2007-08-07T15:12:01ZRarely has a photographer come so close to such a large number of animals in their natural habitat as wildlife photographer Steve Bloom.
He is unsurpassed when it comes to snapping wild animals at just the right moment.
This exhibition features a collection of 100 fantastic photographs of wild animals and unique aspects of nature, from magnificent panoramas to incredible close-ups.
Spirit of the Wild debuted in Copenhagen in 2006, allowing the Danes to experience Steve Bloom's fantastic animal and nature pictures for the first time. 1.5 million people visited the exhibition on Kgs Nytorv.
The exhibition is currently on show in Oslo and Stockholm.2007-08-08T00:00:00Z3
www.stevebloom.com
Spirit of the Wild2007-08-07T00:00:00Z22007-08-07T00:00:00Z2007-10-25T09:20:20Z/exhibitions/3/page_attachments/0000/0040/elephant.jpgimage/jpeg2007-08-08T07:34:12ZMeet the dolphin… without doubt the most stylish marine mammal to grace our seas and oceans. For thousands of years dolphins have been renowned for their intelligence, sociability and elegance. There are more than 30 species of dolphin – the Atlantic spotted, the Pacific white-sided, the pantropical spotted, Risso’s, Hector’s and the bottlenose (pictured), to name but a few.
Exceptional swimmers, dolphins are found throughout the world. While most inhabit the oceans, some species are found in rivers as far apart as the Amazon and the Ganges. Dolphins live in groups – pods – which range from a dozen or so individuals to as many as 1,000. They use their sophisticated echo-location ‘radar’ to hunt, and frequently cooperate with each other as they round up their prey.
Most of us associate dolphins with speed and gusto, especially when they leap energetically from the water. But this isn’t always the case. The Amazon river dolphin, for example, is slow, lethargic and seemingly cautious of everything around it.
However, all is not well for the dolphin, wherever it may be: in the open seas the species is highly vulnerable to marine pollution and commercial fishing activities. Thousands of these friendly mammals are caught and drowned in fishing nets, and as the seas are plundered by large fisheries, this friendly mammal’s staple food supply is declining. What’s more, some river dolphins are under threat as their migratory routes are blocked by dams and their natural habitat polluted by chemical discharges. Little wonder, then, that environmental organisations such as WWF campaign for cleaner, safer rivers and seas, and for an end to excessive and unnecessary fishing practices.
3dolphins.jpg444616168774Bottlenose Dolphin, Honduras 2007-10-02T09:20:45Z670/page_attachments/0000/0061/dolphins.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0061/dolphins_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0061/dolphins_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-08-08T07:34:21ZElephants love water, and spend a great deal of their time bathing and wallowing in waterholes or rivers. Among the best long-distance swimmers of all the mammals, even young calves are capable of swimming across rivers, usually with some support from the adults in the herd.
Their bodies are quite buoyant, as their huge bulk is supported by the water. Legs become giant paddles, and the trunk is pushed up like a periscope and used as a snorkel. They can achieve speeds in excess of 3.5km per hour and swim for long distances.
Some elephants will swim for sheer pleasure, though an elephant swimming in the clear blue water of the Andaman Sea is an unusual and somewhat incongruous sight. The Andaman Islands, stretching over a distance of 352 km, are a string of about 550 volcanic islands, arising from a submerged mountain chain in the Bay of Bengal. Elephants used for logging in the Andaman Islands were occasionally taught to swim in the sea, in order to cross from one island to another.
3elephant_in_water.jpg444646464546Indian Elephant swimming in the Andaman Sea2007-10-02T09:22:24Z670/page_attachments/0000/0064/elephant_in_water.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0064/elephant_in_water_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0064/elephant_in_water_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-08-08T07:34:30ZMeasuring up to four metres high and weighing in at a colossal six tonnes, the largest living land animal – the African elephant – is a sight to behold. The destructive path of a family of elephants, on the other hand, is definitely one to avoid! However, as a growing human population encroaches ever further into traditional elephant territory, conflict between the two species is an increasing problem.
Ranging across habitat as diverse as desert, wetlands, rainforest and grasslands, Africa’s elephants gather into highly social groups, led by a dominant female. On reaching adulthood, males either strike out on their own or join a bachelor herd, and only rejoin the matriarchal herd to breed. At around eight years of age, male (or bull) elephants begin an annual condition known as musth, or ‘madness’. This is marked by weeping secretions from behind their eyes, during which time they become more aggressive and sexually excited… not entirely different from human adolescence, some may say!
