Three golden monkeys arrive by special convoy to new home at Belgian zoo
Three golden monkeys from China arrived by special convoy to their new home at Pairi Daiza Zoo in Belgium on Wednesday (14 May).
Native to the Qinling Mountains in north-west China, the critically endangered species are known for its golden fur and upturned nose.
The transfer is part of a 10-year conservation partnership between the China Wildlife Conservation Association and Pairi Daiza.
Fewer than 4,000 golden monkeys are thought to remain in the wild, mostly in remote, protected areas.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Race Across the World locations: Where was the 2025 series filmed?
Race Across the World has wrapped up for another year, with Wednesday's final episode concluding with four teams competing to be the first to reach the southernmost tip of India. Over the past eight weeks, the teams navigated themselves through a line-up of destinations from China to India, trekking across the foothills of the Himalayas, stopping in bustling cities like Shangri-La, Delhi and Mumbai, as well as ticking off two wonders of the modern world at the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal. The first episode, which aired on 23 April, introduced us to five intrepid duos who set off on the 14,000km race that took 51 days to complete. Among the teams are brothers Brian and Melvin, mother and son Caroline and Tom, sisters Elizabeth and Letitia, young Welsh couple Fin and Sioned and the unlikely duo of previously married couple-turned-friends Yin and Gaz. This year, the teams trekked across China, Nepal and India. The pairs travelled through towns, cities and rural areas with a limited budget and resources carried in backpacks, making decisions as to what transport they would use, which route to take, where they would sleep and how much to spend. After launching the race at the Great Wall of China, the teams ticked off seven checkpoints, before setting their sights on being the first to reach the final destination at Kanniyakumari in India. While we will have to wait another year for the next season of Race Across the World, here's a summary of the locations our teams navigated as we look back on the colossal journey undertaken. The start The Great Wall of China The race began at the Great Wall of China, overlooking the village of Huanghuacheng, around 80km north of China's capital, Beijing. A fitting start for such a long trek, the walk across the entire Great Wall would certainly compete for an extensive journey in itself, stretching over 21,000km. One of the new seven wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China, is the largest manmade project that represents over two thousand years of Chinese history. The series of fortifications starts in the east at Shanhaiguan in Hebei province and ends at Jiayuguan in Gansu province to the west. Checkpoint one Huangling, China Around 2,000km to the south of the Great Wall is the first checkpoint, Huangling in the Jiangxi province, which has nestled on the slopes of Huayi Mountains for over 500 years. This community is famous for its Hui-style architecture and drying chillies on rooftops, creating a colourful bird's-eye view. This picturesque village, dotted with historical buildings and ancient sites, is surrounded by a scenic spread of lush greenery across the mountain slopes. The town is six centuries old, but lay in a dilapidated state until 16 years ago, when it transformed into a rural tourist hotspot. The teams were told to reach Huangling via cable car, then alight to cross the Leixin Suspension Bridge before finally checking into the Huangling Shaiqiu Hotel. Checkpoint two Sanya, China In the second episode, the five teams prepare to leave Huangling for a 2,700km journey to the city of Sanya, on the southern tip of Hainan Island. Along the way, the teams stopped at different places from glitzy cities to deep rural gems, including the cosmopolitan city of Xiamen on the coast, the Longji Rice Terraces near Guilin, and the ancient town of Fenghuang. After traversing much of southeastern China, the leg ends with Sanya, one of China's most southerly cities. Sanya attracts much of the wealthy elite in China due to its tropical climate, but as a result of this weather, it is also prone to monsoon storms. The city has several beaches along its coastal areas, including Dadonghai Bay and Yalong Bay, while one of its most impressive cultural landmarks is the Nanshan Temple. The temple is dominated by a statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of compassion and stands taller than the Statue of Liberty, as its three connected portraits look out while standing on an artificial islet. The Yazhou Ancient City, Yalong Tropical Paradise Forest Park and Wuzhizhou are also among other popular places to visit in Sanya. Checkpoint three Shangri-La, China Departing Sanya, the teams this week travelled through southwest China, stopping in key transport hubs such as Kunming and Nanning, spotting monkeys in Guizhou, and visiting the world's largest musical fountain in the sustainability-driven city of Liuzhou. The goal is to reach Shangri-La, a city on the edge of the Tibetan plateau in the heart of the Hengduan mountain range. The city was known for centuries as Zhongdian, but in 2001 it was renamed after the fictional utopia described in James Hilton's Lost Horizon in an effort to entice more tourists. The city has a cultural heritage