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Latest news: An elected Fellow of The Linnean Society of London
I’m thrilled to be an elected Fellow of The Linnean Society of London. “The Linnean Society of London is the world’s oldest active biological society. Founded in 1788 by Sir James Edward Smith (1759–1828), who was its first President. The Society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) whose botanical, zoological and
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Presentation at Cambridge University Veterinary Zoological Society (CUVZS)
Thrilled to have given a talk to CUVZS students about feeding and nutrition of birds yesterday. It’s always a pleasure to share the stage with John and Margaret Cooper. John discussed the ‘importance of avian nutrition’, and Margaret the ‘legal and ethical considerations of feeding birds.’ We were also joined by Rosie Haith who gave
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President Donald J. Trump’s masterclass: how not to engage with people who care about the planet
I imagine we’ve all now seen climate activist Greta Thunberg’s impassioned speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit and the scowl she gave President Trump. It took significant guts to make that speech. The President’s response to this courageous teen’s talk and her palpable sense of loss was predictable and came in the shape of yet another throwaway tweet. I
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Butterflies, bees and buddleia – brilliant!
It’s amazing how much life a buddleia bush can attract – butterflies, bees, moths, hoverflies and an assortment of other flying insects feasting on the purple offerings. Buddleia is so simple to grow. Plant it. Leave it. Watch it spring to life and live up to its name (the butterfly bush). Cut it hard back
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Challenges facing the planet
This was one of my (Simon) favourite talks from the Maxwell Knight Symposium and we’re very grateful to Paul Pearce-Kelly for allowing us to share his slides on the FFON website. The Frightened Face of Nature Paul Pearce-Kelly, ZSL Abstract If Maxwell Knight were writing his prescient Frightened Face of Nature today he would no
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Mallard ducklings
In today’s wildlife adventures with an iPhone, I want to encourage you to use your smartphone camera (mine’s an iPhone) to reconnect with the natural world. We’re constantly hearing how bad smartphones are so let’s find a way to use them to help us reconnect with the natural world; technology can help focus our attention and
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News: Letter to the Veterinary Record
Subsequently published, in a shortened form, in Vet Record – vets urged to promote sensible, safe, feeding of garden birds, using properly tested diets, by John E Cooper 1, Margaret E Cooper 2 and Simon King 3 Feeding bird food to wild birds has never been more popular, but its merits have often been challenged by
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Hoverflies: the sheep in wolf’s clothing
Did you know that hoverflies mimic wasps and bees but don’t bite or sting? When it comes to mimicry, they’re a sheep in wolf’s and they’re fun to watch up close at this time of the year. I encourage you to have a closer look at these fascinating creatures. I’ve spent years watching people panic
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Offshore wind farms – coming to a beach near you
Apologies for the unshaven me; however, I thought I’d record a vlog from my favourite beach (Sandilands) in Lincolnshire. What prompted me? An offshore wind farm and the moon landing anniversary. As humans, we face a massive challenge – we need to somehow contain global warming to prevent the kind of future coming to fruition
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My day job: standing up for nature and supporting British exports
My priority is reconnecting people with nature – we’re all occupied with life’s slings and arrows and need an occasional reminder to stop and enjoy what the natural world has to offer. I’m proud to say I work for Haith’s – the most conscientious bird food company in Britain and we’re an award winning exporter.
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Do the moon landings pose a moral conundrum?
