A fishing boat has landed the biggest crab ever found in British waters. The giant box crab is more than 3ft 3in long and normally lives on the seabed about 3km below the surface, but was caught by the fishing boat Harvest Reaper in much shallower water 80 miles west of The Isles of Scilly.

The boat’s skipper, Matthew Keast, handed the crab to Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay when he returned to harbour. Aquarium manager David Waines described the find as “astonishing”.

“When you see him close up, he makes your flesh crawl with his long legs,” he said. “It’s like something from Alien or The Thing.”

http://www.motorboatsmonthly.co.uk/news/451757/giant-crab-found-in-cornish-waters

But there is no need to worry, experts say, because they are probably not as large as some spotters have made them out to be.

`All the queen bees have come out with the fabulous weather and they’re very obvious as they fly low looking for food and a site to nest,’ said Natural History Museum entomologist Stuart Hine.

`They’re not bigger than they have been before – it’s very much to do with human observation.’

Only the far larger queen bees and wasps hibernate to survive the winter, with the smaller workers and males dying in the autumn, he said.

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/822245-bumble-bees-as-big-as-mice-in-uk-are-probably-not-as-big-as-you-think

18/09/2006

(Source: Daily Mirror – 18th September 2006)

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2006/09/18/watching-wilder-life-115875-17767408

Capuchin monkeys are native to the Amazon basin
A search is under way after a South American monkey escaped from a wild animal park in Cumbria.

The small beige Capuchin went missing from his enclosure at the South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton.

Staff from the centre, which is home to dozens of exotic animals, called in police to help in the search operation.

Capuchins are native to the Amazon basin, about 20ins (51cm) high and recognisable by a distinctive black or dark brown head with dark sideburns.

Distracting drivers

Karen Brewer from the zoo said it was unclear how the monkey had got out of its enclosure.

She added: “It’s only a small monkey so it is not going to hurt anybody or anything like that.

“It will be really scared and just wanting to get back home.

“So we would appeal to anyone who comes across it to contact us or the police.”

A Cumbria Police spokesman said: “If it is seen crossing the road it will obviously distract drivers and could cause crashes.

“Staff from the wildlife park are currently searching the area for the monkey and would like to stress that although it is not thought to be a danger to the public, it should not be approached.”

Capuchin monkeys are tree-dwelling and known to use tools such as stones to crack open nuts, shellfish and crabs.

Their ability to be easily trained gave rise to their early exploitation as organ grinder monkeys.

They were named by explorers after their resemblance to an order of Catholic friars, the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.

(Source: BBC News – 8th April 2010)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/8610246.stm

In the past four years 220 caiman crocodiles have been seized

UK customs officials have seized 4,040 endangered reptiles – including 1,000 tortoises – in the past four years, a parliamentary question has revealed.

Wildlife minister Huw Irranca-Davies revealed the seizures in response to a question by Tory MP Andrew Rosindell.

All the animals were seized by HM Revenue and Customs under an international agreement banning the trade in endangered species, he said.

Officials also seized 322 endangered birds over the same period.

Home Office Minister Phil Woolas revealed the second set of figures in reply to a separate Commons question from Mr Rosindell.

Mr Irranca-Davies also revealed a breakdown of all the seizures made under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in the past four years.

In 2005-6, the total of animals seized was 1,336 – including 501 leopard tortoises, 220 caimans – a reptile related to the crocodile – 149 royal pythons and 170 terrapins – in 27 seizures.

This compared with 1,313 creatures in 2006-7 – including 325 terrapins, 294 spiny tailed lizards and 138 leopard tortoises – found in 38 seizures.

In 2007-8, a total of 21 seizures resulted in 347 reptiles being recovered, including 200 tortoises.

And in 2008-9, 1,044 specimens – including 356 turtles, 111 leopard tortoises, 100 hingeback tortoises and 98 spiny-tailed lizards – were found in 32 seizures.

Thursday, April 08, 2010, 09:30

This is Leicestershire

A hunt is on to chase up reports of exotic beasts lurking in the British countryside.

Loughborough wildlife enthusiast Chris Mullins wants people to help him investigate countrywide sightings of animals such as wolves and boar.

Animals reported to have been seen in Leicestershire have included the ostrich-like rhea, raccoons, polecats, various snakes and even tarantulas.

Elsewhere in the UK there are flocks of parakeets and colonies of wallabies, while the Kentish docklands are reportedly home to yellow-tailed scorpions.

