Tiny one-month-old turtle the size of a 50p coin found dumped in a wheelie bin

13:47, 19 NOV 2015

UPDATED 13:53, 19 NOV 2015

BY KELLY-ANN MILLS

The reptile, nicknamed Tiny Tina, was found cold, lethargic and hungry

Getty/SWNS

This tiny baby turtle which is the size of a 50p coin is recovering after being found dumped in a wheelie bin.

The reptile, nicknamed Tiny Tina, is thought to be just one month old and can be seen walking around in this cute footage.

She was found cold, lethargic and hungry in a dustbin and handed to Heath Veterinary Clinic in Burgess Hill, West Sussex who have nursed her reptile back to health.

Practice Manager Sarah Solomon said: "We were really shocked to have a turtle brought into the clinic and upset to find out she had been dumped.

Read more ...

Sussex's rare bat population at risk from fracking, report finds

6:00am Sunday 30th March 2014 in News

Fracking could seriously harm Sussex’s rare bat population, a report has found.

The Weald Basin is home to the endangered and protected Barbestella bat.

But a report by the RSPB into the environmental impact of fracking found the derricks needed for exploratory drilling for shale gas could have an adverse impact on the creatures.

Recently submitted plans for exploratory drilling in the basin included proposals for a 45-metre derrick to be lit 24 hours a day, with additional lighting required for safety reasons.

Continued

Huge step forward in battle against bovine TB in Sussex whilst Somerset badger cull extended

£1000 per badger

"We estimate that the cull so far has cost around £2 million, including police costs. If they kill around 2000 badgers that works out at about £1000 each - this must be the most expensive cull in history. Vaccinating badgers would be much cheaper.

"Scientifically this policy is a disaster. There was only a slim chance that it could have any benefit whatsoever in reducing TB, but the bungling of the figures has shot that out of the water. Meanwhile, any sense that it was being done in a humane way has been pushed aside in the rush to slaughter badgers, with reports of them being trapped in cages and blasted with shotguns. It's time to end this debacle now and get on with finding a humane and effective way of dealing with bTB."

Sussex Badger Vaccination Project in contrast to Somerset cull

October 2013. Farmers in East Sussex may be pleased to know that they can now choose to have badgers on their land vaccinated against bovine TB following the recent establishment of the Sussex Badger Vaccination Project (SBVP), after five local volunteer passed the Badger Vaccination Training Course run by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Gloucestershire.

Somerset cull to be extended?

In the west of England, the government has been carrying out a trial cull of badgers since late August and, if deemed successful, they plan to roll out a badger cull across 40 further areas of England. However the trial in Somerset is about to be extended as they have not managed to cull nearly as many badgers as planned, despite significantly reducing the estimated number of badgers that need to be culled.

Sussex

Part of East Sussex is on the DEFRA "High Risk" list and, as a result, a badger cull could happen in Sussex here as early as June 2014. The Sussex Badger Vaccination Project believes that badger vaccination is a sustainable approach to reducing bTB in wildlife and cattle without the public opposition associated with badger culling.

Kate Edmonds of the Sussex Badger Vaccination Project said "Science has shown that perturbation after culling leads to an increase in bTB on farms. Badger vaccination is the only way to avoid this problem and has been proven to lower bTB infection by 74%. "

"We set up this project to give farmers in East Sussex an extremely low-cost choice to vaccinate rather than to cull. East Sussex is unique in that geographically it's an "island" of bTB, indeed it has a unique strain of the disease, and therefore is ideal as a test case for a combined approach of badger vaccination and changes in cattle husbandry."

Continued

He's all white! Extraordinary pictures capture rare albino squirrel playing in a garden in SUSSEX

These extraordinary pictures capture one of Britain's rarest animals - an albino squirrel.

The red-eyed rodent was glimpsed by wildlife enthusiast Patrick Sullivan, 66, in a park near his home almost three months ago.

