In recent years, British wildlife has been in decline. The 2020 WWF: State of Nature report showed a 68% decline in worldwide population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish between 1970 and 2016. Over the last half-century, a combination of urbanisation, agriculture, climate change, and pollution has caused the animal levels to decrease, something that continued despite efforts to prevent and reverse losses.
68% average drop in global wildlife population sizes since the 1970s.
75% of the Earth’s ice-free land surface has been significantly altered.
80% of global marine pollution comes from agriculture runoff, untreated sewage, discharge of nutrients and pesticides.
90% of all seabirds are found to have plastic pieces in their stomachs.
94% decline in the LPI for the tropical subregions of the Americas is the largest fall observed in any region.
Humans are overusing the Earth’s biodiversity by at least 56%.
Biodiversity is fundamental to human life, however, human life threatens biodiversity. Currently, biodiversity is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate.
While the UK is not one of the worst countries in terms of our natural environment we can always do more to help wildlife numbers. Since the 1500s more than 133 UK species have become fully extinct within the UK, with many more currently at threat of going extinct. Many of these animals, surprisingly, are ones that you may even find in your garden throughout Britain. These animals include;
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Hedgehogs have a rounded body which is covered in short, dark, yellow-tipped spines. Their face and underside are covered in coarse hair. In the summer they spend most of the day sheltering in a nest of leaves, moss and grass throughout mainland Britain.. They come out at night and can be heard snuffling and grunting as they forage for food. In the autumn they tend to find a sheltered spot to hibernate. Many hedgehogs are killed unintentionally by humans: on the road, with lawnmowers, strimmers, and garden chemicals, and in bonfires.
Hedgehogs tend to forage for food eating slugs, snails and beetles, as well as also eating birds’ eggs, nestlings and even dead animals.
Length up to 30cm | Weight up to 1.2kg
Cicadas are actually a superfamily of insects that are divided into two families; Tettigarctidae (with two species in Australia) and Cicadidae (More than 3000 species across the world). The insects have prominent eyes, short antennae, and membranous wings. They’re known for their loud song which is produced by most species and is actually one of the loudest insects in the world.
Cicada nymphs drink sap from the xylem of various species of trees, including oak, cypress, willow, ash, and maple, while adults drink plant sap.
Length up to 5.5cm | Weight up to 2g
Red squirrels eat a mainly vegetarian diet consisting of seeds, hazelnuts, ripe acorns, fungus, bark and even sapwood. They may also occasionally take animal prey such as young birds and unattended eggs.
Length up to 21cm | Weight up to 330g
The biggest threat to red squirrels in the UK is actually the introduction of grey squirrels from North America during the late 19th-early 20th century. Unfortunately, the grey squirrels tend to out-complete the smaller red squirrels. Not only did grey squirrels out compete red squirrels for food, but they also brought with them new diseases that threatened red squirrels. Numbers of red squirrels are now very low and they can only really be found in specific areas of the UK.
Water voles have chestnut-brown fur with a blunt rounded nose, small ears, and a fluffy tail with a similar appearance to the brown rat – Scotland’s water voles tend to appear darker with almost black fur. UK water voles are actually much larger than other vole species you might come across in other parts of the world.
Water voles eat grasses and waterside vegetation, with around 227 plant species having been identified within their diet.
Length up to 22cm | Weight up to 0.3kg
Rivers | Streams | Pools | Lakes | Marshes
Water voles were once widespread and common throughout the UK. The water vole is still widespread throughout the UK, however, within the last 10 years, the water vole has undergone one of the most serious declines of any British mammal.
Pine Martens are closely related to weasels, ferrets, and otters and look alike to these species with small round ears, short legs, and longer bodies. The pine marten is larger than many of its relatives roughly the size of a small cat with males being around 1/3rd bigger than females.
Pine Martens find much of their food on the ground, hunting at night and dusk for small mammals like voles and rabbits along with birds and insects. The pine marten will also snack on fungi, berries, and eggs they find while foraging for food. One potentially positive note, pine martens have also been found to prey on grey squirrels, meaning they could be useful for helping improve red squirrel numbers.
