Livestock handling

The role livestock play in conservation

Grazing is used in the management of many of England’s wildlife habitats. Grassland, heathland and coastal marshes require some grazing to produce a habitat which is structured and allows many animals to thrive. Farming has played a significant role in shaping these habitats and the continuation of certain farming practices is often crucial for their survival.

Livestock used to be a problem within farming management. This is due to the fact that they would overgraze certain habitats. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was introduced in 1962 which meant that farmers were paid subsidies for the amount of livestock they owned. Obviously, farmers wished to increase the amount of income they received and so they exponentially increased the amount of livestock they owned, the major impact of this was to wildlife due to the overgrazing. Due to these effects the CAP payments were withdrawn after 2005. Due to this, the amount of livestock used in farming management had decreased and now some areas are under grazed.

Now 73% of UK land is farmed. However, it’s been found that wildlife friendly farming is associated with yield penalties.Today, more farming practices use machinery and artificial techniques, this is done to ensure yields are met. Machines are useful to help meet yields and reduce costs to do with man power etc. However these have very negative effects from a wildlife point of view.

It’s necessary to reintroduce more traditional methods for farming such as grazing and stock rotation, but ways need to be found as to how these methods can be economical. Grazing is important as it controls invasive species which would otherwise dominate important areas to wildlife. To ensure that wildlife habitats are managed for greatest environmental benefit it is important that the type, number and timing of livestock grazing is tailored to the needs of an individual site. Different types of livestock graze in different ways and this influences their suitability for grazing individual habitats. This is due to the differences in the animals behaviour and physiology, differences mean each species will have different requirements. Due to this the different types of livestock require different management methods.

Managing cattle is split into 2 sections which include meat production and milk production. Milk production correlates to breeding success in the cattle. Male calves become a by-product of this and are sold for meat production, however those that convey high genetic qualities are kept. The females are kept on as part of a milking herd, and are used for reproduction after 2 years. The farmers in the intensive dairy sector attempt to complete their calving within 2 months, this makes insemination and calve care etc. easier (Gordon, 1996). In order to achieve a 365-day calving interval the calving to conception interval should not be more than 80–85 days.

The farmer at Brackenhurst uses the spring calving method because it is the easiest due to there being a lot of fodder available for the cows which are calving. This means there’s less of a requirement to buy extra food as it’s already available. The paddock where the cattle were kept was a circular shape with each enclosure offering one entrance and exit and then a communal centre area which was used for the transportation of the cattle. In order to check the health of the cattle, the farmer uses a crusher. This keeps the cows still whilst the weight, height and general health of the cows could be checked.

The management of horses greatly differs to this. Horses aren’t used for any other quality but for grazing. Housing and working with horses can be difficult due to their behaviour being unpredictable. Horses are known for being a very nervous species, if they become scared their flight or fight response kicks in, if there is no way for them to run off, they will fight. Therefore the management of horses requires a team that is familiar with the behaviour of their stock.

Advantages and disadvantages of using the different types of livestock

Cattle

Horses

Sheep

how to tip a sheep:

1. Stand to one side of the sheep

2. Gently but firmly hold the sheep’s head under its jaw

3. Place your left knee just behind the sheep’s left shoulder

4. Your right leg should be touching the sheep’s nearside left hip

5. Place your right hand on the sheep’s back by its hips

6. Turn the sheep’s head towards its shoulder

7. Feel the weight of the sheep against your legs

8. Put pressure on the sheep’s hips so it can’t use its hind legs

9. Take a step back using your right leg

10. The sheep’s back legs should now give way

11. Bring the sheep’s head around until the sheep is sitting down comfortably

Risks

Risk Assessment form 2011 blank

What i learnt from the experience

Primarily I managed to learn in many ways that cattle require a lot of management. In order for them to help conserve habitats, we must put a lot of effort in to look after their welfare and tend to their every need. When deciding what livestock to put in a particular area, a lot of thought must be put into the process to ensure that the task will be conducted in a reasonable time frame and that the livestock are happy. There are many pros and cons to weigh up before making the decision.

