The National Trust is responsible for a whole host of wildlife that makes the seaside its home. However, our changing climate is changing the conditions that these species have come to depend on.
Increased storminess, sea level rise and coastal erosion are all playing a part at putting our native wildlife at risk or welcoming new species to our shores. Here the National Trust highlights six different wildlife species that are seeing changes on land in its care.
The top three winners on National Trust land:
Basking Sharks
Well known along the west coast of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, these plankton filtering sharks are now making their way up the east coast. In 2007, keen eyed wardens spotted two of these gentle giants off the coast of the Farne Islands in Northumberland for the first time. It is thought they were following the blooms of plankton which moved into the area because of warmer, cleaner seas. You can see these creatures on National Trust land at:
Glanville Fritillary Butterfly
Historically you could find these butterflies as far North as Lincolnshire, but gradually they have retreated to the Isle of Wight. Currently restricted to the crumbling south coast of the island it should enjoy a renaissance thanks to the warmer weather. In the future the Glanville should move northwards, inland and could even become a roadside butterfly. Moving inland is the only option for this butterfly, as increased storminess will make the Isle of Wight cliffs erode quickly.The best place to see these delicate creatures on National Trust land is:
Little Egret
Coming all the way from the Mediterranean this member of the heron family has made the UK its home. Since arriving on our shores in the late 1980s this bird has taken advantage of our warmer weather and quickly spread. Little egrets bred for the first time in 1996 on Brownsea Island and they have now moved inland. You can now spy them as far north as Cheshire and the Humber. Good National Trust sites to see these fascinating birds are:
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The top three losers on National Trust land:
Terns
Internationally important breeding colonies of terns nest perilously close to the sea edge. With rising sea levels and increasing stormy weather, these populations are at risk of being lost as coastal squeeze causes their breeding grounds to become flooded. Terns particularly at risk on National Trust land are:
Grey Seal
Isolated shingle beaches are the ideal spot for grey seals to pup in the autumn. With sea-levels rising there will be a tendency for the beaches to become narrower, in turn meaning less space for pupping above the splash zone. This means the young seals will be at risk from being washed away. The best National Trust sites to see this mammal are:
Sandhill Rustic Moth
One of the four types of this moth is only found at a single site in Cornwall. This site is a shingle bar blocking an inland freshwater pool from the sea. With increasing stormy weather and sea level rise the bar is being washed over more frequently and the future is bleak for this colony of the Sandhill Rustic Moth. If conditions continue in this way it is in danger of being totally washed away. The only National Trust site to see the moth is:
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