The World's Biggest Cattle - my close encounter with Indian Gaur

Re-posted from The Iron Ammonite, 1st October 2010



The Gaur is the largest species of wild cattle in the world, bigger than the African buffalo, the extinct aurochs, wild water buffalo or bison. Only Rhinos, Hippos and Elephants grown larger than these incredible animals. The males can weigh as much as 1.5 tonnes.

While traveling in South India in 2009 a farmer told us about a herd of Gaur that was casually chomping their way through a selection of farms and gardens. We watched them for over an hour as they munched and clambered through the vegetation. They were so preoccupied with feeding that they didn't seem to care who or what was nearby - and why should they. One female in particular seemed very relaxed in my presence so I was confident that I could get fairly close without alarming or spooking her. It was a real pleasure to feel the breath of this wondrous animal on my face before she finally sauntered off and disappeared into the forest.

Wild Gaur can be very dangerous animals and I wouldn't usually get this close - especially if they are with a calf or if it's breeding season, and I certainly would never attempt to get this close to one of those powerful males. By all accounts they can be quite moody!

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Mother Elephant stands her ground - An Elephant Blockade

From www.ironammonite.com

An elephant mother stands her ground while we try to pass at BR Hills Nature Reserve, South India. I was filming with three very experienced Indian naturalists and they had never seen a tour-de-force of elephant stubbornness quite like this before...



Excerpt from my blog 16th July 2009:

"Only a few hours ago, whilst driving through the BR Hills reserve on the search for Tigers we encountered three elephants blocking our route. Two large females and a small calf. It was getting dark and we needed to pass. Rather than startle them we switched off the engine and waited... hopefully they would return to the forest and allow us to pass. But rather than oblige us they slowly moved in our direction, lazily browsing on the vegetation as they came closer and closer. They were either oblivious to our presence or considered us of no threat - we knew that this mutual understanding could all change in the blink of an eye. The tiny calf was sandwiched between the colossal flanks of the two adults and it seemed pretty carefree as it swung its trunk around, occasionally resting its head against the side of one of its guardians. It was a real privilege to see such intimacy. As they exchanged caresses, their trunks touching and stroking each other, they were gentle giants slowly plodding towards us. We were lost in the moment, observing this beautiful scene as these magnificent animals simply went about their daily lives." Read more.

Unfortunately this video contains no footage of the moment we were charged by the large female. We all froze and didn't record this terrifying moment. I did however manage to grab a single shot on my stills camera.

Filming the Dragons of a Schwingmoor Bog

From www.ironammonite.com

By Paul Williams, Assistant Producer, Animals Guide to Britain
With thanks to Mel Brown of Natural England & Claire Install of the British Dragonfly Society.

One of the most enchanting emblems of the British summer is the dragonfly, and we are lucky to have 25 resident breeding species, and 9 who occasionally pop over from Europe when the weather is good. One of the top spots to see these is the peculiar landscape of a Shwingmoor bog, hidden deep in the heart of Staffordshire. Local mythology speaks of water beasts dragging people to their death, but the real reason this reserve is out of bounds for the casual visitor is hidden beneath a gentle carpet of carnivorous plants, cranberries, cowberries and bilberries. This is Chartley Moss, and what makes it a Shwingmoor is that you can literally walk on water - or more accurately on a 3 metre layer of saturated peat and Sphagnum which floats on top of a 15 metre deep lake. Here 23 species of dragonflies have been recorded including some of the rarest in Britain. I recently visited Chartley Moss to film dragonflies for 'Animals Guide to Britain'.

