Geological discoveries Tufa and speleothems in Cornwall Seashore ...

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Seaquest NetsafeThe Seaquest Netsafe project went from strength tostrength in 2010 with volunteers continuing effortbasedvisual surveys at seven sites around the coast.These surveys, coupled with acoustic monitoring byhydrophones deployed offshore, have provided afantastic insight into cetacean activity. By comparingvisual and acoustic data we hope it will be possible tobetter understand the importance of specific areas tocetacean species in Cornwall.Volunteers have achieved a staggering 1,559 hours ofeffort-based surveys, recording a total of 560 dolphinand porpoise sightings (see table). This magnificentachievement is testament to the commitment of ourbrilliant volunteers.SpeciesSightings recordedHarbour porpoise 25Common dolphin 11Bottlenose dolphin 311Dolphin sp. 213Total 560CPOD hydrophone recovered off Newquay.Photo by Tom HardyThis project is completely dependent on volunteers givingup their valuable time to conduct surveys and the Trust isextremely grateful for their time and expertise. We hope thatspring brings some more favourable survey conditions andlots of sightings, and that the project continues to enthuse somany volunteers.If you would like to get involved, please visit the ‘LivingSeas’ pages of our website, www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/netsafe.Tom Hardy, Marine Conservation OfficerOn 17th November 2010 Cornwall Wildlife Trust held anevening update for volunteers to find out how surveys weregoing at different sites, and to gain an overview of the wholeproject so far. Volunteers were asked to give feedback andwere trained in new survey techniques to classify cetaceanbehaviour. The evening was an opportunity for the Trust toshow the volunteers how valuable their continued effortswere, and with 40 people attending, was a great success.Volunteer surveys underway at Rinsey Head.Photo by Seaquest Netsafe ProjectCornwall Seal Group2010 was a record year for Cornwall Seal Group’s(CSG’s) members and the seals they study in more waysthan one! Over 250 people attended CSG’s ten meetingsand with other organisations – Cornwall Wildlife Trustand National Trust – numerous talks were delivered,along with ‘seal training days’ for organisations and‘spectacular seal days’ for the public.CSG represented seals in planning and legislativeconsultations, as well as presenting research at theEuropean Cetacean Conference in Germany. CSG’s photoidentification work was the focus for a Cornwall WildlifeTrust BBC national news item and will feature in twoforthcoming series: Country Tracks and Chris Packham’snew Animals’ Guide to Britain. CSG even managed towin and deliver contracts for the Isles of Scilly AONB andNatural England.And that’s just the people stuff ... the seal research has beeneven more exciting! Thank you to our volunteers who haveroutinely monitored an incredible seven seal sites, from northDevon to the Isles of Scilly and back east to Looe, giving anunparalleled insight into the use seals make of coastalhabitats, with 73 different seals linking St Ives Bay to 22 othersites across the South West and beyond to France and Wales.On the downside, at Cornwall’s biggest seal haul out:• seals were disturbed eight times in one hour, breakingthe 2005 record for disturbance,• observations of net entangled seals (as a percentage ofall seals seen) doubled in the last year, and• the maximum number of seals observed dropped byover 20%.CSG have their work cut out if they are to protect seals in 2011!Sue Sayer, VolunteerMedallion Man, soon to feature on BBC2’s Country Tracks.Photo by Sue SayerPage 14 Issue 114 Spring 2011
Marine Strandings NetworkBetween July and October 2010, 20 cetaceans wererecorded, including a porpoise Phocoena phocoenacollected from Widemouth Bay for post-mortem (PM).This newborn calf was maternally dependent andevidently live-stranded.The first humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) tobe recorded in Cornwall was discovered, alive, off St Ives.British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) monitoredthe young whale. It was emaciated and lethargic and,sadly, as it was maternally dependent, could not beassisted. It disappeared and was later found floatingdead. The 6m body was towed ashore and examined.Of the 47 grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) recorded, 12 ofwhich were pups, many were found in north Cornwall,including one which had pre-mortem injuries. Thecause could not be confirmed without a PM, although itappeared not to be due to natural causes.In October, the first PM on a seal for some years wascarried out under the Veterinary Laboratory Agency’swildlife budget. It was suffering from areas of thickenedskin, which were thought to be pox lesions. There wasalso evidence of hepatitis and localised peritonitis.A blue shark (Prionace glauca) stranded alive at MawganPorth. It was taken to Blue Reef Aquarium, Newquay,and BDMLR attempted to refloat it in a tank. Sadly it didnot recover.Thank you to SITA for its continued support, and toFrugi for helping with funding through the 1% for thePlanet scheme.Jan Loveridge, VolunteerHotline: 0845 201 2626; www.cwtstrandings.orgFirst humpback whale to strand in Cornwall.Photo by Jeff LoveridgeA porpoise found at Marazion was well nourished and thePM confirmed that net marks on the body were suspiciousof bycatch. A Group B Salmonella bacterium wasisolated from the lung. A female porpoise from Sennen,with encircling wounds and internal haemorrhages, wassimilarly diagnosed, as was a male common dolphin fromLamorna Cove. Another from Gunwalloe live-strandedand, tragically, was scavenged while stranded overnight.There was no obvious cause of death.Examining the common dolphin on the Lizard.Photo by Jeff LoveridgeAdopt a SealSpirit and many of her wild Cornish seal friends wantyou to adopt them, so Cornwall Seal Group andCornwall Wildlife Trust can continue their importantwork to ensure that she and her friends stay safe.Your seal adoption will directly contribute towards sealpup watches, rescues and the survey work that underpinsour pioneering, in-depth research to track and learn moreabout seal behaviour and how climate change is affectingtheir habitat.Adopting your seal costs just £15, or to become a ‘SealFriend’ costs £30, and you will receive a fantastic pack of infoand goodies. To adopt your seal visit www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/adopt or phone Sue Sayer on (01736) 754562, quotingCornwall Wildlife Trust.A Cornish seal adoption makes the perfect present foranyone who loves Cornwall’s wildlife.Spirit the Cornish seal pup. Photo by Sue SayerIssue 114 Spring 2011 Page 15
Page 3 and 4: Any material intended forpublicatio
Page 6 and 7: Tufa at Stackhouse Cove. Photo by F
Page 10 and 11: Nooks and crannies in the stonework
Page 12 and 13: Nature newsNowodhow naturWhat a hug
Page 19 and 20: Fox Club joins Cornwall Children’
Page 21 and 22: TamarOur winter programme of talks
Page 23 and 24: From our Chairman1962 - 2012! … 2
Page 25 and 26: Existing BusinessSupporter updateHa
Page 27 and 28: Cornwall Wildlife TrustPull-outDiar
Page 29 and 30: First of 3 morning meetings to make
Page 31 and 32: 11.00am to 1.30pmSpy creatures in t
Page 33 and 34: Issue 114 Spring 2011 Page 33
Page 35 and 36: The Isles of Scilly MarineBiodivers
Page 37: Volunteer profile:Jeremy (‘Jez’
Page 40: In partnership withWildlifeCelebrat

Geological discoveries Tufa and speleothems in Cornwall Seashore ...

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