Essex & Suffolk Water are carrying out wildlife surveys across its sites to monitor protected species, understand how habitats are changing, and help protect nature.
Conservation and ecology teams are specially trained and licensed to carry out wildlife surveys on animals that are protected species and native to the UK, on the water company sites.
They see everything from Great Crested Newts, which have a unique pattern on their tummy like a fingerprint, to cute dormice, who after their hibernation period, sleepily stir during the first survey of the year.
By tracking the numbers of species and reporting it to the relevant national agency, it can build a wider picture of what is happening in the UK with habitats, climate change and whether a species is thriving.
Ashley Pinnock, Conservation Specialist, said: “Survey season started in April with the Great Crested Newts, and we had a very successful survey for them this year. Then we carried out a dormouse survey, and found a male and female nesting together, which is unusual for us so early in the season, so we’re hopeful when we go and check next time, there might be evidence of babies.
“We also survey Heath Fritillary butterflies, orchids, water voles, basically any species which is protected in the UK. It’s important for the company to know what is happening on the sites we help to manage, because our work has a very close link between the environment and water.
“Protected species monitoring is vitally important as it confirms how the population are faring and condition of the habitats and this helps inform future management.
“For example, if the population is down then that could be a reflection on the current state of the habitat, this can often be related to our changing climate, or down to a management technique that needs adjusting. If we ever start to see numbers drop then we can act fast to rectify the problem the following autumn and winter, when it is best time of the year to carry out such work.”
Great Crested Newts are black with an orange belly and as amphibians, they breed in ponds during the spring and spend the rest of their six-to-15-year lifespan feeding on invertebrates in woodland, hedgerows, marshes and grassland. Population numbers for the Great Crested Newt and confirmation of breeding are reported to Natural England each year.
The hazel dormouse is native to the UK and is known for its golden-brown fur and hibernating for six months of the year. Their numbers have declined rapidly since 2000 due to habitat loss, so Natural England and the Protected Trust of Endangered Species keep a close eye on their survival. The water company also submits numbers to the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme.
Nature and water go hand-in-hand, and you can find out more about the environmental commitments made by Essex & Suffolk Water in the company’s Environment Strategy: Environment strategy