Personal Website Wildlife Photography

1. Andy Mydellton
andymydellton.com
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About Andy Mydellton
I am a freelance environmental broadcaster, photographer and journalist. I write regular
articles about my experiences for a number of monthly publications as well as some special
features for national and international magazines.
As the CEO for the registered UK charity the Foundation for Endangered Species, I wrote
and edited the Conserving Wildlife magazine, and now write the Wildlife Zone Newsletter,
conservation leaflets, brochures, e-zines and websites.
Furthermore as a Fellow of the Linnaen Society I also compose other features about a number
of inter-related conservationist issues such as global warming and climate change.

2. Some examples of other articles have been recorded and you can listen to them on the
Wildlife Zone website page at http://www.wildlifezone.org/articles.html.
THE SURVIVAL AGAINST THE ODDS.
SATO is an exploratory introduction and an invitation for two of the biggest problems that
mankind faces. The first issue is a humanitarian one, the persecution of ethnic minorities.
Whenever this happens it always leads to dreadful consequences, such as happened with the
Nazi's 'Final Solution' and the Holocaust. The second problem is an analysis on the present
generation's irresponsibility and damage we are doing to the planet's natural systems and in
particular with wildlife extinctions. Both ongoing failings continue in different directions; but
by understanding these examples we can apply our knowledge to whatever arises in the
future.
Whilst reading for my first university qualification in the European Humanities, I chose to
include the UN subjects of the Holocaust and Slavery. Now I promote subjects as chairman
of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UK Associated
Schools Project Network (UNESCO ASPnet).
To fully experience the UN themes of the Holocaust and Slavery at first hand, I visited the
horrendous Aushwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp as well as the redeeming site of the
Emalia factory in Krakow, where Oskar Schindler heroically protected many Jews. I also
visited Anne Frank's tragic hideout at Prisengracht in Amsterdam and travelled to Budapest
to interview an inspiring survivor of the Holocaust.
The second subject of mankind's folly is the short sightedness of how we are treating the
Earth's natural systems. Both follies are ongoing and take different directions. But by
understanding these examples we can apply our knowledge to whatever arises in the future.
The Foundation for Endangered Species' main concern is about animals adapting to a rapidly
changing world where animals and the less influential populace have no control over the
present or future. I highlight some of the problems by using examples of the big cats whose
territories are being snatched from them by ever increasing human populations.
My book ‘Survival Against The Odds’ is earmarked to be a flagship project for the UNESCO
ASPnet and will be published in 2014.

3. Other problems increase this underlying situation. So I use my position as an 'Ocean Expert'
in the UN's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to write about our oceans being
in serious danger from pollution and acidification. Furthermore many species of fish suffer
from over exploitation and illegal fishing which has dangerous consequences for other marine
life. This interconnected 'ocean web of life' is having great holes torn in it.
For many years I have also been the Environment Advisor to the UNESCO UK ASPnet
Group and advised them on the issues of the environment and conservation. Sadly, I believe
that more organisations everywhere will need other expert help and advice with these inter-
related subjects in the future as our folly continues.
The book is earmarked to be a flagship project for the UNESCO ASPnet when
'commissioned' me to do this (albeit voluntarily) and will be published in 2014.

4. THE SECRETS OF MILLSTREAM FORK
"Think global, act local"
It is an immediate way of re-connecting with nature and enjoying wild animals. Some people
can even use wildlife gardening as a beginning of a career change and move into the world of
conservation. My experiences are that wildlife gardening is a most underrated way of getting

5. much pleasure from nature, and is easy to do.
I write monthly articles for local magazines throughout the country which reveals the joy and
surprises that I have got from wildlife gardening. I use the site at the Foundation for
Endangered Species' registered offices which has been a wildlife garden for over a quarter of
a century. As a result the area has been home for lots of creatures and has witnessed many
unusual wildlife incidents.
These stories are being collected together and will soon be published in an anthology,
allowing a different group and new generation of readers to enjoy them. Perhaps some
readers will be able to use those tales for their own purposes and to go onto even greater
things.
I have written about the diminutive Jenny Wren, the warrior like sparrowhawk and the giant
of our waterways, the mute swan, amongst a whole array of exciting garden visitors.
Mammals include hedgehogs, yellow necked mouse and the much protected water vole. Even
bats, our unique flying mammals, are included as special nocturnal hunters of the midnight
sky.

