BY
SIMON MUSTOE
Expert Ecologist, Consultant & Author
We just got back from a 2-week holiday to northern Sulawesi where we had the opportunity to explore the beautiful Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve. Tangkoko Batuangus and the associated protected areas cover nearly 9,000 hectares, including three volcanic mountains. It’s also home to several rare and unique animals we hoped …
BLOG – LESSONS FROM NATURE – by Simon Mustoe
Wildlife has a huge and immeasurable impact on the stability, health and functioning of ecosystems. For this reason, humanity cannot survive without wildlife. Wild animals turn dust into soil, carbon into food and the weather into a fair climate for living.
These are the stories untold – the reason why conservation is essential for our survival. The orangutan doesn’t simply depend on rainforest canopy structure, it creates the structure. We humans don’t simply depend on forests or coral reefs, we live among the animals that make those places habitable. In this blog I explore the many and varied ways we connect with nature. This reveals the link between the way we think, behave and act, and the very basis for our existence and survival as a species on Earth. But only as long as we are surrounded by a colourful and diverse abundance of other animals.
More on the importance of wildlife
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What happens when animals share intelligence, knowing and responsibility for ecosystems? A recent paper challenges the notion that generational transfer …
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One of more common cryptic species you see while snorkelling and diving are scorpionfish. To the untrained eye they are …
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Here is my trip report exploring Raja Ampat and Misool in April 2026, having just returned from an expedition on …
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When faced with seemingly insurmountable global challenges it’s worth taking a pause and asking, what would nature do? One of …
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There was time for a quick swim this morning before the wind increased too much. A moderate northerly wind and …
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Another day, another suite of unusual species. Adding to our list from the last two days, we found two species …
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It always amazes me how you can visit the exact same site a week apart and see completely different animals. …
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There is a paradox in ecology where if you divide systems into their parts, they operate inefficiently. For example, keeping …
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Table of Contents Toggle Snorkelling off the Sea Scout Hut in BeaumarisRaja Ampat Last Female Shared Spot Snorkelling off the …
Books, art, films and podcasts
In her first novel, Portia Elan delivers something few other writers seem able to do. They’ve written an anti-dystopian novel. It’s a clever, thoughtful story of a journey by several ordinary people. People who are trying to do ordinary things against the seemingly extraordinary challenges of their society. In doing …
