THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH WILDLIFEBIRDSMAMMALSREPTILESSHARKS &

RAYSGALLERYARTICLES

Slugs and snails feature in the diet of hedgehogs, but less often than many people image and it tends only to be the small slugs and small, thin-shelled snails that are taken in SQUIRREL TERRITORY & HOME RANGE Squirrels are known to range over a large area, the size of which varies according to season and habitat type. In British hardwoods forests, for example, Grey squirrels tend to range over between two and ten hectares (i.e. 25 to 125 home ranges in a square mile) for most of the year in productive woodlands with a stable mast crop, but

males may

RED FOX DENS/EARTHS & RESTING SITES Foxes sometimes take up residence underground in excavations called earths or dens – these terms are used interchangeably, although earth tends to be a British term, while den is more commonly used in American and European literature. In some early, particularly hunting, literature an earth is occasionally referred to as a “kennel” or

“lair”.

RED FOX TERRITORY & HOME RANGE SQUIRREL FUR COLOUR & CHARACTERISTICS Coat colour in squirrels is, however, highly variable, particularly among Red squirrels. Indeed, many of the 40 proposed Red subspecies are thought to actually be colour variants. Red squirrel fur can range from jet black to a dull yellowy-brown (often referred to as “buff”), covering most shades of red and brown in between, and the

pelage

SQUIRREL BEHAVIOUR

Squirrel Behaviour - Dominance, Aggression & Territoriality. Dominance hierarchies are known in sciurid society, with pecking orders observed in both Reds and Greys. In Red squirrels, inter- and intrasexual (i.e. between and within sexes) dominance has been recorded; males are often, but not necessarily, dominant to MANGE IN THE RED FOX Summary: There are several different forms of mange, each caused by a different species of mite, but sarcoptic mange most commonly affects foxes. Sarcoptic mange is a skin disease caused by the small (2 to 4 mm, or less than one-quarter of an inch) parasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei, several thousand of which may burrow into a single square-centimetre of skin. EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING During the breeding season, sexing can often be done on the bases of descended testes, lactation (i.e. highly visible teats) or, sometimes, cub association. More generically, it is sometimes possible to separate males and females based on stature. Males tend to be bigger than the females, with a broader head, fuller cheeks and a less tufted

tail.

RED FOX BREEDING

Red Fox Breeding - Growth & Development of Cubs. At birth, the cubs are covered in a fine grey woolly fur, have a pink nose (which turns black within the first week), weigh between 50 and 150 grams (1.8 – 5.3 oz.) and are blind and deaf. (Like those of most mammals, fox kidneys excrete urea directly into the amniotic fluid during

development

WHAT DISEASES AND PARASITES DO RED FOXES CARRY? THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH WILDLIFEBIRDSMAMMALSREPTILESSHARKS &

RAYSGALLERYARTICLES

Slugs and snails feature in the diet of hedgehogs, but less often than many people image and it tends only to be the small slugs and small, thin-shelled snails that are taken in SQUIRREL TERRITORY & HOME RANGE Squirrels are known to range over a large area, the size of which varies according to season and habitat type. In British hardwoods forests, for example, Grey squirrels tend to range over between two and ten hectares (i.e. 25 to 125 home ranges in a square mile) for most of the year in productive woodlands with a stable mast crop, but

males may

RED FOX DENS/EARTHS & RESTING SITES Foxes sometimes take up residence underground in excavations called earths or dens – these terms are used interchangeably, although earth tends to be a British term, while den is more commonly used in American and European literature. In some early, particularly hunting, literature an earth is occasionally referred to as a “kennel” or

“lair”.

RED FOX TERRITORY & HOME RANGE SQUIRREL FUR COLOUR & CHARACTERISTICS Coat colour in squirrels is, however, highly variable, particularly among Red squirrels. Indeed, many of the 40 proposed Red subspecies are thought to actually be colour variants. Red squirrel fur can range from jet black to a dull yellowy-brown (often referred to as “buff”), covering most shades of red and brown in between, and the

pelage

SQUIRREL BEHAVIOUR

Squirrel Behaviour - Dominance, Aggression & Territoriality. Dominance hierarchies are known in sciurid society, with pecking orders observed in both Reds and Greys. In Red squirrels, inter- and intrasexual (i.e. between and within sexes) dominance has been recorded; males are often, but not necessarily, dominant to MANGE IN THE RED FOX Summary: There are several different forms of mange, each caused by a different species of mite, but sarcoptic mange most commonly affects foxes. Sarcoptic mange is a skin disease caused by the small (2 to 4 mm, or less than one-quarter of an inch) parasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei, several thousand of which may burrow into a single square-centimetre of skin. EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING During the breeding season, sexing can often be done on the bases of descended testes, lactation (i.e. highly visible teats) or, sometimes, cub association. More generically, it is sometimes possible to separate males and females based on stature. Males tend to be bigger than the females, with a broader head, fuller cheeks and a less tufted

tail.

