It’s National Mammal Week from 23 October to 1 November 2020, a week to celebrate all mammals great and small and to give them our support.

The week is organised by the Mammal Society, and this charity work hard to do science-led conservation, so their conservation efforts are grounded on research.

They collect and share information on animals and encourage research so that more can be learnt about the ecology and distribution of mammals.  This means that efforts to conserve mammals will be more effective because more is known about them.

The Society has a project to make a “Red List” of endangered mammals for the UK, and memberships help pay both for this and the production of new guidelines and training on how to protect some of our most threatened species.  They also work to influence government policy and secure a future for Britain’s wildlife.

Which mammals live in the UK?

Take a look at the list of mammals in the UK here.  There are 107, and they include the hedgehog, red squirrel, water vole, harvest mouse, shrews, rabbits, hares, beavers, voles, otters, badgers, stoats, polecats and pine martens, deer, wild ponies (such as the Exmoor and Dartmoor), wallabies, seals, bats, whales and dolphins. 

Give a Gift Membership to the Mammal Society today

Give a gift membership and help the Mammal Society help mammals!

Just imagine – for less than the cost of a cup of coffee every month, giving a gift membership to a nature lover would mean you’re supporting research to help the conservation of British mammals!

Members receive (and this is from their website in October 2020):

• Reduced ticket prices for our workshops, training and conferences at venues around the country.
• Updates on mammals and research via Mammal News
• Their E-bulletin to keep you further up to date
• Mammal Review – you need to pay an additional fee for this
• Access to our trap loan scheme
• Access to knowledge of ongoing mammal projects in your area

Your gift will make a difference to mammals

If you want to treat someone who is serious about helping mammals, or simply wants to help make a difference, why not give a gift membership?  All gift memberships come with a free gift and the knowledge for you that you are helping mammals so your gift will make a difference.

To find out more about gift memberships, email the Membership Officer at [email protected] or 02380 010 982.

Alternatively, why not take a look at the Mammal Society's shop?  It has something for all the family with some gorgeous pictures on t-shirts and sweatshirts.   Hop off here to the Mammal Society's online store.

Many species have thrived during lockdown – and there’s great news from the National Trust about one of them!

Peregrine falcons have thrived during lockdown.

Peregrine falcons at Corfe Castle in Dorset have thrived during lockdown!

The National Trust reports that peregrine falcon chicks have hatched in the ruins of a 12^th century castle in Dorset in the south of England AND across the rugged moors of the Peak District!

The National Trust think the success of these birds is most probably down to the peaceful environment lockdown created.   There are 11 peregrine falcon chicks ready to fledge across four acres of land that the Trust cares for.   Three of these were at Corfe Castle in Dorset and the other eight were found at three different sites in the Peak District’s High Peak Moors!

The breeding peregrines in Dorset had built a nest 70 feet up on the castle’s keep walls – the first time a pair of the raptors had nested there since the 1980s.  The castle was quiet, thanks to lockdown, so the birds had the peace and quiet they needed to make a nest and lay their eggs.  By opening time, the eggs had hatched – so the parents were not likely to abandon their nest. The parents encourage their offspring into the big wide world, by offering them food!

When this little chick grows up, it will be able to fly at about 200 miles an hour...
Find out more

And there are six successful breeding pairs in the National Park moors this year – double the average since the Bird of Prey Initiative started to report in 2012.  The goal is to encourage at least 17 breeding pairs and that will hopefully mean lots of young peregrine falcons!

When these peregrine falcons grow up, they will be the fastest animals in the world.  Stooping adults hunting prey can reach incredible speeds of 200 miles an hour.  Their wingspan reaches 1.2 metres.  That’s impressive.

The National Trust is working in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology, Natural England and volunteers from the Peak District Raptor Monitoring Group.  Many of the birds in the Peak District have been ringed so that it’s possible to monitor their progress.

It is really important that visitors keep their distance because if the chick’s parents are disturbed, the adult birds may not come back to feed their offspring who will die.

