Wildlife Sketches

Bardiya Expedition

2012-05-10T10:04:15Z

After returning from my recent trip to Nepal I have realised I have numorous stories to share with you
all through this blog. As there are so many I thought I would break them down into separate entries and feed them onto the blog over time. Most of you by now will know how lazy I am at adding blog entries so lets hope the momentum of my adventures will inspire me for weeks to come. I thought I’d start off with a brief entry on the main purpose of visiting Nepal and some of the conclusions that have come from it. I hope you enjoy and pleased keep in touch for more posts.

Bardiya 2012 It seems as if it all were a dream right now. I can hardly believe that a few weeks ago I was sitting in the back of an old 1970’s landrover being chased by a suspected man killer elephant. For those of you that follow my limited entries on this blog you will know I am now referring to the recent expedition I have fortunately returned safely home from. The expedition was with the intrepid explorer Colonel Blashford Snell to an area of Nepal to research into the wild elephant population of Bardiya National Park. The project was originally penned as a Mammoth hunt but this was more for historical and local reasons than it was for the purpose of science. In truth the expedition was a worthwhile study into the movements, population and genealogy of very rare wild elephants.

Bardiya National Park - Nepal

Nepal has quite a sizeable population of domestic elephants buts wild herds have dwindled over the years as encroachment and habitat has diminished extensively. I was invited to join this expedition along with 18 people all experienced in various areas of expertise. Our aim was also to try and help the local population by administering medical and dental aid together with contributions to welfare. The purpose of this was to try and at least show the local community we did care about their needs as much as we did the elephants. It is useless going abroad as the wealthy foreigner sticking our nose into local wildlife problems with out understanding the bigger picture. The bigger picture in this case was that the wild elephants here at Bardiya National Park were not necessarily that popular. They are in fact quite a nuisance, they raid local farmland destroying and stealing crops. As well as this they also unfortunately attack local residents often killing the villagers who want nothing more than to be left alone to get on with their lives. It must look horrendous for them when a team of foreigners arrives on their doorstep to help study and conserve the very thing that is their mortal enemy. All we could do was at least show them we care and that it is not all about the elephants and with a little time, education and help perhaps the villagers and the elephants might one day be able to live side by side.

Colonel Blashford Snell talking to the villagers.

I don’t know if this worked but I do know on the day we all turned up at the local school it seemed the entire community had turned up to greet us. Admittedly the dentists and doctor had been busy treating an enormous queue of patients since the crack of dawn. We had a small ceremony where a computer was donated to the school along with various other gifts. Next it was a serious meeting with the village men to discuss the ongoing elephant problems and what could be done. Solutions were discussed and hopefully some action plans are now being put into place involving the use of new batteries for electric fences. To end the whole event a terrific hearts and minds exercise was set up in the form of an elephant football match. We had brought along with us 4 domestic elephants who were there to show the locals not all elephants are bad. They took it in turns to ride the elephants throughout a very humorous game of elephant football where much jumbo cheating took place.

Kick off!

Definitely a yellow card offence - trunk ball.

Yes it was a good laugh and the locals did find it all very amusing but the serious issue of what was going on was clearly brought to out attention later. We were to hear that the previous week a man had been killed trying to protect his family and house. His wife had been badly injured leaving three small children without a father. This was the reality of living with wild elephants on a daily basis.

Overall as an expedition the results were quite amazing with a population count of the largest amount of elephants ever recorded in this area. It was also interesting to observe and record the movement patterns and locations of the varying herds. The DNA samples were successfully collected and have been sent off to Cambridge for ongoing research. Together with the elephant monitoring other studies were also made including ornithological, herpetological, entomological and botanical which will eventually all be compiled and filed in an overall report for submission to the national park authority of Nepal.

If any of you have read my book Pencils Patience and Primates you will be aware of my travelling companion Dave who journeyed with me on many of my earlier travels. I also used to say that wherever Dave went, impending doom nearly always followed, usually in the form of a natural disaster. It seems that this time Dave has passed over this unfortunate title to myself as I can report of a terrible catastrophe in Nepal directly where I was located. Practically on the day after we left our remote campsite at the Babai in Bardiya a fire took holding which went on to wreak havoc and burn through most of the national park. On the BBC news website they have estimated as much 70 percent has been destroyed including much of the wildlife. Fortunately after hearing a more accurate account form staff working within the park they have said although the fire has been most destructive it is thought most of the bigger wildlife might have fled to safety. Unfortunately this does mean that much of the smaller life including plants, insects and reptiles will certainly have perished. The cause of the fire is thought to have been human by way of a cigarette or match. They do burn areas of land each year in the national parks to help naturally restore the grass and feed the ground below it with nutrients, this could also have been a culprit that got out of hand.

The Babai - before the fires.

The Babai - During the fires. copyright J.Blashford Snell

I will hopefully be informing you of more adventures in my next post including tiger hunting by elephants and a close shave with a King Cobra.

Bye for now,

David

Wildlife-Sketches.com

Close Encounters With Elephants

2012-04-24T09:57:49Z

Close encounters with elephants

By Jon Isaacs

When driving in Britain, it is a convention to give way to traffic approaching from the right. In Africa when driving, it is a convention to give way to elephants, no matter from which direction they appear!

I was musing on this fact when it occurred to me that most of my hair-raising moments on safari have involved elephants.

Elephant giving a warning not to get too close

Photo Copyright Jon Isaacs 2012

It’s not that I dislike elephants. In fact, I find their behaviour fascinating. It’s just that we tend not to get along too well when in close proximity.

I first saw wild elephant in a marsh in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. As they exited the water, I noted that the smaller elephants were dark, having been totally submerged in water during their foraging, whilst the larger elephants each had a tide line, reflecting how big they were and how deeply into the swamp they had gone. Each elephant had its attendant egrets, which would hop down to eat insects disturbed by the elephants’ feet, and then fly back on board for a rest. I soon learnt that any viewing of a herd of eli would result in interesting behaviour being displayed, and that all one had to do was to find a herd, stay at a safe distance, be prepared to sit quietly, and see what developed.

Elephant swimming in the Selous

Photo Copyright Jon Isaacs 2012

At times however, the problem can be to know what is a safe distance for a particular elephant or situation. That can only be determined by your experienced guide, who can hopefully read the visual signs the elephants are giving.

