Biodiversity Net Gain and Invertebrates: Are We Getting It Right?

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an ambitious environmental policy which aims to reconcile the impacts of infrastructural development on nature and leave the environment in a measurably better state. In this presentation, Natalie will be discussing what BNG is, how it is measured, as well as her research into the possible ecological outcomes of BNG for invertebrates.

Q&A with Natalie Duffus

Natalie Duffus is a PhD student from the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford. Natalie’s research looks at the ecological outcomes from biodiversity offsetting policies, with a current focus on Biodiversity Net Gain in England. Her recent work has been exploring the possible outcomes of BNG in England for invertebrates.

Why is there a preference for on-site biodiversity gain over off-site? Might this lead to fragmentation of suitable habitat?

This preference emerges because BNG has multiple objectives; it is not purely designed to benefit biodiversity but also to provide and protect green space for the benefit of local communities. The latter goal is often best achieved through on-site biodiversity net gain. In practice the preference may indeed prove problematic, potentially leading to landscapes with highly fragmented pockets of suitable habitat. Off-site biodiversity net gain has the potential to solve this issue by focusing efforts at creating larger, continuous habitat areas. However, this approach then comes with the risk of separating these large habitat patches far from one another, impacting landscape connectivity. On-site vs off-site can be a controversial issue where each alternative has its advantages and disadvantages. The best solution for any one case depends on the context.

Is there a role for the Pantheon system in considering invertebrates in BNG?

Pantheon is a free tool for identifying important habitat features and resources for invertebrate assemblages. We need to remember that one of the key goals of BNG is ensuring simplicity of use for developers within the planning system. There is potential to incorporate Pantheon into BNG assessments if it can be done in a way that ensures simplicity is retained.

Have the results of your work been shared with Natural England and Defra?

Yes, we have been in communication with Natural England and Defra throughout the project. Whilst it is sometimes challenging to reconcile differing objectives – for example the desire from governmental bodies to keep BNG simple versus the desire of ecologists to keep BNG grounded in ecology – open communication is the key to ensuring success. In the next few years, the performance of the BNG metric will be reviewed and communication around this will hopefully allow any needed adjustments to be made.

Do you think a connectivity metric should be factored back into the metric?

I do think it is important to consider connectivity and would support it being factored back in, though I recognise there are challenges. One example to perhaps draw inspiration from is the Local Nature Recovery Strategies that are integrating connectivity into their design. I would also stress the importance of assessing connectivity during baseline ecological surveys, which is a crucial but often forgotten step. Fortunately, there are a range of tools available for optimal conservation planning, and the exploration of these as a tool for BNG could be explored.

Do you think that we need a register for on-site credits as well as off-site credits?

For off-site biodiversity credits there is indeed a publicly accessible online register which allows anyone to identify where habitat banks responsible for off-site BNG are located. Where publicly accessible, these can even be visited in person to see the biodiversity gain being carried out as promised. Such transparency holds people accountable. The proceedings associated with on-site biodiversity gains, in contrast, are buried deep in Local Planning Authority (LPA) portals. A system which holds developers to account their on-site BNG promises would be an important step of progress. A publicly-accessible register – akin to that used for off-site BNG – could work well.

Literature References

Further Info

entoLIVE

entoLIVE webinars feature guest invertebrate researchers delving into their own invertebrate research. All events are free to attend and are suitable for adults of all abilities – a passion for invertebrates is all that’s required!

entoLIVE is delivered by the Biological Recording Company in partnership with the British Entomological & Natural History Society, Royal Entomological Society and Amateur Entomologists’ Society, with support from Buglife, Field Studies Council and National Biodiversity Network Trust.

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What Are Our Natural History Tutors Worth?

Keiron Brown, Naturalist at the Biological Recording Company

I’ve been delivering natural history training courses for over 10 years, starting with earthworm ID and surveying, before branching out into earthworm ecology, terrestrial invertebrates, butterflies, moths, iRecord and biological recording.

For 5 years, I commissioned other invertebrate specialists for the FSC BioLinks project, and I’m once again commissioning those species group specialists for biological recording events through the Biological Recording Company.

