Thumbs up for pond life!

Dive into the world of the diving beetle ... 

and discover the riches of life in our ponds

Great diving beetles may not look as appealing to us as some other species but they are kings of their domain in the same way that lions are of theirs. We need all the species that make up an area of habitat or ecosystem as they all form part of the delicate balance that is life on Earth. 

Whilst cuter, cuddlier looking creatures may be more attention-grabbing, you will find many other forms of life on your doorstep that are just as worthy of attention.

Pond life is a prime example of this – most of it remains unseen but these unique ecosystems are teeming with life - all highly specialized to address the environmental challenges they face, and each having its own niche within the ecosystem.

As we discovered on the Malvern Hills Conservators’ Pond Life Day, exploring the life in local ponds can be fascinating and fun for all ages. It was good to see grandparents and grandchildren engaging with the event and learning what lies beneath the surface of an ordinary pond.

Ecologist Nigel Hand led the event and his enthusiasm and willingness to share his knowledge of this aquatic kingdom and its contents was contagious. He soon found some curious creatures, which were gently scooped up in a net and placed in bowls for us to have a closer look. The newts were favourites, especially with the children, and even more so for one boy whose face lit up when a newt wriggled and revealed its presence amidst the scoopful of matter he netted from the pond.

This smooth or common newt was a female of the species and joined the male and female found earlier.

Smooth newts - male in foreground with two females

The bigger and protected species the great crested newt is present in the area but proved elusive on this occasion. Undoubtedly, they would have stolen the show if they had put in an appearance, but their absence allowed us to pay more attention to other creatures.

The newts and diving beetle were the largest creatures we examined and with the late spring we were glad to find so many signs of life. There was a mass of frog spawn at the pond’s edge and a myriad of tiny creatures such as water fleas that are a major food source for much aquatic life. Other creatures we saw included pond snails, the backswimmer or water boatman and a water louse.

Apart from the pond-dwellers themselves, ponds also attract other wildlife such as herons which are voracious predators of pond inhabitants.

Ponds under threat

As with most natural habitat, there are threats facing ponds and their native inhabitants, and, as is too often the case, human activity is behind these threats.

A major threat is the invasion of non-native species such as the pond weed we saw beginning to spread across the pond’s surface – this has created an enormous challenge for conservationists as using any kind of chemical to eliminate it would be polluting to the habitat. A weevil has been used in some areas to consume the weed as it only eats this particular species, but the weevil itself is not a native and introducing any species in the hope of producing a particular outcome has very often backfired and unleashed environmental havoc. In this case, it seems the weevil has a short life cycle and where it has been used it appears not to impact on anything other than the pond weed it is required to consume.

Some particular pond dwellers are under threat such as the Oxbow diving beetle, whose numbers have declined by over 90% in recent decades and it is now extinct in some regions.

Natural habitat for wildlife is disappearing rapidly everywhere and this includes ponds. Such losses lead to further problems as areas of habitat suitable for particular species become more fragmented preventing opportunities for populations to grow and spread.

Ponds and you...

You can help by creating your own wildlife pond in your garden but to help native wildlife you need to ensure you only include native species. There is a wealth of information available to help with creating, stocking and managing your own pond including on selecting pond plants and advice on attracting dragonflies.

Please make sure too that your pond is hedgehog-friendly by including a ramp, which can simply be a slope covered with chicken wire that allows hedgehogs to clamber out safely.

Be Plant Wise and follow guidance on disposing of invasive aquatic plants and avoid dumping them in the wild.

Please be careful when in contact with ponds to ensure you don’t spread unwanted species or disease from one pond to another. Any nets, boots and other gear used needs to be fully cleaned and disinfected and allowed to dry before being used in another pond.

Ponds need protection -

·         from pollution

·         from disturbance

·         from intrusion of non-native species of plants or animals

It is worth emphasising that this event was led by an ecologist who has specialised knowledge of the habitat and is licensed to handle great crested newts - it would be illegal for anyone else to.

It is inadvisable to go foraging in ponds without the guidance of someone with similar expertise who can ensure that this delicate ecosystem and its life-forms are not damaged in the process of exploring them.

More pond life...

Here are some links to sources of more information on pond life:

Discover more about ponds with the Ponds & Newts Heritage Network Project 

http://www.pondconservation.org.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/uk/indepth/pond-life.shtml

http://www.wildengland.com/wild-animals/pond-life

There are more events being run by the Malvern Hills Conservators throughout the year, including a reptile safari led by ecologist Nigel Hand.
See more from The Natural Hedgehog here: http://www.facebook.com/TheNaturalHedgehog 
https://twitter.com/NaturalHedgehog

Visiting Vale Wildlife

My interest in wildlife rehabilitation began as a child when I read The Spotted Sphinx by Joy Adamson and was captivated by the story of the cheetah she reared and rehabilitated back into the wild. I soon read my way through the entire section of autobiographical accounts of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in my local library, including Born Free and its sequels. Joy Adamson’s work with wildlife began as an effort to save one animal in trouble and grew into a lifetime’s work dedicated to wildlife.

From her work came the film Born Free with Virginia McKenna portraying Joy Adamson and, before long, Virginia and her co-star husband Bill Travers were drawn into the world of wildlife further and formed their own charity, Zoo Check. Many years later, this became part of the Born Free Foundation that includes various strands, all campaigning on behalf of wildlife.

A few weeks ago I was privileged to meet and glimpse the work of another woman who has dedicated her life to the care of wildlife, when Caroline Gould, the founder of Vale Wildlife Hospital, gave me a guided tour. The hospital, like so many, began as a back yard venture, but, unlike many that fall by the wayside or stay on a similar scale, Vale Wildlife has evolved into something of a giant among wildlife rescue centres.

