Page 101 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #05

Q&A

I
Q WHAT CAN I SEE N...? NATIONAL PARKS OF THE WORLD
IGUAZÚ

ARGENTINA

A Iguazú Falls became 1 3
instantly recognisable to
western cinema-goers in 1986
8
with the release of The Mission,
i
a film set in 18th century South
2
e
America that opens with the
dramatic sequence of a dead
d
priest on a cross plunging over
v
4
the waterfall’s 80m precipice.
Today, Iguazú National Park
is a tourist hotspot but also
a remnant patch of Atlantic
Forest, a lush subtropical
biome that hosts oodles of
endemic species. The falls
themselves are an obvious
must-see (viewing decks offer
great views of the thundering
cascade), but look closely
and you may spot flocks of
great dusky swifts passing
through the curtain of water r
to their nest-sites on the roccks
behind. Also worth a visit is
the Macuco Nature Trail (a nearby Yacutinga Lodge will TOP OF THE NATIONAL PARK IN NUMBERS
7km round trip) that may offer give you the opportunity to TICKLIST
sightings of iconic species encounter the more elusive 1 Black-horned capuchin 400 275 85%
such as the toco toucan and Atlantic rainforest residents – a BIRD SPECIES THE NUMBER EXTENTOFLOSS
black-horned capuchin. night walk may reward you with 2 Toco toucan FOUND IN OF FALLS AT OFATLANTIC
Though not officially in the a lowland tapir or, if you’re very 3 Igazú Falls THE PARK IGUAZÚ FOREST
national park, a stay in the lucky, an ocelot. James Fair 4 Ocelot

VOLUNTEERING planting trees or removing invasive species. all share a passion to learn more about and
HOW CAN They also lead walks, become wardens or preserve this beautiful stretch of coast.
take on media tasks, such as photographic
I HELP...? surveys. Teens can get involved via our Young What’s a recent achievement?
WIth help from Natural England, we have just
Rangers programme.
removed 450kg of rubbish from Cocklawburn
Coast Care Who volunteers for you? beach. This included 14 lobster pots, ropes,
Our volunteers range from professionals and gas canisters, tyres and more than 50kg of
What is Coast Care? graduates keen to develop their skills to retired dog poo bags. We also built a number of barn
It’s an exciting new initiative that trains enthusiasts who love being outdoors.They owl boxes, a project funded through the sale
volunteers to care for the stretch of coast of plastic bags at Bamburgh Castle.
between Berwick-upon-Tweed andAmble.
The habitats here are wildlife-rich,supporting d What’s planned for the future?
Illustration by Bex Glover; volunteers:Anna Chou er fauna.The initiative is supported by National Volunteers continue monitoring them. All sightings
Cetaceans are on the increase off the
important populations of breeding seabirds and
Northumberland coast, and we’re keen to
wintering waders,and a host of unique flora and
d
are fed into a national database to assess
Lottery players through the Heritage Lottery
Fund and comprises NorthumberlandWildlife
population dynamics. We also plan to help
Trust,Northumberland CoastAONB partnershipp
re-establish the sand dunes at Beadnell and
and Seahouses Development Trust.
plant more wildflower meadows and trees.
What do your volunteers do?
shore survey.
www.coast-care.co.uk
Wildlife surveys and practical tasks such as
Spring 2018 carry out a rocky O LAURA SHEARER BBC Wildlife 101