Welcoming Wildlife

If you have visited the park, read our information signs, watched our wonderful keeper talks or even read some keeper blogs, you have probably realised that a lot of the animals we look after here at Wingham struggle in the wild, at least in part, due to urbanization and loss of habitat. But this issue isn’t just limited to the beautiful exotic animals that we keep here, it is also an issue for our native wildlife too.

In recent years, the United Kingdom has made its own lists, similar to that of the IUCN Red List, but focuses on how the animals are doing at home, rather than on a global scale. Some animals on the IUCN Red List may be deemed as Least Concern on a global scale, but when limited to the British Isles, they end up being classified as Endangered and we are at risk of losing them. For example: the northern pool frog is deemed as least concern on a global level yet is critically endangered in the UK.

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and since the industrial revolution we have lost almost half of our biodiversity. The Mammal Society state that within the next 20 years, 11 out of our 47 mammal species are at risk of becoming extinct. One of these species is our wonderful hedgehog, of which we had an estimated 36 million of in the 1950’s, however, their numbers now sit around 500,000. 4 out of 13 of our native reptiles and amphibians are at risk of extinction, as are 20 endemic (only found in the UK) species of invertebrates. One endemic species, the Ivell’s sea anemone, hasn’t been seen since 1983 so may already be extinct. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) have also created a red list of birds with 70 species out of 235 ending up on the red list and 103 ending up on the amber list.

So, what can we do to help our native species?

As the saying goes, “sharing is caring” and we can all help by doing our own little bits in and around our own homes to make the spaces more suitable for wildlife to thrive.

Things you can do:

Leave a wild patch in your garden or participate in No Mow May – let a small corner of your garden grow wild and stop cutting the grass. Long grasses and overgrown plants are great for wildlife. They provide hiding places, nesting materials and food for loads of species. If you can’t dedicate a permanent patch of your garden to wildlife, try to take part in No Mow May, where you just avoid mowing the lawn until June, giving pollinators a chance to get going.

Image: The border of my garden has been left to grow long and wildflower seeds were scattered into it.

Build hides – have a pile of sticks, logs, leaves or rocks for animals to use, even a small pile can provide homes for our bugs. You could make bug hotels or put up bird and bat boxes too!

Make a pond – even a small source of water in bucket can encourage wildlife, it doesn’t have to be extravagant, as long as the animals have a ramp or steps to help them get out of the water. However, do not add fish to your wildlife pond as the fish will eat everything.

Image: A bug hotel that can be found in our Bug Garden at Wingham Wildlife Park.

Image: A small pond made with pond liner with some native pond plants.

Make natural borders – instead of fences, use plants and hedges for animals to utilize as hiding places, nest spots and food resources. If you do have a fence, consider cutting a hole in the bottom for hedgehogs to use to pass through.

Image: A natural fence made from branches of a hedge I trimmed and featuring my dog, Ty, who thoroughly tested its build quality. A holly and ivy plant has been entwined through it with the hope that it grows and covers the branches and provides a hiding place for wildlife park.

Plants and grasses – when planning to plant things, find some plants which are most useful to animals. Many places sell amazing butterfly and bee seed mixes and you may see garden plants that have a ‘great for pollinators’ stamp on their labels. Also, embrace weeds! Dandelions and other weeds get a lot of hate, but they are great for pollinators and other wildlife.

You can even pop wildflower seeds into pots or window planters if you don’t have garden space.

Feeding our birds – keep their feeders clean and adopt a seasonal feeding regime. Avoid feeding seeds and nuts during May to October to reduce the risk of spreading diseases through birds.

Manage your pets – keep dogs on lead where they may disturb wildlife. Many places will have signs stating to keep dogs on lead or out of specific areas so do not ignore them and help keep wildlife safe and undisturbed. If you have cats, consider building a catio rather than letting them free-roam to stop them from catching and harming wildlife. It is also important to keep your pets away from water sources if they have had flea treatment applied.

Keeping your dog on a lead doesn’t mean zero freedom. Longlines mean your pets can still explore but are less at risk of running off and disturbing wildlife.

By Hannah, Head of Reptiles and Invertebrates