Pets & Wildlife

TOGETHER WE CAN SAVE PENTWYN

Nature is in crisis but a small wildlife trust in Radnorshire has vowed to lead the way in reversing the decline, acre by acre – and it needs our support

Asmall charity with big plans for nature’s recovery is launching an appeal to help breathe new life into Pentwyn, an upland in the Welsh Marches. Last year, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust took out a loan to buy 164 acres – about the size of 80 rugby pitches – in a bid to tackle river pollution and flooding across central Wales, address climate change and help wildlife fight back. It now needs to raise £1 million to secure the future of the land for people and nature. Additional funds are also needed to restore the land – for example, £1,000 could pay to plant 300 metres of hedgerow.

Star support

Iolo Williams, TV wildlife presenter and patron of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, said: “In Wales we’ve lost beautiful birds such as the nightingale and corn bunting – and the haunting call of curlew and purring of the turtle dove may soon disappear too. Much-loved animals such as red squirrels and water voles, which were once widespread here, are now only found at a few sites and are threatened with extinction. Nature is in crisis, and we need to help wildlife fight back fast.

“We’re appealing to people everywhere to help us secure and protect this land for the future. Nature needs it – and so do we, because time spent in natural places soothes our souls and makes us feel good. People will be welcome at Pentwyn. Please donate if you can – nothing is too small to help!”

The land at Pentwyn, near Llandrindod Wells, will be transformed from an intensively farmed landscape into a humming, buzzing and chirruping oasis where the calls of threatened birds can be heard once more. It sits beside other wild land, so there is potential to help wildlife thrive across a wider area by expanding and connecting habitats and increasing nature’s resilience to climate change.

Lagging behind

Wales is close to the bottom of the international league table for nature. A 2021 report found that the country has lost around half of its wild animals and plants; one in six species is threatened with extinction,

including water voles and red squirrels, and over 60 per cent of protected rivers in Wales exceed phosphate pollution limits. At Pentwyn, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust will allow natural habitats to recover, creating wetlands, scrub, and potentially new woodland, as well as increasing plant diversity to ensure the landscape is better equipped to cope with climate change. By restoring nature, the landscape will also retain more rainwater, filtering it and releasing it more slowly. This will help to keep the nearby River Lugg clean and healthy. James Hitchcock, chief executive officer of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Welsh wildlife is under a huge amount of pressure, but everyone can do their bit to help us restore nature to Pentwyn. This project will benefit us all – it’ll be somewhere to enjoy a wander through the wild, listen to the waterfall, see the flash of a wood warbler, and watch butterflies flit across a wilder hillside. Pentwyn will also store more carbon, help tackle the climate crisis, stop rainwater washing off the hill too quickly and help reduce pollution levels in the River Lugg. Creating more space for nature will have the added benefit of boosting tourism and creating more green jobs.” People can donate to the Pentwyn appeal at rwtwales.org/ James Hitchcock, Trust leader appeals/wilder-pentwyn-appeal

“There is potential to help wildlife thrive across It’s a small start – but so much is possible a wider area by connecting habitats” Iolo Williams is a patron

Cute Pets

Dora is 15, a rescue dog who enjoys life to the full

WIN

a £25 voucher

for Bradeley Green pet store in Whitchurch, to spend in-store or online at petcetera.co.uk

Dotty

12-month-old Pomeranian Monty

A cheeky guinea pig called Ginny!

Dobby, enjoying her giant ted

Marlowe the ragdoll who is queen of the house

Misty and Smudge

Jack Russell Gus loves a bath after his walk

Harvey and puppy Peter

Hero and Shelby, two Shropshire Cavapoochon

Storm enjoying her day on the beach

Congratulations to Hannah Roberts - owner of Storm for winning the Cute Pets competition this issue!’

Tilly on her fi rst birthday Ned, the one-yearold black Labrador

Oscar waiting patiently with his teddy Pauline Platt’s devoted friend

Smokey, 16 years old and very laid back Rocky the Yorkie, still mischievous at 10

Pip the Pomeranian

Wa es Rescue dog George

Twoyear-old Dora

Win some pet treats! To enter, email a photograph of your pet and their name to editorial@shiremagazine.co.uk and the Shire team will pick the winner!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, PLUM…

Nine adorable penguin chicks have hatched at Chester Zoo – and keepers like Sophie had the joyful task of finding a new set of names

Little Plum was the first of the Humboldt penguins to emerge from its egg and has since been joined by eight others, including Peach, Papaya, Cherry and Rhubarb. Hatching at a weight of just 80g, penguin chicks triple in size in their first three weeks of life and quickly reach around 3kg, like their parents. After spending their early days tucked away in their nests, being cared for and fed by attentive parents, the youngsters have now begun swimming lessons.

Sophie Bissaker, Parrots and Penguins Keeper at the zoo, said: “There’s nothing quite like hearing tiny chirps coming from the nests and seeing little balls of fluff snuggled up with their parents moments after hatching. Penguin Island is buzzing with activity. For the first three months, mum and dad keep their new chicks tucked away while they feed and nurture them. To help them gain weight while they’re so young, we provide the parents with extra fish, which they swallow, churn into a high-protein soup and regurgitate at feeding times.

The name game

“Zookeepers have a trend of naming the penguins using a different theme each year. We’ve had brands of crisps, chocolate bars, and in 2020 our NHS Heroes. After some thought, we’ve decided to name this year’s class after our favourite fruit. So we have Plum, Banana, Lemon and Iona-Berry – in honour of a vet who saved dad Munch’s eyesight last year,” explained Sophie. “They’ve just started to venture into the main pool, where they’ll learn how to catch food for themselves. In a few weeks they’ll shed their grey fluff to reveal their iconic black and white feathers underneath, which are waterproof

“We’ve and help them zoom through the water.”had crisps, Of the world’s chocolate 18 penguin species, bars and Humboldts are among our NHS Heroes…” the most at risk. They are listed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. On the rocky coast of Peru and Chile, for example, the birds face a number of threats such as rising acidity and temperatures in the oceans and over-fishing of their food sources, causing them to search further for fish and increasing their vulnerability.

A thorough health check An extra serving for Mum

Plum makes their debut

Wanted: eco ideas for pets

A local pet retailer is targeting bespoke suppliers and fledging firms with products designed to improve the health and wellbeing of animals

Sion Pritchard and Paul Penketh are co-owners of PetPlace, which has stores in Abergele, Ruthin, Mold, Llangefni and Chirk. The business already stocks many environmentally friendly items but, said Sion, they plan to develop this range in the near future.

“We are opening the doors to smaller, independent suppliers who specialise in the health and wellbeing of animals,” said Paul. “A lot of chains stock pet goods, but without the emphasis on sustainability and the environment that will make a difference to the pets, their owners and, ultimately, the planet. We want to hear from the innovators, anyone with an idea in motion or a start-up that could cause a stir.”

One supplier who has worked closely with PetPlace is Gillian Thomas-Jones of Mountain Garden Botanics, based in New Brighton, Wrexham. Having created handmade shampoo and soaps for pets (and humans) – palm oil, cruelty and plastic free – she is using raw ingredients to develop new lines including an anti-pecking spray for chickens and a calming mist for dogs and horses. Caring: Gillian Thomas-Jones

“It has been asteep learning curve, working long hours to develop the branding and website, all while ensuring this is a completely natural series of products,” said Gillian. “With the support of customers like PetPlace, who are a breath of fresh air, we can work together to create products dedicated to the health and happiness of animals and their owners, which is our priority.”