Downloading the Internal Footage, Recorded During This I Decided to Check a Random Clip Study, Which Indicates
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Newsletter 12 December 2019# VWT's Bat team finds out more about Kolombatović's bat A bat with a recent history p24 1 Our staff Head Office (Ledbury, Herefordshire) Welcome Dr Lucy Rogers Chief Executive [email protected] Angela Powell-Stevens from Vincent Wildlife Trust's CEO, Lucy Rogers Head of Finance [email protected] mink can be made. European mink Tim Bennett (a close relative of the European Acting Finance Manager polecat) are critically endangered [email protected] with only a handful of populations Lizzie Croose now surviving in Europe. Senior Science and Research Officer Our Pine Marten Recovery Project [email protected] • is supported by a small team of Julia Bracewell dedicated volunteers who have been Communications Manager [email protected] trained to monitor pine marten presence and distribution using Gemma Fisher camera traps. This year, we also Volunteering and Community Engagement Officer worked with volunteers to carry out [email protected] a large-scale scat survey to try to Helen Henderson determine whether the pine martens Operations Manager have expanded their range. [email protected] • The team in Ireland conducted a Welcome to the 12th issue of Tom Kitching field study to survey for Irish stoats Bat Conservation Officer our newsletter, which looks using Mostelas and cameras. [email protected] back over another busy year • Our new Bat team got to grips Marina Bollo Palacios full of conservation highlights with several exciting projects, Bat Conservation Officer and opportunities to share [email protected] including looking at the impact of our work and practices. greater horseshoe bat presence on Gloucestershire lesser horseshoe bat roosts. Dr Steve Carter Carnivore Programme Manager I have loved spending more time with • We were delighted to form a new [email protected] staff in the field during 2019, getting partnership with Durrell Wildlife Worcestershire up close to the species we are Conservation Trust, working together Dr Anita Glover working to conserve and have been to look at the feasibility of Bat Programme Manager [email protected] truly inspired by the skill and reintroducing the wildcat to dedication shown by our staff and southern Britain. N England Kevin O'Hara volunteers in bringing our plans to • We co-hosted the 33rd Mustelid Pine Marten Project Officer Back from the Brink fruition. As part of this, I was lucky Colloquium in Lisbon this October, [email protected] enough to spend a few days in the which was a great success, with 90 Wales field with our Bat team in Croatia delegates and a fascinating series of Dr Henry Schofield learning about the roosting and presentations on the conservation of Head of Conservation [email protected] foraging ecology of Mediterranean European mustelids, including the long–eared bats. This was followed European mink. Dr Jenny MacPherson later in the year with a trip to Science and Research Manager • We have had a high profile in the [email protected] Scotland to join the team trapping media this year with a full-page pine martens for translocation to the spread in the Observer on the David Bavin Pine Marten Project Officer Forest of Dean for Gloucestershire recovery of carnivores in the UK, [email protected] Wildlife Trust. based on Katie Sainsbury's PhD Ireland research, an article in BBC Wildlife Dr Kate McAney These are just two examples of our Magazine by Hilary Macmillan, and Head of Conservation Development – Ireland varied work, but there are many filming for a BBC 4 programme to be [email protected] other achievements, including the aired in the new year, featuring our Ruth Hanniffy following highlights. own reserve at Bryanston. Species Conservation Officer– Ireland • We are delighted to welcome a [email protected] • Our Carnivore team has been new staff member, Tim Bennett, working in Spain, trialling novel who started as a new member of our Consultant Head of Communications monitoring methods to develop a Finance team in July. We also Hilary Macmillan robust methodology so that accurate welcomed two new PhD students: [email protected] population assessment of European Kieran O’Malley, who started a PhD 2 at Sussex University on woodland • Congratulations to Patrick Wright, Also featured management and barbastelles, and a previous VWT PhD student, for being Tom Dando, who started a PhD at awarded the Vincent Weir Scientific A warm welcome to new Exeter University on the feasibility of Award. Patrick’s PhD focused on the VWT staff, students and re-introducing European wildcats into conservation of Bechstein’s bats and Trustees p4 England and Wales. the development of a new method • We also welcomed two new for estimating the age of bats. The Ten-Year Strategy p6 Trustees: Georgina Holmes-Skelton, • Back from the Brink, of which VWT