We (John and Margaret Cooper) enjoyed reading Simon King’s post: “Maxwell Knight mentions the space race in his unpublished manuscript The Frightened Face of Nature and here’s a poignant quote from the same document: Knight’s point was that man should explore; however, why can’t we do these things without destroying”. We should like to add
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If only we could race for space for nature
Maxwell Knight mentions the space race in his unpublished manuscript The Frightened Face of Nature and here’s a poignant quote from the same document: Knight’s point was that man should explore; however, why can’t we do these things without destroying natural capital? It’s right to celebrate the Moon landing – 50 years ago, Apollo 11
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Fledgling Chaffinch calls for parents
Continuing my wildlife adventures with my iPhone, I caught this charming Chaffinch calling for its parents yesterday. My gut feeling was that a parent would soon show up, which is exactly what happened; however, I’m frustrated to report that I didn’t manage to film the parent (a male Chaffinch) appearing on the very same garden
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Wildlife adventures with an iPhone
I filmed this at the weekend by attaching my iPhone to a sunflower heart bird feeder using an elastic band. Why didn’t I think of this before? Within a few moments, our friendly neighbourhood Goldfinch was on the feeder and busy extracting some of Haith’s bird foods finest. Isn’t it super to get this close
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Photos of the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace yesterday
I asked my wife to pinch me yesterday as we walked through the gates at Buckingham Palace on our way by foot to The Royal Garden Party. We’d panicked for weeks about the weather (we needn’t have). As we stepped onto the camomile infused lawn – it was certainly infused with tea after several thousand
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World Pheasant Association cover the Maxwell Knight Symposium in WPA News
The World Pheasant Association’s WPA News, Spring 2019, includes a lengthy report on the Maxwell Knight Symposium (MKS) and looks super. We’d like to thank www.pheasant.org.uk for including the three photos (credit Margaret E Cooper) and allowing FFON to share a snippet of their spring newsletter here. Administrators at the WPA have also been kind enough
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Is the climate finally right for a change?
There are a few subjects best left off the table at dinner parties – Brexit is one, Climate Change is another. Both have the propensity to split the room equally and leave guests reaching for the after dinner mints before the main course is out of the oven. But are things about to change when
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The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by Her Majesty to invite me to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. (It turns out I’ll be walking in Maxwell Knight’s footsteps…).
I’ve received an invite to the Royal Garden Party (May 15th) and can’t wait to step through those imposing gates and join Her Majesty for tea and cake in her splendid garden. I wish I could take all readers of the FFON with me. The invite came via the Lord Chamberlain and was requested by
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Maxwell Knight Symposium coverage in the IAT Bulletin
Thanks for the generous coverage of the MaxwellKnight Symposium in the IAT Bulletin.
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Maxwell Knight Symposium – commemorating the original “Nature Detective” and Second World War MI5 agent by Victoria J. Burton (12253)
Bulletin of the Amateur Entomologists’ Society Maxwell Knight (1900-1968) was an all-round naturalist and friend of AES founder Leonard Tesch. Maxwell Knight’s writings and his radio and television broadcasts influenced tens of thousands of people, especially youngsters. The Maxwell Knight Commemorative Symposium was held on Saturday 24 November 2018 at Birkbeck College in London, and marked the fiftieth anniversary of
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Plummeting decline: ‘may lead to the extinction of 40% of the world’s insect species over the next few decades.’
The report, published in the journal Biological Conservation, says ‘intensive agriculture is the main driver of the declines,’ particularly the use of ‘agro-chemical pollutants’ combined with urbanisation and climate change. The scientific review reports that over 40% of insect species are threatened with extinction over the next few decades. Highlights: Over 40% of insect species are threatened
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John and Margaret Cooper would like to express their personal thanks to Simon King
“Our friend Simon King has been a constant source of encouragement and support in the recent investigations into the life and work of Maxwell Knight (MK). Simon offered to take, temporarily to store, and then to catalogue, the contents of Maxwell Knight’s filing cabinet. This was an enormous undertaking; the undertaking was greatly expedited by the enthusiastic
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Happy New Year!
Looking forward to sharing more from the FFON with you in 2019. Happy New Year. Simon – FFON
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At the DIT Christmas International Trade Reception at Lancaster House
I thoroughly enjoyed attending the DIT Christmas International Trade Reception at Lancaster House (London) on 5th December at the invitation of the Secretary of State for International Trade, the Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox; it’s been wonderful to represent Haith’s as a Board of Trade award winner and spend 2018 as a Northern Powerhouse Champion.
