Conservation Without Borders

Sacha Dench Becomes One of Few Women to Cross the Irish Sea Solo by Kayak

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:54:19 GMT

“The Human Swan” completes first leg of her 'Sea to Summit' expedition, retracing bird migration route to Denmark

Renowned adventurer and conservationist Sacha Dench, also known as The Human Swan, has landed in Wales after successfully completed her solo kayak crossing of the Irish Sea, from Wexford to Whitesands Bay (St George’s Canal) becoming one of only a handful of women to do so alone and the first known to complete it as a user of lower limb external prosthetics.

The 19-hour crossing marks the completion of the first leg of her extraordinary new journey : UNSTOPPABLE - Sea to Summit: a human-powered adventure from Ireland to Denmark to spotlight urgent biodiversity issues and inspire public action for nature.

This is Sacha’s first physical adventure since surviving a life-threatening paramotor accident in 2021, which left her with multiple injuries and the need to rely on external prosthetics for all lower-limb-powered movement. This journey mirrors her earlier Flight of the Swans expedition, in which she famously flew with swans in a paramotor from the Russian Arctic to the UK. This time, it’s human-powered and in the opposite direction: a personal and symbolic return to ACTION.

How can you get involved?

There are plenty of ways. We would love for you to be involved in any way that you can.

Host a screening of Flight of the Swans in your community or your home (pizza and a few friends maybe?)
Meet us on route (we’re on the map). You can paddle, ride or meet us at camp.
Nominate an extraordinary hero who is making a difference for nature. Whether small or large scale, if they are going beyond and you think they deserve a thank you, then nominate them.
Donate or grab a limited-edition Sea to Summit shirt
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get updates along the way
Sign up for our weekly webinars to hear live talks and meet the inspiring people we encounter on our journey

The expedition was covered on ITV where Sacha talks about her experience crossing the Irish Sea and the expedition. You can watch it here

Force Multiplier in Action

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 11:00:45 GMT

This news on lead ammunition is so great that we wanted to share it here for a few reasons.

For all those who are stepping up for nature behind the scenes, in companies and industries, disappointed/ despondent at the lack of progress - We hope this is a reminder that it’s always worth the effort. We have been frustrated, challenged, upset, shocked horrified and sickened at different phases of this journey ( filming dying birds or autopsies of birds suffering a slow death from lead poisoning was all of those) but have also met some of the most incredible people. We are so proud to have been a ‘force multiplier’ for all those involved in this issue.

CWB are gathering a team of people just like you who are champions in their own areas or want to be ‘force multipliers’ for change. If you want to join us , the next iteration of the Extinction Express meets in September. (Contact kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org)

Our follow up to the original Flight of the Swans Expedition begins in a few weeks and we calling on people and companies to cycle with Sacha or host screenings of the film as we celebrate progress for nature. We are also calling for nominations of extraordinary heroes from your community or industry that are going beyond to drive change for nature. Click here for more details.

Storks soar over Devon again after '600 years'

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:00:29 GMT

A milestone moment for conservation and a proud one for our team at Conservation Without Borders. We were honoured to support the recent white stork release alongside, Keep it Wild, Rewilding Coombeshead and the incredible landowner Dorette Engi, with our very own Sacha Dench and Poul Brix on the ground to capture the magic.

Our team played the role of force multipliers — creating the media champaign and working with Deryck van Steenderen with the filming and photography, and helping draw vital media attention to this inspiring rewilding effort. The result? A beautiful stork release and powerful coverage to help amplify the impact.

What If Your Next Public Speaker Could Change How You See the World?

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:14:42 GMT

Why Sacha Dench is the Speaker Every Organisation Needs Right Now! Looking for a powerful, inspiring speaker for your next event? Then look no further. Sacha Dench – UN Ambassador for Migratory Species, Guinness World Record holder, and founder of Conservation Without Borders – is available to speak at workplace and community events around the UK and beyond.

Whether you’re looking to spark meaningful conversations about biodiversity and conservation, inspire teams to overcome adversity and find their ‘super power’, or open up dialogue on living with disability and gender empowerment, Sacha brings a unique blend of science, storytelling, and lived experience that resonates with every audience. But, don't just take our word for it, check out the testimonials in the video.

From flying over continents to adapting after life-changing injury, Sacha’s story isn’t just about saving nature – it’s about what’s possible when we rethink our limits.

Perfect for:

Corporate team-building or leadership retreats
CSR and sustainability events
School, university, or STEM inspiration days
Community initiatives focused on resilience, equity, or the environment

If you'd like to invite Sacha to your next event, drop us a message or email kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org

Sacha speaks at Indiana Dunes Birding Festival

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Tue, 27 May 2025 10:45:56 GMT

Sacha spoke at the during the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival , where she spoke about her efforts in flying a paramotor from Russia to the UK and how it helped bring to light the decline in Bewick Swans and map their migration. Her upcoming endeavors will take her across the globe to raise awareness to declining vulture populations as she works to help change public perceptions that people often have of these wonderful scavengers.

Sacha then visited Humane Indiana Wildlife to learn about their efforts to help native wildlife and to change public perception of misunderstood species here in Northwest Indiana. She even had the opportunity to meet their very own Ozzie, Turkey Vulture, and hear why he remains an ambassador for his species at their facility. Sacha’s powerful storytelling and bold conservation message left a lasting impact.

Executive Director Brad Bumgardner summed it up perfectly:
“Your message, stories, and energy brought something truly special to the weekend, and I know I wasn’t the only one who left feeling both inspired and challenged. I could see the crowd around you Saturday night after your talk.”

"Sacha Dench was an amazing and inspiring speaker at the Bird Fest. What an impact she is having - risking so much to help the Bewick's Swans, said Mary Neil Murphy, longtime festival-goer and Indiana Audubon supporter..

Wales Sets the Wheels in Motion for the Extinction Express

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Wed, 14 May 2025 10:50:09 GMT

The Extinction Express took off as we invited a range of people from different industries to join us on a journey to the front lines of conservation in Wales. We ventured into the world of vultures and how individuals and industries can work together to come-up with unique solutions. Jennifer Saunders joined us for the event and fell in love with vultures, she said:

"Spent the most fascinating day with vultures. Beautiful birds full of character and much maligned. So many populations in the world are now critically endangered. They are the great cleaner-uppers of the world."

Are you looking to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability and biodiversity? Partner with us to drive real change:

Book Sacha as a Speaker – Sacha's stories are proven to inspire and engage audiences. Her unparalleled insights on leadership, resilience, climate, and nature make her a perfect choice for corporate events.

Schedule a Meeting – Let’s talk to find out how we can help your business align with genuine conservation impact, enhancing your brand, motivating your team, and supporting a healthier more sustainable planet.

Sponsor or host a London “MI5 for Nature” Event . Position your organisation at the forefront of sustainability, engaging clients and stakeholders in a high-impact immersive experience.

Join Industry Icons Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders in supporting the worlds most endangered animal.

The ‘Human Swan’ is taking flight again – this time with vultures

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:34:08 GMT

Conservationist Sacha Dench is airborne once more and on a mission to change the public perception of a much-maligned scavenger - press article in the Telegraph

A few weeks ago, along a ridge somewhere north of the South African city of Pretoria, Sacha Dench returned to the skies once more. The Dartmoor-based conservationist, nicknamed the “Human Swan” for once flying the 4,300 mile migration route of the Bewick’s swan across Russia and Europe, was flying as a passenger in a three-wheeled paramotor operated by a pilot to visit a colony of cape vultures.

Taking flight soon after sunrise, they ascended several hundreds of metres to where the huge birds, which have a wingspan exceeding 2m, were clustered along the ridge. “From take-off, I felt a slow return of a sense of joy,” the 50-year-old Dench recalls. “Being in the air with these other majestic flying creatures was pretty special.”

Vultures are the reason why Dench, a former UN ambassador for migratory birds, is airborne once more. For her new project, Flight of the Vultures, Dench is launching 10 expeditions to far-flung corners of the globe where vultures are now threatened with extinction to raise awareness of their plight. Her aim is to change the public perception of these much-maligned scavengers, which are not just vital to ecosystems but also protect human health and help arrest the decline of a bird which has suffered the most rapid collapse of any on record.

Dench is hoping to change the negative public perception of vultures. Until very recently, Dench never imagined that she might be flying with birds again. In September 2021, while attempting a world-first circumnavigation of mainland Britain in a battery-powered paramotor, she was involved in a tragic incident over the Scottish Highlands. Her colleague and close friend Dan Burton, who was flying in support, was killed, and Dench ended up plummeting 150ft to the ground.

She landed in a bog, breaking her ribs, jaw, sacrum and hip. Her lower legs, meanwhile, she describes “as good as detached”. So severe were her injuries that the initial prognosis was for a double amputation. It was only because of the physical nature of her work that surgeons agreed to try and keep her legs.

In total, Dench (who in her youth represented Great Britain at freediving) spent around six months in hospital in Scotland and Bristol, undergoing a series of gruelling operations. Although the mental impact of the crash proved equally debilitating. “The hardest thing after an accident like that and losing your best mate is you end up in a very black space in your head,” she says. “In the first weeks and months after, it felt like I had lost my soul. I genuinely didn’t have the ability to smile anymore.”

The support of family and friends, plus the efforts of health professionals to ensure she could walk again, eventually persuaded Dench to contemplate recovery. Her father would sit for hours by her bedside, and a cousin posted a brown paper bag filled with strong-smelling leaves to remind her of the world outside her sterile hospital room.

She was also put in contact with a prosthetics manufacturer in the US, which developed a prototype design to return limbless military veterans back into active service. After crowdfunding for the external prosthetics , known as Exosym and which cost £7,500 a piece, Dench was fitted with the carbon braces a year ago, enabling her to walk more freely.

Vultures have provided her other source of motivation. While previously raising awareness of the plight of Bewick’s swans and ospreys through her organisation Conservation Without Borders, Dench has long considered launching a project focused on the scavenging birds. Indeed, a former UN colleague who had received a terminal cancer diagnosis had previously urged her to “do something for the vultures”.

Over recent decades, vultures have been declining at catastrophic rates. During the 1990s, vulture populations on the Indian subcontinent collapsed by 99 per cent (the fastest drop of any bird species in recorded history). Meanwhile, in their other former stronghold in Africa, seven out of the 11 species found there are now on the verge of extinction.

As well as proving disastrous for natural ecosystems, this decline also has serious implications for human health with fears the absence of the birds, which act as clean-up crews by picking carcasses clean, will lead to a spike in outbreaks of diseases including plague, anthrax and rabies. According to one recently published peer-reviewed study in the American Economic Association journal, the loss of India’s vultures and the subsequent rise in deadly bacteria has led to more than half a million excess deaths over a five-year period.

Each of the 10 locations highlighted by Flight of the Vultures is intended to raise awareness of the factors driving their decline. Poisoning is the main issue, with the birds unwittingly feeding on carcasses that have been laced with lethal toxins. Other pesticides and agricultural chemicals also prove harmful to the birds, in particular, diclofenac (a cheap painkiller used to treat cattle, which was banned across parts of South Asia in 2006 but remains in circulation across the world). Elsewhere, vultures are poached for use in local belief-based medicine and are vulnerable to being ensnared by power lines and wind turbines.

Dench’s project already has some high-profile supporters including Joanna Lumley and, she tells me, her Absolutely Fabulous co-star Jennifer Saunders. In fact, she points out, the entertainment industry has a lot to answer for when it comes to feeding negative public perception of the birds. The vultures in Disney’s Snow White and The Jungle Book, for example, are, in turn malign and foolish. “They really need an image change,” she says. “If we loved them, people would be horrified at watching them disappear.”

Dench also hopes to highlight success stories of vulture conservation through the project – one of which is based in the unlikely location of an old sheep farm in Carmarthenshire, South Wales. We meet here at the home of the Horstmann Trust, which now has one of the largest populations of captive vultures in Europe and is breeding birds for release all over the globe.

The charity was launched in 2023 after the land and collection of birds were donated by Manfred Horstmann and Brett Sloman, who had together built up a private aviary of vultures. Today, the 110-acre site is run by couple, Adam Bloch and Holly Cale and is home to 76 birds, including 8 per cent of the world’s captive known populations of hooded vultures and 7 per cent of the world’s captive Egyptian vultures.

The Hostmann Trust uses these captive birds to breed offspring, which can be released into the wild to help restore populations. This year, they are hoping to send several Egyptian vultures to Bulgaria to help bolster the European population of the endangered bird.

Bloch, 52, says that Dench’s aim of transforming vulture public relations is urgently needed. “Vulture imagery is a massive problem,” he says. “We need people to love and want vultures as much as we do.”

The bird is also a fitting symbol for Dench’s return to the skies. When she first flew with vultures in Spain nearly a decade ago, she realised that they are a pilot’s “best friend in the sky” for their ability to pick out thermals and their willingness to coast alongside humans.

Speaking of her recent South Africa flight, she says, “It was still so impressive to be close to such huge wonderful big-winged birds and just enough of a taste to tell myself I ought to find a way to get back there. It also confirmed the value of being up in the aircraft to see their habitat and the world from their point of view.”

Given the extent of her injuries, Dench is realistic about her future flying prospects. She admits that even with her prosthetics, she would be unable to do the running required to take off on a solo paramotor. She is currently considering taking a specialist course for disabled paragliders, which is based in France, and hopes to do more over the course of the vulture project.

Her recent flight was a considerable mental hurdle to overcome, but she stresses that as well as celebrating the natural world, her expeditions have always been driven by a sense of purpose. That is something the vultures are now providing.

“It’s not going to be easy but if we can save the vultures, we can save everything,” she says. “That’s worth trying for.”

Read more about Flight of the Vultures here

Mi5 For Nature: Mission launch

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 10:55:30 GMT

At this year’s Anthropy event, we set out to shake things up, and we did just that!

Instead of a traditional panel, we threw 70 attendees into an immersive, high-stakes workshop, challenging them to become MI5 Nature Agents. Their mission? To tackle biodiversity threats, with a special focus on vultures - nature’s most overlooked cleanup crew.

From corporates and communicators to private sector leaders, NGOs, and students, everyone stepped outside their comfort zones to collaborate, strategise, and innovate in ways that reflect how real-world environmental challenges must be tackled, through partnerships and creative problem-solving.

The results? Fresh ideas and a renewed sense of urgency to drive change. Businesses play a critical role in conservation, and this workshop proved that when diverse minds come together, we can turn challenges into opportunities.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated. We’re excited about the next steps and the partnerships that emerged.

Flight of the Vulture on BBC Radio 4

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:19:50 GMT

And we have lift off! BBC Radio 4 are playing the first in our series following the Flight of the Vulture expedition. Flight of the Vultures takes listeners deep into the frontlines of a global crisis, where poisoned animals, cultural taboos, and poaching wars are pushing nature’s most vital clean-up crew toward extinction.

Hear from the people fighting back, From India’s race to prevent ecological collapse, to South Africa’s rescue missions, to West Africa’s cultural crossroads. Click the link below to listen to the show.

Join us on board the Extinction Express! May 13th

sacha@conservation-without-borders.org (Sacha Dench) — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 11:03:17 GMT

Join us May 13th for an incredible field trip to the front line of conservation, meeting scientists, leaders in business and philanthropy, and meeting incredible charismatic species. This is a chance to be one of the founders in a new partnership for nature.

To secure a place via a £1,000 (£750 for Anthropists) donation at
www.conservation-without-borders.org/make-a-donation including 'May 13' in your note.
Please contact sacha@conservation-without-borders.org for other options or more information.

Our vulture project in The Times

sacha@conservation-without-borders.org (Sacha Dench) — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:06:25 GMT

Story by Ben Cooke - Times Earth Editor. Image: Sacha Dench with a pair of Cape vultures - CONSERVATION WITHOUT BORDERS

While conservationists are confronted by the demands of a resource-hungry economy, they can generally count on one thing working in their favour: people like animals. They think they’re cute. They’ll donate to save the creatures their children cuddle in teddy form. But when was the last time you saw a teddy vulture?

It is this loser of nature’s beauty pageant that Sacha Dench, an Australian biologist, has set out to save. “There’s this perception that they’re not particularly valuable or worth saving,” she says. “If you ask a company if they want their brand associated with saving them, they’ll suddenly say ‘maybe not’. But they need help more than pretty much anything else right now.”

Of the 22 vulture species worldwide, 14 are threatened with extinction. Their disappearance is having an unusually direct impact on humans. Without vultures around to eat it, carrion can infect waterways with diseases lethal to humans. One study published last year estimated that the 91-to-98 per cent decline of vultures in India had led to 500,000 human deaths. Vulture populations collapsed in the country because they were feasting on cows that had been treated with the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, which is poisonous to the birds. The authorities banned the drug for veterinary use in 2006 but vultures are still dying from it.

Diclofenac is just one of many threats to vultures that Dench will seek to highlight on a series of ten expeditions over the next two years, each taking her to a different part of the birds’ range, from North America, to Cambodia, to Africa. “We’ll be finding people who are going to extremes to save vultures,” she says.

In the Gambia she’ll speak with local conservationists who are trying to dispel beliefs about the magical properties of vultures’ body parts. “There’s a belief that wearing a vulture skull gives you powers to see into the future,” she says. In Spain she’ll highlight the threat of vultures being clobbered by wind turbines, and speak to technicians developing AI systems that switch turbines off as birds approach.

Her journeys will begin in July with a trip to the Manfred Horstmann Vulture Conservation Trust in south Wales, where vultures are being bred for release around the world.

Dench was first drawn to vultures while paragliding. “As a paraglider,” she says, “vultures are your best friends. They can see thermals from a huge distance away, so there’s a lot you can learn from them.”

It was as a paraglider that Dench embarked on her first mission to raise awareness about declining biodiversity. In 2016, in a feat for which the newspapers christened her the “human swan”, Dench flew a paramotor along the entire 4,000-mile migratory path of the Bewick’s swan, from the Russian tundra to the shores of Britain.

In the run-up to Cop26 in 2021, she attempted to circumnavigate Britain in an electric paramotor, stopping off to speak to people about the impact of climate change on the country. But that adventure ended in disaster. Above the Scottish highlands, she and her cameraman collided in mid air, killing him and severely injuring her.

Dench has since tentatively begun to paraglide again, and hopes to do so on her next expeditions, yet unlike her previous journeys paragliding will not be the modus operandi. “This would be my first real return to the air. It’s not guaranteed that I’ll want to be flying, but the work can happen without it as well.”

Dench acknowledges there’s a risk that her attempt to speak for the vultures might come off as merely bossing people in other countries around. But she’s confident she’ll be able to start some productive conversations. “When I did the flight of the swans, people thought I would not be able to speak to the hunters in the Arctic. In fact, I just went in with the attitude that I’m sure nobody wants to see a bird disappearing, they probably have no idea of the situation, I don’t know anything about these hunters and I’m going to spend time getting to know them. And I made a tonne of friends and allies.

“By understanding the situation much better we could figure out who the allies are and see if they can come up with the solutions. I guess I’m not afraid of those tough conversations.”

Until next week,

Ben

Great Conjunction/Dark Crystal collaboration raises £10,000 for vulture Conservation

sacha@conservation-without-borders.org (Sacha Dench) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:46:40 GMT

The online auction as part of ThamesCon's 'The Great Conjunction' event, marks the first phase of a cultural collaboration with Conservation Without Borders, to not only change the public image of vultures but also raise critical funds to save them.

A collaboration with celebrated fantasy artists Brian Froud and Alan Lee, who created vulture-inspired characters the Skeksis from the Dark Crystal and 'The Fell Beast' has raised over £10,000 for vulture conservation through an online auction run by BidAid.

The event was a huge success according to CEO of Conservation Without Border Sacha Dench:: "It is amazing to see people from different walks of life coming together in support of nature and these incredible creatures. I'd particularly like to thank all those from the event and those who joined online from around the world to bid and support a worthy cause".

Joe Parmenter who was the successful bidder on 'SkekUng the Garthim Master' said "The Dark Crystal teaches us that all living things need to live in harmony and balance with one another for their mutual survival. Species conservation is always close to my heart having grown up with that message. It has been more than a dream come true for me to support biodiversity through my love of Brian Froud's art."

CWB Founder Sacha Dench was asked to 'please do something for vultures' as UN Ambassador for the Convention on Migratory Species.

This radio program takes you with her on a journey to hear about the plight of these animals and the extraordinary efforts people are going to, to try to save them.

With the help of all of our supporters we will

Laucnh 10 investigations to different parts of the world,
create 10 short films, and
rally industries and influencers to help tackle the 10 major problems they are facing and change the perception of vultures everywhere.

LISTEN HERE

See here the event at which Brian Froud introduced the message behind the Dark Crystal, what the skeksis and mystics represented, and even sketched Joanna Lumley's character 'Patsy' as a skeksis!

Why we all need vultures, the leaders who are stepping up, and why we want companies around the world to step up and help.

Where no vultures fly: Saving the unsung heroes of the skies

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 09:11:03 GMT

In a world where the delicate balance of our natural ecosystems hangs by a thread, there is one group of birds that holds the key to maintaining that equilibrium – the vultures. These magnificent creatures, once a common sight in the skies, are now facing an unprecedented crisis, with their populations plummeting at a frightening rate.

Recently Conservation Without Borders (CWB) hosted over 150 senior business leaders at Hogan Lovells London offices to participate in the launch of a global initiative to help the worlds’ vulture population. The United Nations has prioritised their conservation efforts, and CWB founder Sacha Dench UN Ambassador for Convention on Migratory Species and Actress Dame Joanna Lumley are spearheading this initiative, known as “The Flight of the Vultures”. Some quotes from the evening:

New legs for the Human Swan

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:09:55 GMT

Support Sacha Dench's inspiring journey from tragedy to triumph. Help fund her prosthetics for a return to leading conservation expeditions.

Sacha Dench is the renowned conservationist, scientist, adventurer, founder of Conservation Without Borders and UN Ambassador for Migratory Species. Back in 2021, it was while she was leading the Round Britain Climate Challenge when her life changed in an instant. While flying in a paramotor around the UK to highlight solutions to climate change, tragedy struck. Days before the end of the expedition, a freak accident saw Sacha fall 150 feet, breaking more than 20 bones from her jaw down. She sustained life-changing injuries to her legs and endured many complex surgeries. Her remarkable recovery continues to this day.

But this is not where the story ends…

A Force for Change

Against all the odds Sacha is now walking again, but if she is to return to leading conservation expeditions, extreme challenges remain.

Sacha is determined not to let this setback stop her from continuing her mission to lead a powerful force for change. Today, we are launching the “Prosthetics for Progress" crowdfunding campaign to equip Sacha with the prosthetics she needs to get her back on her feet, continue her journey, and get our next set of exciting expeditions off the ground.

Her story is one of unwavering resilience, determination and innovation. The accident has presented a new set of challenges but, together, we can work to overcome them.

Sacha's Story:

Sacha is a passionate conservationist who has devised innovative methods to raise awareness of the threats and potential solutions to migratory species and the global climate crisis.

Before her accident, Sacha was an extreme sportswoman and adventurer: she was a Freediving champion, an experienced paramotor pilot and cave explorer.

In 2017, she became known as the ‘Human Swan’ after her epic 7,000km flight in a paramotor from the Arctic to the UK, to tackle the decline in Bewick's Swans. The project won Environmental Campaign of the Year, Sacha achieved the Guinness World Record for crossing the Channel in a paramotor and became the first woman in 50 years to win the Britannia Trophy for an outstanding feat of aviation.

After losing her family home in the devastating wildfires in Australia in 2020, she turned her attention to climate change and launched the Round Britain Climate Challenge in 2021.

After the tragic accident, for Sacha the road ahead was uncertain. Medical teams in Scotland and Bristol fought hard to save her legs but warned she may never walk again. Multiple operations, gruelling rehabilitation courses, and a fierce will to walk, got her back on her feet, but she still required the help of wheelchairs and crutches.

Sacha was determined to continue her fight for conservation.

In 2022, despite both of her legs being in either a heavy cage or plaster cast, she travelled with her Conservation Without Borders team from the UK to Africa on an expedition to raise awareness and find solutions to the threats to ospreys. The support she received to tackle this expedition was amazing, but the challenges were obvious. Even now, though the cage and casts are off and the crutches aren’t used as often, Sacha still can’t walk long distances, run, freedive, or fly a paramotor.... like she used to.

A return to the skies

Conservation Without Borders has exciting expeditions on the horizon, as part of its groundbreaking 2030 Global Challenge. But Sacha still faces a significant hurdle if she is to lead them. The medical wizards and Sacha’s dogged determination have gone as far as they can. Despite her amazing recovery, Sacha has missing ligaments and deformed bones in both lower legs, ankles and feet, reducing their movement, flexibility and strength.

However, recent developments in prosthetic technology could get Sacha fully back on her feet.

A specialist prosthetics facility in the US has developed unique prosthetic leg technology that could take on the tasks of Sacha’s lower limbs giving back the strength, bend and spring to enable her to run, jump, dive and fly again. By providing Sacha with bespoke prosthetic legs, we not only fully restore her mobility, but also allow her to continue fighting for environmental causes that impact us all.

And, as a women on prosthetic legs, it could inspire others by showing how human ingenuity can overcome the most difficult of challenges.

To launch these next expeditions, your support is crucial. And thanks to match funders, every donation will be doubled.

How You Can Help:

Donate: Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant impact in helping Sacha obtain the prosthetic legs she needs, as well as getting the expeditions off the ground.

Share: Spread the word about this campaign on social media, email, and in your community. The more people who know, the closer we get to our goal.

Inspire: Encourage others to support this cause and to join Sacha's mission. Together, we can create a ripple effect of positive change.

Why This Matters:

Environmental issues are pressing concerns that require the collective efforts of every individual. Sacha’s story is a testament to the fact that personal setbacks can be transformed into powerful catalysts for change.

As she travelled through Africa, she inspired others along the way, who were stunned that despite everything she had gone through, she was still pushing through and inspired other conservationists to never give up hope, even when things seem impossible.

By helping her regain her mobility, we enable Sacha to continue her vital work, inspiring countless others to take action for our planet.

Where does your money go?

1. Prosthetic Legs: Funding from this campaign will go directly towards providing Sacha with state-of-the-art bespoke prosthetic legs, enabling her to move freely and comfortably. It will also provide funding for transport to America, leg fitting, rehabilitation and possible adaptations.

2. Awareness and Outreach: With restored mobility, Sacha will continue her expeditions, raising awareness about climate change, endangered species, and the urgent need for environmental conservation.

3. Inspiration: By supporting Sacha, you contribute to a source of inspiration for others facing adversity. Together, we can show that we can turn the impossible into unstoppable. To donate click here

Thank you for being a force for change.

Worriers to Warriors

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 07:43:39 GMT

Against the backdrop of UN COP28 taking place in Dubai, Conservation Without Borders has been working on a plan to turn the enthusiasm for a climate response, into action. We think colleges of young people and green industries around the UK should be at the heart of that. So, after months of getting everything ready, we were thrilled to launch our COP – ‘Unstoppable - A Conference Of Possibilities ' - with the students and staff at Coleg y Cymoedd, alongside industries in Wales.

