Awakening Nature: Celebrating the Spring Equinox

Hello and welcome to this week's Wildlife Matters podcast.

And you find us in optimistic mood today, as the long, dark days of winter are mostly behind us now and spring is just around the corner.

So we are taking the time to examine some signs of spring that you can find in nature right now.

This week, the equinox heralds the beginning of spring.

Spring.

We want to motivate you to leave your warm homes and enter the bright yet chilly natural world.

One thing that is hard to miss is the spring chorus, which is growing louder and longer every day and should continue all the way through to early May.

We will share our local spring chorus, which was recorded just a few days ago on this week's Wildlife Matters.

Mindful moments.

But before that, with so much happening.

In the world and many people feeling.

Anxious about the future, at Wildlife Matters we focus firmly on wildlife and nature by sharing stories about some of the incredible ocean mammals that have been sighted in the English Channel this year.

We're also sharing the exciting news that.

Natural England has confirmed the beavers are.

Back in the wild in Britain, with the first releases meant to be happening this week.

And our final story asks the question, why are birds nesting earlier in Britain?

To answer it, we have an article written by Wildlife Matters.

So join me at the Wildlife Matters and news desk for this week's biggest wildlife and nature story on Wildlife Matters Nature News.

Hello.

Hello and welcome to this week's Wildlife Matters Nature News, where we're reporting and review some of the stories that are impacting on wildlife and nature this week.

Our first story is about some marine life spotted off the south coast this year.

And whilst Brighton becomes a hot spot for sun and fun seekers from all over England in the summer months, the beloved seaside resort is not really known as being a haven for marine wildlife.

But according to the local Sussex Dolphin Project, the area is teeming with life, from seals and cat sharks to dolphins and whales.

To challenge the view that the waters off Brighton are lifeless, the Not For Profit is currently educating and inspiring locals and visitors alike about the many species, including cetaceans, that call the English Channel and more particularly the Sussex coastline home.

Thea Taylor, the director of the Sussex Dolphin Project, told us.

While we don't have a resident population within Sussex, dolphins and porpoises are recorded off the coast all year round.

Over the winter period, sightings tend to be further offshore, as cetaceans head out to more stable conditions in deeper water and only head inshore over the summer, sometimes as little as 20 meters from the beach, while bottlenose dolphins make up the biggest proportion of the cetaceans seen off Brighton.

Common white beaked sightings and the elusive harbour porpoise have also been recorded.

Additionally, in the past few months, visitors to the East Sussex area have been surprised by the increasing number of humpback whale sightings off the coast.

@ the time of recording, the Sussex Dolphin Project seeks to collect as much data as possible on whale and dolphin sightings to help educate the public and generate widespread interest in the topic.

Our data drives everything else that happens in our organization, said Taylor.

We currently rely predominantly on opportunistic sightings from members of the public and the local fishing and leisure boat community who are our eyes and ears.

On the Water Project established a land watch volunteer service scheme to harness the power of citizen science and gather more data on the species.

The scheme trains members of the public to spot dolphins from land and collect data on the individuals that they see.

The sightings to date, combined with efforts from other regional organizations to create a sightings network have allowed the project to understand key areas for cetaceans.

In addition to their data gathering efforts, the Sussex Dolphin Project tries to inspire the local community about conservation issues along the Sussex coastline.

It encourages change in human behavior that will lead to increasingly sustainable practices and inspire future generations of ocean conservationists.

Like others in the regions, the cetaceans of Sussex are impacted by various threats.

The eastern English Channel experiences many industrial large scale fishing activities, severely impacting local biodiversity and small scale fishing communities that rely on local fish stocks for their income.

Sussex dolphin populations face major habitat degradation, noise pollution within the English Channel and pfas or per ant polyfluorinated akyl substances, also known as forever chemicals, which impact cetaceans globally.

The Sussex Dolphin Project has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help them fund a research vessel.

The goal is to collect more dolphin sighting data, learn more about the threats of dolphin species faced within the region and to better protect the dolphins.

A key priority must be getting out.

On the water more frequently to allow.

Us to research cetaceans on the water, said Taylor.

Right now, whenever we need to head out to sea to monitor dolphins, we must charter a boat by the hour.

This limits how often, how long we can be on the water for and how far we can go out.

