WIN A COPY OF THE OUR PLANET BOOK See page 30 THE MAGAZINE FOR WWF MEMBERS SUMMER 2019

CLIMATE CRISIS How you’re helping walruses and other Arctic wildlife cope with a rapidly changing world

INFRARED APES BE KIND TO BEES Why we’re testing incredible We can’t live without star-spotting technology bees, so here’s how to help protect orangutans to give them a hand

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Jo Trinick Ruth Simms

KATE BRADBURY award- an is author winning The Snow The Sophie Staford Sophie Kirsten Coleman Kirsten Emma Collacott executive Dan Linstead Dan Our Planet Planet Our TEAM

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Jessie-May Murphy survival, trouble. in they’re but Bradbury Kate gardener Wildlife GIVEAWAYS funky and fun of choice your Win new our from jewellery animal of copy a range, Devine Tatty Planet Our CROSSWORD you and crossword our Solve of copy a win could Project Leopard NOTES FROM THE FIELD Planet Our Pearson reveals his highlights episode Seas High the from INTERVIEW: HUW CORDEY INTERVIEW: We chat to the the making about producer episode Jungles groundbreaking BEES MAKE A BUZZ ABOUT Pollinators are essential to our explains how we can all do our bit bit our do allcan we how explains to give them a boost Loyalty marketing manager marketing Loyalty marketing Loyalty Editor Editor [email protected] assistant Editorial editor Senior Co. Media Immediate For Consultanteditor editor Art manager Account director Design director Editorial MEETTHE CONTRIBUTORS OUR TO THANKS Paul Arnbom, Tom Anderson, Amy Cordey, Huw Bradbury, Kate Bloomfeld, Nicola Lancaster, Melanie Jefries, Barney Wich Serge Pearson, Hugh Loweth, SERGE WICH SERGE biologist a is professor and Liverpool at

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TOM ARNBOM is WWF’s is senior the adviseron Arctic,in based Living Planet Centre, wwf.org.uk/contact wwf.org.uk/facebook wwf.org.uk/twitter wwf.org.uk/youtube BarneyJefries 01483 426333 wwf.org.uk/pinterest wwf.org.uk/news wwf.org.uk/instagram GET IN TOUCH and has seen the impact of of impact the seen has and first-hand. change climate samesays:“It’s the He not 1970s. the in saw I Arctic the in happens what And there.” stay doesn’t Arctic Stockholm. He first He Stockholm.worked ago, yearsArctic the 45 in FOLLOW US CONTENTS IT! WE DID TOGETHER, A round-up all of helped you’ve months recent in achieve us WWF IN ACTION including news, Environment yourbest Earth yet! Hour ARCTIC TIPPING POINT its and crisis, Arcticin is The struggling is wildlife iconic most to adapt. Paul Bloomfeld helping you’re how explains to safeguard its future BIG PICTURE behind-the- extraordinary An with moment scenes – Lanfear Sophie producer friend new her and AND ORANGUTANS STARS technology stargazing clever How of life secret the illuminating is you. to thanks orangutans, By WWF-UK BreweryHouse,Ruford Road, Woking,Surrey GU21 4LL Produced in association with Immediate Media Co. www.imcontent.co.uk Co. MediaImmediateassociation with Producedin MEET THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

. Our Planet life on Earth. Find out more at ourplanet.com Each programme showcases diferent habitats Netfix to create the stunning new series experiencing change – including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia– and explores what steps we must all take It’s time to get the world talking aboutthe home we all share, before it’s too late. That’s why we partnered with to protect them. Climate change is causing horrifc coral bleaching and damaging this vital reef system, the biggest actions in the next 20 years will determine the future for all living structure on the planet. It’s a stark reminder that our

Summer 2019 Summer

We’re calling on the UK government to take to government UK the on calling We’re Thanks to your membership, we’re working hard to to hard working we’re membership, your to Thanks

worst efects of climate change. It’s possible to prevent the the prevent to possible It’s change. climate of efects worst that lives human to harm and nature of loss widespread actquickly. to need we bring,but devastation will climate being destroyed by mass bleaching events. bleaching mass by destroyed being thehabitats from ocean forestsand wildlife, protect walruses ashore, with deadly consequences (see page page (see consequences deadly with ashore, walruses 10). Animals and people are havinginsect causing are survive. temperatures to Rising order to adapt or move in are reefs coral precious And crash. to populations Across the globe, we’re uncovering devastatingnew uncovering we’re globe, the Across warming our with cope cannot wildlife that evidence of thousands of tens forcing is ice sea Shrinking world. CLIMATE EMERGENCYCLIMATE planet, our on havoc wreaking is change Climate on act to fail we If it. know we as life all threatening extinction. faces species six in one change, climate urgent action to tackle the crisis and end the UK’s the end and crisis the tackle to action urgent at more out Find change. climate to contribution wwf.org.uk/actiononclimate

OF YEARS: CLIMATE CHANGE” CLIMATE OF YEARS: WWF AMBASSADOR ATTENBOROUGH, SIR DAVID GREATEST THREAT IN THOUSANDS IN THOUSANDS THREAT GREATEST DISASTER OF GLOBAL SCALE, OUR OUR SCALE, OF GLOBAL DISASTER “WE’RE FACING A MANMADE A MANMADE FACING “WE’RE Action | 2 COVER: © ALAMY. CONTENTS: © OLIVER SCHOLEY / SILVERBACK FILMS /NETFLIX | © SARAH CUTTLE THANK YOU TOGETHER, WE DID IT! “IF WE DAMAGE THE NATURAL WORLD, WE DAMAGE OURSELVES. WE HAVE THE POWER AND THE KNOWLEDGE TO LIVE TOGETHER, WE DID IT! IN HARMONY WITH NATURE” Thanks to your membership, we can help SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, WWF AMBASSADOR protect wildlife and wild places. Here

Timing of the krill fshery activity in the DID YOU are some of the great things supporters peninsula coincides with the humpback whale foraging season – November to July KNOW? like you have helped achieve Humpback whales may consume 1–1.5 tonnes of krill every day 1 KENYA 2 6 during the foraging ANTARCTICA season YOU’RE SUPPORTING A VITAL LION CENSUS YOU’RE HELPING PRESERVE Thanks to you, Kenya’s frst-ever national lion census is 4 HUMPBACK WHALE FEEDING GROUNDS under way, helping to protect one of Africa’s most iconic Thanks to your support, we’ve been unravelling the mystery of species. Globally, lions are in decline. It’s believed that 5 exactly where humpback whales feed on krill. Satellite tracking as few as 20,000 remain in the wild, their populations 1 has identifed the western Antarctic peninsula as a feeding having declined by over 40% in the last three generations. hotspot for these gargantuan gastronomers, and highlighted But lion numbers are notoriously difcult to estimate, so 3 the need for increased protection in the area. Our new report © DUKE UNIVERSITY MARINE ROBOTICS AND REMOTE SENSING their predicament may be even worse than feared. Whales of the Antarctic Peninsula, in partnership with the

With your support, we’re funding a new, robust method University of California Santa Cruz, reveals that humpbacks rely LAB. RESEARCH CONDUCTED UNDER PERMIT BY NOAA. of counting Kenya’s lions, which involves taking close-up, heavily on the peninsula. “Tracking data from over 60 satellite high-resolution photos of individual lions and their whisker tags shows that the whales forage, rest and travel between spot patterns. These patterns are as unique to the lion as our 337 feeding spots here,” explains Dr Ari Friedlaender, who led the fngerprints are to us, and they’ll help us accurately estimate The number of elephants moved research. “Feeding without disturbance is critical to store up the and monitor lion numbers to make sure our conservation of the tracks in Rajaji Tiger energy to sustain them on their long migration to their tropical

© GETTY eforts are based on the best possible science. Following a Reserve by night patrols since breeding grounds.” Like the humpbacks, the krill fshery follows successful trial, the method is being rolled out across Kenya. 6 July 2018. On average, about three the seasonal movement of krill close to shore, placing them in To fnd out more, visit wwf.org.uk/lions direct competition with the whales and increasing the risk of accidents were averted each week © GETTY disturbance and ship strikes. We’re fghting for a network of marine protected areas to help safeguard these gentle giants. 2 BULGARIA 3 JAVA