I learnt that working with livestock can be a lot of fun.However, before I went to university i would never have thought about going near sheep, cows and horses. But, now I have been in touching distance of the animals I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner.

During the session with sheep I learnt about herding them to transport them to different areas. I also learnt how to tip one (described above) during this I managed to work out that they are heavy. We also had the opportunity to worm the sheep and give them their vaccinations. This was an experience that I would definitely repeat.

During the cattle session I had the opportunity to see the calves (they were sooo cute!!). I also had the opportunity to stand 1 metre away from a fully grown bull however, I know which made me feel at home and which I was shaking at. We had the opportunity to learn how the farmer kept his cattle in order to make a profit and we also had the opportunity to assist with getting their weights.

During the session with horses I learnt how different cues from the species can give you an indication of how they are feeling. This was an important lesson given that horses are a species that are known to be easily spooked. I used what I learnt to create a chart that is useful to use whilst observing them.horse behaviour During the session I also had the opportunity to lead the horses using a lead rope and it’s head collar which I previously learned how to attach.

 

Small mammal trapping-useful?

Why do we trap small mammals?

The live trapping of small animals is a useful way to know what animals use or occupy a certain area. Knowing what animals occupy a certain area can help to assess the habitat where the mammals were found. This is because the variety of small mammals found is a good indicator for biodiversity. Part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) involves the theme-A more integrated, large-scale approach to conservation on land and at sea. To assess this target, surveys of small mammals can be taken in certain areas.

We monitor small mammals because they are essential to many terrestrial ecosystems However, the data on small mammal populations is extremely limited so we are still unsure whether populations are increasing, decreasing or stable. Small mammals are key prey items for many predatory birds and mammals. This means declines in their numbers will affect many other species e.g. birds of prey. Rare carnivores such as the pine marten, the wildcat, and other specialist carnivores such as weasels, are also particularly vulnerable to changes in populations of small mammals . Small mammals are also key indicators of a change in habitat quality .

Types of trap

Longworth

Made from aluminium, this trap is strong, lightweight and corrosion resistant. The large nest box has plenty of room for food and bedding and can be positioned at an angle inside the trap to prevent rain from entering. The design means not only the trap is easy to clean, but when not in use the tunnel can be placed inside the nest box for ease of storage. Also, the trigger sensitivity is adjustable. The dimensions of the nesting area are: 14 X 6.5 X 8.5cm. The total trap length when set is 25cm.

Sherman

The hinged design allows the trap to fold up flat into something only the width of one side panel. This makes it compact for storage and easy to transport to field locations (e.g. in a back pack). Both ends are hinged, but in normal operation the rear end is closed and the front folds inwards and latches the treadle, trigger plate, in place. When an animal enters far enough to be clear of the front door, their weight releases the latch and the door closes behind them. The lure or bait is placed at the far end and can be dropped in place through the rear hinged door. The dimensions of the trap are: 7.62 X 8.89 X 22.86cm.

Where to place the traps

It’s best to place traps against logs or in thick vegetation, this is because small mammals tend to avoid open spaces. Try not to disturb too much of the area where the traps are being placed as the mammals may avoid the area. The traps will be investigated by small mammals but they won’t climb into things-ensure your trap is at ground level.

Spacing the traps

When surveying an area two spacing methods are commonly used-spacing traps in a line or on a grid. Traps in a line are useful if you wish to cover a cross section of habitats or if you’re investigating a hedgerow. Placing traps in a square grid in an area can allow you to see how the mammals use a habitat and gives an indication of population density.

Preparing the trap

Always provide bedding in the trap-this can be anything warming and non-toxic. Don’t place anything damp in there as this can chill the animal, even on warm evenings. The bedding must be changed after a capture as it will be damp. Small mammals have high metabolisms so food should be provided regularly, death by starvation is a particular problem for insectivorous mammals.

