Conservation Technology – Camera traps

Over the last decade, camera traps have become a major tool for conservation organisations all over the world. Now, for those of you that haven't ever heard of a camera trap or are unsure of what they are, I'll just quickly explain. The word 'trap' is a bit misleading, don't worry they don't involve 'trapping'…

#Friday Fact – Happy Gnu Year

This Happy Gnu Year #FridayFact is all about Gnus or Wildebeest as I prefer to call them. There are 2 species : The White-tailed/Black Wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou)  and The Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) which has 5 subspecies. Each vary slightly in colour, size & geographical range as shown by the below graphic The Blue Wildebeest…

Vultures: Africa’s unsung heroes

What do you think of vultures? Vultures have a hard time in the public eye, saddled with common misconceptions relating them to death, decay and ruthlessness.  Vultures are the outcasts, lacking the compassion that we have for 'prettier' animals like lions, rhinos or pandas. When the word 'vulture' is used, many people, including myself, think of…

#FridayFact- The often forgotten Asiatic Lion

The Asiatic Lion - Panthera leo persica The Asiatic lion population has recovered from the brink of extinction. Asiatic Lions are listed as ''Endangered'' by the IUCN. They once prowled from the Middle East to India. Now, only a fraction of these magnificent animals,  c.650 individuals, are left in the wild. The Gir Forest's dry teak…

#FridayFact – The Family of Hyaenidae!

Here’s a special #FridayFact with a family of animals that have a huge misconception around them... the Hyaenidae!! 🤗 They are pretty awesome! There are 4 extant species - from largest to smallest - Spotted, Striped, Brown Hyena & of course the Aardwolf Aardwolves are insectivores, and they only eat termites, The other hyena species are carnivores…

#FridayFact – Hamerkop

#FridayFact time!! Say Hi to The Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) ... And yes it’s named after that hammer-shaped head!🔨 The Hamerkop is currently placed in the pelican and cormorant group, Pelecaniformes They occur across Africa & Madagascar. Often preferring wetland and coastal habitats. They have a HUGE wingspan of almost a 1m long! One of the…

Citizen Science – How you can be a non-scientist scientist!

I'm sure a lot of people are aware of the term 'Citizen Science' but aren't quite sure about what it means and how you can be a 'Citizen Scientist'. Citizen science aka crowd science is basically when the general public give a helping hand in scientific research. It's a great way to engage the wider communities in science and…

Blue Planet II: The Deep – more Stranger Things than The Upside Down

A huge 16 years after the original Blue Planet is back!! With bird-eating fish, surfing dolphins, a fish that changes gender and one that uses tools the first episode did not disappoint! For me it was an emotional roller coaster especially when we got to the scene with a mother walrus & her calf struggling…

The Power of Photography in Conservation

As most of you may have seen I love taking photographs of nature and wildlife. I would consider myself still to be an amateur, especially when compared to the talented photographers in this blog post. Photography has been used for a long time by the media to spread messages about global events, but it has also…

#FridayFact – The Dung Beetle

It shouldn't come as a surprise that dung beetles do indeed feed on faeces. This makes them one of the natural world's greatest recyclers, removing waste, destroying parasites and pests, and returning nutrients to the soil. Here are a few amazing facts about these robust fascinating critters. There are three main types of dung beetles:…

Second Instalment of #FridayFact

Introducing a rather shaggy looking antelope - The Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) As the name suggests these beasts have a strong association with water, but they're not  truly aquatic or as at home in water as the Sitatunga or Lechwe. The long grasses of the water, however, are perfect for them to escape and hide from…

A New Weekly #Scicomm Feature – #FridayFact

I know how scientists love their facts and I want to spread that factual-love to the rest of you. So every Friday I'll be writing a small blog of any animal in the animal kingdom from mammals to reptiles and insects to fish. For my first #FridayFact feature, I'll introduce you to the Red-billed Oxpecker…

Akagera – A Conservation Success Story

Rwanda.... an African country whose communities and wildlife have suffered from grievous civil war and unrest has an incredible success story to tell, the one of Akagera National Park. East Rwanda has been a tourism hot ticket for many years. In its heyday Akagera, opened in 1934 as Rwanda's first national park, was teeming with…

The Sneezing Dogs

Think of your pets at home, how do they communicate with you or other animals? Just like us, animals talk to each other. Whether it be through a bark, a growl, sonar, rumbling or roaring. The ability of animals to communicate effectively with other individuals plays a critical role in their lives, whether they live…

Discovering Malaysia – From Penang to Kuala Lumpur

The next stop on your Malaysian discovery tour was George Town in Penang. Penang is on the North West coast of the Peninsular Malaysia. This place is the hub of one of Malaysia’s most diverse, cosmopolitan and exciting cultures. It culminates in George Town, Penang Island's main city, where we stayed for 4 nights. Its an urban…

Discovering Malaysia – The Island of Turtles

Upon my return from discovering only some of what Malaysia has to offer, I wanted to share with you what I experienced, the places I visited and give you some travel recommendations for this beautiful unique country. First stop, Island Life. After over 24 hours of travelling we eventually arrived in Kota Bharu, a small city…

African Lion Conservation – The Mane Issues

As most of my friends know, I have a very special place in my heart for lions. I aspire to work with and for them, researching and monitoring their remaining vulnerable populations. For those that are not aware of the threats they face, this is the post for you! I am focusing on African lions…

Malaysia bound – What to Expect

As I prepare for my first ever venture to Malaysia starting next week, I wanted to tell you what I'll be doing, where I'll be going and what you might be seeing from me (if I get good wifi 😉 ) My first 5 days will be spent in the Perhentian Islands, just off the…

Getting close to nature in the most unexpected places

When you think of the word 'City', what image comes to mind? High rise buildings? Bustling streets? Rushing commuters? Wildlife....? Not so much. Half the world's population now live in cities, entirely shaped and created by humans consequently separating them from the natural world. Currently, urban areas cover around 2% of the planet’s land area,…