Pine Martens and DNA

 We know from statements and observations that pine marten were in Somerset in the 1990s and may well have been some of the released pairs.

BBC      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-68978455?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0HuoxshRx7OrPY35ug6CGa-8Z0eaY5yU9oRsJ7EexrGeWgvUhZIuFKfUY_aem_AdVOwPYTDQMyDmCiwe9xzHMFXcfUEfM3RX_p6u-uJ33k3N3aWYbeici6vTwYUdGvuagDh4uC2ptxe7kwdtrHFjfR

DNA samples from elusive pine martens are being collected as part of a study in the New Forest.

The rare mammals are now believed to be well-established and successfully breeding in the national park.

The elusive cat-sized member of the weasel family was previously only thought to have survived largely in the north of England.

Researchers are collecting genetic material in order to establish the health of the population in the forest.

Image caption,

Pipes lined with velcro are used to get hair samples from pine martens

Hidden cameras have shown young pine martens exploring and playing together over a number of years.

The footage was shot as part of a study aiming to determine if and how pine martens were recolonising the area.

Marcus Ward of Wild New Forest said the latest phase, collecting hair samples using pipes lined with velcro, would provide an "insight" into the forest's pine martens.

"The main thing we are looking at is the genetic diversity of the population and how healthy the population is," he said.

"By getting DNA, it unlocks other bits of information which is useful and helps us piece together our understanding of pine martens in the New Forest."

Image caption,

Marcus Ward of Wild New Forest has been carrying out the study into pine martens in the forest

The video footage showed pine martens prefer to use fallen trees and branches to navigate across the forest floor and to cross streams and wet areas.

The creatures sleep and make dens high up in the trees and usually only come out at night to hunt.

The pine marten study is being carried out by Wild New Forest along with Forestry England, The New Forest Study Group, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

Wildlife Deaths and the Need to Take Positive Action. Email to The Green Party

 My policy has always been to make no secret of correspondence that involves wildlife issues. These are all open and show what is being discussed and decided (if ever).

This email along with copies of the 2023 and 2024 Bristol Fox and Badger Death Registers was sent to head of bthe Green Party and Councillor for Clifton Councillor Carla Denyer on the 8th May, 2024.  Note that since this email went out the number of dead badgers and foxes have increased:

Hello.

I submitted this to the former Mayor on three occasions but only just before the council elections did he respond to say "nothing we can do". My family going back to my grandparents voted Labour all of their lives as have I but along with a lot of other voters who were concerned about Labour's relentless disregard for the environment and wildlife issues decided that a Green vote would be the only choice. We are all hoping, whether people campaigning to save the Western Slopes or other green areas, or involved in wildlife work that the Green Party will step up and meet the challenges and stand with the people of Bristol to make the City a true example of environment and habitat protection.

For your convenience please find attached the Bristol Fox Deaths Register for 2023 as well as the Badger Deaths Register for 2023 maintained by the British Fox and Canid Study (f 1976) and the Bristol Badger Group (f 1994). In summary, for 2023 (and only animals given a location that could be found) some -I should point out that the total number of fox deaths listed herein are not all that died in 2023.

The total number of foxes killed on Bristol roads in 2023 was 257 and these include cubs, pregnant vixens and dog foxes.

The total known number of badgers killed in Bristol for 2023 was 53.

Our work now includes recording deaths of otters which totalled around 6 for 2023.

We do not keep a record of deer and other mammals/birds killed on Bristol roads but the number is high.

We know that for 2024 the total fox deaths up to 7th May stand at 83 and one of these was a heavily pregnant vixen. We have also just recorded the first otter death of 2024 at Lawrence Weston. Badger deaths up to 7th May stands at 36 and these include lactating sows meaning that cubs likely also died. Again, I will attach copies for your convenience.

One black spot for wild life deaths is the Hick's Gate stretch of road -deer, badgers, foxes etc. Saturday 27th January saw four fox deaths on this stretch of road.

