In recent years the emphasis of many TV documentaries seems to be on presenters tackling dangerous animals or performing dangerous stunts, especially in caves. Bear Grylls is one such presenter.
A few years ago he was criticised for killing bats in China.
More recently there have been programmes in which he goes into caves, jumps into rivers etc, and never wears a helmet, has inadequate lighting and doesn't seem to take any safety precautions. Again I have posted this on my cave website.
The latest upset was after a programme was aired on British TV of him caving in Yorkshire. In "Britain's biggest adventures", [ITV , Part 2, 2015, shown Sept 2015. Nutopia and BTV] after abseiling at Malham Cove without a helmet, he goes into Long Churn Cave. We see him going through a section of cave alone, with a single torchlight and no helmet. Then he meets up with an experienced caver. As the cave begins to flood they have to go out.
It seems to be that Bear Grylls often does reckless things, presumably for the TV audience.
A few days after "Britain's biggest adventures" aired, the Yorkshire based Cave Rescue Organisation made a complaint about the programme. This was detailed on Grough, I will copy some of the article here -
Cave rescue team complains over 'horrifying' Bear Grylls TV programme
Bob Smith, Editor
Monday 28 September 2015
A rescue team has posted an official complaint to television bosses over scenes in a recent programme featuring a renowned adventurer.
The Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation said last week’s episode of ITV’s Britain’s Biggest Adventures with Bear Grylls showed a total disregard for safety in the outdoors.
The rescue team’s chair Heather Eastwood has written to the channel expressing horror at some of the activities the star of the programme undertook.
Ms Eastwood said: “As chair of the local rescue team both myself and many of my fellow team members were horrified to see Bear Grylls show a total disregard for safety in the outdoors especially in relation to water and caving.
“Bear Grylls is Chief Scout and is an inspirational figure to many young people but both ITV and Bear Grylls himself have shown a total lack of responsibility by portraying some of the activities in the light that you choose to do.”
The programme, second in a series being currently screened, was set in the Yorkshire Dales and showed Bear Grylls abseiling down the 80m crag of Malham Cove, to meet climber Steve McClure half way up.
But the two activities that concerned the CRO are when the adventurer tosses his rucksack into the water at Stainforth Force before performing a backflip into the water, and heading into the Long Churn cave system near Selside without basic equipment.
Before stepping into the cave system with no helmet or protective suit and with just a handtorch, Grylls says: “Water levels are rising. This adventure was about to put all our lives in danger.” The commentary said it had been raining non-stop for 24 hours.
The television star, his underground guide Phil Murphy and the film crew are seen to make a rushed exit from the cave. Bear Grylls says: “We’re in genuine danger of being swept away so, for safety, we have to switch the cameras off.
“All of us make it out just in time.”
The Cave Rescue Organisation chair said in her letter: “Climbing up waterfalls shows not only a total disregard for the environment but failed to mention the dangers of water in general let alone how that danger increases in waterfalls.
“For those of us who know the area in question we are well aware of the power and dangers of the water shown even in dry conditions and have had the misfortune of being involved in difficult rescues in those areas.
“As for your portrayal of caving and cave exploration I am struggling to express my horror.
See link above for full article.
---
Similar articles also appeared in The Guardian 1 Oct, and Mirror Online 1 Oct .
September 29, 2015
The Two Million Year Old Boy from South Africa
New : The Two Million Year Old Boy [Natgeotv 2011]
A 2 myo clavicle bone belonging to a pre-human boy from a previously unidentified species: Australopithecus sediba.
This was the discovery of the century, finding a new species.
On 15 Aug 2008 Lee Berger and his son were looking for fossils in the World Heritage site 25 miles from Johannesburg. It is known as Cradle of Humankind, because of the pre-human fossils. Many years ago the area was mined by gold prospectors and many caves and rocks were blown up. In a small depression in the Malapa Valley, Lee's son found a hominid clavicle in a rock, and later the lower jaw and a canine tooth. They were from a male child dated 2 myo.
6 myo humans and chimps shared a common ancestor. Australopithecus started walking on 2 legs. But it is not known when Homo appeared as there is a gap in the fossil record, between 2.5 - 1.8 mya. Very few bones of pre-humans have been found, only about 3000.