Length up to 27cm | Weight up to 2.2kg
Woodlands (Often Pine Trees) | Scrub | Rocky Areas
Once the second most common carnivore within Britain’s woodlands until it’s numbers took a decline and the animal almost ended up extinct within the UK. Clearance of woodlands together with predator control decimated pine marten populations, with Scotland being one of the main areas that the carnivore survived.
Scottish wildcats mainly feed on small mammals like rabbits and rodents such as voles and rats. They’re also not fussy about taking down a variety of bird species with their excellent sight and stealth hunting.
Length up to 98cm | Weight up to 8kg
Woodlands | Shrubland | Forests
Scottish wildcats are one of the rarest mammals within the UK, due to a combination of hunting and habitat loss they disappeared from England and Wales around 200 years ago. The biggest threat currently facing Scottish wildcats is hybridisation as they often breed with feral domestic cats diluting the wildcats’ genes.
Plants are great for attracting wildlife to your garden while also providing a food source for butterflies and moths. While these animals will happily feed on the nectar from most plants, their young may only feed on one or two plant species – for example, brimstone butterflies will only feed and lay eggs on buckthorn bushes. Planting a range of different plants and flowers that flower at different stages of the year is a great way to attract new wildlife and provide a food source for many different species and animals.
Plants are great for attracting wildlife to your garden while also providing a food source for butterflies and moths. While these animals will happily feed on the nectar from most plants, their young may only feed on one or two plant species – for example, brimstone butterflies will only feed and lay eggs on buckthorn bushes. Planting a range of different plants and flowers that flower at different stages of the year is a great way to attract new wildlife and provide a food source for many different species and animals.
Plants are great for attracting wildlife to your garden while also providing a food source for butterflies and moths. While these animals will happily feed on the nectar from most plants, their young may only feed on one or two plant species – for example, brimstone butterflies will only feed and lay eggs on buckthorn bushes. Planting a range of different plants and flowers that flower at different stages of the year is a great way to attract new wildlife and provide a food source for many different species and animals.
Plants are great for attracting wildlife to your garden while also providing a food source for butterflies and moths. While these animals will happily feed on the nectar from most plants, their young may only feed on one or two plant species – for example, brimstone butterflies will only feed and lay eggs on buckthorn bushes. Planting a range of different plants and flowers that flower at different stages of the year is a great way to attract new wildlife and provide a food source for many different species and animals.
Plants are great for attracting wildlife to your garden while also providing a food source for butterflies and moths. While these animals will happily feed on the nectar from most plants, their young may only feed on one or two plant species – for example, brimstone butterflies will only feed and lay eggs on buckthorn bushes. Planting a range of different plants and flowers that flower at different stages of the year is a great way to attract new wildlife and provide a food source for many different species and animals.
Plants are great for attracting wildlife to your garden while also providing a food source for butterflies and moths. While these animals will happily feed on the nectar from most plants, their young may only feed on one or two plant species – for example, brimstone butterflies will only feed and lay eggs on buckthorn bushes. Planting a range of different plants and flowers that flower at different stages of the year is a great way to attract new wildlife and provide a food source for many different species and animals.
Plants are great for attracting wildlife to your garden while also providing a food source for butterflies and moths. While these animals will happily feed on the nectar from most plants, their young may only feed on one or two plant species – for example, brimstone butterflies will only feed and lay eggs on buckthorn bushes. Planting a range of different plants and flowers that flower at different stages of the year is a great way to attract new wildlife and provide a food source for many different species and animals.
Plants are great for attracting wildlife to your garden while also providing a food source for butterflies and moths. While these animals will happily feed on the nectar from most plants, their young may only feed on one or two plant species – for example, brimstone butterflies will only feed and lay eggs on buckthorn bushes. Planting a range of different plants and flowers that flower at different stages of the year is a great way to attract new wildlife and provide a food source for many different species and animals.
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