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Maxwell Knight, John Bingham and John le Carré by award-winning crime writer, Martin Edwards
Before he earned fame and fortune writing under the name John Le Carre, David Cornwell earned pocket money from part-time artistic work – such as illustrating Maxwell Knight’s Talking Birds. Cornwell, like Knight’s friend and trusted subordinate John Bingham, was then working for the secret services. The three men had something else in common: they
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Thanks for your encouragement and support for the Maxwell Knight Symposium
A message from John E Cooper, Margaret E Cooper and Simon H King: Thank you for your encouragement and support for the Maxwell Knight Symposium (MKS). The day went well and the audience participation and encouragement was fantastic and we hope you enjoyed it. If you couldn’t attend the event, you can get a good feel for the
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Living Planet Report 2018: a warning sign for our planet
A wake-up call from the WWF: Wildlife populations around the world have declined by 60% since 1970. It’s time to decide. Are you for the world, or against it? Join the #FightForYourWorld http://ow.ly/BUMv30mrGOz
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Maxwell Knight Symposium 2018 video invitation from Prof. John E. Cooper.
MAXWELL KNIGHT SYMPOSIUM 2018 THE BRITISH HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY (BHS) COMMEMORATIVE SYMPOSIUM London, Saturday 24th November 2018. Birkbeck College, 43 Gordon Square (“School of Arts’ annex”), London WC1H 0PD Organised by the British Herpetological Society (BHS), with support from the British Chelonia Group (BCG), the Amateur Entomologists Society (AES), the Institute of Animal Technology (IAT), The Frightened
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The International Trade Banquet
Given by The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor Alderman Charles Bowman at The Mansion House on Wednesday 17th October 2018. It was my pleasure to attend this inaugural Banquet recognising the importance of The City – better known as ‘the square mile’ – and its connections with the Department for the International Trade and the
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Commemorative Symposium – Maxwell Knight, nature detective and MI5
This year, 2018, marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Maxwell Knight, OBE, FLS. A symposium in November will provide an opportunity for veterinary surgeons and others, especially those interested in conservation, captive-breeding of endangered species and public education, to learn more about “the spy who loved nature”. To listeners of his BBC radio
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Kenya presentation: “Gorillas in the midst of war” – Saturday, 18 August 2018
FFON contributors John and Margaret Cooper share their two years’ experience working with mountain gorillas in Central Africa, discuss the history of the discovery, and the role played by Dr Louis Leakey and others, in learning more about the biology of these usually gentle and elusive great apes. Bookings: info@kenyamuseumsociety.org
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“The mysterious Mr Knight: spymaster to be celebrated.” – Cage & Aviary Birds magazine July 18.
Thanks, Cage & Aviary Birds for the article “The Mysterious Mr Knight: spymaster to be celebrated” in this week’s publication. Registration for the Maxwell Knight Symposium is via The British Herpetological Society website Organised by the British Herpetological Society (BHS), with support from the British Chelonia Group (BCG), the Amateur Entomologists Society (AES), the Institute
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Registration is now open for the 2018 Maxwell Knight Symposium
Register today for this unique event. Places are limited. For more information about the day and for booking information, please visit the British Herpetological Society (BHS) website #nature #M #MaxwellKnight #wildlife #spy #MI5 #conservation #animals #Press
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LATEST NEWS: Venue/date confirmed for Maxwell Knight Symposium
Latest news 28/6/2018: Birkbeck College (“School of Arts’ annex”) is now confirmed as the venue for the Maxwell Knight Symposium. Further details about the Maxwell Knight Symposium can be found here. John and Margaret Cooper.
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Simon H King Future of Global Trade Delegate – Expert Forum
The Future of Global Trade – Expert Forum, Whitehall Suite, Royal Horseguards, Wednesday 27th June 2018 Event Overview The Future of Global Trade – Expert Forum (27th June 2018) was a small, senior-level roundtable, which was hosted by the Secretary of State for International Trade, Rt. Hon. Dr Liam Fox at the Royal Horseguards Hotel, Westminster.
