Going Wild In Salisbury

As Chair of the Salisbury & District Natural History Society, I am keen that local people realise just how much amazing wildlife we have all around us, right here in the City! I also want to encourage people to get out into the fresh air to explore for themselves, the rich array of superb habitats that exist all around us, and to marvel at the incredible species that live there, literally side by side with us! You will be astounded – I promise you!

This talk will explore how animal misadventures can contribute to wildlife conservation and research, from otters and hedgehogs to slow worms and snakes. From the experience of volunteering at rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wild animals for the Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital to sampling foetid excrements and smelly road casualties for a diversity of projects. You may even want to get stuck afterwards! Essential: corpse freezer, disposable gloves; desirable: strong stomach/no sense of smell, understanding family.

The Great Bustard is the heaviest flying bird in the world and was hunted to extinction in the UK by Victorian ornithologists. The talk will cover sourcing the stock from Russia and Spain and how the species has been restored in Wiltshire where it is our county bird and the centrepiece of the county flag.