Animal Droppings from Spain for ID
Hi all, Jonny Hodgson sent me these poo pics and wondered what species dropped them. I thought maybe a hedgehog, a large lizard or maybe a large amphibian … all of which are in the area. Perhaps even a bird? Anyone know? He wrote “We live in Extremadura in...
New mammal family web pages
I followed Jon Hall’s recommendation to spend the first months of the Covid-19 lockdown by entering all the mammals I’d seen in Scythebill, which was a great free program once I got the hang of it. That took care of March-April. Then, using Jon’s Scythebill list of global...
How do you use your thermal imager to find wildlife?
I know that quite a few of us now own thermal imagers and use them regularly while mammal watching. However, I think it’s fair to say that they are not always the easiest devices to use, and it takes some practice to get the most out of them. For...
Meriones Gerbils In Mongolia: taxonomy and tails
I have published a post “Meriones Gerbils in Mongolia: taxonomy and tails” covering some notes and photos which I put together in the process of trying to identify some gerbils from SW Mongolia that had white under-tails. That post refers to two references on Meriones gerbils that post-date local...
Four years in Poland
I have been “living in Poland” for almost four years by now and thought people might be interested in what kind of experience a very bad mammalwatcher has in this country. I couldn’t upload the file, so I sent it to Jon – nothing apparent happened but then someone...
New Trip Report: Mana Pools, Zimbabwe
Another report from Tom Clode, this time from one of my favourite national parks anywhere – Mana Pools. It has been nearly 30 years since I was there and I’m relieved and happy to see that it is still going strong. Mana Pools, 2019: Tom Clode, 6 days &...
Recent Bat sightings in NY
Just wanted to report that I had a Big Brown and a Hoary Bat along Oil City Rd. at the Wallkill River N.W.R., Pine Island, NY and a Little Brown Myotis hanging on the side of the visitor center at Sterling Forest S.P. in Tuxedo, NY. The first two...
Predator Watching in Finland
I have still not given up hope to return to Africa in July this year. However, “hope for the best, plan for the worst”, as one of my favorite novel character has a habit to say, and so I started to looking for an alternative / substitute destination, closer...
Kri-kri
Did you know that this “smallest wild goat” lives on at least ten different islands in the Aegean archipelagos? That you can also observe it near Athens? And that it once was so plentiful that Odysseus and his men hunted 109 of them in one morning? Find out about...
Saharan Cheetah photographed in Algeria (2020)
After more than a decade since the last sighting, the Saharan Cheetah was observed again in Ahaggar, southern of Algeria in March 2020. This was in the context of a project by Government agencies carried out in the Ahaggar Cultural Park in 2017, 2019 and 2020. The project directors...
i search guides for Flying squirrel in east Finland
Hello, I go beginning of july to Finland with a small group (i hope, if the borders are open). For east Finland i search a good guide for guiding a excursion for flying squirrels (for normal prices). Also a guide for white tailed deer if possible. If there good...
New Trip Report: Djibouti
Here is a new (old) report from Anita Ericson who clearly has a much better memory than I have ever had – she has – after popular demand – been able to write a report for her 2007 trip to Djibouti. Does anyone have an opinion on the Wild...
BBC says Primate Watching Officially a Thing (and Russ Mittermeier sees all 80 Genera)
This will be a fun programme from the BBC I think I have seen 63 genera of primates, though I haven’t been all that focussed on them (at least until I started taking trips with Cheryl Antonucci). How many have you seen? Jon .
Where to go when
Hi all I saw Jon’s post re lesser known mammal spots (my personal favourite is Pico, Azores – probably one of the best cetacean watching places on the planet)… Currently locked-down, I was thinking of the list of places that I want to visit in the world for mammal-watching...
Rodent and Hare references for Ethiopia
This 2019 reference covers rodents in Ethiopia; with range maps: Bryja J, Meheretu Y, Sumbera R, Lavrenchenko LA (2019 Sep). Annotated checklist, taxonomy and distribution of rodents in Ethiopia. Folia Zoologica 68(3):117–213, Praha. DOI: 10.25225/fozo.030.2019 The 2017 reference below covers hares in Ethiopia: Tolesa Z, Bekele E, Tesfaye K,...
