Page 53 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #02

AGENDA AFTER LILLITH:
ANALYSIS
WHAT NOW FOR
BRINGING LYNX
BACK TO BRITAIN?

O ARE WE READY TO REINTRODUCE
ii UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES | BE PART OF THE SOLUTION THIS KIND OF LARGE CARNIVORE? P60

The South Sandwich
Islands are a nearly
pristine marine
environment – one
island alone has half of
all chinstrap penguins.

BLUE PLANET’S PENGUIN PICK-UP

THE HUGELY POPULAR NATURAL HISTORY PROGRAMME COULD BEQUEATH A SIGNIFICANT CONSERVATION LEGACY.

alls for one of the world’s Helena and Tristan da Cunha, Georgia together hold a quarter permitted, but GBO wants the
largest ‘no-take zones’ all in the South Atlantic. of all the world’s penguins.” Government to go further.
Cto be created around the But the South Sandwich As BBC Wildlife went to press, The campaign was launched
South Sandwich Islands – one Islands are regarded as the jewel 216 MPs had backed its calls using #BackTheBlueBelt, and
of 14 of the UK’s Overseas in the crown because they are for this to be declared a fully according to GBO, someone
Territories (OTs) – have gained still a near-pristine environment, protected marine reserve with all was tweeting about it every 1.8
significant impetus following according to Simon commercial activity seconds during the last episode
the conclusion of Blue Planet II Reddy of the Pew such as fishing and of Blue Planet II.
at the end of last year. Bertarelli Ocean DID YOU fossil fuel extraction “We are leveraging Blue Planet
A coalition of conservation Legacy, one of the GBO KNOW? prohibited. As to see this once-in-a-generation
and environmental groups, coalition partners. envisaged, the reserve opportunity realised by making
under the banner of the Great “They are so remote South Georgia would cover 0.5m the biggest public noise possible,
and the South
2
British Oceans (GBO), says the and inhospitable, no Sandwich Islands km , an area twice the one our MPs can’t ignore,” GBO
Jan Vermeer/Minden Pictures/FLPA even greater than that. he says. “One island wildlife hotspots, (together with South + FIND OUT MORE
size of the UK.
says. James Fair
legacy of the BBC series could be
one ever goes there,”
are considered one
of the world’s top
The islands
alone is home to half
It is pressing the British
home to 95 per cent
Georgia) were declared
Government to protect some 4m
the world’s chinstrap
of all Antarctic fur
Government of South Georgia
2
seals and more than
penguins, and the
a Marine Protected
km of ocean – an area larger
and the South Sandwich
half of all southern
than all of India – in territories
Area in 2012, with
South Sandwich
Islands: http://bit.ly/2D675I4
including Ascension Island, St
February 2018 Islands and South elephant seals. sustainable fishing BBC Wildlife 53