We are seeing more dolphins, porpoises and whales than ever before and that means we need to be there to monitor and protect them reducing the risk of boat strikes, disturbance and displacement whilst researching the impacts of other human threats.

Above all, the growing climate and nature emergency make us all aware that we must step up and and protect our local species.

We could do so much more with our own boat.

So if you are able to help the Sussex Dolphin Project with their crowdfunder, do visit their website where you will find all the information.

Our second story is a win for wildlife and nature and that is the exciting news that beavers are back.

Yes, the rodent everybody loves helps to combat drought and boosts biodiversity.

Its reintroduction is welcome and long overdue.

The first time I laid eyes on a beaver was a few years ago on a Devon farm of Derek Gow.

The farmer turnd rewilder who brought the furry rodents back to the UK over 30 years ago.

It was magical.

Sitting in the June dusk and the pink and purple sky was reflected in the still ponds of the beaver area.

Suddenly, ripples emerged from the lodge and the head of a kit, a baby beaver, popped up from underwater.

Watching this fascinating, very cute creature collect willow branches in its mouth was a heart stopping moment.

It felt like peeking into a secret world.

But this scene will become more standard across England after the government announced last Friday that beavers can be legally released into the wild for the first time.

The rodents were a common feature of our rivers until around 400 years ago when they were hunted to to extinction for their pelts and the oils that they secrete.

So this is the return of a creature that belongs here and that we cruelly extinguish from our landscape.

But it's a much more critical moment than that.

We have screwed up our rivers over the centuries, straightening them, divorcing them from floodplains and destroying the surrounding habitats.

And this causes increased flooding and makes it more difficult for nature to thrive.

Beavers can heal this.

They are known as a keystone species, meaning their presence creates habitats for other creatures, including fish, amphibians and insects.

Beavers alleviate flooding.

Their dams are leaky, which means rivers flow more steadily and rainwater isn't dumped all at once into our towns and villages.

The beavers on the River Otter in Devon, one of our free living populations have managed to prevent the village downstream from flooding.

As climate change brings heavier rainfall, their flood reduction services will become more invaluable.

In the Czech Republic, the government planned a flood prevention scheme involving a dam.

But the beavers arrived first, building their dam in the exact location planned by officials and saving Czech taxpayers the equivalent of over £1 million.

Beavers also help reduce the impact of drought.

Right now, England's beavers are mostly in.

Enclosures, where they have been released by conservationists who have observed their impact on a few constrained acres of land.

In the coming days, these industrious rodents will be living free all over the country, with the first expected to be released by the National Trust at the Purbeck Heaths in Dorset, and I urge you to go and visit so you too can experience the magic of watching wild beavers.

This week's third story asks why birds are nesting earlier in Britain, and this is an article written by Wildlife Matters.

The early nesters Spring in the UK.

Signals the beginning of the nesting period.

For wild birds, a vibrant chapter in the seasonal cycle of nature.

Interestingly, many species embark on their nesting journeys even before spring officially arrives, and some, like the wood pigeons, choose to nest throughout the entire year, adapting remarkably to their environment.

The nesting season lasts from February through to August, with peak activity occurring between March and July.

However, the narratives of these feathered inhabitants vary.

While some birds enthusiastically start nesting in February, others forge their paths nesting year round, regardless of the season.

The British Trust for Ornithology has noted a significant shift in the timing of the nesting season, attributing this change to climate change.

This early onset could lead to challenges, particularly if the rest of the natural world does not adjust accordingly.

Many plants and insects which form the essential diet for these birds, have not kept pace and often emerge later than the birds start nesting.

Fortunately, in a hopeful twist of fate, climatic conditions have prompted some plants and insects to surface a month earlier, alleviating some potential mismatches in timing.

When it comes to the early nesters, the crossbills are the leaders, but they're predominantly found in the rugged landscapes of Scotland.

These resilient birds can begin nursing as early as January, and considering the chilly northern climate, this choice may seem unconventional.

But it works to their advantage, as their food safety sources are also plentiful in Scotland during this time.

As February arrives, a variety of other.

Birds join the nesting procession, including long.

Tailed tits, long eared owls, herons and ravens.

The surge of activity continues into March, when popular garden birds like robins and blackbirds debut in the nesting season seen making the start of the season filled with the sounds of chirping and the sights of industrious feathered parents preparing for their young.

Many birds lives are dictated mainly by their food sources.

