. And that at long last it might bring the ‘fruit’ we’ve all been waiting so long for. Hally Hardie, via email Widespread decline In my view, Mark Carwardine’s article in the September issue was a little…5 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Out of the blue“We had just begun our dive, heading towards a rocky wall on Al Qibliyah, one of the four small islands of Oman’s Hallaniyat archipelago, when I heard an uncanny sound. A series of moans, accompanied by a clicking and knocking that reverberated through my body. I looked up to see our guide vigorously signalling to follow him into the blue – clearly the dive site we had planned to visit could wait. The sounds got louder and louder until all of a sudden a dark shape came into focus ahead of us, the enormous form of what I found out later was a juvenile humpback. My fellow divers and I came to a halt as the magnificent creature approached. At least 3m long, its dark grey skin dotted with barnacles,…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021The world’s best wildlife magazineis now even better!Since its launch,BBC Wildlifemagazine has gone through many changes – not least of which being its name. It began life asAnimalsin 1963, before changing toWildlifein 1974, and finally settling onBBC Wildlifein 1983. As magazines have changed down the years, soBBC Wildlifehas evolved to meet the times – all of which leads us to this new design you’re reading today. We hope you enjoy it! A GIFT FOR YOU Take out a gift subscription today and choose either a New England nestbox or a copy of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year book. What’s more, you’ll save a whopping 25% on the shop price. Turn to page 38 for all the details!…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Snow hare spottingIN SUMMER YOU MIGHT BE FORGIVEN FOR confusing mountain hares with the more widespread and common brown hare, but in winter the former dons a luxuriant white pelt to blend in with the snowy uplands they call home. It makes them rather tricky to spot, especially as they tend to take shelter in scrapes during the day. The determined ‘snow hare’ spotter will look out for their tracks, or runs directly up mountain slopes (rather than across, like those belonging to sheep and deer). Mountain hares are indigenous to the British Isles, unlike the introduced brown hare and rabbit. Nowadays they are found in the Scottish Highlands, Southern Uplands, some Scottish islands, and the Peak District. If you struggle to lay your eyes on one in winter (or just don’t…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Seabird ocean hotspot to be safeguardedA NEWLY DISCOVERED MAJOR hotspot for seabirds covering an area roughly the size of France in the north-east Atlantic has been designated as a Marine Protected Area. The move, which was agreed by 15 countries, including the UK, has been welcomed by conservationists as a critical step to ensure the long-term biodiversity of the area and protect millions of seabirds. The North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Seamount Marine Protected Area lies approximately 1,500km west of Ireland and is a vitally important feeding area for over 20 species of migratory seabirds, making it one of the most important concentrations in the Atlantic. The area is used by seabirds breeding on the coasts surrounding the north-east Atlantic, migrating across the globe, and nesting in other parts of the world. Many hundreds of…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021A rattlesnake’s rattleNO ONE WANTS TO ACCIDENTALLY STEP on a rattlesnake. The snake doesn’t like it much either. Happily for all concerned, as it grows, a rattlesnake accumulates small hollow segments of each shed skin at the tip of its tail, which clank together menacingly when shaken. The result is a warning signal as archetypal as a wasp’s black-and-yellow stripes. Increasing the frequency of the rattle adds to the sense of urgency as danger approaches.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Drug lord’s hipposColombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, who died in 1993, illegally imported exotic animals, including African hippos. There were originally four in his private zoo but now a growing feral population of more than 80 ‘cocaine hippos’ have been taking over the countryside near his former home and, according to environmentalists, pose a threat to biodiversity. So far, the Colombian government has sterilised 24 of the animals using an immunocontraceptive vaccine called Gonacon.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Eunota mecocheilaWHAT IS IT? A beautifully coloured tiger beetle species that so far has been found in only two saline, muddy ditches. A total of 18 specimens were collected back in 1992 and 1994, but only with modern taxonomy methods have they been identified as a new species. WHERE IS IT? Little is known about the full distribution of this species, as it was collected from two sites in the state of Coahuila in northern Mexico. The extension northwards of the ridge and basin in which the species was found could mean that it may also be found in west Texas in the USA. WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE SCIENTIFIC NAME? The namemecocheiladescribes its labrum, comparable to an upper lip, which is more elongated than in similar species. The word…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021A murder of crowsTHE TERM ‘A MURDER OF CROWS’ probably derives from 15th-century peasants’ fears that these sinister-looking birds, with dark feathers and jet-black eyes, were witches in disguise or messengers of the Devil. They descended onto battlefields to pick at the fallen and, with their alleged prophetic powers, they appeared on roofs to portend that someone inside would soon die. Their other collective nouns include ‘mob’, ‘parcel’ and ‘horde’.