Latest news with #CornwallWildlifeTrust
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dead beaver found on Cornish beach
A dead beaver has been found on a Cornish beach. The Polzeath Beach Ranger Service said it was alerted to the animal at about 08:00 BST on Sunday by a member of the public. Beach ranger Andy Stewart said the beaver was about 2.5ft (76cm) long and had no visible injuries. He added the animal had been collected by Cornwall Wildlife Trust for a post-mortem examination. More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall Mr Stewart said: "We wouldn't normally section a part of the beach off unless it was particularly big or disruptive to whatever was going on. "Even though people look at strandings with concern, it's also really educational, the cycle of life and marine habitats. "So we would normally leave a stranding area open but with this one, because it was so rare, I took a big bag down, put it in the bag and brought it up to the office as quickly as I could." Mr Stewart added the condition of the beaver made it "absolutely perfect for a post-mortem". "Firstly we called Cornwall Wildlife Trust because the Marine Strandings Network would usually come out for marine wildlife - that would be seal, dolphins, porpoises, whales," he said. "The beaver doesn't really fall into their remit. However, they are very interested in this. "My assumption is that it was floating in the water when rigor mortis set in and that's why its head is high and it looks so alive and alert, but I'm no expert." Polzeath Beach Rangers reminded the public and their pets to stay away from any marine strandings, alive or dead. "Sometimes it's better to leave things alone and either let nature take its course or let the experts get involved," it added. Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story 'Nature is on its knees and beavers can help' Iberian orca seen for first time in Cornish waters Related internet links Cornwall Wildlife Trust Polzeath Beach Ranger Service
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Sea creatures make ‘extremely rare' appearance off England. See ‘magical' photos
A pair of orcas recently made waves when they were spotted in an unusual location off the United Kingdom. The apex predators were seen off the Isles of Scilly — an archipelago southwest of Cornwall, England — in early July. Images taken by wildlife photographer Isaac Ogden show the creatures breaching the surface near the rocky coastline. 'Killer whales, killer views,' Ogden wrote in a July 10 Instagram post, which garnered hundreds of likes. He also noted the rarity of the encounter. 'Orcas have been seen a couple of times in recent years off mainland Cornwall but not off the Isles within the last 25 years or so,' Ogden told McClatchy News. The Kernow Weather Team, a local weather organization, described the sighting as 'extremely rare' and 'magical.' 'These intelligent, powerful creatures are truly a sight to behold and a reminder of how wild and wonderful our Cornish seas really are,' the organization said in a Facebook post. One of the animals was identified as Freyja, or C-002, an Iberian orca belonging to the Vega pod. Freyja is believed to be the first Iberian killer whale to have been seen in the waters off Cornwall, according to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. 'She is a female and she is always seen with this other one, although we need to get further identification on the second whale, we think she may be C001,' Dolphin Zones' Sarah Matthews, told the BBC. 'They are quite an elusive pair that appears to pop up randomly in different places,' she said, noting the pair may be the last surviving members of their ecotype. Orcas are found throughout all of the world's oceans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Globally, there are an estimated 50,000 individuals belonging to various distinct populations. The creatures face threats from vessel strikes, entanglements in fishing gear and food shortages.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Orcas from Iberia seen for first time off Cornwall
Wildlife experts have confirmed the first ever sighting of orcas from Iberia in Cornish two orcas were seen by Joe Pender as he conducted a seabird survey near St Agnes, the Isles of Scilly on Wednesday Allen of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust said it was the first time members of the pod which inhabits the Straits of Gibraltar in winter had been recorded off Cornwall and the Isles of said although the sightings were "exhilarating" it meant "unusual things are happening" as food distributions changed. Joe Pender was the skipper aboard the Scilly Pelagics seabird survey who saw the orcas, which are the largest members of the dolphin told the BBC he had spotted some fins about a mile away near Bishop Rock and as he drew nearer he had realised they did not belong to common dolphins as they were "far too big"."As we got closer, we realised they were two orcas together," he Pender said everyone on the boat had been "ecstatic" as they spent about half an hour observing the said: "I've seen an orca very distantly some 25 years ago and that's the only one I've ever seen."They're really rare, it's one thing we really didn't expect to see here."He said it was possible the pair had been in the area for a few days and a fisherman thought he had seen the pair earlier in the Pender added: "There's been a few seals coming up in the nets having been eaten, it's possible they [the orcas] may be the culprits." Ms Allen said the Environmental Records Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly had recorded "so many changes in the type of species we see".She said: "We're seeing more tuna, common dolphin, humpback whales and there's been a big boom in the octopus population."This year seems to have been a notable year for lots of different species and it really feels there's been a change that's driving this."We don't understand what this might be but it's probably linked to warming seas and pushing populations of species further north.""As much as it's really exciting, it's a little bit of a concern," she Pender agreed: "We're seeing a lot more humpbacks, fin whale and blue fin tuna - everything's on the move."
