Autore:maurizio
On an early April morning, across Italy’s cultivated countryside, you may notice a small falcon apparently suspended in mid-air. It hovers motionless for a few seconds before suddenly dropping toward the ground in a swift, precise dive. At first glance it resembles the Common Kestrel, but it is in fact the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni), one of the Mediterranean’s most elegant birds of prey. Over the past few decades, this charismatic falcon has become the protagonist of one of the […]
The first lesson Madagascar teaches is a simple one: if you’re in a hurry, you’ll see nothing. The rainforest cannot be conquered. It asks you to slow down, to surrender to its rhythm, to forget the passage of time. Every step sinks into soft earth. Every breath carries the scent of moss, rain-soaked bark, and leaves that have been quietly turning into humus for centuries. Sunlight barely filters through the canopy, casting fleeting shafts of gold that disappear almost as […]
The alarm goes off while the world is still wrapped in darkness. Outside, the morning air is cool and perfectly still. Yet anyone who knows the lagoons understands that this is the moment when nature is preparing to raise the curtain.Walking slowly along a dew-soaked path, camera in hand but not yet in use, you enter a place where time seems to move differently. There are no sudden sounds—only the gentle breathing of the water, the whisper of reeds bending […]
There are still places on Earth where nature remains completely in control. Malaysian Borneo is one of them. In the eastern state of Sabah lies one of the oldest tropical rainforests on the planet—a vast green wilderness that shelters an extraordinary diversity of life and offers unforgettable encounters with some of Southeast Asia’s most iconic wildlife. My journey unfolded across three remarkable destinations: Sepilok, the Kinabatangan River, and the Danum Valley. Each offers a very different experience, yet they all […]
This journey was the partial fulfillment of my dream as a young naturalist, deeply passionate and fascinated by the incredible biodiversity and the numerous endemic species that define the nature of this amazing land. After hearing about the experiences of some friends, the plan was to start in the capital, Antananarivo or Tanà, as the locals call it and travel southwest to Tulear, crossing much of the central and southern highlands of the Grande Terre.Upon my arrival at the airport, […]
The green sea turtle, scientifically known as Chelonia mydas, is the only species of herbivorous sea turtle. It feeds mainly on seagrasses, such as Zoostera and Thalassia (that grows on sandy bottoms), algae and even molluscs that are found in shallow waters along the coasts. The herbivorous diet determines the color of the animal’s body fat and from this comes the name green turtle. Adult green turtles can weigh over 300 kg and measure up to 1.5 m in length. […]
The little owl (Athene noctua) is a nocturnal bird of prey with crepuscular habits that belongs to the Strigidae family. From a symbolic point of view, it has a long history associated with wisdom and knowledge: in Greek mythology it was the animal sacred to Athena, goddess of wisdom and military strategy; she was considered a symbol of intelligence and wisdom and her call was believed to be a harbinger of important events; moreover, like many other nocturnal animals, it […]
My first up-close encounter with an elephant in the wild was an extraordinary experience, filled with intense and astonishing emotions. Its small, intelligent eyes looked at me calmly, communicating an ancient wisdom. The imposing and majestic size of the elephant instilled in me a sense of humility and profound respect for nature. Its graceful and tranquil movements, along with its calm and silent presence, connected me to the animal world and made me reflect on the beauty of biodiversity on […]
Clownfish, renowned for their vibrant appearance and vivid colors, are among the most recognizable and captivating marine creatures inhabiting the coral reefs of tropical seas. Their fame was further propelled by Disney’s animated film “Finding Nemo,” which made Nemo, a little clownfish, one of the most beloved and iconic characters of the oceans. However, there’s much more to discover about these fascinating fish. Clownfish are characterized by a set of distinctive features that make them easily identifiable. They have a […]
As early as 1982, I had planned to visit Sri Lanka; by 1985, everything was arranged for a month-long stay, however, the Tamil Tigers’ attacks in the Jaffna peninsula and the onset of a civil war, claiming about 65,000 lives and displacing over one and a half million people in twenty years, led me to set aside the plan for better times. Finally, in 2013, my wish came true! THE COUNTRY Sri Lanka is a hidden gem in the Indian […]
