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Video: more cuteness overload
Given that few of us are blessed with the language skills of Doctor Dolittle, probably the best way to ‘listen’ to animals is to observe them. And for many of us that often means a visit to a (hopefully) ethically-run wildlife sanctuary. There we can really take our time to watch animal behaviour, and listen to the experts who’ve made it their job to get to know and understand the needs of these creatures.
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Gallery: the queen of all colours
While many people think that black cats bring bad luck, for some reason as a child I was always taught the opposite. If a black cat crossed my path it would bring good luck. So sure of this was I that I would sometimes alter my route to try to ensure that the cat’s trajectory and my own would definitely intersect!
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Gallery: the ‘point’ of sharpness in nature
Just as humans (sadly) use knives and swords for attack and defence, so too do animals and plants. Whether it’s a thorn or spike to ward off predators, or a sharp tooth to attack their prey, there is always a point to sharpness in nature.
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Gallery: peeking at animals, peeking at me
Looking back I see that I have already in the past, several times, shared photos of animals’ eyes. I hate to duplicate but but I believe I’ve managed to dig out some new, and some not-yet-shared, images for this collection.
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Gallery: speaking a great language
It’s often said that the eyes are the windows into the soul, but many will claim that an animal doesn’t have a soul. However, soul or not, an animal’s eyes can certainly be very expressive.
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A postcard from Colombia: a three-toed sloth in a city park
Last February we travelled to Costa Rica, hoping (among other things) to see sloths. And we did. But it never occurred to me to hope to see them in one of Colombia's biggest cities.
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We’re going on a rhino hunt!
Some years ago on my birthday we were in Ranthambore National Park, in Rajasthan, and I hoped to see a tiger; we found one! Now here we were in Nepal and I was hoping for a birthday rhino; we found five! But I am getting ahead of myself...
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A postcard from Nepal: rhinoceros
On our safari drive in Chitwan National Park yesterday we were fortunate to see five rhinos.
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Gallery: pick a word (August)
Thomas Jefferson said, 'The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.' This is a maxim I would do well to follow, but I too rarely succeed in doing so.
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Gallery: making eyes at me
Giraffes’ eyes are beautiful but they can look rather mournful. Maybe that’s a touch of anthropomorphism, attributing human emotions to an animal? And yet …
