February 2013

IN THIS AFRICA SPECIAL ISSUE: 

Africa as you've never seen it before.

Behind the scenes with the producers of the blockbuster series.

• Making an epic James Honeyborne reveals how the series came to our screens.
• Killer stork Meet the shoebill – a bizarre bird with a strange parenting style.
• Rhino party Rhinos with a social side.
• Meerkat mimics How drongos began to copy – and trick – the local meerkats.
• Mount Mabu diary Read about the first filming trip to Mozambique’s ‘lost world’.
• Leaping lizard Learn how the crew filmed agama lizards bravely befriending lions.
• Elephant resurrection The drama of a savannah full of baby elephants.
• Snow monkey, fighting frog Filming adventures in the snow-bound Atlas Mountains and sultry Sierra Leone rainforest. 

Agenda

Desperate times for elephants in Zimbabwe, a planned Antarctic reserve is put on ice, and the debate about working Asian elephants. Plus Mark Carwardine on myopic ministers.

In search of goshawks

Conor Jameson is on a mission to unravel the life of this charismatic yet secretive raptor.

In praise of ash

Phil Gates celebrates our iconic ash tree – and asks what impact its disappearance may have.

Wild Alaska

Discover the US state that’s home to bears, belugas, bald eagles and moose on the loose.

Portfolio: Haunting houses

Kai Fagerström reveals the creatures secretly occupying derelict forest cabins.

Exposure

An Arctic tern outfoxes a fox.

Travel-writing competition launch

Get writing: you could win a dream safari!

Books

February’s best reads, and Chris Packham reveals his favourite book.

Tales from the Bush

Africa researcher Felicity Egerton has a brush with the law in Sierra Leone.

The Big Question: why are mammals black and white?

Top mammalogist Steve Harris investigates why being piebald frequently pays off.