Together we asked whether the college, alongside students and industry, could co-create a curriculum and college experience that set students up to help drive and develop green industries for the future. And, just as importantly, could we help empower them with the confidence and agency to do it.

The answer was a resounding ‘YES’.

“There should be more stuff like this in college, to show learners and other people outside the college, how to make our local areas a greener and more sustainable place, to grow a better future for the younger generation,” one student said.

Rooted in Action

Following COP28, some were left disillusioned that a lot of the previous promises had yet to be turned into action and were not convinced the new promises would see fruition either. The Conference of Possibilities however was firmly rooted in action – bringing ideals, ideas and economic realities together, but pushing boundaries of what is, and could be possible in a school, a community, and a region – all within the shared spheres of influence. By discussing change, with tangible examples and real life experience, we started the process of creating a shared vision. This left students with more confidence for their future, a future full of possibilities.

“Every student I spoke to wants to build in confidence, they don’t know how to do so yet, but everyone wants to grow their confidence to make more of a difference,” said COP speaker Andy Middleton who is a B-Corp Ambassador.

Students, Andy added, should be working on real world challenges such as health, food, farming, and fashion.

David Todd-Jones from Wild Connect agreed the most rewarding part of the event was seeing learners engage with the topic.

“At first, they were a not sure, but the more we spoke, the more came out, and there’s some great ideas. They are the workers and communities of the future and therefore are a gateway into communities,” he said.

The conference also gave those who were not sure how to enter the green economy market a chance to connect with industries and think about the different options, which they did not know were available.

"It was nice to physically connect and figure out the best way to do that. There are so many types of careers out there, that can give anxiety on its own, wondering which way to go. But if they get to speak to people in the industry, they might get a better idea of where they want to go,” Francois Beyers from Câr y Môr said.

It was an interactive and innovative Green STE-A-M event, sparking curiosity and opening young minds to the possibilities ahead. Not only did we showcase the exciting potential within the green sector, but also played a crucial role in setting up the next generation for Wales' Green Industrial revolution.

“It was good to hear from professionals about what different organisations are doing for a greener future,” another student said.

A World Of Possibilities

Why is this a Conservation Without Borders priority? Our expeditions involve talking to lots of people around the World and have shown the power of young people, when they aren’t just concerned and anxious about the world, but feel empowered to act. When worriers, become warriors.

When the younger generations are given the confidence and agency to challenge the status quo, focusing on ideas and solutions, and given space to test those with real world examples, we open up a world of possibilities for them, and create the problem-solvers for the future.

Before the conference began, we asked students to describe how they feel about their ability to shape a better future when they leave college - the vast majority felt very uncertain.

“But what gave me hope is the enthusiasm from local industry to build a climate response from the ground up and work with students to do so, both in terms of offering opportunities to learn and try different careers but also helping build the confidence which has been impacted by COVID isolation," Sacha Dench, CEO of Conservation Without Borders said.

“The willingness of the college and teachers to listen to the group’s suggestions, be bold and think more broadly about challenging the current model of the ‘typical’ college experience, also gave me great hope that our Conference of Possibilities can lead to real impact not just for the students, but to the wider community,” she added.

We look forward to working with Coleg y Cymoedd and industry partners over the coming year and spreading this movement further, inspiring more students and contributing to a greener, brighter future together.

This event marked the beginning of a year-long pilot initiative, and we're excited to expand and bring this experience to schools across the UK.

“Projects like this are crucial to unlocking the potential of the next generation as the engine of the green economy that’s already building here in Wales. As well as learning loads from working with the students during the day, I also got to share the stage with some amazing and inspiring speakers, who fill me with hope and spur me on to help shape a better future at Orangebox too,” Gareth Banks, Orangebox said.

Do you know a school that could be interested in a Conference of Possibilities? Email Sacha here .

Big thanks to Iolo Williams: Nature Presenter & Guide, Natalie Rees: Transport for Wales, Craig Evans: Costal Foraging, Mark Haviland :Entertainment Industry, Tom O'Kane : Grower and Educator, William Todd Jones: Wild Connect, Jay Sheppard: Marine Energy Wales, David Todd-Jones: Conservation Technologist, Gareth Banks: Orangebox, Jess Watton and Francois Beyers: Câr y Môr for taking part. A particularly big thanks to Andy Middleton: TYF and B-Corp ambassador, Alistair Aston: Coleg y Cymoedd and Tanya Nash: Sustainability and climate change consultant, for helping us bring this to life.

Conservations Without Borders’ call for action against bird flu in The Gambia results in £125,000 DEFRA contribution

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 10:19:03 GMT

When Conservation Without Borders’ (CWB) Flight of the Osprey (FOTO) expedition arrived in The Gambia, they did so just as a bird flu outbreak was announced in the country. Having seen with her own eyes the challenges for the Gambian response teams on the front line, Sacha Dench and her team were determined to help. Here’s what happened next.

Arriving in The Gambia, the FOTO team expected to be covering the story of the country’s coastal islands, which are slowly disappearing due to rising sea levels, accelerated by climate change and nearby sandmining. But, while the islands are no doubt an important story, what they discovered was far more urgent.

“We found ourselves with the Gambians at the discovery of an outbreak of bird flu, and whilst it was really shocking to see birds sick, dying and dead of bird flu, what was almost more shocking was realizing that these locals had been given the enormous job of defending the country, but also the flyway, against an outbreak with no support. They had very little training, no funding for adequate surveillance, control and disposal of infected birds, and field teams had insufficient PPE, and no clear channel for expert guidance and support with practical questions,” Sacha said.

The team heard reports from fishermen that there were dead and dying birds on an island, but the local team was struggling just to find the funds for the fuel to get out there and do the cleanup.

“There’s a lack of finance for the rangers to come over here for regular monitoring. Since this outbreak we have only come here once, because of lack of finance. We would have loved to come here every day to monitor this area to minimise this,” Fagimba Camara, head of research at West African Bird Study Association, said.

Mass migratory water bird death

Having arranged the funds for fuel, the FOTO team headed with the local field team to the island where they were confronted with the harsh realities of bird flu.

More than 10,000 migratory water birds have now died in this region alone, including hundreds of West African Crested Terns. Many others will have become infected and carried the disease with them on their migrations towards Europe. On top of the practical issues, there is the communication challenge of reaching the public to stop them picking up sick birds to take home to heal or eat and risk spreading it to domestic fowl, or even becoming infected themselves. As the outbreak grows, there is also a need to recruit and train volunteers to help monitor and mitigate the spread.

Since the outbreak in The Gambia was brought to light in international media, other countries – both in the Global North and Global South - have reported challenges caused by lack of support, as well as confusion on where to turn, to share data and learnings or for advice.

Other failings included government departments focusing only on agricultural impacts on domestic fowl and not on wild birds. There is also too much pressure on underfunded NGOs to handle the outbreak in priority sites for wild waterbirds, and most managed sites have no bird flu response plan in place. While UN entities and national governments have some agreements in place, the practical reality is that the obligations for many countries are impossible to fulfil.

A decision was made for CWB to create a Crowdfunder to provide immediate support, which quickly hit the £1,500 target. These funds, now donated to WABSA, allow them to continue their work safely and effectively. Helping the team to save many birds and reduce the threat of migratory birds spreading the pandemic to other countries along the flyway.

A warning cry we can't ignore

But Sacha knew it was a short-term solution. As she sat in the back of the FOTO expedition vehicle she drafted an open letter , which was sent to conservation scientists and practitioners.

The letter requested for international governments to provide essential funds, equipment, and guidance for countries in the Global South, like The Gambia, to respond to outbreaks. This would allow field teams to monitor, risk assess, dispose of corpses safely, and seek ongoing advice as the situation evolves.

By adopting a proactive rather than reactive approach, losses to industries such as agriculture and tourism would be minimised, not just in countries where the outbreaks occur but in other countries along the flyways.  

“In summary, wild birds are a good indicator of the health of ecosystems. The situation described in The Gambia and other countries and the shocking losses to wild bird populations are a warning cry we mustn't ignore,” it concluded.  

A total of 43 conservationists and conservation scientists signed, and it came to the attention of English financer and Environmentalist Ben Goldsmith. He took the issue to The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

DEFRA then engaged with officials in The Gambia and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), who have a strong presence in the region and have already provided some support, to see what financial and technical assistance the UK could offer.

At the end of June, CWB received a letter from The Rt Hon Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity, confirming that DEFRA would provide further assistance.

“We have now agreed a contribution of £125,000 Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding this financial year to bolster the FAO’s technical assistance and other support to The Gambia, which will strengthen the country’s bird flu prevention, preparedness, and response capacity in areas such as surveillance and reporting,” he said.

“The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), one of Defra’s Arms’ Length Bodies, will also be able to offer remote technical support as needed, including sharing best practice on laboratory diagnostics for bird flu. We are also considering potential longer-term support for The Gambia as part of our wider ODA work in West Africa on strengthening animal health systems,” he added

Others stepping up

In the meantime, other organisations had also been stepping forward to offer their assistance. Shipping company Maersk, who have operations in the country, donated packages of PPE to the WABSA office.

“In addition to our dedication to protecting the environment, we place the highest priority on health, safety, security, and environmental practices (HSSE) within our operations. We are proud to extend our support to Conservation Without Borders, as their tireless efforts to safeguard wildlife and their habitats resonate deeply with us. Together, we can make a positive impact on our planet and ensure a brighter future for generations to come,” Yankuba Jallow, Managing Director at Maersk Gambia Limited said.

DS Medical also donated PPE, the company’s managing director Richard Bourke stated: “While humanitarian issues are currently in focus, we must not neglect the far-reaching problems of our ecological system across the globe, which are also important to the planet.”

WABSA conservator Awa Joof admitted that it had been a difficult task, “looking at birds dying in large numbers” and that the team were grateful for all the support. “We cannot thank you enough,” she said.

While there remains so much more to do tackling bird flu, this has shown that addressing an issue and highlighting stories, which may otherwise go unheard, can bring people together from different organisations and companies to create positive change.

“What's really inspiring is that there are organisations that are prepared to step up when they need to on an issue like bird flu, which would protect everybody, all of us from Northern Europe down into West Africa. We just need to figure out a better way of giving them the right support in the future,” Sacha said.

SHACKLETON MEDAL // MEET SACHA DENCH

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 08:18:23 GMT

Adventurer and conservationist Sacha Dench – whose Flight of the Osprey project has just been broadcast on Radio 4 – made her name as the Human Swan when she flew from Arctic Russia to the UK with a paramotor. As a first-time judge of the Shackleton Medal for the Protection of the Polar Regions, she talks to Rachel Halliburton from Shackleton about her early work as a diver, the epiphany of learning to fly solo, and what she thinks it takes if you really want to combat climate change.

“I realised that as a paramotorist I was facing many of the same challenges that the swans face.” Sacha Dench is describing the breakthrough moment that would lead to her making headlines around the world. “Like high winds on take-off,” she continues, “or potential collisions with power lines, or constantly looking for safe places to land and rest. So there were many ways to get inside the heads of migrating birds and how they might respond to a shifting landscape. I also realised I could see the kind of threats they faced from the air, threats like pollution or development encroaching on wetland sites.”

Bewick’s swans only breed in two regions of Arctic Russia: the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Arkhangelsk Oblast. During their annual migratory flight between Russia and the UK around a third of them are hit by hunters’ bullets. While not all of them die as a result, it’s just one of the serious problems facing this beautiful bird as it travels in search of food and nesting locations. In 2016 Sacha Dench decided she herself would take to the skies in her paramotor and follow the swans’ migratory route, talking to people living everywhere from remote hunting communities to military bases on the way.

FLYING FROM THE ARCTIC TO THE UK

“The scientists were initially asking me for something quite simple,” she tells me from the remote cottage in Scotland where she is working on her book about the experience. “They wanted me to talk to the different communities of people that were possibly having an impact. The hunters, the farming communities, the fish farmers, those involved in energy generation and power companies? How do you get all of them to the table at the same time to try and look at how we can tackle all the threats?”

Getting a charismatic, fearless conservationist to descend on them from the sky was probably not one of the first answers that came up, but in 2016, that was precisely what happened. “Wherever I landed with a paramotor,” Dench explains, “it didn’t matter who was around; as soon as I took my helmet off, people would run to me and ask three key questions. ‘Where do you come from? Isn't it dangerous? And do you need help?’ I realised those were the critical three questions we needed people to be asking about helping us to conserve swans. One of the most important things from my perspective was for us to open our minds and to acknowledge that people that are often seen as the bad guys – like hunters – are actually the ones who can be the heroes of our story. So instead of saying ‘we know you’re part of the problem,’ we’d be saying ‘A lot of birds have shot in their tissue, can you help us figure out how that happened? And even more importantly, do you have any ideas about how we can stop that?’”

SWIMMING WITH SHARKS

Dench, who’s now a UN Ambassador for Migratory Species has always been as much of an adventurer as a conservationist. When she was growing up in Australia she was a champion free diver, and realised, to her initial shock, that her thirst for adventure would prove even more powerful than scientific research for drawing attention to the causes that she championed. “I'd grown up as a kid swimming in different beaches along the North Sydney coast,” she says, “and I knew there were shark nets out there. Like many others, I had assumed that the shark nets were a barrier between the swimming beach and the ocean so that sharks couldn't get to the beach into the swimmers. Then, after I had lived overseas, I decided to swim out to a shark net to see what it involved and discovered to my horror that all sorts of things were caught there, not one of which was dangerous.”

"It was only when I became Australia freediving champion that everybody wanted to know what I had to say about shark nets"

Yet at that point, very few people wanted to engage with her story. She continues, “With the help of a couple of NGOs I managed to get thick wads of data which showed the vast numbers of animals being killed. But the media weren’t nearly as interested as I thought they would be. Then I started to film what I found, and people were a bit more interested. Yet it was only when I became Australia freediving champion that everybody wanted to know what I had to say about shark nets. My instant reaction as a scientist was to be horrified, but then I thought, if that’s what it took to make the message palatable to people, then why shouldn’t I just run with it?”

WILD AIR

It was, in part, a bad flight in a small plane in the Caribbean that made her shift her focus from the ocean to the air. “I was on an expedition with an anthropologist visiting communities in South America who'd received international funding for an environmental development program,” she recalls. “At one point we were visiting the San Blas Islands – there are about 365 of them, and only a couple of them have landing strips which are generally longer than the island. We found ourselves confronted with a large storm and our young pilot thought he could outrun it. So we spent about 14 minutes being thrown around in this tiny plane, in a thunderstorm being sucked up, thrown around – there was lightning inside the cloud, the whole lot was terrifying.”

She suggested to the pilot that they turn round and go back to where they’d come from, but he replied that there wasn’t enough fuel. “He kept trying to dive down out of the clouds,” she says, “but the cloud level was so low that whenever we emerged we were skimming the tops of trees with no landing strip in sight. So the choice was either we located the landing strip or we ditched into the sea. I’m still here, so obviously we found the landing strip. But when we got out of the plane, he just lay on the ground with his arms and legs spread wide.”

Dench had flown all her life, but suddenly realised that even on routine flights in Europe, she was now terrified of turbulence. So she decided, as a scientist, that she was going to combat her fear by learning everything about air. “I tried various different aircraft, but they were all too complicated. I’m also a bit of a control freak. While a paraglider looks really flimsy and fragile and potentially unsafe, you can check every single line and every single bit of fabric yourself. The mechanism of flight is very simple and you can monitor it at every moment. Once I’d established that I saw somebody flying a paramotor, and realised that in a paramotor, you could fly in early in the mornings, and late in the evenings when the weather was calm – something you can’t do with a paraglider. Having a motor on your back opens up a lot more possibilities. So I started doing aerial photography for conservation, then I started to look into the decline of the Bewick’s swan.”

FLIGHT OF THE OSPREY

The success of her extraordinary flight led her to co-founding Conservation Without Borders in 2019. Among other schemes, she immediately started planning a new project to track the migratory route of the osprey. This was due to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to Covid. She completed the outward journey from Scotland to West Africa in the last part of 2022. However a serious accident in 2021 – in which her paramotor collided with the paramotor of her cameraman Dan Burton led to his death and her own, life-changing, injuries. One result of this was that Flight of the Osprey – which she is carrying out in his memory – was conducted in land vehicles including a converted army ambulance.

“Dan had a unique set of skills that I'll never again have in another flying buddy,” she declares. “He could fly paramotors even in challenging conditions. He also didn't mind landing in remote communities with people whose language he didn’t speak. We first met through the world of free diving. Over the years, he'd been more and more convinced of the importance of conservation and I know he was excited about the Flight of the Osprey project. So I hope to carry on doing him proud, to continue that legacy.”

IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MIGRATION

Her expeditions have shown how migration, like so much else, is being significantly impacted by climate change. “The impact of the drought across Europe was pretty shocking,” she says. “Not least because of the vast fires in France and Spain. As well as being a risk to the resident populations of ospreys, which have been reintroduced to both those countries, fire causes a barrier to flight. Ospreys are really strong fliers, but though they will fly through cloud and fog and rain, they can't fly through smoke. From what we saw that could block migration completely for many species.”

Dench’s advice to those who want, like her, to combat climate change is “to figure out what makes you powerful. I remember a moment on the flight of the swans expedition when I was travelling over a really remote area and about to land in a community that I knew nothing about. I didn't know how they'd respond to me at all. But I was using key skills of mine. I'd learned basic Russian. I grew up in the Australian outback so I was pretty confident trying to survive in the middle of nowhere if I had to. And I really loved meeting strangers. The thing is, I'm awful at parties where I have to do lots of small talk and meet a lot of people. But I love meeting unusual people and I was really passionate about doing something for the Bewick’s swans. So basically find that area, find a project where you can combine what you're good at with what you're passionate about. And that's probably the best thing you can do.”

HEAR MORE FROM SACHA

If you would like to hear more from Sacha you can listen to her interview with Rachel Halliburton on the Drink the Wild Air podcast HERE .

SHACKLETON MEDAL

Find out more about the 2023 Shackleton Medal for the Protection of the Polar Regions HERE .

Nominate either yourself or the person that you believe should win the 2024 Shackleton Medal for the Protection of the Polar Regions HERE .

Article appeared on the Shackleton Website in february 2023. Visit their website here

An open letter from Conservation scientists and practitioners on bird flu

sacha@conservation-without-borders.org (Sacha Dench) — Thu, 25 May 2023 12:27:17 GMT

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is currently affecting bird populations in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Global North countries may be better prepared, but responses remain arguably inadequate, whilst countries in the Global South are struggling.

In The Gambia an outbreak of HPAI was announced April 1st 2023. It has resulted in conservationists finding themselves in the horrendous situation of being without funding for adequate surveillance, control and disposal of infected birds. Field teams have insufficient PPE, and no clear channel for expert guidance and support with practical questions.

More than 10,000 migratory water birds have since died in this region alone including hundreds of West African Crested Terns. Many others will have become infected and have carried the disease with them on their spring migrations to Europe. On top of the practical issues, there is the communication challenge of reaching the public to stop them picking up sick birds to take home to heal or eat and risk spreading it to domestic fowl or even becoming infected themselves. As the outbreak grows, there is also a need to recruit and train volunteers to help monitor and mitigate the spread.

We have already heard of examples of government departments being reluctant to announce an outbreak, for fear of the potential economic impact on tourism. This delay in combatting the outbreak could have even longer reaching economic and public health repercussions. Other failings include government departments focusing only on agricultural impacts on domestic fowl and not on wild birds. There is also too much pressure on underfunded NGOs to handle the outbreak in priority sites for wild waterbirds, and most managed sites have no HPAI response plan in place.

While UN entities and national governments have some agreements in place, the practical reality is that the obligations for many countries are impossible to fulfil. Additionally, there is a need to turn complex and technical information into something that is easily understandable to those who speak different languages.

Urgent need to fund avian influenza support

In the case of an outbreak in a developing country, the burden on the country is so high we cannot expect them to be able to mitigate an outbreak without support. A small amount of support in terms of funds and expertise could accelerate mitigatory measures and considerably reduce the economic impact.

We are requesting for international governments to provide essential funds, equipment and guidance for countries in the Global South like The Gambia to respond to outbreaks. This would allow field teams to monitor, risk assess, dispose of corpses safely (if identified as a priority to minimise spread), and seek ongoing advice as the situation evolves. By adopting a proactive rather than reactive approach, losses to industries such as agriculture and tourism will be minimised, not just in countries where the outbreaks occur but in other countries along the flyways.

Pandemics and zoonotic diseases will increase with changing climate, more intensive meat production, a rise in antibiotic use and our further encroachment into wild spaces. One Health Principles adopted by UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health, World Health Organisation (WHO), and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) acknowledge that the health of animals, ecosystems and humans are connected. By improving the

system for tackling outbreaks like Avian Influenza, we have a chance to get the system right before a new outbreak comes along.

In summary, wild birds are a good indicator of the health of ecosystems. The situation described in The Gambia and other countries and the shocking losses to wild bird populations are a warning cry we mustn't ignore.

We, the undersigned scientists/conservationists, call on governments to take a lead in developing an international agreement to address avian influenza, based on sound scientific and precautionary principles.

(Those who have signed this letter have done so in their personal capacities. Institutional affiliations are provided only for identification purposes, and do not imply any institutional position on Avian Influenza.)

Dr Alexander Charles Lees, Reader in Conservation Biology, Manchester Metropolitan University

Professor Adam Hart, Professor of Science Communication, University of Gloucestershire, UK

Tim Dodman, Associate Expert, Wetlands International / Training & Conservation, WSFI

Ian Redmond OBE, DSc(hc), Head of Conservation, Ecoflix; Ambassador for UN’s CMS

Dr Mark Jones BVSc MSc (Stir) MSc (UL) MRCVS, veterinarian and Head of Policy, Born Free

Eliška Konopáčová PhD, Czech Society for Ornithology, Czech Republic

Jacek Karczewski, conservationist, Board of Jestem na pTAK! (Polish bird conservation organisation)

Chris Bowden, Vulture Programme, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), UK

Sacha Dench, CEO Conservation without Borders, Ambassador UN Convention on Migratory Species

David Lindo – The Urban Birder, conservationist and broadcaster

Chris Rostron, Migratory Birds for People / Wetland Link International

Aissatou Yvette Diallo, East Atlantic Flyway Conservation Officer / BirdLife International

Robert Adams, Chairman of Spurn Bird Observatory, Hull. East Yorkshire

Ibrahim HAMA, Environmentalist and Communication Researcher, Senegal

Terry Townshend, Fellow of the Paulson Institute, China

Awa Joof, Research officer at West Africa Bird Study Association, The Gambia

Fagimba Camara, Head of Research Unit, West African Bird Study Association, (Birdlife Gambia)

Basiru Faal, Senior Wildlife Ranger, Department of Parts & Wildlife Management, The Gambia

Sulayman Jabang, Principal Wildlife Ranger, Department of Parts & Wildlife Management, Gambia

Lamin SM Keita, Senior Wildlife Ranger, Department of Parts & Wildlife Management, The Gambia

Muhammed Hydara, Secretary General, Gambia Environmental Alliance (GEA)

Dembo Jatta, Final Year Research Student at the African Leadership University, Rwanda

Diane Bennett, Tweed Valley Osprey Project Coordinator, Scottish Borders

Rose Davis, Sahel Wetlands Concern, The Gambia

Mam Ndure Journalist Department of information services/Gambia daily

Kawsu Gibba Pirang Bonto Forest Park, President of the SSG Pirang. Kombo East District, West Coast Region of the Gambia.

Omar Sanyang Organization: Executive Director Smile For Life, The Gambia

Alasan Camara Gambia Fire & Rescue Service, Volunteer for (Smile For Life The Gambia sea turtle conservation )

Muhammed Bojang, University of the Gambia graduate & volunteer

Dawda Ella Manneh, Field Worker Wildlife and Conservation Trust, The Gambia

Amadou John National Co-ordinator West African Birds Study Association

Yahya L Badjie, Secretary General, Kombo Foni forest Association (komffora)

Lamin Jobaateh Executive Director, West African Bird Study Association

Francis Gomez, Secretary General Bird Watcher Association The Gambia

Khadija Bourass : executive director GREPOM/BirdLife Maroc

Nuha Jammeh Technical Coordinator RAMPAO, Dakar Office

Johana Zuluaga-Bonilla: Asociación Ornitológica de Boyacá-Ixobrychus (lago de Tota, Boyacá, Colombia, Sur América)

Dr. Jacky Judas, chairman of the World Wetland Network

Rowan Hardman Technical Coordinator, Urdaibai Bird Center, Spain

Edorta Unamuno Technical Coordinator, Urdaibai Bird Center, Spain

Aouissa Salek, Président, Association Khnifiss, Morocco

Salla BA, Programme Manager Fondation MAVA, Mauritania

The search to find hitch-hiking Osprey Glen

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 07:24:02 GMT

The Flight of the Osprey (FOTO) team have arrived in Guinea to begin their return five-week journey through West Africa and back into Europe. The team consists of Conservation Without Borders CEO Sacha Dench, cameramen Poul Brix and Mike Webster plus engineer Tim Hill. But, after finding tagged Osprey 4K on the first leg, will they have the same luck in finding satellite-tagged Tweed Valley Osprey Glen (Blue 708) on their way back?

Last year, on a cold December day, Sacha, Poul and Tim landed in the UK, jubilant from finding Blue 4K at his winter home on the Pongo river in Guinea. Blue 4K is a mature male Osprey from Belvoir Castle, Rutland, hatched in 2013 and satellite-tagged in 2018. He has made the return journey several times and always over-winters in the same area but they had an arduous journey among the mangroves to try and find him.

It was a trip that consisted of 10 countries, many thousands of miles, multiple car breakdowns, and several painful blister beetle bites. Now in March, as the wintering Ospreys start arriving at their summer homes, the FOTO team begin their own return journey, from Guinea to the UK. A key focus of this journey will be to see if they can find Glen, a juvenile who left his nest in early September on his first migration at only a few months old.

He has since gone on to become quite the celebrity, having made global headlines with his migration escapes. At one point it was feared he had died. But the truth was stranger than fiction. The radio silence was because his satellite was out of range, as he had hitchhiked on not just one, but two ships, across the Bay of Biscay to Spain.

After a short rest in Europe, he vanished again from his roost in Portugal, causing concern as his satellite tag stopped transmitting. The Portuguese police were called in to assist as the data showed he was stationary on the roof of a fruit packing plant near the coast, but found no sign of him.

A few days later, he popped up in Morocco! Again the radio silence was due to being out of range as Glen had taken the long way round, flying hundreds of kilometres nonstop, curving south-west out over the Atlantic before swinging back south-east, just missing the Canary Islands, and landing on the Moroccan coast. He’s currently spending his time fishing and roosting near where he first made landfall in Morocco.

But we want to find out more than just what the satellite tells us. While satellites can give brilliant information, there is nothing quite like being on the ground and seeing it for yourself.

“We really want to go and find Glen in the middle of the desert and try and figure out what he is doing, why he decided to stay there and whether we think he has found a good situation and is safe. We also want to speak to some of the locals about him and his journey,” Sacha said.

