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BW Scotland - Scotland’s Canals Awash wi’ Tim’rous
Beasties!
Results of British Waterways’ annual survey,
Wednesday 26 November
2008, unveils growing diversity of Scotland's waterway wildlife
Scotland’s canals are teeming with water-loving wildlife and are providing
valuable homes for rare and unusual species such as water voles, kingfishers
and even the odd terrapin,
according to the results of British Waterways’ fifth
annual wildlife survey released Wednesday 26 November 2008.
Despite a year of unusually wet weather, more than 3,000 sightings of wildlife
were recorded nationally, over 1,000 of these occurring in and around Scotland’s
waterways.
Sightings in Scotland ranged from Swans, Herons, Coots and Bats, to Mink,
Otter and Water Voles, as well as Damselflies, Dragonflies and two Terrapins!
A staggering 34 per cent of this year’s UK sightings were in Scotland,
nearly 10 times the 104 recorded last year.
This year’s survey, supported by the British Dragonfly Society, focused
on dragonflies and damselflies, and more than 350 were spotted across the UK,
with 52 of these in Scotland.
The aim of the British Dragonfly
Society is to promote and encourage the study
and conservation of dragonflies and their natural habitats, especially in the
United Kingdom.
British Waterways’ ecologists say that the
presence of these much loved and colourful insects is a key indicator of good
water quality and a healthy local ecosystem, as they need to lay their eggs in
or near water.
The 2008 BW survey in Scotland also shows:
• mallards and swans are the most commonly sighted species in Scotland
• that frogs have leapt up since last year to become the third most spotted
animal in Scotland
• there has been a dip in the number of sightings of kingfishers in the
UK, which could be related to flooding damaging nesting sites and feeding grounds,
however 10 sightings were recorded in Scotland this year
• terrapins, not a native animal but released pets, can harm our own natural
wildlife and luckily only two were spotted in Scotland
• although rare, water voles – best known as Ratty in Wind in the
Willows – were spotted in even numbers across the country, with five recorded
in Scotland
• the water voles’ arch nemesis, mink, was spotted most frequently
in the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Scotland, with 12 animals recorded
Dr Olivia Lassiere, heritage and environment manager, British Waterways Scotland
says: “Scotland’s waterways are free and accessible for everyone
to enjoy and are great places to see wildlife. They provide vital habitats in
urban and rural areas for a wide range of animals, from bats and badgers to dragonflies
and water voles.
“It is encouraging to see that the British
Waterways Scotland wildlife
survey 2008 records include stunning kingfishers, ancient living fossil dragonflies
and damselflies and threatened water voles. I would like to express my sincere
thanks to everybody who took part in the survey this year. Their sharp eyes and
ears have helped to show how important our waterways are for wildlife and will
help to inform our future management decisions.”
To find out the best places to spot dragonflies, damselflies and other wildlife
in your local area visit www.Waterscape.com.
