my top 10 wildlife experiences

8/11/2019 My Top 10 Wildlife Experiences

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2/12

#10 Congo Adventure

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As a child I remember reading about early

explorers and their adventures in the Congo.

Ever since, this part of Africa has held a deepfascination for me. As time went on, the Congo

continued to draw me but it remained off-limits

due to the terrible civil war in DRC and lack of

infrastructure. Finally, in May 2014, I was given

the opportunity to visit Odzala National Park in

the Republic of Congo.

This part of Africa was very different to anywhere

I had been before. I found myself in thick

rainforest surrounded by unfamiliar animals. In

forest clearings I saw forest elephants (a

different species to African bush elephants found

elsewhere in Africa) digging for minerals and in

the distance I would sometimes hear the

screams of chimpanzees.

The highlight of my trip was when I came face to

face with this spectacular silverback male

Western lowland gorilla. The gorillas here have

only recently become habituated to humans and

they still seem very wild. This male charged at

me several times to let me know he was boss. I

certainly wasnt planning on challenging him!

What? Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

Where? Ngaga Camp, Odzala NP, Republic of Congo

When? May 2014
https://www.facebook.com/BLphotography/photos_streamhttp://www.burrard-lucas.com/


3/12

#9 Walking with Wild Dogs

African wild dogs are one of my favourite creatures. They have always

held a fascination for me, probably because it took TEN YEARS of

travelling to Africa before I first encountered them. I have since been

fortunate to see them on a number of other occasions but I still get a big

rush of excitement whenever I come across them.

Towards the end of a year spent living in Zambia, I undertook an

expedition to North Luangwa National Park. This park is very remote and

accessing it was quite an undertaking; I spent an entire day driving along

narrow dirt tracks, through small rural communities and crossing the

Luangwa River on a rickety pontoon before finally making it into the park.

Within the park there is a black rhino reintroduction scheme. This meant

that security was very tight. Whenever I was in the rhino zone, I had tobe accompanied by an armed scout. This was great because scouts

have the training and experience needed to be able to walk safely

around wildlife (usually you have to stay in your vehicle and not drive off-

road).

One afternoon we were fortunate to spot a pack of wild dogs. My scout

suggested we get out of the vehicle and approach them on foot. We

snuck around so as to approach them with the sun at our backs (better

for photography). It didnt take long before an adult dog spotted us and

let out a growl to alert the others. We didnt approach closer and the

dogs stayed where they were. They kept one eye on us but were

otherwise relaxed.

The connection you have with wild animals is much more intimate when

you are on foot rather than sat in a vehicle. Walking with wild dogs in this

remote and wild corner of Africa was a true privilege.


What? African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus)

Where? Una's Camp, North Luangwa NP, Zambia

When? June 2013
http://www.burrard-lucas.com/gallery/wildlife/africa/safari/african_wild_dogs.htmlhttp://www.burrard-lucas.com/


4/12

#8 The Great Migration

The annual wildebeest migration is well known as one of

Africas most impressive spectacles. Over 1.5 million

wildebeest migrate between the Serengeti in Tanzania and

the Masai Mara in Kenya, making this the largest mass-

movement of land mammals anywhere on Earth. In order tofind fresh grazing pastures, the wildebeest risk their lives

crossing the Mara River.

My trip took place in September, when the wildebeest were

beginning to travel south into the Serengeti from Kenya.

When the wildebeest reach the banks of the Mara River, they

gather in vast herds as they summon up the courage to

make the crossing. Eventually, when one brave individual

ventures into the water, the others rush to follow. A couple of

the crossings I witnessed had upwards of 10,000 individuals

swim across the river in just half an hour. It is very dramatic;

many wildebeest drown or get taken by crocs. It is hard to

describe the mayhem and noise that accompanies one of

these epic crossings.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the great

migration has been one of the most incredible spectacles

I've ever had the privilege of witnessing. On occasions I

found it hard to hold my camera steady as the adrenaline

was making me shake!

You can watch my award-winning time-lapse video of the

wildebeest migration here.


What? Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)

Where? Sayari Camp, Serengeti NP, Tanzania

When? September 2010
http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2011/03/great-migration/http://www.burrard-lucas.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkiCA86AMrE


5/12

#7 Luangwa Leopard

In August 2012, I moved to

Zambia for a year. In my

luggage I had BeetleCam, my

remote-control camera-buggy

(Click here to find out more

about BeetleCam).

Up to this time, I had used

BeetleCam to successfullyphotograph lions, elephants

and buffaloes, but never a

leopard. The Luangwa Valley

supports a high density of

leopards and is well known as

a great place to see these

elusive cats. I had high hopes

that during the year I would

be able to get the wide-angle,

ground-level leopard photosthat I was hoping for.


