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Headlines from week beginning 7 November 2016 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
Innovative Wildlife Scheme on the River Rye Secures Heritage Lottery
Funding Support – North York National Park Authority A £2m grant to support Ryevitalise, a project to revitalise the River
Rye’s heritage, has been given initial approval by the Heritage Lottery
Fund (HLF) through its Landscape Partnership programme, it was announced
today. The North York Moors National Park has secured this grant working
with a number of partnership members, land owners and local communities. Image: NYMNPA The funding will help understand and enhance the Rye’s verdant
valleys and clear waters which have been prized for millennia for their
beauty and tranquillity resulting in a more natural, better functioning
and better understood landscape. The River Rye and its tributaries rise
on the moorland of the North York Moors, flowing through fast/clear
upland streams that carve out steep river valleys until the land
flattens and the river becomes slower and broader taking on the
character of the undulating Howardian Hills and the flat lowlands of the
Vale-of-Pickering. Ryevitalise projects will cover four themes, Water Environment,
looking at aquatic habitats of the Rye and rare and threatened species,
Water Quality, working with land-owners and managers to reduce
pollution, Water Level Management, working alongside North Yorkshire
County Council to harness natural processes to manage the sources and
pathways of flood waters and Reconnecting People; improving the
understanding of the river landscape by telling the story of its
evolution and encouraging people to protect their heritage.
Record number of common cranes in UK - RSPB
The common crane has continued to make a comeback after the latest
survey revealed a record breaking 48 pairs across the UK in 2016 with
the total population now at an estimated 160 birds – its highest number
since cranes returned to the UK in 1978 after an absence of more than
400 years. Standing at a height of 4ft, this graceful grey bird with a long,
elegant neck is one of the tallest in the UK. Wild cranes were once a
widespread breeding species before they became extinct through hunting
and the loss of their favoured wetland habitat around the 1600’s. In 1978, a small number of wild cranes returned to the UK and
established themselves in a small area of the Norfolk Broads before
slowly spreading to other areas of eastern England, benefiting from work
to improve their habitat at RSPB Lakenheath and RSPB Nene Washes.
Hundreds of bat deaths at wind farms could be prevented, finds new
research – University of Exeter Hundreds of bat deaths at on-shore windfarms in
the UK could be prevented by better risk assessments and simple changes
to the operation of turbines, according to a study by academics at the
University of Exeter. At the 29 windfarms studied by the researchers in
work published in the journal Current Biology, 194 bats were killed per
month. Casualty rates varied from 1 to 64 per month across the sites.
The research team derived these estimates from searching for bat
carcasses with dogs beneath the turbines and then accounting for both
observer efficiency and a carcass removal rate by predators. Dr Fiona Mathews of the University of Exeter, who
led the research, said that simple mitigation measures such as turning
off turbines at night at peak times for bats could save many bat lives.
She suggested that wind-farm operators who take steps to prevent bat
deaths be rewarded with higher tariffs for the electricity they produce. Dr Mathews, a mammalian biologist at the
University of Exeter, said more research was needed into the behaviour
of bats after turbines were built, including whether they may ‘switch
off’ their sonar at the height of turbines, because they are not used to
encountering objects at that altitude. They could also be attracted to
insects flying around the turbine blades. There are effective ways of
preventing bat deaths. Unfortunately we have found that assessments
conducted when wind farms are being planned are very poor at identifying
whether a site is likely to be risky. This means that appropriate action
is not taken to protect bats,” Dr Mathews said. “We therefore call for a
switch in emphasis from pre-construction to post-construction
assessments, so that any problem can be nipped in the bud early on.” The University of Exeter research team used
sniffer dogs to locate dead bats under the turbines. This meant that
they were able to find carcasses that would have been overlooked using
traditional survey methods. But some dead bats will have already been
removed by scavengers and some carcasses will have fallen into areas
outside the search zone. However, most fell within a short radius of the
turbine tower. The University of Exeter academic said there was a
danger that ‘huge amounts of money’ was being spent on ‘pre-construction
assessments’ but ‘almost nothing is done to see whether these
assessments are actually useful, or whether any mitigation actually
delivers benefits for conservation.’
