‘All of this will have been destroyed in the area where those men set off their dynamite, and it won’t recover for a very, very long time,’ Angela observed sadly.
‘Before we leave tomorrow, I’d like to photograph what they’ve done so that I can show it to the world alongside these photos,’ said Peter. ‘I’m sure the magazine I’m working for will agree that this should be publicised.’
He turned his attention to Joe’s photograph of the man with the motorbike. Joe watched as he uploaded the image and zeroed in on the man’s face.
‘Nobody will be able to recognise him from that,’ Aesha said rather dismissively.
‘You wait and see,’ said Peter. ‘You’ll be surprised what you can do with the right software.’
They watched intently as he manipulated the photograph. Gradually, a sharper image began to appear, whose features became more obvious by the minute, until at last Joe was able to say, ‘That’s him! That’s absolutely him! I can see his big nose!’ He looked to Dario to confirm that the likeness was now obvious.
‘We don’t like this man,’ Dario said grimly. ‘He is not a nice man.’
‘The most important thing that I’ve spotted is that he has a very large ring on the little finger of his left hand,’ said Peter.
‘And a gap between his front teeth!’ cried Joe. ‘I remember it from when he shouted at us.’
‘I’m horrified at the thought of what might have happened to you both,’ said Binti, squeezing Joe’s arm. ‘You had a very lucky escape.’
Joe was glad that Angela stopped his mother from dwelling on what could have happened by sharing her thoughts.
‘There’s nothing the man can be charged with if we do come across him because we don’t have enough evidence of his involvement, but at least now he’ll know that we’re on to him and it might make him think twice about a repeat performance. We’ll be posting his mugshot far and wide, not just in the hope that someone will recognise him, but also as a warning that we’ll be hot on the heels of anyone who tries the same thing.’
Joe felt his chest swelling with pride. He was sad to be moving on from this island where he’d had such an amazing adventure – not to mention a close escape from very real danger. But he would be leaving behind a photograph he had taken, a photograph that would be used to help protect the fascinating yet fragile underwater world he had been privileged to explore. How cool was that!
Zoological Society of London
ZSL London Zoo is a very famous part of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
For almost two hundred years, we have been working tirelessly to provide hope and a home to thousands of animals.
And it’s not just the animals at ZSL’s Zoos in London and Whipsnade that we are caring for. Our conservationists are working in more than 50 countries to help protect animals in the wild.
In Russia, Bangladesh and Indonesia we are fighting to save the majestic and highly endangered tiger through vital conservation projects.
But all of this wouldn’t be possible without your help. As a charity we rely entirely on the generosity of our supporters to continue this vital work.
By buying this book, you have made an essential contribution to help protect animals.
Thank you.
Find out more at zsl.org/tigers
Turn the page for a taster of Joe’s exciting adventures in the realm of the Amur tiger in
Paw Prints in the Snow
Joe and his family are in Russia on the trail of one of the world’s rarest creatures, the beautiful Amur tiger.
Exploring a vast, freezing nature reserve, Joe comes closer to the tigers than he ever imagined – and is drawn into a daring mission to rescue an injured cub . . .
Chapter 1
‘What’s it like putting your arm up a cow’s bottom?’ Joe Brook asked.
‘Warm and squelchy.’ Binti, his mother, grinned.
‘You wouldn’t catch me doing it.’ Joe pulled a face.
He was standing on the bottom rung of some metal fencing inside a barn on Mike Downs’s farm. His mother was the other side of the fence, dressed in her green overalls and wellington boots, her breath coiling upwards like steam from a kettle as she leant against the cow’s rear. Joe watched as she pulled her arm out and removed the long plastic glove that covered most of it.
‘It’s not much fun for the cow, either,’ she said.
‘If I was going to be a vet, I’d only want to look after small animals like cats – or wild animals like elephants, because that would be cool.’
‘So you think some of what I do is cool then, Joe?’
Binti smiled as she opened the gate and left the cow’s enclosure. Most of her work was as an international wildlife vet, but when she was at home she sometimes helped out if called upon by other vets in the area.
‘You might have to put your arm up an elephant’s bottom too, you know,’ she said.
‘What for?’
‘To find out if a female is pregnant, or perhaps to check for digestive problems. Pretty much the same as for a cow.’
‘Well, I wouldn’t mind so much if it was an elephant, because they’re exciting and I’m half Tanzanian. Cows are boring.’
‘Not to a bull they’re not.’ Binti laughed as she scrubbed her hands. ‘Come on, it’s dinner time.’
‘I’m glad Dad does the cooking, knowing where your hands have just been.’ Joe smirked.
His mother cuffed him gently.
Joe shivered as they left the barn. It had become dark and very chilly. They headed back towards the farmhouse, where Mike Downs greeted them on the doorstep. Through a window Joe could see a fire burning brightly and wished he were sitting in front of it.
‘I can’t find anything abnormal, Mike,’ said Binti, ‘but I’ll send a stool sample off to the lab and see if they come up with anything. In the meantime, just keep an eye on her and give
