Wildlife & Conservation
Isle of May: Numbers of puffins at one of UK’s largest colonies increase by a third
Numbers of puffins at one of the UK’s largest colonies on the Isle of May have increased by around a third since 2017, experts have revealed. Scientists estimate there are around 52,000 occupied puffin burrows on the Isle of May nature reserve, compared to 39,000 in the last survey in 2017 – a 33% increase.…
Read MoreCorrimony Nature Reserve: Signs of recovery at wildfire hit nature reserve a year on
It was destroyed by a devastating wildfire last year, but now there are signs of recovery at Corrimony Nature Reserve. Flames burned in woodland and moor near Cannich, south of Inverness, for two weeks decimating important moorland and woodland habitat, home to species including Black Grouse and Scottish Crossbill. An exceptional dry spell with hot…
Read MoreRed squirrel: bid to increase west Scotland’s population numbers
There are around 120,000 of them in Scotland, but habitat loss is one of the biggest threats to the survival of red squirrels. In a bid to boost the species’ population on the West Coast of the country, six red squirrels have been released in Morvern peninsula. Rewilding charity Trees for Life introduced the squirrels…
Read MoreOsprey YouTube star Laddie found dead
He became Scotland’s most famous bird of prey after delighting birdwatchers on YouTube. But now conservationists have revealed osprey Laddie has been found dead in Perthshire. Police Scotland said the remains of an osprey were found near Dunkeld on Friday. The protected species is believed to have been nesting at Loch of the Lowes nature…
Read MoreLife With NatureScot: ‘The only way we are going to counter climate change is by working together’
Operations Officers Jane Dodd on the marine life around Arygll, her work with the flapper skates and the impact of climate change on our seas. When I was a child, my dad and my grandad would take me crabbing in rockpools during beach holidays and I’ve been fascinated by marine life ever since. My…
Read MoreRewilding campaign backed by Leonardo DiCaprio raises £200,000
A campaign for Scotland to become the first Rewilding Nation in the world which was backed by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio raised £200,000 in just six days. The Scottish Rewilding Alliance, a coalition of more than 20 organisations, is calling on the Scottish Government to commit to nature recovery across 30% of the country. Alliance member…
Read More‘Lord of the Rings’ wych elm plays a role in saving its species
An ancient elm tree that has stood alone in the far reaches of Glen Affric for hundreds of years is now the guardian over a new generation of its species. The wych elm – known as the Last Ent of Affric in homage to the tree-shepherds from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings story – has…
Read MorePuffins begin to arrive back to Shetland for the breeding season
They are affectionately known as the ‘clown of the seas’, with their multicolored bills and bright orange feet. And now puffins have started to return to Scotland for the breeding season, the first beginning to arrive at Sumburgh Head nature reserve, in Shetland, in recent weeks. Scotland is home to around three quarters of the…
Read MoreOsprey who shot to fame in lockdown lays earliest egg of the season
An osprey who rose to fame during the first coronavirus lockdown has laid the earliest egg of the season live on camera in the Highlands. Viral sensation Dorcha and her mate Louis arrived back from their southern migration to their nest in Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in Lochaber on 28 and 30 March respectively. The…
Read MoreLemur Lounge: Lemurs prefer listening to music over sitting in silence
They have a penetrating stare, bushy tails and a penchant for singing. But it turns out lemurs also like listening to music. Though they are much less closely related to humans than monkeys and apes, we still have a lot in common with lemurs. Some worship the sun, while others have a sense of rhythm,…
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