YOU HELPED SAVE AN ANCIENT BALKAN FOREST YOU HELPED 4 INDIA 5 UGANDA Together, we saved Pirin National Park, PROVIDE RELIEF a World Heritage site, from illegal YOU HELPED SAVE ELEPHANTS’ LIVES YOU HELPED PROTECT MOUNTAIN GORILLAS IN A CRISIS © GETTY construction and plans to allow more You’re supporting our work to protect India’s endangered Asian Thanks to you, we’re testing new technology to help protect logging. Bulgaria’s fagship park is a With your support, we elephants from collisions with trains. The country’s expanding Uganda’s mountain gorillas. We’re working through beautiful place of limestone mountains, provided emergency rail network is putting pressure on elephant populations already the International Gorilla Conservation Programme glacial lakes and old-growth pine forests supplies to the victims under threat. So we’re trialling an early warning system that will (IGCP) and with communities neighbouring Bwindi harbouring bears and wolves. Recently, of the tsunami that hit Java and South Sumatra last year. detect elephants on tracks in Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand Impenetrable National Park to help reduce confict the Bulgarian government proposed a new This tragic event killed over 400 people and made more than – one of the places where with gorillas and other wildlife. Wild animals management plan for the park that would 10,000 homeless. Several villages within the areas surrounding a lot of collisions occur. A can raid crops and endanger local people’s have opened 48% of it up to industrial- Ujung Kulon National Park, where we work, were afected. We network of solar-powered livelihoods, and for mountain gorillas scale logging and the construction of new helped with search and rescue eforts and set up four relief seismic sensors buried it can increase the risk of catching skiing facilities in the Bansko resort. With distribution points to provide blankets, food, water and medical beside the tracks will human diseases. So we’re working the help of over 125,000 people from 150 supplies. We also assisted park staf to assess the impact of the detect the vibrations with volunteer community Human countries – including many WWF members tsunami on the 68 Javan rhinos living in the national park, caused by elephant and Gorilla (HuGo) confict resolution – who signed our global petition, we took the only place in the world this critically endangered species footsteps, and send an groups to pilot a new app that sends the government to court. In a revolutionary is found. Fortunately, none were harmed. We’re urging the alert so that prompt real-time incident reports and automates

© GETTY action can be taken to analysis of data. It will provide data ruling, the court overturned the controversial Indonesian government to move forward with plans to establish © GETTY plans, setting an important precedent for an additional population of Javan rhinos outside of the park to minimise the number of that’s up to date, to support management nature conservation in Bulgaria. safeguard these precious survivors. elephants hit by trains. decisions and conservation eforts.

WWF IN ACTION WWF IN ACTION YOUR PROMISE NEWS IN BRIEF Krill are tiny, shrimp-like TO THE PLANET crustaceans How we’ve been fghting for wildlife and our world More than 36,000 / WWF ARNDT / INGO © NATUREPL.COM people have made pledges to protect I’LL RESTORE the planet NATURE WHERE I LIVE Support wildlife in your garden or local community by sowing wildfower patches or providing shelter. KRILL CONCERN AS ICY WATERS WARM A new study we supported has found that fewer young krill are surviving to adulthood I’LL PLAN A HOLIDAY around Antarctica as ocean temperatures rise. Krill are a critical food source for fsh, CLOSER TO HOME penguins and whales, and the Scotia Sea Flying is a signifcant part of in the Southern Ocean is home to the most people’s climate change largest concentrations. But over the past footprint. Could you holiday 40 years, an increasingly unfavourable closer to home, or travel climate has led to fewer young replenishing by train? the population, and the krill’s distribution is contracting south. In future, the wildlife that depends on krill may face more intense competition with each other – and with krill I’LL CHANGE fsheries – for this vital food source. THE WAY I EAT Food is a major cause of NEWS IN NUMBERS deforestation and wildlife loss. Try to reduce the amount of meat you eat and avoid food waste. I’LL REDUCE EARTH HOUR SPARKS ACTION TO RESTORE NATURE 50From algae to yam bean roots, we’re THE PLASTIC I BUY Earth Hour 2019 focused the world’s Rail Bridge and the Kelpies joined others Emmerdale joined the fun, with ‘Corrie’ Make better choices every day, championing 50 foods for healthier people attention on the loss of nature – and in a visual display of their commitment. tweeting an #EarthHourSelfe, while from using refllable water and a healthier planet. Our new report we couldn’t have done it without you It was inspiring to see Earth Hour Emmerdale shared a video clip on Twitter. bottles and cofee cups, to Future 50 Foods, in partnership with Knorr, On Saturday 30 March at 8.30pm, motivating more people than ever to take Together, we demonstrated just how buying loose fruit aims to inspire people to adopt a more individuals, businesses and cities in 188 personal action to protect the planet. powerful Earth Hour can be. More and and veg. diverse diet. It identifes ingredients that countries and territories worldwide joined Hashtags including #EarthHour and more people are calling for institutional taste good, are nutritious and are kinder to us to speak up for nature and inspire urgent #Connect2Earth trended in 26 countries. change to tackle the climate crisis, and global our planet. Visit wwf.org.uk/futurefoods action for the environment. As Earth Thousands of individuals pledged their movements such as Earth Hour provide a Hour rolled around the globe, thousands support, challenging world leaders to push the clear message to our leaders that people want I’LL MAKE of landmarks switched of their lights in preservation of nature up the global agenda. change to halt the loss of nature – and they MY OWN PLEDGE Eight million tonnes of plastic is solidarity for our planet. Our incredible partners also made this want it now. From Germany to Morocco to Think up a big change you dumped in our oceans every year. In London, hundreds of landmarks went Earth Hour one of the best. London’s Indonesia, people spoke up on issues such can make to your lifestyle From our local beaches to the © LAUREN SIMMONDS / WWF-UK SIMMONDS © LAUREN dark for the hour, including Carnaby Street, Carnaby Street redesigned its iconic arch to as sustainable lifestyles, plastic-free oceans, that will have a positive remote Arctic, plastic pollution is the Shard and Tower Bridge. A thrilling feature some of our most endangered wildlife water conservation and deforestation. impact on our planet. choking our seas. So far, thousands countdown to Earth Hour drew huge crowds as a reminder of why we need to make a Earth Hour’s greatest strength is the power at Piccadilly Circus. In Wales, the Head 4 Arts change this year. Meanwhile, GoodGym of people − and with your support, we can of amazing supporters around event at Parc Penallta welcomed hundreds organised around 70 events that gave inspire even more people to take action. 8the world have signed our petition calling of people by flling a feld with magical communities the chance to do their bit As young infuencer Greta Thunberg tweeted: There’s still time to make your pledge today for urgent action at the UN – including an giant animal lanterns. In Scotland, iconic for their local environment. “Earth Hour is every hour of every day.” immediate agreement which will stop the landmarks including Edinburgh Castle, Forth This year, ITV’s Coronation Street and Find out more at wwf.org.uk/earthhour at wwf.org.uk/voicefortheplanet leakage of plastics into the oceans. 6 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 7 WWF IN ACTION WWF IN ACTION

NEWS IN BRIEF The fallen log seen SCIENTISTS SOUND A CALL FOR NATURE in this image is one traditionally used by We’re backing an urgent call for “To fulfl our basic needs we rely on a poachers to set metal global action to halt the decline in complex web of processes, powered by the snares to capture snow leopards for their pelts. nature, as a major new report by millions of plants and animals with which But this family is safe. international scientists reveals that we share our planet. But biodiversity is more than a million species are at declining at an unprecedented rate,” says risk of extinction Rebecca Shaw, a WWF chief scientist. In May, the Intergovernmental “We need to inspire the world to act © NICK KINDON / WWF-UK KINDON © NICK Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem in 2020. Governments, businesses, Services (IPBES) launched a landmark fnancial institutions and civil society report on the state of nature. The Global must commit to halting the loss of Assessment report provides compelling nature and set it on the path to recovery. scientifc evidence of the role biodiversity Nature needs to be high up on global and natural assets play in our economies policymakers’ agendas.” and businesses, and demonstrates the To coincide with the IPBES report, we WASTESHARK COMBATS MARINE PLASTIC connection between climate change also initiated the ‘Call4Nature’, an open and loss of biodiversity. It aims to make letter calling on world leaders to act now SNOW LEOPARDS As part of our eforts to improve the health of governments fully aware of the risks of to save our planet. Renowned scientists, our oceans, WWF and Sky Ocean Rescue have nature loss for the future development of wildlife experts and public fgures came RECLAIM THE WILD launched the UK’s frst WasteShark. In March, societies and economies, and reinforces together to sign it, including Dr Jane A remarkable image caught on the autonomous marine robot began roaming the urgent need for action to reduce our Goodall, Chris Packham, Julia Bradbury, a remote camera ofers new Ilfracombe harbour, in north Devon, which is impact on our planet’s survival systems. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and WWF- hope for the future of snow home to a rich variety of wildlife, including grey The IPBES report comes at a critical UK’s CEO Tanya Steele. leopards in Russia seals. WasteShark swims around capturing up time, when the devastating impacts of We also released a Call4Nature photo The image shows a female to 60kg of waste at a time, including plastics climate change are pushing the planet series featuring some of the world’s top snow leopard known to experts and pollutants. The plastic is then recycled. to its brink. Last year, our Living Planet wildlife photographers. The images, as Yunchi, with her two cubs, By removing waste as it enters the harbour, Report valued the services nature which illustrate some of nature’s biggest exploring an area that was once WasteShark prevents it from being washed provides for humanity at around US$125 challenges, are a powerful reminder of riddled with hundreds of poachers’ out to sea, where it threatens marine wildlife. trillion a year, and revealed that wildlife the need to create a New Deal for People snares. It was captured on one of Watch the flm at wwf.org.uk/wasteshark populations had plummeted globally by and Nature in 2020 – a global action plan our remote cameras in the Argut

