Oil firm aims to extend Dorset coast drilling despite marine life risk

Environment groups oppose licence for Corallian Energy extractions along protected coastline running to March

Sandra Laville

Thu 14 Feb 2019 14.22 GMTLast modified on Thu 14 Feb 2019 15.30 GMT

An oil company drilling off the Dorset coastline is attempting to extend its licence into the spring, challenging the conditions imposed to protect the sea’s many sensitive wildlife species.

Corallian Energy has set up a rig visible from the protected coastline and in close proximity to 58 marine and coastal protected areas. Sensitive and protected species offshore include bottlenose dolphins, seahorses, rays and breeding populations of seabirds including sandwich terns and little terns.

Despite opposition from environmentalists and local people, the government offshore petroleum regulator (Opred), part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, gave permission for Corallian to carry out exploratory drilling last year.

But after representations from the Environment Agency and Natural England, among others, the company was restricted to drilling in the winter and not in the spring to mitigate “significant concerns in relation to both landscape and seascape impacts and potential effects on migratory fish”.

Despite the conditions Corallian has gone back to Opred seeking permission to extend the drilling into March.

The rig was approved after an application for a windfarm off the coast was turned down on grounds it would harm the views from designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and England’s only natural Unesco World Heritage Site, the Jurassic Coast.

Read on

Fossil of 'our earliest ancestors' found in Dorset

By Helen Briggs BBC News

7 November 2017

Fossils of the oldest-known ancestors of most living mammals, including human beings, have been unearthed in southern England.

Teeth belonging to the extinct shrew-like creatures, which scampered at the feet of dinosaurs, were discovered in cliffs on the Dorset coast.

Scientists who identified the specimens say they are the earliest undisputed fossils of mammals belonging to the line that led to humans.

They date back 145 million years.

''Here we have discovered from the Jurassic coast a couple of shrew-like things that are to date unequivocally our earliest ancestors,'' said Dr Steve Sweetman of Portsmouth University, who examined the ancient teeth.

The mammals were tiny, furry creatures that probably emerged under the cover of night.

One, a possible burrower, dined on insects, while the larger may have eaten plants as well.

Their teeth were highly advanced, of a type that can pierce, cut and crush food.

Read on 

Badger cull linked to rise in bovine TB cases

Stop the Cull finds number of herds with TB outbreak, in Dorset cull zone and at its edge, increased after badger killing began

Steven Morris

Friday 19 February 2016 18.25 GMTLast modified on Friday 19 February 201622.01 GMT

The government’s controversial badger cull has led to a rise in the number of cases of tuberculosis found in cattle in one of the programme’s key geographical areas, say animal rights activists.

Rather than the number of cases of bovine TB falling among herds in and on the edge of the badger killing area in Dorset, they have been increasing, it was claimed. The campaign group Stop the Cull suggests this was due to “perturbation”, referring to the way culling may disrupt badger social groups, leading probably to more widespread roaming (including migration into cull areas), and consequently the disease spreading.

The claims came as the government announced thatNatural England had received 29 applications or expressions of interest from farmers’ groups wanting a badger cull in their area. Natural England said the various areas ranged from a total of 52 sq miles to up to 252 sq miles. The areas were in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and Cheshire. There has been no decision on the number of cull areas for 2016.

Stop the Cull, which has championed direct action against the government’s programme, has analysed official figures recording outbreaks of bovine TB in Dorset, where culling began in the autumn.

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Porbeagle shark caught yards from popular UK beach

Fisherman lands two-metre long porbeagle shark off Chesil Beach, Dorset

David Trayner 

Monday 26 October 2015

A two-metre long shark has been caught yards off one of Britain’s most popular tourist beaches.A fisherman hauled in the porbeagle shark – a close relative of the great white – just 300 yards off Chesil Beach, in Dorset.

Tourists were surprised when Jan Davey brought his unusual catch ashore and laid it on the shingle.

The 39-year-old sat astride the fish, which was so large that at least one visitor thought it was a surfboard, and opened its massive jaws to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Mr Davey, who caught the porbeagle in his net by accident while fishing, told the Dorset Echo: “I’ve been fishing here since I was 16.

“I’ve never seen anything like that so close to the shore.”

Porbeagles, which can grow up to more than three metres long, usually stay at least 10 miles offshore.

But this specimen got caught in Mr Davey’s trammel net near Chesil Cove.

Readon …

Endangered turtles spotted in UK waters

ENDANGERED loggerhead turtles have been spotted swimming off the Dorset coastline.

By STUART WINTER

PUBLISHED: 17:15, Fri, Oct 23, 2015 | UPDATED: 17:16, Fri, Oct 23, 2015

Conservationists have put out an alert for the rare marine reptiles, fearing they may struggle to survive in fast cooling British waters.

