Bits for Pets Blog

Scorpions, parakeets and turtles have all been found living wild in the UK, according to a new study.

The study, led by the University of Hull, studied sightings and population numbers for creatures introduced into Britain over the last 150 years.

It found 13,000 yellow-tailed scorpions and between 30,000 and 50,000 ring-necked parakeets in south-east England.

About 10 coatis, which are also known as Brazilian aardvarks, and about 20 snapping turtles were also found.
Breeding population

The coatis, which are members of the racoon family and hail from North America, are thought to be living wild in Cumbria.

The snapping turtles, also from North America, are believed to be living in parts of Kent, London, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire.

The scorpions originate from north-west Africa and southern Europe and the ring-necked parakeets come from Africa and Asia.

Report author Dr Toni Bunnell, of the University of Hull, said it was thought some of the animals had originally been kept as pets but were released when their owners could no longer look after them.

“If you get enough turfed out in the same area and they can survive and the habitat suits them, then you have got a breeding population. That seems to be what’s happening.”

She added that other species were thought to have escaped from private collections.

The report was commissioned by the Eden television channel.

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British experts have sounded a rallying cry in the battle to save the nation’s conker trees – and this time it’s not from health and safety officials.

Academics have warned that conkers – a favourite playground game in British schools – could soon be a fond memory due to an alien moth.

They are asking for the public’s help in keeping an eye on the country’s horse chesnut trees, which are gradually being destroyed by an alien moth.

The horse chestnut leaf miner is an ‘alien’ (non-native) moth which arrived in the UK in 2002.

Since then it has spread at a rate of up to 40 miles per year and now covers half of the country, including much of south-central England, East Anglia, the Midlands and most recently East Yorkshire and Cornwall.

The alien moth has caterpillars that live inside the leaves, forming distinctive patches of damage called ‘leaf mines’.

Up to 700 leaf mines have been recorded on a single leaf and the damage caused by large numbers of larvae can be striking. Severely damaged leaves shrivel and turn brown by mid summer and fall early, well before the autumn, giving the impression that the tree is dead.

Although the moths do not kill the trees directly it appears that they weaken the trees, which then produce smaller conkers and may become more susceptible to lethal diseases.

The spread and establishment of the horse chestnut leaf miner is of particular concern because, once established, the moth maintains exceptionally high rates of infestation without any evidence of decline.

No one knows exactly how far the miner infestation has spread so Dr Darren Evans from Hull University and Dr Michael Pocock from Bristol University are inviting the public to monitor the rate of spread of this ‘alien’ insect.

Dr Michael Pocock said: ‘The whitish blotches on horse chestnut leaves that appear during the early summer are an indication that the ‘alien’ moths have arrived in their area.

‘People can then log the location of the tree, either with or without the indication of alien moths, into our website.

‘The moth is spreading year-by-year and so this will give us the most up-to- date picture of the spread of this moth.’

Verified records will then be passed to Forest Research to add to its national database, which has been recording the spread of the moth since its arrival in 2002.

The second part of the experiment will start in July when the public will be asked to record whether nature’s pest controller has arrived.

Dr Darren Evans from the University of Hull added: “Nature’s form of defence against this alien invader is a tiny parasitic wasp which eats the moth caterpillars from the inside out – the wasps are the natural pest controllers.

‘We think there is a time lag between the moth infesting a tree and the wasps attacking the caterpillars. We need the public’s help to test whether this is the case especially in areas that have recently been invaded.

‘We want them to collect a single infected horse chestnut leaf and put it into the bag.
Within two weeks either moths or tiny parasitic wasps or possibly both should emerge.’

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A new research project in the Highlands has provided a rare insight into the secret world of one of Britain’s most endangered and elusive species.

Scottish wildcats are notoriously secretive, but conservationists are hoping to gain a more detailed understanding of their behaviour.

They have attached specialist camera equipment, known as photo-traps, to trees in the Cairngorms National Park.

The cameras have already provided images of wildcats and other animals.

Motion detectors and infra-red technology allow the devices to capture images of passing animals over a period of days, weeks or even months.

The project is still in its early stages but the cameras have already provided images of Scottish wildcat – popularly known as the Highland tiger – and other animals, including golden eagles.

