Category Archives: Wildlife
Ocean Views: Predators Of The World’s Coral Reefs
Arctic Views: A Narwhal Expedition To Franz Josef Land Archipelago, Russia
Franz Josef Land is the northernmost territory of Russia, and one of the least filmed territory in the world. Our shots are truly unique, capturing the beauty of the Arctic landscape and the majestic Narwhals in their natural habitat. As we took our drone to the skies, we searched for days to find these elusive creatures, and finally, we were lucky enough to spot them.
Did you know that Narwhals are the only known species of whale to have a single tusk? And that this tusk, which is actually a protruding tooth, can grow up to 3 meters long? The scientists on board the Mikhail Somov were conducting an important research expedition to prove that Narwhals dwell in the Russian Arctic.
They also took biopsies from the Narwhals to better understand the impact of global climatic changes on these amazing creatures. Our diesel-electric ship, the Mikhail Somov, is a historical ship with a rich history of Arctic exploration. In 1985 the Mikhail Somov became trapped in the ice for 133 days, but the crew was able to survive and eventually free the ship. Despite its modern upgrades, the ship still maintains the charm and spirit of its earlier expeditions.
Travel & Nature: National Geographic — May 2023
THE ELEPHANT NEXT DOOR
ASIAN ELEPHANTS ARE LEARNING TO LIVE WITH US. BUT WILL WE LEARN TO LIVE WITH THEM?
Kosovo wants to decide its future—but will history hold it back?
This small Balkan country won its independence from Serbia 15 years ago, but still waits for justice for wartime victims and global recognition as a new nation.
Nature: The Hummingbird Effect In Costa Rica (PBS)
Costa Rica’s motto is Pura Vida – Pure Life – and this deceptively small country is bursting with some of the most spectacular wildlife and pristine ecosystems in the world. All this diversity thrives, in part, thanks to one surprising little creature: hummingbirds.
Venture across Costa Rica’s wild and rugged landscapes, from volcanic peaks to coastal jungle to misty cloud forests, and discover the nation’s dazzling diversity of hummingbirds. There are more than 50 species of hummingbirds here, and they play an outsize role in maintaining some of the richest and wildest environments on Earth.
The Hummingbird Effect premiered on April 12, 2023.
Habitats: Wild Monkeys On ‘The Rock’ In Gibraltar
Animals are learning to survive and thrive in one very surprising habitat – cities. Join wildlife presenter Hannah Stitfall as she sets out on a mission to meet our new neighbours.
Views: Bison In Antelope Island State Park, Utah
Antelope Island State Park in Utah is home to free-ranging bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn (antelope), and many other desert animals. Millions of birds congregate along the shores surrounding the island, offering unparalleled opportunities for birding. Year-round Interpretive opportunities round out the Antelope Island experience.
Small Town Nature: Red Squirrels Thriving In UK
Hosted by wildlife presenter Hannah Stitfall (@hannahstitfall via IG).
Costa Rica Views: The Tiny ‘Volcano Hummingbird’
The volcano hummingbird (Selasphorus flammula ) is a very small hummingbird, native to the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and western Panama.
This tiny endemic bird inhabits open brushy areas, paramo, and edges of elfin forest at altitudes from 1850 m to the highest peaks. It is only 7.5 cm long. The male weighs 2.5 g and the female 2.8 g. The black bill is short and straight.
The adult male volcano hummingbird has bronze-green upperparts and rufous-edged black outer tail feathers. The throat is grey-purple in the Talamanca range, red in the Poas-Barva mountains and pink-purple in the Irazú-Turrialba area, the rest of the underparts being white. The female is similar, but her throat is white with dusky spots. Young birds resemble the female but have buff fringes to the upperpart plumage.
The female volcano hummingbird is entirely responsible for nest building and incubation. She lays two white eggs in her tiny plant-down cup nest 1–5 m high in a scrub or on a root below a south or east facing bank. Incubation takes 15–19 days, and fledging another 20–26.
Nature In Vienna: The ‘Beavers Of The Danube’
Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber)
The beaver is the “master builder” of riverine landscapes. By felling trees, the beaver makes a significant contribution to biodiversity by providing habitats for many other species.
In Austria, in the Danube-March-Thaya wetlands; migrates to the Weinviertel (“Forest Quarter”) and the Vienna Woods, but also from the Inn and Salzach down the Danube to Linz.
Endangerment and Conservation Status
In Austria, beavers had been extinguished by the middle of the 19th century. Starting in the 1970s, they were restored on the Salzach and Inn rivers as well as in the Danube wetlands east of Vienna. Protecting the riparian forests is essential to the conservation of the beaver.
Boomers Daily 