2020年11月 - 星空迷

大提顿国家公园中的野牛，怀俄明州 Bison in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (© Brian Evans/Getty Images)

National Bison Day

If ever there was an animal that deserved some recognition, it's the bison. Since 2012, National Bison Day has been observed on the first Saturday of November to acknowledge the animal's cultural, historical, and economic significance—as well as its remarkable comeback. Bison were once plentiful in North America. Tens of millions strong in the 1800s, they roamed in great herds, helping to diversify and maintain the prairie habitat. They've also played several important roles in Native American cultures. Indigenous peoples have used every part of the bison for food, utensils, and clothing—and they pay tribute to the giant beasts in religious rituals.

Settlement of the American West caused habitat loss for the bison and that, combined with overhunting, nearly wiped out the species altogether—until ranchers, conservationists, and politicians teamed up to save them. In 1913, 14 bison from the Bronx Zoo were shipped to a wildlife refuge to revive the population. Fast forward to today, and more than 20,000 bison roam on public lands in the United States.

阿尔瓦拉辛，西班牙 Albarracín, Spain (© Domingo Leiva/Getty Images)

A medieval Moorish gem

Originally founded as the capitol of a small Moorish kingdom in the 10th century, Albarracín remains one the most perfectly preserved medieval towns in Spain. The town's narrow winding streets, centuries-old architecture, and dramatic defensive walls are all constructed with the pink-hued gypsum found throughout the region. Aside from its historical charms, Albarracín is also a popular destination for rock climbers who come to scale the red boulders and cliff faces outside the village's fortress walls.

秋季迁徙时正在游过科伯克河的驯鹿，阿拉斯加 Caribou swimming across Alaska's Kobuk River during fall migration (© Michio Hoshino/Minden Pictures)

Caribou on the move

Each fall a quarter million caribou come together to form the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, a group that makes an epic migration through northwest Alaska. In great numbers they move south from their calving grounds in the Utukok River Uplands to their winter range on the Seward Peninsula. Fall is also the time when scientists attach radio collars to members of the herd, to track their location and health, and to gain information that will help conserve the species. When spring arrives, they'll complete the trip again in reverse, covering a total of 2,000 miles each year, give or take.

One of the best spots to see the herd on the move is where the great masses of animals cross this river, the Kobuk, at Onion Portage. The name of the portage derives from an Inupiaq (Inuit) word meaning 'wild onions' for the many wild onions that grow here. But the native Inuit people don't come here just to forage for onions. For millennia, the caribou crossing has drawn native peoples who rely on caribou meat, a tradition that continues to this day.

从奎雷英山口看到的 Leum na Luirginn湖和Cleat湖，英国斯凯岛 Loch Leum na Luirginn and Loch Cleat seen from the Quiraing, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK (© Sebastian Wasek/Sime/eStock Photo)

The sliding landscape of Skye

As the sun rises on the Isle of Skye, off Scotland’s west coast, it casts a golden glow on a landscape shaped by lava flows, erosion and glacial movement. An ancient landslip here runs for nearly 20 miles, creating a labyrinth of steep slopes, hidden plateaus and dramatic rock formations.

This particular section is known as the Quiraing and it is the only bit of the landslip which is still moving, albeit by just a few centimetres a year. Among numerous striking rock formations are a 120ft pinnacle known as The Needle and The Prison, an outcrop that looks like a medieval fortress. The Quiraing’s name is derived from the Old Norse ‘Kvi Rand’ (meaning round fold) and it is said that another local landmark, an elevated grassy plateau known as The Table, was used to hide cattle from Viking raiders.

The Quiraing’s sweeping panoramas make it a favourite with photographers and walkers, while various movies including Transformers: The Last Knight and 47 Ronin have also featured scenes from this fantastical landscape.

A very precious river

Autumn has settled here on the banks of the Chéran, a river of the Northern Prealps, a small region of Savoy, France. Nicknamed "the pearl of the Bauges" because of its remarkable character and the beauty of the landscapes it crosses, this mountain stream is conducive to many activities, including one you don't expect!

Gold miners have been visiting the Chéran since the middle ages – the 24-carat river known as one of the purest in the world - however the inhabitants of the region are confident that there will be no gold rush here.