Starting my own company has been a learning curve in so many ways, especially when it comes to setting fair rates for the incredible natural history tutors I work with. I’m deeply committed to running an ethical business that not only delivers high-quality training but also ensures that the tutors who make it all happen are paid fairly for their expertise and passion.

This feels more important than ever, given the rising cost of living in the UK. It’s clear to me that the fees we offer our natural history tutors need to keep pace with inflation and the increasing demands placed on workers. From my own experience, I’ve noticed how much tutor rates can vary between organisation – even for delivering the same course. This inconsistency led me to ask an important question: What are our natural history tutors truly worth?

Natural History Tutor Survey

To answer this question, I wanted to find out from natural history tutors themselves, so I launched a short survey aimed at those currently teaching natural history subjects to adults and shared it via my professional networks. The survey asked a series of questions about the type of courses tutors teach, the subjects they cover and the audiences their courses are aimed at so that I can categorise responses. To standardise the results, respondents were asked to respond with a daily rate rather than a ‘per course’ rate, i.e. a 3-day course would be counted as 3 one-day courses, and the fee received should be divided by 3.

The survey also asked what the minimum and maximum fees were that tutors had received for delivering a day of training, as well as what they believed should be the daily rate for course delivery.

Survey Data

The survey was completely anonymous and did not collect any personal information such as name, email, address or phone number. Due to the sensitive nature of the data regarding contractor payments, individual responses and the raw survey data will not be made publicly available.

54 natural history tutors responded to the survey between June and October 2023. The responses to each of the questions have been summarised and are outlined below.

About The Training That Tutors Deliver

What broad categories of courses do you teach?

Respondents covered a diverse range of broad categories within the natural history sector, with all of the provided categories selected by at least 7% of participants:

  • Biology and ecology
  • Surveying and monitoring
  • Species identification
  • Conservation and habitat management
  • Biodiversity policy and legislation
  • Use of digital resources
Bar chart illustrating the percentage of respondents that teach courses within each of the broad categories provided. Respondents were able to select all categories that were relevant to them. n=54

The majority of respondents (93%) teach species identification, with surveying & monitoring the second most taught category (70%). Biology & ecology (57%) and conservation management (31%) were also well represented. Biodiversity policy & legislation (7%) and use of digital resources (9%) were less represented, so any follow-up survey should endeavour to target tutors teaching subjects in these areas.

22% of respondents also reported that they taught courses aimed at amateur naturalists and/or biodiversity professionals that did not fall within the provided categories.

Which species groups do you specialise in?

Respondents were asked to select which species groups they specialised in. Invertebrate tutors were the individuals most represented in this survey (61% for terrestrial invertebrates and 20% for freshwater invertebrates), likely due to the fact that my professional network is biased towards invertebrate specialists. Botany was also well represented, with 35% of respondents reporting that they teach botanical subjects. Any future follow-up survey should endeavour to target species group specialists for groups that were under-represented, such as fungi (6%), fish (2%), marine invertebrates (2%), marine mammals (2%) and lichens (0%).

Bar chart illustrating the percentage of respondents that specialised in various species groups. Respondents were able to select all species groups that were relevant to them. n=54

Which audiences do you generally deliver training for?

Respondents were asked to select which adult audiences they had delivered training to from a list of 9 adult audience categories. They were advised to only select categories where the training that they had delivered was designed for that audience and asked to refrain from selecting all boxes for general interest courses (e.g. not to select ‘Researchers’  because some PhD students had attended courses that were designed primarily for biological recorders and amateur naturalists).

  • General Public Adults (i.e. those not previously engaged in natural history)
  • University Students (i.e. training specifically targeted at university students)
  • Researchers (i.e. training specifically for researchers or research teams)
  • Amateur Naturalists (e.g. wildlife gardeners, photographers, conservationists)
  • Biological Recorders (i.e. training specifically designed to encourage recording)
  • Environmental Educators (e.g. outdoor educators, teachers or Forest School practitioners)
  • Professional Ecologists (e.g. local government, NGO or consultant ecologists)
  • Other Biodiversity Professionals (e.g. conservationists, policy makers etc.)
  • Professionals from other sectors
Bar chart showing the proportion of respondents that teach different audiences through natural history training courses.