100s of bone fragments were found in blasted rocks, from animals such as sabre tooth cats, hyena, antelope, mice, rabbits etc. More finds were made, a humerus, scapula and 2 teeth. These were from a second individual. This was an adult female about 30 years of age. Could this be a mother and child? They were 2 hominid pre-humans and named as Australopithecus sediba. They had a mix of modern and old features.
Before this discovery, less than 10 hominid skeletons had been found. The new bones were very different from anything found before. A scan of rocks revealed a skull inside on. This was from an entirely new species as it didn't match anything known.
A lab was set up to make casts of the bones which would be available to researchers all over the world.
Human evolution has not occurred in a straight line as there are many branches and Australopithecus sediba contains old and new features. This new species had an ankle like a human with an ape-like heel bone. It had modern hands with ape-like arms, so could walk upright but still climb trees if necessary. It had a very small brain but it was reshaped to look more human than ape.
It is not known if Australopithecus sediba is a direct ancestor to Homo sapiens.
There was a clue as to how these hominids died - bones from both individuals were unmarked by predators. There were no tooth or impact marks. The bones were well preserved in limestone. Many hominids died violent deaths e.g by animal attacks. So how did these ones die? The boy had 2 broken bones on the forearm so could he have fallen. Today the cave is just a hole in the ground, maybe it was deeper before. Maybe the hominids were searching for water and fell down. Animal bones were also found. There could have been a flash flood which buried all the bones together. But the site was disturbed by the gold miners centuries ago.
Excavation of the site began. The tibia of a 3rd individual was found, a 2nd adult. Then some from an infant about 18 months old. Possibly a family group.
---
Shown on UK Channel 4 TV in Sept 2015
See also the related programme, FIRST HUMANS: THE CAVE DISCOVERY , on the discovery of
Homo naledi from Rising Star Cave.
-----
A 2 myo clavicle bone belonging to a pre-human boy from a previously unidentified species: Australopithecus sediba.
This was the discovery of the century, finding a new species.
On 15 Aug 2008 Lee Berger and his son were looking for fossils in the World Heritage site 25 miles from Johannesburg. It is known as Cradle of Humankind, because of the pre-human fossils. Many years ago the area was mined by gold prospectors and many caves and rocks were blown up. In a small depression in the Malapa Valley, Lee's son found a hominid clavicle in a rock, and later the lower jaw and a canine tooth. They were from a male child dated 2 myo.
6 myo humans and chimps shared a common ancestor. Australopithecus started walking on 2 legs. But it is not known when Homo appeared as there is a gap in the fossil record, between 2.5 - 1.8 mya. Very few bones of pre-humans have been found, only about 3000.
100s of bone fragments were found in blasted rocks, from animals such as sabre tooth cats, hyena, antelope, mice, rabbits etc. More finds were made, a humerus, scapula and 2 teeth. These were from a second individual. This was an adult female about 30 years of age. Could this be a mother and child? They were 2 hominid pre-humans and named as Australopithecus sediba. They had a mix of modern and old features.
Before this discovery, less than 10 hominid skeletons had been found. The new bones were very different from anything found before. A scan of rocks revealed a skull inside on. This was from an entirely new species as it didn't match anything known.
A lab was set up to make casts of the bones which would be available to researchers all over the world.
Human evolution has not occurred in a straight line as there are many branches and Australopithecus sediba contains old and new features. This new species had an ankle like a human with an ape-like heel bone. It had modern hands with ape-like arms, so could walk upright but still climb trees if necessary. It had a very small brain but it was reshaped to look more human than ape.
It is not known if Australopithecus sediba is a direct ancestor to Homo sapiens.
There was a clue as to how these hominids died - bones from both individuals were unmarked by predators. There were no tooth or impact marks. The bones were well preserved in limestone. Many hominids died violent deaths e.g by animal attacks. So how did these ones die? The boy had 2 broken bones on the forearm so could he have fallen. Today the cave is just a hole in the ground, maybe it was deeper before. Maybe the hominids were searching for water and fell down. Animal bones were also found. There could have been a flash flood which buried all the bones together. But the site was disturbed by the gold miners centuries ago.
