Why should we care for wildlife? “The Earth does not belong to us; we belong to the Earth. This we know: all things are connected like the blood which unites one family. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the Sons and Daughters of the Earth. We did not weave the Web of Life; we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the Web, we do to ourselves.” “ We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The wolf, the deer, the great eagle ... these are our brothers. When the last red man has vanished with this wilderness, and his memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving across the land, will the wild wood still be here?” Chief Seattle, Suguamish Tribe, 1854 . Wildwood Trust has a strong commitment to practical conservation and has built links with many conservation and research organisations since it opened. Our mission is to link all the species within the animal collection to conservation projects in the wider countryside. Already we have set up captive breeding and reintroduction schemes for some of the smaller endangered species in partnership with other conservation groups and have started to collaborate on grazing projects away from the centre, using ancient breeds and beaver as habitat managers.
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Wildwood
has established a breeding group of pine martens which are helping
scientists to discover more about this secretive and endangered mammal
in the forests of Ireland. Our martens are testing out special tubes
attached to tree branches, which will be baited with food and sticky
tabs on which the martens leave their fur. DNA can be extracted from
the hair follicles to help scientists at the Institute of Technology
in Waterford to identify individual pine martens. Then they can estimate
how many martens are using local forests, if there are differences
in the areas of forest martens use and, if so, how to manage the rest
of the forests to make them more hospitable for martens.|
Hazel dormouse Status Dormice are arguably the most attractive and charming small mammal native to Britain. Once widespread, dormouse numbers have declined rapidly over the last 100 years, and are now thought to have become extinct in about half of their former range. Strongholds exist only in the southern counties. Semi-natural ancient woodland, such as the Blean, in which Wildwood is situated, is excellent dormouse habitat. The reasons for the decline of the dormouse are complex. Like much of our native wildlife, it has been affected by the destruction of our woodlands. Dormice are extremely reluctant to travel at ground level, and will not cross open ground. Surviving woodland often exists in pockets, surrounded by farmland or fragmented by roads. If dormice are unable to cross these barriers, the population becomes broken into small groups that are vulnerable to extinction. Hedgerows once provided corridors for dormice to travel between areas of woodland, but in the last 50 years hedgerows have been systematically cleared. Dormice prefer ancient coppiced woodland, and recently this traditional practice has declined. The introduction of grey squirrels may have had an impact on dormouse populations as they compete for similar food resources. Scientists believe that climate change could represent another serious threat. Wetter summers disrupt foraging patterns, and warmer winters disturb hibernation. Protection and careful management of woodland where dormice are present, alongside efforts to connect isolated woodlands, will help to stabilise the population. What is Wildwood doing? As a member of the Common Dormouse Captive Breeders Group, Wildwood has been involved in many reintroductions in areas where dormice have been lost. We currently have a breeding population of captive dormice, and we have bred around 20 young during the last two years. These animals are either released into the wild, or used for further captive breeding. Regrettably, due to the shy, nocturnal habits of the dormouse, we are not normally able to display them to the public. Please see our events programme for details of special dormouse events. Reintroductions are limited as it takes time to identify suitable receptor sites. There are strict criteria that must be satisfied; the site should have a high diversity of trees and shrubs, have a management plan in place, and be within the previous range but have no dormice already present. In June 2008, the Dormouse Captive Breeders Group, in collaboration with the PTES (Peoples Trust for Endangered Species) and Royal Holloway University, released 35 animals in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Wildwood was able to provide 10 dormice for this project. In September a nest box check found 58 animals at this site, a good increase in population for a species that usually breeds only once a year. Where woodland has been fragmented by roads, there have been attempts to construct overhead tunnels to allow dormice to cross. Several have been put up, but no research had been done to establish if the dormice use them. In 2008, in a groundbreaking study in collaboration with the Mammals Trust UK, a dormouse tunnel system was constructed over a path at Wildwood and monitored using infra red cameras. Dormice were recorded using the tunnels regularly, and some even decided to build their nests in them! Wildwood is one of only a handful of dormouse breeders in the country, which has made it an important centre for research into the captive husbandry of the species. We also have a large role in education. Regular population surveys are essential to species conservation and Wildwood is ideally situated to run regular training courses for individuals who wish to obtain the licensing to survey dormice.
