MWL Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 2

mwl mammal group

Volume 1 Issue 2

August 2010

focus Contents...

Page 1 Atlas Funding Success!

“...our group has just been awarded £2650 from OPAL ” recording sheet for children;

Who are OPAL? The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network is an exciting new initiative that is open to anyone with an interest in nature.

They aim to create and inspire a new generation of nature-lovers by getting people to explore, study, enjoy and protect their local environment.

3)

4)

It is probably a good idea to get group members together soon to start planning our work; please email Helen Greaves if you are interested in getting involved and she'll arrange an evening meeting in the not too distant future.

The money will be spent on...

1)

Promotional leaflet;

2)

Identification guide and

Data for 5 year mammal atlas project in Merseyside and West Lancashire;

5)

Mammal Atlas website to be used in subsequent years;

6)

Small mammal traps to be used by group members year on year.

What now?

All we have to do now is, to do all the activities that we put in our grant application - to spend the money!

Approximately 20 talks and events across Merseyside and West Lancashire on Mammals;

It is indeed an exciting time, as well as there being plenty of mammals out there to spot (We hope you're all making lots of records!), there are also lots of things to be getting involved in - and we now have some money to do it too!

Use the email below to contact Helen if you wish to get involved!

Page 2 Otter Quiz; Brown Hare Survey —by Richard Burkmar Page 3 We want pictures!

Spelling Scramble New Bat Species Page 4 Facts & Figures Asian Small Clawed Otter—article by John Dalziel Page 5 Small Mammal Trapping— Helen Greaves Page 6 Adaption in Mole Blood — Helen Greaves Page 7 Mammal Atlas Progress—

by Richard Burkmar Page 8 National News by Tony Parker—Killer Whales Roadkill by Helen Greaves Page 9 It's not the Amazon, but...by Daniel Flenley Grey Squirrels NOT GUILTY by Tony Parker Page 10 Contact Details Group Aims Events Calendar

Welcome... ...to the Merseyside & West Lancashire Mammal Group’s Newsletter. Send any comments to the newsletter editor John Dalziel at mwl.mammalgroup@googlemail.com

Page 2

Types of Otters...

There are 13 species of otter around the world and many of them are endangered.

BrownHareSurvey... byRichardBurkmar...

Since 2008 Merseyside BioBank (latterly in association with this mammal group) has organised an annual survey for Brown Hares across Merseyside and West Lancashire.

The results have been used to improve our knowledge of the distribution and abundance of this Biodiversity Action Plan species in our area.

In each of the three years, the survey has been kicked off by a formal training session ably led by our own Helen Greaves with assistance from Rick Rogers and Richard Burkmar.

The sessions have commenced with a series of indoor presentations followed by a walk around the land of local biodiversity-friendly farmer Jon Appleton in Bickerstaffe.

Normally the hares have proved to be pretty elusive during these training sessions, though they are frequently seen on Jon’s land when courses are not in progress! Nevertheless the sessions have always proved very popular and enjoyable and have been a great way of getting the recording season off to a good start.

"A typical view of a hare running away from the observer!

Note the dark tips to the long ears and the tail held down so that no white is showing."

In 2008, our small but dedicated band of volunteer surveyors recorded a total of 81 hares in 7 out of 14 one km squares visited. In 2009 29 hares were recorded in 6 out of 13 surveyed squares. The results in (so far) for 2010 indicate that a total of 26 hares were recorded in 8 out of 12 squares looked at. The highest total for an individual square was 27 hares recorded on the Wirral in 2008 by David and Adam Britt!

Can you name the 13 Otters shown above?

Answers on opposite page...

Photograph by David Humphreys

Page 3

WeWantPictures...

SpellingScramble...

National News We want pictures… by Tony Parker.

The recording invasive species counts (RISC) project is an initiative of the Biological Records Centre, National Biodiversity Network and GB Non-native Species Secretariat.

It is a web-based project which aims to get the public involved in recording a selection of non-native species. The primary aims of the project are to inform the public on non-native species and gather additional data on distribution and ecology of the chosen species.

