Latest news with #TheWildlifeTrusts
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Serving up the truth about Wimbledon donating balls as new homes for threatened harvest mice
Claim: Some of the 55,000 balls used during the Wimbledon tennis tournament are annually upcycled into homes for threatened harvest mice. Rating: As the annual Wimbledon tennis championships played out from June to July in 2025, social media users claimed that the thousands of tennis balls used at the tournament get second lives as homes for tiny mice facing habitat loss. For example, one Instagram user shared an image (archived) with text that read: "55,000 tennis balls are turned into homes for harvest mice after Wimbledon." The caption of the post, which had amassed nearly 20,000 likes as of this writing, claimed that the balls "are donated to conservation groups" that cut out small entrances for the mice to enter in "grassy meadows and hedgerows." Similar iterations of the rumor appeared on Facebook (archived) and Reddit (archived). In short, while Wimbledon has previously donated some of its tennis balls for conservation groups to use as homes for harvest mice, these donations appear to have been one-offs. For this reason, we have rated this claim as outdated. The oldest source for the alleged donation appeared to come from a 2001 BBC article, which at the time stated that some of the tournament's 36,000 tennis balls were donated to The Wildlife Trusts — a British federation of wildlife conservation charities — to be recycled as homes for harvest mice. A 2003 BBC article featured a small follow-up note to that story, stating that Wimbledon had donated 350 tennis balls to The Wildlife Trusts two years earlier. Snopes contacted The Wildlife Trusts and Wimbledon to confirm if the tournament has continued to make such donations and, if so, for details about what is included in them. A spokesperson for The Wildlife Trusts said: "Unfortunately, the tennis ball story is very out of date as we haven't worked with Wimbledon in this way for some time." Similarly, a Wimbledon spokesperson confirmed that the story about harvest mice was an old one. In 2011, The Guardian newspaper reported that Wimbledon again donated tennis balls to house mice, this time at the request of an aquarium in northern England. The Guardian did not say how many tennis balls were donated at the time. It was not possible to find more recent articles about the tournament making such donations, although other tennis clubs in the U.K. have reportedly gifted tennis balls for the same purpose. While not endangered globally, harvest mice are considered "Near Threatened" in the U.K., according to the Mammal Society, a British charity. Harvest mice are Britain's smallest rodent, which means a tennis ball with a hole cut into it can be a place for the mice to rest safe from their predators. During the tournament, Wimbledon sells its used tennis balls on-site, and the proceeds go to the Wimbledon Foundation, its charity organization. Wimbledon has been selling its used tennis balls for the last several years, according to the tournament's spokesperson. Wimbledon's website did not include any information on the fate of unused and unsold tennis balls, but Keith Prowse, a sports hospitality company that partners with Wimbledon, said they are donated or recycled in the weeks and months after the tournament finishes. Keith Prowse's website added: "Previously, some of the balls have been donated to the UK Wildlife Trust who cut them up and used them to make homes for harvest mice!" "Harvest Mouse." Mammal Society, Accessed 16 July 2025. "Having a Ball at Wimbledon!" BBC, 2003, Accessed 16 July 2025. "'New Balls, Please' for Mice Homes." BBC, 25 June 2001, Accessed 16 July 2025. "The Championships, Wimbledon Facts and Figures." Accessed 16 July 2025. Wainwright, Martin. "What Happens to Wimbledon's Used Balls? Ask Cumbria's Mice." The Guardian, 29 June 2011, Accessed 16 July 2025. "Watermead County Park Mice to Live in Tennis Balls." BBC, 26 Apr. 2013, Accessed 16 July 2025. "What Happens Post Wimbledon | Tennis | Keith Prowse." 16 Aug. 2022, Accessed 16 July 2025. Solve the daily Crossword
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Trail camera shows baby mammals ‘after a century's absence' in UK. See them play
In the southwestern United Kingdom, a trio of baby mammals jumped on and chased each other through the woodlands. A nearby trail camera captured their playful behavior — a 'historic moment' for a species considered locally extinct for a century. Conservationists released 15 adult pine martens into the woods of Devon, England, last fall as part of a 'pioneering reintroduction project,' the Devon Wildlife Trust said in a July 10 news release. Pine martens are a small mammal species found across Europe. They live in woodland habitats, feed 'on small rodents, birds, eggs, insects and fruit' and are generally 'very hard to spot' because of their nocturnal habits, according to The Wildlife Trusts. In Devon, pine martens went locally extinct about 100 years ago due to habitat loss and 'human persecution,' the Devon Wildlife Trust said. Now, conservationists are in the process of changing that. Since the first group of pine martens were reintroduced last year, conservationists have 'spent hundreds of hours' tracking them, 'installing den boxes for them, and checking camera traps to learn more about their whereabouts and behaviour,' the organization said. 