This is an important question. Most of the publicity promoting conservation of red squirrels focuses heavily on the threat from grey squirrels. There is little focus on the ecological importance of red squirrels.
Wolves, lynx and bears have not been able to survive the persecution of man, but the Scottish wildcat still remains after nearly 500 years of the same pressures.
Through analysis of these events it is becoming apparent that spring is arriving earlier and autumn later. This could pose a problem for many animals that rely on the punctuality of significant events.
Why is it so important to conserve bats? Bats represent a third of our mammal species in the UK, and because they are a top predator, inhabiting a wide range of habitats, they are an incredibly valuable indicator of the UK’s biodiversity.
The beauty of the natural world is truly something magnificent to behold and a heritage that we seem to be struggling to conserve.
It wasn’t until 21 years later that an African hawkmoth was discovered. This moth had a 30 cm long proboscis and was observed carefully inserting it down the long spur of Darwin’s Orchid to feed.
They have all the hallmarks of an iconic predator; yet, wild dogs are a struggling species in Africa.
The absence of the constantly searching mycelia of fungi would be detrimental to one organism in particular, one that many others rely on; trees.
Freeze tolerant animals allow their bodies to freeze and when spring arrives they thaw and come back to life. The wood frog is an outstanding example of this method.
It must be remembered that in all cases culling is an attempt to rectify a problem which has been created by us. For example, culling invasive species which we have introduced can be an effective way of protecting native flora and fauna.