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David Attenborough calls for advertisers who feature animals to contribute to their welfare
Around one in five ads we see feature animals because animals in adverts capture viewers’ attention. But what’s in it for the animals? Little, or most likely, nothing. In the meantime, many of the world’s animals are under threat and habitat loss and degradation of habitat are key reasons for declines. If only these animals
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Stop garden bird feeders from spreading disease
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) issues guidelines for disease prevention at bird feeders and recommends bird food is purchased from accredited resources – but what on earth do they mean by ‘accredited resources’? The BTO is “calling on everyone who feeds wild birds to be aware of their responsibilities for preventing disease. Simple steps
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Bon Voyage? 250 Years Exploring the Natural World
The Society for the History of Natural History’s (SHNH) summer meeting and AGM in association with the BOC, World Museum Liverpool is set for Thursday 14th and Friday 15th June 2018 (Optional visit to Knowsley Hall, Wednesday 13th June). The event marks the 250th anniversary of Captain James Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific. A
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Is this British agriculture’s chance to be more nature-friendly post-Brexit, or will the efforts of more than 100 farmers, with a new vision to ‘restore British wildlife, reverse declines in soil quality and help manage impacts of climate change’ fall on stony ground?
I’ve written numerous articles about farm birds declining by more than 50% since the 1970s. The problem is that we see this kind of figure brandished about so often that we eventually become immune to bad news, and then it becomes the norm – the new baseline data. In other words, birds can continue to
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Happy New Year!
I’m wishing all readers of the Frightened Face of Nature (FFON) blog a wonderful 2018. Thank you for your support and kind messages. 2017 was a terrific year for the FFON team: John and Margaret Cooper announced that a commemorative symposium to celebrate Maxwell Knight, the original “nature detective” and Second World War MI5 agent would be
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Anti-pigeon spikes in Bristol trees
There’s something sinister about seeing an anti-pigeon spike in a tree. If birds are unwelcome in trees, where exactly are they welcome? In the countryside? Our ancient woodlands? Amongst the UK’s forests, woods and trees? (As long as no vehicles are parked nearby!). Or have changes in the wider countryside and intensive farming methods forced
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Should there be a bottle deposit scheme in the UK?
Yes. We’re way past all the other alternatives. Put a price on the head of plastic bottles, and guess what? Fewer bottles will find their way into our oceans. In an ideal world, manufacturers would use fewer single-use plastic formats. I can’t see that happening without significant pressure – here’s why: Delivering products through the
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MASTERCLASS: DR. JANE GOODALL TEACHES CONSERVATION
In 29 lessons, Dr Jane Goodall shares her insights into animal intelligence, conservation, and activism. Learn from the legendary naturalist Dr Jane Goodall in her first ever online class. Only available through MasterClass. Take action “There is still a window of time. Nature can win if we give her a chance.” In her first ever online class, Dr
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Blue Planet II: we “dump eight million tonnes of plastic into the sea” every year, and it “entangles and drowns a vast number of creatures”. Think about that when you next shop.
I’m not a fan of the word compulsory. Rules can bring out the worst in people. Make them feel grumpy or rebellious or, make them switch off. But I’m going to say that Blue Planet II should be compulsory viewing. We should all sit and watch that pilot whale carry its dead calf. And we
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“Warning of ‘ecological Armageddon’ after dramatic plunge in insect numbers”
The Guardian reported in October that “Three–quarters of flying insects in nature reserves across Germany have vanished in 25 years, with serious implications for all life on Earth, scientists say.” It’s funny how scientists often confirm what we instinctively know. Anyone who’s driven a car this summer will have noted how few insects there
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‘Wildlife Forensic Investigation: Principles and Practice’
This book by Professor John E. Cooper and his wife Mrs Margaret E. Cooper, with contributions from many countries in the world and a Foreword by Dr Lee Durrell, was published in May 2013. It is published by CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group. The book provides an in-depth introduction to the rapidly-evolving field of wildlife
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‘Be a Nature Detective’ by Maxwell Knight (1968) – natural history tradecraft from Britain’s greatest spymaster and the original ‘Nature Detective’ courtesy of the BBC
It certainly wasn’t appropriate for Maxwell Knight to share his spy training during his Sunday afternoon BBC broadcasts, or was it? Surely not? Perish the thought. But, what if his broadcasts and books contained the same basic training (the same ‘tradecraft’) he was giving MI5 recruits? As far as Knight was concerned, the two were
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How Ocean Pollution Affects Humans: “The Devil in the deep blue sea”
“Oceans are fundamental to the health of our planet – the very lifeblood of Earth’s ecosystem. To survive and prosper, mankind needs a harmonious relationship with our planet’s oceans.”
