Kent's marine life 'threatened by Carpet Sea Squirt'

1 December 2011

Wildlife experts are fearing for the future of Kent marine life after the discovery of a highly-invasive creature on the coast.

Carpet Sea Squirt has spread cross much of the world, damaging shellfish and fishing grounds.
In the UK, it has only been found in a few marinas but has now turned up in Kent and has started to smother the famous Whitstable oyster beds.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-15982685

Colonies of two rare stalked jellyfish found in Kent

Rare jellyfish found on Kent's shores
October 2011. Kent Wildlife Trust's Marine Officer, Becky Hitchin, made an exciting discovery on the shores of Thanet - a significant breeding population of rare stalked jellyfish.

"This is a wonderful find," said Becky Hitchin, Marine Officer at Kent Wildife Trust. "We've known that these delicate and rare animals have existed around Thanet for a while, but we've never before found so many together in one place. In Walpole Bay, it seems we have a large breeding population, with lots of both adults and juveniles.

Two species
"In actual fact, there are two different species here, and both are very rare."

The Trust's Marine Policy Officer, Bryony Chapman, continued: "This new find emphasizes the importance of the Thanet coast for its very special chalk reefs and the diversity of species they support. These stalked jellyfish are among the rare and important species that are highlighted for special protection in Marine Conservation Zones, due for designation in 2012."

Read on...

Not one – but two rare species found at Kent reserve

Rare bumblebee and critically endangered thistle September 2011: Rare plant and insect species have been spotted at Kent Wildife Trust's Darland Banks nature reserve close to the Medway towns.

The very unusual sight of a mound of red star-thistles playing host to brown-banded carder bumblebees was recorded by Plantlife project manager Richard Moyse, on a visit to the chalk grassland site last week .

Red-star thistle is a priority speciesThe red star-thistle has only a couple of sites in Kent, and nationally is regarded as critically endangered. It has been identified as a Priority Species by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). Flowering from July to September, this biennial grows to a height of up to 70cms with reddish-purple flower heads surrounded by sharp spines.

The brown-banded carder bumblebee is one of 24 species of bumblebee found in the UK - a number of which have declined massively as a result of the loss of extensive areas of flower-rich grassland and the intensity of modern farming methods. Many of their favoured food plants have become scarce, and with farmers cultivating right to the edges of fields, places to construct nests have all but disappeared.

This is encouraging and rewarding newsHedgerows, too, as well as being in short supply, are cut back so regularly that they have ceased to be safe nesting sites.

However, the species hangs on in North Kent, where it is associated with coastal grassland and brownfield sites (eg the Trust's Holborough Marshes reserve near Snodland), and, to a lesser extent, it has appeared in chalk grassland such as at Queendown Warren near Hartlip.

Alison Ruyter, Medway & Mid-Kent Downs Area Warden for Kent Wildlife Trust, said: ‘It is so encouraging and rewarding to see that our conservation management programme is producing such tangible results and real wins for wildlife.'

Richard Moyse, project manager for Plantlife's nearby Ranscombe Farm Reserve, added: ‘This is a classic demonstration that protecting wildlife starts with protecting wild plants, and habitats rich in wild plants. Without the wild plants, we wouldn't have the insects, and without insects, we wouldn't have much other wildlife at all.'

Darland Banks nature reserve is managed by Kent Wildife Trust in partnership with the owners Medway Council.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/kent-bumblebee.html

Kent sightings confirm otters recently found every county in England

Otters are back - and coming to a river near you! August 2011. The sighting of two otters in Kent has delighted conservationists, who once feared that the iconic mammal could be lost from England's waterways forever.

Kent the last county
A country-wide wildlife survey published by the Environment Agency last year found that otters, which almost disappeared from England in the 1970s due to the toxic effects of pesticides, were recovering well and had been found in every English county except Kent. Now wildlife experts at the Environment Agency have confirmed that there are at least two otters in Kent, which have built their holts on the river Medway and the river Eden. The two sightings have delighted conservationists, who previously predicted that otters may not be resident in the county for another ten years.

