Wildlife in parks
Ealing's parks are home to a number of animal species. Use this
section to learn more about
foxes,
bats,
hedgehogs,
squirrels
and
frogs.
Foxes
Foxes are now more common in some London boroughs than in the
surrounding countryside. Since the First World War, rural foxes
have been attracted to large towns and cities because of the food
and shelter provided by gardens, compost heaps, bird tables and
garden buildings.
Foxes spend much of their time resting in an 'earth'. During the breeding season young fox cubs live in the earth until they are old enough to start exploring the outside world. In the countryside, earths are usually in small tunnels hidden away among fallen trees or the banks of hedges. In London, fox earths can be found under sheds, in cellars or in any other quiet location.
Hunting throughout the family territory, foxes have a varied diet ranging from fruit to mice. On average, scavenged food forms some 36% of their diet, with a large amount of this deliberately put out to attract them.
Most people derive pleasure from having foxes in their neighbourhood, and they are certainly a benefit, feeding on rats, mice and feral pigeons. But foxes also have a bad name for their scavanging habits - overturning dustbins or ripping bin liners. However, domestic cats and rats have very similar habits and may also be to blame for causing a mess.
Bats
Of the sixteen species of bat found in the UK, the
majority can be found in the south due to the warm climate and the
greater availability of flying insects. All European-based bats
feed on insects, from tiny gnats to large beetles, and some can eat
up to 3500 in one night.
The bats in this country are relatively small in size; the Pipistrelle is just 5cm long and weighs four grammes – about the same as a ten pence piece – whereas larger species such as the Noctule can reach up to the size of a small bird.
In winter there are fewer insects so bats cope with this seasonal lack of food by hibernating. As summer turns to autumn bats store energy by building up to 35% of their body weight in fat. During hibernation their heart rate and breathing slow down to conserve these energy supplies, although they do occasionally 'wake up' and heat up as they do so.
Contrary to popular belief, bats can see perfectly well (but not in colour). They navigate at night by emitting high-frequency sound waves, using returning echoes from nearby objects to build up a picture of the surrounding area. By using such a sophisticated navigation system, bats can effectively locate and feed on insects.
Hedgehogs
A suburban success story, hedgehogs have found relief from
the changing face of British agriculture in the gardens, parks and
cemeteries of our towns and cities.
Hedgehogs are nocturnal insectivores. They feed on at least 100 invertebrates per night, including beetles, caterpillars, slugs and earthworms. Relying on a strong sense of smell, they wander for approximately two miles each night foraging for food – detecting prey up to three centimetres deep under the soil.
Hedgehogs conserve energy by hibernating in the winter. This is because invertebrate animals – their normal source of energy – become scarcer during the colder months. Fat levels built up earlier in the year are used during hibernation, accompanied with a reduced heart rate (less than 20 beats per minute), a lowering of body temperature (1-10 Celsius) and a slower breathing rate. Hedgehogs tend to hibernate wrapped in a cocoon of dry leaves.
The odd spiky appearance of hedgehogs doubles as an effective strategy for survival: their spiny coat provides protection from predators so they have few natural enemies. In fact, a hedgehog's greatest threat for survival comes from winter starvation, with three quarters of the population dying before they are one year old.
Squirrels
Red squirrels once populated the entire British Isles but
their numbers have since declined so that they are now restricted
to areas of Scotland and northern England. The grey squirrel was
introduced from America in the late nineteenth century and now
flourishes in most parts of the country – it is the most
commonly-seen wild mammal in London. The success of the grey
squirrel over the red is due to their relative success in competing
for food in deciduous woodland. Greys are better at digesting
acorns and tend to eat hazels rather than store them for winter.
This can be a problem for reds, which rely on plentiful supplies of
hazelnuts in the colder months.
Squirrels are opportunist feeders. Their diet varies depending on the season and what is available. They eat catkins, flowers, rosehips, fungi, shoots, bulbs, bark and may rob nests in spring, taking both eggs and young birds. However, their most important natural food source is tree seeds. Squirrels eat them as they ripen or store them for hard times, burying them just below the surface of the soil.
Woodland is the best habitat for squirrels as it provides an abundance of food and shelter. Home for a squirrel is either a nest hidden in high branches, or a den in a hollow tree. These provide protection from the weather and a place to rear their young.
Squirrels have short front legs and much longer hind legs,
whilst their strong claws and double-jointed hind legs enable them
to climb up and down. With sharp all-round vision and good sense of
smell, their senses are geared towards finding food and avoiding
tree climbing accidents. Whiskers on the head, feet and tail
provide early warnings for bumping into things. Their bushy tails
help them balance as well as keeping them warm when they are
asleep.
Frogs
and toads
The most obvious difference between these two amphibians is
their skin. Frogs have smooth, moist skin, greenish brown to yellow
in colour, with a distinctive brown patch behind the eye. Toads
have drier bumpier skin, which is often brownish. The slimy look of
frogs is caused by a secretion from the glands in the skin, which
keeps it moist and supple. This is important as frogs breathe
through their skin as well as through their lungs.
The spread of London's urban environment has led to the destruction of over 90% of the city's natural ponds – sites vital to the survival of amphibians. The saviour of the common frog and toad has been the increase in the number of garden ponds, providing an artificial alternative to lost wildlife habitats.
Frogs lay their spawn in shallow, still water, forming large clumps of eggs which rapidly swell up as they absorb water. Toads tend to spawn in deeper water forming ropes of eggs which hang from plant stems. The success rate of spawn is low - out of 2,000 eggs only five will survive into adulthood.
Frogs tend to feed during the night around the edges of ponds, using their long sticky tongues to capture flying insects and beetles, or ensnare slugs and snails. Toads often travel longer distances to obtain their food, which consists mainly of ants, but also includes slugs, snails and woodlice. These dietary differences reduce competition in areas where frogs and toads co-exist.