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Trump administration’s stance on the environment is ‘willful ignorance’ says DiCaprio
According to The Independent, actor and environmentalist, Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t mince his words during an encounter with Donald Trump. In an attempt to encourage Mr Trump to see the opportunity to make nature great again, DiCaprio tried to sway him to take another look at the Paris Climate Agreement. Reverting to type, Trump claimed that the Paris
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It’s World Rhino Day today, who feels like celebrating?
If there is something to celebrate it’s the dedicated people who commit their life to the protection of wildlife and make every day a World Rhino Day. These wonderful (underpaid) individuals deserve all the cake and tea in China; however, I’ve a feeling they don’t have much of an appetite to party after spending 364.25
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We need more naturalists, more 21st Century Nature Detectives
Maxwell Knight was amongst the first – if not the first – to coin the phrase ‘nature detective’ before the Second World War; however, he would have been the first to admit that his natural history forefathers had literally risked life and limb detecting fauna and flora as skilfully recorded in Richard Conniff’s book The Species
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Smiley is back
John Le Carre’s master spy is making what the author says will be his last appearance in a novel in A Legacy of Spies. If you missed James Naughtie’s moving interview with John le Carré on the Today Programme at 07:40 this morning, it’s available here. He referred to his colleagues “Max Knight and John Bingham”.
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Interview with John Cooper (2010) reveals the source of his clinical diagnosis skills to be Major Maxwell Knight, Britain’s greatest MI5 spymaster and the original ‘Nature Detective’
Q: Who has been the most inspiring influence on your professional career? A: THE BBC NATURALIST AND BROADCASTER, MAJOR MAXWELL KNIGHT, WHO – THROUGH HIS WRITINGS AND PERSONAL TUITION – HELPED ME TO APPRECIATE THE NATURAL WORLD AND TAUGHT ME THAT BEING AN OBSERVANT “NATURE DETECTIVE” COULD ASSIST IN CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS AND WAS THE FOUNDATION OF FORENSIC INVESTIGATION. Acknowledgements: John Bonner and
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Commemorative Symposium: Maxwell Knight, the original “nature detective” and Second World War MI5 agent. Birkbeck College, London, Autumn, 2018
A half-day Symposium about Maxwell Knight, OBE, FLS, naturalist and Second World War MI5 agent, will be held at Birkbeck College, University of London, 43 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PD, on a Saturday (date to be decided) in the Autumn of 2018. The meeting will be hosted by the British Herpetological Society (BHS) and supported
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Greenpeace: Join the fight against plastic pollution
SAY NO TO OCEAN PLASTICS A truckload of plastic waste enters the ocean every minute… Up to 12 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean every year and will take centuries to degrade. An area of plastic rubbish three times the size of the UK has been floating in the north Pacific for decades –
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Green Brexit: Farm subsidies ‘must be earned’ – Michael Gove
Michael Gove, as environment secretary, has made Greenpeace UK’s day by saying that farming subsidies must be earned and benefit the environment. Looking for a ‘green Brexit,’ Michael Gove may only be prepared to hand out payments when farmers agree to protect the environment and enhance rural life. “Huge news! Michael Gove has just said
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BBC News: “Hundreds of butterflies released into the wild by schoolchildren”
Hundreds of Painted Lady butterflies have been released into the wild by schoolchildren in Cumbria who nurtured them from caterpillars in the classroom. Watch the video here.
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Government rules out GCSE in natural history
Dear Simon King, The Government has responded to the petition you signed – “Develop a GCSE in Natural History.”. Government responded: There are existing opportunities in the curriculum to study natural history. Schools need time to adjust to the recent qualifications reforms, and there are no plans to introduce new GCSE subjects. The government has
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Should urban developers be forced to contribute to nature’s recovery in the UK?