New Trip Report: Australia’s Top End and more
Here’s a mega report from Isaac Clarey of a 5 month road trip around the western half of Australia, and a south eastern loop too. A superb trip through some of my favourite places on the planet. Australia, 2019: Isaac Clarey, 5 months & 89 species including Scaly-tailed Possum,...
Best Mammal Evolutionary Trees?
These mammaless days mean I finally have some time to improve the taxonomy of my global mammal checklist (with generous help from Don Roberson and others). At the moment it lists the genera alphabetically within families, rather than by how closely they are related. I’m using the Handbook of...
Squirrel monkeys
Any place near Panama City or within 2 hours of Quito to see Squirrel monkeys?
Best Kept Mammalwatching Secrets … Revealed!
Thanks to those who shared ideas on places around the world where the mammalwatching is (probably) good but trip reports are scarce. I know most of us can only dream of travel at the moment, but here are ten places that you might want to feature in those dreams....
New Trip Report: Mainland Clouded Leopard search, Nepal
In February Royle Safaris ran a trip to look for Mainland Clouded Leopards in Langtang National Park, Nepal Langtang National Park, 2020: Royle Safaris, 10 days & 21 species including Himalayan Musk Deer, Indochinese Clouded Leopard (though only a guide saw it) and Yellow-bellied Weasel. Jon
Assorted news
A few recent papers some people might find interesting: 1-2. A new water vole split in Western Iran. Also, the proper name for red-backed voles is again Clethrionomys rather than Myodes. Both papers are open-access in the latest volume of Mammalia. 3. Range limits of eastern and western red...
New Trip Report: Argentina and Southern Chile
If like me you are going stir crazy from not just a lack of travel, but a lack of even being able to plan travel, then this superb report might do more harm than good. Sorry! But if you can get over the serious travel envy, some rodent and...
New Trip Report: India 2020
Here’s a report of a very well-timed trip to India. Gujurat, Kaziranga and central India, 2020: John Weir, 4 weeks & 44 species including Rusty-spotted Cat and Striped Hyena. Jon
New Trip Reports: California, plus Lynxes in Spain and Minnesota
Here are three mammal-friendly reports from Wise Birding Minnesota, 2020: Wise Birding, 10 days & 10 species Canada Lynx. California, 2020: Wise Birding, 11 days & 25 species including American Badger and Northern Right Whale Dolphin. Spain, 2020: Wise Birding, 5 days & 5 species including Iberian Lynx. Jon
New Trip Report: Tawau Borneo
Here’s another first time reporter. Tawau, 2020: Ralph Lawson, 5 days & 37 species including Irawaddy Dolphin, Tarsier, Banded Linsang and Marbled Cat. Jon
Join These African Wildlife Webinars
For most of us all travel is virtual right now, so why not join these webinar’s from the Leadership for Conservation in Africa for some vicarious mammalwatching. ——————————– The Leadership for Conservation in Africa (LCA) is passionate about nature and the protection thereof. Regardless the lockdowns all-over, a number...
Taxonomy news
A couple taxonomy news: 1. Peromyscus mice are usually very easy to ID even in areas with many species present, so I’m sure nobody will be confused by yet another species being described from central Mexico. I haven’t read the paper yet; will wait until it’s on sci-hub… sorry,...
Best Kept Secrets
When we were in Colombia, Cheryl Antonucci and I were chatting about which mammalwatching destinations were under visited. Colombia was one example, although the reasons for that are well known, and changing. But what other places don’t feature as often on trip reports here as you think they should? ...
Afghanistan, 2020
No, I haven’t been there. But during my trip to Tajikistan I had the chance to look across the border every day, got an impression how life is over there and even saw some animals. I also put some useful travel information together – just in case you wanted...
Madagascar Mammal Watching Report
https://www.mammalwatching.com/wp-content/uploads/Madagascar-Mammal-Watching-Report.pdf
Wildlife in the Darwaz Mountains of Tajikistan
I visited Tajikistan between February 15th and March 2nd 2020. They main purpose of the trip for me was to see Markhor. Of course I was equally excited to observe all other wildlife species – especially Snow Leopards. Find my report here
Desert Cat, Wild Ass and Great Indian Bustard from Kutch and Rajasthan
Please follow link for detailed report A birdwatching oriented guided trip to the thorn forests and grasslands of Kutch, the salt pans of the Little Rann of Kutch and the sandy Thar Desert of Rajasthan produced superb birds like Great Indian & MacQueen’s Bustards, Grey Hypocolius, White-naped Tit, Marshall’s...
