Saturday, 30 November 2024

Remembrance Day For Lost Species by Human Activity


Today 30h November is, ‘Remembrance Day For Lost Species by Human Activity’. It a day dedicated to the species of animals that humans have had a hand in their extinction, to raise awareness about our impact on other species especially those which are endangered.


 

From the pin up of all extinction caused by humans – the dodo, where our activities, not only, wiped them out in its natural habit in Mauritius, but we now know that we shot what we knew at the time to be last living specimen, which was executed in captivity in Oxford (read more here) . To its cousin the Passenger Pigeon that once had flocks so large that it would block out the sun when they migrated across North America, which were hunted to extinction in just a few decades.



From The Great Auk, that tragically we knew we’d hunted to near extinction, and in bid to gain more knowledge about how to conserve the species, we killed the last living specimens in the name of research. To the Thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger that we hunted to extinction and carelessly let the last one was freeze to death when a zookeeper failed to let it in one winter night.

Of course as its me so I can’t not mention the mighty mammoth where is looks increasing likely that our activities played a role in their demise. Sadly the list of tragic cases like these go on.

So I thought I’d do a little post on recommended documentaries and of course books that tie in with this important theme.

Extinct – Channel Four Documentary series is free to stream and its accompanying book by Simon Furman





This series looks at six different extinct species and dedicates an episode to investigating what cased their demises. There are some where humans did not cause their extinction but others where we with varying levels, had a hand in their ultimate fate. It is definitely worth having a watch/read.




Lost Animals a Photographic record by Errol Fuller




This is a very poignant book, which does exactly what it says on the tin. It shows the last photographs – sometimes grainy or out of focus as many were taken when photography was a new science/art form, of a species before they became extinct. In many case the species were already functionally extinct with no way to reverse the process and knowing that the person behind the camera were aware that they were making a historical record of an animal that soon not to frequent the planet is very sobering.

Weird and Wonderful Extinct Animals by Cristina Banfi and illustrated by Rossella Frionfretti





This is a beautifully illustrated non-fiction picture book, which is a great introduction to the subject for children. It starts with an easy and un-scary but informative introduction to extinction, what it is, what causes it, including a paragraph about how humans can contribute of cause extinction of other species.

It than has double pages dedicated to extinct fauna, with illustrations and facts, on some there is an explanation to why they went extinct and if we as a species had a part to play in their demise. About three questers of the way through there’s a page about extinction here and now, which includes a section about what we are a species and as individually can do to stop of slow the process of extinction.


Endangered by Tim Finch




This is hefty but beautiful coffee table photographic book. That feature exquisite photographs of endangered species. This can be used as a call to arms, seeing all the animals that need our help with conservation efforts to stop them sliding out of existence. But most poignantly is the page desiccated to the already extinct passenger Pigeon, with a beautiful but sobering photograph of a taxidermy specimen of the last known of its kind that died in captivity. What a bold editorial choice to juxtapose it with the full colour high definition images of existing but endangered animals. It really hones the point, that these creatures could be next if our species don’t modify our behaviours.

I do hope some of you read or watch these recommendations. It’s a tough subject but we can learn so much from the past, and there are lesson we should definitely teach to the next generation, in order to stop these type of tragedies occurring again.

Bear in mind we human although the most destructive animals on Earth, we also are unique in as much a we care about other species. We are curios and we care for the other fauna and flora we share the world with, so lest put these attributes to good use!






Monday, 30 September 2024

A Summer of Mammoths – Part 1 – The Grand Italy Mammuthus Tour





 

My summer has been bursting with mammoths, which has been both marvellous and memorable. As you will know if you know me, or follow me on socials, I am a tad mad on anything mammoth. This is a by-product of research for a book which has stuck. The last few months have been full of mammoth!

It began with our first family holiday since 2018. To celebrate my youngest’s completion of his school career and taking advantage of being able to travel outside peek time, we went to Italy. We immersed in exquisite cuisine and iconic art, but also mammoths!


On day one is Rome I found an addition to the herd, which I named Roma, much to my kid’s dismay! I also spent time, while waiting for the family to rouse in the mornings, reading about the battle to conserve mammoth bones they found on a 1950s archaeological dig within the city.