60% since 1970. This catastrophic decline to tackle climate change and the loss of © WWF-DENMARK river valley in Russia’s Altai-Sayan in biodiversity is undermining nature’s nature. See for yourself at ecoregion, a landscape of high ability to sustain life as we know it. wwf.org.uk/call4naturenow HUNTING FOR GHOST GEAR mountains that ofers a last refuge We’re helping to retrieve and recycle lethal for this rare feline. plastic fshing nets from Greenland’s Historically, snow leopards waters, and to set better standards for were poached out here. Now, MORE THAN 40% OF AMPHIBIAN more sustainable Arctic fsheries the Argut valley is well protected SPECIES, ALMOST 33% OF CORALS, We’re supporting a project tackling a deadly through patrolling and monitoring SHARKS AND RAYS, AND OVER threat to marine life in the spectacular World activities, allowing this family to 33% OF MARINE MAMMALS Heritage site of Disko Bay, west Greenland. In the roam freely and safely. And, slowly, dark depths beneath the bay’s imposing icebergs numbers are rising once more. © WWF-BRAZIL ARE THREATENED lie an overwhelming number of ghost fshing nets. In 2013, WWF teams in Russia 40% These lost and discarded plastic nets and long helped establish Sailugemsky lines continue to be a lethal trap to birds, fsh and National Park and began marine mammals, such as seals, even after they’ve supporting anti-poaching patrols been discarded. Indeed, a new study has shown throughout the Argut region. NEW RESEARCH ON ‘JAGUAR ISLAND’ that a year after a gill net is lost it can still catch They also began outreach and Our camera traps are helping to reveal the nearly a ffth as many fsh as an actively managed So in October, we began cleaning up Greenland’s education programmes. In 2014, secret world of jaguars on mysterious Maraca net. That’s bad news for fsh populations, and the fshing grounds. We collected and sustainably they invited six ex-poachers to Island, an uninhabited and largely unexplored wildlife and people that depend on them. disposed of ghost fshing nets, helping to save the become snow leopard guardians tropical island lying 5km of the coast of Brazil. The abandoned polymer ropes and fshing gear lives of countless animals. But we’re not stopping and helped them understand how Maraca contains around 60,000 hectares of also add a signifcant amount of plastic pollution there. Our goal is to stop fshing gear from being the cats were worth more alive. rainforest and is home to magnifcent jaguars. KONG / WWF-HONG LORENZ © SIMON to the ocean. They leach microplastic fbres into lost or tossed in the frst place. So we’re fghting Each reformed poacher now But how they got there is still unclear. To fnd the water, and these enter the food chain when to make sure that all gear can be traced back to its protects his own area where one out more, we placed camera traps around the they’re ingested by organisms such as fsh. owner, that refundable deposits on fshing gear or two snow leopards roam. They island. As you can see from the picture above, A recent study found that microplastics are now encourage its return, and that insurance incentives monitor the cats using camera

they’re already producing excellent results. found everywhere in Arctic waters, and seabirds encourage safe gear disposal. We’re also helping traps. Together, they’re helping © WWF-RUSSIA Coastal marine ecosystems are sufering. In several Arctic areas, over 70% of to develop tools, such as sonar refectors, that Next, we hope to collar individual jaguars in show some of the most local people to see snow leopards order to track their movements. We’ll let rapid ongoing declines northern fulmars were found to have plastic in will make lost gear easier to fnd. as a treasure they want to protect. you know what we discover. their stomachs. Find out more wwf.org.uk/ghostnets 8 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 9 ARCTIC TIPPING POINT PROTECTING THE ARCTIC

PACIFIC WALRUS CHUKOTKA PENINSULA, RUSSIA

ow much does a walrus weigh? A big male can reach more than 1.5 tonnes. And, at around 3.6m long, they really are pretty huge. But how much does a walrus smell? That’s a more important point than you might imagine – particularly if you live in aH village where 40,000 of them have hauled themselves out of the sea and into the schoolyard. The answer is, perhaps unsurprisingly, not good. “They smell like hell,” smiles Tom Arnbom, WWF’s senior adviser for the Arctic. It’s not a hypothetical question for the residents of Vankarem and Ryrkaypiy, small settlements on the Chukotka Peninsula in far-eastern Arctic Russia. And it became a problem in summer 2007, when the sea ice edge lay a record distance (around 1,200km) away from the Chukotka coast. Indeed, the extent of sea ice across the Arctic that year was the lowest on record: in September CLIMATE 2007 it dropped to 4.13 million sq km – 38% below the 1979-2000 average. Pacifc walruses like to rest on foating sea ice, diving down to eat mussels and clams on the seabed. But if ice is sparse they rest on land, congregating in huge haul-outs often numbering tens of thousands, as it was in Chukotka in 2007. An estimated 20,000–30,000 walruses hauled out near Vankarem (which, according to some, means ‘tusk people’, referring to the indigenous population’s reliance on walrus hunting). Meanwhile, 200km to CHANGE the north-west, an intimidating 40,000–50,000 individuals congregated in the schoolyard at Ryrkaypiy, a settlement of around 1,000 people. Suddenly, around 70,000 walruses were thronging in places that had never experienced such huge haul-outs in living memory. A CRUSH OF WALRUSES “That caused problems, especially in Ryrkaypiy,” recalls Tom. “There was a lot of noise, there was a bad smell and when people started taking pictures it caused SURVIVORS stampedes.” When startled, walruses dash for the The Arctic is warming rapidly. But thanks ocean – and young calves are easily crushed by huge, panicking males. “More than 650 individuals died in the to you, we’re working to tackle the climate schoolyards,” says Tom, “and there were more deaths In the Arctic, the minimum level of crisis and protect the region’s iconic wildlife sea ice is declining by around 13% each near Vankarem. Overall, probably more than 2,000 decade. When the sea ice recedes over individuals died, mainly young ones.” the deep ocean basin, walruses must The smell of dead walrus wasn’t just a superfcial either continue to ‘haul out’ on the sea ice with little access to food, or abandon the sensory problem for these communities. “The people ice and move to coastal areas where they

realised that polar bears would arrive in winter and be © GETTY can rest on land. Haul-outs containing thousands of walruses have become attracted to the walrus carcasses in the settlements,” increasingly common during low ice years explains Tom. “So to keep both the people and the

10 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 11 ARCTIC TIPPING POINT PROTECTING THE ARCTIC

During low sea ice years, remaining on the foes means Pacifc walruses have further to swim back to shallower waters to fnd food, since the sea bed is too deep POLAR BEAR for them to reach. As a result, females are in poorer condition. Calves are also SVALBARD, ARCTIC NORWAY more likely to become separated from their mothers in the deep water In the future, some polar bears may and, though polar bears are great continue to take advantage of retreating swimmers, it has a huge impact on their sea ice where walrus haul-outs ofer easy energy requirements. In some areas of pickings. Tom has seen places where the Arctic, the body condition of the bears there’s no sea ice near the coast during is poorer, they produce fewer cubs, and summer. “Every walrus haul-out has a juvenile survival rates have fallen. polar bear nearby. One pup per month “The impact of climate change on the is enough food for a bear – pups are Arctic is complex and varies from place to fat! As sea ice shrinks, some polar bear place,” she adds. “The same species living populations will lose access to one food in diferent regions will respond diferently source – seals – but gain another because to these efects. The lives of polar bears, of the changes in walrus behaviour.” bowheads, narwhals and other Arctic Overall, though, climate change is species are so intimately tied to the sea a disaster for polar bears. In western ice that if their home continues to change Svalbard, coastal ice has retreated at this rate, they won’t be able to adapt dramatically, which impacts both humans quickly enough to survive.” and bears. “Just 25 years ago, you could It’s vital we monitor the big picture travel by skidoo along the coast to reach to ensure the ecosystem and all the settlements in a few hours,” explains Tom. species within it are protected. As well “Now it takes several days to cover the as research and conservation advocacy, same distance, because there’s no ice.” we’re working to reduce confict between This afects Svalbard’s polar bears too, people and polar bears, a problem that’s THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF THE Melanie explains. “There’s data covering increasing as bears are forced to spend multiple generations of bears that can more time on land searching for food. pinpoint where one female now has to With your support, we’re working across ARCTIC HAS INCREASED BY MORE THAN swim in an area where her grandmother Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia, was able to walk over the ice. In just two supporting patrols and other strategies to 2.3°C SINCE THE 1970S, AND CONTINUES generations, it has completely changed keep humans and polar bears safe. TO INCREASE BY 0.6°C PER DECADE

