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Fathom Mountain Wildlife
A collection of images and videos of wild life that are in serious danger of losing their habitat due to the proposed Newry Southern Relief Road.
Stop the Newry Southern Relief Road. Save our local Wildlife and Fauna.
Red Squirrel Nest in Windowsill
A family of red squirrels have decided this home's window sill is the perfect place to build their nest on Fathom Mountain, near Benson's Glen.
Red squirrels typically give birth to 2-3 young, called kittens, between February and April. They may also produce a second litter from May to June. During the mating season, males chase females, and the most dominant individuals are most successful. After a gestation period of 45-48 days, the female gives birth to a litter of kittens, with three being the usual litter size. The kittens are looked after by their mothers and are weaned at around 10 weeks when they develop a complete set of teeth. Some kittens stay with their mothers over winter. However, only 20-50% of red squirrel kittens survive to adulthood
Red squirrels typically give birth to 2-3 young, called kittens, between February and April. They may also produce a second litter from May to June. During the mating season, males chase females, and the most dominant individuals are most successful. After a gestation period of 45-48 days, the female gives birth to a litter of kittens, with three being the usual litter size. The kittens are looked after by their mothers and are weaned at around 10 weeks when they develop a complete set of teeth. Some kittens stay with their mothers over winter. However, only 20-50% of red squirrel kittens survive to adulthood
Time for a bit of grooming
Red Squirrel Grooming on a windowsill.
The kittens are born blind, deaf, and hairless, weighing between 10g and 18g. The mother will suckle them for 50 to 70 days. The kittens are born in a sturdy natural drey built by the female, and males play no part in raising the young. The first hairs appear on the back after about 14 days, with fur growth complete by about three weeks. The first teeth, the lower incisors, erupt at about three weeks old, and the eyes and ears open about a week later ¹. While in the drey, the young will chew twigs to 'cut' their teeth, and the upper incisors are cut as much as three weeks later than the lower. Females of both species exhibit parental care and are very protective of their young, aggressively defending the drey and readily chasing away any intruders.
Sources
(1) Squirrel Breeding Biology - Gestation, Birth & Kitten Development. https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/animals/article/squirrel-breeding-biology-gestation-birth-kitten-development.
(2) 10 Incredible Red Squirrel Facts - A-Z Animals. https://a-z-animals.com/blog/10-incredible-red-squirrel-facts/.
(3) Squirrels: Diet, Habits & Other Facts | Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html.
(4) Facts about Red Squirrels - Red Squirrel Survival Trust. https://www.rsst.org.uk/red-squirrel-facts/.
The kittens are born blind, deaf, and hairless, weighing between 10g and 18g. The mother will suckle them for 50 to 70 days. The kittens are born in a sturdy natural drey built by the female, and males play no part in raising the young. The first hairs appear on the back after about 14 days, with fur growth complete by about three weeks. The first teeth, the lower incisors, erupt at about three weeks old, and the eyes and ears open about a week later ¹. While in the drey, the young will chew twigs to 'cut' their teeth, and the upper incisors are cut as much as three weeks later than the lower. Females of both species exhibit parental care and are very protective of their young, aggressively defending the drey and readily chasing away any intruders.
Sources
(1) Squirrel Breeding Biology - Gestation, Birth & Kitten Development. https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/animals/article/squirrel-breeding-biology-gestation-birth-kitten-development.
(2) 10 Incredible Red Squirrel Facts - A-Z Animals. https://a-z-animals.com/blog/10-incredible-red-squirrel-facts/.
(3) Squirrels: Diet, Habits & Other Facts | Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html.
(4) Facts about Red Squirrels - Red Squirrel Survival Trust. https://www.rsst.org.uk/red-squirrel-facts/.
More Red Squirrel Fun from the frolicking duo.
This family of Red Squirrels are doing well but that might all change if we allow the SRR to be built.