Glen was one of three tagged juvenile ospreys from Tweed Valley, Scotland . Unfortunately, his two siblings Tweed and Kirk did not survive, with Kirk thought to have been killed by poor weather over the Atlantic and Tweed predated by a Goshawk in Portugal. The statistics show that only one in three juvenile Ospreys survive their first year, and sadly this proved to be the case with the Tweed Valley brothers.

“We will stop where he is spending his time and try to get some footage. I was with Glen when he was tagged and I secretly hope he will come to say hi,” said Poul.

On the first part of the expedition, the team managed to track down tagged male Osprey 4K, while he was in his winter home in Guinea. He is now due to return to the UK. In previous years, 4K began his return migration between the 21st and 27th of March and arrived back in the UK around 12-14th April.

Unfortunately, as of the end of February, 4K’s tracker has stopped providing a signal, so we will not be able to track his return. Tim Mackrill, who was part of the project tagging him, said that while we would not know for sure until 4K returns, the most likely explanation for no signal is that the tag has failed. The average lifespan of the tags is around 5 years, although some can last as long as 10 years.

“By the time we get going, there is a high chance 4K will already be back in the UK. But, without the satellite tag it would be wonderful to hear from the community if he’s been spotted along the way,” Poul said.

Keen photographers along the migration route are encouraged to capture clear shots of any birds with coloured ID leg bands. Known as Darvic rings, they are designed to be read from a distance through a scope or binoculars, and all sightings are reported to the Roy Dennis Foundation.

Insights and Impact

Alongside the search for Glen, the team will be focusing on gathering insights into the conditions juveniles face. Juvenile Ospreys migrating south for the first time stay the first two years in their wintering areas and return in the third spring, although some return as two year olds.

The team will also have a specific focus on climate change and the impact this is having not only on birds, but other wildlife and humans too. On the previous trip, the team uncovered 38 different threats to ospreys, most of which are exacerbated by climate change.

A large number were unintended consequences of humans. For example, we need wind turbines and renewable energy, but that vast power network is a challenge for birds, unless we design and manage with birds in mind, many are killed by the blades or electrocuted on power lines.

Extreme weather is also providing huge obstacles. “Wildfires are not only damaging habitats but are also making a physical smoke and flame block to migration. Droughts cause increases in the concentrations and toxicity of water and that, combined with mining effluent, causes mass fish kills. This became a double fish kill as the first lot of dead fish sucked all the oxygen from the river resulting in mass die-off in the River Oder last year, wiping out 75% of the fish” Sacha said.

The extreme weather conditions are also creating complications for Ospreys caring for their young on the nest, with females struggling to protect their young during extreme rains. “These are some tangible examples of what the more extreme weather, caused by climate change, means for birds,” said Sacha.

Poul was surprised to find helicopters in France spraying bacteria to kill mosquitoes over a protected wetland during peak migration period.

For tourist comfort, they kill the mosquitoes, which are the base of the food chain for the very wildlife the tourists have come to see. Tourism is a key part of the economy. No mosquitoes mean no food for wildlife. No wildlife means no tourists.

“I’m fairly sure there will be more threats discovered as some of the partners we spoke to on the first leg of the expedition have had time to think about it,” he added.

People Power

The team will also be speaking with people about possible solutions. In some cases regarding the direct threats to ospreys, but in other cases about the systemic threats that might have a long-term impact on conservation.

“One of my favourite things about this expedition is meeting incredible people but also being able to create a much more detailed picture. It is one thing to imagine it by looking at it on a map, reading papers, and talking to a few people. It is a very different thing to have been there yourself, to see the sights. And, while it makes the picture much more complicated, it also means the solutions you come up with are much more likely to work, and to work in the long term,” Sacha said.

“It is a privilege to meet and work with a huge variety of people, from French students to African village chiefs. There's the ‘simplicity’ of life on the road, and the sense of adventure you get from a 5-month road trip. It’s also satisfying to get the opportunity to work with CWB and actively help to work against climate change,” Poul said.

Engineer Tim added that there will be challenges in keeping vehicles and tech kit going in remote areas, which means the team have to make use of whatever resources they can get hold of.

"So far, everywhere we have been, the locals have been very resourceful and have gone out of the way to help us," he said.

Mass Awareness

The first expedition was covered by BBC Radio 4 in a 10-part series which proved so popular to audiences that it was repeated twice. The show exposed a whole new audience to the incredible journeys migratory birds undertake, and the threats they face. It also racked up multiple print and online publications – reaching more than a billion people.

“I have been delighted but not so surprised [by the positive feedback]. The antics and the challenges of the migration, read like a script for a James Bond film. If you can imagine so many threats and having to do a journey of that distance every year, in a world that is changing fast, it makes sense that the journeys will be very difficult, but also make for very gripping adventures,” said Sacha.

On this return journey people will be able to follow online via our socials but also reports on Sky News, in the media and specific reports for the Climate Show.

Upon the team’s return, Conservation Without Borders will be making a film which should support organisations and individuals all along the flyway with their ongoing efforts. And, we hope, provide a gripping story for broadcast TV. It will tell a story of drama, intrigue and huge challenges, but also hope and inspiration for the future.

“We would like to highlight the roles of how the private sector can, and should be, way more involved. We will reveal that following a bird migration is also following supply chains. And what we put in our supermarket trolley can help define the fate of the Ospreys and other well-loved migratory birds,” Sacha said.

We will also be looking at creating an educational programme for use along the flyway, to encourage and empower the younger generation, more details to come.

How to Support

Now we’ve identified some of the challenges we need to fund the ongoing work, and we’re looking for individuals and organisations who want to contribute something or want to become more involved through our new Patrons programme .

Financial support allows us to continue turning research into action on the big issues, both in public and behind the scenes. It helps us to support a global network of organisations and individuals working on protecting migratory species. It also allows us to go on unique expeditions to create powerful stories to bring the challenges of migratory species into the public domain.

“I have been amazed and delighted by the way people have responded to us and helped get and keep the expedition on the road,” said Sacha.

To keep up with all the twists and turns of this journey, follow our socials: Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , YouTube , LinkedIn and our Newsletter .

If you would like to join the team, we currently have volunteer opportunities available on the website - we look forward to hearing from you.

Announcing Flight of the Osprey an adventurous 14 country 10,000km conservation expedition

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:34:17 GMT

Bringing together UN agencies, scientists, governments and communities to address the effects of climate change & human threats to the osprey and other migratory species

Conservation Without Borders announces a new expedition to follow the migration route of the Osprey from Scotland to West Africa on a 10,000km journey through 14 different countries.

Founder of Conservation Without Borders, Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species, renowned conservationist and champion sportswomen, Sacha Dench will lead a daring team on a 10,000km expedition from Scotland to Africa this autumn. The ‘Flight of the Osprey’ will follow this magnificent bird of prey’s migration to uncover the stories behind the catastrophic effects of - and solutions to - a changing climate and human impacts on ospreys and other wildlife, their habitats and the people that live along that flyway.

Leaving from Scotland in August, travelling through 14 countries and finishing in Ghana in November, this will be an epic journey across rising seas and vast deserts, diving into the hidden underwater world and battling frequent storms. The journey will be captured from air, land and underwater – providing a legacy that will be open for use for educational or scientific purposes in the future.

This expedition is a bold and pioneering initiative designed to engage government organisations at the highest level, educate and empower communities along the flyway and further afield, and promote a deeper understanding of the challenges to migratory birds and other biodiversity, especially the importance of restoring the balance of nature to the benefit of society generally - as highlighted in the recent IPCC report.

The osprey was once common across Europe but was driven to extinction in many parts, including Britain, in the 1800s. In recent years, with active reintroductions, it has been trying to make a comeback, but threats and mysteries still remain. Why do so many birds disappear on their migration? And is our global demand for “stuff” part of the problem?

Sacha, known as “the human swan” is not yet able to fly following a tragic paramotor accident during last year’s Round Britain Climate Challenge, but as a champion freediver, she intends to dive to investigate some of the wetland sites so important to the fish-eating ospreys, including sites of dynamite fishing, seagrass beds, looking at the impact of ghost nets and plastics at critical sites along the flyway.

In collaboration with UN agencies, scientists, media and government, the Conservation Without Borders team will gather vital data on the threats faced by this iconic bird of prey and other migratory species to better understand the hazards faced - from climate change, to powerlines, from overfishing to plastic waste and fishing debris.

The team will meet people and communities along the flyway, showing grassroots conservation projects and highlighting inspiring new initiatives with practical solutions to mitigate against the effects of climate change and rampant consumerism.

Sacha Dench commented:

“As the recent IPCC report dramatically highlighted - climate change and human activity is causing dangerous and widespread disruption and affecting the balance of nature around the world.

“This expedition will shine a light on the challenges these issues present for migratory birds along the East Atlantic Flyway between Europe and Africa, by focusing on the story of the osprey. And it won’t just help the osprey. It will help to pinpoint the things that we humans can do to help ospreys and a wide range of other migratory birds and animals whose lives, like our own, depend on healthy, unpolluted land and oceans.”

Ahead of her speech at the official Flight of the Ospreys launch event in London this evening, Conservation Without Borders’ supporter, actress Joanna Lumley, said:

“Ever since Sacha told me about this extraordinarily exciting trip following the osprey, I have been longing to know that it will actually take place. Since her life-threatening accident, Sacha has somehow transformed herself into the ‘Human Phoenix’, rising above her dreadful injuries and facing the world with even more determination than before; and now at last the thrilling journey will go ahead.

“If bravery has a mortal form, it is to be found in Sacha. This is nail-biting stuff, concerning our planet and its migratory birds, and I shall be following the team every wingbeat of the way.”

Sir Tim Smit, Executive Co-Chair Eden Project International and Executive Vice Chair & Co-Founder Eden Project concluded:

“Conservation takes many forms; sometimes it is through patient guardianship of the wild, other times through muscular science-based intervention where the world is woken up to the plight of species languishing due to our careless disregard. The osprey is an iconic species that has been on the brink and stepped back only to approach the abyss of oblivion once more.

“Conservation without Borders, fronted by one of my favourite and bravest people I’ve ever met, Sacha Dench, is setting off on a quest to reveal both the epic migration of the osprey and also the enemies that lie in wait along the way. Her task is to make us care so much we ache, and inspire us all into action. This is what muscular science in action looks like.

“What does success look like? Millions of people caring, taking up the challenge to effect change and spreading the word. This whole project has been created by ordinary people and organisations putting their hands in their pockets. They need more funding support, so those who can should give in the knowledge that if together we can arrest the decline, our grandchildren will be able to thrill at the nobility of this beautiful creature, rather than see it in the pages of books about Dodos.”

Glen “The Hitchhiking Osprey” from Scotland triggers search parties and a police investigation…

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:31:54 GMT

Presumed dead in Portugal after vanishing for 2 days – Glen reappears on tracker in Africa after awesome 36 hour flight over ocean

Glen the GPS tagged osprey from the Tweed Valley has defied death yet again.

After his escapades hitching boat trips in the Bay of Biscay, and following a lengthy sojourn in northern Spain, last week Glen started heading south, entering Portugal, following a similar track that he had taken on a reconnaissance journey the previous week.

Stopping at a couple of places en route during the week, he ended up on Friday 25 ^th November seemingly perched on the roof of a fruit factory near the Atlantic coast between Nazaré and Péniche. His GPS signal indicated that he had arrived there between 7.30am to 7.50am.

Di Bennet of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project and members of the Flight of the Osprey expedition who have been constantly monitoring Glen’s movements, became alarmed when following that signal there was no further signal and no movement at all.

After closer investigation it was discovered that there were a lot of high voltage electric fences around the fruit crops, and potentially dangerous pylons in the area - which gave even greater cause for concern.

By Saturday afternoon there was still no movement and worryingly the GPS battery dropped to 43% indicating it might be under cover and the solar panel was not charging. It was thought this could have been because Glen was on the ground or his corpse had been picked up and brought inside.

At this stage it was beginning to look as if Glen had perished. Efforts were made to contact the fruit factory, and a number of Conservation Without Borders expert partners set about trying to find him. The local police also sent out a search party. Nothing was found and it was decided to resume the search on Monday when the factory would be open.

Glen “rises from the dead” and undertakes an epic sea journey

After GPS tracker silence of nearly 2 days, on Sunday mid-morning Glen’s tracker suddenly came alive and revealed that he had made a gigantic Atlantic sea journey from the docks at Péniche in Portugal to the Moroccan mainland where he made landfall at the Baie de Khnifiss Biological Reserve. This happily is an internationally important Ramsar site with an abundance of fish.

Di Bennett from the Tweed Valley Osprey Project / Forestry and Land Scotland said

“We became concerned about Glen when the tracker stopped sending back data. His tracker has been reliable for the past three months sending regular information from Spain and Portugal. With no signal from a good GPS area we thought that he had been injured – or worse collided and died at the fruit farm.

It was great that the Flight of the Osprey team and other volunteers jumped in to act quickly - just in case we could have saved him if injured - or at least recovered a corpse for post mortem and retrieved the tracker.

He surprised us all when his tracker pinged back data from Morocco, and showed that he had not continued further south through Portugal before crossing the sea but had gone west – thus the GPS signal was lost as he was out at sea very soon after leaving the fruit farm”

Glen has demonstrated astonishing endurance in completing an epic 36 hour nonstop flight from Portugal. On landing he appears to have rested on the ground for about 50 minutes before flying further south where he stopped at a pylon in the desert for several hours to recover. There are very few trees in the area and this would be a much safer place to rest than on the ground.

Glens astonishing journey

Sacha Dench, founder of Conservation Without Borders who is leading the Flight of the Osprey Expedition Team through Khnifiss in Africa and following Glens’ track closely said

“Glen was flapping his wings solidly for 36 hours – that’s just amazing for a young osprey to do. Looking at the wind directions when he left Portugal he narrowly escaped being blown out to sea when the wind pattern changed to his advantage.

The GPS also reveals some other remarkable facts. Just after leaving Portugal he was flying at speeds of over 50km an hour at around 220 metres above sea level. He then went up as high as nearly 700 metres when he had great tail winds, but later in the journey and at nights got as low as 7 metres which I guess was due to fatigue.

He passed close to Lanzarote but had managed to gain enough height again so could probably see the coast of Morocco and pressed on to the mainland. He struck lucky by hitting landfall close to a small and rare desert oasis known as Khnifiss where he slept for 11 hours before setting off to find fish.

Ospreys that have learned the migration route usually cross the sea at the Strait of Gibraltar for the shortest possible sea crossing. But Glen is an adventurer and seems to escape the many tough situations he gets into and surprise us all!

The most incredible thing is the amount of information we are getting from his journey data and through the increasing number of people getting involved.

One of the main objectives of our expedition is to engage as many people as possible – from local communities to big corporates and energy companies. The interest in Glen is definitely raising awareness of the need to discuss our influence on nature in a collaborative way”

Geemeff , a social media volunteer at Conservation Without Borders and osprey enthusiast said of her personal feelings surrounding the assumed loss over the weekend:

“During those bleak 48 hours I was constantly checking the data, setting alarms to check through the night but after 48 hours of thinking Glen was gone, I fell asleep then awoke with a start and out of habit checked again - and saw a picture of sand!

I zoomed out and saw his tracker active in Morocco but still didn't believe it until I double-checked and confirmed with Di Bennet at the Tweed Valley Osprey Project.

What a rollercoaster ride it is for Osprey watchers - hard to fall in love then think you've lost them.. and sheer elation when they pop up again! Hard on the nerves but I wouldn't change it for anything!”

Injured Moroccan Vulture named after Sacha Dench - UN Ambassador for the Convention on Migratory Species

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:29:48 GMT

Vulture Sacha becomes ‘ambassador’ for endangered birds

Sacha Dench, Founder of Conservation Without Borders and UN CMS Ambassador is leading The Flight of the Osprey expedition team following the migration route of ospreys and other birds from Scotland to West Africa.

A Moroccan team dedicated to saving raptors injured at a migration ‘blackspot’ have just named the latest raptor rescued at their centre after Sacha Dench, stating that it will serve as an ambassador for other endangered birds.

After following the osprey route along the East Atlantic Flyway through Europe, Sacha and the expedition team recently crossed the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco along with thousands of currently migrating birds - from ospreys to eagles, vultures and even barn swallows.

The osprey team’s first call in Africa was from the Jbel Moussa Raptor Rehabilitation Centre in Morocco. Rachid El Khamlichi called to alert Sacha of their latest arrival - a vulture which had miraculously survived electrocution on a power pylon - and managed to fly to the centre for help (they regularly put carcasses out for wild vultures).

As the bird landed, the team noticed something was seriously wrong with its leg. A veterinary investigation identified that somehow the bird had received a severe electric shock, but the current had miraculously travelled in and out again through its leg rather than through the whole body, which would have caused instant death.

One of the major causes of death of ospreys and other migratory birds is electrocution when they perch on uninsulated powerline pylons.

Rachid said

“The leg was dead and sadly had to be amputated, but it is a true miracle that this bird not only survived electrocution but then managed to still fly itself to the rescue centre.

As this three year old bird would struggle in the wild with only one leg and perhaps to maintain a place in the pecking order on a carcass, the bird will stay and thrive here at the centre and will be an important ambassador for the issue of electrocution and the need to insulate pylons in migration hotspots.”

As the bird had not yet been named, Rachid suggested that as Sacha is an Ambassador for migrating birds “Sacha” might be a fitting name for this brave vulture.

Sacha Dench with Sacha the Vulture Vulture Sacha after leg amputation Vulture Sacha’s leg

Sacha the Vulture just after arriving at the rescue centre

Sacha Dench said

“Electrocution from landing on pylons happens often. For example, of eleven ospreys GPS tagged at the Urdaibai Bird Centre in Spain, three died from electrocution on their first attempt at migration. But this is the only case I know of a bird surviving electrocution.

I really felt for this vulture and am so happy that I could offer it a name. This particular vulture displayed an amazing desire to survive and actually flew into the centre on its own with one dead leg - and after suffering an incredible shock.

Vultures don’t get great PR, but they are all magnificent. And they play a critical role along the flyway, protecting ecosystems by disposing of dead carcasses – sparing other migrating birds from disease, as well as other wildlife and even human populations. The loss of vulture populations leaves many more dead carcasses left rotting and an increase in feral dogs and rats - which then spread diseases like rabies - leading to thousands of human deaths.

With their highly acidic stomachs vultures do a job no other animal can do. Losing them is like losing our waste disposal or sewage treatment in a city – the repercussions would be catastrophic.

I hope that by highlighting some of the threats – which are the same for lots of other birds - I can bring some new impetus to reversing the decline of this magnificent and important - but critically endangered species.”

Vultures are invaluable as scavengers. Vulture stomach acid is exceptionally corrosive, allowing them to safely digest putrid carcasses infected with bacteria (including anthrax) that would be lethal to other scavengers - thus removing these bacteria from the environment.

Flying with Vultures

Sacha has flown in a paraglider with wild vultures on many occasions, even hunting for thermals with them!

She says

“When you are getting low, vultures often mark a thermal - that you can aim for. But similarly, if they see you going up in a thermal faster than the thermal they are in, they will come and join you, circling, almost touching wingtips. They are such big birds it is really humbling to have them chose to fly with you.”

Thermals help these birds to reach incredible heights, most of which would be deadly to other species of birds. A series of cardio-vascular adaptations means that vultures are able to fly at heights where oxygen levels are at their thinnest, with one particular Ruppell’s Griffon vulture reaching almost 11.5 kilometres!

Wind Turbines

At the Moroccan rehabilitation centre the team also heard some worrying news. In addition to the threats posed by pylons and power lines, there are plans to build a vast wind farm right where there is a migration bottleneck the narrowest crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar). The turbines would also require a further network of powerlines to transport power to the grid. It could be catastrophic.

They are hoping that there will be enough consultation before this goes ahead to ensure the turbines are not built in an area that will see yet more mass mortality.

Osprey created by “His Dark Materials” animatronic team presented to Sacha Dench for Flight of the Osprey Expedition

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:27:26 GMT

Expedition brings together UN agencies, scientists, governments and communities addressing climate change and human threats to migratory species

Sacha Dench, the Flight of the Osprey Expedition team and staff at the Dyfi Nature Reserve yesterday met a very different kind of Osprey.

A “biomorph” Osprey created through a collaboration between Wild-Connect owner and founder of the Creature FX department for the TV series “His Dark Materials”, welshman William Todd-Jones (Todd) and Coleg y Cymoedd College, was presented to Flight of the Osprey Expedition leader Sacha Dench as she visited Dyfi as part of the journey following the Ospreys migration route from Scotland to Africa

The Osprey given to Sacha and her team is built on the same frame as the original “His Dark Materials” Serafina Pekkala’ daemon Kaisa.

Molly Morgan, Coleg y Cymoedd College and her colleagues, have been deeply involved in creating the puppet – from sculpting and painting the feet to making and attaching the feathers.

The Osprey’s name was revealed as Ceisiwr ( pronounced Kaiz-oour ) meaning “seeker” and very similar to his original incarnation of Kaisa in His Dark Materials.

Sacha receiving the Osprey puppet Ceisiwr from Todd / Molly and Todd with Ceisiwr

Ceisiwr will be joining the expedition on the 10,000km journey from Scotland to Africa and become an integral part of the expedition’s educational and awareness programme. Todd who is very keen to make the puppet work to engage people across the 14 countries also ran a workshop for the expedition team to teach them how to operate the Osprey puppet and bring it to life

The osprey was once common across Europe but was driven to extinction in many parts, including Britain, in the 1800s. In recent years, with active reintroductions, it has been trying to make a comeback, but threats and mysteries still remain. The expedition team will be investigating why so many birds disappear on their migration and asking “is our insatiable consumer demand part of the problem” ?

The Expedition

The Flight of the Osprey expedition is an epic 10,000km conservation journey from Scotland to Ghana through 14 countries, bringing together UN agencies, scientists, governments and communities to address the effects of climate change & human threats to the osprey and other migratory species. They and local country partners will be following the track of 4 GPS tagged ospreys. The team will meet people and communities along the flyway, showing grassroots conservation projects and highlighting inspiring new initiatives with practical solutions to mitigate against the effects of climate change and rampant consumerism. They will also be filming from air, land and underwater – providing a legacy that will be open for use for educational or scientific purposes in the future.

Journey to the biomorph Osprey

Todd said

“Biomorphs are natures ambassadors of the wild. This astonishing expedition by Sacha really grabbed my attention and I felt compelled to create her this Osprey which will help her engage with communities all along the journey. She can’t take a live Osprey everywhere she goes but she can take Ceisiwr.

I am planning to create more surprises for Sacha before her journey ends – perhaps in the form of something involving complex robotics!”

Molly Morgan added

"As a third year university student, I feel privileged in having the opportunity to contribute my creative skills to such a meaningful cause, knowing that the expedition will raise more much needed public awareness of the natural world and the threats against it."

Sacha Dench commented:

“I am incredibly honoured to be the very first person to see and receive this truly magical animatronic Osprey. Our expedition is designed to shine a light on some of the fantastic efforts and support organisations and individuals are making to address the challenges Ospreys and other migratory species face. In the long run we humans can do so much to help a wide range of birds and animals whose lives, like our own, depend on healthy, unpolluted land and oceans.”

Todd (William Todd-Jones) began his career as a builder and performer of puppets for Jim Henson’s film “Labyrinth”. Other award-winning projects include Harry Potter V, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, various Muppet movies, Batman, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, John Carter of Mars and many others. He travelled the world as the Master Puppeteer and Manny performer of the Monlove/Stage Entertainment touring show Ice Age Live. Todd established the ground-breaking and multi award winning Creature FX department for the BBC/HBO TV series “His Dark Materials”.

Sacha Dench, known as “the human swan” for her journey following Bewicks Swans from Arctic Russia to the UK by paramotor is not yet able to fly following a tragic accident during last year’s Round Britain Climate Challenge leaving her legs damaged. But as a champion freediver, she intends to dive to investigate some of the wetland sites so important to the fish-eating ospreys, including sites of dynamite fishing, seagrass beds, looking at the impact of ghost nets and plastics at critical sites along the flyway.

First Ospreys to breed in Yorkshire after several hundred years revealed to Sacha Dench and crew amid expedition following Osprey migration

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:24:04 GMT

Sacha Dench and Flight of the Osprey Expedition team visit the site as part of journey following Osprey migration route from Scotland to Africa

Ospreys have never been recorded as breeding in Yorkshire since records began in 1800 and were generally extinct in the UK until returning initially to remote parts of Scotland from Scandinavia in the1950’s.

The very first Osprey nest for centuries in Yorkshire, on the Bolton Castle Estate near Leyburn in Wensleydale now has a young adult pair who have produced two chicks (one male one female).

VIP’s Meeting at the nesting site

Sacha Dench (Founder of Conservation Without Borders and Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species) and leading the Flight of the Osprey expedition, will be visiting this significant site on Friday 5 ^th August and meeting with Tom Orde-Powlett, son of Lord Bolton, and other individuals who have been instrumental in creating this notable Osprey nesting site at the Bolton Castle Estate.

The Expedition

The new Yorkshire Osprey’s lineage

The mother of the new chicks is known as Blue KS1 and hatched at Glaslyn in Wales in 2018, her mate is un-ringed. KS1’s mother is known as 'Mrs G' and has been returning to Wales since 2004 and her father known as Aran has been with Mrs G since 2012. It is believed that this is the first of Aran's offspring known to be breeding.

Ecouraging nesting

Tom Orde-Powlett, in cooperation with a number of interested organisations instigated the re-colonisation on the Bolton Castle Estate. One of Toms gamekeepers noticed two birds together in the area and this gave Tom the confidence that there could be a pair establishing a territory. With the expert help of Mike Thornley of Thornley Wildlife Trust and Brian Towers, Toms’ river keeper and former tree surgeon, two platforms were built on the Estate. The pair that had been seen by the gamekeeper ultimately built a nest on one of the platforms and produced the two chicks in mid-June which have now been ringed

Tom said

“Over the last twenty years or so I had seen Ospreys with increasing frequency, and in 2019 what we thought might be a pair were spotted. I decided to stock two ponds near where we had seen them with some trout, hoping that a good food source would keep them here and also reduce pressure on wild fish.

Friends, family and colleagues from Natural England, the Cumbria Raptor Study Group, BASC and the Lower Ure Conservation Trust all helped in assessing where might be best to build nesting platforms near the areas where the pair were mostly frequenting

We were overjoyed when they eventually built a nest on one of our platforms and we saw the hen bird apparently sitting on something – we hoped an egg in May – which would mean potential hatching in mid-June.

One of our keepers has taken a keen interest and has been checking the nest every day of incubation. I had a real shock on the day we thought was hatching day when a local farmer who had been observing them on his rounds, saw a large amount of net trailing behind the flying male bird. We climbed up to the nest site but luckily by the time we got there the male had freed himself of whatever it was and seemed fine.

We were pretty confident of one chick but when we went to ring them we were thrilled to discover two, one of each sex.”

