The unusually cold weather at the start of Spring 2013 means that some animals such as bats, great crested newt and reptiles may stay shut down longer and remain immobile to conserve energy.
Some bats are still in torpor, the state of deep sleep they adopt to survive the British winter.
The start of the survey window for great crested newt and reptiles will be delayed this year until the weather warms up somewhat, and may be delayed until April.
Written by:
Nathan Duszynski
Principal Ecologist
Nathan is a University of Reading postgraduate with a M.Sc in Species Identification and Surveying, and an Aberystwyth University graduate with a B.Sc Honors Degree in Zoology. Having started out as an Assistant Ecologist, he has progressed to Principal Ecologist and conducted various protected species surveys for great crested newts, reptiles, barn owls, hazel dormice, badgers and bats. Nathan currently holds a Natural England level 1 great crested newt and level 2 bat license and is working toward his level 3 and 4 bat and level 1 hazel dormouse license.
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