Winter Wildlife – to feed or not to feed?
02 February 2009
At this time of year much of our wildlife makes itself scarce through hibernation, or by dying off at the end of their lifecycle (most insects do this). As a result of this retreat, there is less food around for the animals nearer the top of the food chain that don't hibernate fully- wildlife such as deer, and foxes. This month, Central Scotland Forest Trust (CSFT) is encouraging everyone to be aware of the wildlife they can see during the winter around the Forest.
Although much of our wildlife hibernates during the winter, very few spend the whole time in deep sleep, like the bears in North America do. Many, like hedgehogs, can be seen out looking for food on warmer winter days. Birds can be seen aplenty in parks and gardens with some species even venturing to our shores in winter for the warmer climate!
As urban areas have expanded out into more rural areas, wildlife has had to adapt to the changes in their habitats, and many species now thrive in human environments. Around half of Britain's mammals have been recorded in urban areas, including bats, mice, squirrels, deer, foxes, hedgehogs and even badgers. They co-exist happily with humans and very rarely cause any problems, in fact, unless you keep your eyes peeled, you may not even know they're there!
There are several ways in which you can support urban wildlife as Simon Rennie, chief executive of CSFT, explains. Simon said: "Often, the best way to support the wildlife is to leave them to their own devices, especially larger animals like deer and badgers. Do not leave scraps of food out for them, as this can discourage them from finding their own food and they will depend on you for food all year round. It is a good idea to put out seeds and bird food in small amounts though, as birds can struggle to find sources of food as more of us are paving over our gardens to make them low maintenance."