6. Insects include the pollinating bees, stinging wasps and beautiful but dainty butterflies. Even
amphibians are included, as they are ever present with most garden ponds. Whilst frogs and
toads are amazing creatures in their own right, newts seem to be a leftover from the age of the
dinosaurs.
A TALE FROM THE ARCHIVES
Here is an archive saga, a blast from the past. You may find it inspiring, educational,
entertaining or simple and straightforward; but I hope you also gain the joy to be found in
wildlife gardening.
Squirrels
To some people grey squirrels are pests or pesky. Moreover they are a North American
invasive species that is replacing our own red squirrel. Yet 'greys' still manage to get friends.
So why is this?
Some people design their wildlife gardens to help all local wildlife. This is because they see
all animals as equal but different, and as valid strands in the web of life. Furthermore, many
conservationists believe that all animals have their place in the appropriate habitat without
being classified as either good or bad. Usually negative terms are often imposed on animals
from a human perspective, each tag depending on our own values and wishes.
The squirrel gets its name from the Latin word meaning 'shadow' caused by its large bushy
tail curling up over its back when it eats. The tail is also an important tool in the squirrel's
spectacular acrobatics of leaping across voids and scurrying along branches.
Moreover the grey squirrel has proven itself to be a winner! It is hardy enough to live as far
north as the Arctic Circle, and has evolved over the millennia to survive really harsh
conditions. It has also had to fend off other animal competition. I have just returned from the
USA and seen the North American red squirrel* bully the 'grey', despite the red squirrel's
diminutive size.

7. We can still see some of the 'greys' instinctive behavioural patterns here in the UK. Previous
generations of squirrels have learned to grab what food they could in order to survive in their
original cold and hostile environments. Excess food was buried to create a larder for leaner
times and to prevent rivals from eating this precious food. When the grey squirrels bury nuts
and then either die or simply forget where they have buried them, new saplings emerge,
maturing into life giving trees. This is an important part of a forests overall natural
regeneration.
This tactic was so successful that nowadays the squirrels living in warmer climes still practice
the same survival techniques. At Millstream Fork we see squirrels instinctively burying their
excess food in the lawn, flower beds, and even in the flower pots and tubs. Much of this food
is usually peanuts that they have gymnastically prized from the bird feeders.
May it be that some of these ancient survival strategies lead them into fighting members of
their own family? This year I have had four squirrels in the Millstream Fork wildlife garden
where I saw them chasing one another across the lawn, backwards and forwards along the
path and over the patio, with the losers having to leap into the hedging trees, fleeing their
aggressor. This is probably because Millstream Fork is a valuable food source right inside
their territory where the alpha male and female must protect their natural rights as they see
them.
Would I want to see the demise of the grey squirrel? Never… Not unless I am guaranteed the
pleasure of having our own red squirrel in their stead.
*The North American red squirrel is a smaller species than the European red squirrel.

8. CHRONICLES OF A CONSERVATIONIST
These autobiographical sketches are easy to read stories which have already been published
in monthly magazines. They reveal my activities and experiences in the world of
conservation around the globe.
They include my travels to the Amazon, Serengeti, Sahara, Middle East, the Alps and
Himalayas as well as other places of wonder and great beauty. I have had amazing encounters
with exotic and rare animals such as tiger, giraffe, crocodiles and monkeys to name a few. I
have had many adventures such as otter monitoring, being charged by a rhino, swimming
with a pod of river dolphins, elephant rides and many more.
Many of these anecdotes have been recited on the airwaves including the Andy Mydellton
Wildlife Zone radio programme. Other activities such as beachcleaning, leading conservation
projects and making the country's only wild wallaby census have been broadcast on BBC,
ITV and a number of radio stations.
These articles are presently being organised into an anthology, ready to be republished in a
single volume. This will give more people a chance of reading these for the very first time.
AN ARCHIVE COMPOSITION
Here is an anecdote from the archives. These articles may give you some insights into things
which you may experience and enjoy as a conservationist, whether it is part-time or full-time,
salaried or voluntary. It is a fascinating world…
THE RHINO CHARGE
Andy Mydellton reflects on lessons learned after a brush with death.
Was I a coward or just trying to practice Darwin's 'survival of the fittest' theory? I don't know
- so it needs further examination.

9. The event occurred during one of my visits to Nepal where I was starting up the Foundation
for Endangered Species' Initiative, the 'Chitwan Collaboration'. As part of this larger
programme, groups of conservationists will aim to replant Community Forest areas and build
an observation tower. This project is intended to attract tourists to view wildlife, and in turn,
will create an income for the forest-owning local communities.
Knowing it to be in their own new financial self interests; the local people will preserve the
forests and wildlife thus replacing old habits of cutting down trees and poaching animals for
quick, short term gains.
After a few hot hours of replanting a glade with saplings, a group of about a dozen of us
inspected a temporary bamboo wildlife observation tower in the centre of another nearby
glade. The Foundation intends to rebuild this tower permanently, one day. All was going
well, except for the fact that we could not see any animals from our vantage point. We
decided that we should set off on foot to find some exciting wildlife
As we trundled off the glade, our local guide went on ahead scouting for some revealing
signs and tracks. "Stay still" he warned, "until it's safe to follow me. I've found some Rhinos".
He explained that he had found a couple of One Horned Rhinos - sometimes called 'Armour
Plated Rhinoceros' due to their features and folds of skin. As far as I'm concerned they always
resemble the dinosaur, Triceratops. "Wait, wait; one second" as he demonstrated STOP - by
holding up the palm of his hand. He had found a mother and calf that were grazing behind a
bush. Due to Rhino's short sightedness and incredible sense of smell their behaviour is
sometimes unpredictable. They don't bother about people if they cannot see them, but once
the breeze direction changes and carries human scent to them, they immediately get bad
tempered. This is especially so when a mother is protecting her calf. Generally, most animals
have learned to fear humans, especially those species such as the Rhino that have been
persistently hunted. Many animals are often killed in cruel and brutal ways. Suddenly the
scout shouted, "Run, run, she's charging!" The angry mother had smelled us. I heard
brushwood crashing and cracking. Shocked, I frantically ran. The rest of the terrified group
ran as one. I tried to run the fastest to be the furthest away from the charging Rhino.
Unfortunately I was carrying my photographic equipment. It was awful and slowed me down.
I also found out at that particular moment that I was over 50 years old and quite fat. Many
years ago, I had been a slim, nimble and effective scrum half who could shift a bit. I really
had to when a pack of 16 stone rugby forwards wanted to squash me into the soaken sods of