Chris, 58, wants volunteers to join the hunt and help with his website. He launched BeastWatch UK in 2001 to gather reports of exotic sightings and map them online

The group, which has about 100 members, gets reports of sightings almost daily. By following some of the tip-offs, Chris said he had three sightings of big cats around Whitwick.

However, he is leaving the cats to another organisation – Rutland and Leicestershire Panther Watch Group – and concentrating BeastWatch UK on other species.

He thinks exotic animals have arrived by means such as escaping from private enclosures or being released after changes in the law on ownership.

BeastWatch was a big part of Chris’s life until 2004, when he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus.

He said: “When I became ill, the upkeep of our website and database began to slide.

“Reports would keep coming in but it became too hard for me to keep up, so I’ve had to watch it slowly roll further downhill.

“Thanks to the help of the medical profession, family and friends, I have now come through the other side and I am determined to get BeastWatch UK up and running as it was.

“For this I need the help of some volunteers.”

He also wants to find a boat owner to help him mount an underwater camera investigation into something big and mysterious lurking in the depths of Stonebow Lake, in Loughborough.

He said: “It could be a pike, but if so, it is a very big pike. There are other exotics which could fit. Snapping turtles are very aggressive creatures.

“They were purchased back in the 1980s by children during the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craze.

“Even though they have no teeth, they can take your finger clean off. These are now all over the waterways in the UK.”

A spokesman for Twycross Zoo said the only case they knew of was reports of a big cat at Hopworth Woods, Tamworth, in Staffordshire.

The spokesman said: “Is it a prank, has someone really seen something, or is it a big moggie or black Labrador? We don’t know because we have never seen anything.”

www.beastwatch.co.uk

March 2010. 12 Turkeys have been spotted in different locations roaming freely round Sussex Towns and Villages over the past 3 weeks.

The most recent report was of 2 turkeys on a wall in Lewes. There have also been recent sightings of 7 Turkeys roaming around Alfriston and 3 turkeys wandering around Glynde village.

Volunteer rescuers from East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service have been called out to all these incidents by numerous local residents who were wondering what the unusual visitors are to their gardens.

Not farm turkeys
“I’ve not known anything like this, getting so many calls about turkeys in different locations like this. I don’t think they are farm turkeys as they can all fly.” said Rescue Co-ordinator Trevor Weeks from East Sussex WRAS.
A turkey in a tree in Alfriston, Sussex.
Credit Kathy Martyn

“We have had complaints about the damage they cause in gardens; people worried about the turkey’s safety and worried that they will get caught by foxes or hit by cars. We have only managed to catch the ones at Glynde have, all the others have flown up into trees when we approach them” added Trevor.

Invasive species
WRAS is unsure whether a well meaning turkey lover is dumping them or letting them go or why there is suddenly such a spate of turkeys running loose. “I secretly hope that these were purchased before Christmas and then their owners turned vegetarian and couldn’t eat them, but it would be a shame if they were injured by a car as a result of them escaping or being released” said Trevor.

WRAS is urging people to ensure their enclosures are secure and that their turkeys and other domestic or agricultural animals are safe and cannot escape. “If one of these birds causes an accident the owner would be liable for the damage caused not to speak of the suffering the bird would go through.” Said Trevor, “if you do not want your pet turkeys any more contact one of the animal sanctuaries across Sussex to find a new home for them.”

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/sussex-turkeys.html

March 2010. Alien invaders are the focus of a special edition of the People’s Trust for Endangered Species’ assessment of the challenges facing Britain’s wildlife. The State of Britain’s Mammals report, written for the Trust by Professor David Macdonald and Dr Dawn Burnham from the University of Oxford, Department of Zoology’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), provides an overview of research carried out by wildlife and conservation experts across the country and in this particular instalment, explores issues around invasive mammalian species and their impact on our native ecosystem.

14 invasive mammal species in the UK
Invasive animals are transported around the globe beyond their native range, either intentionally or accidentally through the movement of people and products. There are 14 invasive mammal species in Britain today (see table), most of which were deliberately brought to the country through a combination of aesthetic, economic and scientific reasons. Some non-native mammals, such as rabbits and house mice, arrived in the UK about 1,000 years ago and have since integrated into the country’s natural community. Other more recent arrivals are regarded as distinctly “unBritish”, such as mink imported from North America to stock the British fur trade.