The ultimate vision is for the moors to be full of wildlife and the Trust is working with tenants and partners to make this happen.

Fly away to the National Trust here to find out more - and to see some absolutely stunning photos of the peregrine falcons!.

Give a gift membership and help the National Trust protect wildlife such as the peregrine falcon, the puffin, beavers, otters, and more!

Members enjoy 

• Free entry (on pre-booking) to some of the National Trust's gardens and parklands as they reopen
• Free parking at most of their coast and countryside car parks (pre-booking required for a small number of car parks) as they reopen
• Members' Handbook, full of information about their places
• National Trust Magazine three times a year, packed with inspiration, interviews and news

Plus, when all of their places and car parks reopen:

• Free entry to over 500 special places, including their houses
• Free parking at most National Trust car parks

You will have the knowledge that your gift is helping the National Trust to protect some amazing wildlife and places for future generations!

National Marine Week takes place from Saturday 25th July to 9th August and as such it's an opportunity to celebrate marine life and do what we can to protect it.

The "week" (it's actually longer than that) is organised by the Wildlife Trusts.  There are plenty of things to do and see or watch, however far away you are from the coast - and it's a wonderful chance to learn more about our marine life.

It's also a chance to spread the word that the Wildlife Trust have a gift membership - so if you are looking for a membership idea for a nature lover or someone who loves sea life and the natural world, this could be a great one to take a look at.

One of the great things about the Wildlife Trust is that there are 46 Wildlife Trusts around the UK (including Alderney Wildlife Trust which has some amazing You Tube videos of puffins and the wildlife there).  And most of them have membership schemes so actually you could look for a Wildlife Trust that's close to your loved on.

So what do the Wildlife Trusts do for the sea?

• Campaign for Marine Protected Areas - they campaign for parts of the seabed and the sea to be protected from damaging activities
• They work for balanced fishing policies that help to protect our marine environment and ensure a sustainable fishing industry
• They run surveys along the coast and under the sea to gather information on wildlife and marine habitats
• They help ensure that developments at sea avoid the most important parts of the sea for wildlife
• The run events around the coast such as talks, rockpool rambles and underwataer snorkel safaris to inspire people about the sea

The Trust looks after over 100,000 hectares of land for wildlife - woods, meadows, hils and beachers. They maintain nature reserves and provide wild volunteering opportunities for people of all ages.  And they run marine conservation projects to promote healthy seas and marine wildlife.

Give a Gift Membership to the Wildlife Trust.

(Image copyright Wildlife Trusts)

Calling all cat lovers!

Did you know that national cat charity Cats Protection have a membership scheme?  Well, they do, and you can give a membership to someone who loves cats and help the charity care for all the cats in their care, and reach out to educate the public in all matters cat!

Members receive The Cat magazine four times a year. 
I love receiving mine through the post!

Image © Cats Protection

Amongst other benefits, members receive the excellent magazine The Cat four times a year.  I'm a member of Cats Protection (having been a volunteer for them before they moved) and my husband was always wondering if I was going to bring home a lot of friends for our cat, Trouble.  To do such a think wouldn't have gone down well with husband or cat, so I had to content myself with lots of cuddles there!  Ours was not into cuddles, really - he loved being stroked but not cuddled.  

I did grow cat nip in the garden, not just because  our cat Trouble liked it but because I would take some to the cats who were at the re-homing centre.  They loved it - cats do adore cat nip, they love the smell.

The Cat magazine is great;  it's full of news, information, advice and tips and - of course - stunning photos of cats of all ages.   It's also good to know that there are lots of fellow cat lovers doing what they can to help cats up and down the country.

Make a Difference to cats and give a cat lover a membership!
Image © Cats Protection

By the way, Cats Protection have launched an online course which is free to help you discover more about cats.   On Feline Focus, (you need to scroll down the page), there's an Understanding Cats Needs online course for people of all ages, 11+.  There's also careers information for anyone wanting to work with cats.

Visit Cats Protection website here.

Miaow for now!