polar bears safe, we gave funds to local dangerous stampedes. population on Svalbard – a Norwegian studies to determine whether Atlantic and communities to cover the fuel and labour Climate change is disproportionately archipelago in the Arctic Ocean – seems Pacifc populations are mingling in the required to drag the walrus carcasses away afecting the Arctic and its inhabitants to be growing, in part because of hunting Laptev Sea. We’ve also been supporting and stack them up to keep bears away from – walruses, humans and other species. restrictions but possibly also because less research into behaviour and numbers at villages. The smell was incredible!” The average temperature of the Arctic has sea ice means easier access to their feeding haul-outs in western and eastern Russia, Disappearing sea ice The problem with shrinking sea ice isn’t increased by more than 2.3°C since the areas around islands. looking at how walruses are afected by forces polar bears to going away – and neither are the walruses, 1970s, and continues to increase by 0.6°C So it’s not just one story for all species shipping. Maritime trafc throughout the burn huge amounts which have kept returning to the Chukotka per decade. The retreating sea ice is just one across the Arctic, but a mixture. Melanie region is growing as channels become of energy walking or swimming long distances coast. “Polar bears have learned this,” result. Changing conditions are afecting Lancaster, WWF’s Arctic species specialist, increasingly free from ice, and we want to to reach the remaining reports Tom, “and they’ve started visiting animal migrations, vegetation ranges, even explains: “There’s a lot of uncertainty for determine the minimum distance shipping ice in order to hunt areas in summer that they used to only the fat content of marine prey species – and scientists and conservationists in this lanes need to be from haul-outs to avoid migrate through in winter, to feed on the these efects are not the same everywhere. area, so it’s important we continue with causing stress to the walruses. walruses. The bears may not even have to For example, the impact on the Atlantic monitoring and research, as well as hunt – they can just eat the carcasses of walruses, mostly around Greenland and moving quickly on policy.” walruses killed in stampedes.” eastern Arctic Canada, has been minimal With your help we’re supporting and WORKING FOR WALRUSES Across the Chukchi Sea to the east, compared with their Pacifc cousins. undertaking a range of work on walruses Climate change remains by far the too, summer colonies of more than Atlantic walruses tend to hang out on across the Arctic. In Russia, we’ve helped greatest threat to walruses. Find out

10,000 walruses now gather at Point Lay islands and coastlines because their shallow fund a report gathering data from diferent more about how you’re helping to © ALAMY in Alaska almost every year. Here, people feeding grounds are closer to the shore, so sources on the status of walruses across protect these Arctic giants at are kept away from the haul-outs to prevent they aren’t reliant on sea ice. Indeed, the the Arctic region, and supported DNA wwf.org.uk/walrus 12 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 13 XXX Climate change threatens the nomadic culture and well-being of reindeer- herding communities in Arctic Russia and “TODAY, ALMOST Scandinavia ALL OF THE REINDEER CARIBOU/REINDEER SWEDEN AND CANADA POPULATIONS IN THE If too little ice is a problem in the Arctic Ocean, on Snow cover was good land there’s another headache: too much ice. Or, during the 2018–19 winter, more accurately, ice in the wrong place – and it’s and biologists counted having a huge impact on reindeer. “Local herders say 109 birthing females CANADIAN ARCTIC ARE IN that climate change is afecting their herds,” explains Tom. “There’s more winter rain, which penetrates DECLINE, AND SOME ARE the snow and forms a sheet of ice covering the lichen that are the reindeer’s main winter food. They can’t even smell the lichen, let alone reach it to eat it, so IN FREEFALL, DECLINING they simply don’t know where to go to fnd food.” In Sweden, the livelihoods and cultural traditions of Sámi people are inextricably linked to the SAIMAA RINGED SEAL reindeer. They’ve migrated with the herds for FINLAND BY AS MUCH AS 95%” centuries. Now, though, lakes and rivers don’t always “One aspect of climate change that’s not talked about so freeze in autumn, so the Sámi must move through much is snow,” remarks Tom. “Snow cover is decreasing forests, which takes longer. And in hot summers, more rapidly than sea ice in some areas, and that’s a as last year, the reindeer migrate higher into the ticking time bomb – we don’t know exactly what it’s mountains to fnd snowfelds where they can evade going to mean. Snow is not one thing, it’s hundreds of biting insects. Females have longer treks down to things. Its loss creates challenges for many diferent valleys to feed at night, when insects are less active; plant, insect and mammal species.” as a result, some of their calves may weigh less. One animal afected by an absence of snow is the These are problems the Sámi have never faced Saimaa ringed seal, an endangered pinniped found before. They’re very concerned. Tom explains: only in the Saimaa lake system in south-east Finland. “They say, ‘We need to fnd a new way of reindeer Numbers declined as a result of hunting, falling from herding, because if it dies, our culture will die – perhaps 1,000 at the start of the 20th century to fewer and it will never come back.’” than 120 in the 1980s. After we established a seal The reindeer’s North American cousins, the conservation programme in 1979, the population began barren-ground caribou of Arctic Canada, are also to recover. But then it hit another stumbling block: snow sufering as ice masks the lichen. This is just one of – or, rather, a lack of it. many issues afecting the subspecies, which has Female Saimaa ringed seals give birth and nurse their experienced calamitous population declines. It’s also pups in dens in snowbanks, which provide protection. been hit by changes in the composition of vegetation Warmer winters result in poor snow conditions, and on feeding grounds caused by a warming climate. if there’s insufcient snow to make dens, the pups are Some herds, which once numbered in the hundreds exposed to predators and disturbance by humans. of thousands, have declined by over 95%. It may also increase mortality risk and hamper growth. Barren-ground caribou are also sensitive to To compensate, in recent winters, WWF volunteers industrial development – mining and its associated have scraped snow and ice from the surface of the frozen infrastructure – on their migration routes and calving lake to make artifcial snowbanks in which the seals can grounds. This is increasing as marine transportation den. The results have been encouraging. In 2017, the becomes more feasible due to longer open water volunteers built 286 snow dens, and 74 pups were born. periods in the Arctic caused by climate change. Indeed, between 2014 and 2017, they’ve constructed “The eastern Canadian Arctic is where most / NATUREPL.COM ALEXANDER CHERRY AND © BRYAN nearly 800 artifcial snow banks, where 190 pups have caribou give birth,” says Melanie. “All of the females © GETTY | © JUHA TASKINEN / WWF-FINLAND TASKINEN | © JUHA © GETTY been born. Over that period, half of all Saimaa ringed in a herd give birth at virtually the same time. So it’s seal pups were born safe inside human-made dens. vital they get to their calving grounds at the right Thanks to these eforts, and work to reduce fshing time, and that they’re not disturbed there, or it’ll bycatch, seal numbers have risen to an estimated 392. have a huge impact on the herd. A lot of our work But what will happen if the lake fails to freeze, or there’s Climate change is afecting at WWF focuses on protecting the caribou’s calving no snow for volunteers to make dens? With your help, weather patterns and grounds and migration routes from being afected we’re supporting the University of Eastern Finland’s vegetation in the Arctic, by roads, industry, noise and other threats. By doing causing the population of wild research into seal conservation and monitoring, and caribou to decline by nearly this, we’re giving the species the best chance of how dens can be created in years with no snow or ice. 50% in the last two decades coping with rapid climate change.”

