Wildwood Trust

New Wildwood Events leaflet & Newsletter available to download!

2012-01-04T11:36:00.000Z

Download the Jan-Apr 2012 Wildwood Events leaflet and Newsletter

Click here to download the Newsletter

Click here to download the Events Leaflet

Otter Appeal

2011-12-27T16:16:00.001Z

Will you join the fight to help otters return to Kent?

Our native otters desperately need your help in their struggle to return to Kent.

Wildwood is asking for an essential gift to our appeal to create a dedicated otter centre which will be the only place in Kent where visitors will be able to see native otters and will be used to educate future generations as well as providing an invaluable resource for training in otter identification and surveying skills.

With your help we can help our native otters by raising awareness of their plight and campaigning for improved habitats, providing facilities for conservation groups, and educating future generations.

If you want to help otters return to Kent, please give whatever you can to support our Otter Appeal today.

There are 4 easy ways to donate:

Online: Click here to donate online
By Phone: Call 01227 712 111
By Post: Send cheques payable to "Wildwood Trust" to Wildwood, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7LQ
By Text: Send a text to 70070 with "WILD02" and the admount you would like to give i.e. "WILD02 £10" you can give any amount from £1 to £10

Thanks for your support,

Fiona Paterson
Wildwood Trust

Give a dormouse a home for Christmas

2011-12-10T13:45:00.000Z

Dormice, voted by Bill Oddie as his favourite animal while filming on location at Wildwood and the star in the latest ‘viral’ YouTube hit, are in great danger, but this Christmas you can do something about it!

Wildwood has teamed up with the Kent Mammal Group to save the dormouse by offering this year’s must have Christmas present, your very own dormouse home.

Available from the Wildwood shop or mail order this desirable residence, made from the finest sustainable resources by the skilled hands of Kentish craftsmen, can be had for the amazing price of only £10.

Wildwood Trust Founder & President of the Kent Mammal Group, Ken West, said:

“We have strived over 15 years to perfect the perfect home for dormice, and built them from the finest sustainable materials . Our research shows that we can make a significant contribution to the survival of the species if we have nestboxes put up around the county.”

“Dormouse nest boxes provide secure and sheltered places for dormice to spend the day and raise their young. They are valuable in any type of woodland, particularly in young scrub where there is a shortage of natural tree holes.”

Wildwood run the UK’s biggest dormouse breeding centre and every year we rescue endangered dormice who enter our breeding programme. The offspring of these dormice will go on to re-populate areas where they have gone extinct.

Wildwood has a special information sheet on how and where to put your nest box and our staff will be on hand to help explain how you can help . Members of the public are advised that is against the law to disturb dormice nestboxes once erected as this can hurt these endangered mammals.

order online at: http://www.kentmammalgroup.org.uk/index.php?option=com_tienda&view=products&filter_category=16&Itemid=72

Dormouse nest boxes are just some of the wonderful wildlife gifts that can be purchased from Wildwood Trust this Christmas. You can also visit Santa in his woodland grotto, buy a Christmas tree or browse through hundreds of wildlife Christmas gifts in our shop. for more information visit the website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 01227 712 111

Wildwood is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British Wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here, like the wolf, beaver, red squirrel, wild boar and many more.

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury.

Drop slide opening Wed 30th Nov & Christmas trees on sale 3rd Dec

2011-11-28T20:22:00.000Z

Drop slide open 12pm - 2pm this Wednesday

Please note that on Wednesday we will be opening the Drop Slide between 12pm-2pm.

Please note our winter opening hours are 10am – 4pm (last admission 3pm).

Christmas trees on sale from Saturday 3^rd December

We shall have the following trees on sale at the Wildwood Shop from Saturday 3^rd December.

Stock is limited so don't delay….get in early to get your tree!

Norway Spruce

4ft          £11.00
5ft          £13.50
6ft          £21.50

Nordman Fir

3ft          £16.00
4ft          £20.00
5ft          £31.00
6ft          £38.00

Need a larger tree?

We can special order Norway Spruce & Nordman fir trees in sizes from 2ft – 10ft for delivery to Wildwood (please allow approximately 7 days for delivery to Wildwood).

Norway Spruce: 2ft £5.50 / 3ft £8.00 / 4ft £11.00 / 5ft £13.50 / 6ft £21.50 / 7ft £25.00 / 8ft £28.80 / 9ft £36.00 / 10ft £48.00
Nordman Fir: 2ft £10.00 / 3ft £16.00 / 4ft £20.00 / 5ft £31.00 / 6ft £38.00 / 7ft £43.00 / 8ft, 9ft, 10ft - POA

To order a tree please call the shop on 01227 712 111. A deposit of 50% is required for all special order trees.

Fiona Paterson
Wildwood Trust
Tel 01227 712 111

Wildwood e-news Nov '11

2011-11-25T01:26:00.000Z

Wildwood e-news November '11

1) Welcome Hazel, Wildwood's new brown hare
2) Animal of the month - Brown hare

3) Christmas gifts from Wildwood

4) Christmas events at Wildwood

5) Please, no Christmas trees!

6) Calling all Cubs, Beaver Scouts, Scouts, Brownies & Guides!

7) Wildwood's Education Outreach prgramme

8) Items needed - can you help?

1) Welcome Hazel, Wildwood's new brown hare

Meet Hazel, Wildwood's new hare. Hazel is a female brown hare (Lepus europaeus), aged approximately 7 months old. Hazel arrived at Wildwood last month after being hand-reared from a baby (leveret) by a member of the public. Now that she has been health screened and has settled into her new environment she is on display in the wallaby enclosure.

You will have to look hard to spot Hazel as hares are shy, nocturnal animals and as such Hazel often likes to hide behind the shed at the back of the enclosure. However, she is regularly sighted on trips around the enclosure in the mornings, and we are hoping that these outings will become more frequent as she grows more accustomed to her new home. Keep your eyes peeled for our newest addition next time you visit the park.

2) Animal of the month - Brown hare

Brown hares are one of two types of hare living in Britain, the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is a native species, whereas the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) originates from Asia and was most probably introduced to the UK by the Romans for food.

Despite being one of the best known mammals in the UK, the brown hare is frequently mistaken for a rabbit. Brown hares are larger than rabbits, with longer limbs, reddish-brown grizzled fur with a white underside and distinctive long, black tipped ears.

Unlike rabbits, hares live above ground and rest in shallow depressions which they make in the soil, called forms. They are most commonly found in arable areas and prefer cultivated land (wheat, sugar beet, peas) to pasture or woodland although the latter areas are used for resting, particularly in winter. Whilst rabbits usually graze in groups around the margins of fields, brown hares will graze more openly on the young shoots of grasses and herbs as well as agricultural crops. If disturbed, a hare will lie perfectly still, hoping to escape notice. Should an enemy come too near, it will leap up and run away at speed with its tail held downwards. Hares are built for speed, and with their long hind legs and sleek body, can reach up to 35 miles an hour!

The best time to see brown hares is in spring at the height of the breeding season when groups of hares run in circles and may box with each other. Boxing occurs when a female (jill) hare fights off the unwanted attention of a (male) jack. Breeding usually occurs between February and September and females typically give birth to around three litters each year of between two and four young (leverets). Leverets are born fully furred with their eyes open and are left alone in the day in forms a few metres from their birth place to avoid attracting predators. Once a day for the first four weeks of their lives, the leverets gather at sunset to be fed by the female, but otherwise they receive no parental care.

Brown hare numbers have declined substantially since the beginning of this century, though they are still to be found in many parts of the country. The reasons for their decline stem from changes in modern farming, with farms specialising in small ranges of crops rather than mixed enterprises, a rise in the use of modern farm machinery and pesticides which kill many hares, the increase in fox numbers; the hare's main predator and illegal hare coursing which remains a problem across the UK. Brown hares have little legal protection, partly because they are game animals and can be managed by farmers and landowners, and partly because they are also a minor pest which can damage crops and young tree plantations.

Brown hares are widespread on low ground throughout England, Wales and Scotland. Although they have been more recently introduced to Northern Ireland, they have not spread far. In Kent hares are most commonly found on the Isle of Grain, the Isle of Sheppey, on the dip slopes of the North Downs south of Sittingbourne, and on Romney Marsh. There are occasional sightings across the remainder of rural Kent excepting the High and Low Weald where they are rare.

Did you know?

Hares cannot contract myxomatosis. The disease is confined to rabbits.
The expressions "mad as a march hare" and "hare brained" come from the odd-looking behaviour exhibited by hares during their spring mating season.
Long ago, people believed hares laid eggs in the spring fields (which is one reason why we have Easter eggs today). They saw nests of eggs in the grass and hares running away, so they assumed hares had laid them, not realising they were laid by ground-nesting birds like lapwings and skylarks.
Our pagan ancestors worshipped a moon goddess called Eostre who had the head of a hare, and it was believed hares gazed at the moon without blinking to see their home in the night sky. This is most probably due to the fact that hare young (leverets) are born with their eyes fully open.

3) Christmas gifts from Wildwood

With Christmas on the way why not treat someone to an exciting gift from Wildwood?

Animal adoptions
An animal adoption is a great gift for any animal lover as well as helping to support Wildwood's conservation work. Prices start from just £25 with over 20 animals to choose from. Visit www.wildwoodtrust.org or call Pat or Sharon on 01227 712111 to give someone their favourite animal this Christmas.

Photo Days
A unique experience for novice and more experienced photographers alike. Enjoy exclusive access around the park to take close-up photos of our animals, with our resident photographer Dave Butcher on hand to give help and advice on how to get those special shots. A range of different animals will be photographed across the day, with animal feeds for the more elusive animals to help you get close up shots. Days run from 10:30am - 12:30pm and 1:30pm - 4pm with an hour for lunch (make use of our restaurant or bring a packed lunch). Max 10 persons per day.

Cost: £75 per person, which includes entry to the park. To book call 01227 712 111 Gift vouchers available.

Wildwood Gift Shop
Looking for an unusual gift? The Wildwood gift shop has lots of unique gifts for all ages. From cuddly toys of your favourite British wildlife to eco-friendly gifts, hampers and stylish home accessories, there's something for everyone and all proceeds go towards the upkeep of the park and our work to save British wildlife.

Wildwood Gift Vouchers
Stuck for a great gift idea? Wildwood gift vouchers can be spent on any goods or services from Wildwood. They can be redeemed against park entry, gift shop, night tours, photo days, adoptions and many more! To buy Wildwood Gift vouchers ask in the Wildwood shop or call 01227 712 111.

!! Important info: last posting dates !!

To guarantee (postal) delivery in time for Christmas, all applications for Memberships, Adoptions, Gift Vouchers or Photo Days will have to be received before 14th December.

All applications received after this date will be dealt with in the usual manner but we cannot guarantee that your gift will arrive in the post before Christmas.

4) Christmas events at Wildwood

We have lots going on this festive season:

Meet Santa at Wildwood

Father Christmas will be coming to Wildwood with his sleigh and a big sackful of toys. Children of all ages are welcome, so long as they've been good! Every child will get a special present from Father Christmas.

Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th December
Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th December
Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th December

Sessions run from 1pm-3pm each day, you can drop in any time or book in advance on 01227 712 111. Price: £6 per child. Optional photographs will be available for an extra charge.

Wildwood Panto Trail: December 17 - December 31

Join in our annual panto trail around the park and you could win a family ticket to Cinderella at the new Marlowe Theatre! Simply collect your free trail from the shop on arrival and hand in your completed trail for a super free gift and to be entered into our prize draw. Please don't forget to bring a pen or pencil to complete your trail.

