WWT Slimbridge
Encyclopedia
WWT Slimbridge is a wetland
reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
(a UK charity) at Slimbridge
, Gloucestershire
, England. Slimbridge is halfway between Bristol and Gloucester
on the estuary of the river Severn. The reserve was the first WWT centre to be opened, on 10 November 1946, thanks to the vision of artist and naturalist
Sir Peter Scott
. The United Kingdom now has eight other WWT sites.
The reserve exists to care for and study ducks, geese and swan
s of the world. To cater for bird and duck watchers, sixteen hides overlook the fields, streams and lakes bordering the River Severn and the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
.
WWT Slimbridge is also the home of WWT Consulting, a subsidiary business of the Trust that provides clients with wetland consultancy services.
escarpment in the east and the River Severn and Forest of Dean
in the West. The centre has a shop, restaurant, art gallery and Tropical House.
The number of ducks, geese and swan
s is greatest in winter, with large flocks of White-fronted Geese
, sometimes with a rare Lesser White-fronted Goose
amongst them. Bewick's Swan
s are a feature of Slimbridge in winter, arriving from northern Russia
to enjoy the milder climate of southern England. Their behaviour has been studied intensely at Slimbridge. The pattern on each bird's beak
is unique and is recorded in small paintings from front and side views (rather like "mug shot
s") to aid recognition. Birds are also given names (for example, Maud, The Major, Ethel, Rudy and Aristotle). Other winter visitors are birds of prey
such as Peregrine
and Merlin
, as well as wading birds and songbirds.
During Princess Elizabeth's 1950 tour of Canada, she was promised a Dominion
gift of Trumpeter swan
s, by arrangement of British conservationist Peter Scot who was head of the Severn Wildlife Trust in Britain (now the WWT). Canadian officials discovered the only swans tame enough to capture were at Lonesome Lake in British Columbia
as they had been fed for decades by conservationist Ralph Edwards
. In 1952, with the help of Ralph and his daughter Trudy, five were captured and flown to England, the first time Trumpeter swans had ever flown across the Atlantic (although in the 19th century swans had been brought by ship to European zoos). One later died, and the remaining four thrived at WWT Slimbridge. The Queen in later years became Patron to the WWT, and Prince Charles the WWT President.
An early success story in the 1950s was the saving of the Nene
(or Hawaiian Goose) from extinction
. Breeding at Slimbridge was successful and there are still Nene geese at Slimbridge today. However, initial reintroduction into the wild in Hawaii
was unsuccessful since the Nene's natural environment was not protected from predators introduced by man. Once the Nene's habitat was protected, reintroduction became successful.
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is a wildfowl and wetland conservation charity in the United Kingdom. Its patron is Queen Elizabeth II.It was founded in 1946 by the ornithologist and artist Sir Peter Scott, initially as the Severn Wildfowl Trust...
(a UK charity) at Slimbridge
Slimbridge
Slimbridge is a village near Dursley in Gloucestershire, England.It is best known as the home of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's Slimbridge Reserve which was started by Sir Peter Scott. The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal runs through the village, and under Patch Bridge which must be crossed to ...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England. Slimbridge is halfway between Bristol and Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
on the estuary of the river Severn. The reserve was the first WWT centre to be opened, on 10 November 1946, thanks to the vision of artist and naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
Sir Peter Scott
Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC and Bar, MID, FRS, FZS, was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer and sportsman....
. The United Kingdom now has eight other WWT sites.
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s of the world. To cater for bird and duck watchers, sixteen hides overlook the fields, streams and lakes bordering the River Severn and the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal or Gloucester and Berkeley Canal is a canal in the west of England, between Gloucester and Sharpness; for much of its length it runs close to the tidal River Severn, but cuts off a significant loop in the river, at a once-dangerous bend near Arlingham...
.
WWT Slimbridge is also the home of WWT Consulting, a subsidiary business of the Trust that provides clients with wetland consultancy services.
Visitor Centre
The Sloane Observation Tower gives far-reaching views to the CotswoldCotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
escarpment in the east and the River Severn and Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
in the West. The centre has a shop, restaurant, art gallery and Tropical House.
Site
The site is 3 square kilometres of reserve, of which 500,000 square metres is landscaped and can be visited by the public.The number of ducks, geese and swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s is greatest in winter, with large flocks of White-fronted Geese
White-fronted Goose
The Greater White-fronted Goose is a species of goose. The Greater White-fronted Goose is more closely related to the smaller Lesser White-fronted Goose...
, sometimes with a rare Lesser White-fronted Goose
Lesser White-fronted Goose
The Lesser White-fronted Goose is a goose closely related to the larger White-fronted Goose .It breeds in northernmost Asia, but it is a scarce breeder in Europe. There is a re-introduction scheme in Fennoscandia....
amongst them. Bewick's Swan
Bewick's Swan
The Tundra Swan is a small Holarctic swan. The two taxa within it are usually regarded as conspecific, but are also sometimes split into two species, Cygnus bewickii of the Palaearctic and the Whistling Swan, C. columbianus proper, of the Nearctic...
s are a feature of Slimbridge in winter, arriving from northern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to enjoy the milder climate of southern England. Their behaviour has been studied intensely at Slimbridge. The pattern on each bird's beak
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
is unique and is recorded in small paintings from front and side views (rather like "mug shot
Mug shot
A mug shot, mugshot or booking photograph, is a photographic portrait taken after one is arrested. The purpose of the mug shot is to allow law enforcement to have a photographic record of the arrested individual to allow for identification by victims and investigators. Most mug shots are two-part,...
s") to aid recognition. Birds are also given names (for example, Maud, The Major, Ethel, Rudy and Aristotle). Other winter visitors are birds of prey
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
such as Peregrine
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
and Merlin
Merlin (bird)
The Merlin is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. A bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America, the Merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter.-European and North American...
, as well as wading birds and songbirds.
During Princess Elizabeth's 1950 tour of Canada, she was promised a Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
gift of Trumpeter swan
Trumpeter Swan
The Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator, is the largest native North American bird, if measured in terms of weight and length, and is the largest living waterfowl species on earth. It is the North American counterpart of the European Whooper Swan.-Description:Males typically measure from and weigh...
s, by arrangement of British conservationist Peter Scot who was head of the Severn Wildlife Trust in Britain (now the WWT). Canadian officials discovered the only swans tame enough to capture were at Lonesome Lake in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
as they had been fed for decades by conservationist Ralph Edwards
Ralph Edwards (homesteader)
Ralph Edwards was a pioneering British Columbian homesteader and leading conservationist of the trumpeter swan. He received the Order of Canada in 1972 for his conservation efforts, and is the namesake of the Edwards Range mountains...
. In 1952, with the help of Ralph and his daughter Trudy, five were captured and flown to England, the first time Trumpeter swans had ever flown across the Atlantic (although in the 19th century swans had been brought by ship to European zoos). One later died, and the remaining four thrived at WWT Slimbridge. The Queen in later years became Patron to the WWT, and Prince Charles the WWT President.
An early success story in the 1950s was the saving of the Nene
Nene
Nene may refer to:*River Nene, a river in England*Rolls-Royce Nene, a jet engine*Nene , also called Nēnē and Hawaiian Goose, Branta sandvicensis, a rare goose*Nene , a Seminole Indian word meaning "street"...
(or Hawaiian Goose) from extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
. Breeding at Slimbridge was successful and there are still Nene geese at Slimbridge today. However, initial reintroduction into the wild in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
was unsuccessful since the Nene's natural environment was not protected from predators introduced by man. Once the Nene's habitat was protected, reintroduction became successful.