Effects of `alien’ species
Although some invasive species arrived long ago, the report’s authors suggest that the decision to consider a naturalised non-native species as an `ecological’ citizen hinges solely on the nature of the damage to our environment and native wildlife, whether economic or biological, and whether there is the possibility of remedial action. The ecological effects that invasive species have on native populations and landscapes vary from negligible to devastating. The report highlights five consequences of the arrival of non-native species to our shores:

* Predation – interactions between invasive predators and their prey varies, but can threaten extinction such as the case of American mink which devastated the native water vole population, already under threat from loss of habitat. Globally, predation is the cause of about a third of the documented negative impacts of invasive mammals.
* Competition – competition can be indirect (`exploitation competition’) such as grey squirrels competing for seeds hidden by red squirrels, or direct (`interference competition’) such as the struggle between American mink and the recovering otter population in the UK.

* Disease – infectious diseases carried by invasive species may be benign to their hosts, but have dire consequences when introduced to new communities. For example, the brown rat carries parasites and pathogens which can infect humans and livestock.
* Hybridization – cross-breeding can occur between closely related species, such as indigenous red deer and sika deer, or Scottish wildcats and domestic cats.
* Ecosystem – some invasions can affect entire ecosystems, such as rabbits whose grazing maintains chalky grassland, dune and heathland.

Rabbits were introduced by the Normans in the
12th century. Photo credit Pauline Tweedy

Globalisation may bring further threats
Factors such as globalisation and climate change mean that the threat of further mammal introductions to the UK and their potential long-term success remains high, though difficult to predict. Prevention of further invasions is desirable, providing a more cost-effective option than eradication, and some UK policy and legislation does aim to regulate and monitor invasive mammals and control schemes (e.g. The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981, Natural England’s invasive non-native species framework strategy). Indeed in some instances, there are obligations to consider the re-introduction of some native species which have gone extinct, mostly due to the interaction of humankind, as in the case of beavers which were already rare in England by the 10th century and are now extinct in this country.

Water voles and red squirrels threatened
Jill Nelson, CEO of PTES highlights: “Our campaign to conserve Britain’s native mammals is rooted in finding more about each animal’s behaviour in response to the various threats they face and translating that knowledge into practical conservation action. The incursion of non-native mammals into Britain is a major threat to water voles and red squirrels, two of our fastest declining species, and resolving the complex issues around how we deal with this problem is a vital component in preventing their extinction.”

Some invasive species much more problematical than others
Report author David Macdonald says: “The story of invasive mammals in Britain makes it plain that anybody who thinks conservation problems are something that occurs in exotic, far-off places has completely missed the point. The same issues and dilemmas are rampant is our own back yard. We are all stakeholders in conserving biodiversity, at home and abroad. Britain’s invasive mammals illustrate how intricately biological and ethical problems are interwoven. Our report makes clear that there is no simple, one-size-fits-all solution – not all invasive mammals are equally problematic: the grey squirrel, the American mink, the edible dormouse and Chinese water deer each show that every case is a special case”. He adds: “In general, it’s too late to winkle out the invasive mammals that have established here – so the big lesson learnt is that it’s important to prevent further invasions in future: prevention is better than cure.”

Ethics and public opinion play a large part in the control of non-native mammals and will continue to feed the ongoing debate about the Britishness of new mammal arrivals. Perhaps the best example to illustrate this point is the public’s love-hate relationship with some invaders, such as the grey squirrel who competes with native red squirrels and causes forestry damage, yet entertains young and old alike with its acrobatic antics.
Britain’s great mammal invaders

Species

Native range

UK origin

UK threat/significance

American mink

North America

Fur farms, 1929

Predation of native water vole

Ferret

Europe

Rabbit hunting, 12th C

Hybridisation with polecat

Rabbit

Iberian peninsula

Normans, 12th C

Agricultural pests; prey to natives; but maintains calcareous grassland by grazing