In South Luangwa one day, we came across a bull elephant with a heavy discharge running down the sides of his face. It was in a state of musth, a sexual state of arousal when searching for females on heat. At about 6000 kg he was not to be trifled with and the driver stopped at what he considered a safe distance. Luckily he left the engine running, for in an instant, with ears tight back, the elephant charged. Fortunately the driver was very experienced and, slipping the gears into reverse, we hurtled backwards in excess of thirty miles an hour. Avoiding trees, we had travelled nearly two hundred yards before the bull pulled up. With an aggressive shake of his head and a trumpet, he swaggered back towards the deeper bush. Had he caught us, he could easily have flipped the jeep with dire consequences for us all.

Sometimes, a situation develops more slowly, but with the same potential for disaster. An example occurred in the Mara one evening when we were coming slowly up a dirt road from a watering hole. There were banks either side of us and upon turning a bend, we were faced by a herd of about twenty elis, making their way down the road towards the water. We couldn’t easily reverse, nor get out over the high banks so the driver cut the engine and told us to keep quiet and not make any sudden movement. Slowly the herd moved towards us, with the matriarch in the lead, followed by young bulls, cows and calves. The senior bulls brought up the rear. As they passed on either side of us they scented us with trunks raised and flared. Small, intelligent eyes weighed us up, ears flapped and heads were shaken, but they kept walking. Eventually the entire herd had negotiated us and continued on down the road. It was a wonderful, if daunting experience to be so close to such huge creatures, and due to the good judgement of our driver and guide, one from which we emerged safely.

However, not all close encounters with elephant are frightening. Some can even be funny and such was the meeting with Big Mike. We were staying in a temporary camp in the Luangwa valley and had a large trestle table, set up for our evening meal, on top of a small bank. A dozen of us sat down to the meal which was presided over by the camp manager Little Mike. As we consumed the early courses we noted that the area’s resident bull, Big Mike, was in a patch of bush below us. The elephant had been known in the area for over forty years, long before the seasonal camps had been erected, and he definitely felt superior to the humans who regularly invaded his patch. As we moved towards the final course of fruit, Big Mike moved ever closer. Little Mike assured us we were quite safe so we continued eating. Scenting the fruit, Big Mike decided the opportunity was too good to miss and so he slowly started to scale the bank. As his trunk appeared sliding up the table leg from below, Little Mike calmly and quietly murmured that it was a bit close for comfort. With that, our collective nerve broke and we departed at speed in all directions away from the table. The trunk hoovered up the fruit from a dozen plates and the sound of pleased rumbles arose from below. Having stolen our dessert, he wandered off in search of more delicacies, whilst we sheepishly returned from our hiding places to rescue the remains of the scattered chairs and plates.

Young male Elephant heading into the bush

Photo Copyright Jon Isaacs 2012

Invariably it is the bull elephants that seem to cause the problems, whatever their age. A two year old once repeatedly mock charged us in our stationary jeep. Getting ever more excited and brave, he eventually ended up stopping a couple of metres short of the jeep, at which we all laughed at him. This completely unnerved him and he fled to the middle of a bushy area from which he had to be rescued by his older and much calmer sister. On another occasion, a mature bull decided to go to sleep resting against the entrance to our rondaval. With us trapped inside, it was our turn to have to be rescued, this time by a guide, who helped us escape by climbing through an open window on the other side of the building.

Two year old male Elephant mock charging

Photo Copyright Jon Isaacs 2012

Close encounters with elephants are therefore always educational and exciting. Each encounter has left me with vivid memories of an animal for which I have the utmost respect. I also instinctively know who will give way at the next dusty roadside crossing.

Jon Isaacs, 2012

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Thanks Jon for another great article and some brilliant photo's of Elephants.

Sorry it's taken me so long to add this post.

Wildlife-Sketches.com

How time has flown

2012-04-04T11:52:34Z

It seems only yesterday I was first commenting about the forthcoming expedition I have joined to Nepal. I cannot believe it is here already, the time has shot past and before I know it I will be on my way to Katmandu. Because of family commitments I have to say it has been a few years since I last travelled like this and it is really nice to be getting back to what I love best. I know the people who make such wonderful comments about my drawings love the pictures for their subject matter above all else. To me they all tell stories from my memories of places I have been where encounters have taken place. Ok not all of them have been in exotic places or far off lands but they still revoke a memory from a time in my life where I first captured each picture in my head.

With not travelling for some time I must admit I did have to dust off the old kit and pull all of the gear out of the attic. It has amazed me how much stuff I have built up over the years. Nearly a carrier bag full of old chloroqin, deet soaked bandanas, a box of broken mosquito coils and rusty machetes. I supose anyone who travels with a jungle fixation and is a bit lazy at clearing old stuff out will know what I am talking about. Never the less I am sorting through it all in preparation for joining the Royal Bardia Mammoth Expedition next week.

I am very much looking forward to sampling the delights of Nepal, I only wish I had a little longer to explore more of its temples and human places of interest. I will be pleasantly engaged in matters of natural history and sketchbooks. My first stiop will be travelling down to Chitwan in the South of the country hopefully making some contacts and researching some of the work with the remarkable Gharial. As usual any chance I get wherever I go, if I can fit in a close encounter with a crocodile it will be top of my list. Gharials are not my favorite reptiles and even I must admit they are not the prettiest of creatures but what they lack in looks they certainly make up for with their strangely developed evolutionary shape.

From hear I will travel westbound to join the Mammoth expedition I have previously written about. More than anything over the past few months I have been trying my best to brush up my skills as an elephant artist. It has been some while since I last spent time drawing elephants in any detail and they were often of the African variety. There are now (quite rightly so) so few elephants kept in captivity in the UK it is very difficult to just nip down to a local zoo and sit and sketch them for a few hours. I have had to make do with my library of zoological books I have built up over the years, making studies of anatomy, form and textures.

Whatever happens while I am away I am in no doubt I will be more than inspired to come back and produce some related drawings to my travels, including elephants. With a bit of luck I hope I will get the chance to up date the blog whilst I am away but this does seem a little optomistic with communications being very limited to the area I will be stayng.

