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Cairngorms Capercaillie

Adam Henson and Charlotte Smith are in the Cairngorms National Park, home to a quarter of the UK’s rare and endangered species.

Adam Henson and Charlotte Smith are in the Cairngorms National Park, home to a quarter of the UK’s rare and endangered species. Across this vast landscape, dedicated conservationists are striving to safeguard wildlife on the brink of extinction.

Among the Cairngorms’s most vulnerable species is the capercaillie. Adam joins a conservation team working to protect these elusive birds from disturbance and predation in the crucial days leading up to their lekking (breeding) season - an event vital to the species’ survival.

Charlotte meets some Maremma sheepdogs - the fluffy livestock guardian dogs being trialled to deter potential predators like sea eagles from lambing flocks. She then meets a furniture maker looking to highlight the impact of ash dieback in Scotland. Also, an entomologist shares his enthusiasm for the endangered narrow headed ants that he is breeding from his own home.

Adam Henson continues his journey across the UK meeting young people who are passionate about farming and the countryside. This week, his travels take him to Berkshire to hear how a young arable farmer is navigating and adapting to the changes in agriculture.

Release date:

54 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Adam Henson
Presenter Charlotte Smith
Series Editor Mark Beech
Series Producer Becky Pratt

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