'When our volunteers discovered the footage of pine marten kits on one of our trail cameras we were ecstatic,' Tracey Hamston, the leader of the Two Moors Pine Marten Project, said in the release. Trail camera footage shared by the organization on YouTube shows the baby pine martens. The first video from June 19 shows three kits 'chasing each other through foliage and up a bank before disappearing from sight.' A second video from June 29 shows the 'same mother with two kits as they scamper along a fallen tree,' the Devon Wildlife Trust said. 'This is a historic moment for the return of a native animal,' Hamston said. 'To have breeding pine martens back after a century's absence signals a positive step in nature's recovery.' The presence of baby pine martens 'shows that these elusive animals are settling in, thriving, and beginning to weave themselves into the fabric of our native woodlands,' Loubna Tacey, a spokesperson for the National Trust, one of the organizations involved in the project, said in the release. Conservationists plan to continue monitoring the pine martens in Devon and are 'preparing for a further release of animals' this fall, the Devon Wildlife Trust said. Devon is a county in southwestern England and a roughly 200-mile drive west from London. Conservationists did not release the exact location of the sighting to protect the animals.
BBC News
13-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Rare owl rescued from Glossop back garden miles from home
A stricken short-eared owl has been recovered from a back garden in Derbyshire miles away from its moorland habitat. Wildlife photographer and falconer Oliver Booth was called by a friend when the juvenile was discovered on the ground in Glossop, unable to to Mr Booth, the bird of prey "shouldn't have been anywhere near the town", which he said was far from the species' usual breeding place. The bird was taken to a vet where it is expected to make a full recovery. Mr Booth, from Glossop, said although wildlife photography was not his full-time job, he was known in the town for his bird-related expertise and received a call on Friday requesting his owls are considered a rare species in the Booth, who has a bird hide in the town, said he was "surprised" the young owl came to be there."Short-eared owls live in moorland across the Peak District," the 45-year-old to The Wildlife Trusts charity, short-ears in the UK usually breed in Scotland and the north of England and would typically be seen in Booth believed the juvenile owl became lost in the night before becoming injured. He picked up the bird, and with the help of a bird ringer, got it to the vet. The bird had burst air sacs and a destabilised coracoid - a bone essential for a bird's flight - but "should make a full recovery", said Mr Booth.
Scottish Sun
30-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Farmer warns of ‘deadliest' plant growing on UK soil that's ‘enough to kill' – do you have it in your garden?
The deadly plant growing across the UK GROW AWAY Farmer warns of 'deadliest' plant growing on UK soil that's 'enough to kill' – do you have it in your garden? A FARMER has warned of a deadly plant growing on UK soil, after learning his new land was covered in the flower. The Facebook page Field to Farm shared a video of the farmer showing his pasture, which was blanketed in the poisonous plant. Advertisement 4 A farmer has warned his social media followers of this deadly plant growing in the UK Credit: Facebook/Field to Farm 4 Hemlock is often fatal when ingested Credit: Getty The farmer claims he has purchased the UK's "deadliest" field after finding his new field littered with Hemlock. The highly poisonous plant deadly to humans Hemlock is a highly poisonous flowering plant which can be fatal to humans, even in small amounts. The flower affects the body's nervous system, eventually causing death by respiratory failure. While the plant looks harmless, with umbrella-like clusters of white flowers, even the smallest amount can be enough to kill. Advertisement According to The Wildlife Trusts: "Hemlock has a repellent smell when its leaves are crushed, helping to ensure that accidental poisonings don't occur very often - even livestock studiously avoid it." Farmer sends his warning Upon discovering the plant in his new field, the farmer took to social media to warn his followers. He said: "I have just bought a field to live in and I've realised it is full of poison." He continued by explaining that Hemlock is commonly mistaken for wild carrot. Advertisement But added: "Just eating any single part of this plant is enough to kill me. "The amount of this you have to eat to die is realistically quite small. "Four or five leaves, done. Game over." Expert Gardening Hacks for a Pet-Friendly Summer Garden His advice was to mow the plants down and you will most likely be ok, but take care to not get any of the sap on your skin because it will blister. Advertisement