All the best,

'He needn't think he's coming however hard he tries'

David

Wildlife-Sketches.com

Looking forward to 2012

2012-01-24T14:57:13Z

Well here is my first post of 2012 nearing the end of january. 2012 already marked by some as the year of apocalypse as predicted by the ancient Mayan culture, me personally I shall not loose to much sleep over it. I believe the information is minimal and has been, exaggerated, blown out of all proportion and taken to heart by another band of conspiracy loving enthusiasts. For me 2012 is another exciting year for exploring new methods and techniques of drawing, developing compositions, learning about new species that I can study and depict in future pictures and hopefully maybe even get to travel a bit in the process. There is already far to much gloom and doom around us everyday to add another apocolyptic prophecy to the burden.

I would like to say that 2012 will be my year of the elephant as I have some exciting projects lined up involving many pachyderm activities. This would possibly be a little short sighted of me as I would also like to definitely develop more drawings of crocodilia and also carry on with other projects that have been simmering in the background.

Hopefully I will get to speak more of this in future posts, but I am glad to announce that in april I will be of on my travels again in search of new material to add to my increasing portfolio. This year I will be going to Nepal helping out in a wildlife survey of Bardia National Park. The project will mainly involve elephants but I am also keen to observe the local herpetological population. The expedition will be lead by the notable explorer Col Blashford Snell who has taken several other expeditions to this area in the past in search of an elephant so big it could easily have been mistaken for a mammoth and possibly even related to the ancient Stegodon. I will also, while in Nepal be taking the opportunity to observe and study the incredibly rare, fish eating crocodile, the Gharial in the south of the country. Nepal has never been a country that has been high on my list of priority destinations but I often find that is the way I stumble upon a real gem of a country that opens up complete new worlds for me. I am certainly looking forward to adding regular updates and posts on the blog, keeping everyone informed of how it is all going.

'Raja Gaj' the Mammoth elephant of Royal Bardia Nepa Copyright ‘Photo: Nick Wilcox-Brown / nickwbcom.

I would also like to mention that 2012 is a very special year for Monkey World Ape rescue centre whom I have been working with for the past 15 years. This year the rescue centre in Dorset will be celebrating their 25th anniversary with many celebrations and activities (please check the website www.monkeyworld.org for further details). It is also approaching the 5 year mark since Jim Cronin passed away. It is such a shame he won't be here to see the anniversary but I know so well of how proud he would be of the way Alison his wife has not only kept the place going but has pioneered the work, going from strength to strength making it the world class centre of excellence it is today.

Other projects this year will hopefully include going back to work with Sean Foggett of Crocodiles of the World in Witney Oxfordshire. I was so over the moon with the results of my Chinese Alligator picture that I have decided I would love to continue drawing more crocodiles and hopefully work closely with CROTW on this.

David and Sean AKA 'Crocman' from Crocodiles of the world.

Anyway despite what all the papers are saying and the bleak outlook of the economics for 2012 I am trying my best keep a positive attitude and lets hope it will be a good year all round.

Wildlife-Sketches.com

A year in the life of a wildlife art fan

2011-12-23T14:09:45Z

A year in the life of a wildlife art fan

In the media, the end of the year is a time of reflection. When I reflect upon the previous year it often amazes me what has happened in the world that I have completely forgotten about, although at the time the event was greeted with excitement or incredulity.

I therefore decided that, for 2011, I would make an effort to write down events in my wildlife year. Hopefully the reader will find some of the entries interesting.

Jon in Madagascar 2011

January 2011.

A time of anticipation. Have submitted an article to Wildlife Sketches on why I’m interested in wildlife and art. I’m pleased with the way it looks, especially with David’s excellent prints for illustration. Hope readers find it interesting.

Heard from one artist who is going to paint a cheetah brother coalition I photographed at Ann Van Dykes last year.

Went to see David about the possibility of him drawing a King cheetah, my favourite big cat. I’ve hardly ever seen it depicted in art. I know he’ll do it better than anybody. Took photos for reference and had a great chat about the big cats and some of his hopes for the coming year.

February

The coalition painting is finished. I think it looks striking. The artist has also done another of a lying down cheetah. Hopefully they will both sell in these difficult times.

Heard from one of our South African friends that we met on safari last year. They’re off to the Mara in Kenya this year so we’re suitably envious.

We’ve been thumbing through the holiday brochures whilst outside it seems to do nothing but rain. Decided on Madagascar. Expensive but we’ll soon be too old to enjoy, or be able to afford, that sort of holiday so will go whilst we’re able and it’s still got some wildlife and habitat left. The David Attenborough series has been on tv. Fortunately we booked before it started as the series is bound to get others interested and accommodation and flights are limited. We’re not going to October due to wanting to go in the dry season when some of the leaves are off the trees and the lemurs have had their young. Hopefully, should be great for lemur and chameleon photographic references for artists, although I think that photographing in a rainforest is going to be really tough.

March

Put the final touches to an article on Giant Pandas and as Edinburgh zoo are acquiring a pair from China in the near future, thought it might be a good time to submit it for possible publishing on Wildlife Sketches.

Have also been seeing what all my favourite artists are planning for 2011 by viewing their websites. The exhibitions will soon be starting.

Finally decided to write an article about the kudu kill we witnessed last year. Quite pleased with the result but it needs polishing.

Bought books on Madagascan birds, mammals and language in readiness for our trip later in the year.

April

Found some brilliant footage of one of our destinations in Madagascar on You Tube. The guy who took it was very generous in spending some time answering my questions, especially about a lemur reserve we’re going to. Can’t wait for October to hopefully get some great shots.

Heard from Vince and am pleased he liked the panda article. It would be great if more people contributed to Wildlife Sketches.

Spotted my hundredth British bird species since Xmas.

May

Great to see David’s blog and new print of a Chinese alligator. Hope it sells well.

'A Mothers Touch'
Chinese Aligator by David Dancey-Wood 2011

David Shepherd’s exhibition of wildlife art is on at the Mall Galleries in London. Tempted to go as some of the work looks exciting. However, all the works are on the web so not sure I can justify the expense, although to see the real thing is always special.

Joined the Hants and Isle of Wight Naturalist Trust. They’ve got a 50^th anniversary wildlife photographic competition which I want to have a go at. Judged by Chris Packham, it would be brilliant to be one of the twelve winners who will get the chance to meet him and have their photos turned into a calendar. Is photography art? The way Chris Packham takes photos, I’d say definitely yes.

June

Had a final check on my article on King Cheetahs and sent it off to Wildlife Sketches.

Got busy taking photos for the photo competition.

Didn’t go to London as all of the paintings were on the web. Some stunning work.

July

Continued to take photos at every opportunity. Joined Flickr to enable me to take part in the competition. The whole concept of Flickr intrigues me and I hope I can cope with the technical side. The standard on Flickr is incredibly high but you’ve got to be in it to win it. Selected my favourite five and successfully submitted them.

Wildlife Sketches put my article on line and I’m pleased with the way it looks.

Checked the sequel article on my efforts to see and photograph a King Cheetah at De Wildts and sent that off.

Art exhibitions are gathering pace. Viewed NEWA exhibition on line and saw BBC Wildlife artist of 2011 winners in the magazine. Won by Stella Mayes whom I really rate. I am fortunate enough to own one of her pastels.

August

Second cheetah article published. I think they work well together and I hope readers enjoy them. I certainly enjoyed researching and writing these two.

Over eight hundred entries in the photographic competition so plenty of opposition.

Results announced. Didn’t win but enjoyed the experience and some of the winners are stunning. However, I heard that one of my photos might be included as a small additional photo. Great!

Wrote a requested article on Amur leopards. One of my favourite cats so will be interested to see how it is received.

Went to the MIWAS exhibition at Marwell . Great to see such a variety of subjects and styles. It is always fun to talk to the artists and to see old friends.

September

Spent over twenty hours at Marwell as the Snow leopards have had triplets. Met many interesting people to talk to while we all waited for the extremely shy cubs to put in an appearance. Finally got some really pleasing shots of the triplets and mum. One of the photos made a small appearance in the Marwell magazine and I had some generous comments on Flickr.

Heard the first inkling of David’s forthcoming exhibition at Eastleigh which is always an exciting event. The new print of a sleeping otter is superb!

Final preparations for the Madagascan holiday. Can’t wait!

'Forty Winks'

Sleeping Otter by David Dancey-Wood 2011

October

The holiday finally arrives. Late plane flights and all luggage lost got us off to a stressful start. However, two great lodges, fantastic people and wildlife to die for certainly resulted in many wonderful memories and an edit of 800 photos to work through. Amazing how many Brits were there as a result of watching Attenboroughs BBC series. As I thought, photographing in a rain forest in rain with foliage and leeches on my head was difficult! Eight species of lemurs were however photographed which was more than I hoped for. Should be another article or two in the trip for Wildlife Sketches.

November

Spent a couple of weeks editing the Madagascan photos and then getting them printed and put in a couple of albums.

We decided to have a go at a calendar on lemurs using our photos.

Decided to change all the photos in frames in our kitchen to have some of our best Madagascan photos on show. We also had three canvases done of lemur portraits which look great. The overall result we find pleasing and should give us a fresh look in the kitchen for a while.

Went to David’s exhibition at The Picture Framing Gallery in Eastleigh. A super exhibition and it was great to see his new originals. Thought the spider monkey and the frogs were excellent. Also thought the eyes on the fossa drawing were amazing. Shame we didn’t see any fossa in Madagascar.

Finished the month down at Marwell and actually got an hour of viewing and photographing the snow leopard cubs which have really grown.

Had an email from Marwell saying they wanted to use one of my earlier cub photos for a xmas card so am really pleased.

December

Great to see the pandas arrive at Edinburgh zoo. Need to plan a trip to see them as I’ve seen all the others that have been on our shores.

Saw my 125^th British bird species, a tree sparrow of all things. Don’t know how I missed recording it earlier in the year. It gives me a healthy total to try and beat next year.

Any spare time not going on Xmas preparation is being used on Flickr to make up new photo sets and to admire the work of others. Probably one of the most enjoyable things I’ve started all year.

Most of the holiday brochures have arrived for 2012 and a time of anticipation is again occurring . The yearly cycle of a wildlife art fan is therefore almost complete.

Jon relaxing in Madagascar

Wildlife-Sketches.com

There's still time to get your print for Christmas!!!!

2011-12-16T15:07:37Z

There's still time to get your print for Christmas!!!!

UK Orders placed before Thursday 22nd December will be posted in time for Christmas as all our post is sent Royal Mail Special Delivery and will arrive within 48hrs of posting.

And remember it's FREE POSTAGE on UK Sales in December!!!

Wildlife-Sketches.com

December Shipping

2011-12-13T08:50:21Z

Merry Christmas
and a
Happy New Year to Everyone.

During December
Wildlife Sketches is shipping all

Uk Sales
Postage Free!!!

Click the banner to go to our site

Wildlife-Sketches.com

EXHIBITION

2011-11-01T10:56:16Z

David Dancey-Wood
Exhibition of original drawings and prints.

Come along for the the rare opportunity to purchase one of David's originals and get the chance to pick up one of his newly released limited edition prints. There will also be a huge back catalogue of prints both old and new, some incredibly rare.

The Picture Framing Gallery
41 High Street, Eastleigh
Hampshire, SO50 5LG

Sunday 27th November
12.00 - 4.00

Tel:02380647658

Wildlife-Sketches.com

Wildlife Sketches is on Facebook

2011-09-30T13:55:40Z

Wildlife Sketches now has a Facebook Page. Please visit us there and Like our page, leave a recommendation or a comment. We'd love to hear from you. Most of David's drawings will be added to the Wildlife Sketches Facebook Page, and updates of exhibitions and new editions will appear both on Facebook and here.

We're hoping to have Competitions and Special offers too as soon as we have enough Likes!

Plus we have lots of new links to wildlife articles from all over. With many beautiful photo's and video links Wildlife Sketches Facebook Page is really going to capture your imagination.

David will continue to add entries here from time to time, and articles will also continue to appear here from all our favorites and hopefully some new writers too.

Wildlife Sketches Facebook Page

Please don't forget to 'Like' us. We would love to get get a large following so we can then afford to make even better special offers and more competitions!

We're looking forward to seeing you all on Facebook too, and reading your comments

Vince De Luca.

Wildlife-Sketches.com

The Kiss of the Wolf!

2011-09-26T22:17:30Z

I found this great video on YouTube about Wolves. You'll love it for sure.