Excavation of the site began. The tibia of a 3rd individual was found, a 2nd adult. Then some from an infant about 18 months old. Possibly a family group.
---
Shown on UK Channel 4 TV in Sept 2015
See also the related programme, FIRST HUMANS: THE CAVE DISCOVERY , on the discovery of
Homo naledi from Rising Star Cave.
-----
Homo naledi, a new species of human ancestor from South Africa
Homo naledi, a new species of human ancestor, found in South Africa.
Documentary by Quickfire Media 2015
FIRST HUMANS: THE CAVE DISCOVERY
In Autumn 2013, 2 cavers Rick and Steve found a new previously unentered chamber deep in Rising Star Cave near Johananesburg in South Africa. Lee Berger, a professor of palaentology at Witwatersrand University lead the research which revealed the bones were from early hominids.
There was a gap between known specimens of Australopithecus and Homo erectus, 2-3 million years ago. Australopithecus was an upright ape, with a smaller body and brain than Homo erectus which was more human like.
Lee Berger called for skinny scientists who could negotiate the narrow passages to the new chamber. Cams were set up throughout the cave, using more than 2 km of cable. The position of the bones was mapped by laser scanning.
In 2008 Lee Berger had investigated the nearby Malapa Valley. On 1 Aug 2008 his son had found a hominid clavicle in a rock at a small cave/hole in the ground. It was well preserved in the limestone layers and dated to 1.97 myo. It turned out to be a new species, Australopithecus sediba. This discovery ended the gap between Australopithecus and Homo erectus. The bones were found to be from a female and a child. A complete skeleton was made by scanning and 3d printing. Tartar found on the teeth was tested and showed microscopic remains of many different plants such as grasses, wood bark and fruits. This indicates a diet similar to today's chimpanzees. It suggests that ape-like forest dwellers evolved into humans.
Back at Rising Star, the hip bones showed an upright but primitive gait. The jaws are more Homo-like. A piece of skull was definitely Homo and of a new species. Careful collection of the bones resulted in more than 2000 fragments from 12 individuals. This is the first new species between Australopithecus and Homo erectus to be found in abundance. The bones showed human-like feet, hands and teeth, which means they interacted with the environment. But the trunk and brain was more primitive, with chimp-like arms, long legs and a small brow. The tiny brain was only one third the size of a human bone. The legs and hands are part of our genus. But they are still close to Australopithecus.
There were no other animal remains in the cave. This is unheard of. Normally all 'human' finds are mixed with bones of animals. So how did these Hominid bones get into this deep, inaccessible chamber in Rising Star? It seemed to be a cemetery population. There were no signs of predation, no flow of material into the chamber, so were the bones put there? The brain is only slightly larger than that of a chimp, so could they have purposefully disposed of their dead? This would suggest highly advanced social behaviour.
This species could be an evolutionary experiment, as evolution went down many branches. It all adds to the story of our origins and fills in the gap at the start of our genus.
---
Shown on UK Channel 4 , Sept 2015 .
---
See my 2013 blog on the Rising Star expedition
---
And see more Australopithecus sediba on Wikipedia.
___
Documentary by Quickfire Media 2015
FIRST HUMANS: THE CAVE DISCOVERY
In Autumn 2013, 2 cavers Rick and Steve found a new previously unentered chamber deep in Rising Star Cave near Johananesburg in South Africa. Lee Berger, a professor of palaentology at Witwatersrand University lead the research which revealed the bones were from early hominids.
There was a gap between known specimens of Australopithecus and Homo erectus, 2-3 million years ago. Australopithecus was an upright ape, with a smaller body and brain than Homo erectus which was more human like.
Lee Berger called for skinny scientists who could negotiate the narrow passages to the new chamber. Cams were set up throughout the cave, using more than 2 km of cable. The position of the bones was mapped by laser scanning.
In 2008 Lee Berger had investigated the nearby Malapa Valley. On 1 Aug 2008 his son had found a hominid clavicle in a rock at a small cave/hole in the ground. It was well preserved in the limestone layers and dated to 1.97 myo. It turned out to be a new species, Australopithecus sediba. This discovery ended the gap between Australopithecus and Homo erectus. The bones were found to be from a female and a child. A complete skeleton was made by scanning and 3d printing. Tartar found on the teeth was tested and showed microscopic remains of many different plants such as grasses, wood bark and fruits. This indicates a diet similar to today's chimpanzees. It suggests that ape-like forest dwellers evolved into humans.