Sacha Dench added:

“I am incredibly honoured to be able to visit the very first Osprey breeding pair in Yorkshire. What Tom and his colleagues have achieved is nothing short of a miracle!

Our expedition is designed to shine a light on some of the fantastic efforts organisations and individuals like Tom are making to address the challenges faced by Ospreys and other migratory birds. In the long run we humans can do so much to help ospreys and a wide range of other birds and animals whose lives, like our own, depend on healthy, unpolluted land and oceans.”

Simon Warwick MBE, Director, Lower Ure Conservation Trust concluded

“Based on photos, it appears that the male Osprey comes south to Nosterfield Nature Reserve to fish on most days, - an easy return trip for an osprey - interestingly every fish we have managed to identify him catch has been a chub.

It has been a real delight to work with Tom on this and to witness his enthusiasm. As he suggests, all our research indicates that this pair is the first in Yorkshire in historic times – incredibly exciting and hopefully the beginning of a Yorkshire dynasty!”

ENDS

NOTE: It is a criminal offence to approach or disturb nesting Ospreys and other raptors

Sacha and Tom will be available for interview to discuss the expedition and the story behind the re-colonisation of Ospreys to Yorkshire

They will be at Bolton Hall, Leyburn, DL8 4UF at 4pm 5 ^th August for face-to-face interviews and photo opportunities

Villagers in Guinea help find him - admit ‘wild birds only of interest as food’ - but agree to help conserve and ask to change 4K’s ‘awful name’.

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:22:42 GMT

Bird’s journey across 10 countries reveals over 30 threats to migrating birds and impacts of climate change.

A Conservation Without Borders expedition led by Sacha Dench, UN Ambassador for Migratory Species (aka the Human Swan), has for the first time followed the entire migration of ospreys from the UK to West Africa.

A key aim was to track down the exact wintering site of famous osprey ‘4K’ and investigate the threats faced in Africa. 4K and three other ospreys have carried GPS-enabled backpacks that have given live updates on location, speed, and altitude on their entire journeys and helped guide the expedition team and their investigations.

The expedition team tracking the ospreys have discovered that on his journey, 4k – like many other migrating birds – has survived over 30 different threats encountered by the team including wildfires, electrocution, extreme winds, sandstorms, helicopters spraying bacterial toxins, hunting for the taxidermy trade, oil spills, discarded fishing nets, natural predation and more.

Two of the four ospreys tracked by the project ‘Tweed’ and ‘Kirk’, have died, the last bird ‘Glen’ had been assumed dead twice but has reappeared in the Sahara Desert.

Sacha Dench said

“Seeing first hand all of the challenges these birds face is like watching a stunt person in action. We’ve watched with hearts racing as 4K and our other tagged ospreys face threats I’d never have imagined as well as ones we knew were there.

Living out of expedition vehicles with information from the birds’ tracks, partners in countries across Europe and Africa have been able to take us into remote areas and bring incredible insights into the challenges faced by the ospreys and many other birds on migration.

With such detailed tracks and sharing data online, we’ve also attracted people and industries along the flyway to get involved – sending information on threats and helping track down the ospreys at sea and in remote locations.”

Who is 4K?

Male Osprey known as 4K - fledged in Rutland Waters in 2013 - now spends his summers on the Belvoir estate. He has been fitted with a GPS-enabled backpack since 2018 and closely followed since then.

He bred for the first time this year with a Scottish female and produced two chicks on the 15 ^th April – a male and a female.

Sacha Dench has been in regular communication with the teams at Rutland Water and the Belvoir estate, and conservationist Dr Tim Mackrill who are jointly monitoring 4K’s progress.

4Ks speedy journey

4K arrived at his wintering site at the Pongo estuary on the 4 ^th October having left Rutland on the 9 ^th September - a total of 26 days. He spent 16 of those days actually migrating and the other 10 at his regular stop-over site at Baie des Veys in Northern France. The total distance of his migration was 5,280km (3,280 miles).

The GPS information also revealed that 4K reached altitudes of over 2,000 metres and showed that at one stage he averaged 60km per hour over 12 hours.

To date, nobody had ever seen 4K at his wintering site in the Pongo estuary to understand local threats, so it was going to be a major challenge for Sacha and the expedition team to track him down.

Tracking down 4K – the final push

The route from Guinea Bissau to the Pongo River delta took the team over some of the ‘worst roads in Africa’ and on arriving they had to find locals who would take them by canoe to try and find 4K.

The expedition team crossed into Guinea during the third week of November and were receiving regular GPS information about 4K’s pattern of behaviour. Tim MacKrill identified the 3 most highly visited sites in an area between two remote fishing villages on the Pongo called Saka and Dobire – about 60 km north of the capital of Guinea, Conakry.

On the 1 ^st December they set off to find the fishing village of Dobire to a large crowd waving them off as news of the team’s search for 4K had spread around the communities via local radio and word of mouth.

Some of Sacha’s team were doubtful they’d be able to find him – but after several hours of searching as disappointment was setting in an osprey was spotted in the distance that took flight and revealed a GPS backpack antenna and blue leg ring. The team managed to get some film and stills of him which confirmed they had found him and his hitherto secret hideaway.

Local villagers were so excited that they’d found him they decided that he needed a proper name – and declared 4K is now named after their village Dobire (pronounced Dobeeray)

Tim Mackrill said:

“We have been following 4K on his annual migration from the UK to Guinea for five years and the satellite tracking data gives a very detailed insight into his migration and wintering habits. However, there is only so much we can learn by looking at Google Earth and aerial imagery. The fact that Sacha and the Flight of the Osprey team were able to visit in person means that we know much more about the landscape, the local people, and some of the threats that migratory birds face at the site. The conservation of migratory species like the osprey depends on international collaboration and friendships. I am particularly pleased that local people, who may have seen 4K every day, now know more about him and the amazing journey he makes every year.

4k achieved astonishing speeds and heights on his journey. His navigation is partly instinct, but he will have learnt from previous trips to recognise the landscape from afar – and also potential threats. An osprey’s eyesight is amazing – offering much better information than we could ever get from Google maps!

Once he left France he truly motored! He crossed Spain in just 2 days – zooming past the expedition team in southern Spain. He crossed into Morocco on the 23 ^rd September, skirted the western edge of the Atlas mountains and took just two days to cross the Sahara desert. At one point he did 500km in a day just before crossing into Guinea and arriving at his regular tree on the Pongo

We are just so delighted that Sacha and the team managed to find him – and even better got some great images of him”

Sacha concluded:

“I can totally understand why 4K has been so faithful to this area – it’s a great location - home to swathes of mangrove forests that are breeding grounds for fish, and there are very few people to disturb him.

But there are threats, and here the main one is the vast amount of discarded fishing net as there are no facilities for collection or processing plastics - a local fisherman reported releasing 2 ospreys from being entangled in fishing net.

Another threat I hadn’t anticipated is hunger - as I showed one of the locals how to use binoculars to see the birds up close they were amazed, and admitted that to them usually ‘wild birds are only of interest as food’. It’s great that elders and fishermen have agreed to collaborate on conservation of ospreys from now on.”

Osprey created by “His Dark Materials” animatronic team to be revealed for first time to Sacha Dench in Wales

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:20:47 GMT

Sacha Dench and Flight of the Osprey Expedition team meet a very different kind of Osprey at Dyfi Osprey Project

A “biomorph” Osprey created through a collaboration between Coleg y Cymoedd college and Wild-Connect owner (and founder of the Creature FX department for the TV series “His Dark Materials”), Welshman Todd Jones, will make its’ first ever public appearance in Wales when it is revealed to Flight of the Osprey Expedition leader Sacha Dench as she visits Dyfi Osprey Project as part of the expedition journey following the Osprey migration route from Scotland to Africa

The Osprey being given to Sacha and her team is built on the same frame as the original “His Dark Materials” Serafina Pekkala’ daemon Kaisa. (With thanks to Bad Wolf)

It will be joining the expedition on the 10,000km journey from Scotland to Africa and become an integral part of the expedition’s educational and awareness programme. Satellite tracks of birds that have migrated from the Dyfi Osprey Project will be used to guide the expedition route and investigations.

The Osprey’s name will also be announced.

The reveal will take place at 11.30 am

at Dyfi Osprey Project, Machynlleth SY20 8SR

www.dyfiospreyproject.com

Available for interview/photos

· Sacha Dench and members of the expedition team

· Todd Jones, (William Todd-Jones)

· Molly Morgan, Coleg y Cymoedd

· Emyr Evans, Dyfi Projects Manager

Todd will also be running a workshop for the expedition team to teach them how to operate the Osprey puppet

Tracks from ospreys of the Dyfi Osprey Project will be used to help define the route of the expedition team.

A full announcement and both stills and video will be available on Monday

Chemical Reaction: Migratory Birds Become Prey To Poisoned Baits

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 14:50:43 GMT

Ever since humans began holding livestock, we have been waging a war on predators, who were seen as a threat and competition to food resources. Then, with the advancement and availability of poisons, humans were able to persecute carnivores – including migrating birds – on an unprecedented level.

While many countries have outlawed the use of some poisons, the fight to stop poisoning is not over. It remains the most used method to kill predators, worldwide.

As the Flight of the Osprey expedition travelled into Europe, Conservation Without Borders’ founder Sacha Dench spoke with Jorge Fernández Orueta from the SEO Birdlife International Cooperation Program and Sara Cabezas Diaz, project Officer. Based in Spain, they explained that poison remains a major issue for migratory birds, particularly those using Spanish flyways that go across hunting grounds.

The illegal use of poison baits has a very serious impact on Spanish biodiversity and affects species such as the black vulture, the griffon vulture, the Egyptian vulture, the bearded vulture and the red kite. All these species, mostly threatened, along with other mammals, such as the brown bear, Iberian wolf, Iberian lynx or fox, are victims every year from the use of poisoned baits,” a report compiled by SEO/BirdLife and WWF Spain and MAVA Foundation said.

Migratory birds such as kites and vultures are often not the intended target of the poison but become victims by eating either the poison or an animal killed by poison.

Farmers with livestock will lay poison to kill stray dogs and wolves who may hunt their animals. When the dog or wolf dies, then the carrion attracts vultures and eagles. When the birds eat the poisoned dog, they too are killed, and a vicious cycle begins.

“The products they use are very persistent... In the past there was a poison that was extremely dangerous and killed everything. Any animal that ate the poison would die and then other scavengers would eat it. And then you would have a whole set of animals dead, which would attract more scavengers. At the beginning they were aiming to kill rats, but in the end you have dogs and eagles poisoned,” said Jorge.

Hero to Zero

Back in the 1950’s and prior to the ban on certain pesticides, “extermination” campaigns were highly organized, and governments actively encouraged people to kill “pests” for financial reward.

“There was a plan that if you gave the legs of a raptor to the administration, they would give you money for this. Or you bring the tail of a wolf they will pay you and they [hunters] used everything – traps, snares and poison,” said Jorge.

However, following a public shift in attitude, and a campaign to ban poison, governments then made it a criminal offence.

“In the 80s, in Spain, poison was still legal and even encouraged. And then overnight it was banned and the species that was vermin before, became protected,” said Jorge.

“It was something that was demanded by the people, they wanted to change this. So legislation changed. And the guy who was a hero for killing wolves, he became a villain,” he added.

While it is easy to put a law in place, it is harder to change people’s mindsets overnight. But Jorge is confident that attitudes are shifting, as more people are aware of the detrimental impact of poison.

Spain now has one of the highest persecution of poison use in the world, thanks to a cooperative between organisations, NGOS and the Administration

An autopsy of the recovered body is conducted and once an animal is determined to have been poisoned, they are then entered into a register.

In Spain, there have only been four confirmed cases of osprey being poisoned since 1992. But if you look at the overall number of poisoned migratory birds the number is shocking.

Since 1992 – 2017 there were more than 21,000 cases, of which 7,300 were raptors. But both Sara and Jorge stressed that is only what they have seen in recovery centers. The true number is more likely to be around 20,000 – 25,000 raptors, in Spain alone.

“This is an estimation – it is difficult because poison is laid very discretely and on private land which means people do not have access. Commonly the animal will go to a secret place and die. So, it is not like something in the road that everyone can see. And the monitoring of this is very difficult as you can follow for instance a powerline and detect what has been killed by a powerline. You can go to an electric pole and see it there. But [on private land] to find animals in the condition that you can get an autopsy is very difficult,” said Jorge.

The most widely used poison in Spain is carbamate aldicarb, a substance banned since 2007, and which appears in 40% of recorded episodes. Followed by carbofuran (24% of cases), banned since 2008, and strychnine (5%), banned since 1994, said the report.

The use of poison increases on lucrative hunting grounds, but also decreases the likelihood of being caught, Sara explained.

“These hunting grounds are usually owned by rich people with an economic position, so these are rich areas where it is easier to find this [poison],” she said.

Usually, it is the game keeper or warden who is found guilty, but it is most likely he is under orders and the powerful people at the top do not get punished.

Additionally, if the landowners are making a substantial profit, any fines would be offset by the profit.

“It is important to know that in Spain simply setting a poison bait is already a crime, whatever the consequence. So, if poisoned bait is found on my property, I will be prosecuted… Sometimes this situation goes to trial and they arrange to have minor penalties and to pay the fee and they don’t go to prison. So, someone who is getting a big profit off a hunting ground, [the fine] would not be so important in the balance of things and not something they take into account,” he explained.

Although the substances have been banned and there are legislations that obligate the removal of carbamate, the landowners face difficulties in safely disposing them, due to financial constraints.

“Now it is an obligation, we have a legislation a few months ago to remove this,” said Sara. “The problem is that removal is very expensive because they are so toxic. They have to be destroyed in a particular place such as a toxic waste plant.”

The cost of this is on the person with the poison but some people do not have enough money to do it, she added.

Dog Detectives

Canine ranger patrols are helping to fight against the use of poison by tracking the scent. The rangers are an authority in court as they are seen as law enforcement. An increase in prosecutions also works as a deterrent.

After summer is the most dangerous time for migratory birds, the peak of migration also times with the peak of poison baits, explained Sara.

“Canine patrols have been very important, but they [poison bait layers] have a calendar, and the use of poison increases during the summer when the hunting season is closed, because the landowners do not want to poison the hunter’s dogs…this is the hot moment in the year,” said Sara.

Furthermore, the presence of rangers at a property, reinforces the notion to neighboring properties that the use of baits will have legal repercussions.

“Poison is an important threat to various species, so we are on the way, but we have a long way to go,” said Sara.

Success

The issue of poison is not just endemic to Spain, it happens in other countries, including the UK. However, Jorge believes that the numbers in the UK are not reflective of the reality, because there is a less active program looking at the issue.

“I am convinced that there is a lack of information – we don’t have to think of the cultural situation of the country or the policies. You just need one poisoner per million and you will have the problem,” he said.

“We communicate with other countries and institutions, because in Spain we have an example of strategy that works. It is really the top of the international level and this is taken as an example by many others,” Jorge added.

While the numbers of prosecutions are going up, that does not reflect increased usage of poison. Instead, it reflects an increase in being able to track the culprits.

SOS Birdlife are detecting less poison baits, and while you could argue the criminals are now smarter – they are convinced the real reason is a change in society and social conscience.

“We are convinced that this is really happening. Also, the people that used to hunt are retiring, so they guy who was setting poison in the 80s, he has retired,” said Jorge.

As older generations retire, the culture of setting poison shifts. Additionally, the younger generation are more aware of the wider picture of poison and how it impacts biodiversity and ecosystems.

“Society is more conscious that there is less game than before, and they know that it is due to the intensity of the use of land, toxins and climate change. Everyone knows that now. Twenty years ago not so many knew, forty years ago even less. The global decrease of diversity is something that everyone now knows about,” said Jorge.

For more details visit: www.seo.org  

Sacha would also like to thank Jorge for his work in helping her track Osprey Glen when he arrived in Spain following his hitchhike on two boats. Read more here

Sacha’s notes from the field: Birds of a feather flock together

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 09:02:43 GMT

Sacha reflects on her experience monitoring migrating birds in Organbidexka and how individuals can play a huge part in making positive change in conservation

On a green grass hill, floating on a vast white cloud, thirty people sit in a line.

These international band of bird lovers, of many different ages, sit on flimsy seats, scopes and binoculars at the ready. We have come to Organbidexka, one of three mountain passes through the Pyrenees, where birds are counted throughout the migration season - mostly by volunteers.

Over the years, they have gathered critical data on the health of the raptors and other soaring birds using this flyway. And, alongside tracking the impacts of a changing climate, have acted as a deterrent to illegal hunting.

With only the hilltop protruding from a valley full of thick fog, few birds will be on the move. Relaxed multilingual banter fills the air, while an early morning orange sun bathes us in an orange glow. The serenity doesn’t last.

The sun and winds develop, blowing the cloud up and out of the valley. Then the first birds are spotted to the north, several km away, and the whole team switch to high alert. The first yell indicates number and position. Paul Capbern - of LPO (Ligue for Protection of Birds) - allocates it to an expert spotter and their assistant. They then follow the bird/flock on their entire passage up the valley and away to the south. In that time, they try to gather as much info on sex, age, ring numbers before they disappear from sight.

We are here at the end of the big migration of black kites, and the start of the migration of honey buzzards. Both species move through in large flocks tracking thermals through the valley. 4,646 black kites and 6,168 buzzards on the two days we were there. We learn to identify the booted eagle from other eagles at a distance by its ‘giss’ (GISS is a term that possibly came from an aviation term "General Impression of Size and Shape (of an aircraft)".

The Griffin vultures are the only birds no one is counting. As there are both resident and migratory Griffin vultures, it is impossible to know which birds are passing on migration, and which are on a daily flight. With the resident birds doing turns around the valley and reappearing, it would mean they would be counted multiple times each day, skewing data.

The vultures show where thermals form in the valley. They orbit in large flocks, wing spans the length of a man, riding thermals in widening circles up to cloud base.

But sometimes the vultures come in very close. If they get a stronger lift from the air being forced up the slope, which is in front of the team, they fly towards the grass hill and tuck in tight to the slope. They track in figures of 8, back and forth, each pass getting closer and closer to the observers, until they fly right in front of us all. When they are almost in our reach, they suddenly move over our heads, up and away, giving us an occasional curious glance.

Watching like a hawk

Only eight ospreys had been seen so far this year, so everyone is hoping to find one for us, although given the population size, the chances are slim.

“Balbuzard!!” A shout slices through the air.

Everyone turns, as the first of two ospreys we are to see, appears in the distance. Alone it tracks up the valley.But, 500 m before it reaches the hill, it bursts into flapping flight and tracks off down a valley that bends to the east, and south again. The second osprey we saw took the same route.

“The ospreys are strong, they are one of the few birds that will keep flying in a head wind, through cloud, even in some rain, and nearly always alone. You can see they have power,” Serge, an observer here for 42 years, tells us.

Of the many passes through the Pyrenees, there is something special about this site. Serge explains that in the 1980s there was an international effort mounted by a few individuals. Every year, for eight years, 300 volunteers stationed themselves right along the Pyrenees during migration. In that time, they identified sites with the biggest numbers of birds, but also the highest number shot down by illegal hunting.

They settled on three key sites for long term observations. Has it worked? On the ridge, Serge points out the small shelters used by hunters to hide behind. Since they started the program, hunting has seen a serious reduction. But, there would be hunters here still, if bird groups hadn’t bought almost all the hunting licences.

Another thermal comes through, bringing with it a warm breeze and a faint hum. Collectively, we look behind us, towards the dark green of the valley. Under the sun’s rays, we see small clouds, each one made-up of clusters of hundreds of insects.

An impressive sight. That is until the swifts - also on migration - arrive. A hundred or more bird ‘bullets’ appear, zoning in on the floating insect cloud buffet. The birds are oblivious to us humans as they dart between us, causing us to give audible gasps. Shivers, delight, awe, for a moment all focus is lost, as we absorb a moment of magic.

This stay at Organbidexka and the story of how it came to pass, remind me how important individuals have been in conservation efforts along the flyway, and the importance in big NGOs supporting those that demonstrate impact. We will be sharing more of these stories as the expedition moves into Africa.

If you want to visit or volunteer, contact LPO via Paul at paul.capbern@gmail.com

Sacha’s notes from the field: France and Spain

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 08:17:25 GMT

The Flight of the Osprey (FOTO) expedition team and I are looking out over a vast reedbed, listening to the sounds of thousands of small birds. These birds have stopped for a day, or maybe more, to feed on mosquitos and other insects before their next move south. We are listening to the noise of migration in action. An osprey soars over the pools between the reeds, hunting mullet and other fish that have come in with the tide to feed.

From nowhere a helicopter appears, flying 20m over the surface of the reeds, the downdraft causes the reeds to spin and flatten as it passes over, again, and again, tracking back and forth over the site. The disturbance to the wildlife is awful but there must be someone in trouble out on the estuary?

The reed bed is on the edge of the Gironde estuary in France, the largest estuary in Western Europe, and a critical site for birds on migration. Formed over a couple of decades after a sea wall collapsed the farmland was taken back by nature, creating a vast tidal wetland. Scientists such as Raphael Musseau, who we are spending time with here, have been looking at how to create more habitat like this. Since rising sea-levels against man-made sea walls result in vital tidal wetlands disappearing.

As the helicopter passes over again, I once more assume it must be looking for a missing person. There is a long boardwalk which allows people to get amongst the reeds and experience the migration. Maybe a child has wandered off track, I think.

“It looks like the helicopter is spraying something,” FOTO team member Poul says.

It takes a moment for me to register this, as it is peak migration period, and this is a protected wetland. Surely spraying anything here can't be legal?

It wasn’t till later that evening, speaking to Raphael Musseau, that I learned of the legal practice of spraying bacteria to control mosquitos, during the tourist season.

For tourist comfort, they are killing the mosquitos, which are the base of the food chain for the very wildlife the tourists have come to see. I am surprised at how short sighted this is. Tourism is a key part of the economy. No mosquitoes mean no food for wildlife. No wildlife means no tourists.

I’ve since learned how widespread this practice is. I have heard arguments that ‘it’s better than chemicals’. But, I’m still struggling to see how anyone, except perhaps the contractors being paid for the work, can think this is a good idea.

Amazingly, it is just one of more than a dozen threats to the ospreys we have either seen for ourselves or heard about from the incredible people we have met along the way. And we haven’t even left Europe, yet.

Best foot forward

Our team have already faced all manner of challenges with life on the road and in close proximity for weeks on end. We opted for older model LandRovers with the same engines and shared spares. But have faced vehicles struggling with power drain or engines straining with the weight of our kit on the steep mountain roads of the Pyrenees. We even had a breakdown on the motorway in the midday heat. It was so hot, we had to put up a tarp for shade and the police first assumed we were picnicking on the side of the road!

I am learning to climb small mountains and tracks with crutches and a leg in a metal frame, alongside finding comfortable ways of sleeping in a tent, fearing the metal frame and sharp wires will burst my blow-up mattress. Plus, numerous challenges I won’t describe around negotiating different toilet options…

I am often asked if this life on the road is helping or hindering the healing progress. I’ve just returned from a flying visit back to the UK for scans and visits with surgeons. The scans are showing that life on the road, and greater use and challenges for the limbs, are strengthening my bones, and with a couple of new measures in place, I’ve the all clear to re-join the team for the next leg, into Africa.

These challenges for the team and I pale compared to the challenges of the ospreys. Whilst we knew we’d hear lots of stories of electrocution on powerlines (in Urdaibai alone, 3 of their 11 tracked ospreys died this way), ospreys have been blown out to sea, shot – likely victim of the taxidermy trade, faced oil spills at key fishing spots, and have had to navigate around wildfires and smoke on a scale that hasn’t been seen in Europe before.

It has now been a month getting inside the head of an Osprey and learning about the challenges they face. These will be some of the challenges the three tagged juvenile birds from Tweed Valley – Glen, Kirk and Tweed – will navigate. And following a tentative start, as we track their route via satellite, we will be holding our breath that they make it to their winter home and back to the UK next year.

We will be sharing more of the impact of insect spraying story, and delving deeper into the ramifications of these actions. Keep an eye on our social media channels for our podcasts, as we speak to those with direct knowledge of this and the other threats to Ospreys and the other wildlife that shares its flyway.

Q&A with Paul Morton | Birds of Poole Harbour

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 12:41:18 GMT

On August 9 ^th the Flight of the Osprey expedition team visited Poole Harbour where they got the chance to view the Ospreys and learn more about the project. Here we speak with Paul Morton, founder of the charity Birds of Poole Harbour. We cover topics such as why he loves Ospreys, and the highs and lows of life on the nest.

You’ve had a great year – can you explain why?

In 2017, we started our Osprey reintroduction with the aim of re-establishing a South Coast breeding population. This summer saw the first successful breeding attempt as a result of the reintroduction. The new pair male (022) and female (CJ7) raised two healthy female chicks, which were ringed in early July with the ring numbers 5H1 and 5H2. These were the first Osprey chicks to have hatched in southern Britain for nearly 200 years.

Can you describe a moment with the Osprey that demonstrates why they inspire awe and fascination in so many people?

Osprey have had a troubled and challenging history. When they began to recover as a species in the 1950’s, the public were invited to come and share in the joy of their return with the setting up of the Loch Garten visitor centre. As a result, the public have had a historic wide ranging, genuine interest in the Osprey’s life story and recovery.

Poole Harbour has attracted migrating Osprey for decades as they move north and south each year, but because of their historical persecution, none ever saw the harbour area as ‘home’. We knew the habitat and food source were in place, but just needed a few Osprey to recognise the harbour as home. So, it was concluded that a translocation should take place to try and imprint several birds to the area, as well as attract new Ospreys in.

What has been your highlight of the project so far?

There have been many ups and downs, but the definite highlight was the reaction on 022’s and CJ7’s faces when CJ7 laid her first egg on April 23rd. It was a very special moment when they both realised life was going to be very different from then on! Also, we now have young female Ospreys that we’ve released as part of the project that are now breeding at sites in Wales, meaning we’ve been able to connect known existing Osprey populations.

What has been the lowlight?

The low point was actually in the last 24 hours when one of our chicks died from an injury it sustained during a Goshawk predation attempt.

As background on August 7 ^th , Osprey chick 5H2, was unfortunately at the receiving end of a predation attempt by a Goshawk and did not survive its injuries.

A statement on their website: “We hold no animosity towards this young Goshawk, and just see the incident as unfortunate. Goshawk have been heavily persecuted over many years and are trying to make their own recovery which seems to now be coinciding with the return of the Osprey. And while we can’t rule out any future predation attempts again, the fact that Osprey, Goshawk, White-tailed Eagles, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and Red Kite are now all visible again over Poole Harbour skies, shows that times are changing and attitudes towards all raptors are improving”.

Before this reintroduction, when had Ospreys last been known to breed in the South of England?

The last known breeding attempt in the south was on the Somerset Levels in 1847

Why do you keep the location of nests quiet?

