aSometimes things work out just fine if you leave them to the last minute; generally they do not. Today, however, was the former. I had my biggest ever NARRS reptile count - 87 common lizards and one slow-worm - in two hours walking round Redhill Common in Bournemouth, Dorset, at the very tail end of the season. Talk about leaving it late though...
This story is doing the rounds at the moment: a two-headed adder seen in Yorkshire. Here is the BBC's take on it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/24289923
The British Standards Institution (BSI) has published a British Standard for biodiversity management, assessment and information provision in the development-planning process. BS42020:2013 aims to set the gold standard for biodiversity professionals, and will be regarded with great interest in the ecological consultancy industry.
Every year, we try to keep our 'continued professional development' (CPD) profiles updated by attending conferences and training courses. Not only are these important professionally; they are rewarding, enjoyable and educational. This week I attended an excellent CIEEM training course in Somerset on lichens, bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) and fungi.
Thanks to all the county Wildlife Trusts that expressed interest in our recent round of competitions on Twitter. We offered a free slug and snail survey, and a free reptile survey training day.
The following was taken from the Buglife and Exmoor National Park Authority websites:
Buglife and Exmoor National Park Authority are appealing for sightings of White-clawed crayfish on Exmoor. The two organisations are working together on a new project to map the species on Exmoor.
With the economy still reeling from recession, and more Government cutbacks in the pipeline, the ecological professions face the same uncertain future as other disciplines. Nature conservation is taking a knock in these hard times, and the wildlife is set to suffer if cutbacks result in less protection and conservation.
LIMÓN, Costa Rica— Conservation groups today announced a $10,000 reward for information on the brutal killing of Jairo Mora Sandoval, a sea turtle activist working to protect nesting sea turtles on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast near Limón. According to media reports, the 26-year-old conservationist was kidnapped by armed men on Thursday; his body was found a day later.
CGO Ecology has been busy lately. A recent highlight was visiting the Caribbean islands of Trinidad & Tobago, where we were honoured to be guests of sea turtle conservation charity SOS Tobago - Save Our Sea Turtles Tobago. Program Manager Giancarlo Lalsingh took us to see their excellent monitoring and guardian work first-hand, all achieved on limited means. We saw five giant nesting female leatherbacks that night - a moving experience, and an impressive spectacle.
CGO Ecology Director & Principal Ecologist Chris Gleed-Owen will be away from the UK from 7-23 May 2013, on honeymoon in Trinidad & Tobago. Please forgive any lack of service in the meantime.