The farmer concluded: "So, all in all, if you've got this stuff growing, be careful." What is Hemlock? What is Hemlock? Hemlock is a notoriously poisonous plant often found in damp places, such as ditches and riverbanks. It can be identified by its umbrella-like clusters of white flowers in summer. The plant is most commonly found in England and Wales, while being more scarce in Scotland and Northern Ireland. What are the dangers? Poisoning can occur if you accidentally infest the plant. Symptoms can range from vomiting to seizures to respiratory failure. Most of the time, hemlock is only poisonous when ingested, however, you should be careful when handling the plant. In very rare cases, hemlock poisoning can occur after the toxins enter your bloodstream. What to do if you come into contact with it: If you think you may have accidentally ingested poison hemlock, you should call your healthcare provider right away. There is no antidote, however, treatment may include: Mechanical ventilation if you are having trouble breathing. Antiseizure medication to control seizures. Hemodialysis for renal failure. Digestive system cleanse to get rid of the toxin. IV to prevent dehydration and provide nutrition. You can prevent poisoning by getting rid of any hemlock you have in your garden. Sources: The Wildlife Trusts and Cleveland Clinic Symptoms of Hemlock Symptoms of Hemlock poisoning include sweating, vomiting, dilated pupils, dry mouth, rapid heartbeat and high blood pressure. The plant is so poisonous that dead canes can remain toxic for up to three years. 4 The plant grows in damp places such as ditches and riverbeds Credit: Getty Advertisement
The Irish Sun
19-06-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Mysterious ‘alien-like' sea creature that can devour prey 3 TIMES its size is found on UK beach
BEACHGOERS are being warned to be on the lookout for a mysterious "alien-like" creature after one was discovered on a UK beach. "Sea mice" are marine worms with a furry appearance that are unlike anything else in the sea and can grow up to six inches long. 1 'Sea mice' are active predators but are often washed ashore A dog walker found one of the strange critters recently on a beach in Wales. They are active predators, hunting small crabs and other worms on the It comes after beachgoers were urged not to pick up cone snails' shells as their venom can cause instant paralysis or even death. While they are not typically harmful to humans, "sea mice", which get their scientific name from Simon Parker recently discovered one of the creatures on a Welsh beach prompting discussion on social media due to its curious appearance. Compared by many to a fossil and even an "alien", the sighting has left many admitting that they had never seen anything quite like it. Simon was left flabbergasted after discovering one of the six-inch long creatures at Pensarn Beach, Conwy, and turned to tech to determine exactly what it was. Uncertain of its identity and intrigued by its green-flashing fringe he used Google Lens to determine it was a sea mouse. Most read in The Sun "I found it at the water's edge just after low tide," he told Wales Online. "Unfortunately it didn't appear to be alive. The sea mouse was approximately five or six inches long with brightly coloured bristles down the sides." Sea mice are not a rare species but their sightings are infrequent, often being washed ashore during stormy weather or left behind by exceptionally low tides. Another of them was located in March on Oxwich beach in Swansea. Mum shares urgent warning for summer beach trips with kids as pal's left in hospital following massive allergic reaction The Wildlife Trusts say the sea mouse is "unlike anything else in the sea". Despite its potential to reach 20cm in length and 6cm in width this intriguing find is in fact a type of Although it has a tendency to bury itself head-first in the sand this creature boasts a remarkable set of skills. Its spines typically have a deep red sheen, serving as a warning to potential predators. However when exposed to light, they flash blue, green, and gold, giving the worm a dazzling, iridescent appearance. This phenomenon, known as pseudo-birefringence, is the only known example of "photonic engineering" in nature, says the WT. The spines process light with nearly 100% efficiency – a necessity in the dimly-lit depths of the sea. Read more on the Irish Sun Some researchers believe that this unique ability could lead to the development of new communication technologies. Beauty and the beast While this creature is technically a marine worm, it is believed that the name "sea mouse" originated from its resemblance to a bedraggled mouse when washed up on shore. Its Latin name, Aphrodita aculeata, is equally peculiar. While aculeata translates to "spiny" the genus name Aphrodita refers to the ancient Greek Goddess of Love – allegedly due to the worm's resemblance to female genitalia. The sea mouse is an active predator that feeds on small crabs and other worms and is capable of consuming prey over three times its own body length. Every now and then they can be seen wriggling across the sand – a sight that invariably unnerves beachgoers.