For example, blackbirds mainly feed on worms.

Which are much easier to find in softer, damp winter soil than the hard baked ground of summer or spring.

Owls, on the other hand, feed their chicks small mammals.

By nesting early in the season, they can benefit from shorter grass and fewer plants in the undergrowth, making it easier for them to find prey.

This allows them to adequately feed themselves and their young without expanding too much energy.

The long tailed tit constructs an elaborate nest which takes a significant amount of time to build, and as a result, even though they begin building during February, they usually don't lay their first eggs until April.

Conversely, some birds, like the grey heron, do not need to make a new nest each year.

They simply repair last year's nest.

They must start early though, as grey heron chicks take about eight weeks to fledge.

So if they don't begin early, there might not be enough favorable weather to.

Help the young learn how and where to find their food.

Similar to rooks and other birds that.

Mate for life, they do not waste time finding a partner and can start nesting as earlier as February each year.

In Britain, the earliest nesters include long tailed tits, long eared owls, herons, ravens, tawny owls, blackbirds, chiff chaps, great tits, nuthatches, robins, all the native corvid species, missile thrushes, wrens, song thrushes, peregrine falcons, buzzards, and on the water, ducks, coots, kingfishers, crested grebe, gulls, guillemots and oystercatchers.

In Britain, two groups of birds tend to nest later than others.

The first group consists of the seed eating birds such as finches, which delay their nesting until they can ensure a reliable food supply for their young.

And the second group are the migratory birds that arrive in April and sometimes May and nest almost every immediately upon arrival.

These would include the swallows, swifts and the martins.

The best way to help nesting birds is to leave them alone.

In the uk, knowingly damaging or destroying an occupied bird's nest is a criminal offense.

Occupied doesn't just refer to nests with eggs or chicks.

Even disturbing a nest that's being built counts as occupied.

Most birds in the Britain typically will finish raising their brood by the end of August.

However, in mild autumn, some birds may go on to raise another brood, which can extend the nesting season until late October.

Unlike most garden birds, pigeons and collared doves do not require this as they don't depend on invertebrates to feed their young.

And that was this week's Wildlife Matters Nature News.

If you have a story you feel we should be sharing on Wildlife Matters Nature News, then please do get in touch by dropping us an email.

Our email address is in the show Notes it's fantastic news that beavers are finally back in the wild in Britain.

Although many have been thriving in the wild for some time, it's still good.

News that they will be joined by many, many more.

We hope you enjoyed our article on why birds are nesting earlier.

The article neatly leads us into this week's Wildlife Matters a mindful moment, which is the beautiful and melodic dawn chorus that is getting louder and longer every day.

So if you can sit back, close your eyes and enjoy the melodic dawn.

Chorus on this week's Wildlife Matters Mindful.

Moments, I hope you let the dawn chorus gently move your senses.

The lead bird was the humble blackbird.

The male singing is one of the first and most melodic and beautiful bird songs that we seem to underappreciate as we see blackbirds in our gardens every day.

But just take a moment to listen, especially when he is joined, which is often the case by his fellow thrush cousins, the Song and the missile thrush, making a trio that rivals any combination in nature for the beauty of their bird song.

You may also have recognized a wood pigeon, blue tit and robin, but I wonder how many of you picked out the nuthatch that was perched on a hazel tree just to the right of me.

The dawn chorus leads us to this week's Wildlife a main feature which features.

Some of the early signs of spring.

That you can find whilst out in nature this week.

So pull on your boots, get your hat and scarf and join me as we explore nature to discover some of the signs of spring in this week's Wildlife Matters Spring Equinox Special Main Feature.

Hello and welcome to this week's Wildlife Matters Main feature.

And today we're celebrating the spring equinox.

As William Cowper said, spring hangs her infant blossoms on the trees rot in the cradle of the western breeze.

So are you ready to welcome spring with open arms?

Yes.

It's time to put away those winter coats and scarves and get out and enjoy being outdoors.

And what better way to do that.

Than by exploring the wonderful nature in your local area?

But before we start, let's quickly take a look at the origins of the calendar.

Did you know that the vernal equinox marks the start of spring for our ancestors and that the word comes from the Latin ver, which means spring, and nox, which means night.

The vernal equinox occurs twice a year in spring and autumn, when the sun is exactly above the equator and day and night are equal in length.

