James Fair
Wildlife journalist
James Fair writes about wildlife conservation and broader environmental issues for a wide range of publications, including BBC Wildlife and BBC Countryfile magazines. James started his career as a journalist in the early 1990s, then spent a number of years working on conservation projects in South America, including an ultimately doomed effort to reintroduce an orphaned Andean bear cub into the wild in Bolivia. In 1999, James joined BBC Wildlife as a commissioning editor, while later filling the roles of staff writer, environment editor and keyboard destroyer-in-chief. In 2018, he went freelance, and now takes on a range of news, feature and report writing assignments, and is also the editor of the membership magazine of the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). In 2019, he published his second book, 100 Great Wildlife Experiences: What to see and where.
Recent articles by James Fair
How eight farmers, some salt licks and a load of cows could breathe new life into the uplands of Britain
Scientists and farmers have come together to trial a new nature-based solution for managing bracken and boosting biodiversity. Here's what they're doing...
Two dogs were just sent to a remote archipelago on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean – with one vital job
They were there to help prevent an ecological disaster.
'Six-foot-long big cat' caught on camera by English roadworker – but is it really a panther? Here's what the experts say
The large black cat was filmed as it stalked the edge of a field in Cambridgeshire...
“I’ve been chased by elephants and buffalos, and one time I woke up surrounded by 14 lions”
African rangers such as Benson Kanyembo face dangers every day as they carry out their vital work. Now a new initiative has been set up to help support them, says James Fair
Are cows eco villains or eco warriors? Why cattle COULD be secret heroes for wildlife
Beef production gets a bad rap, but in some situations cows can aid conservation
Why this skinned head preserved in ethanol for more than 100 years has got de-extinction experts so excited
Scientists say that 'ancient DNA' extracted from the head has allowed them to complete more than 99.9 per cent of the species genome. Here's what that means...
An army of giant rats are being trained to sniff out animal body parts. Here's why
The African giant pouched rats are being taught to detect elephant ivory, rhino horn and pangolin scales.
Did you know a common cold can kill a great ape? Why getting close to these primates can put them in danger
Don't get to close to a great ape, says James Fair, as you could pass on an illness that could kill them
“It gives me goosebumps." Rare Amur tigers return to Kazakhstan
The first phase of a pioneering conservation project has seen two tigers moved from the Netherlands to Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve in Kazakhstan.
Deadliest apex predators in the wild: which ruthless mammals are the best killing machines?
Which dangerous apex predators are the best hunters and which famous predator has to work hardest to get a meal? The answers will surprise you!
The UK has killed 230,000 badgers in the past decade. Here's why the cull is finally ending
Badger culling will end in England within five years, the Government says.
Sweden to kill 20% of its brown bears
Sweden has issued licences allowing hunters to take 486 brown bears this year out of a population estimated at just below 2,450.
Scientists are using AI to save rare African forest elephants in the Congo Basin. Here's how
The species has declined by 80-85 per cent in the past three decades – the new technology could help the elephants and the wider climate crisis, say researchers.
What's the world's most dangerous mammal?
What are the most dangerous animals in the world? James Fair takes a look at the contenders... and includes some unlikely ones
Gruesome images of albatross chicks eaten alive by house mice highlight need for action on remote Indian Ocean island
Conservationists estimate that wandering albatross and 18 other species will disappear as breeding birds on Marion Island if the house mice continue to predate them.
New Zealand’s annual cat-killing competition condemned after record death toll
A total of 371 cats were shot, along with a range of other non-native wild and domestic animal species that are considered a threat to native wildlife.
“It’s a moggy!” Expert weighs in as another big cat ‘spotted’ in English countryside
Does the latest video of a black cat in the UK countryside offer evidence there are big cats roaming the British Isles? James Fair investigates
Fighting fire from space: How AI could save millions of Australian animals from deadly wildfires
The new AI technology will make it possible to reliably detect wildfires in less than one hour, say scientists.
Prehistoric aurochs are back from extinction and spreading across Europe. And they could be heading to the UK
Tauros are the closest thing to the extinct aurochs. And they are coming to the UK.
Cocaine smuggling is a threat to critical bird habitats in Central America. Are anti-narcotic operations making the problem worse?
Cocaine trafficking poses a substantial threat to several bird species, including the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, finds study.
Who sank the mighty Spanish Armada? A tiny mollusc with a powerful gut, finds new study
Scientists say they have finally discovered the secret to the success of the wood-eating shipworm.
Jailed as spies in Iran, the scientists trying to save the super-rare Asiatic cheetah are finally free
Iran has released four conservationists who worked to save the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah before being sent to prison for espionage.
DNA confirms there IS a big cat roaming the British countryside
Could this be conclusive evidence that proves there are big cats roaming the British countryside?
A rare Australian marsupial is being genetically modified to save it from extinction. Here's how
Scientists are trying to genetically 'edit' the endangered northern quoll to make it resistant to the neurotoxin of the invasive cane toad.