Members of the public will be asked to submit online records, ideally including a photograph of the species or their field signs to http://www.nonnativespecies.org/recording.

The Mammal Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species will coordinate the survey of Muntjac and will responsible for validating incoming data.

So please log on and record any sightings of Muntjac and their field signs, ideally with a photo which can be from your phone.

Spelling Scramble... (answers page 7)

Otter Type Answers: -

National News New bat species found in the UK… by Tony Parker A new bat species has been added to Britain's native species in the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

Researchers led by Prof.

John Altringham and Prof.

Roger Butlin have identified Myotis alcathoe or Alcathoe bat for the first time in the UK. Alcathoe bat is relatively new to science being first identified in 2001. It is thought that Alcathoe bat has been here in the UK for generations and has only recently been identified due to its similaritly to 2 other native bat species; Whiskered and Brandt's bats. This new discovery takes the total number of bat species in the UK to 17, making up around a third of all our mammal species.

Alcathoe bat is not the first new bat species to have been identified in the UK. In 1997 one of Britain’s most widespread bat species, the pipistrelle, was found to be 2 seperate species. These new discoveries illustrate how much there is yet to learn about bats and with UK bat populations under threat it is vital to increase our knowledge about bats to inform conservation efforts.

(Continued on page 6)

Eurasian otter, Cape Clawless otter, Asian small clawed otter, Sea otter, Marine otter, Neotropical otter, Spotted necked otter, Giant otter, Southern river otter, American river otter, Smooth coated otter, Hairy nosed otter and Congo otter.

Page 4

Facts & Figures ...

AsianSmallClawedOtter-

SIZE: 65-90 cm WEIGHT: 2.7 to 5.4 kg DIET: Crabs, Molluscs and other bottom living organisms GESTATION: 9 weeks OFFSPRING: 4-5 cubs THE THREAT TO THE SPECIES: There is still a demand for live specimens for pets and zoos; hunted for furs; habitat destruction is becoming an increasing problem.

Also known as the Oriental Small Clawed Otter or the Malaysian Small Clawed Otter it is the smallest of all otters.

Birdlike squeaks help them to locate each other in the wild, but their social vocabulary goes much further than this and they have developed something like 12 or more different calls.

They live in a variety of diverse habitats from mangrove swamps to small streams and marshy areas, searching for crabs and small fish.

They are killed for their pelts and for their organs which are believed to have medicinal value. Also there are threats due to pollution and habitat destruction.

Distribution...

Asian short-clawed otters can be seen at WWT Martin Mere. They were born on Saturday 3 October 2009 and are the first otters born at any WWT centre.

The adults and their three young are all very healthy and it was a delight, in midJanuary, to watch them together as a family. “I have

no doubt that the young otters will continue to be a huge attraction.”

The informative talk before, during and after feeding provided the following information...

• it takes two months for the baby otters to open their eyes,

start the weaning process and venture out of the nest; • the first time parents, Ned and Thai, have proved to be

perfect parents as well as a perfect couple as they have only been living at Martin Mere since July when they were released into a brand new enclosure after meeting each other a month earlier in quarantine; • unlike the Eurasian Otter the front feet are only partially

webbed; it has short claws for digging in the mud and lifting rocks. The parents and cubs were masters at using these front paws to catch prey, and are the only mammals other than the primates to use these with almost human dexterity; • Asian short-clawed otters are very group orientated, and as

many as 15 can be seen together although it is more common to find groups of 4-8; • the otters are fed twice a day at 11.30am and 2.30pm to allow

visitors the opportunity to watch the otters play.

Further research, when I got home, tells me that... ...Otter-like animals have inhabited the earth for the last 30 million years and over the years have undergone subtle changes to the carnivore bodies to exploit the rich aquatic environment. ...Otters are members of the Mustelid family which includes badgers, polecats, martens, weasels, stoats and mink.

(Continued on page 5)

Photographs by John Dalziel

Page 5

Aonyx cinerea...

