World Curlew Day : 21st April

Originally featured on the blog 'Nature's Good News' (21/04/2020)

Today is World Curlew Day, a celebration of the curlews, a group of nine shorebird species in the genus Numenius which are widely distributed around the world. It is also a day to raise awareness of their plight, as most of these species are in trouble. One of them - the Eskimo curlew, is probably extinct and another - the Slender-billed curlew, critically endangered with the last confirmed sighting in 2004. Two species breed in the UK, the Eurasian whimbrel and the Eurasian curlew, and both are red listed in this country as having the highest conservation priority. This post is primarily about the Eurasian curlew, which has suffered alarming declines across the country in recent years, especially in Ireland, Wales and the south of England. With the UK hosting around a quarter of the world's breeding population it is especially urgent that curlews receive the protection they need to survive. As a bird which I have only become familiar with in the past year or so, it is heartbreaking to think that it could eventually disappear from this country if current trends are not reversed. Read on to find out more about the curlew's plight and what you can do to help!

The issues that impinge upon this bird of meadow and moor are huge, no less than an ever-growing human population and the transformation of the Earth's atmosphere. We will have to dig deep into our reserves of compassion for wild things to secure their future. And curlews can give us nothing in return but songs of the soul and a glimpse of wildness.

 Mary Colwell, Curlew Moon

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Do New Laws Surrounding Grey Squirrel Release Go Too Far?

Originally featured on the blog 'Nature's Good News' (24/05/2019)

In October this year, UK laws surrounding non-native species will change, and licences will no longer be issued for the rescue and release of grey squirrels. This is mainly because grey squirrels pose a threat to the native red squirrel, both through the transmission of the squirrel pox virus (SQPV), and through ecological displacement. Having volunteered at a rescue centre and helped in rehabilitating grey squirrels myself, but also being a conservationist, the issue is a tough one for me. Whilst I agree that some control is necessary in efforts to save the red squirrel, I believe that this latest measure goes too far. A lot of unnecessary suffering will be caused for grey squirrels, as well as emotional anguish for the people who usually care for them. The laws will leave rescuers and rescue centres in limbo, where any squirrel that is brought in cannot be released, so either needs to be euthanised or kept in captivity forever.

In response to the imminent change in laws I signed a petition earlier this year, entitled: 'Make grey squirrel rescue exempt from Invasive Alien Species Order 2019'. It has now generated over 570,000 signatures, although the government has responded by saying that they have no intention of making grey squirrels exempt. However, as a result of signing the petition I recently received an email from a group of MP's called the 'Environment Audit Committee' inviting me to put across my views on invasive species. Feeling that this might be the only forum where I could air my concerns about the change in the invasive species laws, I decided to do some research on the subject of grey squirrels and their control, as well as how they affect reds, in order to write an informed response.

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How You Can Help Conservation Right Now! : #1 Biological Recording

Originally featured on the blog 'Nature's Good News' (25/02/2019)

Feeling like you want to try and help in conservation but don't know where to start? Or maybe you feel that conservation issues are happening far away and that you are powerless to do anything about them? Well I might have the answers for you! To try and help people find where their efforts are best placed, I will be posting about things that you can start doing almost immediately that can bring about meaningful change. This time it's the turn of Biological Recording. If you enjoy looking for wildlife and trying to identify what you find, you can turn your hard work into useful data which is used for conservation research all over the world. You don't have to be an expert, and you can record anything you like depending on what you find interesting and exciting. You might do a little bit here and there or it may even become your next big obsession! Read on to see how you can start to make a difference and begin your journey as a biological recorder.

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