So here it is...It's called "The Kiss of the Wolf"

The music is great too. No idea what he's singing though!

Wildlife-Sketches.com

The Perfect Birthday Present!

2011-08-24T18:15:58Z

Birthday Bliss!

It’s funny how we always seem to want something special for our birthdays, but can’t always have it.

Our birthdays are still great mostly, because someone special has always remembered us; and made us feel a bit special also. Then we’re often pleasantly surprised how many others have remembered too.

Recently I received and email request from Maureen in Scotland: she wondered if there was any chance I could locate a ‘Charlie’ print. Maureen already knew that this print has been sold out for a long time, but she was hoping I could find one for her. So, I set about trying to locate a print for Maureen. I made a few calls, and sure enough I found one available at a descent price. I immediately emailed the good news to Maureen, and she was delighted, she paid me with PayPal and I shipped the print up to Scotland straight away. The entire transaction took less than a week including delivery.

'Charlie' by David Dancey-Wood

Then I asked, as I often do, if the print was for herself or a gift for someone. Maureen explained that her sister, Diane, was a long time fan of Monkey World and especially of Charlie. In fact her sister had tried to get a ‘Charlie’ print before to no avail. They’d chatted about the possibility of finding one, but doubted if they were available reasonably priced.

After watching an old episode of the Monkey World programme on the telly, Maureen decided to have a look online and she found www.wildlife-sketches.com. So she emailed me her request.

Well, as you now know, she managed to get her ‘Charlie’, then had him framed, and on her sister’s birthday, Maureen gave Diane the surprise present.

Diane with her great birthday present

She was absolutely delighted and not a little surprised. Diane feels that "David’s drawing captures the essence of Charlie in all his glory “.

Maureen took this photo of Diane with her newly framed print.

I had to add this story to the blog because it is such a great story. What a brilliant birthday surprise!

Happy Birthday Diane,

Well done Maureen, you're a great sister.

As Maureen and Diane know www.wildlife-sketches.com can usually locate the print you want.

All you need to do is email us your request, and we’ll do the searching for you.

We also offer Gift Vouchers, available from our Shop Page which allow someone to order which ever print they like most. What a great Gift Idea!

Vincenzo De Luca.

Wildlife-Sketches.com

Elephants display intellingence

2011-08-23T12:37:23Z

This is an article from National Geographic Italy. So I have translated it for you all because I just loved it, and I'm sure everyone will. There is also a link to the video here. And if you want to read it in the original Italian I have also left the link below.

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For the first time an elephant has been shown to be able to visualize a problem, plan a solution, and then put the plan into practice.

Kandula, and Asian elephant at Washington National Zoo, was filmed using a plastic cube to reach fruit in some high branches of a tree.

To imagine a problem: think of a solution and then put a plan into practice: is an ability we share with very few other animals, including Chimps, Crows and very few other creatures. From now on we can add Elephants to this short list.

Kandula is a seven year old Asian elephant at Washington National Zoo.

Please watch the video to see Kandula in action

Kandula the intellignet Elephant in Action

This was an experiment in which the fruit had been suspended on a high branch out of Kandula’s reach.

Apparently, Kandula gave it some thought, and then went to get the plastic cube. He rolled the cube underneath the branches with the fruit on, and stood on the cube with two feet to reach up with his trunk and get his prize.

Diane Reiss, a researcher into animal intelligence, maintains “Kandula had never used an object to step onto and reach other objects before, and had not arrived at this solution by trial and error. All the evidence shows the pachyderm had a spontaneous idea: He showed himself capable of working out a problem and putting a plan into practice”.

Researchers had left various objects available to Kandula to use to attempt to reach the fruit: for example, sticks, which he could use to reach up and hit the branch and make the fruit drop.

But Kandula did'nt use them. At first this left the researchers perplexed, until they realized that it would have been unnatural elephant behavior.

We know that elephants do use sticks, for example to scratch their backs. But never to find or reach food. This is because smell is so important to elephants, and they smell through their trunks. So they would not be able to smell anything if the held anything in their trunks.

The experiment was repeated over several days in 20 minute sessions. The first seven times Kandula just stood and looked at the fruit without trying to reach it or use any object to reach for it.

Kandula an Asian Elephant at Washington National Zoo
Photo Foeder/Reiss. CUNY

Dan Moore, one of the co-authors of this report (published in PLoS ONE) and also an associate director of the national zoo, reminds us that “Kandula is an exceptionally curious and intelligent elephant. We know all elephants are intelligent, but we think Kandula is one of the most intelligent”.

Moore also hopes that this study will draw public attention the plight of these Asian Elephants which are in danger of becoming extinct. “This type of research can help us to empathise more with animals, because it makes them more like us. And perhaps if we empathise, we will be more willing to protect them”.

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Here is the Italian article from National Geographic.

Eureka! E l'elefante scoprì lo sgabello

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Wildlife-Sketches.com

Amur Leopard reviewed

2011-08-18T22:03:46Z

Amur Leopard

Visitors to zoos are usually thrilled to see big cats including the leopard. Few however, in zoos such as Colchester, Edinburgh and Marwell, realise that the animal they are looking at is not the successful predator of the African plains and forests, but the rarest big cat in the world, the Amur leopard.

The Amur leopard, also known as the Manchurian or Far Eastern Leopard, is superbly adapted to life in the harsh environment of a temperate forest habitat. It has longer legs and a thicker fur coat than other sub species and can cope with the snow it encounters. In colour, it has a pale coat with wide rosettes with darker centres, and its eyes are light blue-green. As such, it is one of the most attractive leopard species.

The Amur leopard used to be widespread, being found in Russia, China and Korea. However, it has suffered many threats leading to a substantial decrease in its range. Whilst there may still be occasional animals in China, it is thought to be extinct in Korea and has only one known viable breeding population of approximately thirty animals in Primorsky Krai, Russia. It is officially designated “critically endangered” with less than fifty remaining in the wild.

Poachers, hunting for its skin, are only one of the problems it faces. It is also caught in snares set for deer and other mammals. Its prey, primarily Roe and Sika deer supplemented by boars, hare, badgers and racoon dogs are also hunted by humans whilst its habitat is frequently damaged by fire and deforestation. The leopard increasingly faces the threat of incursion into its forests by companies drilling for oil and gas, as well as the construction of pipelines and roads. There are also fears that, due to the few animals still in the wild, inbreeding could become a problem.