Baiting the trap

Common used baits include barley, oats, raisins, seeds, pieces of apple, even peanut butter and chocolate. A piece of apple or carrot can also provide water. Insectivorous mammals will need invertebrates for bait and as a source of food. Small mammals will be initially attracted to the area of the trap by the smell of the food. It’s often a good idea to prebait the traps 7 days before hand and place them in the area, this allows timid mammals to get used to them.

Don’t forget….

Check your traps regularly-don’t leave them for longer than 12 hours

Shrew trapping will need to be checked more regularly as they don’t last long in traps

If you can’t check your traps often then don’t set them

Some small mammals are protected by law so a licence from Natural England is required

 

 

 

Bird handling-why is it useful?

Monitoring bird populations

One way of monitoring bird population numbers is via ringing. It’s important to be able to monitor bird numbers in different areas due to UK conservation policies and the biodiversity action plan. One of the UK themes involves a more positive approach to UK conservation at land and at sea. A way to measure this involves measuring bird population numbers in different areas. The best method for monitoring bird numbers is via ringing.

Ringing birds is essential if we are to learn about how long they live and when and where they move-questions that are vital for bird conservation. Placing a lightweight, uniquely numbered, metal ring around a bird’s leg provides a reliable and harmless method of identifying birds as individuals. The main focus of ringing schemes today is to monitor their population numbers.

Birds may be captured by being taken as young birds at the nest or as adults, captured in fine mist nets, baited traps, heligoland traps, drag nets, cannon nets, or by other methods.

When a bird is caught, a ring of suitable size (usually made of aluminium or other lightweight material) is attached to the bird’s leg, and has on it a unique number, as well as a contact address. The bird is often weighed and measured, examined for data relevant to the ringer’s project, and then released. The rings are very light, and are designed to have no adverse effect on the birds – indeed, the whole basis of using ringing to gain data about the birds is that ringed birds should behave in all respects in the same way as the unringed population. The birds so tagged can then be identified when they are re-trapped, or found dead, later.

Bird handling

This is an example of the ringers grip, used to capture the bird and for taking wing measurements etc.

This is an example of the photographers grip, which is used to allow the bird to comfortably sit in your hand.

hedge laying-what a work out!

Importance of hedgerows

Hedgerows have many important characteristics for wildlife and biodiversity. For example hedgerows provide food and shelter for a variety of different species. As a mixture of woodland, scrub and grassland, hedgerows contain a wealth of different plant and animal species. Hedgerows are also important for a large number of threatened or rare species. These include plants like the Plymouth pear, insects like the brown hairstreak butterfly, birds like the cirl bunting and mammals like the dormouse. The very high importance of hedgerows for birds can’t be emphasized enough. No less than 21 priority BAP bird species are associated with hedgerows, and for 13 of these, hedgerows are a primary habitat.

Hedgerows are also valuable to us. They’re essential for marking ownership boundaries, and for keeping livestock in or out of fields. However, now they are valued more for their cultural value. The UK is rightly known throughout the world for its rich and varied patterns of hedgerows, a part of our cultural and landscape heritage. Also they are valued for the major role they play in preventing soil loss and reducing pollution, and for their potential to regulate water supply and to reduce flooding. Hedgerows may even have a role to play in taking greenhouse gases out of circulation through carbon storage, if they are allowed to expand in size.

How to lay a hedge

1. clear the hedge of rubbish which has accumulated at the bottom of the hedge
2. prune individual trees of large side branches and top heavy material
3. at base of trunk, cut into stem/pleacher at an angle until the remaining part of the stem can be cut down
4. whilst laying the hedge, bang in stakes elbow–>hand width apart
5. weave pleachers into stakes

The tool list

1. the slasher
2. rake
3. loppers
4. bow saw
5. pruning saw
6. bill hook
7. axe
8. mell
9. lump hammer

The afternoon

My afternoon begun with finding an area of hedge to work on. After i did that I proceeded to follow the hedge laying instructions. Using my slasher and rake hand in hand i cleared the area around the hedge of rubbish which would interfere with the laying. After this the loppers/ bow saw/ pruning saw were used in turn to prune the trees of their large side branches. The loppers were used if the branches were thinner than the thumb, if the branches were thicker than this-the pruning/bow saw was selected for use. Either could have been used, it depended on personal preference and location of the branch as of which to use. Once this was completed, the fun could start! Selecting my pleacher i used the bill hook/axe (depending on difficulty) to cut into the pleacher at an angle until i was able to lay the pleacher. To do this I started a bit higher up  on the pleacher than where I wanted it to be layed, this was so the cut could be clean and gradual. After I layed each pleacher I weaved it through the stakes that I put in place. I did this using the mell/ lump hammer depending on how challenging the ground made the job.