For otter deaths we know that the major black spot is the Hartcliffe Way which sees the highest death rate. Looking through the registers you will note that certain areas always crop up and Downend is a particular black spot for foxes and badgers.

I am aware that it will cost, financially, but I would like Bristol City Council to consider the possibility of wildlife underpasses being installed in the main hot spots -Hick's Gate and Hartcliffe Way as the rate of wildlife death on these stretches is so high and otters and badgers are protected species. Perhaps "Wildlife Crossing" signs to alert drivers might also help.

We are currently looking at environmental crises and concentrating on wildlife areas but we are not looking at the animals themselves and how the impact of their deaths are affecting the environment -foxes as hunters are not wholly carnivorous but will catch and eat large numbers of rats and mice and in some cities around the world they are seen as far more effective than rodenticides(as are feral cats). If the numbers of foxes and badgers continue to drop then we will be seeing them, in the City, as rare and they took a long time to recover after 94% died off in the 1994/1995 mange outbreak.

So, please, give the idea of some type of underpass or overpass for wildlife serious consideration as in many parts of the world they have been adopted as essential.

I look forward to your responses when convenient.

Regards

Terry Hooper-Scharf

 

 

Chronic Wasting Disease Deer -WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES!!!!!!!

  Three or four years ago I posted around the internet asking people to report any sick or emaciated deer they might spot.  This was after a couple such deer were filtered down to me. Nothing was reported until yesterday.  

Although she does not handle deer reports Sarah Mills, the Bristol Fox Lady, attended a deer that a member of the public was desperately trying to get help for. Secret World, unsurprisingly, said they could not help and the deer was in such a state that a "despatcher" (someone qualified to put an animal down) was needed.  Again; "no one available".. The RSPCA was tried but they were closed being a 9-5 organisation unlike in the old days.   The location was Lyde Green, Emerson Green area.

For all intents and purposes a deer was suffering and slowly dying and Sarah was left in the lurch. This is the state wildlife rescue is in.  However, Sarah did remember that she had the number of an RSPCA Inspector she had dealings with before and rang her. Thankfully, the Inspector called in the incident and was there as fast as she could be.  Unfortunately, Sarah had her first experience of seeing a bolt gun in use.  

The deer was taken for cold storage because, as the Inspector pointed out, there was a wasting disease that is under study. The disease would be Chronic Wasting Disease and I am not the only one who has been concerned  over this being in the UK.   Firstly, not for the squeamish, the photographs Sarah took of the deer and I might add photographs can add a great deal to a report and showing people what to look for.

(c)2024 Sarah Mills

(c)2024  Sarah Mills

(c)2024 Sarah Mills

(c)2024 Sarah Mills

(c)2024 Sarah Mills

(c)2024 Sarah Mills

You can see that it is not pleasant but this is something people involved in wildlife rescue face but I hope not CWD cases.

I am not going to edit this down into bits but give the full information as can be found here: 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/chronic-wasting-disease?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3dCyKD91moBlKTiWVqsFaaxLBFB2sO4Sr92q9fUT40B6VgcFmmG5qZ344_aem_ATTX3Cg7bgE3gnL3yvPRl4cqc9-RMkXPCKbjf41jV_lFS4vZSXGSHtRrmGKuTGFbce3rRxf22rKQyjN7WgjLqduc#:~:text=Chronic%20wasting%20disease%20is%20a,your%20local%20Field%20Services%20Office

From:

Animal and Plant Health Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Published

2 June 2015

Last updated

18 October 2018 — See all updates

Contents

1. How to spot CWD
2. Preventing CWD
3. Controlling CWD

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a highly contagious and fatal disease that affects most wild and farmed deer species including:

• moose
• elk
• mule deer
• white-tailed deer
• red deer
• roe deer
• reindeer
• North American moose (known as elk in Europe)
• white tailed deer (indigenous to North America)
• fallow deer
• sika
• Chinese water deer
• muntjac

Humans aren’t affected, nor are animal products or meat such as venison.