Mother and daughter

However, all is not lost. There are approximately three hundred Amur leopards held captive within zoos in Russia, the rest of Europe including the U.K. and North America. They breed reasonably well and stud books are held to try and keep the gene bank as diverse as possible. This is important as all of the captive animals are thought to be descended from only nine individuals. There is talk of some wild bred leopards being caught to help widen genetic diversity. Another possible conservation idea is to reintroduce captive born Amur leopards to a reserve in Russia, such as Lazovsky. The W.W.F.runs an “Adopt an Amur Leopard” campaign to raise money and secure habitat for the species, as well as create anti -poaching teams and to establish educational programmes. As it is vital that people who live in close proximity to the leopard are also encouraged to support it, funds are being made available to recompense farmers for livestock killed by Amur leopards.

Within the world of wildlife art the Amur leopard is a popular subject. David Dancey Wood has superbly captured, in exquisite detail, a typical Amur leopard pose and this sought after print can still be obtained direct from Wildlife Sketches.

Jon Isaacs

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To view more of David Dancey-Woods drawings please click the banner below

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An audience with the King

2011-08-02T11:00:47Z

By Jon Isaacs 2011

As we descended from the airbus onto the tarmac at Jo’burg International Airport, the warm air of an African Spring morning enveloped us. I allowed myself a grin. We were back in Africa and the new quest to see and photograph a King Cheetah was truly under way.

Passing swiftly through baggage reclaim and passport control, we were soon in transit to Cheetah lodge, our accommodation at the Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre.

We arrived an hour and a half later, up a dusty track at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountains. In front of us lay beautiful gardens and an extended farmhouse, the Cheetah Lodge. Warmly greeted by the assistant manager and Sebastian, the blue and brown eyed dalmation, we were given a conducted tour of our accommodation. The lounge walls were filled with prints and originals of the big cats, whilst on the coffee table lay a selection of mammal and bird books. Meanwhile the highly polished parquet floor was covered with rugs depicting cheetah and other cats. The whole place was my idea of heaven. The quest was getting better all the time.

We spent the afternoon relaxing in the garden, watching a myriad of birds ranging from woodland kingfisher to sunbird flying from bush to bush. Camera equipment was checked and settings decided upon, my fastest memory cards installed and lenses cleaned to perfection. Now all we had to do was wait.

The next morning dawned brightly, with not a cloud in the cobalt blue sky and the sound of Africa all around us. Having had breakfast, we were picked up at 7.45a.m by our guide Erika, an ecologist who had lectured at Pretoria University. She transferred us to the Cheetah centre, ready to witness the cheetah runs which were conducted in the cool of the early morning. I needn’t have worried about the problem of too many tourists as there were only about fifteen others, and after an introduction to the work of the centre, we made our way to the sloping meadow which contained the course where the lure of feathers and fur would travel, hopefully with a cheetah in hot pursuit. We stationed ourselves behind a wicker fence, the majority of the tourists close to where the three cheetahs would start their run, the three of us, with digital slrs, spaced equally, further down the course, where we hoped to get our action shots. The tension mounted as we were informed that the first cheetah to run would be Shaka, a King cheetah who was the slowest of the three and would allow us to get used to trying to photograph a speeding cheetah.

Shaka cautiously emerged from the back of the land cruiser and, with the leash off, we waited for action. The lure hurtled off down the track and Shaka ambled after it. With me shooting at high speed he trotted past, and then cut the route so he was ahead of the lure on its return up the slope. Deciding that he would at least get some exercise, he suddenly looked mildly interested and moved into second gear to complete the run. His handler said she was really embarrassed by his performance and that he was sulking because she’d only returned that morning from holiday. Either way, I had witnessed and successfully photographed my first King Cheetah. Two spotted cheetahs followed. The first was a small female who rapidly went up through the gears, obviously loving every second of the exercise. The final cheetah, Graca, was the star of the show. With the land cruiser now turned end on we were told to expect an explosion and that’s what we got. The cheetah charged out of the back of the vehicle and reached sixty miles per hour in less than three seconds, even faster initial acceleration than an F1 racing car. The lure was in danger of being caught and destroyed. Hurtling around the course, Graca used non-retractable claws, specially designed pads and its lengthy tail to stay upright. Trying to keep up with it in the viewfinder was nearly impossible and I ended up with pin sharp shots of the tip of its tail as it thundered back up the track, finely powdered soil flying in all directions. Having completed its run Graca sank onto the ground, temperature off the scale and craving oxygen. It really was breathtaking and the crowd fell silent in appreciation.

We left the running area, met up with Erika and continued our tour. Enclosures of honey badgers, including an albino named Blizzard, (Who had been rescued from the Cape where he would undoubtedly have died due to his visibility), caracal, wildcat, and brown hyena followed. At each enclosure we learnt much from Erika and enjoyed photographing the creatures exhibited. Then it was on to the wild dog packs, which were being bred for release, and an enclosure containing rare vultures, also part of an endangered breeding programme. Entering a large enclosure in our vehicle, we were pursued by one of the wild dog packs who knew we had their dinner. Running swiftly on either side of the vehicle, and jumping in mock attack from behind, it gave us a really good idea of how successfully they hunted. Eventually they received their food which disappeared under a mass of bodies, tails and dust.

To conclude our tour we were privileged to be amongst the first that season to be allowed to drive quietly down Lovers Lane, the area of smaller enclosures where the females are mated and raise their young. Stopping, we could see a small bundle of fluff at the rear of one of the enclosures. Using my longest telephoto I could just see the dark bodied youngster staring nervously at me. It was a young king, the first born that season. Further down the lane were two spotted cubs, and the difference in the coat could be clearly seen, even at that young age. Then it was on to see another female adult king who chose to ignore us, turning her back on us as she ate. However, even this was useful as it allowed me to get shots of the triple line pattern on her back, which is so characteristic of King Cheetah.

At the end of the tour Erika asked us if we wanted to see anything else, as she had a few spare minutes before her next appointment. I decided immediately that it had to be another meeting with Shaka and I enjoyed a happy ten minutes, on my own, photographing one of the rarest and most beautiful cats in the world.

