Marsden Moor one of top spots in country for wildlife

Marsden Moor and Fountains Abbey have ranked eighth and ninth respectively as some of the best spots in the UK to see wildlife, according to the study conducted by thortful, in partnership with the RSPCA.

Marsden Moor spans 5,000 acres and has been given status as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation thanks to the ground-nesting birds which breed there and the important blanket bog.

Some of the birds found on the moor are endangered in the UK due to the loss of other moorland habitats.

Twite is a small, brown finch which feeds on seeds and uses the moor as a breeding ground in the warmer months.

Snipe, dunlin and golden plover also breed on the moors, nesting in the blanket bog and heathland and feeding on insects. Merlins and short-eared owls soar over the moors steadily watching the ground for prey.

The moors mammals, reptiles and insects are elusive. Stoats and weasels scurry through the undergrowth on the hunt for unsuspecting voles and rabbits. Foxes sleep in their dens until night falls before emerging to explore in the darkness.

Mountain hares use their fur to help camouflage them. In the winter months they have a snowy white coat to help them blend into the snow covered hills but when the snow melts in the spring the coat changes to brown to help hide them in the heather.

The number one spot in the survey went to Dartmoor National Park in Devon where the Dartmoor Ponies, can be found.

If you are looking to spot wildlife this winter, the RSPCA has put together some of their tips on things to bear in mind:

Be careful when walking your dog near wildlife

Even though you might not be able to see them if they’re hidden away in bushes or hedgerows, dogs can still sniff out thanks to their fantastic sense of smell.

Don’t litter whilst out and about

Any litter left around can be dangerous to animals as well as bad for the environment.