Throughout my afternoon the hedge continued to throw new challenges at me, such as a stem being too dead to lay and having to coppard the stem instead. It was difficult knowing it wouldn’t be possible to lay the few pleachers; however, during the 4 hours I only had to sacrifice 2. During the afternoon I managed to get a good amount of work done and afterwards I felt I had done a lot of work as all my muscles were aching! Also i managed to cover myself in mud from my ankles to my knees. To top the fun of the session off i managed to cut my hand 3 times during the 3rd step. But don’t worry-if you don’t see blood you haven’t done a hedge laying session.

I hope to complete another session in January to continue to support the conservation of this beautiful habitat. It is great knowing that you are supporting many different species by preserving one hedgerow. Just think how many species could return to England if everyone managed their hedgerows. What a concept! During the session I managed to spot a grey tit and of course the european robin. Surely, next time I can see more species of bird which are different and diverse. Proving therefore that hedgerows are a special habitat that need to be looked after better

 

Using barn owl pellets to figure out diversity of small mammals in an area

The pellets of 4 barn owls were used during this lab experiment. A barn owl produces 1 pellet every 8 hours. This can help with time scale and to see where and when the barn owls hunt due to the species in the sample.

Method

1. collect a pellet, place in petri dish and separate the bones of the different species using dissecting needles and forceps
2. clean bones and sort them according to type
3. use keys to identify prey mammals 10 Owl pellet Flowchart ID

Results

• species                     number
• field vole                 69
• bank vole                10
• water vole               1
• common shrew     24
• pymy shrew           7
• water shrew           4
• wood mouse           5
• harvest mouse       3
• house mouse          13
• dormouse                10

Interpretation

After identifying the contents of the owl pellets, a great deal of information could be concluded about the barn owl (Tyto alba). One thing I have discovered from this analysis is their hunting times. I can conclude that these barn owls mainly hunt at night. This is because 63% of the diet comprised of field vole (Microtus agrestis) at 47% and common shrew (Sorex araneus) at 16%. The other recorded species of bank vole (Myocles glaredus), pygmy shrew (Neomys fodiens), water shrew (Sorex hoyi), woodmouse (Apodemus sylvatiais), harvest mouse (Micromys minutus), house mouse (Mus musculus) and the dormouse (Muscardinus avellanaris) are all mostly nocturnal. The only anomalie was the discovery of the water vole (Arvioda terrestris) which is purely, only active in the day time.

Another thing portrayed by the results is where the barn owl likes to hunt. Due to 47% of the consumed food being that of the field vole, I can conclude that these barn owls like to hunt in grassland habitat. This is supported by 16% of the food consumed was that of the common shrew which also prefers to habit in grassland habitat and hedges. I can also conclude that the barn owl kills on average 3 prey species every 8 hours due to discovering 3 harvest mice in my sample.

 

Activity budget of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)

Location:

Marsh Lane
Donna Nook
Louth
LN11 7PD

Grey seal fact sheet

Description-Grey seals have grey and brown fur, sometimes with a pattern of blotches; no ears visible; long muzzle; nostrils parallel; larger and darker than common seal, with flat or convex profile to its head (the common seal has a concave profile).

Size-Average for males 207cm; females 180cm; flippers about 25cm.

Weight-Males 233kg; Females 155kg.

Lifespan-Female grey seals may live for 35 years, but males seldom survive to more than 25 years old.

Diet-Sand eels and cod are their most important foods, but grey seals are opportunistic feeders and probably take whatever fish are most abundant.