Serious fighting between bull elephants is rare – but when it happens, head ramming and tusk clashes are common. The distinctive tusks, which are actually extended incisors, may produce half a tonne of ivory in a lifetime, and have made elephants a target for poaching. Indeed, it was the demand for ivory that fuelled a dramatic decline in African elephant populations in the 1970s and ’80s, when numbers halved.
A ban on international trade in ivory was agreed in 1989 and has reduced the problem, but poaching and habitat loss remain the biggest threats to the future of this mighty mammal.
3elephants.jpg444676754768African Elephant, Savute, Botswana 2007-10-02T09:24:13Z670/page_attachments/0000/0067/elephants.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0067/elephants_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0067/elephants_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:06:44ZChimpanzees are highly intelligent animals and are regarded as man’s closest relative in the animal kingdom. They have the ability to recognise one another and adapt twigs and stems for tools. Chimps are extremely expressive and communicate with each another through a complex range of sounds, expressions, grunts, body language and grooming. They are very social, living in groups called troupes. They climb with great agility and leap through trees at speed – but they usually spend most of their time on the ground, where they walk on all fours. A chimp’s diet is mainly vegetarian but it also eat insects and small prey… including other smaller monkeys.
Chimpanzees are killed and eaten by humans in many areas of west and central Africa, as a primary source of protein. Their body parts are also used in traditional medicine.
Such poaching expeditions for ‘bushmeat’ and the capture of young animals result in the slaughter of adults as they try and defend their babies and extended family. It is estimated that the removal of one infant will result in the death of up to 10 other chimpanzees. The young animals are smuggled out of Africa and sold illegally abroad.
These particular chimps are very fortunate in that they have been rescued from abuse from different parts of the world and are now living at Monkey World in the UK. The sanctuary was created in 1987 to rescue abused primates and rehabilitate them back to good health. Monkey World also works with foreign governments to stop the illegal smuggling out of Africa and Asia.
3001520-SB1.jpg466355355144963Chimpanzee, Monkey World Rescue Centre, Dorset 2007-10-03T14:29:59Z647/page_attachments/0000/0355/001520-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0355/001520-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0355/001520-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:07:39ZThe endangered orang-utan – “man of the forest” – is the largest tree-dwelling animal in the world. Found in the forests of Borneo and Sumatra, it is one of man’s closest relatives, if you’re in doubt, just look at the mother’s fingers and fingernails!
Although orang-utans, like the rest of us, like to wallow and relax in water, they actually spend almost all their time high in the forest canopy, only occasionally climbing down to ground level. So devoted are they to the treetops that the mothers even give birth high above ground.
The orang-utan is the only great ape in Asia. Its shaggy reddish fur makes it instantly recognisable to friend and foe, and with powerful hands and long arms it is constantly on the move – so much so that it makes a new nest every night. However, this engaging primate’s habitat is rapidly being destroyed by loggers’ chainsaws, or being burned deliberately to make way for agriculture and oil palm plantations. And if that’s not enough, the pet trade also takes its toll: over the years, thousands of orang-utans have been sold to people in countries where ‘pet’ primates are regarded as status symbols. The fear now is that unless these unique great apes are conserved in secure protected areas, and in wider forest landscapes connected by corridors, they may well become extinct in the wild.
WWF, the global environment organisation, works on education and awareness programmes directed at land developers, plantation owners, governments, local communities and the wider public. It also funds research into orang-utan numbers – and has recently discovered that in Borneo, these charismatic primates are at last holding their own.
3001544-SB1.jpg465358358122322Orang-utan, Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo 2007-10-03T14:32:18Z698/page_attachments/0000/0358/001544-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0358/001544-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0358/001544-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:07:58ZIn the animal kingdom, primates are man’s closest relatives. The largest is the gorilla, one of the most peaceable and intelligent of all mammals. Gorillas live and thrive in social groups, sometimes numbering as many as 40, which are led by a mature male – the silverback. These huge primates communicate through a complex variety of sounds, gestures and facial expressions.
The sadness is that without exception, primates and their habitats are under relentless pressure. In some cases, this is due to years of warfare. But elsewhere, as human development extends and expands away from towns and cities, these animals and their homelands face the daily threat of fires, deforestation and rampant habitat destruction – all in the name of ‘progress’. Then there is the trade in bushmeat – the meat of primates – which has become so widespread that it is now of very great concern to environmental organisations such as WWF, and to Jane Goodall, the world renowned conservationist.