According to medieval bird watchers, spring begins on February 14th.

It's the day when the birds start to mate and the plants begin to grow.

So we can indeed say that spring is now here.

It's time to head out to your local wild spaces and feast your eyes on that good green stuff.

And while you're outside, why not look for some of the fantastic wildlife that comes out to play during the spring season?

There's so much to see and explore, from the colorful butterflies to the song of the birds.

So take a deep breath of that fresh spring air and let's welcome spring together.

One of the signs of spring is the green spears.

Amid meditative browns are the wild garlic leaves, the foliage that loves summer shelter and winter light.

Have you noticed there's a pungent aroma wafting through the woods lately?

That's the wild garlic popping up in the woodlands and under the hedgerows.

You can often smell it before you can see it.

It's that intense with its beguiling, heady aroma.

But before you start foraging for wild garlic, remember some simple rules.

Firstly, make sure you have correctly identified before eating it.

Secondly, only take what you need and leave at least 80% of the plants or mushrooms that you may find.

And it's important to remember that some plants must flower and produce seeds yearly.

Wildlife also depends on them as a food source.

Did you know that wild garlic is also known as bear garlic in the US and Canada because it's believed bears have eaten it after a long winter's sleep to help them regain their strength.

And in many parts of Europe, it is known as ransoms or rampion.

Magic and folklore.

Wild garlic is said to keep away evil creatures such as vampires.

In some cultures, athletes were told to chew the plant to help them win their race.

Early Christians also used the flowers to decorate their churches on the feast day of St Alphege.

And one of my favourite ways to enjoy wild garlic is to make a nettle pakora, a delicious treat that is also vegan.

So why not give that a try?

And I'll leave a link in the show notes to a recipe from Rachel Lambert of Wild Walks Southwest on how to make it.

Of course, if you've got wild garlic and you're going to make that pakora, you're going to need to find some nettles.

As Victor Hugo once said, when the nettle is young, the leaves make excellent greens.

Growing old, it has filaments and fibres like hemp and flax.

So have you been searching for a way to take your diet to the next level?

Well, look no further than the humble stinging nettle.

Not only are they super easy to identify, but they're also an absolute powerhouse in the kitchen.

Did you know that the young leaves contain vitamins A, C and some of the B vitamins?

And that's not all.

Fresh nettles also contain 670 milligrams of potassium, 590 milligrams of calcium, 18 micrograms of chromium, 270 micrograms of copper, 86 micrograms of magnesium and 4.4 micrograms of iron in every hundred grams of leaves.

But a nettle's value goes way beyond just cooking.

This versatile plant has a fascinating history, steeped in nature folklore.

According to legend, nettles could cure toothache, break spells and curses, and even promote good health in livestock.

Plus, they were believed to have aphrodisiac properties and were used in love potions and spells.

Let's remember their role in traditional British cuisine.

Nettles have been a staple in British cooking for centuries, from soup to tea to nettle beer.

So if you're feeling a little adventurous, why not try brewing some nettle beer or making some nettle tea?

For sweetness, you only need fresh nettle leaves, water and agave or maple syrup.

Give nettles a try and see how they can smell, spice up your culinary adventures and help boost your health simultaneously.

Another symbol of spring is one of my favorite wild animals, the beautiful, majestic hare.

Now, the mountain hare is found only in Scotland, whilst the Irish hare is also a native Irish species.

Brown hares were brought to England by the Romans.

Hair fossils dating back to 28,000 BC have been found in Ireland.

Druids would catch hares and release them to interpret their escape path for prophecy and harming A hare was once believed to bring terrible consequences.

The hare is deeply connected with the moon and fairies.

Those magical worlds can be accessed by traveling underground.

And in folklore, hares are often associated with shape shifting and sometimes as tricksters.

Depending on where you were, seeing a hare was either a bad omen, as a messenger from the other world, or the old lady next door who you thought might have been a witch.

And in Ireland, the hare was even considered a witch in disguise as it was mythically associated with the cailliac, a witch like being.

Today we discuss the mad March hares, a saying based on the hares behaviour during the month of March.

Although it can be as early as December, hares chase each other in the fields before standing on their rear legs and boxing with their front legs.

But this behaviour isn't madness.

Although this boxing is often believed to involve two males battling over a female, it is in fact an unresponsive female fighting off a male's advances.