Head of Government Affairs at the is part, picked up the Best Heritage Mustelids and Montado National Trust, and Clementine Project Award in the 25th Birthday in sunny Lisbon p7 Dymond, Equity Analyst at Rowan National Lottery Awards. Our project Dartington. We sadly said goodbye to is paving the way for the recovery of Sharing pine marten Rob Lucas, who has been a dedicated the pine marten in northern England expertise p10 Trustee with us for ten years. as the population naturally spreads • Two of our recent PhD students, south from Scotland. Mostelas in Mayo p12 Katy Sainsbury and Cat McNicol, both celebrated the successful completion pinemarten.ie – of their PhDs. one year on p14 My time as a Trustee p15 In this issue Sound bathing with horseshoes p16 Improving the landscape for lesser horseshoes p17 Pine Marten Recovery Project updates p18 VWT in BBC Wildlife magazine p19 Red in tooth and claw p20 Wildcats: problems, prospects A new vision for the critically A busy year and and partnerships endangered European mink VWT's new partnership with Durrell Trialling monitoring methods for the exciting times ahead p26 Conservation Wildlife Trust p8 European mink in Spain p22 Updates on VWT's PhD research projects p30 Contact us Vincent Wildlife Trust, 3-4 Bronsil Courtyard, Eastnor, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 1EP It is not a holiday! Volunteers contribute to Four weeks in Croatia on the trail of conservation 01531 636441 Kolombatović's bat p24 This last year has been one of [email protected] www.vwt.org.uk outstanding volunteer efforts p28 3 A warm welcome to new VWT staff, students and Trustees Tim Bennett Tom Dando European wildcats (Felis silvestris) Acting Finance Manager PhD student into England and Wales, and I hope that it will be an integral part of the work of these two respected conservation organisations. Kieran O'Malley PhD student I joined Vincent Wildlife Trust's I discovered a passion for the Finance team in 2019 with a natural world initially as a place background in the charity sector, of peace and mental well-being, having previously worked for Mind before being captivated by the Aberystwyth as its Business and complexity of the ecosystems Finance Officer, and in the private that exist around us and the need sector more recently with Balfour to reverse their declines. From Beatty. Through both roles, I have this passion, I completed a BSc in I've always loved the outdoors and had a number of years of people Ecology and Wildlife Conservation nature, which led me to complete a management experience. at Bournemouth University, with BSc in Zoology at Cardiff University. my major project focusing on the After attending numerous lectures I have a degree in Zoology and behaviour and conflict surrounding and spending multiple years so it is good to be working for re-introduced African wild dogs in caving in the UK and abroad, I an organisation that focuses on fenced game reserves. Following developed a great appreciation threatened mammals and to a year working on Red List for caves and their associated be able to contribute to their assessments at the IUCN Small fauna, in particular the many conservation. I have also qualified Mammal Specialist Group (SMSG), I bats that inhabited these spaces. with an advanced diploma in completed an MRes in Conservation I went on to study for an MRes in accounting through the Association Biology at University of Sussex. Biodiversity and Conservation at of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and Based at the Knepp estate, my the University of Leeds, through am just about to embark on the research looked at the herbivore- which I investigated the urban next level qualification to gain a driven landscape development in roost selection of Mauritian tomb Professional diploma in Accounting. the context of rewilding. After bats in Malawi. This research gave I'm looking forward to this next a year leading on key species me a better understanding of the stage, though it will mean evenings fundraising for the IUCN Small high selectivity of bats to roost of study and homework once again. Mammal Specialist Group, in 2019 sites and their vulnerability in the I was fortunate to be offered a face of an increasingly urbanised PhD at the University of Exeter, landscape. I feel very fortunate to co-funded by Vincent Wildlife Trust now have the chance to do a PhD and Durrell Wildlife Conservation on barbastelles at the University Trust. The PhD seeks to understand of Sussex, which is co-funded by the social and ecological feasibility Vincent Wildlife Trust. The PhD and practicalities of re-introducing aims to identify local woodland 4 A warm welcome to new VWT staff, students and Trustees features that are important for the Croose were very generous with persistence of barbastelles, with the their time and patience given the This is my first Trustee role and goal of developing landscape-scale volume of my questions.