Back at Rising Star, the hip bones showed an upright but primitive gait. The jaws are more Homo-like. A piece of skull was definitely Homo and of a new species. Careful collection of the bones resulted in more than 2000 fragments from 12 individuals. This is the first new species between Australopithecus and Homo erectus to be found in abundance. The bones showed human-like feet, hands and teeth, which means they interacted with the environment. But the trunk and brain was more primitive, with chimp-like arms, long legs and a small brow. The tiny brain was only one third the size of a human bone. The legs and hands are part of our genus. But they are still close to Australopithecus.
There were no other animal remains in the cave. This is unheard of. Normally all 'human' finds are mixed with bones of animals. So how did these Hominid bones get into this deep, inaccessible chamber in Rising Star? It seemed to be a cemetery population. There were no signs of predation, no flow of material into the chamber, so were the bones put there? The brain is only slightly larger than that of a chimp, so could they have purposefully disposed of their dead? This would suggest highly advanced social behaviour.
This species could be an evolutionary experiment, as evolution went down many branches. It all adds to the story of our origins and fills in the gap at the start of our genus.
---
Shown on UK Channel 4 , Sept 2015 .
---
See my 2013 blog on the Rising Star expedition
---
And see more Australopithecus sediba on Wikipedia.
___
September 27, 2015
Vinales Valley, Cuba, world heritage site
The Vinales Valley in Cuba is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Vinales Valley is located in the Sierra de los Organos at the western end of Cuba.
It is a stunning karst landscape, a valley encircled by mountains and dotted with mogotes that rise up to 300 m. Mogotes are tall rounded hills that rise abruptly from the plain.
Vinales is inscribed in 1999 as a cultural site. The valley is used for traditional methods of agriculture and tobacco. The indigenous architecture of the farms and villages shows the multi-ethnic society of the area, which was colonised in the early 19th century.
There are many caves in the hills although I wasn't able to visit any. Many were inhabited for centuries before the arrival of the Spanish colonists. Escaped slaves in particular lived in the caves.
Vinales is in Pinar del Rio province, the capital is also called Pinar del Rio.
Morning mist in the valley -
It is a stunning karst landscape, a valley encircled by mountains and dotted with mogotes that rise up to 300 m. Mogotes are tall rounded hills that rise abruptly from the plain.
Vinales is inscribed in 1999 as a cultural site. The valley is used for traditional methods of agriculture and tobacco. The indigenous architecture of the farms and villages shows the multi-ethnic society of the area, which was colonised in the early 19th century.
There are many caves in the hills although I wasn't able to visit any. Many were inhabited for centuries before the arrival of the Spanish colonists. Escaped slaves in particular lived in the caves.
Vinales is in Pinar del Rio province, the capital is also called Pinar del Rio.
Morning mist in the valley -
September 24, 2015
Cuba cenote
I spent some time in Cuba in Sept 2015, but unfortunately was unable to visit any caves. However I did see my first cenote.
Cenotes are sinkholes that contain groundwater and usually connect to underground water bodies. The name is commonly used in the Mexico and Caribbean areas.
La Cueva de los Peces is on the southern coast of central Cuba, at the Bay of Pigs.
It is 17 km south of Playa Larga, in Matanzas province, La Cueva de los Peces is a 61-meter-deep sinkhole. There are lots of fish.
Interesting 'fossils' in the floor -
This is the coast where the cenote water presumably comes out -
The sea is crystal clear
Cenotes are sinkholes that contain groundwater and usually connect to underground water bodies. The name is commonly used in the Mexico and Caribbean areas.
La Cueva de los Peces is on the southern coast of central Cuba, at the Bay of Pigs.
It is 17 km south of Playa Larga, in Matanzas province, La Cueva de los Peces is a 61-meter-deep sinkhole. There are lots of fish.
Interesting 'fossils' in the floor -
This is the coast where the cenote water presumably comes out -
The sea is crystal clear
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