RED FOX BREEDING

Red Fox Breeding - Growth & Development of Cubs. At birth, the cubs are covered in a fine grey woolly fur, have a pink nose (which turns black within the first week), weigh between 50 and 150 grams (1.8 – 5.3 oz.) and are blind and deaf. (Like those of most mammals, fox kidneys excrete urea directly into the amniotic fluid during

development

WHAT DISEASES AND PARASITES DO RED FOXES CARRY? BATS - BEHAVIOUR & SOCIAL STRUCTURE Bats are very social mammals, and it is difficult to do justice to a topic as broad as this without writing reams and reams of text. As such, I will cover bat behaviour and social structure briefly here and urge anyone interested in finding out more to check out the Bibliography for a list of excellent bat books.. About one million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) emerging from DEER (OVERVIEW) SENSES Deer (Overview) Senses - Hearing. In his 1995 book The Roe Deer, Richard Prior draws attention to Capreolus having “large ears constantly moving”. Indeed, even when their owner is at rest, a deer’s ears are scanning for any sound. The ears of a deer are highly (and independently) mobile and can be rotated almost 180 degrees; at the same EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING During the breeding season, sexing can often be done on the bases of descended testes, lactation (i.e. highly visible teats) or, sometimes, cub association. More generically, it is sometimes possible to separate males and females based on stature. Males tend to be bigger than the females, with a broader head, fuller cheeks and a less tufted

tail.

EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG BEHAVIOUR Hedgehogs fighting in a garden in Munich, Germany. - Credit: fabi42. In an article to The London Naturalist in 1958, Miss D.A. Rook described an aggressive encounter between hedgehogs that she witnessed in her garden in the outer London suburbs on the evening of 27 th July 1957. Rook described watching two hedgehogs circling each other near

her

RED FOX SENSES

Red Fox Senses. Home › Animals › Mammals › Foxes › Red fox. Foxes are superb hunters with a finely-tuned battery of senses that allow them to interpret the world and respond accordingly to catch their prey. Curiously, despite having been farmed and studied for decades, there are surprisingly few empirical studies on fox sensory

biology

EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG NESTS A hedgehog collecting nesting material in a Hampshire garden. -Credit: Happy Hedgehog Rescue. Rautio and her co-workers noted that forest areas were one of the most important nesting habitats for urban hedgehogs, especially in autumn and winter, when coniferous forests provide a secure hibernation site and just over one-third of nests were built under bushes or against tree trunks.

RED FOX BREEDING

Red Fox Breeding - Growth & Development of Cubs. At birth, the cubs are covered in a fine grey woolly fur, have a pink nose (which turns black within the first week), weigh between 50 and 150 grams (1.8 – 5.3 oz.) and are blind and deaf. (Like those of most mammals, fox kidneys excrete urea directly into the amniotic fluid during

development

RABIES AND THE RED FOX Rabies and the Red Fox. Summary: Rabies is an acutely infectious viral disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which is typically transmitted in the saliva of infected animals, especially dogs; transmission is most commonly via a bite. In foxes, symptoms include seizures, inability to drink (hydrophobia), disorientation, being in a

RED FOX APPEARANCE

Red Fox Appearance. Red foxes are medium-sized canids with a skull similar to that of a domestic dog, but narrower with a slender, whiskered muzzle and large pointed, erect ears. The fox has an elongated body with slender limbs and a long bushy tail (accounting

for about 40%

RED FOX INTERACTION WITH HUMANS The Red fox is a terrifically adaptable species and, as we’ve already seen, have one of the most catholic diets of any mammal. There is a mountain of science supporting the tendency of foxes to switch their prey and no indication of reliance on any one prey source. Similarly, many wildlife rehabilitators have commented on how the

foxes they

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH WILDLIFEBIRDSMAMMALSREPTILESSHARKS &

