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Headlines from week beginning 11 June 2018 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
A new champion for the White-clawed crayfish
- Buglife MP for Darlington, Jenny Chapman, is championing one of the UK’s most
threatened species – the White-clawed crayfish. Numbers of White-clawed crayfish in England and Wales have plummeted
since the 1970s due to declining water quality in our rivers and
streams, and the spread of invasive non-native crayfish such as the
North American Signal crayfish. Signal crayfish compete with our
native crayfish for food and habitat, and spread a disease – known as
crayfish plague – which is fatal to the White-clawed crayfish. The Species Champions Project partners Members of Parliament from
England with wildlife organisations to bring political support to the
protection and promotion of threatened wildlife. Each MP becomes a
‘Species Champion’, adopting their own species. HWDT announces first Corporate Partner: The Majestic Line - HWDT
The Majestic Line's three vessels in Oban Bay
(image: HWDT) “We’re pleased to announce our first Corporate Partner, The Majestic
Line, which shares our commitment to the Hebridean marine environment
and its wildlife." said Gemma Paterson, Head of Major Gifts at HWDT.
"This new initiative offers businesses an opportunity to get involved
and support our research, education work, and engagement with local
communities, whilst demonstrating genuine environmental awareness and
responsibility." The Majestic Line’s fleet of beautiful vessels (pictured) operates
from Oban and offers exclusive cruises within the Hebrides, regularly
encountering iconic marine wildlife. The company has been working with
HWDT for several years, contributing to its research by reporting
sightings of cetaceans and by ensuring it operates responsibly around
marine wildlife.
Government steps up the fight against waste criminals
- Environment Agency Fight to tackle scourge of waste crime takes another step forward
today as Michael Gove announces a comprehensive review to beef up the
government’s approach. Waste criminals act illegally to evade landfill tax, undercut
responsible waste disposal businesses, operate illegal waste sites,
export waste illegally and fly-tip - blighting communities with bad
smells, fly infestations and fires. Their activity cost the English economy more than £600 million in
2015 and the review announced by the Environment Secretary today is the
next step in the government’s ongoing work to tackle the crime - which
is already a serious offence with tough penalties. A Call for Evidence launched today (10 June) will enable a wide group
of people to have their say on ways to crack-down further on Organised
Crime Groups (OCGs), who profit from waste crime.
Your park is award-winning, but what about your people?
- Green Flag Awards Your park is already a winner. But what about your staff and
volunteers? Don't they deserve to be celebrated too? It's the people that really make a place special, and that's
why nominations are now open for our Green Flag Award Employee of the
Year and Green Flag Award Volunteer of the Year awards.
This award is open to nominate employees who have been involved in
one of the UK's Green Flag Award winning sites.
This award category is open to nominate volunteers who have been
involved in one of the UK's Green Flag Award winning sites. To be
eligible, the volunteer must be endorsed by the organisation for which
they volunteer. Good luck with your nominations - we look forward to celebrating the
amazing things your staff and volunteers are achieving. Completed nominations to be received by 22 June.
Initial results of Orkney trapping trial revealed
- RSPB The
Orkney Native Wildlife Project carried out the trial as part of the
nine month development phase that was funded by the Heritage Lottery
Fund as part of the work to optimise technical aspects of the planned
eradication. This will be the world’s largest stoat eradication to date
and a first for Europe, so it was important to test some elements of the
methodology to ensure it will be successful and to investigate
differences in stoat behaviour in Orkney. In December 2017, lethal humane traps were positioned at three trial
sites west of Kirkwall. In order to determine their effectiveness, a
range of trap types and trap housings and a range of habitats were
tested. The traps were then checked eight times between mid-December and
the end of February with number, gender and trap location of each stoat
caught being recorded. A total of 41 stoats were caught across the three sites. The
main finding was that the density of stoats in these three trial areas
appears to be high compared to other islands around the world where
stoat densities have been estimated during eradications. This is the
first time that an indication of the abundance of stoats in Orkney has
been available. A subset of the trials will continue in the same areas over the
summer to gain data on bait preference and the number of stoats caught
in different seasons to help make the density estimates more accurate
and get an understanding of whether the habitat and gender data is
similar between seasons.
