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We are losing a lot of trees in the UK. There are the headline diseases - Ash die-back is just one. On top of that we have had some stressfully hot summers re

We are losing a lot of trees in the UK. There are the headline diseases - Ash die-back is just one. On top of that we have had some stressfully hot summers recently and extended wet periods in other seasons. Throw in some strong winds and you get trees snapping or simply being uprooted - rotting roots in soft earth. I live next door to a park with a lot of trees in it and there is a lot of "survival of the fittest" going on. Its not all bad because the park was partly overrun with some quite anti social non-natives (we call them laurels - they are from South America, can't remember the formal name). The laurels caused spindly growth - thin trunks, few branches in species that could escape vertically. Also there was a density problem which is being sorted out gradually. Sadly a 700+ year old oak keeled over recently. It was responding really well to a major trim done five or so years ago but it turns out that our current weather is worse than a mini ice age. Dormice are/were an iconic rodent in the UK that nearly no one has ever seen these days. My mum (so think 1940-60s, Devon farm girl) recalled seeing them everywhere. She also recalled beaches covered in mackerel fish in the morning after a night with a full moon or something similar. You don't see that now that the seas are fished out. However, I recently visited Chesil beach in Dorset and there were loads of cuttlefish bones on the beach. Hopefully that means there are loads of cuttlefish living and dying out at sea and I'll tentatively take that as a positive sign. Do dormice need rope bridges? I think it does help to patch over a particular situation, quickly and quite cheaply but its not exactly a panacea for the real woes of the world. Dormice are possibly the cutest rodent ever - call me out and submit your favourite rodent!