RAYSGALLERYARTICLES

Seasonal Update (April 2021) A round up of March's weather, the usual science and conservation news and new research looking at Tawny owl colour morphs and Brown hare predator avoidance. SQUIRREL PLAY BEHAVIOUR Grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) behaving in an erratic manner in a Cambridgeshire garden. This video is a compilation of 15 trailcam videos recorded over four days in RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red deer are found throughout much of Europe, including a large swathe covering north France, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Poland. EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING An example of the potential sexual dimorphism in badgers. The badger on the left has a much broader head than the one on the right, suggesting male and female, respectively. SQUIRREL TERRITORY & HOME RANGE In order to survive from one year to the next, an animal must obtain certain things. It must find enough food and water, sufficient shelter and, in most cases, also find a mate. DEER (OVERVIEW) SENSES In his 1995 book The Roe Deer, Richard Prior draws attention to Capreolus having “large ears constantly moving”. Indeed, even when their owner is at rest, a deer’s ears are scanning for any sound. The ears of a deer are highly (and independently) mobile and can be rotated almost 180 degrees; at the same time, their large size and cupped structure allows for the efficient gathering of SQUIRREL FUR COLOUR & CHARACTERISTICS A comparison of the typical (left) and melanistic (right) colour morphs of the Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) on Anglesey. - Credit: Kev Lewis Red and Grey squirrels are WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FIND AN INJURED BAT? Ideally, phone the National Bat Helpline immediately. The helpline is run by the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) in the UK-only and can be reached on (0345) 1300 228 at .The helpline is, however, only staffed Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm (GMT/BST). EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG BEHAVIOUR Two hedgehogs fighting aggressively on Jersey during 2016. It has been suggested that such fights occur more often than we realise and may be a result of garden feeding stations concentrating hedgehogs at densities they wouldn't normally be found at. I’VE RESCUED A GREY SQUIRREL. CAN I RELEASE IT BACK INTO Grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) cannot be released in Britain without a licence. - Credit: Marc Baldwin The details. Recently there has been some confusion about this in the media. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH WILDLIFEBIRDSMAMMALSREPTILESSHARKS &

RAYSGALLERYARTICLES

Seasonal Update (April 2021) A round up of March's weather, the usual science and conservation news and new research looking at Tawny owl colour morphs and Brown hare predator avoidance. SQUIRREL PLAY BEHAVIOUR Grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) behaving in an erratic manner in a Cambridgeshire garden. This video is a compilation of 15 trailcam videos recorded over four days in RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red deer are found throughout much of Europe, including a large swathe covering north France, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Poland. EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING An example of the potential sexual dimorphism in badgers. The badger on the left has a much broader head than the one on the right, suggesting male and female, respectively. SQUIRREL TERRITORY & HOME RANGE In order to survive from one year to the next, an animal must obtain certain things. It must find enough food and water, sufficient shelter and, in most cases, also find a mate. DEER (OVERVIEW) SENSES In his 1995 book The Roe Deer, Richard Prior draws attention to Capreolus having “large ears constantly moving”. Indeed, even when their owner is at rest, a deer’s ears are scanning for any sound. The ears of a deer are highly (and independently) mobile and can be rotated almost 180 degrees; at the same time, their large size and cupped structure allows for the efficient gathering of SQUIRREL FUR COLOUR & CHARACTERISTICS A comparison of the typical (left) and melanistic (right) colour morphs of the Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) on Anglesey. - Credit: Kev Lewis Red and Grey squirrels are WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FIND AN INJURED BAT? Ideally, phone the National Bat Helpline immediately. The helpline is run by the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) in the UK-only and can be reached on (0345) 1300 228 at .The helpline is, however, only staffed Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm (GMT/BST). EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG BEHAVIOUR Two hedgehogs fighting aggressively on Jersey during 2016. It has been suggested that such fights occur more often than we realise and may be a result of garden feeding stations concentrating hedgehogs at densities they wouldn't normally be found at. I’VE RESCUED A GREY SQUIRREL. CAN I RELEASE IT BACK INTO Grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) cannot be released in Britain without a licence. - Credit: Marc Baldwin The details. Recently there has been some confusion about this in the media. RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red deer are found throughout much of Europe, including a large swathe covering north France, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Poland. DEER (OVERVIEW) SENSES In his 1995 book The Roe Deer, Richard Prior draws attention to Capreolus having “large ears constantly moving”. Indeed, even when their owner is at rest, a deer’s ears are scanning for any sound. The ears of a deer are highly (and independently) mobile and can be rotated almost 180 degrees; at the same time, their large size and cupped structure allows for the efficient gathering of EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG NESTS A hedgehog collecting nesting material in a Hampshire garden. -Credit: Happy Hedgehog Rescue. Rautio and her co-workers noted that forest areas were one of the most important nesting habitats for urban hedgehogs, especially in autumn and winter, when coniferous forests provide a secure hibernation site and just over one-third of nests were built under bushes or against tree trunks. RED FOX DENS/EARTHS & RESTING SITES Foxes sometimes take up residence underground in excavations called earths or dens – these terms are used interchangeably, although earth tends to be a British term, while den is more commonly used in American and European literature. In some early, particularly hunting, literature an earth is occasionally referred to as a “kennel” or

“lair”.

EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG BEHAVIOUR Two hedgehogs fighting aggressively on Jersey during 2016. It has been suggested that such fights occur more often than we realise and may be a result of garden feeding stations concentrating hedgehogs at densities they wouldn't normally be found at.

RED FOX APPEARANCE

A typical Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in its winter coat. - Credit: Maggie Bruce / Photos of Foxes & Maybe More They have very light skeletons with long hind legs for their size. Indeed, in his comparative study of canid morphology, published in 1954, the scholarly American zoologist Milton Hildebrand calculated that Red foxes had disproportionally longer hind legs compared with other closely EUROPEAN BADGER BEHAVIOUR Anyone who has spent time watching badgers at their sett will know that they spend a significant amount of their time grooming. The most prolonged bouts of grooming tend to occur shortly after emergence from the sett, but it is not uncommon to see a badger sit down and scratch

in

RED FOX DIET

Foxes relish eggs for their high protein and fat content. Some individuals are adept at breaking into them to remove the contents without spilling any. EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG SEXING An uncurled male hedgehog, showing the penis as a protrusion in the middle of the stomach where one might expect a belly button. - Credit: Happy Hedgehog Rescue Discerning between sexes often requires a considerable degree of skill, not because visual discrimination is particularly difficult, but because getting the hedgehog to uncurl can be something of an art! RED FOX INTERACTION WITH HUMANS Not everyone has four thousand pounds to spend buying a domesticated farm fox and, as such, are restricted to watching wild animals. Getting even a glimpse of a wild rural fox can be frustratingly difficult (and I speak from considerable personal experience there); but, fortunately for those who appreciate being able to see these mammals, foxes have readily taken to our towns and cities and THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH WILDLIFEBIRDSMAMMALSREPTILESSHARKS &

RAYSGALLERYARTICLES

Seasonal Update (April 2021) A round up of March's weather, the usual science and conservation news and new research looking at Tawny owl colour morphs and Brown hare predator avoidance. SQUIRREL PLAY BEHAVIOUR Thorington Jr. and Ferrell divide the play behaviour observed in squirrels into two classes: solitary play, where an animal will run, climb, jump, twist, tumble and play fight with objects; and social play, during which two or more engage in mock fights (wrestling, chasing, etc.) and mock/pseudo courtship (chasing, mounting and

“pretend

EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG BEHAVIOUR Hedgehogs fighting in a garden in Munich, Germany. - Credit: fabi42. In an article to The London Naturalist in 1958, Miss D.A. Rook described an aggressive encounter between hedgehogs that she witnessed in her garden in the outer London suburbs on the evening of 27 th July 1957. Rook described watching two hedgehogs circling each other near

her

EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING During the breeding season, sexing can often be done on the bases of descended testes, lactation (i.e. highly visible teats) or, sometimes, cub association. More generically, it is sometimes possible to separate males and females based on stature. Males tend to be bigger than the females, with a broader head, fuller cheeks and a less tufted

tail.

RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red are the only deer species that inhabit Africa, where they are found in the Atlas Mountains in the north of the continent. This species is generally absent from Mediterranean islands, the exceptions being Corsica and Sardinia. Outside of Eurasia, this species has been introduced to parts of South America as well as New Zealand and

Australia.

RED FOX INTERACTION WITH HUMANS The Red fox is a terrifically adaptable species and, as we’ve already seen, have one of the most catholic diets of any mammal. There is a mountain of science supporting the tendency of foxes to switch their prey and no indication of reliance on any one prey source. Similarly, many wildlife rehabilitators have commented on how the

foxes they

SQUIRREL BREEDING BIOLOGY Squirrels produce altricial young, which means the kittens are blind, deaf and naked at birth. Skin pigment develops and the first hairs appear on the back after about 14 days, with fur growth complete by about three weeks. The first teeth, the lower incisors, erupt at about three weeks old and the eyes and ears open about a week later.

