With a million species at risk of extinction, David Attenborough explores how this crisis of biodiversity has consequences for us all, including putting us at greater risk of pandemic diseases.
This is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Sir David Attenborough photo by ukhouseoflords under Creative Commons.
The Guardian reports “ghost hedgehogs” are starting to appear on roadsides in Dorset to highlight the plight of hedgehogs killed by fast-moving vehicles. The hedgehogs, made of white-painted wood, are being put up by the Dorset Mammal Group after one small village, Pimperne, reported more than 20 squashed hedgehogs on its roads in just one year. It is hoped that the spectral hedgehogs, like the ghost bike memorials where cyclists have lost their lives, will encourage motorists to slow down and drive with more care.
Hedgehog not squashed photo by Gillian Thomas under creative commons.
The BBC reports a rodent-eating predator seems an unlikely hero for the red squirrel. But conservationists in Wales are being encouraged by news the native pine marten may be helping their cause. Research from Queen’s University in Belfast suggests that numbers of red squirrels are on the increase in areas where pine martens also live. The reason given is that pine martens prey on grey squirrels far more than they do on red squirrels.
Red squirrel photo by Mrs Airwolfhound under creative commons.
The Guardian reports the government’s badger cull is being expanded to 11 new areas of England including parts of Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire so that more than 60,000 badgers can be killed. Conservation groups said the expansion was a betrayal of trust after the government this year pledged to phase out the badger cull, intended to reduce bovine TB in cattle, after a scientific review cast doubt on its efficacy.
Badger photo by Sally Langstaff under creative commons.
The Telegraph reports most sheep farms are unprofitable without subsidies, with farmers losing an estimated £4,400 to £6,000 per hectare in a 25 year period when labour costs are considered. Researchers at the University of Sheffield have found that farmers could make a profit if they left their land to allow native trees to return and then sell carbon offsets to businesses and individuals.
Sheep at feeder photo by Jeheme under creative commons.
INEWS and BBC NEWS report a pioneering form of research has given a fresh insight into the secret night lives of the UK’s smallest seabird. The RSPB used GPS tags to collect data on the movement of storm petrels. They found the birds, which are active at night, regularly travelled up to 300 kilometres to feed in the stormy waters off Shetland.
Photo of European storm petrels by Peter Steward under creative commons.
INEWS reports one of England’s rarest insects, the endangered Rock-rose Pot Beetle, has made a remarkable recovery with more being spotted this year than in the last 150 years combined.
INEWS reports England’s hen harrier population had its best year for nearly two decades, with 60 chicks fledged from 19 nests this summer. The raptor, which is present in bigger numbers in Scotland, is rare in England. But a concerted conservation drive, high numbers of voles for eating and good weather have resulted in the best breeding season since 2002, according to Natural England.
Hen Harrier photo by Deborah Freeman under creative commons.
The Telegraph reports if not kept under control, the box-tree moth could disrupt natural ecological balances irrevocably. It now infests most of Europe except a few Nordic regions and high mountainous areas. With climate change it may spread further.
Photos of box tree moth caterpillar by Frank Van Hevel and box tree moth by David Shrt, both under creative commons.
INEWS reports television explorer Steve Backshall has visited 111 countries in his adventure-filled life – but while many have moved him, there really is no place quite like his homeland. In the interview, Steve shares his love for UK landscapes and wildlife, and his concerns about climate change falling off the agenda during the pandemic.