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021FEMALE OF THE SPECIESORCASI'T AN ODD THING TO FIND KINSHIP WITH a killer whale (AKA Orcinus orca or orca). The most souped-up member of the dolphin family is a nine tonne apex predator that cunningly hunts most marine animals. Not even great white sharks are safe. Orcas, the great white’s only known assailant, enjoy slashing them open and gobbling up their fatty livers like hors d’oeuvres. Our lives couldn’t appear to be more different. Yet we have a very unusual trait in common: females go through the menopause. As a general rule, evolution takes a pretty merciless view of a loss of fertility. Of 5,000 mammals, the females of only five are known to live well beyond their reproductive capacity: four species of toothed whale and us. Why? Monitoring hormones in a giant…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021MARK CARWARDINEOPINIONTHE WIDELY CONDEMNED KILLING OF 1,428 Atlantic white-sided dolphins in the Faroe Islands in September wasn’t a hunt. It was unmitigated, unregulated, unnecessary slaughter. And it happened in our own backyard (the islands lie halfway between Scotland and Iceland). But it’s old news. Literally hundreds of thousands of long-finned pilot whales and dolphins have been killed in the Faroe Islands over many centuries. Speed boats and jet skis spend hours corralling entire pods of pilot whales into shallow bays (along with Atlantic white-sided dolphins and any other species that get caught up in the melee). Local villagers rush into the water to drag the animals – including pregnant and lactating females, and calves – further ashore with steel hooks that are rammed into their blowholes while they’re still alive. No…3 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021COME TOGETHERSTARLING MURMURATIONSOF ALL THE VARIED AND OFTEN ODD collective nouns for animals, few can be as well known – but also as mysterious – as a murmuration of starlings. Supposedly derived from the sound of thousands of fluttering wings passing overhead, the swirling, mesmerising show of starlings gathering at their winter roost is arguably the greatest ornithological spectacle Britain has to offer. Despite a recent decline in population, due primarily to changes in pastoral farming, the starling is still one of our commonest breeding birds. Once fledged, large assemblages of young birds often form during the summer months. But it’s not until late autumn that the flock sizes can reach truly mind-boggling proportions, when our resident birds are joined by a large continental immigrant population attracted by Britain’s mild Gulf Stream…3 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Identify the eggs you find on the beachThere are several other related members of the whelk family whose eggs can be found on the shore. With a bit of scrutiny in some of the darkest crevices you can find the egg masses of sting winkles. These are laid individually but in clusters, each egg case looking a little like a golden ampule or flattened, translucent hip flask. Dog whelk eggs can also be found. They’re yellowy white and bottle-shaped, and are also laid in clusters, usually on rock overhangs.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Behind bars4,000 to 5,000pet primates in the UK, according to estimates from the RSPCA 14 species of primate have been rescued from the UK pet trade. This includes marmosets, lemurs, and even a chimpanzee. 60% of cases investigated by the RSPCA involve primates kept in social isolation 116 primates have been rescued by Monkey World from the UK pet trade since 1989 50 is the average number of calls the RSPCA gets a year from people concerned about the welfare of a pet primate 85 species can currently be kept legally in the UK without a licence 5 to 15% The percentage of people that should have a Dangerous Wild Animals Act licence who actually do. £2,000 is the approximate cost of a marmoset. 0.27m2 is the smallest size of cage…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Inspired by natureWasp nest and paper The paper palaces constructed by colonies of social wasps are made entirely from chewed wood pulp and saliva. It is said that about 2,000 years ago, they gave a Chinese government official the idea of making paper. Burdock burr and Velcro The thistle-like plant burdock produces viciously spiky seed containers called burrs, whose tiny hooks latch onto the fur of passing mammals. In 1941, they gave Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral the idea for Velcro. Dragonfly wing and drones Dragonflies are some of the fastest and most manoeuvrable insects, with four wings in two pairs. Their unique wing motion is now inspiring designs for a new type of micro-drone.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Laurie Campbell’s tips for tracking otters● Droppings, known as SPRAINT, vary according to diet. On the seashore, where they feed on crustaceans, the spraint is pale and crunchy, a bit like cat litter. On rivers and wetlands, where they’re predominantly feeding on fish, the spraint is black or greyish, oily when fresh and smells slightly sweet. ● SPRAINT SITES are also used for communication – serving as noticeboards to other otters crossing the same territory – so droppings are often deposited on prominent boulders, logs and tussocks of grass above the waterline (left). You may see patches on mossy boulders where the accumulation of otter urine has burnt the moss to a yellow-brown colour. ● Getting your eye in’ when it comes to spotting otters involves getting a sense of the SCALE OF THE ANIMAL…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Where to go in a weekendThe UK has a wealth of wildlife