But despite regularly stalking the woodland he was never able to capture the rare animal on camera.

The pensioner spent days re-stocking his bird feeder only to be greeted by half a dozen of the animals' grey cousins.

Disappointed Mr Sullivan was about to give up on ever tracking down the rare animal, but last week his luck changed.

He glanced outside to check on his bird feeder and was stunned to see the red-eyed albino squirrel staring back at him.

The former publisher said he was delighted to have finally caught the animal on film.

Mr Sullivan, from East Grinstead, Sussex, said: 'When we saw the white squirrel a few months ago darting through the trees, we couldn't believe our eyes.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2400045/Hes-white-Extraordinary-pictures-capture-rare-albino-squirrel-playing-trees-SUSSEX.html#ixzz2cn9jMBcm

Grey seal strands near Beachy Head

The following is taken from a press statement from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) & East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS). 

May 2013. A seal was reported on the beach on Sunday 28th April to the east of the Hope Gap Steps, which are located just west of the Cuckmere Haven at Seaford in Sussex. The initial report was of a healthy seal sunning itself. 

A second report came in half an hour later reporting a 4ft seal injured on the beach with blood on its rear flippers. WRAS attended on site after speaking to BDMLR's out-of-hours co-ordinator. On arrival we found Sussex Police on site due to concerns for public safety. We were rather surprised to find a 7ft long 250kg adult grey seal which do not normally haul out on the East Sussex coast line. The seal was also a long way from the tide and had hauled out at the high tide mark which is unusual for an adult. 

Unable to get a vet on site Sunday night, the seal was monitored until dark for the animal's and public's safety, and volunteer medics returned at first light on 29th April. After a search of the area, the seal was found a quarter of a mile to the west of the steps at Hope Gap. The location was even more problematic and difficult to get to. The vet could not get to the site before the tide came back in. 

Staff from WRAS returned a couple of hours after high tide to start searching for the seal which was now so high up the beach it was at first missed. Alan Knight of BDMLR arrived on site with a vet and nurse from Beachwood Vets in Seaford. The seal was clearly ill; an unusually prominent pelvis showed that it was well underweight; the eyes showed signs of cataracts; and the seal was allowing people to go close enough to touch it as its vision was so poor. 

There were numerous abrasions and wounds from the rocks from where it had hauled out each time. There was no chance of rehabilitation. This is not the same seal as has been seen in the local rivers recently. 

Read on: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/sussex-seal.html

Geoffroy's bat discovered in UK for first time

A bat usually found in continental Europe has been discovered in the UK for the first time, according to the National Trust.

A male Geoffroy's bat (Myotis emarginatus) was found by an ecologist carrying out a survey on trust land in the South Downs in West Sussex.

The species, which weighs between six and nine grams, is usually found on the edge of woodland scrub and grassland.

The trust think the bat may have started to extend its habitat range.'Real surprise'

Consultant ecologist and bat expert Daniel Whitby said the find also showed the importance of the trust's surveying and monitoring work.


Continued:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-19596320

Big cat movie plan by Brighton film school tutor

Two prominent business figures are backing a movie about the Beast of Bevendean.

Millionaire property developer Michael Holland and Michael Chowen, the founder and former owner of British Bookshops and Sussex Stationers, are convinced there is more to the sightings of big cats in Sussex than meets the eye.

Now they are putting their money where their mouths are and supporting Dark Roar, the brainchild of movie maker Ewan Gorman.

Mr Gorman, who teaches at Brighton Film School, said the film is an action/adventure story with two 11-year-old boys at its centre.

He said: “I’m delighted to have the backing of these well-known business people. I hope this will boost the profile of the project.

“In the film, two 11-year-old boys go off to find the beast. They want to find him, trap him and become heroes. But someone else is looking for him too and things don’t go to plan.”

Mr Holland said he was fascinated by the idea of making a film about the mysterious cats.