Otters, which were nearly extinct in the 1970's, have recovered thanks to a ban on harmful pesticides and legal protection given to otters, making it an offence to intentionally kill or harm the animal. They have also been helped by a significant improvement in water quality over the past 20 years, bringing fish back to rivers that were once grossly polluted.

Otters are at the top of the food chain, and are therefore an important indicator of the health of rivers.

Rivers the healthiest for 20 years
The Environment Agency's National Conservation Manager, Alastair Driver said: "The recovery of otters from near-extinction shows how far we've come in controlling pollution and improving water quality. Rivers in England are the healthiest for over 20 years, and otters, salmon and other wildlife are returning to many rivers for the first time since the industrial revolution.

"The fact that otters are now returning to Kent is the final piece in the jigsaw for otter recovery in England and is a symbol of great success for everybody involved in otter conservation. It is also a fantastic reward for all of the Environment Agency's efforts in improving the water quality and ecology of England's rivers.

Lancashire - 44% increase
Otters continue to recover in other parts of the UK too, with a recent survey on the river Ribble in Lancashire showing a 44 per cent increase in the numbers of otters since 2008. The River Ribble is one of 10 rivers taking part in a pilot project which aims to get wildlife organisations, farmers, businesses and the local community to take co-ordinated action to further improve the health of UK rivers.

River habitats have also benefited from reductions in the volume of water taken by water companies, farmers and industry. The Environment Agency is reviewing abstraction licences and amending those that are causing environmental damage. For example, around 35 million fewer litres a day are now being taken from the River Darent in Kent than 20 years ago, increasing river flows and helping to support larger populations of wildlife including brown trout and pike.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/kent-otters.html#cr

Unusual sighting - A pink grasshopper

August 2011. The rare grasshopper was spotted at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory in Kent by Sue North. 
The Pink grasshopper is probably an unusual colour form of a common grasshopper - A few pink specimens are spotted every year - In fact this is the second one Wildlife Extra has been made aware of in the last few weeks.

They can be variable in colour with green, brownish, purple-red and pink forms recorded, although green forms are most common. Colour forms are genetically determined and some populations can show high frequency of pink grasshoppers.

Our thanks to Sue North for the image.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/pink-grasshopper.html

Largest single threat to England’s ancient woodland goes to public inquiry

Area the size of 30 football pitches could be destroyed

PRECIOUS: Oaken Wood near Maidstone is home to many important species of wildlife

August 2011: A controversial plan to extend a Kent quarry has been called in for public inquiry.
The application to extend the quarry into Oaken Wood near Maidstone would, if passed, see the destruction of an area about the size of 30 football pitches of irreplaceable ancient woodland.

Oaken Wood is home to wildlife species so rare they are designated nationally scarce or endangered and the scale of the plans would make it the largest case of destruction to ancient woodland England in recent times - yet the developer, Gallagher Ltd, was originally given the go-ahead by Kent County Council.

Time the Government lived up to its promises
But now, under pressure from conservation groups and local campaigners, Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (CLG), has called in the application for public inquiry.

Nikki Williams, head of campaigning at the Woodland Trust, said: ‘This is the moment for Government to make good on Caroline Spelman's promises earlier in the year to bring in better protection for of ancient woodland in the UK.

‘More than 5,500 people wrote directly to Mr Pickles demanding this call in, so if the "Big Society" is to mean anything, Mr Pickles needs to listen to their concerns.

‘Once ancient woodland is gone, it has gone for ever. You can't recreate it with new planting or by translocating soils - as Gallagher's tried to suggest in their mitigation. We now have a second chance to turn back from the brink over Oaken Wood, but frankly this application should never have got this far. It breaks government planning guidance and an independent planning consultant threw out the argument that it is needed to meet local demand.'

