Wolford Wood - Warwickshire's Scientific Working Wood

We are lucky enough to be situated just a few minutes drive away from Wolford Wood. Not only is this a place of beauty and tranquillity, it is also a designated Site Of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

What is a SSSI?

A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is a formal conservation designation. Usually, it describes an area that is of particular interest to science due to the number of rare species of fauna or flora it contains. Wolford Wood is ancient woodland, stretching 200 acres, that is protected and studied throughout the year.

What to look for in the woods…

The wood is home to around 2,500 species of flowers, fungi and fauna. Click here to visit the Wolford Wood website to explore these by category. The lesser spotted woodpecker, hazel dormouse, badger, hedgehog and barn owl (all Creature Candy favourites) have been spotted here, amongst many other species.

Pictured below is the elusive Purple Emperor, considered by many, to be one of the most beautiful butterflies in Britain. The prime time to spot them is the end of June-beginning of July. So if you pay a visit to the woods soon, you may be lucky enough to spot one.

Plan your visit…

If you’d like to explore the woods, then you can book a day visit. Visitors are encouraged to take a picnic, light a camp fire, even build a den, and to just enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

There are a number of events taking place in the woods, including a woodland butterfly safari (25th June/2nd July), forest bathing and beeswax candle making. More information about these events and future events, can be found on the Wolford Wood website.

You can also buy a range of woodland products here including air dried seasoned ash hardwood logs, lavender bags, honey and more.

Extending your visit…

If a day visit doesn’t sound long enough, then there are cabins available to sleep in to extend your stay. If you would prefer to bring your own tent, there is no shortage of space for pitching it up! Cabins are surrounded by woodland seating and fire pits, with each having it’s own private shower. We must also mention, all cabins feature our very own Creature Candy prints on the wall! Click here to find out more about staying here.

Exciting things are happening…

A RDPE grant has recently been awarded to Wolford Wood, to fund a new car park and activity cabins for educational visits, to promote sustainable tourism in the area. So it is a busy time for the team! Keep checking their website for further news and additional events taking place.

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Our Woodland Creatures…

Amongst our designs, we have a few species that can be spotted in woodland. Here are just some of these. To find out about the charities we support through the sales of our products, click here.

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Bring Back the Beaver

By Alana Scott.

Wild beavers, like many other species, have been absent from England for centuries. Last sighted in the 16th century, beavers were hunted to extinction for their fur and castoreum — a secretion they use to mark their territories, which is also used by humans in food, perfumes, and medicine. Yet beavers are far from being just another forgettable species lost from our countryside. They are one of nature’s most ingenious engineers, and their architecture provides more than just new homes; it creates new life.

Beavers construct dams in order to plug fast flowing rivers, causing water to expand into the nearby area and creating a species-rich wetland. For the beavers, this generates a pond within which they can build a dry lodge, providing themselves with underwater getaway opportunities in the case that a predator is on the prowl. For the majority of other life forms, the new wetland is a source of food, water, and habitat — a major boon for biodiversity. Frogs and toads lay their spawn in the shallows, whilst water beetles skim across the surface. Crane flies, dragonflies, and other insects hover over the water, attracting breeding fish and insectivorous birds such as warblers. Rare mammals, such as water voles and otters, also benefit greatly from the new habitat. Yet it’s not only water-dwelling wildlife that benefits from the busy building of beavers. As beavers fell trees to construct their dams, they create clearings in closed-canopy woodland, which are soon colonised by less dominant plant species. Glades of wildflowers bloom, attracting bees, butterflies, and other important pollinators, which in turn supports a vast network of both common and endangered species.

Large European beaver dam. Photo: Lars Falkdalen Lindahl.

It’s not surprising that a government hesitant to make radical environmental changes is also reluctant to release these resourceful rodents. In addition, their release is strongly opposed by farmers and fishermen, who believe that beavers will either flood their fields or eat their fish. Though the latter is a completely unfounded misconception (beavers are herbivores, whose diets mostly consist of leaves, tree bark and aquatic plants), the former holds some truth; beavers often build their dams up-river, creating flooded wetlands in areas which could coincide with agricultural fields. However, these wetlands act as a buffer to the flooding of towns and agricultural land further down-stream, significantly slowing the rate of flooding in higher-risk areas. Overall, flooding is reduced in a much more cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner than the government could do with hard engineering solutions.

Despite these oppositions, slow progress in the realm of reintroductions is still being made. In 2009, the first trial reintroduction of beavers occurred in Scotland. Simultaneously to the trial period, beavers were released illegally to another part of Scotland and started to rapidly expand and colonise the area; by 2016, the Scottish government announced that beavers could remain in the country as a wild, protected species, though no more could be reintroduced. However, the story of beavers in England is not quite as successful. The only free-living beavers are on the ironically-named River Otter, and these are closely monitored. From Cornwall to Cheshire, aspirational beaver projects are being set up to demonstrate the potential beavers have for creating vibrant wetlands and reducing flooding, yet still, the government refuses to release them. With everything to gain and nothing to lose, what are they waiting for?

After all, even a politician could enjoy the sight of a beaver swimming freely through our rivers, its silhouette slipping silently into the water while around it, barren landscapes are transformed into biodiverse symphonies.

Find more from Alana on Instagram - @ecologistalana

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the range…

Click here to view our Beaver range. 10% of the sale price of products in this range will go to support the Beaver Trust.

Take a look at our current designs:

The Arctic Fox (Copy)

The Badger (Copy)

The Barn Owl (Copy)

The Bee (Copy)

The Bat (Copy)

The Curlew (Copy)

The Dormouse (Copy)

The Elephant (Copy)

The Giraffe (Copy)

The Hare (Copy)

The Harvest Mouse (Copy)

The Moth (Copy)

The Hedgehog (Copy)

The Hen Harrier (Copy)

The Tiger Moth (Copy)

The Pipistrelle Bat (Copy)

The Puffin (Copy)

The Red Squirrel (Copy)

The Tiger (Copy)

The Wildcat (Copy)

The Woodpecker (Copy)

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What Happened To Winter?

By Craig Jones

Climate change is having a devastating impact on wildlife here in Britain and all around the world. Those species of wildlife that turn white in winter to blend in now look out of place as the milder temperatures bring less snowfall.

In January very little or no snow fell in the Cairngorms National Park and the Peak District National Park both places are home to our native Mountain Hares that turn white during the winter months to avoid their predators.

These special places provide a unique habitat which is home to many rare plants, birds and animals, creating a landscape like no other.

In the series of images below you can just make out a white Mountain Hare in the first image sticking out to the left amongst the green landscape. The other images once more show just how vulnerable these iconic mammals are when there is no snow.

Other unique wildlife native to the Cairngorms that are also having to adjust to the warmer temperatures this year are the Crested Tit and Red Squirrels. Both national parks are reporting numbers of all wildlife down this year, which is extremely alarming.

Change is happening fast, leaving wildlife very vulnerable to predators because of fast moving weather patterns. These parts of Britain are having to cope with unseasonal warm temperatures and little or no snow at present.

We must all do our bit to help with the issues climate change are posing to our world and those we share it with, before its too late. Let’s hope nature can adapt to the visual signs of climate change.

About the author…

From a young age, Craig developed a love for wildlife and It was his early encounters with nature that put him on the path to becoming a wildlife photographer.

Craig has photographed wildlife worldwide and he is constantly striving to to bring about a more ethical approach to wildlife photography. Click here to learn more about Craig and view his portfolio.