Yet anyone who has ever encountered a gorilla cannot fail to be moved. “It took most of the day to reach the animals you’re looking at now” recalls photographer Steve Bloom. “We hacked paths and crawled through thick undergrowth in torrential rain. But it was worth the effort – for me, primates are a quintessential part of the ecological poetry of the rainforest, and when we found the gorilla, serene in his forest home, his gaze left me with the profound feeling that I was looking back into our own history.”
3001573-SB1.jpg465361361245221Silverback Mountain Gorilla, Mgahinga National Park, Uganda 2007-10-03T14:32:47Z656/page_attachments/0000/0361/001573-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0361/001573-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0361/001573-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:08:12ZIn the animal kingdom, primates are man’s closest relatives. The largest is the gorilla, one of the most peaceable and intelligent of all mammals. Gorillas live and thrive in social groups, sometimes numbering as many as 40, which are led by a mature male – the silverback. These huge primates communicate through a complex variety of sounds, gestures and facial expressions.
The sadness is that without exception, primates and their habitats are under relentless pressure. In some cases, this is due to years of warfare. But elsewhere, as human development extends and expands away from towns and cities, these animals and their homelands face the daily threat of fires, deforestation and rampant habitat destruction – all in the name of ‘progress’. Then there is the trade in bushmeat – the meat of primates – which has become so widespread that it is now of very great concern to environmental organisations such as WWF, and to Jane Goodall, the world renowned conservationist.
Yet anyone who has ever encountered a gorilla cannot fail to be moved. “It took most of the day to reach the animals you’re looking at now” recalls photographer Steve Bloom. “We hacked paths and crawled through thick undergrowth in torrential rain. But it was worth the effort – for me, primates are a quintessential part of the ecological poetry of the rainforest, and when we found the gorilla, serene in his forest home, his gaze left me with the profound feeling that I was looking back into our own history.”
3001599-SB1.jpg465364364111421Mountain Gorilla, Parc des Virungas, Democratic Republic of Congo 2007-10-03T14:33:30Z669/page_attachments/0000/0364/001599-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0364/001599-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0364/001599-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:08:25ZJapanese snow monkeys come down from the mountains to seek sanctuary from the bitterly cold winter by bathing in hot thermal springs. Extraordinarily, these animals are the only primates, apart from humans, to use hot water.
Also known as the Japanese macaque, the snow monkey lives in steep terrain and in temperatures ranging from the sub-tropical to as low as –15˚C. In some parts of Japan, the snow monkey will travel from region to region as the seasons change. It does this instinctively, of course – but there may be some kind of survival instinct behind this intuition. Like other primates, the snow monkey is coming under more and more pressure as its habitat is destroyed by human encroachment, so it’s being forced to find pastures new. However, it also has to be said that it does itself no favours: hoards of macaques habitually raid farmland for fruit, seeds, tree bark and arable crops with the predictable result that they are often killed as pests.
But the snow monkey is by no means the only animal to go crop-raiding – even tigers and elephants come into similar conflict with humans. WWF, the global conservation organisation, frequently works to resolve these issues when endangered species are involved, for the benefit of both humans and nature.
3001612-SB2.jpg46536736782362Japanese Macaque, Jigokudani National Park, Japan 2007-10-03T14:33:59Z662/page_attachments/0000/0367/001612-SB2.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0367/001612-SB2_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0367/001612-SB2_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:08:53ZSome biologists believe that the hippopotamus is more closely related to the whale than to some of its fellow land-mammals: in which case, perhaps the size of the mouth is a clue! The hippo can also float and swim, and has a passion for water. Not for nothing does its name translate as ‘river horse’!
A native of Africa, the hippo is one of the heavyweights of the animal kingdom. Tipping the scales at more than a ton – and sometimes as much as three – it’s surprisingly fleet of foot when needs be. An angry hippo can reach speeds of 30kph, and in full flight is an awesome sight to behold.
Because it’s all but hairless, this nine-foot (3m) animal easily succumbs to sunburn – which is why it prefers to spend the hot African day wallowing in rivers and glorious mud pools, and to forage for food in the cool of the night.
Despite its enormous bulk, the hippo is far from safe. Predators include the lion and crocodile, but other dangers include habitat loss, the increasing effects of climate change… and the human hunter.