The loss of a parent is the most common cause of brood failure in blue
tits Complete brood failure in blue tits is almost always associated with
the sudden and permanent disappearance of one of the parents. Peter
Santema and Bart Kempenaers from the Max Planck Institute for
Ornithology in Seewiesen show in their study that the remaining parent
substantially increased its effort to raise at least some of the chicks,
which turned out to be successful in two thirds of the nests. Single
parent males generally do worse, probably because they are not able to
keep their chicks warm.
Apart from being a popular garden feeder visitor, blue tits have been
the focus of much research on the causes and consequences of variation
in reproductive success. Blue tits typically lay between 8-15 eggs, of
which a varying number of young will survive to leave the nest. In some
nests, however, all the offspring die before they are old enough to
leave the nest. Finding out what causes these cases of complete brood
mortality has proven challenging. Therefore, Peter Santema and Bart
Kempenaers from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen
equipped all adult blue tits in their study site with a tiny, passive
integrated transponder. They also designed nestboxes with a built-in,
automated monitoring system that recorded every visit of a transpondered
bird throughout the entire year. With this system, they could analyse
all parental visits of 277 nestboxes and determine when a parent was
last present at the nest. In case of sudden parental disappearance, they
also measured how often the remaining parent visited, both before and
after the disappearance of its partner. Of the 684 nests analysed over seven years, 13 percent suffered
complete brood failure. The researchers found that in almost all of
these nests, one of the parents had disappeared while the young were
still alive. Read the full article (freely available for a
limited time): Santema P, Kempenaers B.
Complete brood failure in an altricial bird is almost always associated
with the sudden and permanent disappearance of a parent. J Anim
Ecol. 2018;00:1–12. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12848
British mammals’ fight for survival - The
Mammal Society
Red Squirrel by Malcolm Welch The red squirrel, wildcat and the grey long-eared bat are all listed
as facing severe threats to their survival. The review – commissioned by Natural England working in partnership
with Scottish Natural Heritage and Natural Resources Wales – also found
other mammals such as the hedgehog and water vole have seen their
populations decline by up to 66% over the past 20 years. Climate change, loss of habitat, use of pesticides and road deaths
are all putting pressure on some of the best loved and most recognisable
of Britain’s 58 terrestrial mammals, whose current status, historical
and recent population trends, threats, and future prospects have all
been assessed in the review. The work will prioritise conservation
actions and also sets an agenda for future research efforts. Prof Fiona Mathews, Mammal Society Chair and professor of
Environmental Biology at the University of Sussex, said: “This is
happening on our own doorstep so it falls upon all of us to try and do
what we can to ensure that our threatened species do not go the way of
the lynx, wolf and elk and disappear from our shores forever.” The Mammal Society is now calling for more research to be carried out
urgently to get a clearer and more accurate picture of Britain’s mammal
populations. For many species, including common animals such as rabbits
and moles, very little information is available. Prof Mathews, lead author of the Review of the Population and
Conservation Status of British Mammals, said: “The report highlights an
urgent requirement for more research to assess population densities in
key habitats because at present, uncertainty levels are unacceptably
high. It is possible that declines in many species are being overlooked
because a lack of robust evidence precludes assessment. There is also an
urgent need to quantify precisely the scale of declines in species such
as the hedgehog, rabbit, water vole and grey long-eared bat. Effective
and evidence-based strategies for mammal conservation and management
must be developed before it is too late.”
Tree Champion to expand England's woodland -
Defra Sir William Worsley has been appointed to bolster planting rates and
grow green spaces. A new Tree Champion to drive forward planting rates and prevent the
unnecessary felling of street trees has been appointed today by
Environment Secretary Michael Gove. Sir William Worsley, current Chair of the National Forest Company,
has been tasked with setting a bold direction for the country’s forests
and woodlands over the next 25 years and supporting the Government’s
manifesto commitments to plant 11 million trees, plus a further one
million in our towns and cities. Alongside the Government’s recently-launched review into National
Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Champion will help to
improve the environment for the next generation and make the ambitions
of our 25 Year Environment Plan a reality. He will bring together mayors, city leaders and other key players
across local government to prevent the unnecessary felling of street
trees – alongside supporting the introduction of a new duty for councils
to properly consult with communities before they cut down trees.
