BBC Wildlife - UK (2020-04)

90 BBC Wildlife April 2020

Anaturalistin

theAmazon

Tigers:hunting

thetrackers

Elephants

If youarelookingfora

glimpsebackintimewhen

bravenaturalhistorians

struckoutto discoverand

collectnewspeciesin

far-off,unexploredlands,

thenthisis thebookforyou.Comparedto

DarwinandWallace,theequally

remarkableHenryWalterBatesis often

overlooked.Thisbeautifullycompiled

bookcontainssectionsfromBates’own

handwrittenjournal,includinghis

painstakinglydetaileddrawings,ashe

explorestheAmazonandhisowntheory

onmimicry.Hiswritingsarebothdetailed

andjovialwhileprovidinga personal

insightintohislife.

Sally-AnnSpenceEntomologisteducator

ThelatestepisodeinBBCTwo’s

renownedNaturalWorldseriesis a gritty

documentaryabouttigertraffickingin

South-EastAsia.FormerRoyalMarine

CommandoAldoKanehasbeentraining

anti-poachingunitsbut,asheexplains

intheopeningscenes,

“Anti-poachingefforts

justaren’tenough.”

Kaneworkswith

activistsandother

investigatorsto

lookintothe

peopleand

locationsin

China,Vietnam,

Malaysia,Laos

andThailandthat

theysuspectare

involvedwith

trafficking.Thereare

heart-breakingscenesof

tigerswastingawayina

“closed-downzoo”inThailand,tiger

cubsinfreezersinLaosandroomsof

tiger-bonewineat state-sanctionedtiger

breedingcentresinChina.“Myjobis

togofromcountrytocountry,”says

DrRossMcEwing,a wildlifeforensic

scientist.“AndI justseedeath.”MS

Elephants: birth life and death

in the world of giants is an

informative and

entertaining memoir, in

which scientist Hannah

Mumby details her

experience researching elephants in

Africa and Asia. She works alongside

conservation giants like Iain Douglas-

Hamilton while unearthing connections

between elephant and human life

histories – often in the midst of

alarming spikes in poaching. With

descriptive prose, Mumby transports

readers to Kenya, Myanmar and South

Africa, where she and her colleagues

discover surprising facets of elephant

behaviour and intelligence.

Millie Kerr Conservationist and storyteller

BOOK

TV

BOOK

CATCH UP ON IPLAYER

BY DR HANNAH MUMBY, HARPER COLLINS, £20

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, £14.99

Thesurprising

livesofanimals

Didyouknowthatyou

canmakea ratlaughby

ticklingit?Orthat

spectacledcaiman

babysitforeachother?

Fromfarmingantsto

Hooverthetalkingseal,thisbook

containsnuggetsofinformationto

delightandfascinatereadersofallages.

Showingthatanimalsaremorelike

usthanwemightthink,it covershow

BY ANNA CLAYBOURNE, IVY KIDS, £12.99

YOUNGER READERS somespeciesplayandlearn,howthey

use tools and partner up, and much

more. But what might be an informative

and entertaining one-time read is

made a real treasure by the beautiful

explanatory illustrations.

As well as explaining animal

behaviour, the book also touches on

notable scientists and their discoveries.

With a glossary and further reading

included, this is the perfect springboard

for any budding zoologist. And it has

enough poo facts to keep kids coming

back for more.

This book is perfect when it comes to

teaching a nature nut something new,

or sparking a new interest.

Emma Pocklington Nature writer

OUR WILD WORLD

OUT IN THE GARDEN

TAKE CARE

Now is the time to start

spreading compost and mulch

to improve soil, but make sure

you check for any hibernators

still lurking in compost bins.

PERFECT PAIRING

Like many of us, bees are

besotted with lavender. Add it

to your garden now to enjoy its

fragrant scent come summer

and watch as its blooms start

to buzz with life.

ENJOY THE SINGSONG

The dawn chorus will be in full

force by the end of the month,

so be sure to make the most of

fine, still mornings by getting

outside and listening to the

assembled avian singers.

Aldo Kane with
a captive tiger
in Thailand.