Game Night & Mini Night Tour at Wildwood - Book now!

Join us for a mini night tour of Wildwood followed by an evening of wonderful wild game. 
 All game is provided by Godmersham Game and freshly prepared by expert gamekeeper and game chef, Phil Miles.

 Friday 8^th November. 6.45pm – 10pm

 

To whet your appetite:

7pm – 7.45pm - Mini Night Tour
Enjoy a torch-lit tour of Wildwood to see our red deer, wild boar and fallow deer. Learn about their history, how they were hunted, and how their importance as food changed both our countryside and wildlife.

 

 Followed by…

 

Starter

Home-made Game Broth

 
Main Courses

Breast of Godmersham Partridge

Venison Hunter's Pie

 

Dessert

Kentish apple crumble and cream

Teas & Coffees

 

To Finish…

A wide selection of game will be available to purchase directly from Phil Miles of Godmersham Game.

 

A wide selection of alcoholic and soft drinks will be available to purchase.

 

Tickets:  £27.50 each, or buy 2 for £50 (min age 12yrs).

 

To book, please call the Wildwood office on 01227 712 111.

 

Double trouble as Wildwood puts 2 wildcat kittens on display

Wildwood is delighted to announce that our two female wildcat kittens have now gone on public display. The precious youngsters are exciting news for the conservation charity which works to save Britain's most threatened species.

The first of the two kittens, named Isla, was born at Wildwood and is now 14 weeks old. After being hand-reared by the Wildwood team from a newborn, she is surprisingly friendly towards humans, despite the species being famously impossible to tame.

The second kitten is around 20 weeks old, and has come to Wildwood from the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey.  Unlike Isla, she was reared by her mother and so displays more typical wildcat behaviour. Experts at Wildwood expect that once the two kittens are introduced, Isla will quickly forget her tame ways and become a truly wild wildcat, as nature intended.

The wildcat, Britain's rarest mammal, is critically endangered with less than 400 individuals appearing to remain in the wild the UK and barely a handful in the captive breeding population. Without urgent action scientists warn that they could become extinct in less than 10 years.

Wildcats have been pushed to the verge of extinction by persecution, habitat loss and inter-breeding (hybridisation) with domestic cats which is fast reducing the number of pure-bred animals in the wild.

The new kittens at Wildwood will become part of a UK wide effort to prevent wildcats becoming extinct by boosting the UK's increasingly important captive pure-bred population which could prove to be the species' only hope for survival.

Wildwood's wildcat keeper, Sally Barnes said:

"It been such a privilege to raise this precious wildcat kitten, to nurse such an amazing animal and have the honour to protect such a rare creature has been the high point of my career. However, wildcats can never be tamed so we are now taking a more hands-off approach to allow the kittens to develop into true wildcats."

Peter Smith Wildwood Trust's Chief Executive said:

"Wildwood Trust has been working in collaboration with scientists and wildlife experts to help understand the problems of wildcat extinction and have been campaigning for their protection. Working with geneticist Dr Paul O'Donoghue of The University of Chester, Wildwood has been assisting in developing a genetic test to identify pure bred wildcats."

"If we are to rescue wildcats in the wild we must make a radical shift in land use in our wilderness and upland areas. Overgrazing by sheep and deer are the real cause of the loss of the Caledonian forest that is the main reason behind the wildcats' demise. A radical shift in abandoning subsidies to agriculture, shifting taxation onto land values and a change to land ownership laws are desperately needed if we are to protect these animals. One of the best things we can do to protect wildcats is to re-introduce Lynx back to the UK, lynx will disperse the unnaturally high concentrations of deer held by shooting estates in Scotland and allow the natural regeneration of the Caledonian forest."

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

The wildcats can be photographed or filmed by professional crews by prior arrangement, more stills or broadcast quality Video can be provided on request.

Photos attached.

