Latest news with #WildlifeTrustofSouthandWestWales
Western Telegraph
2 days ago
- Science
- Western Telegraph
Why dolphin poo is being scooped out of West Wales waters
The 200-or-so bottlenose dolphins who frequent Cardigan Bay are the focus of an innovative research project. Collecting of the dolphins' poo will give valuable clues about their diet and behaviour. The samples are being collected by researchers from the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales before analysis by scientists at Aberystwyth University. They are using the latest environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques to extract detailed data on the animals' diet. The researchers have to move quickly to catch the dolphins defecating. (Image: Dr Sarah Perry, Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.) As well as showing what prey the dolphins have been feeding on and where, the tests will help build individual profiles for each one. These profiles will enable the project team to identify the dolphins' gender, the relationships between family members, population size, breeding potential and movement patterns. They will also attempt to match and compare each unique profile with individual photo ID records of bottlenose dolphins which have been gathered by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales over several years. The new information will inform future marine conservation efforts in Cardigan Bay and help protect the area's rare population of semi-resident dolphins. The 'Dolphin Diet Detectives: Unveiling Dolphin Diets and Engaging Communities for UK Conservation' project is being led by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales in collaboration with Aberystwyth University, with support from the Welsh Government's Nature Networks Fund. The project's Dr David Wilcockson and Dr Sarah Perry. (Image: Aberystwyth University) Dr Sarah Perry, Marine Conservation and Research Manager at the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales said: "We are thrilled to be leading this groundbreaking project, which covers an area of research that we have aspired to embark on over the past decade or so. 'We are excited that it has come to fruition at a time when it is even more important that we build on our knowledge of the species in the waters around us. As part of the project, a series of community science days will give local people opportunities to find out more about the research study and help collect additional data about Cardigan Bay's dolphin population. This family of dolphins was spotted off New Quay. (Image: Sarah Michelle Wyer/Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips) Dr David Wilcockson from the Department of the Life Sciences at Aberystwyth University said: 'What is really exciting for us, aside from finding out more about what dolphins are eating and their behaviours, is the fact that we are involving the public in this work. 'They are the 'dolphin detectives' and we hope this will provide another pathway by which they can feel more connected to their local environment and encourage conservation activities beyond the project.' The project is funded by the Nature Networks Programme. It is being delivered by the Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Welsh Government.
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Wales Online
Record numbers of unique bird now populating a tiny Welsh island
Record numbers of unique bird now populating a tiny Welsh island Skomer Island's puffin colony has previously been described as 'exceptional' by David Attenborough A record number of puffins have been counted on Skomer Island (Image: Mike Alexander / WTSWW ) A record number of puffins have been recorded on a small Welsh island famous for its wildlife. The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) counted 43,626 during its observation on Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, this year. This record high bucks the trend of decline seen globally in puffin populations. A warden said that Skomer Island is an example of a "conservation success story" but warned that the species is still at risk. Puffins are listed as vulnerable to extinction on the global red list. Like many seabird species, they they are facing the pressures of pollution, food shortages and climate change. However, puffin numbers on Skomer Island have been steadily increasing over recent years, with over 40,000 birds now returning to the island from April to July. The last record was set in 2023, when 42,513 puffins were recorded on and around the island. David Attenborough once described Skomer's puffin colony as an 'exception' (Image: Jonathan Myers ) The growth in Skomer Island's population is likely linked to the abundance of food in the wider area, meaning there is plenty of fish for chicks resulting in high breeding success. The absence of rats and other predators on the island thanks to its isolation has also contributed to the success of seabird populations on Skomer. Article continues below The treasured island has long been a pride and joy to the Welsh coastline, tucked away in Pembrokeshire. Skomer attracts visitors from all over the world alongside being a regular touring spot to discover vibrant wildlife in the country. Even David Attenborough called the 40,000-strong puffin colony on the island "exceptional" compared to other parts of the world when he visited Skomer for BBC One series Wild Isles. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Every year WTSWW undertakes their annual seabird counts to monitor the population of Puffins that return to the island every spring to breed. Leighton Newman, Skomer Island warden, said: "Our annual Puffin count is no small undertaking, with 6 members of staff working to count every Puffin on Skomer. The island is broken up into seven sections and we systematically count every bird; on the land, rafting on the sea and we estimate the number in the air during our counts. "This is undertaken in the evening, when there are generally more Puffins around the island and early enough in the season that birds are not already in burrows. Big land falls this year, has led to Puffins being seen further up the cliffs than ever before!" Over 40,000 puffins return to Skomer Island each spring (Image: Getty Images ) Article continues below Lisa Morgan, Head of Islands and Marine Conservation at WTSWW, said: "It was a joy to see the masses of birds using the island during our spring count. However, we remain concerned about the increasing pressures on many seabird species. "Novel threats facing our seabirds include avian influenza and the recent marine heatwave conditions experienced around parts of the UK coastline. The long-term impacts are still largely unknown highlighting the importance of our annual seabird monitoring and research programs on Skomer."
