Britains extinct species

[Jason Green]

Really ?! I'm thinking of the right one aren't I; the crane being one of the UKs biggest birds... and only, recolonised then, in the last few years??

Thanks Aesh...

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Really ?! I'm thinking of the right one aren't I; the crane being one of the UKs biggest birds... and only, recolonised then, in the last few years??

Thanks Aesh...

They've been around for a while, with Cranes present in the Broads since 1979 + first breeding in 1981. Still a small population with up to 4 breeeding pairs + up to around 40 birds have been recorded. A wonderful experience to see/hear them flying into roost.

[Rob_D]

Interesting question - but you would have to be abit more specific about "modern" man. 100,000 years? 10000 years? 500 years?

Britain's habitats have been significantly altered by mankind for thousands of years, and before that by the ice. After the ice went, Britain was still joined to the rest of Europe & man arrived about 13000 years ago. As the ice retreated humans could arrive just as quickly as other mammals, so the idea that man altered a pristine wilderness by "discovering" Britain may not be quite right. Even the remote islands of NW Scotland have been inhabited for thousands of years, and were deforested in pre-historic times (>4000 years ago?). Like it or loathe it, we've been living in a man-made garden for millennia, it's just that some bits got overgrown.

Lot's of species benefitted by man's presence too though. Many common bird species would be very scarce without man altering the landscape. Then what about the species that man introduced to Britain - Rabbits, Brown Hare, Brown & Black Rats, House Mouse, Fallow Deer etc. They are regarded as "wild animals". Would you get rid of them when you re-wild?

That said, I'd love to have Wolves, Bear, Lynx back here. Could be a tough task; best to clear out all the humans first!

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by Rob_D

Interesting question - but you would have to be abit more specific about "modern" man. 100,000 years? 10000 years? 500 years?

Yes, interesting. By modern man it is a broad time period. I was thinking <500yrs!!

[kiwi]

By modern man i meant anywhere from when humans (not primitive) started manipulating the landscape in new ways. But could you imagine Britain untouched since the end of the ice sheets covering it? Fair enough some species would be less common but that's talking about 50 species that were uncommon and around 100 that we lost instead. It would just be amazing to walk through a forest knowing it will never hit a road.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

They've been around for a while, with Cranes present in the Broads since 1979 + first breeding in 1981. Still a small population with up to 4 breeeding pairs + up to around 40 birds have been recorded. A wonderful experience to see/hear them flying into roost.

Aye

And anyone gong to the Strumpshaw Fen meet could easily add the Hickling Broad Cranes to their week-end itinery. They are usually easy to see in the evening at roost time (along with lots of raptors).
((52.740812737006124, 1.6089820861816406) End of Stubb road, there is an slightly elevated viewing platform, but you need to park at the Hickling Broad car park and wlak down the lane)