Big Cat Week Day 5

The final programme of Big Cat Week featured some of the fastest Americans, racing some of the fasted Cheetahs in the world with some surprising results, really worth watching! Big Cat Week as a whole has been the best one yet and I intend in watching all of the programmes again! If you missed any you really should check them out! I can't wait till the next Big Cat Week!!

Big Cat Week Day 4

Super Cat; what a brilliant idea for a programme! Designing a super cat, that has all of the best abilities from many different cat species. I personally learnt so much from this programme about different cats amazing abilities, and the use of computer generated images was awesome! This programme was the best of big cat week I think because it is just so different! Everyone who is interested in cats needs to watch it! And the end message leaves you all thinking and creates a whole different purpose for the entire programme!

Big Cat Week Day 3

The Lion Whisperer was once again, a programme out to hit hard and get its message across. About a man who has an amazingly unique bond with lions, he puts his critiques to shame by highlighting the real problems when it comes to Lions in captivity and shows that he is far from one of them. This programme, had dramatic scenes and pictures of Lions been brutally murdered by trophy hunters, and went undercover into Lion breeding farms in South Africa which feed the trade of trophy hunters and uses the tourist industry of it way to make money through countless lies and deceit. The one part of the programme that stood out to me though was how even after being shot the Lions never tried to run away or acting in fear of people, they would continue fighting, even though they faced death. We as humans should learn from this, and start protecting these amazing creatures before it is too late. They never give up, so why are we giving up on them?

Big Cat Week Day 2

Day two of Big Cat Week started off with Wolf vs Cougar, the footage and evidence they found which illustrated how close in proximity that these two species live was amazing! The presenter knows exactly what he is talking about and the programme teaches you so much, it is something very unexpected,these two animals live on top of each other in the Mountains of America and although footage has never been captured of these animals fighting there has been clear evidence found that a lot of conflict does take place including bodies of both cougars and wolves which have been killed by the opposing animal. The cause for this conflict is food, but the programme also highlights how the two species are learning from each other and adapting the others techniques for hunting and survival. This man set out to capture footage of conflict between wolves and cougars, but did he manage it? You'll have to watch it and see! 

BIG CAT WEEK IS BACK!

So, Big Cat Week is back, starting yesterday at 8pm, I was a little sceptical at the beginning, it seemed like any other Lion documentary. However as it went on it became an amazingly told story of a pride of lions, one female fighting to save her three cubs from the harsh fate of the wilderness and another side of the story from the young males point of view trying to survive on their own and then eventually take over a pride of their own. However the last 30 seconds of this hour long programme was very hard-hitting and  made the whole programme so relevant and true. I won't give away what happens but I think you should all watch the episodes from last night, one of the best animal programmes I have seen and hopefully it will bring it home to lots of people why we need to protect the animals on this planet. I will be posting reviews every day this week so watch along with me and share your opinions!

BBC Wildlife Magazine

This is the best magazine out there for any animal lovers! I got a years subscription to it for Christmas and I would honestly recommend it to anyone who loves or is interested in animals, no matter what animals they are. It covers such a diverse range of animal subjects in every issue it is astonishing! It reads incredibly well and is easy to understand and learn from and it also recommends you about books to read, places to visit and things to do such as courses, holidays and volunteering opportunities! The January issue which is out now is a particularly good issue (pictured above) and I suggest anyone that reads this article should go out and by this magazine, you will learn so much from every episode and never look back, and if you catch the January episode it is sure to inspire you to have an amazing 2014 full of spectacular achievements and animal encounters! 

Mute Swan Communication

Mute swans are strongly territorial animals and normally live as lone pairs on small lakes due to this. Though in a few locations where a large area of suitable feeding habitat is available they can be colonial, one of the largest colonies of Mute Swans have over 100 pairs such as the colony at Abbotsbury Swannery (a place where I must visit!) in southern England. Non mated individuals normally aged under 4 years old can also be found in bigger flocks as this provides them with better protection than if they were on their own and also provides them the prime opportunity to find a mate. Once they have mated they seek out their own territory as a life long couple it is thought and they often live alongside ducks and gulls; and this benefits them because Swans can reach the deep water weeds and bring them to the surface so that the ducks and gulls have the chance to eat them.

As hinted by the name of this species of Swan they are less vocal than the other species of Swan. The most familiar sound that comes from the Mute Swan, that everyone shall recognise would be their hissing to warn off predators, this is their first form of defence and is commonly done in a way to protect their territory from threats. Another common sound associated with the Mute Swan which I think is amazing is the vibrant throbbing of their wings in flight, this sound is unique to the species and can be heard from a range of 1-2km, which indicates its value as a contact sound between birds in flight. They also make a variety of grunting, hoarse whistling and snorting sounds especially in communicating with their cygnets. 

There is so much more to know about Mute Swans behaviour and I have discovered how little information that actually is out their about it which is shocking! Such as how male Swans hold their wings when trying to attract a female and how the male swans will push out other younger swans through nipping and tugging on their feathers and chasing them in order to claim feeding areas and assert dominance, even towards their own young once they are old enough to hold their own. There is so much to learn!