‘Major threat’

The research is being led by Dr David Hetherington of the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

He told BBC Scotland: “Wildcats are very shy, secretive animals. They are active mainly at night and it’s really difficult for people to get close enough to watch them properly.

“These camera traps are an excellent way of us getting a much better insight into where wildcats live, when they’re active, and what habitat they’re using.

“We can also get an idea of where they don’t live and, of course, that’s also really important information.”

Experts believe the Scottish wildcat population has fallen to about 400, and work is under way to prevent the species becoming extinct.

That involves encouraging cat owners in the Highlands to ensure their animals are neutered.

Dr Hetherington explained: “The major threat to wildcats these days is hybridisation, or inter-breeding, with domestic cats.

“Although they are quite different and have a completely different temperament, they are actually quite closely related genetically to domestic cats so they can produce fertile hybrids.

“If that continues we are going to lose our pure Scottish wildcat.”

Conservationists believe the work could help prevent another iconic species joining a long list of large predators which have been wiped out in Scotland over the last few centuries.

Douglas Richardson, of the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig near Aviemore, said: “We are dealing with an animal that’s the last of its kind in the British Isles.

“We formerly had lynx and other big, dangerous and interesting animals. But this is our last feline predator and I think we are duty bound to protect it.

“There are many representatives from Scotland and the UK who are involved in conservation efforts with tigers in Asia or giant pandas in China.

“If we allow the Scottish wildcat to disappear, then the Indians, the Russians, the Chinese could quite rightly turn round and say ‘Why should we bother? You didn’t.’”

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Customs officials in Norway have arrested a man who they say tried to smuggle 24 reptiles into the country by taping them to his body.

Fourteen royal pythons rolled up in socks were found taped to the man’s torso and 10 geckos held in small boxes were taped to his legs.

Officials were alerted to the illegal haul after a tarantula was found in the man’s luggage.

The 22-year-old was travelling to Kristiansand on a ferry from Denmark.

“He told us he was crazy about reptiles,” the head of the local customs office, Helge Breilid, told AFP news agency on Sunday.

The snakes, which are not endangered, are the smallest of the python family and are not venomous.

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One of the UK’s rarest butterflies has produced a second brood in what conservationists are describing as an extremely rare event.

A second generation of the endangered Duke of Burgundy butterfly has now been spotted in Gloucestershire – the furthest north recorded so far.

Normally the butterfly produces one generation a year, taking to the wing in late April.

But a second brood has been recorded in August in Gloucestershire.

The National Trust said this second generation, documented at Rodborough Common, was highly unexpected.

“I’d never expected to see this,” said the National Trust’s conservation adviser Matthew Oates.

“I’ve been butterflying for over 40 years. Butterflies push limits, they really do… this is a really significant moment for one of the Duke of Burgundy strongholds.”

While in more southern areas of its range in Europe, the Duke of Burgundy produces a second brood in late summer, in the UK it usually has only one generation each year.

But the spring flight of the butterfly has been occurring increasingly early over the past 20 years, says the National Trust.

Sharp decline

Warmer weather has spurred caterpillars to develop into pupae and produce a second brood within weeks rather than emerging the following spring.

A warming climate, which could be behind the earlier emergence of the Duke of Burgundy, may make a second appearance of the butterfly a more common event in the future.

Nearly half the 60 species of butterfly once common throughout the British Isles are on the charity Butterfly Conservation’s endangered list. Five have become extinct.

The charity says it is currently most concerned about the Duke of Burgundy, which is characterised by its chequered orange and brown wings.

Butterfly Conservation has reported a sharp decline in its numbers of nearly 60% in the last decade.

“There are probably just 100 sites in the UK where you can find this butterfly,” said Sam Ellis, head of regions for Butterfly Conservation.

“Most of these are located in the southern chalk downlands of Southern England.

“But they have suffered worrying declines largely down to loss of their habitats, particularly flower rich grasslands and woodlands where the insects thrive. Many of those have been lost to intensive agriculture, modern forestry and urban sprawl.”

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A “mounting extinction crisis” is facing frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards across the UK and Europe according to a new charity.

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, which is being launched at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show today, has been formed from the merger of The Froglife Trust and The Herpetological Conservation Trust (HCT). It hopes that the new organisation will not only provide a single voice for the conservation of these animals and their habitats, but will also to use the limited resources available more efficiently, to tackle the causes of the recent decline in amphibians and reptiles.

