H a b i t a t - Daily wildlife and environment news from the British Isles


Animals
Resources
Mammal Society Mammals Trust UK The Deer Commission for Scotland Scottish Big Cat Trust Scottish Badgers International Otter Survival Fund Bat Conservation Trust National Federation of Badger Groups Froglife Herpetological Groups of Britain & Ireland Butterfly Conservation Butterflies of Ireland Spiders of NW-Europe British Dragonfly Society Buglife

Rare moth discovered on Dartmoor

National Moth Night and Day takes place this year on Sunday 9 July and aims to celebrate moths throughout Britain.

Government News Network

Appeal set up to save butterflies

A wildlife trust is launching an appeal to raise £45,000 to buy land in order to save rare butterflies.

BBC

Painted ladies and Red Admirals are going wild

Forget the common Cabbage White - head to the Belfast hills and you may get to see an Orange-Tip, a Ringlet, Meadow Brown, or Small Copper.

Belfast Telegraph

Nature notes

A butterfly to look out for now is the ringlet, whose numbers will peak in the next two weeks.

Times Online

Tracking down lily beetles

Researchers tracking the rapid increase in numbers of a garden pest are appealing for more specimens.

EDP24

Prickly customers

Ancient folklore records that hedgehogs will drink milk direct from cows and carry fruit on the spines on their back.

icNorthWales

The harlequin ladybird is the most invasive ladybird on Earth.
Now it's in Britain.
Help monitor its spread here


Plants
Resources
The British Lichen Society The Woodland Trust Botanical Society of the British Isles Plantlife Flora locale Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Heritage Trees of Scotland The Postcode Plants Database Forestry Commission

We're not kidding on orchid

Orchids are glorious, orchids are magnificent. Hugely popular down the ages, they have been used in magic, medicine and religion.

icTeesside

Flowers flourish in the greener grass of home

Welsh scientists believe they have solved modern farming's holy grail: how to increase output and biodiversity at the same time.

icNorthWales

Beware pond-invading plant species

News from Devon Wildlife Trust includes an appeal for those of us with ponds not to allow pest plant species to get into the wild.

this is Cornwall

The handsome hawthorns

Once known as the hagthorn or hedgethorn the hawthorn is the original shrub of ancient hedges.

this is South Devon

Ancient woodlands get room to breathe

Woodlands across the Westcountry should be transformed by a new policy unveiled by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, which aims to put ancient and native woodland at the heart of forestry work.

this is Cornwall

Nature notes

Yellow flowers are becoming more prominent in the countryside.

Times Online


Marine
Resources
British Marine Life Study Society JNCC Fisheries Marine Conservation Society Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland Shark Trust The European Register of Marine Species The UK Coastal Zone

Fury over Iceland’s whale plan

Iceland’s continuance of its whaling programme has been heavily criticised this week, following the publication of the 2005 quota.

Green Consumer Guide

Jellyfish capture prey with crimson bait

Deep-sea fish are suckers for lures lit up in red, say California researchers, challenging a long-held belief of marine biologists.

news @ nature.com

Holidaymakers urged to report jellyfish sightings

Holidaymakers are being asked to report jellyfish sightings on the UK coast as part of a nationwide survey.

icWales


Birds
Resources
British Trust for Ornithology Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Birds Directive BirdGuides Bird News JNCC - Birds Natura 2000 Birds by Species Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside Black Grouse UK Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust BirdLife International Fat Birder

Scotland's sea eagle stars fly the nest

The Scottish sea eagle stars of the live BBC wildlife series Springwatch have flown the nest on the Isle of Mull after dazzling over 3 million TV viewers each night in TV's surprise reality show hit of the year.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

A tern for the worse

Little terns breeding at a Dorset nature reserve are under threat following a fox attack.

this is Dorset

Avian flu moves among wild geese

An outbreak of avian flu in wild geese in western China has raised fears that the virus responsible could soon spread beyond its Asian stronghold.

BBC

Bird flu experts warn of pandemic

Scientists meeting in Malaysia have warned the world has reached a tipping point in the fight against bird flu.

BBC


Climate
Resources
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research Southampton Oceanography Centre Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Natural Environment Research Council UK Climate Impacts Programme Impacts of Climate Change on Wildlife ENN Special Reports: Climate Change Global Warming: Early warning signs

G8 reaches climate deal in principle

The Group of Eight powers meeting in Scotland have reached agreement on joint action to combat global warming but have set no measurable targets, German negotiator Bernd Pfaffenbach told reporters.

CNN.com

Bush and Chirac come to Blair's aid on climate change

Tony Blair's hopes of progress at the G8 summit were boosted yesterday by conciliatory moves on the vital issue of climate change by the United States and France.

Telegraph

The nuclear answer?

When rich-country summits are held in remote places, to which the official delegations will mainly fly by helicopter and the media circus by plane and car, it is hard not to be sceptical about the summiteers' professed desire to do something about global warming—despite their claims to be “carbon-neutral”.