But Florence was the jewel in our Italian mammoth adventure, with a visit to the Museo Di Storia Naturale Gelolgia E Paleontologia. This museum had a huge collection of beautifully curated mammoth specimens, including no less than four almost complete Southern Mammoth skeletons found in the appropriately named ‘Tusc’an’ region of Italy. Despite the museum being located a few step along the same road as the Galleria Academia that houses the famous David, it was empty. We had the whole place to ourselves to explore and enjoy the exhibits.




Venice too had a few mammoth gems, in curious Scopri Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia. Which is like a blend of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and The Pitt Rivers. with a modern curated Natural History section and a cabinet of curiosities style anthropology section.




All in all I was delighted to have indulged my obsession an shared it with my family  although I’m not sure they quite so pleased!



Freshly back from Italy and it was a race to get everything ready to help with the #TuskForce team of volunteers at the Hill’s Product quarry in the Cotswolds for a Palaeontology dig at the site made famous by the BBC documentary David Attenborough Mammoth Graveyard.  More on that in my next post!

 


Saturday, 28 September 2024

A Summer of Mammoths – Part Two – Digging it!


A Summer of Mammoths – Part Two – Digging it!


#Tuskforce team of volunteers  


So freshly back from our grand Italian mammoth tour, and whilst battling with post-holiday laundry it was all out preparing for another adventure of mammoth proportions - the #TuskForce palaeontology dig, at the site found by Sally and Nev Hollingworth that featured on the BBC documentary – David Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard.

Two Sally's Sally Hollingworth and me. 


The dig was at the Hills Services quarry site in the Cotswolds who supported the endeavour in a myriad of ways. It spanned three weeks. It was completely funded by donations and completed by volunteers - over 180, from world expert palaeontologists, geologists, students, post-grads, fossil collectors, museum staff, entomologists and one slightly mammoth mad kids’ writer and illustrator. 

With Nev Hollingworth


It was an enormous endeavour, a labour of love of the aforementioned Sally and Nev Hollingworth, who organised the whole thing with tremendous care. They created a festival feel (many of the volunteers camped onsite), by providing evening entertainment - everything from educational talks to bingo nights, and ensuring and there were all essential provisions like - fresh water, toilets, assess to shower facilities, food, and most important a phone charging point! The Hollingsworth’s passion and bubbling enthusiasm was infectious and fostered a family feel across the #tuskforce team.

#Tuskforce team members including Andy and Vanessa who fed everyone!

 

I felt incredibly humbled to attend and initially felt a mammoth does of imposter syndrome (not being in any way knowledgeable in palaeontology) but was made to feel incredibly welcome and a valued part of the team. This was made clear by the fact that my mammoth illustrations were everywhere - the bins, the first aid station, the phone charging point, food tent and even the toilets! But also on people, I was delighted that one of my mammoths was chosen to adorn one of the official dig t-shirts, where part of the money from each sale went to boost the dig fund.

 



I spent 3 days at the dig on each of the first two weeks and 6 days on the final week. Being fair weathered and having dodgy hips, I stayed at air B&B’s rather than camping, but close enough to be the for the daily morning briefing. On the whole the weather was kind, a few wet days, a few sweltering. The dig was hum of shared adventure and passions and the exchange of knowledge. It yielded a wealth of new discoveries, both in the Jurassic and Pleistocene zones. Including a new addition to the proboscidean species of the site, a tooth from one of the largest mammals ever to walk the earth, a Stright Tusked Elephant, which was identified by visiting expert Professor Adrian Lister from the London Natural History Museum.




 

I really had an amazing time. I was let down a little by the limitations of my body, (dodgy hips, EDS, POTS) but when I couldn’t participate in the more physically demanding tasks like digging, I tried to make myself useful. This was assisting in the less glamorous but essential jobs, like assisting the awesome Andy Lee with the water run to get fresh water every day. Trips to the supermarket, helping prep meals, even sorting out the portaloos. 

sneaky coffee with the lovely Andy Lee 



But I also drew specimens, on site (with a very crude art kit consisting of crayons and felt tips), photographing and videoing the dig, and conservation tasks and talking to other volunteers, learning about the diverse journeys to being involved at the dig.

Drawing a mammoth tooth on site.
 

It was a real privilege to have had such an amazing experience, and I extend a massive mammoth thank you to all of the #TuskForce team for making me so welcome, to Hills for supporting the scientific endeavours on their land, and to Sally and Nev Hollingworth for their dedication and generosity in arranging the dig. I am so happy to have been a small part of it!

With a mammoth rib.