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Our red squirrel & hare range…

You can help support the Red Squirrel Survival Trust and the People’s Trust For Endangered Species by buying any item from our red squirrel and hare range. A 10% donation is made from each sale to the relevant charity. Here is just some of the range.

Wild Winter Wonders

By Luke Phillips

With a mix of colder temperatures and fewer daylight hours, it can be tempting to follow the example of some of Mother Nature’s more canny creatures and hibernate. However, if we spent all our time in cosy jumpers and sipping hot drinks, we’d be missing out on a whole host of incredible wildlife putting on a bit of a winter spectacle. So, definitely wrap up warm still, but head outside and make the most of it. Whilst it is amazing to see white mountain hares and fluffy red squirrels at this time of year, for the most part, we’ve stuck to species and spectacles that should be relatively easy to see in most areas of the country. That said, there are a few exceptions that are worth going slightly further afield for. Here are just a few of the wild winter wonders that can be found across the UK.

Wintering Wildfowl

Now is the time to be heading out to your local wetlands, marshes, lakes, lochs, rivers, and reservoirs. In winter, the UK is inundated by huge influxes of wildfowl from northern Europe and even the arctic. It’s the only time in the wildlife calendar you’ll see the likes of brent and barnacle geese for instance. And, if you haven’t seen the frankly stunning male pintail, then you are missing out on one of birding’s most dazzling ducks. The most incredible aspect of watching wildfowl in winter though, is, the sheer numbers. Our wetlands offer shelter to huge flocks of ducks like wigeon – often in their thousands, and waders like black-tailed godwit and lapwing.

Waxwings

The waxwing is another bird that literally flocks to our shores in winter. Slightly smaller than a starling, these plump little birds are especially fond of rowan and hawthorn berries, but also rose and cotoneaster. Their Latin name is Bombycilla garrulus, implying their chatty nature – it’s hard to miss a flock of feeding waxwing once you stumble across them. If their noise doesn’t get your attention, then the prominent crests and peach colouring should. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to check out how they got their name – sporting red, waxy tips (they always remind me of red-hot poker flowers) to the feather shafts in the middle of their wings.

In some years, significant numbers (known as an irruption) will visit the UK in search of food. Waxwings UK on Twitter regularly posts sightings from across the country, making them a little easier to track too!

Foxy Shenanigans

By the end of January, the mating season for the red fox has reached its peak. At this point, territories have usually been established and those lovely piercing vocals we’re all so fond of are letting everyone know it. It’s a very busy time for our only resident canid, making it a great time to see them – and in their usually resplendent winter coats too. Long nights of romance and seeing off the competition often means foxes will sleep more in the day – especially dog foxes. Keep your eyes and ears open, anywhere from local woodland (at the base of trees in sunlight) to shed rooves – and you might get to see the softer side of Renard.

Goldcrest

Being our joint smallest bird (sharing the title with the firecrest), the goldcrest is often difficult to see for that very reason. However, in winter, the combination of bare tree branches and a boost in numbers, thanks to migrants from Scandinavia, give us a more than sporting chance of catching a glimpse. Whereas our resident birds are usually found in coniferous woodland, visiting goldcrests aren’t against joining mixed flocks of tits, finches etc. in parkland and mixed woodland with mature trees. Listen out for their tell-tale, high pitched yet tuneful call.

Seal Colonies

The stormy and often chilly East and South-East coasts of England in winter might not seem the perfect place to raise a new-born, but that doesn’t stop our resident grey seals. Between the months of November and January, female grey seals will head to favoured nursery beaches to haul up and give birth. With 40% of the world population of grey seals to be found in UK waters, we are a globally important breeding territory for them.

Key locations include Blakeney and Horsey Gap in Norfolk, Donna Nook in Lincolnshire, Skomer in Pembrokeshire, Western Cornwall, the Farne Islands in Northumberland, and multiple locations in Scotland. This is one of the winter wildlife spectacles its worth making a trip for, especially with the arrival of adorable, fluffy white seal pups. However, remember to keep quiet and at a distance when observing seals, and to always keep your dog on a lead. Never get closer than about 30 metres (100 feet), and never get between a pup and an adult seal and the sea. Take binoculars if you have them and observe from above and a distance, and you’ll get hours of magical moments.

Starlings

So, another winter wonder that’s worth tracking down and travelling for is the possibility of a starling murmuration. Thousands of birds seemingly painting pictures in the sky is simply breathtaking – there’s nothing quite like it. Huge flocks come together in winter roosts – possibly to keep warm as temperatures drop. The hypnotising shapes and patterns they make in flight as they gather may make it harder for predators like peregrines to target a single bird. However, the reasons they do it are secondary to the sheer spectacle.

Notable locations with a good chance of seeing a murmuration include the West Pier at Brighton, Ham Wall in Somerset, Fen Drayton Lakes in Cambridgeshire, Leighton Moss in Lancashire, and Gretna Green in Dumfries and Galloway. However, keep an eye out in reed beds and farmland anywhere close to dusk for flocks gathering and one of the greatest shows of the natural world.

Swiftly Flow the Days

Sunrise, sunset... thanks to much shorter days, catching either is much more doable than at other times of the year. If you’re in the mood to catch a sunrise, look out for crisp, cold nights and set your alarm clock for the next day. Dawn is making an appearance any time from about 7:30 – but an earlyish start on the right day will be rewarded. The colours of both a sunrise and a sunset are affected by how light is entering and travelling through the atmosphere. When the air is crisp and clear, our sunrises and sunsets are much more vibrant as a result – making them especially beautiful in winter.

Pick out an easterly location for a sunrise, and a westerly one at dusk – and you’ll be all set! We hope you’ve enjoyed this roundup of wild winter wonders, and we especially hope you get the opportunity to seek one or two of them out before the arrival of Spring. And if you don’t see them out and about, you can still track down winter stars like the seal and artic fox.

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our winter wonders…

Meet Our Fulfilment Manager - Karen Jeffries

Next up in our ‘Meet the Team’ series is Karen Jeffries, Creature Candy’s Fulfilment Manager. Karen joined the team in October and has fitted in perfectly! She been working hard over the last few weeks carefully packing up your orders, and with her creative background, Karen is the perfect person to make them look beautiful!

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Tell us a bit about your background…

I’ve lived in Shipston all my life and love living in the beautiful countryside. Before joining Creature Candy, I was a florist for over 18 years which I loved, but while on maternity leave with my third child I decided I would love a new challenge. I’m really enjoying this new role at Creature Candy and enjoy sending out all the lovely products Lizzie sells.

What do you enjoy most about working for Creature Candy?

I’m enjoying making up the lovely gift boxes and knowing each product is helping a lovely charity.

Which is your favourite Creature Candy design?

It’s so hard to choose but my childhood favourite animal is a hedgehog and our hedgehog prints are adorable. I also love the harvest mouse products.

What are you looking forward to over the next year?

I’m looking forward to learning more about the charity’s we donate too and sending out more lovely products.

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Check out some of Karen’s favourite products and designs below:

Hedgehog Print

£15.00

Harvest Mouse Print

£15.00

Hedgehog Notebook

£5.00

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Eco-Friendly Ways To Wrap This Christmas

Now that we are almost entering December, it suddenly feels as though Christmas will be upon us before we know it. We can tell that lots of you have been shopping for Christmas gifts for some time now, going by the orders that we see coming in.