3001804-SB1.jpg465370370208194Hippopotamus and Wildebeest, Masai Mara, Kenya2007-10-03T14:34:30Z712/page_attachments/0000/0370/001804-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0370/001804-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0370/001804-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:20:19ZMeasuring up to four metres high and weighing in at a colossal six tonnes, the largest living land animal – the African elephant – is a sight to behold. The destructive path of a family of elephants, on the other hand, is definitely one to avoid! However, as a growing human population encroaches ever further into traditional elephant territory, conflict between the two species is an increasing problem.
Ranging across habitat as diverse as desert, wetlands, rainforest and grasslands, Africa’s elephants gather into highly social groups, led by a dominant female. On reaching adulthood, males either strike out on their own or join a bachelor herd, and only rejoin the matriarchal herd to breed. At around eight years of age, male (or bull) elephants begin an annual condition known as musth, or ‘madness’. This is marked by weeping secretions from behind their eyes, during which time they become more aggressive and sexually excited… not entirely different from human adolescence, some may say!
Serious fighting between bull elephants is rare – but when it happens, head ramming and tusk clashes are common. The distinctive tusks, which are actually extended incisors, may produce half a tonne of ivory in a lifetime, and have made elephants a target for poaching. Indeed, it was the demand for ivory that fuelled a dramatic decline in African elephant populations in the 1970s and ’80s, when numbers halved.
A ban on international trade in ivory was agreed in 1989 and has reduced the problem, but poaching and habitat loss remain the biggest threats to the future of this mighty mammal.
3001856-SB1.jpg465373373142030African Elephant, Amboseli, Kenya 2007-10-03T14:35:32Z718/page_attachments/0000/0373/001856-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0373/001856-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0373/001856-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:20:43ZIf ever an animal was turbo-charged, it is the cheetah. Streamlined and surely the most elegant of the big cats, the cheetah can reach a speed of up to 100 kilometres an hour. What this lovely mammal lacks in bulk it certainly makes up for in speed, earning it the nickname the greyhound of cats. Its status remains vulnerable due to illicit poaching activities and it has largely been wiped out over much of its range in South Africa. Previously the Cheetah could be seen as far east as India, but it has been extinct there for many years. It has suffered massively due to loss of habitat all over its previous strongholds. Cheetahs were once tamed and widely hunted.
Male cheetahs often live in small family groups with firmly established territories marked out with scent from their urine. Females leave their scent to indicate when they are ready to mate. Cheetahs may breed at any time of the year. The courtship is extended, after which the male leaves the female to raise the cubs on her own. Females frequently move dens to guard against predators such as lions because the cubs are very vulnerable. After a three month period the cubs are gradually taught to hunt by their mothers. Hunting skills rely on a combination of speed and stealth but due to the cheetah’s light build, larger animals frequently oust them from their kills.
3001875-SB2.jpg46537637655999Cheetah, Masai Mara, Kenya2007-10-03T20:54:09Z722/page_attachments/0000/0376/001875-SB2.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0376/001875-SB2_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0376/001875-SB2_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:20:58ZA lion’s mane is there predominantly for show. When a male is fully mature, this longer hair darkens and makes him appear larger and more aggressive. It also helps him to attract females and ward off other males. Lions live in groups known as prides and skilfully work together as an efficient team to disable potential prey. Once an animal is singled out and caught, it dies in seconds following a powerful neck bite. The older and more senior members of the prides will eat first, but eventually all the animals in the group will have a share - hence the saying, the lion’s share. Young males are usually driven out and will go off to set up small bachelor prides of their own until they are mature enough to seek out their own females.
Though lions are superbly powerful and can adapt to varying habitats, they are constantly under threat as more and more land is reclaimed for domestic livestock. Poaching also remains a constant menace and lions are only secure in specially protected areas in game reserves and parks. WWF works constantly to protect lions and the habitat where they thrive.
3001891-SB1.jpg46537937989693Lion, Masai Mara, Kenya 2007-10-03T20:48:49Z640/page_attachments/0000/0379/001891-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0379/001891-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0379/001891-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:21:12ZSome biologists believe that the hippopotamus is more closely related to the whale than to some of its fellow land-mammals: in which case, perhaps the size of the mouth is a clue! The hippo can also float and swim, and has a passion for water. Not for nothing does its name translate as ‘river horse’!
A native of Africa, the hippo is one of the heavyweights of the animal kingdom. Tipping the scales at more than a ton – and sometimes as much as three – it’s surprisingly fleet of foot when needs be. An angry hippo can reach speeds of 30kph, and in full flight is an awesome sight to behold.
