Secrets of the Forest

Tom Burd · Issue 91, Jul/Aug 2016 · pp. 69–74

Products mentioned: Nikon D7000, Nauticam Housing, Nikon 60mm Micro, Sea and Sea YS-D1, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, Lumix 14-45mm, LG G3

You never really know what you will stumble upon during a walk in the forest, but I certainly wasn’t expecting to find myself snorkelling in an oversized puddle, mesmerised by an extraordinary little semi-aquatic animal. It wasn’t until I had hiked up to the remote waterfall with wetsuit, weights and photography gear, that my camera unfortunately decided to give up the ghost, so the project came to a sudden halt. However a year later, properly equipped and with fresh ideas, I’ve been lucky enough to have another go at highlighting the fascinating life story of a very charismatic amphibian: the fire salamander! The Grésigne forest in the South-West of France stretches across nearly 9000 acres and is part of the European Commission’s “Natura 2000” network, thanks to its ecological importance as a wildlife refuge for a multitude of fauna and flora. Deer, pine marten, wild boar and a uniquel…