I am determined this year to avoid the usual last minute wrapping of ALL gifts, sometimes in just one evening and instead start it a bit earlier. Unfortunately most types of wrapping paper that we see in the shops can’t be recycled. With this in mind, we wanted to give you a few suggestions of how you can wrap gifts in a more eco-friendly way. Some of which I will definitely be trying out myself this year. Hopefully you will be inspired to try some of these too!

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Print your own wrapping paper & tags

Why not have a go at making your own unique wrapping paper and tags using a roll of recyclable brown paper, blank tags, a rubber stamp and some ink. The English Stamp Company have a fantastic range of stamps and different ink pads to pick from, enabling you to get creative.

Christmas stamp sets are available and you can even order customised stamps. What makes this company even better, is that orders are sent out to customers in plastic free, recyclable packaging! Click here to visit their website.

If you have children at home, then this is something they can get involved in and it’s a great way to get creative during the school holidays!

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Wrap gifts using fabric squares

Another idea is to use fabric off cuts, scarves no longer worn or any other pieces of fabric that you may have in the house. Use the fabric to wrap the gift and then secure it by tying a simple knot or using ribbon that can be reused once unwrapped. There are lots of step by step guides showing you how to do this online. Practise definitely makes perfect!

Image source: Pinterest

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Make your own gift tags

A great way to make use of any old cards you've been given is to cut them up and reuse them as gift tags. You can use a craft punch to cut shapes out of them to make them more decorative, Hobbycraft has a vast selection of these. Don’t forget to keep this year’s Christmas cards once they’ve been taken down, ready for next year!

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Reuse old newspapers

Most of us tend to have some old newspapers lying around or know someone who does, using them to wrap gifts is a simple, yet effective method! Fasten the paper using tape and twine and then add a little extra decoration using sprigs of holly or similar to make it look festive.

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Add a few homemade finishing touches!

Dry out a few orange slices and then tie them together with some cinnamon sticks to make your gifts look unique and also smell amazing! These can then be hung in the house to make the most of their scent. You could use other natural materials such as pine cones and foliage to add your finishing touches. All of which can be composted!

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We hope this has inspired you, enjoy getting creative!

Exploring The Cairngorms

By Anthony Spicer.

If there is one place in the UK that is remote and also breath taking it must surely be the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. It has always been an area that has fascinated me and one that I have been lucky enough to visit before. It has a great range of wildlife; from mountain specialists such as ptarmigan, dotterel and snow bunting, to birds of prey such as golden and white-tailed eagle, and forest species such as red squirrels and crested tit. If you are lucky enough you may also spot feral goats on the hill sides along with red deer. It truly does have a wide variety for any wildlife enthusiast visiting.

One species in particular everyone loves to see when visiting somewhere like the Cairngorms are red squirrels. These delightful fluffy mammals can be seen in a variety of places and often they appear at random when you perhaps are least expecting it! So, we headed to a known feeding site in the hope they would appear and no sooner had we sat down one appeared at the tops of the pine trees! It worked its way down to the provided nut boxes and happily posed for photographs, throughout our stay two more came and joined us, which in turn meant there was a bit of chasing up and down the trees. As we head into winter the red squirrels coat will grow thicker and their tails will become bushier, as well as growing ear tufts on the top of their ears sometimes up to 3cm long! These tufts will then disappear over the warm summer months.

Another specie which can only be found in the Caledonian pine forests of the Cairngorms are crested tits. These birds are amazing to watch and especially at this time of year. On our previous visit two years ago, they were very active on the feeders provided at RSPB Loch Garten when the weather was slightly colder. However, this time it was great to watch a different type of behaviour unfold. Rather than being on the feeders, they were constantly going up and down the trees looking for invertebrates to eat. Caterpillars are their main source of food but they will also seek out pine seeds, spiders and moth larvae. They also have an incredible hair style much like a punk rock mohawk!

One area we visited for the first time was the cairngorm mountains located just outside Aviemore. With a summit elevation of 4,084 ft, Cairn Gorm is the seventh highest mountain in British Isles. Driving up the long, steep road past the 2 lower car parks we parked in the cairngorm mountain car park and headed off on a walk along one of the footpaths. Sadly, we didn’t get very far and had to head back towards the car due to poor weather creeping up in the distance. However, we were soon very glad we did! As we got back to the car to dodge the bad weather we turned round and saw an almighty bird of prey in the sky, it was huge! To be honest it didn’t take long to ID it based on the sheer size of it, but looking through our binoculars as it came right over the top of us confirmed it to be a white-tailed eagle! The largest bird of prey in Britain. It was truly spectacular, with a wing span of up to 2.5 metres it just couldn’t be anything else. As it slowly drifted off into the distance after coming so close to us, we made our way back down the long steep road, thinking how fortunate we were that we headed back to the car when we did.

As we headed back down the M6 towards home we couldn’t stop thinking how lucky we were to visit such an amazing place especially after everything that has happened over the past 18 months. We will definitely be returning!

Click here to learn more about visiting the Cairngorms National Park.

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Our Red Squirrel Range…

10% of every purchase from our red squirrel range is donated to the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. Here is some of our much loved range.

Christmas Gifting That Gives back To Nature

Now that we’re nearing December, we wanted to give you a helping hand with your Christmas shopping. We’ve put together a gift guide for you introducing you to some of our favourite British brands that give back to nature in some way. If you are looking for a gift for a nature loving friend or relative, then I hope this gives you some inspiration. Happy Shopping!

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Ivy & Rigg

Following passions not trends, Ivy & Rigg has been designed to bring you stylish, ethical and affordable clothing that looks great, lasts a lifetime and does some good for the environment too.

Ivy & Rigg is a clothing and accessories brand that produces quality, classic styles fashioned from environmentally conscious materials. So if you are looking for a gift for someone that likes to dress well but also cares about how their clothing is made, then have a look at this range.

For every item sold, a tree is planted in the Ivy & Rigg forest which can be found in Madagascar, where only 10% of the islands' original forests remain. As the reforestation efforts go on, healthy forests will begin to remerge and the negative effects of deforestation will begin to disappear. Each tree planted will offset 40kg of carbon over its lifetime. From the comfort of your home, you are able to give back to nature! Click here to visit the Ivy & Rigg site.

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NHBS

If you know any ecologists, conservationists, naturalists or just anyone with a real love for nature, then the NHBS website is a great place to look for gifts for them. They currently offer the largest range of wildlife, ecology and conservation books and equipment in the world. Here you will find everything from trail cameras to bee hotels. There is also a vast selection of books to pick from, there are over 300 just about bats! Amongst some of their other gifts, you will find some of our very own Creature Candy mugs. Click here to start browsing.

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Creature Candy

We obviously had to give ourselves a mention here. We have a selection of new gift boxes for Christmas this year and we have teamed up with the Cotswold Candle Company and Laura’s Confectionery again to create these. You can choose which animal design you would like for each box and there is plenty of choice! If you’d like to create your own gift box, then why not select one of our empty gift boxes and then hand pick items from our range to go inside. Gifts can even be sent straight to the recipient with a hand written note included, to add a personal touch. Click here to view all products.

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Clouded Leopard

If you are looking for a gift for a gin lover, then look no further. Clouded Leopard Gin was launched in 2019 by chef and gastropub owner Will Phillips. Will set about creating his own gin brand in honour and support of the clouded leopard, a beautiful and elusive animal in grave danger of extinction and rarely seen in the wild.