Because it’s all but hairless, this nine-foot (3m) animal easily succumbs to sunburn – which is why it prefers to spend the hot African day wallowing in rivers and glorious mud pools, and to forage for food in the cool of the night.
Despite its enormous bulk, the hippo is far from safe. Predators include the lion and crocodile, but other dangers include habitat loss, the increasing effects of climate change… and the human hunter.
3001896-SB1.jpg465382382124763Hippopotamus, Okavango, Botswana 2007-10-03T20:52:11Z698/page_attachments/0000/0382/001896-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0382/001896-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0382/001896-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:21:25ZA flamingo’s extraordinary shaped bill serves as a sieve through which it sifts water through a series of bony plates. Its tongue pushes excess water back out, leaving only the choicest elements containing crustaceans such as shrimps, molluscs, insects and tiny protozoan particles.
Flamingos nest in huge colonies, often numbering many thousands of birds. Their amorous group displays are like complex dances. Young flamingos congregate in huge crèches where non-breeding adults take charge of them. Salty lagoons and shallow lakes are the favoured choice of habitat and in some alkaline soda lakes, the birds develop specially toughened skin on their legs to cope with the caustic burning of the soda which can crystallize on their legs and render them useless.
There are five species of flamingo; the lesser, greater, Andean, Chilean, and the James’ or Puna. Flamingos are found in both the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. All are stunningly beautiful and with their long legs and pretty colouration make a dramatic picture. Sadly their habitats are shrinking and WWF works constantly to protect rare wetlands from being drained and spoilt. Low-flying aircraft are also a threat to this magnificent bird.
3001923-SB1.jpg46538538539497Flamingo, Lake Magadi, Kenya2007-10-03T20:55:05Z694/page_attachments/0000/0385/001923-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0385/001923-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0385/001923-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:21:37ZPoor eyesight combined with an aggressive nature means that a rhino is likely to charge at anything that moves – it’s even known to target trees swaying in the wind!
The rhino, with its tank-like physique, can weigh more than two tonnes yet hurtle along at speeds of up to 30mph (50kph). The no-nonsense impression of this solitary and largely nocturnal vegetarian is topped off with a horn or two, the longer of which can reach a whopping 4ft 6ins (1.4m).
Made of thickly-matted keratin – a protein that also forms hair and hooves – and not actually attached to the skull, it’s the fearsome horn that has been the focus of the rhino’s dramatic decline. Having thrived for 60 million years, rhino numbers plummeted in the last century. Rampant poaching during the 1970s and ’80s wiped out nearly 90 per cent of the world’s rhinos and brought this wonderful animal to the edge of extinction.
The poaching was spurred by demand for horn to make Yemeni ceremonial dagger handles and, in powdered form, for traditional east Asian medicine. Habitat loss has put further pressure on all populations.
Today, two African and three Asian species survive, in wildly varying numbers. Southern Africa’s white rhino has been the focus of a fantastic conservation success story: a century ago there were around 100 individuals; today, there are more than 10,000. The Javan rhino is smaller in stature than its African counterparts and drastically shorter in numbers – fewer than 50 are thought to live in the wild, making it possibly the rarest of the world’s large mammals.
Very few rhinos now exist outside protected areas, and they depend on the continuing efforts of conservation organisations.
3002026-SB1.jpg46538838878576Black Rhinoceros, Etosha National Park, Namibia2007-10-03T20:56:04Z719/page_attachments/0000/0388/002026-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0388/002026-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0388/002026-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:21:54ZWalt Disney perfectly captured the characteristics of the vulture in his epic children’s film, The Jungle Book. Seeing them jostling and fighting while feeding off the remains of some creature is proof that they really are the thugs of the bird world. They perch in dead trees hunched like bald old men silhouetted against the sunset, awaiting the next casualty which they can sense from a considerable distance.
Vultures have weak feet with blunt talons and bare heads to prevent the feathers from becoming engrained and soiled with rotten flesh from their scavenging habits. With vast long wings perfectly streamlined for distance flight, they are skilled and able in the air and can drift on the thermals while searching for their next snack. When they have chicks to feed, the adult birds regurgitate food from their crops for them instead of carrying prey back to their scruffy nests.
