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Focusing on experiences of the natural world when travelling, or even targeting particular species to see –such as lions in Africa, or orangutans in Borneo – is something that is on many people’s wish lists.
To shift this to another level, travellers can take inspiration from Darwin, who as a young man sailed around the world on the HMS Beagle. The observations of nature that he made on that voyage provided the inspiration for his theory of evolution by natural selection.
Darwin made three key observations during his wanderings. First, he simply noted how astonishingly diverse life is across the planet. Whenever he arrived somewhere new, there were always new species to see – ones that did not occur anywhere else. The second thing was that despite the obvious diversity of life, there were always similarities with other species that occur elsewhere. For instance, the marine iguanas on the Galapagos islands were unique, but they were still obviously iguanas. And finally, Darwin was struck by how well adapted different species were to the specific habitats and lifestyles they occupied. Those marine iguanas have special traits that no other iguanas have, and they help them survive and feed in the cold oceans surrounding the islands.
The next time you travel, keep these three things in mind as you observe nature in new locations: the diversity, unity, and adaptations of life, as well as simply enjoying all the species you see. Compare them to species you are familiar with, and note the many similarities they may have. Keep in mind the habitat and climate you are in and observe how well the species are adapted to survive in that environment.
As a biologist, I have been blessed with the opportunity to do research on birds at several different locations around the world. If you are travelling to new locations to see wildlife, here are a couple of suggestions to help get the most of it:
Firstly, make sure you take in all the details. For instance, I have done a lot of research in Africa, and one thing that I have noticed is there are that lots of tourists on safari who are only concerned with seeing the big animals – especially the ‘big five’: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. But the wildlife beyond those charismatic megafaunas is incredible. My favourite thing is to find a good place in an undisturbed habitat and sit calmly and take it all in. The wildlife will come to you. There could be colourful dragonflies buzzing about. You might get to see an eagle hovering above, looking for prey. A kingfisher catching a fish.
If you are zipping from one location to another, snapping photos of a lion here, and a rhino there, you miss the chance to see all the cool species’ behaviours and interactions. A bird just flies into view – just watch it. What is it doing and how is it doing it? And importantly: why is it doing it?
The second thing is, you obviously need to go somewhere where there is good wildlife. The truth is though, that there is always going to be new creatures to see no matter where you are. Having a stopover in Singapore on your way to somewhere else? Well despite being a huge city, there are opportunities to see cool birds and wildlife right in the metropolis. If you visit the famous Gardens by the Bay, you have a really good chance of also seeing smooth-coated otters, for instance.
However, a general rule of thumb is that you will see more wildlife in more remote locations. This can make that type of travelling a bit more challenging, but the rewards are worth it. The next time you are planning a trip somewhere, maybe chose a location off the beaten track.
Observing nature while travelling adds an element to any journey that can make it memorable, unique and truly beautiful.