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Dolphin 'mysteries' to be solved by collecting poo
Conservationists are hoping to learn about a group of bottlenose dolphins that make their home in Welsh waters - by studying their poo. About 200 bottlenose dolphins are said to live in and around Cardigan Bay and, although they have been studied for several years, experts want to learn more about their relationships, breeding potential and movement patterns. Analysis of samples will help them to understand what they have been feeding on and where and help build individual profiles for each dolphin. They will also attempt to match the samples with photo identification records of the dolphins gathered on camera by members of the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. Surfing snake spotted on north Wales beach Bottlenose dolphins spotted killing dolphin juvenile 'I heard someone say shark and thought it's a hoax' The trust secured funding for the project from the Welsh government's Nature Networks Fund in collaboration with Aberystwyth University. The samples will be gathered by net after the dolphins defecate and then analysed by university scientists using techniques to extract detailed data about the animals' diet using environmental DNA (eDNA). Sarah Perry, the trust's marine conservation and research manager, said she hoped the study would "unravel the mysteries of bottlenose dolphin ecology in Cardigan Bay". "This project covers an area of research that we have aspired to embark on over the past decade or so and we are excited that it has come to fruition at a time when it is even more important that we build on our knowledge of the species in the waters around us." Dolphin calf rescued in New Quay Concerns over sudden drop in sightings of porpoises Aberystwyth University: Department of Life Sciences Sea Watch Foundation: Cardiff Bay bottlenose dolphins Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales
Western Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Western Telegraph
Record numbers of puffins on Pembrokeshire's Skomer Island
They are the who fly to the island to make it one of the best seabird sites in Britain. The island is renowned for its iconic Atlantic Puffins, who are particularly precious as their numbers are in decline in most of their habitats. But happily, that is not the case on Skomer. The island's recent annual Puffin Count has tallied 43,626 of the species, whose colourful and comical appearance has led them to be dubbed 'the clowns of the sea'. More Stories Skomer Island and the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales announced the results of the count in a recent Facebook post. And Skomer has 43,625 more puffins than this one! (Image: Amy Compton) They said: "The numbers are in and it's another record breaker! "We're thrilled to announce that 43,626 Puffins were recorded on Skomer Island as part of our annual Puffin Count. 'This count is no small undertaking, with six members of staff working to count every Puffin on Skomer. The island is broken up into seven sections and we systematically count every bird on the land, rafting on the sea and we estimate the number in the air during our counts. "Big land falls this year have led to Puffins being seen further up the cliffs than ever before! It's only a 20-minute sea voyage – operated by .Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips - from the mainland, but is so popular with visitors that there are no day trips bookable before July 25. (Image: Lucy Crockford) 'Although numbers are increasing on Skomer, they are a species under threat and are rapidly declining elsewhere. 'We are acutely aware of the threats facing these charismatic birds and we must do all we can to continue to protect them.' Alongside the Atlantic Puffins, the seabird population of Skomer includes nearly 350,000 breeding pairs of Manx Shearwaters, thousands of Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes and hundreds of Fulmars.