Click here to watch the YouTube video of the wildcats entering their enclosure

For more information Contact Fiona Paterson or Peter Smith

e-mail:   

fiona@wildwoodtrust.org

peter@wildwoodtrust.org

Tel:          01227 712 111

www.wildwoodtrust.org

Peter Smith
Chief Executive
Wildwood Trust

Herne Common

Herne Bay

Kent

CT6 7LQ
Registered charity no 1093702

Further Information

Wildcat: Felis silvestris

Recognition:

Grey/brown fur with dark stripes; thick tail, with blunt tip.

Head/body length: average about 56cm; tail about 29cm.

Weight: kittens 100-160g at birth; adult males average 5kg; females 4kg.

General Ecology:

Wildcats are confined to Scotland, north of Glasgow and Edinburgh, but are absent from the Scottish Islands. They prefer areas with varied habitats on the edge of moorland, with pasture, scrub and forests. High mountains, where prey is scarce, and intensively farmed lowland regions are avoided. In winter, bad weather drives wildcats from mountain and moor into more sheltered wooded valleys.

Wildcats are shy and wary animals active at night, mainly around dawn and dusk. Rabbits, hares and small mammals are their principal prey, but quite large birds and animals freshly killed on the roads may also be taken. They sometimes store, or cache, uneaten prey by hiding it under vegetation. During the day, and in periods of heavy rain and snow, wildcats lie up in dens located amongst boulders and rocky cairns, or in old fox earths, badgers setts, peat hags, or tree roots.

Wildcats are solitary and territorial, living at a low population density; there may be one cat to three square kilometres in good habitats but only one cat to 10 square kilometres in less favourable areas. Urine sprayed on boulders and tree trunks and droppings deposited in prominent places, are used by wildcats to mark their territories.

Mating generally takes place in February and litters of 2-6 kittens are born in May. Though litters may be born until August, wildcats produce only one litter a year. Kittens are weaned at 12 weeks and stay with their mother until about five months old. Although wildcats may live 10-12 years in the wild, most seem to die at an early age.

Conservation:

Wildcats used to be found throughout mainland Britain (they have never occurred in Ireland) but, due to persecution and clearance of wooded land, have declined over several centuries. They disappeared from southern England in the 16th Century and the last one recorded from northern England was shot in 1849. Wildcats almost became extinct in Britain in the early years of this century but, following reduced persecution at the time of the First World War, and helped by more forestry plantations, they recolonised parts of Scotland. However, this recovery now seems to have slowed down. The urbanised habitat of the central lowlands of Scotland may present a barrier to further dispersal. A recent survey failed to find any evidence of wildcats south of the industrial belt of Scotland, so that reports of wildcats further south probably refer to domestic cats gone wild.

Although increasing afforestation helped the spread of wildcats, as forest plantations mature they become less suitable for the small mammals on which wildcats prey. Forestry management to encourage wildcats should therefore aim to diversify the age of plantations.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981 and 1988) now gives strict legal protection to wildcats and their dens; it is an offence to take or kill one except under licence. Despite this protection, illegal trapping and shooting are still major causes of death of wildcats. Others die in road traffic accidents and wildcats are still at risk from illegal poisoning.

Inter-breeding with domestic cats gone wild (known as feral cats) could pose an insidious threat to the wildcats' survival in Britain by changing the species' genetic identity. Wildcats are also at risk from diseases of domestic cats such as feline leukaemia.

Frequent Questions:

Where can I see a wildcat?

Because they are so shy and nocturnal, wildcats are very difficult to see in the wild. 

If wildcats have inter-bred with domestic cats, are there any real wildcats left in Scotland?

Although hybrid cats are widely distributed in certain areas of Scotland, there still seem to be wildcats that show little if any signs of inter-breeding with domestic cats.

Are there any wildcats in England or Wales?

No, wildcats are confined to central and northern Scotland. However, domestic cats that live independently of humans in the wild, do occur throughout Britain. These are not wildcats and never will become wildcats.

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

October at Wildwood: Wildcat kittens, Elk & Half term events

 

Wildwood e-news October '13

Wildcat kittens go on public display - vote on Facebook to name our new kitten!