By Simon H King With one in seven of the UK’s wildlife species at risk of *extinction should property developers be encouraged (or forced) to contribute to nature’s recovery? (*State of Nature report, 2016). ‘The natural world needs our help as never before,’ warns Sir David Attenborough in the forward to the State of Nature
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Maxwell Knight and snake skins – a new approach to an old challenge
A Letter to The Editor The Herpetological Bulletin 18th June 2017 Dear Sir I was interested to read the Short Note “Lamination as a method of preserving sloughs” by Steven JR Allain and Mark J Goodman (The Herpetological Bulletin (2016) 138, 29-30). The technique they describe would appear to be an excellent approach to the
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Are you ready to take part in the big butterfly count?
Could butterflies be bouncing back to Britain?
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Antarctica: “Iceberg twice size of Luxembourg breaks off Antarctic ice shelf”, reports The Guardian
You can read The Guardian’s article here.
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EARTH DAY EVENT ENCOURAGES YOUNG NATURALISTS
Earth Day is an annual event, held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It is marked by events in more than 193 countries, co-ordinated by the Earth Day Network. Earth Day was celebrated this year in many parts of Britain, including King’s Lynn in Norfolk, where, on Saturday 22nd April, a stall and display by
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A day with Bill Oddie
It was a pleasure to spend the day with broadcasting legend Bill Oddie, to discuss natural history, the state of Britain’s nature, and film an Ask Bill Oddie session for wildlife specialists, Haith’s. Simon H King and (of course) Bill Oddie
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BIAZA Annual Conference
Great first day at the #BIAZA2017 AGM at The Deep, Hull. Such an amazing, diverse association – engaging presentations. Thanks all! #workingtogetherforwildlife I attended on behalf of Haith’s PRO to share recent research and development into avian diets. The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) is the professional body representing the best zoos
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Buy “M: Maxwell Knight, MI5’s Greatest Spymaster by Henry Hemming”
Buy M: Maxwell Knight, MI5’s Greatest Spymaster on Amazon Read Henry Hemming’s account of Maxwell Knight’s life as Britain’s greatest spy and far-sighted, influential naturalist of his day: ‘Fascinating… Hemming has done a superb job’ – Ben Macintyre, The Times, Book of the Week “Maxwell Knight was a paradox. A jazz obsessive and nature enthusiast (he is
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Conservation challenges in Kenya
On a recent busy visit to Kenya, John and Margaret Cooper visited a number of locations where there is competition for land and where wildlife – and local people – may suffer as an outcome. One of these was particularly noteworthy. This was a short, 48-hour, trip to Maasailand, a few kilometres outside Kajiado, where
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A lovely piece in this week’s Cage & Aviary Birds from David Alderton about passing on what we know to the next generation…
“David Alderton, MA (Cantab.) grew up in a home surrounded by pets and originally trained to be a vet until an allergic dermatitis forced a change of career in his final year of study. Since then, David has used his experience, knowledge and passion for the subject to concentrate on writing about animals and the
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LANDMARK REPORT SHOWS GLOBAL WILDLIFE POPULATIONS ON COURSE TO DECLINE BY 67 PER CENT BY 2020
WWF calls on governments to fast-track action on conservation, climate change and sustainable development New data released by WWF and ZSL (Zoological Society of London) today reveals that overall global vertebrate populations are on course to decline by an average of 67 per cent from 1970 levels by the end of this decade, unless urgent
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Trump pulls plug on Obama’s clean power plan
Jane Goodall calls Trump’s climate change agenda ‘immensely depressing’ Trump climate: Challenges loom after Obama policies scrapped BBC News–4 hours ago Opponents of President Donald Trump’s decision to scrap his predecessor’s climate change policies say they will organise a public campaign … EU leads attacks on Trump’s rollback of Obama climate policy The Guardian–15 hours ago
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‘More than 800,000 songbirds illegally killed’ on British military base in Cyprus – Robins and blackcaps are among the birds being trapped for food…
See The Independent online – The Express – The Guardian – BBC News
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Maxwell Knight’s cabinet gets a mention on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show
Tune into the BBC iPlayer and fast forward to 2:44:42 to hear Maxwell Knight’s filing cabinet mentioned in today’s BBC Two World Book Day show…
