Gyrfalcon: The Bird of Kings
It was pushing midnight but the eternal summer sunshine meant one could still see the beautiful Icelandic countryside as we made our way to Reykjavík. In the morning we would take off on our own “Golden Circle” tour of Iceland, opting not to follow in the footsteps of the many other tourists that are increasingly flocking to this beautiful land. Our itinerary would take our rented Suburu Outback around the entire country as we followed the coastline to take in as much as two weeks would allow us. Highlights we were hoping to experience were of course the glaciers, puffins, waterfalls, and untouched landscapes. For me personally though it was the Symbol of Iceland which I hoped to get a glimpse of, the regal Gyrfalcon.
Ivory on Fire: Kenya Burns Confiscated Illegal Animal Products
Although Kenya has done “ivory burns” in the past, this most recent one has been by far the largest. President Uhuru Kenyatta has given the go ahead to burn over 100 tons of Elephant ivory, a ton of rhino horn, and the skins and random parts of other confiscated African animals.
Where Wolves and Alligators Meet: Alligator River NWR
A species that once roamed from Texas to Florida could now be living its last days here in Alligator River or even more sadly in an enclosure at some facility. We have no doubt come so far in our efforts to save our endangered wildlife by way of laws and acts, however the ignorance and selfishness which is human nature still shows its ugly face even today and has the ability to cause another extinction.
Singapore’s Top 5 Outdoor & Wildlife Experiences
The only island city-country in the world, Singapore has figured out how to make a large sprawling city seem somewhat wild and natural. Whoever is behind the urban planning of this city deserves the utmost recognition.
Species Declared Extinct in 2016
If you thought this year was hard on us humans this past year with war, terrorism, and political chaos and embarrassment, it is nothing compared to the sadness the natural world has felt with the declaration of more extinctions.