Wildwood is delighted to announce that our two female wildcat kittens have now gone on public display.

The first of the two kittens, named Isla (pictured), was born at Wildwood and is now 14 weeks old. After being hand-reared by the Wildwood team from a newborn, she is surprisingly friendly towards humans, despite the species being famously impossible to tame.

The second kitten is around 20 weeks old, and has come to Wildwood from the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey.  Unlike Isla, she was reared by her mother and so displays more typical wildcat behaviour. Experts at Wildwood expect that once the two kittens are introduced, Isla will quickly forget her tame ways and become a truly wild wildcat, as nature intended.

The wildcat, Britain's rarest mammal, is critically endangered with less than 400 individuals appearing to remain in the wild the UK and barely a handful in the captive breeding population. Without urgent action scientists warn that they could become extinct in less than 10 years.

Wildcats have been pushed to the verge of extinction by persecution, habitat loss and inter-breeding (hybridisation) with domestic cats which is fast reducing the number of pure-bred animals in the wild.

The new kittens at Wildwood will become part of a UK wide effort to prevent wildcats becoming extinct by boosting the UK's increasingly important captive pure-bred population which could prove to be the species' only hope for survival.

Wildwood's wildcat keeper, Sally Barnes said:

"It been such a privilege to raise this precious wildcat kitten, to nurse such an amazing animal and have the honour to protect such a rare creature has been the high point of my career. However, wildcats can never be tamed so we are now taking a more hands-off approach to allow the kittens to develop into true wildcats."

Visitors can see the kittens in their new enclosure just past the entrance to the Bees.

Click here to vote on Facebook to name the new kitten

Click here to watch the YouTube video of the kittens entering their new enclosure.

New elk enclosure now open!

Wildwood is pleased to announce that our two new European elk (Alces alces) are now officially on public display. The spectacular pair; a male and female, join Wildwood's collection of once-native British species and are amongst the largest animals at the park.

The Eurasian elk together with its close relative the moose (Alces americanus), is the world's  largest living deer species and can grow to a height of over 8ft and weigh up to 900kg.

Elk are easily recognised by their humped shoulders, broad, overhanging muzzle, and the flap of skin and hair which hangs beneath the throat, known as the 'bell'.

They have long legs, a relatively short tail, and wide hooves which aid in walking over mud or snow. Males are larger than females, and have bony, hornlike antlers which are shed each winter and re-grown through the summer. The antlers of Eurasian elk are the largest of any deer species, spanning up to 2 metres across and weighing as much as 30kg.

Despite their ungainly appearance, elk are remarkably agile and can run silently through dense forests at speeds of up to 35mph. They are also good swimmers and can sustain a speed of up to 6 miles an hour. Their large ears can be rotated 180 degrees and their keen noses can find food below deep snow.

Elk eat twigs, bark, roots and the shoots of woody plants, especially willows and aspens. In winter, they browse on conifers, eating their needle-like leaves. They require 20kg of food per day when full their stomachs can weigh up to 65kg! So it's no surprise to discover that elk spend most of their time eating.

Wildwood Chief Executive of the Wildwood, Peter Smith, said.

"It's great to see these majestic beasts roaming in Wildwood after being absent from the UK for over 3000 years. They are joining our wolves, bison, wild boar, beavers and lynx helping to complete the wildwood collection, eventually representing all of our formally native species."

"Our mission is larger than teaching visitors and school children about our amazing natural heritage; we are working on restoring some of these animals to the wild. Our charitable vision is to rewild Britain and create natural landscapes, brimming full of wildlife for our future generations, and in the process save taxpayers millions in tax breaks and subsidies."

The elk are in a new enclosure situated behind the red deer area – look out for the new arrivals on your next visit to the park.

October Half Term events at Wildwood!

 

Everyday: 26th Oct - 3rd Nov  - FREE daily talks and feeds around the park

Everyday: 26th Oct - 3rd Nov – Hallowe'en Trail
Track down the pumpkins around the park on the Wildwood Hallowe'en Trail.
£1 per entry (includes pencil and prize on completion) all proceeds go towards the Wildwood Pine Marten Appeal.

