Wildlife Conservation

Swans and cygnets

Help us to look after our wildlife

Every day at 4am we get up and prepare food for the day for all the animals at the centre. The first feeds start shortly after that and then one by one each creatures living area is cleaned and bedding prepared anew.
After this we have breakfast and then start checking emails & telephone messages. Following which I prepare orders for food, bedding, cleaning materials. My partner then begins his working day whilst I go to each resident and give medication where its due, clean wounds and change dressings. I then take time out to pop down to our local Cooperative store to collect the food in the food collection bin that is donated to the rescue by shoppers and Coop alike.

How you can help hedgehogs

Are there hedgehogs on Arran?
Yes there are!

learn more

Hedgehogs
& Rabbits

How you can help Bird of Prey

why are these birds important and what you can do

learn more

Owls & Buzzards

Birds of Prey

Diane has owned Aragon since he was 2 months old and he is now 12 years old. He is very tame and Diane will take him with her when she attends shows and events as a Rescue Ambassador as he definitely enjoys attention.
Technically, Aragon is not a rescue as he was a gift to her when she went to an Owl Sanctuary in Cumbria where she saw and fell in love with him. His siblings and parents were captive bred.
Aragon has a six foot wing span and weighs just 4 kg. His diet is includes rabbit, hare and roe deer.

Eagle usually found at the north end of the island.

Typical Birds of Prey found on Arran

Arran enjoys some spectacluar scenery and with it the wildlife you might expect to find in such landscape.

Sparrowhawk found across the island

Barn Owls found all over the island.

Arran Animal Rescue

Arran Animal Rescue suggests that you seek advice first before trying to handle any bird of prey. Phone the island vet on 01770 302511 or Arran Animal Rescue on 01770 700683.

Injured

Be wary about approaching a sick/injured animal. Make sure you are in a safe place to do so but as always get in touch with either us or a Veterinary Practice before attempting to help.
If you are able to approach/touch a bird of prey, it is likely very sick or seriously injured. Where this is the case: In light of current Bird Flu measures, please contact us before touching or moving the bird.
Catch/cover the bird using a large towel or similar and put it in a dark, well ventilated box. Ideally put the towel in the box with the bird. Do not add any additional heat to the box (such as hot water bottles) as the sudden change in temperature isn’t good for the bird.
Do NOT use a wire cage/cat cage or similar.
Make a note of where the bird was found.
Do NOT attempt to feed the bird or provide water.

P hone the island vet on 01770 302511
or Arran Animal Rescue on 01770 700683

A fledgling

If you find a young bird of prey, depending on the time of year, it may not be injured. Young birds will often leave the nest/box before they are able to fly and, as a result, are unable to return to it. This does not mean that they are in need of help though as the parents will continue to care for them. These young birds should be left alone and where they are. If there are obvious dangers nearby, then move the bird to a nearby branch or hedge. These dangers may include: cats, dogs and cars,the bird is on a pathway, bridleway, track or road
If this is not possible or you’re ever in doubt, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01770 700683.
If the bird is obviously injured (bleeding) or there are other dead/injured birds nearby, follow the advice above for injured birds.

Young Barn Owl

If you find a young Barn Owl on the ground that isn’t obviously injured, there may be a number of reasons why it isn’t still in the nest:
It may have fallen or been accidently pushed from the nest. Where this is the case, the chick should be returned to the nest/box as the parents will not continue to care for it whilst it is on the ground. However, there are potential issues to consider: Nests are usually at height and, therefore, potentially dangerous
Parents may be very defensive and it may cause other owls of the brood to jump from/leave the nest
Potential legal implications – Some species (Barn Owl being the most common) are listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. This means that it is illegal to disturb them when they are nesting. So, visiting a nest to put a fallen bird back could be construed as disturbance for any number of reasons. Therefore, we would always advise that you contact someone with a disturbance licence to put the bird back. Failing that, or if there is no time, phone the local Police Wildlife Liaison Officer and let them know what you’re doing and why.

Food shortages due to lack of general prey abundance or death of one or both parents. Where food shortage is the cause then it is unlikely that the chick will survive if returned to the nest.

The Red Squirrel
For more information about the Red Squirrel and how to help its survival click here

Sheep

“I declare this world is so beautiful that I can hardly believe it exists.” The beauty of nature can have a profound effect upon our senses, those gateways from the outer world to the inner, whether it results in disbelief...

Seabirds

A young gannet that was brought in and will be released as soon as he is well enough.

Seabirds need our help too!

"The UK is home to roughly 8 million breeding seabirds, almost 50% of the seabirds which occur in the EU.

Twenty-five species breed here, 13 of which breed in internationally important numbers including 90% of the world’s Manx shearwater, 68% of the global Northern gannet population and 60% of the world’s great skua.

Many of our most important seabird breeding colonies are on islands that are naturally free of mammalian predators such as rats, stoats and mink. Seabirds are one of the fastest declining and most threatened group of birds globally, and predation of their eggs and young by invasive, non-native mammalian predators is one of the leading causes of this decline.
Over the last few centuries, many seabird colonies in the UK have also suffered from falls in population or been lost completely in this way."

extract from:
Wildlife and Countryside Link

Birds large and small

Wildlife
and hunting

Wildlife is everywhere follow these simple steps

Swans

Swans and their cygnets and what to do

Caring for animals to benefit nature and people

Wildlife

Find our Wildlife on Arran

People

What people can do to help

Ecology

Why do we need to bother

Four simple steps to keeping you and your dog safe in the forest

Advice on how to keep a dog safe when out walking on Arran.

Recently a dog has been taken to Arran vets and has been diagnosed with CRGV or Alabama Rot. Depending on how your dog is affected it can be treated or is fatal. If skin lesions only are present it can be treated. If your dog is diagnosed with kidney failure the outlook is poor.
Ensure your dog's feet are cleaned when returnign from a walk and keep an eye on its skin to check for lesions developing. If they do a vet visit is imperative.

Please see this site for further details