Conservation status-first mammals to be protected by modern legislation-grey seals act 1914. 

Grey seals and breeding season

Grey seals gather annually at remote, usually offshore sites to breed. The breeding season for seal colonies occurs during the autumn. During breeding season the males will come ashore to mate, the males that are older than 10 years will compete with one another for position within a female breeding group. The competition can sometimes end up in fights which is why evidence of scaring can be present on a bulls neck. Breeding seasons can extend over 8 to 10 weeks, each individual female being present for only 2 to 3 weeks, during which she gives birth to a single pup which suckles for approximately 18 days (Anderson and Fedak 1987a, Pomeroy et al. 1994).  After this time the pup is abruptly weaned and the female mates and then departs from the colony.

After the pup is born it faces many dangers. These include: starvation, abandoning, infection and drowning. If there’s a lot of human disturbance towards the young pup, the mother is likely to no longer look after the pup. The young pup will also be prone to infection due to requiring antibodies from the mothers milk. Drowning can occur if the seal is scared and is forced into the water.

Donna nook

Donna nook is a site of significant importance to the grey seal. Providing over 6 miles of coastline for the females to be able to give birth and partially raise their young until the pup gets hungry and leaves for the water. Donna nook is also a sight of importance to wild lifers and photographers, if you want a snap of the UK’s largest mammal (i think) make sure you get to Donna nook in autumn and find the bulls.

Methods

To complete my activity budget i had to first conduct research into the seals behaviour during breeding season in order to make an ethogram. An ethogram is a list of all the behaviours an animal can portray and descriptions describing exactly how this behaviour would look. My ethogram mainly focused on mother and pup behaviours as well as solitary behaviours and communication. I focused on this as i believed these behaviours would be displayed the most due to the mothers only having recently given birth.

Using my ethogram I decided to use two different types of sample. I conducted a focal sample of 2 seals for 30 minutes (stare at the seals continuously and note down all behaviours seen). I used this sample so i could see how long the behaviours lasted for. I also conducted a scan sample of 3 mother and pup pairs for 30 minutes (write down behaviours witnessed every minute during the time period).

Results

From the focal sample it was noted that the most portrayed behaviour was resting which occurred for 20% of the time. However, after that at 15% we have feeding. After this there was a tie between mother protecting her pup or exploration which were both at 12%. It was found that these behaviours occured hand in hand so maybe the pups exploration provoked the mothers need to protect her pup by fighting other mothers. The behaviour portrayed the least was sleeping or maintenance with both only occurring 1% of the time. These results could be a coincidence however, it may be an active time of the day for the seals (12pm). The only way I could confirm this is to conduct another visit during the next breeding season.

From the scan sample I noted the action portrayed the most was sleeping. However, during this observation I also noted the decrease in temperature which may be able to account for this. The frequency of sleeping behaviours portrayed by the pairs way 140. The least portrayed behaviour was playing and active, shown only one time each throughout the whole observation. This may also be due to the change in weather though, no one likes to play outside in the cold.

Conclusion

I hope the work I conducted helps in some way with the conservation of the grey seal. If not now, maybe with more frequent visits I can begin to make a difference. Understanding the behaviour of the grey seals can be important in learning how to conserve them. Completing this activity budget may be able to help with species enrichment and may help improve other conservation sites around the world. In the future, I wish to visit the Cornish seal sanctuary and complete another activity budget and hopefully be able to compare the 2 sites. I may be able to use their behaviours to assess the animals welfare etc.

Heathland management-how musical

Why heathlands are important to us

Heathlands are considered to be an open habitat consisting of areas of bare ground with a few scattered trees and a shrub layer. They’re normally found on poor acidic soils in wet areas with mild temperatures. They’re also known to consist at low altitudes. The most dominant plant on heathland is ling heather , the significance of this plant is that it provides a distinct layer which provides shelter from the elements to smaller plants and the animals beneath it . Other heathers include bell heather and cross-leaved heath, many invertebrates use the heathers for food and use them for the structure they provide . The zoology of heathland consists of two groups which include those that depend on heathland plants for food or shelter and those that use it when the environment becomes useful but they’re not confined to it. Heathlands are home to many plants, birds, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians. This includes breeding populations of rare birds e.g. Dartford warbler, woodlark and nightjar. Also this includes 6 native reptiles, rare spiders and insects.

