28 • Considering Te Countryside
Wild about the Purbecks
Sam Lewis finds a tiny corner of Dorset is one of the UK’s best places to spot wildlife
T
he Isle of Purbeck may be best known for dinosaur footprints, but the region’s modern-day
raptors and wildlife are arguably more fascinating — although some are sadly also in danger of extinction. Te picturesque peninsula was
this year named the most biodiverse region in the UK with more species of animals and plants than anywhere else in the country. Te research, by the University of
Sussex, found the area is home to 44 of the 58 species of mammals that reside on UK shores, including hedgehogs, badgers, sika deer, doormice and water voles. It’s also a haven for a number of rare mammals including the red squirrel — a population of around 200 lives on Brownsea island, according to the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Te region’s biodiversity is due to a
vast range of rich and varied habitats, according to local entomologist professor John Holland, head of farmland ecology at Te Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). “Te Purbecks is home to a diverse
range of habitats that are hard to find anywhere else in such a small area with heathland, woodlands, chalk grasslands, chalk streams and some of
the biggest limestone cliffs in Britain. “Visitors can see a huge array of
wildlife at the marine nature reserve at Kimmeridge, the RSPB nature reserve at Arne and also Poole Harbour, renowned for its wading birds such as avocets and ospreys.” For Holland, and indeed many
other wildlife lovers, it’s the smaller creatures that are most remarkable. Often found on lowland heathland, one of the world’s rarest habitats, the Purbecks boasts around 2,500 acres of some of the best heaths in the country. “Te Purbecks is home to six species
of reptiles and is a good place to spot rare sand lizards, smooth snakes and unusual insects like green tiger beetles and emperor moths,” says Holland. Emma Rance, a marine
conservation officer at Dorset Wildlife, says that the Purbecks marine environment, particularly around Kimmeridge, is just as rich and varied. “Te seagrass meadows, rocky
bedrocks, seabed caves and kelp parks create a range of habitats that encourage a huge number of different species. Te region also has fantastic limestone cliffs with small ledges that are home to more than 100 seaweed species, with nooks and crevasses for
UPTON HEATH / N HOAR
Te Countryside Experience • Sunday 12 August 2018
Continued on page 30
RED SQUIRREL ON BROWNSEA ISLAND / STEWART CANHAM
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