defrost 3y ago
Rodentia have a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. Thylacomyidae are a 'pouched mouse' in bad Greek ... however Bilbies are pretty damn cute. https://www.google.com/search?as_st=y&as_epq=bilby&cr=countryAU&udm=2 https://www.google.com/search?as_st=y&as_epq=bilby&cr=countr... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrotis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrotis Bilby monitoring: https://youtu.be/J7h9V4aKlJw?t=251 https://youtu.be/J7h9V4aKlJw?t=251 and I strongly recommend the Easter Bilby to all: https://www.savethebilbyfund.org.au/bilbies-not-bunnies-at-easter/ https://www.savethebilbyfund.org.au/bilbies-not-bunnies-at-e...
- neuronexmachina 3y ago
  TIL the "Bob Bilby" stuffy from Bluey is based on a real animal.
  - defrost 3y ago
    Wait until you find out the Tasmanian Devil is real and existed on the mainland outside of Tasmania all the way across the country (the size of mainland USofA) in W.Australia .. and we almost didn't know thanks to some idiot C-suites in a mining company that blasted where they really should not have. https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/tasmanian-devil-tooth-among-mind-blowing-finds-in-destroyed-juukan-gorge-cave-20240416-p5fk8k.html https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/tasman...
082349872349872 3y ago
> its not exactly a panacea for the real woes of the world. It specifically may not be, but "when it doesn't cost you much, do something to improve the lives of those who are very unlikely to ever do anything for you in return" could indeed help the real woes of the world if such a general attitude were more widespread. EDIT: shout out to Marmota marmota Langiappe: "mousie 'pik'" (1978) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0I3YgFLSy8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0I3YgFLSy8
- defrost 3y ago
  May you discover the secret to self-winding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcPLsIy4tys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcPLsIy4tys http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban/mouse.html http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban/mouse.html
pvaldes 3y ago
There are a lot of candidates to cutest rodent ever, specially in the squirrel or bunny departments To pick up something less common, I will say Pacarana, for example. A living relative to the largest ever known rodent (an extinct cow-sized pliocene species).
berkes 3y ago
Right across the canal, in The Netherlands it's just as bad. I had to chop down thirty threes in the last two years that had stood for decades or more. Ash and oak (waterlogged, fungi), willow, chestnut and walnut (drought). But aside from trees, our current plant situation is especially bad due to excessive nitrogen deposit. Some species (nettle, bramble) are doing well, being nitrogen lovers, but they push out anything that isn't fond of extreme levels of nitrogen. Nitrogen overload is a hot topic here, because it's not only is it clearly man made climate change, it acts on a local geography. So everyone is "fighting": do we want less houses built, less nature, or less farmers. At least with the trees being in shock, it's not directly a local "fault". Governments cannot order laws for more or less rain (wel...) but they easily could for more or less nitrogen. Edit: oh, and my cats occasionally bring in a Rosse Woelmuis. They are my local favorite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_vole?wprov=sfla1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_vole?wprov=sfla1
- 082349872349872 3y ago
  > So everyone is "fighting": do we want less houses built, less nature, or less farmers. What stance do the "Partij voor de Dieren" (animals' party) take? (and is this what would count as "fighting" by US standards, or is it more along the lines of "we'll all write passive-aggressive rhyming couplets about each other's misbehaviours come christmastime"?)
  - berkes 3y ago
    They (Disclaimer: like me) are for a massive reduction in farming. In the Netherlands, we produce insane amounts of beef, milk, and pork. There's far more pigs than humans in The Netherlands. Most produce is exported. But the "shit" (literally too) remains. The proteins to produce all that meat is imported. Reducing that to 50% will still be enough for net export, but solve the nitrogen crisis within years. It will, however, cause several thousands of farmers to have to stop or move to another business model (e.g. organic farming). Something they violently refuse to even consider.
    - berkes 3y ago
jl6 3y ago
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/octopus-and-squid-populations-exploding-worldwide/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/octopus-and-squid... Fish are out, cuttlefish are in.
globular-toast 3y ago
I completely forgot about them before this moment but can definitely remember hearing about them in stories and things as a child. I actually thought it was "door mouse" until now.
neom 3y ago
My rat is none too happy about that last comment and would like a word with you: https://s.h4x.club/2Nu8d4eW https://s.h4x.club/2Nu8d4eW
denton-scratch 3y ago
I have a very strong negative reaction to "cute", but dormice are simply irresistible.
KineticLensman 3y ago
> However, I recently visited Chesil beach in Dorset and there were loads of cuttlefish bones on the beach. Hopefully that means there are loads of cuttlefish living and dying out at sea and I'll tentatively take that as a positive sign. I routinely walk along the beach at Hengistbury Head (approx 40 miles further east) and have seen cuttlefish bones there for several years running. So perhaps, yes, there is a healthy population off the coast here. [Edit] Went down a rabbit hole and found [0]. In summary, in the UK, cuttlefish are classified as shellfish in terms of reporting fisheries catches. Catches of shellfish have increased in absolute terms over the last 80 years, from 32k tonnes to 116k tonnes in 2022, and relative to catches of other fish. This is partly due to diversification of the fishing industry, partly because there may be fewer restrictions on shellfish catches. The Channel is one of the UK hotspots for shellfish catching. The Marine Conservation Society [1] states that "There is not enough data about cuttlefish in the English channel, but there are indications that populations are too small and fishing pressure is too high. There are no appropriate management measures for this species, despite high landings and high market value. Most cuttlefish are caught by beam trawling in the English Channel. This has the potential to cause damage to the seabed. Trawls can also have high bycatch, potentially of vulnerable species." [0] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-sea-fisheries-annual-statistics-report-2022/section-2-landings#shellfish https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-sea-fisheries-an... [1] https://www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide/ratings/wild-capture/905/ https://www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide/ratings/wild-capture/905...
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- 8A51C 3y ago
  Conversly, my observations from Cornwall have been the opposite. I haven't seen cuttlefish bones in the numbers I would expect over the last few years. And the ones I have seen have been tiny. That is until this last weekend, when there were a great deal washed up and of a fair size, I too was joyed by this sight drawing the same conclusions as you did, that it was a good sign.
  - pvaldes 3y ago

defrost 3y ago

Rodentia have a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. Thylacomyidae are a 'pouched mouse' in bad Greek ... however Bilbies are pretty damn cute. https://www.google.com/search?as_st=y&as_epq=bilby&cr=countryAU&udm=2 https://www.google.com/search?as_st=y&as_epq=bilby&cr=countr... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrotis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrotis Bilby monitoring: https://youtu.be/J7h9V4aKlJw?t=251 https://youtu.be/J7h9V4aKlJw?t=251 and I strongly recommend the Easter Bilby to all: https://www.savethebilbyfund.org.au/bilbies-not-bunnies-at-easter/ https://www.savethebilbyfund.org.au/bilbies-not-bunnies-at-e...

neuronexmachina 3y ago
TIL the "Bob Bilby" stuffy from Bluey is based on a real animal.
- defrost 3y ago
  Wait until you find out the Tasmanian Devil is real and existed on the mainland outside of Tasmania all the way across the country (the size of mainland USofA) in W.Australia .. and we almost didn't know thanks to some idiot C-suites in a mining company that blasted where they really should not have. https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/tasmanian-devil-tooth-among-mind-blowing-finds-in-destroyed-juukan-gorge-cave-20240416-p5fk8k.html https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/tasman...

