A blog post by Emma For two weeks over the New Zealand 2018/2019 summer, Tom and I volunteered with kākāpō on Whenua Hou Island. You can read about the trip and some of the other species we encountered in our blog post, here. Whilst we were on the island, we were extremely lucky to have…
Tag: Conservation
Volunteering with Kākāpō on Whenua Hou Island
A blog post by Emma Parenthood, work and life have been keeping us very busy. So much so that it has taken a pandemic and a countrywide lockdown to get Tom and I back in front of the computer again! We hope that everyone is keeping safe. We are well, but it looks like we’ll…
Plague Skinks (Lampropholis delicata) at Gordon Park Scenic Reserve, Whanganui, NZ
This Tuesday, Tom and I joined a team of volunteers to tackle some of the invasive plant species at Gordon Park Scenic Reserve, Whanganui. Whilst we were there, we came across a clutch of skink eggs and a number of skinks basking in the sun in a newly-planted area. Gordon Park Scenic Reserve Gordon Park…
Orangutans of Borneo: An Encounter with a Flanged Male
On our first morning in the rainforest at Danau Girang Field Centre, nestled on the Lower Kinabatangan river in Borneo, we were woken by the people of the forest. We watched a female orangutan and her baby move through the trees in the morning light. You can read our post about this experience here. In the…
Gotta Count ’em All – Butterfly Bonanza
Over the past few weeks, we have been getting out and doing some volunteering. Being self-employed ecologists racing across the globe back and forth from NZ to the UK and the UK to NZ, we spend a lot of our time chasing paid work. This doesn’t give us much time to volunteer. Saying that, if…
1000 Views This Month – Thank You!
We started this blog last year in November. Since then, this is the first month that we have surpassed the 1000 view mark. We just wanted to write a short blog post to you all to say, ‘Thank you!’ Below are some interesting statistics about our blog’s journey so far: We…
British Orchids in Bloom
What a heatwave we’ve been having here in the UK over last few days! All of this sunshine has meant plenty of time outdoors enjoying Britain’s wonderful flora and fauna. Our most recent wanderings took us along roadside verges in search of Britain’s native orchids. Who would have thought that these verges would be one…
Getting to Know UK Wildlife: The Great Crested Newt
Like is the story with so many species, the great crested newt has suffered at the hands of habitat modification, primarily in the form of agricultural intensification. Due to this, their populations declined markedly during the latter part of the twentieth century. And, although they are currently widespread, there is cause for concern because populations are still being lost or damaged.
The Baya Weaver (One Way to Please Her: Become a Master Weaver)
After an adventurous Malaysian jungle experience, we were back in the 4×4 heading out of the forest and soon bouncing our way down the dusty tracks surrounded by oil palm plantations. I had one more ask of our extremely patient guide and friend, Mr Lam. Several days earlier on the way into Endau Rompin National Park, we…
The Rhinoceros Hornbill : Malaysia’s National Bird
…Their most striking feature, their casque (the head ornament that looks like a second bill, or rhinoceros horn) is thought to have a similar function to that of hadrosaur’s head crest.
Exploring the Malaysian Jungle: Endau-Rompin National Park
Tom and I spend the southern hemisphere’s summer in New Zealand, my home country, and the northern hemisphere’s summer in England, Tom’s home country. We follow the summer because it is also the ecology season when we get most work. The flight can be pretty long when you have to travel half-way around the globe, so…
Takahē: The World’s Largest Living Rail
The takahē’s story is quite amazing. Between 1849 and 1898, only four individuals were ever sighted… By the early 1900’s takahē were considered to be extinct.