Na na na na na na na na.....Bat Walk!

Kelsey Park - one of the most beautiful parks in our area - often has interesting walks and talks arranged by dedicated local enthusiasts. There is an information centre, which is manned most of the time and full of useful leaflets, and it is easy to check their calendar for upcoming events. 

I had long been planning to attend one of their Bat Walks, and was just waiting for my eldest son to reach a suitable age. 2012 was the year! - father and son (both as excited as each other) headed off to Bat HQ and a very enjoyable evening.

We arrived at 20:00 BST to find a small group of about 25 people, including children, wrapped up warm and gathered around the information centre. The walk was being hosted by Ishpi Blatchley, a local bat expert and nature enthusiast. I hoisted Todd up onto my shoulders, to facilitate an excellent view of Ishpi and her helpers, and we received a brief introduction to the order Chiroptera. Some of the information I knew, but I didn't realise female bats could live for 40 years and there were a variety of other helpful snippets that really set the scene and helped immerse us in the fluttering world of these misunderstood creatures. 

We all received a BATBOX, which was a real highlight of the evening, and helped Todd feel quite the nature detective as he proudly held it aloft - scanning the night sky for winged mammalian activity. Sunset occurred at 20:00 BST and, as we advanced into the park, darkness quickly enveloped us in an inky shroud. 

We were asked to set the BATBOX frequency to around 50kHz, as this is ideal for the smaller bat species such as Pipistrelles. We were advised that three species were likely to grace us with their ultrasonic presence - the Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) , Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) and Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii). 

Sure enough we were only a few minutes into the route and our BATBOX starting clicking wildly, as it detected the first Pipistrelles flitting past the branches above. We were in the presence of flying mammals, though they remained cloaked by the darkness they trust so well. It did not take long for one to emerge from its onyx sanctum and flit across the lighter grey sky - providing a tantalising silhouette of the little insectivorous predator. 

Along the way Ishpi pointed out a bat box (the wooden kind fixed to a tree) and explained how they receive a great deal of traffic during the autumn months, with males using them as a harem.

We headed to the lake, beautiful centre piece of Kelsey Park, and the detectors continued to click wildly as we arrived at the perfect haven for Daubenton's bat. It was possible to see them skimming the surface in their search for insects and one of Ishpi's helpers shone a torch across the water, successfully tracking several animals, as they skimmed through the aqueous gloom. 

Above is a really bad photo taken over the lake! The two lighter spots in the middle are wings reflecting my flash light, but they also look like an eerie pair of eyes staring back from the darkness. Rather fitting for a walk which many would consider sinister, but my own opinion couldn't be further from this. 

It was cold and I had to give Todd my coat at one point, but that didn't detract from a very enjoyable evening being at one with the bats. All in all we must have seen a good thirty or forty examples of all three species and I would thoroughly recommend the event to anyone. 

I am advised by Ishpi that the Noctule, one of our largest species, congregates in significant numbers for one week only around June. This is due to the eruption of a particular food source. I am hoping to receive an email nearer the time and thoroughly look forward to observing bats the size of starlings!

The Highest Tide

As a child I was just as excited about the life residing in and around a beach, as I was about the treasures hidden behind our garden shed or deep inside the compost heap. 

My brother and I would spend hours flipping stones in the shallow rock pools and sweeping our nets through the tangled mass of seaweed, which filled every salty nook, as the sea withdrew to reveal her marvels. 

Whether we were at Brighton, New Haven or Marbella, a massive part of our holiday experiences centred on the mesmerising marine wildlife. We captured crabs of all sizes (including a huge, olive green example that we stalked for days whilst on holiday in Spain), fish, sea slugs, hermit crabs, shrimps and once a huge eel (my mum still has the photo of little me holding it aloft triumphantly!). All of these wonders would be placed in our bucket and studied, before we released them.

Trips to the seaside are no different for my own children. If the tide has not yet retreated, there will be frequent questions as to when we can finally head into the rock pools and immerse ourselves in the salty natural world. When we went on holiday last year, the boys and I would grab the buckets and spend hours locating sea urchins, starfish and anything interesting that caught our eye. Finally, after floating in the larger inlets buried deep within the rocks, and satisfied with our adventures, we would make our way back to the girls (my wife and mother-in-law) to showcase a bucket of wonder. 

I just do not understand why so many people lose this fascination with nature as they grow older. I am sure it is something every child possesses - that innocent curiosity regarding all living things. Some, like me, keep it into adulthood and it never leaves. For others it just doesn't seem important any more or their parents don't see the use in fostering these instincts. Such a shame. 