Win tickets to Cinderella at the Marlowe Theatre

This year's fabulous panto trail prize is a family ticket to see Cinderella at the new Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury.

This Cinderella is a truly magical show which combines the classic fairytale with all the traditional ingredients you've come to expect from our pantomimes; stunning sets and costumes, brilliant singing and dancing, side-splitting comedy, truly amazing illusions, lots of audience participation and, of course, a very happy ending!

The fantastic star cast includes: top television star JOHN PARTRIDGE, the brilliant STEPHEN MULHERN (Britain's Got More Talent, Magic Numbers) and the hilarious SUE DEVANEY (Dinner Ladies, Coronation Street). Once again, Kent's biggest festive treat will be written and directed by PAUL HENDY and produced by the same team who brought you the smash-hit shows, Robin Hood and Peter Pan.
This festive fun-filled extravaganza is guaranteed to delight the whole family.

Visit the Wildwood Shop for calendars & discounted Christmas decorations
Our new calendar is out now and is selling fast! Priced at £4.99 it features beautiful illustrations of Wildwood's animals with facts and information. Now available in the Wildwood Shop.

Look out for some great Christmas bargains in the Wildwood shop - up to 50% off selected Christmas decorations

Christmas Trees
Christmas trees will be on sale at the Wildwood Shop from 3rd December. You can pre-order (recommended for larger trees), or drop in to pick your own tree.

5) Please, no Christmas trees!

As some of our long-standing members will know, a few years ago we put out an appeal for Christmas trees for use in our wolf enclosure.... we were wrong!

Please don't bring us your old Christmas trees as the wolves don't like them and we have to pay to dispose of trees that are left with us.

Your local council will have a designated day when they will collect trees along with your refuse collection.

Sorry we got it wrong, but if the wolves don't like it, we don't argue!

6) Calling all Cubs, Beaver Scouts, Scouts, Brownies & Guides!

Did you know that Wildwood is a fantastic place to learn all about animals and work towards lots of different animal and environmental badges?

At Wildwood you can find out lots of great stuff to help you achieve the following badges:

Beaver Scouts – Animal Friend activity badge
Beaver Scouts – Animal Carer activity Badge
Cubs/Scouts – Naturalist activity Badge
Brownies – Environment badge
Brownies – Friend to animals badge
Brownies – Wildlife Explorer badge

Plus! Great rates for Groups

Wildwood has excellent group rates for your Cub, Scout, Brownie or Guide group. Visit the park between now and the end of March and the group rate is only £2 per person (min group size 10), and we can provide lots of fun activities for your group (pictured). To find out more about group visits call the Education team on 01227 712 111 or email anne@wildwoodtrust.org

7) Wildwood education services - Outreach

Did you know Wildwood's Outreach service offers a wide range of curriculum-based workshops run by experienced tutors direct to classroom.

Click here to visit our website for full details of our workshops and prices. For more information or t o book any of our workshops please contact Suzanne on 01227 712111 or email suzanne@wildwoodtrust.org

Examples of our Primary School workshops:

Nocturnal Animals
Find out all about animals that come at night, focusing on their sensory adaptations. Involves games and roleplay and the possibility of meeting one of our nocturnal animals.
Topic: adaptation - Curriculum links: KS1, Sc2 1b,c, 2g, 5a
Let's Talk Wolf
Discover how wolves talk to each other. How do we talk to each other without words? A workshop that explores feelings, moods, & communication using role play/acting to deliver the message in a non threatening environment. Meet Wilhemina/Wilf our wolf puppets. Suitable for all Key Stages with adaptation.
Topics: SEAL Programme, PSHE, Senses - Curriculum links: KS1 Sc2 1b, 2a,g PSHE 4a,d KS2 PSHE 2e, 3e, 4a,c

Examples of our Secondary School workshops:

Adaptation and Dentition: Skulls, Teeth, Skins & Horns
Hands-on team event to test your understanding of mammal adaptation. Handle and examine a range of animal skulls for adaptation and dentition studies – including carnivore, herbivore, omnivore and rodent skulls – plus deer antlers and sheep/goat horns.
Topics: Environment & feeding relationships, Dentition - Curriculum links: KS3 Sc2 5c
Conservation: Presentation on conservation projects at Wildwood
Powerpoint presentation detailing the conservation work carried out at Wildwood, including captive breeding of dormice and water voles. Aimed at A' Level students, but can be adapted for younger students if required.
Topics: Conservation, Ecosystems, Biodiversity

To book any of our workshops please contact Suzanne on 01227 712111 or email suzanne@wildwoodtrust.org

8) Items needed - can you help?

With our new conservation building ready for occupation and our new range of educational activities we urgently need the following items for use at the park:

Craft items

If you have any of the following items that you would like to donate for us to recycle and use to educate children please let us know:

Leather - we need leather items (clean chamois leathers, old leather clothes or leather type fabrics) to educate children about Stone Age arts and crafts.
Fun Fur - We need fun fur (or items made from fun fur) to help children dress up as animals.
Bed sheets - We need old white bedsheets or duvet covers that we can dye to use in craft activities.
Ribbon & Trims - We need coloured ribbons & trims for use in craft actitivies.
Shiny fabrics - We need shiny fabrics for craft activities and for children to use to dress up as animals.

Office equipment:

Our new conservation building is now ready for occupation, but we urgently need the following items to make it into a fully functioning work environment:

Office chairs - We need good quality office chairs for use in our new conservation building
Large plastic storage boxes with lids - For use in our new conservation building

Building materials:

Our ranger team urgently require bricks and blocks for use in our new otter enclosure:

Clean bricks and blocks - For use in our new otter enclosure, they can be new or second-hand but they must be clean. We can collect bricks and blocks.

If you can help with any of the above items please contact the office on 01227 712 111. Anything you can help with will be gratefully received.

Many thanks,

Fiona Paterson

Wildwood Trust

Herne Common,

Herne Bay,

Kent

CT6 7LQ

Wildwood e-news October '11

2011-10-18T21:41:00.000+01:00

Wildwood e-news October '11

1) Autumn half-term fun at Wildwood!

2) Welcome to Baxter, our new red fox

3) Kent Mammal Group training courses
4) Wildwood winter opening hours

5) Christmas events at Wildwood

6) Christmas gift ideas

7) Animal of the month - Wildcat

8) Items needed - can you help?

1) Autumn half-term fun at Wildwood

Join in the autumn fun at Wildwood this half term!

FREE talks and feeds every day
Join our experts around the park for free talks and feeds to see our animals close up and watch out for our roving demonstrations every day for close up encounters with animals and animal artefacts.

Tues 25th October – Shadow puppets & Story telling craft event
Join our Natural Heritage Officer, Steve Kirk for an afternoon of animal stories and shadow puppets and make your own to take home.
2-4pm, £2 per person, one adult free per family. Must book (call 01227 712 111)

Wed 26th / Thur 27th / Fri 28th October - Hallowe'en Crafts
It's time to get spooky with our annual pumpkin orange and spider black creepy craft event. Make your own suitably spooky decorations to take home themed around pumkpins, bats, rats, spiders and cats. One session per day. 2-3pm, £2 per person, one adult free per family. Must book (call 01227 712 111).

2) Meet Baxter, our new red fox

Wildwood is pleased to welcome Baxter, our new red fox.

The new addition brings number of red foxes at Wildwood to 3 and Baxter is getting on well with his new acquaintances, Wildwood residents Ellie and Chris.

Baxter was brought to Wildwood by The Fox Project, a charity based in Kent and the South East that helps sick and injured foxes and abandoned cubs, providing for their care, treatment and rehabilitation back to the wild.

Baxter, a young male, was rescued by the Fox Project team after being found abandoned as a cub. They cared for him until he was strong enough to fend for himself but sadly he is not suitable to be returned to the wild so has been brought to Wildwood to live with our existing foxes.

Wildwood's head keeper Paul Wirdnam said "Wildwood has worked with the Fox Project for a number of years, their team do a fantastic job have rehabilitated thousands of foxes just like Baxter. We are very proud to work with them"

You can see Baxter in the fox enclosure – keep an eye out for him on your next visit to the park.

3) Kent Mammal Group courses - last spaces remaining

Small mammal trapping course – Sat 29th October 9.30am - 4.15pm

Learn how to survey Kent's smallest mammals using live traps, includes handling and identification.

Introduction on small mammal surveys by Hazel Ryan.
Out into the woods to check the traps (set the previous evening).
Handle, sex and weigh the animals before re-setting the traps.
Illustrated talk on Kent's small mammals and their field signs.
Behind the scenes tour of our small mammal captive breeding programme (please note these animals are not on public display)
Re-check the traps.
Learn how to carry out your own small mammal surveys.

Kent Mammal ID Course – Sat 19th November 9.45am - 4pm

This popular courses teach you how to survey Kent's larger mammals from their tracks, signs and sightings . The courses are run in conjunction with Kent Mammal Group who are working towards an Atlas of Kent Mammals.

Includes a tour of native mammals kept at Wildwood
Learn how to identify animals by sight, along with nests, footprints, feeding remains and droppings.
Includes hands-on experience looking at skulls, antlers and skins.

Course tutor is Hazel Ryan, Wildwood's Senior Conservation Officer. Courses cost £30 per person (£50 when you book both courses together).

To book call Hazel on 01227 712111 or e-mail hazel@wildwoodtrust.org

4) Winter opening hours

Please note that from Sunday 30th October, Wildwood's opening hours will be:

10am - 4pm (last admission 3pm)

5) Christmas at Wildwood

Visit Santa at Wildwood!

Sat 3rd & Sun 4th Dec - Sat 10th & Sun 11th Dec - Sat 17th & Sun 18th Dec

Visit Santa in his grotto this December at Wildwood. All good little boys and girls welcome from 1pm-3pm. Cost £6 per child, includes a present from Santa (optional photographs also available for £2 each). Just drop in any time or book on 01227 712 111. Please note that all access to this event is only allowed if membership of or entry to Wildwood has been paid.

Christmas trees at Wildwood
Wildwood will have christmas trees again this year - orders are being taken now. Stock will be available to buy directly from the shop from 3rd Dec. To place an order call the shop on 01227 712 111.

6) Christmas gift ideas

Animal adoptions - the perfect gift
An animal adoption is a great gift for any animal lover as well as helping to support Wildwood's conservation work. Choose from animal adoption bags for kids or postal adoption packs for adults. Prices start from just £25 with over 20 animals to choose from.

Visit www.wildwoodtrust.org or call Pat or Sharon on 01227 712111 to give someone their favourite animal this Christmas.

Photo Days
A unique experience for novice and more experienced photographers alike. Enjoy exclusive access around the park to take close-up photos of our animals, with our resident photographer Dave Butcher on hand to give help and advice on how to get those special shots. A range of different animals will be photographed across the day, with animal feeds for the more elusive animals to help you get close up shots. Days run from 10:30am - 12:30pm and 1:30pm - 4pm with an hour for lunch (make use of our restaurant or bring a packed lunch). Max 10 persons per day. Visit our website at www.wildwoodtrust.org for details of forthcoming dates.

Gift vouchers are also available to allow the recipient to choose a date to suit them.

Cost: £75 per person, which includes entry to the park. To book call 01227 712 111

7) Animal of the month - Wildcat

They may look like your friendly tabby next door, but don't be fooled, this is a cat that was never going to sit beside anyone's hearth. Wildcats are exactly that-wild, and are renowned for being untameable, even as kittens.