(Continued from page 4)

Note: WWT Martin Mere is open every day 9.30am to 5pm. Situated off the A59, it is signposted from the M61, M58 and M6. The Centre is also accessible via the Southport to Manchester and the Liverpool to Preston trainline from Burscough Rail Stations.

Visit the web site... http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/martinmere/ to find out what’s on all year round at Martin Mere and the other eight centres.

(Continued from page 2)

A neighbouring square – also surveyed by David and Adam – also produced 24 hares. However even those squares that were surveyed but which produced no records are valuable because this is part of a standardised survey. These ‘negative records’ are just as valuable in helping us to understand population trends in years to come as are the positive records.

Over the same period, we have also collected records of hares by means of an online recording facility which is part of a website dedicated to Brown Hares in our region (http://merseysidebiobank.org.uk/BrownHare/simpleentry.aspx).

We encourage anyone who has seen a Brown Hare in the North West to enter it into this website. All records entered via the website which fall into our area are included in the group’s mammal atlas project. To date, the website has generated 230 Brown Hare records.

We hope that the new officer will give added impetus to our annual Brown Hare surveys and look at integrating surveys across the North West. In the meantime, Merseyside BioBank has also taken on a new Information Officer – Ben Deed – who has been tasked with producing a report to summarise and analyse the results of the first three years of the Brown Hare survey in our area. When this report is complete, it will be published on the Merseyside BioBank website.

by Helen Greaves With another hat on, I run a monthly children’s wildlife group in Burscough and for our May session I decided to introduce the kids to Small Mammal Trapping at Mere Sands Wood.

I had made waypoints on a GPS unit of each place I had set a trap the night before, so each child got to use the GPS unit to track their way back to the trap.

They then got to pick up the trap and empty it into a clear plastic bag themselves.

There were 20 traps in total so working in pairs, each child got two goes to be in charge of a trap. We had 8 catches in total so nearly a 50% success rate and although they were all Wood Mice apart from out last trap which was a Short-tailed Vole all the children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were fascinated by the whole process!

Another Wood Mouse?

The results of our annual Brown Hare surveys and the records collected via the website will be fed into a wider project aimed at promoting the conservation of Brown Hares across, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

This project has been in the pipeline for some time and has finally received funding for a full-time project officer from the SITA Enriching Nature programme. The officer will be based in Manchester but the project area also covers Merseyside and Lancashire.

Small Mammal Trapping at Mere Sands Wood

Page 6

(Continued from page 3)

AdaptationInMoleBloodAidsTunnelling… byHelenGreaves...

Julia Hanmer, Chief Executive Bat Conservation Trust explains: “It is incredibly exciting to learn more about bats every year. These fascinating animals live alongside us, often roosting in buildings and feeding in our parks and gardens, but there is still much more to learn about these mysterious and beautiful creatures. This summer thousands of volunteers will be watching the skies and listening to bats for the National Bat Monitoring Programme which tells us how bat populations are faring. Who knows what other discoveries are waiting to be made. With another species to add to our books the Bat Conservation Trust will be looking for new recruits to count bats and help us learn more about our vulnerable bat populations. Anyone wishing to take part can find details at www.bats.org.uk/ nbmp and new volunteers will be trained on becoming a bat detective”

This article was taken from ScienceDaily (July 20, 2010) – www.sciencedaily.com and is quite interesting – I wonder if our humble moley has the same superpowers! – Helen Greaves 'Super hemoglobin' allows moles to thrive underground.

Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology have made the first identification of an adaptation in the blood of Eastern moles which allows more efficient transport of carbon dioxide, facilitating the moles' burrowing behaviour.

Kevin Campbell from the University of Manitoba, Canada, worked with a team of researchers to study the blood of three underground species of North American moles. He said, "Unlike terrestrial animals, moles are routinely exposed to conditions of low oxygen and high carbon dioxide.

