Posts

Posted on
World maps: explore

Page


Wild Places

Shadow of Mankind

Hides

Sightings Maps

Future Places

News

This website aims to make it easy for those living with wildlife, and those who would like to see it, to find each other. Where-ever the wildlife, if the local people do not benefit it will not survive.  Please note, on some computers these maps can take 10 seconds to load.

Explore the worlds wilds, through the maps above, or the species in the expandable section below. Add your destinations, by clicking on “list your wild”. Scroll down to read our latest wild news.

  • All
  • Cats
  • dogs
  • Primates
  • Bear
  • great Apes
  • Big Cats
  • Mammal
  • Subspecies
  • Species
  • Melanistic, Albino and odd colouring
  • Extinct
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Australasia
  • Antarctica
  • Europe
  • North America
  • South America
  • Lesser Ape
  • Elephant
  • Hippo
  • Antelope
  • Bovid
  • Suidae
  • Bird
  • All
  • Mammal
  • Subspecies
  • Species
  • Extinct
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Australasia
  • North America
  • South America
  • Elephant
  • Rhino
  • Hippo
  • All
  • Mammal
  • Subspecies
  • Species
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Australasia
  • Europe
  • North America
  • South America
  • Antelope
  • Bovid
  • Cervid
  • Suidae
  • All
  • Cetaceans
  • Mammal
  • Species
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Australasia
  • Antarctica
  • Europe
  • North America
  • South America
  • Pinniped
  • All
    Posted on

    On the founding of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, locals were pushed out -they now have the right to return, what will happen

    Kahuzi-Biega National Park was established in 1937 by the Belgium colonial rulers and then expanded in 1975. It now covers 6000 square km or 2300 square miles. Roughly 13000 Batwa were cleared out of the area to make way for the park (along with other people who had settled more recently).

    Continue reading “On the founding of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, locals were pushed out -they now have the right to return, what will happen”
    Posted on

    Arabian leopard still holding on in the middle east

    There are claimed to be 200 Arabian leopards remaining in the wild (most sources suggest the number is more like 120). This subspecies has suffered a decline in the last 120 years of between 90 and 98% (estimates on population size from the 19th century).

    This population is spread across 3 countries with Oman and Yemen thought to have around 50 leopards each. Saudi Arabia has an estimated 20 leopards -though this may be overly positive, with none having been seen since 2014. While found in Israel until recently, the last confirmed sighting was in 2007, with this leopard found dead in 2009.

    Continue reading “Arabian leopard still holding on in the middle east”
    Posted on

    Medicinal use in wild great apes – a new study shows how many

    News article on a recent study on chimpanzee medicine

    It would appear that chimpanzee medicine is quite a complicated field.

    • Christella parasitica: A fern with anti-inflammatory properties that one chimp ate to reduce pain and swelling in an injured hand
    • Scutia myrtina: A cat-thorn tree whose bark was consumed by a chimp with a parasitic infection
    • Khaya anthotheca: An East African mahogany tree whose bark and resin have anti-inflammatory effects
    • Antiaris toxicaria: A plant with leaves that have anti-tumour properties
    • Cordia abyssinica: A plant with pith that has anti-malarial and anti-bacterial properties
    • Ficus capensis: A plant with anti-bacterial properties
    • Ficus natalensis: A plant with bark that has anti-diarrheal properties
    • Ficus urceolaris: A plant with leaves that act as a de-worming agent
    • Vernonia amygdalina: An African relative of the daisy whose pith is consumed to get rid of intestinal worms
    • They have been known to apply insects to injuries – the insects may have anti-inflammatory or antiseptic properties that help heal wounds. Chimpanzees also have quite a range of cultural behaviours, so there are some of their behaviours with little notable purpose behind them (though it is possible that some or all of these may prove to have a purpose that we as observers have not yet discovered)

    This is a significant range of conditions that can be treated, though it should also be noted, that this knowledge is likely to be shared in the group, as no one individual will have seen their mother suffer from all these conditions.

    While gorilla medicine does not appear to be quite as advanced, it does include

    • Fromager tree (Ceiba pentandra) – The bark of this tree contains chemicals that are effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli.
    • Giant yellow mulberry (Myrianthus arboreus) – The bark of this tree contains chemicals that are effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli.
    • African teak (Milicia excelsa) – The bark of this tree contains chemicals that are effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli.
    • Fig trees (Ficus) – The bark of these trees contains chemicals that are effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli.

    Orangutans have also been observed –

    • Rakus the Sumatran orangutan – In June 2022, researchers observed Rakus treating a wound on his cheek with a poultice made from the leaves of the Akar Kuning plant. Rakus chewed the leaves, applied the juice to the wound, and repeated the process several times. The wound was fully closed within eight days. This was the first time scientists observed a wild animal using a medicinal plant to treat an injury.
    • Bornean orangutans have been observed eating plants with known medicinal properties, including ginger leaves and stem, and plants used by traditional healers to treat internal illness, tumors, and hemorrhage.
    • Orangutans also use plant extracts to treat pain.
    • Dracaena cantleyi – A study found that orangutans use the bioactive properties of Dracaena cantleyi for self-medication.