Fifteen per cent of profits from every bottle sold is donated to the Born Free Foundation. The foundation works to protect leopards from the threats they face in the wild and rescues them from lives of misery and exploitation in captivity by rehoming them in spacious sanctuaries surrounded by their natural habitat.

Throughout the pandemic, Clouded Leopard have also been donating £1 from each bottle sold, to the NHS. Another great reason to support them! Click here to shop.

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Big Wild Thought

Big Wild Thought are a clothing and accessories brand that like us, have a huge love of animals. Back in 2018 when BWT was founded, the aim was to create a brand that allows people to wear and care at the same time. Through sales of the range, over 10 animal charities are now being helped. Buglife, Cool Earth and The Gorilla Organization are amongst them. For each sale made, 10% will be donated to one of the charities. Click here to view the range and learn more about the brand. There is a men’s, women’s and kid’s range, meaning that you can buy for the whole family here.

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Green & Blue

Green & Blue, founded in 2005, are based in the beautiful seaside town of Perranporth in Cornwall, by husband and wife team Kate and Gavin Christman. After years of designing in their spare time, Kate and Gavin created the Birdball and moved down to Cornwall to start the company. At the heart of Green & Blue is a passion for designing beautiful, stylish products that help wildlife.

Bee houses, bird feeders and bat roosts are just some of the items that you can buy from them. They also sell bee, bat and swift blocks that can be incorporated into new buildings to create habitats for wildlife. Click here to visit the Blue & Green website. If you are looking for an original gift that gives nature a helping hand, then this is a great place to look!

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The Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. Since they began in 1972, they have planted over 38 million trees and saved more than 950 woods from being destroyed. Not only do they have a range of gifts, books and stationery, they have a selection of virtual gifts to consider. ‘A breath of fresh air’ is one example of these and costs £25. This gift could plant 25 square metres of new woodland, with the potential to lock up one tonne of carbon dioxide. If you are wanting to buy a loved one something more unique this year, then this is something to consider. Click here to find out more.

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Seed and Bean

Seed & Bean was founded in June 2005 with the idea to create an ethical range of confectionery. All products are 100% organic and Fairtrade where possible, as well as being ethically sourced and handmade in England. Each individual wrapper is also fully compostable, making it kind to the environment.

You can buy single bars of chocolate or bundles of chocolate goods that vary in size. For the serious chocolate lover, there is also the option to purchase a subscription box, meaning that they will never run out! Click here to view all products.

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We hope that this has given you a few ideas to get started. Happy shopping!

Creepy creatures: Fear with fur, fangs, and feathers

By Luke Phillips.

Halloween is upon us, and the annual fright fest wouldn’t be complete without its monsters, phantoms, and creeps. The ancient festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-en/sau-ain), not only marked the end of the Gaelic harvest, but also the eve when the entrances to burial mounds were opened as portals to the otherworld. Since at least the 9th century (and probably long before), it has been associated with the arrival of darkness and all things spooky.

For instance, what would Halloween be without its ghosts? Certainly, a little less haunting perhaps. For many, nothing can be more chilling than walking through a deserted graveyard at night, only to hear the eeriest of screams coming from the direction of a gothic church tower. Then slowly and silently, something faint and pale drifts over the tombstones towards you, with two large, piercing black eyes. It’s the stuff of nightmares, not to mention many a horror movie. But perhaps not all is as it seems. In fact, if you haven’t run for your life, a look back might give you a glimpse of one of our best loved birds. The barn owl is often thought to be the reality behind many a ghost story. Flying silently, with feathers that reflect moonlight, and the unearthly shrieks and hisses they utter (instead of a typical hoot), make them a great candidate. Add in the fact they love nothing more than setting up home in open and abandoned buildings (hence their name), and you have all the key ingredients for a spooky and unexpected encounter. Luckily though, there’s nothing to fear – unless you’re a small rodent!

Then there are other animals that have been given monstrous monikers. Take the “Dracula” parrot, more officially known as Pesquet’s parrot. A native of New Guinea, this parrot has an especially hooked beak and black, greyish, scale-like plumage with crimson red breast feathers. Its bare, black facial skin gives it another nickname – the vulturine parrot. But despite its fearsome appearance, it drinks nectar, not blood, and feeds on sticky fruits – which is why it benefits from a featherless face.

Or maybe consider the goblin shark. This is one of the oldest and most rarely seen species of deep-sea shark that we know of. The belong to a family that dates back 125 million years. With a flat, elongated, oversized snout that shadows a highly extendable jaw filled with nail-like teeth, it’s not hard to see how it got its name.

When it comes to Halloween decorations, they wouldn’t be complete without a shadowy bat silhouette or a sticky spiders web. There are over 1,400 species of bats in the world, only a mere 18 of which can be found in the UK. We’re probably all familiar with the infamous vampire bat, but these almost never bite people – even when encouraged to in laboratory tests. The biggest threat bats pose to humans is through bacteria and viruses they may pass on, which is still limited and rare. A similar case could be made for spiders, rats, and numerous other species we find spooky. So, why do we potentially find them scary?

In many cases, these species are nocturnal. Many are dark coloured – black or brown for instance. They scurry and scuttle, or lope away from the warming light of the campfire. This makes them mysterious, alluring, but also seeped in superstition. Since ancient times, we have associated these species with darkness and even death. Whereas many are simply fulfilling their biological niche as scavengers or opportunists, we might find their habits and dwelling places a little unsavoury, even unnatural. After all, back in the time of candlelight and oil lamps, something had to feed on the dead, or live among our squalor.

Also, when it comes to superstition, there is the aspect of “in-betweenness”. As mentioned, celebrating Samhain included practices of opening burial mounds to act as the bridge in between our realm and the otherworld. Bats are the only flying mammal – and some cultures consider them to be a liminal animal – not quite bird, not quite mammal. This fits perfectly with the superstitions surrounding Samhain – the in between of Autumn and Winter, and between growth (harvest) and death. So perhaps it’s no wonder this animal has become so closely associated with Halloween, although as with the others, it’s a little unfair to fear them! Another, perhaps more practical theory, is that Samhain often involved the lighting of huge bonfires...which attracted the bugs...which attracted the bats!

Of course, culture plays its part too. Vampires started turning into bats in early 18th century fiction, and most prominently in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”. Or, speaking of transformations, the epitome of the beast within – when we truly turn to our bestial natures, in the form of the werewolf. As a result, these creatures (or the real ones they’re based on), enter our psyches via the pages of horror novels, films, and more. Which can’t do them any favours in terms of the reception they get.

So, let’s look at the good they do instead. Bats are brilliant bug eaters. In the U.S, it is estimated they save authorities anything between $3.7 and 5.4 billion in pest control services. Certain bat species also play pivotal roles in pollinating exotic fruits such as avocadoes, bananas, and mangoes.

Rats on the other hand, often hoard seeds, a lot of which end up sprouting when not consumed, resulting in vegetation and tree growth. And as well as improving the ecosystem, they’re a vital part of it – feeding our raptors, foxes, wildcats and much more. In fact, had we not so drastically reduced our predator populations, many of our self-induced rodent problems would be under control. Spiders too, would love nothing more than to help clean your house of unwanted flies, earwigs, beetles, and bugs.

As it often comes down to, the only thing to really fear is fear itself, and it is usually the unknown that scares us the most. So, hopefully, the little bit of knowledge we’ve shared in this blog will go a long way to helping you feel more at home with some of these not-so-spooky species.

Happy Halloween!