RED FOX COAT COLOUR

Red morph & "Cross foxes". Red is the most common colour morph, although there are many hues, varying from reddish-yellow to very dark red/orange, with varying amounts of black interspersed. The coat colour comes from pigments called melanins that are deposited in the hair as it grows; the ratio of light (phaeomelanin) to dark (eumelanin

RED FOX APPEARANCE

Red Fox Appearance. Red foxes are medium-sized canids with a skull similar to that of a domestic dog, but narrower with a slender, whiskered muzzle and large pointed, erect ears. The fox has an elongated body with slender limbs and a long bushy tail (accounting

for about 40%

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FIND AN INJURED BAT? What should I do if I find an injured bat? Ideally, phone the National Bat Helpline immediately. The helpline is run by the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) in the UK-only and can be reached on (0345) 1300 228 at enquiries@bats.org.uk. The helpline is, however, only staffed Monday THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH WILDLIFEBIRDSMAMMALSREPTILESSHARKS &

RAYSGALLERYARTICLES

Seasonal Update (April 2021) A round up of March's weather, the usual science and conservation news and new research looking at Tawny owl colour morphs and Brown hare predator avoidance. SQUIRREL PLAY BEHAVIOUR Thorington Jr. and Ferrell divide the play behaviour observed in squirrels into two classes: solitary play, where an animal will run, climb, jump, twist, tumble and play fight with objects; and social play, during which two or more engage in mock fights (wrestling, chasing, etc.) and mock/pseudo courtship (chasing, mounting and

“pretend

EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG BEHAVIOUR Hedgehogs fighting in a garden in Munich, Germany. - Credit: fabi42. In an article to The London Naturalist in 1958, Miss D.A. Rook described an aggressive encounter between hedgehogs that she witnessed in her garden in the outer London suburbs on the evening of 27 th July 1957. Rook described watching two hedgehogs circling each other near

her

EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING During the breeding season, sexing can often be done on the bases of descended testes, lactation (i.e. highly visible teats) or, sometimes, cub association. More generically, it is sometimes possible to separate males and females based on stature. Males tend to be bigger than the females, with a broader head, fuller cheeks and a less tufted

tail.

RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red are the only deer species that inhabit Africa, where they are found in the Atlas Mountains in the north of the continent. This species is generally absent from Mediterranean islands, the exceptions being Corsica and Sardinia. Outside of Eurasia, this species has been introduced to parts of South America as well as New Zealand and

Australia.

RED FOX INTERACTION WITH HUMANS The Red fox is a terrifically adaptable species and, as we’ve already seen, have one of the most catholic diets of any mammal. There is a mountain of science supporting the tendency of foxes to switch their prey and no indication of reliance on any one prey source. Similarly, many wildlife rehabilitators have commented on how the

foxes they

SQUIRREL BREEDING BIOLOGY Squirrels produce altricial young, which means the kittens are blind, deaf and naked at birth. Skin pigment develops and the first hairs appear on the back after about 14 days, with fur growth complete by about three weeks. The first teeth, the lower incisors, erupt at about three weeks old and the eyes and ears open about a week later.

RED FOX COAT COLOUR

Red morph & "Cross foxes". Red is the most common colour morph, although there are many hues, varying from reddish-yellow to very dark red/orange, with varying amounts of black interspersed. The coat colour comes from pigments called melanins that are deposited in the hair as it grows; the ratio of light (phaeomelanin) to dark (eumelanin

RED FOX APPEARANCE

Red Fox Appearance. Red foxes are medium-sized canids with a skull similar to that of a domestic dog, but narrower with a slender, whiskered muzzle and large pointed, erect ears. The fox has an elongated body with slender limbs and a long bushy tail (accounting

for about 40%

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FIND AN INJURED BAT? What should I do if I find an injured bat? Ideally, phone the National Bat Helpline immediately. The helpline is run by the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) in the UK-only and can be reached on (0345) 1300 228 at enquiries@bats.org.uk. The helpline is, however, only staffed Monday RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red are the only deer species that inhabit Africa, where they are found in the Atlas Mountains in the north of the continent. This species is generally absent from Mediterranean islands, the exceptions being Corsica and Sardinia. Outside of Eurasia, this species has been introduced to parts of South America as well as New Zealand and

Australia.

