Australia Day: Our Top Picks

As we celebrate Australia Day today we asked some of our Aussie Specialists about their favourite places Downunder:

“I love Monkey Mia, Western Australia – here you can feed the dolphins right from the beach, as well as take a cruise out through Shark Bay to see dugongs, turtles, sea-snakes, sting-rays and tiger sharks… This is a real highlight of any WA adventure!” Lauren

“My favourite place to chill out is Byron Bay, on New South Wales’ Pacific Coast. With some great beaches, excellent surfing and a really laid-back café culture, as well as plenty of wildlife, you can spend a good few days here re-charging your batteries.” Ben

“Watching the sun set at Uluru (Ayers Rock) is a truly memorable experience - the colours change every minute from soft red to a vivid glowing orange, making this iconic rock seem almost alive. And later, the night sky is filled with endless stars over the vast outback of the Northern Territory." Jo

“Sydney stands out for me: everyone is familiar with images of the famous Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, but to finally see the real thing with your own eyes is really special - you know that you can't be anywhere else in the world but Australia!" Beckie

For me it’s impossible to pick a favourite spot – from the rugged mountains of Tasmania, the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland and the rust red outback of the Northern Territory, via thriving cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, to the bountiful marine life of the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef and the array of unique land mammals to be found throughout this vast country - there really is something for everyone! Start planning your trip now and make up your own mind about which is Australia’s top spot!

Penguin shows it's not all black and white in Antarctica

A chinstrap penguin has been discovered in Antarctica that is taking the art of dressing down quite seriously by foregoing the normal "black and white" tuxedo for a more dressed down approach.

The Huffington Post reports that David Stephens managed to capture a photograph of this lovely penguin whilst on an expedition voyage to Antarctica.

It seems quite a few of our animals are eschewing their normal colouring - remember the lovely white kiwi in New Zealand "Manukura" - well another white kiwi has just  hatched in December at the New Zealand conservation centre Pukuha Mount Bruce report officials

With a snowy white reindeer in the UK and a white dolphin off Brazil can we expect to see more of these unique white animals?  

Bear vs. Beaver - Canada divided!

Canada is in uproar following recent demands from Senator Nicole Eaton to replace the country's long-standing emblem, the beaver, with "the stately polar bear". Alright, 'uproar' is a slight exaggeration, but it has sparked an interesting debate nonetheless!

In her statement to the Senate last week, Eaton described the poor defenceless beaver as an outdated and destructive rodent! However, the toothy little critter has held its position as national emblem since 1975, and played a pivotal role in Canada's early development. It was fur-trading that first attracted Europeans to the country, leading to the establishment of transport routes and trading posts that formed the basis of modern-day Canada. 

Eaton claims that the polar bear would be a much better representative for Canada today, portraying "strength, courage, resourcefulness and dignity". She may well have a point - there's no doubt that the polar bear is a more majestic and imposing symbol - but we can't help but think that maybe there's room for both. After all, Canada is nothing if not diverse!

White Wombats? Whatever Next?!

Sorry, but we just couldn't resist sharing the latest weird and wonderful discovery from Australia with you...

Sheep shearers working on a remote farm near Ceduna, South Australia, came across a rare Southern hairy-nosed wombat last month - the poor thing was found abandoned and close to death through dehydration.  But footage released yesterday shows this sturdy little fighter is back on his feet again, thanks to the loving care of a local wildlife volunteer who has nursed him back to full health. Named 'Polar' for his unusual colouring, you can't fail to be charmed by this little chap! 

Discover the World of wildlife at Alexandra Palace

Discover the World is thrilled to be exhibiting at the inaugral Wildlife Xpo this coming Friday and Saturday at Alexandra Palace. 

The wonderful backdrop of Alexandra Palace is hosting a remarkable series of wildlife seminars and lectures as well as an excellent exhibition of everything to do with wildlife.  We are especially thrilled to be part of this show as so many of our destinations feature wildlife and natural beauty.

