“I realised that I was in a very vulnerable position and retreated as fast as I could. It took a few sweat-pouring minutes of bounding over boulders…”

“I realised that I was in a very vulnerable position and retreated as fast as I could. It took a few sweat-pouring minutes of bounding over boulders…”

The chacma baboons had started moving away from the waterhole, which was nestled in a steep- sided gorge. Troop ‘elders’ led in a purposeful manner, while youngsters and some who had been resting in shady spots slowly followed suit. My colleague Charmaine and I followed, as many of the baboons settled around a rocky outcrop […]

Read More

“This was a disaster for native wildlife that had few defences. This small, agile predator can find its way into the narrowest burrow”

“This was a disaster for native wildlife that had few defences. This small, agile predator can find its way into the narrowest burrow”

A mink eradication plan in the High Weald of Sussex is proving so successful that Defra has given the go ahead to extend the project across southern England from the Kent coast to the Dorset border. It raises the realistic prospect that this invasive aquatic mustelid – a diminutive relative of otters, badgers and weasels – may be removed from […]

Read More

It looks like a wolf, acts like a wolf – but don’t be fooled this is no wolf…

It looks like a wolf, acts like a wolf – but don’t be fooled this is no wolf…

Unlike the hapless Wile E. Coyote of Looney Tunes fame, the real-life version is an intelligent and highly successful animal. Once associated with North America’s prairies and deserts, the coyote now turns up almost everywhere, even city streets, thanks to its remarkable ability to thrive alongside people. Its appetite for rubbish and even pets can provoke a […]

Read More