If you’ve never heard of the Caledonian Forest, it’s time to listen up…LOL…
Basically, the Caledonian Forest is like the “Rainforest” of Scotland. It used to cover 1.5 million hectares of the Scottish Highlands, and now, only about 1% of that remains in 35 isolated areas.
This is devastating, not only to Scotland and it’s amazing wildlife, but to the world in general. We depend upon trees to survive…
The species like beaver, tarpan, wild boar and the lynx are that inhabited these forests are gone.
Photo left: Tarpan (wild horse), extinct since 1919 – This is the only known photo of a live tarpan in existence from the late 1800s.
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This forest is a unique ecosystem in the British Isles and is home to some of the rarest wildlife:
1. There are 13 bird species that breed here that are found nowhere else in the British Isles.
2. 8 more bird species breed here that are considered rare in the British Isles.
3. There are 8 mammals still present in the remaining Caledonian Forest.
4. 8 mammals are considered extinct here, including:
European Beaver- Wild Boar
- Gray Wolf
- Elk
- Aurochs
- Eurasian Lynx
- Brown Bear
- Tarpan (wild horse)
Photo right: Aurochs, extinct since 1627
What an awful shame!
What do we do now?
Well, programs have been instituted to attempt to reforest the Great Caledonian. You can volunteer in replanting, or support these endeavors. Check out the site, TreesForLife.org.uk, to find out more information on the Caledonian Forest and how you can help with reforestation.
Some of the Scottish landowners have been planning to build game reserves on their estates to release some of the species that are now considered extinct in the area, as listed above.
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I hope you find this post on the Environment and European Animals interesting on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…
Live Exotically,
Kimberly Edwards 
P.S.
Technorati Tags: Caledonian Forest, Scottish Highlands, extinct animals, reforestation, environment, British Isles, Scotland, Caledonian
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It’s time to “Go Green”. Everyone. Electric or Hybrid Cars or cars that run off water. We need to start to really care about what we do. Start to realize that our actions affect the earth that we live in.
Thanks for the post Kim.
Kenney