Chartley Moss, a Shwingmoor Bog in Staffordshire

The Lost World Beneath

Laden with tripods and heavy cases, we cautiously stepped onto the bog, every step creating a ripple and a squelch. I stopped to rest and immediately my feet started to sink into the quagmire. As I began to move away my boot decided that it wanted to stay a little longer - it had been only five minutes and already my welly had succumbed to the beast. We were heading towards the centre, where the peat was at its thinnest and where two large pools puncture the spongey layer to offer a glimpse into the lost world beneath. It is here that we were most likely to find dragonflies as the watery underworld is their true domain. It is the dragonfly nymph who lives here, and this aquatic period of a dragonfly's life dictates when and where the adults are to be found. Nymphs of different species prefer different watery habitats, from sheltered woodland pools to slow flowing rivers and canals. Chartley Moss is particularly famous as the most southern site of the White-faced Darter. Its nymph is critically dependant on lowland acidic peat bogs - 95% of which have been lost in the past 40 years, leaving only a handful of sites for this dainty dragonfly to cling to.

The rare White-Faced Darter

The Creature Breaks Free

Lurking in the muddy bottom of a pond it can take nymphs up to five years to realise that there's more to life that sucking on tadpole juice, and they start to leave the comfort of the water. This is the moment that we had come to film. As we arrived, with soggy feet, a small army of nymphs of the Common Hawker were making the epic journey up the reeds which lined the pools. We watched as their spindly legs strenuously pulled them out of the water, driven by an urge that goes back 320 million years to the earliest dragonflies. We could see the determination as they fell off, only to repeat the climb in a bid to feel the warm morning sun. Then the intimate moment of transformation as they settled into position and froze. The skin cracked and opened. Two iridescent green eyes peered out from within as slowly the head of an adult pushed its way out of the nymph capsule. In just a few minutes the subaqua suit had been shed to reveal a new creature resplendent in dragonfly finery.

Common Hawker emerging from its Nymph

Sex Fuelled Crescendo

Under the boggy water they had propelled themselves by jet power, squirting water from their backsides, but as we filmed, their green wings slowly opened and inflated until eventually they took to the air as a squadron of dynamic highly agile flying machines. They had reached the sex-fuelled crescendo of a life lived under the water and now their airborne mission was to locate a mate and lay eggs back into the water. Live fast, die young, they would have only a few months in which to accomplish their mission. We had achieved ours in just a few hours.

Common Hawker preparing for its first flight

Chartley Moss is privately owned and leased to English Nature. It is a very fragile and extremely hazardous site. Access is by permit only.

For more information:  
Natural England
BBC Breathing Places


'Animals Guide to Britain' presented by Chris Packham will be broadcast on BBC2 in April 2011.

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The Sloth Bear's Tale: Dancing no more

From www.ironammonite.com

In the summer of 2009 I visited Wildlife SOS as part of 'Chasing the Monsoon', to learn about the plight of India's dancing bears. My first stop was the Daroji bear sanctuary in Hampi. Here I met Samad Kottur, a local science teacher, who works to protect and rescue Sloth Bears.

Filmed by David Heath, directed by Kalyan Varma, Production Manager Mandanna Dilan.

From my blog of 25th July 2009:

"Most of the sloth bears Samad has rescued have been from the brutal art of bear dancing - a traditional livelihood which has been practiced in rural India for centuries but which has been illegal since the wildlife protection act of 1972. Yet until very recently during the breeding season bear poachers would wait outside a den for the mother to leave in search of food for her young. They would swoop in, grab and bag the young cubs and sell them for less than 30,000 rupees (about 350 pounds) to Kollanders, the traditional bear dancing community. 'Here they begin a life of pain and discomfort.' Sammad told me, 'After a few months their canines are ripped out, their claws are clipped, males are castrated and a red hot iron is used to pierce their sensitive nuzzle through which a coarse rope is threaded.' it is the pain of pulling on this rope that makes them dance as they are dragged from village to village and made to perform, standing on their hind legs and used as puppets on a string. All the while enduring severe pain and punishment. 'they are severely malnourished and are only given the very poorest food to survive on' says Sammad with a tear in his eye 'when we rescue them they are in really bad shape'." Read more.

Seeing wild bears at Daroji made my subsequent trip to the Bannerghata Bear Rescue Centre even more heart-wrenching. Here I was introduced to some of the resident bears, and showed the strict daily routines that the vets and carers go through to ensure that these beautiful animals live out the rest of their days, trouble free and as healthy as can be. To see the drastic and devastating effect that 'dancing' has had on Sloth Bears is something that will stay with me for a long time.