Burrowing is difficult in itself, but is made even more challenging by the requirement to re-breathe their own expired air. We've found that one species, the Eastern mole, appears to be uniquely adapted to underground life through the evolution of a special kind of hemoglobin in their blood that greatly enhances its carbon dioxide carrying capacity."

The researchers determined the genetic code for different hemoglobin components in the three mole species and measured how well these components bind to their usual target molecules. They also tested the oxygen binding properties of whole blood samples. Speaking about the results, Campbell said, "It has been speculated that the main mechanism for the moles adaptation to subterranean life revolves around the molecule 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, or DPG, that modulates hemoglobin's oxygen binding inside the blood cells. However, in the hemoglobin of the eastern mole, the key sites which would normally bind DPG are deleted, thereby allowing for the binding of additional carbon dioxide molecules."

Adds co-author Roy Weber, University of Aarhus, Denmark, "It would be interesting to see if the hemoglobins of other burrowing species exhibit comparable specializations." The team envisions that this line of research could lead to the

development of improved artificial human blood substitutes with specially engineered properties.

Page 7

MammalAtlasProgress...

ByRichardBurkmar...

As you can see from this map, Mole appears to be widely distributed in the area

The group launched the Mammal Atlas project in October 2009. The atlas will act as a focus for the group’s recording activities over the coming years and will significantly improve our understanding of the distribution of mammals here. This, in turn, will enable the conservation partnership to protect Merseyside and West Lancashire’s mammals and their habitats more effectively through the planning system and positive conservation management.

The aim is to produce a new atlas by the end of 2015. The term ‘atlas’ in this context means a collection of maps showing how each species of mammal is distributed over Merseyside and West Lancs. We have yet to decide how the atlas will be produced – for example it could be a book, a CD or a website – but we know that it will consist, in part, of maps showing our area divided into 1 km squares and ‘dots’ (or squares) to indicate presence or absence of each species of mammal in each of those squares. An example of this kind of atlas map is shown here for Mole...

with an obvious exception of the most heavily urbanised areas. However, you can also see that there appears to be large gaps in some rural areas. Why should Moles be absent in these rural areas? It is more likely they are not absent from rural areas but simply under-recorded and these are the areas of data deficiency that the group wishes to address during this atlas project. This map is one of a series of ‘2010 baseline maps’ which we have just produced to show us where we need to focus our recording over the coming years. We can see, from this map, that a lot of good work could be done simply by recording molehills especially in the West Lancashire area.

(Continued on page 10)

Spelling Scramble Answers...

Page 8

National News Killer Whales… by Tony

MammalsOnTheRoad... byHelenGreaves...

Parker Recently published research has shown that Killer Whales found in British waters belong to two genetically, ecologically and morphologically distinct types. It is possible that eventually they may become different species.

Such differences have been found elsewhere in the world but this is the first time both types have been found in the North Atlantic.

The two types are differentiated in terms of their diet and related adaptations…

‘Type 1’ whales are generalist predators which take a large proportion of fish in their diet. The teeth of these animals display a large degree of wear…

‘Type 2’ whales are more specialist, targeting mainly small dolphins, their teeth are rather larger than type 1 whales and show less wear.

The two populations overlap in range, both occur across the North Atlantic but in British waters the type 2 population is more often associated with waters off the west coast of Scotland and Ireland.

On the 14th July, I managed to persuade Richard Burkmar to take one of his millions of owed TOIL days to come and do the Mammals On Roads survey that I recently emailed you all about. The survey is run by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and all the information and survey sheets are easy to access form http://www.ptes.org.

We met at my house in the suburbia that is Burscough, on the basis that we could possibly survey a bit of Merseyside as well as West Lancashire from there. Being the super recorders (nothing like a bit of self-praise!) that we are, we got ourselves set up with Rich in the driving seat and me surrounded by hundreds of recording sheets, plus GPS and of course Rich had his trusty data-logger so he could speak his random observations into it (... Kestral – 300 yards... mammal poo, smelly – near ditch... you know what I mean!).

