Wildlife 'needs help' in climate change exodus

Animals such as bats, lizards and dormice will need help moving to new habitats in the United Kingdom as climate change brings warmer temperatures, the Wildlife Trusts warned yesterday. Butterflies and birds will also require assistance in shifting their ranges north and west in search of new homes.

Some species are already moving, like the traditionally southern comma butterfly. Now the Wildlife Trusts are trying to link up areas of woodland, heathland and pasture to enable creatures like pipistrelle and barbastelle bats, sand lizards and hazel dormice to extend their habitat.

'Wildlife has done it all before, after the last ice age, but this time there are unexpected barriers: the cities, motorways and expanses of hostile countryside. We need to ensure that we give our wildlife room to move or its future is threatened,' said John Everitt of the Wildlife Trusts.