Will fragment and isolate vital habitats
The Woodland Trust, Kent Wildlife Trust and local action groups have lobbied for a public inquiry over the case, which is also in contravention of Planning Policy Statements 1 and 9 which both contain a strong presumption against development in areas of ancient woodland, unless the development would provide overriding benefits.

The Woodland Trust has claimed the quarrying operations will have a huge indirect impact beyond the core area of 33ha on the neighbouring woodland. Currently Oaken Wood is part of a continuous habitat covering 120ha, closely linked to another 48ha of woodland, and much of its value for wildlife lies in this connectivity.

Independent research commissioned by the trust has shown that by fragmenting and isolating habitats, species are unable to move between them and might avoid the woodland near the quarry altogether.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/woodland-destruction.html#cr

Are they out there? Kent's big cat sightings revealed

by James Scott


More than 50 reports of escaped big cats and exotic animal sightings have been made to Kent Police in the past three years.

A Freedom of Information Act request by the Kentish Express reveals police have received 52 calls about dangerous wild animal sightings since January 2008.

These included wild boar on the loose near Ashford, an emu seen near Paddock Wood and a wolf sighting in Sturry near Canterbury.

Most reports were of large black cats, making up 15 of the sightings, followed by big cats with 10 sightings.

Other reports included four wild cats, three boars, two wolves, two lynx, two leopards, one cheetah, and an emu.


Police also recorded five hoax calls and two in which the animal was unknown. Someone reported a large orange cat on a roof in Maidstone town centre last July, but it turned out to be a fox.

There were also four reports of wild dogs, or dholes, in the days after a pack escaped from Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury in February 2009.

Officers helped to find an escaped emu in the Brenchley and Horsmonden ward of Tunbridge Wells in June 2009, and guided two wild boar into a field in the Downs West ward of Ashford last August.

In the majority of cases, the police reported the sightings to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and local zoos but took no further action.

Police Freedom of Information administrator Laura Brenchley said officers only went to the scene if the animal posed a risk to members of the public.

“The police would attend an incident if a member of the public was injured or if the animal was a danger to members of the public,” she said.

“However, the majority of the calls were reports made some time after the sighting and therefore police attendance would not have been a practical use of police resources.”


“We work closely with external agencies such as the RSPCA as they are better equipped to deal with animals than the police.”

South Kent police received 12 reports about dangerous wild animals on the loose in the countryside.

These included wild boar and wild dogs on the loose in the Downs West ward of Ashford, and large black cats in Lydd and Weald Central, Ashford.

A large grey and white spotty cat was seen in the Lympne area and it was reported that a large black cat had killed five sheep in Sandgate.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2011-1/july/23/are_they_out_there.aspx

Giant fox caught in Maidstone

A giant fox, that is twice the size of a normal specimen, has been captured in Kent, sparking fears that the animals are growing larger because of ‘easy living’ on bins and scraps.

The male fox weighed two stone or 26.5lb and was four foot long, about the height of a seven-year-old child.


The giant fox was captured and killed in Maidstone after a cat in the local neighbourhood was killed.

It was trapped in a cage and put down in a humane way by Keith Talbot, a local vet.

He said foxes had been seen around his parents house days after their 19-year-old tabby cat was found killed on the doorstep.

Zoologists and experts said foxes said foxes could be growing bigger because of ‘easy pickings’ of food scraps in dust bins or even left out by animal lovers.

A dog fox will often grow bigger than the rest of the pack because the social system means the alpha male gets most of the food and the rest get leftovers.


There are thought to be at least 34,000 urban foxes in Britain.

Recently there has been concerns the animals could pose a threat after twins Isabella and Lola Kouparis were attacked in their beds in London.

However animal rights campaigners point out that most foxes live on insects and small mammals and pose no harm to humans unless they are frightened.