Greater Horseshoe Bats: the movie
Jean-Michel Bompar let me know about this beautiful film on the lives of Greater Horseshoe Bats. It is quite long – 45 minutes – but I’m fairly sure many of us have more time on our hands than usual these days. This film is all the more important film...
Rare Andean Mammals Tour – Trip Report – Royle Safaris – November 2019
In November 2019 Royle Safaris ran our first Rare Andean Mammals Tour to Ecuador, focusing on Bellavista and Cayambe Coca National Park for 10 days. We found evidence of a 20 species of mammals including Andean tapirs, Spectacled bears (the highlight being 2 bears cooperatively hunting and chasing an...
New Trip Report: Eurasian Lynx in Sweden
What to do when the world is in lockdown but Sweden is not? Of course some mammalwatching at home. Here is a first from Sweden: Searching for Lynx in Sweden 2019-2020: Andreas Jonsson , 12 nightdrives including Eurasian Lynx.
Seeing all the world’s mammal families?
Here’s something to consider while we are all stuck at home. Seeing a representative of all ~250 bird families is eminently achievable for those with the time, money and inclination. Do enough birding tours to the right areas and you can get them all. A second trip for some...
Eye of the Pangolin film – Virtual Screening with Live Q&A on Sat 11 April at 3pm EST/8pm UK/9pm Central Europe
This is a great idea from Dazzle Africa. If you haven’t gotten around to watching the Eye of the Pangolin film that was released last year – focusing on the four African Pangolin species – then here’s the perfect opportunity, with a virtual screening followed by a Q&A with...
Japanese mammal photos sought
Calling all Mammal Watchers who have photographed in Japan. Mark Brazil is seeking submissions of images of mammals taken in the wild in Japan for a new book that he is working on. He is particularly looking for good images of the following: Northern Fur Seal | Northern Fur Seal...
New Trip Report: Sabah and Sarawak
And here is another first time reporter – John Rogers – with aBorneo report that was timed perfectly pre pandemic! This was primarily a birding trip but plenty of mammals too. The Sarawak bits in particular (ncluding Hose’s Langur) might be the most interesting as they are off the...
Cat Tien NP, Vietnam, March 2020
Last month I visited Vietnam… for a much shorter time than planned. Luckily, the authorities decided that closure of Cat Tien would take place the day I was due to leave anyway, so I still had an excellent few days. Vietnam – Cat Tien March 2020
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[…] Where to See: Marbled polecats are widely distributed from eastern Europe to western China, but seem most common in the steppe and aridlands of Central Asia. But they’re not easy to find. Mammal watching master Jon Hall spotted one in Mongolia, and other enthusiasts occasionally report sightings on the Mammal Watching forum. […]
[…] Where to See: Marbled polecats are widely distributed from eastern Europe to western China, but seem most common in the steppe and aridlands of Central Asia. But they’re not easy to find. Mammal watching master Jon Hall spotted one in Mongolia, and other enthusiasts occasionally report sightings on the Mammal Watching forum. […]
Hello blog,
I wish to organize a 10-day stay in Nepal in mid-February 2020 with my family (including two of my boys aged 12 and 14). I would like to visit the Chitwan National Park first and then move towards either the Bardia Park or a trek in the Langtang Valley.
So I have several questions: on Chitwan, do you know a good guide or good lodge to organize a stay of 3/4 days accés mainly on the mammals watching?
On Langtang, I would like to organize a trek to try to see the red panda and the Himalayan Thar. Do you know an agency or specialized guide in Nepal to offer a trek of 3 days in this zone?
Do you know if the Red Panda is visible in the Langtang area?
The trip will be organized around mid-February and I do not know if the valley is passable at this time?
If this is not the case, I will move towards a 3-day stay in Bardia Park. Here again, do you know a guide or a lodge that specializes in mammals?
I’m a little afraid that Chitwan and Bardia are quite similar in wildlife. For that I will first of all go towards the possibility of Langtang.
I am interested in any information.
Thank you in advance.
Best regards.
Philippe Paraire