Becoming ever more startled by the presence of our vehicle, the lone baby started to whine and ran sporadically across the plains. After an anxious few minutes the child was reunited with its mother. It was a stark lesson in…
This year’s Wild Photos event was, as ever, an inspiration. The most shocking lesson learned came from the power of photojournalism and in my opinion, no one does this better than Britta Jaschinski, whose images of China’s captive performing animals living in appalling condition’s in zoos…
It’s often suggested that mankind cannot and should not use human emotions to interpret the actions of animals, but we watched herds of elephants as they displayed naturally maternal actions towards their young. They nurtured and loved those younger and…
A cheetah mother faces a significant challenge in raising her young. Not only does she need to provide for them and equip them with the skills required to survive, she also needs to protect her young amongst the vast open…
The gaze of a mother lioness can be immediately translated. The compassion seen in the eyes is matched with a stare that catches your soul and communicates a strength of character. Here the mother displays a ‘do not disturb’ attitude…
At the break of dawn the mother returned with her cubs to the carcass of the wildebeest slaughtered just hours before. As she dragged the carcass across the plains, the cubs preyed, pounced and stalked. The mother, somewhat wearily, encouraged…
The struggle for survival is ever apparent in Africa. This lioness had already lost the rest of her cubs to other predators. Our hearts went out to her. This was a solemn reminder that even the queen of African predators…
Lion cubs rely on their mothers to not only protect, but strengthen them and teach them the skills essential for survival. This small cub, barely months old, displays not only respect but awe for its elders. The Maasai Mara is…
Infant elephants have little control over their trunks. They must practice coordinating its movement to source food, eat and drink. These valuable skills are learned from interaction with their environment and through social learning. We watched as a baby elephant…
The African plains are a dangerous place. Lured by fresh green grass shoots in a drought ridden environment, this young gazelle had wandered away from the watchful eye of its mother into the hands of a hungry baboon. The death…