I didnt have to wait long. On my first visit to

the park I came across a 9-month-old

leopard cub and her brother. I deployed

BeetleCam. The cub was very curious and

immediately approached to investigate the

unfamiliar object. The photos I got that day

exceeded my hopes for the year!

Thereafter, I got to know this female cub

very well. She was always inquisitive and

playful. I knew that if I ever deployed

BeetleCam when she was nearby, she

wouldnt be able to resist playing with it!

This photo was taken when she was about a

year old.

It was wonderful to get to know this young

leopard and watch her grow up. By the time

I left Zambia she was independent and hadtransformed from a goofy cub into a

formidable huntress!

What? Leopard (Panthera pardus)

Where? South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

When? September 2012 to August 2013
http://www.burrard-lucas.com/gallery/wildlife/africa/safari/leopards.htmlhttp://www.burrard-lucas.com/http://www.burrard-lucas.com/beetlecam


6/12

#6 Bat Migration

For a few weeks in November and December, around 8 million

Straw-coloured fruit bats descend on a tiny patch of forest in

Kasanka National Park, Zambia, making this the largest

migration of mammals in Africa!

Every evening the sky fills with bats as they fly off to feed in

the surrounding forests. Every morning the sky fills again as

the bats return to the roost.

These bats arent small; they have a wing span of around 75

cm and weigh about 0.25 kg. The patch of forest they roost in

is only an acre in size which means that each tree in the

forests holds around ten tonnes of bat! This is said to be the

highest density of mammal biomass anywhere on Earth!

I spent several days photographing the bats from canopy

towers around the colony. I also ventured into the heart of the

colony at night (when it was completely deserted) to set up

some remote cameras. Walking through the roost was very

eerie; the forest canopy had collapsed on itself and many of

the trees had been deformed by the sheer weight of the bats.It was unlike any forest I'd ever seen before.

During the day the bats drew predators, such as eagles.

Whenever a bird of prey swooped down on the colony, the

bats would take to the sky in a raucous explosion. It was a

truly unique and incredible spectacle!


What? Straw-coloured Fruit Bat (Eidolon helvum)

Where? Wasa Camp, Kasanka NP, Zambia

When? November 2012
http://www.burrard-lucas.com/gallery/wildlife/africa/bats.htmlhttp://www.burrard-lucas.com/


7/12

#5 Befriended by Meerkats

I travelled to the Makgadikgadi Pans region

of Botswana to photograph some of the mostcharismatic (and cutest) creatures in Africa

meerkats!

Meerkats need to be extremely vigilant so

that they arent surprised by predators such

as birds of prey or jackals. Meerkats arent

very tall so they try to seek out the high

ground in order to get a better view of their

surroundings.

These meerkats are completely wild but over

time they have become habituated to

humans. This means it is possible to gain

their trust and get really close to them. It

wasnt long before these clever little

creatures started to take full advantage of my

presence; sometimes they even climbed on

top of me for a better view out over the long

grass.

Trying to photograph animals that jumped on

me whenever I got too close was certainly a

challenge that I wasnt used to facing!not

that I was complaining!

For a behind the scenes look at this project

including lots of amusing meerkat antics,

check out this short 2-minute video.

What? Meerkat (Suricata suricatta)

Where? Jacks Camp, Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana

When? January 2014

http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/04/photographing-meerkats/http://www.burrard-lucas.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ4CYbCGhLA


8/12

#4 Ethiopian Wolf Pups

In the remote highlands of Ethiopia lives the

rarest canine on Earth: the Ethiopian Wolf. Today,

less than 450 of these elegant animals survive.

Ethiopian wolves may look like foxes or jackalsbut DNA analysis shows that their closest

relatives are actually the grey wolves of Europe.

100,000 years ago, a common ancestor of both

the grey wolf and the Ethiopian wolf moved down

from Europe into Africa. It came across an

Afroalpine habitat that teemed with rodents. Its

descendants stopped hunting in packs and

became rodent-hunting specialists. The species

evolved to become completely dependent on this

abundant prey source. Then, at the end of the

last ice age, the Afroalpine areas receded andthe wolves became marooned in a few isolated

mountain highland areas surrounding the Great

Rift Valley. Now, the wolves high-altitude

sanctuaries are under siege from an ever-

increasing human population and the species

has been brought to the edge of extinction.

What? Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis)

Where? Sanetti Plateau, Bale Mountains NP, Ethiopia

When? December 2011

In late 2011, I teamed up with Rebecca Jackrel and we travelled to

the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia, home to the largest remaining wolf

population. Our aim was to spend five weeks photographing the

wolves and documenting the work of the Ethiopian Wolf

Conservation Programme (EWCP).

Our trip coincided with denning season. When we arrived, the pupsof two of our focal packs had already been venturing outside of their

dens for a few weeks. This meant we had missed photographing

when they were at their youngest (they grow up incredibly quickly).