Sunday 27th Oct – Friday 1st November - FREE bird flight displays
2pm daily – free bird flight display with Pete from Falconry Southeast.

 
Sunday 27th October – Fairy Crafts
Come dressed as a fairy, imp, goblin or other magical creature (there will be prizes for the most imaginative costumes), have your face painted and make a fairy wand, crown and scroll of wishes to post in the fairy postbox.
2pm - 3.30pm. Costumes judged at 3pm. £2 per person*, one adult free per group. Drop in (no need to book)

 
Monday 28th October & Tuesday 29th October – Creepy Crawlies
Meet some of the animals that send shivers down your spine! Get in the hallowe'en mood with spiders, snakes and giant centipedes then make spooky spider crafts to take home.
2pm - 3.30pm daily. £3 per person*, one adult free per group. To book call the Wildwood Office on 01227 712 111

Tuesday 29th October – Photo Day
A day of wildlife photography around the park with tuition from our resident photographer. Enjoy special access around Wildwood with  feeds to help you get close-up shots. Suitable for all levels and abilities.  Gift vouchers also available.
9am - 4pm. £79 per person. Min age 18yrs. Please book with the Wildwood office on 01227 712 111.

Wednesday 30th October & Thursday 31st October – Hallowe'en Crafts
Get ready for the annual fright-fest and make spooky crafts including black cats, bats, spiders, rats and witches to decorate your home for Hallowe'en!
10.30am - 12pm or 2pm - 3.30pm daily. £3 per person*, one adult free per group. To book call the Wildwood Office on 01227 712 111

Friday 1st November – Celtic New Year Crafts
Celebrate the Celtic New Year with stories, totem animals and Celtic crafts to take home. Plus! discover your celtic ancestry in your feet!
2pm- 3.30pm. £3 per person*, one adult free per group. To book call the Wildwood Office on 01227 712 111

Please book with the Wildwood office on 01227 712 111.

*Please note that Wildwood membership or entry fees must be paid to attend all events (excludes Photo Days, Night Tours, Conservation Courses and Keeper Experiences)

 

Many thanks
The Wildwood Team

Cold wet weather leaves abandoned baby dormice fighting for life

The Wildwood conservation team are mounting a round the clock effort to save some of Britain's most endangered animals from certain death.

 

Last week four tiny baby dormouse where discovered in a pot plant purchased from a garden centre. The tiny babies were taken to the Fur & Feather Wildlife Trust in Folkestone. The Wildwood team, who work with many such animal rescue centres, raced into action and our expert animal carers took delivery of the babies and a now mounting a 24 hour vigil. Unfortunate two of the babies did not make it, showing just how their tiny lives hang on a knife edge but thanks to the skills of the Wildwood Team the remaining two are still with us and we are fighting to save their lives.

A similar story has unfolded for many years as dormice sometimes have a second litter in late summer but if the weather becomes cold and wet the chances of survival for the late babies are very small.

 

But from this tragedy comes a ray of hope, Wildwood Trust's conservationists provide the warmth, sustenance and specialist care to keep these babies alive throughout the winter. These animals then enter our conservation breeding centre and their offspring form part of our efforts to reintroduce them to woodlands across the UK where they have gone extinct.

 

The Wildwood dormouse rescue centre is the biggest of its kind in the UK and the Canterbury based charity are very proud of their efforts in rescuing and breeding dormice for release.

Hazel Ryan, Wildwood's Senior Conservation Officer said, "We work tirelessly to protect these animals and are proud that we play such a major role to reintroduce the Hazel Dormouse back to areas where they have become extinct. Wildwood is not only one of the leading dormouse breeders in the UK  but is also an important centre for research into the behaviour and captive husbandry of the species."

 

"The hazel dormouse is now classed as extremely vulnerable to extinction but through projects such as this, Wildwood hopes to tip the balance back in favour of the dormouse."