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Our Barn Owl & Bat Products…

10% of every purchase from our barn owl and bat ranges is donated to the Hawk and Owl Trust and the Bat Conservation Trust.

Bee-cause We Can

By Luke Phillips.

Is science giving us false hope and encouraging us to discard our responsibilities? 

It’s a popular science-fiction trope. A polluted, non-productive Earth is abandoned, and humankind sets out into the stars, searching for a “Goldilocks” planet – one that’s just right for all our needs. Or, after resources are used up and squandered, we begin mining new moons and asteroids to fuel our unhindered demand. And woe betide the lush, green Edens we come across populated by less well-armed species. It’s all ours for the taking…isn’t it? 

The recent documentary, ‘Stephen Hawking: Can you hear me?’, reminded me of something the late, visionary scientist stated back in 2016. He suggested the human species would have to colonise a new planet within a century if it was to survive. After all, there’s 7.8 billion of us and counting, and those resources won’t last forever. 

And we’re spending huge amounts of money looking into it. The promise of new, untapped seams of unknown elements, minerals, metals, and even just mere unclaimed land has caught the imagination of big business. We’re researching ways of generating planet-levels of oxygen through photosynthesis and single-cell organisms. We’re developing plasma-powered rocket engines that could revolutionise space travel. NASA has even created a “robot army”, designed to get to work on mining resources and setting up infrastructure before our arrival on just such a planet. 

 Professor Hawking said, “We can, and must, use our curiosity and intelligence to look to the stars”. But might I suggest we don’t take our eye off (or give up on) things back home yet? 

More of this arguably pessimistic, discarding attitude can be seen in another recent development, again, backed by big business. The plight of the honeybee is one many now know well. Due to pesticide use, pollution, disease, and loss of habitat, honeybees are in trouble and in decline. They have little to eat, fewer places to live, and are becoming less productive and experience shorter lifespans in the places that they do. This isn’t to say honeybees are endangered. Wild honeybees (in the UK at least) have virtually disappeared, and most come from managed hives these days. But eight species of bee, including two types of bumblebees are on the endangered list, and are facing all the same issues. 

The Wonderful Company of California are the largest almond grower in the world. And they are developing the Blue Orchard Bee, or BOB, as a replacement to the beleaguered honeybee. And it’s no surprise they are doing so. In 2016, California’s almond growers needed just shy of two-million honeybee colonies to pollinate the near one-million acres under their care. That accounts for nearly three quarters of the available commercial colonies in the U.S.A.

But the Blue Orchard Bee is a little different from the honeybee. First, they aren’t socially minded. And secondly, they’re highly efficient. A couple of hundred female BOBs can do the work of 10,000 honeybees. 

If the development of BOBs into a species that can adapt to monoculture crops and mass-breeding is a success, and if costs can be kept low, agriculture may take up the use of BOBs in a big way. 

 But the interesting thing is, to do so, they concede they’ll have to make some changes. Like revising their pesticide use or giving them sufficient space and applicable vegetation to live and thrive on. They’ll also need protection and management. Ultimately, they could not only become a viable alternative to commercial honeybee use, but a by-product may be an environment less hostile to honeybees and their wilder, more endangered relatives. 

So, my question is…why didn’t we do that in the first place? And the same goes for the search for a new planet. Not only do we already have honeybees, but in case it has escaped your notice, we already have a perfectly good planet to live on too. Is what we can do beginning to interfere with what we should do? As a collective, is our species only planetary and environmentally minded when big business bucks are behind it? 

 Don’t get me wrong, I’m genuinely excited about the adventure that we are knocking on the door of from a science and technology POV, but to paraphrase another great, albeit fictional professor, Dr. Ian Malcom, are our scientists so preoccupied with whether they can, they’re not stopping to ask if they should? 

 I firmly believe that we have a responsibility to this planet, and the species we share it with. And I don’t think our intelligence, population, or advances give us any more claim to it than any other species. We are truly capable of incredible things, and I know we can do anything we put our mind to, from ridding oceans of plastic waste, to saving a species we rely on for our very food. So, before we discard the honeybee or our planet in favour for shiny new versions, maybe, just maybe, we should discard our reliance on replacing what we’re so close to losing. 

About the author

If you’d like to find out more about Luke, the author of this blog, click on the links below. Not only has Luke written a number of wildlife blogs, he has also published two books so far. click on the Black Beast Books link to find out more about these.

Have a look at our Bee-autiful bee range below…

10% of every purchase from our bee range is donated to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Mountain Hares

By Karen Miller.

I can think of nothing I enjoy more than sitting on a heather clad hillside in the presence of one of Scotland's most iconic native species - the mountain hare (Lepus timidus).  They are beautiful, hardy animals, surviving in harsh weather conditions. 

 Mountain hares are the UK’s only native species of hare.  They are found in upland areas, primarily in Scotland but also on some of the higher peaks in North England.  Unlike the brown hare, mountain hares turn white over the winter with only the tips of their ears remaining dark.  This is to help camouflage them from predators, however, with global warming the hills tend to have less snow coverage, for shorter periods, and being white can be a disadvantage when there’s no snow.  Mountain hare numbers have been in serious decline in recent years. 

Fortunately there is some good news.  From 1 March 2021 Scottish mountain hares are included on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), giving them full protection.  This means that at any time of the year, anyone who intentionally or recklessly kills, injures or takes mountain hare without a licence will be acting unlawfully.   Hopefully this will help to save these wonderful creatures. 

My first encounter with a mountain hare came in 2016 when I spent an inspiring and memorable week at the Aigas Field Centre on a photography masterclass with renowned photographer - Laurie Campbell. The whole week was an eye-opener but for me the highlight, the event that shaped who I am today, was locating and photographing mountain hares. It was July, a relatively warm day. We found one at the side of the road, a leveret, we then climbed part-way up a path and onto a hill. Laurie spotted a hare sitting a short distance away, I presumed it would run, it didn't! I also presumed we wouldn't approach any closer, but we did. And the hare stayed put! I couldn't believe it. We sat and watched as it groomed, totally relaxed in our presence. It was beautiful. We also spent time with a younger animal. I was in love. 

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

There's something about being able to sit close to a wild animal which knows you are there. It's even better when there's no baiting, no hides and wonderful views around you. Now, a few years later I still find it hard to express how it made me feel. The experience had everything I love about wildlife, the outdoors and photography. Even sitting out in a blizzard with the wind and snow hammering me and my camera I still love being on the hill with the hares.

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

I was lucky. Back in 2016, and my first winter on the hill in March 2017, the population of mountain hares on the Estate I visit was healthy. I had little experience but was able to locate the hares on the hill without too much trouble. If one hare ran or didn't do much, there were others to choose from. It was a great learning experience. The week I was there we had some snow, but conditions were relatively easy - a good introduction to winter mountain hare photography.  I even managed to photograph one of the hares “waving” – (when they clean their huge back paws they spread the fingers out to clean between the toes). 

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

Mountain hares are, for the most part, nocturnal. Therefore during the day you can expect them to spend the vast majority of their time snoozing or gazing into space.   Patience is required for all wildlife photography, and especially for mountain hares!  But sit with an animal for long enough and you might well experience some fantastic behaviours. 

 I sat with this hare for a few hours of absolutely nothing before I was treated to a roll in the snow. 

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

In an ideal world we want to see a hare grooming, stretching, shaking, yawning, grazing and if very lucky boxing. When any of this happens it is fantastic.

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

Sometimes you can be sitting with a hare and it decides to approach you! This can be running or grazing. I love it when this happens!