He said: “I think people will queue up to see this film. There is definitely something behind all these sightings.

“It’s been reported by many sensible people. I think the big cats are out there and I think they are breeding.”

ontinued:  http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9510116.Big_cat_movie_plan_by_Brighton_film_school_tutor/

Sussex bird sanctuary objects to clay pigeon shoot

March 2012. The tranquillity of the waters around the Bird sanctuary at Weir Wood Reservoir in East Sussex, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, could be shattered if planning for a Corporate Entertainment Clay Pigeon/Air Rifle/Archery range is permitted. As part of the Corporate Activity package, the Council received a planning application for erection of Timber Buildings/pavilion for entertaining and a clay pigeon shooting range ,open between 9am and 6pm including weekends and Bank Holidays about 300m from a bird hide and overlooking the bird sanctuary at the western end of Weir Wood reservoir.

Long toed stint
Last Autumn, the Long-toed Stint was spotted at the site known for its tranquillity and peaceful setting. The Friends of Weir Wood Reservoir and local residents have set up an Action Group to oppose the planning application.

They believe that having a Corporate Clay Pigeon Shooting range just behind the bird sanctuary and in a classified AONB would greatly reduce the chances of scarce birds like the osprey from returning to nest in the future. The topography of the Reservoir forming a natural valley around the water would exacerbate and channel the noise from repetitive shot gun firing through and over the bird sanctuary.

Voice your concerns
The action group, with the support of the FoWWR , are asking for signatures to help them preserve the peace of the local environment for the bird sanctuary site and the AONB.

Concerned bird watchers and visitors are encouraged to write and make suitable comments too; Kelvin Williams, Head of Planning and Building Control, Wealden District Council,Pine Grove, Crowborough, East Sussex. TN6 1DH. quoting planning application number WD/2012/0251/F. The deadline for comments is April 4th 2012.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/weir-wood-shoot.html

That's a bit too much crunch in my salad: Woman finds live giant Egyptian grasshopper in her bag of greens

A Sussex woman's lunch almost became a Bushtucker Trial this week when she discovered a live giant grasshopper in a salad bag.

The likes of Alison Hammond and Kayla Collins got close to some creepy critters during Sunday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get me Out Of Here! but an unnamed Brighton woman had a bigger shock after picking up a healthy lunch from a branch of Tesco in Lewes.

The unnamed shopper was about to sit down for lunch on the East Sussex coast when she found the three-inch insect alive and well among her bag of leaves.

The insect had survived a trip from Egypt in the salad bag before it gave the woman a surprise at the dining table.


Showing admirable calm under pressure - especially as her appetite had been undoubtedly spoiled - the woman passed on the creature to the RSPCA, who received the animal on condition of anonymity for the shopper.

The grasshopper - which the National History Museum has verified as Egyptian - has since been re-homed it at nearby Drusillas Zoo, where it was received by spider and insect expert Angela Hale earlier this month.

'To discover a grasshopper in this way is incredibly unusual,' she admitted. 'Although it may give someone a bit of a shock, these insects are completely harmless.


'The grasshopper is in excellent health and settling into her new home, where we hope she will be very happy.'

Ms Hale was able to identify that the grasshopper had made it to the south coast having travelled all the way from Egypt thanks to its distinctive vertically striped eyes, which are particular to this breed of insect.


The 6.5cm insect is believed to be a fully developed female, with a length more common to the fairer sex of the species, and fully developed wing span and colouration.

Ms Hale also received confirmation from the National History Museum that the bug was an Egyptian giant grasshopper, after the London institution viewed pictures of the insect.

A Tesco spokesman said that incidents such as these were 'extremely rare' and offered his apologies to the customer in question.

'All of our products go through quite a lot of processes before it reaches the customer,' he added.

'Incidents like this are extremely rare although an unpleasant surprise is something that can happen on very, very rare occasions

By Daily Mail Reporter