Wildcats were present in Britain before humans arrived here and before domestic cats had even evolved. Wildcats survived human persecution for a thousand years longer than the brown bear and over two hundred years longer than the wolf, making them one of the largest predators remaining in the UK. Sadly, wildcats are only found nowadays in remote areas of the Scottish highlands and recent estimates put their number at a dangerously low 400 surviving in the wild.

Wildcats are traditionally forest animals, although Britain's remaining wildcats have been forced to adapt to other habitats and will often include moorland, heath and rocky areas in their territory. Scottish wildcats mainly prey upon rabbits and hares, whereas European ones tend to eat mostly small mammals, such as mice and voles. Wildcats will occasionally eat fish, frogs, lizards and birds. They are true carnivores and eat almost every part of their prey, including fur and bones. Wildcats resemble a domestic tabby in some ways but they are clearly larger and more muscular, the tail is thicker, with a blunt black tip, and their coat is very thick, with brown and black stripes. The face and jaw are usually wider and more heavy-set than in a domestic cat.

Wildcats are mainly nocturnal. They spend the day resting in dens or among undergrowth and can prowl up to 10km at night in their search for prey. Like many animals, wildcats communicate with one another through scent, either by leaving urine and faeces in prominent places or rubbing their cheeks or clawing trees to release scent from glands.

Wildcats are solitary animals, spending most of their lives alone. They mate in midwinter and the male does not help to rear the kittens. Kittens are born in spring, usually in May, and there may be 1-8 kittens in a litter although 3 or 4 is average. Females who are ready to mate, in January or February, can be heard caterwauling to attract a male. This is one of the few times that wildcats make any noise. Kittens are fed on milk at first but within a few weeks their mother will begin bringing back live prey for the kittens to practice on. Kittens will spend time out hunting with their mother before they become independent at about five months old. Wildcats generally mate for the first time in their second year.

Although they are often referred to nowadays as Scottish wildcats, wildcats were once found across the whole of Britain. They are now only found in Scotland, north of a line between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Persecution from humans and habitat loss has reduced the population, so that now wildcats are Britain's most endangered mammal, with only 400 pure specimens left in the wild. The last Kentish wildcats are thought to have died out around 1750. In the past, wildcats were persecuted by gamekeepers because of the threat they posed to game birds and their chicks. Farmers also saw wildcats as a threat to newborn lambs. There was even considerable misunderstanding about the threat wildcats posed towards humans - until the 1950s, they were believed to kill humans, hanging by hooks in their tails from branches and then leaping for the throat! The biggest current threat to wildcats is hybridisation with feral domestic cats, of which there are thought to be approximately 100,000 in Scotland. The Scottish wildcat population has been calculated at up to 4000, but all except 400 are suspected to have hybridised with domestic cats and so are not true wildcats. Although wildcats are a protected species, there is little the law can do to prevent feral and domestic cats from mating with wildcats. Releasing captive-bred wildcats is not an effective way to boost the population of pure wildcats, as they are not used to hunting for themselves and tend not to survive very well. However, captive animals are vital at the moment to maintain numbers of this highly threatened species.

Did you know? Wildcats....

Are completely untameable - kittens will hiss, spit and claw at humans even before their eyes have opened.
Have full surround-sound hearing; each ear can swivel independently 180 degrees.
In Scotland are larger, more heavily camouflaged and hunt across a wider range of habitats than their European cousins.
May be at the root of Scottish stories of banshees; females will scream to attract a mate.
The Catti people, an ancient tribe which worshipped the wildcat, gave their name to Caithness

8) Items needed - can you help?

We love to recycle and we can make use of many items that would otherwise go to landfill. At the moment we need the following items:

Laptops (less than 5 years old) - for use by our conservation and keeper teams when visiting other sites and around Wildwood.
Flat-Panel TVs - To enhance our educational facilities.
Large plastic storage boxes with lids - for use in our new conservation building to store equipment safely out of the way of small creatures such as dormice and water voles should they get loose.

If you can help at all please contact the office on 01227 712 111, many thanks.

Fiona Paterson
Wildwood Trust
Tel 01227 712 111

Hollywood legend and Oscar Winner Vanessa Redgrave Launches New Wildwood Film

2011-10-14T17:24:00.001+01:00

Wildwood launches a new documentary film at a premier hosted by Hollywood legend and Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave.

Hosted by Vanessa and her Director son, Carlo Nero, with a guest list including the UK's leading conservationists, the premier will be held at the Soho Headquarters of 20^th Century Fox on Tuesday 18^th October.

The Film, entitled 'The Killing Fields', explores how a 'land Value Tax' would not only stimulate jobs and enterprise but put a value on all of our natural resources and encourage us to look after them.

Peter Smith, Wildwood Trust's Chief Executive, who is the main commentator to the film, said:

"If a 'Land Value Tax' was implemented this would mean hard to farm areas and marginal land of little use to society would naturally become land set aside for wildlife and allow the recreation of little wild woods across the country"

Land Value Tax has been hitting the headlines lately with politicians from all political parties recognising the role it could play in getting the country out of recession and addressing the growing problems of wealth division and tax avoidance.

Wildwood Trust is a charity which runs the Canterbury based Wildwood Woodland discovery Park, an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British Wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here, like the wolf, beaver, red squirrel, wild boar and many more.

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury.

*************END*************************

Peter is available for interview peter@wildwoodtrust.org Mobile: 07986 828229 - get in touch with Peter if you wish to attend the premier – there will be broadcast quality HD footage and stills taken at the event which will be available.

Contact:

Peter Smith
Chief Executive
Wildwood Trust

e-mail: peter@wildwoodtrust.org

Mobile: 07986 828229

Tel: 01227 712111
www.wildwoodtrust.org

If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter then sign up on http://www.wildwoodtrust.org/news.htm#events

Wildwood Trust

Herne Common

Herne Bay

Kent

CT6 7LQ

Registered Charity No 1093702

Wildwood Trust is Kent's unique 'Woodland Discovery Park', a visitor attraction with a difference.

Wildwood is not only the best place to bring the family for a day out, but it is also a bold and innovative new charity, backed by the UK's leading wildlife conservationists. As a new charity Wildwood needs everyone's support in its mission to save our native and once native wildlife from extinction.

Wildwood Trust's vision is to bring back our true 'wildwood', a unique new way of restoring Britain's land to its natural state. This involves releasing large wild herbivores and developing conservation grazing systems to restore natural ecological processes to help Britain team with wildlife again.

The Wildwood 'Woodland Discovery Park' is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British Wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here.

Set in a sublime 38 acres of Ancient Woodland, Wildwood offers visitors a truly unique experience. Come Nose to Nose with our secretive badgers, experience what it is like to be hunted by a real live pack of wolves, watch a charging wild boar or track down a beaver in his lodge.

Wildwood Trust runs a highly successful programme of Conservation Projects

- we are the UK's leading experts in rescuing and re-establishing colonies of Britain's most threatened mammal, the water vole. Wildwood Trust has pioneered the use of ancient wild horses to restore nature reserve. Wildwood Trust has been at the forefront of efforts to re-establish the European Beaver back in Britain where they belong. European Beaver have been proven to help manage water ways to bring back a huge range of plants, insects and animals.

Wildwood welcomes new red fox

2011-10-11T16:38:00.000+01:00

Wildwood is pleased to welcome Baxter, our new red fox.

The new addition brings number of red foxes at Wildwood to 3 and Baxter is getting on well with his new acquaintances, Wildwood residents Ellie and Chris.

Baxter is now on display in Wildwood's specially designed red fox enclosure and is just one of the huge range of British animals that can be seen at the Wildwood Discovery Park, for more information visit the website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 01227 712 111

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury.

*************END*************************

FACTS - Red Fox Vulpes vulpes

Recognition:

Reddish orange fur, small dog sized; thick bushy tail in winter
Head/body length: average 67-72cm for males; 62-67cm for females; tail about 40cm
Weight: average 6-7kg for males; 5-6kg for females.

General Ecology:

A highly adaptable species, found in nearly all habitats from salt marshes and sand dunes to the tops of mountains. In Britain, more than elsewhere in Europe, foxes have also adapted to life in urban surroundings.

Foxes hold territories, the size of which depends on habitat; they can be as small as 0.2 square kilometres in urban areas or up to 40 square kilometres in hill country. Each territory is occupied by a fox family group. These often consist of a pair - dog fox and vixen - and their cubs. However, in areas where foxes are not persecuted and where there is a plentiful supply of food, a family group may contain several adults.

Foxes have a very wide and varied diet. On salt marshes they eat crabs and dead seabirds, while in upland regions carrion may be important, particularly during the winter months. In lowland rural areas small mammals, especially field voles and rabbits, are the major source of food, with earthworms, beetles, fruit (particularly blackberries) and small birds also being eaten.

Urban foxes glean large amounts of food. Much of this is deliberately supplied by local householders, and is supplemented by scavenging from dustbins, birdtables and compost heaps. Unlike rural foxes, those living in some urban areas eat many small birds and feral pigeons.

Usually only one vixen in a group produces cubs, once a year in the spring. Litters average four to five cubs which are born blind and deaf in a den (called an earth). The earth may be dug by the foxes, or they may enlarge a rabbit burrow or use holes made by other animals. In urban areas cubs are often born under garden sheds. A vixen stays in the earth with her cubs for the first two weeks of their lives. At about four weeks old, usually in late April or early May, cubs begin to come into the open, when they are often seen by city householders.

Foxes generally do not live very long; although they have been recorded up to nine years old in the wild, most survive only one or two years.

Conservation:

Foxes have little legal protection. In some areas they are subjected to much persecution including shooting, hunting, being snared and dug out with terriers and caught with lurchers (fast, long-legged dogs). Self-locking snares and gin traps, both of which were once used to catch foxes, have been outlawed. Free running snares are legal, but they must be inspected at least once a day. These humanitarian provisions are the sole protection received by foxes.

Despite their lack of protection foxes are widespread and abundant. The success of the fox is due to its adaptability and it is in no need of active conservation measures. There remain about 190 fox hunts in England and Wales, but these probably kill a small proportion of foxes compared to those captured in snares and killed by other means. In the early 1980s many foxes were killed each year for their fur, most of which was exported to West Germany. However, with the decline in fur prices, this trade has decreased substantially.

Fiona Paterson

Press Officer

Wildwood Trust

e-mail: fiona@wildwoodtrust.org

Tel: 01227 712111

www.wildwoodtrust.org

Wildwood Trust

Herne Common

Herne Bay

Kent

CT6 7LQ

Registered Charity No 1093702

Wildwood Trust is Kent's unique 'Woodland Discovery Park', a visitor attraction with a difference.

Wildwood Trust runs a highly successful programme of Conservation Projects

Reminder: Wildwood Trust invited you to join Facebook...

2011-10-11T07:41:00.001+01:00

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Wildwood goes nuts this autumn

2011-10-05T17:18:00.000+01:00

Go nuts at Wildwood this autumn

Wildwood are asking wildlife lovers to help us harvest this year's bumper crop of autumn nuts to help feed our animals.

This year has been a bumper year for acorns, walnuts and sweet chestnuts, so much in fact that they are falling out of the trees faster than Wildwood's animal keepers can collect them, and Wildwood are asking for help collecting them to make sure we have enough to feed our animals this coming winter.

Wildwood's wild boar adore sweet chestnuts and acorns and our red squirrels can't wait to get their paws on this season's hazel nuts and walnuts. But they need your help. As a big thank you we are giving away a free children's return ticket, or a special prize for members, for every carrier bag full we receive.