DEER (OVERVIEW) SENSES Deer (Overview) Senses - Hearing. In his 1995 book The Roe Deer, Richard Prior draws attention to Capreolus having “large ears constantly moving”. Indeed, even when their owner is at rest, a deer’s ears are scanning for any sound. The ears of a deer are highly (and independently) mobile and can be rotated almost 180 degrees; at the same BATS - BEHAVIOUR & SOCIAL STRUCTURE Bats are very social mammals, and it is difficult to do justice to a topic as broad as this without writing reams and reams of text. As such, I will cover bat behaviour and social structure briefly here and urge anyone interested in finding out more to check out the Bibliography for a list of excellent bat books.. About one million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) emerging from SQUIRREL TERRITORY & HOME RANGE Squirrels are known to range over a large area, the size of which varies according to season and habitat type. In British hardwoods forests, for example, Grey squirrels tend to range over between two and ten hectares (i.e. 25 to 125 home ranges in a square mile) for most of the year in productive woodlands with a stable mast crop, but

males may

RED FOX INTERACTION WITH HUMANS The Red fox is a terrifically adaptable species and, as we’ve already seen, have one of the most catholic diets of any mammal. There is a mountain of science supporting the tendency of foxes to switch their prey and no indication of reliance on any one prey source. Similarly, many wildlife rehabilitators have commented on how the

foxes they

RED FOX APPEARANCE

Red Fox Appearance. Red foxes are medium-sized canids with a skull similar to that of a domestic dog, but narrower with a slender, whiskered muzzle and large pointed, erect ears. The fox has an elongated body with slender limbs and a long bushy tail (accounting

for about 40%

EUROPEAN BADGER SETTS A badger’s homestead is referred to as a sett.Reflecting the dwelling of what is, in parts of its range, a highly social mammal, badger setts are large and spacious enough to accommodate as many as 35 animals (in the largest naturally supported clan ever recorded in Woodchester Park during 1989), although between six and eight individuals is more common. EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG NESTS A hedgehog collecting nesting material in a Hampshire garden. -Credit: Happy Hedgehog Rescue. Rautio and her co-workers noted that forest areas were one of the most important nesting habitats for urban hedgehogs, especially in autumn and winter, when coniferous forests provide a secure hibernation site and just over one-third of nests were built under bushes or against tree trunks. EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG SEXING An uncurled male hedgehog, showing the penis as a protrusion in the middle of the stomach where one might expect a belly button. - Credit: Happy Hedgehog Rescue Discerning between sexes often requires a considerable degree of skill, not because visual discrimination is particularly difficult, but because getting the hedgehog to uncurl can be something of an art! WHAT ARE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE & TUBERCULOSIS AND WHAT Summary. Chronic Wasting Disease is a nervous system disease similar to BSE. CWD is widely thought to be caused by an abnormally-folded protein called a prion; the folding makes it infectious. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH WILDLIFEBIRDSMAMMALSREPTILESSHARKS &

RAYSGALLERYARTICLES

Seasonal Update (April 2021) A round up of March's weather, the usual science and conservation news and new research looking at Tawny owl colour morphs and Brown hare predator avoidance. SQUIRREL PLAY BEHAVIOUR Thorington Jr. and Ferrell divide the play behaviour observed in squirrels into two classes: solitary play, where an animal will run, climb, jump, twist, tumble and play fight with objects; and social play, during which two or more engage in mock fights (wrestling, chasing, etc.) and mock/pseudo courtship (chasing, mounting and

“pretend

EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG BEHAVIOUR Hedgehogs fighting in a garden in Munich, Germany. - Credit: fabi42. In an article to The London Naturalist in 1958, Miss D.A. Rook described an aggressive encounter between hedgehogs that she witnessed in her garden in the outer London suburbs on the evening of 27 th July 1957. Rook described watching two hedgehogs circling each other near

her

EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING During the breeding season, sexing can often be done on the bases of descended testes, lactation (i.e. highly visible teats) or, sometimes, cub association. More generically, it is sometimes possible to separate males and females based on stature. Males tend to be bigger than the females, with a broader head, fuller cheeks and a less tufted

tail.

RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red are the only deer species that inhabit Africa, where they are found in the Atlas Mountains in the north of the continent. This species is generally absent from Mediterranean islands, the exceptions being Corsica and Sardinia. Outside of Eurasia, this species has been introduced to parts of South America as well as New Zealand and

Australia.

RED FOX INTERACTION WITH HUMANS The Red fox is a terrifically adaptable species and, as we’ve already seen, have one of the most catholic diets of any mammal. There is a mountain of science supporting the tendency of foxes to switch their prey and no indication of reliance on any one prey source. Similarly, many wildlife rehabilitators have commented on how the

foxes they

SQUIRREL BREEDING BIOLOGY Squirrels produce altricial young, which means the kittens are blind, deaf and naked at birth. Skin pigment develops and the first hairs appear on the back after about 14 days, with fur growth complete by about three weeks. The first teeth, the lower incisors, erupt at about three weeks old and the eyes and ears open about a week later.