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As
one of the centres used by the National Dormouse Captive Breeding
and Reintroduction Scheme, Wildwood breeds dormice for reintroduction
to Middle England where the dormouse is becoming extinct, through
a mixture of habitat loss and unsympathetic management . Southern
England is a stronghold for this species, but it is becoming increasingly
rare elsewhere. It is a mammal most specifically associated with coppice
woodlands, but it will use hedgerows, bracken stands and reedbeds.|
Water vole Status The water vole has suffered a catastrophic population decline of over 90% in the last 20 years. It has already completely disappeared from many counties, and could soon become extinct in Britain. The greatest threat to water vole populations is thought to be the North American mink, an introduced species that has become well established throughout England and Wales. Where large numbers of mink occur, water vole populations are non-existent. Large scale flood defence engineering causes water levels in rivers to rise dramatically during winter months. This can be devastating to water vole populations, drowning animals in their burrows and leaving any survivors without cover and open to predation. In addition, the water vole is threatened by habitat loss, caused by building development and poor riverbank management practises such as dredging, drainage of ditches and grazing by livestock. Loss of habitat inevitably leads to population fragmentation, leaving isolated populations of water voles that are not large enough to sustain themselves and gradually become extinct. This year (2008) the water vole finally received full legal protection under the amended Wildlife and Countryside Act, a step which will force developers to make provisions for any water voles on a site. It is hoped that, with this protection in combination with careful riverbank management and reintroduction programs, the species can be saved from extinction.
What is Wildwood doing? Wildwood is a nationally important breeding centre for water voles, currently housing more than 250 animals in 70 specially designed breeding pens. We have developed the skills and expertise to breed and care for hundreds of young voles every year. Each breeding pair is capable of producing more than 20 young in one season! Wildwood works in partnership with developers to make sure that vulnerable water voles are rescued from building sites, and their safety is ensured until they can be released into a suitable area. In some cases they can be released back onto the original site, when building work is completed. When this is impossible new sites must be found. In 2001, 147 of our voles were released by the London Wildlife and Wetlands Trust at Barn Elms. The Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCru) from the University of Oxford undertook a restoration project of the Upper Thames area in 2004, releasing voles supplied by Wildwood across 10 separate sites over a two year period. This project is designed to repopulate the area, and to aid the development of guidelines for future release schemes. Wildwood’s water voles have taken part in numerous other release programs, including sites all across the South East. With such a large population of water voles, Wildwood is ideally placed to become an important centre for research into captive husbandry and reintroduction methods. We have worked in collaboration with Severn Trent Water and WildCru to design and test suitable release pens, radio collars and anti-mink fencing, essential to reintroduction programmes. This year (2008) we have supported students from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, researching water vole growth rates from birth, and the use of water baths as a tool for enrichment.
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Red Squirrel Red squirrels are declining towards extinction and Wildwood Trust have joined forces with a number of oganisations to help. Our breeding programme has been very succesful. The squirrel babies, once grown up are being transported to the Welsh is Red squirrels went extinct in Kent in the 1960's and many of us can remember them from our childhood. How easy it is for people to forget that Kent once teemed with these beautiful creatures. Who can forget the Tufty 'road safety' club and little Squirrel Nutkin. Status The red squirrel, which was once widespread across the UK, has declined to the point of extinction in most of England and Wales. It still has a stronghold in Scotland, but even here numbers are threatened. The decline of the red squirrel is largely blamed on the grey squirrel, although habitat destruction also plays a large part. In 1876 the first pair of American grey squirrels was released into the UK, in Cheshire. They have flourished and now number more than 3 million throughout the country. The grey squirrel not only out-competes the red squirrel for food and nest sites, but is also more adaptable and therefore copes better with the fast pace at which the landscape changes in human hands. The grey squirrel also carries a virus called Parapoxvirus. Grey squirrels are immune, but the virus is deadly to the red squirrel. We like to think of the grey squirrel as the villain in this picture, but we must remember that it was us that brought them here and in doing so destabilised the fragile ecosystem. In some areas grey squirrels are being controlled and eradicated in order to allow red squirrels to return. This, in conjunction with re-introduction programs and habitat management, will help to stabilise the red squirrel population, and in the long term aid its recovery. What is Wildwood Doing? Wildwood has an excellent record for breeding red squirrels. In 2008 alone we have produced ten youngsters from our three breeding pairs. When old enough to leave their parents, some of our young squirrels travel to Wales to be released as part of the Anglesey Red Squirrel Project. The rest of our young join the breeding program at other centres, such as the Welsh Mountain Zoo, the British Wildlife Centre and Tilgate Park’s Nature Centre. In 1998 there were fewer than 40 red squirrels on Anglesey, in North Wales, and several thousand grey squirrels. Between 1998 and 2003 a program of trapping eradicated the grey squirrel from many areas of the island, and now fewer than 50 remain. During this program the red squirrel population began to recover, but because of the fragmented state of the woodland on Anglesey they were unable to spread across the island. In 2004 the re-introduction program began. Red squirrels from Wildwood and other zoos were introduced to an area on the island where they had previously been extinct, Newborough Forest. The project has been very successful. By 2008 there were 150 red squirrels in the forest and the population continues to grow. At Wildwood we are proud to support this project and we hope in the future to be able to support more re-introductions across the UK. |
land of Anglesey to live wild and free, helping form a buffer population and safeguard the species against national extinction.