Wildlife SOS have informed us that as of 2009, all the remaining dancing bears have been rescued and are now being cared for at rescue centres across India. To help support their continuing work, and ensure that these rescued bears can be cared for, please visit www.wildlifesos.org

For more on Sloth Bears from our 'Chasing the Monsoon' expedition click here.

Dancing bear with rope through his muzzle. Photograph by Troy Snow (used with permission)

The Forgotten Kingdom - A Bioblitz Adventure

From www.ironammonite.com

Searching for the strange life forms that lurk in the dark, damp places of Blaise Castle estate, Bristol. A Bioblitz adventure in Fungi by Paul Williams & Donna Dixon.

Although expectations were low due to the late spring and recent dryness, 19 species were discovered including Puffballs, Earth Stars, Brackets, Slime molds & Oyster Mushrooms… yum, yum.

Filmed as part of the live media from Bioblitz Bristol 2010. Visit the Bioblitz Blog.

A beautiful Oyster Mushroom, Photo by Donna Dixon

Spot the Rattlesnake!

From www.ironammonite.com

Can you spot the timber rattlesnake Crotalus horridus in the photograph below?

This rattlesnake's excellent camouflage is one reason why it’s a good idea to wear gators and tread carefully when visiting the woods of upstate New York. Timber Rattlesnakes are potentially one of the most dangerous snakes in North America with enough venom to kill a person. Fortunately they have a relatively mild disposition and before striking, will hold their tails high and rattle like mad to try and scare you off. If you do get too close they may strike in defence.

Rattlesnakes are sit-and-wait predators - they wait for prey to come to them. They find a suitable place, which might be alongside a track rich with the scent of mouse urine, and then they coil up like a spring. They are capable of waiting, silent and still, for several days until a mouse comes along, at which point they have enough pounce in their coils to strike up to two thirds of their body length. Instantly injecting enough venom the mouse is dead before it hits the ground.

Thankfully most snakes tend to only inject venom when they are feeling peckish. Otherwise it's a bit of a waste. So if you are bitten by a timber rattlesnake the bite is usually 'dry'... but still painful, and definitely a reason to go straight to hospital.

To reveal the location of the rattlesnake in the photo click the image below. You can see the sequence from 'Life in Cold Blood' below. This is the first time a wild rattlesnake strike has ever been caught on film.

Photograph taken by James Brickell on a shoot for 'Life in Cold Blood'

Timber Rattlesnake sequence from Life in Cold Blood

Big Fat Bloodsucking Leech

From www.ironammonite.com

I was quite surprised when this swollen beast dropped out from between my toes!
Filmed during our 'Chasing the Monsoon' expedition in South India, 2009.

With thanks to my good friends Kalyan Varma, Mandanna Dilan & David Heath.

Tiger Tracking: Poo, Pee & Pugmarks

From www.ironammonite.com

Mandanna Dilan shows me the signs to look out for when tracking Tigers in South India.
(Read my live report from the field: July 2009)



Directed by Kalyan Varma, Filmed by David Heath 

VIDEO: Watched by a protective elephant & calf, South India

From www.ironammonite.com

Shortly before our BIG elephant encounter (See: July 2009 - King of the Road Elephant Encounter video coming soon) Kalyan and I met a mother and calf in the forest - although she kept an keen eye on us it was a much tamer experience which allowed us to discuss these wonderful animals - and move on before she became too stressed by our presence.

This was filmed at Biligirirangan Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka.



Visit Kalyan Varma's website and photo-journal

Museum of Life is on BBC2 Now!

From www.ironammonite.com

Since my time researching at the Natural History Museum in London I have had a passion for this unique and esteemed institution that resides in one of our greatest and well known buildings (Nov 2009). I was especially excited to hear that the BBC were producing a series looking behind the scenes and I sit here anxiously awaiting its broadcast. 'Museum of Life' starts tonight at 8pm on BBC2. Peculiarly it's presented by Jimmy Doherty but I'm not going to let that put me off!

I really hope that it does the museum justice.