Two of the UK's most important native trees are the oak and the ash.

And there's an old saying that I'd like to share.

Oak before ash and we're in for a splash.

But ash before oak and we're in for a soak.

Good old country saying that indicated what kind of weather we might expect in springtime.

When you wander through the woodlands, do take a moment to observe the buds and the leaves on the trees.

The timing of the trees leafing can provide valuable information about the weather in the woodland.

Although weather predictions based on old folk sayings may only be semi reliable, the behavior of the oak and ash trees can give us some clues.

Typically, oak and ash trees start to leaf around the same time.

However, the timing of the oak trees leafing is more influenced by temperature, whereas the duration of daylight affects ash trees more.

If the temperatures are high during February and March, oak trees will likely start leafing earlier.

But if it remains cold until April, ash trees will likely leaf first.

This provides an exciting insight into the impact of climate change on trees and woodlands.

Due to the warmer springs, oak trees are beginning to gain an advantage in the competition for canopy space.

And unfortunately that means that the ash trees suffer even worse.

The ash trees are already struggling against the fungal ash dieback disease.

The next sign of spring we're going to look at is the lesser celandine.

And as Wordsworth said, there's a flower that shall be mine.

Tis the little celandine.

And for centuries, swallows and celandines have been revered in Britain as being the first harbingers of spring.

Even today, these tiny plants hold a special place in our hearts as they signal the arrival of the new light.

Sensitive to sunlight, these plants have a unique characteristic of opening at dawn and then closing at dusk.

They appear to have an uncanny ability to predict the weather and will hide away before a rain shower.

Interestingly, the old Celtic name for the celandine, grian, means sun, reflecting its dependence on sunlight for both growth and vitality.

Traditionally, lesser celandine has been associated with happiness and the promise of better weather.

It is also known by various colorful folk names, such as yellow spit, nipple.

Wart, and wartwort, and that was easy.

For me to say.

The juice from the plant is also corrosive.

Another favorite is pilewort, most likely named because of the plant's root resembling a bundle of grapes or hemorrhoids.

Lesser celandine was once used to forecast the weather, as it can shut its petals before the arrival of rain.

The plant's leaves are also high in vitamin C, making it a valuable remedy for scurvy.

One of the woodland birds that will become more prominent now is the woodpecker family.

If only, if only, the woodpecker size.

The tree bark was as soft as the skies.

By Louis Sechard Hearing the sound of a drumming woodpecker in your local woodland is usually one of the first signs that spring is approaching.

Great and lesser spotted woodpeckers start drumming to establish their territories in February, and I've heard them in my local patch just recently.

The hammering activity is to develop nesting holes.

While mainly male woodpeckers drum, the females also assist with the nest building, which reaches its crescendo in March and sometimes early April.

The great spotted woodpecker is widespread now in Britain and has recently colonized Ireland.

Compared to the lesser spotted woodpecker, it has a louder drum that fades at the end.

The drumming of the scarce and declining lesser spotted spotted woodpecker is much quieter, and this species frequently advertises for a mate by using its distinctive call.

The green woodpecker is absent from Ireland, and it rarely drums, and it is most often identified by its familiar yaffle call.

Woodpeckers are fascinating, especially when it comes to folklore.

In Norse mythology, they are linked with with Thor, possibly because their hammering can be associated with his hammer, Molynel.

According to legend, the redheaded Thor got his hair color from the male woodpecker.

The Celts believe that when a woodpecker screeched, it was the sign of imminent rain, and in the Native American zodiac, if you were born between June 21 and July 21.

Your birth totem is the the woodpecker and you are known to be kind hearted and good at looking after your family and loved ones.

Now we're going to look at another tree that is resplendent in springtime.

The cherry blossoms bloom and their beauty reminds us to find strength in the fleeting moments of life.

An unknown quote, but very true.

Cherry trees represent the freshness and exhilaration of spring and are one of the earliest trees to blossom in the uk.

Two main types of cherries they are wild or sour cherries and bird cherries.

Cherry trees are hermaphrodites, meaning the male and female reproductive parts are in the same flower.

Their flowers, which are white, cup shaped and have five petals, appear in April and hang in clusters of two to six in spring.

The flowers provide bees with an early source of nectar and pollen.