Although heathlands seem to be a natural habitat, they all were under farming management at some point in their lifetime. Since the mid 18th century the heathland area has been significantly reduced. Sites have become smaller and more isolated from each other due to urban influences such as road development, fragmentation and ploughing. Conserving heathland habitats is of great importance due to the scale of neglect. The difficulty of conserving heathland habitats is the requirement to prevent succession. On many sites, bracken and the invasion of secondary woodland means heathland sites have declined due to the lack of management. Due to this there’s a window of opportunity for us to reduce agricultural surpluses, and increase recreation in the countryside which creates opportunities for us to maintain and enhance heathland sites. 16% of the total priority habitats resource in England is heathlands. Heathland were made a priority habitat due to their importance to the biodiversity in certain areas.

The afternoon

Getting to the site was a lot of fun, with laughs and jokes being exchanged between members on the minibus. The journey seemed to have only lasted 5 minutes, they say time flies when you’re having fun. Once we got to the site, the fun of being briefed about the task in hand began. The task to be undertaken was to remove the invasive species that targeted the area and to ensure the succession of the habitat. To do this firstly it was necessary to select what we were going to remove from the area. To ensure the habitat remained as a heathland it was necessary to remove the pine (Pinus sp) and silver birch (Betula pendula) that began growing in the area. The removal was done using a variety of tools. These included: the loppers, the bow saw and pruning saw. After the selection was complete it was necessary to select the tool which was fit for purpose. If the circumference of the tree was thinner than my thumb-the loppers were used. If the circumference was thicker than this then I decided between using the bow or pruning saw. This selection depended on the ease of access to the particular tree. The afternoon flew by and in no time at all we had completed a whole area of heathland. Those trees never saw it coming! During the time the task was being carried out, the group were chatting about conservation and what we were planning on doing with our weekends etc. After what felt like 10 minutes, it was lunch time which consisted of eating sandwiches and then stealing biscuits from our lecturer. During lunch the tunes were put on (the sound of the countryside is truly magical). The tunes of course began a grand group sing along which continued throughout the second half of the session.

I learnt many valuable things from undertaking this activity. A negative of this work was definitely the cold, however wrapping up appropriately and getting on with the work helps to overcome this problem. This work was definitely enjoyable, gaining experience in using the different tools was rewarding enough. Also being able to work and communicate as a team so we could be productive was a lot of fun, this work will be valuable to me for the future as team work is a valuable attribute to employers but also I enjoy working in a team. From completing this work I have a great sense of achievement as I understand that I have helped to conserve a priority habitat which is important for a variety of different species.

Activity budget of the red deer

Location

Big Moor, Peak District

Red deer fact sheet

Description-The largest deer species, males larger than females. Red-brown coat colour with no spots in adults. Antlers of males usually branched, not palmate. With up to 3 branches. Rump pattern creamy, not delineated by black lines. Footprint is oval, 5cm wide by 7cm long.

Size-Up to 1.37 metres at the shoulder, length nose to tail is 201cm in males.

Weight-Calves 30-50kg; females 70-100kg; mature males 100-180kg, up to 225kg.

Lifespan-Up to 20 years, but few deer actually live longer than 16 years.

Diet-Grasses, sedges and rushes comprise the bulk of the summer diet, with dwarf-shrubs such as heather and blaeberry being more important in winter. Young trees are also browsed.

Red deer and breeding season

The breeding season, on rut, occurs from the end of September to November. Stags return to the hind’s home range and compete for them by engaging in elaborate displays of dominance including roaring, parallel walks and fighting.  Serious injury and death can result from fighting but this only occurs between stags of similar size that cannot assess dominance by any of the other means.  The dominant stag then ensures exclusive mating with the hinds.