14 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 15 The Arctic fox faces many threats from CLIMATE CHANGE SURVIVORS climate change. Its sea ice and tundra PROTECTING THE ARCTIC habitat is shrinking, its lemming prey is less abundant, and competition with red foxes is increasing BOWHEAD WHALE CLIMATE CHANGE ARCTIC OCEAN VERSUS THE ARCTIC The bowhead whale is the jazz crooner some journey times by an estimated 40% bowhead migration routes and numbers, Shrinking sea ice is not the only sign of the cetacean world. “Bowheads compared with routes via the Suez or particularly around eastern Canada and of climate change in the Arctic. Other have complex songs that change all the Panama Canal. As a result, shipping trafc western Greenland, and in the critically far-reaching – and surprising – threats time, which they use to fnd mates,” is expected to quadruple here by 2025! endangered population between east afect landscapes, animals and people says Melanie. This analogy reveals a big Ship noise and bowhead calls are both Greenland and Svalbard. And we’re problem facing this huge denizen of the low frequency, so the potential disruption working on minimising the impact of Arctic Ocean, whose vocalisations are to whale communication is worrying. industry and shipping on these huge, increasingly drowned out by a diferent Industrial noise can also cause hearing charismatic creatures. “We’re advocating kind of underwater orchestra – propeller loss, infict physiological stress, make it for a more precautionary principle to be sounds from increased shipping, seismic difcult for mothers to fnd their young, applied to the Arctic,” asserts Melanie. ARCTIC LAKES ARE DISAPPEARING Since 1970, more than 400 tundra booms from more oil and gas exploration, and even scare of their fsh prey. “It’s particularly important for long- ponds have vanished in Greenland and the clash of construction as new Over 70,000 supporters signed our lived, slow-reproducing species such as due to advancing plant cover, thawing infrastructure is built. campaign pushing for efective regulation the bowhead. It can take, not years, but permafrost and evaporation. “This soundscape is unique,” explains of underwater noise in Arctic waters and centuries for a population to recover.” Melanie. “Noise travels at a shallower to create sound sanctuaries to safeguard These problems are only getting ARCTIC FOX depth in the cold Arctic water, and ice marine mammals. worse. Scientists estimate that summer SCANDINAVIA AND FINLAND DISEASES SPREAD blankets the ocean from wave and wind The bowhead’s distinctive appearance sea ice could be virtually gone by the Arctic warming allows action for much of the year. So it’s a much hints at another growing problem. “Like 2030s. “If we protect an area of old- An Arctic fox in winter is a heart-warming afecting these rodent cycles, reducing prey diseases to spread. The quieter place than most of the world’s narwhals and belugas, the bowhead has a growth forest from destruction, species sight – if you can locate one! Its gorgeous availability for Arctic foxes, which won’t muskox lungworm is oceans. We think the marine wildlife of small dorsal ridge instead of a big fn. This such as orangutans will beneft,” says thick fur turns white in autumn, providing breed when rodent numbers are low. rapidly expanding its range north and east, the Arctic is less accustomed to noise enables it to swim under ice foes where it Melanie. “But in the Arctic, it’s diferent. excellent camoufage against the snow. We’re taking action in Scandinavia to help probably due to But there’s another reason why spotting one Arctic fox numbers recover, providing dog than in other regions, and cetaceans are skims food from shallow water,” explains We can protect an area – but if climate warmer conditions. particularly sensitive.” Some bowheads, Melanie. “Orcas have tall dorsal fns, so change continues unchecked and sea is a rare treat in Scandinavia and Finland: pellets at dens year round – not enough to which can live for up 200 years, were born they aren’t suited to hunting amid the ice vanishes, it’s no good. Sea ice is as there are very few left. make them breed, but sufcient to increase in an era before motorised vessels. foes. But as the sea ice retreats, the killer fundamental to a bowhead as trees are Intensive hunting in the 19th century survival rates in winter so that when a NATIVE PLANTS Today, the Arctic Ocean is noisier than whales are able to move further north, to an orangutan – and it will disappear decimated these populations. Locally lemming or vole surge happens, they can ARE LOST ever as retreating ice unlocks previously hunting narwhal and bowhead whales.” unless we take action to mitigate extinct in Finland by the early 1980s, the take advantage. We’re also putting out trails If snow cover only lasts inaccessible shipping lanes, reducing We’re supporting research on climate change impacts today.” Arctic fox was saved from a similar fate in of food between core areas to encourage for shorter periods and summers become longer, Sweden by a hunting ban in 1928. Even so, them to spread to new locations. And we’re plants from the south by 1980 just 30 Arctic foxes survived here. protecting Arctic fox dens to ensure they can gain a foothold and Temperatures in the Arctic fox’s tundra have safe places to raise their cubs. outcompete native habitat have risen by 1°C in the past century. Thanks in part to this work, Arctic fox Arctic-adapted plants. As a result, the treeline is advancing north numbers have increased in Sweden and and the tundra is receding. This has opened Norway to about 300, some of which are the door to red foxes, which are twice the spilling over into Finland. “We’re hoping size of their cousins and which kill or chase for a lemming peak in Scandinavia this away Arctic foxes from their dens. summer,” says Tom, “so Arctic fox numbers Whereas Arctic foxes near the coast have should rise by 50 to 100. When we reach

access to fairly consistent food sources about 2,000 Arctic foxes, the population will HUMAN COMMUNITIES AT RISK As sea ice that protected coasts from such as seabirds, those on the tundra are be able to take the bumps and our work here storm surges vanishes, land is lost to largely reliant on lemmings and voles, will be done. Sadly, there’s not much we can the waves, while thawing permafrost populations of which boom and plummet in do about the retreating tundra – except keep causes damage to buildings and roads. regular cycles. Climate change seems to be working to combat climate change.”

HELP US PROTECT THE ARCTIC TODAY The Arctic region is facing a climate emergency. £10 could help pay for a blood and decision makers to push for Through our Arctic programme, we’re working to sample from a polar bear to action to tackle climate change combat the urgent threat of climate change, save assess its health wildlife and support communities. Your membership £200 could help pay for tags to works in many ways, from supporting patrols to £70 could help pay for a polar monitor marine mammals, such monitor polar bears and walruses, to providing bear patroller for a day, to keep as bowhead whales and walruses essential kit for feld teams. You’re also enabling us people and bears safe to discover more about species that depend on sea If you’d like to do even more, Listen to a bowhead’s song ice, and helping to persuade governments to tackle £100 could support our you can donate today at © GETTY and fnd out how the underwater the underlying causes driving climate change. advocacy with governments wwf.org.uk/arcticaction soundscape of the Arctic Ocean is changing at wwf.org.uk/arcticnoise 16 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 17 THE BIG PICTURE

MAKING NEW FRIENDS From deserts to the frozen Arctic wilderness, the production team behind Netfix series Our Planet travelled the globe to capture its most compelling conservation stories. But it wasn’t always as glamorous as it sounds... “For the Frozen Worlds episode, I was working in Russia with a WWF scientist, Anatoly Kochnev, and an all-male crew. So it wasn’t ideal to discover that our accommodation was essentially a large garden shed,” chuckles Sophie Lanfear, producer-director for Silverback Films, who made the spellbinding series. “There were seven of us sleeping in one room,” she explains. “We each had our own shelf, with four on each wall, and we had to get into bed in a certain order. Fortunately, it only became a problem if you needed to pee in the middle of the night!” The hut was surrounded by thousands of Pacifc walruses, day and night. “It was sad,” sighs Sophie. “We wanted the Frozen Worlds episode to highlight the importance of sea ice for the animals that depend on it – and for the planet. In Russia, the sea ice has retreated so far north that this beach is the only place close to their feeding grounds that the walruses can rest. So © JAMIE MCPHERSON / SILVERBACK FILMS NETFLIX now they all haul out at this one location and that’s dangerous for the calves, which can get crushed if the herd panics.” Every now and then, the walruses would become curious about their new neighbours and stick their heads through the hut’s open door. “I kept very still so as not to startle this individual. It was a beautiful, intimate and slightly melancholy moment to share with an animal that’s struggling to survive in a changing Arctic.” Find out more and explore at ourplanet.com

18 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 19 PROTECTING THREATENED SPECIES ORANGUTANS

Orangutans face a precarious future. AND So with your help, we supported a ORANGUTANS groundbreaking survey – using drones and special star-spotting thermal technology – that will help us protect these precious apes

he work of primatologists and astrophysicists rarely overlaps. ASTROPHYSICS But when Serge Wich, from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), got talking to his neighbour and colleague Steve Longmore, they discovered that studying apes and analysing stars have more in common than you might think. T“A couple of years ago, I started using infrared cameras to monitor wildlife,” explains Serge. “I quickly accumulated hours and hours of video data, but I just don’t have the time to go through it all. One day I was moaning about this on the train, when Steve ofered to help.” Serge thought his friend was volunteering his time to review the footage – but Steve had something else in mind. Finding orangutans in the rainforest, it turns out, isn’t so diferent from detecting the light from far-fung galaxies in the vastness of space. And Steve and his colleagues at the Astrophysics Research Institute at LJMU had been doing that for years. WHY DATA MATTERS Here at WWF, we know that successful conservation depends on having good data. We need to monitor critically endangered orangutan populations to see if our conservation eforts are working. Serge agrees: “Does protecting an area as a national park have an impact? Can well-managed logging concessions help maintain a stable orangutan population? How efective is our work to educate and reduce hunting? We can only answer those questions if we know the areas the orangutans are using, and how many of them there are left.” The most common way to monitor orangutan populations is by WORDS BY BARNEY JEFFRIES; IMAGE © ANUP SHAH / NATURE PL / NATURE SHAH © ANUP IMAGE JEFFRIES; BARNEY BY WORDS counting their nests. “Like all great apes, orangutans make nests out of branches, high in the treetops, every night and sometimes during the day. Here, they can sleep, comfortable and protected from predators. From those nests, we can estimate the number of orangutans,” says Serge. Usually fnding nests involves walking in straight lines through Borneo’s orangutans are the forest looking out for nests in the canopy – a long and laborious facing a crisis. Poaching and destruction of the process. Thanks to your support, we’ve been able to carry out helicopter rainforest has driven them surveys, which allow us to cover larger areas in a shorter time. But this to the edge of extinction. is expensive, and fying low over the forest canopy can be risky. But by embracing To make matters more complicated, counting nests – which may innovative approaches to monitoring wildlife, not necessarily be in use – provides only an imprecise estimate of we can help protect them orangutan numbers, with room for error. “When the numbers are not for generations to come exact, it can be difcult to determine whether a population is growing, stable or declining,” says Serge. “And, of course, that’s exactly what 20 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 21 PROTECTING THREATENED SPECIES ORANGUTANS