    And finally, Bonobo –

    • Manniophyton fulvum – Bonobos have been observed swallowing the leaves and stem strips of this plant, which has medicinal properties.
    • Leaf-swallowing – Bonobos may swallow leaves as a form of self-medication. One hypothesis is that the leaves act as a time-release capsule, with medicinal and scouring effects.
    • Overlapping plant use – Bonobos’ food repertoire overlaps with many plant species used by local populations to treat disease.

    It perhaps should not be a surprise that other great apes have the ability to treat simple ailments – after all, there are a wide range of illnesses, for which a sensible treatment is very simple. One of the most common simple long known treatments in humans in dock leaves – when rubbed on a stinging nettle sting, it greatly reduces both the pain and irritancy of the of the sting. It is not even restricted to the great apes with birds, bees, lizards, and elephants all regularly treating simple conditions. Even a domestic dog knows to eat grass when feeling sick.

    Posted on

    Colorado is looking to move a wolf pack – less than a year after it was reintroduced

    In 2020, wolf reintroduction into Colorado was agreed by the human population there, while this happened in December of 2023, the nearest wolf population lies around 400 miles north in Wyoming, and this is a distance that is easily covered by wolves. As a result, some wolves have turned up on their own.

    Around the beginning of September this year, it was decided to move the pack, to halt hunting of livestock that the pack was doing (though generally hunting of livestock is at very low levels). Unfortunately, the male of the pack was killed in the attempt. Given that wolf packs generally contain a breeding pair, and their offspring (cubs and older offspring often from the year before), the female cannot pick another mate from her pack, as they are often all her cubs. The capture of the wolves for translocation, occurred through leg traps, which in this individual became infected and caused the death. A second of the moved wolves has died, after a suspected fight with a mountain lion.

    The cubs are intended to be released in the winter, when they are old enough to hunt for themselves, though the fate of their mother is yet to be decided.

    This gives an idea of the recovery of wolves around the USA. One thing to note, is that even Alaska has a wolf population that is very similar to the rest of the USA.

    It should be noted, that the red wolf is a separate species. Genetic analysis has found that the red wolf has both grey wolf and coyote DNA, but is to distinct to be classed as a subspecies. The map above only lists 17 red wolves in the wild (other sites suggest 17-19). They were reintroduced in 1987, and while their population did grow to roughly 150, hybridization with local coyotes, meant that the population has since collapsed once again. There are an estimated 290 red wolves in captivity, and there has been action taken to remove coyotes in areas where they species were meeting – and people are working towards releasing more red wolves into its range.

    Of interest, the Southwest wolf numbers are also known as the Mexican wolf. There are a further 45 across the border in Mexico. This population was thought originally to number in the several 10s of thousands (though given the USA population was estimated at between 250,000 and 2 million both have suffered horrific declines).

    As with Europe, the recovery of the wolf is requiring people to learn to live alongside an incredibly wily and potentially dangerous species. However, wolves play important roles in the natural environment, and their return should be seen as a good thing. While occasional culls are necessary, these should be decided on scientific basis, and not at the whim of state politicians, who often choose unscientific culls because it is a vote winner. Many argued against delisting, as the wolf population is below 4% of the historic population (and excluding Alaska, below 2%) but Donald Trump rarely worried about science. What is going to happen to wolves now, as he has been returned to the white house for a second term, we will have to wait and see.

    Posted on

    Colony of red honeybees found in Europe for the first time

    Bees across much of Europe have not had an easy time of things in the last few decades, and that has been caused by a variety of things, including: pesticides, climate change, disease, climate change, parasites and nutrition deficiency just to name a few.

    Should this new invader spread, it may well be the last straw for our bees across many areas.

    Not only is it likely to compete for pollen with local bees, but the bees are also likely to carry various diseases, which while might hinder their health could kill our bees (this is often the case, as with squirrel pox, which kills the native red squirrels fast, but grey squirrels are often immune).

    Initially only found in parts of Asia, it is now found around the middle east, and parts of Africa as well.

    Having been found near a shipping cargo hub, it is feared that this is how it arrived. If this is true, it seems likely, that others might find their way all over the place through the same method.

    The winters are mild in this location, leading to the insects surviving the winter, an advantage that more northerly European destinations have – though climate change is also seeing this advantage reducing, and an increasing number of invasive species growing out of control.

    Posted on

    10 year study on the river Otter shows the benefit of beavers to the river

    This is the place were beavers first appeared in 2008, though were only fully recognized in around 2013. A full study on the impact of these animals on the river, was launched in 2014 and after 10 years it has reported. The results are incredible, with much of the local environment totally changed.

    Space along the river was given over to the beavers, and they have taken full advantage. Their dams mean that in storm conditions, surges are 30% smaller, allowing the river to cope, and not flood towns along its route. An estimated 24 million litres of water is now stored in these beaver areas. This has in turn created areas where toads, water voles dragon-flies and even otters are able to thrive.

