James Fair
Wildlife journalist
James Fair writes about wildlife conservation and broader environmental issues for a wide range of publications, including BBC Wildlife and BBC Countryfile magazines. James started his career as a journalist in the early 1990s, then spent a number of years working on conservation projects in South America, including an ultimately doomed effort to reintroduce an orphaned Andean bear cub into the wild in Bolivia. In 1999, James joined BBC Wildlife as a commissioning editor, while later filling the roles of staff writer, environment editor and keyboard destroyer-in-chief. In 2018, he went freelance, and now takes on a range of news, feature and report writing assignments, and is also the editor of the membership magazine of the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). In 2019, he published his second book, 100 Great Wildlife Experiences: What to see and where.
Recent articles by James Fair
It’s so vast you could plonk London’s St Paul’s Cathedral in the middle, it contains a 100-metre tower of poop and it's home to 3 million mammals
Would you venture into Deer Cave?
"Its talons are as long as a grizzly bear's claws and its legs are as thick as a child's wrist." 10 most formidable, powerful eagles on the planet
It seems incredible, but eagles are astonishingly powerful raptors, and it is no surprise that dozens of countries, including Albania, Egypt and Mexico, either have an eagle on their national flag or as their national symbol.
They can eject scalding liquid with force." 10 animals armed with explosive weapons that can inflict severe, painful burns on humans
Fire coral, blister beetles and stonefish: introducing 10 species that will make you feel the burn
"He was dragged down to the riverbed and was rapidly running out of air…" 8 animals that deliberately drown their prey underwater to drown them
Drowning as a method of killing prey isn't the most popular in the animal kingdom - but it does happen...
“Do not crouch down or bend over because you may look a lot like a four-legged prey animal.” 10 most dangerous, deadliest states in USA
The US consists of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean - and it's home to some dangerous wildlife.
It’s 50 million years old, the size of Wembley Stadium and could fit 12 Boeing 747s inside – but the only way in is via a 100-metre plunge
This spectacular cave in Oman is one of the largest cave chambers in the world.
"We have to leave right now. If we just hang around, we’re all going to die.” The cave that's so deep it could swallow six Eiffel Towers
This cave in western Georgia is one of the most extraordinary in the world.
These people listened 123 different birdsongs then ranked their attractiveness. Here's what came top (and bottom)
Songs that were complex, high-pitched and relatively quiet ranked highest, while shrill, loud songs fared the worst.
Scientists fed toads barbaric chemical-shooting beetles. What happened next shocked them
The bombardier beetle has an insane defence mechanism. Here's how they do it
It looks like coral and behaves like coral, but touch it and you’ll get a nasty, burning sting that can last for hours
Fire coral has astounded scientists because of how it grows. Here's why
It has supermodel legs, walks like a camel, hunts like a cat and – bizarrely – loves fruit. Meet one of the weirdest dogs on the planet
James Fair tracks down the enigmatic and strange maned wolf
Tourists witness jaguar fighting puma in Brazilian wetlands
Jaguar-oriented tourism is helping researchers in South America learn more about the behaviour of wild cats.
"They rely on sharp, curved teeth and long claws to slash and tear at their prey with astonishing force..." 10 deadliest national parks in the world
Danger in the world’s national parks comes in many different forms. It can be the wildlife, but there are other aspects that probably need greater consideration.
"Constriction prevents blood from reaching vital organs, including the heart, and that’s why you die…" 5 deadly snakes that can crush and eat people
Being killed and swallowed whole by a snake is the stuff of nightmares, but how likely is it? And what snakes are capable of it?
"By the next day, his body had been entirely dissolved by the heat and acidity…" 10 deadliest national parks in USA
If you're thinking of visiting one of these US national parks, think twice and prepare accordingly - some of them are more dangerous than others.
How many wild dogs are there in the world? Scientists can't even agree…
"Water will evaporate, leaving a dry barren surface - it will become an even hotter version of Venus…" 10 ways Earth – and life on it – could die
T.S. Eliot wrote in his poem The Hollow Men that the world would end “not with a bang but a whimper” – the question is, was he right?
A hazelnut-flavoured contraceptive for grey squirrels? New science offers hope for UK’s dwindling reds
Scientists pin hopes on a new contraceptive and vaccine amid stark warnings that time is running out
Pumas are saving human lives in Washington State. Camera-trap footage reveals how
Pumas change the way deer behave around roadways, leading to fewer collisions with cars, new study finds.
10 sinking islands that could be lost forever…
There are thousands of islands that are threatened by rising sea levels – these are just some of those that could be lost forever
Jaguar experts camera-trapped the Amazon – and discovered a dark secret
Jaguar densities in Brazil's Mamirauá Reserve rank among the highest ever recorded for the species – but that doesn't mean the population is healthy, a new study suggests.
"If stung, one can suffer heart and respiratory failure, lethargy, confusion, agitation… And there's no effective medication." 9 most dangerous, deadliest animals in the Middle East
Here are some animals you really should steer clear of in the Middle East.
Prehistoric aurochs are back from extinction and spreading across Europe. And they could be heading to the UK sometime soon…
Tauros are the closest thing to the extinct aurochs. And they are coming to the UK.
