Available online
Description
Saving Species on BBC Radio 4 explores biodiversity, conservation and natural history, both in the UK and across the globe. Over August, the European Cranes we have been monitoring have been moved... to their new home in the Somerset Levels. Earlier in the year they were brought over from Germany - still as eggs - they were then hatched at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) Centre in Slimbridge and hand reared. Extraordinary efforts have been made not to expose these birds to people and WWT have even taught them to be wary of terrestrial predators by using a wildfowl decoy dog, which looks like a fox. We are going to be live on the Somerset Levels to witness the release of the European Crane by the RSPB, another collaborator in the release project. Pensthorpe Conservation Trust are also partners in this sophisticated conservation work - all of whom are helping to bring the European Crane back to the Somerset Levels, not seen in the South West for over 400 years. And they join many other long-legged birds resident in the reedbeds, including the Heron and the Bittern. The Open University with OPAL (open air laboratory) launch a hedge row survey for us to conduct and we join a "BioBlitz" in Dorset - all lay people oberserving and recording and filing the data on public record. But is it of any real value? We ask the questions.
Saving Species on BBC Radio 4 explores biodiversity, conservation and natural history, both in the UK and across the globe. Over August, the European Cranes we have been monitoring have been moved... to their new home in the Somerset Levels. Earlier in the year they were brought over from Germany - still as eggs - they were then hatched at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) Centre in Slimbridge and hand reared. Extraordinary efforts have been made not to expose these birds to people and WWT have even taught them to be wary of terrestrial predators by using a wildfowl decoy dog, which looks like a fox. We are going to be live on the Somerset Levels to witness the release of the European Crane by the RSPB, another collaborator in the release project. Pensthorpe Conservation Trust are also partners in this sophisticated conservation work - all of whom are helping to bring the European Crane back to the Somerset Levels, not seen in the South West for over 400 years. And they join many other long-legged birds resident in the reedbeds, including the Heron and the Bittern. The Open University with OPAL (open air laboratory) launch a hedge row survey for us to conduct and we join a "BioBlitz" in Dorset - all lay people oberserving and recording and filing the data on public record. But is it of any real value? We ask the questions.
| Series: | Saving species; Series 1 |
|---|---|
| Episode | 19 |
| First transmission date: | 2010-09-07 |
| Original broadcast channel: | BBC Radio 4 |
| Published: | 2010 |
| Rights Statement: | Rights owned or controlled by The Open University |
| Restrictions on use: | This material can be used in accordance with The Open University conditions of use. A link to the conditions can be found at the bottom of all OU Digital Archive web pages. |
| Duration: | 00:30:00 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Kirsty Henderson |
| Presenter: | Brett Westwood |
| Contributors: | Jane Adams; Kelvin Boot; Damon Bridge; Brian Dicker; Nicky Hoar; Michael Salmon; Barbara Steedman; Gill Stevens; Pamela Walker; Rob Walton; Brett Westwood; Paul Wilkinson |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Production number: | PBS03010WZ0019 |
| Available to public: | no |
