Chthonic Wildlife Ramblings

Some good and bad news with Sumatran tigers

Brendan Moyle • Jul 04, 2016

• Sumatran tiger,
• tiger,
• tiger conservation,
• tiger poaching

I’ve been in Asia of late, and finished up at the Conservation Asia conference.  This isn’t just a place to present your own research, but also a place to learn more about what it happening elsewhere. I like to go to sessions I know little about.  Especially the fields of conservation biology that tend to be neglected.  So amphibians and … Read More

Sunday Seascape 19 June

Brendan Moyle • Jun 19, 2016

• duotone,
• NZ photos,
• Okura BUsh Walkway,
• Okura Estuary,
• pohutakawa,
• seascape

The teaching semester has come to an end.  I’m about to go back to Asia next weekend.  It felt like a good time to escape into some local forests and beaches.  So, it was off on the Okura Bush Walkway.  As the goal was really, just to get away from everything and go on a hike, I kept the … Read More

Here comes the rain again – #Friding in Auckland

Brendan Moyle • Jun 10, 2016

• auckland cycling,
• congestion,
• Friding,
• global warming

The bike has a new chain and gear cables.  It helped yesterday’s ride to work. Under 16 minutes moving time.  Four new records on different segments of the ride.  Today though is Friday, and I’m back #Friding.  I could hear the rain most of the night.  The neighbour’s cat broke into the bedroom and glued himself to my legs.  He … Read More

Back to #Friding

Brendan Moyle • Jun 03, 2016

• auckland cycling,
• Auckland photos,
• fitness,
• Friding,
• running

My bike has needed a bit of serious maintenance ahead of winter. That’s handicapped the cycling this week.  Given how wet it has been, that may have been a good thing.  Anyway, it was back to my regular Friday cycling.  I pondered whether it was worth wearing leg-warmers as it was getting rather chilly.  In the end I just picked … Read More

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

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

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