Chthonic Wildlife Ramblings

10 Facts About Crocodiles

Brendan Moyle • Jun 02, 2016

• crocodile,
• crocodile attacks,
• estuarine crocodile,
• saltie,
• saltwater crocodile

As possibly the only New Zealander to be a member of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, it seemed timely to introduce a few facts about crocodiles. All photos below were taken with me during work (except for the alligator at the bottom) in the Northern Territory of Australia.  I had lookouts to help take the photos… The Estuarine crocodile is … Read More

Sunday Seascape: 29 May

Brendan Moyle • May 30, 2016

• Auckland photos,
• long exposure,
• NZ photos,
• seascape,
• skytower

Sunday around Auckland was pretty dire weather-wise, so I have dug into some past shots for view of Auckland.  Both shots are taken form North Head, looking over Devonport toward the Auckland CBD. Obviously they were taken at night time.  This meant along the way I startled the odd hedgehog, who wasn’t expecting pedestrians this time of night. I had … Read More

#Friding on my mind

Brendan Moyle • Apr 29, 2016

• auckland cycling,
• carbon emissions,
• climate change,
• cycling,
• Friding

Another Friday and that’s another occasion to participate in the grassroots #Friding campaign.  My goal however, is not to commute to work on the bicycle once a week, but to drive but once a week.  It’s been a good couple of weeks for it.  For one thing, the school holidays has reduced congestion.  That means I don’t have to brake … Read More

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Friday means #Friding

Brendan Moyle • Apr 15, 2016

• auckland cycling,
• Friding

I was pleased to find the weather was so conducive to cycling.  Sunny without the heat and humidity of February.  A nice chill in the air.  I broke out the arm warmers. Today’s look was canary yellow.  I like to persuade myself motorists will see me. It was oddly peaceful, wheels spinning as I glided down … Read More

Let’s not panic: Rhino horn for sale in NZ is not a catastrophe

Brendan Moyle • Apr 08, 2016

• auctions,
• CITES,
• conservation,
• nz,
• poaching,
• rhino horns,
• rhino poaching

News that the auction house Cordy’s is selling a rhino horn earned a rapid backlash.  Nonetheless, from a conservation perspective this is really, a non-issue.  The logic that sale of old horns promotes rhino poaching, is akin to believing our trade in whale-bone carvings is encouraging the Japanese to hunt whales. NZ conservation laws for the most part, concern … Read More

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Wait…what’s the fastest growing religious group in NZ?

Brendan Moyle • Apr 06, 2016

• Islam,
• Muslims,
• NZ Census,
• NZ religions,
• religion,
• statistics

The NZ Herald reported on the Egypt’s plan to send Imam’s to fight radicalization in NZ.  I will offer no opinion on this issue, given I have no knowledge of the extent of Islamic radicalisation in NZ.  Nonetheless, one claim did catch my attention: Muslims, now about 1 per cent of the population, are New Zealand’s fastest-growing religious group. Read More

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Sunday Seascape 3 April

Brendan Moyle • Apr 03, 2016

• Auckland photos,
• Hauraki Gulf,
• NZ photos,
• rangitoto island,
• seascape

A Sunday seascape that’s actually on Sunday… It’s dusk, the sun has set.  I’m at North Head looking across the channel towards Rangitoto Island.  It’s a 2 minute exposure just to get enough light to get exposure.  This has blurred the waves and white crests around the rocks. Click for original image … Read More

Does Vegetarianism cause a mutation that leads to cancer?

Brendan Moyle • Apr 01, 2016

• cancer,
• Diet,
• evolution,
• human evolution,
• LCPUFA,
• mutation,
• Vegetarianism

The short answer. No. Longer answer: Newspapers are fond of stories that breathlessly announce discoveries as revolutionary.  Fossils never add anything to our knowledge incrementally.  They will always rewrite the theory of evolution.  Cancer is another popular target for revolutionary new treatments or causes.  So it was with some skepticism I read that, quote, “Scientists have found vegetarianism can cause a … Read More

Sunday Seascape 27 March

Brendan Moyle • Mar 28, 2016

• Auckland photos,
• long exposure,
• NZ photos,
• seascape,
• skytower,
• Waitemata Harbour

It’s a long weekend, so I can appreciate things get a bit quiet.  The shot below is of the Waitemata Harbour and the Auckland skyline.  I guess it should probably be counted as a cityscape more than a seascape. Anyway, this was the lost shot of an evening spent on North Head.  I’d already packed up my gear and was … Read More

Into the Waitakeres- Nihotupu Falls

Brendan Moyle • Mar 23, 2016

• nihotupu falls,
• NZ waterfalls,
• waitekere ranges,
• waterfall photos

I didn’t realise we had so many waterfalls around the Auckland area until I started exploring.  Some waterfalls I had been aware of, just because they’re relatively well-known.  The Fairy Falls in the Waitakeres is one.  Many others are not so well known.  One of these falls I recently found was Nihotupu. This weekend a few things came together to … Read More