Leaping Salmon
Leaping Salmon in Clay and Felt.
Felting
The Hare
Hares and rabbits are similar in size but hares are often a bit bigger with longer ears and back legs. To escape from a predator, rabbits tend to bolt underground while hares rely on speed and make a run for it. Hares and rabbits are both mammals, but actually they are completely different species! If you want to get technical, they both come from the family known as leporids and the genus Lepus. There are two species of hare in the UK: the European brown Hare and the Mountain Hare. In Ireland there is a sub-species of the Mountain hare called the Irish hare. Mountain hares are also brown, apart from during the winter months when they moult and produce a white coat, so they can’t be seen in the snow. Irish hares look similar to brown hares though can develop white patches during the winter.
Female brown hares have around four baby hares in each of their litters. They have three litters each year. Baby hares are pretty grown up as soon as they are born! Because they live overground, they have to be ready to run, so they are born with fur and with their eyes open. Baby hares are called leverets (baby rabbits are called kittens)
Rabbits and hares eat similar food like grass but there are differences. Hares are known to like a tough twig or piece of bark, while rabbits like a good vegetable. Unlike rabbits, hares do not live in groups or underground but above ground in simple nests. Hares used to live in lots of places across the UK but because of various reasons, their numbers are going down. But they can still be seen in decent numbers in certain places such as East Anglia, across Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire, in the south around Dorset and in the north such as Lancashire and Cleveland. In some parts of the country, such as most of the south west of England, hares are rarely seen and may even be extinct in some areas. Mountain hares – as their name would suggest – like to live in high altitudes so in the UK are generally found in Scotland. Like brown hares, their populations are shrinking and they are thought to be extinct in some areas where they once thrived.
Hares are endangered in the UK. The number of hares has dropped by about 80% in the last century or so. Most of the problem for hares has been caused by changes in farming practices, with the loss of hay meadows and hedgerows particularly damaging. Hares have also suffered because of cruel sports. As well as hare hunting and hare coursing, hares are also shot for sport. The hare is the only ‘game’ animal in England and Wales where there isn’t a ‘closed’ season, meaning they can be killed all year round – even when mothers are pregnant or have just given birth.
- Brown hares can reach speeds of up to 56 km/h (35mph). The fastest a human has ever run was athlete Usain Bolt in the 2009 World Athletics Championships when he reached 44.72km/h for a short period. He’d never have beaten a hare!
- Hares may be fast, but that didn’t stop one losing to a Tortoise in Aesop’s fable of The Tortoise and the Hare.
- During the spring mating season, female hares can be seen ‘boxing’ with the male hares. This is known as March Madness…
- …not to be confused with Lewis Carroll’s Mad March Hare, who always thought it was time for tea in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
- We’ve all heard of the Easter Bunny, but this famous creature is most likely to have been a hare – an animal which features in the myth and lore of many countries.
From an article about Hares on the League Against Cruel Sports website
The Red Deer
My felted picture of this Red Deer was inspired by a wonderful photograph taken by Don MacKinnon, a local landscape and wildlife photographer. Other examples of his work can be found on his Facebook page.
The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, Iran, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. In many parts of the world, the meat (venison) from red deer is used as a food source.
Red deer are ruminants, characterized by a four-chambered stomach. Genetic evidence indicates the red deer as traditionally defined is a species group, rather than a single species, although it remains disputed as to exactly how many species the group includes. The closely related and slightly larger American elk or wapiti, native to North America and eastern parts of Asia, had been regarded as a subspecies of red deer, but recently it has been established as a distinct species. It is probable that the ancestor of all red deer, including wapiti, originated in central Asia and resembled sika deer.
Although at one time red deer were rare in parts of Europe, they were never close to extinction. Reintroduction and conservation efforts, such as in the United Kingdom and Portugal, have resulted in an increase of red deer populations, while other areas, such as North Africa, have continued to show a population decline.
Deer are amazing animals – here are a few deer facts – we bet you don’t know all of them!
- Red deer are the biggest indigenous land mammals remaining wild in the UK, after other bigger mammals became extinct.
- There are many different species of deer, indigenous species of which can be found in North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
- There are 6 species of wild deer in the UK. Red Deer, Roe Deer, Fallow Deer, Reeves’ Muntjac, Chinese Water Deer and Sika deer. The Red deer (Cervus elaphus) and the European Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are the only indigenous species.
- Deer (singular and plural) are ruminant mammals belonging to the family Cervidae.
- Deer are famous for their antlers, but it is only the males that have them. They start growing a new set every spring at a rate of up to 2.5cm per day, before shedding them in the winter.