As we poured over our photos during the afternoon, an elderly lady was introduced to us at the Lodge. It was Ann van Dyk, the owner and guiding light of the centre. Despite being eighty she still works with a passion to protect and breed her beloved cheetah. It was a privilege to meet her and made me determined to contribute in some small way to her charity which is entirely self funding. Consequently, my wife and I are now the proud adopted parents of Jongozi, a handsome and extremely large male cheetah who resides at the cheetah centre. So, if you get the chance to visit the centre, or stay at the Cheetah Lodge, take it. You will have a fantastic time, be warmly welcomed by all the staff and the loveable Sebastian, and be contributing towards a breeding programme which will help ensure the survival of the fastest mammal on earth.

As a footnote to this article, Ann Van Dyk has written her own account of how she struggled to create the cheetah centre, save the South African cheetah from the edge of extinction, and accidentally bred the King cheetah for the first time in captivity. Entitled “The Cheetahs of De Wildt,” the book makes fascinating reading for anybody interested in cheetahs or general conservation and contains many superb colour photos. The ISBN is 978-0-620-38483-4 and the second edition was published in 2007. I’m afraid I don’t know the current cost as I bought my copy at De Wildts in 2010, but I think it’s roughly £20-25 or 250 Rand. The centre also has a website which can be accessed through googling Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre.

There is also another book by Ann van Dyk

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Thank you Jon. Another brilliant article. You paint a picture of heaven. beautifuly illustrated with your great photographs.
David Dancey-Wood has some beautiful drawings of Cheetahs. To view these and much more please click the link below.

Wildlife-Sketches.com

Emergency appeal for victims of the drought in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia

2011-07-11T19:00:28Z

East Africa's Worst Drought in 60 years!

Please Help!

The Disasters and Emergencies Commission

Donate online now - Text ‘APPEAL’ to 70000 to donate £5

DEC East Africa Appeal | dec.org.uk

www.dec.org.uk/EastAfrica

Wildlife-Sketches.com

Wildlife Sketches back on track!

2011-07-04T18:17:02Z

Thanks to everyone for their patients. Wildlife Sketches is back to normal and there shouldn't be any more delays for our customers. Hope you all have a great summer, and enjoy all the beautiful sunshine we're having right now.

And Jon Isaacs has just sent in another great article.

I'd also like to say thank you to everyone that has sent in comments to this blog. Keep them coming, we all enjoy reading them. So please let use know your thoughts about articles and David's drawings, and anything which is relevant to this blog.

All comments which are appropriate will always be published. However, spam comments are automatically deleted.

Vincenzo De Luca.

Wildlife-Sketches.com

In search of the king

2011-07-04T17:16:00Z

In search of a King
By On Isaacs

To discover a new species, or rediscover an animal thought to have become extinct, must be the highlight of many naturalists’ lives and an experience which I can only dream of. To meet people who have devoted years to trying to find such a creature is a rare privilege, and one which came my way at the Romsey Town and Country show in Hampshire one September.

I was in the craft tent when I came across Lena and Paul Bottriell. They were selling copies of a book Lena had written. Having talked to them about their quest and been inspired by their enthusiasm, I was hooked, and promptly bought the book. It was entitled “King Cheetah. The Story of the Quest” and was about their efforts to confirm the existence of a new big cat species, the King Cheetah.

Having always been interested in wild cat species, their brilliantly written book made fascinating reading. Their aim, in the 1970’s, was to prove that the King Cheetah, also known as Cooper’s cheetah and originally labelled as a separate species by Reginald Pocock in 1927 (but retracted due to lack of evidence in 1939) actually existed, as it was only known from a couple of dozen skins. They were to spend years researching evidence of sightings, looking for photos, seeking more skins, and even mounting an expedition to try and prove its existence.

The King Cheetah was only known at that time from a few ancient skins, stuffed specimens and reports. No concrete evidence of a living animal was available, although various witnesses were convinced of its existence. It appeared to inhabit land in the north of South Africa, including the Kruger National Park, and then west to embrace an area of Botswana, north to Zimbabwe and east to Mozambique. In most cases the habitat it was seen in tended to be woodland. In appearance, it seemed larger than the average cheetah, with long, silky hair, particularly on the neck. It also always had three broad stripes running down the centre of its back onto a striped and ringed tail, and irregular black blotches covering its sides and legs against a creamy background. As such, it appeared to be potentially one of the most attractive looking of the big cats.

The Bottriells eventually mounted an expedition in the Kruger National Park, one of the places where the animal had apparently been seen, to try and provide evidence of its existence. This took place in 1979/80 and included the novel use of hot air balloons as a method of covering the ground. They were largely unsuccessful in their quest, although they did get images on camera of a possible king. The interest in the cat would probably have waned had it not been for a stroke of luck at a cheetah breeding centre in South Africa called De Wildt.

De Wildt was established in 1971 to try to breed and protect the cheetah, whose numbers had crashed to about 600 in South Africa. Linked to Pretoria zoo, the establishment was set up by Ann Van Dyk and her brother, who believed passionately that the cheetah should have a future. Due partly to its almost identical gene pool and low sperm count, the cheetah has always been notoriously difficult to breed in captivity and it was Ann Van Dyk and her helpers who managed to find a successful way of regularly breeding them. In 1981, by chance, two ordinary female spotted cheetah sisters named Jean and Jumper, escaped from their enclosure and mated in another enclosure with a wild caught spotted male named Frik, who was from the area in which King Cheetahs were supposed to have existed. The sisters’ parents had also been captured wild from the same area. Both females produced a king cub within their litter, one being a male and the other a female. All the parents must have contained the King’s mutant or recessive gene which led to the birth of the two King Cheetah. As far as the scientists were concerned, the case was solved. They felt sure that the King Cheetah had a recessive gene which manifested itself in blotches instead of spots, similar to the variations of domestic tabby which can also be in spotted or blotched form. To the scientists, the King Cheetah was no more than a mutant variety of the ordinary cheetah.

The Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre, as De Wildt’s is now called, has raised over 800 cheetah cubs since its creation, including a number of King Cheetah. It is acknowledged as a world expert on cheetah breeding and conservation. Due to its success, the cheetah has been removed from the South African list of critically endangered mammals. The centre has also released some cheetah back into the wild in protected areas. However, despite its excellent work, the cheetah is still persecuted in South Africa and Namibia by some farmers. In the world at the present time there are approximately fifty King Cheetah in captivity, these being descended from the De Wildt’s Kings and perhaps up to ten in the wild.

