Climate changes could affect region's wildlife

Dec 28 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

THE region’s wildlife could be affected for ever by climate changes, conservationists have warned.

An unseasonably warm and dry spring followed by a wet summer leading into an exceptionally mild and wet autumn had its impact on the region’s plants and animals.

A record number of species flowered and bred earlier than ever before, and Stephen Morley, the National Trust’s nature conservation adviser for the North East, is warning that British wildlife is going to be increasingly affected by unpredictable weather.

He said: “This year’s weather has been full of unique extremes with massive fluctuations that have totally confused, and in some cases adversely harmed, our wildlife.

“A warm and dry spring encouraged much of our flora and fauna to emerge earlier than normal, before being faced with a temperate but damp summer that led into an exceptionally warm autumn that ensured everything hung around longer than it should.

““Then someone switched the tap on in October and left it running with rain falling in monsoon quantities accompanied by terrifically high winds.

“Our weather is becoming much more unpredictable, which is a real challenge to wildlife in terms of coping with the changing seasons.

“This year, we had an early spring and stormy weather in the summer that had a severe impact on the region.”

The warm and dry spring meant many flowers, insects and birds either bloomed, arrived or nested earlier than ever.

Red admiral butterflies arrived on the wing at The Leas, South Tyneside, in January, a staggering 16 weeks ahead of schedule.