Wider news
Fidra targets ‘forever
chemicals’ ‘FOREVER chemicals’ found in many everyday items, from food packaging and cookware to clothing and carpets, are building up in our environment. PFAS (Per- or Poly-
Fluorinated Alkyl Substances) are a group of more than 4,700 industrial chemicals, some of which can take more than 1,000 years to degrade. There is growing evidence that they are toxic to both people and wildlife, and that they are building up in the food chain. Conservation charity Fidra has been working to create awareness of this issue for several years, and has even lent its expertise to the producers of the Hollywood film Dark Waters, starring Mark Ruffalo.
Many retailers have
already supported a call to cut PFAS from clothing, particularly the stain- resistant coatings used in school uniforms, which were found to last for just 20 washes – or less than one term. To help Fidra find PFAS
in food packaging using a simple test, and to sign a petition encouraging supermarkets to remove chemicals from packaging, visit
pfasfree.org.uk/beadtest
Quarter of Scotland’s mammals threatened with extinction
THE first official Red List of Scotland’s Mammals has revealed that one in four Scottish mammal species are threatened with extinction, and half need urgent action. Wildcats and harvest mice are on the brink of extinction in Scotland. Even more familiar species such as hedgehogs, foxes and otters are also at risk.
The new Red List is produced by the Mammal
Society. The charity argues that while reintroductions could benefit some species, fundamental changes are needed in land management and planning to provide the space and habitat needed for wildlife to thrive. Mammal Society Chair Fiona Matthews said: “Things have to change rapidly if we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy the wildlife we take for granted.”
Nothing fishy going on here...
THIS kingfisher’s cheeky choice of perch in Kirkcudbright caught Sally Lloyd-Jones’s eye. Her image is one of 44 from around the globe short-listed in the 2020 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. The two other entries from Scotland are a comical pair of puffins and a ‘laughing’ common seal perched on a rock. See the winning images at
comedywildlifephoto.com
Lockdown reveals the importance of local green spaces
MORE than 70% of Scots made greater use of their local green spaces during lockdown, according to polling by WWF Scotland. The survey shows the majority of people
appreciated having access to green spaces and experiencing nature during lockdown, with three-quarters of people agreeing that green spaces had been important to them during lockdown. Seven in ten of the people polled also said they would like to have more green spaces near them. WWF Scotland Director Lang Banks
14 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2020
commented: “These findings make it clear that nature is a boost to people’s wellbeing and that the majority of people in Scotland really valued having the opportunity to get out into nature during lockdown. “Sadly, we know that not everyone has
access to green space, with people living in the most-deprived areas less able to enjoy nature close to home. It’s in all our interests that everyone is afforded the chance to enjoy easy access to green spaces and more nature.”
Scotland’s endangered mammals
Critically Endangered: Scottish wildcat, harvest mouse Endangered: Eurasian beaver, polecat Vulnerable: Orkney vole, hedgehog, otter, Nathusius’ pipistrelle bat Near Threatened: red fox, red squirrel, water vole, mountain hare, Leisler’s bat
© Lister Cumming
© Sally Lloyd-Jones
© Katrina Martin / 2020VISION
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