Clever bees can identify different flowers by patterns of scent
- University of Bristol
Flowers have lots of different patterns on their surfaces that help
to guide bees and other pollinators towards the flower’s nectar,
speeding up pollination. A captive bumblebee walks across the surface of an artificial flower, working out the pattern of scent that has been made by placing peppermint oil in some of the holes. Image credit: Dave Lawson, University of Bristol These patterns include visual signals like lines pointing to the
centre of the flower, or colour differences. Flowers are also known to have different patterns of scent across
their surface, and so a visiting bee might find that the centre of the
flower smells differently to the edge of the petals. This new research, published today in the journal Proceedings of the
Royal Society B shows that bumblebees can tell flowers apart by how
scent is arranged on their surface. Lead author Dr Dave Lawson, from the University of Bristol’s School
of Biological Sciences, said: “If you look at a flower with a
microscope, you can often see that the cells that produce the flower’s
scent are arranged in patterns. By creating artificial flowers that have
identical scents arranged in different patterns, we are able to show
that this patterning might be a signal to a bee. For a flower, it’s not
just smelling nice that’s important, but also where you put the scent in
the first place.” The study also shows that once bees had learnt how a pattern of scent
was arranged on a flower, they then preferred to visit unscented flowers
that had a similar arrangement of visual spots on their surface.
Sociable animals will make compromises to remain with their group
- University of Glasgow Fish will forego their own temperature preferences in order to remain
part of a group, according to a new study. The research, led by the University of Glasgow and published today in
Proceedings of the Royal Society B, found that an individual fish was
more likely to associate with a group of fish if they were located in
waters closer to the individual’s own preferred temperature. The study also found that, at colder temperatures, fish that were
more social deviated most strongly from their preferred temperature in
order to spend more time within a group. Group living is widespread among species because it helps animals
find food, avoid predators and reproduce. This is despite animals within
a group each having their own environmental preferences and
requirements. Access the paper: B. Cooper, B.
Adriaenssens, S. S. Killen
Individual variation in the compromise between social group membership
and exposure to preferred temperatures
Dormouse day 2018 - PTES Today, Thursday 14 June 2018, we are releasing hazel dormice into a
woodland in Warwickshire in partnership with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
and others.
Dormouse in hand (photo credit: Bev Lewis) Dormouse decline: Sadly hazel dormice have become extinct from 17
English counties since the end of the 19th century, with populations
thought to have fallen by a third since 2000 – a rate of decline
equivalent to 55% over 25 years. Loss of woodland and hedgerow habitat,
as well as changes to traditional countryside management practices, are
all factors which have caused this decline. Reintroductions play an
important role in the long-term conservation of this endangered species
and are part of the Species Recovery Programme supported by Natural
England. This is our 27th dormouse reintroduction. Over the last 25
years, more than 900 dormice have been released at 23 different sites. Today’s reintroduction: Ian White, Dormouse & Training Officer
explains: “Our annual reintroduction programme has been running since
1993. Since then over 900 dormice have been released into woodlands in
12 English counties where they once existed, in an effort to rebuild
lost populations. This year’s reintroduction is the second phase of a
wider landscape project we started in Warwickshire last year, so we hope
that by returning to the same county (albeit to a different woodland)
that we can connect the two populations in the future, creating a
larger, self-sustaining population which we hope will help bring this
species back from the brink.”
March of the micros - Butterfly Conservation
Musotima nitidalis - Les Hill Almost 30 new species of pyralid moth have been recorded in the UK in
the last 30 years with eight becoming established residents, wildlife
publisher Atropos and charity Butterfly Conservation said. Pyralid moths include some of the largest and most distinctive of the
1,600 species of micro-moths found in the UK. Around 900 species of
generally larger and better known macro–moths are also found here. The North Sea and English Channel provide a natural barrier to many
potential colonising species, but the horticultural trade can provide a
route into the UK with moth eggs, caterpillars or even pupae hitching a
ride on imported plants. Climate change is also altering conditions
enabling moths to take advantage of habitats in new areas. The
National Bug Vote Results - Buglife
Eucera lonigcornis (c) Steven Falk Interestingly in the three home nations where parliamentary champions
have come forward for a wide range of species the winner has a
parliamentary champion, though there is no suggestion of political
interference in the vote. In England the vote was comfortably won by the Long-horned bee which
won over a third of the total votes cast. Perhaps the biggest surprise
was the Seven-spot ladybird languishing in third place having been
strongly fancied to win over the first few days of voting.