There have been no outbreaks in the UK but in 2016 it was diagnosed in wild deer in Norway, the first cases of CWD in Europe. The disease has also killed wild and farmed deer in North America.

The 2016 qualitative risk assessment on the risk of a cervid transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) being introduced from Norway into Great Britain concludes that the public health risk of CWD isn’t known. Current assessments suggest the risk is very low.

Chronic wasting disease is a notifiable animal disease. If you suspect it you must report it immediately by calling the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. In Wales, contact 0300 303 8268. In Scotland, contact your local Field Services Office. Failure to do so is an offence.

How to spot CWD

In most cases of CWD there is a general change in behaviour and loss of weight over time, particularly in the later stages of the disease. Deer may show a number of different clinical signs over several weeks.

The disease is progressive and fatal.

Deer may take 18 to 24 months to show clinical signs after becoming infected and will become more infectious to other deer as the incubation progresses.

Changes in behaviour

You may see in infected deer:

• separation from other animals in the herd
• depression or blank facial expression
• lowering of the head
• difficulty swallowing
• increased thirst and urination
• drooling
• pneumonia
• less interest in hay but continue to eat grain
• teeth grinding
• nervousness and excitement

Changes in posture and movement

Infected deer may:

• stumble and have poor coordination
• be listless and dull
• walk in set and repeat patterns
• have tremors
• have paralysis

Preventing CWD

You can help prevent the disease by practising strict biosecurity on your premises.

Feed controls

You must not feed:

• animal protein to ruminants including deer
• processed animal protein to farmed deer

though there are exceptions.

CWD is a TSE disease so you must follow TSE regulations and feed controls.

Contaminated clothing and equipment

Countryside users bringing in contaminated clothing and equipment could transmit CWD.

Hunters or stalkers who have hunted in parts of North America where CWD is present might transmit CWD in the UK.

CWD is highly infectious and very resistant to weather conditions and traditional disinfectants so it can remain in the environment for a long time. CWD can stick to soil particles for up to 10 years.

The only way to rapidly inactivate CWD’s infectious agent is to soak clothes or equipment in a solution of bleach that has 20,000 parts per million of active chlorine, or 2 molar sodium hydroxide solution, for one hour.

This treatment will damage or destroy most clothing, footwear and hunting equipment.

Countryside visitors to the UK

If you’re a hunter or stalker visiting the UK from an area where CWD is present you should:

• not bring clothing or equipment that you’ve used for hunting or stalking with you because it may be contaminated
• clean any clothing or equipment of soil, blood and faeces so it’s not contaminated
• not bring any trophies or body parts into the UK

Hosts and sporting agents

Your guests from the USA or Canada, or those who have visited CWD-infected areas, may not understand the transmission risks.

You should check all of their kit for cleanliness - it probably won’t get inspected at border control.

Deer urine lures

Hunters should not use or trade deer urine lures because they may contain infected urine which can transmit CWD. You can use synthetic lures.

You must not:

• import unprocessed deer urine into the UK
• export unprocessed deer urine to the EU, Norway,Finland or to third countries via the EU

Controlling CWD

If you report suspicion of CWD, APHA vets will investigate.

They may decide to keep your animal under observation to decide whether or not it’s a TSE suspect. The vet will restrict the movement of the animal from the farm and will visit the animal during the observation period.

If the vet decides that your animal is a TSE suspect, the vet will restrict the movement of animal and issue a notice of intention to kill. After death, brain samples will be sent for post-mortem laboratory examination.

If tests confirm a TSE infection

If these tests confirm TSE, there will be further investigations of your herd and additional disease control measures may be put in place.

You will be paid compensation for a deer that is killed because it’s suspected of being affected with a TSE. The amount paid is based on the market value of the animal at the time it was killed.

PLEASE THINK and DON'T!

 I know it never sinks in and people are still going to do this but we've had a fox die because one of these deflated balloons fell into woods. Booze and "**** you!" attitudes never change.

