Wildlife & Conservation
St Kilda overtakes Bass Rock as home of the world’s largest gannet colony
St Kilda is now home to the world’s largest gannet colony, the first drone census of the remote archipelago has revealed. Gannets are the UK’s largest seabird and can be found across the North Atlantic. Adults are distinguished by their white feathers, large wingspan of up to two metres, black wingtips, and the unique yellow…
Read MoreFirst osprey chick of the season hatches at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in Lochaber
The first osprey chick of the season has hatched at Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in Lochaber. Osprey Dad Louis has been in residence every summer since 2017, with his first mate Aila until 2020 and his second mate, Dorcha since then. The first breach in the eggshell, known as a pip, appeared at 5:20am on…
Read MoreBreeding ospreys lay egg at Loch of the Lowes for the first time this year
A pair of breeding ospreys have laid an egg at Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve for the first time this year after a competitive mating process. At least seven different ospreys have been contending for the popular nesting site, however a male and female, now officially known as LM24 and LF25 respectively, have fought off…
Read MoreConservation stocking may be the only option to stop complete loss of wild salmon populations new study finds
Wild salmon numbers in Scotland have declined to such an extent that conservation stocking may be the only option to stop the complete loss of the threatened populations, experts have warned. A groundbreaking new study by the River Carron Conservation Association (RCCA) found fish stocked as eggs or juveniles survive to return as adults and…
Read MoreScottish Wildlife Trust buys Highland sporting estate for £17.5m after biggest donation in history
Scottish Wildlife Trust has purchased a Highland sporting estate after a mystery donor gave them £17.5 million to buy it. The conservation charity has bought Inverbroom estate near Ullapool which spans 7,618-hectare – an area larger than the city of Dundee. The donation that made the purchase possible was the largest in the trust’s 60-year…
Read MoreFirst Gannets of the year return to Bass Rock for spring
The first gannets of the year have returned to Bass Rock, home to the largest colony of Northern gannets on the planet. The gannets left the Rock, off the coast of North Berwick, in October to spend the winter in warmer seas, some travelling as far as the west coast of Africa. Their return to…
Read MoreArctic Wave Dancer: One of Britain’s rarest fly species discovered at Scottish nature reserve
One of Britain’s rarest fly species has been discovered at Scotland’s largest nature reserve. The endangered fly species, known as the Arctic Wave Dancer for its lochside courtship displays, is found on just three sites in the Cairngorms and nowhere else in the UK. The National Trust for Scotland team are celebrating after the threatened…
Read MoreEdinburgh Zoo: We try out the £2,000 bespoke private tour
I have fond memories of Edinburgh Zoo. Many trips were enjoyed there as a child with my grandparents and growing up it quickly became the highlight of the summer holidays But admittedly it’s been a very long time since my last visit and as I arrive in the capital on a freezing cold day, wrapped…
Read MoreRecord numbers of rare moth recorded at Scottish nature reserve
Record numbers of one of the UK’s rarest species of moth have been recorded at a nature reserve in Scotland. The Dark Bordered Beauty moth can be found in only a few places in Scotland and just one location in England. The loss of native woodland, increased pressure from grazers, and a lack of diversity…
Read MoreScottish cuckoos successfully make it to Africa for the winter
Two cuckoos tagged in Scotland earlier this year have successfully made it to tropical Africa where they will spend the winter months. Since 2011, BTO has fitted more than 120 individual cuckoos with state-of-the-art satellite tags to unravel the mysteries of their migrations and help their conservation. Henry and George 2 were tagged at Dundonnell…
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