Economist.com

Stalagmite fuels climate debate

A stalagmite from an Alpine cave may indicate that global warming is not as unusual as many think.

BBC

Help produce a forecast of the climate in the 21st century, using your computer -
here


National/Europe
Resources
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Natural Environment Research Council Minerals and Nature Conservation Forum The Wildlife Trusts Wildlife and Countryside Link British Naturalists' Association EnvironmentJobs

New parasite is serious threat to British wildlife

A new parasite which could kill pet cats and dogs and a range of much loved British wildlife has been discovered for the first time in Britain warns Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

The Wildlife Trusts

Hill farmers' livelihoods at risk

A report for the Peak District Rural Deprivation Forum has found farmers' businesses in the Peak District are being severely threatened by low wages and an excess of bureaucracy, and recommends major changes to the way they work.

Country Life
Reuters
Telegraph

Naturenet
Countryside management and nature conservation
- here


Ireland
Resources
Environment & Heritage Service (Northern Ireland) Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group National Parks and Wildlife Service Ireland's Environment All-Ireland review of introduced species

Europe to warn Ireland over salmon drift netting

The European Commission has decided to issue a letter of formal notice to the Irish Government about the effects of drift netting on the conservation status of salmon.

The Papers Today

Mayo prisoners' fate in own hands - judge

The fate of five Co Mayo people, who are in jail for breach of court orders preventing obstruction of the installation of a high-pressure gas pipeline in Co Mayo, lies "in their own hands", the President of the High Court has said.

The Papers Today

Five jailed for trying to stop Shell laying pipeline

A David and Goliath-style struggle which has pitted five farmers from the west of Ireland against Shell has tarnished the image of the energy giant after the landowners were jailed indefinitely for obstructing the laying of a gas pipeline.

Belfast Telegraph


Wales
Resources
Welsh Assembly Countryside Council for Wales Wales Biodiversity Partnership Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales Environment Agency (Wales)

Limited dredging planned on Dee

Limited dredging in the Dee Estuary at the approaches to Mostyn docks could be given the go ahead, if the effects on wildlife are monitored.

BBC
Environment Agency

Wind farm appeal

Wind farm objectors are urging people to watch with interest when exploratory investigations for a 30-turbine development are carried out off the North Wales coast.

icNorthWales


England
Resources
English Nature Countryside Agency Environment Agency Campaign for the Protection of Rural England

Chemical spill kills wildlife

A rare colony of British crayfish are under threat from a serious water contamination at Daventry Country Park.

Daventry Today

Keep your hands off beauty spot

The habitat of hundreds of animals and plants will be destroyed if plans to run Mottram bypass through a nature reserve go ahead.

Tameside Advertiser

'Let's get the fish back in the Aire'

Millions of pounds needs to be spent on making the River Aire more environmentally friendly, a report has revealed.

this is Bradford

Back to nature for job seekers

Young volunteers are carrying out valuable work on a conservation project at two of Ripon's nature reserves.

Harrogate Today

Saved by the dam

A much-loved Totteridge beauty spot is to get the new lease of life conservation groups have been seeking for years.

This Is Hertfordshire

'It smells terrible and has killed all the fish'

A fed-up Redhill resident is kicking up a stink about the overpowering smell coming from a polluted brook running outside his home.

icSurreyOnline

Olympic Games will bring huge environmental benefits

The Environment Agency is celebrating the announcement that London will host the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games.

Environment Agency


Scotland
Resources
Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Environment Protection Agency Scottish Biodiversity Group Scotland's National Nature Reserves John Muir Trust Scottish Environment News Scottish Wildlife Trust Red Squirrels In South Scotland

Skye windfarm survey not valid - claim

Questions were raised last night about the validity of a village ballot about a contentious windfarm plan for Skye, after it emerged not everyone got a vote

this is north scotland

Energy giant signs deal with Shetland to build huge wind farm

The power giant Scottish and Southern Energy yesterday signed a historic agreement to build Europe's largest community-backed wind farm on Shetland, in a major boost for the economy of the Northern Isles.

Scotsman.com


Global
Resources
IUCN - World Conservation Union Convention on Biological Diversity WWF - The global environment network World Land Trust

Indonesian court rules mining companies can operate in protected forests

Thirteen mining companies will be able to operate in protected forests in Indonesia after the country's highest court Thursday rejected a petition by environmental groups claiming the practice was illegal.

Environmental News Network

Study: Respiratory diseases kill mountain gorillas

Mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda, an endangered species, are dying from respiratory illnesses, according to study published on Wednesday.

CNN.com

Donor countries agree to finance a feasibility study to save the shrinking Dead Sea

Donor countries have agreed to finance a feasibility study for a proposal to save the shrinking Dead Sea by feeding it with water through a canal from the Red Sea, the World Bank informed the sea's neighbors Thursday, according to a Jordanian official.

Environmental News Network

The World Land Trust is a conservation charity that has helped purchase and protect over 300,000 acres of rainforest and other threatened wildlife habitats worldwide. You can help us save even more - here

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Daily wildlife and environment news from the British Isles