Pool frog The
pool frog, a small green frog with a pointed snout and a gentle call,
was always thought to have been introduced to East Anglia by the Victorians.
It was not until a scientist researching fossil remains discovered
pool frog bones alongside those of other native amphibians in cave
deposits that anyone realized the pool frog was native to Britain
after all. Amphibian experts are considering reintroducing the pool
frog to Britain, using adult frogs from Scandinavia (genetically the
closest to our pool frogs) and Wildwood is building a pool frog enclosure
to promote and publicise this project. |
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Water shrew Status The water shrew is the largest of the British shrews, and is the only native venomous mammal. It is also probably Britain’s least-studied mammal and very little is known about its distribution or status. This means it is very difficult to tell whether populations are threatened. Freshwater can be highly polluted by agrochemicals. As the water shrew is a top predator in the semi-aquatic food chain, it is thought that it may be very sensitive to pesticides and pollution. It may ingest these pollutants indirectly through its prey, and directly when grooming its fur. It is thought that the water shrew may accumulate toxins faster than other small mammals because of its high metabolic rate. Modification of riverbanks, resulting from drainage schemes and agricultural intensification, destroys water shrew habitat, and must have an impact on numbers. It is probable that, like many of Britain’s mammals, it has also been adversely affected by the destruction of hedgerows.
What is Wildwood Doing? At present there are no reintroduction programmes for water shrews. It is essential that the wild population is properly understood before reintroductions take place. Very little is known about the water shrew in captivity. Wildwood currently has a small population, and is pioneering breeding techniques to enable captive breeding programs to take place if and when they are needed. Wildwood is the only British zoo to have water shrews in captivity, and is therefore an important centre for research into the captive husbandry of the species. Research into dietary preferences, enclosure use and activity patterns have taken place in collaboration with the Durrell Institute for Conservation and Ecology. Wildwood is currently in the process of developing a water shrew exhibit, to allow the public to view this elusive species. |
Scientists
believe that the shy and elusive water shrew could be following the
water vole in its slide towards extinction along Britain's waterways.
Wildwood has successfully bred water shrews in captivity and is working
with the People's Trust for Endangered Species to build a breeding
group of animals for future reintroduction projects in the future.
Releases would be undertaken in partnership with other conservation
agencies and, in the meantime, we are working on a new water shrew
exhibit to promote this delightful and furiously busy amphibious mammal
to the public.|
Harvest Mouse
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Konik horse
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Wildwood
has collaborated with English Nature and Kent Wildlife Trust to
bring in two herds of Konik horses to manage the wetlands of Stodmarsh
and Ham Fen in a move to restore to Kent the big grazers which originally
shaped the British countryside. The project has developed and now our herds are on many nature reserves accross Kent. Koniks are direct descendants of
the Tarpan, a wild horse which was hunted to extinction here but
continued to inhabit Eastern Europe until the 19th Century. Horse
breeders found their domestic mares had mated with wild Tarpan stallions
and produced foals with the Tarpan characteristics of mouse grey
colouring, two tone manes and zebra stripes on the front legs; these
foals were selectively bred to produce big, hardy horses for habitat
management schemes, called Koniks (the Polish word for wild horse).
Beavers   In an exciting project with Kent Wildlife
Trust, Wildwood has imported several families of European beaver since 2001, to manage a wetland nature reserve in Kent. Some of these beavers can be seen on display at Wildwood and others are now living on a
130-acre wetland at Ham Fen, harvesting the trees and plants, raising
the water table with dams and enriching the wetland habitat for other
endangered species, including the otter, water vole, great crested
newt and wetland birds. Almost
every other country in Europe apart from Britain has reintroduced the beaver, after hunting
it to extinction to use the fur for hats. Beaver are being released in Knapdale, Scotland in 2009.
