As a biologist, I find myself marveling at the amazingly complex rituals, colorful outfits, and tricky dance routines that various animals, and humans, have developed to attract a mate. Join me as we view the world through the eyes of a biologist and look at the science of sexual selection. Animals have evolved specific physical … Read more
The Cassowary is one bird that commands respect and awe. As a biologist I’ve noticed that much of the information circulating about these birds is misleading or downright incorrect. Join me as we travel to North Queensland, Australia for real facts about these amazing creatures. The Cassowary is dangerous because of its size and strength. … Read more
One of our favorite activities in Africa is to watch elephants in the wild. Anywhere, anytime! They are such intelligent caring creatures. And the babies are fun to watch. One of the most surprising things about elephants is the role they play in creating the ecosystems they call home. Elephants play an important role in … Read more
As a National Park warden and diver on Vancouver Island, in the 1970’s, it was my duty to protect wildlife and soon became my passion. There was outrage when we discovered that half of the Southern Resident Orcas had been shot or captured and sold for entertainment. Most were youngsters. Now over forty years later, … Read more
A trip to the Galapagos islands is like a dream come true for naturalists and wildlife enthusiasts like us. We’ve been fortunate to visit the Galapagos islands and I’ve written this article to help you prepare for a trip of a lifetime to see some of the most unique animals on the planet. Animals on … Read more
Join us on our expedition to find wild lemurs in Madagascar. Lemurs are some of the most iconic creatures on our planet and we were excited to find and photograph some rare Black Lemurs in the wild. One of the best places to see lemurs in the wild is Lakobe Reserve on the island of … Read more
Whenever we explore the scenic hills and valleys of eastern Australia we are on the lookout for the amazing Superb Lyrebird. The lyrebird has become somewhat of a movie star since David Attenborough featured one mimicking the sounds of a chainsaw on the BBC series Life of Birds (see the video at the end of … Read more
With ten years of experience and research, I’m delighted with keeping Mason bees because they’re fun garden pets who need a safe home. They’re interesting to watch buzzing around feeding themselves and at the same time they’re reducing my food bills. They’re pets that never interfere with travel or holidays! Mason bees or orchard mason … Read more
Flamingo beaks have mystified scientists for over 2,000 years. I’m happy to report that scientists are gaining a good understanding of how the beak works and some of the complex structures involved. The Flamingo’s beak is bent as an adaptation to being used upside down to filter feed on tiny plants and organisms in the … Read more
We were on safari in a mokoro – a local canoe – in the Okavango delta, when our guide suddenly veered away from the main river channel and plunged into dense reeds. Why? He was trying to avoid a potentially deadly hippopotamus. I’ve done extensive research to learn why these animals are so aggressive. Hippos … Read more
Ever since my days as a young biologist, one of my favourite creatures of all time has been the amazing Komodo Dragon – largest lizard in the world! I have since had the good fortune of visiting the UNESCO-listed Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Komodo dragons are dangerous predators. You can see Komodo Dragons in … Read more