Despite being sexually mature before their second birthday in productive woodland populations, only stags over five years old tend to mate.  In woodland populations hinds over one year old give birth to a single calf after an eight-month gestation, between mid-May to mid-July. Puberty may be delayed until three years old in hill hinds, which may give birth only once every two or three years.

In woodland red deer are largely solitary or occur as mother and calf groups. On open ground, larger single sex groups assemble, only mixing during the rut. Red deer are active throughout the 24 hour period but make more use of open spaces during the hours of darkness in populations experiencing frequent disturbance. Peak times of activity are at dawn and dusk.

Stags roar and grunt during the rut. Hinds bark when alarmed and moo when searching for their young. Calves emit a high-pitched squeal when alarmed and may bleat to their mother.

Methods

To complete my activity budget i had to first conduct research into the deers behaviour during breeding season in order to make an ethogram. An ethogram is a list of all the behaviours an animal can portray and descriptions describing exactly how this behaviour would look. My ethogram mainly focused on stag behaviours as well as solitary behaviours and communication. I focused on this as i believed these behaviours would be displayed the most due to the males competing for mates as it is breeding season.

Using my ethogram I decided to use two different types of sample. I conducted a focal sample of 1 stag for 20 minutes (stare at the deer continuously and note down all behaviours seen). I used this sample so i could see how long the behaviours lasted for. I also conducted a scan sample of 7 hinds and 3 stags for 20 minutes.

Results

From the focal sample it was noted that the most portrayed behaviour was eating which occurred for 35% of the time. However, after that at 34% we have standing alert. After this there was a tie between locomotion and standing which were both at 14%.The behaviour portrayed the least was flehmen which occurred 3% of the time. These results could be a coincidence however, it may be an active time of the day for the deer (4pm). The only way I could confirm this is to conduct another visit during the next breeding season.

From the scan sample I noted the action portrayed the most was eating. However, during this observation I also noted the decrease in temperature which may be able to account for this. The frequency of eating behaviours portrayed by the pairs were 100. The least portrayed behaviour was roaring, shown only 10 times throughout the whole observation. After the roaring behaviour occurred however, the hinds proceeded to portray standing alert or locomotion behaviour.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that deer portray many different behaviours during the breeding season, there was minimal variation in behaviour patterns of the deer that were observed. Because the observation allowed for two twenty minute intervals it was unlikely that all of the different behaviours were to be observed. Stags spent most of their time standing alert over the females followed by short periods of eating. Females concentrated most of their energy on nourishing themselves by grazing the fields and standing alert. However when a stag produced a roar the females were much more attentive and showed more activity by moving around. It is important to mention, the deer that were observed were in proximity to several other stags. No stags had challenged the observed stag, it is possible that the roar produced was effective enough to discourage challengers. It is also possible that the nearby stags were not interested in challenging and simply dismissed the roars. The deer were alert to our presence and had spent some time observing us, potentially the deer altered their behaviour due to the presence of a potential threat, thus not acting in the same way as prior to the arrival of surveyors. From this short observation it can be said that the stags were showing signs of breeding behaviour by producing their roar, it also needs to be mentioned that the roar from the stag was the only major breeding behaviour observed. There were several different groups of deer visible with one alpha stag present in each group, it is possible that the stags had already selected their mating partners and did not feel the need to challenge other stags in proximity. More observation is suggested before coming to a hypothesis of deer behaviour during the mating season, different techniques should be carried out at different times. It is probable that the deer show set behaviours at only certain times of the day. It is encouraged that several observations takes place all covering different time slots thus allowing for a wide range of observation.

