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Seeking wilderness

Seeking wilderness

Taking you in the heart of the natural world

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Author: seekingwilderness

Fighting Hunger With Vegetables In A Remote Congolese Village

May 8, 2021 seekingwilderness Nkuba projects

Welcome to Biruwe! Biruwe is a small village of North-Kivu, located five kilometers from Nkuba, the village where we live. We visited Biruwe for the first time when Frederik needed[…]

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One extraordinary hour with the gorillas of Kahuzi-Biega National Park

April 22, 2021 seekingwilderness Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo

We were going to see gorillas in the wild for the very first time. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one few people can boast about. For us, and some of the[…]

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No good to see gorillas in Nkuba Conservation Area

February 23, 2021 seekingwilderness Nkuba Diaries

Frederik and I turned to our right where the crashing noise came from. But as everywhere else we had been in the last days, all we could see around us[…]

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Salt and feathers make a sensational performance in Ungwe

February 7, 2021 seekingwilderness Nkuba Diaries

We heard the first screams and whistles from the top of the trees, far above our heads. I smiled to Frederik: the first parrots had arrived. Binoculars and camera pointed[…]

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REDD+ to fight climate change and help people in Nkuba

January 30, 2021 seekingwilderness Nkuba projects

Over the past few months, much has been happening in the Nkuba Conservation Area (NCA) in Congo. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (DFGFI) has worked together with the NGO Wildlife[…]

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The white walkers had a hard time in the forest

January 18, 2021 seekingwilderness Nkuba Diaries

Only two days after arriving to Nkuba, Frederik and I were invited to join a patrol to the forest. The patrol was leaving for three days to record data on[…]

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Welcome in our new home in the Congolese rainforest

January 5, 2021 seekingwilderness Nkuba Diaries

However eventful, our trip to get to Nkuba was of course only the beginning of our adventure in DRC. Now has come the time to make Nkuba our home. And[…]

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Challenges on the road to Nkuba

December 19, 2020 seekingwilderness Nkuba Diaries

On paper travelling from Goma to Nkuba is relatively straightforward: you take the UN helicopter to Walikale and then drive two hours to Nkuba (as explained in our previous post).[…]

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From Goma to our new home in the rainforest

December 10, 2020 seekingwilderness Nkuba Diaries

Our flight to Walikale is confirmed! Tomorrow, we will thus leave the city of Goma on board of a UN helicopter. This helicopter flies twice a week and is currently[…]

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We have arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo!

December 8, 2020 seekingwilderness Nkuba Diaries

After a few days bonding with the Rwandan team and learning all we could about the Nkuba Conservation Area, the day has come for Frederik and I to cross the[…]

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We found an amazing job… in the wilderness!

November 6, 2020 seekingwilderness More Seeking Wilderness, Nkuba Diaries

A few months ago, we mentioned we were seeking a job in the wilderness. Well, we have found one. And a great one at that!

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Rare forest birds influenced by topography and habitat quality

August 16, 2020 seekingwilderness Our scientific publications

Found up to 5200 meters above sea level across the Andes of South America, Polylepis trees can grow higher than any other in the world. True survivors, these trees are[…]

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Reconciling biodiversity conservation with ecosystem services to save rare Andean forests

June 18, 2020 seekingwilderness Our scientific publications

Protected areas are important tools to conserve biodiversity. As they are often located in populated areas, protected areas are increasingly expected to also provide ‘ecosystem services’. Ecosystem services are the[…]

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The ghosts of Udzungwa Mountains National Park

June 4, 2020 seekingwilderness Africa, Tanzania

In the heart of the Eastern Arc Mountains, roughly five hours driving from Dar Es Salaam, lies the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. Although little known by tourists compared to other[…]

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Illustration Half-Earth

Protecting nature in Half of the Earth could affect over one billion people

April 16, 2020 seekingwilderness Our scientific publications

Humanity is currently experiencing the biggest biodiversity crisis it has ever faced. During this ‘sixth mass extinction’, entirely caused by human activities, species go extinct at a rate 1000 times[…]

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Spotting otters in the Weerribben-Wieden National Park

April 7, 2020 seekingwilderness Europe, The Netherlands

Otters are wonderful animals. With their streamlined body, webbed feet and water-repellent glossy fur, they are one of the best swimmers of all land mammals. We have long wanted to[…]

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Seeking a job in the Wilderness!