Large fenced reserves an effective way to bring wolves back to Scotland
- University of Sussex Research, led by the University of Sussex and the University of Kent,
indicates that for wolves to be effective at directly reducing red deer
numbers and allowing nature to recover in the Scottish Highlands they
may need to be reintroduced to very large fenced reserve. A fenced area, which would also help limit encounters with residents,
farmers and workers in the Scottish Highlands, would give the
reintroduced grey wolf the opportunity to achieve the high population
densities (e.g. 80 wolves per 1,000 km2) required to directly reduce the
very high red deer numbers that are currently create an over-grazing
problem in the Highlands. Access the paper: Bull, J. W., Ejrnæs,
R. , Macdonald, D. W., Svenning, J. and Sandom, C. J. (2018),
Fences can support restoration in human-dominated ecosystems when
rewilding with large predators. Restor Ecol. . doi:10.1111/rec.12830
Red squirrels born in zoo given new home at Silent Valley
- Ulster Wildlife
Red squirrels born last year at Belfast Zoo (c) J
Lees Silent Valley Mountain Park was selected as the release site due to
the ongoing efforts of the Mourne Heritage Trust, Ulster Wildlife, and
NI Water to enhance woodland in the area, and to keep it free from the
invasive non-native grey squirrel – the main reason for the reds
decline. The squirrels will live temporarily in a soft release pen in order to
help them adapt to their new surroundings. The pen was donated by The
Woodland Trust, along with one thousand native broadleaved trees to
increase the woodland habitat that these squirrels will call home. Additional feeders have been provided through Ulster
Wildlife’s ‘Red Squirrels United’ project to support the squirrels
while they get used to living in the wild.
First white-tailed eagle chick in Orkney for over 140 years
- RSPB A white-tailed eagle chick has successfully hatched in Orkney for the
first time in over 140 years, RSPB Scotland has announced. One chick has
been seen, however local RSPB Scotland staff believe from watching the
parents’ behaviour that there may be two. Also known as sea eagles it’s been five years since these birds
reappeared in Orkney after an absence of 95 years. The species were
wiped out in the UK when the last bird was shot on Shetland in 1918, and
it’s thanks to a reintroduction programme begun in the 1970s that the
birds are once again found in Scotland. A pair have been seen in Hoy every year since 2013 but nesting
attempts in 2015 and 2016 were both unsuccessful, a common occurrence
for young birds. It’s thought to be the parents’ first year and nesting
attempt together, with a female from previous years pairing up with a
new male. Lee Shields, RSPB Scotland’s Hoy Warden said: “It’s fantastic that
the eggs laid in spring have hatched, the first successful breeding
season here since the 19th century. This breeding attempt is still at
the early stages, with young often in the nest for up to 14 weeks.
Everybody was so excited when the first pair arrived and we’ve been
keeping our fingers crossed for this ever since. We were hugely
disappointed when a previous pair abandoned the territory last year, so
to have at least one chick now is even more special.
Human disturbance creates a more nocturnal natural world
- University of California, Berkeley A new study published in Science finds that mammals are becoming more
nocturnal in response to human activity. Human activity is causing the planet’s mammals to flee daylight for
the protection of night, according to a new study from UC Berkeley. The study, published today in the journal Science, and supported in
part by the National Science Foundation, represents the first effort to
quantify the global effects of human activity on the daily activity
patterns of wildlife. Its results highlight the powerful and widespread
process by which animals alter their behavior alongside people: human
disturbance is creating a more nocturnal natural world.
This study represents the first effort to quantify the global
effects of human activity on the daily activity patterns of wildlife.
Photo by Jamie Hall. Gaynor, along with co-authors Justin Brashares and Cheryl Hojnowski
of UC Berkeley, and Neil Carter of Boise State University, applied a
meta-analysis approach, using data for 62 species across six continents
to look for global shifts in the timing of daily activity of mammals in
response to humans. These data were collected by various approaches,
including remotely triggered cameras, GPS and radio collars, and direct
observation. For each species in each study site, the authors quantified
the difference in animal nocturnality under low and high human
disturbance. On average, mammals were 1.36 times more nocturnal in response to
human disturbance. This means that an animal that naturally split its
activity evenly between the day and night increased its nighttime
activity to 68% around people. This finding was consistent across
carnivore and herbivore species of all body sizes greater than 1 kg
(small mammals were not included in the study). The pattern also held
across different types of human disturbance, including activities such
as hunting, hiking, mountain biking, and infrastructure such as roads,
residential settlement, and agriculture. “While we expected to find a trend towards increased wildlife
nocturnality around people, we were surprised by the consistency of the
results around the world,” said Gaynor. “Animals responded strongly to
all types of human disturbance, regardless of whether people actually
posed a direct threat, suggesting that our presence alone is enough to
disrupt their natural patterns of behavior.”
