5 incredible nature accounts to follow on Instagram
Like everyone I love most dearly, I am smitten with everything David Attenborough has ever recorded. He's one of the few people I am comfortable with being given the title 'Sir'.
I'm actually quite cross that this software is trying to autocorrect his surname to Peterborough, insinuating Sir Dave isn't famous enough to be recognised when Facebook is!
The man is 92 years old, and still bothered to go and address the UN Climate Summit in Poland; speaking emphatically about the need for urgent change. I'm exhausted just thinking about it, it's winter and I'm tired! Surely he's exhausted? He's said these things previously, again and again, seemingly ad infinitum. Still, he rises.
The appeal of Dave and his programmes, narration and arguments lies in the way he has made all of them accessible. Children, adults, the clever, and less-so, are all included. This tells me something so important, he is allowing everyone to come to the table and engage in developing an understanding of the natural world and our impact upon it.
Attenborough acts objectively enough, despite not being dispassionate in any way, to involve many people who might normally be off-put by the paternalistic, proprietorial, pretentiousness found in academic, naturalist circles, where the jargon used is alienating.
I mean, some people in those circles genuinely believe us plebs, "don't understand that the animals are endangered because Planet Earth is showing them on TV ". Insulted? Me too. Likely to engage with people who think so little of you? Doubtful!
Fact is, the Blue Planet II episode about the amount of plastic in our oceans has had a profound impact. Even Wetherspoons pubs, largely associated with the working class, now provide paper straws. People were shocked, customers across all class lines started asking for accountability from businesses, they, in turn, are responding. This is a wonderful success story, not one to be sniffed at.
Even the BBC has decided to clean up its act, the images of that whale clinging to her dead baby, suspected of being poisoned by all the plastic in her milk, have sparked outrage and action...
I sincerely believe change comes when you empower people, not when you ridicule or dismiss them. So, here are 5 nature and wildlife accounts that I follow on Instagram that are constantly informing me on the wonder in our natural world and the ways in which we are threatening/improving it.
Paul Nicklen (@paulnicklen)
Sea Legacy co-founder, National Geographic photographer, acclaimed ocean conservationist, and TED Talk speaker, this man's body of work on the Arctic and Antarctic landscapes is quite astounding. He's recently released a breathtaking 'fine art' book of his photography, 'Born to Ice'. If you love nutty Narwhals, pretty Penguins and objectionable Orcas, this account is for you.
Two Narwhals poking their heads up from the water. Paul Nicklen's image from Instagram.
2. Paula Redmond (@pr_ultra)
This lady makes my list because of being UK based, I frequently get fed-up of huge accounts highlighting innumerable natural wonders elsewhere... I know there's loads right here in Blighty! (Even if I'm yet to see a badger, or hedgehog, unless you include those killed by cars).
Most of the shots from this account are taken in Richmond Park, a National Nature Reserve, London's largest Site of Special Scientific Interest and a European Special Area of Conservation. It's 2500 acres, and I'm constantly stopped in my scrolling by the creatures she's spotted there.
Paula features foxes but never reveals their location, in case the toffs decide to go illegally hunting them, she gets brownie points from me for taking this into consideration.
Swans in a photo taken by Paula Redmond
3. Shaaz Jung (@shaazjung)
This is where I get my 'big cats' fix, with a side of whatever else this talented woman captures on camera. Her rarest find to date is the Indian Pangolin, another creature I'm rather fond of. (Another creature with weirdly small eyes, something I pass comment on frequently about all sorts of animals, elephants anyone?)
She runs wildlife lodges in both India and Africa and is currently filming for National Geographic's WILD, her pictures often remind me of portraits, she somehow presents quite distinctive characters.
Shaaz Jung Instagram photo of a lion in the wild.
4. Save Our Plankton (@save.our.plankton)
Such a gem of an account, visually their videos are striking and serene, capturing an underwater world we know so little of. The captions provide succinct information and put into context how this specific part of the ecosystem feeds into the much larger one we are more familiar with.
It's clearly curated by people who care deeply about plankton, and I think these are the sort of heroes we often say don't wear capes.
Plankton on the seabed, photo taken by @save.our.plankton
5. Foxes of Instagram (@foxesofinstagram)
I'm smitten with foxes, if I had a daemon (an animal-shaped soul as featured in Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy) I believe mine would be an Arctic Fox.
This photo tells you exactly why I would love this curated collection of fox images from across the world...
Arctic Fox shedding its white winter coat revealing darker fur underneath. Photo from @foxesofinstagram account.
Are there any accounts you follow about the natural world, or wildlife, that educate, entertain or soothe you? Drop me some suggestions below. Remember, Sir David Attenborough wants us to respect our planet, so let's pull together on that matter.
Vote out leaders who don't believe in climate change!
Try to cut out single-use plastic, or at least recycle it afterwards.
Take an interest in wildlife at a local level, for example, if you're British, did you know our hedgehog numbers are largely depleted simply because hedgerow widths have, so drastically, that they no longer make protective homes?
Tweet your MP about issues to do with climate change, habitat destruction etc.
Buy gifts from conservation charities.