Ospreys are easily disturbed and can be flushed away from their nests due to human activity. Because this is the first year they’ve nested, the birds welfare has to be priority and we don’t currently have the measures in place to be able to deal with visiting public. We’ve learnt a lot this summer and hope that with the right management in place, we’ll eventually be able to invite the public to see the birds in a controlled and safe environment, both for the ospreys and the public.

What impact/benefit can bringing the Osprey back, have on people?

Osprey webcams provide incredible entertainment for people at home. We’ve had so many emails and messages stating that our Osprey webcam has helped them through some really challenging times.

In 2020, before our Ospreys bred, CJ7 was on a different webcam and provided a real tearjerker of a story for everyone whilst in lockdown. She was expecting her boyfriend LS7 (one of our 2017 translocated males) to come back, and he never arrived, so she was left all alone that year. This really caught the publics hearts, and many people became hooked on CJ7’s story. To date we’ve had no negative reactions to the project!

Have any birds from here been lost on migration?

Many of the birds we’ ve released as part of the reintroduction have not retuned. This is typical for migrant Osprey heading south down to West Africa. They face many challenges, including hunting, adverse weather conditions, an ever-expanding Sahara Desert and of course natural predation.

Is the success of this reintroduction just about the osprey? Or is it more than that?

Our Osprey reintroduction is part of a much bigger and exciting story that’s unfolding. Here in Poole, we’re releasing Ospreys, on the Isle of Wight the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation are reintroducing White-tailed Eagles, locally the National Trust are looking to carry out a Beaver reintroduction, we’re now looking at the feasibility of doing a Chough reintroduction along the Purbeck Coast, large rewilding projects are now taking off all over the place.

Landowners, governmental organisations and politicians are now understanding that people want to see nature recover and are providing the stepping-stones to allow this to happen. There’s still a long way to go, but there’s definitely a shift and, for once, it’s in a positive direction.

Birds of Poole Harbour are partnered with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation to deliver the Poole Harbour Osprey Translocation Project, aiming to restore a breeding population of these charismatic birds of prey to the South Coast. The project, which started in 2017, involves the translocation of 60 juvenile Ospreys from Scottish nests into the Poole Harbour area. This process aims to create a bond between the young Ospreys and their new local area, before they leave on their first treacherous migration, usually to West Africa. This bond draws the Ospreys back to Poole Harbour on their return to the UK, after at least 2 years maturing in their wintering grounds, when they will identifying suitable nesting sites. The translocation therefore lays the foundations for their return as a breeding bird to the South Coast, 180 years on from their local extinction.

For more information visit: www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk

Osprey created by “His Dark Materials” animatronic team presented to Sacha Dench for Flight of the Osprey Expedition

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 11:16:11 GMT

Kaisa morphs from a Gyrfalcon to an Osprey - joining the epic 10,000km journey from Scotland to Ghana through 14 countries. Expedition brings together UN agencies, scientists, governments and communities addressing climate change and human threats to migratory species

Sacha Dench, the Flight of the Osprey Expedition team and staff at the Dyfi Nature Reserve yesterday met a very different kind of Osprey.

The Osprey given to Sacha and her team is built on the same frame as the original “His Dark Materials” Serafina Pekkala’ daemon Kaisa.

Molly Morgan, Coleg y Cymoedd College and her colleagues, have been deeply involved in creating the puppet – from sculpting and painting the feet to making and attaching the feathers.

The Osprey’s name was revealed as Ceisiwr ( pronounced Kaiz-oour ) meaning “seeker” and very similar to his original incarnation of Kaisa in His Dark Materials.

Sacha receiving the Osprey puppet Ceisiwr from Todd / Molly and Todd with Ceisiwr

The osprey was once common across Europe but was driven to extinction in many parts, including Britain, in the 1800s. In recent years, with active reintroductions, it has been trying to make a comeback, but threats and mysteries still remain. The expedition team will be investigating why so many birds disappear on their migration and asking “is our insatiable consumer demand part of the problem” ?

The Expedition

Journey to the biomorph Osprey

Todd said

I am planning to create more surprises for Sacha before her journey ends – perhaps in the form of something involving complex robotics!”

Molly Morgan added

Sacha Dench commented:

Todd (William Todd-Jones) began his career as a builder and performer of puppets for Jim Henson’s film “Labyrinth”. Other award-winning projects include Harry Potter V, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, various Muppet movies, Batman, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, John Carter of Mars and many others. He travelled the world as the Master Puppeteer and Manny performer of the Monlove/Stage Entertainment touring show Ice Age Live. Todd established the ground-breaking and multi award winning Creature FX department for the BBC/HBO TV series “His Dark Materials”.  

ENDS

Hi Res Stills and video available on request

Contact:

Jackie Pedersen, M: +44 (0)7980 767710, E Jackie@newhope-eu.com

Sacha Dench and related images available here: https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/photo-gallery and https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/video-gallery

Flight of the Osprey expedition trailer https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/flight-of-the-osprey

Flight of the Osprey is funded by MAVA Foundation pour la Nature and the Global Environment Facility in association with the UN Convention on Migratory Species and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

Dyfi Osprey Project  www.dyfiospreyproject.com

NOTES

Sacha Dench

Biologist, conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker
Ambassador for UN’s Convention on Migratory Species
First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years
Freediving record holder,
Woman of the Year 2017,
Environment Campaign of the Year 2017
British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

First Ospreys to breed in Yorkshire after several hundred years revealed to Sacha Dench and crew amid expedition following Osprey migration

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 11:12:30 GMT

Sacha Dench and Flight of the Osprey Expedition team visit the site as part of journey following Osprey migration route from Scotland to Africa

The very first Osprey nest for centuries in Yorkshire, on the Bolton Castle Estate near Leyburn in Wensleydale now has a young adult pair who have produced two chicks (one male one female).

VIP’s Meeting at the nesting site

Sacha Dench (Founder of Conservation Without Borders and Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species) and leading the Flight of the Osprey expedition, will be visiting this significant site on Friday 5th August and meeting with Tom Orde-Powlett, son of Lord Bolton, and other individuals who have been instrumental in creating this notable Osprey nesting site at the Bolton Castle Estate.

The Expedition

The new Yorkshire Osprey’s lineage

Ecouraging nesting

Tom said

We were pretty confident of one chick but when we went to ring them we were thrilled to discover two, one of each sex.”  

Sacha Dench added:

“I am incredibly honoured to be able to visit the very first Osprey breeding pair in Yorkshire. What Tom and his colleagues have achieved is nothing short of a miracle!

Simon Warwick MBE, Director, Lower Ure Conservation Trust concluded

It has been a real delight to work with Tom on this and to witness his enthusiasm.  As he suggests, all our research indicates that this pair is the first in Yorkshire in historic times – incredibly exciting and hopefully the beginning of a Yorkshire dynasty!”

ENDS

NOTE: It is a criminal offence to approach or disturb nesting Ospreys and other raptors

Sacha and Tom will be available for interview to discuss the expedition and the story behind the re-colonisation of Ospreys to Yorkshire

They will be at Bolton Hall, Leyburn, DL8 4UF at 4pm 5th August for face-to-face interviews and photo opportunities

Stills and video available of the Bolton Castle Estate and Ospreys available on request

Sacha Dench and related images available here: https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/photo-gallery and https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/video-gallery

Watch the Flight of the Osprey expedition trailer https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/flight-of-the-osprey

https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/flight-of-the-osprey

Flight of the Osprey is funded by MAVA Foundation pour la Nature and the Global Environment Facility in association with the UN Convention on Migratory Species and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

Contacts:

Jackie Pedersen, M: +44 (0)7980 767710, E Jackie@newhope-eu.com

Kendra Grahame-Clarke M: 07910 214474 E:  kendra@kendrapr.co.uk

Notes:

Tom Orde-Powlett

Has always been interested in wildlife and has been involved in conservation increasingly seriously since 2009. In addition to his work with Ospreys Tom has been a trustee of Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust   https://www.ydrt.org.uk/ is on the steering group of The Curlew Recovery Partnership for England  https://www.curlewrecovery.org/ and is vice chairman of The Moorland Association  https://www.moorlandassociation.org/

Sacha Dench

Biologist, conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker
Ambassador for UN’s Convention on Migratory Species
First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years
Freediving record holder,
Woman of the Year 2017,
Environment Campaign of the Year 2017
British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

Announcing Flight of the Osprey an adventurous 14 country 10,000km conservation expedition

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 10:59:37 GMT

Bringing together UN agencies, scientists, governments and communities to address the effects of climate change & human threats to the osprey and other migratory species

Conservation Without Borders announces a new expedition to follow the migration route of the Osprey from Scotland to West Africa on a 10,000km journey through 14 different countries.

Sacha Dench commented:

“As the recent IPCC report dramatically highlighted - climate change and human activity is causing dangerous and widespread disruption and affecting the balance of nature around the world.

Ahead of her speech at the official Flight of the Ospreys launch event in London this evening, Conservation Without Borders’ supporter, actress Joanna Lumley, said:

“ Ever since Sacha told me about this extraordinarily exciting trip following the osprey, I have been longing to know that it will actually take place. Since her life-threatening accident, Sacha has somehow transformed herself into the ‘Human Phoenix’, rising above her dreadful injuries and facing the world with even more determination than before; and now at last the thrilling journey will go ahead.

“If bravery has a mortal form, it is to be found in Sacha. This is nail-biting stuff, concerning our planet and its migratory birds, and I shall be following the team every wingbeat of the way.”

Sir Tim Smit, Executive Co-Chair Eden Project International and Executive Vice Chair & Co-Founder Eden Project concluded:

ENDS

Watch the Flight of the Osprey expedition trailer here

https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/flight-of-the-osprey

Instagram | @Conservation_without_borders

Twitter | @C_no_borders

Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | @Conservation without Borders

Hashtags | #FOTO #TogetherWeFly

Notes to Editors:

For more information, photos or videos, or to arrange an interview with Sacha Dench or the expedition team before or during the expedition, contact: Jackie Pedersen at jpedersen@newhope-eu.com , telephone 07980 767710, or Jane Waghorn at janeywaghorn@gmail.com , telephone 07919 621215.

Background on Sacha Dench

Biologist, conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker
Ambassador for UN’s Convention on Migratory Species
First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years
Freediving record holder,
Woman of the Year 2017,
Environment Campaign of the Year 2017
British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

Everyday heroes: Tales of osprey rescues

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 12:33:21 GMT

While humans may be responsible for a lot of the injuries and fatalities of wildlife due to pollution and littering, there are everyday heroes who step-up and help rescue ospreys and return them to be wild.

In my last blog for Conservation Without Borders Flight of the Osprey expedition, I talked about the dangers of plastic and how we humans have polluted our planet. Plastic is a non-biodegradable material that is everywhere, even in the depths of the Mariana Trench, and causes great danger to Ospreys who get entangled in it, or bring it back to their nests. This blog however talks about times where humans have helped Ospreys, rescued them from perilous situations and allowed them to return to the wild to resume living free.

In no particular order, here are some recent examples.

At Balgavies Loch in Scotland, an Osprey nest on an island collapsed, leaving the chick, who hadn’t fledged yet, very vulnerable. It’s thought the extreme temperatures of the recent heatwave caused the tree to crack and fall. Fortunately the Osplet was found by the local warden Jim Hughes, who was able to capture it and take it to safety where it was fed. In the meantime staff and volunteers built a temporary platform on the island on which the chick was placed a little later. The adults were seen circling overhead, and reports have been received that the family is now back together again.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/angus-mearns/3521221/angus-osprey-chick-saved/

An Australian Osprey had a lucky escape when surfers saw it drowning and rescued it on their surfboards - there are many instances of surfboard rescues, as surfers usually care about the natural environment and are well placed to make a rescue.

https://youtu.be/8UaHE6bY3sU

Barry Brown had been watching the Ospreys fishing in Brisbane when he spotted one bird flapping its wings and struggling in the sea. He watched as local surfer Bill Lowe and a friend grab their boards and paddle out to the bird. They found its feet and wings tangled in fishing line. After cutting the line they brought it to shore on their surfboard and handed it over to Barry who dried and wrapped it in a towel and carried the bird to a quiet spot on the headland, away from the tourists on the South Gorge walk.

Bill’s grandchildren, who had been picking up plastics on the beach that morning, watched over the osprey, shooing away the butcherbirds that were encircling as it dried out on the grass. After it stopped shaking, it was able to fly away.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2022/jul/24/surfers-rescue-tangled-osprey-off-the-coast-of-queensland-video

In Calvert County Michigan two young Osprey chicks had a lucky escape when the tree containing their nest blew down in a storm and they fell onto a road. At around 6:00 p.m. on July 26, OFC Lopez was on patrol when she received a call about birds in distress in Lusby. She was able to get to them before they encountered any traffic, secured the two Osplets and transported them to a local wildlife clinic for TLC and eventual release into the wild.

https://thebaynet.com/dnr-rescue-two-baby-ospreys-under-fallen-tree-in-lusby

On 26th July Eversource power company in Hartford Connecticut received a call regarding an Osprey who was stuck 50 feet up at the top of an electrical pole between high tension power lines and in danger of becoming electrocuted. Michelle Ford (Eversource Senior Program Administrator - Wildlife and Protected Species) answered the distress call and sent out a troubleshooting crew to respond to this crisis. Crew member Ernie managed to safely ascend to the top of this pole to rescue the Osprey.

The young bird was unharmed and was thought to be a fledgling making its first flight who chose the wrong place to land and was unable to fly away out of danger. The Osplet was taken to a place of safety to be released once the storms had passed by and the weather was more suitable for an inexperienced bird.

https://youtu.be/qVEXdSHcmtM

https://www.facebook.com/APlaceCalledHope
The fire department in Grand Rapids Michigan were called out to an Osprey tangled in netting on the Grand river not too far from downtown Grand Rapids. They managed to bring it ashore and the local Wildlife Rehab centre collected it and took it for vet checking and eventual release back to the wild. Netting and fishing line is a menace for a fishing bird like the Osprey. This one was lucky - many are not.

https://wgrd.com/grfd-osprey-rescue-grand-river

An Osprey was rescued when it was found wrapped in fishing line on the Longshore golf course in Westport Connecticut. There are three active Osprey nests on the golf course which is near the ER Straits marina. This poor bird’s wings were completely wrapped in twine and it was unable to fly or even move. Chris Davies, a professional golf instructor who’s also a fisherman, was told about the bird and went to free it using his fishing line cutters.

https://06880danwoog.com/2022/07/20/unsung-hero-247

Surf’s up! Surfers in Jacksonville Florida helped a drowning Osprey and brought it to shore on their surfboards. The bird appeared to be injured and was unable to lift itself out of the water, according to reports it perched quietly on the surfboard as it was brought ashore and handed into the care of wildlife officers.

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/07/21/surfers-at-jacksonville-beach-help-osprey-to-shore-viewer-says

And in Wales last year, the famous Osprey couple Aran & Mrs G suffered a tragic loss when unprecedented extreme weather struck. Aran was injured and unable to fly, and all three tiny chicks were lost to hyperthermia. It’s thought he injured his wing on hidden debris in the floodwaters while he was fishing. He was still able to fly, but lacked the strength needed to pull himself up from the water after diving for fish. Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife made the decision to fish for him, placing fish daily on a nearby unused nest platform. He was able to collect the fish from there and bring it over to the nest for Mrs G.

There were fears his injury would see him unable to withstand the rigours of migration, but I’m delighted to report that both he and Mrs G returned safely this year and have raised three chicks. Blue 497 fledged on 18th July, Blue 498 on 20th July and Blue 499 on 21st July. Without the intervention of Glaslyn Osprey project, Aran would have died too, and left the venerable Mrs G having to fend for herself.

https://youtu.be/I732bebF7fA

When Jimmy and Caitlyn went surfing in the US, Kaitlin saw an Osprey in distress. Jimmy rescued the bird with her surfboard and with the help of bystanders managed to cut the fishing line that was entangling it off. Jimmy and Kaitlin joined Sacha Dench on a podcast to discuss the whole event.

https://youtu.be/FEr3fpRDNRo

In a very short time, Sacha and the Conservation Without borders team will set off on the Flight of the Osprey expedition (#FOTO) which will start in Scotland, travel down through the UK visiting Rutland Ospreys, Dyfi Ospreys and the history-making Poole Harbour Ospreys among others. They will then head across the channel to start the long overland trip down to West Africa. #FOTO will highlight the dangers faced by Ospreys along their migration route, including hunters, wind turbines, plastic pollution, habitat degradation or outright loss, and all the consequences of climate change.

The expedition will investigate and catalogue both land and sea danger factors, and work with communities and organisations along the way to highlight and mitigate the hazards. But while this is being done on a larger scale - Sacha is the United Nations Ambassador for the Convention on Migratory Species - individuals like you and me can and do make a difference.

Although we’re not all around at the right moment to rescue an individual bird, the choices we make directly affect the environment and therefore our wildlife. Whether that’s committing to going plastic free, refusing to buy harmful palm oil products, making donations to wildlife organisations, cleaning up our fishing line, or teaching our children to take better care of the planet than the adults have, every small action adds up.

We can make a difference - #TogetherWeFly

Geemeff

A blueprint for conservation efforts

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 10:44:12 GMT

It is a good example of what osprey and birds of prey can do. They connect people, they connect countries – UN’s Convention on Migratory Species Climate Council Chair, Colin Galbraith

As countries around the world are increasingly feeling the impact of changing temperatures, birds – such as the osprey – are being used as key indicators of climate change. By studying bird behaviour, scientists can get a better understanding of how these changes effect biodiversity and ecosystems.

“When you look at bird populations around the world, we are really seeing significant changes,” said Colin Galbraith at the revealing of Conservation Without Borders’ latest expedition, the Flight of the Osprey.

“Species are disappearing day-by-day, and they are also changing their migration patterns. Things are arriving later or earlier, the whole eco-system is becoming out of sync,” he explained.

But, while climate change has been “a council of despair in recent years,” Colin is of the opinion attitudes need to change.

“It should be a council of doing something together, to actually make it better,” he said.

A symbol of hope

The osprey, an iconic bird, is instantly recognisable by its markings and is respected for its formidable fish hunting skills. But it was these very skills that led to it being persecuted by people who shared the same food resources. The osprey faced additional threats such as poisoning by pesticides and egg collection.

Eventually, it was driven to extinction in many parts of Europe – including Britain – in the 1800s.

However, in recent years, with active reintroductions, the bird has been trying to make a comeback.

In the 1950s, it was estimated there was just one pair of osprey nests in the UK. In 1967 there were two pairs, in 1976 there were 14 and, in the year 2000, there were around 150 pairs of osprey in the UK.

“This is how small the biomass is we are talking about,” said Colin.

“We think that in 2022 there are about 250 plus pairs in the United Kingdom. And the encouraging thing is that is not just in Scotland, it is England, it is Wales. We are now exporting our osprey back to Spain to help the Spanish osprey population. And that is a good example of what osprey and birds of prey can do. They connect people, they connect countries, they connect the UK to Spain. And I am sure Flight of the Osprey will see the connectivity to the UK and West Africa,” he added.

Flight of the Osprey

The Flight of the Osprey will follow the route of the bird’s migration from Scotland to West Africa on a 10,000km journey through 14 different countries.

The expedition team is headed by Sacha Dench, CEO of Conservation Without Borders and Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species. The nine-strong crew, which include scientists and media personnel, is designed to engage government organisations at the highest level, alongside educating and empowering communities along the flyway and further afield.

The expedition aims to promote a deeper understanding of the challenges to migratory birds and other biodiversity. Particularly, the importance of restoring the balance of nature to the benefit of society generally.

The team will meet people and communities along the flyway, showing grassroots conservation projects and highlight inspiring new initiatives, with practical solutions to mitigate against the effects of climate change and rampant consumerism.

Little things lead to big change

Linking the osprey in West Africa, will help to create a real connectivity, not just in terms of the bird’s journey, but the impact that we as humans have had on the bird, its environment and local communities.

“That is something we have to put forward to World leaders. It is about doing little things, it is about that connectivity,” said Colin.

The recovery of the osprey is one that inspires hope and shows the power of people working together for a common cause.

“The expedition can be used as a fingerprint for nature conservation more widely”, said Colin.

“For global leaders to want to make lasting change, then they need to hear it in ways that is relatable, and this is what the Flight of the Osprey expedition hopes to achieve.”

Birds of prey are top of the food chain and are the ultra-indicators of the health of the global environment.

If birds of prey are struggling, it indicates the environment is struggling, also. But, if we can change the fate of the osprey, we can change the fate of other wildlife and showcase how humans can change the narrative for the better.

“In terms of people and little things, people are really what nature conservation is about. Whether that’s in Scotland, UK, whether that’s about Senegal or Gambia, it is about people,” said Colin.

We can all do a little bit to help in the everyday decisions we make. Whether that be the food we buy, reusing material, turning away from single-use plastic, changing farming methods, or by improving habitats to increase biodiversity. The recovery of the osprey has proven small things can make big changes.

“Turn the council of despair into a real action plan on the back of this initiative,” said Colin.

Follow our team on the Flight of the Osprey expedition by connecting to our social media pages and signing up to our E Newsletter to find out the latest discoveries, stories, and developments.

The value of volunteering: Connecting people to conservation

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 15:58:04 GMT

Want to learn new skills, meet like-minded people and help causes you are passionate about? Volunteering has huge benefits for both the volunteer and the organisation. And the best part is, you can be from any age or background and you do not have to be a scientist to be a conservationist.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that without volunteers, Conservation Without Borders (CWB) would not exist.

“Volunteers believing in an idea is how CWB was born, and I couldn’t have done it without them,” said CWB Founder Sacha Dench.

“They came in many forms at the beginning. From the top scientist that volunteered to oversee our research if I set it up, to the web designer that offered to explain the concepts via creating a great online experience. To those who were happy to volunteer with administration and fundraising.”

The CWB volunteer team today has, amongst others, designers, lawyers, project managers, students, executive coaches, and linguists, all contributing their expertise.

As a small NGO, CWB relies heavily on the dedication of like-minded volunteers. They are the glue that holds together all the moving parts, ensuring that our expeditions run smoothly and increasing awareness of our work, and that of our partners and fellow change-makers.

What’s in it for you?

Our volunteers have provided skillsets for no financial reward and at a cost of their own time. So, why would you volunteer? What is in it for you?

For volunteers at CWB, it is the opportunity to use their skills for a common goal – bringing together people from different walks of life to uncover problems, find solutions, and to record and share them through powerful, inspiring imagery and stories.

“It takes lots of different skills to make conservation happen. One of the joys is giving our volunteers insights and experiences they might never have had otherwise. Plus, there are opportunities to collaborate with people of different cultures, as our projects span many countries,” said Sacha.

In a competitive employment environment, volunteering for organisations can help your CV stand-out.

“Volunteering, especially within the field of conservation, is almost essential in terms of career prospects,” said Megan McFarlane, a communications volunteer at CWB. “CWB was my first opportunity to combine my skills with my passions and interests, which has led me to my current role at Wetlands International as a Communications Intern."

Social media volunteer Mhairi Mitchell said her time volunteering helped her to secure her first full-time role, since graduating two years ago. She is now working as a content coordinator at Mary’s Meals.

Furthermore, if you have already volunteered for the company you want to work for, chances are, you will have been able to prove your worth which could result in a paid position.

“Most of our employees and contractors were originally volunteers, people that already believe in our mission and have an understanding of what we do and what they can bring. Not only do they do well in interviews, but they have also demonstrated what they can bring, Sacha said.

You don’t have to be a scientist to be a conservationist

Some people may get put off applying to volunteer for conservation roles on the belief that applicants must have a background in science. But, the skills that make any business thrive, can be utilised to boost conservation projects, too.

“While not scientists of any kind, our volunteers can all call themselves conservationists, because it takes a lot more than scientists to deliver conservation,” said Sacha.

Smaller NGOs often do not have the funds for huge teams of people on the payroll. Volunteers can help take some of the burden off often over-stretched staff. Positions can range from communications, administration, finances, to hands-on work.

While some organisations advertise their roles, if there is an organisation that fits with your values and goals, then you can also drop them a message and offer your services.

CWB’s Flight of the Osprey’s intern Elynor Todd-Jones did just that. Elynor sent Sacha an email asking if she was free for a cup-of tea and a chat about potential opportunities. Following their cuppa, she was hired on the spot.

Matching your goals with the organisations you volunteer for, will also keep you motivated.

For Megan she wanted to volunteer with CWB, as the organisation was unlike anything she had come across before.

“I think media and communications is an excellent way to get the message across about conservation issues and the threats posed by climate change. It also gives us the opportunity to showcase those on the ground who are doing the hard work. As a journalism and environmental communications graduate, I wanted to play my part in that,” she said.

Mhairi agreed that CWB’s stance on climate change and story-telling was a key part in her wanting to offer her skills.

“I think what Sacha and everyone at CWB does is important. It is one step further to making sure people listen to the crisis we all face,” she said.

Volunteering for an organisation you are passionate about is hugely beneficial for all parties. They get your commitment and free time, and you get the satisfaction of knowing you are helping to further a cause, explained Geemeff, CWB’s media researcher.

“If I see an opportunity to be useful, I’ll happily volunteer my time and effort. Plus, it is usually a great deal of fun, too,” she added.

Go for it!

When our volunteers were asked what advice they would give to those thinking about volunteering, there was one common thread – go for it!

“There’s always a need for extra help in both big and small ways. You’ll connect with like-minded people, and you’ll be making a difference, too.” said Geemeff.

Mhairi agreed that meeting people, while gaining skills and experience was her favourite thing about volunteering.

“I have managed to professionalise skills in ways I never realised. I have gained valuable critiques on work which will impact my future projects. It is a fulfilling and exciting experience,” Mhairi said.

Once you have decided on what skills you can bring, and the organisation you would help, then there is no time like the present to get involved.

“If you can, I would say start now! Find something you are passionate about and make the first step today,” Megan said.

CWB are still looking for a volunteer designer, if this sounds like something you could help us with, click here for further details.

Ospreys and the dangers of plastic

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 15:09:15 GMT

Ospreys and the dangers of plastic

https://www.cms.int/sites/default/files/publication/CMS_report_RiskAssessmentPlasticMekongGanga_1March2022_0.pdf

It’s international plastic bag-free day on 3rd July. Plastic was hailed as a miracle material when it was first invented in New York under the name ‘Bakelite’ back in 1907. Now we know better. It’s a menace. According to National Geographic*(1) only 9% of plastic is recycled. Which means a whopping 91% isn’t, and clogs up our world, endangering lives and habitats as it stubbornly refuses to break down. 12 billion tons of plastic wastes are expected to be found in the natural environment by 2050 * (2)

Conservation Without Borders exciting new project The Flight of the Osprey (#FOTO) is going to follow Ospreys from the UK down along their migration route to their winter home in west Africa in order to highlight conservation issues they face on the way. One of those hazards is plastic pollution.

From http://www.plasticbagfreeday.org/ : “Plastic pollution is a global catastrophe and sadly it is a man-made one. Did you know that approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used on a global scale? Just think about how many of these bags will end up littered all over the planet. This is having an extremely detrimental effect on the environment, wildlife and indeed human health.