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The Vanishing: Europe’s farmland birds
The Head of Conservation for BirdLife Europe & Central Asia explains how intensive agriculture has made farmland birds one of the most threatened bird groups in Europe: ‘Once upon a time, they were all around us,’ laments Iván Ramírez – ‘sights and sounds as familiar as the dusky skies their flocks danced in or the
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In next month’s ‘Practical Reptile Keeping’ – The case of the hidden manuscript, James Bond & reptiles
Visit the Practical Reptile Keeping Facebook page to find out more. (Every month, Practical Reptile Keeping is packed with snakes, lizards, tortoises, amphibians and bugs. As well as stunning photographs, each issue features technical help, product information and health care advice to keep your pet in tip top condition). To any herpetologist who was alive
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About World Wildlife Day 2017
Half of world’s #wildlife was lost in past 40 years. Habit loss, over-exploitation, poaching & trafficking are main threats #YouthVoices #WWD2017 “The UN World Wildlife Day (WWD) is the global celebration of the many beautiful and varied forms of wild animals and plants on our planet as well as an occasion to raise awareness of
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Simon King talks about feeding the birds on BBC Radio Humberside
Representing Haith’s (as an Associate Director) Simon King discusses the merits of feeding wild birds this winter… Tune into the BBC iPlayer to hear the piece… or click here to open the iPlayer in a new window…
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Book update: A day’s research in London
John and Margaret Cooper joined Simon King to visit The Linnean Society (Piccadilly) and peruse their Maxwell Knight archive. Then, on to the Natural History Museum (South Kensington) to see The Maxwell Knight Library. In the evening, returning back to The Linnean Society for Founder’s Day. Thanks to everyone who helped make the day productive
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The World Is Not Enough According To WWF’s Living Planet Report 2016 (in fact, we require the ‘biocapacity equivalent of 1.6 Earths’)
There’s a real-life international power struggle and the antagonist is man ‘demanding more from the planet than it can renew,’ reports WWF in the Living Planet Report 2016 ‘Since the early 1970s, humanity has been demanding more from the planet than it can renew (see below). By 2012,’ writes WWF in the Living Planet Report
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Gorilla Pathology and Health, 1st Edition
John E Cooper is a member of a husband and wife team, from the United Kingdom. He and his wife Margaret (a lawyer, who is a contributor to this book and the forthcoming natural history book about Maxwell Knight) travel widely and lecture together in many countries. They have spent nearly twenty years living overseas,
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Did you know Maxwell Knight?
Did you know Maxwell Knight? #Nature #Conservation #BBCNaturalHistory #MI5 @NHM_London @wwf_uk @ZSLconservation https://t.co/gmvWcj9BjY pic.twitter.com/3hNBWLo5oc — Simon King (@SimonHKing) October 14, 2016 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js If you knew Maxwell Knight or have been influenced by him please share your story with us (it will not appear on this blog (or in the book) without your approval).
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Are butterflies slipping through our fingers?
The results for this year’s Big Butterfly Count are in and conservationists are already ‘scratching their heads,’ reports Butterfly Conservation. Over 38,000 counts were apparently completed and an almost unbelievable 396,138 butterflies were counted and – despite favourable weather conditions – 2016 will be a year where ‘common species saw their numbers collapse over summer.’ ‘Gatekeeper, Comma and
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Our wildlife is in ‘crisis’ – ‘56% of UK species are in decline’ and ‘165 species are considered Critically Endangered in Great Britain’
Our wildlife is in ‘crisis’ according to a new report launched this month entitled the State of Nature, which brings together data and expertise from over 50 organisations (including BTO, RSPB, WWF, ZSL, National Trust, Woodland Trust, Butterfly Conservation et al). Britain’s wildlife is in ‘crisis’ as ‘56% of UK species are in decline’ and
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The State of Nature 2016: One in 10 UK wildlife species faces extinction
Over 50 wildlife organisations have compiled a stock take (The State of Nature Report) of all our native wildlife and it reveals that more than one in ten of all the species assessed are under threat of disappearing from our shores altogether. In Scotland, one in every 11 species assessed is at risk of becoming
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“Is there to be no room for the Arts?”
