Natural phenomena are responsible for some of the planet’s most incredible spectacles. Instances can be seen all over the world as a result of different climates and conditions. Russian shepherds living in Siberia are one of the latest communities to get a taste of mother nature’s unbelievable power. It began with a heavy gurgling sound during the night that seemed to be resonating from the deep within the Earth. Upon waking up, residents of the modest village were stunned by the emergence of a huge crater. The unexplained occurrence baffled the locals leading to wild theories, with some even suspecting aliens were to blame.
Since their discovery in 2014, scientists have worked to uncover the cause of these massive cavities. Recent developments in research mean that we may finally have an explanation. The earth where these craters form to share some common characteristics and it’s Siberia’s unique and extreme environment that creates the conditions possible for their emergence. The region is covered in permafrost, areas of soil that stays permanently frozen all year long and covered in a thick sheet of ice. Furthermore, deposits of salty water that can resist the freezing temperatures sit underneath. Pingos are hills covered with this permafrost are the most likely cause of the violent eruptions that leave these craters. The theory is that ice melting rapidly causes the release of methane gas. Pockets of the gas build-up across the tundra, causing accumulating pressure that reaches explosive levels after a few years. However, all is not known, and scientists aren’t exactly sure how the gas originates in the first place. Unfortunately, experts suspect that climate change is playing a significant role in the appearance of the craters, and many are found to have formed after particularly warm summers, suggesting heat waves are partly to blame. The significant effects of climate change on the Siberian tundra are already well documented. There have been changes in vegetation, water, and land elevation due to the gradually melting permafrost. Landslides are another unfortunate consequence of the warming Earth and we could potentially see many more craters in the future.
Gordon Buchanan spends his professional life in the company of animals that would terrify any normal person. The famous Scottish wildlife presenter and filmmaker travels the globe documenting the lives of native tribesmen, and how they are able to coexist with fierce predators. The latest series of Tribes, Predators, and Me saw him living with hyenas in Ethiopia and even swimming with sharks in the Pacific. His show offers an authentic insight into the world of remote tribespeople who live vastly different lives to our own. A focal point is how each tribe manages the dangerous local wildlife, with many having to deal with living extremely close to potentially lethal animals. One of Buchanan’s most renowned visits was to the Waorani tribe, an Amazonian people numbering around 2,000 and located in Ecuador.
A huge part of Waorani culture is capturing anacondas that reside in the local rivers. However, it’s hugely important to the tribe not to harm the animals, and they are always released back into the wild. The Ecuadorian tribe believes that capturing these mighty predators is a demonstration of extreme strength and bravery. It is also seen as a means of acquiring spiritual power from the huge beasts. Over the centuries, they have evolved into specialist hunters, able to capture even the biggest and most powerful wild snakes. During his stay, on the first-ever aired episode of the show, Buchanan helped the locals wrestle control of one of the largest anacondas ever documented. In fact, the serpent measured more than 17ft and weighed around 150 pounds, making it the biggest ever discovered! Recently, the Waorani tradition of snake catching has been hugely important for the local ecosystem. The tribe has begun collecting samples from their catches to be analyzed by scientists. This is to see whether oil exploration is polluting native water supplies and damaging the wildlife upon which the Waorani rely.