England’s bathing waters best on record
– Environment Agency New statistics on bathing water quality reveal
England's favourite swimming spots are the cleanest they've been since
records began. Millions of visitors to England’s stunning seaside
and bathing spots will be able to enjoy swimming in cleaner water than
ever before, thanks to massive improvements made over the past two
decades. Bathing water quality, tested at 413 beaches and
lakes up and down the country, is the best on record and 98.5 per cent
passed tough standards this year. Huge strides have been made to improve water
quality, helping to make our beaches even more attractive for the
increasing numbers of tourists who visit from around the world. Just 28
per cent of bathing waters met the top water quality standards in the
early 1990s; now 93.2 per cent are rated excellent and good. The number
of bathing waters rated ‘excellent’ has increased by 5.9 percentage
points since 2015, and five bathing waters have met at least the minimum
standards for the first time. Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said:
England’s bathing waters are enjoyed by millions of people every year,
which is why I am delighted the water quality at our beaches and lakes
is better than at any time since before the Industrial Revolution. This
year more than 93 per cent of bathing waters were rated excellent and
good, but we’re not complacent – we’ll keep working to improve our
environment and make sure it’s protected for future generations."
Celebrating the nation's Bees' Needs pollinator heroes
- defra Lord Gardiner honours pollinator-friendly projects
and urges the public to take action to meet bees' needs this winter.
An inner-London ‘nectar bar’ and a disused coal
mine transformed into a pollen-rich hay meadow are among a range of
innovative projects helping protect the nation’s pollinators being
celebrated today by Defra Minister Lord Gardiner. The Bees’ Needs Champions Awards, hosted at the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, brings together 30 champions to celebrate
bee-friendly initiatives, from playgrounds to parks and farms to famous
shopping streets. As winter approaches, bee experts are also calling on
the public to take action to keep bees buzzing over winter, with tips on
providing homes and food as the temperature drops. Speaking ahead of the Bees’ Needs Champions
Awards, Minister for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity Lord Gardiner said:
"Pollinators are essential for food production and the environment. The
Bees’ Needs champions show us how to keep our pollinators happy and
healthy all year round, and their efforts are an inspiration for us all.
They show that whether you have access to acres of land or just a window
box, everyone can play a part in helping these vital insects thrive." The awards celebrate success in six categories:
youth groups, schools, local authorities, farming, construction and
community groups. They have been judged by a number of organisations on
adopting Defra’s National Pollinator Strategy. The champions come from
all over England and are responsible for a wide range of projects. Find out more about the
Bees’ Needs campaign and read the
National Pollinator Strategy.
Danger low flying woodcock - RSPB A plump and bizarre-looking bird has been turning
up in the most unusual places.
In recent weeks, the RSPB has been receiving
numerous reports of woodcock – a bulky wading bird with a long bill –
showing up in back gardens and even cities. Surprised members of the
public have also taken to social media to share pictures of birds
appearing in urban areas, including central London. Many birds appear dazed and confused, having
collided with buildings and windows. But as birds which usually live in
woodland and rural habitats, what are they doing in our cities? Most woodcock found in the UK are migrant birds
which spend the summer in Finland and Russia. Then, in October and
November, when the cold weather bites, they set off for the UK in their
thousands to enjoy our relatively milder weather. Because they make
their long journeys – often over 1,000 miles – during the night, flying
low, woodcock are prone to bumping into unexpected landmarks. Often
these are tall buildings next to rivers, suggesting the birds are using
rivers as migratory paths. Experts also suggest that woodcock are lured
by artificial lights, and can mistake glass windows and shiny office
buildings for the open sky. Ben Andrew, RSPB Wildlife Advisor, says: “At this
time of year we get calls and tweets almost every day from people who
are worried and confused by what they are seeing. Woodcocks are quite
large, distinctive birds and make an almighty noise when they strike
windows, which is quite distressing for both the bird and for people
that find them.” The RSPB is encouraging people to interfere as
little as possible if they find a woodcock which has strayed off course
and isn’t visibly injured. Given time to recover in peace, they will
normally fly off and resume their journeys when ready.
