BBC Wildlife - UK (2021-12)

discoverwildlife.com BBC WILDLIFE 7

08 Wild Times

With winter settling in, it’s all change

in the natural world. But which species

are best to look out for in the UK as the

days get shorter?

32 How to see starling

murmurations

Mike Dilger explains how to catch the

breathtaking bedtime displays of roiling

starling masses while you can.

36 Hidden Britain

Nick Baker uncovers the origins of the

mysterious spongy white balls tumbling

around our shorelines.

40 Cover feature: new life

As winter descends on Canada’s

Wapusk National Park, conservation

photographer Daisy Gilardini braves

the chill to capture the life and times

of an Arctic icon: the polar bear.

50 The UK’s primate trade

A long-awaited overhaul in animal

welfare legislation is set to stop the

suffering of primates still being kept

as pets in Britain.

54 Magnificent frigatebirds

of Peru

Journey to northern Peru – and the

floating mangrove island that a colony

of magnificent frigatebirds calls home.

62 The ethics of nature

collections

Both adults and children have an

instinct for collecting natural treasures

• but do we need to be more careful
  about what we take, and how much?
  Ben Hoare examines the evidence.

68 England’s river otters

Ten years ago, it was jubilantly

announced that otters had returned

to every county in England. But is

river pollution putting the species in

jeopardy again?

77 2022 travel guide

As the world begins

to open up again, we

explore a selection of

destinations to consider

in the UK and beyond

for unforgettable

encounters with

wildlife.

Discover MORE

Flocks of starlings form

amorphous masses

90 Q&A

Can amber really preserve DNA,

like in Jurassic Park?

96 Go Wild

A new movie explores the life

of Jacques Cousteau

100 ID Guide

How to identify abandoned

birds’ nests

102 Photo Club

This month’s competition

107 Crossword

Plus Spot the Difference

108 Your Letters

Join the debate

114 Tales from the Bush

An unexpected visitor appears

off the coast of Oman

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