Brown hare

Europe

Romans

UK BAP species since 1995; hare coursing with dogs is illegal

Muntjac

China and Taiwan

Woburn Park, 1901

Pests in conservation woodland

Japanese sika deer

Japan

Zoological Society of London, 1860

Hybridization with red deer; impact on forestry

Chinese water deer

East China and Korea

Whipsnade, 1929

Low impact; UK numbers may represent 10% of global population

Fallow deer

Anatolia

Normans, 11th C

Impact on woodland and arable damage

Grey squirrel

North America

Multiple introductions, 1876

Competition and disease transmission to native red squirrel

Edible dormouse

Europe and Anatolia

Tring, 1902

Potential impact on forestry and nuisance to dwellings

Brown rat

Asia

Shipping, 1720

Pests to agriculture, health and native birds

Black rat

Asia

Romans

Rare in Britain

House mouse

Africa and Asia

Iron Age

Pests to agriculture, health and native species

Red-necked wallaby

South Australia and Tasmania

Whipsnade, 1940s

Potential threat to capercaillie on Loch Lomond island

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/invasive-mammals101.html

April 2010. An ambitious mink project which covers 305,000 hectares and is the largest single species eradication ever attempted is now entering its final year of trapping. The Hebridean Mink Project (HMP) started in 2001 and has undergone two separate phases in combination with considerable effort by trappers and management teams.

1764 mink caught so far
Phase one caught 532 mink throughout the Uists and South Harris. And the current second phase, striving towards the ultimate aim of total eradication from the Outer Hebrides archipelago, has so far resulted in 1232 mink.

The distances involved are significant when placed in a national context; 3,297 km of coastline, 4,721km of freshwater loch edge and 1,831km of river and stream. This equates to 20%, 25% and 3% respectively of Scotland’s potential mink habitat.

10,000 traps
In order to achieve this, more than 10,000 trap positions have been utilised in order to target every potential mink territory. All cage traps are opened on a rotational basis and when open are checked daily.

Iain Macleod, the mink project manager, said: “From the very start of the project we have been learning lessons; there is no manual for what we are trying to achieve, and the sheer hard work of the trappers is what makes this even possible.”

Mink cause serious damage to birds and fish
Non-native American mink is a highly adaptable semi-aquatic carnivore which has been causing significant damage to ground nesting bird species, especially seabird colonies, and freshwater fisheries throughout Scotland.

Several areas of Lewis and Harris have for the first time produced no mink after a sequence of trapping, indicating that the population has locally been removed. This includes the area of East Loch Tarbert and Scalpay – previously one of the highest mink densities found anywhere in the Outer Hebrides.

“The efforts of the trappers are really starting to pay dividends and it is now up to the entire team to use the available population science and follow our strategies through in those areas were mink still persist,” Iain continued.

Ground-nesting birds recovering
“Ground-nesting bird numbers appear to be recovering and in the case of the terns of Lewis and Harris they showed a significant improvement, not only in their productivity last year but also their geographical distribution. Whilst it cannot be claimed this is wholly due to the mink project, the removal of a significant predator must be a contributing factor.”

North Uist
As part of the continuous monitoring work eight mink have been caught in an area in the north of North Uist. This brings the total number of mink caught in the Uists since the start of phase two to 26. This includes those caught on some isolated offshore islands such as Boreray and Hermetray.

And Iain added: “We continue to face challenges on an almost daily basis and the fact that our continued monitoring work in the Uists has discovered isolated satellite populations is one more which we will need to manage and develop a strategy for during the next year.

Please report mink sightings
“I cannot stress enough the importance of mink sightings being reported. We have always relied on the local populace of the Outer Hebrides to report sightings as soon as they are seen so that we can react to them quickly, before the animal leaves the area. In addition, those wishing to volunteer are always welcome and if individuals would like to contact the project, arrangements can be put in place.

“Whilst disappointing to discover that a relatively small number of mink have re-established in North Uist, it is not unusual for eradication schemes to face these setbacks. Everyone involved with the project is committed to eradicating mink from the entire archipelago and we will use all our available resources to try and achieve this goal in the year we have left.”

Martin Scott, RSPB Scotland conservation officer in the Western Isles, said: “When people introduce mammal predators to islands where they don’t naturally occur, wildlife nearly always suffers serious and challenging problems. The Hebridean Mink Project tackles such problems, and we wish the workers and volunteers success.”

Mink colonisation
“The re-discovery of mink on the Uists demonstrates the importance of seeing such projects through to completion. We believe that with the right support and management this can be achieved in the Western Isles, benefiting wildlife, creating jobs and supporting poultry, angling and fish farm businesses. RSPB Scotland will continue to support the project by monitoring and reporting the responses of wild bird populations.”

Mink first found their way into the islands’ environment in the 1960s and 70s as escapees from fur farms and flourished in the abundant suitable habitat available in the Outer Hebrides.

Bird species which have suffered include Arctic tern, common tern, little tern, black throated diver, red throated diver, corncrake, dunlin and ringed plover.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/mink-hebrides030.html