Despite their appearance and reputation, vultures are vitally important to the fragile ecosystems they inhabit. By cleaning up carrion, they perform an essential hygienic task; indeed, they could well be described as the refuse collectors of the natural world.
3002087-SB1.jpg46539139174474Vulture, Masai Mara, Kenya2007-10-03T20:57:51Z701/page_attachments/0000/0391/002087-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0391/002087-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0391/002087-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:22:15ZThis brilliantly coloured and vibrant bird is instantly recognisable as a symbol of the South American rainforest in all its glory. There are around 40 different varieties of toucan and it is easily distinguished from other birds by its exceptionally large, colourful beak. The Toco has the largest bill of all the toucans. Although it appears huge and heavy it is in fact surprisingly light, made from thin bones and keratin – a protein that also forms hair and hooves.
As well as being used to attract a mate, the bill is also essential to pluck fruit, berries and the eggs from smaller birds’ nests, and to catch insects and lizards. Toucans are playful birds and use their bills to spar with one another. They are considered to be the noisiest bird in the forest; the sound is similar to a frog’s croak.
As long as the illegal wildlife trade continues, beautiful birds such as parrots and toucans remain incredibly vulnerable to illicit capture. Many never even make it to their intended destinations, dying instead in cramped and dirty cages in hot and humid markets, or in transit on aircraft.
The animals and birds that live in rainforests throughout the world are under increasing pressure because of the destruction of their habitat through logging, cattle ranching and overpopulation. This has resulted in the loss of millions of hectares of rainforest. It is estimated that an average of 35 species become extinct every day in the world’s tropical rainforests.
3002100-SB1.jpg46539439453648Toco Toucan2007-10-03T20:59:06Z690/page_attachments/0000/0394/002100-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0394/002100-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0394/002100-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:22:56ZA giraffe is the tallest living mammal on earth – the males can reach an astonishing 18 feet high. With their long necks giraffes have no problem reaching tree tops for food. Surprisingly, even with such a hugely extended neck, the giraffe still has the same amount of neck vertebrae as other mammals, 7 in total. However these are greatly elongated to allow the neck to manoeuvre and flex. Neck wrestling and head-banging by competing males establishes supremacy.
The patterns on a giraffe are particular to each animal and a giraffe’s colour may also vary depending on its health, the time of year and its habitat. Nine separate subspecies are recognised by their different patterning and colour. Unusually baby giraffes are born with horns, though these are almost flat-packed on its head, becoming upright after a few days. When first born a young giraffe is vulnerable, however its mother can fend off any would-be threat with a savage kick with her hind legs. Lions and other big cats can easily be killed outright by a giraffe kick.
In some areas giraffes are traditionally hunted for food and they are vulnerable to poachers. Sometimes they are killed to weave their long tails into tourist bracelets, a shameless waste of the world’s tallest beast.
3002218-SB1.jpg46539739762693Giraffe, South Africa 2007-10-03T21:00:20Z702/page_attachments/0000/0397/002218-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0397/002218-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0397/002218-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:23:19ZThis elegant and graceful member of the antelope family is a vital food source for many of the predator species such as lion, cheetah and leopard. Sadly, over-zealous hunting by man has dropped numbers drastically over the southern part of the impala’s African range. Despite this, much has been done recently to successfully reintroduce Impala and WWF has worked extensively setting up reserves in many areas of Africa.
Impala live in large social groups to help protect them from predators. With an extremely acute sense of hearing, scent and sight, they are constantly on their guard. When a big cat strikes, they divide and scatter in all directions causing confusion. Their leaping agility and dramatic turn of speed (up to 60 kilometres an hour), often keeps them out of trouble.
During the driest part of the season, Impala need to drink regularly and are vulnerable to attack at watering holes. So they visit watering pools during the heat of the midday sun, in order to avoid encounters with big cats. Only the males have horns which take many years to reach their full potential. These beautifully ridged horns are a sign of male dominance and rams with the best ones quickly establish territories and gather a harem of ewes. During the rut the rams are very vocal, emitting a variety of calls. Ewes leave the other females when it is time to give birth, producing a single lamb which is able to stay with its mother only hours after its arrival.