The marine ecosystem in particular is suffering immensely as a result of plastic pollution. 31 species of marine mammals are known to have ingested marine plastic whilst over 100 species of sea birds have ingested plastic artefacts. Over 250 species have become entangled in plastic, whilst entanglement rates of approximately eight percent have been discovered in some sea lion and seal species.”

In a recent study*(3), while microplastics were significantly more abundant per gram in the gastrointestinal tract tissue of other raptors who consume small mammals, snakes, and amphibians, than Ospreys, plastic was present, and assumed to have been ingested from the fish on which they feed exclusively.

Ospreys are far more likely to suffer death or injury from entanglement or suffocation than from ingestion.

Here are some examples from forum chatters:

Stephanie Scofield says: Border Ospreys had a near disaster with baler twine. One of the chicks ended up with it around its neck. The Osprey Project management took the decision to forego their usual hands-off policy as this was a man made situation, and in the absence of the licensed ringer, permission was granted for a tree surgeon to climb up and free the chick. Full story here https://borderospreys.co.uk/2022/06/14/near-disaster/

Osprey Fan says: The worst I have seen was last year at the Dyfi Osprey Project. Telyn, the breeding female, brought the plastic mesh bag to the nest, but it ended up tangled around the adult male's leg. He flew off with it like that and wasn't seen for what felt like an eternity, but did return later that day without it.

Sadly it was too late for the Pitkin County chick in Emma, Colorado, Jeff K says: two chicks lost to the family, pulled off the nest by being entangled in plastic twine. One died on impact, the other one in rehab with internal injuries and an uncertain future. The photo shows the poignant sight of the mother Osprey standing on the empty nest.

https://www.pitkincounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/8982/Osprey---Find-Out-More?bidId=

Cathy Cohen says: the death of a baby osprey highlights the danger of litter after an osprey chick died at the Pink Shell Osprey nest in Fort Myers Beach, Florida in April. More here: https://www.fortmyersbeachtalk.com/2022/04/15/death-of-baby-osprey-highlights-lethal-danger-of-litter/

There was a happy ending though, as an Osplet who’d fallen from another nest was translocated to Pink Shell and eventually adopted by the adult female. The crew first removed an assortment of plastic and litter before placing the chick in the nest, watch here: https://youtu.be/tlaAhqMe-qI

And san b tells of this tragic occurrence: One of the Charlo chicks was badly injured last year while entangled in plastic baling twine and had to be euthanized. Read the full sad story here: http://archive.kuow.org/post/fatal-attraction-ospreys-bind-baling-twine-fishing-line

Angela Bailey provided this information from the Audubon Society about the effect of plastic on Ospreys. Ben Wurst, an Osprey expert at the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey , spends much of his time responding to reports of Osprey nests laced with trash and climbing ladders to remove the manmade materials. Osprey find plastic trash mixed in with their natural nesting materials, making it hard for them to distinguish what’s what, resulting in dangerous trash, much of it plastic, being brought back to the nest. Read more here: https://www.audubon.org/news/more-plastic-world-means-more-plastic-osprey-nests

Scyllabub tells of a less tragic event when resident male LM12 (Laddie) brought a rubber gardening glove to the Loch of the Lowes Osprey nest in Scotland in April this year. His mate NC0 was not impressed and after many attempts, finally managed to bury it under the nest furnishings. Here’s the moment it arrived: https://youtu.be/WWvi3EuEnzY

We all have our part to play in preventing wildlife and the environment from suffering the consequences of plastic pollution. Unfortunately the Covid 19 pandemic saw a rise in plastic bag use as we tried to keep ourselves and our shopping isolated from the deadly virus. But we know how to cope with coronavirus now, and on International Plastic bag-free day let’s try harder to #ReUse #ReCycle and #SayNoToPlastic, and perhaps, build better habits year round and for the future too.

International Plastic Bag Free Day was created by Bag Free World. It was created as a worldwide initiative for the purpose of getting rid of the single-use of plastic bags around the world. It is all about promoting environmental conservation by encouraging us all to stay away from the use of plastic bags and instead look for more eco-friendly alternatives.

If we can do it on this one date, then we can do it for the rest of the year, right? The day is also important in terms of increasing awareness of the dangers and the harm that is associated with plastic bags in terms of the impact they have on marine life, animal life, and nature. So, it is good to share awareness and use your voice on this date.

There are a lot of good ways to celebrate, and the easiest requires a simple resolution on your part. Even if just for one day, choose paper over plastic, or even better bring your own bags to the retailers to pick up your goods.

http://www.plasticbagfreeday.org/

To sum up, here’s a quote from Haillie Mesics, Public Relations and Marketing Director at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW):

“Ospreys will use anything to build their nests so it is our responsibility as stewards of the environment to not litter or leave man-made materials in the wild. The future of our ecosystems, water quality, wildlife, and public health depend on clean and healthy environments.”

Many thanks to everyone who contributed, apologies if I didn’t use your contribution but in a sad reflection of our times I received so many examples this blog would never have ended.

Written by Geemeff

*(1) https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/whopping-91-percent-plastic-isnt-recycled

*(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8561682/#CR35 *(3) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749119352674

*(3) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749119352674

Update on Sacha

kathleen@conservation-without-borders.org (Kathleen Retourne) — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 14:31:25 GMT

Sacha is looking forward to the next chapter of her recovery ahead of the Flight of the Osprey expedition. Find out more about her recovery and the incredible support she received during these challenging times.

Some of you may have noticed that our event in London in May was a milestone, not only because we launched Flight of the Osprey, but also because Sacha was able to be up on her feet!

Well, what you can’t see in this video is that her left leg was still in a very cumbersome frame which has now been removed from her foot, and the rest will be removed in 25 days…We will keep you updated on her progress.

As soon as that is off, wires are out, and her leg is is ‘waterproof’ physio can begin in earnest. Being waterproof is important as the plan is for physio and rehab to be largely in the pool – good physio but also good preparation for the Flight of the Osprey expedition. The osprey’s diet consists solely of fish, so the underwater world is important for Sacha and the research team to explore.

Dame Judi Dench thanks those supporting Sacha through her recovery

The whole team are incredibly grateful for everyone that sent messages of support, gifts, donations and to the many medical professionals that helped. It all made a huge difference, especially with morale through the more challenging times.

One incident worth sharing is a thank you from Judi Dench to a particular nurse in Aberdeen. This nurse went above and beyond - under challenging circumstances - and also happens to be heavily involved in amateur dramatics. As a special thank you to him, CWB patron and relative of Sacha’s, Dame Judi Dench sent him a gift in support of his theatre company, and a video thank you which got thousands of views and many thousands of pounds in donations.New Paragraph

Flight of the Osprey - highs and lows of life on the nest!

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 09:07:27 GMT

Every year hundreds of thousands of people watch the lives of ospreys via nest cams.

Today’s blog is written by Geemeff about our relationships with Ospreys.

Hello! My name is Geemeff, and I started my love affair with Ospreys when I received my members’ email from Woodland Trust back in 2017 saying they’d installed a nest cam on an ancient Osprey nest in Loch Arkaig in the Scottish Highlands. I started watching along with hundreds of others and saw a male Osprey arriving, on his own, who was duly named Lonesome Louis. All the watchers were hoping he’d find a mate, and a few weeks later a beautiful young female arrived. She was named Aila, and so their love story began. I was instantly hooked by their grace and beauty, their funny and sometimes clumsy ways, the way they prepared the nest and cared for the chicks, and felt it a privilege to eavesdrop on their daily lives.

The years went by, nest life had its ups and downs - a Pine Marten carried off all the eggs in 2018 - but Aila & Louis fledged six chicks over the years, and enthralled the world during Covid 19 lockdown in 2020, where viewership soared to close to half a million with watchers from all over the world. Then last year (2021) Louis returned as usual but there was no sign of Aila. We watchers waited and hoped, and waited some more, but sadly Aila failed to return. Louis took up with a new mate, and he & Dorcha fledged two chicks. This year they are sitting on three eggs, the first is due to hatch around June 1st. Osprey Life goes on!

Having an interest in where Ospreys go on migration and what hazards they encounter on the way, I was intrigued to learn of the Flight of the Osprey (#FOTO) project which will follow satellite-tagged Ospreys between important wetland sites from Scotland along their migration route down to west Africa to answer precisely those questions, and joined the #FOTO team as a volunteer. I’m a member of a few Osprey forums where people like me chat about all things Osprey, so when I asked for responses to two questions about people’s relationships with Ospreys, I received many replies and it’s very clear that Ospreys inspire great passion.

The questions were:

1) What is so engaging about Ospreys?

2) What are your best and worst Osprey moments from watching nest cams?

Responses:

Jenny Kos

1) Their differing characters - bossy, noisy, demanding, patient, clumsy, funny (Louis and Aila with sticks, the ones who insist on bringing strange objects to their nests), cute (the osplets at certain ages). They are very much individuals. Their dedication to raising a family even with the worst the weather can throw at them - the males fishing in awful conditions, the females brooding the eggs and tiny chicks when sodden wet or under a layer of snow, then patiently feeding the osplets while their own crops look empty. The settings - ospreys' choices of sites which give such wonderful views (Iris at Hellgate Canyon being a notable exception).

2) Best: hatchings and first flights of the fledglings.

Worst: the slowly dawning realisation that Aila wasn't going to return in 2021, and a lot of other UK ospreys wouldn't either.

Watch th e moment all three Loch Arkaig Osplets fledge (July 2020)

Sue W

1) We are so lucky to be able to watch Ospreys worldwide on webcams - they all have different characteristics that we have all begun to love.

2) Best: The dramas this year with Mrs G from Glaslyn who we thought was going to settle with a new partner (Aeron) and then finally Aran the resident male comes home - Axel at Loch Garten had to watch two females battle in the skies for his nest and Mistle won. It’s been better than watching soaps this year.

Worst: To watch a Goshawk take 3 chicks in Finland one by one and the final chick Nellie stood her ground and tried to fight the Goshawk off - she was such a brave girl, but unfortunately she was overpowered by the Goshawk’s strength.

Goshawk attack Satakunta Finland 2019 (Viewer discretion advised)

san b

1) The beauty of the osprey, especially the magnificent wingspan, also the beautiful landscapes seen on the cams. Plus, they are often hilarious to watch, some pairs more than others.

2) Best: Wow, so many, but I'll say it was watching live when Louis & Aila returned to the nest from migration within seconds of each other in 2019.

Worst: Watching 3 small chicks slowly die of starvation when the river by the nest flooded* and the male couldn't catch fish. This was very early in my osprey-watching experience. Now I know to stop watching when these situations are developing, but back then I kept watching just hoping a fish would come in.

Geemeff : *Glaslyn resident male Aran was injured by debris in the floodwaters 2021

Jeff K

1) Due to osprey’s returning to the same nest each year, this allows camera’s to be set up, which in return allows viewers, perchers or watchers to almost build a relationship/bond with individual birds. Learning their individual characteristics, likes and dislikes and to share intimate and humorous moments. There is also a wealth of knowledge out there which people are happy to share.

2) Best: 2020 Lockdown and finding Osprey nest cams, following the Woodland Trust Loch Arkaig Camera from April right through to the fledging and departure of three superb young Ospreys JJ6,7 and 8. The laying of the first egg in 200 years on the south coast of England at Poole Harbour.

Worst: Realising the reality of being a wild Osprey when Aila didn’t return in 2021 and the nest at Loch Arkaig to all sense of purpose failed. The predation of eggs and chicks by Goshawks and Pine Martens sad but real, the failure of the Welsh nest when Aran was injured and could not feed his family. The problems at Llyn Brenig* firstly with issues associated with filming the Bridge and secondly the 2021 Chainsaw Massacre.

Geemeff: *The destruction of Llyn Brenig Osprey nest by vandals with chainsaws 2021

Rajah

1) Their dedication to hatching and raising their chicks and also the caring and bonding to their partner.

2) Best: When I saw the first ever osprey chick hatch (2017). Worst: When a pine marten frightened a mother off her eggs and stole them.

Linda J54

1) They are beautiful, graceful, and nest in beautiful places. Their behaviour as the pair interact with one another, and share nest-building & parenting duties. Mutual tolerance for “oopsies” (eg, dropping a branch on partner; losing a fish over the nest edge).

2) Best: Their greetings & reconnection on return to last year’s nest; also the various chirrups and calls they make. Seeing eggs laid and chicks emerge. Tender & gentle feeding of chicks. Seeing chicks grow, learn and eventually leave for Africa. Worst: When one partner returns but the other doesn’t. Eggs broken or stolen by predators; also chicks taken by predators. Nesting pairs disturbed or nests destroyed by human activity: that is unforgivable.

Rutland Osprey dad feeds one chick while mum feeds the other two (18 May 2022)

Suzy Cat

1) Ospreys are so engaging because they are so attractive to the eye, their smaller than Eagle frame belies their strength & stamina. They have such delicate features & small rounded beaks , I enjoy learning their individual markings to try & identify them. The mystery of their migration journey for Winter is fascinating ; I would so like to see where they migrate to, but to see them return to Scotland, decorate nests, wait faithfully to greet their partner in Spring brings me such joy & a warm feeling. Their social behaviour is engaging & entertaining, both are dedicated Parents, fierce defenders & the best at fishing.

Watching them raising a family is the best part, all the different personalities appear as the chicks grow older , learning to fly, then learning to fly with fish! I love how Dad always waits for the last chick to get ready for their long first journey South, like Louis & Vera!

2) Best: when the eggs hatch & the proud Parents take turns brooding chicks. Halcyon happy Summer days of watching them grow & seeing their individual personalities emerge. Learning to fly, starting off with small helicopters & finally lift off. It's very sad if a mate doesn't return as what happened with Aila in 2021, at least Louis found a new mate quickly.

Worst/saddest: when Mother of 3 Alma had chicks predated by a Raven that took chase when she bravely defended them, sadly she was caught by Fox. I still can't watch the whole film, but it's raw Nature we must respect it.

The killing of resident female Alma and her chicks by a Raven in Finland (June 2021)(viewer discretion advised):

Glider

1) There’s just something about the majestic Osprey that draws you in and you become hooked. They are stunning looking birds, have big personalities and the huge hurdles they overcome to breed is remarkable. They are truly incredible and inspiring birds and I am in awe of them.

2) Best: watching a live nest for the first time in 2020 at Loch Arkaig. From being isolated at home to becoming part of this Osprey world was humbling. My other was seeing CJ7 return to Poole this year, followed by her potential mate that she met late last year after laying infertile eggs for the 2nd year in a row. To see CJ7 with her mate, incubating hopefully fertile eggs this year is just wonderful. Her perseverance over the last 3 years of looking for a mate has finally paid off.

Worst: when Aila did not return to Loch Arkaig in 2021, sadly one of many who didn’t return that year. However, the silver lining was that I found the Loch of the Lowes nest and saw the wonderful Laddie and NC0 raise 2 beautiful healthy chicks.

Janet Turner

1) These raptors are my all time favourite, handsome, resilient and their family life is fascinating.

2) Best: When I first saw an osprey at Loch Arkaig I couldn't actually believe it. I was on a wildlife holiday with Glenloy Wildlife. Now my parents had in 70/80's seen ospreys at Boat of Garten and their comeback is truly impressive.

Worst: Found it a shame that Aila didn't return, also kayakers got too close to the nest at Loch of the Lowes and scared them off.

Liz Arblaster

1)Their beauty and grace, their skills in feeding and rearing their young. The lessons they have brought into our lives tolerance, tolerance, resilience, commitment, joy, steadfastness, patience, humour, tenderness the list is endless!

2) Best: Witnessing first hand the strong bonds being formed between these wonderful birds and the 'near misses' and successes during their nestorising episodes!

Worst: Awaiting Aila's return and watching Louis also waiting

Louis & Aila prepare the nest (Loch Arkaig May 2020)

Carol Millington

1) I think it is engaging because "anything can happen".

2) Best: Love watching the incoming flight. Worst: when part of the nest collapsed.

Hilary Lazenbury

1) Having the privilege to have an insight into the lives of these magnificent birds.

2) Best: Watching the chicks grow and mature to fledge and migrate. Experiencing the gentleness and care the parents take to rear their young, tucking their talons in so as not to pierce an egg. Seeing these once extinct birds flourish.

Worst: The disappointment of seeing a nest fail or a partner not return. Seeing chicks die on the nest. Seeing the mindless destruction of nests by humans.

Valerie Macmillan

2) Best is totally everything from the wonderful birds to the scenery.

Worst is hearing the awful wind and rain when parents are incubating the eggs! I worry too much.

Meg O

1) So many things to love about ospreys. Their size – I love their wings. Sometimes when they drop down onto the nest with their wings fully extended they are a magnificent sight, and also the way they retract them. I am amazed at how far they travel on migration, how they find their way back and how they return to the same nest and the same mate. I love how they each have their role, with the female defending the nest, incubating the eggs, feeding the chicks and protecting them from the weather. I am fascinated at the way they fish, with their ability to spot the fish and dive deep into the water surfacing dripping water with a flapping fish in their talons.. A slo mo replay is a wonderful sight to see. The nest cam allows us to view these birds making a home and raising their brood, and as we focus on just one couple we have the privilege of seeing what they do, how they interact and what happens to them from when they arrive until we are left with an empty nest. There is a reason for every action, and the WT Loch Arkaig site has the added benefit of George, Geemeff, Steve, Liz with her telescope, and other knowledgeable people patiently explaining what we are observing and answering questions. Plus Geemeff’s video clips provide a library to look back at key moments. Thank you for all the time you give to this.

2) Best: Seeing the osprey’s world high up in the tree top with the female on the eggs and the wonderful outward view, with no traffic, no people, just perfect peace. Viewing from the time the ospreys arrive back at the nest and then, after several months and so much effort from the parents, watching live and seeing a young osprey clumsily take off, madly flap its wings and realise it can fly.

Worst: seeing the raven attack the osprey chicks on the Satakunta Osprey nest in Finland. Horrific to watch.

Lesley Brown

1) They are intriguing, for me to see how they care and then depart to warmer climate to return to our climate

2) Best when the chicks are finding who’s the boss.

Worst: when they migrate and we have no idea if they are safe

Jeremy Hirzel

1) The most engaging thing I can think of is that an Osprey is willing to create a nest out in the open on a light pole! There are at least 3 parks here in Saint Marys, GA that have nests on these poles. One day, the female was on a tree about 50 feet from one of these nests, and I decided to sit down right where the pole is! She could see me and the nestlings right from that tree! Many times, she was preening her feathers, but she certainly didn't mind me being underneath the nest!

2) Best: watching the nestlings grow from the time they hatch from the egg until they fledge from the nest. A runner-up to the best moment would be an instance where a parent brings a larger-than-usual fish or 2 fish at the same time! This of course, proves that one of both parents are excellent hunters and they can guarantee there's enough food supply for the nest.

Worst: loss of a nestling or a parent!

Ann Bastien

1) I find the Loch Arkaig Ospreys so engaging as it provides such a rare opportunity to be part of the Ospreys truly wild lives whilst they are on the nest and to be able to follow in detail all the special moments from their arrival on the nest to becoming parents through to their departure. To witness their behaviours and amazing strengths and abilities. Then the hopes and expectations for their safe migration and return as we bid the increased family farewell at the end of the season.

2) Best: too many to list but of course watching the chicks hatch and even to be able to hear the sounds just before hatching*, so special. The tenderness of the early feeds. And watching them fledge, eagerly awaiting their safe return landing! 2020 was a year never to be forgotten, Aila and Louis and their 3 chicks were such a part of it for us and so many others.

Worst: has to be the gradual realisation that Aila has not returned. Only really starting to believe it this year as remained hopeful till 2022 ( just in case)

*Listen to an Osprey chick inside the egg as it hatches (Loch of the Lowes 19 May 2022)

Eimkei

1) They are courageous and loyal birds in simply performing their life's role, and to see film of them fishing is quite breathtaking.

2) Best: watching the chicks taking flight for the first time.

Worst was seeing an empty nest in 2021 knowing one of them must have perished.

Cynde Sadler

Hi from Finland! 1) I don't know what is so engaging but I I find myself mesmerised for hours. Very calming I guess.

2) Best: When the chicks start getting snarky with the parents, like teenagers!

Worst: When one gets hurt or killed. One mother's eggs died and both parents cried for weeks. Another mother was killed by a raven. It's nature, but sad to watch. Best is when the chicks start getting snarky with the parents, like teenagers!

Honey Jerram

1) Ospreys are of course beautiful birds but also their behaviour is interesting to watch, with less violence (other than to fish) than in much of nature; "red in tooth and claw" as it is. Also the nests are situated in some of my favourite places in the British Isles.

2) Best: Watching the parents learning and caring for their eggs and young. Every detail of the daily soap operas has helped so much through lockdown and brought my sister in Spain closer as we discuss the latest happenings.

Worst: Watching a Pine Marten take Aila's eggs. Hearing of human interference and damage to nests.

Scyllabub

1) Ospreys are very beautiful birds with more personality than your average raptor (if there can be such a thing as an average raptor!).

2) Best: reunion of male and female in the spring

Worst: sibling rivalry among chicks.

Valerie

1) There is no other bird like a osprey .

2) Best: 2022 we have a pair once again at Loch Garten, hopefully chicks again

Worst: Loch Garten 2017 when we lost the male and 3 chicks then 2019 the female EJ did not return.

Petty Spurge

1) There are so few large raptors in the UK that watching ospreys nest building and rearing their young is wonderful, especially with such excellent camera coverage.

2) Best: Being drawn into their world and feeling their successes and their sad outcomes. It was great following Vera, Doddie and Captain 2 years ago.

Worst: Wondering where they are now.

James Maxwell

1) What I find so engaging is watching what is (to me, at least) an alien life without any major interference.

2) Best: watching the first flights of the young Ospreys.

Worst: watching the Pine Marten invade the nest (I know this is just Nature at work, but it still was the worst moment).

Lady S

1) Their awesome power when hunting for fish, their migratory abilities.

2) Best: CJ7 and 022 at Poole*.

Worst: Last year at Glaslyn, the storm/Aran/ loss of chicks.

*Note from Geemeff: new Osprey pair CJ7 & Blue 022 are incubating the first eggs in 200 years at Poole Harbour - a real Osprey success story

Sally B

1) Just everything about them! The way they protect their area, nest, eggs and chicks which goes alongside the special partnership and teamwork to achieve the best outcome.

2) Best: Watching the dedication of the parents to provide and care for the chicks. Viewing the chicks' hatching is always special, never ever tire of that! Also seeing some hilarious antics* (ie Laddie with his stick placement on NC0 just so he can get his turn with egg incubation!).

Worst: Seeing a chick pass away. We hold them so close to our heart and really want them to thrive. It can be devastating but that, I suppose, is part of our human nature.

*Aila ‘nestorises’ while the chicks watch in horror (Loch Arkaig June 2020)

Merol Newman

1) I have been interested in ospreys since they first nested at Loch Garten.

2) Best: when an osplet fledges.

Worst: when Ossi's former partner was killed by a fox.

Gill Scanlon

1) I became hooked when I discovered Louis & Aila in 2020. Beautiful, majestic birds.

2) Best: The anticipation of their return from migration, waiting for eggs, then pips followed by how gently they feed their chicks.

Worst: Rooting for the little one but understanding that this is nature.

Adrienne

1) What's engaging is the window into a world that's normally hidden from us. I'm so in awe of their migration and the long-term pairing up to raise young - it's such a privilege to be able to watch every detail on camera.

2) Best: watching Rannoch and Mallie* fledge (my first year of watching) and all the shenanigans of family life as the young birds grow. The worst thing is watching them in terrible weather and concerns about whether all the young will get enough to eat (Captain in the early days in 2020!) I’m really grateful for the work of the Woodland Trust and also to you Geemeff for your great videos.

Geemeff: *Loch Arkaig chicks 2019

H B

1) Watching the Osprey is engaging because it's a glimpse into a world that we would not normally be lucky enough to see (unless we lived close to their habitat). For that, I'm so grateful. I'm learning so much, like the different sounds that they make for things like fish calling or alarm calls; it's also wonderful to see the breeding season from start to finish and whether it's successful or not, it's a part of nature and we learn along the way. I'm also surprised that despite being large and having the beak and talon 'weapons' that they have, they seem to not immediately use them when threatened, and are much more gentle than you would imagine.

2) Best: when chicks hatch and survive, as it means a greater percentage of Osprey survive to boost the species.

Worst: if you can call it worse, is that we don't really get to see the progression of the chicks that hatch and fledge (although we did see Doddie fishing in Somerset on his way to warmer climates). Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get to see more of them as adults. Hopefully, some of the Arkaig chicks will eventually return to parts of the UK where there are cameras.

Oscar Grant

1) Long term love.

2) Best: Seeing an emaciated chick beyond hope recover, fledge and do well.

Worst: Watching 3 Osprey chicks and an adult being destroyed by a Goshawk live.

Angela Bailey

Geemeff, I agree with everyone's very well put, and eloquent, points! The only thing I would add is that it is good to know that they're an indicator species. If Ospreys are around, things are OK.

Geemeff:

Thank you to everyone who left a response. Feel free to leave your own responses, you can leave them in the comments on this YouTube video clip : https://youtu.be/6R7_97ihR7U

Or send an email with ‘Osprey relationship responses’ in the subject field to office@conservation-without-borders.org.

Many people also mentioned ordinary Osprey family life, especially chicks finding their wings and fledging, as their best moments. To end this blog on a happy note, this is a special moment that I recorded and set to music:

Newly-fledged Doddie zooming about while Vera and Captain watch like spectators at a tennis match (Loch Arkaig July 2020)

Announcing Flight of the Osprey

Thu, 19 May 2022 10:51:38 GMT

Announcing Flight of the Osprey , an adventurous 14 country 10,000km conservation expedition

Bringing together UN agencies, scientists, governments and communities to address the effects of climate change & human threats to the osprey and other migratory species

Conservation Without Borders announces a new expedition to follow the migration route of the Osprey from Scotland to West Africa on a 10,000km journey through 14 different countries.

Leaving from Scotland in August, travelling through 14 countries and finishing in Ghana in November, this will be an epic journey across rising seas and vast deserts, diving

into the hidden underwater world and battling frequent storms. The journey will be captured from air, land and underwater – providing a legacy that will be open for use for educational or scientific purposes in the future.

Sacha Dench commented:

“As the recent IPCC report dramatically highlighted - climate change and human activity is causing dangerous and widespread disruption and affecting the balance of nature around the world.

Ahead of her speech at the official Flight of the Ospreys launch event in London this evening, Conservation Without Borders’ supporter, actress Joanna Lumley, said:

“If bravery has a mortal form, it is to be found in Sacha. This is nail-biting stuff, concerning our planet and its migratory birds, and I shall be following the team every wingbeat of the way.”

