Wednesday 19 January 2011

For the Great Bustard, great news!

Great news for the magnificent bird, the great bustard! .......and that's not a reference to Boris Johnson!
The EU are making a grant of £1.8 million to the Great Bustard Project based on Salisbury Plain.
These birds were driven to near extinction in UK in the 1800s due to extensive egg collection and hunting, the first chicks being hatched in the wild in 2004 since 1832.
Shaped similarly to a goose, it is larger with longer legs and a straighter neck. With a wingspan of 7 - 8ft, length of 3 - 3.6ft, and weight of 22 - 35 lb, the heaviest known was 46lb. These birds are possibly the heaviest flying animal. Originally from Southern and Central Europe and across temperate Asia they were also native in GB, and are still  part of the design of the Wiltshire Coat of Arms.

1 comment:

  1. One of natures flying miracles .Good luck to all the little BASTARDS in the future !

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