Latest news with #MandyLieu
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Trail cameras capture return of rare species after more than 80 years: 'It's been amazing to watch'
These little critters were caught on camera, and it's good news for England. According to The Independent, a trail cam in Ewhurst Park in Hampshire, England, caught an amazing sight — a mother otter and her pup. They're seen grooming, playing, and swimming together. It's the first otter sighting in the park for over 80 years, and it's a big win for conservationists. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Otters nearly went extinct in England in the 1950s due to "industrial chemicals and pesticides which caused death and reproductive failure in the mammals, but have slowly recovered since the 1970s, following bans on the chemicals and legal protection," according to NewsBreak. "It's been amazing to watch as nature has started to take front and centre stage across the park," Mandy Lieu, an environmentalist who owns Ewhurst Park, said. Otters aren't the only animals coming back to the park. Over 90 different species, like beavers and butterflies, are becoming more prevalent in the park. Otters can be tough for conservationists to track since they're nocturnal. Trail cameras are just one of many tools researchers use to monitor populations and behavior, and sometimes, they catch these incredible sightings, too. A trail camera in Northern India recorded a wandering Pallas's Cat, an elusive wild cat that's been notoriously difficult to spot. Another camera in Arizona captured a jaguar, whose population is plummeting, but the sight of one gives conservationists a lot of hope. The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List reports over 40,000 species currently at risk of extinction. But preservation and conservation efforts are working, and the otters are proof of that. The head of ecology at Ewhurst Park, Fiona Kenny, is thrilled with the conservation efforts at Ewhurst. "Our ambition here at Ewhurst Park is to restore ecological processes and systems within the landscape so that it can function properly and provide for its inhabitants with minimal management," she said, per NewsBreak. "The level of nature recovery we saw in 2024 has been incredible which really confirms that we're on the right track." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
BBC News
24-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Otters spotted at Hampshire estate for first time since 1950s
Otters have been spotted on a rural estate for the first time in 70 years. The pair of otters - a mother and baby - were seen at Ewhurst Park, a nearly 1000-acre estate near Basingstoke. In September, it was announced two beavers born in the park were the first in 400 former shooting estate has been the subject of a rewilding project since it was bought by Malaysian-born model, actor and entrepreneur Mandy Lieu in 2020. The two beavers were captured by cameras set up by the park's rangers. Ms Lieu said: "It's been amazing to watch as nature has started to take front and centre stage across the park. "Otters prefer clean freshwater so our newest residents are a sign that water quality is improving."The estate said it had also recorded a total of 90 different bird species in 2024, including many listed as of red concern nationally. The UK's otter population increased steadily between the the 1970s and the 2010s, after a pesticide, which brought them to the brink of extinction, was banned. However, experts have warned that otters in some areas of the UK are at risk from increased levels of river pollution. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