Cornwall Wildlife Trust maps Cornish Hedges -
Cornwall Wildlife Trust Cornish hedges have been an intrinsic part of Cornwall’s landscape
for thousands of years, and with an estimated 30,000 miles of hedges in
Cornwall creating a map of the entire network was a huge undertaking,
but it has now been done by Cornwall Wildlife Trust. Using advances in technology and satellite imagery, ERCCIS
(Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly),
Cornwall’s local environmental record centre, has now identified hedge
features across the Cornish landscape and mapped them, which is vital in
ensuring their protection and sustainable management for years to come.
They have also launched a new mobile app Online Recording Kernow and
Scilly - ‘ORKS’ to enable local people to take part in this important
work, which can be downloaded from Google Play or iTunes
The Hedge Map will provide a wealth of information for research,
conservation and sustainable management of our wildlife and habitats. It
will provide an understanding of how different species use habitats and
interact with the wider landscape and help protect isolated populations. The ORKS app will enable everyone to share sightings of flora and
fauna along their local hedgerows. This information and photographs can
then be used for conservation and research. Unlike the classic English Hedgerow, which is protected under UK law
not only as a habitat, but also, in its function as a wildlife corridor.
Cornish Hedges are not protected, which means they are at risk from
destruction and development.
SNH urges new developments ‘Get green from the ground up’
- Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is launching a ground-breaking new
approach that makes nature a key factor at the ‘idea stage’ of
successful building projects. To inspire developers on the benefits of nature from the outset, SNH
is launching its innovative approach - Planning for Great Places. The
aim is to help Scotland become the best place to live, work and visit,
by directing development to where it is needed, and is the best fit. Mike Cantlay, Chair of SNH said: “We know that living and working in
great places brings huge benefits for physical and mental health.
But in some areas, there is little or no opportunity to access the
fundamentals of nature – grass, trees, bees and insects. “Getting green from the ground up is a crucial way that developments
can support communities for generations to come. It can make for
beautiful places to live, work and visit, as well as being great for
business. “SNH has a pivotal role here, and key to our fresh approach will be
talking to and supporting development interests as early as possible. We
want to understand aspirations and challenges at the ideas stage, and
before planning applications are in place. Working together, we can
build capacity to look after nature, and make the most of the
opportunities it offers.”
Scotland delivers nearly 80% of UK new planting
- Forestry Commission Scotland A marked increase in the yearly tree planting figures has been
described as “very encouraging” by Rural Affairs Secretary Fergus Ewing.
New figures show increase in animal rescues by RSPCA Cymru in
‘exceptionally busy year’ - RSPCA RSPCA Cymru officers rescued almost 23 animals each and every day in
2017, as new figures – for RSPCA Week – highlight the breadth of the
charity’s frontline work. The new data, launched today (14 June) within the
RSPCA’s Annual Summary for Wales, shows the RSPCA inspectorate
rescued 8,220 animals – including pets, farm animals and wildlife –
throughout 2017. More rescues were completed by the RSPCA over the year than in both
2016 and 2015, with the figure marking a 7.6% increase on the previous
calendar year. RSPCA say the new data demonstrates the “invaluable,
tireless and never-ending” nature of the emergency work delivered by the
inspectorate 24 hours-per-day. Rescues completed by the charity include 4,919 wild animals. That
figure incorporates hundreds of Manx shearwater rescued in West Wales
following stormy weather conditions; with one of the saved seabirds
featured as the cover star for this year’s Annual Summary.
Forest Schools for All - Sylva Foundation Forest Schools for All is a bold new education project for Sylva
Foundation, in partnership with the Forest School Association, and The
Ernest Cook Trust, which is also the main funder of the project. The
three leading environmental education organisations have come together
with the ultimate aim of increasing and sustaining access to Forest
Schools for all children in England.
