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BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

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Saving Species

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Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Examining the world of nature and the challenges of wildlife conservation

Saving Species: Series 3

Saving Species: Series 3: Episode 19: International Wildlife

Episode 19

Episode 19: International Wildlife

Series 3

International Wildlife

BBC Radio 4 - Saving Species, Series 3, International Wildlife

International wildlife with polar bears in Svalbard, Asian elephants and salmon in Dorset.

Brett Westwood looks at the relationship between polar bears and sea ice in the Arctic, elephants in India, and salmon research in Dorset.

On Monday 7th, Tuesday 8th and Thursday 10th of January 2013 at 9.30pm, BBC 2 presents a series called "The Polar Bear Family and Me", a trio of films following a polar bear family in the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic. The film highlights the trend of a reduction in sea ice being formed in the winter and the ice that does form is melting earlier than ever before. Saving Species investigates what the decline in sea ice means for the future of the polar bears in Svalbard.

Ellie Williams looks at the National Elephant Corridor Project in India which is redeveloping historical paths used by Asian elephants to travel between habitats. Many of the corridors have since been obstructed by villages, roads and railway lines so the project requires participation from communities and landowners. 
In the 1980's the population of wild salmon in British rivers crashed by an estimated 70%. Initially the blame for this crash was put on the marine environment; was something affecting the adult fish returning to their spawning grounds? More recently attention has moved to freshwater rivers and whether the role the spawning and smolt survival plays a bigger influence. For 40 years the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust have carried out research on the river Frome in Dorset, which now is beginning to provide data which could one day lead to the creation of a model that could predict good and bad years for returning adult salmon adults.

Also in the programme - news from around the world with our regular news reporter, Kelvin Boot, plus details on how you can contribute and use the Open University's iSpot facility.
Presenter: Brett Westwood
Producer: Mary Colwell.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Episode 19: International Wildlife

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