Sad news, the last known Javan rhino in Vietnam has died, leaving only around 50 of the animals on the Indonesian island, Java. Despite conservation efforts when the small family of 8 were discovered in 2007, rhino poaching is still rife with their horn being used for traditional medicines.
Photo : WWF
Following on from yesterday, something to whet your appetite for Wednesday’s Frozen Planet! Spine-tingling footage from the Arctic and Antarctic…proving they’re not just barren, wintry landscapes!
On Wednesday the BBC’s new flagship series, Frozen Planet starts, taking us to the ends of the Earth; the Arctic and Antarctic, and the dramatic desolation of these harsh environments.
When I met Sir David Attenborough earlier this year, we talked about the making of the series and he professed admiration for the cameramen who risked their lives diving under the thick ice in subzero temperatures to capture some of these incredible shots.
The series also features an incredible chase as wolves hunt down bison in temperatures of -50 degrees and winds of up to 100mph. Whilst the wildlife might be used to it…here the crew describe how they had to adapt to their new environment to get this stunning footage.
At last, some good news from Ohio after the devastating recent killing of 49 animals released into the countryside…six exotic animals have survived and are now readjusting to life at Columbus zoo. The grizzly bear, three leopards and two monkeys are said to be ‘calm’ and not aggressive.
The events have led many people to question whether members of the public should be allowed to keep such animals after it’s thought the owner, suffering from severe debts, released them all before committing suicide.
If you want to help the rescued animals, a special web page has been set up to donate towards their upkeep.
Photo : Grahm S. Jones / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
London Zoo’s Lucifer and Abi have had another pair of cubs! The Asian lion cubs are important to their conservation with only around 350 animals left in the wild. Although they are yet to be sexed, they have been given the Halloween-inspired names Pumpkin and Spook.
If you’re lucky you might be able to see them with their mum in their den…before they’re let out into the rest of the enclosure in November.
This incredible photo of a young Qinling golden snub-nosed monkey is one of the winners in this year’s Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
The species is endangered with an estimated less than 4,000 left. The huddled up pose is the best way for the monkey to keep warm in the extreme cold when not near its mother.
An exhibition with all the winning photos opens at the Natural History Museum from tomorrow before going on tour.
Photo : Cyril Ruoso