SPOT THE HEAT “ORANGUTANS SIGNATURE It’s not just orangutans that An orangutan in its nest ARE MUCH EASIER show up on infrared images. Borneo is home to incredible wildlife. Along TO SPOT BEFORE with orangutans, the Kinabatangan test site is home to at least 10 other primates, as well as the THE SUN RISES” island’s unique pygmy elephants. “For this trial, we focused Serge and the astro-ecology team gaze up at the on the orangutans,” says drone as it sets out on a mission to fnd orangutans in Serge. “But while we were Pygmy elephants their nests. This technology could radically improve fying the drones around, we the accuracy of monitoring eforts, helping to target conservation work and inform land-use decisions realised that we could also pick up the thermal signature of other animals – proboscis monkeys, macaques, elephants. “It’s our hope that we can At the end of a long day foraging, develop this technique to orangutans build a safe and help protect other threatened comfortable nest in the forest canopy mammals in Sabah and other to sleep in. This is the best time to places around the world in try to count them to inform our Macaques conservation eforts the future.”

But astrophysicists have been using to your support, and in particular to our renowned for its orangutans, but the easier to spot before the sun rises and begins “We hope you’re as excited as we are,” them to detect the infrared signals amazing orangutan adopters, we were able population has fallen dramatically – from to warm up the forest again. As a result, we’re says WWF’s Asia regional manager Nicola from stars and galaxies for much to see whether UAVs with thermal cameras more than 4,000 in the 1960s to only around all early risers now!” Loweth. “This could make a big diference to longer. What we’re doing is applying really could be an efective way to monitor 800 today. As in other parts of Borneo Another strategy was to fy the UAV over a this precious ape’s future prospects, enabling the techniques they’ve developed over orangutans and other threatened animals. and Sumatra, deforestation – particularly large area in a grid pattern, then try to locate us to help conserve and connect their most many decades to identify orangutans.” We also used the opportunity to refne the conversion to oil palm plantations – is the and identify animals in the footage using the important habitats.” we need to know. So we have to fnd a way With the right hardware and software, it’s system to allow for the efects of weather, main cause of their decline. astrophysicists’ algorithms. The specially And what works for orangutans can work to minimise the amount of error in order to possible to identify the unique thermal profle humidity and other environmental factors. As evening approached, our teams on developed software accounts for vegetation for other threatened species too. Looking identify population trends accurately.” or ‘heat signature’ of diferent species, and to We chose two sites for the trials. The the ground would head out into the forest blocking body heat, so animals can still be towards the furthest reaches of the universe Recently, technological innovations have teach computers to recognise them. In theory, frst, Sepilok, is a rehabilitation area where and follow individual orangutans. Once the detected even when they’re partly concealed may just have given us a new way of seeing begun opening up ways to improve precision we should be able to fy a UAV equipped with a orangutans are habituated to the presence orangutans had made a comfy nest out of by trees or leaves. When an orangutan life here on Earth. and reduce the workload and expense thermal imaging camera over the forest, then of humans, meaning they’re relatively easy branches and bedded down for the night, was detected, the ground team would be involved in wildlife monitoring. Unmanned run the footage through a program that will to fnd and follow. The second site, alongside the team would note down the nest’s GPS despatched to the location to check for the aerial vehicles (UAVs) – better known as automatically detect orangutans and other the Kinabatangan coordinates. Then we’d fy the drone over that individual or a recently vacated fresh nest. HOW YOU CAN HELP drones – equipped with digital cameras ofer species it recognises. This works for galaxies river, is location – as the sun set that night, and again an efcient way to cover large areas, and are billions of light years away, at any rate. globally the next day around sunrise – to see if it EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS In the last 20 years, forest destruction less expensive and more environmentally could successfully detect the sleepy apes. In both cases, the system proved extremely and hunting have halved orangutan friendly than using helicopters and THE APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE “During the day, the temperature of a efective. “When we started this trial, I wasn’t numbers. You’re already helping to fund our pioneering use of new technology conducting ground surveys. Conservationists Having developed the method in zoos, Serge, hot and humid forest is similar to the body sure how well it would work,” admits Serge. / WWF-UK | © SCUBAZOO | © GETTY © ALAMY to monitor these incredible animals.

are also increasingly using infrared thermal Steve and the LJMU astro-ecology team were temperature of wild animals. So you can’t “The tropics are hot and humid, so we weren’t UNIVERSITY MOORES JOHN © LIVERPOOL imaging cameras, which capture information keen to try it out in the feld. And because detect them that well,” explains Serge. positive the heat signal of an orangutan in a Watch the footage from our infrared invisible to the naked eye. And this is where we’re always on the lookout for innovative “During the evening, the forest cools down, nest would be visible on the drone images. cameras at wwf.org.uk/infrared the astrophysicists come in. ways to protect endangered animals, such as and the heat diference becomes greater, so Fortunately, it is. The results were even better But if you’d like to do more to help “Like all mammals, orangutans produce orangutans, a partnership was formed. it gets easier to detect warm-bodied wildlife. than I expected.” protect Asia’s only great apes – before heat to maintain their body temperature. Last year, we worked with LJMU “The morning is the best time to look for There’s still work to be done to refne the it’s too late – adopting an orangutan By using infrared cameras, we can detect and Hutan Kinabatangan Orangutan orangutans, because the forest has cooled system and reduce the costs, but this new can help preserve the rainforest and that heat,” explains Serge. “In recent years, Conservation Programme to test the down a lot over night, and the animals’ technology has the potential to radically promote sustainable palm oil. Adopt infrared cameras have become increasingly technology in the Malaysian state of heat causes them to glow brightly on improve the accuracy and efciency of today at wwf.org.uk/orangutan

popular as a way to monitor wildlife. Sabah on the island of Borneo. Thanks the infrared images. They’re much monitoring orangutan populations. 22 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 23 OUR PLANET INTERVIEW

On New Britain Island in Papua New Guinea, where the Our Planet team flmed, virgin rainforest had been recently cleared and the land prepared to plant a monoculture of palm oil trees

Huw Cordey is the producer of the Jungles episode of Our Planet. We asked him about flming challenges, conservation and choices...

How is Our Planet diferent? swamp in Suaq Belimbing, Sumatra. The water was We wanted to create a series that would reach a massive up to our shins or even our knees for 12 hours a day. global audience and not just celebrate the natural We were carrying really expensive camera equipment, world, but show in depth the challenges it’s facing but we couldn’t see the hazards waiting to trip us up today. We’re approaching a tipping point when those beneath the surface. There was also a plant called changes are going to afect us all – our food supply, our ‘ringus’ whose fallen fruits turned the water toxic, air, our quality of life. We need to change our view of creating a nasty skin infection a bit like a poison ivy. nature, from a ‘luxury’ to a necessity for life to continue Our poor cameraman’s legs were red raw for days! as we know it. The future of our planet is in our hands. We must all start thinking hard about how our choices Were there any flm-making frsts? afect nature. The next 20 years will be critical. We Our aim was to show the orangutans using tools – have the power to save our world, but we must act now. a behaviour never documented for TV before. This population is the only one in the world that uses tools, What’s special about the Jungles episode? which they fashion out of bits of stick and use to winkle It explores the greatest and most important rainforests out insects and beetle grubs from the tree bark. We in the world and introduces their unique cast of knew it would be hard to flm this behaviour, because characters. Jungles are by far the most diverse habitat the orangutans live in the tree tops, blocked from view on the planet. They represent only about 7% of the by dense foliage. We were thrilled when we succeeded. world’s land area, yet they are home to almost 50% of its species. They are also crucial to all life on Earth How were drones used in the flming? because they drive the water cycle and remove carbon Our Planet is the frst big, blue-chip natural history from the atmosphere. In this episode, we wanted to series that has used drones for flming. In the past, convey their huge importance and need for protection. we would’ve had to use a helicopter, but drones can Time to save our fy much lower and give a more intimate aerial view. How did you choose what to flm? For example, we deployed drones to show the impact The great thing about jungles is that we still don’t know oil palm is having on the orangutan’s home. We found that much about them, so there are always new species a place where virgin rainforest was butted right up and stories to share. Years ago, I captured the frst-ever against an oil palm plantation. The footage reveals footage of a displaying male western parotia – a bird of the stark contrast between the incredibly diverse and paradise – for Planet Earth. Technology has advanced a pristine rainforest, and the relatively lifeless oil palm lot in the past 15 years, so I wanted to flm the parotia’s monoculture. It’s a poignant moment in the flm, and

dance again, using new, smaller remote cameras. one of my favourite drone shots in the whole episode. / NETFLIX FILMS / SILVERBACK CORDEY © HUW Located high above the action, they enabled us to show a fresh perspective on the male’s performance – the female’s point of view – which gives much more insight. PROTECTING TROPICAL FORESTS Safeguarding forests and their magnifcent wildlife has been at the heart of our work for half What flming challenges did you face? a century. With your support, and through our When you’re making a programme about jungles, collaboration on Our Planet, we’re also helping to almost every shoot is challenging. They’re difcult highlight the urgent need to stabilise our climate. JUNGLES places to flm in, because the wildlife is hard to spot Find out how to save our jungles at wwf.org.uk/ – you hear everything, but see nothing. The greatest savejungles and discover more at ourplanet.com challenge on this shoot was flming orangutans in a 24 | Action SpringSummer 2018 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 25 GROW FOR YOUR WORLD PROTECTING POLLINATORS