The Field Sports Channel is offering £100 for the best story of the largest fox. One taker has come forward with claims he shot a fox weighting 34lb in 2009, although this has not been confirmed with photographic evidence.

By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8235940/Giant-fox-caught-in-Maidstone.html

Giant fox caught in Maidstone

A giant fox, that is twice the size of a normal specimen, has been captured in Kent, sparking fears that the animals are growing larger because of ‘easy living’ on bins and scraps.

The male fox weighed two stone or 26.5lb and was four foot long, about the height of a seven-year-old child.


The giant fox was captured and killed in Maidstone after a cat in the local neighbourhood was killed.

It was trapped in a cage and put down in a humane way by Keith Talbot, a local vet.

He said foxes had been seen around his parents house days after their 19-year-old tabby cat was found killed on the doorstep.

Zoologists and experts said foxes said foxes could be growing bigger because of ‘easy pickings’ of food scraps in dust bins or even left out by animal lovers.

A dog fox will often grow bigger than the rest of the pack because the social system means the alpha male gets most of the food and the rest get leftovers.


There are thought to be at least 34,000 urban foxes in Britain.

Recently there has been concerns the animals could pose a threat after twins Isabella and Lola Kouparis were attacked in their beds in London.

However animal rights campaigners point out that most foxes live on insects and small mammals and pose no harm to humans unless they are frightened.

The Field Sports Channel is offering £100 for the best story of the largest fox. One taker has come forward with claims he shot a fox weighting 34lb in 2009, although this has not been confirmed with photographic evidence.

By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8235940/Giant-fox-caught-in-Maidstone.html

Angler pulls piranha from pond

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100617/tuk-angler-pulls-piranha-from-pond-6323e80.html

Angler pulls piranha from pond
Press Assoc.

A feared piranha has been caught in a British pond, thousands of miles from its common habitat in South America. Angler Derek Plum, 46, caught the fish, regarded as the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world, at Radnor Park in Folkestone, Kent. The 1lb 4oz catch was identified as a red-bellied piranha, whose diet consists mainly of fish, insects and worms.

Mr Plum told the Sun newspaper: "It took about 15 minutes to reel it in. When it emerged, it was thrashing around and was going crazy. The other fishermen were yelling 'You've caught a piranha'. I couldn't believe it." The Environment Agency said it was probably placed in the pond once it became too large for its tank after being kept as a domestic pet.

Experts say that while piranhas would not survive in UK rivers, the introduction of non-native species poses a serious threat to native wildlife. Fish species commonly found in the pond include carp, tench and roach. Reaching up to 14 inches long, the piranha is mainly found in the Amazon River basin in South America and is infamous for its razor-sharp teeth and for hunting prey in packs. In shoals, the piranha ambushes its prey, stripping the flesh of large animals such as anaconda snakes or even jaguar within minutes.

Paul Foot, chairman of the Folkestone and Shepway Angling Club, said someone was seen emptying a bin into the pond the week before the piranha was caught. He said: "It's 100% kosher because our secretary, who is a professional angler, saw it. Our pond gets dumped full of goldfish and the odd koi carp because people cannot afford to keep them. It's unusual that this fish survived because the weather has been so cold.

"Someone was seen during the week emptying a bin into the pond so it's possible that it had only been in there a few days. Unfortunately, our pond does get used as a dumping ground for people's unwanted pets."

73 big cat sightings this year (via Paul Cropper)

73 big cat sightings this year
15 April 2010
Kentish Express
Copyright 2010. Kent Messenger Limited.

LEOPARDS and a lynx seen in Ashford and Shepway are among 73 big cat sightings across the county already this year.

Big cat expert Neil Arnold, who has been conducting research into the number of wild exotic animals in the area, said there had been numerous sightings in Ashford in February.

