Bits for Pets Blog

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.

Click Here! For the full story

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.”

Click Here! for the full story

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.

Click Here! For the full story

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.

Click here! for the full story

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.”

Click Here! To read the full story

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.”

Click Here! For the full story

A family of hedgehogs has been rescued in the Sticklepath area of Barnstaple – from an unlit garden bonfire.

Many female hedgehogs are still pregnant at this time of year and Guy Fawkes’ night bonfires provide a perfect nesting ground.

Doreen Williams, of Cullompton Wildlife Care Centre, said: “Be careful when lighting your bonfires – hedgehogs may be nesting in them.

“Make sure that you check them first by gently lifting the bottom with a broom handle, then look underneath with a torch and listen for noise. If they are there they will respond.”

The hedgehog family from Sticklepath are not the only ones from North Devon to be rescued – others have been found in Bideford, Braunton and Newport.

If you find any hedgehogs over the next few festive weeks, please contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society on 01584 890801 or visit www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk

Click Here! For the full story

Beavers have been born in Britain for first time in 400 years – on an exclusive housing development.

The 12 kits are flourishing at the 550-acre Lower Mill Estate near Cirencester, Gloucestershire – a sustainable luxury home complex designed by 30 of the world’s top architects.

Experts believed six beavers introduced there three years ago had bred in January, after noticing tell-tale signs. But no-one had seen the kits until now.

Lower Mill Estate owner Jeremy Paxton brought three pairs – called Tony and Cherie, Gordon and Sarah, John and Pauline – to Flagham Fen Lake in 2005. Beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th century because their throat glands were thought to be medicinal.

Estate spokesman Alistair Bankier said: “We are very excited – these are European beavers and not as aggressive as their American counterparts. People who live around the estate began to see the kits so we asked a professional wildlife photographer to camp out to get proof.

“It is difficult to spot them – you need to be there between 4am and 6am to capture images of the beavers. If they see humans that’s it – they go back underwater. We’ve managed to get 20 minutes of footage. It shows the kits frolicking together with the mother beaver, swimming and dragging wood.

“Everyone is very proud that these kits have been born as conservation is part of the identity of the estate. There are over 6,000 protected wildlife species at Lower Mill and the beavers are just part of it.”

With price tags of up to £10 million, stars including Brad Pitt are thought to have expressed an interest in the modern Utopia, on the Cotswold Water Park. Orchid House, modelled on a Bee Orchid, recently sold for £7.2 million to a mystery buyer.

Developer Jeremy Paxton said: “Beaver kits can swim, but it may take them a month or more to figure out how to hold their breath and swim underwater. When they get tired, they catch a ride on their mother’s back. Lower Mill residents hope to witness all this activity and more, yards from human habitation.

“It’s an exciting development on an estate which, through careful management of hedges and woodland over many years, now serves as home to more than 13 classic English songbirds. It’s also one of the very few places in the country which provides a breeding habitat for the Lesser Emperor Dragonfly.”

Click Here! For the full story

We have known for a while that our cotton wool culture is helping to create a generation of children who prefer to entertain themselves with high-tech gadgetry. Now it seems that some children spend so little time outdoors they can’t tell the difference between a bee and a wasp. It’s time for a change, writes Susan Welsh who suggests this weekend is the one to re-introduce the family to the great outdoors.

HERE’S a scary statistic. Half of today’s children spend so little time outdoors that they can’t tell the difference between a bee and a wasp.

For an almost 50-something like myself, it’s almost impossible to believe.

One of the joys of my school holidays was taking a clean glass jar, adding a dollop of jam, then spending hours searching hedgerows and bushes for bumble bees to entice into the jar.

Youngsters quickly learned to tell the difference between a humble bumble and a short-tempered wasp.

No one knew why we collected bees, it was just one of the rites of summer, like catching minnows with a bandy net, chasing butterflies and going off for long cycle runs with the sound of your mum’s voice shouting ‘be back in time for tea’ ringing in your ears.

But attitudes have changed and bees and wasps aren’t the only wildlife alien to our stay-at-home youngsters.

A new survey by the National Trust found that one in three 10-12-year-olds can’t identify one of the UK’s most common birds, the magpie, or the distinctive red admiral butterfly.

However, nine out of 10 could correctly name Doctor Who’s arch enemies, the Daleks, and a similar number could identify Star Wars’ Jedi Grand Master, Yoda.

Such findings are hardly surprising when you bear in mind that only one in five of today’s children play outside in the street or local parks every day.

Yet this is despite the fact that studies have shown that 80% of children prefer playing outside, and 86% of parents say that on a nice day their children would prefer to go to the park than watch TV.

In a bid to harness this desire to get out and about, the National Trust has launched the Take A Fantastic Family Journey Into Space campaign, in a bid to encourage families to spend more time together outdoors.

A series of events, including bug hunts and safari trails, are being held at National Trust properties during the coming months as part of the campaign.

The National Trust for Scotland, along with Historic Scotland and local government ranger services, also arrange special days when youngsters can get back in touch with – or be introduced to – the joys of nature.

National Trust nature conservation adviser Matthew Oates said: “Natural beauty and wildlife are vital to us. The more distanced we become from nature, the more difficult it will be for us to survive on this planet.”

Experts say play, particularly when it’s outdoors, is crucial to a child’s health, and to them gaining vital experiences.

Psychologist Jane Prince says that much of the value of children getting outside is that they can learn about boundaries in addition to those set for them by their parents.

“Children need to go somewhere where they can test their boundaries. If kids play outside in an environment where they’re not controlled and which isn’t defined by the quality of the product, as it is when they’re playing indoors with toys, they can start to experiment and explore what they can do for themselves.”

Such exploration can lead to the development of new skills ranging from co-operation with other children, to balancing abilities and learning how to assess when water’s too deep and powerful.

Exploring the great outdoors with their families is a great way for children to learn. When they are outside, they look at things growing, they look at animals and flowers and plants, and touch things that don’t feel the way things in the house feel.

Jane added: “They also learn not to be frightened of nature and that a spider or a worm isn’t really that terrifying.

“They engage with their own planet, by running around open spaces and getting down and getting dirty.”

So this weekend, why not tear your children away from the TV or computer and take them out and about?

If parents want it to be a success then they need to show that they are enjoying the outing too – no point in trying to persuade kids it’s fun if mum and dad moan about the weather — what’s a bit of rain if it keeps your children happy and healthy?

And with a bit of luck, they might be able to tell the difference between a bee and a wasp by the end of the day. . .

Click Here! For the full story