that blends Chinese and Tibetan, as seen through its architecture, such as Yunnan's largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, Songzanlin Monastery, and its mix of vibrant courtyard-style homes and temples. Shangri-La also attracts visitors each year to its annual horse racing festival, usually held in June. Checkpoint four Varanasi, India As the Himalayas separating Shangri-La from India present a gargantuan challenge capable of humbling even the world's most fearless adventurers, the remaining four teams were flown to the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu to restart their race. Set in a valley surrounded by mountains, this bustling city is home to traffic-jammed alleyways, historic cultural sites, seven Unesco World Heritage Sites and the picturesque and peaceful Garden of Dreams. Checkpoint four is Varanasi, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities and a site of profound spiritual importance. Situated on the banks of the Ganges River in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, it's a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, as well as Buddhists and Jains. Home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of the most sacred Hindu sites in India and the Manikarnika Ghat, one of the holiest cremation grounds among the sacred riverfront ghats, Varanasi is a frenetic and unforgettable city that marks our intrepid travellers' fourth checkpoint. Checkpoint five McLeod Ganj, India After reaching Varanasi, India's spiritual capital, the racers discovered their next checkpoint would be McCleod Ganj, a journey that would take them 1,500km northwest. The highly elevated town, known as a hill station, is home to the 14th Dalai Lama and has a large Tibetan community after he and many others sought refuge here in 1959 after an uprising against the Chinese in Tibet. This story is told in the Tibet Museum in McLeod Ganj, which puts on exhibitions showcasing Tibet's history, culture and situation in the present in exile. The town also draws thousands of visitors coming in search of blessings and Buddhist wisdom, as well as domestic travellers looking to avoid soaring temperatures. To get there, the Race Across the World teams needed to traverse one of the most populated areas on Earth, before climbing nearly 7,000 feet into the foothills of the Himalayas within the district of Himachal Pradesh. The area was named after Donald Friell McLeod, who was a Lieutenant Governor during British colonial rule in India. The Himalayan town has lots of scenic viewpoints over the foothills, including areas such as Triund and the Naddi View Point, while colourful houses, monasteries and temples are dotted across the hillside. Checkpoint six Sasan Gir, India The sixth checkpoint saw teams travelling a colossal 1,900km to the south of India, heading through the country's largest state, Rajasthan, the Great Indian Desert and colourful cities such as Amritsar, Jodhpur and Pushkar. The teams were aiming for Sasan Gir, gateway to the Gir National Park, a wildlife destination with large stretches of grassland and the last remaining natural habitat of the endangered Asiatic lion. The park is also home to 40 species of mammals and 425 bird species, with crocodiles, jackals, eagles and owls often seen roaming. However, the park mainly attracts visitors from all over the world to spot the lions on their safari and tour packages. This is due to Gir National Park in Gujarat being the only place in the world, aside from Africa, where you can spot lions roaming free in the wild. The small Sasan Gir village, home to the Maldhari and Siddi communities, also has plenty of hotels and resorts to stay in near the national park. The park has 1,412 square metres of dry deciduous forest, and stays very hot all year round, with its lowest temperature 28C in the winter, and highs of 39C in the summer. Checkpoint seven Panaji For the penultimate checkpoint, the teams trekked 1,500km south of Sasan Gir to Panaji, the capital of India's smallest state, Goa. After passing through destinations such as Vadodara, vineyards in Igatpuri and the country's largest city, Mumbai, the pairs reached the coastal city made up of palm-fringed beaches and colourful streets. Until 1961, the city was under Portuguese colonial rule, with echoes of this heritage still woven through its red-tiled roof buildings, baroque architecture and Goan-Portuguese bakeries selling custard tarts. One notable baroque construction is the towering Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception church, with its bright white facade standing out in a sea of bold buildings and vibrant street art. The city now attracts millions of tourists each year, drawing a young crowd to Goa's relaxed beach scene and creatives to its public art, collectives, art festivals and galleries. Panaji also sits on the banks of the Mandovi River, which flows out into the Arabian Sea and has coastal hotspots such as Bamolim Bay and Miramar, attracting beachgoers. The small Olive Ridley sea turtle has been seen nesting at Panaji's beaches, and Galgibaga, further down the coast, has a protected area to help the nesting turtles. The end Kanniyakumari, India To become Race Across the World champions and win a prize of £20,000, the teams had to reach the town of Kanniyakumari first. Located on the southernmost tip of India and a popular pilgrimage point, Kanniyakumari sits at the converging point of three major bodies of water, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. Alongside its sublime coastal views, the town is filled with historic monuments, such as the 95-foot-tall Thiruvalluvar Statue, as well as temples, churches and waterfalls. However, one of its major pulls is being the location for some of the best sunrise and sunset spectacles in the country, as its geography allows for witnessing both, appearing as if the Sun rises and then drops back below the horizon line.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Golden eagle collision concerns over Walkerburn wind farm plans