RED FOX COAT COLOUR

Red morph & "Cross foxes". Red is the most common colour morph, although there are many hues, varying from reddish-yellow to very dark red/orange, with varying amounts of black interspersed. The coat colour comes from pigments called melanins that are deposited in the hair as it grows; the ratio of light (phaeomelanin) to dark (eumelanin

RED FOX APPEARANCE

Red Fox Appearance. Red foxes are medium-sized canids with a skull similar to that of a domestic dog, but narrower with a slender, whiskered muzzle and large pointed, erect ears. The fox has an elongated body with slender limbs and a long bushy tail (accounting

for about 40%

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FIND AN INJURED BAT? What should I do if I find an injured bat? Ideally, phone the National Bat Helpline immediately. The helpline is run by the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) in the UK-only and can be reached on (0345) 1300 228 at enquiries@bats.org.uk. The helpline is, however, only staffed Monday THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH WILDLIFEBIRDSMAMMALSREPTILESSHARKS &

RAYSGALLERYARTICLES

Seasonal Update (April 2021) A round up of March's weather, the usual science and conservation news and new research looking at Tawny owl colour morphs and Brown hare predator avoidance. SQUIRREL PLAY BEHAVIOUR Thorington Jr. and Ferrell divide the play behaviour observed in squirrels into two classes: solitary play, where an animal will run, climb, jump, twist, tumble and play fight with objects; and social play, during which two or more engage in mock fights (wrestling, chasing, etc.) and mock/pseudo courtship (chasing, mounting and

“pretend

EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG BEHAVIOUR Hedgehogs fighting in a garden in Munich, Germany. - Credit: fabi42. In an article to The London Naturalist in 1958, Miss D.A. Rook described an aggressive encounter between hedgehogs that she witnessed in her garden in the outer London suburbs on the evening of 27 th July 1957. Rook described watching two hedgehogs circling each other near

her

EUROPEAN BADGER SEXING During the breeding season, sexing can often be done on the bases of descended testes, lactation (i.e. highly visible teats) or, sometimes, cub association. More generically, it is sometimes possible to separate males and females based on stature. Males tend to be bigger than the females, with a broader head, fuller cheeks and a less tufted

tail.

RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red are the only deer species that inhabit Africa, where they are found in the Atlas Mountains in the north of the continent. This species is generally absent from Mediterranean islands, the exceptions being Corsica and Sardinia. Outside of Eurasia, this species has been introduced to parts of South America as well as New Zealand and

Australia.

RED FOX INTERACTION WITH HUMANS The Red fox is a terrifically adaptable species and, as we’ve already seen, have one of the most catholic diets of any mammal. There is a mountain of science supporting the tendency of foxes to switch their prey and no indication of reliance on any one prey source. Similarly, many wildlife rehabilitators have commented on how the

foxes they

SQUIRREL BREEDING BIOLOGY Squirrels produce altricial young, which means the kittens are blind, deaf and naked at birth. Skin pigment develops and the first hairs appear on the back after about 14 days, with fur growth complete by about three weeks. The first teeth, the lower incisors, erupt at about three weeks old and the eyes and ears open about a week later.

RED FOX COAT COLOUR

Red morph & "Cross foxes". Red is the most common colour morph, although there are many hues, varying from reddish-yellow to very dark red/orange, with varying amounts of black interspersed. The coat colour comes from pigments called melanins that are deposited in the hair as it grows; the ratio of light (phaeomelanin) to dark (eumelanin

RED FOX APPEARANCE

Red Fox Appearance. Red foxes are medium-sized canids with a skull similar to that of a domestic dog, but narrower with a slender, whiskered muzzle and large pointed, erect ears. The fox has an elongated body with slender limbs and a long bushy tail (accounting

for about 40%

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FIND AN INJURED BAT? What should I do if I find an injured bat? Ideally, phone the National Bat Helpline immediately. The helpline is run by the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) in the UK-only and can be reached on (0345) 1300 228 at enquiries@bats.org.uk. The helpline is, however, only staffed Monday RED DEER DISTRIBUTION Red are the only deer species that inhabit Africa, where they are found in the Atlas Mountains in the north of the continent. This species is generally absent from Mediterranean islands, the exceptions being Corsica and Sardinia. Outside of Eurasia, this species has been introduced to parts of South America as well as New Zealand and

Australia.