Sir Tim Smit, Executive Co-Chair Eden Project International and Executive Vice Chair & Co-Founder Eden Project concluded:

ENDS

Watch the Flight of the Osprey expedition trailer here

Flight of the Osprey is part of the 2030 Global Challenge, a series of ground-breaking expedition-led global campaigns which will conduct vital on-the-ground scientific research and reporting, providing real-world, real-time insights and identifying and instigating specific actions proven to effect change.

https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/flight-of-the-osprey

Instagram | @Conservation_without_borders

Twitter | @C_no_borders

Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | @Conservation without Borders

Hashtags | #FOTO #TogetherWeFly

Notes to Editors:

For more information, photos or videos, or to arrange an interview with Sacha Dench or the expedition team before or during the expedition, contact: Jackie Pedersen at jpedersen@newhope-eu.com, telephone 07980 767710, or Jane Waghorn at janeywaghorn@gmail.com, telephone 07919 621215.

Background on Sacha Dench

Biologist, conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker

Ambassador for UN’s Convention on Migratory Species

First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years

Freediving record holder,

Woman of the Year 2017,

Environment Campaign of the Year 2017

British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

PEOPLE POWERING CHANGE

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Sun, 01 May 2022 13:21:55 GMT

Estonian advocator Heiki Hanso, has proven how adding your voice to a cause can create permanent positive change for wildlife. Read on to find out how Heiki helped to convince a power company to remove half of its power lines alongside adding bird diverters to protect migratory birds.

In 2017, our Founder and CEO, Sacha Dench, embarked on her incredible Flight of the Swans expedition with WWT – a 7000km journey from Russia to the UK with migrating Bewick’s swan, trying to find out why almost half the population had disappeared. During the expedition, she was alerted by locals in Estonia about dangerous power lines which were killing hundreds of swans and thousands of other migratory birds every year. The power lines – 6 lines high - are located right in the flightpath, over a bridge and directly in the centre of two important patches of wetlands, which are a stopover site on migration and crucial for the survival of all kinds of migratory birds.

Generating media coverage from national and international television in support for local advocator and now friend Heiki Hanso, and getting our expedition film on television the following year, we were able to get the attention of the power company. After a couple of years, due to the dangerous nature of these power lines and the visual evidence Heiki and others had collected, the power company eventually agreed to remove half of the lines and add bird diverters. Bird diverters are reflective and/or noise-generating attachments which are clipped on to power lines to alert birds of their presence and encourage them to change course.

People power shapes industry change

Although good news, the diverters and reduction in lines make a difference but some birds continue to hit the lines. And so Heiki and the local community have continued to record the carnage which has disrupted and ended the lives of birds over the past five years.

Now, in 2022, we are able to bring even better news to our followers and supporters!

Due to the valiant efforts of Heiki and Estonian community, the entire set of power lines will be buried in 2024, 6 years earlier than we had been told was possible!

While this decision will save thousands of birds every year, it also shows us the power of ordinary people and how coming together across borders and bringing international attention for a cause can encourage and inspire real change. With enough support, our voices can have real impact and we are never too small to make a difference. It all shows that industry will engage if together we can find the right ways to reach them.

We can’t wait to bring you more inspiring stories such as this as we embark on our Flight of the Osprey expedition!

Can we count you in?

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 21:41:31 GMT

Why YOU Matter

It's true that turning the tide of the climate crisis relies on systematic change but that doesn't mean that individuals, each of us, can't do our bit to make a difference.

Whilst the argument often is "you can't place the blame with individuals", it does not absolve us of responsibility. Time spent on making this argument is another moment of inaction. Yes, big organisations, global companies and influential politicians have the power to make visible changes. However, it is our responsibility to raise our voices and demand that these changes be made.

A World Record Attempt

Our Round Britain Climate Challenge is aiming to break two Guinness World Records — to fly the furthest distance in an electric paramotor. The second world record attempt is one that you can help us smash! We are attempting to beat the record for most pledges to an environmental campaign, by encouraging everyone to sign up to Count Us In — a project that calculates how everyone’s different pledges to take part in climate action will significantly reduce their carbon footprint. With your help, we know we can smash this!

We want to make climate action a part of our daily lives. Our actions don't just have a material impact on the climate crisis, but amplify the urgency of the crisis to others. By pledging with Count Us In you are raising your voice and showing those holding the power that you want change. The achievement of a Guinness World Record will magnify our demand for climate action now.

What YOU Can Do

Count Us In offers sixteen easy steps for you to choose from. The steps differ in impact and effort. Choosing to eat seasonally or walk or fly less which are relatively low effort and medium impact. Flying less is slightly higher effort but with much greater impact. According to Count Us In, flying less can reduce your carbon pollution by up to 50% each year.

Start by reducing the clothes you buy, buying second hand, or buying higher quality items that won’t need replacing often. The fashion industry is a big contributor to carbon and water pollution — from the making to the shipping. When you do need to invest in new clothes, take care to look into its sustainability. For example, a cotton shirt is far better than polyester. Another way to start reducing your carbon imprint is to be less wasteful. Often when something breaks we deem it cheaper and easier to simply buy a new one. Perhaps you could start taking the time to repair or repurposing, instead of binning it. There are many guides and ‘how-to’s online just waiting for you to try! These might seem like small steps now, but they soon become habits that will have a large impact on reducing the world’s carbon emissions.

These steps may seem small, but each person repairing and reusing their household items or clothing is reducing the quick turnover of wasteful industries. Each person pledging to eat a more plant based diet is reducing the demand on the meat industry. Importantly, we can advocate for climate actions in local and political communities. Each action makes an impact whether that be directly or through the voting power of your money and actions.

The next time you need to trade in your car, consider investing in an electric one. With the government’s recent proposal to ban new manufacturing of diesel and petrol cars by 2030, why not get ahead of the game? The carbon impact from an electric car can be up to three times less than a diesel or petrol one — a significant amount! If your old car is working just fine, however, or this is just too big a commitment, you might instead consider finding other sustainable ways to get around. Walking or cycling short journeys will have a huge effect on you and your neighbourhood. You can get healthier, minimise local air pollution and reduce your carbon imprint! Start with cycling to work or a friend's house and you will soon see how much fun it is!

Each of the climate solutions we are visiting on our Round Britain Climate Challenge started with an individual. Today you are pledging with Count Us In, what can you achieve tomorrow?

Human Swan Sacha Dench resumes her circumnavigation by paramotor from Dumfries & Galloway

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 17:02:40 GMT

Calling on residents to join a Guinness World Record attempt

Today, Sacha Dench resumed her paramotor journey, part of a world record breaking challenge aimed at raising awareness about the effects of climate change flying an electric paramotor – a bit like an electric fan with a large sheet above her - all the way around Britain.

Sacha originally took off on the journey over a week ago – but was beset by technical problems with the paramotor and eventually has had a new frame made. Her last landing point was a farmers field near Girvan where she managed to chat with local farmer Alex Melville.

See here for unedited footage: https://we.tl/t-CIfsbrgZVq

Sacha will be starting her renewed journey from the same location.

Weather permitting she will travel along the coast to Portpartrick, across to Kirkcudbright and into the Lake District/Cumbia on Wednesday and Thursday.

On her journey Sacha will be calling on locals to sign up to Count Us In. This is a campaign to inspire at least 140,001 people to take personal climate action in a month as part of the global campaign Count Us In https://www.count-us-in.org/

A Guinness World Record Title will result if this record is achieved.

The team would be interested in hearing about any other local stories relating to climate change climate and from people and businesses with projects and solutions

Whilst Sacha is flying she likes to listen to music – so any suggestions of local bands for her flying playlist would be gratefully received. Send to stories@conservation-without-borders.org

Sacha said

“I am delighted to getting going again and am looking forward to meeting more great people on the journey. As part of this expedition, we are investigating how climate change is affecting different regions of the country and showing – in a visually stunning and exciting way - what is happing to help cut carbon and preserve and restore our environment. So me and the team are looking forward to capturing lots of pictures and footage in the area. ”

Contact

Jackie Pedersen / M: +44 (0)7980 767710 / E: Jackie@newhope-eu.com or

Sacha Dench/ M: +44 (0)7534 698525 / E: sacha@conservation-without-borders.org

to arrange:

• Interviews with Sacha and/or supporters

• Video footage and stills

• Joining Sacha and the team in training is also possible

Media assets here: https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/news

Notes to journalists regarding covering the expedition

• The expedition and Sacha’s progress will be tracked online here once the expedition starts: www.climatechallenge.live

• Photo and video content, live broadcasts, can be facilitated during the expedition care of the professional media team in the ground crew

• There will be opportunities for interviews at camp sites most evenings

• Email us to be notified of the launch event details in Glasgow

• There will be celebrities joining Sacha en-route, names to be announced.

Background on Sacha Dench

• Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species

• CEO, Conservation Without Borders

• Biologist, Conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker

• First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years

• Freediving record holder,

• Woman of the Year 2017

• Environment Campaign of the Year 2017

• British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

• Green Swan Award, alongside Sir Tim Smit for ‘Making the seemingly impossible, virtually inevitable’.

Conservation Without Borders

A charity founded by Sacha Dench to help drive changes in attitudes and bring pragmatic on the ground answers to issues relating to climate change and biodiversity loss. Its strategy is to turn these global challenges in great adventures which will bring together the wider public, media, scientists, industry and communities through expedition led story telling - and drive positive action

https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/

Joanna Lumley supports Human Swan Sacha Dench on daring circumnavigation of Britain by paramotor

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 17:16:38 GMT

Joanna Lumley, actor, presenter and activist has announced her support for Sacha Dench – known as the Human Swan – in her intrepid circumnavigation of mainland Britain by electric paramotor.

Joanna Lumley came across Sacha’s planned climate expedition through a crowdfunder call out for the expedition and was inspired to try and become more involved. Joanna decided to just call Sacha, and as a result of that conversation Joanna will be following Sacha and meeting up with her at various places around the country as Sacha completes the Round Britain Climate Challenge. They will be filming a documentary together for ITV as the journey progresses, in which Joanna will be the presenter

Joanna said

“Sacha Dench’s adventures are stories you can only dream of - facing down all barriers and blessed with the courage of a lioness she literally soars into history books, and inspires everyone who has the luck to follow her phenomenal challenges. Sacha is clawing attention towards the greatest crisis mankind has faced in recorded time. 

Her journey is going to be irresistible and I shall be following her, on charts and in person, I am so proud to support her: with your help we shall be the wind beneath her wings.”

Sacha added

“ Joanna’s call came totally out of the blue and it’s just fantastic that Joanna is so supportive of this mission to look at how climate change is affecting different regions of the country – and highlight all the amazing things that individuals, community organisations and companies are doing to combat it.

We want to get everybody involved and one of our aims is to get 140,001 people to take personal climate action between 18 June and 17th July through Count Us In https://www.count-us-in.org/ – so please sign up now! If we achieve this number we’ll get get a Guinness World Record too!

I am so looking forward Joanna joining me to meet many of the inspiring people along the route”

Contact

Jackie Pedersen / M: +44 (0)7980 767710 / E: Jackie@newhope-eu.com or

Sacha Dench/ M: +44 (0)7534 698525 / E: sacha@conservation-without-borders.org

to arrange:

• Interviews with Sacha and/or supporters

• Video footage and stills

• Joining Sacha and the team in training is also possible

Media assets here: https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/news

Notes to journalists regarding covering the expedition

• The expedition and Sacha’s progress will be tracked online here once the expedition starts: www.climatechallenge.live

• Photo and video content, live broadcasts, can be facilitated during the expedition care of the professional media team in the ground crew

• There will be opportunities for interviews at camp sites most evenings

• Email us to be notified of the launch event details in Glasgow

• There will be celebrities joining Sacha en-route, names to be announced.

Background on Sacha Dench

• Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species

• CEO, Conservation Without Borders

• Biologist, Conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker

• First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years

• Freediving record holder,

• Woman of the Year 2017

• Environment Campaign of the Year 2017

• British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

• Green Swan Award, alongside Sir Tim Smit for ‘Making the seemingly impossible, virtually inevitable’.

Conservation Without Borders

https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/

“Never too small to make a difference”: Climate Education in Schools and Stories

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 07:37:26 GMT

At our Teacher’s Roundtable last month, we hosted a variety of truly inspiring and motivational speakers to chat about our upcoming Round Britain Climate Challenge. The main focus of discussion was the importance of educating young people and children on the urgency of climate action.

Our very own Sacha Dench began our discussion of climate education. Introducing the Round Britain Climate Challenge, she spoke of the importance of engaging young people in climate action through schools. The expedition will break two world records: Sacha will be flying the furthest circumnavigation in an electrically powered paramotor, and the team will be encouraging as many people as possible to sign up to Count Us In! Currently, the record sits at 140,000 — Sacha spoke of how involving schools will be highly valuable in our efforts to break this world record.

Sacha also discussed the limitations of the green paramotor. The smaller battery will mean Sacha will have to stop and land more often than she would in a petrol powered paramotor. Fortunately, this will mean Sacha will get to hear and speak to lots of people telling stories of local climate change and solutions. The whole story will be recorded and shared with schools! Sacha sees this as a “chance to tell the full story of Britain”, and trigger the young persons’ green revolution!

Our impressive Geography teacher, Kate Stockings, followed to talk us through how the education package accompanying the expedition will be “priceless”, as she values it, for schools. Kate wanted to get involved with the Round Britain Climate Challenge because of its “truly unique nature”, and the opportunity for school students to get involved. In her background as Head of Geography at a large comprehensive school in London, Kate has become aware that climate change is often taught through a global lens. The expedition will provide the opportunity to create high quality, up to date resources to share with as many students as possible and be easily engaging to teachers, as well as offering the chance to help break a Guinness World Record!

Talking us through the plan for the education package, Kate aims to record two videos a week during the expedition in which she will be talking to Sacha and the team about what they have seen and what they have been doing. The footage will then be repurposed for future use in schools year after year education of climate change. Kate’s priority is inclusivity, to “engage our teenagers across the country”!

Matt Larsen-Daw was our representative from WWF-UK. As Education Manager with a background in conservation he spoke of his “love for the UK landscape” that inspired his involvement with this project. The WWF education programme aims to inspire and equip teachers to allow their students to “drive and thrive in a world in balance with nature”. Matt spoke of the importance of this year as a turning point in climate education and climate action. Working with a coalition of around thirty organisations, Matt has put together a school’s action pack that aims to engage students and communities in these issues. He described the Round Britain Climate Challenge as “creating a story that can bring young people and communities onboard with that journey and see themselves as part of the future that we need to work together to shape”. The expedition is one of hope, empathy, action and relevance.

Our Roundtable then moved on to the potential of educating children beyond the school environment. Abi Elphinstone dazzled us with her invigorating words. As a children’s author, she shares with Sacha a love for “adventure and stories and determination to inspire young people to protect our planet”. Abi met Sacha at the Woman of the Year Awards, when Sacha had just flown 7000km from Arctic Russia to Britain, bizarrely paralleling Abi’s own book ‘Sky Song’.

Abi talked of her “indestructible sense of wonder at our planet” and her mission to write children’s books to both celebrate the natural world and the climate threats we face. Children need to be aware of the climate crisis but, more importantly, they need to feel that they can do something about it. In Abi’s poignant words: “children’s books are among some of the most hopeful things on this planet. They have the power to awaken, challenge and inspire young minds to act”, “nothing is more powerful than a child in possession of a plan, or indeed, than Sacha Dench on a mission to galvanise the nation’s children into saving the planet”.

Gill Lewis followed Abi with her own motivational discussion of the power of stories to raise awareness, engage and empower children in the fight against the climate crisis. Gill met Sacha after her Flight of the Osprey, and has held a huge admiration for Sacha ever since. Her first book ‘Sky Hawk’ similarly follows the journey of a migratory bird and connects children across the world. She discussed how children’s books can cover complex issues. Children have a thirst for knowledge and books can arm them with the confidence to take action themselves. Whilst we cannot avoid the doom and gloom facts of climate change, Gill wants to inspire hope in children and encourage them to see that “anyone can make a difference whatever age”. Gill closed our Roundtable grippingly: “stories are powerful beasts. They can change hearts and minds and if you can do that, you can change the world”, words that our host Martin Valenti said would be difficult to forget.

A Roundtable full of invigorating and riveting speakers all with a passion for equipping young people with the education to take part in climate action. As the arresting Matt Larson-Daw said, the Round Britain Climate Challenge will “bring hope into the narrative” and “create a legacy of change”. Indeed, the evening was a discussion of hope, positive change and excitement for the ways Sacha and the team are embarking on a groundbreaking journey that will revolutionise climate education for children!

First ever Round Britain Climate Challenge by electric paramotor Launch at Glasgow Science Centre 18th June

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 09:30:04 GMT

The Round Britain Climate Challenge is the first ever circumnavigation attempt of mainland Britain with an electric paramotor – an adventurous expedition created by Sacha Dench (UN Ambassador for Convention on Migratory Species ,CMS and Founder of Conservation Without Borders ) to draw attention to climate issues at home.

The official launch is at the Glasgow Science Centre on the 18th June 2021. Sacha and her team will be available to talk with, host school visits, and reveal the secrets behind the green powered journey

This groundbreaking 3000 mile plus expedition will travel anti-clockwise around Britain, ending back in Glasgow around 6 weeks later. This daring expedition is designed to inspire and excite the nation to get involved in tackling the climate crisis in the run up to COP26.

Sacha will take off ( weather permitting) on the expedition from Loch Lomond on the expedition on 21st June following some practice flying and team training.

Sacha with her electric paramotor by one of the Team EVs and about to take off with the new wing

‘Human Swan’ Sacha Dench, known for global expeditions with migratory species, turned her focus to climate change for this expedition after losing her family home in the Australian bushfires.

She will be landing frequently, talking with, filming, and gathering information from industry, innovators and entrepreneurs, local heroes, communities, schools, farmers and individuals – anybody involved in addressing the effects of climate change in their areas. A compilation of these stories will be presented at COP26 in Glasgow in November.

• Sacha will set a new Guinness World Records Title for the fastest (and first) flight around Britain in a paramotor. It will also be a first for an electric paramotor.

• A second Guinnes World Records Title attempt will aim to inspire at least 140,001 people to take personal climate action between 18 June and 17 July as part of the global campaign Count Us In (https://www.count-us-in.org/). On achieving this, every participant will get a badge recognising their contribution to setting a world record.

Sacha says

“ This is the first time an electric paramotor will ever have been used in a long journey – and it’s going to be an exciting challenge.

I want to capture the imaginations of the young and old, rural and urban, and focus on answers to the climate crisis – not problems - and encourage everyone, to get involved. Just one person pledging to take an action through Count Us In will help us get that second Guineess World Record too!

As well as investigating how climate change is affecting different regions of the country, we will be showing – in a visually stunning and exciting way - what is happing to help cut carbon and preserve and restore our environment. We’ll be finding the likely and unlikely heroes and discovering where and what works. “

Contact

Jackie Pedersen / M: +44 (0)7980 767710 / E: press@conservation-without-borders.org or

Sacha Dench/ M: +44 (0)7534 698525 / E: sacha@conservation-without-borders.org

Notes

• The expedition and Sacha’s progress will be tracked online here once the expedition starts: www.climatechallenge.live

• Photo and video content, live broadcasts, can be facilitated during the expedition care of the professional media team in the ground crew

• There will be opportunities for interviews at camp sites most evenings

• Email us to be notified of the launch event details in Glasgow

• There will be celebrities joining Sacha en-route, names to be announced.

Sponsors and Supporters include:

EDF (headline), Mastercard (major), Britishvolt (associate), Vauxhall Ltd, Ridge & Partners LLP, Rix & Kay, Brit Insurance, The Eden Project, Celtic Renewables, Don't Cry Wolf, Garland Partners Ltd (Live U), Finisterre, Outdoor Revolution, Autonomous IOT, Zero Waste Scotland, Kreston Reeve Accountants, Johnstons of Elgin, Treharne Automotive Engineering, EcoSecurities, Scarlet Hotel, SkyDemon, Eco Attractions, Martin Valenti, Zero-Six-Zero, Dudek, Parajet, The Climate Coalition, Race To Zero, Count Us in, The Green Alliance, Re-wilding Britain, the Scouts, the Scientific Exploration Society, The Nature Friendly Farming Network, Plug In Adventures, Helix, Johnston Carmichael, UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species

Background on Sacha Dench

• UN Ambassador for the Convention on Migratory Species

• CEO, Conservation Without Borders

• Biologist, Conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker

• First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years

• Freediving record holder,

• Woman of the Year 2017

• Environment Campaign of the Year 2017

• British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

• Green Swan Award, alongside Sir Tim Smit for ‘Making the seemingly impossible, virtually inevitable’.

About EDF

EDF is helping Britain achieve Net Zero by leading the transition to a cleaner, low emission electric future and tackling climate change. We are Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity – from our eight nuclear power stations and more than thirty wind farms – meeting around one-fifth of the country’s demand. In addition to being one of the largest suppliers to British homes and businesses, we’re a leading supplier of innovative energy solutions that are helping our customers become more energy efficient and independent. We continue to invest in the UK’s low carbon energy infrastructure, constructing the first new nuclear power station in a generation at Hinkley Point C, leading the development of plans for Sizewell C in Suffolk, and construction, planning and development across a range of technologies including onshore and offshore wind, solar and battery storage EDF is part of EDF Group, the world’s biggest electricity generator. In the UK we employ around 11,000 people.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

www.mastercard.com

About Britishvolt

Britishvolt is Britain’s foremost investor in battery cell technologies and R&D. It is dedicated to supporting the future of electrified transportation and sustainable energy storage, producing world-leading lithium-ion battery technologies, and beyond.

Britishvolt’s aim is to establish the UK as the leading force in battery technology. It is working with leading partners and suppliers to achieve this, as it is of paramount importance to the future of the UK automotive industry and the overall economic and industrial health of the UK.

The company believes that the UK is the right place for its investments because of the strength of its automotive and energy industry, its expertise and history of industrial and academic battery research and development, and its world-class battery ecosystem. www.britishvolt.com

About Count Us In

Count Us In is a global community of people and organisations taking practical steps to protect what they love from climate change before it is too late. Count Us In’s mission over the next decade is to inspire 1 billion people to significantly reduce their carbon pollution and challenge leaders to act boldly to deliver global systems change. It brings together sport, faith, business, youth and civil society - to protect what you love, make changes that matter, do good for you too, and add up to something bigger. Find out more and take a step on count-us-in.org

Electric Paramotor: Saying No to the Impossible

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 15:27:58 GMT

Sacha Dench, known as the ‘human swan’ for her daring adventure following the migratory routes of swans in a paramotor from the Russian Arctic to the UK, is undertaking yet another ground-breaking expedition. This time, however, she is doing something that has never been done before. Using a specially-adapted green electric paramotor, Sacha will be flying the 3000+ km circumnavigation of Britain in a mode of transport that has never before been tested on long distance journeys.

‘The Human Swan’

Last year, her family home was destroyed in the Australian bushfires which made apparent the damage of climate change. Whilst it is easy to slip into despair, Sacha wanted to change the narrative to one of ambition, energy and enthusiasm for solutions. Sacha decided to embark on an unprecedented expedition around Britain, engaging people with the realities of the climate crisis and inspiring climate action.

The Round Britain Climate Challenge will see Sacha flying around our coastlines and landing to talk to some of Britain’s most inspiring individuals, communities and businesses ahead of COP26. Originally, Sacha had considered only going partially electric — a vague idea at best. Previously, Sacha has relied on a traditional two-stroke, petrol powered engine. In an expedition highlighting the urgency of the climate crisis, and aiming to inspire hope and action, it was important that Sacha was innovative herself in her mode of travel.

The Electric Paramotor

In a conversation with Nigel Topping, High Level Champion for Climate Action COP26, the challenge of going fully electric was floated. And Sacha, never one to back down from a challenge, made it happen. Wanting to rally the broad public, Sacha is aiming high — an apt metaphor. In the run up to COP26, it is important to show climate action; demonstrating ambitiousness and a shift in mentality beyond the UN event. That no one has yet attempted to fly long distance in an electric powered paramotor is both a nerve-wracking thought and a chance for us to break a Guinness World Record for the first and quickest circumnavigation around Britain on a newly adapted green electric paramotor. Not only will Sacha be the first to test the capability of electric flight but also attract attention to Britain’s innovative solutions to the climate crisis.

The first steps involved looking online for anyone and everyone who was involved in manufacturing electric motors. Coming across a few individuals and some crazy inventions (one powered by drones), Sacha needed a genius engineer who had actual demonstrations of a quality product with significant flight times. Yet, because of the recent influx of interest in electrification, there has been a shortage of lithium batteries as manufacturers prioritise larger buyers. This, combined with the delays of Brexit on borders and imports, and Covid-19 making training difficult, has delayed and made getting hold of the electric paramotor more challenging than expected.

The max airtime of the electric paramotor is 40-45 minutes, compared to traditional motors that can fly for up to 2-3 hours. Sacha will have to be landing near roads for the ground crew’s accessibility to replace the batteries. The electric paramotor is quieter than the traditional. With a higher pitch that doesn’t travel, people on the ground won’t be able to hear the engine. To maintain maximum efficiency, Sacha must maintain altitude, fly in a straight line, and optimise the exact RPM (revolutions per minute) to suit the speed. Opting for the largest battery that is practical, weighing 18kg, the paramotor weight does not differ much from the one used for Flight of the Swans. However, because it does not burn off fuel during the flight, it weighs the same amount on landing which requires strong leg muscles and extra training. The structure and frame of the paramotor remains largely the same. However, the propeller sits further out which makes for better propulsion and higher efficiency as the motor and Sacha’s body block less air flow.

The Future of Electric Travel

There has been little change in recent years in battery technology. Conservation Without Borders is hoping this expedition might inspire promising inventors out of the woodwork and re-energise the field.

In electric flight more generally, there are a lot of changes in the pipeline. Airbus, for example, is planning to fly a hydrogen powered aircraft to COP26 in November 2021, hoping the first zero-emissions aircraft will be in commercial use within the next 10 years. Furthermore, the average aircraft has a lifetime of thirty years and manufacturers are designing and building aircraft frames with capacity to be hydrogen powered suggesting a strong shift towards renewable energy. Neste is currently producing renewable fuels using synthetic materials, such as Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel, that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil fuels. The innovative solutions from aircraft and fuel manufacturers across the globe suggests a strong shift towards a greener future. We hope the Round Britain Climate Challenge will help to challenge public opinion and make shifts faster.

A lot of people told Sacha not to go electric; that it wasn’t possible. And yet, we are proving them wrong. This ambitious goal excites people and makes change happen. If Sacha can achieve the impossible, any individual, community or business can similarly aim high in the fight against climate change. Britain, in the last 150 years, has globally revolutionised the world with the industrial revolution. Why can’t we use the same mentality to trigger the green revolution?

Flying High for Climate Change - UK Education Programme Launched

Fri, 28 May 2021 10:23:37 GMT

The Round Britain Climate Challenge - an Expedition for Schools – world records and chats around the campfire

Schools Programme Trailer: https://youtu.be/-_uzUIEuAL0

Expedition Trailer: https://youtu.be/bN70Z8yVqFM

Images and video: https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/news

The Round Britain Climate Challenge is a hair raising expedition involving a circumnavigation of Britain in a specially adapted electric paramotor by Sacha Dench, Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species and Founder of Conservation Without Borders, also known as the Human Swan.