The merger has attracted the support of wildlife presenter Kate Humble and zoologist and broadcaster Professor Aubrey Manning.

Kate, presenter of the BBC’s Springwatch series, said: “This is what it’s all about: people and organisations coming together and sharing resources and knowledge to make sure that their shared vision of saving wildlife can be realised.”

Aubrey added: “Amphibians and reptiles are often inconspicuous in Britain, but they are a fascinating and important part of the web of life.

“This merger will help to bring the best minds and resources to bear on their conservation.”

The charity said that major threats to reptiles and amphibians include habitat loss, pollution, non-native diseases, climate change and the isolation of populations by roads and other infrastructure.

More than half (59%) of all European amphibians and 42% of all reptile species are disappearing, according to a International Union for Conservation of Nature study, funded by the European Commission, published in May.

Of the UK’s 13 species of amphibians and reptiles, 10 are listed on the Government’s Biodiversity Action Plan Watchlist.

Jonathan Webster, amphibian and reptile conservation’s chair of trustees, said: “This merger is a common sense approach to wildlife conservation.

“Put simply, we can act with greater influence as a single organisation than as two separate entities.

“The merger makes us more effective in achieving our shared goal, which is to reverse the current widespread decline of amphibians and reptiles, by actively improving wildlife habitats and encouraging a wider audience to understand and appreciate the importance of these animals.”

Both Froglife and The HCT were formed in 1989. Froglife traditionally focused on public campaigns and education projects, while HCT focused on reserve management and protecting rare species like the natterjack toad, sand lizard and smooth snake.

As a single organisation Amphibian and Reptile Conservation will cover a range of activities to conserve frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards, including managing 80 nature reserves, working with the education sector, researching and monitoring species’ populations in the wild, working with other wildlife organisations and the public and influencing wildlife legislation relating to reptiles and amphibians.

As well as working in the UK, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation will also work in Europe and in the UK overseas territories. For more information visit www.arc-trust.org.

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A water company worker saved a baby stoat found drowning in a water butt by giving the stricken animal a heart massage, the RSPCA said.

The creature was found barely alive with another stoat in Marham on Friday 29 May.

The animals were taken to RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre suffering from shock and dehydration. Staff said they would shortly be ready for release.

The stoat which nearly drowned was also suffering from hypothermia.

‘Almost certain death’

Staff at the centre worked to get them warm and give them fluids.

RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre manager Alison Charles said: “When the stoats came in they were lethargic and weak.

“I am very pleased that they are well on the way to recovery now.

“Although we would not recommend someone trying to do CPR on a wild animal, their rescuer saved them from almost certain death and did a great job of helping them to survive. ”

The centre is one of three wildlife centres run by the RSPCA in England.

It works to rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned wild animals and birds before releasing them back into the wild.

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A hill farmer had a cunning plan to rid his fields of a plague of rabbits.

Paul Coppen, 69, who supplies London’s oldest restaurant with pedigree beef, was struggling to keep an army of rabbits from stripping his pastures bare.

So in an attempt to gain the upper hand, he camouflaged his vintage Massy Ferguson tractor as a cow – complete with a firing platform and a gunslit from which to blast the unwary bunnies.

He admitted the disguise – a black and white heifer painted on a wooden board fixed to the side of the vehicle – was not entirely foolproof.

He said: “One of my neighbours, Stan Mitchell, came up with the idea and helped me out, and I just went with it. I hoped the rabbits would ignore the fake cow, thinking it was just another member of the herd, thereby presenting a stationary target for the rifleman as I drive about the farm.

“A driver-cum-rifleman was cunningly camouflaged behind a picture of a tree above the cow. Maximum angle of fire was achieved by pointing the air-rifle through a horizontal slit above the cow, not unlike the firing positions in Second World War pillboxes.

“It has to be said that not all rabbits are entirely fooled. Whereas cattle obviously do move around, trees usually don’t and that may be a problem.”

Mr Coppen has farmed at White Close Hill, near Bowes in County Durham, since 1975. Beef from his herd of pedigree Belted Galloways – an ancient breed probably derived from Celtic stock – is supplied to Rules, of Covent Garden, London’s oldest restaurant.

