Good news for rare moths of Bristol’s Avon Gorge - 20/12/11

Record numbers of a rare moth species only found in parts the Avon Gorge and nowhere else in England, have been reported following a survey by Bristol Zoo Gardens.

Silky wave moths inhabit areas of limestone grassland and rocky outcrops on the south or south-west facing slopes of the Avon Gorge. The only other places these moths are found, in the UK are the Gower in south Wales and the Great Orme in north Wales.

The species is classified as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has been designated a priority species in need of conservation on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

For a number of years, Butterfly Conservation has been working with Bristol Zoo to monitor the species in the Gorge. For the first time this year Bristol Zoo and its sister organisation – the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation – took on full responsibility for monitoring the silky wave moth in the Gorge.

Zoo staff and volunteerscarried out the most comprehensive survey of the species ever undertaken, visiting 15 sites around the Gorge every weekfor nine weeks during the summer. As a result, record moth numbers were documented.

Maddy Rees, UK conservation officer at Bristol Zoo, explains: “At one survey site, we recorded 119 moths in one day alone. The maximum found at the same site in previous years was 33 in 2001, so this is a fantastic result.”

She added: “Similarly, at one of our new survey sites along the cycleway at the base of Leigh Woods, we recorded 42 moths in one day. Previous records show a maximum of just six moths at the same site in 2008. Elsewhere we found moths in sites where they have never previously been seen by surveyors before.”

The results of the survey have now been published in a report, and recommendations made for how best to manage the land to benefit the moths have been made to the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project and the National Trust. 

Maddy said: “This year’s high numbers are likely to be due to an increase in survey efforts but ultimately it is great because it means silky wave moth numbers are far higher than we ever thought.

“With continued good habitat management we hope to find stable population numbers at our core sites and an increase in numbers and distribution across the gorge in upcoming years.”

Chris Westcott, land management advisor at Natural England added: ‘The increased numbers of silky wave moths recorded this year is really exciting news for the Gorge and it’s great to know that the conservation works are helping support populations of this very rare moth.”

The Avon Gorge is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation and is carefully managed by the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project and the National Trust to protect a variety of rare plant and animal species.

Earlier this year a herd of six goats was released into part of the Gorge known as the Gully as part of a project to help restore grassland and protect rare plants by managing scrub growth. They are being monitored closely and it is believed that this new management regime will help continue to improve habitat for rare species, such as the silky wave moth. 

The silky wave moth project is a partnership between Bristol Zoo Gardens, the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation, the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project, Butterfly Conservation, National Trust, Natural England and the Bristol and District Moth Group run by Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives. The project is sponsored by local accountancy firm, Mazars.

The silky wave moth is a small, cream coloured moth with an iridescent shine and a slightly darker-brown wavy pattern on both the fore- and hind wings.

Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on the generous support of the public not only to fund its important work in the zoo, but also its vital conservation and research projects spanning five continents.

For more information about Bristol Zoo Gardens visit the website www.bristolzoo.org.uk or phone 0117 974 7300.For more information about the Avon Gorge visit www.avongorge.org.uk.

ENDS
 

For media enquiries please contact Bristol Zoo Press Office:

Lucy King, T: 0117 974 7306, or email: lking@bristolzoo.org.uk

Vanessa Hollier, T: 0117 974 7309, or email: vhollier@bristolzoo.org.uk
 

Notes to Editors

Bristol Zoo Gardens

• Bristol Zoo is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day. 
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on income from visitors and supporters to continue its important work. 
• In 2011 Bristol Zoo celebrates its 175^th anniversary and wants to do more than celebrate.
• Over that past 175 years, the Zoo has brought six generations of Bristolians closer to wildlife, helped save over 175 species from extinction, established over 30 field conservation and research programmes   all over the world, showed 40 millionschool aged children the wonder of nature and given more than 90 million visitors a wonderful day out.
• Throughout 2011 we’re bring people, businesses, charities and wildlife together to share amazing experiences that raise awareness and funds to save threatened wildlife and places. To find out more, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on
• Throughout 2011 we will be focusing our efforts on raising funds and awareness in support of gorilla conservation.
• Throughout 2011 Bristol Zoo will support theEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria Ape Campaign.The campaign aims to make a significant and lasting contribution to the continued survival of apes and their habitats, and is being led by Dr Bryan Carroll, the Director of Bristol Zoo.
• To find out more about the EAZA Ape Campaign visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/conservation-campaigns.
• Bristol Zoo is involved with more than 100 co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species. 
• Itemploys over 150 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work. 
• Bristol Zoo supports – through finance and skill sharing - 15 projects in the UK and abroad that conserveand protectsome of the world’s most endangered species.
• In 2010 Bristol Zoo Gardens set up a Conservation Fund to raise vital funds to help care for threatened animals and plants – both in the Zoo and through the conservation work we do in the UK and around the world.
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents more than 90 member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums.