Posts Tagged ‘conservation’
Great White Egrets successfully fledge in Scotland for the first time
Great White Egrets have successfully fledged in Scotland for the first time. Three chicks left their nest near the Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve near Crimond earlier this week, after what is thought to be the first ever breeding attempt in Scotland. Conservationists said the successful fledging of the chicks is a significant milestone for…
Read MoreScotland’s Flow Country secures Unesco World Heritage status
It’s a vast and unspoiled blanket bog that carpets the far north of Scotland. But now The Flow Country has been made a world heritage site by Unesco, after a 40-year campaign by environmentalists. The planet’s largest blanket bog, the Flow Country covers around 1,500 sq miles of Caithness and Sutherland, and stores approximately 400…
Read MoreThe largest gannet colony in the world at Bass rock has shrunk by 30%
The largest gannet colony in the world has shrunk by 30% since 2014, research has revealed. The Bass Rock colony was hit by avian flu in June last year, at the height of the gannet breeding season. The colony was devastated by the disease, with thousands of seabirds dying on the island, resulting in an…
Read MoreSignificant rise in Corncrake numbers recorded by RSPB Scotland
Corncrake numbers in Scotland have seen their first rise in five years, an RSPB Scotland survey can reveal. This year 870 calling males of these shy rare birds were recorded by the nature conservation charity, up from 828 the previous year. This takes Scotland’s Corncrake population back to levels not seen since 2019. While still…
Read MoreDame Kelly Holmes, Sir Chris Hoy and Ross Edgley triumph over tide
Long-distance swimmer and passionate environmentalist Ross Edgley teamed up with Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and Dame Kelly Holmes to take part in an epic triathlon. Taking place on the shores of Edinburgh, the athletes triumphed over the tide to raise awareness for the importance of our wild seas, covering 28.5km in 100 minutes. In a…
Read MoreThousands of Pink-footed geese arrive in Montrose
Thousands of Pink-footed geese have arrived in Montrose as they migrate south for the winter. So far, more than 25,000 have been counted, with more expected to arrive in the coming weeks. Every year, the birds stop off at Montrose Basin after flying in from Greenland and Iceland. This year the birds arrived earlier than…
Read MoreOysters returned to Firth of Forth for first time in a century
After a 100-year absence, native oysters are being reintroduced to the Firth of Forth. Historically, enormous native oyster beds provided an important source for food and livelihoods in the area. But the marine species was lost due to overfishing and industrial development. The groundbreaking Restoration Forth project hopes to transfer 30,000 oysters to the area…
Read MoreNumber of golden eagles in southern Scotland soars to highest in 300 years
The number of golden eagles in southern Scotland has risen to its highest in three hundred years, it has been revealed. The birds are extremely rare in the UK and experts have been helping the population grow. As part of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project eight chicks were successfully moved from other parts…
Read MoreUK’s only giant pandas to return to China
The UK’s only giant pandas will return to China in December, it has been announced. Tian Tian and Yang Guang have been residents at Edinburgh Zoo since 2011 on a 10-year loan, which was extended by two years due to the Covid pandemic. The two were brought to Edinburgh after an agreement between The Royal Zoological…
Read MoreWhat a beauty: Moth on brink of extinction found flying at Scottish site
A moth on the brink of extinction in Britain has been found flying in the Highlands following breeding efforts to boost its dwindling population. Due to habitat loss, the dark bordered beauty moth is only found at three locations across Britain, with two in Scotland and one in England. Last year the Royal Zoological Society of…
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