10. various rugby pitches.
Now, many decades on, I was developing their physique but due to middle age spread which
now prevented me being the fastest and from overtaking others in the group. Instead I found
myself in the centre; I was fleeing with my belly bouncing up and down as I darted over the
hard, uneven ground. Even worse than my shifting torso bulge, were my cheeks and jowls
that were banging about as I gasped for air. I was not exactly a stunning example of Darwin's
'survival of the fittest' theory.
But at that moment I somehow thought of fish. That's right - fish! Shoals of fish in fact. So
what exactly has shoals of fish got in common with a middle-aged Englishman fleeing for his
life from a charging Rhino in Nepal? Well, as a conservationist, I had learned that fish swim
in shoals to evade predators. By shoaling, the fish shift in unison in order to avoid being
attacked. To the human eye, it seems that it is instantaneous and therefore caused by mass
telepathy. However, it is a natural defense mechanism. The animals instinctively move in the
same direction as the one next to them in a split second reaction. The same technique can also
be witnessed in flocks of birds and even with herds of mammals on the plains. By doing so
the strongest animals are always in the safest place - the centre! It is Darwin's 'survival of the
fittest' theory in action.
So why was I in the centre of this panicking pack? Evidently I wanted to be the furthest away
from danger. But I was not as fast as a lean, young teenager. However the natural world does
not always reward the fastest. For example, as we ran away from the Rhino, it would be true
that if the Rhino caught up with us, then she would attack the nearest to her. Then the next
person in line would suffer second, and so on. But, if in the forest, a tiger or another predator
lay in ambush, where would it most likely be? It would (if it could) position itself right in
front of the oncoming rush of 12 stupid humans who hadn't sussed out any of this wildlife
logic. The large cat would then gobble up the leader of the oncoming pack who would still be

11. totally obsessed with fleeing from the Rhino.
My thoughts of this animal logic made me rethink my strategy. Within a few short seconds, I
had decided that the centre and not the front was the best place to be. I instantly congratulated
myself that I now had the best chance of survival, and that I was using Darwinian intellect to
do so. In truth I was trying my hardest not to have a few tons of charging dinosaur type horn
being stuffed up my jacksie. After all, I was still friends with this part of my body - and I
didn't really want to kiss it goodbye just yet. So I continued to position myself in the centre of
the fast moving scrum.
What about the Rhino?
It actually turned out to be a mock charge. This is where the mother intentionally stops short
of its target, giving the 'space invader' a warning. These mock charges are meant to terrify
anyone in its space. The tactics certainly work. But had the Rhino got closer to me; could I
have shifted faster? You bet! But I would have been evacuating my bowels at a frenzied
speed - and the Rhino's incredible sense of smell would not have mistaken the fact that I
could have then fertilized the entire glade.
So was I a coward or an intelligent Darwinian minded survivor? Well, I do like my Nepalese
friends. Even so I soon found out that there is at least one fat bloke from Middle England
who loves his pelvic region too much to run too fast, run too slow, or to become any type of
hero whatsoever.
THE WILDLIFE ZONE LITERARY CIRCLE
This is a literary circle welcomes all types of writers and subjects although it maintains an
interest in environmental issues. For a limited time it has free membership, which will help
you to have nothing to lose by getting involved. It allows you to begin writing for the first
time; to continue writing; to develop your skills or press ahead with your own subjects in
mind. My advice for all writers is to do something and to at least join a group rather than
remain alone or aloof. By joining us you will be amongst those writers who achieve what
they want and you will be able to gain from their success.

12. Members will get a free copy of the Wildlife Zone Newsletter (there is usually a small cost)
which keeps you informed of the Foundation for Endangered Species events, local
conservation activities, and new articles. This will include news and updates of
environmental issues which may be a catalyst for your own writing. Inspiration for writers
comes in many ways - I know, I have been there and experienced it!
Other benefits of the Wildlife Zone Literary Circle includes news about;-
• Films
• Theatre
• Books, magazines, ezines etc
• Courses
• Events (book signings, talks etc)
• Group meetings
• other news and events as they arise
To join simply contact us with your details.
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