“I won’t pretend this device is going to be the be all and end all of rabbit control – but it does seem to startle them somewhat and stops them from scampering away too quickly, which give us a chance to have a shot at them.

“Luckily, no cows have been accidentally shot so far and Granite Brain, the stock bull, has not displayed any amorous or belligerent intentions towards the glamorous heifer depicted on the side of the tractor.”

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BIG cats are clawing their way into the limelight as Welsh sightings of the “purranormal” creatures rocket, Wales on Sunday can reveal.

Details of these incredible sightings have been kept in top secret files until now – but today we can really let the cat out of the bag.

Our Big Cat Dossier, compiled from material released exclusively to us from Government and police files, shows scores of ABCs (Alien Big Cats or Anomalous Big Cats, as they are known) have been spotted across Wales. Experts last night said sightings were soaring.

The astonishing sightings, which mainly centre around rural Mid and West Wales, include:

nThe terrifying moment two bus drivers spotted a big black cat prowling along a Dyfed road;

na gamekeeper who watched a brown big cat leap 12ft up a bank before it disappeared into a hedgerow;

na tiger-like animal spotted lurking on an M4 bridge by a passing motorist;

nthe sighting of a big black panther with two cubs in Troedyrhiw;

na schoolchild who watched a large black cat bounding around a field through his home window;

nthe sighting of a cat the size of a Labrador with “lynx-like” ears by the light of a Carmarthen street lamp;

na shiny black animal the size of a sheep with a long tail spotted burying an unknown object;

nthe moment a terrified puppy came face to face with a big black cat at the bottom of his owner’s garden; and

nreports of a giant puma in a garden in Bonvilston, in the Vale of Glamorgan, last year, as well as a big cat spotted lurking on the Taff Trail by two young mums.

And, as if that’s not enough, the dossier also gives chilling details of other evidence that points to the existence of the not-so-friendly felines.

It details the rare killing of eight lambs, found with two puncture-marks to the neck, in the space of just two nights in rural Powys.

In Llandysul a farmer found the remains of a dead fox polished off by what he believed to be a big cat. And in Carmarthen, another farmer described discovering large Panther-like paw prints on a cycle path, saying he had “never seen anything like it” in his life.

Last night experts said there was no doubt that the strange sightings were becoming increasingly common in Wales – and warned that it wasn’t just rural areas where big cats are on the prowl.

Mark Fraser, the founder of Big Cats in Britain, said: “Sightings are certainly on the increase. We average one sighting every day in the British Isles and Welsh sightings are definitely on the increase. In fact, some farmers rang us a couple of weeks ago from Brecon because there had been unusual sheep kills in the area that they thought had been big cat-related.

“Wales has always been a hotspot because of the terrain – there are a lot of very rural communities.

“But it’s not unusual to spot these creatures in towns nowadays.

“If you see leopards and jaguars on the outskirts of a town that isn’t a problem, it is their natural habitat.”

Mark said that, in Wales alone last year, his group recorded 86 sightings, but the true figure of sightings is much higher with many more also reported to the British Big Cats Society (BBCS), along with police and the Assembly Government.

Mark said 80% of those sightings were black cats and he added that there had been scores of livestock kills last year.

Wales’ big cat hotspots were Anglesey – where a huge number of sightings have been recorded over the years – and the area to the west of the Forest of Dean, he said.

“It’s a strange phenomenon. You’ll find them (big cats) in the Brecon Beacons, Anglesey and South Wales – throw a dart and you’ll get a lot. It is what people are reporting everywhere,” added Mark.

Wales ranks number four in the UK’s “top 10” area for big cat sightings, according to latest BBCS statistics. Scotland is number one, followed by Kent and Yorkshire.

One of the most disturbing big cat incidents was back in 2000 when Josh Hopkins, then aged 11, was slashed across the face by what he described as a black leopard as he searched for his lost pet cat. Gwent Police dispatched marksmen equipped with infrared lights and mounted a helicopter search but the creature, which left vivid claw marks on the boy’s right cheek, was never found.

But one big cat boffin said there was no need to panic.

Paul Westwood, who runs bigcatmonitors.co.uk, said: “Of every 15 sightings only one of those will be a genuine big cat. Others will be people seeing things from an unusual angle or in different lighting.”

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