Loggerhead turtles breed in the Mediterranean and the sub-tropical beaches of the Cape Verde Islands but at least two have managed to swim up the English Channel and could now be languishing in 15c temperatures.

The turtles, measuring up three feet, were spotted near Swanage by a shocked guide who was leading a walk along the coast path at Durlston Head earlier this month.

Experts at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) are warning anyone who spots a turtle stranded on a British beach not to help it back into the sea but report their find so the legally protected creatures can be nursed back to health. See hotline details below.

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Badger cull to be extended into Dorset, government announces

The badger cull is to be extended into Dorset following pilots in Gloucestershire and Somerset, the government has announced.

Ministers and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) say culling badgers will curb tuberculosis (TB) in cattle, but protesters say it has little effect.

Licences have been granted to allow six weeks of continuous culling in the three counties until 31 January.

Rock star and campaigner Brian May said he would fight the culls in court.

His Save Me Trust trust confirmed the "lawfulness of the decisions to issue the licences will be challenged by a Judicial Review in the High Court".

May, well-known for his anti-cull protesting, said: "We are all hugely disappointed that the government has decided to continue its cull policy, despite Natural England's scientific advisor branding the badger cull 'an epic failure'."

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Albino badger left for dead after love rivals 'chewed his testicles' (but don't worry, he's all-white)

RSPCA staff in Somerset are caring for all-white 'Romeo' badger Alberto after a gang of jealous normal-coloured male badgers attacked him

By Leon Watson

10:21AM GMT 26 Mar 2015

An all-white albino badger is recovering after jealous rivals chewed his testicles and left him for dead in a toilet.

A rare albino badger is recovering

after being attacked by another 

badger Photo: Wessex News

The gang of normal-coloured male badgers feared "Romeo" Alberto would catch the eye of all the females with his sleek stripeless coat.

They set on him and left him with gaping bite marks on his neck and around his groin, hoping to put an end to his hopes of scoring with the ladies.

On Thursday Alberto was being nursed at the RSPCA's West Hatch wildlife hospital in Taunton, Somerset.

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Deadly Japanese pufferfish found washed up on DORSET

At first glance this hapless fish looks like a large mackerel that has swallowed a football. 

But the unusual looking creature found washed up on a south coast beach is actually an exotic but deadly pufferfish, usually only found in tropical waters. 

The species - a specialty in Japan - are well-known for ballooning in size by filling their bodies with water or air to deter predators.

And, judging by the size of this creature, it appears to have died while in full defensive mode, with its stomach fully inflated.

The 12 ins long specimen was found by Richard Fabbri, from Weymouth Watersports, who spotted the fish swept up on Chesil Beach in Dorset - the first time the species has been seen in the area for 30 years.

But had any beach forager picked up the silver fish and taken it home for their dinner they would have come in for a nasty shock.

All pufferfish are poisonous and carry a toxin in their internal organs that has no known antidote.

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Fossilised crocodile tooth 'largest of its kind in UK'

The fossilised tooth of a prehistoric crocodile has been recorded as the largest of its kind found in the UK.

The 2in (5.5cm) tooth was dredged from the seabed near Chesil Beach, Dorset.

It belonged to an ancient relative of modern crocodiles, known as Dakosaurus maximus.

Researchers from the the University of Edinburgh and curators from the Natural History Museum identified it after it was bought at an online auction by a fossil collector about a year ago.

The shape of its skull and teeth suggests it ate similar prey to killer whales

The tooth, which has a broken tip, is now in the fossil collection of the London-based museum.

'Exceptionally dangerous'

Dakosaurus maximus grew to about 4.5m (15ft) in length and swam in the shallow seas of Europe 152 million years ago, according to the team's research published in the scientific journal Historical Biology.

The shape of its skull and teeth suggest it ate similar prey to killer whales, using its broad, short jaws to swallow fish whole and to bite chunks from larger prey.

Dr Mark Young, from the university's school of biological sciences, said: "Given its size, Dakosaurus had very large teeth.

"However, it wasn't the top marine predator of its time, and would have swum alongside other larger marine reptiles, making the shallow seas of the Late Jurassic period exceptionally dangerous."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-27606864

1,500 acres of wildlife-rich land purchased in Dorset

April 2014: Nearly 1,500 acres of outstanding wildlife habitat has been bought by Dorset Wildlife Trust and its partners as part of a new conservation project in east Dorset, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, called ‘The Great Heath Living Landscape’. 

The areas purchased include: Lytchett Bay, Upton Heath, Holes Bay, Parley Common and Ferndown Common. These sites provide habitats for many rare and threatened species, including the Dartford Warbler and all six UK reptiles, including the nationally rare smooth snake and sand lizard. This purchase mean two outstanding areas of natural heritage; the New Forest National Park and the Wild Purbeck Nature Improvement Area can be linked together.