Non-professional audiences were the most common audience types, with 70% or more of all respondents reporting that they taught amateur naturalists, biological recorders and the general public. Of the professional audiences, professional ecologists was the most common audience type (57%). 39% of the respondents reported delivering training aimed at a university student audience (with most of these responses thought to be referring to teaching courses for the MSc Biological Recording & Monitoring delivered by Harper Adamas University in partnership with the Field Studies Council). These results do not highlight any obvious biases in the survey data, as these proportions appear to mirror sector provision.

How many days of natural history training do you deliver within courses each year?

Reponses varied from 0 days (indicating delivery of training less frequently than annually) through to 100 days (indicating that natural history training delivery accounts for a substantial component of the the respondents’ profession). Overall, the mean number of days was 18 days and the median was 6 days.

Box and whisker plots showing the survey responses for the number of training days each natural history tutor underttakes per year who participated in this survey (n=54).

How often do you deliver training courses for no fee?

Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently they provided training as volunteers (i.e. without charging a fee for their services) by selecting one of the following options:

  • Very regularly (10 or more times per year)
  • Regularly (5 to 9 times per year)
  • Occasionally (2 to 4 times per year)
  • Hardly ever (about once per year or less)
  • Never

A fifth (20%) of respondents deliver natural history training courses as volunteers (i.e. without charging a fee for their time) at least 5 or more times per year. Over two-fifths (41%) deliver training occasionally (2 to 4 times per year) for free. Only 17% of natural history tutors who responded to this survey never provide their training services for free.

Natural History Tutor Fees

Respondents were asked to provide their answers to the nearest pound for the following questions. They were also asked not to include the free courses that they deliver in the minimum and maximum fee estimates unless they have never been paid tutoring fees.

What is the minimum rate that you charge for a 1 day of training?

Responses ranged from as low as £50 per day day to £450 per day. The most common response was £150 (8 responses). The mean daily fee was £185 and the median fee was £175.

What is the maximum rate that you charge for 1 day of training?

Responses for this question were extremely varied, with the lowest response at just £100 per day and the highest at £2,500 per day. The most common response was £350 (10 responses), with both £250 and £300 also receiving 7 responses each. The mean daily fee was £388 and the median fee was £300.

What do you believe should be the standard daily rate?

Respondents were advised that “we understand that daily rates may vary by experience level, product, subject and target audience so please provide a rate that you think recognises your expertise and skills”. They were also reminded that minimum wage for those aged 23 and over was £83.36 for the average (8-hour) working day so they could not enter a figure lower than £84.

Box and whisker plots showing the survey responses for the minimum and maximum reported daily rates alongside the suggested daily rates provided by the natural history tutors who participated in this survey (n=54).

The lowest suggested amount for a standard daily fee was £150 (suggested by 4 respondents) and the highest was £500 (suggested by a single respondent). The most popular response was £300 (suggested by 15 respondents). Taking into account all responses, the mean amount was £286 and the median was £300.

Discussion

Based on the responses of the natural history tutors that participated in this survey, natural history tutors are on average contracted for between £185 – £388 per day of training delivery. Respondents suggested that a minimum standard daily rate for natural history training courses should be around £300.

This figure should be treated very much as a minimum, as additional factors such as tutor experience, professional memberships, travel time or admin related to scheduling in a course may also be relevant when calculating an appropriate natural history tutor fee.

The preparation of course materials and training course planning (which can include pre-course site visits or specimen collection) can also add a significant amount of work to the delivery of natural history training courses. Therefore, where this is not renumerated for within natural history tutor contracts it should be taken into consideration when calculating a contractor’s daily rate.

It is also clear from this survey that the natural history training sector is heavily dependent on volunteer natural history tutors to deliver training, with over 60% of respondents (this author included) delivering free training courses multiple times every year. This indicates that those involved in teaching natural history are passionate about their subjects, and this is something to be celebrated. However, it also raises potential issues for those looking to establish a career as a natural history tutor if they are expected to deliver their services for free or find that those teaching as a hobby are happy to accept lower rates of pay and unintentionally undermine the ‘going rate’ for a natural history tutor.

This survey is not comprehensive and there are biases within the data. The survey was never intended to provide a definitive answer to the question “What are our natural history tutors worth?”, but to encourage discussion around the subject and to get those commissioning tutors (including the Biological Recording Company) to review their natural history tutor rates. At the very least, it has enabled me to establish a minimum daily rate of £300 plus expenses for Specialist Naturalists that deliver training courses and Field Recorder Days on behalf of the Biological Recording Company as contractors.

