"Scientists working side-by-side from 25 wildlife organisations have compiled a stock take of our native species – the first of its kind in the UK. The State of Nature report reveals that 60% of the species studied have declined over recent decades. More than one in ten of all the species assessed are under threat of disappearing from our shores altogether." ~ UK State of Nature report

The above is both shocking and saddening.  It's one of the many reasons I'm passionate about a local charity's work here in Hampshire. HART Wildlife offer vetinary expertise and care to injured British wildlife brought into the hospital; including threatened species alongside our more commonly seen animals.  When I occasionally volunteer there I'm consistently impressed by HART's level of compassion and concern for the animals in their care, and the success rate in healing animals, nursing them back to health and returning them to the wild whenever possible. The team work tirelessly, often 'fostering' the more vunerable animals and working throughout the night with them.  There's never a job that doesn't need doing, a cage to clean or a mouth to feed! 

With modern farming methods, climate change, pollution, pesticides and human development (both housing and roads) we really do owe it to our wildlife to do anything we can to halt the rapidly accelerating decline before yet more species disappear altogether. Supporting HART is one way to contribute to keeping UK wildlife alive, flourishing and healthy.  We live in a beautiful, diverse landscape; lets keep it that way.