Visit the official BBC website. 

 
Noah's Ark in Kensington

While I'm pushing this promising new series I want to also tell you about a discovery that I made in the BBC archives. In 1970 the BBC produced an episode of Horizon called 'Noah's Ark in Kensington' - you could say that it's a version of tonight's programme from an age gone by. A charming film with a faded sepia look that gives it an air of being produced in World War II. The people who feature in it are lovable parodies of the eccentric British upper-class scientist.

Here's a few screenshots I need to dash as 'Museum of Life' is just starting....

The 1970s Natural History Museum security lining up for inspection by the 'Major' in the morning. http://twitpic.com/18zh3e

Where's the Diplodocus? According to Richard Fortey it was moved from the reptile gallery, now the Dinosaur Hall, to be the centrepiece of the main hall in 1979. http://twitpic.com/18ziov

Deadly Crystal Cave: Exclusive behind the scenes interview with Iain Stewart

From www.ironammonite.com

Take a behind the scenes look to see how we fared when filming in the inhospitable conditions of the Giant Crystal Cave. Ian Stewart gives his personal account in this exclusive interview from 'How Earth Made Us'.

Watch the interview on our official BBC web page

Read my personal account and see more images here.

Watch a preview clip from the sequence here

'How Earth Made Us' starts on the 19th January, 9pm on BBCTwo.

In the first programme Iain explores the relationship between the deep Earth and the development of human civilisation. He visits an extraordinary crystal cave in Mexico, drops down a hole in the Iranian desert and crawls through seven-thousand-year-old tunnels in Israel.

His exploration reveals that throughout history, our ancestors were strangely drawn to fault line, areas which connect the surface with the deep interior of the planet. These fault lines gave access to important resources, but also brought with them great danger.

Presenter, Iain Stewart inside the remarkable Naica crystal cave. With temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius and a 100% humidity level, the caves prove to be a very hostile environment (copyright BBC)

VIDEO: Deadliest Place on Earth? The Giant Crystal Cave 'How Earth Made Us'

From www.ironammonite.com

Cueva de los Cristales is one of the most incredible and beautiful places on the planet - it also happens to be one of the deadliest.

'It's 50oC and has a humidity of 100%, less than a hundred people have been inside and it's so deadly that even with respirators and suits of ice you can only survive for 20 minutes before your body starts to fail. It’s the nearest thing to visiting another planet – it’s going deep inside our own.' Read the rest of my account of filming in the cave & see some photos here.

'How Earth Made Us' starts on Tuesday January 19th on BBC Two at 9pm.

Outtakes & Funnies from 'How Earth Made Us'

From www.ironammonite.com

I've cut together some of the outtakes from 'How Earth Made Us'... keep an eye out for Iain's unfortunate hand placement! This should give you a flavour of some of the awesome places and exciting moments in the series.



Watch more extraordinary clips from 'How Earth Made Us'

'How Earth Made Us' starts on Tuesday January 19th on BBC Two at 9pm.

Walking through Fire - 'How Earth Made Us' Preview Clips

From www.ironammonite.com

'How Earth Made Us' starts on Tuesday January 19th on BBC Two at 9pm. To wet your appetite we've put a few clips on YouTube and on our official programme page

This is one of my favourite moments from the series. Professor Iain Stewart gets up close and personal with a raging fire. Thanks to the Gulfport Fire Department, Mississippi, for all their help in making this a real highlight of the series.

Watch more extraordinary clips from 'How Earth Made Us' and please spread the word!

VIDEO: Weird Indian Bird - What is a Frogmouth?

From www.ironammonite.com



A frogmouth is a tropical nocturnal bird related to the nightjar. They're active at night, when they hunt insects using their large gaping mouths to scoop them up. It was during the night that we ventured into the Thattekad forest to try and find one of the smallest and most elusive of the frogmouths - the edemic Sri Lanka Frogmouth (Batrachostomus moniliger). The only way to find one is to follow their distinctive calls - a loud descending cackly and frog-like series of 'Klock-klock-klock-klock-klock' calls (often described as sounding like rattling pebbles) the females call in response with a low long shrill 'Krrshhhh'.