You can collect the nuts from the paths around Wildwood or from trees in parks or your garden! As a charity we have to save every penny so we can spend it on our innovative conservation projects, that is why it is so important that we get help to harvest our natural food source.

To claim your free ticket or prize, simply hand in a carrier bag full of hazel nuts, acorns, walnuts or sweet chestnut (only one type of nut per bag and no conkers please!) to the shop.

Wildwood's 'Wildlife Conservation Park' is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British Wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here, like the wolf, beaver, red squirrel, wild boar and many more.

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury. For more information visit our website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 7820081.

KEEP SAFE!

1. Whilst at Wildwood please stick to the marked paths. Don't feed any of the animals, some of them may bite and if an animal is given the wrong food or too much food it can make them very ill.

2. Don't eat any of the nuts; they could make you feel very sick!

***********************************************************************************************ENDS*************************************************************************************

We have a range of pictures to go with this story of oaks acorns and animals that like to eat them including our wild boar. Or we can arrange a visit for photographers to see our animals eating acorns.

Top 10 Acorn and Oak Tree Facts

· Pigs love Acorns and up until recently many farmers allowed their pigs to run through woodlands in the autumn eating this excellent food which helps fatten them up so they can survive the winter

· Oak trees don't have acorns until they are at least 50 years old

· The Anglo-Saxon name for oak was aik, so the seed was known as aik-com. English oaks bear them on stalks, sessile acorns are stalkless.

· In a good year a mature oak tree may produce around 50,000 acorns.

· Oak trees are an important habitat for wildlife and provide a home for more species of wildlife than any other European tree. Squirrels and many birds shelter, feed or nest in the canopy and many insects eat the leaves. Mosses, lichens and algae and insects live on or in the bark, and acorns feed all sorts of animals such as deer, squirrels, rabbits, mice and birds. Even when a tree dies it continues to provide food and shelter for wildlife as it slowly decays. In fact an oak tree is really just like a big wildlife hotel!

· Oak trees are deciduous which means they lose their leaves in winter. Like other deciduous trees, oaks have wide flat leaves from which water is easily evaporated. In winter when the ground is cold or frozen, it is difficult for trees to take up enough water through their roots, so in autumn as the days become shorter and darker, trees lose their leaves and 'sleep' through the winter. Then in spring as the days become longer and brighter, the tree produces a whole new set of leaves.

· In May oak trees also produce two types of flowers. Male flowers hang in long catkins from the twigs and female flowers appear at the tips of the twigs. Pollen from the male flowers is carried to the female flowers by the breeze and the female flowers eventually turn into seeds called acorns. By the autumn the acorns are ripe and fall to the ground. Many are eaten by animals such as deer, squirrels, mice and rabbits and by birds such as jays and rooks. But hopefully some will land or be dropped on the soil and germinate the following spring.

· An oak seedling may reach a height of 30cm in its first year but it has a long way to go! Oak trees are very long lived and can live for 1000 years or more!

· There are two species of oak native to Britain:

- The English Oak (Quercus robur) is a massive tree and can grow up to 40 metres in height. It has a short trunk, long branches and a huge crown. The leaves have 4 or 5 lobes (rounded wiggles) on each side and don't have stalks. The acorns of English oaks are attached to the twig by long stalks.

- The Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea) can also grow up to about 40 metres in height. It has a longer trunk than the English Oak. and a fan shaped crown. Its leaves are also a rounded wiggly shape in outline, but unlike the English oak, leaves of the sessile oak grow on stalks. The acorns are stubbier and they don't have stalks.

Fiona Paterson
Press Officer
Wildwood Trust
e-mail: fiona@wildwoodtrust.org
Tel: 01227 712111

www.wildwoodtrust.org

Wildwood Trust
Herne Common
Herne Bay
Kent
CT6 7LQ

Registered Charity No 1093702

Wildwood Trust is Kent's unique 'Woodland Discovery Park', a visitor attraction with a difference.

Bushcraft Experience at Wildwood

2011-10-04T20:39:00.000+01:00

Last spaces available on the Wildwood Bushcraft experience - Book Now!

Wildwood Bushcraft Experience - Saturday 15th October - 10-4pm - £35 per person (min age 12yrs)

Join our natural heritage officer, Steve Kirk for a day of bushcraft and survival techniques at Wildwood. The day is your chance to get back to nature and learn basic bushcraft techniques with tutition and practical activities. To book call the office on 01227 712 111

Practical activities will include:

Building a debris shelter
Foraging for wild plants and/or fungi
Animal tracking using Wildwood's animals, wild animals and casts of tracks
Water collection and filtering
Fire lighting including fire by friction
Preparing and cooking a rabbit *
Atlatl (spear thrower) demonstration and practice (space permitting)
Making cordage from natural materials

Learn:

How to tune in to your environment using all your senses
How to recognise some edible and useful wild plants and fungi
Which animals we would have traditionally eaten, and how you would find enough food to survive
Tracking skills
How to prepare a rabbit for the pot*
How to find and prepare water safely for drinking
How to build a safe fire and some of the methods for lighting fires
What plants make good tinder and their other uses beyond food
Basic shelter building techniques

The day runs from 10-4pm (with one hour for lunch, bring a packed lunch or purchase lunch in our cafe). *Preparing a rabbit is an optional activity. Please note this event is subject to weather conditions.

To book please call the office on 01227 712 111

The Wildwood Team

Tel 01227 712 111

Wildwood - Change of opening hours

2011-09-27T20:00:00.000+01:00

Change of opening hours - 3rd October

Please note that on Monday 3rd October our opening hours will change to:

Last admission: 4.30pm
Park closes: 5.30pm

The Wildwood Team

www.wildwoodtrust.org

Wildwood’s CEO advises Lib Dem conference on economic reform

2011-09-22T17:24:00.000+01:00

Wildwood's chief executive, Peter Smith has been getting close the seat of Government and advising a Lib Dems group on how to give wildlife value in the UK.

Peter, an ecologist and now environmental economist, has been advocating a century old economic reform as the key to saving the wildlife of the UK.

Peter wrote a new paper, Wildlife, Environment & Land Value Tax (LVT), which was presented at this year's Lib Dem conference.

The report highlights how switching to a LVT system in the UK would not only be beneficial for the economy, but would also help to protect wildlife by encouraging land owners to use their land in ways that benefit wildlife, rather than in ways that destroys it.

The ALTER group (Action for Land Taxation and Economic Reform) is a key Lib Dem group on economic reform with Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg and Business Secretary, Vince Cable as its vice-presidents.

Peter said "Replacing income tax and taxes on real wealth with a Land Value Tax (LVT) on all land in the UK will not only create jobs and boost the economy, but is the key to protecting our wildlife and conservation of natural resources."

"The idea of Land Value Tax is not a new one, in fact it has been debated by politicians and economists for decades, it has had support from many high profile figures such as Lloyd George, Sir Winston Churchill and even Albert Einstein. In today's bleak economic times LVT is the clear answer to cutting unemployment, rescuing our economy from recession and saving wildlife"

*** END ***

Peter is available for interview on this topic contact: peter@wildwoodtrust.org, Tel 07986 828229.

******************************************

Peter Smith
Chief Executive
Wildwood Trust

e-mail: peter@wildwoodtrust.org
Tel: 01227 712111
www.wildwoodtrust.org

If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter then sign up on http://www.wildwoodtrust.org/news.htm#events

Wildwood Trust

Herne Common

Herne Bay

Kent

CT6 7LQ

Registered Charity No 1093702

Wildwood Trust is Kent's unique 'Woodland Discovery Park', a visitor attraction with a difference.

Wildwood Trust runs a highly successful programme of Conservation Projects

Job vacancies at Wildwood

2011-09-19T20:18:00.000+01:00

Job vacancies at Wildwood

We have 2 new vacancies at Wildwood - to see all of our current vacancies and to apply please visit www.wildwoodtrust.org

Personal Assistant to the Chief Executive

Job Title:              Personal Assistant to Chief Executive

Function:             Support the Chief Executive

Responsible to:   Chief Executive

Salary:               £17,370 to £22,195 + generous pension & other benefits

This new role is to support the administrative demands on our Chief Executive in a fast growing charity. To provide an efficient and responsive administrative, organisational, and logistical service to the Chief Executive, helping him to manage and prioritise his time and perform secretarial duties. We are looking for someone with exceptional enthusiasm, excellent typing and written English skills and a commitment to wildlife conservation. Due to the CEO's dyslexia, proofreading, dictation and audio typing will be a high proportion of the duties.

This exciting opportunity will ideally suit someone with a confident, optimistic approach. The ideal candidate will be proficient in keyboard and IT applications with excellent written English skills and demonstrable experience in an administration/executive assistant/PA role.

Job Overview

Manage and maintain the CEO's diary and email accounts. Filter emails, highlight urgent correspondence and respond to routine enquiries.
Audio typing, dictation & proof reading for the CEO's press releases, news articles and blog posts, including articles for scientific journals and book projects. (our current CEO is dyslexic and the post holder will be expected to correct his written work and bring it up to an excellent standard)
Schedule on behalf of the CEO meetings between him and his direct reporting staff, record key decisions and chase them up on the implantation of those decisions
Filter general information, queries, phone calls, press enquiries and media invitations to the CEO by redirecting or taking forward such contact as appropriate and learning from the CEO what his priorities are.
Keep and maintain an accurate record of papers and electronic correspondence on behalf of the CEO.
Prepare correspondence on behalf of the CEO, including the drafting of general replies.
Minute general and board meetings as required
Complete research, contact lists generation on behalf of the CEO, including event organisation.
Ensure guests meeting with the CEO are well taken care of.
Assist the CEO in day to day office duties, cleaning his desk and tidying up after his technology and office IT projects

How to apply

Click here visit our website to download and read the full job specification.

Application is by C.V. and must contain the following information:

Name, address, contact phone numbers at home and work (for discreet calls only)
Employment history
Educational history

You should include a statement of the relevant skills and experience that you believe you will bring to the job, paying careful attention to the requirements of the job outlined in the job specification. You should give two referees to whom we can turn for a confidential reference, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer. References will only be taken up for those candidates chosen for interview or, with regard to current employer, on offer of contract.

Applications will not normally be acknowledged. If you would like yours to be acknowledged, please enclose a stamped, self addressed postcard.

Applications should be sent to Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7LQ.

Email: claire@wildwoodtrust.org

The closing date for applications is 17th October 2011

Cafe Manager

Job Title:                  Café Manager

Function:                  Run the Beaver Lodge Café

Salary:                      up to £23,000 (9% pension & other benefits)

Responsible to:        Chief Executive

Responsible for:       Café assistants, Seasonal and casual staff

Wildwood requires a hardworking, hands on manager for our Beaver Lodge Café, ensuring that it operates efficiently and profitably, while maintaining Wildwood's reputation and ethos.

The Beaver Lodge café is an attractive log cabin style building situated at the heart of wildwood. It consists of an 80 seat café and veranda. It has a large kiosk and about 20 picnic tables attractively scattered around woodland and overlooking the adventure playground. Wildwood attracts 100,000 visitors a year and has a membership of 47,000 individuals. The café can expect to cater for between 300 and 600 on Sundays and school holidays and around 50 to 100 during other times. As a visitor centre there are surges of demand from midday till 2.30pm.

The successful candidate will hold a recognised qualification in Catering and food hygiene, along with 5 years relevant experience in the catering industry and be able to demonstrate that they can meet the demands of our customers efficiently whilst leading from the front.