Bearing in mind the survey rules of only stopping where it was safe to do so, keeping an eye on the milometer and the clock to note down the when and where information, and with the other looking on the map at where we were going – we were off!

Within two miles of our start point, we spotted our first mammal – a hedgehog... and in our excitement all the rules went out of the window! Rich braked so hard to have a look that someone nearly rode into the back of us; I was so busy trying to have a good look at it without smashing my head against the windscreen that I forgot to look where we were and at the time and it was far too busy to stop!

We moved onto a side road where Rich could kerb crawl to his heart’s content without causing mayhem and I was just writing up the first record when Rich shouted that there was something else squashed on the side of the road! As I hadn’t seen it, Rich pulled over and set off running back down the road in an Anneka Rice stylee to check out our find! Another hedgehog!!! We were on a roll.

The day continued in the same manner as we wound our way through the farmland of West Lancs and Sefton, with the obligatory stop at a local farmshop for a full English breakfast/lunch – (it was about 2pm when we stopped!). I would like to say that the whole route wasn’t based around this but I would be in denial. In the end we spotted lots of hedgehogs and molehills, a couple of hares, a rat and a fox but surprisingly no rabbits!

On the way back from Sefton at the end of the day it started to pour down. If anyone can remember the 14th July, it was one of the days where we had the thunderstorms and incredibly fat and heavy raindrops. Where as we’d had slight showers and then sunshine on and off during the day, now the clouds were thick, black and bulging, the rain was slapping down so fast that the windscreen wipers were on overdrive and we were now kerb crawling not because of looking for mammals on roads but just spot the road! So we decided to call it a day... and I couldn’t help feeling glad as we’d have more chance of seeing Henny Penny than spotting a drowned Foxy Loxy in that weather!!!

Page 9

It'sNotTheAmazonBut...

byDanielFlenley...

“My temporary Dorset home is deer to my hart” Having been in Dorset for almost three months now, the wildlife season is finally starting to hit its full stride. Reptiles have been the stars so far (some of our reserves harbour all six of the UK's terrestrial reptiles), butterflies and dragonflies are hinting at good things to come, I have seen two new bird species and I have learnt the features of some specialist plants not seen up north, but what of mammals?

Dorset (I understand) has otters and harvest mice, and is classified as a dormouse stronghold. Dorset is warm, and has a coast with a warm sea: the symbol of the Borough of Poole, where I live, is a dolphin. However, I work across a series of urban heathland sites, where such species aren't so easily found. What do we get in the line of good mammal activity, beyond our grazing cattle and ponies? Some of our sites have regular and relatively tame foxes, and it is fairly easy to fall over a badger sett without trying. (A few days ago I took a call from a lady whose mother wasn't too happy to have had her garden occupied by a badger. I've never yet seen a real wild badger.)

The Dorset heaths get more exciting when deer are mentioned - no, when deer are seen. Although I had seen roe deer before I moved here, witnessing an antlered male taking flight, from somewhere he's seen you but not vice-versa, bounding away in full view before he stops to see if you are still watching, then - he's off again! - the inevitable moment he is lost in several different shades of brown - that's pretty exciting if you don't see it every day.

The way they manage to get away I also find amazing - huge, bouncing leaps across terrain where you or I might twist an ankle within seconds of trying the same.

What else? More deer. We have sika (in problem numbers in some areas) and fallow in the county, too (were you at Stephen Leigh's talk on invasive species?). Deer generally are animals we on the heaths like to keep tabs on: any records are useful in showing people that when we cut trees down to restore wonderful, historic, carbon-storing heathland, we aren't kicking the deer out of their homes.

The moment some among you have been suspecting: Dorset boasts a mighty 17 species of bat (even if one or two hardly ever visit at all). I recently made plans for a series of days out to go and see the wildlife of this richly-blessed county rather than just stumbling across bits (even if they are already very beautiful bits) of it at work, and one of these is for a night out to try and see as many bat species as possible. At work we share our offices with the Dorset Wildlife Trust, and there must be at least one member of the Dorset Bat Group typing busily behind a filing cabinet somewhere. If I can rope them in, I will try to. If I'm able to get sponsorships for a "big night" like this, it might be a nice way of doing some extra good for our mammals, so... any sponsorship offers?