3002221-SB1.jpg46540040073629Impala, South Africa 2007-10-03T21:03:11Z690/page_attachments/0000/0400/002221-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0400/002221-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0400/002221-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:23:33ZA lion’s mane is there predominantly for show. When a male is fully mature, this longer hair darkens and makes him appear larger and more aggressive. It also helps him to attract females and ward off other males. Lions live in groups known as prides and skilfully work together as an efficient team to disable potential prey. Once an animal is singled out and caught, it dies in seconds following a powerful neck bite. The older and more senior members of the prides will eat first, but eventually all the animals in the group will have a share - hence the saying, the lion’s share. Young males are usually driven out and will go off to set up small bachelor prides of their own until they are mature enough to seek out their own females.
Though lions are superbly powerful and can adapt to varying habitats, they are constantly under threat as more and more land is reclaimed for domestic livestock. Poaching also remains a constant menace and lions are only secure in specially protected areas in game reserves and parks. WWF works constantly to protect lions and the habitat where they thrive.
3002298-SB1.jpg46540340378606Lion, Masai Mara, Kenya 2007-10-03T21:04:01Z694/page_attachments/0000/0403/002298-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0403/002298-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0403/002298-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-03T14:23:48ZStorks make up a large family group related also to herons, ibis’ and spoonbills. They are found in every continent except for Antarctica and are more abundant in the tropics. Due to their wetland habitat, storks are under constant threat from the draining and reclamation of marsh lands for development. They are specially adapted to feed in swampy areas and use a technique of stirring up the water with one foot in order to flush out a potential meal.
In some parts of the world huge stork nests are built on top of houses, but do not cause any damage. Storks are also steeped in folklore and have been thought to bring babies, which is why they still appear on new baby cards.
During the breeding season, the yellow-billed stork’s facial colour deepens and becomes a dramatic shade of red and yellow. Their plumage is largely white tinged with pink. Juvenile birds have a greyish, dull bill until they are fully mature.
3002327-SB1.jpg46540640656681Yellow-billed Stork, Okavango, Botswana2007-10-03T21:05:19Z699/page_attachments/0000/0406/002327-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0406/002327-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0406/002327-SB1_preview.jpgapplication/octet-stream2007-10-25T09:20:20Z3spirit1.flv80880819917523Spirit of the wild-fra Steve Bloom2007-10-25T09:20:20Z/page_attachments/0000/0808/spirit1.flv/page_attachments/0000/0808/spirit1_icon.flv/page_attachments/0000/0808/spirit1_preview.flv2008-05-31T11:00:51ZThis exhibition was made possible by many positive forces working communally and has come together very efficiently. We are greatly thankful to the small group responsible for the exhibition in Stavanger, and to the public and private donors who have supported them.
<a href="/page_attachments/0000/0874/undervisningsmateriale_skoler.pdf" target="_blank"><u>Undervisningsmateriale – skoler</u></a>
<a href="/page_attachments/0000/0873/undervisningsmateriale_barnhager.pdf" target="_blank"><u>Undervisningsmateriale – barnhager</u></a>
2008-06-26T00:00:00Z24Stavanger - Byparken32008-05-31T00:00:00Z22008-09-28T00:00:00Z2008-08-27T07:42:36Z/exhibitions/24image/jpeg2008-06-26T09:40:12Z24l1030838.jpg413859859769132008-06-26T09:40:12Z550/page_attachments/0000/0859/l1030838.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0859/l1030838_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0859/l1030838_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2008-06-26T09:43:09Z24l1030829.jpg413862862699312008-06-26T09:43:09Z551/page_attachments/0000/0862/l1030829.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0862/l1030829_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0862/l1030829_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2008-06-26T09:43:34Z24l1030833.jpg413865865646292008-06-26T09:43:34Z551/page_attachments/0000/0865/l1030833.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0865/l1030833_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0865/l1030833_preview.jpg2007-11-08T15:36:09ZWith the permission of the local authority, we have extended its run up to and including 11 November.
Spirit of the Wild in Stockholm were proudly done in cooperation with: Stockholm Kulturfestival, Animal Planet, WWF-Sweden, Rica Hotels, Montana and Dagens Nyheter.
We estimate 1,5 million visitors on the beautiful Raoul Wallenberg Torg.
2007-06-17T00:00:00Z21Stockholm32007-06-17T00:00:00Z12007-11-14T00:00:00Z2007-11-08T15:36:09Z/exhibitions/212007-08-09T07:38:58ZWE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE EXHIBITION HAS BEEN PROLONGED UNTIL OCTOBER 21.2007-06-09T00:00:00Z9Oslo 200732007-08-09T00:00:00Z22007-09-30T00:00:00Z2007-10-04T10:29:37Z/exhibitions/9application/octet-stream2007-08-09T07:39:15Z9Oslo_30_fps_.flv11211268751592007-08-09T07:39:15Z/page_attachments/0000/0112/Oslo_30_fps_.flv/page_attachments/0000/0112/Oslo_30_fps__icon.flv/page_attachments/0000/0112/Oslo_30_fps__preview.flv2007-08-08T08:46:48ZThe exhibition was well received by the people of Amsterdam when it came to Westermarkt.