Job Overview

Serving good food to our customers in a timely fashion.
Organising, leading and motivating the Café team.
Planning menus.
Budgeting and establishing financial targets and forecasts.
Monitoring the quality of the product and service provided.
Keeping financial and administrative records.
Managing the timesheets and monitoring spending levels.
Maintaining stock levels and ordering new supplies as required.
Liaising with suppliers and clients.
Setting and agreeing budgets.
Monitoring quality standards.
Overseeing the management of facilities, e.g. checking event bookings and allocation of resources/staff.
Planning new promotions and initiatives, and contributing to business development;
Dealing with staffing and client issues.
Keeping abreast of trends and developments in the industry such as menus, trends in consumer tastes and management issues.

How to apply

Click here visit our website to download and read the full job specification.

Application is by C.V. and must contain the following information:

Name, address & contact phone numbers at home and work (for discreet calls only)
Employment history
Educational history

You should give two referees to whom we can turn for a confidential reference, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer. References will only be taken up for those candidates chosen for interview or, with regard to current employer, on offer of contract.

Applications will not normally be acknowledged. If you would like yours to be acknowledged, please enclose a stamped, self addressed postcard.

Applications should be sent to Wildwood Trust , Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7LQ.

Email: claire@wildwoodtrust.org

Short listed interviewees will be expected to visit Wildwood for one half day consisting of shadowing one of the Café Team and a formal interview with senior staff.

The closing date for applications is 24th October 2011

The Wildwood team

Tel 01227 712 111

Wildwood e-news September '11

2011-09-08T22:51:00.000+01:00

Wildwood e-news September '11

1) New Events Schedule out now!

2) Join the campaign to stop the badger cull

3) Educational trips at Wildwood

4) Animal of the Month - Fallow Deer

5) Birthday Parties at Wildwood

6) Donate to Wildwood via GiveACar

7) Job Vacancy - Education officer

8) Items needed - can you help?

1) New Events Schedule out now!

The Wildwood Events schedule is out now, for full listings of our events from September to December please click here.

To book any event call 01227 712 111 – please note that Wildwood entry fees or membership must be paid in order to attend any event.

SEPTEMBER 2011

Sunday 18th September - Spider Day
Discover the secret lives of our tiny eight-legged neighbours. Go on a spider hunt through the woods in the morning and then spend the afternoon making spider crafts with our Natural Heritage Officer, Steve Kirk.
Spider hunt session: 11am-1pm, craft session: 2-4pm. £2 per person, one adult free per family. Must book.

Saturday 24th September - Wetland Mammal Survey training day - FREE EVENT

Wildwood and Kent Mammal Group are carrying out surveys for wetland mammals in East Kent. This training day will look at the ecology of a range of wetland animals from water vole, water shrew to otter, mink and harvest mice and cover the standard survey techniques for these species. If you would like to attend this course and help out with the surveys in 2011 please contact Jon Bramley on 01227 750092 or BramleyAssociates@btopenworld.com

Tuesday 27th September - Photography Day
Wildlife photography with exclusive access around the park and tuition from our resident photographer.
10.30am - 4pm. £75 per person. Must book.

OCTOBER 2011

Monday 3rd October - Change of opening hours
For the shorter autumn days, our opening hours will change to 10am-5.30pm. Please note last admission will be at 4.30pm.

Sunday 9th October - Fungus Foray no1 - FREE EVENT
Wildwood has some interesting and unusual autumn fungi so take a walk in the woods with our Natural Heritage Officer, Steve Kirk to find, identify and learn all about woodland fungi. Please note this event is not suitable for young children or children in pushchairs.
1.30pm - 3.30pm. Free event. Must book.

Tuesday 11th October - Harvest Moon Night Tour
See our animals under the moonlight on a guided night tour to coincide with the full moon.
6.30pm - 9pm (hot meal at 6.30pm). £20 per person. Min age 10yrs. Must book.

Saturday 15th October - Bushcraft Experience Day
Could you survive a day in the wild wood? How would you find water, food and shelter? Join our one-day bushcraft experience and get back to nature whilst learning basic bushcraft techniques wiht Natural Heritage Officer, Steve Kirk. Please note this event is subject to weather conditions.
10am - 4pm. £35 per person. Min age 12yrs. Must book.

Sunday 16th October - Fungus Foray no2 - FREE EVENT
Wildwood has some interesting and unusual autumn fungi so take a walk in the woods with our Natural Heritage Officer, Steve Kirk to find, identify and learn all about woodland fungi. Please note this event is not suitable for young children or children in pushchairs.
1.30pm - 3.30pm. Free event. Must book.

October Half Term: 22nd Oct - 30th Oct FREE animal talks and feeds every day!

Monday 24th October & Tuesday 25th October - Story Telling and Shadow Puppets
Shadow puppets have been used to bring stories to life for thousands of years. Join our Natural Heritage Officer, Steve Kirk to discover wonderful animal stories, some told with shadow puppets, and make your own to take home.
2-4pm. £2 per person, one adult free per family. Must book.

Tuesday 25th October - Photography Day
Wildlife photography with exclusive access around the park and tuition from our resident photographer.
10.30am - 4pm. £75 per person. Must book.

Wednesday 26th October & Thursday 27th October & Friday 28th October - Hallowe'en Crafts
It's that time again for our annual pumpkin orange and spider black creepy craft event. Make your own suitably spooky decorations to take home themed around pumpkins, bats, rats, spiders and cats.
One session per day 2-3pm. £2 per person, one adult free per family. Must book.

Saturday 29th October - Small Mammal Trapping course
Learn to survey our smallest mammals using live traps. Includes handling and identification.
9.30pm - 4.15pm. Cost £30 per person (Book together with Nov 19 Kent Mammal ID course for £50) . Please book with Hazel Ryan.

Sunday 30th October - Change of opening hours
For the shorter autumn days, our opening hours will change to 10am-4pm. Please note last admission will be at 3pm.

2) Join the campaign to stop the badger cull

Last month Wildwood joined the campaign to stop government plans that would allow the shooting of thousands of badgers in a bid to control bovine TB.

Click here to watch our video of Wildwood's Chief Executive, Peter Smith, on why the govermnent is wrong press ahead with the badger cull.

Wildwood believes that the government needs to listen to the scientists who warn that a cull of badgers will do little to halt the spread of bovine TB, and instead there needs to be a long term strategy put in place to eradicate bTB. Rather than blaming badgers, the government and the farming industry need to work together on evidence-based solutions such as vaccination trials, improving cattle welfare and better farming practices in order to tackle the problem of bovine TB.

If you agree that the government needs to re-think the plan to cull thousands of badgers click here to sign the 38degrees petition.

3) Bring your class to Wildwood for a unique learning experience!

It's "Back to School" time which means our award-winning educational team are back in action with a host of fun and innovative educational workshops and activities for students of all ages.

At Wildwood students get the opportunity to get out into the woods to experience first-hand the plants and animals to be found in their local environment. Wildwood's wide array of trees, plants and animals are here for you to study and our experienced tutors will ensure you get the most from your day.

From KS1 to A-level and postgraduate, we have options in all ranges; from variety of life, to adaptation, animal homes and habitats, food chains, forensic science and practical woodland ecology . Our qualified, experienced tutors and fantastic educational resources make these curriculum-linked programmes come alive.

Teachers and group organisers are always welcome to visit the park in advance for a FREE pre-visit inspection, either independently or to meet the education team and discuss plans for their day.

Book your educational trip now for these great benefits:

Curriculum based activities for all ages and abilities
Prices start from as little as £2 per person
Group activities from only £15
Free teacher pre-visit inspections
Free teacher places when you book an educational activity
£20 off coach hire with Kent Top Travel
Wildwood can design a day or activity especially for your school

To book an educational visit e-mail laura@wildwoodtrust.org or visit our www.wildwoodtrust.org for more information.

4) Animal of the Month - Fallow Deer

Fallow deer were introduced to the UK in the 11^th century by the Normans, who were apparently not impressed with the native British deer (red deer and roe deer) and considered fallow deer to be much prettier with sweeter tasting venison. A highly prized ornamental species, fallow deer were protected in Royal Hunting "Forests" for royal sport and later, semi-domesticated herds were introduced into the parks of stately homes and estates. It is from these herds and escapees from parks that we get the free-living populations in Britain today.

Fallow deer are recognisable by their distinctive white rump patch, surrounded by black horseshoe-shaped lines. They also have a relatively long tail with a dark stripe running along it. Fallow deer fur is usually chestnut brown with white spots in summer and grey-brown without spots in winter, although there are colour variations; pale and black fallow exist. Male fallow deer have palmate antlers (with a large flat part at the top, like the palm of a hand), which they shed every year between April and June. Fallow deer usually live in small herds of fewer than 10 animals but in large areas with ample food they may congregate in herds of up to 100 animals. They are most at home in open woodland with plenty of sunny glades and will graze on grass and other plants as well as browsing on leaves and bark from trees. They will also eat acorns, sweet chestnuts, herbs and berries. Fallow deer can be active at any time of day or night, although dawn and dusk are the most common times. They tend to stay in the cover of the trees during the day and feed in more open areas at night. A large part of their time is spent 'lying up', meaning that they lie down to chew the cud in between feeding.

The rut, or mating season, takes place in September-October. Males battle for groups of females, using their antlers as weapons. They will also display by barking, thrashing their antlers on bushes and strutting in front of females. Single fawns are born in June-July (twins are extremely rare) and spend their first few days lying hidden in the undergrowth until their legs are strong enough for them to follow their mother. Outside the mating season, males often live in separate groups from the females. Fallow deer have no natural predators, as bears, lynx and wolves are now extinct in Britain. This means they can reach very high local densities and their numbers need to be controlled, however, deer are protected by the Deer Act (1991). This regulates close seasons and what methods and weapons may be used to hunt deer.

We have a herd of fallow deer at Wildwood. Most of them look very similar to one another but there are one or two who are easier to recognise. Bernie is a mature male, or buck, who can be recognised for most of the year by his large antlers. Even when he sheds these in the spring, he is still obvious by his size and the pedicles (attachment points for the antlers) on his head. The does (females) all look very similar apart from one, a mature female called Bimbo who is much whiter than all the others. Her colouring is known as menil; paler than usual all year round but not albino because she has some colour.

Did you know? Fallow deer…

males are called bucks, females are called does and youngsters are called fawns.
can be found on every continent, except for Antarctica.
are the only deer found in Britain with palmate antlers.
were first brought to Britain by the Romans, before being successfully introduced by the Normans.
sometimes bounce along with their front and hind feet touching - this is called pronking.

Adopt a fallow deer at Wildwood

Fallow deer are just one of the animal you can adopt at Wildwood. Animal adoptions make wonderful gifts and help to support our conservation work to save Britain's most threatened wildlife. If you would like to adopt a fallow deer, or any other animal, call Pat or Sharon in the Wildwood office on 01227 712 111 or visit www.wildwoodtrust.org for more information.

5) Birthday parties at Wildwood

Celebrate your child's special day with a Wildwood birthday party and give them a day to remember! A Wildwood party is the perfect way to celebrate with VIP treatment, your chance to meet an animal and a fantastic birthday meal in our restaurant, the birthday group can then run off some steam in the play area or around the park.

Wildwood Birthday Parties include:

All day admission to Wildwood
A birthday meal in the Beaver Lodge restaurant
A meet an animal session at an animal enclosure
Free colouring sheet for every child
A cuddly toy gift from our shop for the birthday child
Free entry for 2 adults accompanying the party group

Birthday parties cost £10 per child (£7 for members) and are for a minimum of 10 children. To remember your day, you can also choose to include birthday party bags from the Wildwood gift shop at a cost to suit you.