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Monitoring Pollinators with FIT Counts

Learn how a simple 10-minute survey can help track pollinators and support vital research! This session will guide you through the FIT Count process, from selecting flowers to identifying insect visitors. Whether in a garden or park, your observations contribute to understanding pollinator health.

Q&A with Dr Miranda Bane

Miranda Bane is a pollinator ecologist specialising in the interactions between plants, pollinators, and people. Miranda works as an independent researcher, collaborating with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, focusing on citizen science and urban biodiversity. She is part of the Scotland Team for The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (POMS).

How much training is required before somebody can undertake a FIT count?

Not too much! All of the information needed to carry out your first FIT count is available on the PoMS website and through the PoMS app. We have printable guides and videos to help you identify pollinators to group level (you don’t need to know the species). If it’s your first time observing pollinators, try doing it with a friend so you can help each other and compare results. If you want more support, you can contact PoMS about an online or in-person training session.

How often should a surveyor repeat their FIT Count at a site?

As often as you like! The more surveys, the more data, the better for PoMS. You might just do a count as a one-off (and that’s still valuable) but if you want to survey more often, you can count at the same location (or different sites) as often as you like. It can be enjoyable and satisfying to survey regularly as you may start to notice patterns and trends, and become an expert in your own patch.

Are the FIT Count results available to view?

Yes. All of the results are made publicly available. You can check out our interactive map on the PoMS website and download our annual reports to see what’s happening across the UK. If you have an account, you will be able to view all the data you upload on your POMS profile. As we collect more data, we can carry out more thorough analyses, so there is always more information and new insights to come.

Useful links

Event Partners

This blog was produced by the by the Biological Recording Company as part of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership Biodiversity Towns, Villages and Neighbourhoods project.

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Beginner’s Guide to Planting For Pollinators

Gardens can be an oasis for our pollinators as they often contain a diverse mix of plants, supporting a wide range of species. Learn about how you can support your local pollinators by planting the best range of plants, based on the latest research.

Q&A with Rosi Rollings

Rosi Rollings has spent her career in business, with experience in Customer Service, Marketing, and Financial Services consultancy. A passionate gardener for over 30 years, she developed a love for plant propagation, which eventually led her to beekeeping in 2009. Now, she has combined her expertise and passions into a business, focusing on researching and growing plants that best support pollinators.

Are native plants more important than non-naive plants for the larval stage of pollinators?

The ‘larval stage’ in the question implies certainly pollen or perhaps moths and butterflies. I’m not an expert in this area as I monitor pollinators once they are flying and freely choosing their foods rather than either crawling or having food provided by parents. Certainly, once pollinators are flying, there seems to be little preference between their choice of native or non-native plants, except for a few specialists, e.g. campanula bees choosing campanulas. My understanding is that the larval food plants for butterflies are much more specific and almost exclusively native. Having said that mullein moth caterpillars are quite happy to munch on any of the verbascums, native or otherwise.

Check out our Plants For Pollinators entoLIVE for more info

How and why is it important to plant organic/pesticide-free plants?

If you are aiming to feed pollinators then it’s important to make sure that the pollen and nectar on their chosen food plant is not laced with something that might kill them. Sadly, many commercially grown garden plants available through garden centres are treated with pesticides to deal with aphids and other pests. This pesticide with make its way through all parts of the plant and so will be within the nectar in the plants you buy. Over time the pesticides – which are water soluble – will be diluted and go but may be harmful to pollinators when first planted

Are native bees outcompeted by honeybees?

I believe so and although not conclusively proven, a growing number of studies do indicate this is likely. Certainly in areas with high densities of honeybees, such as the city of London, wild bee populations are very low.

Check out our entoLIVE on The London Bee Situation for more info.

Useful links

Event Partners

This blog was produced by the by the Biological Recording Company as part of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership Biodiversity Towns, Villages and Neighbourhoods project.

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Bioacoustics for Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative agriculture is a farming approach that focuses on improving soil health, increasing biodiversity, and restoring ecosystems using practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, and minimal tillage. It is important because it helps combat climate change, enhances food security, and supports thriving habitats for wildlife while ensuring long-term environmental sustainability.