DWT’s Director of Operations, Brian Bleese said: “The purchase of this land is a real investment in the future of Dorset’s heritage, and will make a huge contribution to the quality of our natural environment for decades to come. We are very excited about taking the project into the next phase to help local people and communities benefit from the wealth of wildlife around them.”

The Great Heath Living Landscape is a partnership of Dorset Wildlife Trust, the Erica Trust, Poole Harbour Commissioners, Borough of Poole, Dorset County Council Countryside Service and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust. The project is supported by Bournemouth Borough Council. Christchurch Borough Council, East Dorset District Council and Natural England.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/Dorset-land-purchase.html

Ichthyosaur fossil at Charmouth narrowly misses storm destruction

A near-complete ichthyosaur skeleton discovered on the Dorset coast after Christmas storms was hours away from destruction, fossil hunters have said.

Storms uncovered the 1.5m (5ft) fossil at the base of Black Ven near Charmouth on Boxing Day.

The giant marine reptile fossil was painstakingly removed over eight hours, shortly before another storm was due.

Professional fossil hunter Paul Crossley, who helped excavate it, said it was "a beautiful find".

Continued

Ringwood recluse eaten by her cats, inquest told

A WOMAN was eaten by her own cats after her dead body lay undiscovered in her home for several weeks, an inquest heard.

Janet Veal was found in the kitchen of her isolated Ringwood home after neighbours raised the alarm, concerned that they had not seen her for a long time and mail was overflowing in the letter box.

Inside officers were met with a “distressing” scene with the 56-year-old’s body on the kitchen floor, with parts missing as a result of being “gnawed and eaten” by her animals that had been left without food for possibly months.

Southampton Coroner’s Court heard how PC Dave Ivey gained entry into the semi-detached home in Crow Arch Lane by using a ladder to get in through an unsecured upstairs rear window.

As soon as he got inside it was clear it had not been aired for numerous weeks and all the rooms of the property were covered with items and rubbish making it impossible to see the floor.

Continued

Game of Thrones comes to Dorset as giant dragon skull appears on beach

It's the moment the area's dedicated fossil hunters have been waiting for: A giant dragon skull has washed up on the Jurrassic Coast in Dorset.

But, wait, hang on a minute... Doesn't that skull look a bit familiar?

Sadly this isn't proof that the winged beasts once walked the earth. Standing at 40ft, complete with a full set of scarily sharp teeth, it's in fact a replica of the dragon skull Arya found in the Kings Landing dungeons in fantasy series Game of Thrones.

The bleached white bones, which took three sculptors over two months to create, has popped up on the famous Dorset coastline to celebrate the news that the third series of HBO's Game of Thrones has landed on On Demand service blinkbox months before it's available anywhere else.

Ben Ayers from blinkbox said: "Game of Thrones is easily the most talked about TV show of the moment. We wanted to mark its arrival on blinkbox with a spectacle every bit as dramatic as this amazing series."

There seems to be something of a vogue for this sort of thing. A 12ft Mr Darcy recently emerged from The Serpentine in London's Hyde Park to mark the launch of the Drama channel.

Read on

Letter to David Cameron calls for action to restore lost wildlife

MORE than 100 conservationists, business leaders, landowners, celebrities and academics from the south west have signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling on him to make a public commitment to urgently address the decline of wildlife in the region.

The call follows the shocking State of the Nature report published in May, which showed serious declines in a wide range of species.

Tony Richardson, regional director for the RSPB in the Dorset region, said: “We need clear leadership and collective action to restore what has been lost.”

The letter describes three actions that the government can take: accelerating full marine area protection; guaranteeing support for high nature farming; and giving clear guidance to Local Enterprise Partnerships to invest in “natural capital”.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10509267.Letter_to_David_Cameron_calls_for_action_to_restore_lost_wildlife/

Gorilla in the midst... of Dorset: Mystery 'monkey-like' creature photographed in a park – via Dave McMann

This is the moment an escaped monkey was apparently photographed on the loose in a public park.

The hairy black creature was spotted by stunned Terri Leigh Cox as she looked out of her bedroom window that overlooks the play park in Dorchester, Dorset.

She witnessed the animal hunched over and bounding around on all fours before she grabbed her mobile phone and took a single frame of it.

Miss Cox, 17, said the creature then scampered up a tree and out of sight.

The park is about 10 miles away from the famous Monkey World attraction in Wool, although staff there have not reported any lost primates.

Read on:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299216/Gorilla-midst--Dorset-Mystery-monkey-like-creature-photographed-park.html

Water vole sanctuary created in Bridport

Across the country the population of water voles has dropped from 1.2m to 400,000 in 10 years

A water vole sanctuary is being built on a Dorset river.

A pond is being restored and an island created on the River Brit at Bridport by the Environment Agency to give the endangered mammals a refuge.

The Environment Agency said the protected animal was "fast disappearing" due to habitat loss and predators.