Meet our very own Nikki Rickett, who last austral summer worked for the Antarctic Heritage Trust as Base Leader at the historic Port Lockroy on the Antarctic Peninsula, for her talk on Friday at 1330 in the Palace Suite as she shares her exploits "Living with Penguins…and other Antarctic wildlife". Join Nikki to find out more about this captivating wildlife destination.

Join us and Cathy Harlow for her talk on Saturday at 1015 in the Londesborough suite to learn about the ultimate whale watching opportunities to be enjoyed around the world - including killer whales in Iceland and belugas in Canada’s Hudson Bay, to sperm whales in New Zealand and humpbacks in Antarctica.

Do visit us at the exhibition on Stand 93 in the Westhall to find out about our other wildlife destinations, New Zealand, Canada, Finland, Australia and the Polar regions.

 See you at the Wildlife Xpo!

It’s not all Black in New Zealand!

As the Rugby World Cup heads into the critical stage of the pool games this weekend in New Zealand, you might think that everything in New Zealand is about the ever conquering All Blacks!  But no, an All White miracle has been happening at Pukaha Mount Bruce, the National Wildlife Centre. 

In May Manukura, the first white kiwi chick, hatched in captivity.  At first the rangers thought this beautiful bird was male but now it has been confirmed that Manukuru is in fact a girl. 

Named by local iwi Rangitane o Wairarapa, “Manukura”  means “of chiefly status”.  Rangitane spokesperson said there had been many "chiefly" women in Maori history and the name Manukura could be given to either male or female. And it is the boy kiwis who look after the eggs keeping them warm.

This very rare kiwi Manukura will remain in the outdoor enclosure until at least October and visitors to the centre can see the special kiwi every Sunday at 2pm after she has been weighed by the rangers. 

A Polar bear encounter in the High Arctic

Lorraine Silvester, one of our Business Development Managers reminisces on her polar adventure 3 years ago travelling around Spitsbergen.

"It was the silence that spoke the loudest!  As a majestic polar bear meandered towards the ship as it sat in the ice.  The first glimpse was greeted with a little noise of excitement as the bear was in the distance and then the silence fell as all were in awe of the polar bear as she ambled curiously towards us.  We all agreed afterwards the bear had to be a "she" as she was so beautiful and healthy.  A schoolgirl dream had come true. It was incredible - so much so that the hardened Russian crew, experienced in all things Arctic, also came on deck to witness this stunning encounter"

If you are intrigued to find out more about both Polar regions, Arctic and Antarctica, then do join us on Wednesday 28th September for an evening with Susan Aidie, an expedition leader from MS Expedition as she let us into the world of everything polar.  The evening is held in our Banstead offices from 7pm.

We still have some places left so email travel@discover-the-world.co.uk to come and join us. 

Bowhead whales take the Northwest Passage

The BBC has reported that research published in the journal Biology Letters has confirmed that Bowhead whales that usually live on either side of the continent have been mingling!  Skeletons, DNA samples and harpoon heads have previously suggested this, but now scientists have used satellite tags to provide confirmation that the whales have been cruising the Northwest Passage.

The satelite data told the scientists that a whale from the Greenland side and one from the Alaskan side had arrived in the same place north of the Canadian mainland.  They spent about 10 days playing and circling in the same area of water.

And apparently this has happened way back in the past, the Inuit descended from the Thule culture spread across Canada to Greenland eating meat and blubber, also building houses from the bones of the bowhead whale.  

 

 

Further Adventures in the Yukon: Tombstones and Glaciers

Gold is all very well, but the Yukon has far more to offer than precious metals alone. For me the undoubted highlight of this fascinating territory is its epic landscapes. Breathtakingly beautiful, the scenery is vast and shows nature at its best. From vivid lakes and roaring rivers, via endless forests to soaring mountain peaks, here you will find Canadian wilderness at its best. Wildlife encounters are plentiful – well, it can be, although admittedly the wildlife doesn't always cooperate… As with the gold, my search for bears proved futile - but I did see moose in the wild for the first time, which more than made up for it!  Dall sheep, caribou and eagles are all frequently sighted and the forests are also home to lynx and wolves.
 