A motorist reported that a black leopard ran out in front of his vehicle near Wye at 6pm on Saturday, February 20. This month there have been sightings of a lynx on Romney Marsh and another black leopard at Hawkinge.
Mr Arnold said: "The majority of animals sighted in the countryside are not connected to zoo escapees. He said: "Hundreds of puma and leopards were released in the 1960s and 1970s and what we are seeing is their offspring."

* For more information go to http://www.kentbigcats.blogspot.com/
* Have you encountered a mysterious big cat on your travels? If so write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, TN24 8JR or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk

Sightings of big cats 'are not a myth' (via Paul Cropper)

Sightings of big cats 'are not a myth'
15 April 2010
The Dartford Messenger

A KENT big cat expert has got his claws into a group which claims sightings are a myth. What's raised Neil Arnold's hackles is a statement from organisation Natural England that all big cats in the UK are a myth.
But Mr Arnold, who collates sightings from all over the county, said in March alone Kent Big Cat Research has had 27 reports of large, exotic cats which added up to 73 reports so far this year.


Mr Arnold said: "A majority of animals sighted in the countryside are not connected to zoo escapees as the organisation states. Hundreds of pumas and leopards, mainly cubs, were released in the 1960s and 1970s and what we are now seeing are their offspring."


* For more information or to report a sighting, call 07851 602 853.

There are wild big cats (via Paul Cropper)

There are wild big cats
16 April 2010
Kent Messenger

A BIG CAT expert has denied claims that sightings of giant felines in Kent are a myth. What's raised Neil Arnold's hackles is a statement from organisation Natural England casting doubt on the existence of the Beast of Blue Bell Hill and other supposed wild beasts. Mr Arnold, who collates sightings from all over the county, said in March alone Kent Big Cat Research has had 27 reports of large, exotic cats.

They included reports from Blue Bell Hill, Lenham, Lordswood, Densole, Canterbury and Ashford. They bring the total number of sightings this year to 73. Mr Arnold said most sightings were suspected to be of a black leopard.

He said: "Sightings date to the 1500s across Surrey, Kent and Sussex. "A majority of animals sighted in the countryside are not connected to zoo escapees as the organisation states. Hundreds of puma and leopards, mainly cubs, were released in the 1960s and 1970s, and what we are seeing is their offspring. Also, previous centuries prove that animals escaped and were released from menageries."

Natural England, which aims to protect and improve England's natural environment, had dismissed the idea of big cats in the country.

* March 5
A train passenger told Mr Arnold that "on the other side of the tunnel between Boxley and Blue Bell Hill, near train track I saw a big, black cat from a short distance. It resembled a black leopard".
* March 12 A woman called Anne said she saw a big cat which was "very long in the body" while travelling London-bound on the M20 at Lenham.

Report a sighting to Neil Arnold on 07851 602853 or call the Kent Messenger newsdesk on 01622 695666.

Heath fritillary butterfly sees boost in population

One of the UK's rarest butterflies has seen a boost in population, the RSPB has said.

A colony of heath fritillary at Blean Woods National Nature Reserve near Canterbury in Kent has grown from six in 2006 to 1,300 this year.

It is found at sites in Kent, Cornwall, Devon and Essex and its caterpillars feed only on cow-wheat plants.

In Blean Woods the colony has grown by ten times in the last twelve months - from 120 in 2008 to 1300 this year.

Manager of the reserve Michael Walter said: "The sheer number of butterflies is unlike anything I've seen before for any UK butterfly species.

"At the beginning of June I did my first count in the area, and was surprised to record 68 - a good number for a peak count, let alone for the start of the season. Now we're at the peak there are well over a thousand, the fact that they are heath fritillaries makes it even more incredible.

"I have been working at Blean Woods for 27 years and have seen some amazing sights but this has got to be one of the best. Wherever I look there are just great clouds of them taking off. In the evening you can see them settle on the leaves here, they seem to cover every surface."
The large colony is one of 21 groups of heath fritillary at the reserve.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/5649804/Heath-fritillary-butterfly-sees-boost-in-population.html