This blog will build on our previous blogs, offering new insights into leveraging soundscape analysis to quantify the impact of regenerative farming practices on farmland bird diversity. Once you have a baseline for your biodiversity, we will also discuss ways to encourage and support different bird species, and potentially encourage newcomers on-site!

Wendling Beck: The Story

Alex Begg (Wendling Beck)

Wendling Beck is a collaborative nature recovery project, bringing together private, NGO and council landowners to create a high-quality mosaic of habitats. They are 5 years and 500+ acres into delivering their masterplan . Data has been a central pillar of their approach, and they have hosted 2 DEFRA Elm Test & Trials – the most recent of which featured evaluating a combination of conventional and tech-enabled innovative monitoring techniques to better understand environmental impacts and trends over time.

Wendling Beck: The Data

Dave Appleton (Wendling Beck)

The Wendling Beck Environment Project has been running a program of bioacoustic monitoring since 2022, alongside a range of other monitoring activites. This presentation will explore some of the insights gained from this activity, including comparing the effectiveness of bioacoustic monitoring versus traditional bird surveys. We’ll discuss the usefulness and limitations of using bioacoustics for monitoring changes in species richness over time.

Introducing AgriSound

Casey Woodward (AgriSound)

This presentation discusses how by combining acoustic technology with environmental sensors, AgriSound have developed a range of innovative products that can aid us in maintaining an optimal pollination environment, necessary for not just the survival of our future pollinators, but our farms, gardens, and the planet.

Useful links

Coming soon…

Wilder Sensing ecoTECH blogs

  1. How Can We Use Sound to Measure Biodiversity: https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2024/07/09/bioacoustics-1/
  2. Can Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Birds Replace Site Surveys blog: https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2024/09/17/bioacoustics-2/
  3. The Wilder Sensing Guide to Mastering Bioacoustic Bird Surveys: https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2024/11/26/bioacoustics-3/
  4. Bioacoustics for Regenerative Agriculture: https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2025/03/31/bioacoustics-for-regen-ag/
  5. AI-powered Bioacoustics with BirdNET: https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2025/07/08/birdnet/

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This blog was produced by the Biological Recording Company in partnership with Wilder Sensing, Wildlife Acoustics and NHBS.

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Red Squirrels

The Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is the UK’s only native squirrel. This once widespread mammal is now limited to Scotland and a few other populations, facing challenges from the invasive Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).

This blog features presentations from two Red Squirrel specialists from Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, that will explore the biology and ecology of these fascinating animals, before highlighting the threats that our Red Squirrels face and what we can do to help them.

Red Squirrels and their Ecology

David Morton (Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels)

Easily recognisable by its reddish-brown fur, tufted ears and bushy tail, the Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is a small, arboreal rodent native to Europe and parts of northern Asia that was once common across the British Isles. Red Squirrels primarily inhabit coniferous and mixed woodlands, where they rely on a diet of seeds, nuts, berries, fungi, and occasionally bird eggs. They are solitary and territorial, using tree cavities or dreys (nests made of twigs and leaves) for shelter. Unlike some rodent species, red squirrels do not hibernate but instead store food for the winter. They play a crucial ecological role as seed dispersers, particularly for tree species like Scots pine. Learn more about these fascinating small mammals in this presentation.

Red Squirrel Threats and Conservation

Susie McNaughton (Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels)

Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) face several significant threats, which have led to their decline in many parts of their range. The main threat in the UK is the introduction of the invasive Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) from North America. Grey squirrels are more adaptable, enabling them to outcompete Red Squirrels for food and habitat. They also carry the squirrelpox virus, which is harmless to them but fatal to Red Squirrels. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels will discuss the status of our Red Squirrel populations and how various conservation methods are being undertaken to turn the tide for the declining population, including how simply submitting your squirrel sightings can help conserve these amazing animals.

Q&A with David Morton & Susie McNaughton

David Morton is the Monitoring & Control Officer and has been with the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project since 2023. He studied Zoology and Environmental Studies at university and has a lifelong interest in wildlife and Conservation.

