It’s easy to get despondent about the natural world, but in her new book, Megan McCubbin explores stories of hope and courage for the world’s endangered species and reveals the best way we can all fight back
Words: Fergus Collins, BBC Countryfile Magazine editor
A scientist, naturalist, photographer, writer and TV presenter, Megan McCubbin is best known for appearing on Springwatch (and later Autumnwatch and Winterwatch) during the Covid pandemic with her step-father Chris Packham. Unable to explore the wider world during the first lockdown period of 2020, Megan and Chris brought a vital daily dose of wildlife joy and virtual escape into nature for millions during that strange spring.
As a scientist, Megan has travelled widely and studied and reported on wildlife and environmental issues from across the globe. Now, in her second book, she shares some of these extraordinary stories in An Atlas of Endangered Species.
BBC Countryfile Magazine editor Fergus Collins met up with Megan at one of her favourite local wildlife havens: the Hawk Conservancy Centre near Andover in Hampshire.
What’s so special about the Hawk Conservancy?
“I’ve been coming ever since I was a little girl. I’ve always been mesmerised by the birds that live here and the conservation work that’s done. On one of my first visits, there was a barn owl called Marmite, who was used as an educational bird who would be taken to schools to help teach the kids. I asked whether I could take Marmite to one of my school assemblies and fly him in front of all my school friends. They said yes and so I trained – I was only about five or six at the time – and learned how to ‘fly’ Marmite.
“On the assembly date, he flew off perfectly. But as he was on his way back to me, he just looked up, went to the beams at the top of the hall and didn’t come down for a good four or five hours! But I’ve been hooked on this place ever since.”
What is the book about?
“In my travelling and in my work, I have seen the declines of species firsthand. So I thought it was very poignant to talk about endangered species. The book is essentially an anthology of 19 species, plus humans at the end (not so endangered, but very critical in the storyline, of course). I’m highlighting the plight of a number of key threatened species around the world – and the incredible people and projects that are helping reverse the losses.