Canvey Wick Nature Reserve expansion plans announced
– The Land Trust Great news for wildlife and people as plans to
expand Canvey Wick Nature Reserve in Essex are confirmed by RSPB,
Buglife and the Land Trust
The RSPB and Buglife have this week announced that
they will be working alongside the Land Trust to significantly increase
the size of Essex based nature reserve Canvey Wick. At five times
its existing size, the new nature reserve will span an area equivalent
to 122 football pitches. This news follows the announcement made by the
Land Trust in September that Morrisons supermarket had transferred 150
hectares of land adjacent to the existing Canvey Wick Nature Reserve to
the Trust. The RSPB and Buglife will be taking on the
management of the newly acquired land with the aim of transforming it
into an additional area of wildlife rich habitat. The conservation
organisations will, over the coming years, create areas of open bare
ground and short flower-rich meadows on the new land, which will be
central to supporting the incredible range of species that already makes
a home on the existing reserve. Located at the west end of Canvey Island, Canvey
Wick Nature Reserve was once home to an oil refinery. Now owned by the
Land Trust and managed in partnership with the RSPB and Buglife, the
reserve is fantastically rich in plants, insects and animals with as
many species per square metre as a rainforest. Recently featured on
BBC’s The One Show, it is one of the most important sites in Britain for
endangered invertebrate species such as shrill carder bee, five-banded
weevil wasp and scarce emerald damselfly. The nature reserve was designated a Site of
Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2005 in recognition of its
importance for wildlife and was the first brownfield site to be
protected specifically for its bug and insect life. First Apprentice Rangers join National Park – New Forest National Park Authority Two Apprentice Rangers have been employed in the
New Forest as part of a scheme to protect, preserve and enhance its
landscape, wildlife and heritage. Promoting awareness, understanding and enjoyment
of the Forest and its surrounding areas, the apprentices will spend 13
months learning about and caring for this cherished landscape. New apprentices Katherine Argyrou, 21, and Joe
Ison, 18, began their inductions and initial training at the New Forest
National Park Authority, before undertaking placements with each of the
organisations ranger teams, and are currently with the National Trust.
Through these placements, they will receive training in all aspects of
their role, including public engagement, natural history and practical
conservation work to help manage, protect and promote the Forest’s
landscape and wildlife. The apprenticeships will also provide the
trainees with land management qualifications, including chainsaw
training and first aid, with courses provided by Kingston Maurwood
College, Dorchester. New Forest National Park Authority Lead Ranger
Gillie Molland said: ‘We are very excited to be able to offer this
opportunity to those wishing to start a career in countryside
management. With fewer seasonal positions available now than when most
of us started our careers, it is difficult to get on the first step of
the ladder and gain the all-important experience necessary for securing
future jobs. This is a unique opportunity to not only learn what makes
the New Forest special and how it is cared for, but also to gain
experience of working with five New Forest Ranger teams and be supported
by the wealth of knowledge from the New Forest Association.’
Welcome rise in Scotland's golden eagle population, according to fourth national survey – RSPB Scotland Golden eagles are regarded by many people as
Scotland’s national bird and it is more than likely that Scotland is
actually home to the entire UK population, following reports earlier
this year (2016) that England’s only resident golden eagle is feared to
have died.
The national survey was carried out during the
first six months of 2015 and was co-funded by the RSPB and Scottish
Natural Heritage (SNH). Fieldwork was carried out by expert licensed
volunteers from the Scottish Raptor Study Group and professional
surveyors from the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science. The results are significant because the eagle
population, having surpassed 500 pairs, now meets the targets identified
to define it as having ‘favourable conservation status’ in the UK . The
population increase also highlights the continuing steady recovery in
Scotland from very low numbers in the mid-19th century. Duncan Orr-Ewing, Head of Species and Land
Management at RSPB Scotland, said:“The sight of a golden eagle soaring
in the sky above is an awe-inspiring part of our natural heritage, and
this increase in numbers of golden eagle pairs is great news. Across
many parts of Scotland there’s been a very welcome turnaround in how
people respect these magnificent birds, part of a more enlightened
public attitude towards birds of prey. Increased monitoring and
satellite tagging of eagles, as well as stronger sanctions against
wildlife crime may be serving as effective deterrents against illegal
activity, therefore helping their population to increase. However, the
continued absence of golden eagles in some areas of eastern Scotland
remains a real cause for concern and suggests that much more work needs
to be done.” Andrew Bachell, SNH’s Director of Policy & Advice,
said: “It’s wonderful to see golden eagles reaching favourable
conservation status nationally. These beautiful birds are such an
important part of Scotland’s nature, a species which people love to see
when they visit our wilder landscapes. It’s particularly encouraging to
see greater recovery in some areas where persecution had been thought to
be a major constraint in the past. That picture is uneven though, and we
would still expect eagles to be doing better in parts of the eastern
Highlands. We will continue to look at all the factors which may be
limiting numbers, in the hope that we will see further spread of the
range and increase in numbers of eagles in the future. We continue to
work with the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime Scotland
(PAW Scotland) group to combat persecution of birds of prey."