Susie McNaughton is the Highland Line Conservation Lead at Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, where she works hand-in-hand with a dedicated team, landowners and volunteers to support Red Squirrel populations in Tayside, Angus & the Mearns and Argyll, Trossachs & Stirling.

Do Red Squirrels prefer coniferous or broadleaf forests where Grey Squirrels are not present?

David: A mixed woodland is best for Red Squirrels as it provides diverse food sources. Red Squirrels can survive at low densities in single species coniferous woodland where grey squirrels cannot.

Why are you not controlling Grey Squirrels in Edinburgh and other cities?

Susie: Our work is focused in priority target areas where populations of red squirrels are under threat from greys. These target areas are designated by the Scottish Squirrel Group’s 2015-2025 Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation, convened by the government’s nature agency, NatureScot.  Thus, our decisions about where we control grey squirrels is based on the proximately of greys and reds – and the specific dance between them – rather than targeting the grey species across the board.  Our resources are limited so we need to ensure that they are targeted where they can make a difference to red conservation. The only Scottish city that makes the cut for grey control at present is Aberdeen, where SSRS has worked for over ten years to control the grey island population in the area with much success.  You can hear more about this in the accompanying presentation, including our hope to confirm the eradication of grey squirrels in Aberdeen city in the very near future.    

Do Red Squirrels behave differently in areas where they come into contact with Grey Squirrels?

David: Red Squirrels will move away where Grey Squirrel density is high. When only occasional contact is made, both species avoid close interaction.   

What are the natural predators of Red Squirrels?

David: In the UK the main native predators are the Pine Marten, Goshawk and Buzzard.

Are there any successful reintroductions of Red Squirrels?

Susie: In Scotland, the organisation Trees for Life have been reintroducing red squirrels to selected suitable habitats in the North-west Highlands since 2016.  So far 200 squirrels have been translocated to create 12 new communities.  It’s great to see the squirrel sightings map now including reports of reds from north-west Scotland. 

Are there any emerging technologies that could help save Red Squirrels from extinction in the UK?

Susie: There are two areas where new innovations are being tested, and may become practically viable in the next few years. 

  • Firstly, the development of a contraceptive to reduce grey squirrel numbers.  The present challenge is to devise an effective delivery mechanism for the contraceptive vaccine to reach the ‘target’ squirrels, and thus test its efficacy in preventing breeding. 
  • Secondly, Project Red Haven is a collaborative research project designed to develop and train an AI assistant for squirrel identification.  The AI technology is being developed by a company called Genysis Engine, based in Northern Ireland, and is being tested with a number of UK partners.  When the AI detects specified factors (e.g. red or grey squirrel), it can trigger a pre-determined response such as providing food, closing the door to a trap, or delivering medicine.  SSRS is not presently involved, but we’re very interested in the results and potentially being involved in the future.   

What is the one thing that you’d recommend people can do to help Red Squirrels?

David: Without the presence of non native Grey Squirrels it is abundantly clear that Red Squirrels would thrive across the UK. Consequently the most important thing people can do is report sightings of squirrels  to their local squirrel group and, in particular, Grey Squirrels close to known Red Squirrel locations.

Susie: Spread the word about their story in Britain.  In my experience, when people hear about the threat to red squirrels at a species level in the UK, they are keen to support action to address the further expansion of greys.  This may not be immediately relevant on the ground in, say, Birmingham, but unless we act now and keep acting in strategic areas nationwide, it will be too late.

Useful links

Scotland

  1. Tayside Red Squirrel Projects: https://www.taysidebiodiversity.co.uk/get-involved/projects/projects-red-squirrels/
  2. Report a Squirrel Sighting (Scotland): https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/squirrel-sightings/?ssrs_sighting_add=1#BreadcrumbsAtTop
  3. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels website: https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/ 
  4. Information about Scotland’s Red Squirrels: https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/scotlands-red-squirrels/ 
  5. Scottish Red Squirrel news: https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/news/ 
  6. Sightings map for Red Squirrels in Scotland: https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/squirrel-sightings/ 
  7. Report injured/dead Red Squirrels in Scotland to the SPCA: https://www.scottishspca.org/ 