The water vole sanctuary at Allington Pond is expected to take around a week to complete.

The agency said the work would provide a valuable habitat for the water voles to take cover.

Once a common sight in the county, the species is now only found in a "tiny fraction" of rivers and streams, the agency said.

The UK's water vole population has dropped 90% since the late 1980s, making it the UK's fastest declining mammal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-21685649

Brian May from Queen unveils Dorset woodland vision

Queen guitarist Brian May has talked about his vision to turn a plot of Dorset farmland into a woodland wildlife sanctuary.

His team will be planting 100,000 trees on 155 acres (62 hectares) of land near Bere Regis village in September.

He had two "packed" meetings with about 150 villagers on Monday night to discuss his plans.

"It was great, everyone was very positive and we had some great ideas from people," he said.

There are plenty of people who want to discredit me and I have become accustomed to that.”

Village school plans

May, a known wildlife campaigner, said: "We're turning land which has been used for farming back to original woodland, that's the long term plan.

"We're adjacent to a piece of woodland which I've owned for a number of years anyway so it's an extension of an already existing scheme to try and recreate an ancient landscape."

The rock guitarist, who actively campaigns against fox hunting and badger culling said he also wanted "to exclude hunting and to manage the land in a more humane fashion than has been the tradition".

Woodland pic:  An image showing what Brian May's woodland could look like in 20 years' time.

Continued:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-21427374

A sea monster ... and he’s still a nipper! Monster Tasmanian King Crab saved from the pot and shipped to Britain for aquarium display

He was destined for the pot – if they had found one big enough to fit.

But Claude the Tasmanian giant crab was saved from death when the fisherman who caught him sold him to a British aquarium  for £3,000.

Now, after a 29-hour plane journey from Australia – where giant crab meat is a delicacy – and two weeks in quarantine, Claude is ready to meet his public.

He is the biggest crab on display in the UK and weighs a mighty 15lb with a 15-inch shell – enough to make 160 crab cakes.

Claude is 100 times bigger than a standard UK shore crab. Yet he is still a juvenile and will grow to double his weight.

Claude was caught off the coast of Tasmania last month, but was sold to the Sea Life group along with two other Tasmanian giant crabs.

He will go on display at the Sea Life centre in Weymouth, Dorset, on Thursday, and his two companions will be  moved to other centres in Birmingham and Berlin if Claude responds well to his new home.

Currently he is being kept on his own in a specially made cylindrical tank, ten feet tall and six feet wide, but the aquarium will introduce some coldwater fish once he is settled. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2137356/Monster-Tasmanian-King-Crabs-saved-pot-shipped-Britain-aquarium-display.html#ixzz2ECBn7vO5

Dorset's Upton Heath restored for rare reptiles and birds

Rare reptiles and birds are set to benefit from the clearance of invasive scrub at heathland in Dorset.

Upton Heath nature reserve, in Poole, is home to all six British species of reptiles, including rare sand lizards and smooth snakes.

The 506-acre (205-hectare) site's rare birds include Dartford warblers, stonechats and nightjars.

Dorset Wildlife Trust is clearing birch and pine tree saplings from the reserve in order to maintain the heathland.

Heathlands are supposed to have a "low density" of trees, according to the trust, which manages the site.

"We want to make it clear that established trees are not being cut down and the site will not look any different as a result of the clearance," said Nicky Hoar, communications officer for the trust.

"The trees also provide important habitats and nests of hobby falcons have been found in some of the mature trees."

Read on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-20323457

Fin whale beached in Dorset

November 2012. Steve Trewhella, of UK Coastal Wildlife, has sent us these images of a beached whale in Dorset. The whale washed up at the beginning of November at the bottom of the sea cliffs near Kimmeridge.

Juvenile Fin whale
It is thought that the whale is a juvenile Fin whale, though this has not been verified. The whale measured some 13.5 metres long, and is decaying rapidly.

Can live for 90 years

Fin whales can grow up to around 25 metres long, with the average at around 20 metres, and a female whale can weigh up to 120,000 kg, making them the second largest whale after the mighty Blue. Remarkably, they can live for up to 90 years. Although they are inaudible to the human ear, the whales' low frequency calls can be heard by other whales some 850 kilometres away.

Fin whales are seen most winters off Cornwall
Since the 1990s they have been seen during most winters off the coast of Cornwall and other parts of south-west England. Their vertical blows are easily visible from some two miles away without binoculars, and they may stay close to the surface for about a minute and a half minutes each time they surface. They then dive to depths of up to 250 metres, although they are also known to enter shallow water, and each dive can last between 10 and 15 minutes. They have a varied diet of fish and squid, but may also eat krill and copepods. With their huge mouths, which make up about 25% of their body length, they can take in up to 70 cubic meters of water in one gulp.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/dorset-fin.html