- Antlers are used by males in the mating season, or rut as it’s called, to fend off competing males.
- Different species have different names for males and females. Red Deer are called Stag and Hind, whereas Roe deer are Buck and Doe. A group of deer is called a herd.
- An average adult Exmoor stag weighs 135kg and a hind seldom over 90kg. Adult males stand at around 115cm at the shoulder and are the largest wild land mammal in England.
- In the Harry Potter series, a Stag and a Doe appeared as the Patronus’ of Harry’s parents James and Lily, as well as Harry himself. And Professor Snape of course. Always.
- A black stag is the sigil of the House Baratheon on fictional TV series Game of Thrones.
Thanks to the League Against Cruel Sports website for these facts
The Red Squirrel
The red squirrel is famed for its orange-red fur, but is actually quite variable in colour, ranging from vivid ginger to dark brown. In winter, the fur is often tinged with grey and large tufts develop above the ears. Red squirrels have a large bushy tail that is almost as long as their body. Not to be confused with: the grey squirrel. Colour is the obvious difference here, but there can be some overlap between the species, with greyish-red squirrels and reddish-grey squirrels sometimes occurring. Grey squirrels never have tufted ears and are significantly larger, weighing around 540g, compared to just 300g for red squirrels. The tail of red squirrel is always exclusively one colour, while a grey squirrel tail often contains several colours.
The Highland Cow
My felted picture of this Highland Cow was inspired by this windswept photograph taken by Don MacKinnon, a local landscape and wildlife photographer. Other examples of his work can be found on his Facebook page.
- The breed’s history is quite complex! Herd books of the past recorded details of two different types of Highland cattle; however, it seems that decades of crossbreeding have faded the lines between the two, leaving only one official Highland cattle type.
- Records also show that Highland is actually the oldest registered breed in the world, mostly due to the fact that their herd book predates all others.
- The Highland breed is predominantly used for beef production, but can be milked on a small scale. Their milk has a high butterfat content, which some farmers may find appealing.
- Interestingly, a group of Highland cattle is not called a herd, but a ‘fold’ instead.
- Their coat is often the most discussed attribute of these cattle. When Highland cattle are mentioned, people often immediately think of their ginger-red coat. However, their colouring can vary between black, brindle, yellow and even white!
- Their hair is always long, sometimes reaching about 13 inches, with a slight wave. Since their coat is double-layered, the outer hair is oiled to prevent rain seeping into their skin, while the downy undercoat provides warmth during the rough and rainy Scottish winters.
- Highland cattle aren’t very large, with bulls weighing about 800kg and cows reaching around 500kg.
- Their hair, although an advantage in their native Scotland, can be troublesome for Highland cattle bred in other countries. Warmer climates can be stressful for the cattle, since their heavy coat will cause overheating.
- They have long and distinctive horns, which actually help them forage for food during during snowy winters! They can use their horns as a way to dig deep into pastures that have been covered with snow. Although this is a benefit to the cattle, some farmers may find horns to be troublesome, especially if the cattle are kept in close proximity to other animals.
- They have great longevity! This reduces herd replacement costs, since they’re known to live for about 20 years; a considerably longer lifespan than other beef breeds. The average number of calves per cow is 12, and some cows can still calve into their eighteenth year!
- Highland cattle are usually able to mate at about 18 months of age, and pregnancy in Highland cows usually lasts up to 290 days. They can often calve unassisted, cutting down on veterinary costs during the birth process. This is because calves usually have slim bodies that move easily through the large Highland dam’s pelvis. Calves usually weigh no more than 30kg at birth.
- Cows also have quite small teats with well-formed udders, and this combined with their milk’s high butterfat content ensures that calves are sufficiently nourished from an early age.
- Highland cattle health is quite good! Their short legs ensure that problems are also kept to a minimum, and their long fringes protect their eyes and facial area.
- These cattle are quite docile, but can be protective if their young are threatened. For this reason, it’s always important to take extra care around all cows and particularly bulls, regardless of breed! Take a look at our article on Bull Safety to remind yourself of the dangers.
- Since they retain their body heat by having a thick coat and not by storing excess fat, their meat is quite lean. Studies show that their beef is about 38% lower in fat than other beef breeds. It’s also 4% lower in cholesterol. When cross-bred with larger sires such as Shorthorn or Limousin, their meat becomes much more commercially desirable. These crosses have carcasses that still retain the tenderness of Highland beef, just on a larger scale. Highland beef is also well-marbled, with high protein and iron levels.
Thanks to Grace Treston of thatsfarming.com for these facts