March 11, 2020 seekingwilderness More Seeking Wilderness

It’s the end of an era for Frederik and I: seven and six years after we started, respectively, we have successfully defended our PhDs at the University of Antwerp! And[…]

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In vultures’ heaven: the Spanish Pyrenees

January 20, 2020 seekingwilderness Europe, Spain

I’ve had a sweet spot for vultures since I studied the breeding behavior of a pair of Cinereous or Black Vultures (Aegypius monachus) at the Zoo of Antwerp during my[…]

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True wilderness, no vampires: hiking the Carpathians in Romania

November 29, 2019 seekingwilderness Europe, Romania

Transylvania. It evokes to most of us haunted dark forests and fog-crowned mountain peaks, home to the famous Count Dracula. To two biologists eager to explore the natural wonders of[…]

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The Jewels of the Taiga

April 14, 2019 seekingwilderness Europe, Finland

Where to see wild Finnish Forest Reindeer in Finland In June 2018, I was lucky enough to present my work at the European Congress on Conservation Biology (ECCB) organized in[…]

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Our fight to protect nature

For as long as we can remember, we have loved nature. We love it so much, we have dedicated our lives to protecting it.

With this blog, we want to help you experiencing nature during your travels and learn more about the science of nature conservation.

So come on and read more about how you can see otters in the Netherlands, Andean bears in Colombia or Bald eagles in Maine. Or learn about nature conservation in Bolivia and in Democratic Republic of Congo, where we now work to save gorillas.

You want to know more about the life of conservation biologists? Don’t miss our daily updates and photos on our Facebook page!

 

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Seeking Wilderness

Seeking Wilderness

A couple of passionate conservation biologists working to protect gorillas in the Congolese rainfores

Seeking Wilderness

1 years ago

Seeking Wilderness
My new study, published last month in the journal One Earth, is featured on Mongabay! Check it out if you want to know more about how we could save biodiversity and feed everyone in 2030! ... See MoreSee Less

Conservation and food production must work in tandem, new study says

news.mongabay.com

Confining conservation efforts to only 30% of Earth’s land may render a fifth of mammals and a third of birds at high risk of extinction by 2030, according to a new study. If that 30% were to be str...
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1 years ago

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Sunset on lake Kivu 🌅 ... See MoreSee Less

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Seeking Wilderness

1 years ago

Seeking Wilderness
A few weeks ago, photographer Thomas Nybo visited Nkuba. For five days, he followed the teams in the forest, just like we have done a few times with Frederik. Unfortunately, we could not be there and accompany him in the forest that time, but he took great footage of what it is like in there. Check it out! ... See MoreSee Less

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Seeking Wilderness

1 years ago

Seeking Wilderness
Hier soir, nous avons été réveillés par le bruit métallique du piège à souris que j'avais mis sous le placard. Je pensais que l'animal pris dans le piège était toujours vivant et essayait de s'échapper. Mais quand j'ai sorti le piège, je me suis rendu compte que la souris avait été frappée sur la colonne vertébrale: Elle est morte sur le coup. Alors d'où venait le bruit ? Nous n'avons pas dû attendre longtemps pour le savoir. Alors que j'étais assis à côté du piège, ma lampe de poche illuminant la souris morte, une musaraigne fit son apparition. Elle a foncé droit vers la tête de la souris morte, ses petites dents fichées dans le crâne, et a commencé frénétiquement à tirer sur la souris. Et pourtant, la musaraigne est principalement insectivoreLe comportement que nous avons filmé ici est donc assez rare. Cette vidéo montre également que les musaraignes ne voient pas très bien (elle n'était pas dérangée par ma lampe de poche), et qu'elles peuvent être féroces (j'ai dû sortir le piège du salon alors que la musaraigne tenait encore à la souris morte). ... See MoreSee Less

A shrew (Crocidura olivieri) frantically tries to get a dead rat (Praomys sp.) out of the trap.

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1 years ago

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Guess how deep the river is... 🌊 ... See MoreSee Less

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