The next day, with the help of local expert Eldos (who is a legend when it comes to finding birds), we found a roosting pair. They were barely visible amongst the leaves and even though we spotted them, filmed them and photographed them, they seemed pretty confident in their ability to hide and just gave us the occasional perplexed look. I was even able to interview Eldos, while we were in the company of these roosting frogmouths, they remained nonchalant about the situation!

Photography: Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary

From www.ironammonite.com

Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary (Kannada: ರಂಗನತಿಟ್ಟು ಪಕ್ಷಿಧಾಮ) is a Bird Sanctuary on the banks of the Kaveri River, Karnataka, India.

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Photography: The hungry Panther chameleon

From www.ironammonite.com

Lying 250 miles of the coast of Africa is the tropical island paradise of Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot which is home to half of the world's 150 or so species of chameleons. I've been a fan of one species in particular since I filmed them for 'Life in Cold Blood' back in 2007, you may also have seen them demonstrate their unique feeding technique during the recent amphibians and reptiles episode of 'Life' on BBC One. The species is Furcifer pardalis, the Panther Chameleon - perhaps the most beautiful of all chameleons. It's also one of the largest in the world, with males growing up to 20 inches (50 cm) long (more than twice the size of their female counterparts).

The males are not only larger but are much more extravagantly coloured than the females and can be found as one of a myriad of different colour-morphs - each betraying their geographical origin. The subjects of my photographs are found in the Antsiranana and Sambava areas where they are a blend of red, green or orange. If you were to encounter a male lurking in the lush vegetation of Nosy Be or Ambanjathe you might think it a completely different species for these individuals are vibrantly blue. There are many other colour types and patterns found across the island making Panther-spotting a real treat. The Females however remain a much less exciting tan and brown colour - and so along with their diminutive size are much trickier to spot.

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Here's the clip from 'Life in Cold Blood'.

VIDEO: Why did the Chameleon cross the road?

From www.ironammonite.com

To get to the forest on the other side ofcourse...

As we drove through BR Hills Nature Reserve we noticed this beautiful chameleon crossing the road. Usually elusive it stood out against the road surface. Chamaeleo zeylanicus is South India's only Chameleon and it was a real privilege to get up close and personal to help it across the road.

VIDEO: Encounter with a Huge Croc - The Water Monster

From www.ironammonite.com

My encounter with a Mugger Crocodile during our 'Chasing the Monsoon' expedition in South India. Our field guide took us a little closer than we had expected!



Directed by Kalyan Varma, Filmed by David Heath, Production Manager: Mandana Dilan.

VIDEO: The Vine Snake: Agumbe, India

From www.ironammonite.com



We discovered this juvenile vine snake (Ahaetulla nasuta) dangling from a branch whilst tracking King Cobras in Agumbe, India. As you can see they are incredibly well camouflaged and move much like a vine blowing on the wind. They use this incredible camouflage to hide and hunt, swaying back and forth, moving closer and closer to an unsuspecting frog or lizard.  They are mildly venomous, and I can understand why a lot of the locals fear them, but there's nothing to worry about from this little chap. Its fangs would barely penetrate my skin, and although their venom is potent enough to knock out a few frogs it wouldn't have much effect on me. When they do attack they often have to chew a bit just to get the venom in! I've seen many pictures of these snakes, often with the limp body of a giant lizard dangling from their mouths, and so I was pretty excited to finally see one in person.

Although relatively harmless it's still a good idea to handle them gently and carefully - like you would any animal. The key is to just let them slide through your hands as if on a branch, and never 'grasp'.  I've read that when stressed vine snakes will inflate their bodies, making themselves look larger and more aggressive, and revealing black and white markings which look like a chequers board. The most shocking part of their threat display however, is that they gasp and open their incredibly pink mouths. I'm pleased to say that I didn't see any of this - my experience passed with a mutual understanding of curiosity!

If you're unsure about a snake then the best thing to do is keep your distance and let them get on with doing their snakey things.