For more information visit our website:www.wildwoodtrust.org or call Claire in the office on 01227 712 111.

6) Donate your old car to Wildwood!

Wildwood has teamed up with Giveacar, a fantastic website that raises money for charity by scrapping or selling unwanted cars, vans and motorbikes. The service is completely free and is the ideal way to get rid of old vehicles quickly whilst raising money for charity. GiveACar will take any vehicle, regardless of make or age and every vehicle will raise much needed funds for Wildwood.

Free collection of unwanted vehicles
Turn your unwanted vehicle into a donation for Wildwood
Quick and easy service to use – no hassle!

If you have an unwanted vehicle that you wish to donate and raise funds for Wildwood, visit www.giveacar.co.uk and select Wildwood as your chosen charity for free collection of your vehicle.

7) Education Officer vacancy at Wildwood

Job Title:              Education Officer
Responsible to:    Head of Education
Post:                     Permanent, full-time
Salary:                 £17,000-18,500 pa

Job overview
Wildwood is looking for an experienced Education Officer to join our award-winning team. As No. 2 in the education department, you will be working with children, students and the public, communicating Wildwood's wildlife conservation message to the widest possible audience in innovative and inspirational ways. This is definitely a job for someone who wants to work with children and the public, not for someone who wishes to work specifically with animals, and the majority of teaching and presenting takes place out in the woods, whatever the weather or season. It is not a classroom-based teaching position.

The post involves teaching, planning, administration, presenting, staff training, management and resource development for both formal and informal education markets. You report directly to the Head of Education. Your main focus will be to assist in the smooth running of our busy schools' programme. This includes preschools, primary and secondary schools, special schools, A-level/IB ecology and conservation students, FE and HE students, overseas schools and adult education at all levels. Working closely with the Head of Education, your main responsibilities in these areas will include:

Teaching visiting school/college/university groups at Wildwood (e.g. guided tours, interactive workshops, animal encounter sessions, lectures, ecology and conservation courses, etc)
Assisting with outreach visits when required
Researching, developing and delivering new educational programmes
Designing and preparing educational resources (this includes crafts and preparing animal artefacts – skulls, skeletons, etc)
Liaising with teachers/lecturers in person and via phone/email
Administering the education booking system
Assisting in the management of the education diary
Maintaining departmental records of school visits
Designing/updating education literature
Maintaining education department webpages
Processing school evaluation forms
Making all this fun!

How to apply

Please visit www.wildwoodtrust.org to download and read the full job specification and complete the application form.

Completed applications should be returned to Claire Hardy, Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 7LQ (email claire@wildwoodtrust.org) by 5pm on Friday, September 23, 2011.

Applications will not normally be acknowledged. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview in late September.

8) Items needed - can you help?

We love to recycle and we can make use of many items that would otherwise go to landfill. At the moment we need the following items:

Laptops (less than 5 years old) - for use by our conservation and keeper teams when visiting other sites and around Wildwood.
Flat-Panel TVs - To enhance our educational facilities.
Large plastic storage boxes with lids - for use in our new conservation building to store equipment safely out of the way of small creatures such as dormice and water voles should they get loose.

If you can help at all please contact the office on 01227 712 111, many thanks.

Fiona Paterson
Wildwood Trust
Tel 01227 712 111

Wildwood Job Vacancy - Full time Education Officer

2011-08-30T20:09:00.000+01:00

Education Officer vacancy at Wildwood

Job Title:              Education Officer
Responsible to:    Head of Education
Post:                     Permanent, full-time
Salary:                 £17,000-18,500 pa

Teaching visiting school/college/university groups at Wildwood (e.g. guided tours, interactive workshops, animal encounter sessions, lectures, ecology and conservation courses, etc)
Assisting with outreach visits when required
Researching, developing and delivering new educational programmes
Designing and preparing educational resources (this includes crafts and preparing animal artefacts – skulls, skeletons, etc)
Liaising with teachers/lecturers in person and via phone/email
Administering the education booking system
Assisting in the management of the education diary
Maintaining departmental records of school visits
Designing/updating education literature
Maintaining education department webpages
Processing school evaluation forms
Making all this fun!

How to apply

Please visit www.wildwoodtrust.org to download and read the full job specification and complete the application form.

Completed applications should be returned to Claire Hardy, Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 7LQ (email claire@wildwoodtrust.org) by 5pm on Friday, September 23, 2011.

Applications will not normally be acknowledged. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview in late September.

Wild joins the fight to save Britain's badgers from the cull

2011-08-19T17:17:00.000+01:00

Wildwood Trust is very disappointed that the Government has given a green light to new proposals to allow landowners to shoot badgers.

Wildwood Trust very much recognises Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) as a significant problem that causes hardship for many in the farming community, but believes that blaming badgers for bTB is just a scapegoat for the industry to avoid their responsibilities and avoid the cost of bTB control, while at the same time collecting huge subsidies from the taxpayer.

Peter Smith, Wildwood Trust's Chief Executive stated:

"Wildwood Trust is coming to the defence of badgers as they are used as a scapegoat by an industrial farming lobby determined to hide poor farming practices, cruelty, massive taxpayer hand-outs, fraud and illegal practices that could end up in serious consequences for the British public.

The badger debate has been around for a very long time, over 40 years, but behind the simplistic headlines that badger lovers and farmers are at loggerheads is a much more complex and subtle story, a story full of intrigue and vested interests competing for economic advantage.

A whole generation of farmers and 'country people' have grown up being told badgers are the main problem, but have forgotten the basic epidemiological science of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). The farming lobby have found it much easier to blame badgers than address the fundamental problems of cattle farming and the poor practices that have led to the epidemic of bTB in the British cattle herd."

A History of Cattle TB

bTB was a dangerous disease and could infect people, mostly through drinking milk. The introduction of pasteurisation effectively stopped the disease being transferred to humans. Over this time strict controls on cattle movements and herd quarantine ensured a reduction in bTB across the UK . Since the 1970s these restrictions have been relaxed and the bTB has increased due to this lack of controls.

Changes in intensive farming practices have also contributed to the epidemic, as cattle live in larger and more dense groups and spend more time in large sheds and stockades increasing the spread of bTB. The larger groups ensure that bTB that is carried by few animals sub-clinically acting as a reservoir for the bTB going unobserved and be allowed to flare up again. This is the process that the farming lobby are trying to blame badgers, without credible scientific evidence.

Badger, Cattle and bTB

Cattle to badger bTB infection has been well demonstrated, but there is no evidence that can prove badger to cattle transference on the farm and the extent of the problem, except by guesswork or inference.

Peter Smith, Wildwood Trust's Chief Executive said:

"I myself have a degree in Medical Biochemistry and my knowledge of how TB works leads me to agree with the leading scientists in the UK that have repeatedly stated that a badger cull would not reduce the incidence of bovine TB. This leads me to the conclusion that the farming industry is using Badgers as an emotional tool to wrestle even more taxpayer's money to subsidize intensive agriculture; instead of spending it on protecting our environment."

I propose a simple 4 point plan to eradicate TB from cows in the UK:

1. Private insurance – reward the good and punish the bad

The present system of subsides rewards poor practice, the solution is to make the farming industry pay for their bad and illegal farming practices. The best way to achieve this is by the withdrawal of all government subsidy and compensation payments. Farmers could then privately insure themselves against the risk of herd breakdown due to TB. This free market solution would reward good farming practices by them having lower premiums. Farms with poor risk would be charged high premiums and those farmers who commit fraud by changing ear tags and other illegal practices would invalidate their insurance.

2. Reintroduction of stricter quarantine regulations on cattle movement

Detailed statistical analysis has shown that it is the movement of cattle from one farm to another that is by far the most important factor in the spread of TB*. The reintroduction of the strict quarantine measure abandoned in our past is key to control of bTB in the UK.

(*M. Gilbert, A. Mitchell, D. Bourn, J. Mawdsley, R. Clifton-Hadley & W. Wint Nature Vol 435|26 May 2005|doi:10.1038/nature0354)

3. Good credible science – put the funds used for badger killing into proper scientific study of disease propagation and vaccines

The current system of spending large amount of taxpayers' money on trials of shooting and gassing badgers at the expense of proper scientific study should stop. These funds should be redirected into proper microbiological research of the disease and its control by vaccination in cattle and badgers

4. Introduce economic changes to taxation and land tenure to promote less intensive agriculture.

Our present System of taxation vastly favours tax-dodgers, large landowners and investment in huge capital infrastructure .

By removing taxation on all wages and trade, from which we currently derive our income and removing the tax perks of buying large machinery and replacing that government revenue with a rent on the value of all land and a taxation of natural resources such as oil and minerals at source we would create many more rural and farming jobs and reduce intensive inputs of artificial cattle feeds. This rebalancing of our economic climate would allow less intensive farming to compete on fair terms with the modern industrial farming methods and reduce the spread of disease and poor quality animal husbandry.

Key facts of bTB

1. bTB is passed from animal to animal by aerosol in the form of close, mouth to mouth, transmission

2. bTB is a 'progressive' disease not a black and white issue – the idea of 'skin reactors', the current method of detection is very flawed

3. Cattle infect badgers but probably not the other way round (not one shred of real evidence exists for badger to cattle transmission, only inference conjecture)

4. bTB is dormant for many years (if not decades in some animals) and this is the real 'reservoir' of infection –there is no real evidence of wild animal to cattle transmission. The best data available, from the studies done in Belgium, show that wild animal transmission has no statistical influence on the epidemiology

5. The most probable culprit of the rise in bTB is when strict quarantine laws where relaxed 40 years ago, the bTB we see today is just the epidemiological statistical results of that relaxation, magnified by larger herd sizes (increases the chance a 'dormant carrier' infecting a herd) and greater densities in cattle sheds.

6. Many cattle diseases, not just bTB, have increased over that time, pointing the finger to industry practices and animal husbandry issues

7. Stress and 'unnatural' diet may (and I stress may as no real evidence) play a role in increasing the progression and expression of bTB in cattle

WHAT CAN YOU DO!

If you agree with my view point you can explain, in your own words, why killing badgers is not an acceptable solution to the TB problem. Ask the Government to base its policies solely on cattle controls and credible scientific research.

http://www.writetothem.com/?keyword=MP&creativeid=605235279&gclid=CKbFu-PBoaoCFcRO4QodmXuvVQ

Video - Click here to watch Wildwood Chief Executive, Peter Smith on why a badger cull is not the answer

Peter Smith
Chief Executive
Wildwood Trust

e-mail: peter@wildwoodtrust.org
Tel: 01227 712111
www.wildwoodtrust.org

If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter then sign up on http://www.wildwoodtrust.org/news.htm#events

Wildwood Trust

Herne Common

Herne Bay

Kent

CT6 7LQ

Registered Charity No 1093702

Wildwood Trust is Kent's unique 'Woodland Discovery Park', a visitor attraction with a difference.

Wildwood Trust runs a highly successful programme of Conservation Projects

Why industrial farming wants to blame the badger for Bovine TB

2011-08-12T17:02:00.000+01:00

Peter Smith, Wildwood Trust's Chief Executive talks about badgers and the British Farming Industry:

Wildwood Trust is coming to the defense of badgers as they are used as a scapegoat by an industrial farming lobby determined to hide, poor farming practices, cruelty, massive taxpayer hand-outs, fraud and illegal practices that could end up in horrifying consequences for the British public.