There is a wonderful book, which I discovered several years back, and tend to read at least once a year. It encompasses all that I have written here, all the magic of being lost in seaside nature and just wanting to share your life with the myriad creatures inhabiting the natural world. It is called THE HIGHEST TIDE by Jim Lynch and is one of the purest, fictional reads I have encountered. Sadly I may be one of the only dads on the beach to really enjoy spending hours with my kids in the rock pools, at least that is how it seemed last year, but I would urge everyone to read this book and recommend it to parents who have lost their interest in nature. Maybe, just maybe, this book will help them find it again. 

It Came From The Desert

We have seen that the Gallotia did not work out and a vivarium was free and just asking for a new inhabitant. 

The G.galloti pair were purchased because we wanted to work with a herbivorous species. Our spotted pythons' diet consists completely of rodents and the Storr's monitor lizard is equally focused on meat.

Carnivorous or omnivorous lizard species outnumber completely herbivorous examples. True iguanas are perhaps the best known saurian herbivores and in recent decades the green iguana has been readily available. This species can reach 2 metres in length, however, and vast numbers found themselves re-homed when they became too big and aggressive for their owners to handle. Admittedly two thirds of the length is tail, but this appendage can be used as a highly effective weapon and the claws are razor sharp. Yes there are very tame green iguanas, but this is not an ideal species for children to work with - not once it reaches a certain size. 

Other truly herbivorous iguanas include the galapagos land iguana, rhino iguana and marine iguana (also of the galapagos). The latter is never found in captivity on account of its protected status. Even if it was available they would need marine conditions to thrive and, being large animals, this is completely impractical. This is one animal best off sitting on the salty rocks of those strange islands. 

The galapagos land iguana is a large species sometimes encountered in zoos, but never in private collections. It is also protected and too large to make a simple pet. The rhino iguana is certainly available (and very expensive) but also bulky and powerful. If we are seeking something suitable for young children to handle then none of these fit the bill. 

Galapagos Land Iguana

There are Fijian iguanas, absent from captivity for a long time and now produced in reasonable numbers, but they remain very pricey and also need sizeable, arboreal enclosures. I tend to prefer desert species because they are rugged, hardy and able to look after themselves well enough if you go away for short periods. 

Cunningham skinks (Egernia cunninghami) and certain other members of the wider family tend towards herbivory as adults and I did own a lovely pair of Cunningham's skinks years and years ago. These were extremely tame, but that is the exception rather than the rule. The species is, more often than not, flighty and not ideal for handling. 

That left me with two possibilities - the chuckwalla (genus Sauromalus) or the spiny tailed lizards (genus Uromastyx). Both are plump, sensible sized animals, which often have calm temperaments. 

Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)

Neither of these species are offered with any regularity and a decent adult, with an equally decent temperament, is hard to come by. So I was pleased to source a beautiful yellow phase 3 year old male Saharan uromastyx (U.geyri). He was part of a trio and had successfully fertilised a previous clutch, but only one of these three was female and our little fellow had started biting his rival quite badly. As the other two were red phase, the keepers decided to focus on them and move him on. Their loss and my gain, because he ticked every box and I quickly struck a deal. 

The boys love him and we have worked hard to create a naturalistic setup, which includes a burrow below ground level. These are desert animals and rarely, if ever, drink water. All their moisture requirements come from the vegetation they consume, they even have nasal glands designed to excrete salt and maximise water retention. 

Feeding him has been remarkably cheap thus far, because spring has delivered a bounty  of edible weeds like dandelions. The flower heads, stalks and leaves are all extremely nutritious and ideal as staple fodder. 

Many Uromastyx are shy and skittish and don't appreciate their backs being touched. Oogwe, as we have called him, is not too bad and that is absolutely essential for the kids. 

Gallotia gallotia......gone!

We had a spare vivarium (used to house our hatchling Storr's monitors until they were sold) - it seemed the right time to utilise  this space and introduce a new captive bred species.

I had my eye on a member of the Lacertidae family (true lizards) and narrowed down the options until I reached a really cool, rarely encountered, insular species - Gallotia galloti. Inhabiting Tenerife in the Canary Islands they are an unusual Lacertid, eating significant amounts of plant/vegetable matter. In fact the adults are almost entirely herbivorous. 

Male G.galloti

Animals are often trapped or poisoned by farmers because they eat significant amounts of grapes from the vineyards. Gallotia galloti is a sizeable lizard and our native Zootoca (formerly Lacerta!) vivipara is dwarfed by the adults of this species. G.galloti is itself dwarfed by the Gran Canaria Giant Lizard (G.stehlini), which also inhabits those mysterious, volcanic isles. The latter can reach sizes in excess of Eyed Lizards (Timon Lepida/Pater) and are also primarily herbivorous - if G.galloti annoys farmers by helping itself to a grape or two, then adult examples of G.stehlini will really have them up in arms!

Male Gran Canaria Giant Lizard (G.stehlini)

Not offered for sale very much, and at sensible prices when they are, it seemed a decent opportunity to work with an unusual species. 

