Category Archives: Non-native species

East Lothian Farming and Wildlife: developing a sustainable future for both farming and wildlife

Posted on August 1, 2018 by

Mike Thornton, Operations Officer for the Forth Area reports on a workshop hosted by SNH, and Lochhouses Farm in East Lothian that considered the future of agri-environment work in the arable sector. Although protected sites, such as Site of Special … Continue reading →

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Exotic pets can be a danger to native wildlife

Posted on March 28, 2018 by

Pets that are released, or escape, into the wild can be a danger to our native wildlife. The European Union has placed some of the worst offenders a list of invasive alien species of concern. Stan Whitaker, our non-native species … Continue reading →

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Getting to grips with an alien

Posted on March 26, 2018 by

It looks like a plant from another planet. The European Union has placed American skunk cabbage on a list of invasive alien species of concern.  Stan Whitaker, our non-native species adviser, looks at the implications for nature conservationists and gardeners.  The … Continue reading →

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Feral goats: don’t be a silly-billy, there are goats around

Posted on January 26, 2017 by

Goats have been around for a long time. The first domesticated animals arrived around 5000 years ago with Neolithic farmers and were used, as the name would suggest, as farmyard animals. The wild goat, or capra aegagrus, is native to … Continue reading →

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An unwelcome arrival

Posted on October 5, 2016 by

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) has been sighted in Gloucestershire, possibly making its way into the UK from France. This is not good news because Asian hornets are aggressive predators, feeding on honey bees and other insects – although we … Continue reading →

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