easily packed into weekend-sized chunks. RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk, excels year-round. Gawp at ‘dancing’ adders in spring, revere breeding avocets in summer, admire rutting red deer in autumn or peer into wintry reedbeds to decipher bittern and bearded tit. For something different, throw in a night at Bawdsey Hall, where photo hides offer close-range views of badgers, tawny owls and – most excitingly – polecats. In summer, travel by train to the Dorset town of Wareham, then cycle or walk to Purbeck Heaths’ new National Nature Reserve. Here, Dartford warblers scold by day while nightjars emerge at dusk, and there’s a wealth of reptiles and minibeasts, too, from the smooth snake to the silver-studded blue butterfly. Readily reached by train, Penzance ia a fine…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021How do apes reveal theory of mind?Theory of mind is the ability to grasp that others have beliefs and desires that are different to our own. It helps us to understand, communicate with, and even deceive others. An experiment in 2016, in which two scientists acted out a scenario in front of an audience of chimps, bonobos and orangutans, demonstrated some aspects of the concept in apes. Scientist A dressed as a gorilla and hid from his colleague, once when he was watching, and again when he wasn’t. When scientist B searched for the ‘gorilla’, would the watching apes look to the first hiding place (indicating where they expected the scientist to look), or where they knew the gorilla actually was? Looking at where scientist B last saw the gorilla would indicate an understanding of what…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021How was the woodco*ck pilot named?Britain’s smallest bird, the woodco*ck pilot (aka goldcrest) is one of the tiniest in the northern hemisphere and a much-loved species. Despite its diminutive size, its ability to cross the the North Sea on its autumn migration from Scandinavia has long been a talking point. This journey coincided with the annual influx of winter thrushes and woodco*ck, and earned the goldcrest the nickname ‘woodco*ck pilot’. Indeed, wildfowlers that gathered to hunt woodco*ck believed that the goldcrest appeared a few days earlier and thus heralded their quarry’s arrival. Observers claimed to have seen the goldcrest perched on the woodco*ck’s back, but that’s probably little more than a fanciful vision. Incidentally, short-eared owls migrating to Britain across the North Sea in autumn were also given the same nickname. FACT. Atlantic salmon can…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021FAST ANSWERSWhy does the eyelash viper have ‘eyelashes’? The eyelids of all snakes are fused together to form a transparent protective shield over the eyeball, so an eyelash viper’s lashes are certainly not for batting. Comprised of elongated scales, their function remains mysterious. They may provide additional eye protection as the viper pushes through dense tropical American vegetation, or they may help break up the ambush predator’s serpentine outline as it lies in wait for passing prey. SB What’s the difference between a bog and a fen? The main difference is that a bog is fed by rainwater, while a fen is fed by groundwater. Since groundwater contains more nutrients and minerals than rainwater, a fen can support a wider range of wildlife. The UK’s best known is arguably Wicken Fen…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Mridu ChandraWhy make a film about Cousteau? Director and co-producer Liz Garbus and I both grew up knowing of Cousteau and admiring him. About six years ago, she was reading a book about him to her children and she realised that most people nowadays wouldn’t actually know who he is – even though all the 4K and GoPro underwater filming and photography we see in natural-history documentaries nowadays is built upon his groundbreaking work. Is Cousteau’s work still interesting to modern-day audiences? It’s particularly timely today with many people suffering from climate grief and ecoanxiety, and feeling unable to act on climate change, which is something his life speaks to in a personal way because he turns that feeling to action and activism. The film is both for people with nostalgia…2 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021Empty nestsDiscover intricate bird nest constructions this winter, now that they’re empty of eggs and chicks, and exposed by bare branches. It’s best to leave them in place in case they’re being used by roosting birds or other animals. For more ID guides, head to our website: discoverwildlife.com/identify-wildlife…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021DISCOVER wildlifeCalling budding photographers! Treat yourself to exclusive use of a wildlife hide If you want to get closer to the action and test your skills, why not try renting a photography hide? Visit our website for a round-up of some of the best sites across the UK and soon you could be snapping… ● Badgers in the Cairngorms● Red kites in Rhayader● Nuthatches in Cumbria● Stoats in Norfolk● Kestrels in Yorkshire ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW Find out seasonal opening times, how much they cost to rent, how many people the hide can accomodate and what is provided (including tution and equipment) at discoverwildlife.com.…1 min
BBC Wildlife Magazine|December 2021SharksSteve Backshall is on a mission to reverse sharks’ image problem, before it’s too late: “Sharks are incredibly beautiful – sleek and streamlined, but also incredibly complex. Their presence encompasses the most important and interesting span of time on our planet. They’ve lived through all the major extinction events – but they could disappear within this one, that’s occuring right now.” ON 16th SALE DEC…1 min