Celebrating the announcement of ‘Forest Schools
for All’ during a Forest School session at the Sylva Wood Centre: Simon
Gould (Director of Learning, Ernest Cook Trust), Jen Hurst (Education
Manager, Sylva Foundation) and Sarah Lawfull (Director, Forest School
Association). Sylva Foundation Chief Executive, Gabriel Hemery, said “This project builds on the past ten years of Sylva Foundation’s innovative forest education projects, in particular work to support woodland management in Forest Schools thanks to funding from the Patsy Wood Trust.” He continued “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Forest School Association, and especially grateful to The Ernest Cook Trust for agreeing, not only to fund the project, but to act as a main partner.”
£5 billion investment by water companies to benefit the natural
environment - Defra The Environment Secretary Michael Gove has challenged water companies
to increase investment and improve environmental outcomes by 2025. The ambitious measures set out by the Environment Agency in the Water
Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) will see up to £5
billion of investment by water companies in the natural environment
through 2020 to 2025. This will help tackle some of the biggest
challenges facing the water environment, from the spread of invasive
species and low flows to the effects of chemical and nutrient pollution. Environment Secretary, Michael Gove said: "I want water companies to
invest in the long term future of our environment. It is right that the
Environment Agency is challenging water companies to go further. This
significant investment will help tackle some of the biggest challenges
facing the natural environment. It will help to improve our waterways,
increase biodiversity and combat non-native invasive species. This will
support our goal to leave the environment in a better state for future
generations."
Eggs removed from eagle nest in south Highlands
- Police Scotland Police Scotland is appealing for assistance from the public after a
golden eagle nest was disturbed in the Badenoch and Strathspey area. It is believed that someone has climbed to the nest in the Kincraig
area and has stolen eagle eggs from within it. The incident was reported to police on Monday, June 11 Wildlife crime officer Constable Daniel Sutherland said: "We can
confirm that after having visited the nest, the tree has been climbed
and the eggs stolen from within the nest. We are working with the
landowners who are supportive of wildlife and are extremely disappointed
that eagles nesting on their ground have suffered at the hands of egg
collectors. It is frustrating that once again criminals believe they can
get away with thieving from the nests of this iconic species in the
Highlands. Stealing from the nest of a wild bird is illegal and anyone
found to be involved in egg collecting will be robustly dealt with. I
appeal to anyone that maybe aware of anyone involved in this incident or
the criminal business of egg collecting to report the circumstances to
police on 101, quoting incident NM1843/18 or alternatively to
Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
Scientific Publications
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CJS is not responsible for content of external sites. Details believed correct but given without prejudice. Disclaimer: the views expressed in these news pages do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CJS. |
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The
Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust has launched a new way for businesses
to help secure the future of western Scotland’s whales and dolphins, and
to protect the Hebrides’ globally important marine environment, with its
first partner of this kind being Dunoon-based The Majestic Line.
Blue
tits lay up to 15 eggs. Finding enough food means a lot of work for the
parents.
Almost
one in five of British mammal species face a high risk of extinction,
according to the first comprehensive review of their populations for
more than 20 years launched today by The Mammal Society and Natural
England.
New
research led by scientists from the University of Bristol and Queen Mary
University of London has revealed that bumblebees can tell flowers apart
by patterns of scent.
Today’s
release follows last year’s reintroduction, which took place in June
2017 near Wappenbury. This was the first phase of the wider
An
increasing number of new moth species are arriving and settling in the
UK as a result of the global reach of the horticultural trade and the
changing climate, moth experts today revealed. Steven-Falk-Buglife.jpg)
Buglife
are excited to announce the results of the recent National Bug Vote and
are pleased to note there appears to have been no electoral malpractice
or hanging chads. Bees proved extremely popular wining the contest in
two of the four home nations and runners-up in the others.
Two
red squirrels born in Belfast Zoo have been released into Silent Valley
Mountain Park, as part of a nationwide scheme to boost numbers of this
much-loved but endangered mammal. 
“Catastrophic
losses in wildlife populations and habitats as a result of human
activity are well documented, but the subtler ways in which we affect
animal behavior are more difficult to detect and quantify,” said
Berkeley PhD candidate and study lead author Kaitlyn Gaynor.
Davidstow
(image: Bob Wyatt via Cornwall Wildlife Trust)
For
the next two years we will develop and test new approaches across three
countries—Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire—with a view
to rolling these out at national scale with more partners, support, and
funding.