Beavers in British History British beavers were hunted to extinction for their meat, pelts and scent glands. The beaver pelt was highly prized because of the quality of the fur. The last beavers disappeared from England and Wales by the 12th Century, but populations in Scotland held on until the 16th Century. The beaver is now set to be the first extinct mammal to be formally reintroduced into the wild in the UK, with four families to be released in Scotland early next year. Beavers in European History The beaver was persecuted throughout Europe and, by the 19th Century, faced extinction. Populations held on only in southern Norway, the Rhone Basin in France and the Elbe Basin in Germany. It was brought back from the brink during the 20th century, and successful beaver reintroductions have been carried out across the continent. Why do we need the Beaver? Beaver are considered to be a ‘key-stone’ species because they have the ability to create and maintain wetlands by building dams and digging ditches. They also create coppice, selectively felled areas of woodland. In doing this they provide essential habitat for many other species of plant and animal. Wetland areas and coppice must currently be maintained artificially, at significant cost to the public. Beaver damming activity has also been observed to filter pollutants out of the water, leaving streams cleaner. Wetlands are not only considered to be one of the most valuable and fragile ecosystems, but they can also act as a flood defence and could protect homes across the country. After heavy rainfall, wetland areas and flood plains act as a sponge, holding excess water and releasing it slowly, preventing sudden rises in water level and flash floods. Won’t beaver damage property? Beaver activity does have an impact on the land, and in some situations this can conflict with human activity. Agricultural land is likely to feel the greatest impact, suffering both from flooding and damage to crops. The overall cost of this damage should be very small, but may be costly to individual farmers. In many countries in Europe the state will pay farmers compensation for damage caused by wildlife. This compensation does not yet exist in Britain. It has been suggested that beavers could create enough revenue through eco-tourism to adequately compensate farmers. Damming activity could very occasionally flood other problem areas, including roads and railways. This can be averted by piping water around beaver dams, allowing more water flow. Beavers can also cause damage in industrial areas, but this has been avoided in Europe by careful control of the population. Problem animals are caught and translocated or culled. Contrary to popular belief, beavers will not damage fences or other man-made wooden structures, they only fell live trees. Another common misconception is that beavers will completely destroy areas of woodland. Beavers are very selective about the species and location of the trees they fell. Only trees within reach of water are felled, as it acts as a transport system for the beavers, allowing them to easily move logs around. Beavers have been reintroduced across Europe, and have not caused any serious ecological problems. Reintroductions have been extremely successful as long as the population density is low enough that the beavers do not come into conflict with human activity. Beaver Reintroductions in Scotland Scottish Natural Heritage has carried out extensive evaluations on proposed beaver reintroductions over many years. No other beaver reintroduction project in Europe has gone through such a long and thorough assessment process, but finally in spring 2008 the go ahead for a trial reintroduction was given. Four families of Norwegian beavers will be caught this autumn (2008) and released next spring (2009) in Knapdale, Argyll. The trial will be run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, and will be carefully monitored by Scottish Natural Heritage. When the environmental and economical impact of the project has been assessed, a wider reintroduction may be considered. What is Wildwood Doing? Wildwood would like to see the beaver reintroduced not only to Scotland, but across the rest of the country as well. We are working with Kent Wildlife Trust on a trial reintroduction of beaver onto an enclosed nature reserve at Ham Fen. Here they are being used, alongside Konik horses, as a management tool to restore and maintain Kent’s last remaining ancient semi-natural fenland habitat. Their impact on the landscape is being closely studied and, if the project is successful it will support the case for beaver reintroduction throughout the country. Wildwood has quarantine facilities for two families of beavers. Beavers are imported from Germany and housed in our facilities for six months. After this they go through extensive vet checks before being released onto the reserve. Six beavers were released in 2002 and five in 2004 with mixed success. Wildwood has recently sent another family to the reserve. The family of four were put into a special pen with an artificial lodge and allowed to acclimatise before the fences were removed after a week. This family was released on September 29, and the animals have settled in well and started to build a lodge for themselves. Wildwood will continue to exhibit a family of beavers with the hope of educating the public to their cause. |
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Scientific
Research Wildwood is keen to support research which will benefit endangered species in the wild. Research projects so far have included: Water Voles
European beaver
Pine marten & weasel
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Wildwood's
Future So much has been achieved in the few years since Wildwood started but there is so much we want to do - and we need your help to do it. Giving our animals a more
natural home Wildwood’s ambition is to create truly natural conditions for all its animals.