The last of our focal packs had pups but they were too young to

venture outside. As we approached the end of our time in Ethiopia,

we spent all our time at their den hoping to catch a glipse of the tiny

pups before we left. Finally, just a few days before we had to fly

home, they emerged. It was a wonderful privilege to witness thepups exploring the outside world for the first time.

http://www.burrard-lucas.com/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2014/06/ethiopian-wolf/


9/12

#3 Penguins of the Falkland IslandsOne of my favourite memories from my trip to the Falkland

Islands was photographing rockhopper penguins showering

under a freshwater spring.

During the southern hemisphere summer, rockhopper penguins

come ashore all over the Falkland Islands to breed. The

penguins gather in large raucous colonies and form a well-worn

track down to the sea.

These penguins lived on Saunders island. Along the main

penguin highway down to the sea was a freshwater spring that

flowed over an overhang and created a small waterfall. This was

an irresistible attraction for the penguins and throughout the day

it was busy with squawking, squabbling, splashing birds!

The fresh water allows them to wash the salt from their feathers

and remove the grime of the colony. The penguins were

wonderful to watch, as they appeared to be enjoying themselves

a great deal!

The penguins were splashing so much that keeping my gear dry

was a never-ending battle!in the end I had to cover the camera

with a hat which I lifted briefly to take each shot.


What? Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome)

Where? Saunders Island, The Falkland Islands

When? December 2009
http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2011/02/penguins-showering/http://www.burrard-lucas.com/


10/12

#2 Night of the Aardvark

During my year in Zambia, I became obsessed

with trying to track down and photograph an

aardvark. Ultimately I failed to catch even the

briefest glimpse of one of these elusive

creatures.

Six months later I was back in Africa - this time in

the Kalahari Desert in Botswana. As I landed at

the airstrip I could see signs of aardvarks

everywhere; holes and large piles of sand

peppered the landscape. Perhaps this would be

the place?

I established a gruelling program that involved

photographing meerkats at sunrise and sunset

and searching for aardvarks at night. Each night

drive would last as long as 5 hours. After 5

consecutive nights of aardvark searching, I finally

caught my first glimpse of one of these amazing

creatures.

However, it disappeared into the night before Icould take a single photo. I was demoralised and

almost gave up on my quest to capture one on

camera.

Fortunately I persevered and the next night my

patience was rewarded with this incredible

sighting of not one, but two, aardvarks

interacting! I couldnt have asked for anything

more and the moment was all the sweeter thanks

to the many hours of searching that preceded it!

What? Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)

Where? Jacks Camp, Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana

When? January 2014

https://www.facebook.com/BLphotography/photos_streamhttp://www.burrard-lucas.com/http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2011/10/giant-panda-tracking/


11/12

I spent eight days tracking Giant Pandas in the Qinling Mountains of Central

China. This is one of the few remaining places where Giant Pandas still exist in

the wild. Due to habitat loss and human encroachment, pandas have been

pushed into extremely remote and inaccessible parts of China.

I soon discovered that wild panda tracking is exceedingly hard work;scrambling up ridge after ridge, fighting through bamboo thickets and boulder-

hopping across rivers. I was soon covered in scratches and aching all over! I

was led by an expert local tracker who would promptly declare no panda here

every time we reached a new valley. He explained that he was looking for

signs such as fresh droppings or recently chewed bamboo stems. He was also

listening out for the unmistakable crunching sounds made by a panda eating

bamboo.

One day started with a gruelling climb up a brutal incline to the top of a ridge.

The gradient was so steep, and the earth underfoot so slippery, that the only

way to ascend was to grab hold of branches and haul myself (and my 15kgs of

camera gear) upwards! As I approached the top of the ridge, my heart skipped

a beat as I heard a snap come from the thick bamboo forest below!there

could be no doubt that a panda was down there somewhere.

The tracker and I approached the noisy panda but it heard us and careered

down the slope at an incredible speed. I returned to the ridge dejected

despite being less than 10 metres away, all I had seen was thrashing bamboo

stems rippling down the mountain. Then to my shock and amazement we saw

a white head and two black ears just 20 metres down the other side of the

ridge; there was a second panda sitting there, chomping on bamboo! I felt a

tremendous rush of emotion!relief that the effort I had gone to to reach this

remote part of China had not been in vain; privileged that this iconic and

endangered animal was sitting in front of me; and awe at the beauty of it.

From that point, the experience only got better. The panda came up the slope

towards me, passing within touching distance, and proceeded to shamble

along the top of the ridge. It was the most incredible animal encounter I have

ever had and I am still left pinching myself.

#1 An Icon of Conservation


What? Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

Where? Changqing Nature Reserve, Shaanxi Province, China

When? April 2011

Watch the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QUWiIguYwEhttp://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2011/10/giant-panda-tracking/http://www.burrard-lucas.com/


12/12
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