Having become involved in an effort to help raise funds for the recent flood of hedgehogs, it was an extraordinary experience to see in person what facilities the hospital has, and to get a grasp of what two hundred or so hedgehogs in care looks like. Rows and rows of cages with charts pinned to the front efficiently detailing the care of each hedgehog and its progress; piles of newspapers and towels (always needed for bedding) and the curious musty whiff of hedgehog that stayed with me for hours afterwards; the state-of-the-art purpose-built hedgehog unit with gleaming white cages and glass-fronted doors came with the help of charitable trust funds. A spontaneous hush envelopes the treatment room as a small hedgehog is injected with life-saving fluids, the syringe almost as big as the hog - a reminder of the focused care each inmate receives.

Hedgehogs are the main inmates in winter but the hospital caters for all manner of species including a few that are long-term residents as, being non-native species, they cannot go back to the wild. Striking among these are the eagle owls and a pair of rheas, both giants among bird species. There are also some foxes that would not be safe in the wild, having become imprinted by  too much familiarity with humans. One stares me straight in the eye as it lies curled up and shivering on top of its shelter, waiting for the midday sun to hit it and bring some warmth.

Back inside the building and the veterinary facilities are impressive, the hospital itself is registered as a veterinary practice and has its own vet at work there. There is an X-ray machine and developing facilities and a laboratory with facilities for testing for parasites, which the hospital carries out for other rescue centres, to enable them to save money on vet lab costs and to speed up diagnosis as results are emailed out immediately. Once a diagnosis is made, there is little need to take animals elsewhere, with operating facilities, including full anaesthetic regalia, that are sufficient to enable most small operations to be handled on site. Important empirical research into best care practices, including drug dosages, has been compiled over many years and from records of thousands of animals.

Of course none of this happened overnight. It took three decades to evolve from its early beginnings. In 2010 Caroline Gould was awarded the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her 26 years dedicated wildlife care. During that time the hospital has persevered through all kinds of challenges including weathering more than one economic downturn. No easy feat given that currently it costs £20,000 per month to run. Yet somehow it continues and not only cares for animals under its own care but supports other rescue centres and educates carers by providing training courses.

This year has been incredibly tough for Vale Wildlife as not only is it feeling the effects of the current economic climate, as so many charities are, but it has had an exceptionally high intake of hedgehog casualties. Over the course of 2012, it helped 1200 hedgehogs, each of which costs £5 a week to feed. Many have high parasite burdens and need the added cost of medications to help them recover.

Now, in efforts to help, I am proud to have been a connecting link all the way back to my early interest in the work of Joy Adamson via Virginia McKenna and her work with the Born Free Foundation to Caroline and Vale Wildlife Hospital. In order to raise funds for Vale Wildlife and their hedgehog casualties, Virginia McKenna, who wrote the foreword to The Natural Hedgehog, has signed two copies and also donated a signed copy of her own autobiography, The Life in my Years.

The books were signed at the Christmas fundraising events for another animal rescue charity – Mane Chance Sanctuary, which was set up in 2011 by Jenny Seagrove in order to help abused and neglected horses. Jenny also signed a book, along with Martin Shaw, one of Mane Chance’s patrons. There is another copy of The Natural Hedgehog signed by Virginia McKenna and Jenny Seagrove and dedicated to Mane Chance Sanctuary.

Meanwhile, poet Benjamin Zephaniah has signed copies of his poem ‘Luv Song’, which tells of his love of a hedgehog. All copies are printed on A4 recycled card of differing colours and each is signed with different words, one cut to fit as an insert into an accompanying copy of The Natural Hedgehog.

Plans are in motion to auction these and other celebrity-signed items and it will be a fitting end to the current run of The Natural Hedgehog in its present format to have these copies used to help raise funds for hedgehogs at such a time of crisis for them and the rescue centres helping them. It is also gratifying to know that almost two decades after its publication it is still being put to use by many as guide for helping hedgehogs and forms part of the teaching material on hedgehog carer courses at Vale Wildlife.

Hedgehogs in trouble

Hedgehogs in trouble

There has been an alarming increase in the numbers of hedgehogs in need of help this autumn. Vale Wildlife Hospital is bursting with hedgehogs – a record number of 235 in their care.

Most of these are juveniles that need to gain sufficient fat reserves to hibernate successfully through the winter months.

Without help these rescued hedgehogs would not survive and hedgehogs now in care will not be able to go back into the wild to hibernate so will need caring for throughout the winter.

To keep a hedgehog in food alone costs around £5 per week and many of the sick ones will need medications. This puts a great strain on wildlife rescue centres and the hedgehog numbers this autumn are significantly higher than average. Many have parasite infestations that need treatment and some will not survive, but those that do are needed back in the wild, as they form the breeding population of the coming years.

With the hedgehog population already declining in recent decades it is vital that we do all we can to support both individual hedgehogs and their habitats.

You can help by making sure your garden is safe, by putting out food and water, by making areas suitable for nesting where hedgehogs can hibernate safely, and by keeping an eye out for any that are in trouble. If you see any that are out in the daytime, there is very likely to be something wrong and if you see any young hedgehogs, they may not have gained sufficient weight to hibernate successfully – they need to weigh at least 650gm.

Vale Wildlife Hospital has a huge burden on their staff and resources in managing their recent hedgehog inundation. Please support them in whatever way you can. Newspapers, towels and food are always needed and they have a wish list on Amazon that allows you to buy online and have your order delivered straight to their door:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/registry.html?ie=UTF8&id=34U362I983DX1&type=wishlist

More information is available on their website: http://www.valewildlife.org.uk/

and you can keep up-to-date on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/38936858194/

 and Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildliferescuer

or call:  01386 882288 or email: info@valewildlife.org.uk

Contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/

01584 890801 for advice on your local hedgehog rescue centre.