The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), the largest voluntary organisation dedicated to protecting all of Scotland’s wildlife, has today revealed the secrets behind some of nature’s most successful courting rituals, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Naming this year’s top three ‘Casanovas’ of the animal kingdom, SWT’s Chief Executive Simon Milne, said: “The natural world is full of time-honoured rituals which are eminently successful in the match-making stakes. Our three top Valentine’s Day courtiers, the male stickleback, the great crested grebe, and the red velvet mite, certainly go to more lengths than most humans do to impress their mate.
“Would you consider building a new house from scratch for your loved one? Or performing an elaborate and world-renowned dance to impress and win their love forever? No? Well maybe you could learn a thing or two about romance from our native wildlife.”
An expert in freshwater flirtations, the stickleback male goes the extra mile to prove his dedication to a female mate. After carefully selecting a nest site, he builds a mound from algae mixed with a secretion from his kidneys. By wriggling through the mound, he forms a tunnel and emerges clad in new and eye-catching colours to display his fertility. As females, laden with eggs, pass by, the male darts at them to get their attention. He will lead them towards his nest where the females release the eggs, which he promptly fertilises. He will guard the eggs and fan them to keep them supplied with oxygen.
The great crested grebe, a. water bird which gains an ornate plume of feathers on its crown in the mating season, is another famous mater chosen by SWT. Males and females of this species, when pairing, engage in an impressive dance, bobbing face-to-face in the water and shaking their heads, diving for clumps of weed – which they emerge with clasped in their beaks – and raising themselves out of the water to sway their necks in unison. The crown of feathers is a key part of this tryst, but this very feature nearly spelled the end for grebes. So coveted were they by Victorian ladies, grebes were nearly hunted to extinction.
And the invertebrate world has tales of wooing too, according to SWT. The red velvet mite is a tiny parasite, taking its name from its scarlet furry coat. The mating ritual of the miniscule male involves him laying down his sperm in, what is dubbed by some experts as, a ‘love garden’. He then weaves an undulating thread of silk leading to the sperm, which the female will follow. A delicate dance ensues, with the mites tapping legs and, if the female is charmed by her suitor, she will accept his sperm ‘packet’.
Milne says: “It’s amazing to think that the little ruby red dot which goes more-or-less unnoticed in gardens all across Scotland has such an intricate mating ritual. And it’s quite remarkable that the exotic dance performed by great crested grebes is actually something we can witness on nature reserves so close to our own doorsteps. Wonders like these can be found in local communities across Scotland everyday and they help to inspire an excitement and appreciation for our country’s biodiversity.
“An appreciation of nature and its spectacles helps to enrich all our lives, and that’s why SWT is dedicated to creating A Living Landscape, across the length and breadth of Scotland, where wildlife can adapt to climate change and thrive from our urban gardens to the tops of our mountains, for all to enjoy. A Living Landscape is all about increasing the opportunities for people to experience wildlife where they live. The wonders of the natural world are something we cannot afford to lose.”
This Valentine’s Day why not whisk away the person you love to a nature reserve where you can spot some romance unfolding for yourself or show your love for Scottish Wildlife by becoming an SWT member? SWT manages over 120 reserves across the country. For more information, visit
www.swt.org.uk.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. SWT is the largest voluntary body working for all the wildlife of Scotland, representing more than 35,000 members who care for wildlife and the environment. SWT seeks to raise public awareness of threatened habitats and species and manages over 120 reserves Scotland-wide.
2. The People’s Postcode Lottery is the lottery for charities in Scotland. Launched in November 2007, PPL represents a unique fundraising concept where players play with their postcode to win cash prizes whilst supporting local charities in Scotland. 40p from each ticket sold goes direct to charities in Scotland. To date SWT have received over £772,023 from PPL which helps maintain the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s network of over 120 reserves across Scotland.
3. SWT receives financial assistance and support from Scottish Natural Heritage and the People’s Postcode Lottery.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Nicola McGovern, SWT PR Officer
Tel: 0131 312 4742
