Media release
World’s biggest wildlife survey reports a chorus of frogs hopping around in our gardens
Almost
half of people in the south west see frogs in their gardens regularly,
according to the second round of results from the world’s biggest
wildlife survey, run by the RSPB.
This
year, for the first-time in the 36 year history of the survey, Big
Garden Birdwatch participants were also asked to tell the RSPB about
some of the other wildlife that visits their gardens throughout the
year, including common frogs, grey squirrels, badgers and hedgehogs.
This follows the release of the bird results by the charity at the end
of last month.
Almost half a million people took part in the Big
Garden Birdwatch and most of them supplied extra information on the
other garden wildlife they see. The RSPB hopes to use it to build
an overall picture of how important our gardens are for all types of
wildlife and tailor its advice so people can help their wild visitors
find a home, feed and breed successfully.
The
RSPB’s partners, including Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust
(ARC), People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), and The Mammal
Society, have been highly enthusiastic about including these data in
their national datasets.
According
to the results, grey squirrels came out on top overall, with two thirds
of people seeing them in their West Country gardens at least once a
month. Hedgehogs were only seen regularly in a
quarter of gardens and their populations have seriously declined by
around 30% since the millennium. The West Country was also a garden
hotspot for badgers, with over a quarter of respondents recording them
regularly.
When
not hibernating, the common frog takes the lead as the most abundant
garden amphibian, according to the results. In the West Country eight
out of ten people had seen frogs in their garden at least once, and half
of people had seen them monthly.
When
it comes to toads, a third of people in the south west see them
monthly. The warty amphibians, which have declined especially in central
and southern England, are more likely to visit gardens in rural areas, with 41% of householders in these areas seeing them on a monthly basis.
Last year, 25 wildlife organisations, including the RSPB, released the groundbreaking State of Nature report revealing 60 per cent of the wildlife species studied have declined over recent decades.
Many
garden favourites were among the creatures shown to be in serious
trouble including starlings and hedgehogs, as well as some butterflies
and ladybirds. All are in danger of further declines unless more is done
to provide better habitats.
Daniel
Hayhow, RSPB conservation scientist, commented: “This massive survey
shows how important our gardens are for the amazing variety of wildlife
living there.
“The
State of Nature report showed that we need more information across many
species groups, so widening the Big Garden Birdwatch’s scope to include
other animals made perfect sense.
“This
is the start of something big and something very, very important. In a
few years’ time we’ll be able to compare how the distribution of garden
wildlife may have changed. Hopefully, the fact that more people are
helping to give nature a home in their gardens and outside spaces will
mean we see improvements rather than declines.”
Dr
John Wilkinson, ARC Science Programme Manager, said: “It’s great to
know that frogs and toads are still widespread in UK gardens, which are a
crucial habitat for both of them, but worrying that toads are
relatively so much less common than frogs, especially in England. Future
results from Big Garden Birdwatch will be critical in helping to
understand all the factors affecting all our wildlife, including
amphibians.”
David
Wembridge, mammal surveys coordinator for the People’s Trust for
Endangered Species, said: “Gardens can be ideal habitats for mammals but
from the Big Garden Birdwatch and People’s Trust for Endangered
Species’ (PTES) mammal surveys, we know that only a minority of gardens
are regularly used by hedgehogs – one species we’re particularly
concerned about. With numbers falling in the wider countryside, doing
more to encourage hedgehogs into the green spaces around our homes and
places of work could make a big difference.”
Marina
Pacheco, the Mammal Society's Chief Executive, said: "Those taking part
in this year's Big Garden Birdwatch have captured one of the largest
snapshots ever recorded for some of our most endearing and threatened
mammals. It's fantastic to know that gardens can be a vital refuge for
rapidly-declining species like the red squirrel and hedgehog. As well as
taking part in an enjoyable survey, participants have greatly increased
our understanding of the distribution and relative abundance of UK
mammals."