 

This year Wildwood opened their specially constructed 'nocturnal house' using a special lighting system we turn day into night, so visitors can step into the nocturnal world of the dormouse.

Dormice are just one of the many endangered and extinct animals that can be seen by visitors to Kent's unique conservation wildlife park. 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. 01227 712111 www.wildwoodtrust.org

*****ENDS*****

 

Images attached.

A video of a previous rescue dormouse being hand fed By Wildwood's Hazel Ryan can be seen via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH45iFQhAS8

 

For more information contact fiona@wildwoodtrust.org

 

Fiona Paterson

Wildwood Trust

Herne Common

Herne Bay

Kent

CT6 7LQ

 

www.wildwoodtrust.org

Tel: 01227 712 111

 

Registered charity no 1093702

 

Wildwood Events & Courses - October '13

 
Wildwood events & courses - October 2013

Don't miss out - book now for our fantastic events and courses at Wildwood this October!

 

Saturday 5th October – Harvest Mouse Ecology & Surveying
A course on the key factors affecting the status and distribution of harvest mice in the UK. You will have the chance to examine harvest mouse nests and gain practical surveying experience.
10.00am - 4.00pm. £30 per person.

Please book with Suzanne Kynaston on 01227 711 471 or email courses@wildwoodtrust.org

Saturday 12th October – Water Vole Ecology & Surveying
In partnership with the Mammal Society
A course covering water vole field signs, habitat requirements, ecology, legal protection and threats. Participants will view captive water voles and handle/sex them under supervision.
9.30am – 4.30pm. From £99 per person.

Please book with the Mammal Society on 023 8023 7874 or www.mammal.org.uk

Sunday 13th October – Wolves Workshop 1: Life in the Pack
The first of two wolf workshops. This one looks at the wolf pack, how wolves communicate and conservation efforts to restore them back to their former range. Includes a visit to see Wildwood's European wolves.
10.30am - 4pm. £35 per person (£50 when booked with Wolves 2 - Understanding the Wolf in Your Dog on Oct 27). Min age 12yrs.

Please book with Suzanne Kynaston on 01227 711 471 or email courses@wildwoodtrust.org

Sunday 13th October – Marine Mammals
An introduction to the seals and cetaceans found in and around the coast of Southern England. Ecology and identification of these animals will be explored, followed by a seal-watching trip.
1.00pm – 6.30pm £45 per person. Held at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory.

Please book with Suzanne Kynaston on 01227 711 471 or email courses@wildwoodtrust.org

Saturday 19th October – Fungal Foray
Join Natural Heritage Officer Steve Kirk for a woodland walk to discover some of the top autumn mushrooms and toadstools found around Wildwood.
10.30am - 1pm or 2pm - 4.30pm. £3 per person*. Min age 7yrs. Please note that Wildwood membership or entry fees apply.

Please book with the Wildwood office on 01227 712 111.

Sunday 20th October – Hunter's Moon Night Tour
See our animals under the moonlight on a guided night tour to coincide with the full moon.
6.30pm - 9pm. £25 per person inc. meal. Min age 10yrs.

Please book with the Wildwood office on 01227 712 111.

Saturday 26th October – Fungi Ecology & Identification
An introduction to fungi identification and their importance in the ecosystem. Includes microscopic examination and a woodland forest foray to find fungi in their natural habitats.
10.00am – 4.00pm £30 per person. Subject to season.

Please book with Suzanne Kynaston on 01227 711 471 or email courses@wildwoodtrust.org

Sunday 27th October – Wolves Workshop 2: The Wolf in Your Dog
The second of our wolf workshops. Understand how your dog's behaviour is an echo of his wild wolf ancestry with dog trainer Dave Butcher and wolf expert Anne Riddell. It will include a visit to see Wildwood's own European wolves.
10.30am - 4pm. £35 per person (book together with Wolves 1 on Oct 13 for £50) . Min age 12yrs.

Please book with Suzanne Kynaston on 01227 711 471 or email courses@wildwoodtrust.org

 

The Wildwood Team

Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7LQ

Registered Charity no 1093702