Christmas advert will bring joy and nature to children
– The Wildlife Trusts The Wildlife Trusts are John Lewis's Christmas
charity partner
The Wildlife Trusts are delighted to be John
Lewis’s Christmas campaign charity partner. This year’s John Lewis
Christmas advert which launches today, celebrates - with sparkle and a
flash of magic - the joy of encountering wildlife in a garden using a
cast of wild creatures including a fox, badger, squirrel and hedgehog. 10% of the sale of soft toys from the campaign
will go towards The Wildlife Trusts’ work engaging children with nature
– this will include wildlife action packs for thousands of
schoolchildren, activity booklets, and wildlife resources for teachers
to use in lessons. Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts, Stephanie
Hilborne OBE, says: “The Wildlife Trusts believe that everyone should
have the opportunity to experience the joy of nature and wild places in
their daily lives. That’s why we’re delighted that John Lewis has put
some of our most endearing wild animals at the centre of their magical
advert and made The Wildlife Trusts their charity of choice this
Christmas. With this support we will be able to inspire thousands more
children about the wonders of the natural world.” Rare discovery of ocean sunfish at Kimmeridge – Dorset Wildlife Trust
Ocean sunfish, Mola mola is the heaviest bony fish
in the world, although the individual found at Kimmeridge was a juvenile
measuring 12 inches long. The animals are very occasionally seen
in Dorset during the summer months. The discovery was made
by Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Marine Awareness Officer, Julie Hatcher. She
said, “I was thrilled to discover this animal on the beach – this is the
first time I have ever found one. Although I would rather see them
alive in the sea it was a rare opportunity to have a really close look
at what is a bizarre-looking fish.” Julie added, “The disc-shaped body,
very tall dorsal and anal fins and the lack of a tail make this an
unmistakable fish. I knew immediately that this was a very special
find.” The specimen has been collected to further
research into the species by Queen’s University, Belfast.
Why Do Seabirds Eat Plastic? The Answer Stinks Marine Plastic Debris Is
an Olfactory Trap for Seabirds –
University of California, Davis If it smells like food, and looks like food, it
must be food, right? Not in the case of ocean-faring birds that are
sometimes found with bellies full of plastic. But very little research
examines why birds make the mistake of eating plastic in the first
place. It turns out that marine plastic debris emits the
scent of a sulfurous compound that some seabirds have relied upon for
thousands of years to tell them where to find food, according to a study
from the University of California, Davis. This olfactory cue essentially
tricks the birds into confusing marine plastic with food. The
study, published Nov. 9 in the journal Science Advances, helps explain
why plastic ingestion is more prevalent in some seabird species than in
others. Tubenosed seabirds, such as petrels and albatross, have a keen
sense of smell, which they use to hunt. They are also among the birds
most severely affected by plastic consumption.
The study could also open the door to new
strategies that address the ocean’s plastic problem, which plagues not
only seabirds, but also fish, sea turtles and other marine life. To learn exactly what marine plastic debris smells
like, the scientists put beads made of the three most common types of
plastic debris — high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene,
and poly-propylene — into the ocean at Monterey Bay and Bodega Bay, off
the California coast. Taking care not to add to the marine plastic
problem, the scientists placed the beads inside specially sewn mesh bags
and tied them to an ocean buoy before collecting them about three weeks
later. They brought the retrieved plastic to a somewhat unusual
resource for marine ecologists — the UC Davis Department of Viticulture
and Enology, where researchers are more often found analyzing wine
flavor chemistry than smelly trash. Using food-and-wine chemist
Susan Ebeler’s chemical analyzer, the team confirmed that, sure enough,
the plastic reeked of the sulfur compound dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, a
chemical cue released by algae, which coats floating plastic. Co-author Nevitt, with the UC Davis Department of
Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, had previously established that
DMS is a scent that triggers tubenosed seabirds to forage. DMS is
released when algae is eaten by animals like krill, one of the birds’
favorite meals. So while the algae does not smell like food itself, it
does smell like food being eaten, which is the birds’ version of a
dinner bell. The study noted that seabirds that track the scent
of DMS to find prey are nearly six times more likely to eat plastic than
those that do not.