Duration: 18 May - 28 July 20072007-05-18T00:00:00Z8Amsterdam 200732007-08-08T00:00:00Z22007-07-28T00:00:00Z2007-08-08T09:06:59Z/exhibitions/8image/jpeg2007-08-08T08:47:27Z8003971-SB1.jpg3099797245112007-08-08T08:47:27Z412/page_attachments/0000/0097/003971-SB1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0097/003971-SB1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0097/003971-SB1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-08-08T08:47:49Z8ama01.jpg309100100320782007-08-08T08:47:49Z412/page_attachments/0000/0100/ama01.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0100/ama01_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0100/ama01_preview.jpgapplication/octet-stream2007-08-08T09:06:59Z8Amsterdam_30_fps_.flv10310345150702007-08-08T09:06:59Z/page_attachments/0000/0103/Amsterdam_30_fps_.flv/page_attachments/0000/0103/Amsterdam_30_fps__icon.flv/page_attachments/0000/0103/Amsterdam_30_fps__preview.flv2007-08-08T08:40:58ZThe exhibition on the beautiful Kgs Nytorv turned out to be the big attraction of the summer, with 1.5 million visitors.
It was inaugurated on 16 May by the Lord Mayor for Culture, Martin Geertsen, and the WWF Secretary General Kim Carstensen.2006-05-16T00:00:00Z7Copenhagen 200632007-08-08T00:00:00Z22006-10-20T00:00:00Z2007-12-01T18:05:03Z/exhibitions/7image/jpeg2007-08-08T08:42:10Z7003709-SB1_1.jpg3098888269012007-08-08T08:42:10Z412/page_attachments/0000/0088/003709-SB1_1.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0088/003709-SB1_1_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0088/003709-SB1_1_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-08-08T08:42:39Z7IMG_2053cpgn-night-F.jpg3099191269742007-08-08T08:42:39Z412/page_attachments/0000/0091/IMG_2053cpgn-night-F.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0091/IMG_2053cpgn-night-F_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0091/IMG_2053cpgn-night-F_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-08-08T08:42:49Z7IMG_2079.jpg3099494387062007-08-08T08:42:49Z412/page_attachments/0000/0094/IMG_2079.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0094/IMG_2079_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0094/IMG_2079_preview.jpg2007-10-04T09:47:22ZSpirit of the Wild - the exhibition on the beautiful Kgs Nytorv turned out to be the big attraction of the summer, with 1.5 million visitors.
It was inaugurated on 16 May by the Lord Mayor for Culture, Martin Geertsen, and the WWF Secretary General Kim Carstensen.2006-05-16T00:00:00Z20Copenhagen 2006 - Spirit of the Wild32007-10-04T00:00:00Z22006-10-20T00:00:00Z2007-10-04T10:22:13Z/exhibitions/20image/jpeg2007-10-04T10:20:42Z20kn.jpg465538538642352007-10-04T10:20:42Z620/page_attachments/0000/0538/kn.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0538/kn_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0538/kn_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-04T10:21:00Z20kn2106.jpg4655415412347522007-10-04T10:21:00Z637/page_attachments/0000/0541/kn2106.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0541/kn2106_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0541/kn2106_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-04T10:21:24Z20kn2124.jpg4655445441330022007-10-04T10:21:24Z620/page_attachments/0000/0544/kn2124.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0544/kn2124_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0544/kn2124_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-04T10:21:39Z20KN2189.jpg4655475471926712007-10-04T10:21:39Z620/page_attachments/0000/0547/KN2189.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0547/KN2189_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0547/KN2189_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-04T10:21:56Z20children.jpg559550550752262007-10-04T10:21:56Z465/page_attachments/0000/0550/children.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0550/children_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0550/children_preview.jpgimage/jpeg2007-10-04T10:22:13Z20KN3709.jpg4655535531648692007-10-04T10:22:13Z731/page_attachments/0000/0553/KN3709.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0553/KN3709_icon.jpg/page_attachments/0000/0553/KN3709_preview.jpg