Mountain hares aren't just for winter, they are around all year and in my opinion just as photogenic. In late March/April they go through "the change" - their white winter pelage moults and they turn brown/grey. I adore how they look during this period - all are quite unique and it gives them real character. There's still the chance of snow and boxing at this time too.

Come June and you may well be treated to the first leverets of the season. These adorable little bundles can be found all over the hill throughout the summer & autumn. They tend to be easier to find than adults over the summer and stick to the same location so can be sought out again and again. It’s lovely to get to know individuals.

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

Finding hares over the summer is really difficult as most adults disappear into forms, thick heather and ditches to avoid the sun and insects. However if you can find them in August they do look beautiful with the flowering heather.

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

Mountain hares are very special animals who are currently fighting for survival in the UK. They have almost disappeared now from the estate I’ve been photographing them on and it’s heart breaking. We need to cherish and protect those that remain, it would be a tragedy if we were to lose them from our hills.

Take a look at our hare range below…

10% of every purchase from our mountain hare range is donated to the People’s Trust for Endangered Species. The PTES with the help of scientists, conservationists, landowners, and the general public, are working to protect our delicately balanced ecosystem by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink.

National Badger Day 2021

Iconic mustelids of the UK countryside, badgers are highly sociable and playful creatures. These days, they’re most often in the press due to debates about culling and vaccination to prevent the spread of bovine TB.

Today (October 6th) marks National Badger Day, and we are eager to celebrate the beauty and resilience of Britain’s largest land predator, and want to spread some positivity about the species.

Below we have information and pictures shared with us by Chloe Warren: fellow badger lover, zoology graduate and badger vaccination volunteer.

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European badgers (Meles meles) are my favourite animal due to their elusive nocturnal behaviour. They are UKs largest land predators and eat a few hundred earthworms over night!

Badgers live underground in series of tunnels and chambers called a sett. They have long claws on their front paws making them excellent diggers.

Badgers are often given the blame for the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) to cattle, and there and a large number of government cull zones. 

I have volunteered with the badger vaccination scheme in the local area to my university and was involved with setting the humane traps and baiting the area with peanuts (a particular favourite of theirs). When baiting,  a small hole is dug and filled with peanuts and a large stone is placed over the top. The stone is used to prevent other mammals such as mice or foxes from taking the peanuts, as only a badger with their powerful arms will be able to flip the stone.

Badgers are (to my knowledge) the only UK mammal to have hinged jaw bones meaning that their mandibles stay connected to the maxilla unlike a humans or a foxes that will separate. Another key identification feature is a large saggital crest.

Badgers have very distinctive paw prints. They have 5 toes on each foot and a large kidney bean shaped central pad.

Find more from Chloe on Instagram - ecology.chloe

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Here are Creature Candy, we adore badgers and support their conservation with our badger range (below), which raises funds for Mammal Society.

Do you have badgers where you are? Have you had any close encounters? Let us know!

Take a look at our badger range

Supporting Mammal Society.

Badger Print

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Badger Jug

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Badger Card

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Changing Seasons

By Craig Jones

Our seasons are changing now from Summer into Autumn. The nights are drawing in and its a great time to be out with your camera, providing you with some of the most beautiful and intense colours of the year.

The season of Autumn for me is arguably one of the finest times of year to enjoy and view wildlife with this amazing mosaic of colour as the backdrop.

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Its a time where the trees and ground are laden with fruits, berries and nuts forming a rich bouty of food, one that all animal’s take advantage of before the onset of Winter.

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Two of my favourite species at this time of year are Short-eared Owls, that come down from the uplands to feed at sea level during our Autumn and Winter months.

Mountain Hares change colour at this time of year to pure white to avoid predators and blend in with their snow capped landscapes. It really is a fantastic time of year in so many ways.

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It’s also a wonderful time of year to see Red Squirrels and one such place is on the North West coastal region of the UK where they are still doing well.

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Short-eared Owls are beautiful and it’s a great time to see these owls now.

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Unplanned, unscripted in its truest form, watching wildlife is priceless and capturing those briefest of moments with your camera allows you to relive that experience long after you’ve left.

I run a number of one day workshops and one to ones where you can see and photograph a lot of the British wildlife. They offer a wonderful wild experience whether you want to learn more about your own wildlife photography or just be guided for that day.

To view these along with all my own wildlife photography tours I run then click here to see all of these, many thanks.

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Discover more from Craig Jones

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Take a look at some of our british wildlife ranges

10% of the sale price of all products is donated to wildlife charities.

View all animal designs here.

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Wildlife Of The Norfolk Broads

By Anthony Spicer.

The Norfolk broads has always been an area that has interested me for wildlife. It’s a land rich in biodiversity, from its waterways which are home to various species of fish including perch and pike, to its peaty fens where you can find more than 250 different plant species, including the nationally protected fen orchid. If birds are more your thing, then some species are in particular abundance like teal and wigeon and many species of warbler too. It was bound to be a great trip as we ventured down there for a few days. 

One mammal in particular I was looking forward to seeing were brown hares. Unlike popular belief brown hares are not native to the UK, they were in fact introduced during the roman times. However, since then they have become naturalised all over the UK, and even introduced to some islands around the mainland. They are wonderful animals to see and observe, often most active at dawn and dusk. They create ‘forms’ in which they sit and rest in during the day. They rely on their acute sense of smell and amazing bursts of speed to evade predators; they can reach a top speed of 45mph if they wish to. Although generally solitary mammals they will often stick together in small groups when feeding in open arable fields. 

We were so incredibly lucky that where we were staying had plenty of brown hares active at dawn and dusk in the field directly behind our accommodation. 

Brown hares

Another mammal we encountered looking out over the same field was a specie of deer which is rather unusual in its appearance. Rather than having the customary antlers which so many other deer species have, it has 2 short fanged teeth appearing from its mouth in a downwards direction. This deer is called the Chinese water deer it is not native to the UK, in fact it was introduced by the Chinese in the 19th century. It generally favours a wet, marshy habitat and like other deer they are very good swimmers. Norfolk has a good population of these intriguing mammals, however the overall population in Britain is increasing. We were very lucky that during the day 1 or 2 were active in the field alongside the brown hares.

Chinese water deer

Before we went down to the Norfolk broads, I was advised by someone to check out Horsey Gap beach for potential birds at high tide. So, we headed over before midday to see what was about. As we made our way over the top of the sandy path from the car park we were greeted by a rather strange site, from the shoreline into the distance we noticed a few heads poking out of the water. It wasn’t until I checked in the binoculars that they were in fact seals! At this point we noticed a rather large gathering of people further up the beach. So, we ventured as far up as we could to see what was happening. 

Grey seal

Grey seal

We got to the highest point and what a sight, there were hundreds if not thousands of seals lining the beach! We couldn’t believe how many there were, all different age ranges from juveniles that had been born last year to fully sized males which were a sight to behold themselves. Grey and common seals will often come to shore to pup, with the pupping season occurring at a different time based on the species. You must give the seals plenty of room when photographing them during and before the pupping season, as getting too close can cause great distress to the seals and they can abandon their pups. All these photos were taken at a safe and fair distance away on a long lens. 

Enjoying some rest!

Common seal

Common seal

Other highlights from our trip included a juvenile cuckoo and a few green woodpeckers. Juvenile cuckoos can sometimes be seen at this time of year as they get ready for their mammoth first journey to Africa for the winter. 