082349872349872 3y ago

> its not exactly a panacea for the real woes of the world. It specifically may not be, but "when it doesn't cost you much, do something to improve the lives of those who are very unlikely to ever do anything for you in return" could indeed help the real woes of the world if such a general attitude were more widespread. EDIT: shout out to Marmota marmota Langiappe: "mousie 'pik'" (1978) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0I3YgFLSy8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0I3YgFLSy8

defrost 3y ago
May you discover the secret to self-winding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcPLsIy4tys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcPLsIy4tys http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban/mouse.html http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban/mouse.html

pvaldes 3y ago

There are a lot of candidates to cutest rodent ever, specially in the squirrel or bunny departments To pick up something less common, I will say Pacarana, for example. A living relative to the largest ever known rodent (an extinct cow-sized pliocene species).

berkes 3y ago

Right across the canal, in The Netherlands it's just as bad. I had to chop down thirty threes in the last two years that had stood for decades or more. Ash and oak (waterlogged, fungi), willow, chestnut and walnut (drought). But aside from trees, our current plant situation is especially bad due to excessive nitrogen deposit. Some species (nettle, bramble) are doing well, being nitrogen lovers, but they push out anything that isn't fond of extreme levels of nitrogen. Nitrogen overload is a hot topic here, because it's not only is it clearly man made climate change, it acts on a local geography. So everyone is "fighting": do we want less houses built, less nature, or less farmers. At least with the trees being in shock, it's not directly a local "fault". Governments cannot order laws for more or less rain (wel...) but they easily could for more or less nitrogen. Edit: oh, and my cats occasionally bring in a Rosse Woelmuis. They are my local favorite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_vole?wprov=sfla1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_vole?wprov=sfla1

082349872349872 3y ago
> So everyone is "fighting": do we want less houses built, less nature, or less farmers. What stance do the "Partij voor de Dieren" (animals' party) take? (and is this what would count as "fighting" by US standards, or is it more along the lines of "we'll all write passive-aggressive rhyming couplets about each other's misbehaviours come christmastime"?)
- berkes 3y ago
  They (Disclaimer: like me) are for a massive reduction in farming. In the Netherlands, we produce insane amounts of beef, milk, and pork. There's far more pigs than humans in The Netherlands. Most produce is exported. But the "shit" (literally too) remains. The proteins to produce all that meat is imported. Reducing that to 50% will still be enough for net export, but solve the nitrogen crisis within years. It will, however, cause several thousands of farmers to have to stop or move to another business model (e.g. organic farming). Something they violently refuse to even consider.
  - berkes 3y ago

jl6 3y ago

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/octopus-and-squid-populations-exploding-worldwide/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/octopus-and-squid... Fish are out, cuttlefish are in.

globular-toast 3y ago

I completely forgot about them before this moment but can definitely remember hearing about them in stories and things as a child. I actually thought it was "door mouse" until now.

neom 3y ago

My rat is none too happy about that last comment and would like a word with you: https://s.h4x.club/2Nu8d4eW https://s.h4x.club/2Nu8d4eW

denton-scratch 3y ago

I have a very strong negative reaction to "cute", but dormice are simply irresistible.

KineticLensman 3y ago

> However, I recently visited Chesil beach in Dorset and there were loads of cuttlefish bones on the beach. Hopefully that means there are loads of cuttlefish living and dying out at sea and I'll tentatively take that as a positive sign. I routinely walk along the beach at Hengistbury Head (approx 40 miles further east) and have seen cuttlefish bones there for several years running. So perhaps, yes, there is a healthy population off the coast here. [Edit] Went down a rabbit hole and found [0]. In summary, in the UK, cuttlefish are classified as shellfish in terms of reporting fisheries catches. Catches of shellfish have increased in absolute terms over the last 80 years, from 32k tonnes to 116k tonnes in 2022, and relative to catches of other fish. This is partly due to diversification of the fishing industry, partly because there may be fewer restrictions on shellfish catches. The Channel is one of the UK hotspots for shellfish catching. The Marine Conservation Society [1] states that "There is not enough data about cuttlefish in the English channel, but there are indications that populations are too small and fishing pressure is too high. There are no appropriate management measures for this species, despite high landings and high market value. Most cuttlefish are caught by beam trawling in the English Channel. This has the potential to cause damage to the seabed. Trawls can also have high bycatch, potentially of vulnerable species." [0] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-sea-fisheries-annual-statistics-report-2022/section-2-landings#shellfish https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-sea-fisheries-an... [1] https://www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide/ratings/wild-capture/905/ https://www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide/ratings/wild-capture/905...

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
8A51C 3y ago
Conversly, my observations from Cornwall have been the opposite. I haven't seen cuttlefish bones in the numbers I would expect over the last few years. And the ones I have seen have been tiny. That is until this last weekend, when there were a great deal washed up and of a fair size, I too was joyed by this sight drawing the same conclusions as you did, that it was a good sign.
- pvaldes 3y ago