Wildernesses

For many decades, the Glenfinnan Viaduct and the steam train service running the West Highland Line was just one of many treats that adorn these great wildernesses.

In this new series he explores the world’s last great wildernesses to find out how wildlife is faring against that ever-encroaching creature, man.

The figures demonstrate starkly that humanity’s transformation of the planet’s wildernesses and natural habitats into a vast global plantation is now well under way – with devastating consequences for its wild creatures.

Set amid Shumarinai Prefectural Natural Park and spanning almost 2.4 hectares, Lake Shumarinai is Japan’s largest artificial lake and one of its most pristine wildernesses.

When I started doing fieldwork in Borneo 17 years ago, most people thought of tropical forests as wildernesses, hostile to civilised human life and home only to vagrant, primitive people.