England & Wales

  1. Red Squirrel Survival Trust: https://www.rsst.org.uk/ 
  2. Brownsea Island Red Squirrels: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/brownsea-island/the-rare-red-squirrel-on-brownsea-island 
  3. Isle of Wight Red Squirrels: https://www.wightsquirrels.co.uk/ 
  4. Anglesey Red Squirrels: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/plas-newydd-house-and-garden/red-squirrels-at-plas-newydd 
  5. Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project: https://www.welshwildlife.org/red-squirrel-project
  6. Isles of Scilly Red Squirrels: https://www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-explorer/mammals/red-squirrel
  7. Report injured/dead Red Squirrels in England to the RSPCA: https://www.rspca.org.uk/reportaconcern

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This blog was produced by the by the Biological Recording Company as part of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership Biodiversity Towns, Villages and Neighbourhoods project.

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Thriving on the Edge: Grey Seal Abundance and Survival on the Calf of Man

Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) mortality and behaviour has been studied on the Calf of Man since 2009. Pups born are followed through to weaning providing an understanding of mortality rates and what impacts them. Also, the work follows the mothers as they return to the Calf each season to breed, looking at site fidelity and behaviours encountered. Last season the Manx Wildlife Trust purchased a thermal imaging drone to help facilitate the work and this was a huge success and will be utilised much more going forward with their wider seal work.

Q&A with Dr Lara Howe

Dr Lara Howe is a marine biologist and conservationist working for Manx Wildlife Trust on various marine projects but focusing mainly on seals, seabirds, small sharks, and seagrass. Both Lara’s degree and PhD were undertaken at the University of Liverpool, studying at the Port Erin Marine Laboratory before it closed. Lara is a keen SCUBA diver and photographer, enjoying nothing more than spending time in nature, above and below the waves.

How often is the weather suitable for undertaking drone surveys?

That’s a difficult question to answer because it completely depends on the weather. It could be absolutely beautiful for the entire ten weeks or we could have back-to-back storms. However, one of the bonuses of the Calf of Man is that we have a lot of steep cliffs. Once we get the drone over the cliff and into the sheltered area, the lee of the cliff, it’s ok. The drone is a bit bigger and chunky, so it can fly in somewhat stronger wind conditions than some of the smaller ones.

Do the tags increase the chance of seals getting entangled in fishing gear?

We don’t do the tagging ourselves. We get that information from other groups. The satellite tags are glued onto the seal’s fur and fall off when the seal moults. They are also very smooth and don’t have anything that could get snagged on anything. In terms of the flipper tags, I’ve never seen any cases of entanglement. It’s usually around their necks where we see entangled ropes and hoops and other things. But potentially, yes, I suppose there could be a risk.

Why is there such a big difference between the number of males and females on the Calf?

It’s fairly typical of Grey Seal populations. Males are also harder to identify and that might skew the counts (although the males potentially can have really obvious scarring from fighting with other males), because of their big fat neck folds and the fact they tend to be darker in colour, their spot patterns aren’t as clear so there are probably a few more males that we haven’t been able to identify. The male to female ratio results from the fact that generally you don’t need as many males as females. Males can breed with a lot of females whereas females can only have one pup a year. There are also only a limited number of places for them to haul up on the Calf. If we had more areas, then we might get more males to be the ‘beach masters’ of those beaches.

What can people do to help the seals in the UK?

The first thing is related to disturbance. We all want to see seals, we all want to enjoy and appreciate them and most people are really sensible about how they approach them and how they observe them. Unfortunately, there are some who ruin it for everyone else. So one thing you can do is raise awareness that it’s not ok to go up to a seal. Appreciate them from a distance and in a suitable way, using binoculars to observe them.   The other thing is about litter and disposing of your litter properly. Ensuring that animals don’t get entangled in our rubbish is entirely our responsibility as human beings. For instance, those frisbees that have a hole in the middle are really bad. Seals stick their heads in them but can’t get them out again. So don’t use those on a beach at all, in case they get lost on the beach or at sea. Rope, nets and filament line for fishing are also bad.

Literature References

  1. McDonald, Kenny & Howe (2024) Calf of Man Seal Survey Report 2024: https://www.mwt.im/sites/default/files/2024-11/Calf%20of%20Man%20Seal%20Survey%20Report%202024.pdf
  2. Bull et al (2021) Climate causes shifts in grey seal phenology by modifying age structure: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.2284

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