I had been asked by The Pokemon Wildlife foundation to join an expedition to the volcanic island of Cinnabar. The island has a large wildlife sanctuary due to the island's unique ecology that supports a host of rare fire-type Pokemon.

It was very early in the morning on the third day. Though the sun had begun to rise, it was shielded by an ever-present cloud of ash that loomed overhead.

We set off in our custom rover, adorned our aluminized suits that would protect us against the intense heat. The rover was built specifically for the mission, it had steel wheel treads instead of tires as the ground could melt the rubber.

We rolled over the black sandy dudes until we saw it, the lava fields. Even from a distance, I could feel the heat through my suit, and the air rippled like a raging fever.

Coming over a hill we were met with a large lava pool, slowly oozing out of the ground like molten tar.

Then I saw it, something moving behind the waves of heat and smoke. I moved around the roiling pit to get a better view. It was a Magmar.

Magmar secretes a natural flame retardant oil from the large swollen glands on their forehead protecting them from their own fire and external heat. They preen themselves and spread the oil through their feathers. Male Magmar glands are usually larger than the females, especially in mating season. They use their size as a way to try and impress a female, encouraging her to mate. However, later on, when a female is close to laying her clutch, her glands expand. This is to help her produce more oil in order to protect herself from the intense heat as she travels closer to the nesting grounds. They lay their eggs in the hot sand near the lava fields, incubating them until they hatch.

This Magmar was probably looking for somewhere to lay her eggs and we watched as she waddled down toward the lava fields below&

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