Wildwood e-news August 11

2011-08-11T09:42:00.000+01:00

Wildwood E-news August '11

1) Summer fun at Wildwood
2) Free August events
3) New little owls
4) Sign the petition to stop the badger cull
5) Animal of the month - Lynx
6) Sign up to save the BBC Wildlife Fund
7) Supporter of the Month - Herne Bay Mobility
8) How you can help Wildwood

1) Summer fun at Wildwood

Summer is here at last and it's the perfect time to visit Wildwood.
There's loads going on around the park this summer so check the "What's On" board and join in the fun on your next visit!

FREE talks and feeds at enclosures every day.
Meet our experts around the park with roving demonstrations and info about our animals
Go wild in the adventure play area and drop slide - open every day for all you thrill-seekers!
See our new animals: Baby badger, polecats, wild horse foals and little owls.

2) Free August events

Thursday 18th August – Wildlife stories and activities day - Free event

Come and meet local authors Jacqueline Nicoll and Pamela K Rees for a day of story telling and craft activities in our Education Centre.

Each session, based around the authors' books, encourage children's awareness and involvement in our natural environment. Come and hear a story, watch art demonstrations, make paper frogs, animal masks, bookmarks and much more.

Jacqueline is author of children's books 'Born To Love Frogs' and 'Oceans Calling.' Pamela is a botanical and wildlife artist, author of 'Wild About East Kent.'

Signed copies of both author's books will be available to buy on the day. More information can be found at www.jacquelinenicoll.com and www.wildabouteastkent.co.uk.

Thursday 18th August

Frogs and Ponds – 11 am
Frogs and Ponds – 12 pm
Ocean Life – 2pm
Ocean Life - 3pm

These events are free (membership or park entry fees must be paid), and there is no need to book, just attend at the start of you preferred session. Suitable for all ages, but all children be accompanied by an adult.

Friday 26 August – Wild Fruits Walk

Friday 26th August - Wild Fruits Walk - Free event

Learn all about the edible wild fruits (and perhaps taste a few) on a woodland discovery walk with our Natural Heritage Officer, Steve Kirk who will be on hand with recipe ideas and homemade preserves for you to try.

2-3pm Free event (membership or park entry fees must be paid). Must Book (call the office on 01227 712 111) – Please note that this event is not suitable for young children or children in pushchairs.

3) New little owls

Wildwood has welcomed its newest animals, a pair of young little owls. Little owls are Britain's smallest species of owl and at just over 20cm in length, are only half the size of a tawny owl, our most familiar species.

The owls, a brother and sister, were found in a workshop and were the only surviving pair of their brood after their mother had sadly died. They were rescued by the owner of the workshop and brought to Wildwood where the keeper team have been taking care of them to build up their strength. The owls are in excellent health and are now on public display, but won't be able to go back to the wild as after being hand-reared they are unable to fend for themselves.

The pair, now around 15 weeks old, have been named Tip-Ex and Bostik, after the Wildwood keepers had to mark one of the owl's claws with a spot of Tip-Ex in order to tell them apart. They are both doing very well and are settling into their enclosure, where visitors can see them as they practice flying from perch to perch.

Head Keeper Paul Wirdnam said "We are really pleased with how the owls are settling in, it's hard to believe that they are almost fully grown as they are such small birds, but that's what makes them special."

Don't forget to look out for the new pair next time you visit the park!

4) Sign up now to stop the badger cull

Following the recent announcement that the government intends to press ahead with a badger cull to combat bovine tuberculosis (bTB), Wildwood has joined the fight to stop the cull.

Wildwood agrees that bovine TB is a problem that needs to be addressed. It has blighted cattle farming in the UK for decades and costs the taxpayer millions of pounds every year in destroying cattle and compensating affected farmers. However, we believe that a culling badgers is a short-term and unsustainable approach that will do little to address the problem in the long run whilst needlessly slaughtering thousands of healthy animals.

Rather than a cull of badgers, the issue of bovine TB needs a long-term, scientific approach that deals with the problems of modern, industrial cattle farming. Our government and farmers need to work together to find long term, evidence-based solutions that include badger vaccinations, better farming practices and improved cattle welfare.

For more information on the proposed cull and bovine TB please watch our short video:

Watch Wildwood Chief Executive, Peter Smith on why a badger cull is not the answer

If you agree that a badger cull is not the solution to bovine TB, please click here to sign the 38 Degrees petition

5) Animal of the month - Lynx

The lynx, or 'European tiger' was native to Britain until the middle ages, when it became extinct due to hunting and habitat destruction. Lynx were hunted for their highly prized, soft, glossy fur and much of their forest habitat was cleared to make way for agriculture. They were the first of Britain's large carnivores to disappear, followed by the brown bear and the wolf. Today it is still found in more than 25 countries in Europe and Asia but it has also become extinct in many other countries where it was once native. Eurasian lynx are not classified as endangered, although in some parts of their range they are very rare, living in small, isolated populations. By contrast, its cousin the Iberian lynx, is the world's most endangered cat.

Lynx are characterised by their stubby tail, tufted ears, short back and long legs. Some researchers believe that the ear tufts help the lynx to hear well, others believe that they use them like whiskers to feel things. Lynx are officially classed as small cats, unlike lions and tigers which are big cats. As they are small cats, lynxs' pupils close to a vertical slit whereas big cats' pupils close to a circle.

Lynx are woodland predators and the Eurasian lynx is the largest of the four lynx species found worldwide. Lynx are smaller and lighter than wolves and are lone hunters, so they generally do not hunt very large prey. Their main prey is roe deer (Britain's smallest native deer) as well as rabbits, hares and large birds. Lynx have very effective camouflage and their large padded paws allow them to approach their prey very quietly. Like all cats, lynx are very good at jumping, using their powerful hind legs (see our amazing video ) and are also excellent climbers, gripping with their sharp claws. The lynx is a stalk-and-ambush hunter, and hunts by slowly sneaking up on its prey, while the prey is busy eating and then pounces on its victim. Lynx rarely chase after prey, instead they will hide behind tree stumps or rocks and wait until a potential meal walks by.

Lynx are solitary animals and males and females only come together for breeding. During the breeding season, between February and April, a male and a female may be seen hunting together for a few days. Lynx kittens are born in May or June in dens found under fallen tree branches, large tree roots or piles of rocks. Lynx have 1-5 kittens in a litter and the mother raises the kittens by herself. Lynx kittens are born with their eyes closed and their ears folded shut and will nurse for four to five months, before being weaned from milk to meat. Young lynx can fend for themselves at the age of 10 months, but they usually stay with their mother for up to a year and don't reach adult size until they are 2 years old.

Recently, several European countries have reintroduced the lynx very successfully and their possible reintroduction to Britain continues to be debated. If lynx reintroduction were to go ahead in Britain, it is likely that it would take place in Scotland first of all, as there are fewer urban centres and more suitable habitat there than elsewhere. Lynx are not a threat to humans as they are too small to prey upon us and in the wild they are naturally shy and solitary animals which are rarely seen. Lynx also pose less of a threat to farm animals such as sheep than might be thought, preferring to prey upon rabbits and roe deer wherever possible.

Did you know... lynx

have large paws that act like snowshoes for walking across snow.
are the third largest predator in Europe after the brown bear and the wolf.
get their name from the Greek word meaning light, possibly in reference to their shining eyes.
can purr continuously because they are small cats, unlike big cats such as lions and tigers which can't.

Watch our video of our lynx performing her amazing jump here.

6) Sign up to save the BBC Wildlife Fund

Wildwood is urging its members to sign the online petition to save the BBC Wildlife Fund from closure. The recent announcement by the Beeb that they intend to close the fund has left wildlife charities and conservation groups reeling and in some cases, worried for their future.

The BBC Wildlife Fund was set up in 2007 as a charity to raise money to conserve the wildlife and environments made famous by its wildlife documentary films. Since its inception, the fund has raised nearly £3 million in donations, the entirety of which has been used to support 87 British and global conservation projects.

Wildwood received a £15,000 donation from the fund in 2009 to support our water vole captive breeding programme, which is helping to protect the UK's most threatened mammal from extinction.

Beth Flowers, Wildwood's fundraising manager said "We are extremely concerned by proposed closure of the BBC Wildlife Fund, as a legally separate charity from the BBC itself, it is financed entirely by donations so it's closure will not save the BBC any money. With its world famous wildlife programmes, the BBC is perfectly placed to raise awareness of conservation issues around the world and the loss of the fund will be a huge blow to many charities such as Wildwood who are working to save wildlife."

To sign the petition to save the BBC Wildlife Fund, click here.

7) Supporter of the month - Herne Bay Mobility

This month we would like to say thank-you to an unsung hero of Wildwood, our friends at Herne Bay Mobility, who are also based at the Wealden Forest Park.

By kindly loaning Wildwood a mobility scooter for visitors to use free of charge, Herne Bay Mobility has been helping people with walking difficulties get the best from their visits to Wildwood.

We are very grateful to the team at Herne Bay Mobility for their assistance, it's thanks to the the combined actions of local supporters such as them that we can make Wildwood a special place for all of our visitors.

If you would like to use a mobility scooter on your next visit to Wildwood please contact the shop on 01227 712 111 (24hrs notice required). Please note that we have limited availability so book early to avoid disappointment.

If you would like to learn more about Herne Bay Mobility, visit their website here.

8) How you can help Wildwood

As a conservation charity we rely on donations to help keep our conservation work going and look after our animals during times when the park is quiet (i.e. winter months). We also rely on donations of goods and services to help run the park and preserve our funds for our vital conservation work.

To help Wildwood's work to save some of Britain's most threatened wildlife please donate today or see if you have any items we can use:

1) Donate by text - You can donate by text via the Vodaphone Text Giving service. To donate simply send a text to 70070 - with WILD02 and the amount you would like to donate (for example WILD02 £10), you can input any amount from £1 to £10. Once your text has been sent you will receive a text with a link to a Gift Aid form (if you are a UK tax payer, Gift Aid boosts your donation by 25%).

2) Donate online - You can donate any amount via our website, simply click here to go to our donation page on our website.

3) Donate goods & services - We love to recycle and we can make use of many items that would otherwise go to landfill. At the moment we need the following items:

Laptops (less than 5 years old) - for use by our conservation and keeper teams when visiting other sites and around Wildwood.
Flat-Panel TVs - To enhance our educational facilities.
Large plastic storage boxes with lids - for use in our new conservation building to store equipment safely out of the way of small creatures such as dormice and water voles should they get loose.
Wicker baskets with handles - for the keeper team to keep tools and equipment in, and hang up out of the way of animals (and wildlife in the park).

If you can help at all please contact the office on 01227 712 111, many thanks.

Fiona Paterson
Wildwood Trust
Tel 01227 712 111

New little owls at Wildwood

2011-07-26T17:15:00.000+01:00

Wildwood has welcomed it's newest animals, a pair of young little owls.

Little owls are Britain's smallest owl and at just over 20cm in length, are only half the size of a tawny owl, our most familiar species.

The owls, a brother and sister, were found in a workshop and were the only surviving pair of their brood after their mother had sadly died. They were rescued by the owner of the workshop and brought to Wildwood where the keeper team have been taking care of them to build up their strength. The owls are in excellent health are now on public display, but won't be able to go back to the wild as after being hand-reared they won't be able to fend for themselves.

The pair, now around 14 weeks old, have been named Tip-Ex and Bostik, after the Wildwood keepers had to mark one of the owl's claws with a spot of Tip-Ex in order to tell them apart. They are both doing very well and are settling into their enclosure, where visitors can see them as they practice flying from perch to perch.

Little owls are just one of the huge range of British animals that can be seen at the Wildwood Wildlife Park, for more information visit the website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 7820087.