The city of Whitehorse is the gateway into the Yukon, and the capital of the territory. Yet it has a small-town charm, and is often called the ‘wilderness city’ due to its proximity to the surrounding natural landscapes.  The Yukon River is on the doorstep, eagles circle overhead and the forests begin where the buildings stop. Numerous trails make it easy to explore the area on foot, by bike or on snow-shoes. 
 
Further north from Dawson City it's just a 90 minute drive along the iconic Dempster Highway to Tombstone Territorial Park.  The Tombstones themselves are an aptly named range of granite peaks, providing a jagged backdrop to a range of hiking trails. In the far north autumn arrives early; even in late August some of the fall colours were already coming through, predominantly yellows but with a hint of red here and there - another week or so and the hills would be a blaze of colour. The Dempster, an unsealed road, winds its way through Tombstone and continues north across the Arctic Circle all the way to Inuvik in the North West Territories. 
 
Down in the south-west of the Yukon lies Kluane National Park. Together with adjacent Tatshenshini-Alsek NP (British Columbia)  and Wrangell-St Elias and Glacier Bay NP (Alaska), this one piece of land split by 3 borders makes up the largest protected land in North America.  As a result the wildlife is abundant and the scenery an untouched wilderness. Despite the fact I failed to find a bear, Kluane allegedly has the highest concentration of them in North America! The famous Alaska Highway travels alongside Kluane NP, from Haines Alaska up to Haines Junction, Yukon.  Haines Junction is the perfect base from which to explore Kluane - nearby is access to hiking trails, lake cruise, cycling, cross-country ski-ing...  

But the best way, without a doubt, to gain an understanding of the sheer scale of Kluane is with a sightseeing flight. I was lucky enough to join Sifton Air for a flight over Kluane's glaciers; Canada's highest peak, Mt Logan, pierced the clouds whilst Dall sheep clung precariously to some of the volcanic mountainsides below us. From the air, the glaciers looked like roads as they came together and joined as one. And after all this jaw-dropping beauty, it was from the plane that, on our way back to Haines Junction's airfield, we spotted not one, but two moose grazing happily in the wilderness below. 

Meet the ocean giants, deep thinkers and voices of the sea

Meet the ocean giants, deep thinkers and voices of the sea in the fascinating BBC1 series Ocean Giants. This three-part documentary showcases up close and personal encounters of the world’s largest creatures and also some of the most intelligent. Narrated by Stephen Fry, you are taken on an underwater adventure to different pockets of the ocean where these mammals thrive, feast and battle it out during mating season. Featuring footage that has never been captured before, you can view the final episode this Sunday at 9pm, or catch up on the previous episodes on BBC iPlayer – but don’t delay, as it is only available for another 12 days.

And after watching the series, we know you’ll be inspired to have your own experience with these majestic cetacean species and we can help you get there! Discover the World offer whale-watching expeditions in Iceland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway.

In Iceland, around one quarter of the world’s cetacean creatures have been recorded in its nutrient rich waters. Here there are regular sightings of minke, humpback, blue, fin and pilot whale just to name but a few! Or how about a wildlife holiday in Canada? You will be blown away by the options here, with more than 33 species of whale living in the Canadian oceans. You can view from zodiacs, sailing boats, kayaks and comfortable cruisers – take your pick!

You could head to Kaikoura in New Zealand, where sperm whales cruise the pure shores of Aotearoa all year round. You may also be lucky enough to view humpback, blue, minke, southern right, beaked or pygmy whale – just imagine it! Alternatively, as seen on the series, pop over to Western Australia where you could view the bottlenose dolphins shadowing stingrays as they hunt for octopus. You won’t believe what unfolds, until you see the documentary! Or finally, cruise the 2650km of coastline in Norway, where you can swim with dolphins or spot orca, pilot, sperm and humpback whales.

For more information on our whale-watching and dolphin holidays, click here.