So, is the debate about the origin of the King Cheetah complete? Not totally. Scientists still discuss many of the odd facts that link to this animal ie. why its guard hair appears similar to that of a leopards and apparently different to that of the ordinary cheetah, and why the skin patterns of King Cheetah are almost identical.

In the concluding chapter of her book, Lena Bottriell makes a strong case for the argument that the mutant gene of the King Cheetah is actually a gene responding to a different environment, ie. woodland instead of open grassland. She concludes that the King Cheetah could represent a mammal which is evolving before our eyes into a new species, sacrificing speed for size and strength; a more suitable camouflage for a woodland environment it can safely inhabit.

Whatever eventually proves to be the truth of the debate, there is no doubt that the King Cheetah is a superb looking and very interesting animal. Long live the King!

As a postscript to this article I have discovered an interesting clip on You Tube. Entitled “ King Cheetah” by moonbear 44, the clip shows part of an interview with the Bottriells and includes the only known footage of a King Cheetah filmed in the wild. Enjoy!

King Cheetah. YouTube Video from Moonbear44.

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For more information about King Cheetahs and their breeding program please visit

The Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre - De Wildt South Africa

Thank you Jon, really enjoyable article again. The photo's clearly show the coat markings you mention (the three stripes along the back) and they also show how well camoflaged the King Cheetah is in woodland and also in tall grass. The book sounds brilliant too. Might have a look on amazon later for it. To check if it's still available. It's amaing to think that there are probably no more than 60 examples of King Cheetah left though.

Vincenzo De Luca, Wildlife Sketches.

Wildlife-Sketches.com

Apologies

2011-06-22T21:26:02Z

For anyone who has tried to contact Wildlife Sketches in the last week or make a purchase through the website wildlifesketches.com please accept our apologies for the lack of response. We are temporarily unable to deal with queries and any other matter due to illness.
We will endeavor to deal with all orders and enquiries as soon as possible and hope to be up and running at full speed within the next week. If there are any matters of urgency please direct your enquiries through the comments page of this blog.
We are grateful to all of you for your business and support and value your patience through this temporary inconvenience.

Many thanks

Wildlife sketches

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A Life Time of Waiting

2011-05-24T10:28:00Z

How time flies, I can't believe how long it has last been since I last posted on the blog. I get very wrapped up in my work and when artworks take hold of me I find there is no time for blogs and such. Apologies to all who read my posts and were expecting something sooner.

Sometime ago I mentioned here that I was involved in a commissioned piece of artwork depicting the Chinese Alligator. The picture was originally to be a spectacled caiman but when the opportunity arose to draw one of the rarest reptiles on the planet I could not help myself from getting excited.

I have had a huge love of crocodiles ever since childhood. The highlight for any trip to the zoo was the reptile house and especially the crocodiles and alligators. These wonderful creatures strangely captivated me, (strange as they are not particularly mobile and will often sit for hours without movement,) not for any romantic reason that they reminded me of dragons or even dinosaurs. The reason they captured my imagination so intensely was that they are so exotic, they spoke to me of jungles and far away lands deep in the tropics, they were something completely alien to everything around me.

Becoming a professional artist later in life who specialized in drawing animals I hoped one day the occasion would arise to put one of these reptiles onto paper doing it justice and giving it the time a picture of this persuasion deserves. Receiving a commission for this subject is as close as I can get to a personal drawing dream come true. I have had an idea in mind for years and now I had the chance to realize it in pencil.

A simple drawing of an alligator would have been nice, but the topic needed more, something to captivate the viewer, maybe an insight into behavior. The perfect representation of alligators was to show the incredibly gentle way a mother alligator carries her young to the water without harming them in her ruthlessly powerful jaws. I was nervous that although I had a clear picture of this in my mind it may not turn out anything like it. Often I will visualize a picture years before putting onto paper with mixed results. Sometimes it ends up looking nothing like I had planned other times it is as though I have had a complete transfer from mind to paper. I must say when it happens like this it is incredibly satisfying.

This drawing was also another opportunity to raise the profile of yet another very endangered animals, the Chinese Alligator. The Chinese alligator is listed as a CITES Appendix I species, which puts extreme restrictions on its trade and exportation throughout the world. It is IUCN Red Listed as a critically endangered species. Efforts are underway to reintroduce captive-bred animals to suitable wild habitats, but thus far have not met with much success.

I had the chance to view Chinese Alligators up close and personal through a contact with a private crocodile collection this gave me invaluable time to sit and study these creatures to make sure if I was going to draw it I would get it 100 percent anatomically correct which I hope I have accomplished.

Prints will be released of the alligator in glclee form in an edition of just 100 with a percentage being given to the chinese alligator conservation fund. They should be available for purchase some time in june.

Wildlife-Sketches.com

Wildlife Sketches

Bardiya Expedition

Close Encounters With Elephants

How time has flown

Looking forward to 2012

A year in the life of a wildlife art fan

There's still time to get your print for Christmas!!!!

There's still time to get your print for Christmas!!!! UK Orders placed before Thursday 22nd December will be posted in time for Christmas as all our post is sent Royal Mail Special Delivery and will arrive within 48hrs of posting.

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EXHIBITION

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The Kiss of the Wolf!

The Perfect Birthday Present!

Elephants display intellingence

Amur Leopard reviewed

An audience with the King

Emergency appeal for victims of the drought in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia

East Africa's Worst Drought in 60 years!Please Help!The Disasters and Emergencies CommissionDonate online now - Text ‘APPEAL’ to 70000 to donate £5

DEC East Africa Appeal | dec.org.uk

Wildlife Sketches back on track!

In search of the king

Apologies

A Life Time of Waiting

There's still time to get your print for Christmas!!!!

UK Orders placed before Thursday 22nd December will be posted in time for Christmas as all our post is sent Royal Mail Special Delivery and will arrive within 48hrs of posting.

East Africa's Worst Drought in 60 years!

Please Help!

The Disasters and Emergencies Commission

Donate online now - Text ‘APPEAL’ to 70000 to donate £5