Chthonic Wildlife Ramblings

Ending Trophy Hunting of Elephants: Is this a Conservation Success?

Brendan Moyle • Nov 23, 2017

• conservation,
• Elephant,
• elephant trophy hunting,
• poaching,
• trophy hunting,
• Zimbabwe

Following a wave of popular outrage, the US government appears to be backtracking on the decision to allow the import elephant hunting trophies. Nonetheless, despite the support of celebrities and Animal Rights groups like the HSUS, it is not obvious this will help conserve elephants.  Sadly I don’t host popular talk shows or star in movies. I do research … Read More

iPad Pro and the Digital Photographer

Brendan Moyle • Nov 07, 2017

• digital photography,
• iPad Pro,
• photo apps,
• photography,
• travel photography

The launch of the new iPad Pro this year piqued my interest.  My old ultrabook was at the end of its life. That produced a bit of a dilemma. My ideal device had to be very portable.  I’ve been traveling a lot of late for my fieldwork.  Sometimes that puts strict limits on what I can carry. And often I’d … Read More

Walking in water: First trip to the Pararaha Stream

Brendan Moyle • Sep 27, 2017

• Auckland waterfalls,
• forest stream,
• hiking,
• NZ photos,
• Pararaha Stream,
• Pararaha Valley,
• sony a7R,
• Stream,
• Waitakere Ranges,
• waterfalls

The track wasn’t marked on the map. It was supposed to be for experienced hikers only.  I’d decided to tackle the Pararaha Stream from the Lone Kauri Road end. It’s an area of the Waitakere Ranges I hadn’t explored before, so I was unsure what to expect.  I guessed I’d need my hands free. So the tripod was carried in a tripod … Read More

What a lot of water: Waipunga Waterfall

Brendan Moyle • Sep 11, 2017

• explore nz,
• NZ photos,
• NZ waterfalls,
• sony a7R,
• waiarau waterfall,
• waipunga waterfall,
• waterfall photos

I stood in the drizzle, watching the large waterfall sending clouds of spray and mist upwards. It has been raining a lot in NZ.  Not only have we had several cyclones dump a lot of water on the North Island, winter has had some decent downpours as well.  This is partly good news for waterfall photography. The hard bit is … Read More

Where did we put all that CO2? Climate Change Policy for the Election

Brendan Moyle • Sep 01, 2017

• ACT climate change,
• climate change,
• emissions trading scheme,
• ETS,
• green party climate change,
• labour party climate change,
• maori party climate change,
• national party climate change,
• NZ election,
• NZ election 2017,
• NZ ETS,
• NZ GHG emissions,
• Science policy,
• TOP climate change

Climate change is one of the NZ election issues of this year.  With that in mind, the Science Media Centre asked the parties the following question: How will your party meet the goals of the Paris Agreement? How will agriculture be accounted for in climate change adaptation and mitigation? What are your plans for the Emissions Trading Scheme? Introduction … Read More

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Watery Blues: Freshwater Quality Policy for the Election

Brendan Moyle • Aug 28, 2017

• election,
• fresh water,
• fresh water policy,
• Fresh water pollution,
• national policy statement on freshwater management,
• nps-fm 2014,
• NZ election,
• NZ fresh water management,
• Swimmable rivers,
• water pollution

Freshwater policy has become one of the NZ election issues of this year.  With that in mind, the Science Media Centre asked the parties the following question: What policy decisions does your party propose to tackle the issue of freshwater quality degradation in our country’s waterways? I’m going to analyse the responses to this question.  Initially though, there are some … Read More

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Rhino conservation dilemmas

Brendan Moyle • Aug 09, 2017

• black rhino,
• conservation,
• economics of crime,
• poaching,
• rhino conservation,
• rhino horn,
• rhinoceros,
• smuggling,
• white rhino,
• wildlife economics

Since 2007-8 a number of species have undergone a sharp increase in poaching. These include the African elephants (savannah and forest), the pangolin and African rhino (black and white).  Poaching of rhinos is nothing new. It’s been taking place since the 1960s and rhinos have all but disappeared except for their strong-holds in Southern Africa. South Africa and Namibia bucked … Read More

Size Matters: the challenge of being a green consumer

Brendan Moyle • Jul 26, 2017

• biomass,
• bivalves,
• ecology,
• extinction,
• GHG emissions,
• global warming,
• habitat,
• habitat loss,
• methane,
• Mussels,
• ruminants,
• Veganism,
• Vegetarianism

The one thing that has really changed in the last century is the size and scale of human effects on the environment.   This isn’t to say we didn’t have impacts before. As humans spread over this globe, many vertebrate species became extinct. Whether it’s the giant mammoths or giant moas, humans alter the world around them.  What … Read More

A seascape for the shortest day

Brendan Moyle • Jun 21, 2017

• Auckland photos,
• clouds,
• Gale,
• Hauraki Gulf,
• landscape,
• monring photo,
• NZ photos,
• NZ seascapes,
• seascape,
• Waiake

Introduction It’s the shortest day in NZ today.  We’re also expecting more bad weather.  That augured well for some seascape photos down at one of the local beaches.  Normally the swells on the gulf around the beaches here are sedate. Unimpressive.  A good storm can give them an interesting dynamic.  After dropping kiddo 3 at school, I stopped by at … Read More

An evening at Stanley Point

Brendan Moyle • Jun 01, 2017

• auckland panorama,
• Auckland photos,
• cityscape,
• harbour,
• long exposure,
• NZ photos,
• Panorama,
• seascape,
• skytower

Introduction Monday night once again, required a trip down to Devonport with one of the kids.  I like to use this time to take some photos, while kid does his thing. This Monday though, was a graphic illustration of congestion costs. An accident on Lake Road led to its closure earlier. While it had since reopened, the roads were still … Read More

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