We cannot live without bees, but in the UK they’re being pushed to the brink. So this summer let’s make every garden an oasis for pollinators, says wildlife gardener Kate Bradbury

GIVING magine living in a desert with barely any food, water or shelter. That’s what much of the British countryside is like for wild pollinators today. Our bees, butterfies, moths, hoverfies, wasps and pollinating beetles are in trouble. Over the past 50 years, they’ve experienced staggering declines. About 23 species have become extinct since 1850, and the Iranges of many other species have shrunk until they are surviving only in small isolated patches of suitable habitat. The threats our pollinators face are many and varied. Habitat loss, BEES A fragmentation and degradation are key factors driving bee declines. A staggering 97% of all fower-rich grasslands in England – an area the size of Wales – has been lost since the 1930s. Modern farming practices, including the use of pesticides and grubbing out hedgerows, environmental pollution, climate change, non-native invasive species, diseases and pests have also had an impact. As well as being widely loved, bees play a vital role as pollinators. In LIFELINE addition to wildfowers and trees, bees and other insects help to pollinate our food crops. It’s estimated these pollination services are worth £600 million to the UK’s crops every year – and, of course, they do this free of charge. A third of the food we eat relies on bees for pollination and they are essential for our survival. We all need bees – and they need our help. Pollinators such as bees are in decline and struggling because of habitat loss. This is PUTTING NATURE FIRST due to increased urbanisation Thanks to you, we’re shining a light on the plight of these precious and industry, agricultural pollinators and highlighting the loss of wildlife across the UK. It’s a intensifcation, heavy use of pesticides and herbicides, and the sad fact that we live in one of the most nature-depleted countries in the loss of wildfower meadows world. But right now we have a real opportunity to change this, so we’re fghting for better protection for UK species. “The government is currently making big decisions about how it will manage nature in England,” THE SHOCKING TRUTH explains WWF’s science adviser Lucy Young. “As new environmental policies are being negotiated, we’re pushing for legally-binding targets to

restore habitats for bees and other wildlife and a strong watchdog to hold © GETTY IMAGE BRADBURY; KATE BY WORDS governments to account.” We’re also supporting BugLife to call for the creation of ‘B-Lines’ through the new Environment Bill being introduced to Parliament. 90% 1 IN 3 40–70% 24% 17 These are a series of fower-rich ‘insect pathways’ running through our Almost 90% of the One in three mouthfuls Experts predict 40-70% According to the A new report by WWF countryside and towns that will link together the best of our existing world’s wild plants of food we eat only exists of pollinators could go IUCN Red List, as and BugLife found that 17 wildlife areas to beneft pollinators and people. By creating and restoring depend on pollinators, because of pollinators. extinct if action is not taken many as 24% of species of bees have been at least 150,000 hectares of fower-rich habitat across the UK, we hope to provide a long-term solution to help our bees recover. along with 75% of Bees pollinate crops from to enable them to move Europe’s bumblebee lost from the east of England You can restore nature on your own patch, whether you have a large leading global crops tomatoes to strawberries through the landscape species are threatened wwf.org.uk/bees garden or a windowbox, and do your bit to give struggling species such as bees a huge helping hand. Turn over for our top tips to get started...

26 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 27 GROW FOR YOUR WORLD PROTECTING POLLINATORS

Avoid using pesticides. The use of PLANTING FOR POLLINATORS neonicotinoids has been partially The creation of a network of fower-rich habitats across the SEVEN WAYS YOU CAN banned, but these chemicals are UK is vital for pollinators and our own future food security. 4 still used in horticulture, including Together, our gardens take up more space than all of the UK’s bug sprays. Some plants purchased from nature reserves put together. So by growing a mix of fowering HELP POLLINATORS garden centres contain neonicotinoids, so plants, we can all help our pollinators fnd enough food. choose carefully where you buy plants. You Pollinators need a range of diferent fowers to feed from. can also make your own natural spray out While most common species of bee are generalist feeders, Grow fowers from March to of neem oil, which contains 50 insecticides. meaning they’re not fussy about the blooms they visit, others November, longer if possible have more specifc requirements. The bilberry bumblebee, (especially if you live in the south). for example, feeds almost exclusively on the fowers of its 1 Start the year with bulbs such as namesake plant. Other bees are closely associated with crocuses, snowdrops and aconites, dandelions, white deadnettle and red clover – plants generally and end it with winter-fowering regarded as weeds. All we have to do to help is to resist the clematis and honeysuckle. Buy organic food, which is grown without synthetic fertilisers and urge to pull up these unloved fowers and allow them a little pesticides, so pollinators can space in our gardens to bloom. Wildfowers such as scabious, feed without being exposed knapweed, bird’s foot trefoil and ox-eye daisy support a range 5 of pollinators, but garden cultivars can be just as valuable. to harmful chemicals. What’s more, organic farms tend to be more nature Another thing the wildlife-friendly gardener should Grow a wide range of plants friendly, so you’re not only supporting consider is the shape of a pollinator’s mouthparts, as this with diferent-shaped fowers. bees but whole ecosystems. determines the type of fowers it can visit. Bees, butterfies Grow daisy-like blooms such as and moths suck nectar through a straw-like proboscis. 2 marguerite and chamomile, tubular The length of this tube varies with each species – that of the fowers such as honeysuckle honeybee is quite short, while in some bumblebees, moths and foxglove, bowl-shaped blooms and butterfies it can be impressively long. such as cranesbill and poppies, and fat, Species with elongated tongues will visit blooms with deep Make bees and other plate-like fennel and Verbena bonariensis. fower tubes, such as honeysuckle, foxglove and red clover. benefcial minibeasts Those with a shorter proboscis are restricted to bowl-shaped more welcome in your fowers such as cranesbill, and fat, daisy-type blooms, such garden by providing an 6 as ox-eye daisy, fennel and white clover, which allow them insect hotel. Include lengths of to access the nectar easily. Hoverfies have a sponge-like bamboo, twigs and stems, grass Select single bloom over double- proboscis they use to dab fowers to absorb the nectar and seed heads, pine cones, leaves bloom fowers. Some varieties pollen. They also require fat blooms, which enable them and lichen and remember to of dahlias and roses, for example, to rest on the fower while feeding. Planting a wide variety clean it out every year in winter. 3 have extra petals. But they’re like a of fowers that will bloom for as long as possible is key to closed shop for pollinators, which can’t supporting the greatest number of pollinators on your patch. reach their pollen and nectar. It’s also important to cater for the complete life cycle of diferent pollinators. While adults consume pollen and nectar, If your garden is buzzing with bees their larvae may have diferent needs. The caterpillars of © GETTY | © GARDENERS’ WORLD | © GARDENERS’ © GETTY and other insects, why not share your butterfies and moths eat leaves, while the larvae of most photos and top tips for creating a hoverfies munch on aphids. Herbaceous plants such as Kate is passionate about wildlife- wildlife-friendly patch with us? Simply nettles, bird’s foot trefoil, cuckoo fower and honesty feed the friendly gardening. She says: “Even 7 caterpillars of many common butterfies, while shrubs and the tinest urban space can be rewilded share on Instagram or Twitter with the and transformed into a haven for our hashtag #GrowForYourWorld and tag @ trees such as hawthorn, buckthorn, silver birch and oak can most important insects” wwf_uk We can’t wait to be inspired! support the life cycles of huge numbers of moths. By growing just one or two additional caterpillar foodplants in your garden, you can make a huge diference to pollinators. SIX GARDENER’S FRIENDS TO SPOT

BUFF-TAILED BUMBLEBEE ELEPHANT HAWKMOTH RED MASON BEE SMALL TORTOISESHELL MINT MOTH MARMALADE HOVERFLY Bombus terrestris Deilephila elpenor Osmia bicornis BUTTERFLY Pyrausta aurata Episyrphus balteatus A common bumblebee, Nocturnal, this large A solitary bee covered in Aglais urticae A tiny, purple-brown A common hoverfy with with a dark-yellow pink and brown moth dense, gingery hair. Females A beautiful, common but moth with yellow an orange body and band on the thorax and feeds on honeysuckle often nest in bee hotels, declining butterfy with markings. Breeds on black, ‘moustache’-like abdomen. The large and other tubular laying eggs singly in ‘cells’ orange, yellow, blue and mints, such as lavender, bars. It feeds on a variety queen has a distinctive fowers. It is attracted of mud, which they stock black markings. Adults mint and catmint. Adults of fowers but favours buf tail. Nests in colonies to light. The caterpillar with pollen. In autumn, the feed on a range of nectar- rest on the foodplants umbellifers such as fennel, of up to 300 in old mouse has distinctive larvae pupate in the nest rich fowers, and their during the day, and futter and daisy-type blooms. holes and beneath sheds. markings resembling until the following spring. caterpillars feed on nettles. if you disturb them. Flies Its larvae eat aphids. Flies Flies February to August. an elephant. Flies March to June. Flies March to October. April to September. March to November.

