|
August
2003
In this report Tim Bearder investigates how the recent spell of
dry weather has meant that the badgers of Wytham Woods are finding
it difficult to find food.
The
badger's staple diet is earthworms, which are becoming more difficult
to find in the dry ground.
This
means that there isn't enough food for the young badgers. A recent
badger census at the woods has revealed that they are at an all
time low.
Dr
Chris Newman, mammal monitoring co-ordinator with the university's
wildlife conservation research unit, points out that this could
have a serious knock-on effect in the future:
"There
are still a good number of healthy breeding animals now, but the
difficulties could arise in four or five years time when these cubs
grow up and there is a reduced breeding population."
If
you'd like to get involved in the Mammal Monitoring work in Wytham
Woods, Earthwatch help the with vital environmental research as
part of their discovery projects, you can find out more details
on their website.
|
