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Here are some things that you can plant in January, for your wildlife garden/or for growing veg and fruit
Planting trees, shrubs, and Hedges is a good place to start. Trim any hedges/trees at this time - it causes minimum disruption to wildlife. If you have wildlife residing in the tree/hedge, try to use non-electric cutters, as not to frighting them off. Plant pots/containers, you can plant some winter plants in plant pots, or containers, they are protected from any ground frost, but, since this year has been very mild, plants don't seem likely to be effected by any frost Vegetables to sow in January: Beans Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Leek Onion Fruit to sow in January: Strawberries Blueberries (When growing fruits, or vegs, in the winter, you can buy a protective fleece blanket, this protects the fruit and veg from frost.)
Gardens are great mini-habitats for all types of wild animals, and, our gardens are becoming ever so important as mini-habitats, due to the fact that many of their own natural habitats, such as woodland, forests, medows, even lakes, ponds, and farmland, are shrinking, and being eroded.
Our gardens can be places which offers a mixture of these habitats. Maybe not in a grand scale like these habitats, but, we certainly can mimick natural habitats to help species in our gardens. When we put in the effort to create gardens which are as natural, and authentic as possible, you don't have to worry about going out to find wild animals, the wild animals will come to you - it always works. So, here, we are going to look at the ways that you can creat a mini-habitat, a natural and authentic garden which helps wildlife in your area!
1. Keep the grass!
One of the modern things to do is either pave over grass, or, to have fake carpet like grass. This has a knock on effect for many species. For example, it makes it more difficult for species such as Hedgehogs to find insects, or slugs to eat - no grass, means no slugs or insects. This has the same effect with birds to, if there is no grass, then birds cannot find natural food such as worms, or small insects. Grass is important for many species, and taking it away has a detremental effect to species such as Hedgehogs, and birds. 2. Chemicals A lot of people today will use all sorts of chemicals in their gardens, these sorts of chemicals can, and do kill animals. Using slug repelent, for example, can harm, or kill Hedgehogs. it also takes away their food. The Hedgehog is a natural creature which helps your garden, by eating them. Using pesticides on plants, and flowers, can also have an effect on other wild animals, such as; bees, wasps, and birds. Also, if you live near a water system, like a river, then the chemicals can wash into them, and have a harmful effect on that ecosystem, and posion fish.
3) Plant; trees, shrubs, and flowers.
Plants, trees, shurbs, and flowers, are essential to all life surviving, including our own. Trees: Trees can help species of birds build a natural home. Hedges: Hedges give a places for smaller mammals, like mice, and Hedgehogs a place to make home. Shrubs and flowers: Are great for all species of wildlife, particuarly bees. 4) Shelter Wild species of animals need a place to sleep at night, and a place to raise their young, or a place to hibernate. These days you don't just get bird houses, you can get Frog houses, and Hedgehog houses. Getting a Frog house, hedgehog house, or bird house, makes it easier for your wild friends to set up home! 5) Insect hotel Create, or buy your own insect hotel. This is a substitute for places that insects will normally inhabit, such as; under fallen trees, rocks, etc. This will help make your mini-habitat healthy, and thrive. Insects play the most important part in creating a healthy biodiversity. You can easily create a bug hotel with anything, such as old juice bottles, old plant pots, and so on.
6) Food
Food is available for all types of garden wildlife. Bird food seems the most obvious. To help your local birds, put up a feeder or two. Make sure that your feeders are high up, or, in a safe place out of reach from predators. If you have a cat, put a collor with a bell on it, that way the birds have a chance of escaping, without being killed. You can also buy wild Hedgehog food.
Hedgehog food can be bought in either dry, or wet, type foods. And, are especially made for your garden Hedgehogs.
if you are lucky enough to get Badgers, and Foxes in your garden, there is especially made food for them too:
7) Water
Create, or put a water source in your garden. This will help every wild animal which comes into your garden. For birds, you can buy a bird bath - which acts as a bird bath, and a place where they can drink. If you want to get a little more creative, and help more species, then why not build a pond? Ponds help a lot of species, from Dragonflies, Frogs, Toads, birds, Hedgehogs, and more. The only thing about a pond is make sure that it is safe, both for humans, and animals. Make a slope so that wild animals have a way of getting out. And, if there is young children about, make sure that there is a fence, or something around the pond.
Animals sometimes go against their natural instincts, and form the unlikelist buddies!
Here we look at some of those friendships
Lioness adopts baby anetlope.
A few years ago, a Lioness did something absolutley remarkable, the Lioness went against her instincts, and adopted not one, but five baby antelopes. The other four adoptees were short lived, but one lived beside the Lioness for quite sometime, ironically the Antelope was killed by a male Lion, when the Lioness took her eyes off the Antelopee..for only a few seconds. Tinnie the dog, and Sniffer the dog. Most dogs would chase dogs, but not tinnie, he has made a friend for life. The unlikely pair meet up in the forest. So heartwarming! Tinnie's owner has been so taken by the Fox, that he is now campaigning to stop Norway's fur trade; which largely uses Fox. Go him!
During a mansoon, a mouse hitches a ride on the back of a Frog, he didn't seem to mind
Cats are often seen chasing Foxes, but, not this one. This domestic cat, and this wild Fox seem like a cost pair!!
The Northern White Rhino could become the next species to become extinct. This year there were five Northern White Rhino's left, two of them died.
This leaves only three Northern White Rhinos left. If two die this year, then it really is the end for the Northern White Rhino.
Another Rhino that we could see an end of in the coming year, is the Javan Rhino.
There population is considerably better than the Northern White Rhino, but not by much. There are around 60 Javan White Rhinos left.
So much focus is given to; chimps, gorillas, and orangutans, but, they are not the most endangered monkeys.
The brown spider monkey is the worlds rarest monkey, with only 30 remaining in the wild. The surviving monkeys are in a protected park in columbia.
Another primate on the list, is the Silky Sifaka.
This cute little animal lives in the Madagascar rainforest, there are thought to be as little as 100 of them remaining in the wild.
There numbers are not entirley known, but, it is thought that there are less than 100 Siamese crocidiles left in the wild.
The Scottish Wildcat was once widespread across the British Isles, but due to poaching these animals have been virtually hunted to a tiny area of the highlands of Scotland.
Today their main threat is not hunting, but in breeding with domestic cats. The future doesn't look too bright for wildcats, as only around 40 remain in the wild.
The Amur Leopard is another cat near to extinction. Again, there are only 40 left.
The main cause of their drive to extinction is hunting.
There are many many more species that have fewer than 100 left, or fewer than the most famous endangered species. It's just that there's not as much attention on them.
2) Strengthing the act in Scotland
Scotland has a diffrent hunting act (Mammals Act), which bans Fox hunting, and other animals being hunted with dogs. However, it is not an outright ban. The SNP this month has said that it will be reveuing the hunting act, and potentially strengthinging the act, which could see an outright ban of Fox hunting. Again, a great year for Foxes in Britain!
3) New Zeland bans cosmetics testing
The New Zeland government followed many other governments this year and banned cosmetics testing on animals. They did so after 15,000 people signed a petition, asking the New Zeland govenrment to stop animals being used in cosmetics testing. 4) No Seaworld Orca breeding This year seaworld agreed to ban Orca breeding. If seaworld breaks their agreement to ban orca breeding, then they will be banned forever for breeding Orcas. 5) Britian bans household animal testing products This year seen the government banned animals being tested for houshold products. There have been no animal tests since 2010 in the UK which saw animals being used in household product tests, however, it wasn't offically banned until this year
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AuthorAction For Earth Archives
February 2017
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