28 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 29 COMPETITIONS NOTES FROM THE FIELD

In a boat of the Costa Rican coastline, DIVINE JEWELLERY CROSSWORD Hugh Pearson works Solve our crossword and you could with an underwater We’re giving two lucky winners their cameraman to flm choice of three fabulous animal-inspired win a copy of The Snow Leopard Project, spinner dolphins for published by PublicAfairs, worth £20.99 the High Seas episode pieces of jewellery by Tatty Devine of Our Planet

Born in 1999 in the heart of east London, today Tatty Devine’s original, handmade jewellery has a cult following. So we’re delighted they’re collaborating with us on 15 covetable pieces of statement jewellery that capture the spirit of some of the world’s most iconic wildlife. Prowling leopards, swinging orangutans and striding elephants are all lovingly brought to life in Tatty Devine’s fun and distinctive style – in brooches and necklaces. WIN! This exclusive collection is created from infnitely recyclable acrylic and designed to last a lifetime, with repairs to well- TATTY DEVINE loved pieces provided by a team of 18 ladies in Tatty Devine’s BEHIND THE SCENES ON OUR PLANET Kent studio. So not only do they look good, they also do good. JEWELLERY The Coastal Seas episode of Our Planet explores the super- Two lucky winners will have their choice of jewellery from a abundance of life in the waters around our coasts. Coastal seas © TATTY DEVINE © TATTY OF YOUR CHOICE leopard brooch, a panda necklace or an elephant necklace, make up only 10% of the surface of the ocean, but support 90% of all worth £35-£45 each. To be in with a chance of winning, marine life. The aim of this episode was to explore why oceans are simply follow the instructions below and mark your entry important, why we need them and how we can protect them. ‘Tatty Devine Competition’. One of my favourite shoots was the sea otters in Monterey Bay, California. Sea otters are arguably the cutest animals in the ocean, but they’re also vitally important. They’re the guardians of their kelp forest home, because they help to keep numbers of kelp-munching sea urchins in check. If allowed to increase, urchins would literally eat the whole kelp forest. Sea otters are easy to flm above water, and we were able to get OUR PLANET BOOK WWF Action summer 2019 crossword complied by Aleric Linden nice shots of them rolling up in the kelp to sleep and eating sea We’re giving away three copies urchins using their bellies as tables. But flming them beneath the After solving the crossword, take each letter from the shaded of Our Planet, the must-have surface is difcult because they don’t like people being in the water squares (going from left to right and top to bottom) to spell out with them. Fortunately, cameraman Doug Anderson was able to photo book that accompanies the prize word. To be in with a chance to win, just send a postcard establish a respectful relationship with a dog otter. Doug began the Netfix series with the prize word to the address on page 30, or email it to snorkelling with him, getting closer and closer until he was allowed [email protected]. The closing date is Friday 19 July. With a foreword by WWF ambassador Sir David Attenborough, to dive with him. Then we got amazing shots of the otter swimming this is the stunning photographic companion to Our Planet, Clues Across 4 Ocean creature – second-largest sinuously through the kelp, hunting sea urchins. the groundbreaking Netfix series. Every page takes you on a 1 Natural gas or coal, eg a big living mammal on the planet (3,5) spectacular journey around the globe’s richest ecosystems, with contributor to global warming 5 A metric measure of water (5) IN THE NIGHT OCEAN stunning visuals of nature’s most intriguing animals in action and when burned (6,4) 6 A lake that was once frozen (7) One of the key sequences we wanted to flm for Coastal Seas was 11 Huge lake on the border of Peru environmental change on a scale that must be seen to be believed. 7 The accidental escape of oil and a shark feeding-frenzy at night. We travelled to a small island water etc from pipelines (7) and Bolivia high up in the Andes (8) Revealing the most amazing sights on Earth in unprecedented 8 _ Pole, point located in the middle 12 Rainforest-rich Asian country, in French Polynesia, which is one of the few places where shark ways, this book is at the forefront of a global movement to work of the Arctic Ocean (5) part of which is on the island of populations are still abundant, thanks to legal protection. The crew together to protect our world. To enter, follow the instructions 9 The young of bears or tigers (4) Borneo (8) got amazing footage of hundreds of grey reef sharks and whitetip 13 The world’s fastest land mammal below and mark your entry ‘Our Planet Competition’. 10 Walking routes, nature trails etc (5) sharks hunting at night. We wanted to highlight how important STUNNING PHOTO PRINT (7) 14 The polar bear’s home – most 16 Because of CO emissions, our sharks are to the marine environment. They help keep the whole We’re giving away a gorgeous photographic northern region of the Earth (6) 2 15 How corals turn white because of naturally alkaline oceans are system in balance. But humans have ruthlessly exploited them. canvas print of your choice, courtesy of warmer seas (6) becoming increasingly what? (6) More than 100 million sharks are killed every year, mostly for their Nature Picture Library 18 Dark sticky substance obtained 17 Great Russian river – Europe’s fns. As a result, most shark populations have declined by 90%. By HOW TO ENTER ACTION GIVEAWAYS longest (5) from tar distillation (5) taking out so many sharks, we’re causing real damage to the ocean. Are you passionate about penguins, devoted to dolphins or in Send an email with your name, address and phone 19 This furry Arctic creature is one of 20 A north African or Arabian river bed, usually dry (4) Our coastal seas have been pushed to the brink of collapse. love with lions? Now is your chance to grace your home with a number, along with Tatty Devine Competition, NPL Photo the Arctic wolf’s main prey (4) stunning photographic canvas print of your favourite species. In 21 Plant life (5) A third of fsh populations are in decline. But it’s not too late – we Competition or Our Planet Competition in the subject line, to 22 A notably salty lake – lowest point this exclusive competition for WWF members, one lucky winner can restore them to full health. To protect them, we need to establish [email protected] on the Earth’s surface (4,3) Spring 2019 answers marine protected areas, where commercial fshing is not allowed. can take their pick from thousands of beautiful professional 23 The frozen continent (10) Prize Word: TIDAL Fish spawn here and overspill to populate the surrounding area, wildlife photos at natureplprints.com. You’ll receive an impressive Alternatively, post your entry to Action Mag, WWF-UK, Living Across 1. Big-leaf 6. Melt 8. Shelf ice 10. Leak 11. Wildlife 13. Eiders Clues Down where fsherfolk see their harvests increase. If given a chance, our MAGUIRE © JUSTIN 90 x 60cm canvas, worth £160. To enter, follow the instructions Planet Centre, Ruford House, Brewery Road, Woking, 14. Desert 17. Bushmeat 19. Burn 1 Australian sea turtle (8) oceans can recover their true glory amazingly quickly. on the right and mark your entry ‘NPL Photo Competition’. Surrey GU21 4LL. Only one competition per entry please. 21. Polluted 22. Kelp 23. Craters 2 Robert, well-known polar and Down 2. Iceland 3. Lift 4. Arctic Please include the Media ID number of your chosen image – Closing date: Friday 19 July. For terms and conditions, Antarctic explorer (4) 5. Tepui 7. Threatened 8. Silverback it can be found below the picture at natureplprints.com. 9. Adder 12. Crime 15. Equator visit wwf.org.uk/compterms 3 A large frozen mass, often polar 16. Vapour 18. Seals 20. Flat Hugh (3,3) Hugh Pearson Silverback Films producer & director Our Planet 30 | Action Summer 2019 Action Summer 2019 | 31 THEIR FUTURE 2019 #42 • SUMMER • ISSUE • ACTION OUR PLANET YOUR LEGACY

Our planet is extraordinary and we’re fghting to keep it that way. To fnd out how a gift in your will can leave a lasting legacy, please email our legacy supporter manager Maria Dyson: [email protected] © GETTY

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