Publications by authors named "Frazer Coomber"
The exposure of wildlife to waste plastic is widely recognised as an issue for aquatic ecosystems but very little is known about terrestrial systems. Here, we addressed the hypothesis that UK small mammals are ingesting plastics by examining faecal samples for the presence of plastic using micro Fourier Transform infrared microscopy. Plastic polymers were detected in four out of the seven species examined (European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus); field vole (Microtus agrestis); brown rat (Rattus norvegicus)).
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- The Cuvier's beaked whale, a little-known species, has seen its Mediterranean subpopulation classified as Vulnerable due to decreasing numbers and threats such as chemical pollution.
- A study sampled about 20% of this population to assess ecotoxicological conditions, focusing on contaminants like PCBs and PBDEs and their effects on the whales' health.
- Results showed alarming contamination levels, especially in adult males, with 80% of whales exceeding toxicity thresholds, highlighting the urgent need to address anthropogenic pressures threatening their survival in the Mediterranean.
Article Synopsis
- Artificial light at night (ALAN) may negatively affect various wildlife, but its impact on non-bat nocturnal mammals, like European hedgehogs, is not well understood.
- A citizen science project utilized camera traps at 33 UK gardens to evaluate hedgehog activity under conditions of artificial light and darkness over two one-week periods.
- The study found inconsistent changes in hedgehog activity due to lighting, with no overall negative impact on their presence or feeding, suggesting that hedgehogs may adapt to supplementary feeding in lit environments, but further long-term research is needed to explore additional effects.
Road vehicle collisions are likely to be an important contributory factor in the decline of the European hedgehog ( in Britain. Here, a collaborative roadkill dataset collected from multiple projects across Britain was used to assess when, where and why hedgehog roadkill are more likely to occur. Seasonal trends were assessed using a Generalized Additive Model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSex identification of adult cetaceans is an important ecological parameter that should be incorporated into studies such as population dynamics and animal behavior. In Cuvier's beaked whale ( ), sex determination may be achieved through genetics, observation of genitals, the presence/absence of erupted teeth, and calf association. However, these features are difficult to ascertain due to the shy behavior of this species.
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