A pioneering project to boost golden eagle numbers in the south of Scotland has raised collision risk concerns about a wind farm plan in the Olsen Renewables wants to construct eight turbines at Scawd Law near charity Restoring Upland Nature (RUN) - formerly the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP) - has objected to the scheme due to its potential impact on the nearby company has said the wind farm - which it has reduced in scale - could contribute £8m to the local economy over its operational lifetime. The first chicks from the project were released in a secret location in the Moffat Hills in 2018 having been brought from the the time there were only between two and four breeding pairs in the south of have risen to about 50 and they have spread their wings across the border into conservationists are concerned at the impact the Scawd Law scheme could have in the Moorfoot Hills which are home to one of the first settled breeding pairs from the Dr Cat Barlow said they did not believe it was the right place for a wind farm. "The Additional Information Report (AIR) currently being used by the site's developers is dated and substantially underestimates the impact on golden eagles at a particularly critical time for the local population," she said."Breeding territories must remain undisturbed for long-term population sustainability, as golden eagles are highly sensitive to disturbance and tend to avoid areas around wind turbines."The expansion of wind farms without rigorous, up-to-date environmental data risks pushing these birds out of the very landscapes they need to survive." She said a new impact assessment was needed as the current one underestimated the risk of Barlow added: "We know that the drive for renewable energy comes from a position of caring for the environment."Indeed, it is key to reducing the carbon emissions which cause climate change - the greatest long-term threat to Scotland's wildlife."We are supportive of renewable energy developments in the right place, but it is crucial that the most up-to-date insights are used in the consideration of proposals to ensure wildlife and renewable energy can thrive together."Fred Olsen Renewables has been approached for comment.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Race Across the World: Caroline and Tom planning further travels
Warning: This article reveals the winners of Race Across the World. A mother and son who appeared on Race Across the World together have revealed they are saving up to go on more adventures BBC One show saw five pairs of contestants race a distance of about 8,700 miles (14,000km) between the Great Wall of China, north of Beijing, and Kanniyakumari, the southernmost tip of India. Caroline and Tom Bridge, from Hargrave, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, were first to cross the finish line after 51 days of the morning after the final was aired, Ms Bridge said: "It has brought us closer, we now try and have a bit more time for each other." The 60-year-old, who had not been travelling before, said it had been "amazing" to relive the experience by watching the series air, but the trip itself "took its toll". "You're so tired, so dirty, so hungry and you really feel like you've got nothing left in the tank but you just have to keep plodding on so it really was amazing," she victory came despite having a slow start to the race, finishing the first leg in last place."We were a day and a half [behind], we couldn't believe how slow we were," Ms Bridge said."We got stuck in Beijing. From the very first out we were so behind we had to dig deep."We went from fifth back to first." Ms Bridge said the experience had strengthened the relationship between mother and son."We now try and have a bit more time for each other," she said. "We actually make time to stop and enjoy the simple things together and we are hoping to go travelling again."While the pair's next adventure is still in the planning process, they know for sure that this time they will have a mobile phone, something which is prohibited on the show."Tom is back working and we are hoping to save up and plan to go to Kazakhstan with rucksacks but obviously with a phone this time and see what takes our fancy."It will just be the two of us because we like to walk and be impulsive and we don't mind roughing it." While Ms Bridge spoke to BBC Radio Suffolk about the pair's win, son Tom opted for a lie-in. However, upon reaching the finish line, the 21-year-old said he had "never been prouder" of his said: "It's a pretty good feeling. I am lost for words I can't believe it."Fifty-one days racing through countries that I never thought I'd go to, I never thought we'd come this far, I never thought we'd achieve so much and I've never been prouder of my mum - she got me through it." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
