Page 111 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #11

OURWILD WORLD

problems in the natural world, TALES FROM THE BUSH
and that is ever-increasing
human numbers. If we
keep taking land or raiding Ifyou'retrackingsharks,
its resources, there will be
nowhere left for wildlife. We
are the only species with the keep a look out for crocs
means of controlling our own Have a wild
tale to tell? If so,
numbers. While the idea of please email a brief
dictating to a couple how many MarinebiologistMelissaCristinaMárquezwentsearching synopsis to
children they may have is for one predator – but had a scary encounter with another. jo.price@
repugnant, I believe changes immediate.co.uk
in culture (such as removing
patriarchal attitudes), access to
education and better funding
for contraception would help.
Susan Francis, Malvern

Standing up for birds
I read ‘Flying Feathers’ by
Tessa Boase (September
2018) with real interest and I
am sure that there are many
women members of the RSPB,
myself included, who would
cherish proper recognition
of its women founders. The
article highlighted yet again Too close for comfort:
the deadly jaws of an
the institutionalised misogyny American crocodile got
that existed between and after a grip on diver Melissa.
both world wars in the
UK. The activist
women who e were in S it to hit the big carnivore and
organised against the Jardines Imadesure pry my leg out from its jaws.
the slaughter of de la Reina tokeepmyleg There were no rocks in the
birds for the hat Warchipelago stilltoprevent mangroves, so I began hitting
trade were off the south coast of Cuba, my microphone button,
operating within looking for the mysterious thecrocfrom hoping someone would hear
a very restricted ‘Reina’ – a giant hammerhead bitingharder me. There was no reply. I
environment that locals said had been made sure to keep my leg still
and it is to their spotted around the area. or rolling. T to prevent the crocodile from
credit that they stood Interested to see if ‘Reina’ was biting harder or, worse, rolling
RSPB hero
up against significant Etta Lemon. indeed just one large female – possibly taking my leg off.
commercial interest and or in fact many different sharks, I decided to Just as I was racking my mind to think
prevalent fashion. They head into the mangroves at night to see if we what else I could do, the croc let me go. Once
should be lauded for that. could come across one hunting. free from its jaws, I filled my scuba vest
Etta Lemon: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy; crocodile: Claudio Contreras/naturepl.com
It is good that Etta Lemon’s Once in the water we were treated (buoyancy control device) with air and shot
portrait is hanging in RSPB to sightings of big sharks – silkies and up to the surface. Fortunately, I didn’t suffer
headquarters: she deserves it. Caribbean reefs – but no hammerheads. from the bends despite this hasty ascent. As
Vivienne Walker, via email However, we did encounter a 3m-long soon as my head was above water, I pulled
American crocodile. After we’d taken a few off my mask and said: “I’ve been bit.”
photos and some video footage it disappeared My team dragged me out of the water and
CORRECTION The setaceous Hebrew character
moth (p10, Wild Month, September 2018) was incorrectly into the darkness and we decided to end the ripped open my suit: the croc had inflicted
illustrated with a photo of a Hebrew character moth.
dive. My microphone had been acting up, three deep puncture wounds. More painful
so I wasn’t able to speak to my colleagues than the bite was the cleaning process; we
QUIZ ANSWERS (see p91)
underwater. My dive buddy motioned that were in the middle of nowhere, so they used a
TheWildWords are: 1B, 2A, 3A, 4C, 5A, 6C
he was heading up to the surface and, not mix of bleach and water with a high-pressure
COMPETITION WINNERS wanting to get hit in the face by his fins, I hose. After a few touch-and-go nights and a
Summer lucky dip giveaway: G Mills,G Hitchen,K Kelly,S Lodge,
C Mcilquham,S Rees,E Chapman,E Boylan,STrivedy,O Futter,J waited a few seconds before my own ascent. hospital trip, I went home to Australia – with a
Kirk,TMetcalfe,E Hedditch,LFisher,YWilkinson,J Hood,S Frith, Suddenly I felt a hard pressure on my left wicked scar and the most dramatic story.
K French,LClyma,B Davies,G Baird,S McQuire,N Giddings,E calf – and then I was dragged into the murk.
Mcgregor,K Lloyd; Hedgehog book and kit giveaway:AO’Neill
(winner);J Lloyd,K Sydney,S Critchley,H Lane,ASterry For a few seconds I clawed at the sand in MELISSA CRISTINA MÁRQUEZ
(runners-up); Canon competition: LLove (wins a pair of hope of grabbing a rock or something else to is a shark conservationist and marine
binoculars); D Cunnane (runner-up wins a camera).
keep me from being dragged away, or to use biologist. See finsunited.co.nz

November 2018 BBC Wildlife 111