Watch Savoca's TED-style, UC Grad Slam talk on this research. Read the paper: M.
S. Savoca, M. E. Wohlfeil, S. E. Ebeler, G. A. Nevitt,
Marine
plastic debris emits a keystone infochemical for olfactory foraging
seabirds. Sci. Adv. 2, e1600395 (2016).
Visitors to countryside not attracted by conservation importance
– University of East Anglia Countryside visitors choose where to go based on
the presence of features such as coastline, woodland or abundant
footpaths, rather than a site’s importance to conservation, according to
new research.
While conservation organisations stress the
important health, psychological and emotional wellbeing benefits of
connecting people to nature, it isn’t the sites with the highest
conservation importance which people choose to visit. The study into people’s recreation habits, by
Karen Hornigold, Dr Iain Lake and Dr Paul Dolman at the University of
East Anglia (UEA), is important to inform both the provision of access
to natural areas (a.k.a. “green infrastructure”) and to mitigate
recreational pressures to vulnerable conservation areas. Ms Hornigold from the School of Environmental
Sciences at UEA said: “There is a lack of understanding of
recreationists’ decision-making, but we must understand what drives
countryside visitors to their location of choice if we want to support
the management of countryside to balance both recreation and
conservation of biodiversity.” The study is the first to model outdoor recreation
at a national level, examining habitat preferences and the popularity of
sites of conservation importance – those designated as Sites of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSI). This unique analysis used a huge data set of
countryside visits undertaken by the general public in England to show
that, although conservation designated sites often offer greater public
access than non-designated sites, this doesn’t drive more people to
these valuable areas. Dr Dolman said: “We found that recreationists
preferred areas of coast or freshwater bodies, deciduous woodland, and
sites with more footpaths over other sites such as arable land,
coniferous woods or lowland heath. They aren’t choosing where to go
based on a site’s importance to conservation but for the features it
offers. If a site has attractive features, whether it is also of high
nature conservation importance gives no additional attraction to general
day-to-day recreationists, and in some cases appears to reduce the sites
attraction. Although there is huge public support for nature
conservation, this is not linked to greater recreational use by the
general public.”
Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group secures HLF investment
– Heritage Lottery Fund Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group has received a
confirmed grant of £545,300 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the
Fixing and Linking Our Wetlands (FLOW) project, it was announced
yesterday (10/11).
The project will be working to improve and enhance
wetland habitat on the Manhood Peninsula over the next four years. The
wetland network of the Manhood Peninsula is currently a stronghold for
the UK’s endangered water vole population. Chichester and Pagham
harbours, which flank the Manhood Peninsula, have international
significance as wetland habitats because of the wildlife they support. With the help of trained volunteers, the project
will carry out essential survey work of the existing wetland network and
digitise the findings to make them accessible for a wide range of
audiences. Where environmental or flood issues are identified,
solutions will be sought and physical work carried out where appropriate
and possible. Focus will be on building strong relationships
between stakeholders to support a cohesive approach to wetland
management across the Manhood Peninsula. Chloë Goddard, from the Manhood Wildlife and
Heritage Group, said: “We’re delighted that HLF has given us this grant.