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Trail camera captures bizarre farting moment from unexpected nighttime visitor: 'There is actually a good reason for this activity'
Have you heard that taking a short walk after dinner can help with digestion? Apparently, this tradition is not exclusive to humans. Scientists caught a keystone species taking an evening walk to flatulate. "The beaver breaking wind gave the team a good giggle in the office and has continued to do so ever since," Lauren Jasper, beaver officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, told BBC's Discover Wildlife. The scientists' important work included setting up trail cameras to learn about the beaver population in the area. Beavers are a keystone species, which means that their contribution to the ecosystem is great enough to disrupt the food chain if removed. Trail cameras are powerful tools to help experts gauge population, behaviors, and overall health. Especially when it comes to endangered and keystone species, this research can make a massive difference in the health of a larger ecosystem. In England, beavers were hunted to extinction over 400 years ago. Many efforts across the country have been made to restore the biodiversity that beavers encourage. "When you bring beavers back, other wildlife follows," Cheryl Marriott, director of nature & people at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, told Discover Wildlife. Since reintroducing just two beavers to a wooded acreage with a stream in Cornwall in 2017, they have built eight new dams. Along with the dams came new ponds, which are now home to double the number of brown trout, 11 species of bats, 10 new species of birds recorded for the first time ever, 17 species of dragonflies, three species of mammals recorded for the first time ever, three new streams and 1,790 new square meters (1,927 square feet) of water surface, according to the Cornwall Beaver Project. Beavers are master architects of rich biodiversity, even if they are a little smelly. "There is actually a good reason for this activity," Jasper said of the farting. "The beaver might have been scent marking — they produce an oily substance from a gland near their tail to mark territory," reported Melissa Hobson for Discover Wildlife. Should the U.S. invest in building more wildlife overpasses? Absolutely Depends on how we do it Depends on where we do it Nope Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
ITV News
23-05-2025
- Science
- ITV News
Maerl beds: the irreplaceable fish nurseries under threat from sewage and pollution in Cornwall
Marine experts have warned that Cornwall's ancient coral beds are being damaged by pollution. Divers have found that the previously "purple and beautiful" maerl beds off St Mawes are now covered in a brown algae caused by sewage and to Cornwall Wildlife Trust, this development is a "massive concern" for the essential ecosystems. What are maerl beds? Maerl is a purple-pink seaweed that forms a hard layer on the seabed over thousands of years. This spiky surface is an irreplaceable marine habitat which acts as a nursery for commercial fish and shellfish species, as well as being a vital carbon store. Maerl beds are fragile structures which can easily be damaged by human activities such as towed fishing gear, anchor damage and commercial extraction. Protections like the EU Special Area of Conservation apply within the Fal estuary, meaning mobile fishing gear and maerl extraction are both now banned. What has happened to the maerl beds in Falmouth Bay? However, water quality is also a key threat to the habitat, and an organised dive at the recent UK Maerl Forum found that the ancient maerl beds off St Mawes had suffered a serious deterioration. Sewage and agricultural run-off cause raised nutrient levels in the water, which can lead to this algae now covering the beds. Speaking to ITV News West Country, a Marine Conservation Officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Matt Slater, explained: 'We were all absolutely shocked to find that instead of seeing a beautiful purple carpet of living mearl, it was absolutely smothered in brown algae, and you could tell that there was virtually no light getting through that seaweed." He added: "We really hope that it's going to survive, but we know from experience that was shared at the Maerl Forum, that in other parts of Europe where this has been witnessed, it has been really bad news." What can be done? According to Mr Slater, this deterioration should be "a wake up call that something needs to be done about water quality in the Fal". He noted: "It's great that there is work going on but we would love to see more of it, and quicker." Cornwall Wildlife Trust is working with farmers to reduce agricultural run-off and is encouraging sustainable fishing practises. South West Water has said it is working with the Environment Agency and Natural England to understand the sources and distribution of nutrients and chemicals. In a statement, the utility company added: "We are also planning to reduce the nutrient load at a number of wastewater treatment plants across our region, including at North Fal (St Stephen) and St Dennis, both within the wider Fal/Helford catchments, which will improve the quality of the water in the rivers that flow into the estuary. "We are reducing levels of phosphate in the treated wastewater that we return to the environment. We are serious about reducing the use of storm overflows and our plan is working, but there is more to do. We will be carrying out improvements at 16 Storm Overflows closest to the Fal Estuary area by 2030."