Giving Nature a Home
is the RSPB’s latest campaign, aimed at tackling the housing crisis
facing the UK’s threatened wildlife. The charity is asking people to
provide a place for wildlife in their own gardens and outside spaces –
whether it by planting pollen-rich plants to attract bees and
butterflies, putting up a nestbox for a house sparrow, or creating a
pond that will support a number of different species.
The RSPB hopes to inspire people across the UK to create a million new homes for nature.
To find out how you can give nature a home where you live visit rspb.org.uk/homes
Ends
Tony Whitehead, RSPB Press Officer, 01392 453754, 07872 414365
To arrange an ISDN broadcast-quality radio interview please contact Tony or Gemma.
Images to support this story are available from RSPB Images.
User Name: RSPB
Password: BGBW 2014
1. 273,351
Big Garden Birdwatch participants across the UK provided information
about other wildlife that visits their garden. The overall West Country
results are given in the table here. The numbers represent the
percentage of respondents in the south west:
|
Badger
|
Grey Squirrel
|
Muntjac Deer
|
Roe Deer
|
Hedgehog
|
Common Frog
|
Common Toad
|
Seen at least monthly
|
26.6
|
66.3
|
4.1
|
12.3
|
26.7
|
48.9
|
34.5
|
Seen ever
|
10.1
|
19.3
|
1.7
|
5.2
|
8.7
|
82.0
|
71.0
|
Never seen
|
45.7
|
8.1
|
84.0
|
68.7
|
25.1
|
9.4
|
15.9
|
2. This
year Big Garden Birdwatch participants were asked to record the
wildlife they see in their gardens throughout the year from a list of
eight non-bird species (badger, hedgehog, grey squirrel, red squirrel,
muntjac deer, roe deer, frog, toad). The survey asked: You may not
see these creatures in your hour watching (especially frogs, toads and
hedgehogs, which are hibernating right now), but we’d like to know if
any of them visit your garden or park, and if so, roughly how often
(daily, weekly, monthly, less than monthly, never, don’t know). The survey also recorded whether their gardens were urban, suburban or rural.
3.
The State of Nature report:
For
the first time ever, the UK’s wildlife organisations have joined forces
to undertake a health check of nature in the UK and its Overseas
Territories. Working side-by-side, 25 wildlife organisations have
compiled stock take of all our native wildlife. The report reveals that
60 per cent of the species studied have declined over recent decades.
More than one in ten of all the species assessed are under threat of
disappearing from our shores altogether. However, the report illustrates
that targeted conservation has produced inspiring success stories and,
with sufficient determination, resources and public support, we can turn
the fortunes of our wildlife around. For a summary of the State of Nature report
click here or for the full report
click here.
4.
The
RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s biggest wildlife survey with
around half a million people taking part every year. Now in its fourth
decade, the survey has made a major contribution to tracking garden bird
numbers over the winter
rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
5.
The RSPB
is the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to
give nature a home. Together with our partners, we protect threatened
birds and wildlife so our towns, coast and countryside will teem with
life once again. We play a leading role in BirdLife International, a
worldwide partnership of nature conservation organisations
. rspb.org.uk
6.
Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC)
is a national wildlife charity committed to conserving amphibians and
reptiles and saving the disappearing habitats on which they depend.
arc-trust.org
7.
Established in 1954,
The Mammal Society
is a charity advocating science-led mammal conservation, leading
efforts to collect and share information on mammals, encourage research
to learn more about their ecology and distribution, and contribute
meaningfully to efforts to conserve them.
mammal.org.uk
8.
In a constantly changing world where wildlife is under threat, many species are declining at an alarming rate. Since 1977
People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) has been helping to ensure a future for many endangered species throughout the world.
ptes.org
9.
The
RSPB offers everything to easily create a haven for wildlife in your
garden. All our expertise has been used to develop the very best food
and homes, using sustainable materials whenever possible. All the
profits from our shop go towards helping birds and wildlife. Browse
below, or view our online shop for our full range of products. rspb.org.uk/shop
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