The Mystery of the Mystery of the the Strange Badger Deaths

  I think I may have had a brain-glitch with that title. In case you don't know what a badger (Mele meles) looks like...

Anyway, silly things happen when you are a naturalist and this was one of them -an old post but worth reposting.

Photo Chris Crafter

Back in February, 2009, Jon Downes of the Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ), sent me this message (I believe also posted on the CFZ web page):

"In past week we've had three badger kills in Glos which people cannot explain -they look like they've been precisely sheared in half and just fallen from the sky- no tracks, no blood, and no sign of the other half.  Those who've seen them feel cat is a possibility perhaps, and so too is human, but it's a mystery, even for the county badger specialist. I'm awaiting a pic from one of the locations."

 I believe that this was sent to me since a "cat" was felt to be a possibility.  By "cat", Downes meant a "non native cat" -puma or leopard.  

Firstly, I was stunned that this was even suggested because although there are cases where a large "non native cat" has decapitated a lamb with its bite a badger is something totally different. No normal wild living puma or leopard is going to take on a badger and the strength it has behind its claws -not in an area where easy prey such as rabbits, wild fowl or deer -particularly small muntjac deer (Muntiacus)- abound in numbers.

The idea of a large cat cutting a badger in half was just not feasible.

Human...possible since there are some very nasty types roaming around at night illegally hunting, however, the photographs would tell a story.

In the meantime, I contacted Gloucestershire Police force wildlife crimes officer who simply responded: "What? Where? When? Never heard of this!"

I then contacted Mr Keith Hutchin of the Gloucesterhire Badger Trust who had no idea what I was talking about.  He did, however, suggest that I contact Mr Tony Dean of the Gloucestershire Badger Group who would be the "local expert" and might have information. And so I wrote to Mr Dean.

Mr Dean telephoned me and we talked for around 25 minutes.  He told me that he had been observing badgers in the area for over 30 years which meant that he was the "go to man" if these incidents had taken place. 

Mr Dean had not seen any badger cut in half and had only heard of the alleged find from "a big cat fanatic" (name given) who had told him that a "cat" was responsible.  A decomposing badger (cause of death could have been illness or road traffic accident but it was too far gone to tell).

No "kills" or even a single mystery kill. As for part of an animal being dropped "from a great height"...that part of the tory smelt as bad as the decomposing badger would have.

The story was false from start to finish and when I asked the CFZ whether they had received the promised photographs there was silence.

I mention this since, yesterday, someone asked whether I had looked into the "mystery badger deaths" in Gloucestershire in 2009 as some sources said up to six were killed then it all stopped.

People involved in badger groups or badger watches in the UK are notorious for one thing: they will not disclose where badger setts are or precise numbers. Not only is this to protect badger from the vile Department of Environment Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) culls but also illegal badger baiting -and, yes, that does till go on. I support badger watchers silence 100%.

One thing that you can be sure of is this; had one or six badgers all been mysteriously chopped in half they would know about it as would police wildlife officers.

Faked story

Naturalists In Bristol -WHERE?

 

I never thought that I would write that I was ashamed to be a naturalist from Bristol. No, I have done nothing wrong but it seems I am the only actual real naturalist in the City and County (local "personalities" making videos in the hope of someone from TV seeing them I do not count).

Over five years ago I noted the number of foxes being reported as possibly poisoned. Reactions from the Bristol wildlife groups -zero.  I tried to get support to push for foxes to be submitted for post mortems to identify the causes of death and the resulting support was...zero. It took me more than a year arguing, being nice and pulling a few strings and working every day into the early hours but I got foxes approved for PM study. This I announced on groups and, again, the response was zero. 

In fact the biggest mistake I made was asking on those groups whether someone could check on dead foxes as they were reported -one fox after another vanished and it took a month before it was found out that taxidermists on the groups were grabbing the dead foxes. They were told these were animals possible poisoned and so wildlife crimes evidence and yet they went out there and nabbed them to stuff and sell. Even a couple of badgers listed as "possible suspicious deaths" were nabbed by taxidermists.  Showing commitment to turning a blind eye to wildlife crime in order to make a profit.