DEER (OVERVIEW) SENSES Deer (Overview) Senses - Hearing. In his 1995 book The Roe Deer, Richard Prior draws attention to Capreolus having “large ears constantly moving”. Indeed, even when their owner is at rest, a deer’s ears are scanning for any sound. The ears of a deer are highly (and independently) mobile and can be rotated almost 180 degrees; at the same BATS - BEHAVIOUR & SOCIAL STRUCTURE Bats are very social mammals, and it is difficult to do justice to a topic as broad as this without writing reams and reams of text. As such, I will cover bat behaviour and social structure briefly here and urge anyone interested in finding out more to check out the Bibliography for a list of excellent bat books.. About one million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) emerging from SQUIRREL TERRITORY & HOME RANGE Squirrels are known to range over a large area, the size of which varies according to season and habitat type. In British hardwoods forests, for example, Grey squirrels tend to range over between two and ten hectares (i.e. 25 to 125 home ranges in a square mile) for most of the year in productive woodlands with a stable mast crop, but

males may

RED FOX INTERACTION WITH HUMANS The Red fox is a terrifically adaptable species and, as we’ve already seen, have one of the most catholic diets of any mammal. There is a mountain of science supporting the tendency of foxes to switch their prey and no indication of reliance on any one prey source. Similarly, many wildlife rehabilitators have commented on how the

foxes they

RED FOX APPEARANCE

Red Fox Appearance. Red foxes are medium-sized canids with a skull similar to that of a domestic dog, but narrower with a slender, whiskered muzzle and large pointed, erect ears. The fox has an elongated body with slender limbs and a long bushy tail (accounting

for about 40%

EUROPEAN BADGER SETTS A badger’s homestead is referred to as a sett.Reflecting the dwelling of what is, in parts of its range, a highly social mammal, badger setts are large and spacious enough to accommodate as many as 35 animals (in the largest naturally supported clan ever recorded in Woodchester Park during 1989), although between six and eight individuals is more common. EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG NESTS A hedgehog collecting nesting material in a Hampshire garden. -Credit: Happy Hedgehog Rescue. Rautio and her co-workers noted that forest areas were one of the most important nesting habitats for urban hedgehogs, especially in autumn and winter, when coniferous forests provide a secure hibernation site and just over one-third of nests were built under bushes or against tree trunks. EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG SEXING An uncurled male hedgehog, showing the penis as a protrusion in the middle of the stomach where one might expect a belly button. - Credit: Happy Hedgehog Rescue Discerning between sexes often requires a considerable degree of skill, not because visual discrimination is particularly difficult, but because getting the hedgehog to uncurl can be something of an art! WHAT ARE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE & TUBERCULOSIS AND WHAT Summary. Chronic Wasting Disease is a nervous system disease similar to BSE. CWD is widely thought to be caused by an abnormally-folded protein called a prion; the folding makes it infectious.

Search

Menu

* Birds

* Mammals

* Reptiles

* Sharks & Rays

* Gallery

* Articles

* Blog

* Contact

WELCOME TO WILDLIFE ONLINE SEASONAL UPDATE (JUNE 2021) A review of an unseasonably cold and wet May, plus science and conservation news and new science looking at swift migration and orangutan social learning. SEASONAL UPDATE (MAY 2021) All the usual weather, science and conservation news plus new research on the impact of robotic mowers on hedgehogs and how foxes influence

soil quality.

SEASONAL UPDATE (APRIL 2021) A round up of March's weather, the usual science and conservation news and new research looking at Tawny owl colour morphs and Brown hare

predator avoidance.

SEASONAL UPDATE (MARCH 2021) February's weather review plus the usual science news. This month covers new research on using dogs to find hedgehogs and distracting deer from plantations. SEASONAL UPDATE (FEBRUARY 2021) January's weather round-up as we head to the end of winter. The usual conservation news plus new research on beavers bringing value and

boldness in foxes.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

CAN HEDGEHOGS GET DRUNK FROM EATING ROTTING/FERMENTING FRUIT? Possibly, although drunk-like behaviour is more likely to be a sign the hedgehog is seriously dehydrated. * Read the full answer * More questions about Mammals * More questions about Hedgehogs

RECENT ARTICLES

* Seasonal Update (June 2021) * Seasonal Update (May 2021) * Seasonal Update (April 2021) * Seasonal Update (March 2021)

TODAY'S PHOTO

Eagle owl perched

More photos in the gallery

ABOUT

* What’s planned?

* Photos Needed

* Disclaimer

* Site FAQ

* Credits

* About Wildlife Online

* About the Author

* Contact

SITE SECTIONS

* Animals

* Photo gallery

* Questions & answers

* Bibliography

* Links

* Site map

* Blog RSS feed

SOCIAL MEDIA

* Facebook

* Flickr

* Twitter

* YouTube

� 2021 Wildlife Online - Powered by ExpressionEngine