National News Grey Squirrels “NOT GUILTY”… by Tony Parker A study of 38 species of woodland birds by the BTO and Natural England has shown that there is no evidence that Grey Squirrels have no significant impact on their populations or have caused any widespread decline.

This reinforces the view that conservation efforts should focus on the effect the Grey Squirrels have on Red Squirrels. There are c160,000 Red Squirrels in the UK compared to 2.5 million Greys.

Recently two Red Squirrels from Anglesey have been found on the mainland for the first time in nearly 30 years, there are c300 Red Squirrels on Anglesey, thanks to culling of Greys and reintroductions.

Establishing a colony in Gwynedd would be a major step in their revival although culling of Greys would be necessary to allow the newly established Reds to thrive.

As yet I haven't seen very many of Dorset's special mammals, and those of you who have taken/are taking in BBC's Springwatch (Simon King reporting from Dorset) may be more familiar with them than I. Springwatch, I know, has visited Brownsea Island, home to one of the South's few remaining red squirrel populations, and I shall end on this note: Craig, my fellow seasonal warden, is from Devon and has never seen a red squirrel. All the talk of red squirrels down here is of how tricky they can be to see. We of Merseyside and West Lancs can be quite grateful for our own mammalian fauna, with its cold-water grey seals and semi-Scouse squirrels, and enjoy what else we do manage to see on the odd trip somewhere a bit different.

“Hedgehogs - why can't they just share the hedge?"

Page 10

President of the Merseyside & West Lancashire Mammal Group...

Tony Parker (Mammal County Recorder)

EVENTSCalendar2009/10 August 2010 —Saturday 21st 9:00 am Ainsdale NNR, Off the coast road at railway bridge PR8 3QW Trapping: Small Mammal Trapping Session — Alice Kimpton

September 2010 —Friday 17th setting trapsSaturday 18th 9:00 am collecting traps Croxteth Country Park at rear of hall Trapping: Setting and collection

October 2010 —Saturday 2nd 9:00 am—noon Merseyside BioBank, Court Hey Park Training: Small Mammal Trapping

November 2010 —Saturday 13th General enquiries...

Contact Tony 0192 572 6986 (home) 0151 478 4363 (work) tony.parker@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

Aims of the MWL Mammal Group The aims of the group are…

• To promote an awareness of the wild mammals of the Merseyside and West Lancashire region and work in partnership with other like minded organisations and individuals, where appropriate • To promote a greater understanding of the ecology of the mammals of the Merseyside and West Lancashire Region • To promote the conservation status of mammals and their habitats in the Merseyside and West Lancashire region • To acquire a greater understanding of the distribution of the mammals of the Merseyside and West Lancashire Region Membership enquiries...

Christine Dalziel mwl.mammalgroup@googlemail.com

Clore Natural History Centre, World Museum Liverpool Talk: Badgers General Meeting:

December 2010 —Saturday 4th 10:00 am Martin Mere Trip & Lunch: Martin Mere (Entrance Fee) Further information available at http://mammalgroup.org.uk

(Continued from page 7)

All of the 2010 baseline maps, together with other resources to help target recording effort, can be seen at this website: http://www.MerseysideBioBank.org.uk/DistMapMammal.aspx It is very noticeable from these baseline maps that we are data deficient for even the most often seen mammals, e.g.

Rabbit, Grey Squirrel, Mole (hills) and Hedgehogs.

Never think that your record is not valuable – even when you record a common mammal from a square where it has been recorded before, it will make a significant contribution to our understanding of how mammals are faring in Merseyside & West Lancs.

So record everything and send your records to us.

To choose a method of sending in your records which suits you, go to the Merseyside BioBank homepage

(http://www.MerseysideBioBank.org.uk) ...and click on the ‘

Send your records’ link.