    Similar impacts have occurred in other places where beavers returned such as Scotland.

    Clearly, we should be looking to facilitate the spread of the beavers, and translocating them to suitable rivers up and down the country. Our rivers are known as some of the dirtiest in the country. While much of the blame for this lies with sewage treatment, beavers would likely have a fantastic impact on this.

    Posted on

    Rare black tiger spotted in Odisha

    A tiger with these markings is rare, but it is not the first time – video at the bottom of the page

    Cats are one of the families of species that perhaps show rare colourations relatively regularly. I say relatively, because naturally these can be very rare. Like a black leopard or a king cheetah, these can exist as a recessive gene.

    Having said this, a tiger with more black on it, may well be better at hunting when there is little light, which could boost its chances of breeding effectively. This picture is from late in 2023, from Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha. There is a significant history of this genetic mutation in this reserve (though that is not particularly surprising, as black leopards and similar are also genetic so tend to occur in the same area for a time).

    Continue reading “Rare black tiger spotted in Odisha”
    Posted on

    Grolar bears or Pizzly bears remain rare in the wild, according to study

    Pizzlies in Osnabruck photo credit Corradox CC by SA 3.0

    I wrote, yesterday about the fears for the future of the polar bear species, and the problems that global warming are causing. Today, I am writing about another news subject from a few months ago – that of hybrids between brown bears and the polar bears.

    Polar bears as a species, are only though to be between 150,000 and 1.7million years old, with most putting their estimate at around 600,000 years. This is very young for a species, and they descend from brown bears, with a 2011 study finding that female polar bear DNA seems to originate from a group of brown bears living in Ireland during the last ice age when vast ice sheets stretched from there to the north pole, and allowed polar bears to truly wander far and wide.

    Pizzly’s and Growler bears, while found in nature on rare occasions, would have naturally been so rare as to be insignificant. It is only human caused global warming which has forced these animals together – and regular meetings in the natural world, of closely related species, usually ends up with offspring.

    These hybrids (male polar bear and female grizzly ends with a Pizzly bear, while a female polar bear and a male grizzly ends with a Growler bear) are likely to become more common. Polar bears will increasingly have to head south, to be able to survive, and Grizzly bears will increasingly head north for cooler environments, bringing them into contact more and more often.

    Posted on

    Donald Trump is president again – impact on the world

    I am not going to pretend that this is not bad. Donald Trumps former term was bad for the natural world and the fight against climate change. Likely changes:

    • Leaving the Paris climate agreement again – there is some suggestion that this will lead to a collapse of the agreement. Trump has pushed coal among other fossil fuels, and is likely to roll back various progress. Perhaps a possible hope is Elon Musk and his closeness to Donald Trump – might this relationship mean that less is done against electric cars? Last time, the USA carbon emissions fell despite everything that Trump did (definitely not because). Keeping temperature increases to just 1.5 degrees Celsius is pretty much impossible, if the USA does not do its part.
    • Denialism and doubt will return – it is not just that Donald Trump is not willing to work towards the end of carbon emissions, but he does not believe that global warming is real. This is a real indictment on how he forms his views of the world, as it is a simple fact that the world is warming
    • Clean energy policies will go, along with scientific decisions on wolves and other wildlife within the country. This is quite likely to have an impact on global biodiversity, as the USA will abandon its lead on this.
    • Under Trump the first time, protected status for species no longer required the same protections, and much wilderness in the USA lost its protection. A return to office is likely to make this far worse.

    The situation is serious. Having been president before, it is highly likely that trump will be more effective this time, as he knows more than last time. He has retaken the Senate, and it looks like he is going to take the house as well. Will he manage to use his position more effectively? Leadership on climate, biodiversity and many more things will fall open, we must wait and see if other countries step up to fill their shoes, and continue to push forwards.

    We are in for another bumpy road

    Posted on

    Is Asia’s plummeting fertility rate a going to lead to a crisis, or might it help save the planet?

    A large crowd

    Of the slightly over 8 billion humans on earth, 4.641 billion, or just under 60% live in Asia. While this is expected to grow to 5.25 billion people in 2055 it will only be 54% (due to increasing populations elsewhere in the world) of global population at the time.

    So, what is the problem? An average fertility rate of 2.1 is currently considered necessary to maintain population levels (that is, 2.1 births per female). When the fertility rate drops below this rate, there are not enough babies being born to replace all of the people dying. As environmentalists, this is good, as the human population is thought (by some) to be too high to sustainable retain long-term (estimates as to what population the earth can sustain long-term range from a relatively small 0.65 billion to an enormous 9-10 billion). Of course, it depends on what we consider as sustainable survival – for me, and I hope for most of you, what I would consider sustainable, would be a low enough population to allow all other species on earth to thrive, so I would suggest that a number near the bottom of this list is more reasonable.

    Below, we will look at a range of Asian countries with large populations

    Continue reading “Is Asia’s plummeting fertility rate a going to lead to a crisis, or might it help save the planet?”
    See Animals Wild