The male of the species has a blackish background with blue spots down the flanks. These spots become more vivid during the breeding season and seem to be associated with attracting the opposite sex. The females may or may not have blue spotting, but it is generally less noticeable than the males and physically they are smaller with more refined heads. 

Female G.galloti

Sadly this species proved less than ideal for our circumstances. All animals kept in our collection must be suitable for handling by children. The kids are of an age where they really love to be involved in the captive care of our pets and enjoy the interaction. 

The animals were perfectly tame, once captured and sitting on the hand, but they were too flighty when people came into the room. I knew the species could be wary when young, but it was far more extreme than I had been led to believe. They would dive for cover at the slightest sound and often remain hidden in the substrate for hours or days. They were also impossible for the boys to catch and one of them would surely have shed its tail if they tried.

The two main tanks reside in the boys' room and it is important any pets are relaxed and on display. Unfortunately this pair was not going to cut it and we did not have the luxury of waiting years for potential improvements. G.stehlini can become dog tame as they mature and, whilst G.galloti will settle with time, the result is more variable.

So I had to look beyond my own interests and move for a different species. The lizards quickly found a new home and I turned my attention to alternatives. Previous blog entries reveal the cuplrit and we will soon hear more about this replacement. 

For now the genus Gallotia (very underrated) remains, for me, as obscure and distant as Teidae volcano on the island they inhabit.

The Egg

The boys' grandmother (mor mor = literally mother's mother in Norwegian) arrived yesterday. They always get to choose a little present of some description and Todd opted for a Dino Magic egg. The idea is a good one - you unwrap the egg and place it into warm water, this triggers a chemical reaction and, after some fizzing and bubbling, the model dinosaur is revealed. There are 28 to collect and these are split into 4 categories:- common, uncommon, rare and ultra rare. Todd did well with his first selection and managed to land a rare Postosuchus. 

This little toy allowed us to discuss chemical reactions and reinforce an already excellent knowledge on population densities and extinction. Not a bad choice all in all. But perhaps the most poignant discussion, when considering this effervescent treat, is the very miracle that is an egg. 

We can categorise reproduction in four main ways:

Viviparity - nutrients are provided by the mother, often via a placenta.

Oviparity - internal fertilisation occurs and the mother lays eggs e.g birds

Ovuliparity - external fertilisation occurs and the young hatch from eggs e.g most frogs

Ovoviviparity - internal fertilisation and the eggs are retained in the female's (or male's in the case of seahorses) body until they are ready to hatch. They enter the world as fully formed, live young.

Let's focus on the reproductive modes associated with external egg laying - Ovuliparity and Oviparity. Most frogs and all birds utilise these methods. I am sure not many people exited childhood without ever noticing (or deliberately seeking we hope) the reams upon reams of spawn that fill even the tiniest of ponds in early spring. Likewise we only have to enter a supermarket to gain an appreciation of the ovum structure developed inside the bodies of our feathered friends. 

Amphibian's are closely tied to water and cannot successfully reproduce without it. The delicate swathes of jelly, which encase and protect their fragile inky-black beacons of life, will quickly dessicate if removed from water for any length of time. Amphibian spawn doesn't need much water to facilitate  successful hatching of offspring, in fact some species can utilise little more than a puddle nestled inside a leaf, but remove it completely and it is game over. 

Birds, on the other hand, have evolved to produce eggs with solid shells and rigid structures. This ensures they do not require an aqueous environment and can survive far more severe, fluctuating conditions, but it also means they break easily if dropped from a height. As with most things in life there is a trade off. Bird eggs may appear completely sealed to the naked eye, but they are covered in microscopic holes, which facilitate gaseous exchange and connect the egg directly with the world outside. These minute pores mean a bird egg dropped in water for a prolonged period is doomed to failure, unlike our artifical dino egg, which requires water in order to successfully release its cargo!

As a child I bred jewelled lizards and far more recently I hatched a couple of Storr's monitor lizards (V.storri storri).

Unfortunately a faulty digital thermometer doomed five of the eggs to failure, but the two that made it went on to become strong, active little creatures. Leo was too young to remember much about the event, but Todd excitedly observed one pulling itself free of the white, leathery prison and venturing into the unknown. Looking at those eggs it was hard to believe they could contain 4" baby lizards, but an egg is a miraculous thing. Little more than a leathery shell, albumen (white) and yolk, the egg completes its task as an external vehicle for life - assuming the conditions stay within certain limits. 

Behold a baby Storr's monitor lizard! Miraculous, especially when the thermometer was reading 4 degrees C lower than the true temperature. I was lucky any made it at all, but here we saw that other cliche of life, one which rings true whether brought into this world through viviparity or oviparity - only the strongest survive to take their genes further.