Return to the true ‘wild wood’ Deer, Konik horses and perhaps even fierce Heck cattle, descendants of the extinct aurochsen which roamed Britain, would live here alongside wild boar. Such a ‘wild wood’ as demonstrated by modern European conservationists would create a safe and secure haven for so much of our threatened wildlife, preventing their extinction. Britain’s Ancient Grazers Thousands of years ago huge herds of wild horses, cattle and bison grazed the plains of Britain, and Elk and Wild Boar roamed the forests. The Tarpan, our only wild horse, disappeared from Britain about 5,000 years ago. The Auroch, a large aggressive species of cattle, the European Bison and the Elk disappeared soon after. These species all became casualties of increasing pressures from the rapidly growing human population. The Wild Boar survived much later, but was finally hunted to extinction in Britain just 300 years ago. Why do we need Grazing animals? Grazing animals are often classified as ‘keystone species’, meaning that they have the ability to modify their environment and in doing so can benefit other species of plants and animals. If an individual plant species becomes very dominant, it can stop other species from growing by commanding all the light and nutrients available in the area. Grazing can prevent this, and grazed areas tend to support a greater diversity of plants then un-grazed areas. This effect reverberates through the food chain, leading to a greater diversity of animal life in the area. Grazing animals can also protect natural habitats such as fenland and marshes. If vegetation is not removed from these wetland habitats, scrub and eventually woodland are able to develop and the original habitat is lost. This process is called succession. Without grazing animals to prevent succession, much of Britain’s fenland has been lost. What survives does so at a huge cost, due to the need for artificial management. Grazing can be used as a tool to manage reserves at much less cost than artificial alternatives. Grazing species have different requirements and strategies, and therefore have different impacts on the environment. It is essential to use a range of grazing species to create a mosaic of habitats, and the greatest possible biodiversity. Species that have been used for reserve management include wild animals such as red deer and wild boar, and resilient domestic breeds such as Konik horses, Soay sheep, and Heck cattle. The Oostvaarderplassen in the Netherlands, a famous wetland of international importance, is a highly successful example of conservation grazing involving the use of Konik horses, Roe deer, Red deer and Heck cattle. Konik Horses The Tarpan survived in Europe and Russia until modern times, but became extinct in 1876 because of habitat destruction and over hunting. Before it became extinct, some Tarpan bred with domestic horses to produce hybrids. In the 20th Century descendants of these hybrids were selectively bred to produce a horse with all of the most prominent features once possessed by the Tarpan. This horse was called the ‘Konik’, a polish word meaning ‘small horse’. Konik horses show numerous features associated with the Tarpan. They are extremely resilient, resistant to harsh climates and require little management. They are well suited to wetland habitat, a tough environment that most other grazing species could not withstand. During the spring and summer Koniks prefer grazing on grasses, promoting diversity. When food becomes scarcer in autumn and winter they take a more varied diet and help to control the succession wetland to scrub, and scrub to woodland. Wild Boar Since the 1970’s small populations of boar have become re-established in the wild, made up of escapees from farms and wildlife parks. Official figures suggest there are approximately 400 Wild Boar in Britain, but many believe numbers have been grossly underestimated. Wild Boar are woodland animals, and root around on the forest floor in search of food. This activity, alongside dunging, improves the quality of the soil and leads to an increase in the diversity of plant species. Wild Boar have been successfully introduced to some areas in Europe, but Britain is still unwilling to undertake an official re-introduction of the species. A reintroduction would have a negative impact on agriculture, as some consumption and trampling of crops is inevitable. Wild Boar have been shown to prefer wild foods, so with proper management damage could be kept to a minimum. Soay Sheep Soay sheep are perhaps the most primitive form of the domestic sheep, and until 1937 existed nowhere else but the island of Soay, a tiny island to the North West of Scotland. They are more resilient than other domestic breeds, and require less maintenance, shedding wool naturally without the need for shearing. Soay sheep are commonly used for reserve management. Due to their small size and light weight they are especially useful in sensitive areas, where heavier animals may trample and damage fragile plants or soils. Wildwood’s herds have been used to research the dietary preferences of the Konik, and the impact they have had on biodiversity in collaboration with the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, and the University of Plymouth. Wildwood exhibits Konik horses, Soay sheep and wild boar with the aim to educate the public on the benefits of using these animals for conservation. Conservation
& Scientific research
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