Wild Tobago

Dr Anjani Ganase, coral reef ecologist, discusses studies that show the land and sea relationships affecting coral reefs   Mapping coral reefs Coral reef research has expanded our understanding of coral reefs, their distribution and the extent of biodiversity that utilises the reef habitats. However, the more we discover, it also reveals just how vulnerable these ecosystems are and how much more we need to do to protect them. New satellite technology is revealing more coral reefs to us than ever before.   Scientists from the University of Queensland, Australia have been able to map over 348,000 km 2 of shallow coral reefs around the world. This is an area that includes reefs that extend to depths of 30 m. This new map has also identified at least 80,000 km 2 of potential hard bottom habitats, suitable for coral establishment. This global map is an incredibly useful tool for research, management and conservation. Beyond 30 m down, understanding th...

Anjani Ganase continues her Antarctic adventures remembering encounters with these most remarkable flightless birds. All photos by Anjani Ganase   Gentoo penguins photo by Anjani Ganase The Antarctic continent is a massive icescape where only the most adaptable organisms can survive. Marine animals are abundant around Antarctica, and everywhere there are the penguins. Sharing a common ancestor with the albatrosses and petrels, penguins have ditched flying for stealthy swimming and gentlemanly walking. The earliest known penguins came about ~ 60 million years after the mass-extinction event that took out the dinosaurs. Today, penguins have refined their adaptations as they continue to occupy the most extreme and coldest continent of the planet, carving out their niche for survival. They have incredibly thick layers of densely packed and waterproof feather, thick skin and fat. Their vision is adapted for the icy water and they are masters of polar oceans. Because of the Avian flu...

Anjani Ganase continues her account of the Homeward Bound (2023) expedition to Antarctica with these reflections on the attempts by explorer Ernest Shackleton to cross the white continent. By far, my favourite story of courage and leadership is the story of the Irish explorer, Ernest Shackleton, and his attempted Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917) that became a journey of perseverance. By this time, Shackleton was smitten by the white continent having completed two expeditions on the Antarctic continent from New Zealand, via the Ross Sea. The first was the Discovery Expedition (1901–1903) as part of the British National Antarctic Expedition Team where Shackleton was the Third Officer. The team aimed to establish safe trekking routes in McMurdo Sound and penetrate the Ross Ice Shelf, and achieved the farthest south latitude ever crossed at the time. Shackleton’s leadership was already highly regarded by this time. Shackleton then led a British National Antarctic Expedition ...

Faraaz Abdool looks into the seabird family that might most easily be seen on Little Tobago. All photos by Faraaz Abdool   The pool of bird names reveals all manner of information and inspiration. By themselves, birds are incredible creatures, emblematic of freedom and presence. Examining their names is an exploration of their lives in a unique and novel way – as we see them and allows us to refresh our perspective on our feathered friends.   Some bird names describe a physical characteristic. The Shoebill lurking in sub-Saharan swamps is a bird with a massive bill that recalls a Dutch clog. Others speak to a behavioral trait, if you see a bird pecking at wood, it’s likely a woodpecker. Names are sometimes onomatopoeic, such as “kiskadee” or “chachalaca” – as we know them, “cocrico”. Other times, they stir the imagination, for example “sungrebe” or “starthroat”. A few names pay homage to other languages; the desert cardinal of arid Northern Mexico is...