Devon residents invited to help the hog

A local wildlife charity has launched a new campaign to find out more about the current state of the hedgehog population in Devon. Devon Wildlife Trust is asking local people to send in records of hedgehog sightings in or near their garden over the last few years via its website. There is growing evidence which suggests that the hedgehog population is in decline throughout the UK and this much loved animal is becoming a rarer sight. Although the reason behind this decline is not yet clear, it is thought that the loss of green space in the urban environment one factor. Stephen Hussey DWT's Communications Coordinator said: "We decided to launch this campaign to involve local people in recording the wildlife on their doorstep. The hedgehog is a well known species and it's easy to recognise. People know them as a common visitors to Devon gardens and we want to find out if there really is a problem in our region." Its not all doom and gloom, there are a number of things that people can do in their own garden to help hedgehogs. Stephen added: "From making your garden more wildlife friendly, feeding your local hedgehog dog food and water (not bread and milk), to ensuring your pond is safe for these lovable creatures, there are plenty of things you can do to help. We have lots of useful tips and information on our website for people who want to know more." For more information helping the hog or to fill in a survey form visit http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/.

Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Challenges 2011 Fancy a challenge this year? Devon Wildlife Trust is running its first ever sponsored cycle challenges in May and July. Click on the link below to find out more! www.devonwildlifetrust.org/cycle-devon-coast-to-coast-2011/

Ponies used to help restore rare grassland habitat at Bridgelea

Four hardy moorland ponies have this month been brought in to graze a rare Culm grassland site in central Devon as part of Devon Wildlife Trust's Working Wetlands project. The 2.5 hectare site at Bridgelea near Sampford Courtenay had been in need of attention for several years. The Working Wetlands project awarded the landowners a grant to carry out scrub clearance and install stockproof fencing which has enabled the re-introduction of grazing. The four ponies are part of the Devon Wildlife Trust's Grazing Links scheme, an initiative which brings people with livestock together with landowners in need of grazing for their holdings. It is hoped that the ponies will help to open up the habitat and allow a broad range of wild flower species to become more widely established across the site. This increase in the range of wild flowers will benefit a host of insects, which in turn will support healthy populations of birds and small mammals. This initiative was only made possible by the generous funding of Devon Waste Management. Their support has enabled the Working Wetlands project to set up and administer a small grant award initiative which offers landowners financial support to carry out capital works on wildlife-rich sites in the Culm Measures. Devon Wildlife Trust's Mike Symes oversaw the introduction of grazing and said: "Bridgelea is a great site but its value for wildlife was being lost due to scrub encroachment and a lack of grazing. Now, as a result of the funding provided by Devon Waste Management, the important Culm grassland habitat will be restored through improved, sympathetic land management." Bob and Joy Tucker, the landowners at Bridgelea, added: "When we moved here we knew that the land was in need of some careful management, but we didn't know where to start. Devon Wildlife Trust has enabled us to embark on this exciting project and we are really looking forward to seeing the field transformed year by year, allowing  the more delicate and vulnerable species that could not compete with the rushes to  establish themselves."

Ponies at Bridgelea photo copyright Devon Wildlife Trust 

Working Wetlands is a seven year landscape scale project working across 65,000 hectares of the Culm Natural Area. It has been supported by South West Water, Tubney Charitable Trust, The Environment Agency, Devon County Council, Devon Waste Management, GrantScape and Natural England.

Devon Reptile & Amphibian Group calls for sightings of rare newt!

Although frogs and newts are familiar from ponds and gardens, globally amphibians are one of the most threatened creatures on earth. In order to help conserve one of the UK's rarest amphibians the Devon Reptile and Amphibian Group, with funding from the Devon Biodiversity Partnership and help from the Devon Biodiversity Records Centre, has recently set up a Great Crested Newt Project. As part of this they are looking for help in locating records of the rare and protected Great Crested Newt, which is currently only known to exist in a few ponds in the county. Great Crested Newts are much larger (up to 17cm long) than the small newts (around 10cm long) more commonly found in our ponds. The body is dark brown to black in colour with a warty appearance. Male Great Crested Newts can be identified by the jagged crest running along their back. Newts have a similar life cycle to frogs and toads, hibernating through the winter months and returning to breed in ponds in the spring. Nicky Green, Chair of the Devon Reptile and Amphibian Group (DRAG) said: 'The Great Crested Newt is thought to be virtually extinct in Devon. However, there have been new recorded sightings across the county, which suggest that there are more of them out there than previously thought. In order to help conserve this rare and fascinating species we need as many records of sightings as possible'. If you think you may have seen Great Crested Newts in your pond please contact Julia.clark_DRAG@hotmail.co.uk or 01626 834422 with the location, post code and date of the sighting. A Great Crested Newt identification and conservation pack is available for respondents.

Photo copyright James Grundy: (All rights reserved)

About Devon Reptile & Amphibian Group
DRAG is the county’s amphibian and reptile voluntary body, with more than 100 members. The group aims to promote the conservation of amphibians and reptiles and their habitats in the county. DRAG record, monitor and survey amphibians and reptiles in Devon.The Great Crested Newt Project has been funded by the Devon Biodiversity Partnership and the Devon Biodiversity Record Centre. The project aims to increase our knowledge of the distribution of Great Crested Newts in the county so they are better able to promote their conservation and ensure they are not adversely affected by development activities.The Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus) is Britain’s largest and most threatened newt. The body is dark brown to black in colour with a warty appearance. It has a bright orange belly with black markings.