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, on the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury. For more information visit our website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 782008.

*****************END*************************

Fiona Paterson
Press Officer
Wildwood Trust

e-mail: fiona@wildwoodtrust.org

Tel: 01227 712111

www.wildwoodtrust.org

Wildwood Trust
Herne Common
Herne Bay
Kent
CT6 7LQ

Registered Charity No 1093702

Wildwood Trust is Kent's unique 'Woodland Discovery Park', a visitor attraction with a difference.

Wildwood E-news July '11

2011-07-04T21:44:00.000+01:00

Wildwood E-news July '11

1) Say hello to our new badger
2) Birthday parties at Wildwood
3) Drop slide opening hours
4) Animal of the month – Water Vole
5) Bushcraft & Zoo Keeper Experiences at Wildwood
6) New developments at Wildwood for 2011
7) Fundraiser of the month - Lydd Primary school
8) Fundraising for Wildwood
9) Limited spaces available - school Outreach & Education services
10) Donate to Wildwood via JustTextGiving
11) Equipment appeal - can you help?

1) Say hello to our new badger!

Wildwood is proud to introduce our newest addition to the park, Rodni the baby badger.

Rodni, who got her name after being found abandoned in Rodmersham, nr Sittingbourne, was brought to Wildwood by the East Kent Badger Group in April. Before being officially re-homed at Wildwood, Rodni underwent a series of medical checks to confirm that she was healthy enough to join Wildwood's existing clan. During this time Rodni lived with Wildwood keeper Karen Price who enjoyed looking after her at her home.

"Rodni is quite boisterous as you would expect from a young badger, unfortunately after being abandoned she doesn't have the skills to go back to the wild so we have been getting her used to being around people."

Now that Rodni is at Wildwood she is currently living part-time in the badger enclosure until she is used to the environment and is able to hold her own with the other adult badgers. Karen said "As Rodni is a lot smaller than our other badgers we need to be sure that she will be able to look after herself so we are introducing her slowly to the enclosure and the other badgers. Once she is a little larger and at home with the clan then she will live with them full time."

Keep an eye out for Rodni on your next visit to the park, if you are lucky you may see her with the keepers on one of her visits to the badger enclosure.

2) Birthday parties at Wildwood

Wildwood Birthday Parties include:

All day admission to Wildwood
A birthday meal in the Beaver Lodge restaurant
A meet an animal session at an animal enclosure
Free colouring sheet for every child
A cuddly toy gift from our shop for the birthday child
Free entry for 2 adults accompanying the party group

For more information visit our website:www.wildwoodtrust.org or call Claire in the office on 01227 712 111.

3) Drop slide opening hours

Don't forget that the Drop Slide's opening hours are:

Weekends & School Holidays: All day
Mon-Fri during term time: 4pm – 6pm

If you haven't conquered the drop yet, get down to the play area (that includes all you mums & dads!) and don't forget you need to wear your socks to ride.

4) Animal of the month – Water Vole

To celebrate our water voles moving into their new enclosure (next to the ravens), we will take a look at one Britain's most endangered animals, the Water Vole.

Water voles are the largest of Britain's voles and are often confused with brown rats. However, water voles have very small ears and a furry tail whilst rats have large ears and a bald tail. Water voles also have a blunt muzzle, unlike the pointed nose of a rat.

Water voles were once one of our most common mammals, but sadly they are now on the verge of extinction and need our help to come back to areas they once populated. Between 1987 and 1997, water vole numbers in Britain dropped by a staggering 97%.

Their greatest threat is the North American Mink, (an introduced species, native to North America and now widespread in England and Wales) which can pursue the water vole both on land and in the water, and can follow water voles into their burrows and eat their young. Sadly, where large numbers of mink occur, water vole populations are non-existent. Water voles are also threatened because of habitat loss. Poor riverside management has meant that there are often not enough plants to provide water voles with food and cover. Draining ditches to prevent flooding removes water vole habitat and flood defences often cause river levels to rise in winter, flooding water vole burrows so that the voles either drown or are forced to flee.

Water voles make their homes in the banks of rivers, streams, ponds and ditches. They like slow-moving water and banks with lots of vegetation to provide them with food and cover to hide from predators. They eat a huge variety of grasses and other aquatic and bankside plants. They dig their burrows into the soft earth of the bank and make a network of tunnels and chambers with lots of entrances, including some underwater.

Wildwood's water voles

At Wildwood we generally have 50-60 adult water voles during the winter. Most of these voles live in our special conservation area behind the scenes at the park. The numbers increase rapidly during the breeding season (April - September) as each female can give birth to a litter of 3-7 young every 4 weeks!

Many of our water voles are brought in from sites which are being developed to build houses, offices and shops, we trap the water voles and bring them to Wildwood to breed. When the development is finished, the descendants of the original voles are released, either back onto the original site if the developer has kept an area of suitable habitat, or elsewhere in the countryside. We will also exchange water voles with other zoos so that the population kept at each zoo does not become inbred.

Did you know? Water voles....

have been seen climbing up to 2.5m above ground in the branches of trees and shrubs, searching for food.
make a loud 'plop' noise when they dive into the water.
eat over 200 different kinds of plants.
live throughout Britain but not in Ireland and are only rarely seen in Scotland.

5) Experiences at Wildwood

Bushcraft Experience: Sunday 24th July - Last few places available!

New to Wildwood for 2011, our Bushcraft Experience lets you see if you could survive in the wild wood. How would you find food and shelter if you were stranded in the forest? You would be amazed at just how many uses there are for the plants and trees in the forest. Join our one-day bushcraft experience and get back to nature whilst learning basic bushcraft and survival techniques with our Natural Heritage Officer (and bushcraft expert) Steve Kirk.

The bushcraft experience is 10am-4pm (1 hour for lunch). £35 per person, min age 12years. To book please call the office on 01227 712 111.

Zoo Keeper Experience (Adult, Junior and Teenage)

Want to be a zoo-keeper? Find out what it's like to work at Wildwood with our amazing Zoo Keeper Experiences. Learn from our experts how we care for our animals and keep them healthy and happy with exclusive behind the scenes access for an unforgettable day at Kent's best British wildlife park. Zoo Keeper days also make a great gift idea!

Junior Zoo Keeper (ages 7-11 years) cost £50 per person. 10am -12pm.
Dates: Wed August 3rd / Wed August 10th / Sat November 12th

Teenage Zoo Keeper (ages 12-17 years) cost £100 per person. 10am - 4pm.
Dates: Wed August 17th

Adult Zoo Keeper. Cost £195 per person.
Dates: available by arrangement

For more information or to book please call the office on 01227 712 111

6) New developments at Wildwood for 2011

After the excitement of the new play park, it's time to look to the new projects that are keeping our ranger team out of trouble this year. Below are the first 3 projects to take shape (more are in the pipeline) so keep your eyes peeled when you visit the park to see how the projects are progressing.

New aviary for British Birdlife

We are very excited about our new aviary, which is being completely re-built this year. After being taken by surprise by its sudden collapse earlier in the winter we had to find a way to re-direct funds to accommodate this previously unscheduled project (the birds themselves were all fine). The new aviary will be home to a number of different species of native birds such as night herons, little egrets and spoonbills and will feature a varied environments. You can see the work taking place next to the fallow deer enclosure.

New conservation building

Our dedicated Conservation Centre (pictured) is a specially designed building in which our Conservation and Keeper teams will carry out conservation work with endangered wildlife.

At present Wildwood works with a number of other organisations such as Kent Bat Group to care for endangered animals, which often requires staff to keep animals at home which in turn makes travel to and from Wildwood with the animals difficult. Wildwood has created this dedicated centre to allow us to care for more injured and endangered creatures in a specially designed space where the animals can stay 24 hours a day. You can see the new building next to the adder enclosure shortly after you enter the park.

New nocturnal building

Regular visitors to Wildwood will know that we do a lot of work to save the dormouse, but have you ever seen one? The answer is probably "no" as being nocturnal they are rarely seen during the day. Bring on Wildwood's new nocturnal building, which is being built close to the Rat Barn (you can already see the foundations). The enclosures in the new building will simulate night time conditions during park opening hours to encourage the inhabitants to behave as they would do at night. It is part of Wildwood's charitable objectives to educate as many people as possible about our native creatures and the new enclosure will allow visitors a rare chance to see a dormouse during daylight hours.

7) Fundraiser of the month - Lydd Primary school

Our fundraisers of the month are the Yr2 children from Lydd Primary school.

Inspired by an earlier visit to the school by a member of the Wildwood outreach team, the children decided to raise money to adopt an animal at Wildwood for their enterprise project. After voting on which animal to adopt the children decided to hold a cake sale,and organised the whole event. The children and the parents were amazingly supportive and managed to raise over £200.

Originally the children has wanted to adopt dormouse and hedgehog, but after all their effforts thay had raised so much money that they added a weasel, konik horse, otter and a tawny owl!

We are extremely grateful to the children and would like to thank them for all of their hard work, all of the money raised will go towards caring for our animals and our conservation projects, and we hope to see you at the park again soon!

8) Fundraising for wildwood

Are you part of a school, group or organisation that would like to raise funds for Wildwood? We already work with local groups and schools who arrange raffles, quiz nights, cake sales, dress-down days, competitions and much more to raise funds for Wildwood's animal costs and conservation programmes.

You can raise any amount (everything helps!) and how you do it is up to you! If you are part of a local group that are up for the challenge and would like to help please contact our Fundraising manager, Beth Flowers on 01227 712 111 for more details.

9) Limited spaces available - school Outreach & Education services

It's not too late to book a school trip to Wildwood before the holidays! Our highly experienced education team can provide a varied range of exciting, curicculum-based educational activities and workshops (including the award winning CSI: Wildwood, pictured) for students of all ages.

Plus we have teamed up with Kent Top Travel to offer £20 off any coach booking to Wildwood, valid for bookings now or after the start of the new year.

Can't get to Wildwood, no problem! We can come to you via our excellent Outreach service. Our dedicated Outreach team visits schools and organisations to give talks and hold workshops that bring the magic of British wildlife and ecology to you.

For more information visit our website at:www.wildwoodtrust.org or phone our Education team on 01227 712 111 or email anne@wildwoodtrust.org

10) Donate to Wildwood via JustTextGiving

Wildwood has joined Vodaphone's JustTextGiving service, so it'n now even easier to make donations towards our work to save British wildlife. The service is completely free on all networks and Wildwood receives 100% of your donation.

To donate via text just follow these simple steps:

1) Send a text to 70070 - with WILD02 and the amount you would like to donate (for example WILD02 £10), you can input any amount from £1 to £10

2) Once your text has been sent you will receive a text with a link to a Gift Aid form (if you are a UK tax payer, Gift Aid boosts your donation by 25%).

Every penny you give goes towards the upkeep of the park and our animals and our conservation programmes to save some of Britain's most endangered animals. Without your help we wouldn't be able to keep on breeding animals such as red squirrels and water voles to save them from extinction. Your generousity is greatly appreciated.

11) Wildwood equipment appeal - can you help?

As a conservation charity, Wildwood needs to watch the pennies and we love to recycle, so if you have any of the following items that you would like to donate please let us know:

Large plastic storage boxes with lids - For use in the new conservation building. We need large plastic storage boxes with lids to keep equipment in, so that if a tiny mouse or lizard escapes the boxes can be moved quickly to locate it!

Laptop computers less than 5 years old - for use around the park by our keeper and conservation teams.

If you can help at all please contact the office on 01227 712 111, many thanks.

Fiona Paterson
Wildwood Trust
Tel 01227 712 111