Female green woodpecker

Juvenile cuckoo

Find more from Anthony

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Check out our related designs below

10% of the sale price of all products is donated to British wildlife charities

 THE HARE

The sprightly mountain hare Lepus timidus bounds across heathlands, confusing hopeful predators. With his white winter coat and black tipped ears, he hastily nibbles at bushes and trees before darting to the safety of his shallow 'form'.

Species of hare in the UK:

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THE WOODPECKER

High up in the treetops, the lesser spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos minor quietly creeps along branches in search of insects. Distant drumming and a quick flash of black and white wings, and the tiny woodpecker disappears once again.

UK Conservation Status:

RED

THE SEAL

The curious face of the grey seal Halichoerus grypus, bobs above the water’s surface, before disappearing below the waves to fish. With a sloping ‘roman nose’ and unique pattern of spots, the grey seal returns to land to rest and give birth to its white, fluffy pup.

Species of seal in the UK:

2

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We’re raising money to support wildlife conservation with our Big Fundraiser for Wildlife!

Wildlife prints signed by celebrities and influencers available to buy now. 50% of the sale of all prints is donated to charity.

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UK's Red Squirrels - Where to Spot Them and How RSST is Securing their Future

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

The red squirrel is the UK’s only native squirrel species. Although their populations remain healthy in mainland Europe, red squirrels have suffered major declines in the UK. This once widespread species is now predominantly restricted to Scotland, the Lake District and Northumberland, with some isolated populations further south in England and Wales. Scotland is currently home to an estimated 120,000 individuals, 75% of the UK’s remaining population, when there once would have been millions. Red squirrels are now classified as endangered on the Red List for Britain’s mammals.

If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of these elusive auburn creatures, we’ve compiled some great suggestions of where to go!

Where can you find red squirrels?

Autumn is just around the corner, which is the best time to spot red squirrels that spend more time on the ground creating a cache of nuts and seeds. They are most often found in coniferous woods where hazelnuts are available. Look out for nibbled pinecones and nests (a ‘drey’) of twigs, leaves and bark high in tree canopies. Here’s 10 places you can find red squirrels in the UK:

1. Red Squirrel Trail, Dalbeattie Forest, Dumfries and Galloway

2. Newborough Forest, Anglesey

3. Kielder Forest, Northumberland

4. Bouldnor Forest, Isle of Wight

5. Glenmore Forest Park, Highlands

6. Brownsea Island, Dorset

7. Formby Point, Lancashire

8. Whinlatter Forest Park, Cumbria

9. Snaizeholme Red Squirrel Trail, Widdale, North Yorkshire

10. Merlin Park Woods, City of Galway

Photo: Richard Birchett (richardbirchett.co.uk)

What is causing their decline?

Our native squirrels are vulnerable to predators, viruses and changes to the landscape, but the introduction of grey squirrels is thought to be the primary factor in their deteriorating numbers.

Grey squirrels were first introduced to England from North America in 1876, as an ornamental species for populating the grounds of stately homes. Up until 1930 there were around 30 independent introductions, which came to a halt when the damage caused by grey squirrels was then recognised. It became illegal to carry out further releases into the wild, however this was too late and grey squirrels managed to spread across much of the UK; a disservice to red squirrel populations.

As they evolved in the oak and hickory forests of America, grey squirrels evolved to digest seeds with a high tannin content more efficiently. Before they ripen, acorns contain copious amounts of these chemicals and are also a high-energy food source. Tannins are unpalatable for red squirrels, so greys are able to decimate their food source prior to ripening which in turn forces reds into other areas where they find it more difficult to survive.

Grey squirrels also transmit a disease called squirrelpox virus (SQPV), which once infected, usually ends in the death of red squirrels. It only takes one grey squirrel to introduce this virus to a red squirrel stronghold for it to wipe a large proportion of them out. In areas plagued with SQPV, red squirrel decline is between 17-25 times faster than through competition alone.

Photo: Karen Miller (www.karenmillerphotography.co.uk)

What is being done to help?

The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST) is a national charity that was established to conserve and protect the red squirrel in the UK. They initiated the formation of the UK Squirrel Accord and are raising funds for research into an effective and affordable grey squirrel fertility control system. Research for this is being carried out by Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Attempts to manage grey squirrel populations have so far included various methods of culling. Culling alone has so far proved an unsuccessful endeavour that has failed to bring the problem under control, as the reproductive rate of grey squirrels far exceeds the numbers culled. It is believed that species-specific oral contraceptives will serve to lessen grey squirrel populations and allow reds to gradually recover.

RSST are working hard to ensure a future for Britain’s red squirrels. You can support their research and projects by shopping Creature Candy’s red squirrel products, including our red squirrel prints signed by Alan Titchmarsh! 50% of the sale price of these prints will be donated to RSST. Take a look below.

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Alan Titchmarsh Signed Red Squirrel Print

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10% of the sale price of all products donated to RSST.

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Take A Break Gift Box

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Red Squirrel Print

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Red Squirrel Jug

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Red Squirrel Birthday Card

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Red Squirrel Card

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RZSS WildGenes: How The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is Using Genetics to Help Threatened Species

Author: David Field, CEO at Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has been working to promote awareness and conservation of rare and endangered animals for over 100 years. While people have often heard of the animals at our zoos, Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park, many may not know about the cutting-edge science and research we lead which helps protect wildlife and wild places all around the world.

Tucked away behind the rhino house at Edinburgh Zoo is a high-tech laboratory. RZSS WildGenes is the only zoo-based conservation genetics lab in the UK and the team work on conservation genetics projects for a huge range of threatened species, from wildcats and capercaillie to crocodiles and antelope. Since its creation in 2010, RZSS WildGenes has made cutting edge genetic research more accessible to conservation practitioners in the UK and around the world. Its unique placement within a zoo provides access to otherwise often difficult to find genetic samples.

Giraffes

Numbers of giraffes in the wild have declined by almost 30% since the 1980s. They face numerous threats in the wild including habitat loss, poaching, disease, war and civil unrest throughout Africa.

As well as caring for our brand new bachelor herd of Nubian giraffes at Edinburgh Zoo, our partnership with Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) directly contributes to the restoration of giraffe in Uganda.

We’re supporting staff training initiatives, conservation monitoring efforts, and the RZSS WildGenes lab is helping GCF understand the success of their reintroduction programmes across the country, by assessing the genetic diversity within translocated herds.

Asian Elephants

The RZSS WildGenes team use genetic data to support the tackling of wildlife crime. Our team worked with Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) to develop the first conservation genetics laboratory in Cambodia, to help monitor dwindling elephant populations and determine the origin of ivory finding its way to the marketplace.

It is estimated that globally over 20,000 elephants are killed every year for their ivory and it appears there are increasing amounts of ivory for sale within Cambodia. However, there seems to be no evidence of poaching in Cambodia’s own wild elephant populations.

Understanding where the ivory is coming from is vital for enforcement agencies looking to block illegal trade routes. If we can use genetics to identify where elephants are being killed for their ivory, measures can be taken to protect those most at risk of persecution.

The lab team are working with partners in Cambodia to support and train staff, which will enable them to carry out more of this vital work.

Northern rockhopper penguins

Photo: Arjan Haverkamp

Sadly, it is estimated the number of Northern rockhopper penguins in the wild has decreased by 57% in the last 30 years. In addition to caring for these charismatic ambassadors for their species at Edinburgh Zoo, our charity has a vital role to play in protecting the remaining wild population.