The extensive drainage network on the Manhood Peninsula is important to
both people and wildlife and this project will work to bring communities
together to help us to understand and care for this environment.” A day of mixed fortunes
for Red Squirrels -
Return of the reds – reintroduction hope for iconic species
– Trees for Life
An innovative project to boost the number of the
UK’s red squirrels by relocating individuals to woodlands they cannot
reach by themselves is taking a major step forward this month. Conservation experts at the charity Trees for Life
will carefully relocate red squirrels from Inverness-shire and Moray to
forests near Kinlochewe and at Plockton, where the species is currently
absent despite there being suitable habitat for squirrels. The Red Squirrel Reintroduction Project aims to
establish 10 new populations in the northwest Highlands, significantly
increasing both the numbers and range of the red squirrel in the UK. “We are giving red squirrels a helping hand to
return to some of their long-lost forest homes. Many Highland woodlands
offer the species excellent habitat far from disease-carrying grey
squirrels – but because reds travel between trees and avoid crossing
large areas of open ground, they can’t return to isolated woodlands
without our help,” said Becky Priestley, Trees for Life’s Wildlife
Officer. The next two releases follow a successful first
reintroduction in March this year, when the charity relocated 33 red
squirrels from Forres and Strathspey to native woods at Shieldaig in
Wester Ross. This new population has also bred during the
summer, with several young squirrels observed – confirming that the area
is excellent habitat with a good natural food supply. There have also been regular sightings reported by
local people, with the squirrels ranging widely as they explore nearby
habitat. Trees for Life is continuing to monitor the population, with
surveys planned for later this year.
Red squirrels in the British Isles are infected with leprosy bacteria
- École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne EPFL
Once rampant in medieval Europe, leprosy
dramatically declined by the end of the Middle Ages for reasons that are
still unclear. About a century ago, leprosy in Europe virtually
disappeared, at least among humans. Examining diseased red squirrels
from England, Ireland, and Scotland, scientists at EPFL and the
University of Edinburgh have now discovered that the same bacteria that
cause leprosy in humans also infect red squirrels. The work is published
in Science. Leprosy also affects animals, such as armadillos,
which have reportedly caused a few cases of animal-to-human (or
“zoonotic”) infections. Drawing from this evidence, the labs of Stewart
Cole at EPFL and Anna Meredith at the University of Edinburgh carried
out DNA tests on 110 red squirrels from England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Some of these animals showed clinical symptoms of leprosy, while others
did not; nonetheless, most were found to be infected with leprosy
bacteria. Surprisingly, red squirrels from Brownsea Island,
off the south coast of England, were infected with a strain of M. leprae
that is closely related to one found in a skeleton of a leprosy victim
that was buried in Winchester 730 years ago, just 70 km from Brownsea
Island. On the other hand, red squirrels from Scotland and
Ireland and the Isle of Wight (South England) were found to be infected
with the other leprosy bacterium, M. lepromatosis. This species causes
leprosy in humans in Mexico, and further analysis showed that the two
strains from Mexico and Europe diverged from a common ancestor around
27,000 years ago. “It was completely unexpected to see that
centuries after its elimination from humans in the UK M. leprae causes
disease in red squirrels,” says Stewart Cole. “This has never been
observed before.” Access the paper:
Charlotte Avanzi, et al. Red
squirrels in the British Isles are infected with leprosy bacilli.Science
11 November 2016. DOI: 10.1126/science.aah3783
Scientific Publications Kuliczkowska, E. & Parka, A. (2016)
Management of risk of environmental failure caused by tree and shrub
root intrusion into sewers. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2016.11.001
Boyd, C., Grünbaum, D., Hunt, G. L., Punt, A. E.,
Weimerskirch, H. and Bertrand, S. (2016),
Effects of variation in the abundance and distribution of prey on the
foraging success of central place foragers. J Appl Ecol. Accepted
Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12832
Anders Pape Møller, Johannes Erritzøe.
Brain size and the risk of getting shot. Biol. Lett. 2016 12
20160647; DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0647. Published 2 November 2016
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A
record breaking 48 pairs of cranes across the UK in 2016
A
solitary bee (image: defra)
Woodcock
'roding' (Image: Mike Langman, RSPB)
Canvey
Wick Nature Reserve
Golden
Eagle (image: Niall Benvie
Fox
from John Lewis's Christmas advert
An
ocean sunfish has been found washed up on the beach at Kimmeridge this
morning (Wed 9/11) and is possibly one of the first such strandings in
Dorset. 
Some
species of seabirds, including blue petrels, are particularly vulnerable
to eating plastic debris at sea. Credit: J.J. Harrison.
One
of Britain’s most endangered mammals, the water vole Credit: Joan North
Photo
© Peter Cairns/www.scotlandbigpicture.com 
Microbiologists
at EPFL and the University of Edinburgh have discovered that red
squirrels in Britain and Ireland carry the two bacterial species that
cause leprosy in humans.
