Chthonic Wildlife Ramblings

The China adventure: Mudanjiang

Brendan Moyle • Dec 07, 2015

• bear farming,
• bear poaching,
• China,
• conservation

It’s day 3 in China where I’m undertaking research into bear poaching. The first stage of the trip was flying from Auckland to Beijing via Hong Kong. My Chinese colleagues meet me at Beijing airport. Generously they offer to take me to dinner. I decline gracefully. I’ve been travelling for hours, it’s late, and mostly I just want to … Read More

Sunday Seascape 29 November

Brendan Moyle • Nov 30, 2015

• Auckland photos,
• Devonport,
• long exposure,
• North head,
• NZ photos,
• photography,
• rangitoto island,
• seascapes

We’ve had some lovely days in Auckland. So I have actually left the computer behind, and gone out to take photos.  This feels even more important of late, as I’m about to go back to China to do more fieldwork.  One thing China tends not to have, is scenes like the Hauraki Gulf.  Especially in winter. North Head in Devonport … Read More

The dark side of conservation- 2 rangers killed in Cambodia

Brendan Moyle • Nov 10, 2015

• Cambodia,
• poaching,
• wildlife rangers,
• wildlife trade

A recent news story in Xinhua news concerns a wildlife-ranger patrol in Cambodia.  Two of the four were killed, and one was injured in an encounter with a group of criminals. I would like to extend condolences and sympathy to the families of the men. This also goes to another issue. A lot of conservation problems (which are made … Read More

Back to the cold

Brendan Moyle • Nov 08, 2015

• Canterbury Cathedral,
• photography,
• technology,
• Travel

Well, in December I make my next expedition overseas.  It’ll be my sixth trip in the last 12 months, and like all the others, up in the Northern Hemisphere.  More specifically, China. I’m heading to the far north so it’ll be very cold.  So that’s a whole lot closer.  This is adding up to a lot of hours in … Read More

A trip to Fairy Falls

Brendan Moyle • Oct 25, 2015

• Auckland,
• Auckland waterfalls,
• Fairy Falls,
• NZ photos,
• Waitakere Ranges,
• waterfall,
• waterfall photos

My last two attempts to photograph the Fairy Falls (in the Waitekere Ranges) were thwarted by the weather. On the first occasion, bright sunlight blew out the highlights on the water. On the second occasion, it rained. On Wednesday we had rain and bouts of bright sunshine. But the bits in between worked out okay. I have discovered that most … Read More

Counting Ivory: Does it add up?

Brendan Moyle • Oct 22, 2015

• black-market for ivory,
• elephant conservation,
• elephant poaching,
• Hong Kong Ivory Market,
• ivory carving

The publicity the illegal trade in ivory gets is at the moment, running high.  By way of background, the estimated numbers of elephants being illegal killed in African range states, ranges from 25,000 to 35,000 a year.  That means- roughly- there is about 250-350 tons of raw ivory being harvested by poachers annually.  The average weight of a tusk is … Read More

Surviving a stranding: NZ80 at Hong Kong

Brendan Moyle • Oct 05, 2015

• flight cancellation,
• hong kong airport,
• nz080,
• nz80

Many hours ago, I’d raced across Munich airport to make my Lufthansa connection to Hong Kong. The arrival of my flight from Vienna left me with just enough time to make it. If I’d known what was coming, I might have taken it a bit more slowly.  I was on NZ80 to fly back to Auckland on 3rd October. Read More

Sunday Seascape 12

Brendan Moyle • Sep 20, 2015

• Auckland photos,
• hauraki,
• NZ photos,
• NZ seascapes,
• seascape

This is an early morning photo taken at Waiake Beach, on the Hauraki Gulf.  It’s one of the nicest beaches on the East Coast Bays.  A good morning on the Hauraki Gulf is a very special moment. Click for original image Photo taken with a Sony a900 and Minolta 17-35mm f3.5 G lens. *Please visit my photo website … Read More

Hawkes Bay Waterfalls: Maraetotara

Brendan Moyle • Sep 19, 2015

• Hawkes Bay,
• Maraetotara Falls,
• Maraetotara Waterfall,
• NZ photos,
• NZ waterfalls,
• waterfalls

I think I am getting more efficient with my waterfall photography.  The car boot almost always has a tripod, some rope, and some hiking gaiters ready.  Then it’s just a matter of bringing a camera and some appropriate lenses.  In August, I was over in Napier.  With my afternoons free, it was a chance to do some exploring. One of … Read More

Sunday Seascape 11

Brendan Moyle • Sep 13, 2015

• Auckland photos,
• NZ photos,
• seascape,
• seascape photos

This scene is from Browns Bay.  I like to find areas where there is something interesting in the foreground, and in this case, the rocks and pools drew me to this position.  Rangitoto is always a good element to have on the horizon.  Despite the grey skies, there was enough going on in the sky to make the shot worth … Read More