Birds, including the blackbird and the song thrush, eat cherries, as do mammals such as badgers, wood mouse, yellow necked mouse and of course, dormouse.

The foliage of the cherry tree is the main food plant for caterpillars of many moth species such as the cherry fruit and cherry bark moths, the orchard, ermine, brimstone and short cloaked moths.

In Scotland, the wild cherry is referred to as the hagberry due to a superstitious belief that it was the witch's tree.

However, pieces of the bark from the tree were placed at the entrance to the home to ward off the plague egg.

The bird cherry is a stunning and fragrant tree that serves as a showstopper.

During spring, animals that love nectar gather around the tree for its almond scented blossom and the flowers of the bird cherry tree are clustered along short stalks and are also hermaphrodites, meaning that each flower has both male and female female parts.

They are heavily scented, white in color with five petals, and they will bloom in April.

After being pollinated by insects, the flowers develop into reddish black bitter cherries eaten by birds and mammals alike.

Unlike the wild cherry, the bird cherry does not produce root suckers, but like the wild cherry, the spirit spring flowers do provide bees with an early source of both nectar and pollen.

The tree's foliage is eaten by caterpillars of many moths.

Like the wild cherry, the spring flowers do provide bees with an early source of nectar and pollen.

However, the tree is toxic to livestock and particularly goats.

Many other plants you will see now have links to spring equinox, which are beneficial for wildlife and rich in folklore.

Traditionally, some common flowers, herbs and plants associated with spring are daffodils and tulips.

Wild crocuses represent rebirth and renewal.

And my favorite spring plant, the primrose, is associated with youth and new beginnings.

Pussy willows symbolize fertility and growth, whilst forsythia represents transformation and and change.

Shamrocks are associated with luck and good fortune.

Lilacs represent rebirth and new beginnings.

And peonies symbolize prosperity and good luck.

Mint is associated with abundance and prosperity, whilst rosemary represents a remembrance and fidelity.

Time is associated with courage and strength.

And lastly but not least, the humble but remarkable dandelions symbolize wishes and dreams coming true.

Now that you've been out and discovered some of nature's early spring gifts, don't just come home and stay in.

Spending time in nature, taking walks and observing seasonal changes are all great for well being.

Our ancestors recognized this a long time ago.

The pagans celebrated the spring equinox as Ostara.

Now is the time to acknowledge and appreciate nature's beauty and power in its spring form by participating in rituals and ceremonies that connect one with nature's energy and life force.

So try sewing seeds of vegetables and flowers, planting and tending to your gardens by pruning bushes and climbing roses and planting your garlic, onions and shallots.

Don't forget to plant the summer flowering bulbs and prune your apple trees.

Being out in nature or working in.

The garden is the best way to.

Practice mindfulness and gratitude towards the Earth and Mother Nature.

Whatever you choose to do this Ostara, I hope you enjoy your newfound energy and use it to benefit your mental, emotional and physical health and well being and enjoy being out in wildlife and nature.

And that has been this week's Wildlife Matters main feature.

Well, I hope you enjoyed our walk and talk discovering some signs of spring as we celebrated Ostara, the pagan celebration of spring and for me the beginning of the new year.

Now is the time the light and.

Energy returns and wildlife nature are busy finding mates, building dens and nests and having their chicks and cubs.

The energy is all around us as we leave the darkness of winter and step into the spring light.

The spring light can bring a sense of clarity and vibrancy to the world, with the colors of nature more vivid and the air feeling fresher and cleaner.

Getting out into nature is excellent for your mental, emotional and physical health all year round, but the spring season is the most powerful and vibrant for me.

We want to say a huge thank you to our new listeners and many of you have joined us in the last few weeks and as always, a huge thank you to those who have been with us and supported us longer.

Please do tell your friends, colleagues and family about the podcast and share on your social media or in the groups you support.

Does help Wildlife Matters to be discovered by more wildlife and nature lovers in the algorithm driven world that we live in today?

Wildlife Masses will return in two weeks where we will look at the beautiful badger in springtime and share some audio recorded at our local set.

Now that's one you don't want to miss.

We will also have the latest news stories that impact wildlife and nature.

And we will be spending time in nature with our mindfulness moments.

Audio stress relief for wildlife lovers.

We appreciate you, yes, I mean you taking the time to listen to us today.

So until next time, keep safe wild ones.

This is Wildlife Matters signing off.