Habitat loss is one of the greatest threats to the survival of Irish wildlife. The Southern Relief Road will destroy and irreparably damage acres of critical, bio-diverse ancient forest, threatening the survival of vulnerable species like Red Squirrels, Bats, and Badgers in the area. The loss of ancient woodlands and important wildlife habitats is a significant concern as less than one percent of Northern Ireland's land has this habitat.
The construction phase of the Southern Relief Road will involve a lot of blasting through granite, which will cause significant noise pollution and vibrations that will affect the nearby ancient woodland of Benson’s Glen. The pollution run-off from the road will inevitably contaminate the environment and harm the wildlife that depends on it, including the Red Squirrels.
The Red Squirrels are already under threat due to the loss of woodland over the last century, and the Southern Relief Road is another threat to their survival.
Habitat loss is one of the greatest threats to the survival of Irish wildlife. The Southern Relief Road will destroy and irreparably damage acres of critical, bio-diverse ancient forest, threatening the survival of vulnerable species like Red Squirrels, Bats, and Badgers in the area. The loss of ancient woodlands and important wildlife habitats is a significant concern as less than one percent of Northern Ireland's land has this habitat.
The construction phase of the Southern Relief Road will involve a lot of blasting through granite, which will cause significant noise pollution and vibrations that will affect the nearby ancient woodland of Benson’s Glen. The pollution run-off from the road will inevitably contaminate the environment and harm the wildlife that depends on it, including the Red Squirrels.
The Red Squirrels are already under threat due to the loss of woodland over the last century, and the Southern Relief Road is another threat to their survival.
Hello Mr Pine Marten
A pine marten is busy trying to raid some goodies from a bin.
A true omnivore and skilled hunter with a broad curious streak which helps it face down opponents much larger than itself. The pine marten is native to Ireland and is one of our rarest mammals. Once common throughout the country, by the 20th century this species had become extinct from the majority of the island. In Northern Ireland the pine marten was surviving only in a few isolated and fragmented populations, mainly in the south and west of the province. This decline was the result of hunting of martens for their fur, loss of habitat, and both direct and or indirect poisoning and general persecution.
The numbers and range of the pine marten has expanded at a brisk pace over the last decade, until recently they were largely restricted to remote forests of counties Fermanagh and Tyrone. They have spread out across all six counties traversing a variety of habitats.
A true omnivore and skilled hunter with a broad curious streak which helps it face down opponents much larger than itself. The pine marten is native to Ireland and is one of our rarest mammals. Once common throughout the country, by the 20th century this species had become extinct from the majority of the island. In Northern Ireland the pine marten was surviving only in a few isolated and fragmented populations, mainly in the south and west of the province. This decline was the result of hunting of martens for their fur, loss of habitat, and both direct and or indirect poisoning and general persecution.
The numbers and range of the pine marten has expanded at a brisk pace over the last decade, until recently they were largely restricted to remote forests of counties Fermanagh and Tyrone. They have spread out across all six counties traversing a variety of habitats.
Success - I got food!
Being an omnivore, the pine marten has a wide and varied diet that includes meat, carrion, nuts and berries. The breadth of its diet clearly benefits its survival, being able to switch between food resources should one dry up. However the marten’s tastes can bring it into conflict with man. Pine marten will raid the bird feeders, pet food trays, bins and vegetable patches. They also will hunt domestic fowl and game birds particularly when the latter are accessible in the release pen.
Pine Marten and the Law
The law
The pine marten are protected in Northern Ireland by the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 as amended by being listed in Schedules 5, 6 and 7. It is an offence, except under licence, to capture or kill a pine marten, or to destroy or disturb its resting places. Learn more about wildlife law at the link below:
The pine marten are protected in Northern Ireland by the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 as amended by being listed in Schedules 5, 6 and 7. It is an offence, except under licence, to capture or kill a pine marten, or to destroy or disturb its resting places. Learn more about wildlife law at the link below:
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