It’s a feat that has never been attempted before.

A new interactive education package, created by teachers for teachers, will allow students to join the expedition live from air, land and underwater and be part of breaking two new Guinness World Records

This 3000-plus mile expedition will launch on 18th June at the Glasgow Science Centre and travel anti-clockwise around Britain ending back in Glasgow around 6 weeks later. The journey is designed to inspire and excite the nation to get involved in tackling the climate crisis in the run up to COP26. The question the team want to get the whole country asking is ‘If Britain drove the Industrial Revolution, can we drive the Green Revolution too?’

Mock-up of Sacha flying with the Round Britain Climate Challenge wing.

On completion Sacha will set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest (and first) paramotor flight around Britain. It will also be a first long distance test of an electric paramotor ever attempted anywhere in the world.

Sacha will be landing frequently, talking with, filming, and gathering information from, industry, innovators and entrepreneurs, local heroes, communities, schools, farmers and individuals – anybody involved in addressing the effects of climate change in their areas. Supported by a ground crew with film specialists in four electric vehicles the team will be filming from the air, ground and underwater.

Sacha has partnered with Kate Stockings, blogger, campaigner and Head of Geography at a London school to bring to schools, teachers and educational organisations an exciting programme for teaching climate change.

Climate education is invariably taught from a global perspective – crucial - but often difficult for students to relate to and apply to their own existence and environment.

Kate Stockings says:

“I often struggle to find resources and case studies which sit closer to home, and I jumped at the chance to collaborate with this fantastic expedition. It’s totally unique and has so much potential as a tool with which to teach climate change. As the team travels around the UK, this journey provides an opportunity for teachers to get up-to-date, in-depth information about what the UK is doing to tackle climate change. For me, this is what makes it so exciting!”

A second world record attempt is a mass public call to get at least 140,000 people to sign up to Count Us In, a global carbon initiative, in a one month period starting from 18th June. On achieving this every participant will be able to download their own Guinness World Record certificate saying they were part of this world record. www.conservation-without-borders.org/education-platform

Aimed at 7-14 year olds, the free resources will be inclusive and accessible, offering relevant localised case studies to engage students with local climate related issues.

Included in the education programme will be:

• Twice weekly video calls between Sacha and Kate will reveal details of the projects visited – pupils can ask Sacha a question via their teacher - and videos will be easy to use in classes or assembly environments

• Schools can visit the expedition team at campsites and follow on social media.

• There will be a live expedition map hosted on the education platform to track Sacha’s progress and get information about projects

• A competition with winning entries taken to the UN COP 26 will ask the question “Britain drove the Industrial Revolution, how could the UK also lead the Green Revolution?” Entries can be anything from prose to paintings or sculptures. The more imaginative the better!

• Everybody gets a chance to be part of breaking a Guinness World Record through the Count Us In initiative - and every participant will receive a badge recognising their contribution to the world record attempt

At the end of this spectacular journey the professional footage, incredible stories, and lessons learnt will be combined into a free set of resources to aid the teaching of climate change with home grown project examples, unsung heroes, and inspiring ideas on how to help battle climate change.

Sacha Dench concluded

“Young people in general have a good awareness of the issue of climate change but not necessarily what they can do as individuals to help. With this programme we want to show them the kinds of actions they can take, what career opportunities could exist in a greener economy – and present the challenge in a really exciting and visual way that makes them really want to get involved”

Contact

Jackie Pedersen / M: +44 (0)7980 767710 / E: press@conservation-without-borders.org or

Sacha Dench/ M: +44 (0)7534 698525 / E: sacha@conservation-without-borders.org

Notes

• The expedition and Sacha’s progress will be tracked online here once the expedition starts: www.climatechallenge.live

• Photo and video content, live broadcasts, can be facilitated during the expedition care of the professional media team in the ground crew

• There will be opportunities for interviews at camp sites most evenings

• Email us to be notified of the launch event details in Glasgow

• There will be celebrities joining Sacha en-route, names to be announced.

Sponsors and Supporters include:

EDF (headline), Mastercard (major), Britishvolt (associate), Vauxhall Ltd / Stellantis , Ridge & Partners LLP, Rix & Kay, Brit Insurance, The Eden Project, Celtic Renewables, Don't Cry Wolf, Garland Partners Ltd (Live U), Finisterre, Blue Diamond Autonomous IOT, Zero Waste Scotland, Kreston Reeve Accountants, Johnston’s of Elgin, Blue Diamond, Treharne Engineering, EcoSecurities, Scarlet Hotel, Sky Demon, Eco Attractions, Martin Valenti, Zero-Six-Zero, Dudek, Parajet, The Climate Coalition, Race To Zero, Count Us in, The Green Alliance, Re-wilding Britain, the Scouts, the Scientific Exploration Society, The Nature Friendly Farming Network, Plug In Adventures, Helix

Background on Sacha Dench

• UN Ambassador for the Convention on Migratory Species

• CEO, Conservation Without Borders

• Biologist, Conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker

• First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years

• Freediving record holder,

• Woman of the Year 2017

• Environment Campaign of the Year 2017

• British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

• Green Swan Award, alongside Sir Tim Smit for ‘Making the seemingly impossible, virtually inevitable’.

About EDF

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

www.mastercard.com

RBCC Project Example

louis@louiswright.co.uk (Louis Wright) — Tue, 25 May 2021 21:13:47 GMT

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Glasgow launch venue and date announced

Fri, 21 May 2021 09:27:04 GMT

Round Britain Climate Challenge by electric paramotor

The Round Britain Climate Challenge - a circumnavigation of mainland Britain by Sacha Dench with an electric paramotor - will be launched at an event at the Glasgow Science Centre on the 18th June 2021. This 3000 mile plus expedition will travel anti-clockwise around Britain ending back in Glasgow in the region of 6 weeks later

Sacha will literally “take off” from the Glasgow area on the expedition during the week of 21st June – the exact location and date is weather dependent

Mock-up of Sacha flying with the Round Britain Climate Challenge wing.

The expedition is designed to inspire and excite the nation to get involved in tackling the climate crisis in the run up to COP26

‘Human swan’ Sacha Dench, known for global expeditions with migratory species turned her focus to climate change for this expedition after losing her family home in the Australian bushfires last year

Sacha will be landing frequently, talking with, filming, and gathering information from, industry, innovators and entrepreneurs, local heroes, communities, schools, farmers and individuals – anybody involved in addressing the effects of climate change in their areas. . A compilation of these stories will be presented at COP26 in Glasgow in November.

• Sacha will set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest (and first) flight around Britain in a paramotor. It will also be a first for an electric paramotor.

• A second world record attempt is a mass public call to get at least 140,000 people to sign up to CountUsIn, in a month during the expedition. On achieving this every participant will be able to download their own Guinness World Record certificate saying they were part of this world record https://www.count-us-in.org/

Sacha says

“ Along with testing the capability of electric flight, and challenging what we think is possible, I want to capture the imaginations of the young and old, rural and urban, and focus on answers to the climate crisis – not problems - and encourage everyone, to get involved.

We’re trying to answer the question Britain drove the Industrial Revolution, can we drive the Green Revolution too?

Photo and interview opportunities:

• June 18th at the Glasgow Science Centre Sacha, paramotor, all the ground crew, vehicles, equipment and support teams will be present

• The whole team – 4 electric vehicles, paramotors and camping gear will be based at Loch Lomond and available for photo opportunities/interviews on the 17th and 19th June

• Prior to arriving in Scotland the team and Sacha will be undertaking training on Dartmoor between 7th- 15th June. There may also be photo opportunities here (weather dependent)

Contact

Jackie Pedersen / M: +44 (0)7980 767710 / E: Jackie@newhope-eu.com or

Sacha Dench/ M: +44 (0)7534 698525 / E: sacha@conservation-without-borders.org

to arrange:

• Interviews with Sacha and/or supporters

• Video footage and stills

• Joining Sacha and the team in training is also possible

Media assets here: https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/news

Notes to journalists regarding covering the expedition

• The expedition and Sacha’s progress will be tracked online here once the expedition starts: www.climatechallenge.live

• Photo and video content, live broadcasts, can be facilitated during the expedition care of the professional media team in the ground crew

• There will be opportunities for interviews at camp sites most evenings

• Email us to be notified of the launch event details in Glasgow

• There will be celebrities joining Sacha en-route, names to be announced.

Background on Sacha Dench

• Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species

• CEO, Conservation Without Borders

• Biologist, Conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker

• First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years

• Freediving record holder,

• Woman of the Year 2017

• Environment Campaign of the Year 2017

• British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

• Green Swan Award, alongside Sir Tim Smit for ‘Making the seemingly impossible, virtually inevitable’.

Conservation Without Borders

https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/

Record Breaking Climate Expedition Launches

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:27:46 GMT

Double world record-attempts to mark UN climate conference in Glasgow

A world-first circumnavigation of mainland Britain is to be attempted by the ‘human swan’ in a specially adapted electric paramotor. Take-off will be June 18th from Glasgow, flying anti-clockwise around the coast and returning to land in Glasgow. The expedition is expected to take six weeks.

‘Human swan’ Sacha Dench, known for global expeditions with migratory species, has turned her focus to climate change for this expedition after losing her family home in the Australian bushfires last year.

Mock-up of Sacha flying with the Round Britain Climate Challenge wing.

The expedition – headline sponsored by EDF, Britain's biggest generator of zero carbon electricity - will see Sacha fly over 3000 miles around mainland Britain. The attempt is an extreme test, over some challenging and spectacular landscapes, of the capability of a newly adapted electric paramotor. This will replace the usual 2 stroke engine she has used for long expeditions like the flight following the Bewick’s swan from Arctic Russia to the UK. She hopes to set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest, and first, flight around Britain in a paramotor. It will also be the first long-distance expedition attempted with an electric paramotor.

On the way around Britain, Sacha and a ground crew will be meeting people from all walks of life, trying to answer the question ‘Britain drove the Industrial Revolution, can we drive the Green Revolution too?’ The crew will travel in electric vehicles, interviewing people who are working hard to promote sustainable approaches that will help Britain archive Net Zero by 2050. The team will be hosted by climate heroes from industry, agriculture, communities and conservation that are providing campsites for the team each night.

The expedition and campaign will be shared via live video updates from air, ground and underwater. The aim is to rally enthusiasm, optimism and ambition from the whole country to cut our carbon footprint, at work and at home. A compilation of the stories discovered will be presented at COP26 in Glasgow in November.

The second World Record attempt is a mass public call to get at least 140,000 people to sign up to CountUsIn, a global carbon initiative, in one month. On achieving this every participant will be able to download their own Guinness World Record certificate saying they were part of a world record https://www.count-us-in.org/

EDF and Mastercard announce headline and major sponsorship respectively

Simone Rossi, EDF’s UK CEO said:

“With the UK hosting COP26 this year, we need climate change at the top of the agenda. Replacing fossil fuels in transport with low carbon electricity is one of the steps to Net Zero. As Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity, generating power from wind, nuclear and solar, EDF is excited to support the Round Britain Climate Challenge. It is a brilliant initiative to highlight climate change and some of the amazing people tackling it. Let’s break some world records and let’s help Britain achieve Net Zero.”

Scott Abrahams, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Mastercard UK & Ireland added:

“The Round Britain Expedition is a pioneering adventure to inspire the UK and beyond and we’re delighted to be a major partner to help empower people to take meaningful action against climate change. At Mastercard we’re proud to manage our own footprint, develop technology solutions that help consumers make informed decisions on their environmental impact and deliver on our Priceless Planet Coalition commitments to restore 100 million trees by 2025.”

Sir Tim Smit, Co-Founder of the Eden Project and contributor to the expedition said:

“One of my heroes, Muhammad Ali used to ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’ as another of them, Sacha Dench flies like a swan, stinging only with a tale of the challenges facing us. Tracing the entire coast of Britain in a pilgrimage to the natural world and our need to adapt and save it from the worst of climate change, landing to talk to people making a difference to a future that still remains ours to make. We find our country embarking on a course to a green enlightenment and Sacha wants to tell this story and expose the risks of not grasping the future. Eden and so many others stand behind her as a champion for our only planet home hoping that her commitment will excite us into action to become citizens not consumers of the world.”

Nigel Topping, UK High Level Champion for UN COP26 commented

“This campaign will shift the narrative on climate and biodiversity issues – leading to real, on the ground action. We, the High Level Champions, support this initiative fully. It will make an important contribution to the global climate crisis."

Sacha Dench concluded:

“ I am very thankful to all the sponsors and supporters who have stepped up to make this happen, particularly our major backers EDF. The support has been overwhelming, from companies to teachers, heads of government and individuals who have donated - getting us to take-off has been a mass effort.

Along with testing the capability of electric flight, and challenging what we think is possible, together we want to capture the imaginations of the young and old, rural and urban, and focus on answers to the climate crisis – not problems - and encourage everyone, to get involved. Climate change has to be seen as a mountain we can climb, not a dark cloud on the horizon too big to think about.

My hopes for COP26 are that the whole country shows up, whether in person or in spirit, with the aim of acting, collaborating, sharing challenges and ideas, not just to be seen to be there. I hope that all the decision-makers involved in COP remember to hear the voices of people around the country and around the world. For global corporations, these people are your staff, your children, your future customers. I also hope that companies realise that they are mass influencers with the power to choose our future, to shift our economies into hyper-drive on climate action before it is too late… or not. With all big adventures, as Mandela said, it always seems impossible, until it is done.”

Contact

Jackie Pedersen / M: +44 (0)7980 767710 / E: Jackie@newhope-eu.com or

Sacha Dench/ M: +44 (0)7534 698525 / E: sacha@conservation-without-borders.org

to arrange:

• Interviews with Sacha and/or supporters

• Video footage and stills

• Joining Sacha and the team in training is also possible

Media assets here: https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/news

Notes to journalists regarding covering the expedition

• The expedition and Sacha’s progress will be tracked online here once the expedition starts: www.climatechallenge.live

• Photo and video content, live broadcasts, can be facilitated during the expedition care of the professional media team in the ground crew

• There will be opportunities for interviews at camp sites most evenings

• Email us to be notified of the launch event details in Glasgow

• There will be celebrities joining Sacha en-route, names to be announced.

Businesses looking to engage with COP26 can sign up to Race To Zero, individuals via CountUsIn. During and in the run up to the launch there will be a series of Round Tables. The first of these will be on May 4th… please contact us for more information

EDF is Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity, meeting around one-fifth of the country’s demand and supplying millions of customers with electricity and gas. EDF is one of the largest suppliers to British homes and businesses and a leading supplier of innovative energy solutions that are helping businesses become more energy independent.

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, Mastercard is building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all. Last year Mastercard launched the Priceless Planet Coalition with the pledge to restore 100 million trees by 2025, achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and committed to bring 1 billion people and 50 million small businesses into the digital economy by 2025.

Other Sponsors and Supporters include:

Britishvolt, Brit Insurance, The Eden Project, Ridge & Partners LLP, Celtic Renewables, Halo Urban Regeneration, Autonomous iOt, RAF, Zero Waste Scotland, Marsh Insurance, Rix & Kay Solicitors, Kreston Reeve Accountants, LiveU, Johnston’s of Elgin, Blue Diamond, Waitrose, Velocys, BITC, Toast Ale, Treharne Engineering, EcoSecurities, Scarlet Hotel, Sky Demon, Eco Attractions, Martin Valenti, Zero-Six-Zero, Dudek, Parajet, The Climate Coalition, Race To Zero, Countusin, The Green Alliance, Re-wilding Britain, the Scouts, the Scientific Exploration Society, The Nature Friendly Farming Network, Joanna Lumley and more.

Background on Sacha Dench

• Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species

• CEO, Conservation Without Borders

• Biologist, Conservationist, adventurer, motivational speaker

• First woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years

• Freediving record holder,

• Woman of the Year 2017

• Environment Campaign of the Year 2017

• British Women Pilots Association Trophy 2017

• Green Swan Award, alongside Sir Tim Smit for ‘Making the seemingly impossible, virtually inevitable’.

Conservation Without Borders

https://www.conservation-without-borders.org/

Human Swan launches public campaign to ban lead shot and save millions of birds from lead poisoning

sacha@conservation-without-borders.org (Sacha Dench) — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 08:12:42 GMT

UN Ambassador and Human Swan – Urgent message to Ministers on the impacts of lead poisoning

“It’s pretty rare for Ministers to not support proposals from the expert European Chemicals Agency”

“Abstaining on this vote is the equivalent of ignoring sound science”

Graphic: Sacha Dench flying a banner over Berlin - hoping to rally pilots across Europe to join in raising public awareness. Banner reads "Ban toxic lead ammunition - now"

UN ambassador for migratory birds and ‘Human Swan’, Sacha Dench, is calling on Ministers across Europe to heed the recommendations of European Chemicals Agency scientists and support proposals to remove lead from ammunition, which poisons millions of birds each year.

German Ministers are a prime target for this campaign, with the largest vote in the EU. In an astounding move, Germany has indicated it might abstain from this vote, which would cause it to fail at a key stage.

Sacha Dench, UN Ambassador for Migratory Species (CMS) and CEO of Conservation without Borders said:

“Now that Germany has just taken over the presidency of the EU it must live up to its proud history of environmental leadership by supporting this proposal. The alternative means the continued contamination of wetlands with a potent toxin in 27 EU countries.”

“It is pretty rare for Ministers to not support proposals from their expert European Chemicals Agency – these are the scientists and chemical specialists entrusted with protecting us from chemical hazards, and their recommendations are very clear. Abstaining on this vote is the equivalent of ignoring sound science. What makes it even more surprising is that this issue is highly relevant to agriculture and rural communities that any agriculture and food ministry is concerned with - the use of lead has implications for wildlife and human health, food safety, animal welfare, land values and decontamination, water quality and more.

“I am sure there is a lot of pressure coming from the ammunition industries but I hope those in government will stand up for us and end this pointless death and suffering.”

Sacha’s journey flying with migrating swans by paramotor from the Russian Arctic to the UK was to find out why so many are dying, and she saw the extreme suffering of birds that have eaten lead shotgun pellets, mistaking it for grit or food.

The graphic of Sacha flying a banner over Berlin is being used to rally pilots across Europe to join her to raise public awareness of the mass poisoning and horrific suffering of 4 million waterbirds, a million of whom die, each year from eating spent lead ammunition. Over 20,000 tonnes of tiny lead pellets are spread over Europe each year, every year. The lead pellets can dissolve in wetlands, affecting water quality, and getting into soils and plants.

Sacha continued:

“Most people assume lead poisoning is a problem of the past, because we removed it from petrol, paint and pipes, but uncontrolled release of lead ammunition continues in hunting despite there now being non-toxic alternatives. Not only that, meat shot with lead has been shown to be unsafe – fragments of lead ammunition spread far further into meat than was understood in the past - so we know removing lead from ammunition would stop poisoning of people too. There is also an issue of ‘duty of care’, a requirement of ministers to act in response to such science and protect the health of us all.

“This issue is big, the public just don’t know it… yet.”

Watch her statement here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOzRh36RQLk

PILOTS INTERESTED: Please email sacha@conservation-without-borders.org for more detailed information.

ENDS

CONTACTS & available for interview:

Sacha Dench (UK) - E: sacha@conservation-without-borders.org T: +44 (0)7534 698 525

Dr Julia Newth, (UK) Ecosystem Health & Social Dimensions Manager, WWT - E: julia.newth@wwt.org.uk

Dr Niels Kanstrup, (Denmark) Senior Scientist, Biologist & Hunter - E: nielskanstrup@gmail.com T: +4520332999

Download statement here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ts8vr8eyejklfzn/Lead%20Statement%20Sacha%20Dench.mp4?dl=0

Images download:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s7gwwtyw2lxkrn9/AABy1Qa3GjAZGeQb0zTE36e3a?dl=0

Videos on lead ammunition poisoning:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/50tpklizyfj0hqu/Lead%20-%20the%20invisible%20killer%20_%20WWT.mp4?dl=0

WWT video on non-toxic ammunition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvapxFWX6O8&feature=youtu.be

Notes to Editor

The ECHA proposal

· Countries that have indicated they will vote against or abstain include Germany, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, Ireland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland and Malta.

· The wetlands within four of those countries in particular – Germany, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia – are havens for endangered migratory birds such as the Bewick’s swan, and millions of others.

· An open letter from European scientists on the risks of lead ammunition

· An evaluation of the proposal to regulate lead in hunting ammunition through the European Union’s REACH regulation

· A European Green Deal aims to restore biodiversity and cut pollution and provides a framework for a healthy lead-free future

Human Swan to take flight on new mission following ospreys

sacha@conservation-without-borders.org (Sacha Dench) — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 23:11:34 GMT

Momentum building for 2021 - the Guardian's take on 'Flight of the Osprey'

Read the full Guardian article here

The human swan calls on EU to ban lead ammunition in wetlands

sacha@conservation-without-borders.org (Sacha Dench) — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 15:21:26 GMT

Human swan calls for lead shot ban ahead of EU vote

Sacha Dench, who earned the nickname ‘the human swan’ after tracing the Bewick’s migratory route from Russia to the UK by a paramotor, has added her voice to mounting calls for a lead shot ban.

The UN Convention of Migratory Species Ambassador made a direct plea to ministers in a short video ahead of a potentially historic EU vote on the complete ban of the use of lead gunshot over wetlands. Without the agreement from member states such as Germany, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and the Republic of Ireland, who have announced they will abstain or vote against, the vote is destined to fail.

During her 2016 odyssey spanning 7,000 km and eleven European countries, Sacha met with communities and hunters across the Bewick’s swan’s flight path, to discuss the issues facing these endangered birds, who die along with other waterbird species each year in significant numbers due to poisoning from spent lead shot.

Sacha said:

“Lead shot is highly toxic and removing it from our environment would protect the lives of millions of waterbirds.

“This is not an attack on hunting or hunters. I’ve spoken to hundreds of hunters unaware of the terrible consequences of lead poisoning who have said they were willing to switch to non-lead ammunition as a result. With some practice, they have found the non-toxic alternatives to be just as effective as lead.

“It’s clear what we have to do. We must restrict lead and ensure the widespread availability of non-toxic ammunition for hunters to help pave the path to a lead-free future.

“This vote is an opportunity of a lifetime to protect wildlife, people and the environment from one of the most toxic human substances on earth.”

The EU Committee (REACH), which deals with chemical hazards, will decide whether to ban the use of lead gunshot over wetlands. The vote opened on June 24 and countries have until July 15 to send them in.

A total of eleven countries have indicated they will vote against or abstain.

Lead, which was removed from paint, petrol and pipes decades ago, is considered by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to be a “non-threshold substance” which means that no amount of exposure is safe for humans. It doesn’t just poison birds, it contaminates the soil and enters the human food chain, where it can cause developmental issues in children. Yet still over 20,000 tonnes is strewn by shotguns across the European countryside every year, concentrating it in the habitats of wild birds which breed and feed there. Four million birds are poisoned each year and a quarter of them die.

There is consensus among European scientists and senior shooting leaders that lead gunshot should be restricted and replaced with the widely available non-toxic alternatives.

Sacha added:

“We’re calling upon agriculture and environment ministers to back this proposal. And if you’re an EU citizen please contact your ministers to urge them to do the right thing for health.”

Find out more about WWT’s work on tackling lead ammunition poisoning here .

Sacha Dench Appointed as UN Ambassador for Migratory Species

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 07:19:32 GMT

Convention on Migratory Species – COP13 Gandhinagar, India 17 February 2020

Sacha Dench was awarded a major accolade by the United Nations at an award ceremony where she was appointed UN Ambassador for Migratory Species

Sacha is a pioneering conservationist, champion sportswoman and record-breaking adventurer, famously named the “Human Swan” for her paramotor journey following the Bewicks swan migration from the Russian Arctic to the UK – has been applauded for her creative and daring approach to highlighting the issues surrounding the plight, and tragic decline of many migratory species.

Sacha joined two other appointees – conservationist Ian Redmond OBE and award-winning Bolywood actor and expert equestrian Randeep Hooda – all three in recognition of their achievements in raising awareness of threatened migratory species and their habitats.

With a 20-year track record as a conservationist and motivational speaker, Sacha is the co-founder and CEO of “Conservation without Borders”, a charity that supports leading conservationists and scientists by creating media, public and political support for their work.

Sacha’s flagship project was a courageous three-month expedition called the “Flight of the Swans” that brought international attention to the conservation status of the Bewick’s Swan. She flew a paramotor solo over 7,000 km across eleven countries from the arctic region in Russia to the United Kingdom. The Bewick’s Swan is a European endangered migratory bird that is subject of an International Single Species Action Plan developed under the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement.The expedition engaged millions of people along the flyway, gaining public interest and significant media attention.

Sacha plans to replicate the success of the “Flight of the Swans” with a new expedition called the “Flight of the Osprey” that aims to highlight the threats faced by migrating Osprey and other wildlife. This paramotor expedition will follow the Osprey’s western flyway from the UK, across the Mediterranean Sea and finishing in Ghana. This mission will provide a unique bird’s-eye-view of the Osprey’s migratory route whilst collecting vital data on the challenges faced along the way. As a champion freediver Sacha will also investigate the underwater world so important to the fish-eating ospreys, including sampling for pollutants and plastics at critical sites.

The UN representative commented: “Sacha has already proven her ability to reach international audiences to raise awareness and mobilise support of the threats facing migratory birds and the need to conserve them.

We believe that she will act as an outstanding CMS ambassador, and prove to be a highly effective communicator – engaging and inspiring millions of people around the world.”

In her new role Sacha will work with the Vulture MSAP coordination team and others whilst in India at CMS COP13, to develop a ‘Conservation without Borders’ project that can help bring the vulture crisis to life and help conservationists working on different threats in different parts of the world, to drive change. Over the next three years, Sacha and her team at Conservation without Borders will work closely with CMS to identify priority issues and migratory routes.

Sacha said: “Many vulture species will actively fly with a paraglider, sharing thermals. It is amazing to be so close to these magnificent creatures and get a glimpse into their world of moving air and thermals that is invisible to us from the ground. Flying with them in key areas could also give us unique and engaging insights into our world below from their point of view – from why powerlines and turbines are a problem in certain areas and what we could do about it, to understanding their preferred routes and roosting sites, and what senses they might be using to identify food, and why they are subject to poisoning. And on their long journeys, what other threats might they face that scientists might not yet have seen from the ground”

“My approach is to work with scientists and other experts already working in the field, to identify the target audiences – which might be individuals or whole communities – and how they can help. I then look at the species involved and the people working with them, to find the most powerful stories we could tell to inspire wonder and curiosity amongst those target audiences, so they want to help. As with the swans, the challenge might be figuring out the best ways to tell those stories – whether that is through the media, meetings, film showings, or in some cases dropping out of the sky with just a paraglider and a story to share. We will also be working with international broadcasters including news networks, to promote the importance of migratory species to all of us. We will aim to find a way for those powerful stories to reach a mass global audience and promote the importance of CMS in driving global collaborations.”