Conserving the Great Crested Newt-Pond management

Significance of ponds for the Great Crested Newt

Brackenhurst dew pond provides the habitat for the great crested newts(GCN) (Triturus cristatus). The GCN have many requirements for their habitat due to them being terrestrial and aquatic. Their requirements include their food availability meaning the diversity of available vegetation needs looking in to. It’s been discovered that deep water, high macrophyte density and terrestrial habitat diversity were especially important to the GCN. Ponds are beneficial to many other species also. Many organisms in ponds can only be identified using microscopes such as plankton. However, pond provide the habitat for larger vertebrates such as fish and amphibians, more over some species just use ponds for certain activities like the ducks, beavers and snakes. GCN are protected by law due to the decline in their population numbers. This is because we’ve been losing wetlands. It’s been estimated that wetlands have decreased by 40% over the last 45 years. Most sites are being damaged by leisure activities, extractive industries and agriculture. Due to the newts being protected by law, our work was conducted on the 30th October to ensure environmental impact was reduced.

Why was the work carried out?

The life cycle of the GCN is very specific. The newt spends very little time in its aquatic environment, with the male only going to the pond in spring to mate. The newt spends a lot of its time in a terrestrial habitat but the ecology of this phase of the life cycle is misunderstood. There’s an increasing need for people to understand this form of habitat management. Related to mating, the GCN performs its courtship dance to attract the female. To do this the GCN needs space, a positive correlation was found between species richness and the size of ponds. The GCN has the trouble of having to compete with the water soldier (Stratiotes aloides) for room in the pond. This is because the water soldier is an invasive species.

How was the work done?

Firstly, it was necessary to put on our personal protective equipment (PPE) which consisted of waders and gloves. After this was done, it was time to slip into the pond (believe me you were lucky if you managed to walk in to the pond without falling). In order to remove the water soldier it was at first required to use a wooden rake to scrape the water soldier from the bottom of the pond. Then we deposited the water soldier to the near side of the bank so the ‘banks men’ were able to transport the soldier from the water on land. Metal rakes were used to lift the soldier onto the bank, during this care was required to not to scrape the bottom of the pond due to it being man made. After this was done, the soldier was put into piles on the bank and was left for 10-14 days to ensure that any species that was disturbed was able to return to the water. After this, the soldier was transported from the site via the use of wheelbarrows to be disposed of.

The afternoon was very enjoyable, our group worked well together and due to the fact that we were having so much fun, we forgot about how much time had passed. During the activity we all took part in a grand group sing along as well as having to deal with a group members witty puns. The only bad thing about being in the water for so long was being smelly and cold, however you were able to forget about this because the work was so distracting. From completing the conservation work I have a great sense of achievement as I know I have helped the GCN be able to reproduce successfully for another year. I would also be very happy to complete the task again next year.

A day in the forest

Conservation society is a society than is part of Nottingham Trent University. The society takes part in many activities that involve practical management work in order to conserve wildlife. When we don’t have to work too hard we also enjoy meeting each other for social events. A day out in Sherwood forest was one particular event.

The day began with us meeting up and getting in the mini bus, ready for a journey full of fun and chaos. The journey there was loud, I don’t think there was a single moment where we weren’t speaking to one another. This social event in particular was an opportunity to meet members of ConSoc that hadn’t attended any previous events. It was a get to know you session incorporated into a walk around the area.

Once we arrived, everyone was eager to begin our walk and start finding wildlife. The route we took started us off at the major oak-the tree where robin hood and is merry men were rumored to have stayed in. On the walk we saw many species of fungi, weeds and trees such as pine and oak (apologies for my records not being more detailed). Whilst we were walking through the forest, out president was informing us about what the species we saw were, and how they could have been identified. Also we had the ability to socialise and make new friends.

All that walking had made us very hungry so it was time for tea and cake. During dinner we had the opportunity to look in the gift shop where a friend of mine purchased a lovely sword. Lunch was over in a flash because we hadn’t explored the bird feeder area yet. Many of the people on the walk were keen birders-therefore this was the part they looked forward to the most.

At the feeders we saw many species of tit including: great, long tailed and blue. There were also sightings of the European robin. I believe the odd dunnock was also seen. We spent at least 30 minutes in this area, which was really pushing it for time before we had to leave.

The day was very exciting and informative overall. I had learnt a lot of new things that will be useful to me in my future. Sherwood forest may not look like much to ordinary people, but to wild lifers it’s something really special.