“This is the age of science”, is the cry from ministries and other authorities, and it is true that science must play a large part in the lives of our future citizens. But do we truly want or need a nation of scientists where each person can claim that he or she has attained some
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Education: “It is the uninitiated that matter…
…They are the majority, and until more of them are made conservation conscious all or efforts will be wasted.” – Maxwell Knight (The Frightened Face of Nature – unpublished – Chapter XV). “Laws, rules and regulations will not themselves solve the problems of the future of wildlife,” wrote Knight in 1964 “It is only by education
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The beginning of something great? “Young people urge UK politicians to help safeguard nature”
“Young people” hit the headlines this week for all the right reasons – to share their 2050 vision for nature (#VisionforNature). Let us applaud these nature-protecting protagonists for making themselves heard above the daily noise of grumpy adults. They have spoken. Now, we must listen… …to what’s in the report written by the A Focus on
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Closed for Business: The Department of Energy and Climate Change #DECC #ClimateChange Find out why…
What does it say to the world when we (seemingly) downgrade our action on climate change? It says that we’re under stress as a country, and things are happening that we can’t control; uncertainty is piping its way through our veins. And in these conditions – when our backs are against the wall – we
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Why can’t we all become amateur naturalists?
It is nigh impossible to change the culture of a business let alone change the culture of a planet; however, it is possible – but everything’s against us. Which is why we all need to start today. Take, for example, the food that we eat: how on Earth (literally!) are we going to provide enough
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Ministers reject second request to use banned bee-harming pesticides
“Campaigners welcome decision to turn down National Farming Union’s application for ‘emergency’ use of neonicotinoids for oil seed rape, ” reports The Guardian today (8 July). Dave Timms, Friends of the Earth’s bee campaigner, described the government’s move as “great news for bees and other wildlife”. But he said the victory is at risk following the EU
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Chapter IV – goodbye to wildlife?
In this heartfelt chapter of The Frightened Face of Nature, Maxwell Knight drops his guard and invites the reader to consider the unthinkable – “the virtual disappearance of nature”. “Does such a question as that heading this chapter stem from the neurotic imaginings of a fanatic,” he asks, “or is it one that can reasonably be
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As long as there are two songbirds still singing, the percentage decline can’t get any worse
In just forty years between 1970 and 2010 the global Living Planet Index (LPI), which measures more than “10,000 representative populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, has declined by 52 per cent.” (source: WWF Living Planet Report 2014). The World Wildlife Fund’s and ZSL’s LPI report states that, “Habitat loss and degradation, and
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Maxwell Knight sang praises of the amateur naturalist
Maxwell Knight played a significant part in a number of fields; herpetology was his particular love and he produced a number of scientific papers on this subject as well as adding to national and local records and, through his books and broadcasts, encouraging an appreciation of reptiles and amphibians amongst the British public. The filing cabinet contains letters
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So what sort of person was the real-life “M”?
To answer that question, we need to better understand the contrast between Maxwell Knight’s (recently publicised) life as one of Britain’s most talented World War II spymaster’s – the original ‘M’ – and that of an early (largely unpublicised) environmentalist. Clearly he was an incredibly gifted man who had a sixth sense for identifying and
What will you do now that you know?
Welcome to The Frightened Face of Nature (FFON).
This is a space for reflection, challenge and connection. Here, we ask the big questions about our planet – our choices and the legacy we leave behind.
Inspired by Maxwell Knight, FFON explores the balance between humanity and the natural world. Our latest project, 24 Questions to Save the World, reaches into the heart of the environmental crisis – one question at a time. These aren’t easy questions, but they’re the ones that matter.
This isn’t just a blog. It’s a space for those who care about the future. A place to pause, to think and to act.
So, what will you do now that you know?
— Simon King FLS