The Bristol Fox Deaths Project is groundbreaking in that nowhere else in the country are foxes being submitted for PM examination and we were finding things we were not expecting -even the pathologist was surprised. When I reported back on this, again, a couple "Likes" but zero interest. Bristol is known for its foxes and here we are putting fox study back on the map and...no one in wildlife groups cared. In fact, dead fox and badger reports have 95% come via Lost and Found pet groups which should really make any group claiming to be wildlife orientated ashamed.

I reported on the 2022 and 2023 Bristol Fox and Bristol Badger Deaths Registers and...no interest.Of course drinks evenings and pretty butterfly and birds over-ride those nasty mammals.   

With the number of animals killed on certain blackspots I asked for support to push for over or under road wildlife passes. A couple "Likes" and that was it and so, after months, Bristol City Council could dismiss the need for them. The wildlife deaths on those black spots continue.

As a matter for general discussion I looked at wildlife injuries and the fact that Bristol had no wildlife care centre but I noted that we needed one. On one group that got a "Good idea" and two "Likes" but then the post was removed for "campaigning" -no money was asked for and no campaign announced; wildlife health and conservation was one of the group's stated purposes but that seems to have only been for show.

To get suitable (we have criteria) foxes checked in situ and if suitable picked up and stored before transporting to the pathology centre I asked (repeatedly) for volunteers. Several responses about why they could not and that was it. Did anyone have a place they could cold store a dead fox until it could be submitted? One "maybe" and that soon died a death. We have lost at least 6 foxes to this groundbreaking work because any wildlife project needs volunteers and there are none. 

Are there not many people on Bristol wildlife groups? Let's take the following as examples:

Bristol Naturalist Society                         1.2k

Bristol Nature Network                            4.5k

Bristol and Surrounding Area Wildlife    454

Magpie Bottom Nature Reserve              1.4k

Friends of Troopers Hill                          2.8k

BS5 Wildlife                                            910

BS3 Wildlife                                            2.2k

BS9 Wildlife                                            214

BS34 Wildlife                                          418

BS4                                                          1.2k

BS7 Wildlife                                            132

BS1 and 2 Wildlife                                   50

There are some smaller ones but the total above comes to 15,478 and there are not even two volunteers with transport who can check on dead foxes, badgers and otters (with foxes and otters obviously pick them up for PM study)?  Do you know who the "top contributor" is on most of the above groups with lots of Face Book points (whatever they are)? Me.

Wildlife work is not about guided walks to look at trees or even count butterflies in your garden. You cannot exclude the larger mammals because of personal prejudices or sheer ignorance -some reactions to muntjac deer are almost half-witted. Foxes and badgers we know are heading for a very steep population decline and by the 2030s could be gone. Otters need conserving as best we can yet wildlife groups in Bristol show no interest and, yes, there will be a few angry comments from these but everything I have written about here is recorded on those groups and in posts. Badgers and foxes are not just there for the odd social media photo opportunity.

If you claim to be naturalists then you cannot sit back and do nothing. Watching You Tube videos or TV wildlife shows is NOT being a naturalist. There must be some other naturalists out there not afraid of the rain or cold weather and willing to actually keep things like the Fox Deaths Study going?

As it stands foxes and otters can no longer be collected and submitted for study. No volunteers So when that final post mortem report reaches me the project I have put so much into will end. It should not but it will -I am just one person.  At the same time I will be leaving all of the Bristol wildlife groups and solely concentrating on my canid and felid research work and my Ashton Vale and Bristol Wildlife group on Face Book and the blog. 

As no body or group has offered assistance in over five years the results of the various projects will remain private and distributed only amongst a few involved in research (which excludes Bristol).  I have tried, tried and tried again over five years and I am not bitter. I am totally frustrated with the pretence of people having an interest in the ecosystem and wildlife while sat on their asses and removing posts that they do not like but fall within their group's public statement of intent.

Lack of interest in real wildlife work wins.