Alongside partners we recently published a 10-year action plan, with the goal to coordinate research and conservation action throughout the entire range of the Northern rockhopper penguin. This was an outcome of our long history working with the species during Project Pinnamin.

As a result of this action plan, the RZSS WildGenes team joined a multi-institutional and interdisciplinary collaboration with the aim to better understand the species’ movements between different colonies.

With their breeding sites distributed so widely across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the isolation of these islands could have a huge effect on the potential connectivity between the breeding colonies.

Following penguin movements between oceans could be done using GPS tags, but this would require attaching tags to thousands of individuals in order to get robust data. This would be extremely costly and also very invasive for the populations.

Instead, the WildGenes team have been able to use genetic tools to investigate the potential of migratory routes that may show these small penguins are travelling thousands of kilometers across the southern oceans.

By increasing the knowledge about the migration of the northern rockhopper penguin, we hope to inform future global conservation actions.

We are so grateful Creature Candy is kindly donating 10% of proceeds from select prints in their Big Fundraiser for Wildlife to our wildlife conservation charity to help feed and care for our amazing animals and protect threatened species around the world.

Keen to find out more about our charity’s genetics lab? You can learn lots about what our RZSS WildGenes experts are working on at rzss.org.uk/wildgenes.

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Check out Creature Candy’s Big Fundraiser for Wildlife!

50% of the sale price of the prints below is donated to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.

View the full campaign information here.

Lorraine Kelly Signed Penguin Print

£25.00

JB Gill Signed Arctic Fox Print

£25.00

Dr Amir Khan Signed Giraffe Print

£25.00

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We raise funds for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland with our elephant, giraffe, arctic fox and rockhopper penguin ranges.

Find out more about them below. Rockhopper penguin coming soon.

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Wildlife Encounters At My Local Pond

By Anthony Spicer.

Recently I have found a local pond near to where I live, and during my daily exercise I have been heading up there for about an hour to see what could potentially appear. Given its location on the outskirts of the town, I hoped it could deliver some interesting birds and that quickly proved to be very true!

One bird I have encountered up at the pond on a few of my visits has been cormorants. These large birds are traditionally found along coastal areas, but over the past few years they have been appearing more and more inland on estuaries and any substantial body of water. Cormorants are prolific fish hunters; they can stay underwater for a considerable period of time diving down to catch a variety of fish. Their overall plumage is not waterproof, which gives them the advantage of diving very deep as buoyancy is reduced. As you can see from the pictures I have taken, the two I have seen at the pond are a mature adult and an immature adult. The immature one is a light brown with a very pale white chest compared to the all-black appearance of the mature cormorant.

After they spent a period of time swimming and diving in the water below, they flew up onto a tree in the middle of the pond and one of the behaviours we noticed them doing was fanning their wings out. This is something they will do after spending time in the water, to try and dry their feathers out as quickly as possible. Also, in the cold winter months they will often do the same behaviour to help regulate their body temperature.

As the days passed, I noticed another bird species that had moved into the pond and was growing in numbers. Tufted duck is a species of duck that is commonly found across all of the UK. They are small diving birds (smaller than mallards) and are often seen in large numbers making their way round any body of water they can find. They can dive down as far as 14 metres in order to catch their food, which is made up of molluscs, insect and aquatic plants. In total I had up to 7 tufted ducks on this particular pond, and they were all males. As you can see from the pictures below males are distinguished from females by their white wing patch. You will also notice the long tuft on the back of their heads, this is the best sign of them being a tufted duck, as no other species of duck we have in the UK has this feature. They were a pleasure to watch, sit with, and photograph each morning I went there, gradually coming closer and closer to me the more time I spent with them. 

As I kept scanning around the water to see what else I could find and hopefully photograph with the hours ticking by, I noted birds like moorhens, coots, grey herons and even a male and female shoveler. Then, out the corner of my eye, I also noticed a furry friend nestled on the side of the pond out on the bank. Immediately I could ID him and of course it was a brown rat. Brown rats are amazing creatures, they are true scavengers picking up anything they can find to eat left behind mainly by humans. They are a mammal that we all live with, often in our gardens and sometimes even in our homes or sheds. With this rat though I wanted to get up close and personal, so I slowly made my way over and got down really low to the ground with him. This enabled me to get photos at his level, to showcase the world as he sees it. The sun was just right when I took these photos, and he was a pleasure once again to photograph.

Discover more from Anthony

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We’ve teamed up with some of the best wildlife photographers you can find on Instagram! Learn more about the wildlife photographers we work with below, including some of their beautiful images and discounts for their work.

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Love nature? Take a look at our Big Fundraiser for wildlife.

Wildlife prints signed by celebrities, naturalists and influencers are available to buy or pre-order now. 50% of the sale price of ALL prints is donated to wildlife charities.

Adam Henson

Alison Steadman

Chris Packham

Dr. Amir Khan

Gordon Buchanan

Hannah Stitfall

JB Gill

Lorraine Kelly

Jimmy Doherty

Lucy Lapwing

Kate Humble

Megan McCubbin

Nick Baker

Alan Titchmarsh

Peter Egan

Samuel West

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Take a look at our blog for regular nature news and find out how Creature Candy is making a difference to British wildlife. 

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How Otter-Ly Exciting - We Now Support The UK Wild Otter Trust!

Right now it’s a super busy and eventful time at Creature Candy HQ, due to our fantastic Big Fundraiser for Wildlife campaign being well under way (thank you for all of the support so far). Also, we want to pass our congratulations on to our founder Lizzie and her family, after the safe arrival of their beautiful baby girl Holly last weekend!

In otter news, we’re proud to now be supporting another marvellous wildlife charity - The UK Wild Otter Trust! They are dedicated to promoting a positive understanding of otter conservation, and raising awareness of the species through education, involvement, and engagement. They aim to:

• Work towards otter welfare in the UK, and assist with species conservation – both alone and in collaboration with other groups.

• Engage with, support, advise, negotiate with, and maintain stable relationships with fishery owners and anglers.

• Promote responsible otter watching to minimise and prevent any unnecessary disturbance to otters and their shelters.

• Work with other otter groups and angling bodies to research and improve our understanding of otter biology and ecology.

• Stay aware of current and future changes that may affect the otter, and to be prepared to lobby for change.

• Raise awareness of the species and its habitats via talks, walks, printed literature, and other outreach initiatives.

Now, those of you that have been Creature Candy fans for a while, or perhaps have had a nose around our website, you will have noticed that we already have an otter design that supports a different charity - International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF). We will be supporting UK Wild Otter Trust in a different way; by raising awareness of the work the charity does, posting their blogs on to our website, donating gifts for fundraising and attending events to help raise those funds.

You can find out more about UK Wild Otter Trust and their fabulous work via the buttons below. You can also check out our lovely otter products, including otter prints signed by Jimmy Doherty!

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THE OTTER

The playful Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra, swims unnoticed along rivers and coastlines, hunting for fish, frogs and small mammals. With a whistle and a twitter, and a twitch of sensitive whiskers, the otter is master of its aquatic habitat. A true ambassador of a healthy environment.

Species of native otter in the UK:

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Otter Products

Jimmy Doherty Signed Otter Print

£25.00

Otter Card

£2.00

Otter Birthday Card

£2.50

6 x Single Species Postcards - 22 Designs to choose from

£4.00

Otter Print

£15.00

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Blog

Take a look at our blog for regular nature news and find out how Creature Candy is making a difference to British wildlife. 

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