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
The 10 deadliest dogs on Earth: Discover the world's most ferocious and savage wild canine hunters
Meet the world's deadliest canines who are some of the world's most effective hunters
Baloo isn’t who you think he is: The 6 surprising real-life animals in The Jungle Book
When Rudyard Kipling wrote The Jungle Book, he based his stories on species found in India at the time. But are the representations of those animals in the new CGI film version accurate and can you still see them there today?
“They need to find a way of managing land without killing birds of prey” – inside the controversial world of grouse shooting
We go inside the debate on grouse shooting and the perceived benefits of burning heather
8 extinct animals that could be brought back to life – from mammoths to dodos
Which extinct animals are scientists most likely to be able to bring back? We take a look
“People are cynical about making money out of nature.” We desperately need to rewild the world. But who’s going to foot the bill?
We need to restore nature and rewild the world. But who's going to pay for it? James Fair investigates
10 deadliest apex predators in the wild: which ruthless mammals are the best – and most brutal – killing machines?
Which dangerous apex predators are the best hunters and which famous predator has to work hardest to get a meal? The answers will surprise you!
10 greatest wildlife spectacles on the planet: Where and when Mother Nature puts on her biggest and most spectacular shows
Our top 10 of the largest concentrations of animals on Earth.
“You’ve got to kill them faster than they can reproduce”: New Zealand has an ambitious plan to eradicate invasive animals – and they need the public’s help
The New Zealand public are being urged to help rid country of destructive species to make the country predator-free
How do animals stay in shape and maintain their fitness?
Humans do it, but as far as we know, neither birds, bees nor even educated fleas do it - physical exercise, that is, to stay fit. Or do they?
10 disappearing island groups that could be lost forever: The places most at risk from rising sea levels
There are thousands of islands that are threatened by rising sea levels – these are just some of those that could be lost forever
Craziest and most dangerous animal migrations: From tiny insects to giant whales, 10 reckless journeys that will blow your mind
From butterflies flying thousands of miles to whales crossing oceans, these epic animal migrations push survival to the limit
Critically endangered sharks being sold as food in US grocery stores, new study finds
Shark meat sold in grocery stores, seafood markets and via online vendors often comes from endangered species and is frequently mislabelled, say researchers.
Tiger bones, civet poo coffee, crocodile skin – Discover 10 wild animals you didn’t know were farmed, and the goods they're farmed for...
When it comes to farm animals tigers, crocodiles and rhinos might not be the first creatures you think of - but they are farmed nonetheless...
Which mammal lives the longest? And which has the shortest life expectancy? Meet the winners and losers in the game of life
How long does the longest living mammal live, and how does the human lifespan compare to other mammals?
Lynx could "flourish" in Northumberland with most locals supporting return
New research suggests lynx could thrive in Northumberland's Kielder Forest, as well as Galloway and Aberdeenshire in Scotland.
Why 8 Texan pumas were released in Florida – and what happened next
In 1995, wildlife managers took a bold decision to try and save Florida's puma's from extinction.
“No one wants to use the word ‘cull’”. There’s an island off the UK overrun with wallabies – and they’re causing chaos
Feral wallaby populations are growing on the Isle of Man – and native wildlife is suffering, dividing opinion among islanders
WHERE are the big cats that roam wild in the UK? From the Cumbrian panther to the Beast of Woodchester here are 10 of the most notorious
We take a look at the big cats - both real and legend – that have roamed the wilds of the UK
At 3.6 metres tall, this prehistoric giant is Earth's tallest bird ever. Now 600 years after its extinction scientists are trying to bring it back... Will they succeed?
Biosciences company Colossal plans to create animals resembling the giant flightless birds using DNA technology.
“Eradication would be almost impossible.” Killer Asian hornets are invading Britain but we’re keeping them at bay – for now
Asia’s yellow-legged hornet has a toehold in Britain but researchers are keeping the deadly insect from decimating native species – for now
New DNA study suggests ash trees are evolving to resist deadly dieback disease
The discovery offers new hope in the fight against the deadly fungus that is threatening the survival of ash trees across Europe.
Rare but deadly rat lungworm disease infecting increasing number of dogs in Australia – here's what we know
The potentially fatal disease, spread by slugs, snails and rat faeces, can be contracted by dogs, humans and other animals.
Can wolves and foxes interbreed?
Although both are members of the 'dog family' it is unlikely foxes and wolves would ever interbreed. We investigate why...
The thylacine became extinct in the 1960s... or did it?
Tantalising sightings of this enigmatic Australian marsupial continue to inspire the belief that it could still be out there.